us census bureau

  • Taylor Morrison acquired in $8.5 billion deal

    Taylor Morrison acquired in $8.5 billion deal

    Announced on May 31, 2026, Berkshire Hathaway will acquire homebuilding giant, Taylor Morrison for $8.5 billion. The all-cash transaction values Taylor Morrison at $72.50 per common share.

    This is the first major move from Berkshire Hathaway ‘s new CEO Greg Abel who assumed the role in January. Berkshire Hathaway owns Clayton Homes, the modern manufactured homebuilder, which it acquired in 2003 for $1.7 billion.. 

    There are indications of a consolidation between the two homebuilders. Between Taylor Morrison’s 12,997 closings and Clayton Properties’ 9,953 closings in 2025 would create the fourth largest homebuilder in the United States.

    “We are excited to welcome Taylor Morrison into Berkshire’s portfolio, reflecting our long-standing commitment to housing, exemplified by Clayton Homes and our other building products businesses,” said Abel. “Over time, we expect to unify our site-built homebuilding operations into a combined platform enabling us to deliver the dream of homeownership to more Americans.”

    However, Taylor Morrison’s extremely successful CEO Sheryl Palmer is not going anywhere following this acquisition. Berkshire Hathaway announced the Taylor Morrison team to continue with its existing management, including Palmer. Palmer drove the company to its nationwide strength and growth, going public in 2013 and currently building in 21 markets across 12 states.  Under her tenure, Taylor Morrison’s leadership team boasts a unique point of view, 50% of senior leadership roles are occupied by women, four times the industry standard.

    “Over the last 13 years as a public company, we built a track record of strategic growth—expanding our geographic footprint, integrating acquisitions with discipline and deepening our competitive strengths across procurement, brand and customer experience,” said Palmer. “Berkshire Hathaway’s long-term orientation is uniquely well-suited to the multi-year investment cycle of homebuilding, and this combination will allow us to scale the Taylor Morrison platform in ways that would not be possible as a standalone company.

    Read Full Article 

  • Mortgage rates average 6.41% in May

    Mortgage rates average 6.41% in May

    According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.41% in May 2026, up 7 basis points (bps) over April. Additionally, the average 15-year rate averaged 5.76% in May, up 7 bps from April and up 33 basis points since the end of February.

    The 10-year Treasury yield, a key benchmark for long-term borrowing, averaged 4.47% last month, 16 bps higher than in April. Stronger-than-expected inflation pushed yields upward, with the 10-year yield reaching 4.6% during the month. Rising energy prices kept inflation high, as fuel oil prices increased 5.8% and gasoline prices rose 5.4%.

    Persistently high inflation has also impacted household budgets, with the personal saving rate falling to 2.6% in April.

    Read Full Article 

  • Average homebuyer’s down payment decreases

    Average homebuyer’s down payment decreases

    According to a new Redfin analysis, the average homebuyer’s down payment is down from last year, falling to $64,000 in March 2026, down 1.5% year-over-year. The average down payment was 15%, down from 16.1% in 2025.

    Down payment percentages were highest in three California metros: San Jose, San Francisco and Anaheim, all at 25% each.

    Down payments were lowest in Virginia Beach at 2% and Detroit at 5%, which are both considered affordable markets.

    The data in the report is from an analysis of county records across 40 of the most populous U.S. metropolitan areas. March 2026 is the most recent month for which data is available.

    Read Full Article

  • Wellness is driving bathroom design trends

    Wellness is driving bathroom design trends

    The era of minimalistic, sterile bathrooms is over and is being replaced with personality-driven and wellness-inspired designs. Increasing natural light flowing into the space has become the leading priority, followed closely by heated floors and biophilic design elements that strengthen the connection between indoor spaces and nature. Enhanced air quality is becoming another leading factor in bathroom design, once again inspired by wellness.

    These rising design trends are replacing the all-grey and all-white interiors that were once dominating contemporary design.

    “The cold, sterile material palettes are being replaced with warm, tactile and nature-integrated designs,” Alexzandra Aguirre of Phoenix Interior Design.

    Read Full Article