InvestorsA few quick updates for followers of the Las Vegas real estate scene and real estate in general:A recent Wall Street Journal article noted that investors who bought homes in the past couple of years have largely decided to hold their properties and enjoy cash flow (Housing Investors Settle into a Holding Pattern, May 20,2014). Instead of treating this as a big trade, buying distressed homes or relatively undervalued homes and selling them after the price increases many cities had experienced in the past co... read more

  With recent economic uncertainty and stock market swings, it’s understandable if you’re feeling uneasy about your investments. But if you're a homeowner thinking about selling, there’s one thing you can count on: real estate remains one of the most stable and resilient assets — and that gives you a major advantage. Real Estate: A Steady Anchor in Uncertain Times Unlike the stock market, ... read more

In the July numbers, increased prices continue to be printed. On a median price per-square foot basis, single family home prices advanced by 3.2% from last month. With the same metric, condominiums and townhomes increased by over five percent. Multiple offers remain commonplace, although anecdotally, this appears to be moderating as we head into a slightly less active season. It is worth noting that on average, homes that closed in July went under contract nearly 70 days prior, so closings do tend to lag the street... read more

Some analysts have noted weak M & A activity in REITs throughout the past year. One common reason is the lack of willing sellers. Pretty natural result in this interest rate environment. Scott Craig expands on some of these reasons here: http://www.reit.com/Videos/Analyst-says-REIT-MA-Activity-Lags-Due-to-Lack-of-Sellers.aspx Recently Cole Real Estate and American Realty Capital Partners merged. Housewire has the details: http://www.housingwire.com/articles/27597-cole-real-estate-to-merge-into-american-real... read more

REITs have raised a lot of capital in the past year and they are locked and loaded for bear but they just can't find enough of them. A lot of the product that REITs like to aquire; apartments, office buildings, malls and warehouses have not been available. Current owners are hesitant to sell into a market where prices have needed a massive reset and they often keep performing assets for themselves. Additionally, banks are cautios about how they liquidate properties they have foreclosed on since they have to watch t... read more