Global Real Estate & Economy Brief — 2026-01-19

🌍 At a Glance

• US Fed Funds Rate: 3.72 (as of 2025-12-01)
• US 30Y Mortgage: 6.06 (as of 2026-01-15)
• ECB Policy Rate: 2.0 [FRED:ECBDFR] as of 2026-01-16
• BoE Bank Rate: 3.75 (as of 2025-12-18)

🇺🇸 United States

• The Man Who Saw School Buses as Vehicles for Possibility — Lucas Sweeten transforms school buses into mobile homes, empowering students to support their communities since 2007.
• Rent Controlled vs. Rent Stabilized: Here’s How the Rates Work. — New York City has approximately one million rent-stabilized units compared to fewer than 25,000 rent-controlled units.
• Celebrity Listings From Anthony Hopkins, Larry Ellison, Maria Bello and More — Anthony Hopkins expands his Los Angeles property portfolio while Martha Plimpton leaves Brooklyn behind.

🇪🇺 Europe

• Tariffs on Nato allies are wrong, Starmer tells Trump in Greenland crisis call — UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized Trump for threatening tariffs against NATO allies during a crisis call regarding Greenland.
• Thousands of Kent residents still dealing with water supply issues — Thousands of Kent residents are experiencing water supply issues due to faults at South East Water treatment works and power outages.
• Romford MP Andrew Rosindell becomes latest Tory to defect to Reform — Romford MP Andrew Rosindell has defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK, citing concerns over the party's stance on the Chagos Islands.

🌏 Asia

• 'Europe won't be blackmailed,' Danish PM says in wake of Trump Greenland threats — Danish PM asserts Europe won't succumb to US tariffs over Greenland acquisition threats.
• Faisal Islam: Trump's Greenland threats to allies are without parallel — Trump's Greenland threats leave allied leaders perplexed, according to BBC's economics editor.
• British Gas took 15 months to refund me £1,500. It's absurd — Beth Kojder criticizes British Gas for a lengthy 15-month refund process despite ombudsman's ruling.

🎯 GPT Strategy

🇺🇸 United States

• **Positioning Idea:** Invest in affordable housing REITs to capitalize on the growing demand for budget-friendly living options amid urban housing shortages.
• **Risk Note:** Economic downturns may impact rental income stability.
• **Positioning Idea:** Consider ETFs focused on urban multifamily properties, benefiting from the high volume of rent-stabilized units in major cities like NYC.

🇪🇺 Europe

• **Positioning Idea:** Consider investing in UK utility sector ETFs to hedge against water supply disruptions.
• **Risk Note:** Regulatory changes could impact profitability.
• **Positioning Idea:** Explore European infrastructure REITs to capitalize on potential government spending in response to geopolitical tensions.

🌏 Asia

• **Positioning Idea**: Consider investing in European REITs to capitalize on potential resilience against US tariff pressures.
• **Risk Note**: Monitor geopolitical tensions that may impact trade relations.
• **Positioning Idea**: Explore infrastructure ETFs focusing on utilities, as regulatory scrutiny may drive demand for reliable service amid consumer dissatisfaction.

Not financial advice. Educational insights only.