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<ul><li>Donald Trump has won the US presidential elections, beating Kamala Harris.</li><li>Trump’s win may shift the <keyword id="23846166" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-energy-outlook" source="keywords">global energy outlook</keyword> in response to anticipated changes in policy.</li><li>Trump has consistently advocated boosting oil and natural gas production in the US.</li></ul>Trump's win in the US presidential election may shift the global energy outlook in response to anticipated policies says a report by Angel One Wealth. Donald Trump, known for his stance on domestic energy independence, has consistently advocated boosting oil and natural gas production in the U.S., a move likely to put downward pressure on global crude oil prices.<br /><br />According to the report from Angel One Wealth, crude prices could soon see a correction, as Trump is expected to keep prices in check by ramping up domestic production. His emphasis on self-reliance in energy is expected to reduce the U.S. dependency on foreign oil sources, thereby impacting global supply and pricing dynamics.<br /><br />The report said "Donald Trump is likely to keep the crude prices under tight control as Trump has consistently advocated for increasing domestic energy production"<br /><br />The report also noted that Trump's preference for a non-interventionist stance in foreign conflicts might help stabilize oil prices by allowing for quicker de-escalation.<br /><br />However, there is potential for volatility if Trump imposes new sanctions on Iran, which could disrupt the region’s oil supply. In general, the report suggests that Trump's impact on the energy sector may result in lower crude prices, though other external factors will remain influential.<br /><br />In addition to energy, Trump's policies are expected to be expansionary, meaning higher government spending which could increase the U.S. fiscal deficit and, consequently, its national debt.<br /><br />The rise in U.S. debt is anticipated to have a positive impact on gold prices, as heightened debt levels and potential inflationary pressures drive investors towards safe-haven assets. Gold is already experiencing high demand in China, adding further support to its value.<br /><br />While there are some arguments against gold due to reduced volatility in equity markets, a stronger dollar, and a potential "risk-on" rally in equities, the report noted that gold's fundamentals remain strong, making it an attractive asset in the current environment.<br /><br />"A rise in US debt is positive for Gold and this time is likely no different as inflation worries arise. Gold is also seeing unprecedented demand in China which further bolsters the asset class".<br /><br />The report also reiterated its positive outlook on silver, which, like gold, stands to benefit from economic uncertainty and increased demand for safe-haven investments. However, the gold prices on the other hand on Thursday also declined to ₹78,710 / 10gm, a day before it closed at ₹80,500.<br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/skoda-kylaq-suv-launched-in-india-starting-at-7-89-lakh/articleshow/115013668.cms">Skoda Kylaq SUV launched in India starting at ₹7.89 lakh</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/swiggy-ipo-gmp-risk-factors-and-all-you-need-to-know/slidelist/115004939.cms">Swiggy IPO – GMP, risk factors and all you need to know</a><br /><br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-ipo-indias-biggest-telco-to-go-public-in-2025-retail-ipo-further-away/articleshow/114944496.cms"><strong>Reliance Jio IPO – India’s biggest telco to go public in 2025, retail IPO further away</strong></a><br />

Global energy outlook will shift once Trump returns to White House: Report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Home-list prices are dropping in some of America's most popular cities.</li><li>Metros in Florida, Texas, and other states are seeing prices fall by as much as 12%, per Realtor.com.</li></ul>Home-list prices are tumbling in a handful of <keyword id="23582895" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pandemic-boomtowns" source="keywords">pandemic boomtowns</keyword>, thanks to a buildup of inventory that's beginning to exceed the level of demand. <br /><br />Home-listprices have dropped as much as 12% in metros throughout the US, according to data from <a target="_blank" href="http://Realtor.com">Realtor.com</a>. That's a steeper decline compared to the rest of the country, with the national median <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realtor.com/research/september-2024-data/#:~:text=The%20national%20median%20list%20price,of%201.3%25%20to%204.1%25.">home-listprice falling just 1% year-over-year</a> in September, the <keyword id="19895040" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Real-estate" source="keywords">real estate</keyword> listings site said in a report.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-home-prices-correction-housing-market-buying-a-house-2024-7">Demand in some pandemic boomtowns</a> has fallen over the past year, as states like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-housing-market-sales-weather-climate-change-retirement-pandemic-costs-2024-9">Florida</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-housing-market-home-prices-falling-austin-dallas-moving-trends-2024-10">Texas</a> see issues like a rising cost of living, weather events, and tense political climates that have caused some residents to sour on the state.<br /><br />Here are the top 10 cities where home-listprices are falling the most, according to Realtor.com. <br /><br /><h2>1. Miami, Florida</h2>  <div type="image" title="Miami skyline" height="1500" width="3000" msid="114157422" hostid="261"></div>Median list price: $525,000<br /><br />Change from last year: -12.4%<br /><br /><h2>2. <strong>Cincinnati</strong>, Ohio</h2>  <div type="image" title="Cincinnati skyline" height="2970" width="5430" msid="114157415" hostid="261"></div>Median list price: $337,000<br /><br />Change from last year: -9.5%<br /><br /><h2>3. San Francisco, California</h2>  <div type="image" title="San Francisco skyline" height="2962" width="5627" msid="114157432" hostid="261"></div>Median list price: $997,500<br /><br />Change from last year: -8.9%<br /><br /><h2>4. Kansas City, Missouri</h2>  <div type="image" title="Kansas city" height="2600" width="5200" msid="114157412" hostid="261"></div>Median list price: $389,500<br /><br />Change from last year: -8.4%<br /><br /><h2>5. Austin, Texas</h2>  <div type="image" title="Austin skyline" height="3630" width="5449" msid="114157434" hostid="261"></div>Median list price: $520,000<br /><br />Change from last year: -6.6%<br /><br /><h2>6. Jacksonville, Florida</h2>  <div type="image" title="Jacksonville skyline" height="2863" width="5725" msid="114157419" hostid="261"></div>Median list price: $399,000<br /><br />Change from last year: -6.1%<br /><br /><h2>7. Denver, Colorado</h2>  <div type="image" title="Denver skyline" height="2250" width="4500" msid="114157417" hostid="261"></div>Median list price: $610,250<br /><br />Change from last year: -6%<br /><br /><h2>8. Orlando, Florida</h2>  <div type="image" title="Orlando skyline" height="2160" width="4320" msid="114157424" hostid="261"></div>Median list price: $429,950<br /><br />Change from last year: -5.6%<br /><br /><h2>9. Tampa, Florida</h2>  <div type="image" title="Tampa skyline" height="2565" width="5130" msid="114157428" hostid="261"></div>Median list price: $414,948<br /><br />Change from last year: -5.5%<br /><br /><h2>10. Nashville, Tennessee</h2>  <div type="image" title="Nashville skyline" height="2559" width="5118" msid="114157429" hostid="261"></div>Median list price: $547,865<br /><br />Change from last year: -5.4%<br /><br /><i>Editor’s note: October 12, 2024 </i><i>—</i><i> This story has been updated to clarify that the </i><a href="http://realtor.com/" target="_blank"><i>Realtor.com</i></a><i> data shows home-listing prices.</i><br />

Home-listing prices are down as much as 12% in boomtowns in Florida, Texas, and other popular states

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="20348245" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zach" source="keywords">Zach</keyword> and Annie moved their family from <keyword id="19916114" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="california" source="keywords">California</keyword> to <keyword id="20109210" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="scotland" source="keywords">Scotland</keyword> for a simpler life.</li><li>The couple, who have three young kids, loved California but felt that it was too fast-paced.</li></ul>Zach, 38, and Annie, 37, packed up their lives and moved their family from the US to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tiny-home-renovation-old-abandoned-cottage-scotland-before-after-photos-2022-7">Scotland</a> earlier this year.<br /><br />They had been living in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/people-stunned-price-of-palo-alto-california-home-for-sale-2024-5">California</a>, where Zach — who was originally from Scotland — was working with the highway patrol.<br /><br />Because of his job, the couple and their three kids had to move frequently throughout the state. Although they had a chance to live in places such as Sonoma County and around <keyword id="19915272" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="silicon-valley" source="keywords">Silicon Valley</keyword>, life always felt "<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-i-left-silicon-valley-california-after-two-years-2023-12">extremely fast-paced</a>," Annie, who works in healthcare, told Business Insider.<br /><br />"Life just seemed to be work — or school for the kids — a little break and then repeat. It seemed hard to fit in a lot of quality family time or fun little adventures," Zach told BI.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="A man and a woman posing for a selfie." height="1600" width="1185" msid="113889827" hostid="261"></div>The couple, whose children — two sons and one daughter — are below 10, asked to be identified by only their first names to protect their privacy.<br /><br />They wanted to live a simpler life with their kids, away from the rat race and the pressure to constantly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millionaire-investing-saving-spending-financial-independence-retire-early-fire-2024-9">keep up with the Joneses.</a><br /><br />Annie had always wanted to live in Scotland, and late last year — after a decade of living in California — it finally seemed like the right time for their family to seriously consider taking the plunge.<br /><br /><h2><strong>Preparing for the move</strong></h2>In a way, the move felt like it had been 10 years in the making.<br /><br />"Ever since I met Zach, I've wanted to live in Scotland. It's just been me slowly wearing him down and trying to get him to come back," Annie said.<br /><br />The timing for their move was right, in part because their kids were still young.<br /><br />"We knew if we were ever going to make the move, we had to move before our kids established true friend groups and got too far in their academics to where that transition would be difficult," Annie said.<br /><br />The couple knew they wanted to be in the East Lothian area just outside Edinburgh because it was near where Zach grew up. It was also a place that their kids were familiar with.<br /><br />"We made an effort pretty much every year, apart from during COVID-19, to travel back to Scotland," Zach said.<br /><br />Familiarity aside, their kids were also excited by the move because they'd made plenty of good memories on their past visits.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="A wooden front door of a cottage." height="4284" width="5712" msid="113889818" hostid="261"></div>"They love <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-i-bought-my-first-house-22-2024-3">Scotland</a> because they've been here so many times, and every time they come over they think it's magic because their grandparents spoil them and take them to all of the best places," Annie said. "So when we said that we were moving to Scotland, they were all for it for the most part."<br /><br />While Zach and their kids had UK passports, Annie had to apply for a spousal visa, which she said took about two months to be approved.<br /><br />Then came the exciting part: looking for a <keyword id="7173" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="house" source="Orion">house</keyword>. Thankfully, the process wasn't too hard, even though they were still living in California at the time.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="Zach and Annie moved from California to Scotland with their three young kids." height="4284" width="5712" msid="113889826" hostid="261"></div>"Annie's hobby is looking at houses all around the world, she's constantly browsing for fun," Zach said.<br /><br />When the listing for a cozy three-bedroom house came up, the couple jumped on the opportunity.<br /><br />"When it popped up, I thought it was ridiculously underpriced," Annie said. "It was actually the only house that Zach's parents went and toured for us."<br /><br />At Zach's parents' encouragement, the couple decided to put in an offer for the house and ended up getting it.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="A cabinet in the corner of a living room." height="5712" width="4284" msid="113889825" hostid="261"></div>They preferred to keep the exact amount private but said they paid about 15% more than the original asking price of about £200,000, or about $265,000.<br /><br />"Budget-wise, our goal was always to try to not have this huge mortgage hanging over our head. It was something we felt we had in the States, especially in California, where house prices are crazy," Zach said.<br /><br /><h2>Getting settled into their home</h2>Zack and Annie are part of a wave of California residents who are choosing to leave the state.<br /><br />Between 2021 and 2022, 817,669 people left California — making it the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-states-americans-are-moving-to-florida-texas-california-2023-10"><u>US state with the most people moving out</u></a>.<br /><br />Several former residents that BI previously spoke to said rising crime rates and the high cost of living were factors in their decision to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-why-californians-are-leaving-the-state">leave California</a>.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="The dining area and kitchen." height="4284" width="5712" msid="113889828" hostid="261"></div>Zack and Annie closed on the house in February, but only arrived in Scotland with their kids in May.<br /><br />Since the couple bought their house without viewing it in person, they were a little concerned that it would feel too small for their family of five.<br /><br />"We just moved from a pretty large four-bedroom house that's at least 2,000 square feet in the States to about 950 square feet in Scotland," Annie said. "That's a big change. But when we walked in, the rooms were all really nicely sized, and they just felt right."<br /><br />They spent about two months renovating the place while living with Zach's parents. It wasn't until late July that they finally moved into their new house.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="The dining area." height="1562" width="1179" msid="113889823" hostid="261"></div>"The kids never saw the house unfinished. The moment they stepped in the door, their room was decorated and they had their beds set up with all their toys on it," Annie said. "They walk in and they think everything's beautiful when we actually shed blood, sweat, and tears trying to make it a home, but it was definitely worth it."<br /><br />It's also really easy for the family to get around their neighborhood on foot. The main street of their town — where there are cafés, shops, and a grocery store — is only a 10-minute walk away, Annie said.<br /><br /><strong>"</strong>We have trails just outside our doorstep where the kids can go explore. There are beaches not too far away," she said, adding that there's no need for a car unless they're driving the kids to their grandparents' place.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="The bathroom." height="4032" width="3024" msid="113889821" hostid="261"></div>"It's a process to get every child loaded up in a car, so we wanted to reduce that as much as possible. And now we just walk to everything we do, and I feel we're healthier for it," she said.<br /><br />If they're ever feeling up for a small adventure, they can easily drive 20 minutes to the various small towns around them, Zach said.<br /><br />"Whereas in the States, if we wanted to go do something different or outside our little area, it's probably a 45-minute drive and then it becomes more of a day trip," he said.<br /><br /><h2>A simple life</h2>The couple says that life in Scotland is simpler — which is exactly what they were looking for.<br /><br />Even though they've only been here for a few months, the couple says they feel more content with life in Scotland — so much so that they even started a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/@SimpleScottishLiving">YouTube channel</a> documenting their adventures in the country.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="A man and a woman gaze lovingly at each other in front of a stone building." height="632" width="843" msid="113889829" hostid="261"></div>Although the couple enjoyed living in the US, life in Scotland reminded them of their own childhoods.<br /><br />"Seeing what the children could get by being over here was sort of nostalgic. It brought us back to the '90s childhood we had," Annie said. "You go out and play until the streetlights turn on, and we just felt this sense of peace and safety in Scotland."<br /><br /><em>Have you recently built or renovated your dream home? If you've got a story to share, get in touch with me at </em><a target="_blank" href="mailto:agoh@businessinsider.com"><em><u>agoh@businessinsider.com</u></em></a><em>.</em><br /><br /><i>Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the converted dollar amount of the home's asking price. It was about $265,000, not $340,000.</i><br />

A California family of 5 found a house in Scotland listed for under $270,000. The catch: It was half the size of their old place.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Half of <keyword id="23335388" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-renters" source="keywords">US renters</keyword> spend over 30% of their income on housing, <keyword id="21621325" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Census-data" source="keywords">Census data</keyword> shows.</li><li>Skyrocketing home prices and rents, driven by supply shortages and high interest rates, are to blame.</li></ul>For decades, financial advisors and the federal government have recommended that Americans spend no more than 30% of their gross income on housing.<br /><br />But as home prices and rents have skyrocketed in recent years, that so-called <keyword id="23335390" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="30-rule" source="keywords">30% rule</keyword> is increasingly challenging to follow. And for a whopping half of US renters, it's become impossible.<br /><br />Almost half — 49.7% — of American renter households spent more than 30% of their income on <keyword id="21020775" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="housing-costs" source="keywords">housing costs</keyword>, according to data released by the <keyword id="19899587" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-Census-Bureau" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="US Census Bureau" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="US Census Bureau">US Census Bureau</keyword> from its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/renter-households-cost-burdened-race.html">2023 American Community Survey</a>. That's unchanged from 2022, when the median ratio of income-to-housing costs for renters was also 31%.<br /><br />Among racial and ethnic groups, Black renters were the most frequently <keyword id="23335389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cost-burdened" source="keywords">cost-burdened</keyword>, with 56% spending more than 30% of their income on rent, according to the census data. Hispanic renters were the second-most affected, with 53% cost-burdened, while 47% of white renters were cost-burdened.<br />Renters are currently struggling more than homeowners. Rents rose <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2024/09/acs-rent-burden.html">faster than home prices</a> for the first time in a decade, the Census found. Rents rose by 3.8% between 2022 and 2023, while home prices rose by 1.8%. And a greater share of tenants are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://nlihc.org/gap/about">low-income or very low-income</a> and have significantly less wealth than homeowners.<br /><br />But <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-crisis-homeowners-struggling-mortgage-interest-rates-insurance-home-equity-2024-6" target="_blank">homeowners are also struggling</a>. Mortgage interest rates recently hit a two-decade high, and rising insurance premiums, growing home-repair costs, and property taxes add to the burden. Last year, first-time <a href="https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/real-estate/housing-market/the-american-homeowners-dream-vs-recent-reality#:~:text=become%20a%20reality.-,In%20the%20third%20quarter%20of%202023%2C%20the%20first%2Dtime%20homebuyer,the%20problem%20has%20become%20exacerbated." target="_blank">homeownership affordability</a> hit its lowest level since the 1980s.<br /><br />The number of cost-burdened homeowners — those who spent more than 30% of their income on housing and utilities — rose by about three million people between 2019 and 2022, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/reports/files/Harvard_JCHS_The_State_of_the_Nations_Housing_2024.pdf">a recent report</a> from the <keyword id="19898366" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="harvard" source="keywords">Harvard</keyword> Joint Center for Housing Studies on the state of US housing. Most of this increase was among those who make less than $30,000 a year. A full 30% of Black and 28% of Hispanic homeowners are cost-burdened, compared to 21% of white homeowners, the Harvard report found.<br /><br />While the Federal Reserve finally announced its first <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-reserve-interest-rate-cuts-mortgage-investment-credit-savings-2024-9" target="_blank">interest-rate cut</a> in four years, the move probably <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/buying-home-not-easier-interest-rate-cuts-prices-rent-crisis-2024-8" target="_blank">won't bring housing costs down</a> by much. The US is suffering from a severe shortage of homes — the only way to solve it is to build many more units of housing. And that takes time.<br /><br /><em>Are you spending more than 30% of your income on housing costs? Reach out to this reporter to share your story at erelman@businessinsider.com.</em><br /><br /><em>Correction: September 25, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated a recent move by the Federal Reserve. It announced an interest-rate cut, not a hike.</em><br />

Half of renters live somewhere they can't afford

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="23254035" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="home-improvement-retailers" source="keywords">Home improvement retailers</keyword> are among the first to see a lift from the Fed's rate cut.</li><li>Share prices for <keyword id="20320193" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-Depot" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Home Depot" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Home Depot">Home Depot</keyword> and <keyword id="23254034" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lowes" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Lowe's" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Lowe's">Lowe's</keyword> are up, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-interest-rates-cut-jerome-powell-labor-market-mortgage-pantheon-2024-9">spending on projects is expected to follow</a>.</li></ul>The US Federal Reserve's decision Wednesday to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-cuts-interest-rates-how-much-september-fomc-powell-inflation-2024-9">cut rates by half a percentage point</a> has created a flurry of immediate reactions, but the real effects of the policy are likely to take several months to bear out.<br /><br />Still, some areas of the economy are already seeing a lift in response to the news — and the fact that the Fed went with the larger of the two most likely options under consideration.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/comparing-lowes-vs-home-depot-2023-12">Home improvement retailers,</a> in particular, are among the companies who were primed to come out of the gate strong with a rate cut, and, true to form, shares for Home Depot and Lowe's were up as of Thursday's market close.<br /><br />"Home-related companies should soon see the beginnings of fundamental recovery exiting this year," Mizuho analyst David Bellinger told Business Insider. "Aside from any initial noise in the market, Home Depot and Lowe's should keep grinding higher as all this comes together."<br /><br />And while a rising <keyword id="19998639" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="stock-price" source="keywords">stock price</keyword> carries its own benefits for a company, the uptick is a signal of a much more important change still to come: sales.<br /><br />Executives for both Home Depot and Lowe's have characterized their businesses as being constrained by low housing turnover and high borrowing costs, both of which are results of the Fed's tight interest rate policy.<br /><br />Home Depot CFO Richard McPhail described his company's core customer as having "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/home-depot-earnings-americans-in-deferral-mindset-consumer-spending-2024-8">a deferral mindset</a>" in spite of being in a generally healthy financial position.<br /><br />In short, most <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-doing-less-diy-worrying-sign-economy-lowes-earnings-2024-8">big-ticket spending on home improvement</a> comes from one of two places: people buying and selling homes and homeowners renovating existing homes with borrowed money. Unless they have to fix something urgently, a lot of folks have decided they're better off waiting to upgrade.<br /><br />Fed Chairman Jerome Powell talked about the impact on the <keyword id="20759748" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="housing-market" source="keywords">housing market</keyword> in his remarks following Wednesday's announcement.<br /><br />"The housing market is in part frozen because of lock-in with low rates. People don't want to sell their home," he said. "As rates come down, people will start to move more, and that's probably beginning to happen already."<br /><br />What's more, Powell signaled in his speech that further cuts are likely if the data support them, which can encourage some of those sitting on the sidelines to go ahead with a new mortgage or credit line with the expectation that they can simply <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/personal-loans/how-to-refinance-personal-loan">refinance</a> in a few months when rates come down further.<br /><br />Additionally, Home Depot and Lowe's have taken great care to manage investor expectations through the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lowes-dicks-macys-sound-alarm-us-shoppers-spending-2023-8">slumping sales and slimmer profits</a> over the past year.<br /><br />In particular, both companies <a target="_blank" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/home-depot-1-billion-wage-boost-improved-worker-safety-satisfaction-2023-5">continued to invest in their stores</a> with the expectation that pent-up demand would eventually be unlocked. (Truist Securities analyst Scot Ciccarelli has referred several times to a "coiled spring" for the retailers.)<br /><br />Max Rakhlenko, a TD Securities analyst, said in a note on Wednesday that Lowe's management was expecting a "phased recovery" in which homeowners start with smaller projects before getting more comfortable with larger ones that require tapping into their house's equity.<br /><br />"We're aggressively working in this downturn," Lowe's CEO Marvin Ellison said during his earnings call last month, adding, "Whenever the macro inflection occurs, we just want to be ready to take advantage of it."<br /><br />It appears Ellison may not have to wait much longer.<br /><br /><i>Correction: September 20, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the day a TD Securities analyst sent out his note on Lowe's. It was Wednesday, not Thursday.</i><br />

Home Depot and Lowe's are already seeing the first of many likely benefits from the Fed's rate cut

Deciding whether to rent or buy a home is one of the biggest financial choices most people will make. It’s not a straightforward decision, especially when considering the rapid increase in <keyword id="21530105" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rental-prices" source="keywords">rental prices</keyword> in some of India’s biggest cities. Let’s dive into how the cost of renting has risen compared to buying, and whether it's still worth it to rent or if it’s time to start looking at <keyword id="20879400" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="homeownership" source="keywords">homeownership</keyword>.<br /><h2>Soaring renting costs</h2>If you’re renting in cities like Bengaluru, Pune, or Kolkata, you might have noticed something frustrating — your rent seems to keep going up. According to <keyword id="20974307" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ANAROCK-Research" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="ANAROCK Research" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="ANAROCK Research">ANAROCK Research</keyword>, in several of India’s top cities, rental prices have jumped significantly, even more than <keyword id="21006188" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="property-values" source="keywords">property values</keyword> in some places. For example, in Bengaluru’s Sarjapur Road, average monthly rents shot up by 67% between the end of 2021 and the middle of 2024. If you were paying Rs 21,000 in rent at the end of 2021, that would now be around Rs 35,000 a month!<br /><br />And Bengaluru isn’t the only city where renters are feeling the squeeze. In Pune’s Hinjewadi, rent prices have surged by 52%, while property values went up by just 31%. Similarly, in Kolkata’s EM Bypass, rents rose by 46%, but property prices saw a much smaller bump of 15%.<br /><br />But there are cities where buying makes even more sense because property prices are outpacing rental costs. In Hyderabad’s Gachibowli, for instance, while rent went up by 50%, property values soared by 70%. This trend is also seen in NCR’s Sohna Road, where rents increased by 40%, but property prices grew by 54%.<br /><h2>Is renting really worth it?</h2>Let’s say you’re living in a 2BHK flat in Bengaluru, paying Rs 50,000 a month in rent. It might seem like an okay deal at first, but when you look at the long-term cost, things get tricky. Dr Prashant Thakur, Regional Director &amp; Head of Research at ANAROCK, breaks it down: "One-year payable rent for the individual is Rs 50,000 x 12 = Rs 6,00,000. For the next 10 years, the total rental outgo, including an annual rental increase of 7%, will be around Rs 83 lakh. This rental outgo is almost 69% of the total cost of this property — and this is just an expense with no investment value accrued."<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113367496" title="I bought my dream home, but the difficult process and higher cost sometimes make me wish I&amp;#39;d stuck with renting" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>What does that mean? If you keep renting, you’re essentially throwing money out the window without gaining any ownership of the home. While you may have the flexibility that comes with renting, your hard-earned money doesn’t build any long-term value.<br /><h2>Is it time to make the home purchase leap?</h2>So, what if you took the plunge and bought the place instead? Let’s say you’re eyeing a Rs 1.2 crore apartment and can afford to put down a 20% down payment, with the rest coming from a 10-year home loan at 9.5% interest. Dr. Thakur explains, “If the individual opts to buy the property via a home loan, has the financial wherewithal to make a 20% down payment, and borrows the remaining amount over a 10-year tenure at 9.5% interest rate, such a purchase is definitely profitable. Instead of spending a huge amount on rent, the individual can pay monthly EMIs and ultimately own the physical asset after a ten-year period.”<br /><br />With this approach, the monthly EMIs may be slightly higher than what you’re paying in rent, but there’s a key difference — you’re working towards owning your home. After 10 years, the home is yours, and you don’t have to worry about rent going up year after year.<br /><h2>Homeownership isn’t just about the numbers</h2>While the math might lean towards buying, it’s not just about finances. For some people, renting makes more sense, especially if they don’t plan to settle down in one place for a long time. Job mobility, financial stability, and lifestyle choices all factor into this decision.<br /><br />However, something interesting happened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people, including millennials who had previously been all about renting, started reconsidering. The pandemic brought a sense of uncertainty, and suddenly, the security of owning a home became much more attractive. Dr. Thakur points out, "Amid a rising aversion to high-risk investments, an increasing number of tenants see rent as an expense, and EMIs as SIPs towards a non-volatile asset."<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113395713" title="Welcome to interest-rate cut week: Here&amp;#39;s how the Fed&amp;#39;s next move will impact everything from home prices to new cars loans" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Plus, home loan interest rates are currently lower, averaging between 8.75% and 9.5%, making homeownership more affordable than it has been in the past few years. And let’s not forget the tax benefits: Homebuyers can avail of deduction on principal repayment, interest charges, and a further deduction of Rs 50,000 for first-home buyers.<br /><br />The answer, as with most things, isn’t black and white. Renting offers flexibility, especially if your job might take you to a new city in a year or two. But with rents rising sharply in cities like Bengaluru, Pune, and Chennai, buying might be a smarter option in the long run. If you’re financially ready to make a down payment and secure a home loan, investing in a home could save you from steep rental hikes and give you the stability of owning a property.<br />

Should you rent or buy a home? Here’s how much rental pricing has gone up compared to ownership cost in major Indian cities

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Texas housing market has cooled after a frenzy of activity during the pandemic.</li><li>Boomtowns like Austin are seeing home prices drop, while fewer people are moving to the state.</li></ul><p>Texas was not all what it cracked up to be, according to Peter Hoholick, a native Californian who moved to Austin in 2021 on rumors that a cheaper, more laid-back lifestyle was in store.</p><p>The move fell short of Hoholick's expectations. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-heat-wave-weather-costs-economy-workers-jobs-2023-7">weather</a> was "miserable," with southern humidity and temperatures trailing into the triple-digits during the summer. The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cost-of-living-texas-cities-prices-housing-medical-energy-2023-9">cost of living</a> was comparable to that of California, though the pay, he felt, was lower.</p><p>The tense, conservative-leaning political climate is what broke him. When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Hoholick made the decision to head back to California. His quality of life has "vastly" improved, he told Business Insider in an interview.</p><p>"I was young and dumb at this point in time," Hoholick said of his brief stay in Texas — around 13 months. "I would never entertain the idea of moving back."</p><p>He isn't alone. Though some towns still <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-fastest-growing-city-in-the-us-celina-texas-2024-6">attract a good deal of interstate movers</a>, a growing number of Americans have soured on the Lone Star State, with interest in moving to Texas cooling, while <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/where-people-are-moving-to-and-moving-from-usps-data-2023-5#1-katy-texas-16">interest in moving out has risen</a>. The shift in attitudes is an indicator for the state's housing market, which boomed during the pandemic.</p><p>The weather is hot and the political climate too charged for some, but the biggest reason the scramble for Texas may be over is simply because living there is way more expensive than it used to be, real estate experts and realtors in the state told BI.</p><p>The downbeat feelings are already evident in the state's migration and housing data. While Texas gained 668,000 new residents between 2021 and 2022, it also lost nearly half a million people, with 494,077 people <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaving-texas-political-freedom-property-taxes-housing-costs-2023-11">moving out of state that year</a>, according to the US Census Bureau.</p><p>That small-scale exodus appears to be taking place in what used to be Texas' most popular boomtowns. Dallas has seen a slight <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html">population decline</a> over the past several years, with the city losing around 5,000 people from mid-2020 to mid-2023, Census data shows.</p><p><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/austin-home-prices-falling-texas-mortgage-rates-housing-crisis-success-2024-9">Austin</a>, meanwhile, is the fifth most moved-out of city in the US year-to-date, according to an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pods.com/blog/moving-trends">analysis</a> from the moving firm PODS, with the town <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://mailchi.mp/austintexas.gov/austin-slips-out-of-top-10-list-of-largest-us-cities?e=0a5bb73be8">no longer considered among the top 10 most populous cities</a> in the US.</p><p>Texas realtors also say it's a much cooler climate for buying and selling a home, thanks to weaker demand. Median home prices in Texas have fallen around 7% from their highs in mid-2022, according to data from Redfin. The decline is an outlier compared to the broader US housing market, which is still prices hovering around record highs.</p><p>In 2022, homes for sale in Texas were being scooped up in a matter of days, but it's now taking months for sellers to find a buyer, according to James Willoughby, a real estate agent based in Austin.</p><p>In some instances, Willoughby says he's encouraged sellers to slash prices by 20%-30%. According to Redfin, more than a third of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.redfin.com/state/Texas/housing-market#demand">homes in Texas saw a price drop</a> in August.</p><p>"We had such an avalanche of buyers moving here from elsewhere and not that many people selling. That's how we got into the craziness that we got into several years ago," he said of the Texas housing market during the pandemic, adding that he's seen a "fair amount of people" looking to move out of the state in the past year.</p><p>William Wheeler, an Amarillo-based real-estate agent, says the number of clients who are looking to move out of Texas is "pretty equal" to the number of clients looking to move in.</p><p>"We have done a lot of price reductions, more price reductions than normal," he added.</p><p>Price cuts suggest that housing markets like Austin and Dallas are likely approaching a bottom, according to Redfin's chief economist Daryl Fairweather, though she noted that the trend wasn't uniform across the state.</p><p>"The boom cycle's kind of coming to a close," Fairweather said.</p><h2 id="9d645e44-b331-4da0-b652-00cbb2fbcaea">Waning affordability</h2><p id="9d645e44-b331-4da0-b652-00cbb2fbcaea">When the pandemic struck, Americans <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moved-to-texas-pandemic-migration-boom-sunbelt-austin-housing-crisis-2022-1">flocked to Texas</a> in search of cheaper living relative to other metropolitan areas, Fairweather says.</p><p id="9d645e44-b331-4da0-b652-00cbb2fbcaea">While agents say they're seeing prices come down faster than other parts of the country, they're also coming down from a higher peak after the housing feeding frenzy that took place during the pandemic.</p><p>In March 2020, the median home price in Texas was $253,600, around 20% lower than the national median of $303,577 at that time.</p><p>Since then, home prices in Texas have shot up 37%, with the median price clocking in at $348,300 in August, Redfin data shows.</p><p><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-housing-market-sales-weather-climate-change-retirement-pandemic-costs-2024-9">Similar to states like Florida</a>, Texas has been in the path of many extreme weather events in recent years, sending home insurance rates skyrocketing. </p><p><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.lendingtree.com/insurance/state-of-home-insurance/">Premiums in Texas have soared 55%</a> from 2019 through March 2024, with the average homeowner in the state paying $4,647 a year, according to a report from LendingTree.</p><p>"That difference in affordability made it worthwhile for people to move across the whole country and start a new life in Texas. But now, because home prices are so high, it's just not as attractive," Fairweather added.</p><p>A higher cost of living broadly, combined with a weakening job market, could also be influencing the cooling interest in the state, she said.</p><p><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUURA316SA0">Consumer prices</a> in the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington areas have risen 25% over the last five years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/IHLIDXUSTX">Job postings based in Texas</a> on Indeed, meanwhile, have dropped 28% from their highs in 2021.</p><p>Samuel Cobb, an East Texas resident who's looking to move out of the state, said the cost of living had "blown up" since the pandemic. He and his wife hardly save anything, and are rarely even able to dine out at restaurants anymore, he added.</p><p>"We were no longer able to live there, couldn't get back there, couldn't afford to get jobs there or anything else, so they just pushed us out," he said of Austin. "We are basically struggling to afford to live anywhere at this point."</p><p>Current and former Texas residents who spoke with BI also frequently cited the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/leaving-texas-political-freedom-property-taxes-housing-costs-2023-11">extreme heat and political atmosphere</a> as key motivations to leave. But those issues are minor relative to things like economic growth and housing affordability, Fairweather says, which she described as two of the biggest factors that could determine if the Texas housing market picks back up.</p><p>Hoholick, though, is fairly certain he'll never return to the state long-term. He recalled turning down a recruiter earlier this year for a job that would double his current salary, though the position was based in Austin.</p><p>"I could not stomach moving back there for any price tag," he said.</p><p>Cobb, who hasn't moved out of Texas yet, also doesn't see himself coming back once he leaves. His only problem is selling his home, which has been on the market for over two months.</p><p>"We made a decision in August or July to move, and now we're like, now what the crap we're going to do? We want to get there. We're tired of the Texas heat, tired of Texas politics," he said. "So we're definitely feeling stuck right now."</p>

Falling home prices and fed-up residents show the Texas housing boom is slowing

Return-to-office mandates are helping drive up housing prices in these 10 cities 

<ul><li>The <keyword id="22511807" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google-Pixel-9-Pro-XL" source="Orion">Google Pixel 9 Pro XL</keyword> is the latest flagship offering from Google.</li><li>The device is priced starting at ₹1,24,999 and is available in two variants.</li><li>Here’s my review of the Pixel 9 Pro XL that will help you decide if you should buy the device.</li></ul>Google launched the Pixel 9 series, consisting of the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the company’s flagship smartphones a few months ago. This time around, Google launched three devices unlike last year Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones.<br /><br />The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the successor of the Pixel 8 Pro, offering a similar size and features. This year’s Pixel 9 Pro offers flagship hardware while offering a smaller display and battery. With the three devices, Google is offering a similar line-up to Samsung and Apple.<br /><br />I have been using the Pixel 9 Pro XL for a few weeks now, and here’s my detailed review of the latest smartphone from Google.<br /><br /><h2><keyword id="22405856" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google-Pixel-9-Pro-XL-price" source="Orion">Google Pixel 9 Pro XL price</keyword> and availability</h2>The Pixel 8 Pro has been priced at ₹1,06,999 for the 128GB variant and ₹1,13,999 for the 256GB variant. It comes in Blue, Beige and Obsidian colour options and is available from Flipkart.<br /><br /><h2>In the box</h2><ul><li>Pixel 9 Pro XL smartphone</li><li>USB Type-C cable</li><li>SIM ejector tool</li><li>Documentation</li></ul><h2>Pixel 9 Pro XL specifications</h2><br /><table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#000000;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Particulars<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#000000;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Specifications<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Display<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6.8-inch Quad HD+ LTPO OLED<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Refresh rate<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">120Hz<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Protection<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Chipset<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Google Tensor G4<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Variants<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">16GB + 256GB and 16GB + 512GB<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Rear camera<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">50MP + 48MP + 48MP<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Selfie camera<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">42MP<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Battery<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5,060mAh<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Charging<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">37W<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Wireless charging<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">23W<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Fingerprint sensor<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">In-display fingerprint sensor<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Weight<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">221 grams<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Water resistance<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.5008695000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">IP68<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h2>Pixel 9 Pro XL pros and cons</h2><h3>Pros</h3><ul><li>Software and performance<br /></li><li>Camera<br /></li></ul><h3>Cons</h3><ul><li>Price <br /></li></ul><h2>Design and display</h2>Google has overhauled the design of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, making major changes to the design when compared to the Pixel 8 Pro. The search giant has opted for a flat display, flat sides and a revamped camera module.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Back 2" msid="115487059" hostid="261" sizebytes="64462" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pixel 9 Pro XL rear design&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The device comes in Hazel, Porcelain, Rose Quartz, and Obsidian colour options. I tested the Rose Quartz colour variant of the device.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="right side" msid="115487089" hostid="261" sizebytes="52702" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rounded corners on the Pixel 9 Pro XL&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The device comes with flat sides, with rounded corners for its aluminium frame, that give it a premium feel while holding. At first look, you may get an iPhone-like look, with people even mistaking it for an iPhone during my usage, but this clears up immediately after looking at the pill-shaped camera module.<br /><br />The aluminium frame comes with a glossy finish and is slightly slippery. The aluminium frame also attracts dust fingerprint smudges easily. For these reasons, it might be a good idea to use the device with a case.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Camera" msid="115487108" hostid="261" sizebytes="28950" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The pill-shaped camera module&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />It comes with a large pill-shaped camera module that houses the triple camera setup, a temperature sensor and the LED flash. Apart from the camera module, the device comes with Google’s logo at the back.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Right" msid="115487125" hostid="261" sizebytes="62716" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Power button and volume rockers on the right&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The power button and the volume rockers are placed on the right side. Unlike a lot of other devices, the Pixel 9 Pro XL continues to place the power button on top and the volume rockers below it.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Bottom" msid="115487162" hostid="261" sizebytes="47264" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Ports at the bottom&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />At the bottom, you get the speaker grille, a USB Type-C port, a microphone and the SIM tray.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="IMG20240818172922" msid="115487276" hostid="261" sizebytes="46502" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pixel 9 Pro XL top&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />At the top, you get the mmWave antenna cover and a microphone.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Ch" msid="115487285" hostid="261" sizebytes="30756" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Made in China text on the Pixel 9 Pro XL&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />On the left, apart from antenna lines, the device comes with “Made in China” written for some reason.<br /><br />Coming to the display, the Pixel 9 Pro XL comes equipped with a large 6.8-inch Quad HD+ LTPO OLED display with a 1-120Hz refresh rate, up to 3,000 nits brightness and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Display" msid="115487313" hostid="261" sizebytes="72596" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pixel 9 Pro XL display&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The device sports a good display, which offers accurate colours and offers good visibility, even in direct sunlight. The display is excellent, with the high refresh rate offering a good experience while gaming and watching content.<br /><br /><h2>Software and performance</h2>The Pixel 9 Pro XL runs on Android 14 out of the box and is promised to get seven years of Android updates and security patches. The software is the highlight of the Pixel lineup and the Pixel 9 Pro XL is no different. The device offers an Android experience as imagined by Google, the operating system maker.<br /><br />As expected, the device comes loaded with AI features in the form of Gemini. To enable users to make the most out of the AI features, Google is offering a one-year premium subscription to Pixel 9 Pro XL users, giving them access to Gemini Advanced, 2TB of Google Drive storage and more.<br /><br />The device comes pre-installed with Pixel Studio, a new GenAI image generation app from Google, allowing users to generate images easily on the go.<br /><br />You also get access to Gemini Live, a live-chat version of Gemini, which allows for voice-enabled interactions.<br /><br />In what might excite most photography enthusiasts like myself, the device also comes with a more powerful Magic Editor, giving access to a ton of new tools.<br /><br />Talking about AI and photography, the new Add Me feature is excellent, especially for those who often end up being the ones to take group pictures and regret not being in them. The new Add Me feature allows you to take a group picture and then hand your phone to your friend and then join the group for another picture, then using AI to blend them into one image to make the perfect group picture.<br /><br />I used this feature during one of my trips and found it to be quite useful. Once you get the hang of it and remember to stand in the correct place, it works quite well.<br /><br />The Pixel 9 Pro XL is powered by the Google Tensor G4 chipset built on Samsung’s 4nm process. It comes with 16GB of RAM and offers up to 512GB of internal storage.<br /><br />If you are hoping for a drastic performance improvement compared to the predecessor, you might be disappointed. It offers an incremental improvement in performance but can easily handle everything that you throw at it.<br /><br />One area the chipset and the device has improved a lot over the Pixel 8 Pro is thermal management and proper connectivity. These were some of my biggest issues with the last-gen devices and Google has made a significant improvement in this aspect.<br /><br />The Pixel 9 Pro XL is powered by a 5,060mAh battery with 37W wired and 23W wireless charging support. The device offers a day’s battery life with normal usage.<br /><br /><h2>Camera</h2>The camera is the strongest selling point of Pixel smartphones, and unsurprisingly, the Pixel 9 Pro XL excels in this regard.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Rear cam" msid="115487382" hostid="261" sizebytes="53002" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Pixel 9 Pro XL rear camera&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Coming to the camera department, the Pixel 9 Pro XL features a triple camera setup at the back, consisting of a 50MP primary camera with Samsung GN2 sensor with OIS, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera with Sony IMX858 sensor and a 48MP 5X telephoto camera with Sony IMX858 sensor with up to 30x digital zoom.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="PXL_20240818_123753737" msid="115487547" hostid="261" sizebytes="186394" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Image captured while moving&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The smartphone supports zero shutter lag, which means it captures photos at the same moment you tap on the shutter button. This is very handy when trying to capture moving subjects, especially kids and pets.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="PXL_20240818_124521580" msid="115487564" hostid="261" sizebytes="84032" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Image captured in natural lighting&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The smartphone’s daylight camera performance was excellent, with accurate colour reproduction, dynamic range, and well-defined details. The portrait mode is excellent in both daylight and indoor conditions.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="n" msid="115487621" hostid="261" sizebytes="147076" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Image captured using night mode&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The Pixel 9 Pro XL also performs excellently in low-light and night conditions, capturing well-detailed, colour-accurate photos despite the challenging lighting conditions. The images turned out to be sharp and clear, with adequate details and minimal noise.<br /><br />On the front, the Pixel 9 Pro XL features a 42MP selfie camera. The front camera can easily capture good selfies in normal lighting and low light conditions.<br /><br /><h2>Verdict</h2>The Pixel 9 Pro XL is the best device in the current Pixel lineup and one of the best Android smartphones out there. The device offers an excellent user experience, a premium design and good cameras. It offers good performance and ample storage, ticking off a lot of the boxes.<br /><br />At the same time, the Pixel 9 Pro XL commands a premium price and while enthusiasts may like the stock Android experience, the lack of customisation may not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you are looking for a stock Android experience with powerful hardware and are willing to pay a premium, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is an excellent option.<br /><br /><em>Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a purchasing guide or recommendation. We advise readers to do additional research, including hands-on usage of the device at a retail outlet, before making a decision.</em><br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-review/articleshow/112497472.cms">Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review – the complete package</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-12-review/articleshow/108723955.cms">OnePlus 12 review: A feature-packed device with promising battery back-up</a><br /><br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/asus-rog-zephyrus-g16-review/articleshow/115054981.cms"><strong>Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 gaming laptop review – With a big AI boost</strong></a><br />

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review – the best Android experience

iQOO is gearing up to unveil its latest flagship, the <keyword id="21843015" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="iQOO-13" source="keywords">iQOO 13</keyword>, in India next week. Known for delivering high-performance smartphones that cater to power users and gamers, the brand continues its tradition of closing the year with a bang. Packed with the cutting-edge <keyword id="23635775" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Snapdragon-8-Elite" source="keywords">Snapdragon 8 Elite</keyword> chipset, the iQOO 13 is set to be one of the first devices in India to feature this processor, giving it an edge in the fiercely competitive flagship market.<br /><br /><h2><keyword id="24204536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="iQOO-13-launch" source="keywords">iQOO 13 launch</keyword>: Expected specifications and features<br /></h2><br />The iQOO 13 promises to be a beast in terms of hardware. Reports suggest it will sport a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 2K resolution and a buttery-smooth 144Hz refresh rate, promising an immersive viewing and gaming experience. Under the hood, the phone is expected to house the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, paired with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage.<br /><br />Photography enthusiasts won’t be disappointed either, with the phone rumoured to feature a triple 50MP camera setup on the back, including primary, ultrawide, and 2x telephoto lenses. On the front, a 32MP camera is expected to handle selfies and video calls.<br /><br />One of the standout features could be the iQOO 13’s advanced thermal management system. The single-layer motherboard and enhanced heat dissipation technology aim to keep the device cool during intense gaming sessions. Additionally, iQOO’s proprietary Q2 chip is expected to elevate gaming performance with AI enhancements. The device is likely to pack a massive 6,150mAh battery, promising all-day usage, and support rapid charging technology.<br /><br />iQOO has committed to offering four years of OS updates and five years of security patches, ensuring the phone stays relevant and secure for a longer period—a significant advantage in the Android ecosystem.<br /><br /><b><h2>Expected price<br /></h2></b><br />The iQOO 13 is expected to be priced around ₹51,999, similar to its predecessor. This positions it as a strong contender against other flagship devices, particularly the upcoming OnePlus 13, which is also set to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and is scheduled to launch in late December or early January in India.<br />

iQOO 13 set to launch in India next week: Expected price, specifications

<keyword id="19895040" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="real-estate" source="keywords">Real estate</keyword> was India's asset of choice for investment in the first half of 2024, noted a recent FICCI-ANAROCK report. About 59% of the 7,615 respondents across 14 Indian cities expressed their desire to invest in real estate. Out of these, 67% of respondents wanted to buy a house to live in it, while the remaining 33% viewed it as an investment.<br /><br />Out of this 33%, the majority (57%) wanted to earn rental yields from the same, while another 20% planned to sell their property after its price has appreciated significantly. The remaining 23% viewed real estate as an asset for securing their future.<br /><br />Even for millennials, buying a house featured at the top of their priorities. 66% of millennials and 41% of generation X respondents highlighted that they intended to utilize their investment gains to buy a house in the future.<br /><br />What was also notable was the significant decline in demand for ready-to-move in units and a corresponding rise in demand for under-construction units. During the first half of 2024, for every 20 individuals who preferred a ready-to-move-in house, 25 respondents chose a new launch or under-construction property. This ratio was at 32:21 in the first half of 2021.<br /><br />Some of the reasons why over 53% of homebuyers are dissatisfied with the current available options when it comes to <keyword id="20254620" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="affordable-housing" source="keywords">affordable housing</keyword> are location accessibility (92%), poor quality construction design (84%), and small unit sizes (68%). Even the supply in the affordable housing category across the top 7 Indian cities has considerably shrunk over the last 3 years, from 26% in 2021 to just 17% as of September 2024.<br /><br />However, this differed based on the city. While over 50% of respondents chose 3BHK apartments in cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi-NCR, and Bengaluru, over 40% preferred a 2BHK in other metros like Kolkata.<br />Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune. <br /><br />However, that does not mean that there is little demand for luxury homes. 28% of respondents preferred buying a house between the range of Rs 90 lakh and Rs 1.5 crore. This was a mere 18% prior to the pandemic. However, the most common budget range for houses remained between Rs 45-90 lakh, with 35% of respondents choosing the same.<br /><br />As far as under-construction properties are concerned, a staggering 98% of respondents prefer timely project completion, 93% choose improved construction quality, and 72% prefer a well-lit, ventilated home. <br /><br />The report further noted that Indians are increasingly inclined towards larger, more luxurious living spaces. 3BHKs and apartments remained the most preferred choice of residence and property type, with 51% and 58% of respondents opting for them, respectively. Residential plots were also seen gaining traction, particularly in southern India, with 30% of respondents in Chennai, 29% in Bengaluru, and 27% in Hyderabad preferring them.<br /><br /><keyword id="21483825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="home-loan-interest-rates" source="keywords">Home loan interest rates</keyword> also significantly influenced home buying decisions. If the rates are below 8.5%, it would have minimal impact on buying decisions for around 71% of respondents. However, interest rates exceeding 9% would significantly impact 87% of buyers.<br /><br />With the RBI currently deciding to hold off on slashing interest rates in October for the 10th consecutive time, home loan rates are likely to stay elevated in the future. Experts estimate that the RBI will start cutting interest rates early next year.<br /><br />

Real estate continues to dominate India's investment portfolios, shows FICCI report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sellers are quickly "losing their grip" on the housing market, according to Capital Economics.</li><li>That's because home prices are cooling, thanks to more inventory staying on the market.</li></ul><p>Sellers are losing their advantage in the US housing market.</p><p>That's because higher levels of inventory are starting to weigh on home prices, according to the research firm Capital Economics. It's starting to reverse a trend that's persisted for the past few years, with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-market-outlook-logjam-existing-home-sales-record-prices-mortgages-2024-7]">tight inventory</a> pushing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/buying-a-house-keeps-getting-more-expensive-nar-report-2024-5">home prices to record highs</a>.</p><p>US home prices notched another fresh record in May, but the pace of growth cooled. Prices were up 5.9% on a yearly basis, down from 6.4% recorded the prior month, according to the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/index-family/indicators/sp-corelogic-case-shiller/sp-corelogic-case-shiller-composite/">S&amp;P CoreLogic Case-Shiller price index</a>.</p><p>This is happening with housing inventory on the rise. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ACTLISCOUUS">Active house listings</a> rose past 800,000 in the US in June, Realtor.com data shows. Meanwhile, nearly <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.redfin.com/news/stale-inventory-june-2024/">65% of homes on the market</a> are going at least 30 days without being contracted, according to Redfin.</p><p>"Another moderate 0.3% m/m rise in house prices in May adds to the evidence that sellers are losing their grip on the market due to increasing supply," Thomas Ryan, a North American economist at Capital Economics, said in a note.</p><p>More inventory is good news for buyers, who have been limited by fewer options and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-market-inventory-supply-shortage-crisis-baby-boomer-impact-prices-2024-4">inadequate housing supply</a>. Home prices are already starting to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-estate-home-prices-correction-housing-market-buying-a-house-2024-7">fall in key metros</a>, like in the Sun Belt, where housing demand is especially weak, Redfin said in a previous note.</p><p>But Capital Economics predicts home prices will continue climbing, forecasting a further 5% increase through year-end, as a decline in mortgage rates boosts demand.</p><p>"It will take until 2025, or even 2026, for the market to become better balanced, where we have pencilled in price rises of 3% and<br />2.5% respectively," Ryan added. "Until recently, this had been an above-consensus forecast, but that is no longer the case."</p>

Sellers are 'losing their grip' on the housing market as home prices cool, research firm says

<p class="drop-cap">It may not feel like it yet, but the housing market's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/housing-market-ice-age-higher-home-prices-fewer-sales-inventory-2023-5">Ice Age</a> is finally thawing.</p><p>Would-be buyers and sellers have found themselves stuck over the past couple of years. For-sale signs stood frozen in front yards as home shoppers balked at prices. Wild swings in mortgage rates discouraged almost everyone from venturing out into the market. Many <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/economy-housing-market-mortgage-buying-car-interest-rates-new-jobs-2024-3">felt as if they had no option but to stay put</a>. But when I talk to housing experts these days, they speak cautiously of a shift in the weather, a warming in store for American real estate.</p><p>Green shoots are popping up everywhere. The typical borrowing rate for a 30-year home loan is near the lowest it's been in two years, which could nudge more sellers to emerge from hibernation. The pool of available homes on the market is larger than at any point since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the median home price nationwide is up by 3% to 5% compared with a year ago, that's actually within the range that economists typically look for in a well-balanced market. If things keep trending this way, we should expect to see this coming spring, the time of year when transactions typically pick up, that more people are ready to get moving again.</p><p>Would this mean we're back to normal? Definitely not. Things may be more stable than they were during the peak of the home-trading frenzy or the depths of the slowdown, but that doesn't mean the housing market's problems are solved. It'll be hard for both buyers and sellers to shake off the pessimism of the past few years, especially when budgets are stretched so thin and home prices remain so high. That reality shouldn't obscure the encouraging signals, though. As I wrote earlier this year, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/denmark-mortgage-rates-lock-in-effect-home-buying-selling-easier-2024-5">gummed-up housing market</a> — the Ice Age I was talking about — is good for nobody. In half a year's time, we may be looking at a healthier one.</p><p class="drop-cap">There's a tendency to look at housing in binary terms: Is it a better time to be a seller or a buyer? But a lot of people fall into both camps; most sellers have to turn around and purchase another home to live in. Recently, this fact of life has created what Skylar Olsen, Zillow's chief economist, calls the "musical chairs" problem: People can't jump up and find a new home if their neighbors aren't making similar moves, so everyone's stuck in their seats.</p><p>A big reason Americans find themselves trapped in place is what's known as the "lock-in effect." When mortgage rates hit multidecade lows during the pandemic, millions of people were able to snag or refinance their way into cheaper monthly costs. But starting in the spring of 2022, the rate for a typical mortgage soared, more than doubling from those pandemic-era lows. While it's come down from a two-decade peak last October, the prevailing loan terms are still about twice as expensive as they were back in 2021, which means a buyer could have to pay hundreds of dollars more each month toward interest than they would have a few years ago. A lot of people don't want to give up a good deal, so they don't make a change unless they absolutely have to. One paper from the Federal Housing Finance Agency suggested that the lock-in effect prevented a whopping 1.3 million home sales between mid-2022 and the end of 2023. A mere 2.5% of America's housing stock traded hands in the first eight months this year, according to Redfin, the lowest rate in at least three decades and 31% lower than in 2019.</p><p>The recent drop in the typical rate for a 30-year loan — from about 7.2% in early May to 6.1% in early October — won't erase the lock-in effect, but it's an encouraging sign for buyers who have been grasping for anything that could ease the burden on their wallets. Even after a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mortgage-rate-increase-since-federal-reserve-cut-interest-rates-housing-2024-10">uptick in the last few days</a> following the unexpectedly strong jobs report, more interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, which signaled last month that it was <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-rate-cut-explained-inflation-labor-market-conditions-outlook-recession-2024-9">turning its focus away from battling inflation</a>, could further bring down mortgage rates, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/mortgages/how-does-fed-impact-mortgage-rates">though there's not a direct connection between the two</a>. Fannie Mae, for instance, predicts the rate for a typical home loan could end next year at 5.7%. That'd be within spitting distance of what the experts at John Burns Research and Consulting, a housing-research firm, call the "magic mortgage rate." Among homeowners and renters who said they planned to use a mortgage to purchase their next home, 47% told the firm in September that they'd be willing to sign up for a rate between 5% and 5.49%. Even if rates continue their downward trajectory, changes in mortgage payments typically take about six months to show up in home-sales activity, Ralph McLaughlin, a senior economist at Realtor.com, told me. So movement now could set the stage for a stronger uptick in sales next spring. Fannie Mae has also predicted that the total number of sales will be up by 10% in 2025 compared with this year, with most of that increase coming in the second half of the year.</p><div type="image" title="house for sale sign" height="1414" width="2121" msid="114076822" hostid="261" sizebytes="84578"></div><p>While mortgage-rate movement can be a helpful guide for future activity, to get a full picture of what's actually happening in the real-estate market, you need to look at two data points: inventory, or the number of available homes on the market, and new listings, or the number of homes hitting the market. Olsen, the Zillow economist, likens inventory to a swimming pool and new listings to the spigot that keeps water flowing — as with any pool, too full or too empty is a problem. A balanced market is one in which there are enough new homes to meet the demand from buyers, but not so many that prices plummet. We're still a long way from refilling the pool of homes on the market: Inventory in September was down by about 23% from pre-pandemic levels, according to Realtor.com. But there is clear improvement taking place here, too. The number of active listings in September was <em>up</em> by 34% from the same month a year ago, increasing to its highest level since April 2020. The number of homes newly listed for sale in September was also up by 11.6% from last year. By slowing down home sales, higher rates have given inventory time to build back up from pandemic lows — homes are lingering on the market longer with fewer buyers, so the pool's water level has steadily climbed.</p><p>More homes to choose from, lower mortgage rates — that's a "powerful combination," said Lawrence Yun, the National Association of Realtors' chief economist, adding that sales should move higher in the coming months as a result. Buyers can take heart in another data point, which is that far fewer homes are being snapped up as soon as they hit the market. According to the housing-data firm Altos Research, there were about half as many "immediate sales" in late September as there were in 2022. "It looks like that frenzy is finally gone," Altos' president, Mike Simonsen, said in a recent video update.</p>          <p>The baseline expectation for the spring, the Redfin economist Chen Zhao told me, is a modest uptick in sales and new listings. Most economists don't expect mortgage rates to fall dramatically, meaning sellers will slowly start to reenter the market as they decide it's time to make a change. New listings this year increased by about 5% a month on average compared with the same months in 2023 — you might expect to see that climb a little next year, Zhao told me, to maybe 10% year-over-year growth. The total number of homes on the market each month tended to be about 10% or 15% higher than last year, but you might see that rise to 20% or 25% when you compare 2025 with this year. This is the housing's version of a soft landing; there won't be dancing in the streets, but it would be a marked improvement from the past couple of years.</p><p>"Even though the housing market is recovering, the recovery is going to be very slow," Zhao told me. "We're not going to see anything like the activity that we saw in 2021 or 2020 — or even 2019, 2018 — for a while."</p><p>Still, if buyers are feeling better about their prospects, that should grease the wheels of America's housing market.</p><p class="drop-cap">It is important to note that forecasts are just forecasts. There's a lot that could change in the next year. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hiring-slump-professional-white-collar-jobs-recession-high-salary-2024-4">strength of the job market</a> is a big question mark — people won't move if they don't feel sure about their next paycheck. There are huge regional differences to consider here, too. Builders have finished a lot more new housing in Sun Belt states in the lower half of the US, for example, which has made it harder for homeowners there to sell at their desired prices than for their counterparts in the Midwest or the Northeast. Affordability is still a huge pain point. An August survey by Fannie Mae suggested consumers were feeling remarkably optimistic about the future of mortgage rates, but only 17% of respondents said it was a good time to buy a home. Any one of these issues could chill the market and slow America's exit from the Ice Age.</p><p>That said, it's impossible to ignore the signs of a shift underway. Mortgage rates are a key piece of the equation. I'll also be keeping a close eye on inventory and the pace of new listings hitting the market, which should heat back up starting around February and March. But all this focus on the numbers can obscure the simple fact that people have to move for all kinds of reasons that have nothing to do with a few digits and a percent sign.</p><p>I recently spoke with Mark Palim, the chief economist at Fannie Mae, who left me with a salient piece of advice: "Leave timing the bond market to the hedge-fund guys." In other words, trying to predict mortgage rates — and buying or selling a home accordingly — is a fool's errand. Budgets matter, absolutely, and monthly payments are a crucial consideration for any buyer. But buyers and sellers should remember that their home isn't just an investment vehicle or a bet on where the economy is headed. At the end of the day, you have to live in it.</p><p>"All sorts of things can happen," Palim told me. "Rates may move. Home prices may go up, home prices may go down. But would you be happy living there for a while? Does it meet your needs?"</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/james-rodriguez"><em><u>James Rodriguez</u></em></a><em> is a senior reporter on Business Insider's Discourse team.</em></p>

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