The Dealmaker: 2/15/2017

Arizona Coyotes’ $395 million arena plan gets new life. “[U]nder legislation approved by a state Senate committee…. [the team] could receive $225 million in public financing for a new arena that would go in downtown Phoenix or the East Valley.”  And what about the Suns and D-backs, who “also are unhappy about playing in older facilities”? Would this legislation help them get new homes? Find out and get further details on SB 1149, at AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2kToqNl

ASU, Arizona Golf Community Foundation to begin work on Papago Golf Course. “Arizona State and the City of Phoenix announced updated plans Tuesday for improvements at Papago Golf Course, including a main clubhouse and practice facility for ASU golf teams designed in part by former ASU golf star Phil Mickelson.” Take a VIRTUAL TOUR of the improvements and learn more about what “Lefty” says will be “the single-greatest short game training space in the country,” at AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2kTclHX

Why more single-family homes are becoming rentals. “The share of single-family homes in the country’s rental housing inventory was 36.13% in 2014, about 5% higher than in 2000, according to [a National Mortgage News] analysis… [And while] different factors… contribute to the transitions between owner-occupied and rental status…. [there was one] major factor that… contributed… more…” —>  http://bit.ly/2kyy04H

New NAHB chair “very positive” about Trump presidency. “Texas-based builder and developer” Granger MacDonald talks Trump,”housers,” “rising interest rates, GSE reform, and a potential rewrite of the tax code.” Lots of info packed into this 4-minute interview. WATCH it at Builder. http://bit.ly/2kTld0p

Mortgage seekers jump whopping 22% last month. “[A]pplications for new home purchases surged in January [‘9.2 percent higher than in January 2016’] according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.” Why MBA VP of Research and Economics, Lynn Fisher, isn’t surprised about it, in Mortgage News Daily. http://bit.ly/2kKCuGA

Bonds tied to dying malls could be the next ‘Big Short.’ “[T]ipping point”… “retail upheaval”… “wave of retail closures”…“toxic cocktail” — those are a few of the gloomy descriptors used by Alder Hill Management in a “report to investors [that makes] the case against commercial mortgage-backed securities tied to retail property.” The WSJ reports that “Alder Hill… recently placed a short position, betting certain low-rated securities would suffer a 30% to 70% loss.” Additionally, just “[l]ast week, Deutsche Bank analysts recommended shorting risky slices of debt tied to malls…” http://bit.ly/2kTdO10

GREAT EXPECTATIONS – Gap between expectations and appraisals widens. “(HPPI) showed the average appraisal value was 1.47% below what owners expected in January. This two-month drop in the HPPI comes on the heels of a six month stretch where opinions between homeowner and appraiser were steadily moving closer to equilibrium.” Quicken Loans Chief Economist Bob Walters weighs in on the importance of “[a]ccurate expectations,” in Builder. http://bit.ly/2lRhjCT

Cameron’s $5M + deals of the day – http://bit.ly/2kyr8oe