Latest news with #Austin-based
Engadget
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Engadget
How to watch Devolver Direct at Summer Game Fest 2025
Devolver Digital is devoting its Summer Game Fest stream to a single title. That's quite the departure for the Austin-based publisher. So, the company must see something special in Ball x Pit: The Kenny Sun Story . Get ready to find out about it on June 6. Devolver isn't being shy about its enthusiasm for Ball x Pit . The publisher says it's a game the team "can't even put down — hundreds of hours later." Sounds promising! So, what do we know about the game and its titular character? Not much. There's the teaser image above, featuring battle skeletons and other fantasy characters. Also, Devolver called it "a tremendous little game." Expect to learn much more about Ball x Pit on June 6 at 8 PM ET. You can tune into Devolver Direct on YouTube and Twitch. (That's the same broadcast as the Summer Game Fest Live and Day of the Devs livestreams.)
Business Insider
10 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I spoke with 10 people who built ADUs. They all have one thing in common.
Between scanning Zillow, reading housing studies, and even scrolling through social media, one thing is clear: buying a new home has never felt so out of reach, even for two working people with decent salaries. For my job as a real estate reporter, I've interviewed 10 people who built accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. Many of them did so because moving to a new or bigger home wasn't an option for them or their loved ones, so they resorted to a workaround that, while not cheap, is less expensive than a typical house. Todd Kuchta, an engineer from Northern California, spent $248,000 building one for his adult son who has special needs — a bargain given that typical homes in the area sell for over $1 million. Justin Mauldin, the CEO of an Austin-based PR agency, added a backyard office to free up space in the main house. The total price tag? $41,500, much less than upsizing to a new home in the Texas capital. Sure, building an ADU is not an option for my husband and me just yet. But hearing how people have turned to them as an alternative to moving — as ways to house a relative and add square footage without a full-on renovation — is inspiring. ADUs aren't just tiny homes, and their popularity is still rising ADUs are small backyard homes that typically range from 150 to 1,200 square feet, depending on local regulations. The average cost to build one falls between $100,000 and $300,000, not including permitting fees. Some states, including California, Colorado, New York, and Vermont, offer grants to help homeowners offset these costs. Sheri Koones, an author and expert on ADUs and home construction, told me that the nation's severe shortage of homes for sale is driving ADU popularity. "It is a particularly difficult market for young people and baby boomers trying to find housing," Koones said. "Multigenerational housing situations are becoming more common. Parents will have adult children live in the ADU on their property, and when the 'children' have their own children, they swap housing with each other." A 2024 study from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco estimates that there are now at least 1.6 million ADUs in the US. The Fed indicates that the number of single-family homes with an ADU is nearly one-third the number of owner-occupied condos nationwide. Of all states, California has the most, with at least 201,000, followed by Washington, with over 77,800. California resident Selma Hepp, chief economist at Cotality, formerly known as CoreLogic, and an ADU owner herself, told me that as long as soaring home prices and mortgage rates keep housing affordability at an all-time low, ADUs will continue gaining traction. "When you look at the markets that are least affordable, in the future, you may see people thinking of alternative ways to maximize their land use," Hepp said. "Potentially down the road, you'll see them in more areas." ADUs are a solution for homeowners wanting more space Last fall, I spoke with Kuchta, 58, about building an ADU in his backyard for his son, Jacob. Jacob, who is in his mid-20s, wanted more independence and a place of his own. But because he has autism, he still relies on his parents for help with daily tasks like cleaning, taking medication, and preparing meals. With his monthly medical support costs exceeding $9,000, buying a larger home or moving to an assisted living facility was out of the question. I completely understand why. The Kuchtas live in Napa County — one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. The region is dotted with multimillion-dollar estates and wineries. As of February, the median home sale price was $1.1 million, according to Redfin. Rather than purchasing a new property, the Kuchtas are making the most of what they already have. To build a 480-square-foot tiny home on their 6,000-square-foot lot, they took out a second mortgage on their home, valued at over $800,000. That gave them $160,000 to work with. They also received a $63,000 forgivable loan from Napa County's Affordable ADU program. Jacob's new place — a one-bedroom unit with a full bathroom and kitchen — cost $248,000 to build. It's a fraction of what the Kuchtas would have paid for a larger, separate home. "That's the reality of the housing market in California," Jacob's dad told me. "Buying a new house is very expensive unless you got into it before prices skyrocketed. If we sold our home and moved, we would also face increased property taxes, from around $3,000 a year to as much as $12,000 a year." Why move when you can build? As someone who doesn't own a home and is still paying off student loans, building an ADU feels just as out of reach as buying a new house. But for homeowners with built-up equity, it can make a lot of sense. I can see how, for them, the cost of an ADU can feel like a bargain compared to purchasing another, probably more expensive property that might also come with higher insurance premiums and property taxes. For Mauldin, who built a nearly 200-square-foot ADU in his Austin backyard for $41,500, it probably felt like a steal. The married father of two wanted a dedicated home office, but his 1,200-square-foot main house didn't have enough room. He told me that moving to a larger home in the city, where the median sale price was $512,500 as of February, was also well beyond his budget. "Of course, we'd love a bigger home, but with prices still unaffordable, it's tough," Mauldin said. "When we bought our home, our interest rate was locked at 2.5% — rates now are much higher. Most homes in desirable areas are in the $1.5 million range, and with the high property taxes here, it's just not realistic." Mauldin told me the ADU has been a "game changer." "The office has certainly made living in our house much more comfortable," he said. " For now, we're happy with our place, and maybe we'll add a bathroom one day." When I hear stories like the Mauldins', I'm reminded that even if I can't afford the home of my dreams today or tomorrow, I can still shape one in its image. ADUs are as much about comfort as they are about affordability My conversations have given me a lot of insight into the financial reasons homeowners don't want to move. They've also revealed that, for many, the decision is just as emotional as it is practical. If I had lived in a neighborhood for decades, I don't think moving would be easy. I've rented in my apartment building for more than three years now, and I dread the day I'll have to say goodbye. It's a feeling that Christine Wilder-Abrams, a 72-year-old woman from Oakland, California, wanted to avoid at all costs. Although she found it difficult to climb the stairs of her two-story house, she wasn't ready to give up the home or neighborhood she'd lived in for nearly 35 years. Instead, she built a 560-square-foot accessible ADU in her backyard for $350,000, and her 34-year-old daughter and young granddaughter moved into her 2,000-square-foot main home. Koones told me that this type of ADU, also known as a granny pod or granny flat, has become a popular solution for older people wanting to age in place. "Years ago, a lot of older people just moved into senior facilities, but people are living longer," she said. "An ADU gives them an opportunity to live close to their children, help with childcare, meals, and be close by." The ADU has been a win-win situation for both Wilder-Abrams and her daughter. She didn't have to buy a new house in the city, where the median sale price was $749,000 as of February, and now has support as she ages. Her daughter, a single mom, also has an extra pair of hands to help raise her child. "I get to live close to my daughter and granddaughter," she said. "It's nice that I'm here for them." Wilder-Abrams makes me think of my parents and in-laws.
Business Insider
10 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I spoke with 10 people who built ADUs. They all have one thing in common.
I've interviewed 10 people who have built an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, on their property. Many can't move for various reasons; ADUs are a way to add more space without physically relocating. ADUs are becoming a go-to for homeowners up against higher home prices, mortgage rates, and taxes. My husband and I are in our second year of marriage and are finally starting to think seriously about homeownership. Between scanning Zillow, reading housing studies, and even scrolling through social media, one thing is clear: buying a new home has never felt so out of reach, even for two working people with decent salaries. For my job as a real estate reporter, I've interviewed 10 people who built accessory dwelling units, or ADUs. Many of them did so because moving to a new or bigger home wasn't an option for them or their loved ones, so they resorted to a workaround that, while not cheap, is less expensive than a typical house. Todd Kuchta, an engineer from Northern California, spent $248,000 building one for his adult son who has special needs — a bargain given that typical homes in the area sell for over $1 million. Justin Mauldin, the CEO of an Austin-based PR agency, added a backyard office to free up space in the main house. The total price tag? $41,500, much less than upsizing to a new home in the Texas capital. Sure, building an ADU is not an option for my husband and me just yet. But hearing how people have turned to them as an alternative to moving — as ways to house a relative and add square footage without a full-on renovation — is inspiring. ADUs aren't just tiny homes, and their popularity is still rising ADUs are small backyard homes that typically range from 150 to 1,200 square feet, depending on local regulations. The average cost to build one falls between $100,000 and $300,000, not including permitting fees. Some states, including California, Colorado, New York, and Vermont, offer grants to help homeowners offset these costs. Sheri Koones, an author and expert on ADUs and home construction, told me that the nation's severe shortage of homes for sale is driving ADU popularity. "It is a particularly difficult market for young people and baby boomers trying to find housing," Koones said. "Multigenerational housing situations are becoming more common. Parents will have adult children live in the ADU on their property, and when the 'children' have their own children, they swap housing with each other." A 2024 study from the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco estimates that there are now at least 1.6 million ADUs in the US. The Fed indicates that the number of single-family homes with an ADU is nearly one-third the number of owner-occupied condos nationwide. Of all states, California has the most, with at least 201,000, followed by Washington, with over 77,800. California resident Selma Hepp, chief economist at Cotality, formerly known as CoreLogic, and an ADU owner herself, told me that as long as soaring home prices and mortgage rates keep housing affordability at an all-time low, ADUs will continue gaining traction. "When you look at the markets that are least affordable, in the future, you may see people thinking of alternative ways to maximize their land use," Hepp said. "Potentially down the road, you'll see them in more areas." ADUs are a solution for homeowners wanting more space Last fall, I spoke with Kuchta, 58, about building an ADU in his backyard for his son, Jacob. Jacob, who is in his mid-20s, wanted more independence and a place of his own. But because he has autism, he still relies on his parents for help with daily tasks like cleaning, taking medication, and preparing meals. With his monthly medical support costs exceeding $9,000, buying a larger home or moving to an assisted living facility was out of the question. I completely understand why. The Kuchtas live in Napa County — one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. The region is dotted with multimillion-dollar estates and wineries. As of February, the median home sale price was $1.1 million, according to Redfin. Rather than purchasing a new property, the Kuchtas are making the most of what they already have. To build a 480-square-foot tiny home on their 6,000-square-foot lot, they took out a second mortgage on their home, valued at over $800,000. That gave them $160,000 to work with. They also received a $63,000 forgivable loan from Napa County's Affordable ADU program. Jacob's new place — a one-bedroom unit with a full bathroom and kitchen — cost $248,000 to build. It's a fraction of what the Kuchtas would have paid for a larger, separate home. "That's the reality of the housing market in California," Jacob's dad told me. "Buying a new house is very expensive unless you got into it before prices skyrocketed. If we sold our home and moved, we would also face increased property taxes, from around $3,000 a year to as much as $12,000 a year." Why move when you can build? As someone who doesn't own a home and is still paying off student loans, building an ADU feels just as out of reach as buying a new house. But for homeowners with built-up equity, it can make a lot of sense. I can see how, for them, the cost of an ADU can feel like a bargain compared to purchasing another, probably more expensive property that might also come with higher insurance premiums and property taxes. For Mauldin, who built a nearly 200-square-foot ADU in his Austin backyard for $41,500, it probably felt like a steal. The married father of two wanted a dedicated home office, but his 1,200-square-foot main house didn't have enough room. He told me that moving to a larger home in the city, where the median sale price was $512,500 as of February, was also well beyond his budget. "Of course, we'd love a bigger home, but with prices still unaffordable, it's tough," Mauldin said. "When we bought our home, our interest rate was locked at 2.5% — rates now are much higher. Most homes in desirable areas are in the $1.5 million range, and with the high property taxes here, it's just not realistic." Mauldin told me the ADU has been a "game changer." "The office has certainly made living in our house much more comfortable," he said. " For now, we're happy with our place, and maybe we'll add a bathroom one day." When I hear stories like the Mauldins', I'm reminded that even if I can't afford the home of my dreams today or tomorrow, I can still shape one in its image. ADUs are as much about comfort as they are about affordability My conversations have given me a lot of insight into the financial reasons homeowners don't want to move. They've also revealed that, for many, the decision is just as emotional as it is practical. If I had lived in a neighborhood for decades, I don't think moving would be easy. I've rented in my apartment building for more than three years now, and I dread the day I'll have to say goodbye. It's a feeling that Christine Wilder-Abrams, a 72-year-old woman from Oakland, California, wanted to avoid at all costs. Although she found it difficult to climb the stairs of her two-story house, she wasn't ready to give up the home or neighborhood she'd lived in for nearly 35 years. Instead, she built a 560-square-foot accessible ADU in her backyard for $350,000, and her 34-year-old daughter and young granddaughter moved into her 2,000-square-foot main home. Koones told me that this type of ADU, also known as a granny pod or granny flat, has become a popular solution for older people wanting to age in place. "Years ago, a lot of older people just moved into senior facilities, but people are living longer," she said. "An ADU gives them an opportunity to live close to their children, help with childcare, meals, and be close by." The ADU has been a win-win situation for both Wilder-Abrams and her daughter. She didn't have to buy a new house in the city, where the median sale price was $749,000 as of February, and now has support as she ages. Her daughter, a single mom, also has an extra pair of hands to help raise her child. "I get to live close to my daughter and granddaughter," she said. "It's nice that I'm here for them." Wilder-Abrams makes me think of my parents and in-laws. I'm still early in my homebuying journey, and like many others, I wonder about the basics: how much will the down payment be? How much will the home cost? Where will I live? But these conversations about ADUs have also raised new questions, like: will the home I buy one day have enough space for a granny pod in my backyard?
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ben Kweller releases new album 'Cover The Mirrors' honoring late son on his 19th birthday
Austin-based musician Ben Kweller released a new album Friday titled "Cover The Mirrors," his first full release since the sudden passing of his 16-year-old son Dorian Zev in 2023. The 12-song project came out on what would've been Dorian's 19th birthday. Kweller's son Dorian Zev Kweller, who released music under the name ZEV, died on February 27, 2023 in a freak car accident. According to his obituary, the 16-year-old swerved to the side of a road near his home to avoid an oncoming vehicle. While parked on the shoulder, a tree limb weakened by a recent freeze collapsed and crashed through the window of his car, killing him instantly. After his death, the Dorian Zev Kweller Memorial Skatepark was dedicated to honor the youth, whose two passions were music and skateboarding. More: Through music, 'I am going on.' Ben Kweller remembers son Dorian in emotional ACL Fest set While the album's title "Cover The Mirrors" refers to a Jewish funeral practice, the work isn't just about the loss of Dorian, but also the decades of Kweller's life preceding the tragedy. He previously covered vocals and guitar in the '90s band Radish and later part of a trio called The Bens. With elements of loss and love woven throughout, the new album is about "living on." 'It's a full circle type of album,' Kweller said in a press release. 'There's a lot of reflecting — not only reflecting on the loss of Dorian. I'm also taking an inventory of everything else. My whole time on Earth. Everything I've created as an artist.' The new project features a collaboration with Waxahatchee on the song "Dollar Store," MJ Lenderman on "Oh Dorian" and the Flaming Lips on "Killer Bee," a song dedicated to the late artist Nell Smith. According to a press release, Kweller's desire to kindle the gift of music that he shared with his late son, who was on the precipice of his dreams when the accident occurred, flared brighter after Zev's death. Ten years before the accident, Kweller took a hiatus from his career after his entire family almost died of a carbon monoxide leak. The 43-year-old singer-songwriter said that he made the decision not to lock himself away in a closet this time around and instead use music as a tool to carry on. Kweller's resilience tracks. Not even a month after Dorian's death, he went on the play a showcase for his independent music collective Noise Company at the South by Southwest Music Festival, a show where his son was supposed to make his festival debut, playing the opening slot. Kweller said that going on tour with Ed Sheeran in 2023 acted as a "kind of balm against the grief." During the tour, he said it felt like his Dorian was onstage singing with him. 'It wasn't like I set out to say, 'OK, I'm gonna make this album about going through grief and loss.' But there was no way around it,' Kweller said. 'This is just another chapter of me trying to heal and just get through what I've been going through. My music is always very autobiographical." Kweller equates his life to the catalog of songs that he writes. "Cover the Mirrors" is about grieving but also moving on for Kweller, who carries the memory of his son palpably in his music. You can stream the new album on Spotify and purchase it on CD and vinyl at This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Ben Kweller pays tribute to late son in new album 'Cover The Mirrors'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla's monthly sales in Europe fall by nearly 50%, signaling backlash against Musk
Tesla's year is not getting any better. For the fourth consecutive month, sales in Europe have slumped for tech billionaire Elon Musk's Austin-based auto company. Tesla's sales in Europe fell 49% in April from a year earlier, down to about 7,261 vehicles, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. New-car registrations for Tesla models across the European Union dipped almost 53% to 5,475 vehicles. According to the data, Tesla's European market share dropped to 0.7%, down from 1.3% a year ago. Tesla's dip in sales came as electric and plug-in hybrid cars saw an increase in sales. Overall car sales in Europe dipped 0.3%. Battery-electric car sales, however, have risen over 26% between January and April compared to the same period last year, with registrations for hybrid-electric cars rising almost 21% and plug-in hybrid sales growing 7.8%. A fourth month of dipping sales does not bode well for Tesla, which has received extensive backlash brought on by CEO Musk's political viewpoints and role at the federal government cost cutting Department of Government Efficiency. Tesla's new-car registrations in the EU compared from the previous year slumped 36% in March, 47% in February and 50% in January. Tesla is facing stiff competition from Chinese rivals as they are expanding aggressively across Europe, and the company isn't seeing much enthusiasm for its new Model Y. For the first time, Chinese automaker BYD sold more electric vehicles in Europe than Tesla last month, according to data from consumer-research group JATO Dynamics. ACEA data showed that Chinese state-owned automaker SAIC Motor outsold Tesla in Europe in April. Tesla's challenging 2025 even led Musk to refocus his attention on his companies. In the first three months of 2025, Tesla's profit fell 71%. In the first quarter earnings call for his auto company, Musk said that starting in May, 'my time obligation to DOGE will drop significantly,' referring to being head of the federal government's new Department of Government Efficiency. More: Elon Musk to take step back from DOGE as Tesla profit sinks 71% Tesla isn't the only one of Musk's companies to have a rocky year though. Tuesday marked his space company SpaceX's ninth test flight of its Starship rocket, the third this year. And all three ended with the rocket demising before it could test land. The seventh and eighth test flights in January and March respectively didn't last longer than 10 minutes after liftoff with the upper-stage vehicle, Starship, exploding. The ninth test flight on Tuesday made it into space before SpaceX lost control of Starship about halfway through its journey and broke apart as it fell back into the atmosphere. Debris fell into the Indian Ocean away from populated areas. Over the weekend, Musk posted on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that he was spending more time at work and had to be 'super focused' on Tesla and his other companies. On Tuesday, Musk reiterated the sentiment to a reporter prior to Tuesday's Starship launch, saying he spent 'too much time on politics' this year and wants to rededicate his focus to work and not the federal government cost cutting arm. Speculation circulated after the April Tesla earnings call that Tesla's board was looking for a new CEO, which the board chair later denied. "Earlier today, there was a media report erroneously claiming that the Tesla Board had contacted recruitment firms to initiate a CEO search at the company. This is absolutely false (and this was communicated to the media before the report was published). The CEO of Tesla is Elon Musk and the Board is highly confident in his ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead," the board's chair Robyn Denholm said in the statement. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Tesla's monthly sales in Europe fall by nearly 50% Sign in to access your portfolio
