Boston Short-Term Rentals Pivot Amidst Pandemic

Hospitality has been one of the real estate sectors most negatively affected by Covid-19. As in all U.S. gateway cities, the impact on Boston short-term rentals has been acute. Prior to February 2020, the short-term rental market in Boston had been thriving, with an estimated 61% occupancy rate during the summer of 2019, according to data from Mashvisor. But with the unprecedented drop off in domestic travel and the closing of the U.S. borders to foreign travel, short-term rentals quickly ground to an abrupt halt in March. Read more

Investment Real Estate in New Haven, Connecticut

New Haven’s international profile and high rental demand is attracting investors from around the Northeast region.  Located along the I-95 and I-91 corridors, New Haven enjoys Amtrak and local rail service to both New York and Boston.   The city is a thriving community of generational, ethnic, and educational diversity, and is home to a number of educational, healthcare, and cultural institutions. Its emphasis on education and health sciences contributes to steady job growth, while New Haven’s arts and entertainment scene makes it an enjoyable community to call home. Read more

Mortgage Financing in 2018

Sweeping tax reform and a changing economic landscape stand to impact mortgage lending in 2018 and beyond. Mortgage interest rates haven’t been this high since December 2016, while anticipated rate hikes from the Federal Reserve put upward pressure on interest rates. Freddie Mac reports that as of February 8, 30-year fixed mortgage rates were up 33 basis points since the start of 2018. And, The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) predicts the Federal Reserve will raise the federal funds rate four times in 2018 and twice more in 2019. Simply reaching 5-percent would mark the highest rates since 2011. Read more

The Challenges of Managing Apartment Buildings

Today, a good location, well-maintained units, attractive common areas and the right amenities are no longer enough to keep occupancy rates high and the property value of an apartment building up. Instead, success in commercial real estate investing can often hinge on smart property management, which can ensure that a seemingly profitable investment doesn’t instead turn into a negative cash-flow mistake. Read more

More on IRS 1031 and Net Leased Single-Tenant Properties

We recently blogged about the use of IRS 1031 as a preferred strategy for active real estate investors that wish to defer their capital gains liability.  In its current form since 1986, a “1031 exchange” is a guideline for selling one qualified property and then buying another qualified property within a specific period of time.  While a “1031 exchange” enables investors to reinvest funds which otherwise would have been paid to the IRS, the specific timeline for compliance with IRS 1031 is often problematic.   It’s not often likely an investor can identify a suitable exchange property following the sale of an asset within the 45 days allowed by the IRS. Read more