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☆ Railroad workers union says workplace conditions such as long hours and lack of sick days will only lead to more tragedies like the Ohio derailment
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Various rail workers unions blame working conditions for the Ohio derailment, per The Guardian. Staff shortages and no paid sick days will lead to more disasters, union leaders said. This comes two months after Congress halted a railroad workers strike. Railroad Workers United, and others claim companies get away with short staffing, long hours and no paid sick days, jeopardizing safety protocol in the name of profit, the Guardian reported. Corners get cut and safety is compromised," Ron Kaminkow, Railroad Workers United secretary and Amtrak engineer told The Guardian.

☆ These snazzy homes are built in a factory, installed in backyards, and cost as little as $105,000 — take a look inside
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Once the house is installed, Villa builds additional features around it. At the one-bedroom cottage in San Jose, Villa built entrance stairs out of Trex, a tough outdoor material designed to withstand weather and wear. The exterior of the one-bedroom in San Jose. miller.photo for Villa

☆ Meet a 24-year old living with her parents who splurges on weekend trips, a Chanel handbag, and a Balmain jacket with all the money she'd spend on rent
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Anastasia Ricci, 24, decided to stay with her parents during the pandemic and never left. With all the money she's saving on rent she's able to buy designer clothes and expensive trips. Anastasia Ricci in a $1,700 Balmain jacket. Anastasia Ricci bowling in Miami. Anastasia Ricci during a $1,200 weekend trip to Miami.

☆ A tiny-home village that can house over 30 homeless people is the latest project from a California prefab company that quickly builds homes in factories and trucks them to their destinations
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Long Beach, California, made a $2.5 million deal to build tiny homes for people in need. The bathroom in a Connect Homes shelter. From luxury homes to sheltersFor its private customers, Connect Homes builds 15 single-family-home models, ranging from a 460-square-foot home for $220,000 to a 1,960-square-foot four-bedroom home that costs about $700,000. Connect Homes' Shelter 3, a type of tiny home that's set to be built in Long Beach, California. It's now getting inquiries in other states about its tiny homes, Leung said.

☆ Inside Startup MyCabin's Tiny Homes From $37,500, Now Sold in the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Two customers bought the Kalmus and put it in their backyards to use as an office, said Peter Seltenright, the cofounder of PrefabPads, the company that manufactures and distributes MyCabin designs in the US. Inside one of the MyCabin tiny homes. Courtesy of MyCabin and Prefab Pads

☆ How a college student can make 6 figures in real estate, according to a 22-year-old home flipper set to rake in $300,000 this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Shawn Castellanos earned about $150,000 during college by wholesaling homes with few renovations. Castellenos says he built his business without financial help and expects to earn $300,000 in 2023. "When you start talking about investing you're going to talk about real estate, because that's probably the best thing to invest in." The first house that Shawn Castellanos flipped in Dublin, Ohio, a 20-minute drive from Columbus. The interior of the house that Shawn Castellanos flipped.

Tiny-home startup Boxabl amassed a 160,000-person wait list since Elon Musk was linked to a Casita. Max, who put down a $2,400 deposit for a Casita in 2021, told Insider he is fed up with the delay. They told Insider they've received little communication from the company about when the homes, called Casitas, will be finished. One Arizona-based prospective buyer, Max, told Insider that he put $2,400 down for two Boxabl homes in 2021. Boxabl's founders — the colorful father-and-son team of Paolo and Galiano Tiramani — told Insider the six-year-old startup is now worth $3 billion.

☆ Generations Y, Z, and Alpha will become the biggest buyers of luxury goods by 2030, a new study shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Felise Seah | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Younger generations are set to become the largest buyers of luxury goods by 2030, the report says. Bain's study is based on information and data provided by the Fondazione Altagamma, an Italian luxury goods body with over 280 luxury companies as members. Millennials born between 1980 to 1994 are dubbed Generation Y, whereas Generation Z refers to those born between 1995 and 2009. These habits could also be a result of the booming luxury resale market, where Generation Y, Z, and Alpha are treating luxury goods as valuable investments. This is expected to make luxury goods much more accessible and bolster sales to Generation Y, Z, and Alpha consumers.

☆ A 37-year-old nonprofit exec can afford homeownership in the Bay Area only because she lives in an ADU in her mom's backyard
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Katie Sandoval Clark said the arrangement has helped her family "pursue what we really want to do." So Sandoval Clark came up with a plan. Sandoval Clark told Insider. Sandoval Clark with members of her family in front of her home, a 1,200-square-foot accessory dwelling unit. Sandoval Clark said her home has high ceilings and gets a lot of light.

☆ Confessions of 20-somethings who live at home and splash out on cars, designer handbags, and nightclubs instead
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Dan Latu | Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

They're also spending the money they would have spent on rent on pricey goods and travel. Courtesy of Julia MachajProfession: EngineerIf she weren't living with her parents she'd live in: Stamford, Connecticut, where the rent starts at $1,875, according to Rent.com. Courtesy of Jonathan BranchProfession: AccountantIf he wasn't living with his parents he'd live in: Arlington, Virginia, where rent starts at $1,999, according to Rent.com. He's spent money on: $700 Sony camera and $800 lensesJonathan Branch recently turned 30, but spent his twenties living at home in Fairfax, Virginia. Courtesy of Gabby BeckfordProfession: Travel influencerIf she weren't living with her parents she'd live in: Seattle, Washington, where rent starts at $1,560, according to Rent.com.

☆ I built a 655-square-foot tiny home in the backyard of my San Diego rental property and rake in $2,500 a month renting it to a college water-polo team
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

He has an investment property in San Diego and recently built an accessory dwelling unit on the lawn. It's about 15 minutes from the campus of the University of California, San Diego. 7 members of UCSD's women's water-polo team live on the propertyHalf of the University of California, San Diego's water-polo team lives on Chu's property. The state made the right move allowing for ADUs, but it's still hard to get cities like San Diego on boardSan Diego. In San Diego, near UCSD, people want to live there, and density needs to be allowed for it to happen.

☆ We moved to Florida but missed our old social life. Here's how we made 1,200 new friends.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Denise Rich and her husband Matt moved from the DC area to Melbourne, Florida, last year. I work in the defense and intelligence industry and my husband works in the defense industry. It would make sense to go there where there are a lot of defense industry jobs. But, the thing we miss the most about the DC area is all of the restaurants and breweries and wineries there. Most of the meet-ups we've been doing are over here in the Melbourne area, but we're doing one over in Winter Park.

☆ Now may be a great time for buyers to score their dream homes as mortgage rates dip back towards 6% and desperate sellers are willing to accept most offers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | Robert Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

More buyers have gotten back into the market as mortgage rates dip from last year's high. But the real estate market was quickly moving against them as mortgage rates skyrocketed over 7%, and home prices were stubbornly high. "We went from sellers controlling everything, to now being more of a neutral, and even almost a buyer's market." Those looking for a new home are in a good place to cash-in on the perks of a buyer's market right now, Shupe said. In negotiating deals for buyers, she said she's asking sellers to pay fees that result in lower mortgage rates for the buyer.

☆ 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.

☆ Florida man and Insider global editor-in-chief Nich Carlson wondered what the heck was going on in his home state. Sunshine State readers unloaded on him.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

They expressed polarizing opinions about the state's housing, taxes, weather, politics, and more. Rising housing costs and traffic, for instance, drew almost universal disdain, while opinions on the state's weather, politics, taxes, and overall cost of living were mixed and highly polarized. Insider's Global Editor-in-Chief Nicholas Carlson (left), who grew up in Tampa, at a Tampa Bay Buccaneers game in January 2022. The state's politics are unsurprisingly divisiveFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis at a press conference after Hurricane Ian passed through the Cape Coral area. Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesSome Floridians love the state's politics, some aren't fans, and some don't care all that much.

☆ 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.

☆ Meet Brian Sodre, the Florida developer using prefab technology to replace hurricane-ravaged Fort Myers homes with 750-square-foot tiny fortresses
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Brian Sodre is helping Fort Myers, Florida, rebuild with prefabricated tiny homes. prefabricated tiny homes. Sodre says prefab tiny homes can ease the housing-affordability crisis in Fort Myers and beyond. Courtesy of Brian SodreMiniopolis is already set to build eight different made-to-order homes in the Fort Myers area. The typical home in Fort Myers goes for nearly $397,000, up 16.7% from the same time last year, according to Realtor.com .

☆ One U-Haul manager believes lots of people will still move to Florida in 2023—but not to the popular cities of Miami and Tampa Bay
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Florida was the second-most-popular destination for U-Haul movers in 2022. Florida was the second-most-popular destination for U-Haul movers last year, second only to Texas, per a new report by the national truck-rental company. In a twist, these movers were less likely to embrace the popular cities of the pandemic era, like Miami and Tampa. People in the past year were choosing smaller, less expensive Florida areas — such as Clermont, Ocala, and The Villages, both moveBuddha and U-Haul found. It's a trend mirrored nationally, as movers sought exurban areas — suburbs with a rural feel in close proximity to cities.

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.

☆ Meet Cloud Apartments, a startup that promises lower-cost living in factory-made units thanks to backing from a 25-year VC veteran
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Cloud Apartments plans to build at five sites in the Bay Area, including in San Jose and Berkeley. A 25-year venture-capital veteran just led a $3 million funding round for Cloud Apartments. Factories tooled to produce modular apartment units can make this possible. In 2021, against a backdrop of skyrocketing rents, Wong founded Cloud Apartments, a rental development company that uses modular-construction processes more often associated with single-family housing. A rendering of a Cloud Apartments building.

☆ 6 reasons why moving to Florida can be a major disappointment, from surprisingly high tax bills to severe storms that 'should be an eye opener'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"The appreciation rates that we've seen in South Florida have been much higher than the national average," Bordenaro said. Newcomers moving to Florida have also been shocked at property tax bills that are higher than they expected, Insider's Kelsey Neubauer reported. Because of rising sea levels, many homes in South Florida are at a higher risk for disaster, which makes it more expensive to insure them. According to Bordenaro, Miami is attempting to alleviate the traffic issue by constructing more lanes and new exits, but the going road work only leads to more traffic. "Depending on where you come from, it can be tough to make friends with the locals," Bordenaro said.

☆ Meet the executive in charge of Bank of America's $15 billion initiative to give no-down-payment mortgages to disenfranchised homebuyers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

She leads the neighborhood and community lending program for the second largest US bank. It's her job: Barkley helms a Bank of America lending program aimed at increasing homeownership in multicultural and historically underserved communities. In fact, she says the rationale for the bank's $15 billion Community Homeownership Commitment seems to follow her everywhere she goes in the Dallas metro area, where she is based. A feature of that commitment is a mortgage program that sets aside requirements that often prove to be obstacles to borrowers trying to get traditional loans. When houses are refurbished, the rest of the community will hopefully see the benefits that come from homeownership, she said.

Insider's rising stars of real estate span roles in leasing, affordable housing, and urban planning. We asked 20 of these young industry experts and innovators to offer predictions for 2023. 2022 wreaked havoc on the housing market: Mortgage rates rose at a fast clip, bidding wars cooled, the Airbnb market shifted, and some high-flying proptech darlings crashed back down to earth. Insider picked 30 rising stars of commercial and residential real estate who're transforming the way homes are sold and offices get built. Here are the predictions for 2023 from our rising stars:

☆ Police identified the Idaho killings suspect with DNA databases, multiple outlets report, and the practice is controversial
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Police were reportedly able to link the Idaho killings suspect to the crime scene with DNA. They ran DNA through genealogy databases and got a hit, anonymous law enforcement sources told ABC News. CNN reported that police then tracked the suspect back to Pennsylvania, where he was arrested. Experts previously told Insider that those who send their DNA to genealogy companies should do so with caution if they want to protect their genetic privacy. Joseph Giacalone, who used to helm the Bronx's cold case unit, told Insider last month.

☆ As Capitol police became overpowered on Jan. 6, the Pentagon sent security to the homes of military leaders, per the former Capitol police chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund is releasing his book "Courage Under Fire" on Jan. 3. The book will detail what went wrong on Jan. 6 and how it could happen again. "The security and information-sharing policies and mandates put in place after September 11 failed miserably on January 6," Sund said in the book, according to the Post. Help from the military did not come for another three hours, The Post reported, after the building was already clear. The book's revelations come as the Jan. 6 committee released new documents from its final report.

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