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Stories Tagged as

Housing

All about the MLS: The fascinating history of real estate listings

by Amy Scott
Sep 18, 2024
The MLS is in the news a lot. But what is it?
Most multiple listing services are owned by local realtor associations and operate under rules set by the National Association of Realtors.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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Adventures in Housing

Los Angeles' "dingbat" apartments are a kitschy piece of the past

by Sean McHenry
Sep 17, 2024
Shaped by the car culture, dingbats are going obsolete due to earthquake risk. But their names and style flourishes bring nostalgic smiles.
Dingbat dwellings were once a staple in LA, but they've required retrofitting in the quake-prone city.
Victor Decolongon/Getty Images
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Adventures in Housing

Inside the mind of a Sears House hunter

by Maria Hollenhorst
Sep 9, 2024
Judith Chabot devotes much of her free time to searching for houses built from kits sold by Sears. “It’s kind of like bird-watching,” she said.
Sears catalogs have been replaced by Zillow listings for house hunters.
Internet Archive 2024
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Adventures in Housing

How a row of “Painted Ladies” became San Francisco ambassadors

by Maria Hollenhorst
Sep 5, 2024
The homes represent the city's ideals, a local architectural historian says: cherishing the past and “always looking to the future.”
The juxtaposition of old Victorian homes against a backdrop of skyscrapers makes the "Painted Ladies” of Steiner Street a popular tourist destination.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Apartment rents aren't rising as quickly anymore, but remain far higher than pre-pandemic

by Samantha Fields
Sep 3, 2024
In New York the median rent for a one-bedroom just crossed $4,500, by one estimate.
A milestone few New Yorkers are celebrating: The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment there is currently $4,500.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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Old motels find new life as affordable housing

by Amy Scott
Aug 22, 2024
The buildings are typically located near major thoroughfares. But developers say conversions are "not for the faint of heart."
Southern Crossing, a former 1950s-era motel, will soon provide transitional housing in Newburg, Maryland.
Amy Scott/Marketplace
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Adventures in Housing

How ranch-style homes helped build the American dream

by Maria Hollenhorst
Aug 21, 2024
One of the most popular building styles in the U.S. emerged as a lower-cost pathway to homeownership.
The ranch-style home grew in popularity in the '40s and '50s. "It is the face of suburbia America," says architectural historian Mary van Balgooy.
George Rose/Getty Images
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For most U.S. households, buying a home isn't within reach

by Caleigh Wells
Aug 20, 2024
The median home buyer's income is higher than the median U.S. household income. And the gap is growing.
Owning a home is increasingly reserved for wealthier Americans.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
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Realtors settlement may lead to more agents serving buyer and seller

by Amy Scott
Aug 15, 2024
Properties sold through a dual agent tend to move faster, but for less money, research shows. In some states, the practice is illegal.
Some experts have raised conflict-of-interest concerns around "dual agency."
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Housing a big driver of inflation in the July CPI, but there's a lag

by Sabri Ben-Achour
Aug 14, 2024
The data shows rising shelter costs, but industry experts say current market conditions tell a different story.
Overall inflation continues to ease. Housing costs complicate the picture, though.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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