Author: josh

Dave:New construction is reshaping how deals are getting done and it’s changing where the numbers actually work. It’s sort of crazy, but right now, on average, a newly built home in the US is cheaper than an existing home, making this a uniquely attractive investment. Right now, I’m Dave Meyer and today on the Market I’m joined by Doug Brien to dig into when new builds beat existing homes, how institutional investors are actually behaving and what you can learn from them and how to negotiate with builders to land a great deal on a newly constructed home. This is…

For decades, American politicians and investors have snickered at the nations that gave birth to Western democracy — Italy and Greece — as examples of fiscal excess. Italy, with its revolving-door governments, and Greece, with its bailouts and austerity hangovers. But now, it’s their transatlantic descendant that’s writing the biggest checks. According to new forecasts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), America’s debt—which recently surpassed $38 trillion—is set to rise faster than almost any advanced economy, climbing from roughly 125% of GDP today to about 143% by 2030. That would push the U.S. above both Italy, which has a debt…

More than half of the grades handed out at Harvard College are A’s, an increase from decades past even as school officials have sounded the alarm for years about rampant grade inflation.  About 60% of the grades handed out in classes for the university’s undergraduate program are A’s, up from 40% a decade ago and less than a quarter 20 years ago, according to a report released Monday by Harvard’s Office of Undergraduate Education. Other elite universities, including competing Ivy League schools, have also been struggling to rein in grade inflation.  The report’s author, Harvard undergraduate dean Amanda Claybaugh, urged…

A shortage of air traffic controllers caused more flight disruptions Monday around the country as controllers braced for their first full missing paycheck during the federal government shutdown. The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing-related delays on Monday afternoon averaging about 20 minutes at the airport in Dallas and about 40 minutes at both Newark Liberty International Airport and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The delays in Austin followed a brief ground stop at the airport, meaning flights were held at their originating airports until the FAA lifted the stop around 4:15 p.m. local time. The FAA also warned of staffing issues at a facility in Jacksonville,…

When the Trump administration froze foreign assistance overnight, urgent efforts began to figure out how to continue critical aid programs that could be funded by private donors. Multiple groups launched fundraisers in February and eventually, these emergency funds mobilized more than $125 million within eight months, a sum that while not nearly enough, was more than the organizers had ever imagined possible. In those early days, even with needs piling up, wealthy donors and private foundations grappled with how to respond. Of the thousands of programs the U.S. funded abroad, which ones could be saved and which would have the biggest impact if they continued? “We were fortunate enough…

“I think it’s maybe understatement of the century to say that global trade is facing the greatest disruption in 80 years.” It’s a significant statement from anyone, let alone Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general of the World Trade Organization. She warned at the Fortune Global Forum in Riyadh that the global economy is in its choppiest waters since the 1930s, no small feat considering that decade saw the Great Depression and the outbreak of the Second World War — and the Great Recession of 2008 is still in living memory. Still,  Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian economist who is the first woman…

Gold prices continued to decline Monday while stocks galloped to fresh record territory, stirring doubts about the precious metal’s massive rally. Until a few weeks ago, gold looked unstoppable as it blew through record high after record high and at one point was up more than 60% for the year. But since peaking earlier this month, prices are down 9%, hovering around $4,000 per ounce. Some on Wall Street tried to explain the surge in gold demand by citing the desire to shift away from dollar-denominated assets or by pointing to the so-called debasement trade, which assumes governments will let…

Don’t look now, but high prices might be sucking the sweetness out of Halloween. According to a survey by Shopkick and Trax, while excitement for the holiday is as high as ever, rising costs have shaken shoppers’ candy budgets. In fact, 86% of consumers noticed seeing candy prices increase, while 79% said they had scaled back on how much they spent overall because of it. Of the 6,000+ shoppers surveyed, 83% said they’re capping their candy spending at $100, while 69% plan to keep it closer to $20—a notable dip from past years’ averages of $30–$50. With shoppers hunting for…

If you’re selling your home, unexpected fees like a special assessment can come up at the closing table. A special assessment is an extra charge levied by a homeowners association (HOA) or local government for specific projects, such as repairing a roof, resurfacing roads, or upgrading community amenities. Typically, the seller pays any assessments that are due or approved before closing, while the buyer covers those approved afterward — though this can sometimes be negotiated in the purchase agreement. Whether you’re selling a home in Chicago, IL, San Diego, CA, or Orlando, FL, this Redfin guide explains who typically pays…

In This Article Remember the days when workers retired at 62 with a pension and lived comfortably for the rest of their days? Actually, I don’t remember those days. But plenty of workers still believe in outdated retirement myths that just don’t hold true anymore.  Rethink your retirement, or face a rude awakening when the sun sets on your career. Here’s a look at some of this advice that doesn’t work anymore. “Retirement Is the Finish Line” In the 20th century, people worked until that final Friday, when the office threw a retirement party and handed you an engraved watch.…