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What a “de facto ban” on Airbnb means for New York City 

Sep 21, 2023
Will housing prices go down with fewer short-term renters around?
Airbnb has a long history in New York City. But New York's stance towards short-term rentals has just gone from one of the most relaxed policies out there, to one of the strictest.
Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

An electrical transformer shortage has big implications for housing, renewables

Sep 19, 2023
You may not think much about electrical distribution transformers, but not having them can delay entire housing developments and grid updates.
"Typically on a utility pole they’re round, and they’re at the top of the pole," said John Kirk, managing director at Embrey, a multifamily developer based in San Antonio.
Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

Islamic home financing expanding in the U.S., opening doors for Muslim homebuyers

Sep 18, 2023
Islamic finance offers alternatives to conventional loans and mortgages to comply with a religious prohibition on interest, which is seen as financial exploitation.
Sophie Mutamuliza, seated in purple headscarf, and her husband, Adam Abeza, standing, with their four children outside the family's home in Maine this summer. The family was one of the first to close on a home using Maine-based Androscoggin Bank's new Islamic mortgage solution.
Ari Snider

Furniture sellers adapt to a nationwide drop in sales

Sep 15, 2023
Sales at furniture stores have been sliding amid a cooling housing market and weakening consumer sentiment about making big purchases.
AJ Venable at Urban Links Furniture & Appliances in Baltimore. He said his customers have become more price-sensitive.
Stephanie Hughes/Marketplace

"Life happens." Why some home buyers and sellers forge ahead in spite of interest rates

Sep 13, 2023
People motivated to buy or sell homes in this market are often hitting significant milestones, from babies and back-to-office mandates to downsizing and retirement.
Even though interest rates are high, some home buyers have been spurred to move by big personal changes.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images

NYC is cracking down on short-term rentals. What does that mean for the housing market?

Sep 6, 2023
It's unclear whether reducing the number of short-term rentals will free up housing for city residents.
New York City's rules for short-term rentals went into effect on September 5, 2023.
Anthony Devlin/Getty Images

With eviction filings up, some landlords stoop to illegal tactics push out tenants more quickly

Aug 30, 2023
Eviction is a formal legal process that guarantees tenants some protections, but advocates say not all landlords are willing to follow the law to push a tenant out.
Nicole Hernandez looks at photos of damage to the home she was evicted from Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in Dallas.
Yfat Yossifor/KERA

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Who wins in today's housing market?

Aug 29, 2023
Prices are rising, rates are climbing and supply is dwindling. That puts people who already own a home ahead.
For renters looking to buy their first home, "it's tough right now," said Thomas LaSalvia with Moody's Analytics.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Can an Airbnb crackdown really make New York more affordable?

Aug 24, 2023
The explosion of short-term rentals has exacerbated the city's housing crisis.
A New York City study found that the larger the number of Airbnbs, the higher the rents in a neighborhood. Above, a view of the Manhattan skyline.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

"Date the rate, marry the house": The lure of refinancing when buying a home

Aug 22, 2023
Mortgage rates are still high, but some real estate agents have been citing an old refrain: "You can always refinance." Except, others say, when you can't
Even if mortgages get cheaper, so might homes, which would complicate refinancing, said Sacramento real estate agent Erin Stumpf.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

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Here’s a number – 2,000. That’s how many donors we need this fall to stay on track. Can we count on you?