How are Scottsdale developers building taller, denser buildings? “A seven-story office tower… 30 feet taller than zoning would typically allow. An apartment complex… granted 33 additional units. A mixed-use development… taller than any of its surroundings…. [These and other] projects have taken advantage of a… provision… that allows taller buildings and greater density in exchange for public art and other improvements…” But not everyone is thrilled with such “zoning bonuses.” AZCentral. http://bit.ly/2m9Y5Mv
Pollack: The economy is expanding. To open this week’s installment, TheMonday Morning Quarterback looks long — down the road — at Employment, Growth, and possible Labor Issues. And MMQ’s “Snapshot” topics? U.S.: Consumer Sentiment, Mortgage Rates & The Fed, New & Existing Home Sales. AZ: Lodging Occupancy – Supply & Demand Rates. http://bit.ly/2mBeQxo
Buyers are being drawn to new homes. NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald and Chief Economist Robert Dietz size up the Commerce Department’s new-home sales figures [up ‘3.7 percent last month’]. Plus, get inventory figures and find out the “only major region to see a decrease in new-home sales last month,” at REALTORMag. http://bit.ly/2mHwuyD
New-home sales up less than expected; prices up 7.5% annually.Mortgage News Daily picks up where the REALTORMag piece above leaves off, with details on “the 10.4 percent nosedive sales took in December.” (Also get median home prices figures and average time on market numbers.) —> http://bit.ly/2m9Lads
Pending home sales drop unexpectedly to lowest in a year, down 2.8% in January. “A weak start to the year,” says CNBC’s Diana Olick. “Experts had expected a slight gain… as new supply was expected to come onto the market in January.” Get the figures from NAR’s pending home sales index, and find out which region was the only bright spot, where ‘pendings’ “rose 2.3 percent… and were 3.6 percent above a year ago.” http://bit.ly/2lTb5DN
Highest home-buying demand in years stifled by tight inventory. “[I]nterest in buying a home is the highest it has been since the Great Recession…. [yet] home shoppers… face… numerous obstacles in their quest to buy a home.” NAR’s Lawrence Yun comments on the “squeeze” that’s keeping many “would-be buyers at bay,” in Mortgage News Daily. http://bit.ly/2lQcqgf
Cameron’s $5M + deals of the day – http://bit.ly/2mHsZIz
|