Santa Clara County property values have reached a historic high, with the total net assessed value of real estate and personal property now approaching $726 billion. This rise, however, comes with a significant caveat: it reflects the county’s slowest year of growth in more than a decade. Economic uncertainty, mounting construction costs, and a steep drop in demand for commercial space have created strong headwinds for the region's development. Despite the record-setting

California is taking a significant step toward establishing the country’s first official insurance standard for smoke damage, aiming to address a persistent and often overlooked issue affecting wildfire survivors. Every year, wildfires leave behind more than scorched land—they also blanket homes in soot and smoke that can carry toxic substances, even when structures remain standing. Currently, there are no statewide or national guidelines requiring insurers to cover the cost of testi

Securing a lease in the United States can be challenging for individuals without a US credit score, especially for NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) who are new to the country. However, not having a credit history in the US doesn’t mean renting a home is impossible. Several strategies and alternatives can help you secure a lease and navigate the rental market effectively. Understand the Rental Market

Nearly 100,000 California state workers will have their return-to-office mandate delayed by another year, thanks to a new agreement between the state and SEIU Local 1000, California’s largest public employee union. The revised deal, announced Sunday, pauses Governor Gavin Newsom’s previously mandated office return schedule for union-represented workers, shifting the timeline from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026. The decision marks a significant development for thousands of public em

San Jose has updated its long-standing rent control policy to clearly include recreational vehicles (RVs) located on mobile home lots, following disputes over illegal rent increases by mobile park landlords. The clarification addresses recent cases where property owners raised rents beyond legal limits, claiming RVs were not covered under the city’s mobile home ordinance. The rent control regulation, which has been in effect for over 40 years, prohibits rent increases of mor

NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) looking for housing in Texas can fall victim to scams. These frauds target those unfamiliar with local markets or unable to inspect properties in person. Here are the top 3 scams to watch out for and how to avoid them. 1. Phantom Rental Listings How It Works: Fraudsters post fake listings on websites like Craigslist, Zillow, or Facebook Marketplace. They ask for an upfront deposit or rent through untraceable methods after the NRI

Intel has begun a significant round of job cuts in California, with over 100 employees at its Santa Clara office impacted by the ongoing cost-cutting and restructuring plan led by CEO Lip-Bu Tan. The layoffs are set to begin on July 15, 2025, and are part of a broader workforce reduction strategy aimed at streamlining operations and reducing bureaucracy. Intel disclosed these layoffs in a filing under California’s WARN Act, which requires notification wh

As home prices continue to climb and the dream of owning a house feels increasingly distant for many Americans, a special event in Columbus aimed to help residents bridge the gap between aspiration and action. The Homebuyer Resource Fair, a collaborative effort between Fifth Third Bank, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), and COCIC-Franklin County Land Bank, offered attendees a comprehensive introduction to the homebuying process, financial literacy, and the tools needed to take c

Buying a home is more than just a financial decision; it's an emotional one. It’s where memories are built, and dreams take shape. However, for many families, this dream seems distant due to high property prices and financial constraints. Thankfully, in 2025, the dream of homeownership has become more achievable, particularly in Ahmedabad. According to the latest Affordability Index by Knight Frank

Rite Aid, the once-prominent national pharmacy chain now navigating Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is preparing to shutter 56 additional store locations across California, bringing the total number of confirmed closures in the state to 235 by 2025. As part of its ongoing financial restructuring efforts, the company is systematically downsizing its retail footprint, with California emerging as one of the hardest-hit states in this process. The latest wave of closures reflects the pharmacy chain’

On June 7, a major food safety alert was issued after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirmed that approximately 1.7 million eggs are being recalled by a California-based egg producer due to potential salmonella contamination. The recall specifically affects brown cage free eggs produced by the August Egg Company, a facility located in Hilmar, California, about 20 miles south of Modesto. These eggs were distributed to numerous grocery store chains and retail outlets across nine U.S. s

In a significant shift from earlier commitments, google is now exploring the sale of middlefield park, a major development site in the east whisman area of mountain view. The 40-acre property had been slated to become a centerpiece of the city’s residential expansion plans, with a proposal that included 1,900 housing units, a 2.4-acre affordable housing dedication, and 1.3 million square feet of office space. Now, the tech company is reconsidering its role in the project and is seeking

Just steps away from Santa Clara’s bustling Santana Row and Valley Fair shopping centers lies the Agrihood Sustainable Community, a housing development originally praised for offering dignified, eco-friendly living for low-income and formerly homeless seniors. Promised as a place of healing and nourishment, the complex boasts a 1.5-acre urban farm meant to foster community through shared gardening. But nearly two years since its much-celebrated opening at 76 N. Winchester Boulevard, the

A major workforce reduction has been implemented by one of the leading professional networking platforms, as it confirmed the layoff of 281 employees across various offices in California. The layoffs took effect earlier this month and impact several of the company’s locations throughout the state. According to a recent workforce adjustment notice, the largest number of job losses occurred at the company’s Mountain View office, where 159 employees were let go. The San F

Sunnyvale residents are raising serious concerns as new housing developments threaten to displace grocery stores in their northern neighborhoods, pushing the area closer to becoming a food desert. The latest project, proposed by True Life Companies, aims to construct 101 townhomes at the current site of Lakewood Shopping Center—one of the few places offering accessible groceries in North Sunnyvale. This plan would result in the demolition of the New Wing Yuan Market, a vital grocery sou

A new 2025 report from personal finance platform WalletHub confirms what many California residents already suspect: owning a home in the Golden State is becoming increasingly unattainable. In fact, nine out of the top ten least affordable cities for homebuyers in the U.S. are located in California. At the bottom of the list is Santa Barbara, which ranked 300th out of 300 cities studied, making it the least affordable city in the country. Other California cities in the bottom 10 include Santa

  A new affordable housing project is in the pipeline for downtown Sunnyvale, but not all local residents are welcoming the idea. The city is planning to build 126 affordable apartments at 295 South Mathilda Avenue, a 1.04-acre city-owned parcel, in collaboration with MidPen Housing. While city officials and developers see this as a necessary step toward solving the region’s affordable housing crisis, some neighbors, particularly those living in nearby single-family homes

For decades, owning a house was seen as a proud achievement in Indian households symbolic of success, stability, and adulthood. Parents often pushed their children to buy homes early, even if it meant burdening themselves with heavy EMIs. But in 2025, the mindset of India’s younger generation is shifting. With rising property prices, changing work patterns, and a desire for lifestyle freedom, more and more young Indians are opting to rent rather than buy. The traditional belie

San Jose is taking major steps to ramp up housing development by expanding financial incentives aimed at drawing more residential builders into the city. In a unanimous vote on May 13, city leaders approved a boost to its multifamily housing incentive program, increasing the cap on eligible new homes from 1,500 to 1,800 units. Under this initiative, developers can qualify for a 50% reduction in commercial, residential, mobile home park, and building and structure taxes through the end of the yea