Market Trends
March 25, 2026
Finding Hidden Value through Hyper-Local Investing
On a recent episode of the Rental Property Owner & Real Estate Investor Podcast, Brian Hamrick talks with Dr. Jordan Romano, an Ivy League–trained physician who has built a strong real estate portfolio not by chasing headlines or spreadsheets but by going extremely hyper-local, staying curious, and learning to see what others overlook. Jordan shares how he uses on-the-ground observation, municipal GIS tools, zoning knowledge, and simple pattern recognition to uncover opportunities that don’t show up in a typical MLS search.
Market Trends
March 24, 2026
New Home Sales Drop 17.6% in January
The U.S. Government is reporting that sales of new single-family houses in January, 2026 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 587k, which is 17.6% lower than December’s revised rate and is 11.3% lower than one year ago. The median sales price of new houses sold in January was $400,500 with an average sales price of $499,500. There were an estimated 476k new houses for sale at the end of January representing an 9.7 month supply at the current sales rate.
Market Trends
March 23, 2026
Federal Court Strikes Down FinCEN Residential Real Estate Rule
The American Land Title Association is reporting that a federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas issued a ruling vacating the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Rule in its entirety. ALTA says the ruling found that FinCEN exceeded its statutory authority under the Bank Secrecy Act and ordered the rule be set aside. They say this is inconsistent with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, which last month issued a decision in Fidelity National Financial v. Bessent.
In addition, FinCEN.gov has issued guidance confirming that reporting persons are not currently required to file reports under the rule. Alta says this shows FinCEN has acknowledged the court’s ruling and is not requiring compliance with reporting obligations at this time.
Market Trends
March 18, 2026
Tax Season Alert for Real Estate Investors
Before you know it, April 15th will rear its ugly head. You and your income tax preparer need to determine whether you qualify as a “real estate professional”, an “active participant”, or a “passive real estate investor.” Knowing the difference can save you thousands of dollars on your income tax return. Read the full article here.
Market Trends
March 17, 2026
Inflation Steady at 2.4%
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is reporting that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis in February. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.4% before seasonal adjustment. The index for shelter rose 0.2% in February and was the largest factor in the all items monthly increase.
Market Trends
March 16, 2026
Housing Starts Up 7.2% in January
The U.S. government is reporting that privately‐owned housing starts in January, 2025 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,487,000, which is 7.2% higher than December’s revised number and is 9.5% higher than one year ago. January’s rate for buildings with five units or more was 524k. Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,376,000, which is 5.4% below than December’s revised number and is 5.8% lower than one year ago. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 453k in January.
