Steve Welty Issue# 92 April 2026 Happy Saturday Housing Heroes, If you own or manage rental housing, something new has been introduced at the federal level that could impact rental housing, and it is worth taking a closer look. The short version: Nothing changes for you today; but a federal rule is moving in a direction that could shorten eviction notice timelines for certain properties down the road, and it's worth having on your radar. In late February, the U.S. Department of Housing and...
18 days ago • 2 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 91 March 2026 Happy Saturday Housing Heroes, If you’ve leased out a property recently, you’ve probably had this thought at least once: “Is this application actually real?” And you’re not being paranoid. Rental fraud has quietly become one of the biggest challenges in leasing today. Over 70% of housing providers say fraud has increased in the last year, and more than 80% are seeing fake or manipulated income documents. So if things feel a little different lately… they are....
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 90 March 2026 Happy Monday Housing Heroes, If you’ve owned a rental property for 10, 20, or even 30+ years, you’ve probably asked yourself the same question at some point: “What happens if I sell this property?” For many investors, the immediate fear is the tax bill. Capital gains. Depreciation recapture. State taxes. It can feel like the government takes a huge bite out of decades of hard work. But this week’s webinar reminded us of something important: A 1031 exchange...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 89 February 2026 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes! The headlines say it all: California’s “junk fee” crackdown has been delayed. If you were bracing for AB 1248 to dramatically change how you structure resident fees in 2026, you can exhale, for now. Let’s break down what happened, what would have changed, and what this means for you moving forward. What Was AB 1248? AB 1248 was California’s proposed “junk fee” bill aimed directly at rental housing. The goal? Prevent landlords...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 88 February 2026 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes! Despite being illegal in California, Section 8 discrimination is still happening at an alarming rate. A 2024 undercover investigation by the OC Register revealed that Section 8 discrimination remains widespread. More than half of landlord interactions resulted in outright refusals to accept vouchers, and over 200 landlords, including several well-known real estate companies were documented denying applicants solely because of...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 87 February 2026 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes, There’s a word that’s been on my mind lately: Risk. Not reckless risk.Not gambling-the-house risk. But the kind of risk that feels aligned.The kind that feels like expansion. I’ve noticed something about myself. When I’m taking a meaningful risk, I feel more alive. More present. More connected to the direction I’m meant to be heading. When I avoid risk, even in small ways, I feel contracted. Sometimes it’s subtle. Do I stay...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 86 February 2026 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes, We just wrapped up our second quarterly market sync with our Sales, Leasing, and Property Management teams. These meetings aren’t about trends we read online or hot takes from Reddit, they’re about what’s actually happening across the homes we manage every day. And honestly, the takeaway was pretty simple: The rental market isn’t on fire. It’s not falling apart either. It’s leveling out. Nothing dramatic. Nothing flashy. Just...
3 months ago • 4 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 85 January 2026 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes, We wanted to share a real situation that recently came up, one that highlights an important timing detail for owners who’ve converted a former primary residence into a rental. Ryan Prazen, our Director of Real Estate Sales, recently shared this example with me after a call with a client, and it’s a good reminder of why planning ahead matters. A Real-World Example An owner had lived in their home for years before converting it...
3 months ago • 3 min read
Steve Welty Issue# 84 January 2026 Happy Saturday, Housing Heroes, Quick follow-up to a recent note on AB 1157. There’s an important update. AB 1157 Has Been Halted... For Now The rent control bill authored by Assemblymember Ash Kalra did not move forward after a hearing in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. The bill needed seven votes to advance and fell short. As a result, AB 1157 is effectively done for this legislative session and will not become law this year. That’s welcome news for...
4 months ago • 1 min read