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The economic and logistical realities of straw-bale building

Aug 16, 2023
One couple shares their experience with an alternative construction project.
David and Carrie Chew stand in the wooden frame of their incomplete straw-bale house in 2022.
Courtesy David and Carrie Chew

This couple works to create a safe haven for queer, nonwhite travelers

Feb 8, 2023
The initial idea was to create global pop-up experiences. But Amber Drew and her wife ended up finding a permanent home in Nicaragua.
Buying property for the Apogeo Collective was not Plan A, but Amber Drew and her wife found an opportunity to become homeowners in Nicaragua.
Amber Drew and Sara Elise

Looking for a home that's accessible? That will make your search even harder.

Apr 7, 2022
A retired economist tells the story of her search for an accessible home.
There are no front steps at Nikki Finlay's new home. "I could walk straight in the front door," she says.
Courtesy Nikki Finlay

Why this couple traded an apartment in Atlanta for a 27-foot sailboat

Feb 23, 2022
As housing costs rise, some are taking #vanlife one step further by leaving the solid footing of land. Instead of paying rent, they drop anchor.
Sunni Blanning and Brandon Bunch on the sailboat they call home.
Courtesy Blanning

Overcoming fear as a first-time homebuyer

May 25, 2021
“It’s been very empowering for me, even though it has been very difficult,” says Ko Bragg, a journalist based in New Orleans.
Ko Bragg, one of the 2.38 million Americans who purchased a home for the first time in 2020, inside her New Orleans house.
Courtesy Ko Bragg

Why one man purchased his childhood home

May 5, 2021
For Kell Harvey, the sale was more than a just a real estate transaction. The Tennessee home has been in the family for generations.
After his father’s death, Kell Harvey made the decision to purchase the home where he grew up. Above, Harvey’s son, Thomas Mark, in front of the family home.
Photo courtesy Kell Harvey

Why older, single women are buying camper vans

Apr 26, 2021
Ilsa Chapple of Cascade Campers says many customers come in when "they're on their own for the first time in a long time."
A Cascade Campers van in Death Valley, California. Ilsa Chapple transforms cargo vans into camper vans, enabling owners to live on the road.
Courtesy Ilsa Chapple

For public good, not for profit.

How one full-time RV-er found community on the road

Aug 31, 2020
Selling her house and moving into an Airstream trailer helped Mary D’Rozario create a new life.
In 2017, Mary D'Rozario sold her home and moved into this Airstream trailer. "At the RV park, people are used to forming connections with someone they just met,” she says.
(Courtesy of Mary D'Rozario)

Adventures in Housing: The Caretaker

Jan 6, 2020
If you're thinking cushy job with a free place to live, think again.
Craig Johnson (right) and his partner Carol Adams stand in front of the original hearth at Glen Fern in Philadelphia, PA.
Amy Scott/Marketplace

Adventures in Housing: Holding out on a home to invest in something else

Nov 26, 2019
Zarrish Khan was about to buy a house when tragic news prompted a U-turn.
Zarrish Khan with her children, Hasan, left, and Mishal.
Photo courtesy of Zarrish Khan

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