This week the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced the upcoming conforming loan limits would increase to 806,500, a $40,000 increase from the 2024 loan limit of $766,550. This increase is about the same dollar amount as last year’s increase when they rose from the 2023 limit of $726,200. Conforming loans are loans eligible to be underwritten by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, making them lower risk and with government-backed protections. Anything over the conforming loan limit is considered a jumbo loan, which typically comes with more stringent requirements for credit scores and debt-to-income ratios. For higher cost of living areas,…

Some 75 years after the term was coined, mid-century modern architecture and design has been embraced by a new generation of enthusiasts, a cohort enthralled by a motif that had its genesis in the near-limitless optimism of the American post-war period. For Fort Lauderdalians, few civic symbols speak quite so eloquently of that design discipline as Pier Sixty-Six Resort. The Intracoastal Waterway property started life as a mid-1950s Phillips 66 gas station, then steadily expanded, adding an eatery and then a resort hotel, and cementing its place as the singular 1960s-era Fort Lauderdale setting to celebrate special events from Mother’s…

If you’re thinking of investing in real estate in different countries, you’ll find there are complexities to navigate as you cross borders. In addition to potential language differences, you may need to manage risks like currency fluctuations and changing markets. If you’re prepared, you’ll be well positioned to find opportunities and make informed decisions. Follow these guidelines as you consider the intricacies of investing globally in real estate: Research the Market Dynamics When I interviewed Tal Peri, head of U.S. East Coast and Latin America at Union Investment, on my podcast, “The Insider’s Edge to Real Estate Investing,” he emphasized…

Let’s be real: most kids’ furniture and decor do little to enhance the look of a home. In fact, it’s usually the opposite. From flimsy plastic tables and chairs to bookcases you can’t wait to get rid of once they’re assembled, design-loving parents often have to tolerate these eyesores until their kids grow up. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We’ve curated a selection of the very best—twelve stylish home gifts for kids over $100 that even design-savvy adults will appreciate. Crate And Barrel Sherpa Bear Kids Play Chair Calling this boucle Bear Chair adorable, stylish, and comfortable…

A bathroom remodel – especially for a primary suite – is a major undertaking with tremendous wellness potential for its users. Done well, it can also offer strong resale potential for your home. That’s why it’s worth paying attention to what professionals are doing with their clients. And why I always pay attention when the National Kitchen & Bath Association, a trade organization with 55,000 designer, dealer, remodeler, installer, manufacturer and other industry pro members, releases its annual trend findings. (In the interest of disclosure, I’ve been an NKBA member for close to two decades, but it’s merely one of…

North Carolina is home to so many cities, many of them more or less college towns originally, that have exploded. Charlotte is the largest, but many others like Raleigh, Winston-Salem, Durham, Greensboro have all seen surges in population. Not surprisingly, this population growth has been accompanied by economic growth, and consequent growth in wealth. As part of an ongoing series, we’ve been analyzing ever state in the country in terms of what the most expensive ZIP codes are. Here, we’re investigating the most expensive ones in North Carolina. As a coastal state, North Carolina possesses a string of beach towns…

Rent Regulations Reduce the Housing Supply and Push Market Rate Rents to New Heights In response to strict rent control laws, the city’s landlords kept 200,000 properties vacant, created a black market by only renting within their social circle or they turned their units into short-term rentals. The result was soaring rents. Sound familiar? You may be surprised to learn that this narrative isn’t about New York City but Buenos Aires. Recently, Argentina’s President Javier Milei scrapped the national rental law as part of his economic reforms, which eliminated most government price controls, as highlighted in the Wall Street Journal.…

Manhattan’s real estate landscape is constantly in flux. For buyers and sellers, timing and strategy are crucial, but many market participants rely too heavily on lagging indicators like prices, which reflect the market as it was months ago. This can cause them to overlook current market sentiment, which sheds light on where the market is heading. Why Sentiment Matters Sentiment metrics reveal the underlying confidence or caution among buyers and sellers. As the saying goes, forewarned is forearmed: understanding sentiment means decisions can be proactive instead of reactive. Tracking sentiment is critical to understanding the market as a whole. When…

This year will witness the largest tide of new multifamily deliveries in at least a half century. Some 520,000 new rental housing units are anticipated this year, and another 900,000 are in the development stages. These numbers come on the heels of last year’s output of 438,500 new units, the largest one-year number since 1987. Supply and demand being the forces they are, this new-unit tsunami is expected to help improve affordability and tap the brakes on rent growth. At the same time, it’s created a zest among property owners for differentiating their multifamily properties from others. Distinction may be…

All the best resorts have one thing in common: they allow us to gravitate to whatever suits our on-vacation mood at any given moment. They present a menu of things to do—or not do. To burn energy or top it up. Much like those havens of hospitality that seem to read our ever-changing minds with both playful and peaceful opportunities, Ocotillo Sunset Ranch checks all the boxes. Only it’s not a resort, it’s a one-of-a-kind private residential estate that reads like a resort. For about half the price of a similar sprawling property in Arizona—say in Scottsdale or Paradise Valley—this…