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More sellers than buyers for luxury homes
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsSales of luxury homes have been falling since the beginning of the year. In most areas of the country, the number of luxury homes for sale has increased while selling prices have declined. Among higher-end properties, demand has especially dropped off as tax changes and fluctuations in the stock market have made luxury home purchases less desirable. Many luxury homes were put up for sale following the tax reform changes that took effect as of Jan. 1 this year.
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A trip to Grand Teton National Park provides majestic views
Steve and Diane Owens Recreation & LeisureOur first trip to Grand Teton National Park was in April 1967 when our son was just a babe. We have many fine memories of our various visits to this land. Each time we are close we anxiously look forward to a return. This was no exception. Once you leave Dubois, Wyoming, and follow the Wind River into the mountain country, the terrain uplifts into higher and higher peaks with a combination of interesting rock formations and a forest of evergreen pine and grassy meadows.
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Improving guidance to patients, family caregivers on care facilities
Christina Thielst Healthcare AdministrationFamily caregivers and patients struggle with choosing quality care facilities. This includes both those who have not yet been hospitalized and those who are being discharged to a lower level of care. Unfortunately, sometimes they find their choice isn’t the best fit or safety concerns arise. Delays in choosing a facility increase the risk of discharge for hospitalized patients. Choosing the wrong facility can also strain resources with an unnecessary hospitalization or re-hospitalization. A recent Kaiser Health News article addresses the need for smarter decisions on where to recover after a hospitalization, starting with better guidance from hospitals themselves.
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Does your organization need a facility manager?
Scott E. Rupp Facilities & GroundsAn important part of understanding the role facility managers play includes defining when an organization might need to consider adding facility management services. The facility management role is designed to provide maintenance of an organization's buildings and equipment in a way that offers the best value to the building owner and users alike. For those organizational leaders who wonder about adding a facility manager to their operations, there are a few key considerations.
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US tariffs on Chinese imports grow
Seth Sandronsky Civil & GovernmentThe cost of trade between China and the U.S. is rising. Tariffs, or taxes, on $200 billion of Chinese imports to the U.S. rose from 10% to 25% one minute after midnight on May 10. "The tariff increase inflicts significant harm on U.S. industry, farmers and consumers," Douglas K. Barry, director of communications and publications for the U.S.-China Business Council told MultiBriefs in an email. "American agricultural exports to China are particularly impacted. According to our recent survey, some states' exports were down 50%. The entire American agricultural sector is feeling the stress."
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3 reasons to look for a job while you’re happy
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementUnemployment is low and a wide range of industries continue to experience job growth. As the market for talent becomes more competitive, opportunities for talented individuals increase. For many of us, the last thing we want to do is voluntarily endure the time, energy and emotional drain of a job search. However, it is in a market with lower unemployment that we may have a better chance to move up. In other words, it is now, while we are happy and gainfully employed and thus do not need to look for work that we should consider jumping into the talent pool.
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Are consumers loyal to home-sharing services? Implications for hosts, room-sharing…
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event Management"Competition promotes innovation." That’s what I believe in the business world. That statement is probably a true reflection of what is going on among hotels, Airbnb, and online travel agents (OTAs). Last week, for example, almost every hotelier was talking about Marriott getting into the short-term residential business. In fact, Marriott had expressed its interest in the home-sharing business back in May 2018. But now, the world’s largest hotel chain is finally ready to compete head-to-head with home-sharing giant Airbnb.
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How a new school facility can improve learning
Brian Stack Education"The same boiling water that softens the potato hardens the egg. It’s about what you are made of, not the circumstances." Years ago, as a high school math teacher, this quote was displayed in my classroom as a way to remind my students that, regardless of their circumstances and their environment, they could overcome adversity and succeed. In life, we make do with the hand that is dealt to us. Yet, for all the promise of a positive outlook when dealing with shortcomings in life, the reality is that sometimes an upgrade can go a long way towards changing one’s promise for a better future.
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Opposing trends will hold remodeling growth in check
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsRecent first quarter industry reports show signs that the pace of remodeling services growth has begun to taper off. While forecasters do not expect demand to slip into negative territory for the foreseeable future, they do project that, contrary to the robust increases remodelers experienced in 2017 and 2018, growth over the next several years will be more modest. In part, this is because conflicting market forces will constrain demand. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), year-over-year growth in residential remodeling spending fell from a high of 19% in 2017 to almost half that, 10%, in 2018.
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7 of the best living history parks and museums in the US
Dave G. Houser Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementLiving history parks and museums invite us to step back in time — and into our ancestors’ world — for a glimpse into what our predecessors’ lives were like all those many years ago. There are far too many excellent living history destinations around the country to include them all in one article, so we’ve chosen seven of them that truly standout for their emphasis on interactivity and hands-on experiences — and for their great visitor reviews.
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