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☆ These 5 home upgrades are the secrets to a better sale price
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Zoe Rosenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

It's a seller's real-estate market, meaning the demand for homes exceeds supply. Homesellers can fetch more at closing if their property has a few key upgrades that buyers want. A refreshed kitchen and primary bathroom can help boost the sale price, agents said. It's a seller's real-estate market. The latter is a truth that's existed for a while, despite the predictions of a real-estate market crash or impending comedown of home prices.

Persons: —, Jen Patchen, Opendoor Organizations: Service

☆ A solid start to earnings season will be put to the test in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

The biggest week of this earnings season showed us that things aren't as bad as many feared. The week ahead of earnings, including several more Club names, should tell us more. The results are always important, but it's the guidance and management commentary we will really hone in on to better understand the path ahead. In Amazon's case, a solid first quarter for its AWS cloud business was overshadowed by management seeing a material slowdown in April. ET: Nonfarm Payrolls Looking back It was the biggest week of this earnings season for the Club as several of our mega-cap holdings and industry bellwethers reported results.

☆ Chamath Palihapitiya was supposed to be the next Warren Buffett. Then interest rates spiked.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Chamath Palihapitiya was dubbed the "next Warren Buffett" after a series of successful bets in 2019 and 2020. Palihapitiya even compared his returns to Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway in his annual letters. The dealmaking prowess of Palihapitiya sparked comparisons that his Social Capital investment vehicle was essentially a baby Berkshire Hathaway. Even Palihapitiya himself, who has called Buffett an inspiration, compared his investment returns to the early returns of Berkshire Hathaway in his annual shareholder letters. Palihapitiya addressed the destruction in value seen across technology companies in Social Capital's 2022 investment letter.

☆ When Is The Best Time to Buy a House?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +8 min

By Michele LernerAs with much else in real estate, the best time of year to buy a house depends on location, market conditions—and you. “But the best time of year to buy a house depends a lot on the type of buyer.”The spring housing marketTraditionally the housing market’s most active season, spring can be the “best” time of year to buy or the “worst” time of year to buy, depending on your perspective. Best time to buy for: Buyers who hope to move before the holidays or at least before the end of the year. Best time to buy for: Buyers and investors looking for a better deal. “Sometimes it’s the right time to buy a house when you’ve found ‘the one’ that feels right for your family and your circumstances,” Bloch says.

☆ Keith Rabois says Shopify brands have 'a lot of room' to grow, and his startup, OpenStore, just launched a new product to help with that
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Keith Rabois' startup, OpenStore, is launching a new service for Shopify merchants. Keith Rabois founded OpenStore in 2021 with the idea of scooping up Shopify stores and using economies of scale to supercharge their sales. OpenStore has acquired more than 40 Shopify stores so far, says Rabois, a venture capitalist who placed early bets on DoorDash, Affirm, Stripe, and Faire. That makes OpenStore the largest owner and operator of Shopify brands in the world, he told Insider in a recent interview. However, there's "a lot of room" to grow Shopify brands, he added.

☆ Proptech VCs and startup founders already struggling from the housing-market downturn are now reeling from the Silicon Valley Bank collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The overnight collapse of Silicon Valley Bank after a social media and group chat-fueled bank run is creating yet another set of problems for an already ailing venture tech environment. The proptech industry has suffered over the past year as higher interest rates have throttled both the real estate and tech worlds. Silicon Valley Bank was the go-to lender of so-called venture debt, or debt that startups can raise along with their equity rounds of funding. The Silicon Valley Bank collapse "just punctuated it," he said, of the financial duress. Real estate lending warningsBanks make up almost a third of all commercial real estate lending according to CBRE.

That's the question posed by certain members of the Silicon Valley elite who are attributing layoffs to a boom-time phenomenon: over-hiring and "fake" work. A particular view of 'work'This concept of fake work is rooted, at least partly, in political disagreement. Several of the tech figures pushing these ideas lean Republican, in contrast to the left-leaning tech workers they're lambasting. He and others pushing a grind culture are motivated, as tech employees commenting on the workplace app Blind noted. "I think it's a false narrative to say many people do fake work, especially when companies already deploy workplace monitoring tools."

☆ The problem with home-flipping giants
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Aj Latrace | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Meanwhile, the corporate scalpers of the housing market — companies that buy and relist homes by the thousands without doing much, if any, work on them to make a profit — are struggling. Last week, two of the biggest remaining corporate home-flipping companies, Opendoor and Offerpad, reported dismal earnings, another sign that their business model is incredibly risky. Kelman also said one "problem is that iBuying is a staggering amount of money and risk for a now-uncertain benefit. At its core, the main business model of home-flipping firms doesn't create a ton of immediate value. Opendoor, Offerpad, and other companies that rushed to purchase homes are now discounting the asking prices of those homes to get them off their books.

☆ Opendoor Posts Heavy Losses After Losing Money on Home Sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Will Parker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Photo: Benjamin Hoster for The Wall Street JournalOpendoor has lost money on sales of many of the homes it bought last year, before rising interest rates chilled the real-estate market. Opendoor Technologies Inc. posted its second consecutive quarter of losses, as the online house-flipper continued to lose money on homes it purchased last year. The company said it had $2.9 billion in revenue from selling 7,512 homes in the fourth quarter, down 25% from the same quarter a year ago.

☆ Opendoor Suffers Heavy Losses After Losing Money on Home Sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Will Parker | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Photo: Benjamin Hoster for The Wall Street JournalA home for sale by Opendoor in the Phoenix metro area. Opendoor Technologies Inc. posted its second consecutive quarter of massive losses, as the online house-flipper continued to lose money on homes it purchased last year. The company said it had $2.9 billion in revenue from selling 7,512 homes in the fourth quarter, down 25% from the same quarter a year ago.

☆ The Fed’s favorite inflation gauge will be the big market hurdle of next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Most important this week is Friday's core personal consumption expenditure (PCE) price index for January. In comparison, the consumer price index (CPI), released this past week, only tracks price changes over time. The market is expecting the core PCE price index to rise 0.4% monthly and 4.9% annually. In addition to the core PCE price index, we're going to be looking closely at the housing and utilities component. Lastly, the January producer price index came in hotter than expected, rising 0.7% from December versus expectations for 0.4% increase.

☆ Zillow Signals More Pain Ahead in Online Real Estate
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Laura Forman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Zillow is telling investors that housing affordability challenges remain ‘front and center’ this year. Investors in online real estate platforms probably could waste a lot of energy figuring out how low home prices will go or whether mortgage rates have topped out, but common sense beats all that number crunching. U.S. home purchases fell more than 40% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, Redfin reported this week. Meanwhile, online real-estate stocks including Zillow Group , Redfin, Opendoor Technologies and Compass are up an average of more than 90% this year so far. That is probably wishful thinking.

☆ One of the most active homebuyers on Wall Street just predicted the demise of Opendoor and other iBuyers that have made housing so volatile
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In an interview with Bloomberg, Mullen doesn't see nearly as much chaos in today's housing woes, though pitfalls and opportunities still abound. In today's market, with most homeowners paying substantially lower mortgage rates than prevailing levels and mortgage delinquencies low, regular people aren't likely to sell. Homebuilders, representing another industry that's highly sensitive to housing market swings, are under pressure but can survive, Mullen said. Stepping back, Mullen's read is that too many institutions got in at the top of the housing market. "The most obvious example is iBuyers," Mullen said.

☆ Investors bet the Fed doom loop they've been trapped in will end in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Michael Santoli | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Next week is Groundhog Day, not to mention the 30 th anniversary of the theatrical release of "Groundhog Day." The ensuing market retreat culminated in the October low at more than a 25% decline from the S & P's record high. Inflation is decidedly in retreat, fourth-quarter GDP was slow-ish but solidly positive, Fed officials did nothing to push back against market expectations for a quarter-point bump in rates next week. But none of the interim S & P 500 rallies in that period made it as far above the 200-day moving average as the index currently is. Yet even with obligatory macro scares and market switchbacks along the way, it doesn't mean investors necessarily remain stuck in the same old doom loop.

☆ From PayPal to Facebook, Silicon Valley has long been obsessed with the idea of company "mafias." Take a look at ex-Square staffers who have created more than $40 billion of startup value.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Samantha Stokes | Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The idea of Silicon Valley "mafias" first emerged with the Oracle, Facebook, and PayPal mafias. Former Square staffers have gone on to launch startups worth nearly $40 billion cumulatively. Silicon Valley insiders have long been obsessed with the idea of startup "mafias." The "PayPal mafia" was perhaps the most infamous company that spawned the founders of tech giants like YouTube, Yelp, Tesla, and LinkedIn. Facebook and Oracle also have their own mafias of former employees that have produced iconic tech companies like Salesforce, Asana, and GoodRx.

☆ People want to move to Florida's more affordable smaller towns, which some brokers predict will be more popular than cities like Miami this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Cities with small-town charm are seen as the places to be in Florida this year. Like many who were moving to the Sunshine State, it wasn't the big, expensive cities like Miami or Tampa that drew the Jones family. Small Southern cities within driving distance of major ones — and suburbs right outside big cities — were some of the most popular ZIP codes to move to in the past year, Opendoor data found. In short, areas like this have usurped big cities like Tampa and Miami as the places to be. But if people are moving to the area for peace and quiet, they might lose that in the future.

☆ Nearly $40 billion of startup value later, here's what the members of the Square mafia have been up to since leaving the fintech giant
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Samantha Stokes | Stephanie Palazzolo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Former Square staffers have gone on to launch startups worth nearly $40 billion cumulatively. Insider tracked 15 members of the "Square mafia" to see what they're up to these days. The "PayPal mafia" was perhaps the most infamous company that spawned the founders of tech giants like YouTube, Yelp, Tesla, and LinkedIn. Facebook and Oracle also have their own mafias of former employees that have produced iconic tech companies like Salesforce, Asana, and GoodRx. Insider tracked 15 ex-Square employees in their current ventures, ranging from launching multibillion-dollar public companies to running high-profile VC firms.

☆ Looking to ditch the crowded cities? Consider these 10 outdoorsy zip codes that are drawing Americans looking for affordable housing.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The draw of affordable suburbs was as strong as ever for movers as 2023 began, Opendoor data show. The top zip codes for movers were all in the south, but popular cities like Miami missed the list. Americans want the warm temperatures and favorable tax policies that many southern states can offer, Opendoor's analysis shows. Opendoor's ranking was derived through an analysis of homes sold in the 53 metro areas where it operates. If you're pondering a move, and thinking like the millions who did so last year, behold, these zip codes are the ones to consider.

☆ See the pitch deck this company used to raise $21.5 million and help small landlords prepare for tough times by guaranteeing rent
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The property-management company Doorstead raised funds in a tough venture-capital market. The company's cofounders walked Insider through the pitch deck they used to raise $21.5 million. It was late 2021, and the founders of Doorstead, a tech-focused property-management company, were losing sleep. "One customer lost $20,000 in rent because their former property manager sold a promise that couldn't be fulfilled by the market," Waliany said. The combination of the rental guarantee and property-management services has helped the company attract property owners seeking passive income.

Proptech customers, employees, and investors said they went from delighted to disillusioned. Proptech investors eager to capture these trends pumped $32 billion into the industry in 2021. As markets deteriorated, disillusionment set in among proptech customers, investors, and employees. Some customers say they were disappointed buying homes via proptech startupsReal-estate startups like Divvy Homes and Better launched under the auspices of helping customers afford quality homes. Investors in proptech firms are taking financial hitsYou don't need to ask proptech investors whether they're disappointed in the sector's performance — just look at share prices.

☆ 4 survival strategies for proptech housing startups as they enter the sector's hardest year yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Proptech, the application of technology and venture capital to real estate, is naturally grappling with the change. Amid the threat of a recession, proptech startups have resorted to layoffs and other cost-cutting measures. In the meantime, Wedlake said, proptech companies and venture capitalists have shelved the "growth at all costs" mindset. In a recent blog post, Wedlake outlined four tactics that proptech startups were using to survive the deep freeze. So if proptech startups need to fundraise in 2023, they're likely going to have to accept lower valuations to attract any capital, Wedlake said.

☆ Factbox: Tech firms leading job cuts in Corporate America
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Jan 9 (Reuters) - Big Tech firms are leading a string of layoffs across corporate America as companies look to rein in costs to ride out the economic downturn. Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O):The software giant laid off under 1,000 employees across several divisions in October, Axios reported, citing a source. However, Bloomberg later reported Twitter was reaching out to dozens of employees who lost their jobs, asking them to return. HP Inc (HPQ.N):The computing devices maker said it expected to cut up to 6,000 jobs by the end of fiscal 2025. CNN:Warner Bros Discovery-owned (WBD.O) CNN's top boss Chris Licht informed employees in an all-staff memo that job cuts were underway.

☆ Proptech is losing money left and right, but Fifth Wall's Brendan Wallace is ready to spend $866 million as the sector enters its 'proving ground'
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Fifth Wall's Brendan Wallace says today's rough markets are a "proving ground" for the industry. Earlier this year, it announced a $500 million climate fund and a $147 European proptech fund. There are also fewer paths to go public, as the blank-check-company model that takes companies public with fewer disclosures via a merger has dried up. After successfully bringing SmartRent public via its own blank-check company in 2021, Fifth Wall canceled its second blank-check company in March of this year. Procore, which raised $634.5 million in a public offering in May 2021, is an investor in the new Fifth Wall fund.

☆ As tech companies pull back on spending, big office holiday parties are on the chopping block
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Apparently, some tech workers are also missing their companies' holiday festivities — but not because they're bopping around in the Mountain West. As tech companies pull back on spending, big office holiday parties are on the chopping block. Cost-cutting is coming for startups — and big office holiday parties are first on the list. For startup founders and venture capitalists, the office holiday party is a December tradition. But this year, holiday parties in startup-land look a little different.

☆ 21 real-estate startups to bet your career on in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Thousands of proptech employees were laid off in 2022 because of industry-wide struggles. Insider created this list of proptech startups that have all the makings of future success. The word of the year for proptech startups is … layoffs. This list is not meant to be all-inclusive, but instead offers a glimpse at some of the bright spots of the real-estate industry. In other words, these companies — which are listed alphabetically — could separate themselves from the pack in 2023.

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