2026

The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a rule that would make it easier for retirement plan sponsors to include alternative investments — such as private equity, private credit, real estate and cryptocurrency — in workers’ 401(k) plans while reducing regulatory burdens and the threat of lawsuits. The rule aims to carry out goals that President Donald Trump outlined in an executive order last...

California lawmakers are weighing bills that would reduce regulatory barriers to revive condominium construction, which has dropped significantly from its peak in the years before the Great Recession. Assembly Bill 1406 would raise the state’s liquidated-damages limit on new condominium sales from 3% of the purchase price to 6%. Backers frame the bill as “condo deposit reform” to modernize a rule...

Jarret Coleman is not on social media posting about interest rate moves or explaining mortgage concepts to the public — a model successfully adopted by some of his peers. Instead, the Greenwich, Connecticut-based loan officer for US Bank takes a more traditional approach to his business. “I started in 2006 as an assistant to a loan officer, and they basically taught me the value of having real...

The U.S. housing market is facing unprecedented shifts as immigration enforcement tightens, domestic migration patterns evolve and consumer confidence sours, according to a Tuesday webinar hosted by John Burns Research & Consulting (JBRC). The presentation, “The State of US Demographics and Consumers: Lifts and Drags on Housing for the Year Ahead,” showed immigration at its lowest level in 40...

There’s a certain kind of home that just feels easier to be in. Nothing flashy, nothing trying too hard, but everything works. The lighting is soft where it should be, storage is where you need it, and daily routines don’t feel like a series of small annoyances. That feeling isn’t accidental. It usually comes down to a set of thoughtful features that reduce friction in subtle ways. Less visual...

Having lived in their Oakland, California, home for decades, these empty nesters were ready to refresh the two full bathrooms in the 1950s house. They turned to Houzz to find professional help and hired kitchen and bath designer William Adams. For the 56-square-foot primary bathroom on the main...

Getting that perfect balance of cozy and functional in a living room can be tricky, which is why homeowners will often turn to a design expert for help. We spoke to five professionals to find out the features they put at the top of the list when designing a client’s living area. They’re guaranteed...

We asked landscape pros on Houzz to share the top outdoor features they recommend for their clients and why. Read on to learn more about which elements pros think nearly every landscape could...

U.S. commercial and multifamily mortgage debt climbed to a record near $5 trillion at the end of 2025, underscoring continued lending activity even as higher borrowing costs reshape underwriting standards. Total commercial and multifamily mortgage debt outstanding rose 1.5% in the fourth quarter to $4.99 trillion, an increase of $75.2 billion from the prior three months, according to new data from the...

Austin city lawmakers bent on ensuring the Texas capital sustains momentum in a housing supply expansion that cuts into a home shortage and slows price growth took another step last week. Thursday, the Austin City Council approved a new package of land-use changes that would accelerate construction of missing-middle housing types such as duplexes, fourplexes and small apartment buildings in walkable,...