housing

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>

Monthly Housing Costs Soar to Highest Level in Decades

Mortgage rates, insurance, rents outpace stagnant American incomes, per Census Bureau

(Newser) - Monthly housing costs in the US are climbing faster than inflation, squeezing both homeowners and renters alike, according to new Census Bureau data . In 2024, the median monthly cost of homeownership—including mortgage, insurance, taxes, and fees—rose to $2,035 (after being adjusted for inflation), up from $1,...

Cities Where Home Values Are Dropping

Tampa has seen the biggest decline, while Cleveland has experienced the biggest rise

(Newser) - Is the housing bubble about to burst? At the very least, Zillow thinks "the real estate market has finally struck a balance between buyers and sellers." In some metro areas, that translates to dipping home values, after a yearslong run of spiking prices. Quartz notes that Florida and...

FHFA Chief Is Having a 'Pot, Meet Kettle' Moment

Records show Pulte's family claimed same tax breaks that he's slamming Fed governor for

(Newser) - Bill Pulte, a federal housing official, has publicly accused Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook of improperly claiming homestead exemptions—tax breaks for owners on their primary residence—on more than one property. However, a Reuters investigation found that Pulte's own father and stepmother, Mark and Julie Pulte, have...

Kristi Noem Is Taking Some Heat Over Her New Residence

Move for security reasons into a Coast Guard admiral's home rent-free sparks debate over perks

(Newser) - Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is making headlines again—this time due to reports of her living rent-free in the official residence normally reserved for the US Coast Guard's commandant at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, DC. According to agency officials, the move follows safety concerns after the...

Cuomo Lights Into Mamdani Over His Apartment

Ex-governor slams fellow Dem for living in rent-stabilized apartment; Mamdani calls Cuomo 'petty'

(Newser) - Andrew Cuomo is showing no signs of backing down from New York City's mayoral race, pledging to run as an independent after progressive candidate Zohran Mamdani clinched the Democratic nomination. The ex-governor's latest tactic? Going after Mamdani for living in a rent-stabilized apartment in Queens for just $2,...

Don't Fall for This 'Fertility Fallacy'

Low birth rates globally aren't due to lack of desire, per UN report—it's the lack of access, cost

(Newser) - A new United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report challenges the usual question about declining birth rates, suggesting the real issue isn't that people don't want more kids—it's that many feel they can't have them. The report, which includes polling from 14 countries, found that...

Psst, Homebuyers: It's Your Market Now

The pendulum has swung the other way, with home sellers far outnumbering those out shopping

(Newser) - For those tired of a barrage of stories about real estate booms, sellers' markets, multiple offers on a mediocre house in the first six seconds it was listed, and buyers having to all but leverage their firstborn to land themselves a house—well, we have good news. For those looking...

10 States That Pay Most (and Least) for Housing

At top of WalletHub's list: Hawaii, where owners spend more than 50% of income on housing costs

(Newser) - If you've been priced out of buying a home over the past few years, the latest analysis out of WalletHub may help you narrow your options down. The site looked at the cost of mortgages and home energy expenses in all 50 states in the US to figure out...

Making the Case for 'Sprawl'
Making the Case for 'Sprawl'
longform
Apr 13, 2025 12:25 PM CDT

Making the Case for 'Sprawl'

New York Times Magazine piece suggests efforts to curb it are a big factor in the housing crisis

(Newser) - A New York Times Magazine piece on suburban "sprawl" ticks off all the reasons the term has come to be reviled. It evokes "lollipop cul-de-sacs lined with homes so similar they can be distinguished only by the cars parked in front," writes Conor Dougherty. For decades now,...

Spain to Outsiders: Don't Buy a Home Here

Nation wants to impose 100% surcharge on non-EU citizens/residents who are buying property there

(Newser) - Thinking of buying a sweet Spanish chalet to serve as a vacation home—or even as your permanent abode? It'll likely soon cost you if you're not a part of the European Union. The BBC reports that Spain is planning on implementing a 100% tax on the value...

These Are the 10 Hottest Housing Markets in America

Buffalo, New York, tops Zillow's list

(Newser) - The Buffalo Bills are in the NFL playoffs again, and New York state's second-largest city just got some more good news: It's the hottest housing market in America, reports USA Today . Not only did Buffalo take the top spot, per a Zillow analysis , but it also earned the...

Cities Where Home Prices More Than Doubled in a Decade

In Tampa, median home price in 2014 was $145K; today, it's $410K

(Newser) - Home prices across the nation remain out of reach for many—but in some cities, they've more than doubled over the past decade, reports Quartz , citing a Zoocasa analysis of data from the National Association of Realtors. The site looked at median single-family home prices in more than two...

A Popular Travel Destination Is Outlawing Tourist Rentals

All 10K tourist apartments in Barcelona to shut down by 2028, mayor says

(Newser) - There are 10,101 legal short-term rental accommodations in Barcelona, Spain, one of the most visited cities in the world. But in just four short years, there will be zero. That's according to Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni, who announced the "unexpectedly drastic move" to combat the city's...

Estimate for Rebuilding Gaza Is Staggering

Best case is $40 billion over 16 years

(Newser) - Israel's bombardment of Gaza over the past seven months has left many high-rise concrete buildings in rubble, creating what a United Nations official called a "moonscape" of destruction. Palestinian statistics show that about 80,000 homes have been destroyed since the strikes began after Hamas fighters attacked southern...

It's Cheaper to Rent Than Buy in Every Big US Metro Area

Realtor.com takes note of the metric in the 50 largest metropolitan areas

(Newser) - It's a housing market milestone: Renting now beats buying in all 50 of the biggest metro areas in the US, a new report by Realtor.com says. Quartz helps break down the findings:
  • Last year, residents in 45 of the biggest 50 metro areas fared better through renting, but
...

New Realtors' Settlement 'Will Blow Up the Market'

National Association of Realtors agrees to $418M deal that will slash commissions to settle suits

(Newser) - The National Association of Realtors has signed off on a huge deal that some say "will blow up" the housing market. The New York Times has seen a copy of the $418 million settlement that would get rid of the standard 5% or 6% commission fee for real estate...

It's Hard to Find a (Cheap) Home on the Range

At Yellowstone, a $40M gift looks to bring affordable housing to the park for staff

(Newser) - When Caroline Gold was accepted for her dream job working at Yellowstone National Park in 2021, she immediately informed her employer in Texas she was leaving. Then she started looking for housing in rural Montana near her new place of work. That's when she wondered, "Am I going...

A Troubling Amount of US Renters Are in Deep

More and more US tenants spend 30% or more of their income on housing

(Newser) - The often-recommended rule of thumb when it comes to housing is to not hand over more than 30% of your gross income to a landlord or mortgage company and the accompanying utilities. In the United States, more renters than ever are surpassing that limit, further burdening a middle class beset...

The Era of the Smaller Home Is Upon Us

Square footage is dropping, as are accompanying home prices, as homebuilders try to attract buyers

(Newser) - With the cost of housing so high these days, it's no wonder that many have given up on the idea of homeownership, at least for the time being. Now, homebuilders appear to have hit on a solution of sorts, at least for those willing to embrace minimalism: erecting smaller...

A Win for Couple Who Alleged Racial Bias in Home Valuation

Paul Austin, Tenisha Tate-Austin settle lawsuit with appraisal company, hope to bring change

(Newser) - A Black couple who said the value of their California home increased by almost $500,000 when they had a white friend stand in as the owner have settled a lawsuit with the appraisal company. Paul Austin and Tenisha Tate-Austin of the San Francisco suburb of Marin City will receive...

Stories 1 - 20 |  Next >>
Most Read on Newser