Housing Reference Center

Get up-to-date, comprehensive reference and how-to articles on vital aspects of housing finance, development and management. These articles feature key information related to both market-rate apartments and affordable housing.

   Affordable Housing Development

• After MRB Volume Hits Record High, Industry Urges Congress to Prevent Declines
• Habitat Marks a Milestone Habitat for Humanity celebrates 25th anniversary by pledging to increase production and expand into local, international chapters.
• New Tax Credit Compliance Rules How to implement new unit inspection procedures without (too much) hassle.
• OMHAR Gets a Second Chance Despite criticism from project sponsors and governments, OMHAR will continue to be responsible for restructuring the nation's stock of older assisted housing.
• What to Do When the Tax Man Cometh Tips for tax credit project owners on how to handle an IRS audit.

   Affordable Housing Tax Credits

• Analysts Reveal What Makes a Good Market Study Developers and credit allocation agencies put new importance on conducting market studies as part of their planning process.
• Back to Basics: What You Need to Know About Tax Credit Allocations Key tactics for winning tax credits in today's market.
• Choosing the Right Equity Partner: How to Analyze Financial Strength, Track Record
• Corporate Investment and the Future of Tax Credits: What Should You Expect? How the investment picture is changing in light of corporate concerns and new tax credits for economic development and employment.
• How the Cap Hikes Were Won Find out how an intensive co-sponsorship campaign and alert lobbying won the day for the credit and bond cap hikes, and who was responsible for the industry's great victory.
• Policy Makers Consider Calls for Changes in Tax Credit Program While praising the federal housing tax credit program, many experts are suggesting steps for improving it.
• Tax Credit Agencies Fine-Tune Allocation Priorities, Address Changing Needs Battle between for-profits and nonprofits cools, but still simmers; QAPs reflect concerns about market weakness.

   Apartment Management Marketing    and Leasing

• Aging Boomers, Net Generation Fuel Continued Demand for Apartments Leading developers cater to baby boomers and their children.
• Coping with Rising Insurance Costs Apartment owners consider how to control insurance cost increases, reduce risks.
• Filling Vacancies: Temporary Leasing Services Provide Top Guns In today's market, managers turn to consultants to help fill vacancies.
• Marketers Learn to Rely on Internet to Help with Leasing New online leasing and screening techniques provide speed, convenience.
• Owners Turn to Property Management Firms as 'Strategic Partners'
• Ten Steps to Better Manage Crime Risk in Apartment Portfolios With planning, owners can implement safety programs that reduce risk substantially.

   Asset Management, Rehabilitation,    and Repositioning

• Asset Management Is a Critical Component of Successful LIHTC Investing Investing in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) projects provides investors with a predictable return while providing safe, affordable housing to low-income families.
• Brightening Up the Laundry Room Water costs, increased efficiency standards and new technologies are pushing the laundry room out of the shadows as apartment owners find that this expected service can be turned into a valuable amenity.
• Controlling Utility Costs Landlords search for new methods to pass water, energy expenses back to tenants.
• Experts Offer Advice on Property Repositioning
• Experts Share Secrets for Avoiding Pitfalls Of Housing Rehab, Conversion Projects
• Leading Developers Pile on High-end Amenities to Attract Tenants Some ideas can be adapted and used for small, existing properties.
• Paint Tips to Keep Occupancy High, Costs Low Looking for a quick, inexpensive way to improve the look of an apartment? Try fresh paint and new finishes, but make sure and choose carefully.

   Debt Financing for Affordable    Housing

• Bond Financing Simplified Developers welcome growth of unrated, direct placements, other low-cost options.
• FHLBanks Focus on Community Lending Federal Home Loan Bank System refocuses on public awareness campaign and expands role in community lending.
• Freddie Mac Moves into New Territory Secondary market organization continues aggressive financing of tax credit projects, steadily increases role as provider of bond credit enhancement.
• In Uncertain Market, Fannie Mae Strives to Meet Borrower's Needs Firm remains committed to finding ways to finance affordable housing, despite ailing economy and threat of rising interest rates.

   Debt Financing for Market-Rate    Apartments

• CMBS Market Remains Important Part of MF Finance, Regains Volume Despite Setbacks To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of the death of the commercial mortgage-backed securities industry may have been greatly exaggerated. Apartment loans are an important reason why.
• Fannie Mae Programs: New Products, Streamlined Service Help Build Volume DUS lenders tighten underwriting, closely scrutinize project operating costs.
• Freddie Mac's Future Looks Bright Program Plus lenders celebrate a record year, offer new loan products.
• Mezzanine Loans Spur Value-Added Deals Secondary financing can be critical to success when equity is short.
• Sec. 1031 exchanges: How to defer taxes on sale of your properties You probably know that Sec. 1031 exchanges can defer capital gains taxes on investment property, but you may have shied away from actually doing one because you thought it would be too complicated or too risky. Here's some basic information that should help you evaluate this very useful strategy.

   Technology and Computers

• Apartment Owner Survey: Constructing the Right Technology Balance Owners, managers pinch pennies on services such as software and high-speed lines.
• Leading Apartment Firms Describe Technology Approach Apartment owners and managers slowly embrace Web-based property management systems.
• Selective Telecom Technologies Here to Stay How owners are meeting the continued demand for broadband services despite a shake-out among providers.