Beyond Property · Building Portfolios

Property sales in Dubai have fallen “off a cliff”, a leading market watcher has said, after war in the Middle East forced a dramatic slowdown in one of the world’s most expensive real estate markets. Sales in the city dropped 19% in May compared with the previous month, accelerating from a 4% drop in April, the researcher ValuStrat found.

Guidance documents from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network heightening bank scrutiny of individual tax identification numbers in mortgage applications could discourage banks from issuing those kinds of loans

Detroit’s office market exhibits weaker property utilization metrics than the national commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) office universe, yet materially lower observed credit stress. This divergence reflects structural factors, most notably Detroit’s relatively small, securitized footprint, rather than superior operating performance. As private capital from hometown champions such as Dan Gilbert continues to fund downtown redevelopment largely outside CMBS channels, Detroit’s securitized office exposure starts from a less impaired base than the national CMBS office market.

The Federal Reserve held the federal funds rate steady at 3.50% to 3.75% at its June 2026 meeting, Kevin Warsh's first as chair. The decision itself was widely expected. The more important developments came through the statement, the Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) , and Warsh's first press conference. Together they offered the clearest signals yet of how he intends to run the institution.

There was a time when the biggest worry in markets was commercial real estate (CRE), especially for companies that own offices and workplaces where most staff now work from home. You likely won’t find CRE concerns leading the financial headlines anymore, but that’s not necessarily because conditions have improved (there’s a lot going on!). Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) have still been dragged down with the rest of the market over the last month, and commercial assets continue to concern investors.

The spring homebuying season is nearly over, but the housing market is still thawing from its winter freeze. After a very slow 2025, the same sluggish trends are persisting well into 2026: few home sales, limited listings, and near-record monthly costs. The recent bump in activity has also slowed.

Remote luxury golf courses are reverting to an older aesthetic — with sand and solitude as central selling points