Thursday, August 29, 2024

Is the 'starter home' still a thing?

Also: More Americans struggle to find work ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌  ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
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The Daily Money

ALL THE MONEY NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Thu Aug 29 2024

 

Daniel de Visé Personal Finance Reporter

Good morning! It's Daniel de Visé with your Daily Money.

Larry Freudenberg remembers the first home he bought with his wife, Marsha, a year after they both graduated from college. Just one level, with an unfinished second story, and cedar wood planks on the outside. "We thought it was a castle," he said.

The starter house has been a well-worn homeownership strategy for generations of Americans, who buy a smaller, more affordable property, build some equity, and then upgrade to something bigger, fancier, or in a more preferable location.

But like so many other narratives about housing, the cutthroat market of 2024 may make the starter home feel like a relic of long ago.

More Americans struggle to find work

When Samantha Griswold graduated from college in May 2023 with a degree in fashion merchandising, she figured she would have a job by summer.

The intensive search appeared to pay off. She snared about three interviews a week, and often made it to the second round. But she never got past that benchmark. Griswold finally landed a merchandising position at Saks Fifth Avenue last month. But 20 months of hunting for a job took a toll.

As the nation celebrates Labor Day, Paul Davidson reports, a job market that was red hot amid unrelenting post-pandemic worker shortages has decidedly cooled.

Another high-profile firm pumps the brakes on DEI

Ford Motor Co. has told employees it will no longer participate in an annual survey from an LGBTQ advocacy group and will not use quotas for minority dealerships and suppliers, Jessica Guynn reports.

Ford is the latest company to make changes to its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, as corporate America faces growing pressure from a conservative activist whose anti-DEI campaign is gaining momentum.

📰 More stories you shouldn't miss 📰

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About The Daily Money

Each weekday, The Daily Money delivers the best consumer and financial news from USA TODAY, breaking down complex events, providing the TLDR version, and explaining how everything from Fed rate changes to bankruptcies impacts you.

Daniel de Visé covers personal finance for USA Today.

14. Real estate brokers     • Avg. annual wage:  $81,450     • Total employment:  42,730     • Projected employment change (2018-2028):  +7.1% Real estate brokers represent the different parties in real estate deals, such as buying, selling, and renting of properties. The average real estate broker earns $81,450 a year, more than twice the $39,914 average for occupations without a postsecondary degree requirement. While real estate broker positions generally require just a high   school diploma, most brokers must take state-accredited courses and earn a state-issued broker's license.  The most lucrative metro area for the profession is Boston, where the average annual salary is $121,500. Other high-paying metro areas for real estate brokers include New York, New York, Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Indianapolis, Indiana.     ALSO READ: Most Affordable Colleges With Best Outcomes in Every State

Americans have long bought starter homes, put in sweat equity, and traded up. In such a competitive, high-cost housing market, is it still possible?

A positive jobs report kept investors positive even as COVID-19 cases surge.
 

This Labor Day, more Americans are struggling to find work

US job growth is slowing and more people are struggling to find work. Layoffs remain low but employers are curtailing hiring amid high interest rates.

The Ford logo is seen on a sign at a dealership in Hudson, Wis.
 

Another high-profile American company is pumping brakes on DEI

Activist Robby Starbuck is claiming credit for Ford's DEI backtrack after Jack Daniel's, Harley-Davidson and John Deere also scaled back DEI efforts.

Widener Delaware Law School graduated 117 students on May 18, 2019, at Polishook Hall on the Wilmington campus.
 

What are the most-regretted college majors? Hint: Follow the money

If you studied humanities, life sciences or law in college, there's a good chance you regret the choice now.

Lego sunflowers on display with other sets from the company's botanical series.
 

Legos made from cooking oil? Company plans to reduce fossil fuel use

Will Lego bricks be made from cooking oil? Perhaps. The company said its bricks will be made from 50% renewable plastic by 2026.

Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Glendale, Arizona, on Aug. 23, 2024.
 

DJT stock hits new low

Also: Did Peloton co-founder lose his money?

Former Peloton Co-Founder and CEO John Foley speaks onstage at the TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2018 at Moscone Center on Sept. 6, 2018 in San Francisco.
 

Former Peloton CEO 'lost all my money' when he left exercise company

Former Peloton CEO John Foley revealed that he nearly lost all his money after leaving the exercise equipment company in 2022.

American Cruise Lines operates a wide range of itineraries across the the country.
 

Leave your passport at home: What to know about US river cruises

There are plenty of options for visiting new destinations by ship without ever leaving the country.

 

How to convert your VHS tapes to a digital format

Tired to trying to watch old family videos the old-fashioned way? Here's how to covert VHS tapes to a digital format.

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