The California State Senate passed a bill this week that would permit the construction of affordable housing units on land owned by faith-based institutions and nonprofit colleges, even if local zoning ordinances and laws would normally prevent construction.
The bill, introduced last December by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), is designed to reduce barriers faced by nonprofit organizations, churches, synagogues and mosques for constructing multifamily housing units on their properties.
“Tackling our housing crisis requires every tool available to us,” Sen. Wiener told the Davis Vanguard. “Many faith institutions are called to provide housing to those in need, as our severe housing crisis continues to inflict its most serious damage on the most marginalized. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Assembly to allow faith institutions to help with our housing crisis, opening up a huge amount of essential land exclusively for affordable housing.”
If signed into law, the bill would supersede local zoning rules for applicable institutions and would prevent opponents of the construction from using the environmental review process to slow the construction process through litigation.
In addition to zoning limitations, the state’s strict environmental review process has also been considered by the bill’s supporters as an impediment to construction, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“SB 4 will unlock an enormous, and I’m not exaggerating, an enormous amount of land for 100% affordable housing,” Wiener said late last year when announcing the proposal. He cited a 2020 study by the University of California, Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation, which found that roughly 40,000 acres of land that are currently used by religious institutions have potential for housing development.
While a union dispute over pay language previously threatened to derail the bill, according to CalMatters, once the bill made it to the Senate floor, it passed overwhelmingly — with 33 in favor and two lawmakers voting against it. Five members did not record a vote.
The bill was delivered to the California State Assembly on Wednesday, where it was read in the chamber for the first time.
Hoping to increase the housing supply and help families build wealth, the Federal Housing Administration on Thursday proposed several changes to its guidelines that could make it easier to buy a house with an accessory dwelling unit or to build an ADU.
The agency’s proposal would allow lenders to offer renovation loans to build ADUs and consider future rent from the unit when calculating how much a customer can afford to borrow. Under current rules for FHA-backed loans, lenders can consider rental income from duplexes but not ADUs.
The proposal would address one of the main barriers that people with little home equity and low to moderate incomes encounter when they try to get a loan for an ADU. “This is a huge step in helping us actually build ADUs,” said Meredith Stowers, a loan officer at CrossCountry Mortgage in San Diego.
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Other parts of the proposal would allow FHA-backed construction loans to be used to build a house and an ADU.
FHA Commissioner Julia R. Gordon said the agency is trying to advance two important goals with the proposal: enabling more people to own homes that include income-generating property, as the FHA does for duplexes, and increasing the housing supply.
The proposal is just a draft at this point, though, and it could change in response to public input.
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The FHA doesn’t lend money directly; instead, it provides guarantees for loans issued by banks, which increase banks’ willingness to lend and reduces the interest rate charged. The guarantees are available only for loans that stay within the size limits set by the FHA. In Los Angeles County, the maximum for a one-unit property is just under $1.1 million. (The proposal would classify a single-family home with an ADU as a one-unit property.)
Under an FHA-backed renovation loan, homeowners can borrow more than the current value of their homes if the improvements they’re planning would justify it. But the FHA will back loans only if the monthly payments are deemed affordable, which means that they can’t push the borrower’s recurring obligations over a set percentage of the borrower’s income.
That’s why including future rents could make a big difference — increasing borrowers’ income makes it more likely that they’ll be able to borrow enough money to build an ADU, which can easily cost $150,000 to $200,000.
In contrast to the FHA’s proposal, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — two giant, federally chartered purchasers of home mortgages — do not support loans that factor in theoretical rental income from a yet-to-be-built ADU. The inability to consider potential rental income “is a massive obstacle in helping my clients obtain loans to build their ADUs,” Stowers said. Most of her clients are using home equity lines of credit to build ADUs, but the FHA’s proposal “would allow us to offer much lower-interest first mortgages” to finance the purchase of a home and the construction of an ADU.
“This is what the vast majority of Californians want,” she said. Many of her clients are families that combine the resources of multiple generations to build compounds consisting of two houses and two ADUs, she said. “Why wouldn’t you support that? These families are building a strong financial foundation, but also social ties that are invaluable.”
Gordon said the lack of historical data about ADUs and the value they add to a property has made them a challenge for the FHA, Fannie and Freddie. “It’s a little bit of a chicken-and-egg problem,” she said — there’s not enough data for lenders to figure out how to underwrite the projects, but without the loans, there’s no way to generate more data.
“To be honest, the easiest thing to do in that situation is always to do nothing.”
The FHA’s proposal seeks to support ADUs the way the agency has supported the construction and purchase of duplexes, but with some extra safeguards. For its rapid online loan evaluations, it would allow lenders to consider only 50% of the fair market rents a new ADU could generate — with duplexes, the limit is 75% — and those rents could constitute no more than 30% of the borrower’s total income when determining how large a loan to issue.
“This is new territory, and that’s why we’re putting this policy on the drafting table to receive public input,” Gordon said.
ADU construction has taken off in California, accounting for 15% of the housing units approved in the state in 2021. But this type of project is starting to be a national phenomenon, Gordon said, as more communities grapple with shortages of affordable housing and the need to increase density.
“It’s my sense that many jurisdictions find that permitting ADUs to be a more palatable political first step in making adjustments to zoning,” she said. “That’s why I do think we will start to see more interest.”
An ADU that can be rented out and appreciate in value over the years also creates a chance to build wealth from generation to generation.
“In a more modest neighborhood, the ability of a household to get into first-time homeownership of both the unit that they’ll be occupying and the unit that has a rental opportunity can be an excellent wealth-building opportunity,” Gordon said. “Many families over the years have successfully increased their own prosperity and really the stability and prosperity of the neighborhood in this way.”
Stowers praised the FHA for moving forward and recognized the agency’s concern about going too far too fast. But she added, “All the agencies have been tiptoeing toward this moment. But my hope is they will tiptoe a lot faster.”
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For new college graduates, receiving that first post-degree paycheck can be almost as exciting as getting the diploma itself. But it also presents a challenge: Given the many demands on a young person’s budget, how should those funds be managed?
We asked five money experts to share their best personal finance strategies to help this year’s college grads successfully launch their financial lives. Here’s what they said.
Find your budgeting style
To figure out how to allocate your money toward needs, wants and everything else, Erin Lowry, author of the “Broke Millennial Workbook,” says that instead of following the latest budgeting trend on TikTok, it’s helpful to just sit down with a pen and paper. “Write down what your big expenses are,” she says.
After accounting for large items like rent, car payments and food, you can then see what nonessentials also fit. “You might want to go out to dinner with friends, build up new work attire or adopt a dog,” Lowry says. Writing out the budget helps you figure out what you can afford and when, she adds.
“We conceive of budgets as restrictive things that keep us from having fun, but you should be thinking of it as a way of controlling how your money is spent. If you don’t know, you’ve sacrificed all control,” Lowry says.
Factor in taxes
Melissa Jean-Baptiste, a financial educator and the author of the book “So… This Is Why I’m Broke,” says it’s easy to forget to account for taxes, so you might have less take-home pay than you anticipated. Retirement contributions and other deductions can further lower that amount.
Jean-Baptiste suggests setting aside some time to really understand your first paycheck and all those deductions. “Take yourself on a money date so you understand how much you’re bringing home and how much you have left to save and invest,” she says.
Save smartly
Even if they’re paying off debt, Alex Rezzo, a certified financial planner and the founder of Andante Financial in the Los Angeles area, urges new grads to start saving for retirement right away. “There will always be a more immediate excuse to delay saving for retirement,” he says, but he urges people to find a way to save at least 1% of each paycheck and to increase that amount over time.
He also suggests parking your direct-deposited paycheck funds in an online bank that offers a competitive high-yield account and is backed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. That way, the money likely will earn more than it would sitting in a traditional bank’s checking or savings account.
Protect your credit
As you build your independent financial life, making at least the minimum payments on your student loan and credit card accounts can help protect your credit. Missing a payment, Lowry says, could damage your credit score. She suggests focusing on paying down any high-interest debt first to reduce the total amount going to interest.
Lowry also suggests freezing or locking your credit, which makes it much harder for identity thieves to apply for new credit in your name. Just remember that if you freeze your credit, you’ll also have to thaw it if you want to apply for credit yourself, she says, adding, “you might want to wait until you’re through a period of time when you’re applying for new accounts.”
Make mistakes and learn from them
Kennedy Reynolds, chief education officer at Acorns, a financial services company, says mistakes are part of the learning process, whether it’s overspending or accruing credit card debt, but the key is to learn from the experience. “If you have debt to pay down, take that paycheck and split it up” toward those bills until they are paid off, she says.
“Try to picture yourself later and know that the choices you’re making now will have a long-term impact,” she adds.
Look beyond your paycheck
Linda Whiteman, a personal finance teacher at Outschool, an online learning platform for kids, teaches her students to think entrepreneurially. After all, she tells them, most millionaires are business owners.
“You don’t have to work for someone,” she says. She asks her students to consider what they can teach others, whether offering piano lessons online or creating digital art. Pursuing additional income streams outside of a paycheck can help grow wealth, she adds.
Jean-Baptiste found success doing exactly that: She used her experience as a teacher to create and sell lesson plans online. “I was bringing in $10,000 a year that I could put toward debt,” she says. Her lesson plans eventually turned into the financial literacy business that she operates today.
Earning additional income outside of a paycheck, she says, “can be a game-changer” — financial wisdom that applies at any age.
This article was written by NerdWallet and was originally published by The Associated Press.
Evelyn Arceo holds down a full-time job as a baker at Universal Studios Hollywood, earning $19 an hour. But even when she gets a few hours of overtime at the theme park, the single mother of four can barely afford the rent of her one-bedroom apartment in Panorama City.
On her salary, buying a home is out of the question.
Already, her monthly rent of $1,300 is “just too expensive at this point,” Arceo said, with late fees of $40 to $50 compounding her financial plight. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on time on my rent.”
Arceo’s situation is common in California, which is among the nation’s leaders in renter-occupied housing. In the Golden State, 45.5% of housing units were occupied by renters in 2020, a small increase from the 44% rate in 2010, according to newly released data by the U.S. Census Bureau.
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California was second only to New York, where 49.7% of the housing units are renter occupied. The District of Columbia was an outlier, at 61.7%.
Nationwide, the rate of renter-occupied housing units — 36.9% — is at its highest point since 1970.
“The growth of renter-occupied units continues to outpace the growth of owner-occupied units,” the Census Bureau said in a statement.
The states with the lowest renter rate — and therefore the highest owner-occupied rates — were West Virginia, at 27.4%, and Maine, at 28.9%.
Hans Johnson, a demographer at the Public Policy Institute of California, said the new data were “not shocking.” California’s high rate of renters can be attributed mostly to “the high cost of housing,” Johnson said.
The annual income needed to buy a home in Los Angeles rose last year beyond $220,000, according to a study by the residential real estate firm Redfin. With higher mortgage interest rates and inflation cutting into household incomes, the ability to own a home is increasingly out of reach for residents in Los Angeles, where the median annual household income in 2020 was just over $65,000.
High housing costs are also a factor in putting California near the bottom in another category: the rate of single-occupancy households.
New data from the Census Bureau show that more than a quarter of all households in America — 27.6% — had just one occupant in 2020. The rate of solo occupancy is more than three times the recorded level in 1940, 7.7%.
A Times analysis found that California ranked 49th of the 50 states in the rate of single-occupant dwellings, with 23% of households occupied by just one person — a rate that has remained steady for about 20 years. Only Utah had a lower rate, at 20%.
North Dakota had the highest rate of single occupancy, 32.8%. The District of Columbia’s rate was an astronomical 43.7%.
In states other than California, “where rents are much lower or the opportunity to buy a house is better, it’s not as difficult for a single worker” to live alone, Johnson said.
Another factor is California having a “larger immigrant population than in the rest of the U.S.,” according to Johnson. “It is more common for immigrant families to live in multigenerational households,” he said.
Utah has the lowest rate of single-occupant homes because the state has a high marriage rate and an uncommonly high number of children per household, Johnson said. He attributed those trends partially to Mormon residents, who make up well over half of the state’s population.
The increase in people living alone coincides with higher social isolation, a worrying trend outlined by U.S. Surgeon Gen. Dr. Vivek Murthy in a recent report.
“Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation has been an underappreciated public health crisis that has harmed individual and societal health. Our relationships are a source of healing and well-being hiding in plain sight — one that can help us live healthier, more fulfilled and more productive lives,” Murthy said.
Such isolation increases the risk of premature death by more than 60% and includes higher risks of heart disease, stroke and dementia, according to the report.
To counter the increased isolation, “communities must design environments that promote connection,” the report said, and “invest in institutions that bring people together.”
While more Americans are living alone, Arceo, 32, worries about providing her children a home where they can enjoy some space for themselves.
With a 14-year-old son in the throes of adolescence and a 12-year-old son entering that stage, “they need their privacy,” she said.
“It’s insane to say that I work for this company and can’t afford to give my kids a proper living,” Arceo said.
Cristina Arceo babysits her grandchild Yahir Pinto, 4, at the Panorama City apartment where her daughter Evelyn Arceo lives with her four children. A corner of the living room serves as a bedroom where Evelyn Arceo and Yahir sleep.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
She has worked as a baker for the theme park for eight years, but Arceo notes that “I was homeless for the first year working at Universal,” when she was forced to live with her then-three children in hotels, friends’ homes, wherever they could.
With the bakery short-staffed, she has recently picked up “at least an hour of overtime a day,” but it hasn’t been enough, forcing her “to choose whether I pay my car insurance or my rent,” she said.
Johnson, the demographer, pointed to possible hope on the horizon. He noted that California has reported a steady decline in population since 2020 — starting at the beginning of the pandemic. The drop has coincided with the construction of more housing, primarily in the state’s suburbs and exurbs.
“If California continues to lose people and build housing, at some point it should make a dent in the housing deficit.”
A construction surge is not likely to make enough of a difference to change the conditions for low-wage workers like Arceo.
Looking to the future, she doesn’t see many options.
Calyx Founded in 1991 by Doug Chang, Calyx Software brought together the top minds in both the mortgage industry and the tech space to develop a top-tier, industry-specific software. That software streamlines every step in the mortgage loan origination process. Depending on your needs, Calyx Point, Calyx PointCentral, and Calyx Path offer numerous features to … [Read more…]
June is a popular month for change: graduations, weddings and job changes. All of this change results in relocation and the need to find a new place to call home.
Where are people relocating to? We define “sister metros” as the areas where people most often move from and where they move to.
In this relocation trends infographic, we found that the top searched sister metros included Washington, D.C. to New York City, New York City to Los Angeles, New York City to Atlanta and Dallas to Houston. The top five searched metro areas were Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Houston and Atlanta.
Relocation Tips Budgeting Tips 7 Tips for Easy Moving Top 5 Apps to Help You Move
Apartment Guide used internal search data from May 2013 to determine the top sister cities, as well as the cities that are most searched. U.S. Census Bureau data was used to identify common reasons that trigger relocations.
Apartment Guide – Find a New Place to Call Home
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FOX Business’ Lauren Simonetti and Stuart Varney break down the high stakes related to the debt ceiling.
If the U.S. defaults on its debt, it could have potentially disastrous consequences for the already fragile U.S. housing market.
That’s according to a recent analysis from Zillow, which projected that home-buying costs could surge by a stunning 22% if Congress fails to raise the debt limit by June 1. On top of that, the 30-year mortgage rate would likely skyrocket above 8%, the highest since the early 2000s, according to the report, authored by Zillow senior economist Jeff Tucker.
Zillow laid out a bleak scenario for the housing market in the case of a first-ever debt default: Tucker projected 23% fewer sales of existing homes to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 3.3 million in September. And by the end of 2024, home values would be down about 5%.
WHAT IS THE DEBT CEILING, AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU?
Houses in the Harris Ranch community of Boise, Idaho, on July 1, 2022. (Jeremy Erickson/Bloomberg via / Getty Images)
“Much uncertainty surrounds these estimates, but there’s little doubt that a default would be a major negative shock to housing market activity,” Tucker wrote in the report titled “A debt ceiling default would send the US housing market back into a deep freeze.”
The clock is running out for lawmakers to lift the debt limit: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reiterated a warning on Monday that it is “highly likely” the country will run out of cash to pay its debts in early June, potentially as soon as June 1.
“We have already seen Treasury’s borrowing costs increase substantially for securities maturing in early June,” Yellen warned in a letter to congressional leaders. “If Congress fails to increase the debt limit, it would cause severe hardship to American families, harm our global leadership position, and raise questions about our ability to defend our national security interests.”
The Zillow analysis comes amid a prolonged standoff over the debt limit. House Republicans passed a bill that raises the debt limit by $1.5 trillion, extending the current ceiling through March 2024, but coupled it with various spending cuts. President Biden and his fellow Democrats, who control the Senate, prefer a “clean” debt ceiling bill without spending cuts.
People walk outside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, June 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File / AP Newsroom)
The White House is now hosting near-daily talks with Republicans as Washington races to strike a budget agreement before the pivotal June deadline. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., struck a more optimistic tone on Monday after the latest round of talks with the president, indicating that negotiators have narrowed their focus to a smaller group of key issues in order to strike a compromise.
“We’re getting closer. Don’t give up on us,” McCarthy told reporters on Monday, adding a “circle” of issues is becoming “smaller, smaller, smaller.”
Biden likewise called the meeting “productive,” and signaled that talks would continue in coming days.
“We reiterated once again that default is off the table and the only way to move forward is in good faith toward a bipartisan agreement,” the president said in a statement
A view of houses in a neighborhood in Los Angeles on July 5, 2022. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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If the U.S. failed to raise or suspend the debt limit, it would eventually have to temporarily default on some of its obligations, which could have serious negative economic implications. Interest rates would likely spike, and demand for Treasurys would drop; even the threat of default can cause borrowing costs to increase, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
While the U.S. has never defaulted on its debt before, it came close in 2011, when House Republicans refused to pass a debt-ceiling increase, prompting rating agency Standard and Poor’s to downgrade the U.S. debt rating one notch.
Which NFL team’s fans are the least generous when it comes to charitable giving? Some of these results may be surprising.
1. Los Angeles Chargers
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Average amount given to charity per year: $123
2. Los Angeles Rams
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Average amount given to charity per year: $140
Fintan Costello, Managing Director at BonusFinder.com, said: “The main message is that any act of charity is fantastic to see, no matter what the contribution, but it takes on extra meaning especially at this time of the year.”
3. Washington Commanders
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Average amount given to charity per year: $152
4. Las Vegas Raiders
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Average amount given to charity per year: $166
5. Cleveland Browns
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Average amount given to charity per year: $171
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Average amount given to charity per year: $173
7. New York Jets
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Average amount given to charity per year: $178
8. Seattle Seahawks
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Average amount given to charity per year: $183
9. San Francisco 49ers
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Average amount given to charity per year: $187
10. Miami Dolphins
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Average amount given to charity per year: $198
11. New York Giants
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Average amount given to charity per year: $216
Source: BonusFinder.com surveyed 1,027 NFL fans on behaviors, opinions, and verdicts on other fanbases across the league.
Image Credit: Shutterstock – Denis Makarenko
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Photo Credit: Shutterstock.
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
Image Credit: Troma Entertainment
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites
Just over two years ago, JetBlue began flying its much-anticipated new Mint business-class Studios and Suites.
These direct-aisle-access pods brought big improvements relative to the legacy product, including additional privacy thanks to sliding doors, upgraded entertainment systems and enhanced connectivity options. The business-class-plus product, Mint Studio, offers even more space and storage.
These new products debuted domestically June 1, 2021, aboard the airline’s new Airbus A321neo, or new engine option, of which the airline currently has two with the new Mint configuration.
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The airline also brought the new product to its transatlantic routes to London. In addition, it’ll fly its new Mint-equipped Airbus A321LR, or long-range, on the upcoming inaugurals to Paris and Amsterdam. (JetBlue has seven A321LRs in its fleet.)
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
The new products are still a massive improvement relative to the nearly 9-year-old pods that are still flying on the 35 legacy Airbus A321s. However, I’m not so sure that the rollout is going exactly as JetBlue had hoped.
Just last week, I flew a round-trip Mint flight from New York to Los Angeles. Both flights were operated by the A321neo registered N2105J, the exact same plane I flew on the Mint inaugural nearly two years ago.
While the seats were certainly comfy, I was surprised by all the wear and tear around the seat. Here’s what was wrong.
An inoperable buddy seat
On the outbound flight to Los Angeles, I paid $149 to upgrade my Mint ticket to the Mint Studio.
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I remember really enjoying my flight in this extra-spacious first-row seat two years ago, and I figured that the $149 buy-up would be worth it for all the extra room and space.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Well, one of the key selling points of the Mint Studio is that the suite is so big that it can fit two people. I had a friend traveling on the flight, so I would’ve loved to dine with them.
Unfortunately, however, I found that the buddy seat in the Mint Studio was inoperable. It was fixed into a partially reclined position, and it’s been that way for months, according to recent flyers who reached out to me on Instagram.
In fact, on my last Mint Studio flight in April 2022, I had the exact same issue — but the buddy seat had the words “inoperable” taped around it.
It isn’t clear exactly what the issue is, but I was certainly disappointed to see this new product continue to suffer from such a notable issue.
Damaged suite door
JetBlue’s new Mint is perhaps the most stylish cabin flying around the U.S.
From the embossed seat panels to the green accents throughout the cabin, JetBlue clearly paid attention to the details.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Though the cabin might look good in marketing pictures, what I experienced last week was quite different. It started with the damaged Mint Studio privacy door in the pod across from me. It was taped up around the sides and couldn’t be used as designed by my aisle mate.
Fortunately, my door worked as promised, but I’d be pretty disappointed if I changed my plans to fly the new Mint only to have a broken suite door.
Damaged seat placards
Throughout the cabin, JetBlue installed backlit numbers at the entrance to each pod.
These green- and blue-backlit signs give the cabin a nice pop of color, but looking more closely at them revealed a larger issue — they were all damaged.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
I’m not sure if something was wrong with the material that JetBlue chose, or if the airline just has more clumsy passengers than its competitors, but this seems like something that the airline should fix sooner rather than later.
It certainly doesn’t give off a luxurious vibe, and it’s definitely not the way I’d want to be greeted when paying $1,000 or more for a one-way business-class ticket.
Peeling wireless charging pads
One of the big improvements in the new Mint cabin is the introduction of enhanced connectivity options. This includes two universal power outlets with USB-C charging ports, along with Qi wireless charging pads.
I travel with lots of tech gear, so I almost always put all the different power options to use.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
On both of my Mint flights, however, I was disappointed to see that the protective plastic covering was peeling off both wireless charging pads.
I tried using them to power up my AirPods Pro, but unfortunately, I couldn’t get the wireless chargers to work. I’m not sure if that’s because of the peeling plastic or something else (my devices charged just fine once I got home), but it’s not a great look for such a new product.
Worn-out footwells
Earlier this year, I visited one of the biggest aircraft seat factories in the entire world. During my visit, the factory’s managing director stressed the importance of making sure that the materials used on planes are built to withstand heavy use from hundreds of thousands of passengers.
Though JetBlue may not necessarily be to blame, the wear and tear on the seat footwell in the Mint Studio didn’t leave a positive impression.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
The footwell covering was already peeling, and the gray-colored lining seemed to have already been stained. I’m not sure if this is a manufacturing defect with the materials or whether JetBlue just chose the wrong color (or a mix of the two), but I would’ve hoped that the product would look better after just two years of use.
JetBlue’s response
Before writing this story, I detailed my experience to JetBlue’s communications team, and carrier spokesperson Emily Martin shared the following statement to explain that much of this wear and tear is to be expected with a new product.
After disrupting the airline industry with a premium travel experience for a fraction of the cost in 2014, Mint received a complete refresh in 2020, setting a new standard for premium flying. The Mint refresh features all-private suites with a sliding door for every Mint customer, a custom-designed seat cushion, and countless other innovative and thoughtful design touches for our customers.
Wear and tear is common on any aircraft interior, and because Mint’s bespoke design brought all-new innovations to the market, we expect that the first few years will help us learn how different elements of the product perform over time. This is the case with launch customers for almost any product. As we gain operational experience with the new Mint configuration, we have a team focused on the product’s performance standards and are working closely with the equipment manufacturers to find solutions where we have seen performance issues.
Customers are giving our refreshed Mint very high satisfaction scores and our low-fares, high-quality experience is making a positive impact both in transcon and trans-Atlantic markets. We’re focused on ensuring Mint continues to be a disruptive competitive force in the industry, just as it always has been, and it’s a high priority that we keep the product performing to customers’ satisfaction.
Bottom line
Above all else, I had two great flights in JetBlue’s new Mint product. I appreciated the delicious food and beverage options, enjoyed personalized service from multiple friendly flight attendants and even loved getting the opportunity to try the new seats once again.
That said, throughout my journey, I couldn’t help but notice some issues with the new cabin. From the inoperable buddy seat to the damaged suite numbers, the product already feels like it needs some TLC — which is somewhat surprising given that it was just introduced two years ago.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
After the flight, I posted about my experience on my Instagram. Many followers reached out to share similar issues on recent Mint flights. Before reaching out to the airline’s communications team, I called JetBlue’s customer care department to explain what I saw.
The airline marked up all the issues and proactively sent me a $150 goodwill credit. Though I didn’t complain specifically to receive a credit, I am now looking forward to putting it to use on a future Mint flight, so I can hopefully see all the fixes and improvements that the airline makes to its new business-class cabin.
For some, it’s the smell of freshly cut grass and the brush of leaves in the breeze, creating an escape from daily stressors. For others, it’s a competitive arena where precision skills are honed. It’s where business is sealed with a handshake, lifelong friendships are forged, wagers are won—and drinking is not only permitted, but encouraged.
It’s been called “a good walk spoiled” (Mark Twain), “the most fun you can have without taking your clothes off” (Chi Chi Rodriguez), and “an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle” (many, many folks).
If the allure of golf has you in its grip, as it does for so many, perhaps you’ve entertained the fantasy of living near a golf course. Affordable real estate with great proximity to a course might sound too good to be true, like hitting a hole-in-one with your first swing of the day (or ever). But we’re here to correct that notion.
The data team at Realtor.com® found the places in the U.S. that have the best balance of great access to golf courses, relatively affordable real estate, and weather best suited for days on the greens. Some of these towns you’ve surely heard of and might assume come with a high price. Others are hidden gems you might not have thought of as great golf markets.
Whether you’re a near pro, a weekend duffer, or someone who just likes the idea of living near a course, you might just find your dream home on the green. Even if you’re not a golfer, these cities offer a lot to appreciate, from excellent weather to a high quality of life.
“In most residential golf communities, it’s only about a quarter of residents who are active golfers,” says Brad Klein, a golf course design consultant and golf journalist. “So what that tells you is that a lot of people are drawn to the golf community, even if they don’t play golf.”
Most golf communities draw a highly diverse group of homebuyers who nonetheless share certain bonds: They’re physically active and crave regular social interaction, says Klein.
“If you have golf, you probably also have pickle ball, swimming, platform tennis, a gym, and a social center at the local clubhouse,” he says. “Even if you don’t play, you have all kinds of options living near this sort of community.”
The cities on our list aren’t just golf havens. Many are also places with a high quality of life, where a cost of living below the national average makes them affordable not just in terms of real estate, but also in terms of everyday expenses.
We found these places by first rounding up all the real estate listings on Realtor.com from the past year within a 10-minute drive (in normal conditions) from one or more of the 6,445 public and private golf courses in the nation that we were able to map out. Then we aggregated home price data for those listings by city.
Then we factored in the number of golf courses clustered in those areas and weighed the climate and weather patterns—favoring places with more warm days to hit the links. Finally, we selected just one place per state, to ensure geographic diversity. (Otherwise, the list would be mostly Florida towns, along with some Mississippi locations and a couple of spots in Arizona.)
Let’s tee off into our top 10 locations for finding affordable homes near a golf course.
This 1,700-square-foot, two-bedroom home that backs up to the course is listed for $325,000.
(Realtor.com)
Nearby golf courses: 28 Median list price* for homes near golf courses: $299,900
Sun City, known for decades as a golf lover’s dream community, has year-round golf weather, a staggering number of nearby courses, and real estate that’s priced about 9% below the national average, vaulting it to the top of our list.
Now, this does come with a caveat: Generally, residents must be aged 55 and up, because this planned community on the northwest corner of the Phoenix metro area is aimed at retirees. The rules for who can live there are a bit complicated, so be sure to read up on the details.
This desert oasis has been drawing golf-minded retirees since it was established in 1960. Sun City was the first active retirement community in the United States, and it earned its pioneering developer, Del Webb, a place on the cover of Time magazine in 1962.
“What’s most impressive about it is how difficult it was to get golf courses out there with so little water,” says golf expert Klein. “The course superintendents getting grass to grow out there, on decomposing granite in the middle of the desert, is just amazing. People must have thought they were crazy.”
The Sun City South Golf Course is one of the most well known of the 28 golf courses in the area.
This 1,700-square-foot, two-bedroom home that backs up to the course is listed for $325,000.
Nearby golf courses: 12 Median list price for homes near golf courses: $245,000
Situated on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, a little north of Fort Lauderdale, and just south of Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach has great access to golf courses and the shore. (See our annual affordable beach towns list, in case that also strikes your interest.)
The median home price for Deerfield Beach listings within 10 minutes of a golf course is $245,000, far below the national median of around $430,000. That’s because the vast majority of listings are cheaper condos and townhomes under 1,000 square feet.
The climate in Deerfield Beach is classified as a tropical rainforest, with warm, wet summers and mild, dry winters, making it an ideal location for all kinds of outdoor activities year-round.
“I was just in Deerfield Beach,” says Beth Daly, a real estate agent at Re/Max Experience in Fort Lauderdale. “We had the bluest sky, and the ocean was like a glass of water you could see all the way to the bottom.”
Daly says she frequently hears about the golf culture that buyers—especially out-of-towners—are looking for.
“I just had some golfers from Buffalo Grove, outside of Chicago,” Daly says, “They wanted a full-service club to live near, and they had plenty of options to choose from.”
Listed for $324,900, this home sits near the Sunkist Country Club’s championship 18-hole course.
(Realtor.com)
Nearby golf courses: 11 Median list price for homes near golf courses: $215,000
Biloxi is a city that we see often when we look for affordable housing markets with standout quality-of-life features. Homes here are very inexpensive, at just about half of the national median list price.
And the Gulf coast climate means you golfers can hit the links just about anytime of the year. And when taking a day off from playing golf, residents here can enjoy the Biloxi beaches, with the neighboring Gulfport leading our most affordable beach towns list.
This three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom house on a third of an acre, for $324,900, is near the Sunkist Country Club’s championship 18-hole course.
Home shoppers can find a three-bedroom home about a half-mile from the Bacon Park Golf Course for $328,000.
(Realtor.com)
Nearby golf courses: 11 Median list price for homes near golf courses: $319,000
One of the most iconic Southern cities takes a top spot on our list, with year-round golf weather, homes priced about 25% below the national median, and plenty of opportunities to hit the fairways. The coastal, Gothic city is also known for its antebellum architecture and arts and culture scene.
The whole southeastern Atlantic seaboard is thick with golf culture and an abundance of world-class courses.
“Savannah, and the areas north into the Charleston area—where we hear it called ‘Lowcountry’ golf—is really popular right now,” says Tom Coyne, a New York Times bestselling golf author. “There’s so much more to this area than just the buddy trip for one or two rounds.”
But it’s not just exclusive or high-priced courses that people should think of in the area.
“There’s a sneaky-good public golf course in Savannah, called Bacon Park, which is just really charming and very affordable, and I believe it was designed by Donald Ross [we checked, and it was], a famous golf course tech,” Coyne says. “To be able to play a Donald Ross course for whatever the greens fee is there, it’s just awesome.”
Home shoppers can find a three-bedroom home about a half-mile from the Bacon Park Golf Course for $328,000.
Nearby golf courses: 7 Median list price for homes near golf courses: $194,900
Mobile, located on the Mobile Bay spilling out into the Gulf of Mexico, has the most affordable golf-proximate real estate on our list. Home prices here are less than half the national median of $430,000 in April. And while the home prices aren’t high, the area is rich with golf history.
“Alabama is known for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, where they have a literal trail of courses designed by the great Robert Trent Jones,” Coyne says. The famous golf course architect designed more than 500 courses between the 1930s and the 1990s.
Mobile and the surrounding areas have a subtropical climate, which means lots of rainfall, so it’s no wonder the area has been a center of golf culture since early in the 20th century.
For less than $100,000, golfers on a budget can find a two-bedroom condo that’s walking distance from the famous Pine Lakes Country Club.
(Realtor.com)
Nearby golf courses: 22 Median list price for homes near golf courses: $290,000
The first thing golf expert Klein asked when he heard about our list: “Do you have Myrtle Beach on the list?”
Myrtle Beach has been referred to as “The Golf Capital of the World” due to the sheer number of courses and the rich golf history in the area. The economy in this oceanfront South Carolina city is driven in large part by the vibrant tourism industry, which is mostly centered on the attraction of the area’s world-class golf courses as well as its amusement parks and famed beach.
Boasting courses from the Pine Lake Country Club to TPC Myrtle Beach, this popular vacation spot is practically synonymous with the sport.
Plus, with home prices per square foot not too far from the national median figure, this golfer’s dream is not just for the well-heeled. And with a population just topping 35,000, Myrtle Beach is the smallest of places on our list, which adds to the homey feel.
For less than $100,000, golfers on a budget can find a two-bedroom condo that’s walking distance from the famous Pine Lakes Country Club.
Buyers can find a three-bedroom home near the Jurupa Hills Country Club for $455,000.
(Realtor.com)
Nearby golf courses: 13 Median list price for homes near golf courses: $569,900
About an hour east of Los Angeles, in the center of the San Bernardino Valley, you’ll find Riverside. It’s the namesake of Riverside County and the most populous city in what’s called the Inland Empire—a broad swath of Southern California’s noncoastal desert region.
With year-round golfing weather and access to more than a dozen courses within 10 minutes, Riverside has the best combo of prices, nearby golfing, and climate in the Golden State.
To be sure, Riverside is the most expensive place on our list, with homes priced more than 30% above the national average, and even more per square foot. But, in the context of California’s real estate prices, Riverside is cheap. It’s around 20% less expensive than the California average and 40% less expensive than neighboring Los Angeles.
Those looking for a place near downtown Riverside but also close to a golf course might want to look at the Jurupa Hills Country Club, where buyers can find a three-bedroom home near the greens for $455,000.
For just shy of $230,000, home shoppers can get a three-bedroom home about 1,000 feet from Saddlebrook Golf Club.
(Realtor.com)
Nearby golf courses: 35 Median list price for homes near golf courses: $229,000
The last three cities on our list are all in the Midwest, where homes have historically been more affordable than in other parts of the country. In Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana, homes within 10 minutes of a golf course are still 40% less expensive than the national average. And there are a surprising number of golf courses in this region.
Midwestern winters can be brutal, but the average monthly temperature is still above 50 degrees Fahrenheit for more than half of the year. While that might mean residents consider golf more of a seasonal pastime in these final three cities, the prices are less than half of what you would find in a city like Riverside, CA.
One of the most notable Indianapolis courses is built into the site of the Indianapolis 500, mixing golf with another of the town’s iconic draws.
Saddlebrook Golf Club is one of the closest to downtown Indianapolis, and for just shy of $230,000, home shoppers can get a three-bedroom home on a quarter-acre about 1,000 feet from the course.
The homes nearest to The Camargo Club include custom-built, multimillion-dollar mansions.
(Realtor.com)
Nearby golf courses: 26 Median list price for homes near golf courses: $239,900
Cincinnati, located on the Ohio River, boasts low home prices—and low-cost opportunities to play golf on a good public course.
“It’s so much more affordable than golfing in a place like New York or Chicago or L.A.,” says Klein of playing in smaller Midwestern cities.
Moreover, the Rust Belt city has an indelible golf tradition, in part due to the golf royalty from the area.
“In Ohio, you have a great golf history,” says Coyne. “Anyone who’s done anything big in the sport of golf has left a stamp in Ohio. And Jack Nicklaus hails from Columbus, so there’s got to be something good going on in Ohio.”
The Camargo Club, on the northeastern end of the Cincinnati area, has been ranked one of the best in the state. While the homes nearest to the course include custom-built, multimillion-dollar mansions, a three-bedroom home can be found about five minutes away for just under $280,000.
Nearby golf courses: 23 Median list price for homes near golf courses: $249,950
Golf might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about Omaha, Nebraska’s largest city located on the Missouri River. The city is home to several Fortune 500 companies, including Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. It also boasts one of the best zoos and aquariums in the world.
But there are many options in Omaha for those looking for a home near a golf course, says Chris Bauer, a local Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. He’s found buyers are looking for either a more affordable option, usually near a public golf course, or access to pricier private clubs.
“Those are two different sets of buyers,” he says. “For the avid golfers who would only buy on a private course, you have Shadow Ridge, Deer Creek, Happy Hollow, or the Omaha Country Club.”
And for those looking for somewhere to live near a public course: “Pacific Springs, The Knolls, or Johnny Goodman. Those are all popular. There’s a wide spectrum here,” he says.
Watch: The Best Cities in the U.S. for Home Sellers Right Now
* Median list prices are from the last year on Realtor.com.