Welcome to the Best Ever midweek news brief, a new series where we will highlight the top headlines CRE investors should be paying attention to this week, followed by a deep dive on a larger news topic or trend alongside a CRE expert. Today’s Headlines: Retail is Back, Baby: Retail vacancy has hit a 17-year low, prompting landlords to withdraw the rent discounts and concessions they’ve been offering struggling tenants since the pandemic. This signals intensifying competition, meaning that retail may officially be back. PHX Leads in Q4 Apartment Demand: Apartment demand in Q4 outpaced pre-COVID norms in some key markets, with Phoenix leading the way with an absorption of nearly 4,300 units in Q4 — close to 3,500 more than the annual average in the decade leading up to the pandemic. Rental Fraud on the Rise: According to a new survey from the National Multifamily Housing Council and the National Apartment Association, more than 70% of major apartment landlords say they have seen an increase in fraudulent rental applications over the past 12 months. With this report, it appears that this problem is here to stay. (Here’s our previous episode on how renters are using TikTok to defraud landlords.)   Today’s Guest: Andy McQuade is the principal of The ARM Companies, which provides procurement and management consulting to clients in the real estate industry. Andy joins host Paul Mueller to discuss recent JLL reports which suggest that material costs are expected to increase in 2024 by anywhere from 2-6%, but electrical and related switchgear costs could be higher as companies continue to face labor and availability issues. Meanwhile, HVAC manufacturers and suppliers have also announced price hikes as high as 10% in some cases. Andy McQuade | Real Estate Background Principal at The ARM Companies Previous episode: JF3265: Save Six Figures on Your Next Project With These Construction and Efficiency Upgrades Portfolio: Self-Storage Based in: Rochester, NY Say hi to him at:  andymcquade.com LinkedIn Podcast   Sponsors BAM Capital