Don’t believe in climate change, rising sea levels, or cities sinking (“subsiding”)? Venice is sinking. So are Rotterdam, Bangkok, and New York (though a few spots are rising!) But no place compares to Jakarta, the fastest-sinking megacity on the planet. Over the past 25 years, the hardest-hit areas of Indonesia’s capital have subsided more than 16 feet due to illegal wells, diminishing groundwater, and a rising sea level. Many billions will be spent moving an entire city. In the United States, insurance issues have become obvious problems. Do you think you have privacy in your car? Think again, and not only that, insurance companies are using driving data to set premiums. Uh oh. In Florida, several high-rise condo projects (with units for sale) are sitting as insurance companies have dramatically hiked their hurricane coverage costs so some projects are renewing at 50-60 percent coverage only, which makes the units unable to be financed. I’m told we
There seems to be a bit of a baby boom going on out there. Prospective home buyers who need a place for a growing family quickly find out that residential lending isn’t without its share of tears. Next time you’re dealing with an upset borrower or loan officer, here’s something you can try. “We are committed to solving the rental crisis in Australia. By providing high quality prefabricated homes, available for immediate hire or purchase, we fight the rental crisis one portable cabin at a time!” But combined, Australia and New Zealand’s population is only 31 million, about the same as Texas. In the States, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson shared their goal of building 35,000 new starter homes by 2028. It seems that every house I see being constructed uses 2x4’s and the same materials I used when doing that in summer jobs. But here’s something: The world’s biggest 3D printer can a make a house in under 80 h