Category Archives: Real Estate

Daryl Hagler & Other Experts Share Their Thoughts on the Real Estate Market

Real Estate

There’s no question that the 2024 real estate market is filled with both challenges and opportunities. Economists are unconcerned that rising housing prices could lead to another housing crash, expressing optimism that even if prices fall, there will not be nearly as severe a decline as we saw in 2008-2009. Hearing from experts in the field including Daryl Hagler, Dave Liniger and Rick Sharga enables people to get a better handle on what’s happening in the market and on what decisions and investments they should be making.

With the Great Recession looming fresh in their memory, builders have exercised more caution in terms of construction pace, which has led to a shortage of homes for sale. Further tightening the real estate market are those who are locked into a 3% mortgage rate and are reluctant to sell. ­­

Of course no one has a crystal ball, but it’s interesting to hear from real estate experts and to see what they predict for the rest of 2024.

Daryl Hagler cites research demonstrating that stricter environmental regulations and sustainable practices, while important and positive, have increased project costs. On top of this, supply chain disruptions also cause project delays and higher rates. Industry professionals must continue to be strategic and creative in their approach to the 2024 market.

Rick Sharga expresses optimism in Altos Research’s study, which showed that there has been a price reduction among 35% of listed properties, a higher percentage than last year. While this may not inevitably point to a nationwide price drop, it could be viewed as moving in that direction.

Dave Liniger explains that the high mortgage rates unquestionably impact buyer behavior. Home prices continue rising with high demand and low supply, and Lininger expects that as soon as interest rates drop, there will be another “boom and bust cycle.”

The 2024 real estate market is complex for both buyers and sellers. While acknowledging the frustrations that accompany this challenging time, experts from Rick Sharga and Dave Liniger to Daryl Hagler remain optimistic that housing prices and mortgage rates will drop with the growing recognition that housing inventory must increase to stabilize prices.

Record High for Rentals in Manhattan

Economy, Real Estate,

Have you always dreamed of living in the big city? Now may not be the time.

For the sixth month in a row, apartment rental prices in Manhattan have reached a record high. With the median rate last month at $4,150 per month, rentals have climbed 2.5% since June and a whopping 29% from just one year ago. Renters are currently shelling out an average of $5,113 per month.

According to Jonathan Miller, president of Miller Samuel Real Estate Appraisers and Consultants, rent prices are expected to soar even higher this month as August is generally peak season. It is unclear what to expect from September, though. If the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates with the hope to curb inflation, the possibility of a recession will become more of a reality. In this situation, layoffs would be expected and demand for Manhattan rentals may decline, which would likely result in an ease on prices. However, Miller expects that rent prices will continue to climb till the year’s end, perhaps at a slower rate.

While rentals are in high demand, the dream of many to become homeowners is being put on hold. Rising mortgage rates are making the possibility of buying now impossible for many. With the current average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage now at 5.81%, families are opting out. With less buyers, the rental market is seeing extra added pressure, contributing to the increase in rates.

As the economy continues fluctuate in so many areas, the housing market will swing along accordingly. With the end of year gradually approaching, it will be interesting to see what develops. As Miller has asserted, “…it is going to come down to external factors like unemployment and hard landing to see what happens next.”

Brooklyn Commons: For Business and Pleasure

Art, Companies, Education, Real Estate, , , ,

Brooklyn Commons is the new name of the Brookfield Properties 16-acre business and cultural campus between Flatbush Avenue and Jay Street. Once named MetroTech Center, Brooklyn Commons has everything: offices for rent, trendy eateries, cultural programming, lush parks, and inviting open spaces. With an investment of $50 million, three Brooklyn Commons buildings are being overhauled and outfitted with new lobbies, terraces, and retail spaces on the entrance level.

Brooklyn Commons
Brooklyn Commons campus map

The renovations also include Brooklyn Commons Park, the 3.5-acre public park at the heart of the campus. With an ice skating rink that is open now, and new seating and lounging areas planned for the future, the space is already a great option for a day out. Brooklyn Commons also offers cultural programming for the public. The Arts Brookfield program at Brooklyn Commons has a robust schedule of educational lectures, art exhibits, film viewings, theater performances, concerts, food festivals, and holiday festivities.

Home Prices Reach Record Highs in May

Real Estate,


According to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller report, home prices in the US were 16.6% higher in May 2021 than they were in May 2020. It was the highest reading in over 30 years of Case-Shiller reporting.


April’s rise was also high at 14.8% year over year.


The city’s reporting the highest home price increase were Phoenix, San Diego and Seattle, among the 20 cities tracked in this report. All 20 cities reported upward trends in home prices for the year ending in May 2021. Phoenix reported a 24.7% price increase for the year, and San Diego had a 24.7% increase. Seattle’s was 23.4%.


Cities with the lowest gains were Chicago, Cleveland and Minneapolis, although they all had gains in the low double-digits.


Some of the cities had record-breaking annual gains: Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Seattle and Charlotte, North Carolina.


The high home prices have but a bit of damper on the number of homes being sold during the past few months, but now that the number of homes available for sale is increasing it is expected that prices will begin to come back down to earth.

Millenial Values Changing Investment Patterns

Markets, Millenials, Real Estate, , ,

Growing up in Sydney, Australia, Shenal Harakh learned that real estate was the key to a prosperous financial future. For an immigrant family from India, it wasn’t a bad model: Real estate values Down Under have exploded in recent decades, with the median price for a single-family home jumping from A$111,524 in 1995 to A$871,749 at the end of 2020.

For the 28-year-old Harakh, however, real estate investing left her itching for “action.” Three years ago, the then-anthropology student at Australian National University decided to diversify into the stock market. The move was a prodigious one: In 2020 she turned a 174 percent return in addition to 27 percent and 14 percent returns (respectively) on the Bell Direct and Stake platforms, according to the Australian Financial Review.

Harakh’s investment strategy appears to be a guidebook on Investing for Millenials. Her LinkedIn page says her investments focus on “cultivat(ing) meaningful connections and content where you can see your universe of interests as well as those of others, but still have the ability to separate what’s private, public, or visible to specific contacts and know there’s more to your network than meets the eye.

“As we spend more time online and creating virtual connections, it’s important for us to be able to express the complexity and interconnected nature of our lives,” she writes.

At the same time, she is cautious to warn that market activists must be careful, and that it isn’t for everyone. “Trading is addictive,” she told the AFN. “And the last thing you want to do is lose everything because of this addiction.”