Don Baker is a full-time staff reporter for RealtyWire, where he covers residential real estate, commercial real estate, multifamily housing, market trends, finance, construction, rental data, and regulatory issues affecting the real estate industry.
Before joining RealtyWire, Don worked as an investor relations director for a multifamily private equity fund, where he wrote investor updates and reporting materials on the performance, operations, and outlook of investment properties. That role gave him hands-on experience analyzing real estate trends, rental statistics, construction activity, financing issues, multifamily operations, compliance matters, and the legal and regulatory factors that shape property ownership and investment.
Don brings a broad understanding of both residential and commercial real estate to his reporting, with a particular focus on helping readers understand how market data, policy changes, capital markets, and local property trends affect buyers, sellers, investors, brokers, developers, and property owners.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from Southern Illinois University and currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Don Baker 
Columbia County, Georgia officials announced Thursday that Google will be the sole end user and operator of an 8 million-square-foot, 23-building data center campus in Appling, part of a deal tied to a Ratepayer Protection Pledge and local tax relief plans.
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services is entering Northern New England, announcing a partnership to acquire Portside Real Estate Group, the brokerage it calls Maine’s top independent firm, extending its footprint to 18 states.
Coldwell Banker Warburg, Coldwell Banker’s largest New York City franchise, is folding into Compass and will operate as “Warburg at Compass,” The Real Deal reports, following Compass’s completed acquisition of parent company Anywhere Real Estate.
Berkshire Hathaway has closed its $8.5 billion acquisition of Taylor Morrison, merging the homebuilder with Berkshire’s Clayton Properties Group to form the nation’s fourth-largest homebuilding operation.
JPMorgan, Wells Fargo and Bank of America grew mortgage originations roughly 32% on average in Q2 — banks are competing for home loans again.
Reporting says DOGE used AI to flag HUD rules for deletion — and HUD withheld 100+ documents about it, citing a FOIA privilege that doesn’t exist.
A House Judiciary subcommittee asked Compass and MRED to brief lawmakers by August 5 on a private-listing partnership raising antitrust and affordability concerns.
Blackstone-affiliated LivCor agreed to pay $7 million and drop competitor-data rent software in a proposed nine-state deal. It denies wrongdoing.
Meta is expanding its Louisiana campus to nearly 10 million square feet and 5 gigawatts — a $50 billion bet that reshapes land, power and labor markets.
Title insurers wrote $4.5 billion in Q1 premiums, up from $3.9 billion, while claims fell — a clean confirmation that transaction volume is recovering.
Texas’s median price slipped below last year as supply reached 5.2 months — yet sales keep growing. Inside the most orderly correction in the country.
The OCC’s Q1 report tracks 10.2 million bank-serviced mortgages — $2.6 trillion, 19.1% of the market — the regulator-grade check on mortgage health.
June’s CPI fell 0.4% — the largest monthly drop since April 2020 — cutting annual inflation to 3.5% and cooling expectations of another Fed hike.
A Florida man received 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty in an appraisal-fraud scheme prosecutors tied to $65 million in defective loans.
The median U.S. sale price hit a record $408,776 in June, Redfin says — but the gains came from a handful of wealthy metros, not the whole market.
Drone photography can help real estate listings stand out, but agents must understand FAA rules, safety and when aerial images add value.
Grocery-anchored retail centers keep drawing investors: necessity traffic, steady tenants and limited new supply support returns.
A wall of commercial mortgage maturities hits in 2026. Why refinancing math, not property performance, is the real risk.
Apartment rents and single-family rents are diverging in 2026 as new multifamily supply cools one market but not the other.
Single-family rents are still rising faster than apartment rents in 2026. New rental supply explains most of the gap.
Rental yield compares a property’s annual rent to its price. How investors calculate it — and the costs that skew it.
Cap rates measure a property’s income against its value. How investors use them to compare deals — and where they mislead.
Pre-foreclosure is the window before a foreclosure sale when homeowners still have options — and buyers face real risks.
HOA fees fund shared amenities and maintenance, but rules, reserves and special assessments deserve review before closing.
Buying in a flood zone changes insurance, financing and resale math. A due-diligence checklist before making an offer.
Homeowners insurance can affect your loan, payment and closing date. Why buyers should shop coverage early, not last.
FHA and VA loans both help buyers with lower upfront costs, but eligibility, mortgage insurance and funding fees differ.
A 15-year mortgage can save interest and build equity faster, while a 30-year mortgage offers lower monthly payments.
New-home supply and resale supply are sending different signals in 2026. Here’s why buyers see two different housing markets.
New construction may offer incentives, while existing homes may offer better locations. Here’s how buyers should compare both in 2026.
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