How Quick From Executive Order to Groundbreaking?

Some opportunities come through because of research and discovery but there are some which are immediate and without warning. One example is the Executive Order signed after Labor Day by the Governor of Maryland designed to immediately increase the construction of housing through sales of State controlled parcels. Since this ordinance did not take months of review, chances are fewer real estate developers were fully prepared to be "first in" on the many new opportunities created.

When something like this happens, there is a clear advantage to being ready and knowing who to call instead of deciding to begin to research for possible opportunities. I already have clients and coaching students working on opportunities through municipalities offering properties for development and am helping them to formulate opportunities which can benefit their bottom line for years to come.

 

Having the information and team in place weeks or months ahead of the competition brings significant advantages, starting with initial costs. It's another instance of spending a few thousand dollars for research and development resulting in a million dollar opportunity.  

  

https://governor.maryland.gov/news/press/pages/governor-moore-signs-executive-order-to-increase-housing-production-and-make-housing-more-affordable-across-maryland.aspx

 

 

 

If The Land Is Not Available, Land Another Opportunity

It always interests me how problems are presented, and the fresh research about more challenges for home builders is an example. Upon reading that appropriate parcels to build are harder and harder to find along with labor problems and supply chain issues, the article offers little to no encouragement for those within the industry. While I understand the need for industry associations to report on trends and statistics, I remain puzzled by the lack of at least one suggested solution. There is not a positive spin.

 

It's like when residential real estate associations release information about a local drop in home sales, and days later member agents are complaining about a lack of inventory. There are ways to report less than positive news while adding a positive spin.

 

Meanwhile, new residential opportunities continue to happen. They are happening from conversions of office space and other commercial properties and not from "fresh" builds. Conversion projects mean work for architects, designers, contractors, and brokers. Those taking action don't need to worry about how many or how few lots are now available.

 

There are so many opportunities for taking advantage of housing shortages, affordable or regular, in many areas. Those that think it's only about finding parcels ready for development without doing thorough research will still be complaining about not having lots to build on. Those that understand the value of research, and have technology and creative financing access are the ones that are going to succeed. It also makes a big difference to be "first in" on a project instead of a bidding war.

 

Let my team and me help you to find the many opportunities which fit your wheelhouse. 

https://eyeonhousing.org/2025/09/lots-still-in-relatively-short-supply/ 

 

 

How College Students Impact Real Estate Marketing

The costs of living as a college student have been a strain for parents and students for many years. Within the past 20 years we have seen some parents invest in properties near campuses to enable their child to live there while renting rooms to other students. Doing so is designed to enable the son or daughter to live rent-free or close to it while starting (or adding to) a real estate portfolio.

 

However, the "older" houses which lack the amenities and conveniences which modern day student housing offers are catching up with parents and potential buyers. Per the below linked story, the trend is becoming to buy a house for the student(s) instead. Rents for "modern" student housing have reached the point of being the equivalent of a mortgage payment instead of being "cheap old" properties.

 

We are seeing quite the variation in student housing prices and conditions, especially when compared with the general residential market, in college towns along with for schools within big city neighborhoods. What it all means is that there is the need for researching college and university communities one by one to find the best trends from a real estate perspective. It's more than parents of upcoming students that should be doing the researching.

 

If you are a developer of student housing, it matters more than ever which market(s) to explore. If you are an investor, researching markets can determine whether to look at student housing, single-family, or apartments within range of campuses. If you are a broker, you should research to be aware of the differences within your coverage areas and which properties are most likely to have the most appeal.

 

If you own, or represent, properties in college areas, you should be exploring the possibilities as well. You might be overlooking your best target audience. 

 

Even if it is about one student attending college, a lot of people benefit from doing their homework! I can show you how. 

  

https://www.realestatenews.com/2025/09/08/in-some-college-towns-buying-a-home-is-cheaper-than-dorm-life

 

 

How Research Could Save 99% of Estimated Cost

A few of my valued connections were surprised when I mentioned an opportunity in the works which I do not consider to be of value, even with more than $100 million on the line. There is a lot to be said for examining any and all opportunities, whether based on location (knowing everything about your targeted area) or category. 

 

One of the strongest points I make to my coaching students is to consider every aspect of an opportunity, especially possible or existing problems. Your ability (or inability) to change or overcome them in some way could be the difference maker in your favor. A simple example was the time a new investor (student) told me that she looked closely at 20 properties in one area but could not find any she thought would be good to acquire, fix, and flip. She wondered what her next step should be. My response was to ask her if any of those properties she looked at could be good rentals. When she had "no idea", I calmly suggested that getting that answer should be her next step. 

 

By her learning to look at the same properties when considering a fix & flip OR for rental income, she "doubles" her chances for success based on her own findings.

 

On a much larger scale, the below linked story talks about multi-million dollar proposals to construct a Gondola ride system for Anaheim to connect entertainment and business venues. For $125 million?? This proposal also requires hundreds of trees to be removed, not to mention the inconvenience of nearly 4 miles of construction this project would force. Meanwhile, there is a proposal for a $500 million project for L.A. to link the Dodger Stadium area to downtown L.A.

 

As much as I question the viability of costly projects involving venues which are used for a few hours maybe 100 days per year, I see cost-effective solutions for business people. If there is truly demand to get people back and forth that proposals for hundreds of millions of dollars exist, coming up with a more viable solution could be a gold mine. 

 

Simply put, a shuttle service could serve this supposedly large audience starting in a matter of days for less than $1.25 million. (1% of the gondola project cost!!) That would be the cost of new vehicles, more drivers, and marketing the service. This is what I tell my coaching students about exploring opportunities. Finding problems can lead to you finding solutions. 

 

https://www.planetizen.com/news/2025/09/135934-anaheim-proposes-gondola-connecting-disneyland-stadiums-transit-center  

 

 

Not Just Another Day In The Park For These Retailers

As someone who never understood having to pay to park outside when spending money "inside", I'm very pleased to see the Atlanta decision toward reviving a once thriving retail section starting with removing parking meters and creating free parking spaces. Having very close and free parking can be promoted with advantages over the local mall. Being able to park "closer" helps when it comes to purchasing larger products and/or quantities. It opens up the "I can stop in for a minute" opportunity for area residents on their way to and from because they don't have to drive around a mall lot just to find a space.

 

It will be interesting to see how taking out the parking meters impacts local business over the first few months and how much it helps. This is about trying to make it easier for consumers. 

 

When performing research for a current or potential retail, medical, or restaurant location, I always consider the ability for customers to park and the convenience it brings or adds. What is interesting is that not all of my clients worry about it. I can't help but wonder if they are among the many people that have recently said, "Let's go to (place) instead. It's easier to park!"

 

The "little things" can make a big difference in a success story. The success story comes from having thorough research.  

 

 

https://atlanta.urbanize.city/post/virginia-highland-street-parking-virginia-highland-following-complaints 

 

 

 

Find Out Before The Train Leaves The Station

Monitoring local, regional, and statewide news stories may not seem like real estate related research, but doing so is where many real estate opportunities come from - or change. Take the below linked news story about how a recent Florida budget change could impact the South Florida commuter railroad to the point where it may have to shut down within the next two years.

 

Suppose you own or just broke ground for a rental property at which one of the prime amenities is proximity to the train station for the type of tenants you wish to attract. Knowing that the train station might be useless in two years is horrendous news for your investment. However, knowing about it with at least 18 months' notice gives you the chance to form a strategy to overcome. Not knowing about this could severely hurt your investment and profit potential, while giving competitors the chance to gain from it.

 

Suppose you do not own property in those areas, but are involved in opportunities which do not rely on commuter trains. In South Florida, senior or student housing are both solid examples. Being aware of this news could help you to be able to acquire land or an existing property at a discount from an owner seeing the writing on the wall for what they are currently doing.

 

My point is to show how a news story you won't find in the real estate section could impact your real estate world in either a positive or negative way, along with the significant advantages of knowing this information as soon as possible. In this case, it might not be soon enough. I would bet that several research people were aware of this due to monitoring the legislation which may cause this change and had an even bigger jump on the situation, but that's for another day.

 

Opportunities come from being fully prepared and having more information than the other side so you can take better advantage. Without a research person or team, you have no idea of how much you and your team may be missing out on.

 

 

https://www.planetizen.com/news/2025/09/135911-floridas-successful-commuter-rail-could-cease-operations-two-years  

 

 

Do You Build Apartments Where Many Others Are?

Is it WHAT you build? Or is it WHERE you build? 

 

After more than 30 years of working with real estate brokers, developers, and investors I still get answers coming from each of those directions. Some people are focused on location, while others look at the type of development, whether residential or commercial, ground-up or renovation, active or passive, and established vs. upstart.

 

This topic comes to mind upon reviewing the latest research showing which parts of the country have the most new apartment construction. The research is supposed to answer questions, but from my point of view, it raises them. We see that "the south", especially Texas and Georgia, are leaders within that region when it comes to gaining apartments. If you and your team are now looking for a development or purchase opportunity for apartments, how do you approach it?

 

There is no automatic formula for determining the best outcome. However, there is a way to determine the best path for the people or entity doing the "looking". If you have "done it before", you should have a pretty good idea of what is needed to "do it again". Your ability to "do it again" may be impacted by the location of the next venture. Maybe you are not familiar with the "new" location. In that case, someone with a better knowledge and more experience with the new location may be coming in with an advantage.

 

It may be easy to think that since Dallas, Austin, and Atlanta are showing significant growth in apartment development that those places are where the best opportunities are. In real estate, it should not be "easy" to think anything!

 

Maybe cities or areas with the least amount of new development are worth exploring, at least until you know WHY those cities have the least amount of development. If the reasons are something you and your team could overcome, you may be on to a very beneficial situation. If the reasons are something you and your team could NOT overcome, it helps to know that when looking into other locations, no matter what market trends may be.

 

Among the many things I have learned and pass along to my valued clients and students is that, quite often, the best decisions get made for you. 

https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/rental-market/market-snapshots/new-apartment-construction/

 

 

Making Developing Affordable Housing Affordable

Municipalities are playing a bigger role than ever before when it comes to both residential and commercial real estate opportunities, especially when in the preliminary research stages. Just as investors and developers run the numbers on various parcels and the location, and evaluate zoning and infrastructure, there is much more to making the best possible decisions.

 

Some municipalities offer tax and other financial incentives to developers for certain projects. In some cases, they are in conjunction with federal, state, or county energy incentives, grants, or economic development specialists. I'm amazed at how many people are shocked at how different one city can be from another when it comes to the impact local government can have on the real estate market. Affordable housing is one example.

 

In Los Angeles County, home ownership has dropped to its lowest level in 50 years at 45%. Meanwhile, the earlier cap on property taxes has resulted in nearly half of L.A. County homeowners living in their current home for more than 20 years, which is a big reason supply is so limited there. Presently, the L.A. County rental stock consists of only 6% of properties which are subsidized by the federal or California government.

 

Across in New York City, the downtown Brooklyn community has already seen more than 3,700 new apartment units opened through the first seven months of 2025, with more than 1,000 of those being affordable housing. An estimated 1,000 more units are expected to become available within the next six months. That is for just one neighborhood in Brooklyn!

 

Does this mean a developer should target Brooklyn over Los Angeles? 

 

My answer to this interesting question is that the answer won't be known without plenty of advance research. Are there more resources now available in L.A. which would add incentives to build there? Have the subsidies run out in Brooklyn? Are there other large cities out there with even better and more immediate opportunities?

 

It is possible that developers in Brooklyn had the right research to be "first in" to capitalize on demand and availability. 

 

https://la.myneighborhooddata.org/solachan-2025-exec-summary/

 

https://nypost.com/2025/08/19/real-estate/downtown-brooklyn-is-bursting-with-new-housing-options/