Investors Descend on Student Housing

Multifamily Executive reports that it's back to school time in more ways than one: both students and investors are interested in student housing this year.  Read More . . . 

Room for Apartment Rents to Rise According to National Multi Housing Council

There’s more room to increase rental prices in the apartment market, according to Doug Bibby, president of the National Multi Housing Council (NMHC).

Demand For Apartments Rises Across the Country

Investor's Business Daily reports Portland's 3.5% vacancy rate puts it among the nation's lowest.  Read more . . .

HFO Launches New, Streamlined Website

HFO is pleased to announce the launch today of our new, streamlined website. Among other things, we now have the capability to integrate videos. Watch for the mobile version of our site launching later this month designed especially for smartphone users. Investors will be able to quickly obtain directions to our listings using map integration. Our goal is to serve apartment investors using the most advanted technology and marketing tools available.

FHA Apartment Loan Originations Hit Record High

The Federal Housing Administration has backed a record $10.5 billion in multifamily rental housing loans during its 2011 fiscal year, the agency said on Tuesday. Read More . . .

Should You Appeal the Tax Assessment on your Apartment Property?

Oregon attorney Christopher Robinson discusses how an owner can evaluate whether a property's current assessed tax value is accurate and appropriate.

HFO Sponsors Dougy Center Fun Run, Fri. Aug. 19!

HFO is pleased to be among the local sponsors of the fun run - 2:30-6:30pm Friday, August 19th! This 2.8 mile non-competitive run/walk starts near the HFO offices at the Eastbank Esplinade near the Fire Station at the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge.  Picnic style food and beverages follow with raffle prizes and information about how The Dougy Center helps provide support in a safe place where children, teens and young adults can share their experiences surrounding the death of a loved one. Families are welcome.  Registration ends today!  Cost is $20, $12 for children under 12 and $5 for children under 12 who would like to participate but who don't need a t-shirt.

To register call Lindsey at 503-515-7715.

Census Reports: Portland Q2 Vacancy Rate Falls to 3.5%

U.S. Census Bureau: Portland Metro Scores America's 4th Lowest Apartment Vacancy Rate for 2nd Quarter

The U.S. Census Bureau reports Portland's vacancy rate fell from 4.0 percent to 3.5 percent in the second quarter of 2011, putting it at the nation's fourth lowest vacancy rate among the top 75 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs).

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA had a Q2 2011 vacancy estimate of 7.5 percent, up from 6.8 percent the prior quarter and the nation's 21st lowest.

The nation's 10 lowest vacancy rates were:

• Springfield, MA - 1.9%
• Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT - 3.0%
• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA - 3.2%
• Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA - 3.5%
• Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH - 4.3%
• Bakersfield, CA - 4.5%  (tie)
• Milwaukie-Waukesha-West Allis, WI - 4.5% (tie)
• Rochester, NY  - 4.7% (tie)
• Worcester, MA - 4.7% (tie)
• Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN - 5.0%
• Salt Lake City, UT - 5.1%

The MSA's with the five highest vacancy rates were as follows:

• New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA - 16.5%
• Birmingham-Hoover, AL - 16.6%
• Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI - 17.2%
• Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land - 17.4%
• Toledo, OH - 19.3%

Read the full report online

Reducing Risk When Going Green in Multifamily

Heidi McCauley of USI Insurance talks with HFO Apartment Broker Greg Frick about the risks of Going Green in Apartment Investments.

GlobeSt.com Reports "Apartments Shine as Beacon of Hope"

GlobeSt.Com is calling apartments a Beacon of Hope. "The nation’s apartment market continues to beat expectations as it speeds along to a full-scale recovery. Vacancy rates peaked in early 2010 at 8 percent and have since dropped to a healthy 5.9%. Effective rental rates have been moving upward for a year-and-a-half now, by 2.5% per year on average, and picking up pace to the 4% to5% range this year. Select markets are registering high single-digit rent growth."  Read more.  

MSN Reports: "The New American Dream: Renting"

MSN asks today: "Is renting about to replace property ownership in the hearts and psyches of Americans? With the traumatic disruption in housing lately, it certainly feels as if something fundamental is changing." Some economists believe an elite class of renters may be developing.  Read the full story.