Consumer

If your investment portfolio is mostly stocks right now, you’ve probably been feeling pretty good lately. Markets have been hitting new records. But some experienced investors are quietly asking a different question: Is this the moment to take some chips off the table and move into real estate? It’s a question worth sitting with — ...

If you own a rental property in Phoenix — or you’re thinking about buying one — the market today looks very different from even a year ago. Rents are down in some neighborhoods, vacancies are up, and landlords are offering concessions to fill units. But the picture varies depending on where you are and what ...

Drive through almost any downtown in America right now, and you’ll spot them — big office buildings with dark windows, empty parking garages, and “For Lease” signs that have been up for years. What’s surprising is what’s happening inside some of them. Architects and developers are turning these forgotten towers into apartments, schools, and condos ...

Most people who move to Miami have never heard of Key Biscayne. That’s not an exaggeration — it’s something Ximena Ulloa, a realtor with the Giulietta Ulloa Group at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty, hears constantly from buyers relocating from New York, Chicago, and California. They come in asking for something close to the beach, ...

You find a great condo in San Diego, the price is right, and you’re ready to make an offer. Then your insurance quote comes back — and it’s either far higher than expected, loaded with exclusions, or the carrier you were counting on simply won’t write the policy at all. This isn’t a rare scenario ...

You’ve seen the listings. Stunning waterfront homes with custom finishes, open floor plans, and views that make you forget what state you’re in. But if you’ve ever wondered what it actually costs to build one of those homes from scratch — not buy it, build it — the numbers might stop you cold. Construction costs ...

Oakville, Ontario — one of the Greater Toronto Area’s most sought-after suburbs — looks like a buyer’s opportunity on paper. Condo prices are down more than 30 percent from the peak. But the reason for that drop matters as much as the number itself. The market isn’t correcting toward normal; it’s working through an overhang ...

In Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the roofing and home maintenance market has been divided sharply by age. After years of steady demand from homeowners of all ages, it is now residents 55 and older who are driving most major projects, while younger buyers are largely stepping back. Whether it makes sense to invest in your ...

San Francisco’s luxury housing market, once notorious for bidding wars and lightning-fast sales, has entered a new phase. Today, buyers — especially those at the high end — have more leverage and access than they have in years. But this shift is not a typical market cooldown. Instead, it’s a market defined by record-setting prices, ...

Atlanta needs more housing. But the biggest obstacle to building it isn’t financing, construction costs, or a shortage of builders. It’s neighborhood opposition. Kyle Williams, founding partner of Williams Teusink LLC, has spent more than 20 years practicing real estate law throughout Metro Atlanta — handling rezoning disputes, development contracts, and land-use battles. He keeps ...

Buying or selling a home in the Hamptons is rarely as simple as it appears. Behind the scenes, buyers and sellers must coordinate with inspectors, attorneys, appraisers, and multiple deadlines. A single missed step can delay closing for weeks or even cause the deal to collapse. Patty Oakley and Brian Leicht, licensed real estate salespeople ...

Just a few years ago, healthy building certification was primarily the domain of high-end office buildings. Developers and corporate tenants competed to offer better air quality, natural light, and wellness features to attract top talent. Today, the strongest and fastest-growing demand for these certifications is coming from student housing — a shift that has reshaped ...

Many Minneapolis homeowners opened their property tax bills this year to find a bigger number than expected. While city spending often gets the blame, Steve Brandt, president of the Minneapolis Board of Estimate and Taxation, says the real drivers are more complex — and less easily fixed. “It’s not just government spending that drives your ...

You find the perfect waterfront home in St. Pete, but when the insurance quote arrives, it’s double what you expected. Suddenly, your monthly payment jumps by hundreds of dollars, putting the deal at risk. For buyers and owners across the Gulf Coast, insurance has become a central concern — often determining whether a transaction moves ...

Many luxury homeowners avoid auctions, believing they are only for distressed properties or sellers in trouble. This misconception often leads to high-end homes sitting on the market for months or even years, while carrying costs continue to mount. Matthew Rollins, Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Partner at DeCaro Auctions International, has spent over a decade ...