(Miami)

Anyone who has been even remotely watching the real estate market this year will note that the housing sector has been struggling. The well documented issues in the real estate market have caused housing stocks to have a very weak year, with multiple homebuilders recently hitting 52-week lows. This has made some worry that trouble in housing may be a leading indicator of an economic downturn to come. However, historically speaking, the opposite has been the case. Housing (combined with automotives) account for just 6.5% of GDP right now, the historical low end of their range, which is good news. Traditionally, it has been when housing gets to be a major part of the economy (e.g. 10% pre-Crisis) that trouble comes.

FINSUM: The trouble in housing has much less to do with the wider economy than it does with industry-specific factors like demographics, planning restrictions, and saturation. We do not expect housing to be necessarily representative of the direction of the US economy.

(New York)

Goldman Sachs has a new kind of fund it is offering, and we thought advisors might like to hear about it. In what are being called “tax-eating” funds, Goldman is offering the opportunity to invest in “opportunity funds”. These special funds, which are provided for in the new tax code, are designed to promote investment in low-income communities. Interestingly, the funds are deferred from capital gains tax until 2026, so clients can move their capital gains into these funds and shield them from taxes. Doing so will ultimately result in a 15% reduction in capital gains taxes on the original gains, and 0% taxes for any gains on the opportunity funds themselves.

FINSUM: Goldman Sachs has been doing this kind of investing for years, and now the tax change has really put wind in its sails. Seems like it may be worth looking into.

(New York)

Retail has been doing great lately and may be poised to continue its gains. However, the best way to play the sector might not be to buy retail stocks. Instead, consider buying real estate stocks that would gain from retail’s success. With that in mind, Barron’s has run a piece choosing seven real estate stocks that will benefit from retail’s growth: Simon Property Group, Link REIT, Brixmor Property Group, Public Storage, and Mid-America Apartment Communities.

FINSUM: Make no mistake, these are deeply contrarian bets given the challenges mall and other retail REITs are facing. That said, if the strategy works, it may do so in a big way.