Lesson 1: Introduction to Real Estate Economics
August 27, 2025
Presentation:
- Syllabus (pdf) and course overview
- Why study real estate?
- Role in the economy
- Build Individual Wealth
- Build Corporate Wealth
- Inflation
- Civil Rights
- Demographics
- Energy (rooftop solar)
- Tax Policy
Activity:
- Read Real Estate’s Impact on the Economy – How housing construction, sales, and related activity drive GDP and jobs.
- List three ways real estate activity contributes to the U.S. economy.
- Identify one chart or statistic that surprised you and explain why.
- How might changes in the real estate market affect jobs in your state or community?
- Read McDonald’s Real Estate – How They Really Make Their Money.
- Summarize McDonald’s core real estate strategy in one or two sentences.
- Why does McDonald’s choose to own land and buildings rather than just rent?
- How does this approach help the company weather economic ups and downs?
Assignment:
- Watch the following First-time Home Buyer Episodes
