Scroll through enough listings and a pattern starts to emerge: price and perceived luxury don’t always line up. Some multi-million-dollar homes feel oddly underwhelming, while others — far more modest on paper — have that immediate, hard-to-define “wow” factor. It’s tempting to chalk it up to finishes or square footage, but that’s rarely the full story. Marble countertops, designer...

I’ve shared how I help homeowners maximize their small kitchens. But there are also plenty of ways to perform similar design magic in other small rooms. Here I’ll focus on compact living...

Sixty Percent of Americans Expect Job Losses from AI Automation A growing number of Americans say the rapid rise of artificial intelligence could threaten both job security and homeownership, reflecting how technological disruption is increasingly shaping sentiment in the U.S. housing market. According to a new survey by Redfin, roughly 59% of U.S. residents believe advances in AI will eliminate jobs and...

After failing to turn starter-home legislation into law, Arizona lawmakers are advancing two bills that would curb local control over design standards, homeowners associations and contractor licensing – a renewed attempt to chip away at costs amid the state’s housing shortage. Lawmakers are close to passing a measure that would strip municipalities of much of their authority over new-home aesthetics...

Perched on a bluff high above Oregon’s Willamette River, this landscape for a new home invites meandering, playing, exploring and taking in the view. Working closely with the homeowners and architect, landscape designer Glenn Nardelli created a series of outdoor rooms, wild gardens and...

Despite higher oil and gas prices, higher mortgage rates and no indication that the conflict in Iran is ending, existing home sales still posted another positive week. However, with every week that goes by with mortgage rates above 6.25% and heading higher, it gets harder to maintain that growth, and housing data in the past hasn’t performed well when mortgage rates pass 6.64% and then exceed 7%....

This Portland, Oregon, couple wanted to transform the basement of their historic home into a special place for entertaining. As parents in a blended family with three kids, they envisioned an adult-oriented retreat with a lounge, a home office, storage for their large wine collection and a bar for...

I’ll be honest with you — I’m not always the most charitable voice when it comes to the National Association of Realtors. Those of you who follow me know I say what’s on my mind, and for a while, my mind hasn’t been particularly generous toward NAR leadership. So, when I received an invitation to visit their headquarters in Chicago and meet with CEO Nykia Wright and several department heads, I...

The passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act felt like a rare event in Washington: genuine, overwhelming bipartisanship. In a political climate defined by caustic friction, an 89-10 vote in the Senate isn’t a legislative victory; it is a confession. It is an admission by both parties that housing affordability has reached a breaking point that threatens the very fabric of the American Dream; and,...

Deltec Homes, an Asheville, North Carolina-based builder of prefabricated, round houses, says its designs can withstand the extreme wind loads associated with a Category 5 hurricane. CEO Meg Gore said the company’s circular footprint and roof system reduce pressure points that can lead to structural failure in high-wind events. “Round really works with nature, instead of fighting against it,”...