?? Racketeering, Collusion, and the NAR

?? Hello, Best Ever Community!

In today’s newsletter,?Ash Patel goes off on the NAR, capital raisers learn what not to do, and one multifamily investor increases his property’s value by $7 million.

Let’s go!

???NO-FLUFF NEWS: CRE HEADLINES

?? $500M WeWork Buyback: Adam Neumann, the former chief executive and co-founder of WeWork, recently submitted an offer to buy the bankrupt co-working company for more than $500 million.

?? Renting Beats Buying: Renting a starter home is cheaper than buying one in all 50 states, with February marking the seventh year-over-year rent decline in a row for 0–2 bedroom properties.

???'New Reality' for CRE Finance: CRE lenders have responded to higher costs of capital in the market by clamping down on the amount of debt they offer to borrowers, dropping loan-to-value ratios across the board.

???TOP STORY: RACKETEERING, COLLUSION, AND THE NAR

ICYMI: The National Association of Realtors announced on March 15 a proposed $418 million settlement to a longstanding lawsuit alleging that its commission practices resulted in excessive buyer fees. The key provision eliminates the 6% commission standard — "easy money" for realtors, critics say — allowing home buyers and sellers to negotiate agent fees upfront. On the Best Ever Show this week, hosts Ash Patel, Slocomb Reed, and Joe Cornwell discuss and debate the settlement and its potential impact on both residential and commercial real estate.

Come for the debate, stay for the realtor/broker horror stories.