Sami Sparber
@samisparber
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reporter @axios. past @WSJ @TexasTribune @dallasnews @NBCPolitics + @UTAustin
Austin, TX
Joined March 2013
Our homes are getting dumber. In @Axios, @samisparber writes that ââDumb homesâ are the latest flex,â with more people ditching high-tech smart homes and appliances for things with buttons and knobs. Some are creating digital detox spaces, as part of the âanalog wellnessâ
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"Dumb homes" are the latest flex
axios.com
Think: Manual light switches and digital detox corners.
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Not shocking if you live in DC, but the data backs it up: the average age of people in a first marriage here is 32 years old â oldest in the country, per @mimi_montgom @samisparber in Axiosâs morning newsletter
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đ WATCH: @samisparber's reporting on "pumpkin concierges" was featured on @TODAYshow. https://t.co/or8N9nFTsj
today.com
A growing number of people are turning to pumpkin concierge services to spruce up their homes for fall and Halloween, from setup to takedown. NBCâs Bruan Cheung reports for TODAY on the seasonal...
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@samisparber and @EmilyRPeck: It's a homebuyer's market â if you can afford one
axios.com
Redfin estimates there are nearly half a million more sellers than buyers now.
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A wave of newly built apartments helped curb rent hikes over the past few years. For many renters, that break is fading, per @samisparber.
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New for @axios: It's (micro) wedding season. Ballrooms are out. Courthouses, Vegas-style chapels, restaurants and backyards are in. https://t.co/4spy31ptfu
axios.com
Micro weddings are half the cost (or less) of traditional weddings.
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There are now 233 U.S. cities where a typical starter home costs at least $1 million. That's nearly triple the number from March 2020, per @zillow. https://t.co/PxCwacVhO4
axios.com
The list includes 233 U.S. cities, compared to 85 five years ago.
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You need to earn over $50K more a year to buy a home versus renting one
axios.com
The buying-renting gap has multiplied in recent years.
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New for @axios: As the creator economy booms, more life moments have become "content" to share. But please donât film your workout. (People are begging.) https://t.co/fesWaOTptd
axios.com
Gyms have cracked down on filming and phones.
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New for @axios: Engaged couples are bracing for price hikes on flowers, dresses, cakes, invitations and more because of President Trump's roller-coaster tariffs. https://t.co/VK62SjGOtx
axios.com
Flowers, dresses and more may soon come with higher price tags.
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Mortgage rates sink on Trump tariffs, but other costs may deter buyers https://t.co/d7nfQ4JE3t
axios.com
Builders see tariffs raising the cost to construct a new home by $9,200 on average.
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New for @axios: Some Canadians are ditching their winter homes in the U.S. as tensions between the two countries simmer. https://t.co/s47S8b5yaS
axios.com
President Trump's tariffs and taunts may be the last straw for snowbirds.
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Sami Sparber joined @CBSNews Bay Area to discuss the rise of "travel rings" â fake engagement rings worn on vacation. đș: @KPIXtv | @samisparber | @axios
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âReality check: Lab-grown diamonds are just as real as mined ones.â Effin preach
Lab-grown diamonds have made it cheaper for jewelry lovers to score looks they've always wanted. But not everyone is sold on the trend. Naysayers compare sporting lab-grown gems to carrying a knockoff designer bag. https://t.co/wFY9OB8RkG
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And, speaking of newlyweds, they probably don't have space for that stand mixer or barista-grade espresso machine. Wedding registries are shrinking to fit into cramped apartments and starter homes. https://t.co/NjvrPGmloF
axios.com
No one has space for that stand mixer.
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Lab-grown diamonds have made it cheaper for jewelry lovers to score looks they've always wanted. But not everyone is sold on the trend. Naysayers compare sporting lab-grown gems to carrying a knockoff designer bag. https://t.co/wFY9OB8RkG
axios.com
They want to know if the stone is "real" or lab-grown.
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My latest Gen Z dispatch for @axios: People are buying engagement ring "stunt doubles" to wear on vacation. Backup bling is booming as diamond rings get bigger and bolder. https://t.co/CoL8qtNZxs
axios.com
They're called travel rings and are taking over social media.
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Want to bet on the Super Bowl in a state where sports betting is illegal, like Texas? Prediction markets now let you do it, and so far the CFTC and state regulators are MIA https://t.co/EoQzZCdNMt
axios.com
It's a potential loophole that is likely to draw the scrutiny of both local and national regulators.
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