What was your favorite thing to talk about as a kid? Maybe it was dinosaurs, or Barbie or the Magic Treehouse book series. It probably wasn’t compound interest. Getting kids excited about investing can pay off for the rest of their lives — but how do you do it?
Here are six strategies to help get kids interested in investing for good.
1. Make it relatable
Explaining what investing is and why people should care about it can feel like an exercise in futility — the jargon, the math, all the acronyms — but at its core, investing is incredibly simple. Investing means taking the money you already have and using it to make more money without having to do any additional work. When talking with kids, stay away from “Roth IRA,” “dividends” and “return on investment,” and instead focus on the basics.
The language should be simple: If you have $100 now, and you invest it, you may have $110 later. Then, that extra $10 you earned will start earning money, too. You can play around with an investment calculator to help them visualize how their money could earn more money over time.
And while it’s good to be skeptical of financial advice on social media, there are some great sources of information that may help get kids more interested in money management.
“I got started with the help of YouTube,” says Ariana Bribiesca, a content creator based in Malibu, California, who started investing at age 16 and now runs the TikTok account Ari Invests. “I spent about 10 months doing research before I decided to open up my brokerage account.”
Bribiesca got introduced to investing through social media, particularly through her YouTube recommendation page, which showcased videos about credit cards, the college application process, starting a business, and investing.
2. Have them invest in what they’re into
One way to get a kid excited about investing, according to Riley Adams, a certified personal accountant and founder of Young and the Invested in Pleasanton, California, is to help them connect with brands they like.
“Instead of saying, ‘I shop at Nike,’ or ‘I use Snapchat,’ it actually lets you go a step further and gets you involved by not just spending your money with these companies, but making money on things you already do,” Adams says.
Investing in brands kids are excited about may help them feel a more personal connection to the experience. If they’re invested in their favorite store, shopping there may feel like they’re helping make their own stock more valuable instead of just spending money.
3. Make it a game
Investing itself may not be something kids are interested in, but turning it into a game may help your kids feel more excited about it — especially if there’s a chance they can beat you at it.
“Gamification is definitely a big thing, so find little ways to make it seem more like a game, and it’s more fun to get involved with,” Adams says.
You can have regular contests to see who can make more money on their investments, with the winner earning a prize in addition to whatever profits they make; or see who can better predict what happens to the stock market based on what’s happening in the news.
Just like players can lose when playing a game, investors can lose money. Helping a child understand the risks is an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to helping them develop a healthy relationship with investing.
4. Get them some practice
If you don’t want to risk real money, you can open a paper trading account for kids, which allows them to simulate the investing experience for free.
“I practiced with fake money before investing my own money for about two months,” Bribiesca says. “I used the app Stock Market Simulator which gave me $10,000 of simulated money to invest. I showed my parents my entire journey with it and would even force them to watch a couple YouTube videos with me so they understood what I was learning.”
If the kids in your life are ready to start investing for real, you can help them open a 529 plan to help them save for college, a Roth IRA to get a jump on retirement, or a custodial brokerage account for general investing.
5. Help them make it a habit
Making a habit stick requires repeating the behavior again and again. If you’re trying to help a child stick with investing for good, they’ll need to get in the habit of doing so early.
If you give a child an allowance or pay them for small jobs around the house, help develop their investing habit by teaching them to take a portion of their earnings and put it toward investing for the future. This can help cement the habit and make it something they do regularly as they get older.
6. Talk openly about money
While some adults may not want to discuss finances in front of the kids, it may be more beneficial for children to see healthy financial behaviors and conversations modeled for them. If they never hear adults talking about investing or budgeting, or are told that talking about money is inappropriate, they may not have the tools to deal with financial conversations when they get older.
“Overall, it is important for parents to include their kids in talks about money and slowly introduce them to different topics or resources,” Bribiesca says. “It is important to include them because kids like to imitate their parents and follow their footsteps when they notice something can be very rewarding.”
Neither the author nor editor held positions in the aforementioned investments at the time of publication.
Prominent YouTube content creator Jimmy Donaldson — best known as MrBeast — took on the world of luxury real estate, and hundreds of millions of viewers tuned in to watch him tour upscale properties with some of his most famous friends (Justin Timberlake, Mark Cuban, and Miranda Cosgrove).
The YouTuber, who holds the title of the most-subscribed individual on the platform (and also has the second-most-subscribed channel overall), is famous for his viral videos centered around expensive stunts, challenges, and donations.
And he’s set quite a few records since launching his channel in 2013.
In 2017, he released his “counting to 100,000” video — which became his breakthrough viral video — and he has become increasingly popular ever since, with most of his videos gaining hundreds of millions of views.
By 2021, MrBeast was making headlines for breaking the record for the fastest non-music video to reach 100 million views, thanks to his Squid Game-themed video. That video now has over 500 million views.
He’s also known for his charitable endeavors, and for the fact that the more popular he gets, the more money he gives away.
While many have claimed that his monetary giveaways could be the primary reason why he accrues millions upon millions of video views, one of his most recent viral hits debunks this theory.
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On October 14, MrBeast released a new video titled $1 vs $100,000,000 House!, where the YouTuber — alongside his crew and several famous pals — tour homes of different price points, from a $1 shack to a $100 million mansion in Los Angeles (that’s actually worth $139 million).
The video garnered more than 100 million views in its first 10 days and shattered the previous record for the most views within 24 hours — a record that MrBeast himself had set with his “7 Days Stranded at Sea” video — proving to naysayers that giving money away is not the reason behind Donaldson’s success.
Now, since the content crossed the threshold into our turf — the world of luxury real estate — we wanted to provide some background info on the properties featured in MrBeast’s video — including specs, updated prices, photos and more.
And we also got some behind-the-scenes tidbits that the listing agents shared with us, including how long ago the property tours took place, and what type of response they saw after the video launched.
All the luxury homes featured in MrBeast’s “$1 vs $100,000,000 House!” video
While there’s not much to say about the $1 shack that kicked off the video (that one might even be best summarized as “what you see is what you get”), there’s lots to learn about the other striking homes that made the cut. We’ll also skip the $1 million house, as that price point doesn’t necessarily fall into luxury territory in many of the real estate markets we cover.
We talked to some of the agents in charge of the listings featured in the viral video, and they shared their excitement about being part of the project.
“It was a cool experience to be affiliated with Mr. Beast,” says Rachael Williams with Revel Real Estate, who holds the listing for the $15 million property featured in the video. “Apparently this video broke the world record for most views in 24 hours. So essentially being a part of history is pretty awesome! 😎“
Wondering whether it was MrBeast’s team that sourced the houses? We were thinking the same, and it turns out that “Mr. Beast’s team reached out to us to be featured,” Ben Bacal, Founder and real estate agent at Revel Real Estate tells us. “We were told our property might, or might not make the final cut, but it did! And we’re so happy that they included it. “
The agents also told us that filming — at least for some of the properties — took place back in August, despite the final cut being released in October.
Naturally, that also means that some of the prices have changed in the meantime.
The $45 million house was most recently listed for $29.888 million, while the art-filled Malibu home dropped its asking from $69 million to $59 million. And the $100 million house is actually far more expensive in real life. So let’s take them one at a time.
The $100 million house, LA FIN
The focal point of the video, the striking $100 million house MrBeast tours alongside celebrity guest Justin Timberlake is actually a $139 million mega-mansion in Bel Air, California.
Newly built in 2021, the spec mansion is dubbed LA FIN, and is touted as “the pinnacle of homes designed for entertaining at a scale comparable to the best hotels in the world.” And for good reason.
Featuring an impressive total of 12 bedrooms, 17 bathrooms, and a guest penthouse, the luxury abode has an entire array of amenities that you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else, including a 6,000-square-foot nightclub, a unique 6-car elevator that displays the car collection above the nightclub, and an ice-cold vodka-tasting room furnished with fur coats.
Other notable features include a cigar lounge, a cutting-edge gym equipped with Peloton equipment and a rock-climbing wall
The primary bedroom suite of the luxury Bel Air mansion is nestled in its private wing.
Cloaked in Italian oak, the bedroom’s centerpiece is a striking fireplace crafted from Portuguese marble, and has an adjoining bathroom reminiscent of a world-class spa with Calacatta gold marble, a sweeping 100-square-foot shower, and a bathtub sculpted from a singular marble block.
With so many unique features, we could talk about this property all day. But since pictures are worth a thousand words, why not take a closer look inside the ultra-luxurious Bel Air mansion instead (Swipe for more pics):
Price & property history: The $139 million mansion was first listed in February 2022, with Jon Grauman and Adam Rosenfeld (The Agency). And while it has retained its asking price, representation for the property has since changed, with Shawn Elliot or NestSeekers International.
The art-filled $69 million house
Joined by iCarly actress Miranda Cosgrove, MrBeast tours the second most expensive home, a Malibu architectural gem that bears the signature of lauded architect Ed Niles.
The art-filled glass-and-steel house — which we’ve covered in depth here following its recent price adjustment, that brought it from $69 million down to $59.5 million — is propped up on a hill just 75 feet away from water and pairs its excellent oceanfront location with a distinct architecture that makes it one of Malibu’s most impressive real estate offerings.
The avant-garde abode is defined by sharp geometric angles, varied shapes, and out-of-the-box materials like glass, steel, and concrete, all thoughtfully executed and flowing beautifully together.
Featuring 4 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms with a detached one-bed, one-bath guesthouse on 8,206 square feet, the glass-and-steel house incorporates many Feng Shui principles.
Price & property history: Originally listed in March 2023 with an ambitious $68.8 million price tag, the Ed Niles-designed home recently had its price re-adjusted to $59.5 million.
Madison Hildebrand and Jennifer Chrisman at Compass and Wendy Wong and Katherine Quach of Treelane Realty Group are spearheading the home sale.
The $45 million Brentwood house
Our favorite property on this list — though we might be a bit biased, as we’ve written extensively about this mansion before — is a newly built spec mansion in Los Angeles’ family-friendly Brentwood neighborhood.
Toured alongside billionaire Mark Cuban (who lives in an equally impressive luxury mansion), the spectacular property known as Allure is a 14,000-square-foot mansion that’s been carved into the mountainside — an arduous process that included the removal of approximately 680 truckloads of dirt to create over an acre of flat land.
First listed for $45 million (price later dropped to $29.888 million) ‘Allure’ is inspired by “The Greats” across various domains — including elite athletes, top Hollywood stars, influential C-suite executives, and international business tycoons.
And its long (and creative) list of amenities reflects that.
The 7-bedroom, 8-bath home has a movie theater with a Rolls Royce starlight ceiling, two striking living moss walls, a dedicated regulation-sized pickleball court, an NBA-sized half-court sporting a Michael Jordan design, a putting green, and a sanctuary spa with a fitness center and sauna.
The upscale Brentwood mansion was developed by Ramtin “Ray” Nosrati of Huntington Estates Properties, the mastermind behind some of LA’s most affluent homes.
Price & property history: The 14,000-square-foot house was first listed for $45 million. With a revised price of $29.888 million, Allure is listed with Sally Forster Jones and Nicole Plaxen of Sally Forster Jones Group at Compass, Santiago Arana at The Agency, Shauna Walters at Beverly Hills Estates, and Josh and Matt Altman of The Altman Brothers at Douglas Elliman.
Take a closer look inside: This $29.888 million Brentwood mansion is the Michael Jordan of homes
The $30 million mansion with an indoor water park
While most of the houses in MrBeast’s videos are located in California, the $30 million mansion takes us on a trip to Leverett, Massachusetts, to visit a highly unique property likened to “a candy store for adults.”
Known as the Juggler Meadow Estate, the $30 million Massachusetts property is the former home of late Yankee Candle founder Michael Kittredge II and is a local celebrity in its own right (which comes as little surprise after watching the video tour).
With an impressive 120,000 square feet of interior space — split between 8 structures — the compound features a 25,000-square-foot main residence, a 55,000-square-foot spa, an indoor water park, three tennis courts, a three-lane bowling alley, two grotto-like wine cellars, and a 10-seat movie theater, among many other amenities.
Price & property history: The former Yankee Candle founder’s house was listed in the second half of 2022 for $23 million. Popular listing websites like Zillow and Realtor.com still show the same $23 million asking price, while the official listing on the brokerage’s website (the house is repped by Johnny Hatem Jr with The Sarkis Team at Douglas Elliman) says the price is only available upon request.
The $15 million house
While the other luxury houses MrBeast visited strayed a bit from the price point shown in the video, the next property on our list is a true-to-story $15 million home in the Hollywood Hills — with a killer location and spectacular design.
Perched atop the famous Bird Streets (widely known as some of LA’s most desirable streets, (attracting celebrities like Leo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, or Jodie Foster), the 7,217-square-foot contemporary, Ameen Ayoub-designed residence was completed in 2021.
Packed with world-class amenities — including a chef’s kitchen with Miele appliances, an aquarium bar that looks into the infinite pool, a custom-built honeycomb quartz wine cellar, a decoupled home theatre, a subterranean garage, and a state-of-the-art fitness center with a sauna and steam shower — the 3-bed, 5-bath home is pure luxury.
It also has a jaw-dropping primary suite with a fireplace and private terrace, dual bathrooms, and a designer closet.
Price & property history: Listed for $14,900,000 with by Ben Bacal and Rachel Williams of Revel Real Estate, the $15 million was listed in mid-2023, and hasn’t had any price adjustments since.
After being featured in MrBeast’s $1 vs $100,000,000 House! video, the property’s agents share that the Hollywood Hills mansion already received an offer — for a one-year lease. And more will likely follow, as the viral video keeps accruing millions of views.
Which property did you love the most?
*Featured image credit: Fidias, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Nils Timm / Nils Timm Visuals & Simon Berlyn courtesy of Compass
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Blend futuristic art with immaculate California nature and you’ll get Malibu’s groundbreaking Glass-and-Steel House — if you can shell out $59.5 million, that is.
41800 Pacific Coast Highway’s not-so-humble price point of nearly $60 million includes four bedrooms and six bathrooms with a detached one-bed, one-bath guesthouse on 8,206 square feet of pure architectural excellence.
The unrivaled property is situated on a pristine Malibu beach lot boasting a Harrison Reef tide pool and dramatic ocean and canyon views. Best of all, the location is distinctly private, ensuring its next owner the utmost exclusivity.
An Ed Niles masterpiece
Renowned architect Edward R. Niles, who’s been creating iconic structures since 1979, expertly balanced cutting-edge ideas with timeless elements to create arguably his best endeavor — the Malibu Glass-and-Steel House — which is, in essence, a livable art piece to the likes of the Guggenheim Museum.
The avant-garde abode is defined by sharp geometric angles, varied shapes, and out-of-the-box materials like glass, steel, and concrete, all thoughtfully executed and flowing beautifully together.
In other words, it’s a far cry from your average home.
Feng Shui and Japanese influences
Despite its futuristic appeal, the house still manages to achieve a homey feel by balancing the cold steel and concrete with warm natural elements throughout.
The original owner of the house, Dr. Wei-Tzuoh Chen, was passionate about Feng Shui – and it’s noted in the carefully curated details.
The home’s prime location on a hill just 75 feet away from water adheres perfectly to the ancient Chinese art form’s principles, and its south-facing facade is ideal for balance, harmony, and good fortune.
See also: Alicia Keys’ house in San Diego is a futuristic clifftop mansion
Taking Feng Shui to the next level, architect Niles strategically incorporated the lucky number 8- doubling in meaning as the infinity symbol throughout the house, from its eight separate structures united as one to tasteful sculptures and furnishings highlighting the powerful number that represents abundance.
The notes of red carefully scattered across the grounds also symbolize luck and prosperity, which the future homeowner is bound to have already, considering the property’s eye-boggling price tag.
Niles also tapped into the Japanese architectural Shoji concept of translucency when designing the modern masterpiece, and its influence can be seen in the property’s abundant windows that lend way to striking views of the Southern California coastline.
Even the ceiling is made of glass, giving the interior a bright atrium vibe while filtering in the sunshine.
Now listed for $59.9 million
Originally listed in March 2023 with an ambitious $68.8 million price tag, the Ed Niles-designed home recently had its price re-adjusted to $59.9 million.
Madison Hildebrand and Jennifer Chrisman at Compass and Wendy Wong and Katherine Quach of Treelane Realty Group are spearheading the home sale.
Says Hildebrand, “It’s a rare occurrence where art meets nature. From the moment you arrive, you realize it’s unlike any other property along the Malibu coastline. Every angle, shape, and material was carefully thought out to provide a unique experience. And, being only 25 minutes from the Camarillo airport, it’s perfect for those looking to escape unnoticed.”
Steel beams and floor-to-ceiling glass walls juxtapose the lush canyon surrounding them. But the real magic lies inside.
Enter the private gates and through a minimalist yet dramatic foyer and you’ll be greeted with an open floor plan featuring the main living space and sleek stainless steel Bulthaup kitchen, including Sub-Zero refrigerators, limestone floors, and high-quality cabinetry and furniture designed by the architect himself.
While the main floor is spectacular, the upstairs — which features four en-suite oceanview bedrooms and living spaces and can be accessed by hydraulic elevator — is just as otherworldly and aesthetically pleasing.
This home boasts bragging rights beyond its one-of-a-kind structure and world-class location, though.
Featuring a state-of-the-art music room, a soundproof home theater that seats up to 19 people, and a built-in audio system throughout the structure, it’s also an entertainer’s paradise.
You can effortlessly bring the party outside thanks to the property’s expansive outdoor space with enough room to host over 100 guests.
Between the Japanese soaking tub, conversation fire pit, and barbecue area — all with outstanding vistas of the home’s 75-foot fine sand beach and the breathtaking ocean beyond it — you can bet that no guest will get bored.
One multi-millionaire with almost $60 million to spare will be fortunate enough to call this innovative and tasteful home (and a slice of Malibu Beach) all their own. And we’ll be keeping an eye out to see who the lucky future owner will be.
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The mastermind behind some of LA’s most affluent homes, Ramtin “Ray” Nosrati has done it again.
The prolific designer/developer, who built more than 100 luxury homes across L.A. for the rich and famous, has completed his newest masterpiece and is now bringing it to market with a $29.888 million price tag.
Dubbed ‘Allure’, the 14,000-square-foot behemoth is located in the coveted suburban neighborhood of Brentwood, Los Angeles, and is packed with amenities — some of which you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
In fact, ‘Allure’ is inspired by “The Greats” across various domains — including elite athletes, top Hollywood stars, influential C-suite executives, and international business tycoons. Some of these luminaries are friends and clients of Ray’s, while others are icons he holds in high esteem.
“Designing and building ‘Allure’ was an opportunity to push the boundaries of luxury and design in Los Angeles, to create a property that’s truly in a league of its own. Like the Michael Jordan of Brentwood homes, ‘Allure’ stands alone,” says Ramtin ‘Ray’ Nosrati, founder of Huntington Estates Properties and designer/builder of Allure.
‘Allure’ isn’t just about its features; it’s about the unforgettable experiences and transformative moments it promises. Every detail is a piece of a larger narrative that speaks to my team’s relentless pursuit of perfection. I believe in creating homes that are not just lived in but that live and breathe with their inhabitants. And that’s what we’ve achieved with ‘Allure’,” he added.
Offering an incomparable level of privacy, Allure is located roughly four football field lengths away from its nearest neighbors.
To achieve that, the property was carved into the mountainside, an arduous process that included the removal of approximately 680 truckloads of dirt to create over an acre of flat land.
Related: Everything you need to know about Brentwood, one of LA’s most coveted neighborhoods
With a total of 14,000 square feet of luxurious living space, the Brentwood home has seven bedrooms, nine bathrooms, and a whole series of upscale amenities — many of catering to sports fans.
But before we get into those, I’d like us to take a minute and appreciate some of this property’s upscale interiors, including the gourmet chef’s kitchen, which has been equipped with brilliant book-matched stone slabs, a triple waterfall island, and the finest Miele appliances (as well as a commercial-grade walk-in refrigerator in the caterer’s galley).
The property also features a highly Instagrammable bar and equally visually appealing wine room, a movie theater with a Rolls Royce starlight ceiling, the ultimate comfort station with a candy lounge and wine fridge, an organic garden, and much more.
A home designed by Nosrati wouldn’t be complete without one of his signature living moss walls.
In fact, Allure boasts two separate living walls — hand-assembled piece by piece and towering approximately 30 feet above the main living area — showcasing four varieties of moss that blend into the skylight above.
Allure is listed with Sally Forster Jones and Nicole Plaxen of Sally Forster Jones Group at Compass, Santiago Arana at The Agency, Shauna Walters at Beverly Hills Estates, and Josh and Matt Altman of The Altman Brothers at Douglas Elliman.
“Ray has seamlessly integrated his distinctive touch into every detail, from the epic sports complex to the artistry of his signature living moss walls,” Sally Forster Jones and Nicole Plaxen from Sally Forster Jones Group at Compass shared, adding that “This home transcends the ordinary; it’s in a league of its own, offering the ultimate family living experience with unparalleled privacy and exclusivity. With ‘Allure,’ Ray’s pursuit of perfection continues to push the bar of luxury, reflecting a home as unique and extraordinary as The Greats that inspired it.”
Speaking of that epic sports complex, the $29.888 million Brentwood mansion boasts a dedicated regulation-sized pickleball court, an NBA-sized half-court sporting a Michael Jordan design, a putting green, and a sanctuary spa with a fitness center and sauna.
Ramtin Nosrati left no stone unturned with Allure. The ultra-modern, high-end home boasts resort-like qualities, creating an ultra-luxurious-yet-tranquil oasis.
If the list of amenities wasn’t packed enough, future residents will also receive an Allure Black Card. This grants the owner access to fine dining and concierge services. Welcome to a higher level of posh.
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C&R, a leading public relations agency in the luxury real estate and hospitality industries, is pleased to announce that Cayla Kondo has joined the firm as vice president, of real estate. With an impressive track record of results, leadership, creativity, and strategic execution, Kondo will invigorate the firm’s offerings and drive growth trajectory goals.
Kondo joins C&R most recently from Concord Companies, a vertically integrated real estate corporation based in Beverly Hills, CA with an estimated $1B AUM across the U.S. There, as chief marketing officer, Kondo was responsible for all marketing, branding, and communications for the organization. She executed a full rebrand for the parent company and its seven subsidiaries to attract higher caliber and institutional-quality investors.
“We are very excited to add Cayla to our team and confident she will bring tremendous leadership, high-impact relationships, and a diversified background to our team and clients,” said C&R Co-Founder Spencer Castillo. Caruso, as a leader in its retail, residential, office, hotel, and private club expansion as senior director of Marketing. Cayla was also director of VIP services for Caruso, where she created and implemented extraordinary experiences for the Portfolio’s most valued guests, including A-list celebrities, high-net-worth individuals, heads of state, and global executives.
“We are very excited to add Cayla to our team and confident she will bring tremendous leadership, high-impact relationships, and a diversified background to our team and clients,” said C&R Co-Founder Spencer Castillo. “It was important that the person we hired for this role brought a new perspective, a curated network, and a deep understanding of the luxury real estate consumer to our agency. We are confident we found that in Cayla.”
Kondo brings a roster of experience garnered from 10+ years of marketing and communicating with real estate industry executives, as well as a strong understanding of ultra-high-net-worth individuals. She is intimately familiar with C&R’s clients’ audience(s) and will be a valuable resource for all. Based in Los Angeles, Kondo will lead operations at C&R’s flagship Century City office, overseeing the agency’s real estate portfolio and contributing to the firm’s expansion efforts in new asset classes.
A sampling of current real estate clients within the agency’s portfolio includes Costa Palmas, Kukui’ula, Hualalai Resort, Martis Camp, East West Partners, Punta Mita, Montage International, Four Seasons Private Residences Las Vegas, Panther National, and Shell Bay, among others. A sampling of long-standing travel clients includes Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Mayakoba, Malibu Beach Inn, Park Hyatt Aviara, Thompson Hotels located in Austin, Nashville, and Palm Springs, and more.
“Joining C&R presents an exceptional opportunity to redefine the art of communication and brand positioning of such high-end properties,” states Kondo. “I am excited to collaborate with this esteemed team of forward-thinking professionals to optimize our clients’ positioning across the real estate, travel, and golf sectors.”
C&R specializes in three key pillars for its partners: media relations, like-minded brand partnerships, and content development.
Led by former Robb Report Editorial Director and current Travel that Matters podcast host, Bruce Wallin, C&R Content is a full-service creative studio specializing in custom magazines, videos, and more. With clients including The Agency, Montage International, Hualalai, and Costa Palmas, C&R Content is a cornerstone of C&R’s ongoing commitment to providing authentic, thought-provoking value to its real estate clients.
C&R recently expanded its footprint across the country and continues to reinvest in core offices in Los Angeles, New York, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, and Charleston. The firm has newly partnered with a handful of high-profile clients in the hospitality and real estate spaces, including Aero (aviation), Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort by Hyatt, InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf, Four Seasons Private Residences Las Vegas, Andaz Residences Turks & Caicos, Waldorf Astoria Residences Guanacaste, 21C Chicago, and others.
“As we head into our 15th year, we are more committed than ever to investing in top-notch talent, and the addition of Cayla to lead real estate is yet another example of that,” said C&R Co-Founder Pieter Ruig. “We take our client partnerships seriously, and it’s important we continue to deliver best-in-class service, leadership, and results.”
About C&R
Founded in 2009 by Spencer Castillo and Pieter Ruig, C&R is a public relations and content agency representing leading clients in the hospitality, real estate, and golf sectors throughout the U.S., Mexico, and the Caribbean. With offices in Los Angeles, New York, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, and Charleston, C&R works with the industry’s top journalists, like-minded brand partners, and digital influencers to deliver impactful results that drive awareness and credibility. C&R is innovative and forward-thinking, bringing together fresh ideas with results-driven strategies. Award-winning campaigns span-new build-outs and sales to renovations and openings – always with an eye on generating ROI for the agency’s partners. For more information, please visit www.candrpr.com.
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Diverse communities inhabit many of Houston’s neighborhoods, adding to a rich cultural experience cherished by many. Because Houston is so large, location is vital. Therefore, finding the perfect place to live that meets your needs while giving you room in your pocketbook is essential.
What is the average rent in Houston?
The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Houston, TX, is $1,839 per month. However, many renters can acquire a comfortable two-bedroom apartment for much less than that.
The 10 most affordable neighborhoods in Houston
The key is choosing the right neighborhood that strikes a balance between budget and indulgence. Luckily, there are affordable neighborhoods in Houston that let you do just that! Many of these neighborhoods provide green spaces, easy access to the rest of the city, unique eateries and plenty of homes to choose from.
These are the 10 cheapest neighborhoods in Houston.
10. Northshore
Source: Rent./13029 Joliet St.
Average 2-BR rent: $876
Rent change since 2021: -0.46%
Northshore prides itself on large swaths of green spaces. This neighborhood is the ideal community for those wanting to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city while not being too far away. Retirees, nature-lovers and families with young children will enjoy Northshore’s local parks. Herman Brown Park is a popular relaxation spot with glistening ponds, lush greenery, walking trails, a playground and a picnic area. There are also softball, baseball and soccer fields for sports enthusiasts.
Nearby, Maxey Park unveils 13 acres where dogs can roam off-leash in designated areas. Maxey Park also has pet showers and drinking fountains for your furry friends. As one of the most affordable neighborhoods in Houston, Northshore is definitely worth considering.
9. Belfort Park
Source: Rent./5702 Lyndhurst Dr.
Average 2-BR rent: $848
Rent change since 2021: 0.00%
Belfort Park appears between South Park and Southeast Houston. Rows of affordable housing and apartments characterize this neighborhood, making it a perfect area for renters with young families. Several schools reside close by, including Mading Elementary School, Alcott Elementary School and Bastian Elementary School.
Another perk to living in Belfort Park is that it’s only a short drive away from William P. Hobby Airport, an international airport and the first in North America to achieve a five-star rating. Belfort Park is not only one of the cheapest places to live in Houston, but its residential community is a stone’s throw away from other major areas and attractions.
8. Hollister Manor
Source: Rent./8520 Pitner Rd.
Average 2-BR rent: $848
Rent change since 2021: +2.61%
Hollister Manor presents centrally-located apartment complexes in a decent-sized neighborhood. Pitner Pocket Park sits almost smack dab in the middle of this Houston neighborhood, offering a brief reprieve from the stresses of modern daily life. Not too far from Pitner Pocket Park are James W. Lee Park and Malibu Park.
To the south of Hollister Manor is Hollibrook Elementary School. School-aged children will enjoy the intermittent greenery where they can run and play after school and on the weekends. Adults will also appreciate a place to stretch their legs and get some exercise or have a picnic. In addition to being one of the cheapest neighborhoods in Houston, Hollister Manor is a unique area in which to raise a family.
7. OST-South Union
Source: Rent./7007 England St.
Average 2-BR rent: $848
Rent change since 2021: -0.54%
OST-South Union lies south of Downtown Houston, making it an attractive neighborhood choice. Prime attractions like the NRG Stadium, Houston Zoo, Japanese Garden and the Museum of Fine Arts – Houston are only a car ride away. In addition, the Texas Medical Center is just outside OST-South Union.
Various spots along Martin Luther King Boulevard in OST-South Union invite locals to delve into the city’s history and culture. The Shrine of The Black Madonna Cultural and Event Center hosts various vendors and events. OST-South Union is also an excellent location for those attending the University of Houston, which lies just outside its perimeter. OST-South Union is a culturally diverse area and one of the cheapest places to live in Houston.
6. South Park
Source: Rent./7339 Krueger Rd.
Average 2-BR rent: $848
Rent change since 2021: 0.00%
True to its name, South Park is a neighborhood on the south side of Houston. This quiet neighborhood features intermittent green spaces, businesses, salons and barbershops. F.M. Law Park features trails, a golf course and an indoor learning center. In addition, new attractions are also coming to South Park. In 2023, Southern Snow Park will make its debut in this Houston neighborhood. Southern Snow Park is an amusement park with a 3-D mountain where you can ski, snowboard and practice various runs, despite what the weather is really like outside.
With multiple roads running through and around South Park, the rest of Houston is easily accessible. The fact that this neighborhood is also one of the cheapest places to live in Houston definitely makes it worth looking into.
5. Spring Branch Central
Source: Rent./4014 Willow Springs Lane
Average 2-BR rent: $848
Rent change since 2021: -34.48%
Spring Branch Central is a residential neighborhood with neat amenities. Residents take advantage of facials, body treatments and massage therapy at Skinrosse Clinic Spa before heading right down the road to the Nomad Tavern for barbecue, drinks, live music and a game of pool. Spring Branch Central also boasts an award-winning coffee shop, with Buzz & Bites named in the HoustonPress as the “Best Coffee Shop in Spring Branch/Memorial in 2021.”
Eclectic shops like Indigo Moons sell popular items like crystals, stones, books, jewelry, sage and more. In addition to being one of the cheapest neighborhoods in Houston, Spring Branch Central is community-oriented, with senior living facilities and a well-known school for special needs children.
4. Westwood
Source: Rent./Valle Vista
Average 2-BR rent: $827
Rent change since 2021: N/A
Located to the southwest, Westwood is a residential subdivision. Its various restaurants include Nigerian-style cooking at Safari Restaurant, West African specialties at Afrikiko, Filipino classics at Filipiniana Restaurant, baked goods at Tierra Caliente and Southern-style seafood at Lotus Seafood. Westwood is also the location of X10 Archery, featuring consumer goods and a premier training academy where students learn from some of the most experienced instructors in the state of Texas.
Nearby, Altierus Career College offers healthcare and trade programs to prospective young students. For one of the cheapest neighborhoods in Houston, Westwood has a plethora of apartments, condominiums and townhomes to choose from.
3. Lawndale-Wayside
Source: Rent./Oaks at Wayside
Average 2-BR rent: $798
Rent change since 2021: -14.38%
Lawndale-Wayside sits in the southeast corner of the city. One of its distinguishing features is its historic green spaces. Gus Wortham Park Golf Course is over a century old and one of the most iconic sites in the neighborhood. In fact, it’s the oldest operating golf course in the Lone Star State.
Nearby, Mason Park comprises 104 acres around Brays Bayou, complete with a baseball field, soccer field, tennis courts and swimming pool. On the other side of town, Urban War Zone Paintball provides interactive paintball and laser tag games on an extensive range. The classic area of Lawndale-Wayside is also one of the cheapest neighborhoods in Houston.
2. Eastside
Source: Rent./Villas at Park Place
Average 2-BR rent: $781
Rent change since 2021: -15.54%
Eastside comprises multiple neighborhoods and is a growing residential area. Family-friendly sites like the Houston Botanic Garden are here, which accommodate a wide range of plants and ecosystems. The Houston Botanic Garden has opportunities for community members to volunteer, and it also displays site-specific installations contributed by Eastside artists. In addition, elementary schools abound on the Eastside, and the neighborhood’s affordability attracts couples with young children.
Right outside the boundaries of this Houston neighborhood is the international Port of Houston, which serves as a significant employer in the area. It’s easily accessed via the nearby highway, making for a short work commute. Adding to the Eastside’s attractiveness is the fact that it’s one of the most affordable neighborhoods in Houston.
1. Pecan Park
Source: Rent./6616 Linden St.
Average 2-BR rent: $776
Rent change since 2021: +2.11%
Pecan Park is a residential community perfect for young families and college students. Nearby schools and daycares benefit children while young college students have a short commute to classes at Houston Community College. Specialty bakeries like Panaderia Tierra Caliente and Nancy’s Cake Designs create a quaint atmosphere for many occasions.
Popular places to work out include nearby establishments like A’s Boxing and Fitness and FitnessFX. One of Pecan Park’s primary advantages is the ability to live comfortably while on a budget, and it’s known for being the cheapest neighborhood in Houston.
The most expensive neighborhood in Houston
Downtown Houston boasts business opportunities for professionals, elaborate exhibits and displays for artsy folk, global cuisine for foodies, luxurious outlets for shoppers and major live and sporting events for thrill-seeking fans. No matter your interests, there’s no shortage of things to do Downtown!
This neighborhood is currently the most expensive neighborhood in Houston, with the average two-bedroom rent at $5,005 and a 30.58 percent rent change since 2021.
Find an affordable neighborhood for your next Houston apartment
Rent. is here to simplify your apartment–hunting journey by helping you find apartments for rent in Houston. The cheapest neighborhoods in Houston mentioned in this article provide the perfect place to start looking.
We also cover the costs of living in Houston in our extensive blog section to make things easier for people looking to relocate to this booming city!
Rent prices are based on a rolling weighted average from Rent.‘s multifamily rental property inventory as of January 2022. Our team uses a weighted average formula that more accurately represents price availability for each unit type and reduces the influence of seasonality on rent prices in specific markets. The rent information included in this article is used for illustrative purposes only. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing guarantee for any apartment.
After many years in her one-bedroom Manhattan apartment (which has been on the market for $2M since last November), comedian Amy Schumer is getting an upgrade.
All of the details aren’t available yet, but TMZ broke the story, and reportedly her new pad is somewhere on NYC’s Upper West Side.
The 5 bed, 5.5 bath penthouse has been described as a “Malibu beach house mixed with sophisticated Manhattan architecture.” With lots of windows, open living spaces, a fireplace, and a private terrace, it certainly seems like the 35-year old will be able to kick back in style.
Check it out here:
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All photos via TMZ
Carter Wessman
Carter Wessman is originally from the charming town of Norfolk, Massachusetts. When he isn’t busy writing about mortgage related topics, you can find him playing table tennis, or jamming on his bass guitar.
Known for his distinctive and avant-garde architectural designs, Harry Gesner often pushed the boundaries of traditional norms, incorporating unique shapes, materials, and spatial arrangements into his projects.
His work defied conventional architectural styles and embraced a more organic, free-flowing approach that was ahead of its time.
And design was not the only pioneering element of Gesner’s work.
Long before sustainable design became a mainstream concern, the California-born architect was incorporating environmentally friendly principles into his designs. He used natural materials, passive solar techniques, and energy-efficient features to minimize the environmental impact of his buildings.
His most famous project, the Wave House in Malibu, is one of the most recognizable homes on the California coastline. Designed to resemble the ocean’s waves, the cresting house (formerly owned by musician Rod Stewart) is said to have been the inspiration for the Sydney Opera House, and has recently landed on the market for an eye-watering $49.5 million.
Next to his most famous creation, we find the pioneering architect’s personal home, an equally striking architectural home that’s currently on the market for $22,500,000.
Visionary architect Harry Gesner’s personal home: The Sandcastle House in Malibu
Known as the Sandcastle House due to the roofline’s unique design, inspired by sandcastles, Harry Gesner’s house in Malibu is a true architectural feat.
With 122 feet of beachfront land, this uniquely cylindrical 6-bedroom, 6-bathroom property comes with 3 additional small living units and so many unique features that it would “take a few pages to list them all”, Zen Gesner — the architect’s son and one of the listing agents for the property — admitted in an email. He did, however, add that “I’d be happy to share them all with whomever is curious to hear about them.”
The main home’s entry features a library sitting area with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and panoramic ocean views, while the heart of the home features beams and a wood-plank ceiling wrapped by windows with large living and dining areas, and a Hollywood Bowl-inspired brick fireplace with a large concrete hearth that was designed as a stage.
See also: The Sowden House, an architectural gem with a grim backstory and ties to the Black Dahlia case
“The Fireplace was built to resemble a Greek Theater Shell with the cantilevered concrete hearth as the stage, and the sunken living room in front of it becoming the theater house,” Zen Gesner shares.
The space was “Built for my mother, Nan Martin (his wife), who was a well-known Broadway actress“, to act as her stage, complete with a large, polished concrete hearth.
A solarium with stained glass panels flanks the dining area, and the kitchen wraps around a circular island featuring stained glass lunettes fitted into the overhead beams, a fireplace, new appliances, a breakfast bar, and a walk-in pantry.
Two ensuite bedrooms are located on the main level, while the primary suite tower is located upstairs, boasting high ceilings with large beams, eyebrow windows, a brick fireplace, a sitting area with ocean views, and a spiral staircase that leads up to a loft space.
In addition to the main house, there’s also a “tree house” apartment with a kitchenette, living and dining room area, a bedroom and bathroom, and a wraparound deck with ocean views.
Also on the property, a “boat house” adds extra space that includes a full kitchen, an ocean-view living and dining room area with a full bathroom and a bedroom, while the third addition is a smaller, one-bedroom “nest” apartment that features an open-air living area, deck, teepee-covered daybed as well as stained glass above an indoor-outdoor cabana.
Built almost entirely out of salvaged materials, the Sandcastle House stands as testament to Harry Gesner’s commitment to sustainable construction.
When building his cherished family home, the architect used telephone poles, reclaimed bricks, wall panels made from aqueduct pipes, birdseye maple from a high school gym, old-growth redwood harvested in the 1800s, and windows and doors saved from one of Hollywood’s silent film theaters.
Related: The Chemosphere House and 6 other striking John Lautner-designed homes
As Gesner said about Sandcastle in Houses of the Sundown Sea: The Architectural Vision of Harry Gesner (the book about his life and work): “The spirit in the design and materials are what you immediately feel in this house. All people who enter and spend a brief period or long time here immediately feel at home and relaxed. The experience never becomes commonplace or boring because over everything is the sound and rhythm of the waves breaking on the shore in front of the house.”
Now on the market for $22.5 million
The architectural marvel has remained in the Gesner family ever since it was built in the early 1970s.
Following Harry Gesner’s passing in 2022, the property landed on the market in May 2023 with a $27,500,000 asking price and a stellar team. The price has since dropped to $22,500,000.
Leading Malibu real estate agent Chris Cortazzo shares the listing with the architect’s own son, Zen Gesner. The two Compass agents are also part of the team repping Gesner’s neighboring masterpiece, the $49.5 million Wave House.
“Malibu CA has a tendency to defy market trends because it’s one of the greatest places to live in the world. People who visit tend to fall in love with the beautiful beach community, incredible scenery, and the lifestyle,” Zen Gesner tells us, adding that “There is nowhere else like it.”
Adding to the appeal: living in a house that’s worthy of a James Bond villain and owning a piece of architectural history.
Are you reading this article on your mobile device? Watch our web story on Harry Gesner’s house (in a more mobile-friendly format).
More Malibu houses
You’re invited: step inside a jaw-dropping $95 million house in Malibu
‘Indiana Jones’ producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall list $18.5M Malibu estate with views for days
See Lady Gaga’s house in Malibu, which she calls her ‘Gypsy Palace’
A landslide struck Laguna Beach’s Bluebird Canyon in 1978 — smashing cars, buckling streets and destroying 24 homes. An adjacent swath of earth broke loose in 2005, wiping out 12 more homes.
That wasn’t enough to keep Scott Tenney away. In 2010, Tenney and his wife, Mariella Simon, bought a 15-acre hillside ranch near the disaster area despite the listing warning that the property was on the site of an ancient landslide.
“We knew we’d have to do a bit of terracing and retaining, but California is what it is,” Tenney said. “It’s a dynamic place not just culturally, but geologically.”
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From an outside perspective, his might seem a confounding decision. But in Southern California it’s an extremely common one, because that geological diversity, as Tenney calls it, is not just the danger. It’s the allure.
Elevation has long been aspirational here — an escape from the urban flats.
Since settlers first started pouring in from the relative flatness of the East Coast and Midwest, they were captivated by California’s vertiginous landscape. Plein air painters flocked to capture the light of the arroyos. Health seekers sought the clean air of the San Gabriel foothills. Folk rockers found inspiration in Laurel and Topanga canyons. And the moneyed elite started building their houses higher and higher above the basin, forever seeking the trophy perch with the show-off view.
But that perch has always come at the risk of catastrophe. Homes slide into a gulch in Palos Verdes. Fires roar over the Malibu hills. A debris flow kills 23 people and destroys 130 homes in Montecito. Heavy snow traps thousands in the San Bernardino Mountains. And winter storms pull fragile bluffs into a rising sea.
These natural disasters so often occur where the tectonic plates collided and folded into beautiful vistas.
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While other regions may face only one main disaster threat — tornadoes in the Midwest, hurricanes on the Gulf and East coasts — California’s extreme topography brings siege from all sides: the ocean, the trees and brush, the sky above and the ground below. And oftentimes, the most attractive areas are some of the most dangerous.
A land of disasters
More and more people are crowding into the Wildland Urban Interface — the zone of transition between unoccupied land and human development. It’s where properties mingle with undeveloped (and often steep) land, and it’s uniquely susceptible to natural disasters.
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, this area grows by 2 million acres a year as people fan out to the edges of wilderness in search of affordable houses, more space or simply a break from life in the city. And California holds more homes in this dangerous zone than any other state in the country.
And prices keep soaring. It doesn’t matter if a house sits on stilts on the side of a cliff, if it’s a landslide complex slowly sliding toward the sea, or if it’s predicted to be knee-deep in water in a couple of generations — there will always be a buyer.
As Californians flock to risky areas, disasters take a greater toll. Over the last decade, the state has experienced 20 disasters that each cost at least $1 billion in damage from flooding, wildfire and extreme heat. Those 20 alone combined for 783 deaths, according to National Centers for Environmental Information.
According to the real estate listing database Redfin, the trend is nationwide. Last year, the country’s most flood-prone, heat-prone and fire-prone counties all saw more people move in than out. Redfin researcher Sheharyar Bokhari blames one primary factor: the housing affordability crisis.
“L.A. and most other coastal cities are expensive. With remote work becoming more of an option, people are finding they can have more space and finally afford a home if they move to riskier areas,” he said.
Bokhari said another L.A.-specific factor is development — mainly that there’s not as much being built in the city compared to the more rural areas surrounding it.
He points to the Inland Empire, which is typically more affordable than L.A. County. In Riverside County, roughly 600,000 homes face a high risk of wildfire, the most of any of the 306 high-fire-risk counties in the country. Despite that, the county’s population grew by 40,000 over the last two years.
Even if experts — and common sense — say to stay away from certain areas, Bokhari said that won’t likely happen because local governments aren’t incentivized to push people out.
“These disaster-prone cities need revenue and people paying taxes,” he said. “They just claim that they’ll be more resilient and take more safety measures going forward,” he said.
Where else would I go?
Since moving onto the ancient landslide zone, Tenney and his wife founded Bluebird Canyon Farms, which offers workshops and grows food for local markets. His time is split between that and taming the erosion-prone land beneath the farm.
To combat sliding land, Tenney installed a gravity wall, 200 feet long and 9 feet tall, to retain the hillside. In addition to grading the terrain to make the slopes gentler, he added powerful drainage systems and timber-and-concrete cribbing to keep structures in place.
The work never stops, and Tenney keeps a monthly schedule to keep up with tasks. Clear brush in spring. Clean storm drains in September. Inspect terracing every few months.
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“You can run but you can’t hide,” he said, adding that urban centers such as L.A. have their own laundry lists of things to worry about: crime, homelessness, etc. “You won’t experience a wildfire in downtown L.A., but there are plenty of other things to be concerned with.”
Cribbing systems used by Tenney have become commonplace in Portuguese Bend, a small coastal community on the Palos Verdes Peninsula situated on a slow-moving landslide complex. Land moves up to 8 feet a year, and at that rate residents would rather ride the sliding earth toward the sea than sell and move somewhere else.
“I’ll be here until I can’t be here anymore. I’ll slide away with the land,” Claudia Gutierrez told The Times in July after a nearby landslide in Rolling Hills Estates sent a handful of homes careening down a canyon.
You’d think the real estate market in disaster-prone areas would eventually slow down, but there are no deals to be found for house hunters. Longtime residents often stay put post-disaster, and incoming residents consistently pay a premium to live in a scenic, though potentially dangerous, area.
In cities tucked among the foothills of the Verdugo and San Gabriel mountains such as Altadena and La Cañada Flintridge, buying in a high-fire-risk zone might be ever-so-slightly cheaper than buying in a safer place. And buyers pounce.
“My clients try to choose low-fire-risk zones, but if the house in the fire zone is the right price, that is more important,” said Brent Chang of Compass.
When Lisa and Michael McKean got home to Malibu Park from their honeymoon on Nov. 8, 2018, they were so exhausted that they went straight to sleep. The newlyweds didn’t even bother unpacking their suitcases of swimsuits still wet with Caribbean saltwater.
When they woke up, Lisa looked out her back window and saw a 10,000-foot cloud of billowing black smoke.
The Woolsey fire was ravaging the Malibu hills.
The pair grabbed their still-packed suitcases and fled to the Zuma Beach parking lot, where they spent the day surrounded by horses, dogs, cats and neighbors all wondering if their homes would survive.
Theirs, built a year earlier, did not.
“The entire neighborhood burned,” Lisa said. “Everything was black, scorched earth.”
Devastated, the pair spent six months crunching numbers on the cost of rebuilding versus moving. The home that was destroyed had taken four years to approve and three years to build. Their next one could take even longer.
Despite the damage, and despite the ceaseless, inescapable risk of a future fire, they ultimately decided to stay and rebuild.
Cheryl Calvert has lived in Malibu since 1985 and has adapted to a life of fire. To her, the flames are nearly routine.
“Once you make it through your first one, you realize it’s manageable. But you have to plan ahead,” Calvert said.
She keeps two bags packed at all times: one full of goggles and N95 masks and one with dog supplies.
Calvert has experienced plenty of fires during her time in the coastal community, but the worst was the Corral fire in 2007. She was in the driveway as the flames arrived, and she sprayed the corner of her wooden home with a hose as it ignited. Her guesthouse and garage burned down, but the house was saved.
She never considered leaving. Instead, she became more prepared, installing an extra water tank and leaving a pair of shoes by the front door at all times for quick escapes.
“We have to do crazy things, but it’s only crazy for an hour or two every five or 10 years,” she said.
She ran down the usual list of reasons why people move to Malibu: the beautiful landscape, the ocean breeze, the sweeping views. But she said the main reason her and so many of her neighbors stay is because of the community.
“We’re all living near like-minded people who are willing to risk themselves for each other,” she said. “It’s a bunch of hippies. Rich hippies.”
The psychology of staying
A life among the trees, coasts and cliffs is often what lures Californians to disaster-prone communities, but according to experts, the factors that make them stay after a disaster strikes are much more complicated.
Age, race and class can all indicate whether someone is more or less likely to move after experiencing a disaster. For example, Zhen Cong, professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, found that in the wake of tornados, the middle class might be the most inclined to move since the upper class has the resources to stay and rebuild, while the lower class is often trapped and has no other choice but to stay.
Other relocation factors include the level of damage to the home and whether the person owns the place or rents. But often the most important factor is one that can’t be easily quantified: “People who have a strong sense of place and a strong sense of community are less likely to move,” Cong said.
Ironically, some disasters can even encourage people who otherwise would have left to stay.
In studying post-tornado relocation decisions across the country, Cong found that after a disaster, people increase their disaster preparedness. Part of that includes gathering supplies, but it also includes social engagement: talking to neighbors, sharing information on social media and attending meetings. That engagement, which might not happen if a tornado doesn’t strike, brings a greater sense of community, leading people to stay in that community.
Anamaria Bukvic, an assistant professor at Virginia Tech who studies coastal hazards and population displacement, found that after Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast in 2012, non-geophysical factors mattered the most in deciding whether to stay or leave. For example, confidence in adapting to future disasters was a more relevant indicator if someone would stay than how close they lived to the ocean.
“The experience of flooding can be emotionally disturbing and traumatic,” Bukvic said. “When facing problems, some people try to avoid them. Others try to resolve them.”
She added that confidence in government plays a major role as well. If a person believes the government responded well to the disaster and will keep them safe during the next disaster, they’re more likely to stay.
That’s something that Malibu Mayor Bruce Silverstein thinks about when overseeing the city’s disaster response plan. Although L.A. County is responsible for physically fighting the fires that plague the area, Malibu has instituted a free service in which residents can request a fire-hardening expert to inspect their property to better prepare them for the next blaze.
The city also outlaws certain types of vegetation susceptible to fire and tries to prevent excessive population growth in order to make evacuation from hills and canyons easier during emergencies. It’s the main reason accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are harder to build in Malibu than L.A.
“Unlike L.A., we don’t have standards that encourage growth,” Silverstein said. “We maintain the status quo and try to keep space between properties so if one catches on fire, it doesn’t extend to the neighbors.”
Michael Dyer, a former Santa Barbara County fire chief who now serves as public safety director for Calabasas, said safety became a top priority for the city after Woolsey, energizing the community into forming multiple volunteer commissions that plan for disaster preparedness.
“We have to provide that service as a government,” Dyer said while monitoring a brush fire in Topanga from his front porch. “No one has forgotten Woolsey yet. And as long as I’m here, we won’t.”
No simple fix
As the climate crisis worsens and the Wildland Urban Interface grows in size, experts are eyeing ways to mitigate the effects of natural disasters to save both the environment and human lives.
L.A. is currently considering an ordinance that would limit development in the Santa Monica Mountains. Using recent wildfires and the Rolling Hills Estates landslide as examples, supporters said the measure would make it harder to build mansions and large hillside homes as a way to limit damage caused by disasters, as well as protect open space and wildlife.
In addition, national insurers such as State Farm and Allstate are no longer selling insurance policies in wildfire-prone areas after a series of catastrophic fires raised premiums. Without insurance, people might be disincentivized from buying and building homes in risky areas.
Redfin is also tinkering with a way to warn people of a home’s potential dangers. The company conducted an experiment in which it showed a listing’s flood risk score to certain users but not others and found that those who were shown the scores were less likely to bid on the home.
The scores have since expanded to show risk for fire, heat, drought and storms.
In the meantime, Californians continue to build, and rebuild, in disaster-prone areas. Lisa and Michael McKean, whose home burned down in 2018, moved back into Malibu Park in 2021.
As neighbors slowly filter back into the neighborhood, they walk around to measure progress and congratulate those who have returned.
“We used to hate cement trucks and jackhammers, but now we celebrate them,” Michael said. “The cheery sound of construction.”
Star Wars boss Kathleen Kennedy and her equally successful film producer husband, Frank Marshall, are making moves on the real estate front.
Having just released their much-anticipated fifth installment in the Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (now playing in theaters around the world) the two are now switching their focus to more personal projects: offloading their stunning Malibu estate, which just hit the market for $18,500,000.
Now, if Kathleen and Frank’s names sound awfully familiar but you’re having trouble placing them, let us refresh your memory.
Best known for high-profile projects like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurrasic Park, Schindler’s List, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, and several Star Wars installments, Kathleen Kennedy earned great success working alongside Steven Spielberg, producing some of his biggest films — which have earned over $11 billion worldwide, including five of the fifty highest-grossing movies in film history.
She’s also been serving as the president of Lucasfilm (George Lucas’ former production company, acquired by Disney in 2012 for $4.2 billion) for over a decade, and is the first and only female award winner of the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.
Related: George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch is a fanboy paradise with Victorian roots
Her husband, Frank Marshall, famously worked on box-office hits like Gremlins, the Back to the Future trilogy, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Hook, and Empire of the Sun, before co-founding The Kennedy/Marshall Company with his wife in 1991.
Together, the two filmmakers produced The Sixth Sense, Signs, Seabiscuit, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, War Horse, and all four films in the Bourne series. In 2012, Marshall took over as sole principal of the company when Kathleen became Chairman of Lucasfilm, Ltd.
In addition to earning well over a dozen Oscar nominations between them, the couple is also a force in California real estate, having bought and sold multimillion-dollar properties from and to celebrities like Bea Arthur, Tom Hanks, Reese Witherspoon, Tom Selleck, and Steven Seagal.
And now, they’re looking to cash in big by selling their Malibu estate, a contemporary marvel set atop a lush promontory with commanding views of the Malibu coastline.
Inside Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall’s $18.5M Malibu estate
The Indiana Jones producers’ house just hit the market for $18,500,000 — with Stan Richman of Compass in charge of the listing.
Set in a private, gated compound, the home is completely shielded from prying eyes and even from neighboring properties.
“This one-story home sits on a rare 2.2-wide-acre private knoll in Carbon Mesa, with views of Malibu from one end to the other that’s incomparable to any other lot in the city. It’s perfect for easy living and ideal for someone who appreciates land and views,” listing agent Stan Richman told us via email.
Beyond its perfect location in one of the world’s most coveted and serene settings (which also places the couple’s home in close proximity to Nobu, Little Beach House Malibu, The Country Mart, and the brand-new Cross Creek Development), the $18.5 million house could serve as a poster house for the ‘quiet luxury’ trend.
Epitomizing quintessential indoor-outdoor living with nearly every room inside the home having direct access to the outdoors, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom residence is anchored by a stunning great room with exposed vaulted ceilings and walls of glass that open to unobstructed ocean views.
The chef’s kitchen features a center island, full bar, mini bar, and fireplace that opens to the outdoor spaces with an outdoor barbecue, custom fire pit, outdoor shower, and multiple lounging areas.
The expansive primary suite boasts a fireplace and spa-style bathroom with custom built-ins and a walk-in closet, and the other three bedrooms are equally inviting.
Heading outside, the infinity-edge pool (with top-of-the-line PebbleTec technology), outdoor BBQ, custom fire pit, and outdoor shower round up the long list of amenities. Though it’s worth noting that the house also comes with membership rights to the coveted La Costa Beach and Tennis Club.
The celebrated filmmakers listed quite a few other multimillion-dollar properties over the years, including a scenic $16.9 million ranch in Telluride, Colo., a $3.6 million New York City apartment, and a gated compound in Brentwood, Los Angeles that sold for $8.6 million in 2015.
And while we don’t know what it’s like to work with them in real estate transactions, all of their past movie collaborators speak very highly of the Indiana Jones producers — including Indy himself.
Harrison Ford once told Variety that “There’s a lot in this business that doesn’t make sense. Kathy and Frank are one of the things that do,” adding that “They work hard, they’re good people with good ideas, they have a real understanding of how the movie business works and they know how to get sh*t done.”
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