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Want more housing market stories from Lance LambertsResiClubin your inbox?Subscribeto theResiClubnewsletter.During the pandemic housing boom, publicly traded homebuilders achieved record profit margins as home prices soared and buyer demand ran red hot. Once the national housing demand boom fizzled out in the summer of 2022, many large homebuilders began offering affordability adjustments (like mortgage rate buydowns) where and when needed to maintain their sales pace. Despite some profit margin compression, almost every major homebuilder entered 2024 with gross margins still above pre-pandemic 2019 levels.Recently, homebuilder margin compression has returnedjust ask Lennar. Recently, Lennar reported a Q4 2024 gross margin of 22.1%, falling short of the 22.5% the company had expected.The shortfall in margin [in Q4] resulted from increased incentives on homes sold and delivered within the quarter, Lennar co-CEO Stuart Miller said on the companys recent earnings call. Accordingly, we are moderating our expectations for margins and sales in the first quarter of 2025 as the market adjusts and stabilizes. Overall, the economic environment, which we believed last quarter was constructive for the homebuilding industry, has certainly turned more challenging as longer-term interest rates along with mortgage rates have climbed steadily since our last earnings call. During the call, Lennar CFO Diane Bessette stated that the company anticipates further margin compression, with gross margins expected to range between 19% and 19.25% for Q1 2025.If Lennars outlook is correct, Q1 2025 will not only see margins below pre-pandemic Q1 2019 levels but also the companys lowest Q1 gross margin of the past decade.Were going to adjust to market. Were going to maintain [sales] volume, Lennar co-CEO Stuart Miller said on the call.In other words, where and when needed, Lennar is cutting net effective prices through larger incentives to find the market and keep sales rollinglikely more so in pockets of Florida and Texas where active inventory has bounced back and buyers have gained leverage.Miller added, Let me say that while this has been a difficult quarter, and year end for Lennar, while the short-term road ahead might look a little choppy, we are very optimistic about the longer-term road ahead.Before the Lennar earnings report, many Wall Street analysts had already downgraded their short-term outlook for homebuilder stocks, triggering a pullback in the sector this month.In response to Lennars weaker than expected earnings report on Wednesday, Lennars stock price declined further this weekalong with the stock prices of many other publicly traded homebuilders tracked by ResiClub.Click here to view an interactive version of the chart below.What does homebuilder profit margin compression mean for the housing market as we head into 2025?If giant homebuilders make further affordability adjustments to move product, it could attract more homebuyers who might have otherwise preferred to purchase a resale/existing home, thereby putting additional upward pressure on resale inventory in 2025. This trend would likely be most pronounced in Sun Belt markets like Austin, Tampa, San Antonio, Jacksonville, and Dallas, where active inventory has already grown the most over the past two years. If that occurs, homebuyers in those markets could potentially gain some additional leverage and find better deals.

Still have some last-minute shopping to do and dont know where to go? We have you covered. From grocery stores to retailers, supermarkets to chain pharmacies, here are all the stores open on Christmas Eve 2024. Many locations operate under modified hours and will close early so that employees can spend time with family and friends for the holiday.What stores are open on Christmas Eve?Its not just grocery stores that are open on Tuesday, December 24. Some general retailers are, too. Remember, hours can vary depending on the location, so double-check with your local store before heading out.Grocery storesTrader Joes: Reduced hours; open until 5 p.m.Aldi: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Whole Foods:8 a.m. to 7 p.m.Publix: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.Kroger: Closes at 6 p.m.Safeway: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.RetailersWalmart: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.Target: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.Costco: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.CVS:Hours vary by location.Kohls: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.Target: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.Starbucks:Hours vary by location due to strike.TJ Maxx: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.Walgreens: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.Macys: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.Are any pharmacies open on Christmas Day? CVS pharmacies are open on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but may have reduced hours.All 24-hour locationsof Walgreens will remain open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. However, the majority of other Walgreens stores will be closed. Checkhereto see if there is an open location near you.

One of the most pleasant surprises about this years best new apps have nothing to do with AI.While AI tools are a frothy area for big tech companies and venture capitalists, theres plenty of app innovation happening outside of that arena, in categories such as productivity, social media, and streaming music.As in previous years, we define apps loosely to include not only mobile software, but desktop applications, browser extensions, and app-like websites. Along with apps that are entirely new, we also look for existing ones that received significant updates in the past year.Here are the best of the best:ProductivityFantastical: Formerly a first-rate calendar app for Apple devices, its now available for Windows as well, with natural language event creation and a pop-up calendar view available from the taskbar. (iOS, Mac, Windows)Proton Docs: Like Google Docs, but with end-to-end encryption to ensure that no one but you (and, optionally, your collaborators) can access what youve written. (iOS, Android, web)Clear: A to-do list app thats extraordinarily pleasant to use, with colorful items and clever shortcuts such as pinch-to-close and screenshot-to-share. (iOS)Clipbook: A simple Mac app for accessing previously-copied text or images with a keyboard shortcut, perfect for when you copy something, then copy another thing, then realize you need the original thing. Other tools like it exist, but this ones free and easy to usemuch like Windows built-in clipboard manager. (Mac)Apple Passwords: With a proper Passwords app for iOS and MacOS, Apples password manager feels like a full-featured alternative to the likes of 1Password and Bitwarden. Just dont hold your breath for an Android version. (iOS, Mac)Obsidian Web Clipper: This free browser extension works in tandem with Obsidians excellent desktop notetaking app, letting you highlight and save the full text of web pages for offline access and archival purposes. (Chrome, Firefox)Ice: A free app for hiding seldom-used items from the Mac menu bar. Just hold Cmd and drag icons to the left of the arrow to hide them, then click the arrow to briefly make them temporarily visible. (Mac)MaxFocus: Do you wish every desktop browser had Safaris long-click page previews? This extension adds them to Chrome, other Chromium-based browsers, and Firefox. (It also includes some extraneous AI features, which you can disable.) (Chrome, Firefox)SocialOpenVibe: If youre trapped between Bluesky, Threads, and Mastodon, Openvibe lets you post across all three (along with Nostr for good measure). You can also browse Bluesky and Mastodon in a single timeline, and see whats trending across both. (iOS, Android)Sky Follower Bridge: Find your Twitter friends on Bluesky using this free browser extension for Chrome and Firefox, which scrapes the names on your Twitter following page and looks for Bluesky accounts that match. Its not perfectif you hit Follow All, youll likely follow some strangersbut its a great starting point. (Chrome, Firefox)Partiful: Heres the Evite alternative weve sorely needed, letting you create slick invitations to share directly with contacts or as a web linkall with no ads or other cruft. (It monetizes by selling party favors and merch.) (iOS, Android, web)AIDuckDuckGo AI Chat: Converse with GPT-4oor a choice of other large language modelsin a way that doesnt store your chats or used them train AI. Typing duck.ai into your address bar provides fast access. (iOS, Android, web)Google NotebookLM: Generate ideas, outlines, and briefings based on your own personal documents, orwith its most viral featureuse your content as fodder for an AI-generated podcast. It may be the closest thing generative AI has to a killer consumer app. (web)ChatGPT for desktop: This is the fastest way to access ChatGPT from a computer, with a pop-up window for quick questions that you can open with a keyboard shortcut. You can also open the full app to access ChatGPTs voice mode. (Mac, Windows)LLamaOCR: Use this free website to convert receipts, business cards, and other paper documents into structured text with Markdown formatting. Save-to-PDF support is coming soon. (web)Cleft Notes: Record your messy thoughts as audio notes, and AI turns them into neatly formatted documents, with headings and bullet points. You can then edit the text directly in the app or export the Markdown elsewhere. (iOS, Mac)EntertainmentDelta: The best way to play classic Nintendo consoles on iPhone or iPad now that the App Store allows for retro game emulators. Youll need to supply your own game ROM files (or download some fan-made ones, like the excellent Tetris clone From Below). (iOS)Nintendo Music: A free mobile app for Nintendo Online subscribers that fills the Nintendo-sized hole left by Spotify and other streaming music services. It offers dozens of video game soundtracks, plus some clever features, such as being able to extend the length of looping tracks and hide songs that might reveal story spoilers. (iOS, Android)Deku Deals: Track price histories and set up deal alerts for Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch games. Steam support is coming soon. (iOS, Android, web)BMBX: Just a really nice iPhone app for accessing free internet radio stations, with CarPlay support and a button to mark favorite tracks. Also known as the best way to access Yacht Rock Miami. (iOS)Apple Podcasts: While its hardly new, this year Apples Podcast app added transcriptions, so you can speed-read through entire episodes or search for specific keywords. Its a handy tool even if you mainly use a different podcast app instead. (iOS, Mac)News and infoReeder: Like an RSS reader, but for practically any kind of feed, including blogs, websites, YouTube channels, social media posts, and podcasts. You can save items for later andin a throwback to Google Readershare your feeds with others. (iOS)Eater: For a more curated alternative to Google Maps or Yelp, look to Eaters food maps to find critically acclaimed restaurants nearby. Its especially useful while traveling as the best results are in major cities. (iOS)Sill: Get a feed of links shared by your follows on Bluesky and Mastodon, with optional filters based on time and popularity. Daily email digests will eventually become a paid subscription feature. (web)Lazy Weather: Just a single screen indicating whether its warmer or colder out than yesterday, with rain or not. Because sometimes thats all you really need. (iOS)

Australian studio Adam Kane Architects has designed an all-grey house in the southeastern state of Victoria, blanketing its surfaces in fog-like polished plaster.Named after its neutral colour palette, Grey House is a holiday home for studio founder Adam Kane's own family, located in a valley an hour from Melbourne in the regional town of Daylesford.Adam Kane Architects has completed a holiday home for its founderWhen viewed from the front, the large three-bedroom home resembles a modern art gallery, with its monolithic facade and clean lines a stark contrast to the green banks it is nestled in and the forest backdrop behind.According to Kane, working on his own house was a chance to push the boundaries and experiment with materials at which a client might baulk.The residence has an all-grey colour scheme"The home excels in its purpose of a purist aesthetic without compromise on functionality," said Kane."Everything is concealed and has a place," he continued. "Removing clutter and an abundance of colours, textures, and materials in combination with a soft polished plaster finish throughout brings an incredible sense of calm".The all-grey look was achieved by covering the house's walls, doors and wet areas, as well as much of the full-height concealed joinery, in polished plaster.Polished plaster coats the interior and exterior"There's a softness to this product that could not be achieved with paint it evolves throughout the day, with the texture intensity changing, as does its mottled sheen,"said Kane.To add further texture to the monochrome interiors, a second finish of stainless steel was added to some surfaces.Read: Doriza Design transforms stone building into "imperfect" holiday home in CreteIn places, the steel was hand-scoured to create a cloud-like aesthetic and allow any future scratches to be quickly buffed out.The neutral aesthetic is carried over into furnishings, with large smoke-coloured sofas, and coal-coloured tables and chairs. Even the bath and sinks are grey.The neutral aesthetic extends to the home's furnishingsGrey House contains three bedrooms and a separate freestanding guesthouse. Its communal spaces are all designed to have their own "feel and purpose", while bedrooms are concealed for privacy and to ensure a cleaner aesthetic.As the space the family spends most of its time in, the kitchen is one of the house's focal points with a strong visual connection to its adjoining garden providing an "everchanging backdrop".All the rooms have been given "evergreen" viewsLocated in the foothills of Victoria's Great Dividing Range, the area's climate is often wet, providing a lush green garden for the house's surroundings. However, the existing site only had three pine trees, leading the studio to plant out banks on three sides of the house to create "evergreen" views from all of its rooms.A small creek running through the site was diverted and around three metres of earth was moved to the front of the house site to create level ground, increasing the house's visual impact from the street.Stainless steel is used for a number of interior surfacesKane described the overall effect of Grey House as a "timeless haven" that offers a retreat from the chaos of the world."This choice of grey paired with stainless steel accents was deliberate, symbolising neutrality, balance, and introspection," he said. "It serves as a canvas upon which the mind can wander freely, devoid of distractions."Other monochrome projects on Dezeen include a blue Brooklyn townhouse by LOT Office and the calming Mureli House in Ukraine by Makhno Studio.The photography is by Timothy Kaye.The post Adam Kane Architects banishes colour to create Grey House in Australia appeared first on Dezeen.

Next in Dezeen's review of 2024we look back at 10 significant skyscrapers from the year, including three designed by BIG, Japan's tallest building and the renovation of the Transamerica Pyramid.Photo by Hufton + CrowOne Za'abeel, UAE, by Nikken SekkeiAnother skyscraper that was named the world's best this year was the One Za'abeel towers in Dubai, which were namedDezeen readers' favourite new skyscraper.Designed by Japanese studio Nikken Sekkei, the pair of skyscrapers are connected by a skybridge 100 meters over a six-lane highway. The skybridge extends from the building to create the world's longest cantilever.Find out more about One Za'abeel Photo by Evan JosephOne Domino Square, USA, by Selldorf ArchitectsOne of four New York skyscrapers on this list, One Domino Square stands on the waterfront alongside the Williamsburg Bridge and the recently renovated Domino Sugar Refinery.The pair of residential skyscrapers were designed by Selldorf Architects and clad in iridescent porcelain tiles.Find out more about One Domino Square Photo by Evan JosephOne High Line, USA, by BIGAnother pair of residential skyscrapers, this time with twisted forms, were completed in New York next to the High Line.Designed by Danish architecture studio BIG, the 91-metre-high and 122-metre-high towers contain 236 condominiums along with a pool, gym and dining area.Find out more about One High Line Photo by Joana FranaEZ Parque da Cidade, Brazil, by UNStudioContinuing the trend of skyscrapers duos, this pair of towers in So Paulo, Brazil, was designed by Dutch firm UNStudio to "redefine vertical living" in the city.Located in the Chacara Santo Antonio neighbourhood, the skyscrapers rise to 39 and 36 storeys tall and contain a total 244 apartments. Both towers have a "windmill-shaped" floor plan, with volumes extended out from the central stair and lift core.Find out more about EZ Parque da Cidade Photo by BicubikEPIQ, Ecuador, by BIGThe second of a trio of BIG skyscrapers completed this year, the 24-storey EPIQ building stands alongside the central La Carolina Park in Quito.The 101-metre-high skyscraper consists of two curved, L-shaped stacked blocks that have a series of open terraces in the space where the interconnected towers meet.Find out more about EPIQ Photo by David LipmanTransamerica Pyramid, USA, by Foster + PartnersIn San Francisco, architecture studio Foster + Partners completed an overhaul of the landmark Transamerica Pyramid, which originally opened in1972.The studio aimed to "restore the logic" of the 260-metre-high office building, restoring original elements and linking it to a redesigned adjacent park.Find out more about Transamerica Pyramid Photo of Skanska USA1550 on the Green, USA, by BIGThe final BIG building on the list, this staggered "bundle of towers" is located alongside Discovery Green park in Downtown Houston, Texas.Named 1550 on the Green, the building is formed of six connected towers that curve slightly, with the tallest block reaching 137 metres high.Find out more about 1550 on the Green Photo by Jason O'RearMori JP Tower, Japan, by Pelli Clarke & PartnersIn Japan, US studio Pelli Clarke & Partners unveiled Japan's tallest skyscraper this year.Named Mori JP Tower, the 330-metre-high skyscraper is Tokyo's first supertall skyscraper and overtook the 300-metre-tall Abeno Harukas in Osaka, also designed by Pelli Clarke & Partners, to become the country's tallest building.Find out more about Mori JP Tower Photo by Astra StudiosSutton Tower, USA, by Thomas Juul-Hansen Designed by New York designer Thomas Juul-Hansen to be "modern and classic", the Sutton Tower stands 259 metres high on Manhattan's East Side.The simple rectangular building was entirely clad in Bavarian limestone and topped with a champagne-coloured stainless steel crown.Find out more about Sutton Tower Photo by Evan JosephThe Greenwich, USA, by Rafael Violy ArchitectsOne of the last buildings designed by Uruguayanarchitect Rafael Violy, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 78, the 88-storey The Greenwich skyscraper was completed inDowntown Manhattan this year.Located two blocks south of the World Trade Center complex, the glazed tower contains 272 apartments.Find out more about The Greenwich The post The top 10 skyscrapers of 2024 appeared first on Dezeen.

Lamps are something I dont really think about when it comes to how they look or how they are designed. Sure there are some chandeliers and light fixtures that capture my attention every once in a while, but Im not really particular about them when it comes to my house or even what they use at places like my workplace, malls I hang out in, my favorite coffee shops, etc. A well-designed one that also captures the functionality expected of it will surely capture my attention.Designer: Matthias PinkertThe Kala Lamp seems to be one of those uniquely designed pendant lamps. For one thing, it seems to be floating on air with its two thin, simple wires holding up the entire contraption. This discrete suspension also houses the lamps power supply so it looks a bit like magic. But what makes it even more magical (from the point of view of our naked eyes) is that you are able to control the amount of light and where it points to with the four rings.When you slide the four rings over the base, you are able to create an individualized design of light space. Instead of having the whole pendant lamp lighted, you can choose certain areas and also control how much light it gives off. You can have fun moving the rings around, adding a certain element of interactivity when trying to find the right combination for your space. It can also be pivoted 45 degrees forwards and backwards so you can use either direct or indirect light.For sure the designer has thought about the fragility or sturdiness of such a fixture. I may have some fears about it falling from the roof since the wires are very thin or whoever is trying to play around the rings might snap the wires off. But its an interesting kind of pendant lamp, one that is well-designed and also adds to the personalization and functionality of this piece of lighting. The post Pendant lamp lets you control amount and direction of light with a few twists first appeared on Yanko Design.

Can you identify them all?

This character artist used ZBrush to craft a tough guy that strikes a pleasing balance between cartoony and realistic

Thanks to a bunch of game-makers who were still teens when Toontown Online disappeared, the beloved online world lives on as Toontown Rewritten.