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UP NEXT
Here is what to buy and skip in September 2023
04:20
Craig Melvin helps Rutgers freshman move into his dorm
04:43
Pentagon unveils ‘one-stop shop’ site for non-classified UFO docs
00:32
85,000+ TOMY highchairs recalled over possible fall hazard
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Manhunt underway for murderer who escaped Pennsylvania prison
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Doorbell notification has dad returning home to give daughter hug
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Grief author accused of poisoning husband to due back in court
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Dust storm known as a haboob rolls through Tempe, Arizona
01:07
US Capitol doctor clears Mitch McConnell to work after health scare
02:00
Idalia aftermath: New video shows extent of devastation
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Donald Trump’s election fraud case in Georgia set to be televised
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How will the weather be for Labor Day weekend?
01:17
Rip current concerns could dampen some Labor Day plans
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Labor Day weekend: Here are the best times to travel
02:26
Why figuring out your tech personality can improve how you use it
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01:20
How a Long Island community is giving a boost to oyster population
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Watch: Man pulled over for driving with bull riding shotgun
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Even outside the congested sprawl that is New York City, moving anywhere in New York State has benefits. The state is busy, beautiful and full of potential.
Whether you’re set on big city living or want to take advantage of the fall foliage and outdoor space upstate, if you want to call New York home, you’re going to need to take a close look at your budget. Calculating your cost of living, based on New York State prices, is a great way to start. Consider costs in these essential areas to see if this northeastern state is right for you.
New York Housing prices
It’s no secret that New York, overall, is an expensive place to live. Especially in and around The Big Apple, housing prices can skyrocket to the point that you’re cramming five people into a one-bedroom apartment.
That said, there’s always a deal to find, even if it means living a little further out than you’d anticipated. Here’s the cost of living in New York for housing in major cities.
Albany
As the state capital, Albany sits upstate along the Hudson River with a thriving urban center. It’s known for its diverse culture, great architecture and a lot of college students. Housing prices here are on the rise at 6.2 percent above the national average.
Rent prices are increasing only slightly year-over-year, keeping things pretty affordable. A one-bedroom apartment averages out to $1,267 per month, up 3 percent over last year. A two-bedroom apartment averages out to $1,465 per month, up 9 percent over last year.
Housing prices are also increasing at about the same rate, up 4.4 percent over last year. The median home price in Albany is currently $235,000.
Brooklyn
The largest New York City borough when it comes to population, Brooklyn is well-known for its people. The diverse crowd comes from all over the world, many to orchestrate a start-up or pursue an opportunity at one that’s taken off. A trendy place, that’s easy to navigate, Brooklyn is an attractive home for a lot of people, which is most likely why its housing prices are 196.7 percent above the national average.
Although rent prices are coming down in Brooklyn, when compared to last year, they’re still on the higher end. A one-bedroom apartment, down 25 percent, still has an average monthly rent of $2,600. Two-bedroom apartment prices have dropped by 53 percent, but are still $2,650 per month, on average.
Home prices are on the rise and pricy. The median home price in Brooklyn is $1.02 million, up 3 percent over last year.
Buffalo
The only city on the list coming in under the national average for housing, Buffalo is 6.8 percent below. The second-largest city in the state, situated right on Lake Erie, is what you think when. you think upstate.
Rents in Buffalo offer a mixed picture. One-bedroom apartments are up 5 percent, and two-bedroom apartments are down by 12 percent. This may make renting more affordable than buying since home prices are on the rise.
An average one-bed rents for $1,327 per month, a two-bed is at an average of $1,446 per month, but median home sales in Buffalo sit at $216,00, which is an 8 percent increase over last year.
Manhattan
As the literal center of everything, it’s no surprise housing prices in Manhattan are 382.7 percent above the national average (wow!). This is the most densely populated of the five boroughs, home to the Empire State Building, Times Square and Broadway. It’s also a major commercial, financial and cultural center. You get it all.
Average apartment rent aligns with this heightened housing cost. At $4,517 per month, finding an affordable place could be a challenge.
Home prices aren’t much better. The median home price in Manhattan, which stayed the same as last year, is currently $1.2 million.
Queens
Situated on Long Island, Queens is home to the U.S. Open tennis tournament, as well as great museums, restaurants and attractions. It’s also considered one of the safest New York City boroughs to live in and a great place for families. These attractive qualities have definitely boosted housing prices, which are 109.1 percent higher than the national average.
Apartment rent isn’t very cheap either, although prices are rising slowly. The average one-bedroom rent is $1,900, up 6 percent over last year, and two-bedrooms have an average monthly cost of $2,300, up 15 percent.
House prices are up 2.3 percent from last year. The median home price in Queens is pretty high though at $706,000.
Food prices
Another cost of living in New York is food. Averaging in all of New York State, food prices aren’t that expensive. The average New Yorker only spends between $233 and $267 per month on groceries, which isn’t that much. Of course, it depends a lot on where you live, whether you fit into what’s ‘average.’
Buffalo is 4.6 percent below the national average
Albany is 12.9 percent above the national average
Queens is 25.7 percent above the national average
Brooklyn is 29.2 percent above the national average
Manhattan is 44.4 percent above the national average
It’s no surprise that food prices are higher the closer in you get to New York City. You can see these differences much better when looking at the cost of individual items. For example, eggs in Manhattan are 38 percent more than eggs in Buffalo. Bananas in Brooklyn are 18 percent more than bananas in Albany.
This same price difference is apparent when on a date for two. A three-course meal in Brooklyn for you and a special someone is $90, but that same meal only costs you $73 in Buffalo. That’s a 19 percent difference just to live in the city.
Utility prices
Throughout New York State, utility prices hover pretty close to the average across the country. Two cities even tie, with utility prices slightly below average.
Albany and Buffalo tie at 4.6 percent below the national average
Manhattan is 3.3 percent above the national average
Queens is 4.4 percent above the national average
Brooklyn is 6.6 percent above the national average
Even with reasonable utility prices, monthly energy bills are high, on average, in every city on the list. They’re all above $150, with some even close to $200. It makes sense, though, when you think about how much electricity it takes to power this state, most of it concentrated in those neon signs in Times Square (they’re bright).
However, even with this energy consumption, the state’s Clean Energy Standard mandates New York provide 100 percent carbon-free electricity from all sources by 2040. They’re moving in the right direction for this cost of living in New York.
Transportation prices
Public transportation is big throughout New York, which is good because driving in some areas is downright intimidating. This includes city driving, as well as navigating all that winter snow. With a combination of buses, trains and your own car, here’s how the cities stack up when it comes to transportation prices as a cost of living in New York.
Buffalo is 0.6 percent below the national average
Albany is 0.8 percent above the national average
Queens is 9.2 percent above the national average
Brooklyn is 14.9 percent above the national average
Manhattan is 17.6 percent above the national average
Depending on where in New York you live, a car may really not be necessary. Public transportation in certain spots is amazing, and all five boroughs have impressive walk and bike scores. Manhattan, for example, has a walk score of 97 and a bike score of 87. You can definitely get around there without a vehicle.
NYC MTA
The New York City MTA extends its reach to all five boroughs, including Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. With subway, bus and rail lines, you can really get just about anywhere you need with the MTA.
Fares vary based on what line you’re riding and whether it’s an express. Most subway routes and local busses cost $2.75 per way. The express bus is $6.75.
The best way to use the MTA hassle-free is with a MetroCard. The cards themselves cost $1 plus the fee for the type of card you want. You also get unlimited swipes within a certain amount of time. For example, a 30-day unlimited MetroCard costs $127, but you get unlimited subway swipes for those 30 days.
CDTA in Albany
The Capital District Transportation Authority offers bus routes throughout Albany, but also services other cities within the Capital Region of the state. In Albany alone, there are 40 different routes.
The base fare for a ride on the CDTA is $1.50. For the most cost-effective ride, residents use a Navigator card which lets you add pay-as-you-go funds or buy a discounted monthly pass.
NFTA Metro in Buffalo
A combination bus and rail system, the NFTA actually covers both the Erie and Niagara Counties of New York. Within the heart of Buffalo, the rail system gets you where you need to go.
A standard fare is $2 for all NFTA Metro services. Monthly passes are also available for $75. There’s also a mobile app you can use to buy Metro funds to board both buses and the rail system.
Healthcare prices
Overall, the cost of living in New York for healthcare prices are pretty reasonable, with no city that much higher than the national average.
Buffalo is 8.2 percent below the national average
Brooklyn is 4.2 percent above the national average
Queens is 4.9 percent above the national average
Manhattan is 7.9 percent above the national average
Albany is 11.3 percent above the national average
Interestingly enough, the highest overall city, when it comes to healthcare prices, has the least expensive average doctor visit. Albany costs $99 on average to see the doc, while the most expensive visit will be in Queens at $132.86.
Goods and services prices
Overall, most of the things you have in your budget that aren’t completely necessary, but you really like having, cost more in New York, on average, than around the country.
Buffalo is 8.3 percent below the national average
Albany is 13.9 percent above the national average
Queens is 20.2 percent above the national average
Brooklyn is 23.8 percent above the national average
Manhattan is 33.1 percent above the national average
The sticker shock of childcare
One other item in the goods and services category that can really shift your monthly budget is childcare. Maybe you don’t need to pay for this now, but it’s a pricy item in New York, so it’s good to know.
A full-day, private preschool costs $2,043 per month in Brooklyn. Prices in other boroughs exceed $1,100 per month, as well. It’s not until you get further away, to Buffalo, that this cost dips below the $1,000 market. Preschool in Buffalo only averages out to $935.42.
Taxes in New York
Sales tax in New York can get high fast. The state has a sales tax of only 4 percent, but local areas can then add up to 4.875 to that total. That means the most you could possibly pay in sales tax is 8.88 percent. At this level, for every $1,000 you spend shopping, you’re automatically forking over $88.80 straight in taxes. That’s a high markup.
Of course, the areas within New York City max out their sales tax. Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens all have an 8.88 percent sales tax rate. Buffalo is barely less at 8.75, and Albany is only slightly lower right at an even 8 percent.
Altogether, it’s expensive to shop (and live) in New York (but you knew that already).
How much do I need to earn to live in New York?
Living in New York comes with a hefty price tag, so it’s very important you calculate your cost of living properly in order to ensure your budget can handle it. The best way to do this is with our rent calculator, but there are a few basic numbers you can crunch, as well.
One of them is calculating how much you’d need to make annually to afford the average New York rent, which is $2,355 per month. To do this, you need to put 30 percent of your annual salary to rent. So, at this average price, you’d need to make $94,200 a year.
This is possible, but not always probable being that the average annual income in New York is only $88,030. This number comes close, but a few places may still be out of reach unless you bring in a roommate to supplement costs. That’s a game-changer for the budget.
Living in New York
The most amazing thing about New York is the assortment of lifestyles you can lead. You can take urban living to the extreme throughout New York City, or slow things down upstate. Sometimes, your budget will drive where you end up, and sometimes, you’ll cram yourself into a tiny apartment with roommates just to live in the middle of the action. Either way, New York has so much to offer and is a great place to take up residence.
Related articles:
The Cost of Living Index comes from coli.org.
The rent information included in this summary is based on a calculation of multifamily rental property inventory on Rent. as of June 2022.
Rent prices are for illustrative purposes only. This information does not constitute a pricing guarantee or financial advice related to the rental market.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has taken action against Freedom Mortgage Corporation (Freedom), handing down a $1.75 million fine to the mortgage lender for providing alleged illegal incentives to real estate brokers in exchange for mortgage loan referrals. Freedom has also been ordered to cease all unlawful activities. Real estate brokers and agents reportedly … [Read more…]
A trio of reports released today by Redfin and Zillow revealed some rather conflicting information about the housing market.
While pretty much everyone agrees that were back on the right track, albeit tenuously, new data from Redfin reveals a spring slowdown in housing.
The online real estate listing service noted that home sales in Redfin’s 11 West Coast markets slipped 13.4% last month compared to a year earlier, marking a five-year low.
No, It’s Not the Weather…
We can’t blame the weather this time around because the notoriously warm West Coast performed worse than the rest of the nation.
In fact, home sales in Redfin’s other markets were down only 5.9% in February from a year earlier.
The hardest-hit metro was Las Vegas, where home sales in February were down 22.7% from a year ago. Sacramento, CA (-21.8%) and Ventura, CA (-20.8%) weren’t far behind either.
Of course, these very metros saw home prices rise enormously over the past 12 months so the issue is actually diminishing affordability, with both mortgage rates and home prices significantly higher than a year ago.
Today, Freddie Mac reported that interest rates on the 30-year fixed mortgage averaged 4.37%, up from 3.63% a year ago.
You can refer to my mortgage payment charts to get an idea of the monthly increase on a rate rise like that based on loan amount.
Additionally, national home prices were up 1.2% in February from January and 13% higher than a year ago.
The West chalked high double-digit gains (19.1%), while the rest of the country managed more modest gains of 7.4%. Many parts of the East Coast weren’t nearly as strong with year-over-year gains of only 2% in Long Island, 4.7% in D.C., and 6.6% in Boston.
So maybe the cold weather is to blame on the East Coast, but not on the Left Coast.
When we consider mortgage rates 1% or so higher and home prices 10%+ higher, it’s understandable why home sales are down.
However, inventory is up big in Phoenix (38.5%), Sacramento (23.9%), Riverside (22.8%), Ventura (22.1%), San Diego (18.6%), and Los Angeles (17.8%) compared to a year ago, which makes you wonder if buyers and sellers just aren’t on the same page.
[Is it better to rent or buy a home?]
Four Million First-Time Buyers Want In This Year
After all, a different report released today by Zillow indicated that more than four million first-time home buyers want to purchase properties this year.
The company said 8% of all households and 10% of current renters indicated that they plan to buy a home in the next 12 months.
Renters in Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Miami were the most eager to become homeowners in 2014.
If all the renters that told Zillow they plan to buy actually come through, it would represent more than 4.2 million first-time sales this year, roughly double the 2.1 million seen in 2013.
Additionally, an overwhelming share (90%+) of renters in 17 of 20 metros that indicated plans to buy said they were “confident” or “somewhat confident” they could afford a home.
So it’s unclear if affordability is actually the concern. It could just be that these individuals aren’t as willing to buy if home sellers don’t list their homes more reasonably.
The next couple months will be telling in terms of which way the market goes.
Redfin already expects March to be soft, with offers and home tours both down from year-ago levels, so something clearly isn’t right.
And Redfin was quick to point out that it’s data is the most current, with information collected just minutes after a sale, pending sale or listing activation.
Read more: Somewhere between a buyer’s and seller’s market.
What a difference a city makes…in the uber-hot Bay Area, a staggering 43.5% of homes for sale are priced at $1 million bucks or above, according to real estate listing website Trulia.
Compare that to other major metros like Chicago, Dallas, and Philadelphia, where such listings account for fewer than five percent of listings.
In fact, million-dollar listings account for fewer than five percent of all listings in 68 of the top 100 metros nationwide, which clearly illustrates the lopsided distribution of real estate wealth in this country.
If you want to take it a step further, less than two percent of listings are million-dollar homes in 44 of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas.
What Does $1 Million Get You in San Francisco?
The saddest part about San Francisco’s real estate situation is that despite the ridiculous valuations, you don’t get very much for your money, unless you really like fog.
That’s right, for $1 million or more, you only get a median sized home of 1,774 square feet. In other words, you’re probably looking at a townhouse or a condo in the city.
And it certainly won’t be large enough to accommodate your family of four, unless you want to live on top of each other.
Surprisingly, New York City wasn’t even in the top five in terms of percentage of million dollar listings. The Big Apple secured the sixth spot with 20.8% of listings in the $1 million plus category.
It was surpassed by Fairfield County, CT (29.7% share), San Jose, CA (25.7% share), Orange County, CA (24.4% share), and Ventura County, CA (21.5% share).
Rounding out the top 10 were Long Island, NY (), Honolulu, HI (), Los Angeles, CA (), and San Diego ().
It Turns Out Water Is Really Expensive
The takeaway from this list is that being close to the water is HUGE. Of the top 10 million-dollar metros, only one isn’t directly located next to a major body of water.
I’m referring to San Jose, CA, which isn’t on the beach, but still isn’t very far from the San Francisco Bay or the Pacific Ocean.
The rest are a stone’s throw from the nearest beach, making them pretty darn attractive to prospective home buyers.
Their proximity to water also creates a major geographical barrier that limits housing supply, a serious buffer for property values.
In areas that are wide open, supply can be relatively limitless, which doesn’t offer house values much protection.
But back to square footage. Being close to the water also means you get a lot less square footage for your buck.
The top 10 million-dollar metros in terms of least square footage are also situated by the ocean, where median size ranges from 1,489 square feet in NYC to 2,750 square feet in Providence, Rhode Island.
The largest million-dollar homes can be found in Birmingham, Alabama, where the median size is an impressive 8,059 square feet. Of course, it’s about 250 miles to the beach.
You can also get a ginormous home in Toledo, Ohio (7,087 square feet) or Indianapolis, Indiana (7,036 square feet), both of which aren’t anywhere close to a local surf spot.
In fact, all of the top 10 largest million-dollar metros in terms of square footage are landlocked.
So there you have it, water is everything.
Read more: Is Google about to replace your real estate agent?
Real estate is local. We hear that constantly, despite being force-fed national housing statistics all the time. But both serve a unique purpose to give us clues about the direction of the overall economy, or just our local housing market.
A new analysis from Trulia broke down time on market by low-price tier, mid-price tier, and high-price tier.
Nationally, they found that homes in the low-price cohort are moving faster than both the mid-price and high-price tiers, which is pretty standard. It’s typically harder to sell an expensive home (fewer eligible buyers).
Overall, 55% of homes listed for sale in mid-February were still on the market, generally a bad sign for the home seller who likely faces a price reduction. Still, that’s down from 56% a year ago.
In the low-price tier, only 49% of homes listed for sale two months ago were still on the market, down from 52% a year earlier.
That compares to 62% in the high-price tier, down just one percent from 63% a year ago.
Put another way, the sale of lower priced homes is accelerating while higher-priced home sales are slowing.
Where Homes Are Selling the Fastest
1. Oakland 2. San Jose 3. San Francisco 4. Denver 5. San Diego 6. Seattle 7. Los Angeles 8. Orange County 9. Sacramento 10. Middlesex County
These are your hot markets at the moment. For the record, none of them are cheap, which kind of bucks the national trend of cheaper homes selling faster, though there are probably fewer listings.
Oakland has been the hottest metro, with just 29% of homes still for sale after being listed for at least two months. That number is down from 31% a year ago.
The biggest year-over-year winner has been Denver, where only 38% of homes were still on the market after at least two months, compared to 47% a year ago.
Interestingly, Denver is hitting new all-time highs in the home price department, which makes you wonder if it’s getting bubbly at high altitude.
Despite Orange County, California making the top 10 list, home sales are actually slowing there, with 45% still on the market after at least two months, compared to 38% a year ago. The same trend is visible in Los Angeles.
Home prices aren’t cheap, which might explain some of the slowdown. They may have also overcorrected.
Where Homes Are Selling the Slowest
1. Richmond, VA 2. Hartford, CT 3. Albany, NY 4. New Haven, CT 5. Long Island, NY 6. Knoxville, TN 7. Springfield MA 8. Columbia, SC 9. Birmingham, AL 10. Greenville, SC
The slowest housing market in mid-April was Richmond, Virginia, where a whopping 72% of homes listed at least two months earlier still hadn’t sold.
That’s up 11% from the 61% share a year earlier. It was followed by Hartford with a 71% share, and Albany, New Haven, and Long Island all at 70%. Perhaps the weather could be to blame…
Interestingly, faster moving markets have had bigger price increases, which seems somewhat counterintuitive.
But the rationale is that these hot markets are able to increase asking prices steadily because demand is so strong. And that demand means fewer homes stay on the market, further allowing for price increases.
Of course, there are limits, and those have been tested in fringy spots like Phoenix and the Inland Empire of California.
Everyone loves a good celebrity story—the dazzling red carpets, the breathtaking performances, and sometimes… the scandals. From Justin Bieber to Meghan Markle, each star brings their own set of controversies that make us scratch our heads in disbelief. But what’s worse than a scandal is when an influential celebrity gets away with toxic behavior without facing any repercussions.
In today’s blog post, we’re counting down 20 celebrities whose questionable deeds mostly flew under the radar. So if you want to learn more about who wasn’t caught in these webs of drama, keep reading!
1. Nicki Minaj
One user posted, “Nicki Minaj and oh god where to begin…. She paid for the bond of her brother, who was convicted of s-xually assaulting his 12-year-old step-sister, and years later went on Twitter and accused the girl’s mother of extortion, but let’s just say the forensics evidence in court made it VERY clear the child was not lying.
“She dressed as a fairy princess and ‘demanded’ a woman in a wheelchair walk.
“She married a man who had broken into a 17-year-old girl’s home, put a knife to her back and attempted to assault her… She then went on to her radio show and told over 10 million people that the victim was a white woman (she was not) who was lying to an innocent black man due to spite. The victim has been harassed by her fans since, even receiving death threats.
“She gloated in a now-deleted tweet about how she fires her employees who ask for days off. When asked, she would tell them to think about the days she wanted off but never got, and if they still wanted the day off after her spiel, she would fire them.
“She’s consistently a very vile person, and it seems no one cares enough to say anything about it.”
2. Kirk Douglas
“Kirk Douglas. R*ped Natalie Wood and probably more. Still regarded as a legend,” one user shared.
Another user added, “It was a violent [too], from what I read. He was a horrible man. Comparing women to dogs.”
“…And maybe killed a pregnant girlfriend. I don’t think they ever found her body,” one commenter replied.
3. Jack Nicholson
One Redditor said, “In 2000, Jack Nicholson beat a woman so severely that she sustained permanent damage to various regions of her brain.”
Another user asked, “Why haven’t I heard of this? What a [horrible human].”
One user replied, “Nicholson is getting up in years as he’s in his mid-eighties now, and rumour has it that he’s got Alzheimer’s—hasn’t made a film in several years. If some of the more unsavoury and sinister stories about him are true, it’s likely to come out after he passes. Once he’s gone, I don’t know whether his several adult children would have the clout and influence to suppress something like an exposé biography.”
4. Oprah
One Redditor commented, “Oprah. Oprah started the anti-vaxxer movement by bringing on Jenny McCarthy and Andrew Wakefield and didn’t bring out an actual scientist to dispute the claims. She gave them the voice that they should never have had, and because of it, she has the blood of every person who has died because of their anti-vaxxer beliefs on her hands.”
Another user added, “Oprah and Meryl Streep enabled and supported Weinstein for decades. I’ve even heard stories about them directing young hopefuls in his direction, knowing full well what he would do. Somehow they haven’t had a word said against them for their behaviour and are treated as modern-day saints.
“No amount of wearing a ‘Times up’ button and espousing girl power nonsense will cover up the fact that they were complicit in his crimes. But because they are so powerful, rich and (most importantly, women), they have gotten away with it without much mention. I get you can’t be held responsible for someone else’s actions. But they knew, and they were fine with it.”
5. Charlie Chaplin
“Charlie Chaplin treated his children and teenage wives with relentless cruelty,” one user shared.
Another user replied, “There was a documentary on Chaplin where they tried to wave all these ‘[abusing] teenage girls’ [claims] away by basically saying: ‘Oh, women in Hollywood are all jaded cynical;… Charlie just appreciated the pure innocence of young girls before they corrupted themselves.’ I remember thinking they should have just ignored the issue entirely if that was the best they could come up with.”
6. Ellen DeGeneres
One Redditor posted, “Ellen got away with it for a long time.”
Another user shared, “Ellen always had a nasty streak, all the way back to her Carson appearance. Her humour was always based on pain, but she crossed a line when she went from exploring it to inflicting it on others. I honestly think she had some incredible insight into modern culture, but it’s all [thrown] away by being a sh-thead. Losing her sitcom really seemed to have broken something in her.”
One user replied, “Remember when she tricked a celebrity (don’t remember who) into revealing she was pregnant on her show, which is a massive breach of privacy in a world where famous people need to fight to keep anything private.
“Then the woman had to announce sometime later that she suffered a miscarriage. Sure, it’s not Ellen’s fault that it happened, but if she had just minded her own business, this person would not have to deal with her trauma publicly. There’s a reason some people wait a few months to announce a pregnancy.”
7. Paul Walker
“The internet still seems to go all lovey when Paul Walker comes up, but he was literally mid-thirties when he started hooking up with his 16-year-old girlfriend. I never understood why he got a pass for that,” one user shared.
Another user replied, “Cause he died young and starred in a successful franchise.”
8. Antony Starr
One user shared, “[Antony] Starr, who plays homelander on The Boys, was harassing women at a restaurant. A 21-year-old chef tried to be diplomatic with him, and Anthony smashed a bottle against his face; when he literally had glass shards implanted in his eyebrows, Anthony said, “You don’t know who you’ve messed with, you don’t know who I am and what you’ve done. You’ve committed the mistake of your life, and I’m going to look for you. I want to kill you.”
“There’s a reason why his co-stars say he’s most like his characters. The way he got so violent after someone being diplomatic with him and the desire to continue wanting to destroy him, as indicated verbally by him, are clear signs of someone on the psychopathy spectrum and someone with the wealth and status to habitually and casually get away with treating people terribly.”
9. Victor Salva
“Victor Salva. Director of the Jeepers Creepers films. Less toxic, more convicted [child abuse] behaviour, but nobody seems to care and keeps giving his films—which are clearly him living out his fantasies of tormenting young boys—the time of day,” one user commented.
Another user replied,” (Not so)Fun fact. He filmed jeepers and creepers right next door to an elementary school and high school. I was at the high school when it was filmed. Total piece of sh-t.”
10. Dr. Phil
One user shared, “Dr. Phil. He literally sent troubled teens to an abuse camp (‘ranch’) to ‘fix them.’ The workers physically, emotionally and s-xually abused those kids.”
Another Redditor responded, “You can just call him “Phil.”
11. Phil Spector
“Phil Spector used to point guns at everyone in the studio and would threaten people on a daily basis. He made a gold coffin for his wife in case ‘she would ever leave him.’ Yet, people were surprised when he murdered someone.”, one user shared.
Another user added, “He held Ronnie Bennett captive and abused her for years. She gave up custody of her children and all future earnings on her recordings during the divorce out of fear he would hire somebody to kill her. His kids all say he s-xually abused them and kept them captive.”
12. Kobe Bryant
One user commented, “Kobe got away with r-pe…
Kobe’s defenders claim Kobe is innocent by citing something the victim allegedly said after the trial, ‘I’m going to make so much money off of this,’ even though every publication that initially reported this eventually had to take their article down. And even then, maybe it’s ok to be happy considering what Kobe’s PR team, the media, and celeb worshippers who say the same stuff you’re saying put her through?”
13. Steven Tyler
One user posted, “Steven Tyler makes me want to vomit. I hate how Aerosmith is still played all over.”
Another user added, “I am almost certain that when their guitarist went solo in the 80s, Tyler’s BS was part of the issue, and only part of the band wanted to sober up. Amazing what a large contract with tons of money can make some people come back to, though.”
14. Joan Crawford
“Joan Crawford, in her lifetime, physically and emotionally abused her children, and it was not a secret to those close to her. Woody Allen is still welcome in some social circles though he is a [predator] and a sociopath who has groomed and… abused his own children. He married his stepdaughter, a child when they began living together… There’s a long list,” one Redditor posted.
15. Jimmy Page
One user shared, “Jimmy Page. He [abused] a lot of children.”
One user asked, “Wait, what? Really?”
One user answered, “Dude was even caught red-handed with hard drives of child [images]…”
16. Heidi Klum
“Heidi Klum. She’s literally abusing minors on camera AND is making money off of that, but nobody is talking about it,” one user posted.
One user replied, “I couldn’t agree more. I’m from Germany, and just about every woman over the age of 10 watches her show ‘Germany’s Next Top Model.’ In school, my classmates would just talk about this show all the time when it was on, and some of my friends still watch it. I’ve never watched it, and I’m not going to.
“It’s really disgusting what happens there. You are allowed to participate from the age of 16. The participants even have to pose [in nothing] or only in their underwear. Anyone who refuses will be kicked out. There are countless things I could list now, but that would be too much for me. I can not understand how something like this can still be produced and shown. Heidi Klum is a terrible person, in my opinion.”
17. Cardi B
One Redditor asked, “Didn’t Cardi B admit to drugging and robbing guys she had met at the strip club? I was pretty surprised at how quickly the media let her off the hook for that one.”
Another user answered, “Didn’t one of the victims say that being drugged was still a better experience than listening to her music.”
One commenter responded, “That’s hilarious if true.”
18. Woody Allen
“Before Allen v. Farrow HBO came out, Woody Allen used to have supporters on Reddit who would go hard at defending him like the Al Franken supporters do these days. They would link to bullshit publicans and weird pdfs claiming to be from the court case. People would usually give up arguing with them because they were so many, and they were extremely knowledgeable about the case, so they could just keep citing shit whenever people would critique Woody Allen.
“I would keep talking shit about Woody, and sometimes there were no defenders, but weeks later, you would have someone come in and start a point-by-point breakdown about how Woody was innocent and was framed by Mia.
“Then Allen v. Farrow HBO came out, and suddenly, I don’t see these types of comments anymore. I suspect a social media astroturfing campaign was a part of Woody’s PR budget, but then it became exhausted after Allen v. Farrow,” one user posted.
19. Sean Penn
A user also commented, “Sean Penn tied [up] his wife, Madonna,… and beat her. No one seemed to care. Most people don’t even know it, I bet.”
However, one user disagreed, “According to her, it never happened. There are many documented instances of him being an asshole, but I’m inclined to believe her on this.”
20. Billy Joel
“Billy Joel. Dated a 19-year-old Elle McPherson in his mid-thirties. Then moved on to Christie Brinkley. He treated his band, who was co-writing and arranging his songs, like absolute garbage. He then unceremoniously fired them at a producer’s insistence.
“They protested fishing limitations imposed on fishermen on Long Island by getting purposely arrested. The thing is, there were dangerous levels of chemicals in the fish. The restriction was so people didn’t get sick and die.
“He was allowed to play Moscow during the height of the Cold War. They proceeded to act like a total asshole because the film crew documenting it wanted to light the audience. Also, years of being a fat, drunken slob and terrorizing Long Island.” one Redditor posted.
Another user added, “My Father owned an appliance repair company on the south shore of Long Island; he sold it in ’95. Billy Joel was a customer, and my Dad said the man was always a huge [jerk]. He hated doing service calls for Joel and always tried to pawn them off on his apprentice, but that didn’t always happen, and he’d have to go there himself. I wondered why the guy didn’t just buy a new washer, but whatever. Apparently, his brother was a nice man.”
Do you agree with the list above? Tell us below!
Source: Reddit.
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You know that old saying, “Every little bit helps.” Well, the opposite might also be true when it comes to home prices.
A new study from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) revealed that a mere $1,000 increase in the cost of a new, median-priced home prevents more than 200,000 prospective buyers from even making an offer.
The NAHB makes several assumptions to come up with that number. For example, they use a median national new home price of $275,000. Additionally, the buyer is only expected to put down 10%. And the maximum front-end DTI can’t exceed 28%.
Also, the mortgage rate used is 4.5% on a 30-year fixed mortgage. For the record, if any of these details change just a little, the math could be thrown completely out of whack.
And guess what, mortgage rates do change all the time, and not everyone has to pay private mortgage insurance. It also depends on the type of loan in question, among other things.
Still, of the nearly 118 million households in the United States, 206,269 wouldn’t be able to purchase a home that is $1,000 more expensive.
Texas the Most Priced Out State in the Nation
Of course, the impact depends on where the home is located. In places where homes are already mostly unaffordable, tacking on another $1,000 to the sales price will do very little, if anything.
But in places where prices are largely affordable, a seemingly small shift can force thousands to continue renting as opposed to buying.
Overall, Texas would be the hardest hit state, with 18,250 households no longer able to qualify for a mortgage based on a $1,000 increase to a median-priced home.
Of course, there are more than nine million households in the Lone Star State, so it’s not as bad as it sounds.
Conversely, only 313 households (of over 225k) in Wyoming would be affected by a $1,000 home price increase, making it the least vulnerable state in the nation.
In California, where the population is largest, only 14,423 households would be priced out because there are fewer affordable new homes to begin with.
At the metro level, the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island area would be most affected by a $1,000 price increase, with 5,742 households effectively priced out.
It’s followed by the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI MSA, where 5,325 households would be priced out, despite having about half the number of households.
Same story here – nearly a third of all local households can afford new homes in the Chi-Town metro, whereas only 19% of households in the New-York area can qualify for new home mortgages before any price hikes are even factored in.
Similar pricing out can be seen in places like Atlanta, Baltimore, Houston, and Las Vegas.
In Napa, California, where less than 15% of all households can afford a median-priced new home, only 18 households would be priced out.
By the way, the purpose of the study seems to be driven by the NAHB’s distaste for regulatory fees, which they claim are passed onto the consumer. For example, every $833 increase in cost (permits, impact fees) results in a $1,000 increase in home price.
And their research shows regulations imposed by the government account for 25% of the final price of a newly-built single-family home.
In reality, there are all always plenty of options to qualify for a mortgage, even if the numbers are really tight. Shopping around to get your interest rate and closing costs lower can make much more of an impact than a $1,000 home price increase.
Reports that Amazon has narrowed down the choice of potential cities to host its second headquarters to just three have led to “property frenzies”, as investors look to cash in what they assume would be skyrocketing real estate prices once the decision is officially announced.
Last week it was reported that Amazon will pick two cities to host its HQ2 out of Crystal City, Va.; Long Island City, N.Y.; and Dallas.
CNN Business reported earlier today that Amazon has settled on Crystal City and Long Island City, although Amazon has yet to make any official confirmation.
As a result of the speculation, property frenzies have been whipped up in both Crystal City and Long Island City amid speculation they’ll be chosen. Redfin, the online real estate brokerage, reports that views of listings in both cities have gone through the roof. In the first seven days of November, Long Island City views jumped by 648 percent compared to the average, while views of listings in Crystal City rose by 371 percent.
Mara Gemmond, an agent with Redfin, said in a blog post that one two-bedroom condo in Crystal City had been listed for weeks with little interest from buyers. However, she’s now had numerous showings with prospective buyers.
“I believe there is a lot of interest from investors who want a property they can rent out to a future Amazon employee or possibly use for corporate housing,” Gemmond said. “Investors are betting that prices will rise quickly, and they’ll be able to rent or sell for a nice profit once Amazon comes to town.”
Obviously it’s still a risk until Amazon announces its chosen cities, but some buyers want to get in ahead of the final announcement, fearing that demand and prices will rise exponentially if they wait.
“At the same time, prospective sellers right now are weighing whether it makes sense to delay putting their home up for sale to see if they can get more for their home after Amazon makes its announcement,” said Leslie White, a Washington D.C.-based real estate agent.
A year ago, Amazon, which is headquartered in Seattle, announced plans to create a second headquarters, setting off a frenzy among 238 cities across the country who were vying to be the chosen location. Originally, Amazon said that whichever city it chose would see 50,000 new jobs, which largely has been predicted to set off an economic and housing boom. If Amazon divides its second headquarters between two sites, each city would add about 25,000 employees.
Mike Wheatley is the senior editor at Realty Biz News. Got a real estate related news article you wish to share, contact Mike at [email protected].
News that Amazon.com is reconsidering putting a second headquarters in New York City has dealmakers wobbling their heads. According to the news, a wave of public outcry and political maneuvering may well force the company to look elsewhere.
Amazon’s highly publicized search for a second headquarters appeared to be over as billionaire Jeff Bezos’ company seemed all set to create 25,000 jobs at a new campus in New York City. Real estate professionals close to the potential deal were anticipating new life being breathed into the stagnant NY market. Then a 29-year old congresswoman named Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (above) pointed out what should have been obvious from the start. The subsidies and sweet offers New York offered Amazon were just too sweet. A political firestorm ensued, and the community lashed out at local politicians and dealmakers.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo (D) and Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) have been singing the praises of the Amazon deal, calling it an economic triumph. At the end of the day, citizens of the state do not feel like giving giant subsidies to the world’s most valuable company at this moment in time is a good idea. Amazon has now hired an independent PR firm to try and sooth the deal over, but Ocasio-Cortez’s support base is solid. Sen. Michael N. Gianaris (D-Queens), appointed recently to the Public Authorities Control Board that will decide on the deal, has accused Amazon of extortion the past. The deputy senior majority leader was cited by the Washington Post commenting:
“Amazon has extorted New York from the start, and this seems to be their next effort to do just that. If their view is, ‘We won’t come unless we get three billion of your dollars,’ then they shouldn’t come.”
Many see this Amazon-NY struggle as one of populism versus the corporate elites, some calling the deal a “tipping point” in a kind of class struggle. Back in November Amazon dangled a huge carrot in front of New Yorkers and Long Island City residents by promising salaries of $150,000 a year to as many as 50,000 workers. The Jeff Bezos run company had originally planned a single headquarters but instead split the new development in two in between New York and Long Island. Now Amazon is threatening to pull out.
At the end of the day Amazon and supporters of the new HQ deal are claiming a $3 billion dollar subsidies package taxpayers will have to deal with. However, an Intercept report recently shows the actual amount of the subsidies is closer to $5 billion. And this does not include a Federal tax loophole that will save Amazon and cost truckloads of revenue. It turns out the Amazon location in Long Island City, in the New York City borough of Queens, puts the new Amazon HQ in a tax zone that lets the company defer income tax until many residents are dead or in old folks homes. The so-called “Tax Landing” zones let companies defer their taxes until 2026. Under the tax overhaul signed into effect by President Donald Trump last year, investors in opportunity zones can defer payments of capital gains taxes until 2026, and exclude 15 percent of the gains from taxation if they hold them for 7 years.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her constituents are bringing to light much of the hyperbole the Amazon PR teams have set in motion to create this deal. This Good Jobs First report also reveals Amazon PR people shorting potential workers by almost $40,000 a year. The “rabbit hole” of Amazon’s deal seems endless now that Freedom of Information Act disclosures show the under the table maneuvers of Amazon. One big question opponents of the deal have is, “What else is underneath?” Not much publicity has been given to the fact that the cities making the biggest known subsidy offers did not win the deal. Few people realize that Montgomery County, Maryland offered an $8.5 billion subsidies package or the St. Louis wagered $7.3 billion. Some say Amazon owner Jeff Bezos wants the HQs close to his three listed residences, and other experts contend the Virginia HQ is close to the Pentagon, a big customer for Bezos’ company. Whatever the case is, odds seem good the New York deal will turn sour fast as more revelations are brought into the limelight.
In conclusion, big companies taking huge subsidies for dangling the carrot of more jobs has cost Americans untold billions in potential revenue. Companies like Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google, and Foxconn promise jobs, but those jobs end up costing taxpayers more than they are worth. This The Guardian story peels back the veil on this aspect of corporate dealmaking. The companies typically overstate the positive impacts like the number of jobs and the overall community aspects, and they end up paying little or no tax at all. The Guardian report shows that local schools and other infrastructure in need of financial help, suffer an inestimable loss on account of the long tail of corporate subsidies. No wonder some experts are calling this high profile Amazon case a battle between populism and the corporate elites.
Phil Butler is a former engineer, contractor, and telecommunications professional who is editor of several influential online media outlets including part owner of Pamil Visions with wife Mihaela. Phil began his digital ramblings via several of the world’s most noted tech blogs, at the advent of blogging as a form of journalistic license. Phil is currently top interviewer, and journalist at Realty Biz News.