Anjulie Rao

Chicago

Journalist and Critic at Freelance

I write about the built environment. bylines in a lot of places. anjulier at gmail or anjulierao at bsky (she/her)

Articles

Inventory Is Up. Where Are All the Homebuyers?

1 day ago | dwell.com | Anjulie Rao

The U.S. housing market has, for the past few years, been characterized by a particular problem: too few homes have been put up for sale, resulting in high prices. Now that we’re five years out from the tumultuous pandemic market, changes are again afoot.
Chicago’s Iconic Marina City Is Having a Resurgence

5 days ago | dwell.com | Anjulie Rao

View 7 PhotosAs longtime residents themselves, the leaders of MAS Studio have become the de facto renovators of these unique apartments, redefining what it means to live in a building with working-class history. View 7 PhotosThere’s been much ado about the death of cities after the Covid pandemic, as businesses in downtown cores shuttered or went dormant.
Chicago’s Iconic Marina City Is Having a Resurgence

5 days ago | yahoo.com | Anjulie Rao

As longtime residents themselves, the leaders of MAS Studio have become the de facto renovators of these unique apartments, redefining what it means to live in a building with working-class history. There’s been much ado about the death of cities after the Covid pandemic, as businesses in downtown cores shuttered or went dormant.
A New Design Competition Aims to Put Thousands of Empty L.A. Lots to Use

1 week ago | dwell.com | Anjulie Rao

View 8 PhotosSmall Lots, Big Impacts asked firms to propose dynamic infill projects to address housing scarcity and affordability. Here are some of our favorite ideas. View 8 PhotosIn March, the City of Los Angeles, CityLab-UCLA, and nonprofit LA4LA launched Small Lots, Big Impacts, a new competition aimed to address housing scarcity and affordability.
Why the Average Home Buyer Needs a Realtor

3 weeks ago | dwell.com | Anjulie Rao

The much-discussed National Association of Realtors lawsuit reconfigured fees, revealing exactly what first time buyers are up against. It’s already difficult enough to buy your first home. Between legalese, inspections, financing—and the high interest rates and home prices—prospective new homeowners enter the process with a lot to learn and a multitude of risk factors. This is where having a competent, dedicated buyer’s agent can be particularly helpful.
Why the Average Homebuyer Needs a Realtor

4 weeks ago | dwell.com | Anjulie Rao

The much-discussed National Association of Realtors lawsuit reconfigured fees, revealing exactly what first time buyers are up against. It’s already difficult enough to buy your first home. Between legalese, inspections, financing—and the high interest rates and home prices—prospective new homeowners enter the process with a lot to learn and a multitude of risk factors. This is where having a competent, dedicated buyer’s agent can be particularly helpful.
Can Micro-Units Help Gen Z’s Loneliness Epidemic?

1 month ago | dwell.com | Anjulie Rao

View 4 PhotosA stable and connected future for young people could lie in an extremely small-scale intervention. View 4 PhotosStudies show that Gen Z—those born between 1997 and 2012—are not doing great. Having inherited a "fundamentally broken world," says Newsweek, Gen Z is dealing with a host of "social, digital, and developmental factors" that have led them to experience higher levels of loneliness than their elders.
How Trees Destroyed by the L.A. Fires Are Being Recycled Into New Lumber

1 month ago | dwell.com | Anjulie Rao

Angel City Lumber says it will likely be able to produce enough low-cost, millwork-grade board for 500 rebuilt homes—and provide some closure along with them.
How to Navigate Renovation Costs in the Age of Tariffs

1 month ago | dwell.com | Anjulie Rao

Stop panic-hoarding building materials and get familiar with one word: contracts. In January, a colleague was remarking on an ongoing renovation project to transform her attic into a primary bedroom and bath. When the word "tariff" started leaking into the home renovation lexicon, she began chatting with neighbors about how she might avoid fluctuating prices, material delivery delays, and going over budget.
How to Navigate Renovation Costs in the Age of Tariffs

1 month ago | yahoo.com | Anjulie Rao

Stop panic-hoarding building materials and get familiar with one word: contracts. In January, a colleague was remarking on an ongoing renovation project to transform her attic into a primary bedroom and bath. When the word "tariff" started leaking into the home renovation lexicon, she began chatting with neighbors about how she might avoid fluctuating prices, material delivery delays, and going over budget.