DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Mortgage rates fall to their lowest level in almost three months
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Mortgage rates fell this week to their lowest level since early April, taking some pressure off America’s unaffordable housing market. “These lower mortgage rates coupled with the gradually improving housing supply bodes well for the housing market.”Still, mortgage rates remain higher than anything seen in the decade before 2022, the year the Federal Reserve began to raise interest rates to combat inflation. Economists don’t expect the average mortgage rate to fall below 6% this year. Homebuilding constrained by high interest ratesWhile mortgage rates have eased recently, the US housing market overall remains hamstrung by elevated interest rates, which seem to be taking a toll on homebuilding. “Persistently high mortgage rates are keeping many prospective buyers on the sidelines,” NAHB Chairman Carl Harris said in a release.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, don’t, America’s homebuilders, “, Carl Harris, ” Skylar Olsen Organizations: Washington CNN —, “, Federal Reserve, Treasury, National Association of Home Builders Locations: ., Wells Fargo, America, San Diego , Los Angeles and New York, California, Honolulu

☆ New Home Construction Slows as Mortgage Rates Remain High
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Danielle Kaye | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Construction of new homes in the United States dropped below expectations in May as builders pull back on new residential projects largely in response to high interest rates, reinforcing concerns about stubbornly high housing prices. Government data released on Thursday showed that new-home construction, or housing starts, fell 5.5 percent last month to an annualized rate of 1.28 million, a sign of more cracks in the already shaky housing market. Slower construction of both single-family and multifamily homes contributed to the overall drop. Building permits dipped 3.8 percent, pointing to less future construction. The magnitude of the decrease in construction last month underscores that high interest rates are both weakening housing demand and raising costs for builders — two dynamics that are ultimately contributing to builders’ reluctance to start projects.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Daniel Vielhaber Organizations: Nationwide Locations: United States

☆ The rise of STEM influencers: 3 top takeaways from a conference that serves as an annual science fair for YouTubers
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Amanda Perelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

All of this, and more, took place last week at Open Sauce, the annual STEM conference for makers and content creators. It also featured three large exhibit halls filled with unique inventions created by students, engineers, makers, and content creators. The conference offered sessions from dozens of YouTube's top STEM creators, including Osman, Adam Savage, Mark Rober, Astro Alexandra, and Nile Red. Related storiesHere are three key takeaways from this year's Open Sauce:YouTuber and engineer Mark Rober on stage at Open Sauce. Some industry attendees said Open Sauce felt similar to the early days of VidCon, the largest annual creator industry conference, because of its smaller, community feel.

Persons: —, William Osman, Osman, Amjad Hanif, YouTube's, Paul Bakaus, Alessandra Catanese, Adam Savage, Mark Rober, Astro Alexandra, Rober, Bakaus, Amanda Perelli, Derek Muller Organizations: Service, YouTube, Business, Smosh, Creators, Investment, Partners Locations: Cow, San Francisco, VidCon

☆ America’s top central banker says the job market is back to normal. Is that true?
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-16 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Washington CNN —America’s top central banker recently said the job market now looks the way it did before the Covid-19 pandemic drastically upended society. Before the Bell spoke with Julia Pollak, chief economist at jobs site ZipRecruiter, about her views of the job market. Before the Bell: Do you agree with Chair Powell’s view that today’s job market is back to a pre-pandemic normal? Why is the job market slower now? The number of job openings is higher than it was by around 15% or so, but online job postings are actually lower by ZipRecruiter’s count.

Persons: Washington CNN —, “, Jerome Powell, Powell, it’s, Bell, Julia Pollak, they’re, They’re, Olesya Dmitracova, Emmanuel Macron, Read, Patrick Harker, Lisa Cook, Tom Barkin, Susan Collins, Adriana Kugler, Lorie Logan, Alberto Musalem, Goolsbee Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, Washington CNN, Fed, Labor, EU, National, New York Fed, Manufacturing Index, Reserve Bank of Australia, US Commerce Department, Federal Reserve, National Association of Home Builders, Accenture, Kroger, Darden, Bank of England, US Labor Department, Philadelphia Fed, Richmond Fed, Global, National Association of Realtors Locations: Washington, France, Wells Fargo

☆ The Fastest-Growing City in the US Is a Tiny Spot No One's Ever Heard of
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-15 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

About 40 miles north of downtown Dallas lies America's fastest-growing city: Celina, Texas. Highland Homes, which specializes in luxury homes within master-planned communities, has built several neighborhoods in Celina since 2020. Downtown Celina, Texas. New businesses are moving into the cityWith more people living in the city, Celina's economy is also growing as local businesses and services benefit from increased demand. However, Joe Monaco, director of marketing and communications for the city of Celina, told BI that there were "countless volunteers who came out."

Persons: Katy, Ryan Tubbs, Celina, Prosper, Alcynna Lloyd, Taylor Morrison, Toll, Bankrate, Casas, Aaron Graham, Graham, wasn't, Redfin, They're, Tracy Miller, Celina — it's, Miller, Tubbs, Dallas —, Sandy Lewis, It's, Joe Monaco Organizations: America's, Business, Houston, North Texas Tollway, Tollway, North Texas Tollway Authority, Celina, Highland Homes, Texans, Olympic, JC, Real, Group, Highland, Dallas, Troubadour, Development Group, WFAA Locations: downtown Dallas, Celina , Texas, Celina, Collin County, Texas, California, Florida, Georgia , Illinois, Missouri, Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, Celina Texas, United States, Austin, Dallas, Celina , New Braunfels, North Texas, Frisco, Plano, Frisco ., Prosper, Highland, Celina ., Mustang, Cambridge, Wilson, Celina's, East Coasts, New York, Little Elm , Texas

☆ Inside America's Fastest-Growing City, a Little-Known Gem in Texas
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-15 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Just about 41 miles north of Dallas lies Celina, a small North Texas town that is America's fastest-growing city. Downtown Celina, Texas. Their metamorphosis into sprawling suburban metropolises has been greatly influenced by the ongoing expansion of the North Texas Tollway, which has increased accessibility to the previously remote cities. AdvertisementNew businesses are moving into the cityWith more people living in the city, Celina's economy is also growing as local businesses and services benefit from increased demand. However, Joe Monaco, director of marketing and communications for the city of Celina, told BI that there were "countless volunteers who came out."

Persons: There's, Katy, Ryan Tubbs, Celina, Celina Alcynna Lloyd, Taylor Morrison, Toll, Tubbs, Bankrate, Casas, Aaron Graham, Graham, They're, Tracy Miller, Celina —, Miller, Alcynna Lloyd, —, Sandy Lewis, It's, Celina ., Joe Monaco Organizations: Business, Downtown, Houston, homebuying, North Texas Tollway, Tollway, North Texas Tollway Authority, Celina, Highland Homes, Texans, Homes, Olympic, JC, Real, Group, Mustang, Highland, Little Elm, Troubadour, Celina's, Centurion American Development Group, Dallas, WFAA Locations: Dallas, Celina, North Texas, Collin County, Texas, California, Florida, Georgia , Illinois, Missouri, Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, Downtown Celina , Texas, Celina Texas, United States, Austin, Celina , New Braunfels, Prosper, Frisco, Plano, Frisco ., Highland, Celina —, Wilson Creek, Cambridge, East Coasts, New York

☆ Luxury developer Michael Shvo has big plans. Bitter disputes and a soft real estate market threatens to thwart them.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Daniel Geiger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Amid the whirlwind of activity, the 51-year old, Israel-born executive has presented himself as a real estate visionary with a personal preference for all-black attire and a taste for luxury brands. BVK recently hired the residential brokerage firm Corcoran Group to complete a market study of the Fifth Avenue project, a person who viewed the report said. Miller noted he did not have direct knowledge of the situation at 685 Fifth Avenue. At 685 Fifth Avenue, he recently marked down prices for some of the units. In contrast, the Shore Club, which is being built by the New York real estate developer Steve Witkoff just a few hundred yards away from the Raleigh has pre-sold briskly.

Persons: —, Michael Shvo, Shvo, Peter Marino, Norman Foster, Renzo Piano, BVK, Corcoran, Jonathan Miller, Miller Samuel, Miller, Pam Liebman, Corcoran's, Truist, Michael Lirtzman, Akuna, Lirtzman, I've, Scott Wadler, Wadler, Jed Jacobsohn, John Goodman, Diane, –, Goodman, profanely, Serdar, Shvo's, Bilgili, Deutsche Finance didn't, Alex Miranda, I'm, Steve Witkoff, Morgan Chase Organizations: Service, Bayerische, Deutsche Finance, Business, GFI, Group, Shvo, Wabash, Akuna, Colliers, Wabash –, Raleigh, Core, New York State, Noë, Associates, West, Bilgili, BVK, Shore Club, New Locations: New York, Manhattan's Plaza, Los Angeles, Miami Beach, Raleigh, Israel, Wilshire, LA, Manhattan, Chicago, Miami, Paris, South Florida, San Francisco, Manhattan's, Turkish, BVK, Wabash, Shvo, Munich

☆ Luxury developer Michael Shvo has big plans. Bitter disputes and a soft real estate market threaten to thwart them.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Daniel Geiger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

☆ Disney and DeSantis-backed board ‘come to their senses’ in new agreement
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-12 | by ( Natasha Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“Walt Disney World is inextricably intertwined in the fabric of the state of Florida. And the success of Walt Disney World is the success of Central Florida, and vice versa,” he said. The Disney World resort is currently home to four theme parks and two water parks. It’s been 26 years since Disney has opened a new theme park in Florida,” said Dennis Speigel, owner and founder of International Theme Park Services, a global consultant for theme park projects. Orlando is the Mecca of the theme park industry, and for it to function, Disney and Florida have to function together.”

Persons: Disney, Ron DeSantis, “, ”, Aubrey Jewett, Brian Aungst Jr, Walt, Jeff Vahle, CFTOD, It’s, Dennis Speigel, DeSantis, Bob Chapek, Walt Disney, ” Jewett, Reedy, Jewett, Speigel Organizations: CNN, Disney, Walt Disney, University of Central, Walt Disney World, Walt, World, Park, Universal, Improvement, ” Locations: Florida, Central Florida, University of Central Florida, Reedy, Disney, Orlando, Mecca

☆ How to Save Tech Industry: Fire Managers, Put Tech People in Charge
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Ed Zitron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

This disastrous mindset has hollowed out Silicon Valley's ability to innovate and caused regular people to grow increasingly frustrated with everyday tech. The large platforms have generally ignored this feedback for one big reason: The tech industry has been taken over by career managers. Now Google Search is more profitable and worse, elevating spammy content and outright scams, a problem exacerbated by artificial intelligence. AdvertisementBut today's tech products feel built to sell a dream of the future rather than solve a customer's existing pains. As long as the tech industry is controlled by people who don't build things, it will continue to build products that help raise growth metrics rather than help consumers with tangible problems.

Persons: scammers hawking, Meta's, Hewlett Packard, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, Adam Mosseri, Systrom, Krieger, Mosseri, Mark Zuckerberg, Instagram, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Sundar Pichai, Prabhakar Raghavan, Raghavan, Ben Gomes, Gomes, it's, Sam Altman, Helen Toner, Ilya Sutskever, Larry Summers, Fidji Simo, Meta —, —, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak Organizations: Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, Adobe, Meta, Builders, Apple, Xerox, HP, Department, Reuters Institute, Oxford University, Silicon Valley Locations: Silicon, Silicon Valley

☆ They left NYC for Bali with their teenagers. 7 years later, their sons are fleeing the nest, and they're selling the villa for $1.89 million.
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Amanda Goh/Business Insider"We told them, 'One suitcase each. Amanda Goh/Business InsiderThey knew they wanted to stay near Canggu which is known for its beaches and bustling food scene. Amanda Goh/Business InsiderA cozy, eclectic homeThe couple's six-bedroom home sits in a cul-de-sac, next to a rice field that's been repurposed into a plot to grow cucumbers. The couple has one tip for those who want to build a house in Bali: Don't cut corners. Amanda Goh/Business InsiderKaman added that it might not be wise for anyone without any prior experience to take on such an ambitious project.

Persons: —, Gabi Bondor, Zoltan Kaman, It's, we'd, Bondor, Amanda Goh, Bali didn't, Kaman, aren't, it's Organizations: Service, Green School, Business, Kaman Locations: New York City, Bali, Ubud, New York, Indonesian, India, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, Asia, Canggu, Paris

☆ How to behave as a superyacht guest
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-09 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Meantime, Giorgio Armani held a party on his yacht for the likes of Sydney Sweeney and Kerry Washington. Being a guest on a superyacht is probably the best kind of guest to be — but the etiquette aboard the multimillion-dollar vessels comes with its own idiosyncrasies. The very few who need to know them — there are only about 5,800 yachts longer than 30 meters at sea, according to SuperYacht Times — already know them. The price to charter Triumph, a 65-meter superyacht, starts at $650,000 a week. According to the industry standard, owning a superyacht will cost 10% of its new-build price annually.

Persons: —, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Barry Diller, Bezos, Koru, Bill Gates, Ari Emanuel, Leonardo DiCaprio, Eos, Diane von Furstenberg, Candice Bergen, Emma Thompson, Jason Blum, Giorgio Armani, Sydney Sweeney, Kerry Washington, they're, Rich, Fraser, he'd, Superyachts Organizations: Service, Business, SuperYacht, Palm, Breed Media, Fraser Yachts, Lamborghini Locations: superyachts, Aden

☆ Sambuca: Italy’s cheap homes hot spot puts more up for sale
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Silvia Marchetti | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Previous successSicilian town Sambuca di Sicilia will be putting a batch of abandoned homes up for sale. Sambuca made global headlines back in 2019 when CNN announced that it was putting 16 dwellings up for sale for one euro. Revival hopesA selection of homes in the depopulated towns are going under the hammer for a symbolic 3 euros. Comune SambucaSambuca’s authorities took possession of the town’s abandoned houses after an earthquake struck the surrounding Belice Valley in 1969. Interested applicants can find photos and descriptions of the available homes, along with application forms, on the town hall’s official website.

Persons: Sicily’s, Simone Padovani, ”, Giuseppe Cacioppo, it’s, Cacioppo, Sambuca, Sambuca’s, Comune Sambuca Keen, who’ve, they’ve Organizations: CNN, “ Foreigners, Comune Locations: Sicilia, Italy, Rome, Belice, Sicily, “

☆ The world’s largest 3D printer is building cozy homes from wood
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-03 | by ( Amy Gunia | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Dozens of 3D-printed homes have been built across the world – to house a family in the US state of Virginia or members of an impoverished community in rural Mexico. Last month, the ASCC unveiled what it says is the world’s largest polymer 3D printer. Its giant printer, and its predecessor, which in 2019 was certified by Guinness World Records as the “largest prototype polymer 3D printer,” are the only printers building homes with wood residuals, says Dagher. This timelapse video shows the world’s largest 3D printer printing a house module. If they can reach that target, their 3D-printed homes will be “very competitive with current housing construction costs,” he adds.

Persons: ” Habib Dagher, he’s, Dagher, you’ve, ”, Nobody’s, “, I’m Organizations: CNN, University of Maine’s, Composites Center, United Arab Emirates, Guinness World Records, University of Maine, Composites Locations: Virginia, Mexico, Austin , Texas, Maine, Dubai, ”, Orono , Maine

One of the most important steps you can take is building a website for your business. I got my first business website around 2000. I vowed never to have another business website I couldn't manage myself. I built my freelance writing website in WordPress, which is much fancier than I could have designed without those tools. One way to choose a page builder is by looking at templates and using the builder for the template you like.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, WordPress, Beaver

☆ With Trump, Silicon Valley elites see AI regulation as they see fit
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-02 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

While Musk hasn't formally endorsed Trump, one reason Silicon Valley heavy-hitters could be gravitating toward a convicted former president is a desire to see less regulation on tech development in America. AdvertisementCuban, a vocal opponent of Trump who has expressed his support for Joe Biden, told Business Insider in an email that he views the support from Silicon Valley and Wall Street billionaires for Trump as "self-serving." "So unless it's very light touch, which is unlikely at this point, the more influence they have over Ai regulation the better the opportunity to advantage themselves." "It's still very early to be imposing regulation," Sacks said. That's not to say every Silicon Valley player investing in AI and Trump hopes to see an unrestrained, Wild West of artificial intelligence development.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Shaun Maguire, Trump, David Sacks, Biden, Puck, Sacks, hasn't, Mark Cuban, Joe Biden, Cuban, BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, Maguire, Sacks didn't, Garry Tan, Y, That's, Chamath, Palihapitiya, Musk, Rishi Sunak Organizations: Service, Silicon, Trump, Business, Sequoia Capital, Venture, Wall, acc, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Wildlife Service, British Locations: Russia, Ukraine, San Francisco, America, Silicon Valley, Cuban

☆ Clean Energy Ventures raises $305 million to back early-stage climate startups
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( Pippa Stevens | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Clean energy stocks may be underperforming in the public market, but there is still great appetite for companies focused on decarbonization in private markets — with Clean Energy Ventures' new fund serving as the latest example. The climate tech firm said Wednesday that it raised $305 million for its second fund, five years after closing its first fund. This latest fund was oversubscribed — the initial target stood at $200 million — but interest from limited partners including The Grantham Foundation, Builders Vision and Carbon Equity led to a higher raise. The firm is already putting the new money to work, focusing on technologies that go beyond the traditional green investments of solar and wind. Co-founder and managing partner Daniel Goldman identified industrial decarbonization as one compelling vertical — specifically emissions-reducing technology for the cement and steel industries.

Persons: Daniel Goldman Organizations: Clean Energy Ventures, The Grantham Foundation, Builders Vision, Carbon Equity, CNBC

☆ Neighborhoods have really dumb names these days
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-26 | by ( Matt Turner | Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. This was after Sam Altman tried to hire her to voice the AI bot, and she declined. OpenAI paused the voice, saying a different actress was behind it, and that the voice was cast before Altman reached out to Johansson. That one of the AI voices sounds a great deal like a Hollywood star who declined to work with OpenAI is purely coincidental . Also read:Fine Art Photographic/Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BIWelcome to DumBroCities on the rise have a weird trend these days: Really dumb neighborhood names.

Persons: —, Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Isabel Fernandez, OpenAI's, Spike Jonze, Scarlett Johansson, Samantha, Sam Altman, OpenAI, Altman, Johansson, Sundar Pichai, Vincent Sandoval, Getty, Henrik Sorensen, Tyler Le, Larry Ellison, it's, Tera Vector, Juanma Hache, Abanti Chowdhury, they're, Andrea Chronopoulos, — isn't, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, — Lindsay MacMillan, Goldman Sachs Organizations: Service, Business, Pujol, Hollywood, Tera, Sciences, BI FI, Goldman Locations: Guadalajara, Mexico, DumBro Cities, Denver

☆ 6 Beaches for Budding Swimmers, Surfers and Castle Builders
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-26 | by ( Freda Moon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

For castle builders: Mission Beach, San DiegoSan Diego’s temperate climate allows for barefoot beach days year-round. For those who’d rather build with sand than lie in it, Mission Beach has another advantage: San Diego Sand Castles and the sand sculptor JT Estrela. Mr. Estrela, a former math teacher, offers lessons in the art of sand castle construction on this family-friendly Southern California beach, where the sand is perfect for castle building: The grains are fine but not too silty, clean below the tide line, free of shells and rocks, and pack hard. In his two-to-three-hour sessions (starting at $160 for two people, $20 for each additional person), Mr. Estrela works with families to build elaborate five-foot-tall castles. The goal is for participants to “feel like this insider of arcane knowledge,” he said.

Persons: Sand, JT Estrela, Estrela, ” Locations: San Diego San, Southern California

☆ Sales of newly built homes tank in April, as prices and interest rates rise
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Sales of newly built homes dropped 4.7% in April compared with March, and dropped a larger 7.7% from the prior year, the U.S. Census said Thursday. Higher mortgage rates are clearly hampering sales. Some of that is due to the mix of homes selling, which is mostly on the higher end of the market. Those buyers are not as influenced by mortgage rates, as they often use all cash. The big production builders have been buying down mortgage rates to help boost sales, but they are able to do that because of their size.

Persons: Peter Boockvar, Robert Dietz, NAHB's Organizations: Spring Barbera Homes, Builders, Toll Brothers, Bleakley Financial, CNBC, National Association of Home Builders, Wells Fargo . Locations: Loudonville , New York, U.S, Horton, Wells Fargo

☆ A Gen Zer who spends $180,000 designing luxury vans shares the biggest mistake people make converting them
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Mikhaila Friel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

High-end travelers are turning to supervans with heated floors, Italian tiles, and home theatres, according to Lucas Ravizza, who builds and designs luxury vans for a living. AdvertisementLucas Ravizza is photographed inside one of the luxury vans he designed. Ravizza is among the many luxury van influencers sharing their designs online. Matt MaloneRavizza said he usually spends $180,000 buying and converting luxury vans for clients who use them as vacation homes. Ravizza said anyone can upgrade a van to add luxury elements, but there's one mistake they should avoid.

Persons: —, Lucas Ravizza, Tom Ripert, Ripert, Lucas, Matt Malone, Ravizza, Matt Malone Ravizza Organizations: Service, Business, Financial Times, Econ Market Research Locations: San Francisco

☆ Rare lunar event may reveal Stonehenge’s link with the moon
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The lunar standstill is when the northernmost and southernmost moonrise and moonset are farthest apart. Stonehenge's station stones are thought by some to be aligned with the lunar standstill. Ruggles said that Stonehenge’s station stones, which form a rectangle around the circle, roughly align with the moon’s extreme positions during the lunar standstill. However, it’s much more difficult to say whether Stonehenge really has a connection to the lunar standstill. Amanda Bosh/Stephen LevineOther monuments with possible lunar linkStonehenge isn’t the only megalithic monument potentially linked to the lunar standstill.

Persons: Clive Ruggles, ”, Fabio Silva, ” Ruggles, Ruggles, Andre Pattenden, Silva, ” Silva, Amanda Bosh, Stephen Levine, Erica Ellingson, Ellington, Bradley Schaefer Organizations: CNN, archaeoastronomy, University of Leicester, Bournemouth University, University of Oxford, English Heritage, University of Colorado, Sun, Louisiana State University Locations: Salisbury, England, Rock , Colorado, United States, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, Pueblo, Lewis, Scotland

☆ Here's where rents are rising — and where they're falling
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Multifamily rents in April were 0.8% lower than they were in the same month last year, according to Apartment List. Apartment rents did rise for the third straight month, but the growth, at 0.5%, is very small. Single-family rents are much stronger, up 3.4% in March year over year, according to a new report from CoreLogic. "U.S. single-family rent growth strengthened overall in March, though some weaknesses are revealed in the latest numbers," said Molly Boesel, principal economist for CoreLogic. Of the nation's 20 largest cities, Seattle saw the highest year-over-year increase in single-family rents at 6.3%, followed by New York at 5.3% and Boston at 5.2%.

Persons: Molly Boesel, Boesel Organizations: National Association of Home Builders, CoreLogic, Boston Locations: Austin , Texas, Seattle, New York, Miami, New Orleans, townhomes, Florida, Austin

☆ One-third of single-family homes for sale are newly built, report finds. Here's what buyers need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

While new builds are still sold for slightly more than existing homes, the price gap has significantly narrowed. Over the last six months, the median price for a new home is only about 4% higher than the median price of an existing house. Reducing the square footage of your home can help reduce construction costs as well as utility and maintenance costs down the line. Keep construction costs down: Major factors like lumber and labor costs significantly impact the cost of a new house. And depending on the kinds of materials you add to the house, builders are "adding up the tab," Veronica Fuentes, a wealth management advisor based in Washington, D.C., previously told CNBC.

Persons: Alistair Berg, Digitalvision, Nicole Bachaud, Dietz, Matthew Walsh, Walsh, homebuilders, Veronica Fuentes Organizations: Getty, Zillow Group, CNBC, U.S . Census, U.S . Department of Housing, Urban, Moody's, Washington , D.C Locations: U.S, Washington ,

☆ The evolutionary twist that could have helped dinosaurs rule Earth
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-18 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New research this week is adding fresh detail to one of paleontology’s biggest questions: Did dinosaur blood run hot or cold? Clues from fossilized eggshells and bones have now suggested that some dinosaurs were warm-blooded and others were not. Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild/Getty ImagesMarine scientists have used artificial intelligence to decode previously unknown complexity in the calls of sperm whales. The whales produced a catalog of clicking sounds, which the researchers described as akin to a “phonetic alphabet” for sperm whales. What sperm whales are saying with their clicks remains a mystery to human ears, but understanding the scope of their vocal exchanges is an important step toward linking their calls with specific behavior.

Persons: Dinos, Davide Bonadonna, Jeff Lichtman, Reinhard Dirscherl, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Vigo, UCL, Google Research, Lichtman, Harvard University, Google, Harvard, Northern, Central America, Getty Images Marine, —, Heritage, CNN Space, Science Locations: Universidade, North America, Scandinavia, Europe, Central, India, Dover, England

Search resuls for: "Builders"

25 mentions found