In his new book, UCLA architect Thom Mayne argues that you should! Last year, the NY Times wrote a piece about the large number of deeply discounted McMansions on the market in Merced. Has Prof. Mayne been purchasing these homes? Should you consider doing so? He argues that that Merced is a ...

Even superstars such as MJ sometimes make bad investment choices. This piece provides the details about his investment in a luxury gym in Chicago. It seems that the recession has clipped demand for such a product.

New York City has a complicated set of zoning rules that make it harder for real estate developers to start and finish new projects. Today the NY Times has published an obituary for Samuel Lindenbaum who was a master of navigating the zoning code. His life offers an interesting example of "va...

We are excited to launch the UCLA Economic Letter with our first edition, “Rebuilding the Housing Economy: The Multi-Family Boom Will Lead to a Rebound in Homeownership" by David Shulman. This is the first in a series of condensed analyses of crucial real estate and economic issues offered by th...

In this Internet age, what real estate is needed for Christmas Card stores? This article talks about the challenges that Hallmark faces in this age of email and e-cards. Some who are quoted in the article claim that they like receiving such cards because it reminds them of the "old days". T...

In the 1970s and early 1980s few would have guessed that abandoned Harlem brownstone buildings would be selling for $3 million dollars each in the near future. Things change. This article sketches out a compelling case study of a disagreement within a residential community. The debate focuse...

Free market economists view the world differently than most people. I take the challenge of climate change very seriously but my training in microeconomics offers me a different perspective than most of my colleagues at UCLA's Institute of the Environment. To get a taste of my "free market" a...

The NY Times argues that the effect will be small. An old friend of mine, Jed Kolko, is quoted in the article. Here is his quote; Jed Kolko, the chief economist at Trulia, a real-estate analytics firm, anticipated a muted effect on sales. “The big obstacles for people who want to buy are savin...

New York City has a complicated set of zoning rules that make it harder for real estate developers to start and finish new projects. Today the NY Times has published an obituary for Samuel Lindenbaum who was a master of navigating the zoning code. His life offers an interesting example of "va...

The Baby Boomers are a large birth cohort. For the many folks who were born between 1945 and 1965, retirement is approaching. This article discusses the real estate implications of this trend. Many moons ago, Greg Mankiw and David Weil wrote a paper on demographics and their impact on housing...

Written by Steve Collett, UCLA School of Public Affairs Class of 2013 (Masters in Public Policy) A growing consensus is forming among economists and criminologists that drug prohibition, rather than drug use itself, is a leading cause of violence and property crime, resulting in urban decay and ...

According to this article, "The cost of rebuilding the trade center, several related projects and the downtown public transportation system will run close to $24 billion — probably not all that surprising given the institutional rivalries, the political squabbling and the complexity of building ...

This NY Times article clearly states that Venice Beach will be receiving a "make over". While the current residents of Venice Beach prefer its "charm" to Santa Monica, I want it to look and feel more like Santa Monica! The article quotes Arnold S. at length and he seems to have mixed feelings...

Permit me to pose a hypothetical question. Suppose that a new successful company called "Facebook" goes public and this creates at least 1,000 new multi-millionares. If each of these folks lives in the greater San Francisco area, will real estate professionals and real estate scholars see an i...

In 2008, I sought to purchase a Los Angeles home. Home builders quoted me prices of $350 per square foot for the construction cost of building a new home on any land that I acquired. At the time, it crossed my mind whether a prefab home would offer a suitable alternative. This article offer...

Written by Sean Sullivan, UCLA Anderson School of Management Class of 2013 In a survey released earlier this month by the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE), Los Angeles ranked as the 5th most attractive city for investment, behind, in order, New York, Washington, DC, San Fr...

In an effort to bring you the latest in thought leadership, the UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate is pleased to share with you a new UCLA study commissioned by the Los Angeles Business Council, and released at LABC’s recent 2012 Mayoral Housing, Transportation and Jobs Summit. Paul Habibi, UCLA A...

I leave for Central Europe soon so I have been eager to learn about real estate prices in Budapest. For some specific price quotes look at this webpage. Switching subjects. For those who are interested in some summer reading related to local real estate markets. I suggest that you read Enrico ...

Written by Jared Weinman, UCLA School of Law Class of 2012 I recently was using Craigslist.org to search for a new apartment in Los Angeles. Scattered amongst the West LA listings were a number of three and four bedroom homes listed for prices well below comparable rentals in their neighborh...

If transportation costs are low,the same product should cost the same amount in different locations. If this statement is false, then there is an arbitrage profit for those who can "buy low" and "sell high". This NY Times article claims that there are some "bargains" to be found right now in ...

The WSJ reports a sobering story about investing in real estate with only 3% down.