Latest Trends Articles

Congress mulls blocking energy-efficiency rules for gas heat and appliances

Government mandates for energy-efficient appliances and to phase out natural gas for heating houses and apartments could be on the chopping block. The House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce committee heard testimony at a hearing on Tuesday that urged a rollback of energy-efficiency rules. The National Association of Home Builders voiced particular concern with state and local governments that have tried to mandate electric power use rather than gas, and stricter appliance standards that the group said have driven up costs for homeowners and renters.

Worsening king tides emerge as more of threat to coastal Florida cities

As the highest of high tides more frequently cause flooding in areas across coastal Florida, homeowners need to be prepared to act because rising waters can damage their homes and property, experts say.

Marilyn Monroe's former LA home lives to see another day

The Los Angeles home where Marilyn Monroe died in 1962 lives to see another day after another thwarted demolition attempt.

More housing in business districts is key to increasing supply, advocates say

State and local leaders should allow more housing in commercial districts to bring people closer to jobs and services, a pair of Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit groups say in a new report.

Downsizing Seattle architect redesigns home that moves with the water and the times

When architect Paul Wanzer and his wife, Mary, thought about downsizing, they weren't just looking for a small home; they sought a lifestyle shift.

Home equity contracts face legal test in Massachusetts

A Massachusetts lawsuit is challenging the use of home equity contracts, a relatively new way for homeowners to get cash out of their properties.

Legendary designer Giorgio Armani influenced these recent US condo developments

Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who died today at the age of 91, had a hand in the design of three recent U.S. condo developments in New York City and the Miami area, from their exteriors to the furniture, lighting and other elements.

Baby boomers, people of color could lead lackluster homeownership growth in next decade, Harvard suggests

Homeownership in the U.S. may be heading for a slowdown over the next decade — especially for younger buyers — according to new projections from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Declaring national emergency could boost housing supply, ease prices via tariff relief, fast-track permitting

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he’s weighing a national housing emergency declaration to confront the deepening affordability crisis, as soaring home prices push more Americans out of reach of ownership.

This Santa Monica neighborhood is a favorite among residents displaced from Los Angeles fires

When David Berg and F. Ron Smith listed a four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath house in Santa Monica for sale last month, they listed it at around the area's median price of $5.19 million.