Latest news with #Captivate
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This is the rudest thing you're doing every time you meet someone new — and it causes instant dislike
It's the common question that's an instant connection killer. When meeting someone new, it's not unusual to enquire about what that person does for work — but a body language expert says it's a surefire way to get off on the wrong foot. Vanessa Van Edwards, the author of 'Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People' made the claim in an interview on The Diary of a CEO podcast, which has resurfaced after being recorded last year. 'Stop asking 'What do you do?'' Van Edwards declared. 'That is telling them their brain can stay on autopilot. Asking someone that question is really asking 'What are you worth?'' Because you may be subtly sizing up your new acquaintance with such a query, the expert asserted that the question is impolite. 'If someone's not defined by what they do, it's actually a rude question,' Van Edwards stated. 'You can replace it with 'Working on anything exciting these days?' or 'Working on anything exciting recently?' She explained that such questions allow people to answer in the way they feel most comfortable, possibly opening up the conversation to create more possibilities for connection. While most may choose to discuss their occupation, others will use the questions as opportunities to speak about an exciting hobby they are working on or a holiday they are planning. 'This is permission connection,' Van Edwards said. 'You ask someone that question, you are giving them permission if they want to tell you about what they do.' Van Edwards has also made headlines for revealing the questions you need to ask a spouse if you're in a struggling marriage. 'Ask, 'What's going on? Are you OK? What are you feeling? I want to be here for it.' Because then you're giving air to whatever that contempt is so that it can be addressed,' the communications maven told The Unplanned Podcast earlier this year.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
The common question that will make people dislike you, according to to a body language expert
An expert in body language and people skills has revealed one question you shouldn't ask in social situations - as it is likely to make people dislike you. Vanessa Van Edwards is the founder of Science of People, an organisation which 'gives people science-backed skills to improve communication and leadership'. She is also the author of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People and Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication. She recently appeared on an episode of Steven Bartlett 's podcast Diary of a CEO, where she spoke about a range of topic - including why you shouldn't fake smile, how to be more charismatic, and the question you shouldn't ask people in social situations. While discussing which questions you should ask people if you want to 'level up' your connection with them, Vanessa also highlighted the one query which she believes is a conversational no-no. She said: 'Stop asking "what do you do?" [...]. That is telling them their brain can stay on autopilot. Asking someone that question is really asking "what are you worth?". 'And if someone's not defined by what they do, it's actually a rude question.' Moving on to what to ask in place of that question, she said: 'You can replace it with "working on anything exciting these days?" or "working on anything exciting recently?" Vanessa explained: 'This is permission connection. You ask someone that question, you are giving them permission if they want to tell you about what they do. "If they are not defined by what they do, they'll tell you something better. 'And that also gives you really good nuggets for the next time you see them, when you can say, "hey, how was that thing you were working on?".' Moving onto how people can follow up that question, she suggested asking 'what's your biggest goal right now?'. She continued: 'When you ask this question, you're gonna get one of two responses. One, someone shuts you down [...] or, they're going to tell you about goals. 'That's also a great thing you can follow up on, because then when you see them a month later, or a week later, or a year later, you can be like, "hey, how did that go?".' Discussing how you can get to know someone better, Vanessa suggested another question you can ask them. She said: '[The question] sounds innocuous, but it's not. 'It's "what book, movie or TV character is most like you and why?". It's kind of a silly, dinner party question that sounds casual, but the answer to this question is so incredibly important. 'How someone relates to characters, their values or personality is how they see themselves, and people's answers will shock you.' Vanessa then gave an example, explaining: 'I was friends with someone for six years. [She was] one of my closest friends, I saw them all the time. 'We went on a weekend trip together [...] and I asked her this question. I hypothesised that she's a mom of three, super funny, super savvy. I was like, "she's going to pick a great TV mom character that's super savvy and funny. 'I asked her, she thinks about it for maybe one second, and says "Katniss from The Hunger Games". 'I was like "the one who's fighting for her life?". 'She replied "yes, that's how I feel every day. And we, for the first time in six years, had a conversation about how she feels about her day that was totally different than anything I had ever known - that she feels scared and lonely, and that she's fighting for survival. 'And it was the first time that I truly connected with her. 'This question [has changed my relationship with so many people] based on how they see themselves, not how I see them, but how they see themselves.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chicago housing market off to slightly busier start in 2025
Dillon Rudy and his wife are in the classic pickle of many homeowners in the Chicago area and across the country. They live in their first home, which they bought in 2021, a three-bedroom in Lincoln Park, when mortgage rates were at record lows. Their goal is to move to the North Shore to find a bigger place for their expanding family. But with a 3.7% mortgage rate and inventory of for-sale homes at extremely low levels, they aren't jumping back into the market quite yet. 'I am the cliche: married to the rate and don't really want to do anything,' Rudy said. 'The money is so cheap.' Rudy, 29, is just one of many homeowners and would-be homeowners who are sitting on the sidelines or stuck there because of a persistent lack of inventory and higher mortgage rates and home prices in the real estate market. While Rudy weighs whether he should 'make some serious dough' by selling soon given the favorable seller's market in Chicago or keep it as a rental property as he had originally planned, he worries about his chance of finding his ideal next home and is biding his time, hoping mortgage rates drop below 5%. And as Rudy stays in his home, another family is out there searching for a starter home such as Rudy's in Lincoln Park. This cycle is one that has been going on for years since the booming COVID-19 pandemic real estate market came to a halt as mortgage rates rose and was not substantially different in the first quarter of this year in the Chicago and Illinois housing markets. While home sales for the year were up marginally compared to this time last year, affordability challenges are not easing for buyers in the Chicago area. The lack of inventory continues to create a highly competitive market, keeping prices elevated as buyers' purchase power is already more limited due to higher mortgage rates. 'A lot of people out there have buyers ready to go for them on a … sale and a price that is crazy strong and … want to sell it at that number,' said Dan Spitz, founder and CEO of Captivate Real Estate Group, who is working with Rudy. 'But (they say,) 'I have nowhere to go.' Financially, it doesn't make sense, even if they receive $50,000 to $100,000 more' on their current home's sale price. Captivate is brokered by eXp Realty. The real estate market in Chicago is hyperlocal, with some neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park and West Town super hot. Inventory is flying off the shelves in those neighborhoods, Spitz said, well above the asking price. And those that are selling are still doing so because of changes in life circumstances such as new kids, divorce or return to office mandates, real estate agents say. These were the 10 priciest ZIP codes for Chicago homebuyers in 2024 In March, the median sales price of a home in the city limits was $380,000, up from $360,000 in February, according to data from Illinois Realtors, a trade association for real estate agents. The median sales price in March was $360,000 for the Chicago metro area, up from $344,000 in February. Statewide, the numbers were $295,000 and $283,000 in March and February, respectively. So far this year, median sales prices are up 9% within city limits and 6.1% statewide. The national median existing home sales price — which excludes new construction homes — was $403,700 in March, the 21st consecutive month of year-over-over price increases, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. While monthly home sales in Chicago and Illinois went up between February and March, national sales fell 5.9% over the same period. NAR confirmed to the Tribune that the slide was the biggest month-to-month decline since November 2022 and that it was the slowest March in terms of sales since 2009. Freddie Mac data shows the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage average hit its peak this year in January, eclipsing 7% before trending downward. Rates remained in the 6% range in March, with the last week of the month closing out with an average of 6.65%. 'Even with inventory constraints and affordability headwinds, serious buyers are stepping in decisively when properties are priced and positioned well,' said Illinois Realtors President Tommy Choi in a March news release. 'This market isn't slowing; it's evolving. And those who adapt are winning.' Within city limits and statewide, Illinois Realtors data shows closed sales are up 5% and 1.2%, respectively, compared to the first quarter of last year, a modest sign that more buyers and sellers are jumping into the market this year. Chicago home sales declined again in 2024. Will 2025 see more movement? As the busier homebuying and selling season kicked off after the Super Bowl, the unofficial start date of the season according to the real estate community, so did President Donald Trump's trade wars. The tariff battles have created uncertainty for businesses and consumers, including homebuyers and sellers. 'General consumer and homebuyer sentiment declined in March, driven by uncertainty surrounding the potential effects of tariffs and other federal policies on the broader economy, inflation, and interest rates,' said Geoff Smith, executive director of DePaul University's Institute for Housing Studies, in a March news release. In 2024, national data from NAR showed that existing home sales fell to the lowest levels in nearly 30 years for the second consecutive year. The Chicago-area market for home sales was even tighter compared to the national market. ekane@
Chicago Tribune
06-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago housing market off to slightly busier start in 2025
Dillon Rudy and his wife are in the classic pickle of many homeowners in the Chicago area and across the country. They live in their first home, which they bought in 2021, a three-bedroom in Lincoln Park, when mortgage rates were at record lows. Their goal is to move to the North Shore to find a bigger place for their expanding family. But with a 3.7% mortgage rate and inventory of for-sale homes at extremely low levels, they aren't jumping back into the market quite yet. 'I am the cliche: married to the rate and don't really want to do anything,' Rudy said. 'The money is so cheap.' Rudy, 29, is just one of many homeowners and would-be homeowners who are sitting on the sidelines or stuck there because of a persistent lack of inventory and higher mortgage rates and home prices in the real estate market. While Rudy weighs whether he should 'make some serious dough' by selling soon given the favorable seller's market in Chicago or keep it as a rental property as he had originally planned, he worries about his chance of finding his ideal next home and is biding his time, hoping mortgage rates drop below 5%. And as Rudy stays in his home, another family is out there searching for a starter home such as Rudy's in Lincoln Park. This cycle is one that has been going on for years since the booming COVID-19 pandemic real estate market came to a halt as mortgage rates rose and was not substantially different in the first quarter of this year in the Chicago and Illinois housing markets. While home sales for the year were up marginally compared to this time last year, affordability challenges are not easing for buyers in the Chicago area. The lack of inventory continues to create a highly competitive market, keeping prices elevated as buyers' purchase power is already more limited due to higher mortgage rates. 'A lot of people out there have buyers ready to go for them on a … sale and a price that is crazy strong and … want to sell it at that number,' said Dan Spitz, founder and CEO of Captivate Real Estate Group, who is working with Rudy. 'But (they say,) 'I have nowhere to go.' Financially, it doesn't make sense, even if they receive $50,000 to $100,000 more' on their current home's sale price. Captivate is brokered by eXp Realty. The real estate market in Chicago is hyperlocal, with some neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park and West Town super hot. Inventory is flying off the shelves in those neighborhoods, Spitz said, well above the asking price. And those that are selling are still doing so because of changes in life circumstances such as new kids, divorce or return to office mandates, real estate agents say. These were the 10 priciest ZIP codes for Chicago homebuyers in 2024 In March, the median sales price of a home in the city limits was $380,000, up from $360,000 in February, according to data from Illinois Realtors, a trade association for real estate agents. The median sales price in March was $360,000 for the Chicago metro area, up from $344,000 in February. Statewide, the numbers were $295,000 and $283,000 in March and February, respectively. So far this year, median sales prices are up 9% within city limits and 6.1% statewide. The national median existing home sales price — which excludes new construction homes — was $403,700 in March, the 21st consecutive month of year-over-over price increases, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. While monthly home sales in Chicago and Illinois went up between February and March, national sales fell 5.9% over the same period. NAR confirmed to the Tribune that the slide was the biggest month-to-month decline since November 2022 and that it was the slowest March in terms of sales since 2009. Freddie Mac data shows the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage average hit its peak this year in January, eclipsing 7% before trending downward. Rates remained in the 6% range in March, with the last week of the month closing out with an average of 6.65%. 'Even with inventory constraints and affordability headwinds, serious buyers are stepping in decisively when properties are priced and positioned well,' said Illinois Realtors President Tommy Choi in a March news release. 'This market isn't slowing; it's evolving. And those who adapt are winning.' Within city limits and statewide, Illinois Realtors data shows closed sales are up 5% and 1.2%, respectively, compared to the first quarter of last year, a modest sign that more buyers and sellers are jumping into the market this year. Chicago home sales declined again in 2024. Will 2025 see more movement? As the busier homebuying and selling season kicked off after the Super Bowl, the unofficial start date of the season according to the real estate community, so did President Donald Trump's trade wars. The tariff battles have created uncertainty for businesses and consumers, including homebuyers and sellers. 'General consumer and homebuyer sentiment declined in March, driven by uncertainty surrounding the potential effects of tariffs and other federal policies on the broader economy, inflation, and interest rates,' said Geoff Smith, executive director of DePaul University's Institute for Housing Studies, in a March news release.
