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☆ A New Rent-Versus-Buy Calculator
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( David Leonhardt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It is the biggest financial decision for many younger adults: Should I rent a home or buy one? To help people understand the trade-offs, The Times has just relaunched its popular rent-versus-buy calculator. The calculator, which The Times’s Upshot section built, has been updated in several important ways, including to take into account the 2017 tax law that affected the mortgage-interest deduction. Ultimately, the calculator can’t tell you whether you should rent or buy. That decision depends on the future paths of home prices and rents, which are unknowable.

Organizations: Times

☆ 15 cities with plenty of rentals and high enough wages to afford them
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A new Zillow and StreetEasy analysis finds that rental price growth is far outpacing wage growth in most big cities — and New Yorkers are particularly screwed. In New York City, rents increased seven times as fast as wages from 2022 to 2023. Similarly, renters in Boston, Cincinnati, and Buffalo are seeing their wage growth dwarfed by their rent increases. But it's not all bad news for prospective and current tenants: There are still a handful of cities where wage growth has outpaced rent increases. While wages rose by 5.5% between 2022 and 2023, rents increased by just 0.8%, the Zillow/StreetEasy report found.

Persons: it's, Tesla, Austin, that's, there's Organizations: Service, Business, Apple, The Atlantic Locations: New York City, Boston , Cincinnati, Buffalo, Austin, Portland , Oregon, Salt Lake City, San Jose, Houston, Salt Lake City , Minneapolis, Riverside , California, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, California, Southern, Raleigh, Charlotte, North Carolina, Miami, Georgia, Tennessee

☆ Skittles is giving away a 1-year stay in an NYC micro-apartment that usually rents for $3,500/month: Take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Skittles has launched a contest with the grand prize of a rent-free yearlong stay in a Manhattan micro-apartment. It features bright, colorful furniture, rainbow-colored cabinets and wall art made using real Skittles lentils. The marketing stunt is a promotion for Skittles Littles, a new, smaller form factor for the candy similar to that of M&M's Minis. Skittles lists the approximate retail value of the prize at $85,000, with the winner also receiving a $20,000 check to offset their tax liability. To enter the sweepstakes, participants must give their full name, date of birth, email and phone number.

Persons: Skittles, Dani Klaric, Skittles Littles, Malin, Goetz Organizations: M's Locations: New York City, Manhattan, Manhattan's Kips

☆ 28 cities where rent is in free fall this spring — and why renters in New York City have reason for optimism despite paying $4,280 for a one-bedroom apartment
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Median rent for one-bedroom apartments in the US declined again in April, according to @Zumper. AdvertisementLandlords aren't able to charge tenants more because apartment supply is surging across the nation at the highest rate in decades, according to Zumper. A flood of supply should keep rent growth in check for the remainder of the year and even into 2025, in Zumper's view. Below are the 28 US cities where rent for a one-bedroom apartment is cheaper than it was in March, according to Zumper. Along with each are its month-over-month and year-over-year rent changes, average rent price, and national rent ranking among the top 100 markets in the nation.

Persons: —, iM2zdLRQMA — James Faris, @JamesFaris_, Ivy Zelman, Anthemos Georgiades, Zumper Organizations: Service, Business, Federal Reserve, Apple, Big Apple Locations: New York City, York City

☆ A real-estate agent's ritzy Hamptons beach home was used in a fake Airbnb scam
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A real estate agent who rents her Hamptons home got caught up in an Airbnb scam. Photos of her property were used for a fake listing, The Real Deal reports. AdvertisementA Corcoran real-estate agent and East Hamptons homeowner was caught up in an Airbnb scam when a fake listing for her property showed on the rental platform, The Real Deal reports. According to the Real Deal, Sarah Stewart rents her Hamptons home in the spring and summer, but not through Airbnb. Though Stewart got the scam pages taken down, she told The Real Deal the ordeal was "terribly upsetting."

Persons: —, Corcoran, Sarah Stewart, Stewart, Airbnb, Brian Chesky Organizations: Hamptons, Service, East Hamptons, Real, Labor

After I sold my home and started renting, I learned that renting was not a waste of money. My advice: Don't rush into homeownership thinking it's the only way to build wealth. Building wealth does not have to include owning a home, and owning a home is not the only way to build wealth. Don't rush into homeownership thinking that it is the fastest way or the only way to build wealth. Here are a few things I learned after going from owning a home to renting.

Persons: —, It's, it's Organizations: Service, Census Bureau Locations: American

☆ Couple pays $1,600 a month for a 1-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn—they have 150 houseplants: Take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Mickey Todiwala. "I'm just a homebody that wants to stay at home all day to play with my cats and plants," Wai says. Mickey Todiwala. Mickey Todiwala. Mickey Todiwala.

Persons: Vionna Wai, Chucky Hui, millennials, Hui, Ding, Wai, Mickey Todiwala, I've Organizations: CNBC, Florida Beauty Locations: Bensonhurst , Brooklyn, U.S, Florida

☆ Airbnb now wants you to rent out your rental
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Airbnb plans to help renters list their homes to earn additional income. The company says it could help mitigate the impact of skyrocketing rental rates. AdvertisementAirbnb is on a mission to help renters earn a little extra income — and probably keep a little for itself, too. The company announced plans on Friday to help renters list their rental homes on its platform. Airbnb plans to work with city and state governments to "advocate for short-term rental rules that allow renters to share their home."

Persons: —, Airbnb Organizations: Service, Business Locations: United States

☆ Millennials Make the Most of the Housing Market; Renovating Rentals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Emily Jensen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

In a 2022 survey by Apartment List, a quarter of millennials said they expected to rent forever. And housing experts say that when it comes to homeownership, millennials are the most screwed generation. "Millennials have a much different mindset on life in general than the generation before us," Muller told me. But millennials' housing misfortunes go beyond personal spending habits; they entered adulthood at a terrible time for the housing market. At the same time the housing market was soaring out of control during the pandemic, people were spending more time at home.

Persons: Brigette Muller, she'd, Muller, I'm, Franchesca Ramsey, Marco Zamora, millennials, There's, Jim Parrott, Parrott Ryan, Parrott, they've, Caroline Winkler, Winkler, Alexandra Gater, Hattie Kolp, Benjamin Fix, —, Rose Matthes, Matthes, Zamora, messaged, Stardust, she's, Nice, I've, Emily Jensen Organizations: TikTok, Urban, Urban Institute, Urban Outfitters, YouTube, New York, GQ, Street Journal, Fashion Locations: Greenpoint , Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Washington , DC, reno, Toronto, New York, San Francisco, Denver, Santa Fe, Poplight, Washington ,, Nice, Philadelphia, New, New York City

☆ I was a renter. Then I bought my house from my landlord.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

About four years ago, when my landlord bought the property, I was his very first tenant. Before the pandemic, I had been in the market for quite a long time looking to buy a house. When I signed that first rental lease with my landlord in May 2020, I completely pulled myself out of the market. After being bummed about that, a few days later my landlord texted me saying, "Hey, I'm putting this house on the market. He shared with me that he bought his own place and that he was no longer going to be living in that house.

Persons: Dom Guerra, —, There's, Guerra, Selena Tovanche, — I'm, you've, It's Organizations: Service, Ohio Housing Finance Agency Locations: Cleveland, Parma , Ohio

☆ Car insurance rates are at a 50-year high. Here's 3 ways you can keep your costs low, according to an expert
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

American car insurance rates have reached a 50-year high, outpacing inflation. "All of these work together to create a situation where car insurance is a lot more expensive," she said. Additionally, the state drivers live in — and the local impact of the climate crisis — has a significant effect on car insurance rates. According to personal finance company NerdWallet, full coverage car insurance premiums nearly double if a driver is at fault for a crash. Car insurance rates are higher for families with teenagers, with rates going up 70% to 150% once someone under 18 is added to a family car insurance policy.

Persons: Laura Longero, Longero, What's Organizations: Service, Insurance, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, . Insurance, US Department of Transportation Locations: —

☆ Renters face a competitive spring market: What to know about 3 kinds of properties you may see
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"In a condo or co-op building, upfront costs and fees are determined at the building level and they can vary significantly," Romero said. To compare, for a typical rental building, according to New York state law, the application fee is capped at $20, and the security deposit is limited to one month's rent, Romero said. Rhode Island has a new state law that prohibits landlords, rental agents and property managers from charging application fees to rental applicants beyond the actual cost of conducting certain background checks if needed. What to know about renting a condo or co-opTo be sure: condos and co-op properties are primarily targeted to people who want to buy. If you come across condos or co-ops in your rental search, here are a few things to consider: 1.

Persons: " Romero, Romero, Frank Dong Organizations: Getty, Rhode, Ruby Locations: New York, . Wisconsin

☆ I couldn't afford to buy a home in the US — so I invested in 5 in Europe instead
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

In the fall, I'm going on a trip with some of my girlfriends from college. Really, really good. I don't have 7 million euros to buy five properties across Europe. AdvertisementWould I move to more suburban New Jersey so I could buy a house? I would not make the calculus to move — whether that's another city, or another state, or a suburb — to buy a house.

Persons: —, Amy Beihl, I've, they're, I'm, There's, Homeownership Organizations: Service, Business, Colgate University, Mallorca Locations: York, New York, Mallorca, Spain, Italy, France, Tuscany, England, Stockholm, Europe, Swedish, I'm, New York City, New Jersey, that's, America

☆ The 15 US cities where your money goes the furthest
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

This city is also where renters can see their money go the furthest among 189 places in a recent analysis from RentCafe. Meanwhile, Both wrote that "Boston had similar prices for basic necessities" as well as "a slightly higher monthly rent" than for Sunnyvale. AdvertisementManhattan had the largest monthly rent plus basic necessities value but ended up having one of the lower scores, at 14.73. Based on the scores calculated using income, rent, and expenses data, three of the top 15 cities where income can go far were in Texas, with scores near or over 60.0. "The coastal cities, the gateway cities have always been hubs for greater density," Ressler said.

Persons: —, Lockheed Martin, Doug Ressler, RentCafe, Alexandra Both, Ressler, there's, they've Organizations: Service, Google, Lockheed, Council for Community, Economic Research, Business, BI, Sunnyvale, Manhattan Locations: Sunnyvale , California, Athens, Georgia, New Orleans, Albany , New York, Gainesville , Florida, Auburn , Alabama, RentCafe, Silicon Valley, Boston, Sunnyvale, Texas, Virginia

☆ The American Dream is under siege
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Parents of young children are making difficult choices to afford child care — or they’re opting to evade it by dropping out of the workforce altogether. Even as the inflation rate has cooled across the US economy, child care remains a sore spot for many families. The weekly price of day care for a toddler surged 9% in 2023, according to Care.com, a marketplace for child care. Of course, Allison is hardly alone in feeling like the American Dream has been more difficult — and expensive — to attain than imagined. “The American dream is being taken away from the younger generation by the housing affordability challenges,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors.

Persons: Hana Husković, Price, Hana, Michelle, they'll, ” Hana, “, It’s, they’ll, ’ Allison Powell, Liam Kelly, ” Allison, Allison Powell, Corinne ., ”, Allison, I’ll, homebuyers, Lotfi Karoui, Goldman Sachs, Lawrence Yun, Yun, Priscilla Almodovar, Fannie Mae, ” Almodovar, that’s, Almodovar, they’d, Homebuilding, Mark Zandi, Biden, ” Lael Brainard, Brainard, ” Brainard, ‘, Rachael Gambino, Garrett Mazzeo, Rachael, Deborah Brunswick, John General, ” Rachael, won’t, they’ve, – Organizations: New, New York CNN, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wall, CNN, Federal, Intercontinental Exchange, ICE, Bloomberg, Getty, Rust Belt, National Association of Realtors, North, NAR, That’s, Baby Boomers, Homeowners, Federal Reserve, Moody’s Analytics, White, National Economic Council, American, Target, Starbucks, Facebook Locations: New York, United States, Atlanta, Peachtree Corners , Georgia, Decatur, Decatur , Georgia, Carolina, Yugoslavia, Italy, Mexico, Oakland , California, Livermore, San Francisco, California, Los Angeles, San Diego, Francisco, Miami, Honolulu, Rust, Des Moines , Iowa, Dayton , Ohio, Cleveland , Ohio, Scranton , Pennsylvania, Los Angeles , California, North America, America, States, Lansdale , Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

☆ One New Yorker won $150,000 when she found out her landlord had been overcharging her. Now a bunch more tenants are using stabilization laws to get money back and pay cheaper rent.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

AdvertisementAs TikTok becomes the new town square for all things economic transparency, the latest target of populist ire is New York City landlords. Several videos that have recently gone viral show viewers how to look into their rent histories and call out examples of potentially illegal hikes. Wait times for rent histories are now at 20 business days, up from 10 in late January, as a result of "social media activity." Klenkar has made TikToks about her old apartment and rent histories and has had "lots" of people reach out with their own rent histories. More may be on their way as New Yorkers seem to be requesting their rent histories en masse.

Persons: they've, —, Danielle —, Danielle, TikTok, it's, There's, they're, Allia Mohamed, She's, Mohamed, They've, he's, Carla —, Carla, Thomas Trutschel, Anna Klenkar, Klenkar, I've, Gothamist, DHCR, overcharge, Esteban Girón, shouldn't, It's Organizations: New York, Tenants, Service, Business, BI, Yorkers, New, US, Division, Housing, Community, Rent Administration, Rent, New York State Homes, Community Renewal, Tenant Union, Tenants PAC, Directors Locations: New York State, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn , New York, York City, New York, New York City, New, Washington Heights, Manhattan, Long Island City, Lower, Side, backpay

☆ Here are this year's most competitive rental markets
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Still, all real estate is relative, and some apartment markets are hotter than others. A new report from RentCafe, another apartment search site, ranks the most competitive rental markets, with Miami topping the list for 2024. They have 14 prospective renters for each unit compared with the national average of seven, and the city's occupancy rate is 96.5%, compared with 93% nationally. The option of remote work has also sent more people to the region, but the supply of apartments there is dwindling, making it more competitive. While rental supply is rising, demand is sustaining thanks to the short supply of homes for sale in today's market and rising mortgage rates.

Organizations: Miami, CNBC PRO Locations: RentCafe, Miami, Milwaukee, Chicago, Grand Rapids , Michigan, Midwest

☆ Gen Z Is Saving Money by Living With Parents; It's Going to Cost Them
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Eve Upton-Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

There are 620,000 more adults living with their parents in the UK than a decade ago. In the US, the percentage of young adults living at home has climbed 87% over the past two decades, according to the US Census Bureau. More than one-third of Gen Z respondents in a 2022 Freddie Mac survey said it's something they thought they'd never be able to achieve. A similar share of young adults lived with their parents in the wake of the Great Recession in 2010 — 44%. For many young adults, living on your own is an important step to feeling grown up.

Persons: Bethany Clark, didn't, she's, Clark, they'd, Moody's, renter, Zers, homebuyers, Gen, Freddie Mac, millennials, Z, grads, We're, Amy Lewthwaite, Lewthwaite, shouldn't, I've, Sarah Obutor, who'd, Obutor, —, Gen Zers, Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, Arnett Organizations: Census Bureau, Bloomberg, Harris, National Association of Realtors, Bloomberg Businessweek, Guardian, Financial Times, Urban Institute, Northumbria University, Clark University Locations: Surrey, England, America, London, Georgia

☆ 'If your parents are homeowners, you're more likely to be a homeowner,' housing expert says. Here's why
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

If a parent is a homeowner, they are more likely to assist with their kid's down payment, she said. But it's harder for those with parents who are not homeowners: "Renter households are often precluded from bringing more people into their home. Having homeowner parents is 'like a 5 percentage point bonus'Young adults with homeowner parents are more likely to become homeowners themselves because they can obtain more information about the mortgage application process directly from their parents, the Urban Institute found. "Because the parents are so knowledgeable about homeownership, they're more likely to encourage their kids to do it and show them how to do it," Myers said. "It's like a 5 percentage point bonus by having parents who are homeowners."

Persons: Skylar Olsen, Myers, that's, Zers, Intuit Credit Karma, Wachter Organizations: Digitalvision, Getty, National Association of Realtors, Urban Institute, Intuit Credit Locations: Washington ,

☆ 1 in 4 New York City Children Now Lives in Poverty
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Stefanos Chen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

It differs from the U.S. census’s official poverty measure, which only counts cash resources, but the supplemental measure is also widely used by government. In 2022, under the supplemental measure, a family of New York City renters with two children was considered below the poverty line if it made less than about $44,000. Why It Matters: The City’s Economic Recovery Is UnevenThe rise in poverty underscores wide disparities in New York. A major reason for the disparities is the lopsided jobs recovery, said James Parrott, the director of economic and fiscal policy at the Center for New York City Affairs at the New School. The median household income in New York City is about $75,000.

Persons: Christopher Wimer, “ It’s, Wimer, “ we’re, James Parrott, Parrott, Charles Lutvak, “ Organizations: Poverty, Columbia University, Center, New York City Affairs, New Locations: New York, New York City

☆ 52% of Black Americans say homeownership is a mark of success, report finds. But it can conflict with other goals
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Maskot | Digitalvision | Getty Images'Homeownership has a lot more expenses than renting'"Homeownership has a lot more expenses than renting: taxes, insurance, maintenance, down payment. All these factors need to be considered," said Cherry, a member of CNBC's Financial Advisor Council. "Understand what it is to be a homeowner and how things work," said Elliott, also a member of CNBC's Financial Advisor Council. "The cost of homeownership versus renting has been made [it] daunting to become a homeowner. "At the end of the day, what good is being a homeowner when you can't provide basic necessities for yourself and your loved ones?"

Persons: Cherry, Kamila Elliott, Elliott, Susan M, Wachter, Preston D, Jacob Channel Organizations: Digitalvision, Getty, CNBC's, CFP, Wealth Partners, CNBC, Council, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Cherry Locations: Atlanta, U.S

☆ Renters facing eviction have a higher risk of death, and mortality surged during Covid-19 pandemic, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The general population also experienced excess mortality during this time, but the risk started higher for renters and rose exponentially for those threatened with eviction. From January 2020 through August 2021, the risk of death for renters facing eviction was 2.6 times greater than it was in the general population, the study found. During the baseline period of 2010 to 2016, the mortality rate was 1.4 times higher for renters facing eviction than it was for the general population. Another study from December explored the risk between rising rent costs and mortality risk. Eviction filings were down 45% during the first two years of the pandemic, according to the new study.

Persons: ”, Nick Graetz, it’s, It’s, Jack Tsai, ” Graetz, Katie Derrick, Jesse Tree, Derrick, Tsai, moratoriums –, Jesse, “, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Steven Furr, we’re, Furr, what’s, ” Tsai Organizations: CNN, Census, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, US Department of Veterans Affairs ’, Homelessness, ”, CNN Health, American Academy of Family Physicians, “ Locations: Princeton, United States, Boise , Idaho, Jesse Tree, Idaho, Alabama

☆ Why it’s so hard to find an apartment you can afford
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Washington, DC CNN —Finding a new apartment to rent can be a slog. In New York City, the rental vacancy rate, which is the share of habitable unoccupied units, has dropped to a record low 1.4%. In Boston, the rental vacancy rate was a very tight 2.6% at the end of last year, according to the Census Bureau. However, the most recent vacancy rate is also lower than the more typical 3.6% from prior to the pandemic. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the rental vacancy rate was 6.6%.

Persons: Maria Torres, ”, Orphe Divounguy, “, that’s, Lawrence Yun, Yun Organizations: DC CNN, New York City Department of Housing Preservation, Development, Census, New York City, Springer, Real Estate Investment Services, Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, National Association of Realtors Locations: Washington, Northeastern, New York, Boston, New York City, Yorker, Manhattan, Northeast, Southern, Austin , Texas

☆ 3 signs the economy is thriving — and 3 red flags to monitor
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Positive labor market data and GDP growth support this, but job opportunities in some sectors are down. Not all job data is positive, with job openings falling from their post-pandemic highs. Below are some of the signs the economy is thriving, as well as some warning signs. Labor market data is mostly positiveThe labor market is still stable despite gradually slowing, Kimbrough said during the forum. "I think the investment side of our economy is going to start to chip away a little bit at the discretionary consumption weight in our economy."

Persons: —, Marc Giannoni, LinkedIn's Karin Kimbrough, Charles Schwab's Liz Ann Sonders, Giannoni, Kimbrough, Jerome Powell, Powell, NerdWallet's Elizabeth Renter, Sonders, They're, there’s, there's, — Kimbrough, it’s Organizations: Federal, Service, Barclays, NYU Stern Economic, Labor, Conference, University of Michigan's, Market Committee, Health, New, New York City Housing Locations: York, New York City

☆ Living alone comes with a 'singles tax'—here's how much it can cost you
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The "singles tax" for living alone can add up to thousands of dollars each year, a new study by real estate marketplace Zillow finds. Unsurprisingly, it's highest in New York City. The extra $20,100 that New York City solo dwellers pay in "singles tax" is more than double the national average of $7,110, per Zillow data. In New York City, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $3,350, which is 2.8 times the average rent across the U.S., according to Zillow. To calculate average rent prices in 2023, Zillow used a combination of U.S. Census data and its own rental listings.

Persons: Kenny Lee, Lee, Zillow Organizations: Apple, New York, Denver, Zillow, CNBC Locations: New York City, Francisco, Jose , California, Washington, Boston, Diego, Seattle, Atlanta, Angeles, U.S, York City, New York, StreetEasy

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