Below you'll find our roundup of the best news and developments across the web, covering everything from real estate highlights to climate change, city developments, and urban planning.

Insights From SORTIS

ESG and REITs: Greener Paths for a Sustainable Future

ESG principles are transforming REITs by driving sustainability, improving tenant well-being, and promoting ethical governance. As real estate accounts for 40% of global emissions, can ESG integration redefine value for investors and the environment? Read More.

Fin Frontiers

The US economy may be on _thinner_ ice than investors think

Thin Ice, Rising Price—What’s the Real Deal for US Economy?

While optimism grows for a "soft landing," cracks in the market hint at a potential downturn. With rising unemployment, high earnings expectations, and volatile stocks, are investors skating on thin ice? Read More.

Shiny Claims, Hidden Pains—Is the Middle Class Really Winning?

Despite the administration's positive spin, inflation outpacing wages has left many Americans struggling. With stagnant incomes and rising healthcare costs, are the supposed gains just an illusion? Read More.

Real Estate Highlights

Homes or Hurdles?
High Hopes, Zoning Slopes—Can the Dream of Ownership Return?

With rising home prices and slow construction, the American dream of homeownership is slipping out of reach. Will deregulation and better policy solve the housing shortage and restore affordability for future generations? Read More.

Housing Payments Have Dropped to Their Lowest Level Since January. But Home Sales Are Still Falling.

Housing Hold-Up
Rates Drop, Buyers Stop—What’s Keeping the Market Slow?

Though mortgage rates have dipped, many potential homebuyers remain hesitant due to high prices, unclear real estate rules, and anticipation of Fed cuts. Will these factors finally move the market? Read More.

CRE Corner

Office Strains, Retail Gains—Is the Commercial Sector Still Thriving?

Despite office vacancy challenges, the commercial real estate market shows resilience, with stability in medical offices and thriving urban retail centers. Can adaptive reuse and rising industrial demand keep the sector strong? Read More.

Sunbelt Manufacturing Boom Lures Property Investors

Factories and Futures—Is Real Estate Ready for Onshoring’s Boom?

TAs U.S. manufacturing hubs rise, investors are eyeing real estate surrounding factories like those for EVs and semiconductors. With job creation fueling demand for housing, retail, and infrastructure, is this the next big opportunity or a risky gamble? Read More.

Metropolitan Matters

Home prices are falling the fastest in these 10 US cities

Price Plunge in the Sunbelt—Which Cities Are Leading the Fall?

Amid rising inventory and slower market activity, U.S. home prices are dropping fastest in cities like Miami, San Diego, and Austin. With listings lingering longer, will falling mortgage rates heat things up this fall? Read More.

Cincinnati's Housing Crunch—Will New Policies Tame the Market?

As Cincinnati faces a housing shortage, Mayor Aftab Pureval's new zoning reforms aim to increase development and affordability. Will these changes, like relaxing density restrictions, be enough to reverse rising rents and property taxes? Read More.

Climate Chronicles

Flooding Is Getting Worse—and Fewer Homeowners Have Insurance

Floods and Fallout—Is America Ready for the Next Storm?

With outdated flood maps and a decline in insurance coverage, many Americans, like those in Westfield, face devastating losses as climate change intensifies storms. Will FEMA step in, or is the nation unprepared for rising flood risks? Read More.

What’s All The Buzz About Alternative Investments_

Can We Rethink Ventilation for a Hotter Future?

As air conditioning contributes to rising temperatures, architects and engineers must return to passive design and adaptive behaviors. Could historical techniques like brise-soleils and natural ventilation help us survive in a hotter, modern world? Read More.

Alternative Avenues

Retirement Planning in 2024_ Alternative Investments Needed

Alternatives on the Rise—Is it Time to Consider Alternative Investments?

With 55% of financial advisors now recommending alternative investments, diversification and growth lead the reasons for the shift. As more options emerge, are alternatives like private equity and real estate the key to navigating market volatility? Read More.

Goldman Likes the Commercial Real Estate Debt That Others Fear

Vacancies Rise, Investors Prize—Is Commercial Real Estate Still a Smart Buy?

Despite looming debt and plummeting values in commercial real estate, Goldman Sachs sees opportunity in select mortgage-backed securities. With a strategic focus on logistics and industrial properties, is there value in the market chaos? Read More.

Inspiration Alley

Printing Progress, Bumpy Process—Can 3-D Tech Revolutionize Construction?

Walmart’s ambitious 3-D printed expansion faced delays and challenges, exposing the growing pains of this technology. With rising interest in faster, cheaper builds, can 3-D printing overcome its hurdles to shape the future of construction? Read More.

Have a Great Weekend!

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