Buy Vs. Rent

Hi, today we explore: (1) The latest data on whether you should buy or rent, (2) Nike's rare misstep, and (3) The plastic problem. TOGETHER WITH Today's Topics Good morning! The race for the next speaker of the House is getting crowded, with [9 candidates]( now vying for the most senior position in Congress. Today we're exploring: - Buy vs. rent: The latest data makes a clear case. - Not doing it: Nike has had a rare misstep. - Plastic unfantastic: How much plastic actually gets recycled? Have feedback for us? Just hit reply — we'd love to hear from you! [Read this on the web instead]( Renter’s market For Americans looking to get a foot on the property ladder, buying has perhaps never made less financial sense: CBRE analysis, cited by [the WSJ]( suggests that average new monthly mortgage payments are now 52% more expensive than typical rent on an apartment in the US. This disparity is now the most pronounced it's been across the 27-year span of CBRE’s research. Unreal estate Various factors have coalesced in recent years to make the concept of buying a house, for many people at least, something of a pipe dream. The new analysis adds to the evidence that housing is at or near “[peak unaffordability]( as steep prices, low inventory, and [still-rising mortgage rates]( keep bidders at bay. Theory would suggest that rents and house prices should move roughly in line, but the real world is rarely so neat and tidy. Indeed, CBRE’s analysis suggests that buying was the “value option” for much of the 2010s — a period that must feel far away for the 51% of non-home-owning Americans who fear they’ll never afford that [first purchase](. Where we go from here depends on your perspective: either rents are about to soar to catch up, or house prices could be set to drop. A foot in both camps Although it sells billions of dollars worth of clothing and equipment every year, Nike is still predominantly in the shoe game, managing to do what most Marketing 101 courses would tell you is impossible — selling footwear for both fashion and performance. But, recently, Nike seems to have [misstepped]( as competition from fitness-focused brands such as Hoka and On have started eating into its running business. In its latest quarter, Nike’s footwear sales dropped a concerning 2% in North America, with price rises obfuscating a 10% decline in sales volume — Swiss brand On, which is [backed]( by Roger Federer, [reported]( a 52% jump in sales in its most recent update. Sneakerheads have long coveted Air Jordans and Air Force 1s, while models such as the Vaporfly were so successful they sparked an entire genre of “[super running shoes]( — but recent models haven’t been flying off the shelves in the typical Nike fashion. Direct feedback Nike’s strategy over the last decade has been all about going direct, selling straight to customers either online or at one of its ~900 stores around the world. For a brand-obsessed business like Nike, this makes a lot of sense. Owning the distribution gives control over everything from how your sneakers are displayed, to what kind of discounts (if any) you’re willing to give. It also means you make more profit, because there’s no middleman taking a cut. Nike took this strategy far, even breaking up with department store giants like Macy’s — only to come back to the table over [the summer](. [Sponsored by RealtyMogul]( Not all moguls are created equal Real estate mogul is an enticing title — but the market isn’t easy to crack without realtor contacts, know-how, and a lot of hard work. That’s why 280,000+ members use [RealtyMogul]( an online real estate investment platform that empowers you to build a diversified real estate portfolio and achieve your financial goals. From multi-family to retail, offices to self-storage, [RealtyMogul]( lets members easily review, compare and invest in real estate opportunities that meet their criteria. The great thing about [RealtyMogul]( is that reputable real estate companies, or “sponsors'', use its [sleek, easy-to-use platform]( to offer institutional-quality commercial real estate investment opportunities. Since 2012, [RealtyMogul]( has been blazing the trail with personalized service, proven business discipline and data-driven insights — a must-see for any mogul in the making.* [Discover real estate investment opportunities on RealtyMogul]( PET peeve Last week, a group of chemists detailed a novel class of potentially [recyclable polymers]( that may be constructed into a variety of plastic-like materials, but can be broken down after use to be reformed into new products. Although only a preliminary finding, the research highlights the ongoing efforts from scientists around the world to find a solution to single-use plastics like PET and HDPE — with humans still producing ~400 million tons of [plastic waste]( every year. Other recent efforts have included [plastic-eating bacteria]( and [fungi]( but nothing yet has proved scalable enough to temper our global plastic addiction. Breaking the cycle After plastic broke into the mainstream in the 1950s, it took another 3 decades for curbside recycling to be introduced in the US. Since then, despite the boom in recycling processing facilities that followed — with the amount of plastic recycled domestically skyrocketing from 20,000 tons in 1980 to 3 million tons nearly 4 decades later — the rise of recycling hasn’t been enough. Data from the [EPA]( reveals that in 2018, some 36 million tons of plastic were produced in the US, of which only 8.7% was recycled. Since plastics take anywhere from 20-500 years to [degrade]( and a total ~4.9 billion tons of the material over all time is estimated to have been discarded after one use, reprocessing all this rubbish using current methods would take centuries. More Data • TLDR: 56% of Americans say they usually click “agree” before reading online [privacy policies](. • Another week, another mega oil deal: Chevron is [buying Hess]( for $53 billion, following on from Exxon’s $60 billion Pioneer acquisition earlier [this month](. • Tinder’s unhinged new “Matchmaker” feature allows up to 15 of your close friends and family to help pick your [next date](. • Since 2012, real estate investment platform [RealtyMogul]( has amassed 280,000+ members. The [platform]( empowers you to build your own personalized real estate portfolio — so if you’ve ever thought about real estate investing, [RealtyMogul]( is a great place to start.** • Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon made $23 million at the domestic box office — the third-best opening of the director’s storied career, though still not enough to knock Swift’s concert film off the [top spot](. **This is sponsored content. Hi-Viz • Google’s new game, [Odd One Out]( tests if you can spot the AI-generated artwork. Off the charts: Which struggling company is thinking outside of the box by appointing long-term Spanx boss [Laurie Ann Goldman]( as its new CEO in an effort to keep the business fresh? [Answer below]. [Answer here](. *Disclaimer: Nothing on this page should be regarded as investment advice or be used as a basis for an investor's decision to invest. Investment opportunities on the RealtyMogul Platform are speculative and involve substantial risk. Advice from a securities professional is strongly advised. Please carefully review all disclosures and disclaimers on the RealtyMogul website. All information and any calculations used herein is based on information from inception through August 31, 2023. Thanks for reading. See you on Wednesday! Have some [feedback](mailto:daily@chartr.co?subject=Feedback&body=Hi%2C%0A%0AI%20like%20the%20newsletters%2C%20but%20I%20had%20a%20thought%20for%20you...) or want to [sponsor]( this newsletter? Not a subscriber? Sign up for free below. [Subscribe]( Copyright © 2023 CHARTR LIMITED, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: CHARTR LIMITED Kemp House 152 - 160 City RoadLondon, EC1V 2NX United Kingdom [Add us to your address book]( Don't want charts in your inbox anymore? Break our hearts and [unsubscribe](.