Signals: What We're Tracking
NC Hurricane Recovery Grants
The Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains gave $25,000 each to two members hit hardest by Hurricane Helene: WSM Craft in Asheville, N.C., and Arbor Zen Hardwood Floors in Black Mountain, N.C. Both plan to use the grants to resume full operations in 2026.
Related: The Association's president also took a hit with his firm. Read about his own inspiring pivot→
Front Doors Made for a Giant
Luxury real estate in LA is seeing a new trend: front doors that are "comically large, two stories tall." Curbed explores what's driving the craze →
"Building Costs Won't Rise Much"
So said John Burns Research & Consulting in a note to subscribers. Luxury and custom home demand remains strong, but softer entry-level and Sunbelt markets, along with supplier competition, will keep prices in check into 2026.
Meanwhile: The consultancy said recent high-income job losses are thinning the buyer pool, with Information, Professional Services, and Financial Activities sectors shrinking across most major metros. Charlotte is the exception, with 2.6% year-over-year professional services growth.
LA's Famous "Hobbit Houses" Sold
A Disney artist spent three decades, starting in the 1940s, building fanciful cottages in California's Storybook architecture style. Locals dubbed them the 'Hobbit Houses.' When the property (nine units across four cottages) hit the market for the first time this fall, buyers came running. Check it out →
