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☆ 45 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists are sentenced to jail in city’s biggest national security trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-19 | by ( Jennifer Jett | Jennifer Jett Is The Asia Digital Editor For Nbc News | Based In Hong Kong. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

HONG KONG — A Hong Kong court sentenced dozens of leading pro-democracy figures to up to 10 years prison Tuesday in the single largest trial under a national security law that critics say has been used to all but eliminate political dissent in the Chinese territory. Lawyers for the defendants have argued that such action was within the bounds of Hong Kong law. In March, Hong Kong’s opposition-free legislature also enacted local national security legislation. Among the 47 are “second-tier pan-democrats” who were previously active members of the Hong Kong legislature, Burns said. Hong Kong officials said last month that there was no time limit for prosecuting the cases, noting that it takes time to gather evidence.

Persons: Benny Tai, Tai, Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s, Hong, Maya Wang, ”, Tai —, John Burns, Burns, Jimmy Lai, “, Jonathan Sumption, ” Sumption, Kong’s, of Organizations: University of Hong Kong, Hong, Authorities, Human Rights, University of Hong, Apple Daily, Pew Research Center, Financial Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, Beijing, British, U.S, China, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong’s

☆ Hong Kong 47: Democracy leaders sentenced to lengthy jail terms in largest national security trial as Beijing tightens grip
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Chris Lau | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Benny Tai, a prominent legal scholar and veteran protest leader, received the longest prison term of 10 years – the toughest sentence to date handed down under the national security law. But since the national security law came into effect in 2020, Hong Kong’s political and legal landscape has been transformed. The administration of outgoing US President Joe Biden was also critical of Bejing’s crackdown in Hong Kong, even as it tried to recalibrate ties with Beijing. John Burns, emeritus professor at the University of Hong Kong, said the cumulative changes have reduced the city’s autonomy and citizens’ participation in politics. “The new regime has restricted human rights in Hong Kong, rights that Hong Kongers used to enjoy.

Persons: Hong Kong’s, Joshua Wong, “, –, Benny Tai, Wong, Gwyneth Ho, Leung Kwok, Claudia Mo, teared, ” –, Chris Lau, Lee Yue, ”, Hong, Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden, Trump, Raphael Wong Ho, John Burns, Hong Kongers, Hong Kong, John Lee –, ” Lee Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong, CNN Landmark, Police, Washington, Beijing, CNN, Legislative Council, University of Hong, Authorities, Communist Party Locations: Hong Kong, Kowloon, Beijing, British, China, University of Hong Kong, Hong

☆ Homebuilders fear Trump's mass deportations would inflate costs and make it even harder to hire
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Homebuilders and economists have said a deeper labor shortage could cause housing costs to spike. The issue is the construction labor force, whose 500,000-worker shortage is already making conditions more challenging. Related Video Musk visits border, calls for Trump-style wallForeign-born workers make up about a quarter of the construction workforce. They argue that the surge in home costs is largely a result of the nationwide housing shortage, and immigrants are a key part of building housing. AdvertisementDuring the pandemic, many older, experienced workers retired, and the pipeline of younger US-born workers isn't sufficient, homebuilders say.

Persons: Homebuilding execs, Donald Trump's, —, Eric Finnigan, John Burns, Ben Metcalf, Jim Tobin, JD Vance, Trump, Vance, Barack Obama, Obama, Joe Biden, Tom Homan, Chad Blocker, Homebuilders, Dennis Webb Organizations: Service, Trump, University of California, National Association of Home Builders, Immigration, Biden Locations: Berkeley, Los Angeles, Phoenix

☆ Why Builders Are Renting Out New Houses Instead of Cutting Home Prices
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-13 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Builders, meanwhile, are luring buyers with some perks but are barely budging on prices. That's partly because these companies have another place to turn: the rental market. Opportunistic investors — mostly small and midsize players, who own the vast majority of single-family rentals in the country — are happy to oblige. Builders have also started developing entire communities of single-family homes to be rented out rather than sold, a strategy known as build-for-rent. Their embrace of the rental market says more about the obstacles for buyers than for builders.

Persons: homebuilders, John Burns, Keith Hughes, —, Horton, Don Mullen, they've, Adam Stern, Sean Morgan, Alex Offutt, Ray Sturm, Sturm, Selma Hepp, It's Organizations: John Burns Research, Consulting, Builders, John, Houston, Owners, SFR, Sun, Dallas, Local, Business Purpose, Offutt Locations: Tampa , Florida, Carolinas, Nashville, Horton

HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s top leader on Tuesday warned President-elect Donald Trump not to interfere in the Chinese territory’s internal affairs after he said he would “100%” free the imprisoned pro-democracy activist and tycoon Jimmy Lai. He said Hong Kong, whose government denies that judicial independence is under threat, also valued the rule of law. “In these respects, I hope that all countries will respect the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and avoid political interference that could affect the judiciary and normal commercial activities in Hong Kong,” he said. Hong Kong also enacted its own national security legislation in March. Pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai being escorted out of court in Hong Kong in 2021.

Persons: Hong Kong’s, Donald Trump, Jimmy Lai, Lai, Hong, Trump, Hugh Hewitt, I’ll, Lee, ”, “, Hong Kong, . Lai, John Burns, ” Burns, ” Lai, Burns, Sen, Marco Rubio, ” Lee Organizations: Apple, Hong, Administrative, AFP, Getty, University of Hong, NBC News, “, Trump, Republican, Fraser Institute Locations: HONG KONG, Hong, China, Hong Kong, United States, U.S, Beijing, British, ., University of Hong Kong, ” Hong Kong, Washington , New York, San Francisco, Vancouver, Singapore

☆ Mortgage rates surge higher on Trump victory, causing housing stocks to fall
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-06 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"The expectation among bond traders coming into the election was that rates would move higher in the event of a Trump victory and especially a red sweep. "The builder stocks are highly sensitive to mortgage rates and mortgage rate expectations. Big builders have been buying down mortgage rates for their customers, but that has been cutting into their margins. Mortgage rates don't follow the Fed, but do react to the central bank's thinking on the economy. Stronger-than-expected economic reports in September and October caused bond yields, and consequently mortgage rates, to move higher.

Persons: Donald Trump's, Matthew Graham, Horton, PulteGroup, Lowe's, John Burns, Trump, Carl Harris, Graham Organizations: Mortgage News, Trump, . Housing, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, National Association of Home Builders, Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors Locations: U.S, D.R

“Make no mistake, an attack on a ballot box is an attack on our democracy and completely unacceptable,” Oregon Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade said Monday. All ballot boxes in Multnomah County and Clark County have fire suppressant installed, election officials said during a news conference Monday. Voting in Oregon and Washington is done almost entirely by mail or ballot drop off. Enhanced ballot box securityA damaged ballot drop box is displayed during a news conference at the Multnomah County Elections Division office on Monday in Portland, Oregon. Following the ballot box fires, Gluesenkamp Perez requested overnight law enforcement patrols at drop boxes through Election Day.

Persons: LaVonne Griffin, Valade, ”, Steve Hobbs, “, Jenny Kane, Tim Scott, Greg Kimsey, Kimsey, Scott, ” Jay Riestenberg, John Burnside, ” Burnside, They’ve, Burnside, “ It’s, ” “, Mike Benner, Amanda McMillan, Jay Inslee, Jessica Vega Pederson, Tina Kotek, Inslee, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Gluesenkamp Perez, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, I’m, ” Larry Olson, suppressants, ” Olson, CNN’s Nicole Chavez, Taylor Romine, David Williams, Natasha Chen Organizations: CNN, US Department of Homeland Security, Division, Portland Police, Portland Police Bureau, Vancouver Police Department, US Postal Service, . Portland Police, ” Police, Volvo, Oregon Department, Driver, Vehicle Services, Washington Gov, Congressional, Rep Locations: Pacific Northwest, Portland, Vancouver , Washington, Vancouver, Oregon, Washington, Multnomah, Portland , Oregon, Multnomah County, Clark, Clark County, In Oregon, Southeast Portland, Seattle, Washington’s, American, Oregon’s Multnomah County

☆ Homebuyers Have Hope With Lower Mortgage Rates, More Houses Available
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Wild swings in mortgage rates discouraged almost everyone from venturing out into the market. As I wrote earlier this year, a gummed-up housing market — the Ice Age I was talking about — is good for nobody. When mortgage rates hit multidecade lows during the pandemic, millions of people were able to snag or refinance their way into cheaper monthly costs. That'd be within spitting distance of what the experts at John Burns Research and Consulting, a housing-research firm, call the "magic mortgage rate." In other words, trying to predict mortgage rates — and buying or selling a home accordingly — is a fool's errand.

Persons: Green, that's, Skylar Olsen, everyone's, it's, there's, Fannie Mae, John Burns, they'd, Ralph McLaughlin, Olsen, Lawrence Yun, Altos, Mike Simonsen, Chen Zhao, Zhao, We're, Mark Palim, Palim Organizations: Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal Reserve, John, John Burns Research, Consulting, National Association of Realtors, Altos Research, Builders, Sun Locations: Sun Belt, Midwest

☆ Hallways are disappearing from America's homes
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-05 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementAs homeowners and builders make tough design choices, hallways are disappearing from many newly built homes. Highland Homes' Palermo floor plan. Courtesy of Highland HomesBy contrast, a Highland Homes floor plan from 2018 for a one-story home has more hallways. Why long hallways are becoming passéThere are several reasons hallways are being phased out of newly built homes, apart from saving money for builders. Courtesy of Highland HomesPictured above is Highland Homes' 608 floor plan, a two-story home of about 4,500 square feet released in 2020.

Persons: John Burns, Mikaela Arroyo, Arroyo, It's, Taylor Morrison, Jen Shurtleff, Shurtleff, — Organizations: National Association of Home Builders, John Burns Research, Consulting, Trends, JBREC, Tri Pointe Homes, Forbes, Highland Homes, Highland, Homes, Generations United Locations: Tri Pointe, Texas, Highland, Dallas, Fort Worth , Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Palermo

☆ A history buff bought a piece of a tent from Goodwill for $1,700. It really did belong to George Washington
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-21 | by ( Kaila Nichols | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

A post in the historical documents section featured the image of a framed item purporting to contain a fragment of George Washington’s tent. The tent fragment came with a note saying it was taken from George Washington's tent that was on display in 1907. Symbols of Washington’s leadershipGeorge Washington’s tents, as explained by the museum, have nearly 250 years of history. Two hundred years ago, he started cutting away pieces of George Washington’s tents as souvenirs. Can you imagine the information and the things that were said within that tent?” Moore asked rhetorically.

Persons: Richard “ Dana ” Moore, George Washington’s, ” Moore, George Washington's, Moore, ”, “ There’s, I’m, Susan Bowen, Matthew Skic, ” Skic, John Burns, Mary Custis Lee, Washington’s, Martha, Lee’s, George Washington Parke Custis, “ George Washington Parke Custis, Parke Custis, Skic, Burns, “ Organizations: CNN, Virginia Colony, Museum, American, Smithsonian Locations: Jamestown, Virginia, “, Philadelphia, Norfolk , Virginia

☆ Small Landlords Are Using New Tech Tools to Raise Tenants Rents
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

The past few years have solidified single-family rental homes as genuine moneymaking enterprises, not just ho-hum nest eggs. Related storiesWhen everyone was scrambling for their piece of the suburbs during the pandemic, mom-and-pop landlords pounced, using these newfound tools to collect more cash. The company, which estimates only one-fourth of single-family-rental landlords use professional management services, now manages more than 28,000 rentals on behalf of small landlords. As the Wall Street ethos trickles down to small rental owners, it'll be harder and harder to tell them apart. But the gap is narrowing as small rental owners capitalize on the innovations that the institutional class has already embraced.

Persons: Daniel doesn't, Daniel, hasn't, he's, Bryan Smith, —, Zers, John Burns, Rick Palacios Jr, Palacios, Jordan Kavana, Rich Ford, you've, Ford, Devin Redmond, doesn't, Philip Garboden, It's, Garboden, Roofstock Organizations: Atlanta, Corporate, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, John Burns Research, Consulting, Ark Homes, Rent, Vesta Ventures, University of Chicago Locations: Zillow, Atlanta, Raleigh, Chattanooga , Tennessee, Grand Rapids , Michigan

☆ America has a serious ugly home problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Recently she posted a video on her YouTube channel in which she phrased the question more bluntly: "Why are homes so 'ugly' now?" Most people agree that America needs more houses, but nobody seems all that thrilled with the ones being built. Related storiesThe blame for America's architectural nightmare, however, doesn't stop at production builders, rising costs, or local codes. Homes look this way because they're not just places where we live — they're also supposed to help us get rich. As they stare down these rising costs, builders and architects have almost no choice but to streamline or opt for cheaper design elements.

Persons: Bailey McInnes, McInnes, they're, James Wentling, John Burns, Peter Dennehy, They're, Dan Reynolds, Horton, Lennar, Kate Wagner, she's, —, Wagner, Marcia Straub, William Morgan, it's, Queen Anne Organizations: HGTV, YouTube, Facebook, Builders, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Association of Home Builders, John Burns Research, Consulting, Harvard's, for Housing Studies, Harvard, The Locations: Northern Virginia, America, homebuilding, Providence , Rhode Island

The Hong Kong and Beijing governments have repeatedly denied the national security law is suppressing freedoms, arguing it has ended chaos and “restored stability” to the city. Since the national security law came into effect in 2020, civil groups have disbanded, and independent media outlets have been shut down. They are the first defendants to be acquitted in a national security law trial in Hong Kong. But that strategy is in doubt after another local national security law enacted earlier this year curtailed access to reduced sentences for guilty pleas. “It’s absolutely clear that the national security law reduced the independence and the autonomy of the judiciary.

Persons: Hong Kong’s, Hong, Gwyneth Ho, Leung Kwok, ”, Lawrence Lau, Lee Yu, –, “, Joshua Wong, Benny Tai, Claudia Mo, Eric Lai, John Burns, Hong Kong Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Beijing, British, Hong, Hong Kong’s Legislative, Georgetown Center, Asian Law, Communist Party, city’s, University of Hong Locations: Hong Kong, Hong, Beijing, Hong Kong’s, China, University of Hong Kong

☆ Home Sellers' Tough Summer: Get Ready for Lower Prices, Fewer Offers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Rich baby boomers jumped in with all-cash offers, and sellers scored huge windfalls as weary buyers pushed prices to new heights. After all, people have to move for a wide variety of life reasons; mortgage rates be damned. "The further and further we get from the peak of the market," Peterson told me, "the harder it is to deny what's happened." Mortgage rates haven't fallen — in fact, they've gone up about 0.6 percentage points since the start of the year. "It can always be tricky telling somebody that they were just lucky because it makes you sound envious," Peterson told me.

Persons: Rich, Sellers, Eric Peterson, Peterson, Austin, Freddie, they've, Selma Hepp, Freddie Mac, Mike Simonsen, Redfin, towners, Libby Levinson, Katz, Price, Levinson, John Burns, they'll, Realtor.com, you'd Organizations: Freddie Mac, Reserve, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Altos Research, Sun, John, John Burns Research, Consulting Locations: Austin, Boise , Idaho, Denver

☆ How one real-estate unicorn is getting past gutting layoffs and slowing deals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Rising interest rates have slammed the brakes on deals, and many real-estate companies have cut staff as revenues slowed. Founded in 2020 by real-estate executives Ryan Stroker and William Martiner, Avenue One was profitable by early 2021, company officials told Business Insider. AdvertisementAvenue One cofounder and CEO Ryan Stroker told BI in an interview how the company is navigating the difficult business environment. "I was told that I wasn't spending enough money six months before the layoffs," Stroker said. Layoffs and Big SpendingBoth Stroker and Avenue One's followup statement said the company is financially secure and described the layoffs as prudent rather than necessary.

Persons: It's, Ryan Stroker, William Martiner, Wall, Stroker, Martiner, John Burns, Ryan, Axel Springer Organizations: Service, KKR, Global, Business, MetLife, Wall, Amherst, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, BI Locations: Manhattan, Axel

☆ Homebuyers' Biggest Mistake: Waiting for Mortgage Rates to Fall
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Then, as the Federal Reserve began its battle against inflation in 2022, mortgage rates shot up, eventually hitting a 20-year high in October. Over the past decade, there's been a clear correlation between mortgage rates and inventory: When mortgage rates fall, the number of available homes for sale at a given moment shrinks. So, yes, waiting it out until mortgage rates decline sure seems appealing. The Federal Reserve has signaled that it plans to drop borrowing rates this year, which would likely push down mortgage rates. Advertisement"People are focusing on mortgage rates because every week they hear about mortgage rates changing," Doerner of the FHFA told me.

Persons: swiping, there's, Mike Simonsen, Freddie Mac, CoreLogic, —, homebuyers, Redfin, John Burns, Alex Thomas, There's, Will Doerner, Doerner, They're, Simonsen, it's, Jerome Powell Organizations: Federal Reserve, Buyers, Altos Research, Bank of America, John, John Burns Research, Consulting, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal, Fed

☆ People priced out of Austin and Orlando are moving to these cheaper cities
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Austinites are heading an hour away, to Killeen, according to real-estate consultancy John Burns. Orlando residents are decamping to Lakeland, Florida, trading nightlife for space, John Burns said. The Austin metropolitan area similarly grew 2.7% in 2021 and 2022, adding 63,000 people, according to the city of Austin. In 2021, 1,607 households moved from Orlando to Lakeland, while 250 households left Austin for Killeen, John Burns said in its analysis, published March 5. The primary reason is affordability, Austin real-estate agent Lisa Copeland told Business Insider.

Persons: John Burns, —, Orlando, Redfin, Killeen, Austin, Lisa Copeland, Copeland, Jordan Prais, It's, Prais, Lakeland's, it's Organizations: Service, Orlando, Austin, John, John Burns Research, Consulting, Business, Lakeland, Florida Children's Museum, Army Locations: Killeen, Orlando, Lakeland , Florida, Austin, Killeen , Texas, Lakeland, Central Florida, Austinites, Texas, Fort Hood

☆ How 2 entrepreneurs are tackling diversity challenges with their small businesses
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

This article is part of "Talent Insider," a series containing expert advice to help business owners tackle a variety of hiring challenges. And so what we look at for diversity, equity, and inclusion is to really help people understand the points of commonality. I think that's what makes us different. I think you can never effectively make change if you're only trying to communicate with someone from a digital-marketing campaign. I mean, we all know people have different experiences and different messaging and different types of insights ultimately inform their belief system.

Persons: Brothers John, Mike Burns, Tim Paradis, John, George Floyd, Burns, it's, we're, John Burns, we've, —, I've, you've Organizations: Fortune, Burns Locations: Washington ,, Nairobi, Kenya, America, Washington, Alabama

☆ Home Prices May Be Sky-High, but America Is Not in a Housing Bubble
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The housing market, they claimed, was a bubble destined to burst. I’ve spent the past few years asking experts a simple question: Has the housing market reached bubble territory? AdvertisementFor a time, it seemed like the housing market was doing a speedrun through Simonsen’s checklist. And even if the economy does take a turn, a run-of-the-mill recession probably wouldn’t be enough to topple the housing market. The housing market is far from balanced, but we’re at least heading in that direction.

Persons: doomsayers, I’ve, Redfin, you’ve, you’ll, Mike Simonsen, megalandlords, ”, Ian Shepherdson, Goldman Sachs, Jerome Powell, Powell, Rick Palacios Jr, John Burns, ” doomsayers, might’ve, It’s, it’s, Logan Mohtashami, don’t, US homebuilders, “ It’s, ” Mohtashami, Selma Hepp, Fannie Mae, Palacios, ” Palacios, Mohtashami Organizations: Altos Research, Wall, John, John Burns Research, Consulting, Mortgage Bankers Association, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Federal Housing Finance Agency Locations: Charlotte, North Carolina, Austin, Las Vegas, Miami, Boise , Idaho, Dallas, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, US

☆ Nashville's real estate boom has builders scrambling and residents facing sky high prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The Nashville building boom is in full effect, despite higher interest rates, higher home prices and a weaker national economy. During the Great Recession after the 2008 financial crisis, workers were looking for an urban vibe but with cheaper housing. While home prices nationally are up 47% from the start of the pandemic, Nashville prices are up 55%, according to ICE Mortgage Technology. "What we're seeing housing prices and rents go to is very foreign to what they would call affordable," said Eldridge. Gallagher has been working in Nashville's commercial real estate sector since moving to the city over a decade ago.

Persons: We've, John Eldridge, Eldridge, John Burns, CNBC he's, haven't, It's, Madison Cartularo, I've, Cartularo, Janelle Gallagher, Nashville . Gallagher, she's, that's, Gallagher, Bill Lee Organizations: Istock, Getty Images Nashville, E3 Construction, John Burns Research, Consulting, CNBC, Nashville, ICE Mortgage Technology, ICE, CBRE Locations: Nashville , Tennessee, Nashville, Los Angeles, Redfin, United States, New Yorker, Tennessee

Rising interest rates have slammed the breaks on America's housing market, with home sales down 15.4% year-over-year in September, according to the National Association of Realtors. By controlling the financing, they can offer yesterday's mortgage rates, saving customers tens of thousands of dollars and moving inventory in the process. Tawn Kelley, president of financial services at homebuilder Taylor Morrison, told Insider that financing is an essential part of the home-selling puzzle. Then, there are forward commitments, another way to prepay interest rates that allows a homebuilder to pay down more of it. There are also float downs, which allow purchasers who lock in a mortgage price to reduce their interest rates if mortgage rates get smaller over the course of their mortgage lock.

Persons: Tawn Kelley, homebuilder Taylor Morrison, Kelley, Taylor Morrison, Devyn Bachman, John Burns, Taylor Morrison's, it's, they've, homebuyers, Kurt Carlton Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Census, Finance Locations: homebuying, homebuilding

☆ What it will take to make homes affordable again for millions of Americans
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Tim Mullaney | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

"At the current 8% mortgage rate, mortgage payment[s] are 38% of median income," Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi said. The National Association of Realtors measures affordability through its 34-year old Housing Affordability Index, or HAI. And even if home prices do the decline, that trend won't be sustainable unless America builds millions of more homes. And spreads will likely remain extra-wide until short-term interest rates drop below the rates on longer-term treasuries, Duncan said. "Mortgage rates will not go back to 3% – we'll be lucky if we get back to 5," Yun said.

Persons: —, John Burns, maven Mohamed El, Lawrence Yun, Yun, Mark Zandi, That's, Doug Duncan, Fannie, Duncan, Daryl Fairweather, They've, Fairweather, they've, Freddie Mac, –, Zandi, it's Organizations: Nurphoto, Getty, National Association of Realtors, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, NAR, Redfin, Allianz, America, Federal Reserve, realtors, Builders, Fed Locations: Florida, Austin , Texas, Boise , Idaho, Fannie Mae, America, New York, California, Phoenix, Tampa, Louisville, Indianapolis, Chicago

☆ A Higher Monthly Payment, but Less Square Footage
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Conor Dougherty | More About Conor Dougherty | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

With interest rates rising and mortgage costs with them, homebuilders are pulling in yards, tightening living rooms and lopping off bedrooms in an attempt to keep the monthly payment in line with what families can afford. In a recent survey of architects, John Burns Research and Consulting found that about half expected their average house size to decline. New communities will have more duplexes or small-lot single-family homes that are just a few feet apart. Even in Texas, where land is abundant, builders are adding more homes per acre, the company found. “The monthly payment matters more than anything else and builders have responded with smaller, more efficient homes,” said John Burns, the company’s chief executive.

Persons: John Burns, ”, Hayden Organizations: John Burns Research, Consulting Locations: Texas, Pacific Northwest, exurbs

☆ Nobody wants to leave Texas. It's fueling an economic boom.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The state's population growth has helped its economy thrive. Plenty of Americans have moved to Texas in recent years, but the state's population growth has also been driven by another factor — native-born residents aren't leaving. It's helping fuel an economic boom at a time when many businesses are struggling to attract workers . Texas has no state income tax , and major cities like Dallas and Austin provide residents plenty of places to pursue job opportunities. But the state's population trends should position it well in the long term.

Persons: Texans aren't, Jobs, John Burns Organizations: Texans, Service, Dallas Fed, Lone Star State, John Burns Research, Consulting, Federal Reserve Locations: Wall, Silicon, Texas, California, Plenty, North Carolina, Canada, Dallas, Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth

☆ Strong housing demand will support prices most in these 6 cities as people move to them in droves, according to John Burns Research — but these 13 cities are most at risk as their populations drain
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

John Burns Research and Consulting recently published a list of cities and their migration trends. But looking at the demand side of the equation via population trends can give you an idea of where people increasingly desire to live or leave. In a late-August note, Chris Porter and John Burns of John Burns Research and Consulting published a list of cities where they see migration trends rising and falling, citing address change data from the US Postal Service. "We now monitor domestic migration trends in near real time, using postal address change forms that are current within a few months. In the note, they separated the cities into tiers where migration trends are changing most and only slightly.

Persons: John Burns, Chris Porter, Porter, Burns Organizations: John Burns Research, Consulting, Boston, US Postal Service Locations: Denver, Nashville, San Diego

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