The American Society of Interior Designers, a leading professional association for this industry, recently released its 2025 Trends Outlook Report, covering what designs will be popular this year. This includes a number of features that enhance a home’s wellness potential, (the focus of last week’s article), as well as those that upgrade its sustainability, technology and outdoor living potential. I asked three designers from three different regions of the country how these top 2025 home design trends are showing up in their projects. They are: 1. Sustainability “Sustainability has become an essential part of design,” Madhyani declares, pointing out that…

Technology has transformed some parts of the daunting homebuying process–making it easier to search and compare properties online, to prepare closing documents and title insurance and to service mortgages. But even the wizards of fintech can’t change the basics: With mortgage rates still hovering near a two decade high and home prices at a record high, sales of existing homes in 2024 fell to their lowest level since 1995, according to the National Association of Realtors. For the third year in a row, only two real estate companies made the Fintech 50 list, compared to five in 2022. Valon, one…

Most financial advisors today are bound by the so-called fiduciary standard. They typically work on a flat fee or percentage of assets fee and are required to work in their clients’ best interests. Some four decades ago, this wasn’t the case. Sales commissions drove the financial advice landscape and many brokers recommended whichever suitable product gave them the highest fee, regardless of whether it was the best deal for the client. Lewis Altfest was one of the first advisors embracing the fee-only “fiduciary” model, co-founding L.J. Altfest & Co in 1983 after leaving money manager Lord Abbett & Co., where…

In recent studies, we analyzed and determined the most expensive ZIP codes in a series of western states, including Texas, Nevada, and Utah. Now, we wanted to turn to another state in the vicinity — New Mexico. New Mexico saw some serious growth in home values over the last five years. The growth was most significant in the suburbs outside urban areas like Santa Fe and Albuquerque. But there were also more rural ZIP codes who saw their home values increase substantially as well. Read on to find out the most expensive ZIP codes in New Mexico in 2025, based…

At its heart, New York is a city of reinvention. The recently passed “City of Yes” zoning changes mark one of the most significant transformations in decades. For the first time since the 1960s, major zoning reforms are poised to reshape the way the city builds, develops, and, ultimately, grows. Whether you’re a buyer, seller, investor, developer, or simply love New York, these new policies are worth watching closely. Here are five developments to keep an eye on. 1. Potential Increase in Housing Supply NYC’s housing shortage isn’t new. The city has been declaring a housing emergency for over 50…

When it comes to economic vitality, Baton Rouge, La. has always had a lot going in its favor. The city’s standing as the northernmost inland port on the Mississippi River able to accommodate ocean-going tankers and cargo carriers has been among its upsides. So is its petrochemical and refining capabilities, its status as home to groundbreaking biomedical research from Louisiana State University, and its ability to attract corporate headquarters in fields ranging from outdoor advertising to the quick-serve restaurants. All these qualities have contributed to Baton Rouge being named one of the top 20 North American cities for economic strength…

If you’re a single renter, you may enjoy peace and quiet, privacy, and the luxury of decorating as you please – engaging in gardencore, craftcore, hostingcore, and more, or just walking around in various stages of undress. But according to a new report by Zillow, you won’t enjoy being at a significant financial disadvantage. That’s because the report found single renters pay a singles tax, which is a record high $7,562 a year more than renters with at least one roommate. The Singles Tax So, what is the singles tax? “The singles tax quantifies the financial premium solo renters pay…

Poor Matilda Gray. Back in 1942, the teenager, clad in a pink ball gown, tired of posing for a commissioned portrait by Mexican artist Diego Rivera. It had taken a few weeks. The artist wasn’t happy either. Rivera disliked the finished work and asked Matilda for a second session so he could capture his own creative vision of her. She did so, very begrudgingly. Matilda was more interested in joining her aunt in Acapulco who was vacationing with a friend, the swashbuckling actor Errol Flynn. But Matilda was trapped, having to endure more days of posing. Rivera’s re-do revealed a…

In the world of commercial real estate, having tenacity can help you think strategically and be persistent. It will also make it easier to face challenges and push forward. I learned about tenacity early on from my grandfather, who owned a car dealership and invested in real estate. His actions demonstrated that he was able to find and maximize opportunities by persevering. Follow these guidelines to incorporate tenacity into your investment strategy: Gain a Competitive Edge When I first entered the real estate market over 25 years ago, I had nearly no experience in the industry. I was hired by…

Do people buying a property ever think about the people selling it? Probably only if a compelling narrative exists. One such occurred in Spain in 2020, when an act of personal endeavor emerged as a story of heroic proportions. The story was not universally reported, and few beyond Madrid are aware of it today. Nor is this because the protagonist is a shrinking violet, he is a leading European industrialist. The veil around the event occurs because it concerns something we’d all prefer to forget. The ruination that the Covid-19 pandemic wrought across the globe is still reverberating as its…