Jobs report New Shock, Tariff Refund Bets, and the High-Stakes Gamble on San Francisco - 210

This week on GoodLife Housing Partners Podcast — From a shocking jobs miss to tariff refund bets, student housing consolidation, and San Francisco’s tallest tower plans, David and Rohan unpack the week’s wild mix of market and real estate news.

• Jobs Stumble – Just 22,000 nonfarm new jobs were added in August vs. 75,000 forecast; unemployment climbs to 4.3%, a four-year high. The Fed September rate cut odds now sit at a full 100%.
•  Tariff Refund Trade – Wall Street invents a new play: buying rights to tariff refunds from importers — a litigation-style bet with billions on the line.
•  Student Housing Shake-up – Yugo swallows Campus Advantage, creating a 200,000-bed global giant. Is U.S. student housing about to get a new brand face?
•  AI in Rentals – Spotlight reimagines the broker model in NYC with AI scheduling and lower landlord and agent fees, aiming to reset the leasing game.
•  Experiential Travel – Hyatt teams with WAY to turn loyalty points into curated experiences. But when a Diet Coke in Ibiza runs $28, how far can influencer-driven travel go?
•  San Francisco Rebound – With new mayor Daniel Lurie supporting and Hines proposing a 1,200-ft office tower in downtown SF, AI related office leasing is picking up strongly — are these signs that the “doom loop” may be ending?

Tune in now for Episode 210 — payroll shocks, tariff refund bets, student housing consolidation, AI-driven rentals, and San Francisco’s high-rise gamble.