Real estate has been one of the last industries to get disrupted, but it is being disrupted. And even if it weren’t, as Steve Forbes put it, “You have to disrupt yourself or others will do it for you.”

Not long ago it would have been all but impossible for one company to own and manage a massive portfolio of houses or small multifamily properties. But advances in technology have made it much easier to do so. And today Invitation Homes owns a whopping 80,000 single-family houses all by itself!
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Real estate may be late to the game, but there are all sorts of technologies available to help scale exponentially in both property management and acquisition.

Apple is considering moving a fifth of its production from China to India, a new report claims. 

The tech giant is in talks with Indian officials about producing up to $40billion worth of smartphones over the next five years through manufacturers Wistron and Foxconn, according to the India's Economic Times. 
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The move - which could make Apple India's largest exporter - comes as the coronavirus pandemic that began in Wuhan, China, caused major disruptions in tech supply chains.  

US President Donald Trump’s maiden visit to India will provide an opportunity to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries, the ministry of external affairs said…

…The MEA said the global strategic partnership between India and the US is based on ‘trust, shared values, mutual respect and understanding’, and marked by warmth and friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

‘The relationship has further evolved under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and President Trump, with significant progress in all areas, include trade [emphasis mine], defence, counter-terrorism, energy, coordination on regional and global issues as well as people-to-people ties,’ the MEA said.

ENHANCING OUR VIBRANT ECONOMIC TIES: The United States and India benefit from strong economic ties that advance prosperity, investment, and job creation in both countries.

• - The United States and India enjoy a longstanding trade relationship, exceeding $142 billion in two-way trade in 2018 alone.
• - India is a growing destination for American energy exports.
  • During President Trump’s tenure in office, energy exports to India have grown substantially, generating billions of dollars in American revenues.
  • - In India, ExxonMobil signed a deal to further improve India’s natural gas distribution network so that the country can accept even more American LNG exports.
• - The President and Prime Minister Modi are working toward a trade agreement that reflects the full potential of the economic relationship between our two countries.

According to CBRE, in 2019 the cap rate for infill multifamily properties was 5.11 and 5.37 for suburban multifamilies. A cap rate is the percent return that a property would make with no debt, so a 5.11 percent and 5.37 percent return, respectively. Although that beats inflation, it’s nothing to write home about.
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As far as residential home developers go, the average profit margin in 2019 was 7.6 percent. This would amount to an 8.3 percent raise for each construction worker if they were given the entirety of the profit. How many would want to wait until a house was entirely built and sold (often over a year) before receiving their wages in a lump sum, even if it was 8.3 percent more?

1. 1. Managerial oversight
2. 2. Risk mitigation
3. 3. Time preference

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Wednesday Congress would extend the additional $600 unemployment benefit provided in the coronavirus relief package past July only "over our dead bodies."
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...Under regular circumstances in South Carolina, unemployment insurance lasts up to 20 weeks, and the average weekly benefit amount is $236. The maximum benefit is $326. In South Carolina, people who lost their jobs because of the coronavirus through no fault of their own are eligible for all three types expanded unemployment benefits under the relief package...

...But Graham and Scott said these additional unemployment benefits would incentivize people to stay at home rather than return to work, to the detriment of small business owners.

The goal of these discussions is to find the best possible solution for the tenant given their circumstances. Now, 'the best possible solution' is not necessarily what the tenant wants. You may need to nudge them to move out with 'cash for keys,' pay a transfer fee, or something else to that effect.

The best possible solution is one that falls in line with your lease, policies, and rules.

There is always an enemy in any given situation, but that enemy should never be the property manager. Indeed, right now, the coronavirus and economic shutdown make for a good 'enemy' to highlight.