Over the past year, the rental market in San Juan, Puerto Rico experienced a significant supply crunch of houses. Some of this supply crunch can be directly attributed to changing consumer desires during the COVID-19 pandemic. In cities around the world, demand plummeted for small apartments in city centers while it surged for houses in the suburbs with additional...
Samuel Pearl Schwartz

Recent Posts
A House Supply Crunch in San Juan’s Rental Market
Mar 12, 2021 @ 10:11 AM / by Samuel Pearl Schwartz
Reduced Rental Demand and Supply in Stockholm, Sweden
Jan 12, 2021 @ 03:15 PM / by Samuel Pearl Schwartz
A quirk in the Stockholm rental market made it one of the more interesting cities that I researched virtually since the start of the pandemic.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the overwhelming majority of housing surveys I’ve conducted revealed similar impacts on expatriate rental markets. In countries all around the world, the sudden and significant decline in demand has either pushed prices down or allowed for increased negotiability from listing prices. However, there has been one notable exception to that trend – Turkey.
COVID-19 Changes: A new kind of traffic
Jul 21, 2020 @ 12:58 PM / by Samuel Pearl Schwartz
Over the last two years as an AIRINC Research Analyst, I’ve gotten accustomed to the multifaceted approach we take for our quarterly data collection. New assignments are allocated every three months and we fall into a familiar rhythm.
The popularity of Oyster Bay and Masaki in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Jun 30, 2020 @ 04:14 PM / by Samuel Pearl Schwartz
On my most recent trip, I surveyed Dar es Salaam, the commercial capital and most populous city in Tanzania. While conducting my survey, I observed that several areas have developed in order to cater to expatriate needs. While overall availability of goods and services is consistent, certain categories are lacking and require purchases to be made on home leave or through travel to nearby international cities, like Nairobi.
South Africa's Influence on Expatriate Life in Botswana
Apr 22, 2020 @ 08:15 PM / by Samuel Pearl Schwartz
On my recent survey, I visited Botswana. The capital, Gaborone, has roughly three hundred thousand residents and the availability of goods and services is moderate, largely due to the city’s location right on the border with South Africa.
Istanbul, Turkey: The latest on rideshares and getting around
Feb 25, 2020 @ 06:15 AM / by Samuel Pearl Schwartz
Western rideshare apps have struggled in Turkey. Protests by taxi drivers and government opposition have left these ridesharing companies in a state of uncertainty over the last year. On my recent trip to Ankara and Istanbul, I experienced this firsthand. In Ankara, I tried to use a popular local rideshare app but gave up because it was only available in Turkish despite claims that they support English-speaking users. Apart from the local rideshare app, there was no other rideshare presence in Ankara, and I was entirely reliant on local taxis.
A Strengthening Rental Market in Baku, Azerbaijan
Dec 31, 2019 @ 12:00 AM / by Samuel Pearl Schwartz
On my most recent trip, I visited Baku, Azerbaijan. The political and economic heart of this oil-wealthy nation, Baku had seen a large exodus of expatriates starting in 2014 due to falling oil prices. These departures and an overall weak economy brought rents down significantly. Over the last two years, rents have started to recover, and the sources I met with indicated moderate price increases in certain areas. While oil prices have rebounded slightly, the primary driver of rising rents is a decrease in the supply of long-term rentals. ]
The 3 Top Challenges with Driving in Nairobi, Kenya
Dec 03, 2019 @ 02:00 AM / by Samuel Pearl Schwartz
On my last survey, a five-week trip across Africa, I visited Lagos, Nigeria and Cairo, Egypt, two of the most notorious traffic destinations in the world. These locations lived up to their hype, and I spent a lot of time sitting in traffic. However, I was surprised to find that Nairobi, Kenya’s traffic was almost as bad despite lacking the same level of notoriety. Nairobi’s three main issues are a shortage of stop signs and traffic lights at intersections, poor road quality, and incredible amounts of construction that disrupt traffic routes.
Bangkok, Thailand: How do I avoid the traffic?
Nov 19, 2019 @ 02:00 AM / by Samuel Pearl Schwartz
During my survey of Bangkok, I found the multiple transportation systems available for use extremely helpful, especially in comparison to other Southeast Asian cities. In Yangon, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City, I was entirely dependent on taxis and rideshare apps, as there are no functioning rail systems, the buses are difficult for foreigners to use, and the cities are not particularly pedestrian friendly. Conversely, in Bangkok, I used a much more balanced mix of rideshare, metro (MRT), Skytrain (BTS), and walking.