WASHINGTON, DC—With demand for rentals continuing to show strength, “rent growth will outpace broad consumer inflation in upcoming years,” says Lawrence Yun, chief economist with the National Association of Realtors.

MIAMI—Burger King will remain headquartered in Miami, its home since 1954, but the new parent company for the burger chain and donut maker Tim Hortons will be based in Canada.

MIAMI—A key factor in discussions between the two quick-service chains is Burger King's ability to leverage its development experience in order to expand Tim Hortons' global footprint.

NEW YORK CITY—The search for yield drove commercial mortgage origination among life companies to a new high last year, and Fitch Ratings expects this year's total to be higher still.

AUSTIN—Office continues “a strong growth trend” here, says Xceligent, with Q2 news also good for industrial here and in San Antonio.

DALLAS—The Metroplex's overall office vacancy rate “is expected to drop further this year, due to several additional large deals that are in the works,” according to Xceligent.

WASHINGTON, DC—Led by William Ackman, the largest stockholder in Fannie and Freddie alleges in a lawsuit that the 2012 decision to divert both GSEs' profits to the US Treasury deprives common shareholders of “any economic value in their shares.”

BIRMINGHAM, AL—Xceligent data on Alabama's largest city and the two major population centers of Arkansas show that the Texas energy and tech powerhouses aren't the only Southwest markets to have rebounded from the downturn.