CBS News
As more first-time homebuyers are priced out, what can revive the American starter home?
Felicia Ellis is actively looking to buy her first home by the end of the year. A three-bedroom, two-bathroom house on a tree-lined street in Houston seemed like it could be a perfect fit.
But the starter home Ellis desperately wants seems to be priced like a forever home she can’t afford. Someone else put in an offer, and it was accepted.
“[It was] the one that got away,” Ellis said.
Ellis says she has a good job earning around $70,000, but her student loans have made her debt-to-income ratio a turnoff for lenders. She’s previously been approved for a $200,000 loan, which falls more than $150,000 short of the homes she’s been looking at in an area with good schools for her young daughter. Currently Ellis and her daughter share a room in an apartment Ellis rents with her sister.
Five years ago, one in three American families could afford a starter home in 63 of America’s largest 100 cities, CBS News found. Now, it’s down to just 10 cities.
Buyers like Ellis need builders like Sharone Mayberry, who is committed to building affordable starter home projects by taking advantage of city zoning and subsidies.
Mayberry is financing a 40-unit build in Houston using nearly $5 million in city reinvestment funds. The typical price of a 1,650-square-foot, three-bedroom, two and a half-bathroom home in the development costs $250,000, which is about average for a Houston starter home.
Without those subsidies, the homes would average about $350,000 to $400,000, Mayberry said, due to the price of the land.
This housing crisis is at least a decade in the making, according to Chris Vincent, vice president of government relations and advocacy for Habitat for Humanity. The nonprofit, one of America’s largest builders of starter homes, now focuses on advocacy as much as building.
“A lot of this is from the tailwinds, even from the ’08 financial crisis,” Vincent said. “We’ve essentially not been building enough homes for the last decade to keep up with demand.”
In Silver Spring, Maryland, Carolyn Hipkins got lucky. She was making $54,000 a year when she bought a starter home rehabbed by Habitat for Humanity. The sale price was $360,000 with a 0% mortgage.
“I was so happy when I got that call on the phone. I had to control myself because I wanted to scream,” Hipkins said.
Habitat for Humanity doesn’t just build single family homes anymore, either. They’re the ninth largest builder of starter homes in the U.S., offering condos and apartments to a range of incomes. One in six families now spend more than half of their income on housing, according to the organization. Vincent says they’re advocating for access to credit and land in “communities of opportunity.”
The housing shortage is also a key economic issue for American voters ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Vice President Kamala Harris has proposed providing $25,000 in down payment assistance for Americans who have paid their rent on time for two years. She has also proposed building 3 million affordable new homes and rentals by the end of her first term, offering tax incentives for developers who build starter homes, and a $40 billion fund to help local governments find solutions to the shortage.
Former President Donald Trump has proposed making federal land available to help with housing supply, but his campaign hasn’t offered any further details.
Meanwhile, for every Hipkins, thousands of people like Ellis keep looking. Ellis is determined to buy a home, and a Post-It note in her bedroom serves as a reminder.
“You will be a homeowner,” the note reads.
It’s the American dream on a Post-It note — and it has sticker shock.
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How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
CBS News
How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Detroit Lions will face off against the Indianapolis Colts today. The Lions enter this game as top contenders with a near-perfect record of 9-1 so far this season. The Colts, who are 5-6 this season, could have a tough game on their hands against the Lions but will be looking to rack up another win after prevailing over the New York Jets in a tight game last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Colts vs. Lions game today, whether or not you have cable.
Here’s how and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Lions vs. Colts game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Experience NFL action like never before with Fubo’s comprehensive sports streaming platform. From Sunday showdowns to primetime matchups, catch every NFL game across major networks including CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Choose the Pro package to unlock 200+ channels and limitless DVR storage, or elevate your game-day experience with the Elite with Sports Plus package, featuring NFL RedZone’s commercial-free scoring highlights and stunning 4K quality.
Test drive the service with a no-commitment seven-day free trial, and share the excitement with family and friends — Fubo supports simultaneous streaming on up to 10 devices, so everyone can watch their favorite teams.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games, and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.