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Housing April 21st Weekly Update: Inventory up 2.4% Week-over-week, Up 33.4% Year-over-year

Calculated Risk

Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 2.4% week-over-week. Inventory is now up 15.2% from the seasonal bottom in January and is increasing. Usually, inventory is up about 6% or 7% from the seasonal low by this week in the year. So, 2025 is seeing a larger than normal pickup in inventory. The first graph shows the seasonal pattern for active single-family inventory since 2015.

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Transcript: Martín Escobari, General Atlantic

The Big Picture

The transcript from this weeks, MiB: Martn Escobari, General Atlantic , is below. You can stream and download our full conversation, including any podcast extras, on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , YouTube , and Bloomberg. All of our earlier podcasts on your favorite pod hosts can be found here. ~~~ XXXXX insert transcript here XXXXX ~~~ The post Transcript: Martn Escobari, General Atlantic appeared first on The Big Picture.

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Avoid the Unforced Investment Errors Even Billionaires Make

The Big Picture

Your Biggest, Most Avoidable, Unforced Investment Errors Adapted from How Not To Invest: The ideas, numbers, and behaviors that destroy wealth – and how to avoid them (Harriman House, March 18, 2025) By Barry Ritholtz Tariffs, inflation, war, debt ceiling, profit warnings, geopolitics, market volatility theres always something happening to fuel your urge to make a decision any decision!

Investing 267
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Kitces & Carl Ep 161: Avoiding Staff Management Duties You Don’t Want By Paying A Virtual Assistant For Only What You Need

Nerd's Eye View

Hiring a contractor is an exciting step for many advisory firms. It represents a chance to delegate tasks, step away from day-to-day operations with more peace of mind, and pass a key milestone of (traditional) firm growth. However, hiring contractors isn’t without its complications. Even outsourced support requires some oversight, and delegation doesn’t always go as far as some might hope.

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Data Talks, CFOs Listen: Why Analytics Is The Key To Better Spend Management

Speaker: Claire Grosjean

Finance teams are drowning in data—but is it actually helping them spend smarter? Without the right approach, excess spending, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities continue to drain profitability. While analytics offers powerful insights, financial intelligence requires more than just numbers—it takes the right blend of automation, strategy, and human expertise.

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Personal finance links: dignity and meaning

Abnormal Returns

Podcasts Peter Lazaroff talks with Christine Benz about the most overlooked parts of a retirement plan. (peterlazaroff.com) Steve Chen talks all things Social Security with Devin Carroll, author of "Social Security Basics." (podcasts.apple.com) Jason and Jeff talk with Ben Carlson about navigating market noise and more. (podcasts.apple.com) Taxes Roth 401(k) rollovers are tricky.

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Blackstone to Debut Credit Fund for Everyday Investors in May

Wealth Management

This marks Blackstones fifth so-called perpetual fund, which will launch under the ticker BMACX.

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Weekend Reading For Financial Planners (April 19–20)

Nerd's Eye View

Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that as total household financial wealth grew to a record high of $90 trillion at the end of 2024, so too did the number of households advancing up the wealth ladder, with the High-Net-Worth (HNW) category of households with at least $5 million seeing a significant gain.

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Thursday links: dismissing nuance

Abnormal Returns

Decision making Barry Ritholtz, "There is an endless assortment of ways to make mistakes that hurt your portfolio." (ritholtz.com) Not every problem can (or should) be solved by math. (timharford.com) ETFs Investors love CLO ETFs like the AAA CLO ETF ($JAAA). (on.ft.com) Still no sign that traders are giving up on leveraged ETFs. (bloomberg.com) Companies A second judge has ruled Google ($GOOGL) has acted as a monopolist.

Medicine 157
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$350M Long Island Advisor Joins the March From Osaic to LPL

Wealth Management

James Verdi was previously with American Portfolios, one of the legacy broker/dealers integrated into a single entity when Osaic rebranded from Advisor Group.

Portfolio 262
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NMHC on Apartments: Market conditions Tightened in Q1 pre-Tariffs

Calculated Risk

Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: NMHC on Apartments: Market conditions Tightened in Q1 pre-Tariffs Excerpt: From the NMHC: Apartment Market Sees Tighter Conditions, Rebounding Deal Flow and Improved Debt Financing in First Quarter Changes in U.S. trade policy over the past two weeks have impacted global financial markets, causing stock prices to fall (and then partially recover) and long-term yields to increase amidst a retreat of capital from U.S.

Marketing 282
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What Your Financial Statements Are Telling You—And How to Listen!

Speaker: David Worrell, CFO, Author & Speaker

Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.

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Talk Your Book: How Not To Invest Like Buffett

The Big Picture

I had fun speaking with Ben & Michael about the new book and whether it is the culmination of my life’s work. Fun factoid: The sound of Batnick’s eye rolls as he heard the same story for the umpteenth time was always in the back of my head as I wrote the book… Source : How Not To Invest Like Buffett. Michael Batnick, Ben Carlson Talk Your Book, April 19, 2025 The post Talk Your Book: How Not To Invest Like Buffett appeared first on The Big Picture.

Investing 236
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From Emotion To Logic: 6 Questions To Help Clients Navigate Market-Related Fears Productively

Nerd's Eye View

During periods of market volatility, it's common for financial advisors to receive calls from clients who are nervous about what a steep market decline might mean for their portfolio and long-term financial goals. In these moments, an advisor's first instinct might be to take a logic-based approach – citing long-term market trends and encouraging the client to stay invested.

Clients 130
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Longform links: a bygone era

Abnormal Returns

Books An excerpt from "Everything is Tuberculosis" by John Green. (theatlantic.com) A Q&A with Eunji Kim author of "The American Mirage: How Reality TV Upholds the Myth of Meritocracy." (niemanlab.org) An excerpt from Sophie Gilberts new book, "Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves." (theatlantic.com) An excerpt from "Flight of the Godwit: Tracking Epic Shorebird Migrations" by Bruce M.

Planning 144
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The Healthy Advisor: Getting Past the Seven-Year Fog with Dr. Preston Cherry

Wealth Management

The founder of Concurrent Financial Planning opens up about his challengesbankruptcy, self-medicating behaviors and racial microaggressionsall while searching for balance, healing and true fulfillment.

Medical 260
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How To Avoid Pitfalls In Automation: Keep Humans In The Loop

Speaker: Erroll Amacker

Automation is transforming finance but without strong financial oversight it can introduce more risk than reward. From missed discrepancies to strained vendor relationships, accounts payable automation needs a human touch to deliver lasting value. This session is your playbook to get automation right. We’ll explore how to balance speed with control, boost decision-making through human-machine collaboration, and unlock ROI with fewer errors, stronger fraud prevention, and smoother operations.

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Newsletter: Housing Starts Decreased to 1.324 million Annual Rate in March

Calculated Risk

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Housing Starts Decreased to 1.324 million Annual Rate in March A brief excerpt: First, from Reuters: D.R. Horton cuts 2025 revenue forecast on weak demand for homes U.S. homebuilder D.R. Horton lowered its full-year revenue forecast and missed second-quarter profit and revenue estimates on Thursday due to weak demand for homes.

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The Big Think: “Smart is good. Smart and lucky is better”

The Big Picture

I had a great conversation with Eric Markowitz of The Big Think about HNTI. He focuses on all the right things: “As Ritholtz puts it, The book is ostensibly about investing. But if you strip it down to its most basic form, its about decision-making, judgment, and behavior. He likens smart investing to participating in humanitys progress buying into the slow, compounding gains of innovation, from safer cars to better sneakers.

Media 130
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From Emotion To Logic: 6 Questions To Help Clients Work Through Market-Related Fears Productively

Nerd's Eye View

During periods of market volatility, it's common for financial advisors to receive calls from clients who are nervous about what a steep market decline might mean for their portfolio and long-term financial goals. In these moments, an advisor's first instinct might be to take a logic-based approach – citing long-term market trends and encouraging the client to stay invested.

Clients 130
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Adviser links: curiosity and restraint

Abnormal Returns

Podcasts Michael Kitces talks with Cameron Passmore, the CEO of PWL Capital, and of the 'Rational Remind' podcast. (kitces.com) Peter Lazaroff talks with Christine Benz about the most overlooked parts of a retirement plan. (peterlazaroff.com) Charles Schwab Despite some trepidation, Charles Schwab ($SCHW) is inching toward offering spot crypto trading.

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Book of Secrets on the Month-End Close

Based off SkyStem's popular e-Book, the book of secrets to the month-end close will be revealed in this one-hour webinar. Learn leading practices when it comes to building a strong and sustainable month-end close that has room to grow and evolve. Learn about the power of precise estimates, why reconciliations are critical to closing the books, how and when to automate, and how the chart of accounts play into your close process.

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Schwab Trading Tops Estimates as Volatility Hits Customers

Wealth Management

Schwabs daily average trades jumped 24% in the first quarter to 7.39 million, above analysts forecasts.

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California Home Sales Up 4.9% YoY in March; 4th Look at Local Housing Markets

Calculated Risk

Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: California Home Sales Up 4.9% YoY in March; 4th Look at Local Housing Markets A brief excerpt: From the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.): Elevated interest rates and economic uncertainty ease March home sales, C.A.R. reports Marchs sales pace fell 2.3 percent from the 284,540 homes sold in February and was up 4.9 percent from a year ago, when a revised 264,200 homes were sold on an annualized basis.

Sales 211
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Loan Split Dollar - A Renaissance in the Making?

NAIFA Advisor Today

Loan split dollar remains one of those advanced market strategies that engenders two distinct reactions among financial professionals. One reaction sees nearly unlimited opportunity in the executive business market, while another relegates this concept to the esoteric and inapplicable. Though the latter reaction may be natural for those still stuck in an early 2000s mindset, todays financial professionals would be remiss if they didnt seize this impactful strategy and place it in their executive

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Optimizing The Planning Process To Address Challenges For Clients Who Are 1 Year Away From Retirement

Nerd's Eye View

When onboarding new clients, financial advisors often use a three-meeting cadence: a Discovery Meeting to gather information, a Presentation Meeting to discuss the plan, and an Implementation Meeting to finalize it. While this approach works for many clients, individuals who are 12 months away from retirement face a range of complex financial and emotional considerations.

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Stop Falling Short When It Matters Most—The Elite Advisor’s Playbook to Success

Like being inches from the end zone, many advisors are frustratingly close to their next level of success. You work hard. You put in the hours. But if your closing rate is stuck or your pipeline feels like a revolving door… something has to change. Most advisors are just one small shift away from dramatically increasing their revenue. The difference?

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Tuesday links: what comes next

Abnormal Returns

Markets Gold is a crowded trade. (sherwood.news) Why the move in gold matters. (priceactionlab.com) How portfolio diversification has worked in 2025. (morningstar.com) Bonds Treasury bonds have never been risk free. (bloomberg.com) Are bonds still a good diversifier? (morningstar.com) Private assets Tariffs are only going to make things harder for startups.

Startup 157
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Altruist Raises $152M at a $1.9B Valuation

Wealth Management

The fundraising round was led by GIC, Singapores sovereign wealth fund, to fuel product launches and executive hires, and values Altruist at $1.9 billion.

Valuation 251
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Wednesday: New Home Sales, Architecture Billings Index, Beige Book

Calculated Risk

Note: Mortgage rates are from MortgageNewsDaily.com and are for top tier scenarios. Wednesday: At 7:00 AM ET, The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) will release the results for the mortgage purchase applications index. At 10:00 AM, New Home Sales for March from the Census Bureau. The consensus is for 680 thousand SAAR, up from 676 thousand in February.

Sales 259
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15 Recession-Proof Businesses That Thrive in Any Economy

Clever Girl Finance

Recession-proof businesses are more than just smart, they’re essential when economic uncertainty hits. If youve ever worried about job security or how your income would hold up during a downturn, youre not alone. Recessions can bring layoffs, reduced hours, and shrinking markets. But while the economy slows, certain businesses remain steady, and some even thrive.

Economy 84
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The Future Of Finance: How To Manage Spend The Right Way

Speaker: Aaron Berson

Managing spend is more than a cost cutting exercise – it's a pathway to smarter decisions that unlock efficiency and drive growth. By understanding and refining the spending process, financial leaders can empower their organizations to achieve more with less. Explore the art of balancing financial control with operational growth. From uncovering hidden inefficiencies to designing workflows that scale your business, we’ll share strategies to align your organization’s spending with its strategic g

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Optimizing The Planning Process To Address Challenges For Clients Who Are One Year Away From Retirement

Nerd's Eye View

When onboarding new clients, financial advisors often use a three-meeting cadence: a Discovery Meeting to gather information, a Presentation Meeting to discuss the plan, and an Implementation Meeting to finalize it. While this approach works for many clients, individuals who are 12 months away from retirement face a range of complex financial and emotional considerations.

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Market Commentary: Sentiment Remains Extreme as Fed Warns of Risks

Carson Wealth

Some Giveback After the S&P 500 gained nearly 6% two weeks ago, there was some well-deserved giveback last week, as stocks fell 1.5%, mainly thanks to a huge drop on Wednesday after hawkish comments from Jerome Powell (more on that below). As we noted last week, stocks are trying to carve out a potential low, but risks are clearly still high over the trade war and a Federal Reserve (Fed) in a tough spot.

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The WealthStack Podcast: Leveraging Forms Automation with Rich Walker

Wealth Management

How automating forms can help financial advisors save time, reduce errors and ultimately improve client experience.

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Tuesday: Richmond Fed Mfg

Calculated Risk

From Matthew Graham at Mortgage News Daily: Mortgage Rates Jump Back Toward 7% The latest headlines involve heavy criticism of Fed Chair Powell on the part of The President. Without any comment on whether that criticism is justified, we can still observe that markets find it unsettling. Traders are expressing that sentiment by pushing stocks lower and rates higher.

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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.