Real Estate Investing Blog

Real estate investing insights, market trends, and lending strategies from the Dominion Financial team. Written by investors, for investors. New posts weekly.

Market Insight

What the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Means for Institutional Investors

Signed into law in July 2026, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act restricts institutional investors controlling 350 or more single-family homes from making additional purchases, effective January 7, 2027. The law does not require divestiture of existing holdings and applies only to future acquisitions. Exceptions remain available for build-to-rent programs, renovate-to-rent projects, foreclosure transactions, and purchases from other qualifying investors. Investors below the 350-home threshold, including most smaller and mid-sized investors, are not affected by the restriction.

August 31, 2026Read more →

Investor Tip

Opportunity Zones Explained: What Changed and What It Means for Investors

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act made Qualified Opportunity Zones a permanent part of the tax code, replacing a program that was set to expire. New zone designations take effect January 1, 2027, under tighter eligibility criteria, and will be redesignated every 10 years going forward. Investments made after December 31, 2026, are subject to a new rolling 5-year deferral period instead of the old fixed 2026 recognition date, and continue to qualify for the standard 10% basis step-up at the five-year mark, while investments made before that deadline follow the original rules. Rural Opportunity Zones now carry a 30% basis step-up after a 5-year hold, versus 10% for standard zones, along with a reduced substantial improvement threshold, making rural deals notably more attractive than before. For investors, the practical impact is less urgency around a hard deadline and a new set of timing, location, and reporting considerations to weigh against other capital gains strategies.

August 27, 2026Read more →

Market Insight

Is It Really a Buyer's Market in 2026? What the Data Actually Shows Investors

The 2026 housing market shows mixed signals rather than a clear-cut buyer's market. Inventory is rising but growth has slowed sharply from last year's pace, and while some states have surpassed pre-pandemic supply levels, most remain historically tight. The "lock-in effect" (homeowners holding onto low pandemic-era mortgage rates) is suppressing new listings even as overall inventory climbs, meaning today's sellers are often more motivated (relocation, distress, life events). Price cuts are increasingly common and median list prices have declined for nine consecutive months, though the extent varies widely by metro. Notably, homes are selling slightly faster than a year ago and pending sales keep growing, showing buyer demand hasn't disappeared. For investors, the takeaway is that leverage has improved but success now depends on submarket-level analysis and moving quickly on realistically priced or off-market deals, backed by fast, ready financing such as DSCR loans or fix-and-flip capital.

August 19, 2026Read more →

Investor Tip

Why Smart Investors Are Building Liquidity In The Second Half of 2026

Mid-2026 market data shows mortgage rates holding through 2027-2028, home price growth cooling or reversing in roughly a quarter of major markets, investor home purchases at their lowest Q1 level since 2020, and fix-and-flip margins at their tightest since 2008. For real estate investors, that combination points toward a season of tightening up rather than scaling: building liquidity through cash-out refinances, clearing stale projects off the books, and staying selective now to be positioned for opportunities that typically follow such a market.

August 14, 2026Read more →

Investor Tip

If You Want AI in Your Real Estate Business to Work, Start With the SOP

Every real estate investor is picturing an AI assistant that reviews invoices, tracks deals, and flags problems early but that only works once your processes are written down. This piece walks through how to document workflows so AI in your real estate business actually performs, not guesses.

August 7, 2026Read more →

Investor Tip

Self-Directed IRA Real Estate Investing: Complete Guide

A self-directed IRA allows real estate investors to use retirement funds to invest in properties, private loans, and other assets while maintaining tax advantages, with Roth IRAs offering the potential for completely tax-free growth. By using structures like a Checkbook IRA LLC and non-recourse financing, investors can scale within their retirement accounts, but must carefully follow IRS rules and understand taxes like UDFI to avoid penalties and maximize long-term returns.

August 6, 2026Read more →

Market Insight

As Institutional Buyers Retreat, Individual Investors Gain Ground

Institutional investors pulled back hard in early 2026, with purchases falling 6% year over year to their lowest level since 2020. At the same time, the new ROAD Act capped how many existing homes large institutions can buy. Fewer big buyers competing for the same inventory is opening room for individual investors, and the resale gains they are capturing actually improved. Here's what the pullback means for rental, fix and flip, and construction investors, and why it's a more selective market rather than an all clear.

July 31, 2026Read more →

Market Insight

Foreclosures Are Rising Again in the Second Half of 2026

Foreclosure filings jumped 21% in the first half of 2026, and the process is moving faster than it has in over a decade. See which states are heating up fastest, where distressed inventory is already deepest, and which markets deliver the most deal volume, so you know exactly where to point your capital next.

July 22, 2026Read more →

Investor Tip

Why Deep Market Knowledge Is Your Most Valuable Asset in the Age of AI

AI is commoditizing the mechanical parts of real estate investing, including document checks, comps, and compliance, but it can't replicate judgment built from years of hands-on market experience. The investors and lenders who will win going forward are those who combine AI's speed with deep local knowledge: knowing submarkets block by block, vetting contractors through relationships, reading market cycles with nuance, and knowing which deals to walk away from. The same applies to choosing a lending partner. Look for one with real market history, not just fast algorithmic approvals. Dominion Financial positions itself as combining both: AI driven efficiency plus genuine market expertise.

July 21, 2026Read more →