How to Take Control of the AI Data Center Boom and Built It Into Your Own Home in the Future
Home‑based micro data centers are emerging as a niche solution to the AI compute surge, with builders like PulteGroup partnering with Nvidia and Span to install fractional nodes on new houses. Proponents cite land savings, energy‑efficiency and waste‑heat reuse, while critics warn of power, security and regulatory hurdles that limit suitability to batch or inference workloads. The model could accelerate edge compute deployment, but widespread adoption faces HOA resistance and the need for reliable residential infrastructure.
Warsh's Take on Fed Independence Is Met with Confusion and some Concern
Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Fed chair, told Senate committees that the Federal Reserve must remain “strictly independent” in monetary policy but is open to collaborating with Congress and the Treasury on non‑monetary issues. He floated the idea...
Mortgage Rates Surge to Nearly Four-Week High as Iran Headlines Impact Markets
Mortgage rates climbed to a four‑week peak of 6.45% on Wednesday, the highest level since April 3. The surge followed President Trump’s announcement to maintain a naval blockade of Iran until a nuclear deal is reached, pushing oil prices and 10‑year...
Office Demand Rebounds to Highest Level Since Covid Pandemic Began
The VTS Office Demand Index hit its highest level since the pandemic, rising 18% from Q4 2025 and 13% year‑over‑year, driven by a surge in new in‑person and virtual tours. Despite office‑using employment falling 2% from 2022, vacancy rates slipped to...
New York's Pied-a-Terre Tax Sets up Legal Fight over Values
New York City officials have proposed a "pied‑à‑terre" surtax on second homes valued above $5 million, aiming to raise roughly $500 million annually to help close the city’s budget gap. The tax, announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, will...
What $1 Million Buys You in Real Estate Around the World
The latest Knight Frank Wealth Report shows that a $1 million budget now purchases just 16 square metres in Monaco, the world’s priciest luxury market, down from 17 square metres in 2020. In Hong Kong, $1 million secures 22.5 square metres, while New York offers about 34 square metres,...
The U.S. Housing Markets Where Million-Dollar Listings Are Standard
Realtor.com identified 13 U.S. housing markets where at least half of active listings exceed $1 million, yet each market has fewer than 500 such homes. Nantucket tops the list with a median price of $4.08 million, followed by Vineyard Haven at $2.4 million...
Homebuyer Mortgage Demand Drops Annually for the First Time in over a Year, as War Fuels Uncertainty
Mortgage demand slipped for the first time in over a year as applications to purchase a home fell 7% year‑over‑year and refinance requests dropped 4% YoY. The average 30‑year fixed‑rate contract slipped to 6.51% from 6.57%, but remains above the...
Analysis: What Might Trip up Kevin Warsh and His Agenda as Fed Chair
Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor backed by President Trump, is poised for a contentious nomination as Federal Reserve chair. He advocates rapid rate cuts despite $100‑a‑barrel oil prices and rising inflation forecasts, while also promising to slash the Fed’s...
Swalwell Drops Lawsuit Against FHFA's Pulte as California Governor Race Heats Up
U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell has withdrawn his lawsuit accusing Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte of weaponizing mortgage‑fraud investigations to silence Trump critics. The suit, filed in November, alleged that Pulte illegally accessed Swalwell’s private mortgage records in violation...