The Good Brigade | Digitalvision | Getty Images Mortgage rates have risen in recent months, even as the Federal Reserve has cut interest rates. While those opposing movements may seem counterintuitive, they’re due to market forces that seem unlikely to ease much in the near term, according to economists and other finance experts. That may
Month: January 2025
The Palmetto State has officially become the go-to destination for Americans packing up and starting fresh, according to a new study from U-Haul that analyzes data from 2024. South Carolina climbed to the top spot on the moving company’s annual ranking, knocking Texas to second place after the Lone Star State’s three-year reign. Meanwhile, North
A $300 million members-only luxury doomsday bunker complete with robotic medical suites, lavish swimming pool, and fine dining restaurants is set to revolutionize how the rich and powerful can shelter themselves in an apocalyptic disaster. Due to open in the summer of 2026, the high-end underground fortress will provide a 5-star survivalist experience to those
Cofotoisme | E+ | Getty Images How long it takes you to save for a 20% down payment on a home depends in part on where you live. In a pricey area such as New York City, it could take the typical buyer roughly 10.85 years to save $173,000, which is 20% of the median
The problem of stolen manhole covers in Turkey might seem an unlikely starting point for a new way for buildings to withstand earthquakes and tackle the construction industry’s environmental issues, but when a Turkish businessman heard about a new material that prevented the thefts, it sparked an idea. Cast iron is traditionally used to make
In December, President-elect Donald Trump and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son announced $100 billion in US investments to create more than 100,000 new jobs in artificial intelligence and related infrastructure. Then, last week, Hussain Sajwani, the chairman of Dubai-based luxury property developer Damac, stood by Trump at Mar-a-Lago to announce a $20 billion investment in the Midwest and Sunbelt for AI data
Interest rates moved lower near the end of 2024 as the Federal Reserve cut rates three times, shaving a full percentage point off the federal funds rate since September. In 2025, that trend is likely to continue. But with inflation still above the Fed’s 2% target, a strong labor market and a new administration, the central
Flames and smoke from the Palisades Fire surround a home (C) in the community of Topanga, California, on January 9, 2025. David Swanson | Afp | Getty Images Firefighters are still working to contain the record-breaking fires that have been raging for more than a week in Southern California. The fires in the Greater Los
The California wildfires are still ravaging the Los Angeles area a week after they started. The stories of residents who live in the area and have lost everything are heartbreaking. Against this catastrophic backdrop, a lucky few houses were spared; for one reason or another, these residents’ homes are miraculously still intact. But how can
A completed planned development is seen in Ashburn, Virginia, on Aug. 14, 2024. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images Mortgage demand started this year stronger than it did last year, even though interest rates are higher. Total mortgage application volume last week was 7% higher than the same week one year ago, according to
Sunlight illuminates the front of a row of Victorian-era houses in a terraced street in Bristol, England. Matt Cardy | Getty Images News | Getty Images LONDON — Hundreds of thousands of U.K. homeowners are facing the prospect of higher mortgage rates after a spike in U.K. borrowing costs. Major high street lender Virgin Money
Houses along a hillside outside Marbella on the sunny coast, Costa del Sol, in Spain. Marcus Lindstrom | Istock | Getty Images Spain is planning to impose a tax of 100% on homes bought by non-EU residents as it looks to tackle an entrenched housing crisis in the country. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on
Kanye West’s infamous Malibu mansion — a Tadao Ando-designed masterpiece that West left gutted and abandoned — has miraculously survived the devastating California wildfires, according to its new owner. The news was first reported by Realtor.com. West purchased the beachfront property, a once-stunning architectural marvel, in 2021 for an eye-popping $57.25 million. The rapper, 47,
First-time homebuyers may struggle to find adequate starter homes when the 2025 buying season begins this spring. The homes that once gave Americans a stepping stone into real estate are disappearing, according to experts. While the exact definition of a starter home varies, they’re typically under 1,400 square feet. In 2023, just 9% of the