Oct 5, 2023

Buying a home is a bleak quest right now

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Monthly mortgage payments grew tremendously in 2022. When will it get easier to be a homebuyer? Plus, how Greece bounced back from its economic crisis.

Segments From this episode

The job market might finally be returning to "normal," economists say

by Mitchell Hartman

Oct 5, 2023

Experts are predicting a slight decrease in wage growth, a drop that get us closer to pre-pandemic rates.

New September job market data comes out Friday, and economists expect we'll see a little less payroll growth than in August.

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

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Homebuyers face a double whammy: rising mortgage rates and rising prices

by Samantha Fields

Oct 5, 2023

The average monthly payment on a new mortgage rose 46% in 2022, and home prices and mortgage rates have continued to climb in 2023.

With home prices and interest rates so high, people are increasingly having trouble qualifying for a mortgage.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

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A decade after its debt crisis, Greece's economy may have recovered

by Kai Ryssdal and Sean McHenry

Oct 5, 2023

"In the last several years, there's been sort of an acceleration of an economic turnaround," said Liz Alderman at the New York Times. "We're basically at a point now where Greece is essentially booming."

"Huge numbers of people have been visiting Greece," said New York Times chief Europe business correspondent Liz Alderman. "That's helped to drive a boom in everything from construction to services."

Spyros Bakalis/AFP via Getty Images

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Texas downtowns have rebounded differently post-pandemic

by Elizabeth Trovall

Oct 5, 2023

A new report by Philadelphia’s Center City District analyzed the economic recovery in the 26 largest downtown districts in the country. Five of them were in Texas.

Downtown San Antonio seen from the Tower of the Americas earlier this year. San Antonio's downtown has seen success since lockdown, in part because the area has many jobs in tourism and entertainment

Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

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How one theater is faring amid the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes

by Maria Hollenhorst

Stephanie Silverman, Executive Director at Belcourt Theater in Nashville, Tennessee, talks about how the fall movie season has been shaping up at her non-profit theater.

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Temp jobs falling usually signals a recession. Maybe not this time.

by Meghan McCarty Carino

Oct 5, 2023

It's probably more a sign of pandemic labor market weirdness than a coming recession.

Following an explosion of temp jobs during the pandemic, many positions were made permanent as companies scrambled to recruit and retain workers. Above, participants at a San Francisco job fair.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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Music from the episode

Still Grimey Wu-Tang Clan

From Home, to Work, and Back.. Tall Black Guy

Plate Richard Houghten

Suga Suga Baby Bash, Frankie J

Moving On Roosevelt

Finally Moving Pretty Lights

The team

Nancy Farghalli Executive Producer

Maria Hollenhorst Producer II

Andie Corban Producer I

Sarah Leeson Producer I

Sean McHenry Director & Associate Producer II

Richard Cunningham Associate Producer I

Jordan Mangi Assistant Digital Producer

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