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How the K-Shaped divide is reshaping US housing
Key points: • First-time buyers are at historic lows as affordability pressures favor equity-rich and investor buyers. • Housing costs now far exceed traditional income thresholds, widening generational wealth gaps....
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Spotlight On: Irene Wong, Director of Economic Development, City of Kannapolis
Key points: Kannapolis is leveraging $115M+ in downtown investment and rising foot traffic to drive destination-based growth. Industrial expansion, especially in logistics and advanced manufacturing, is accelerating across Cabarrus and...
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Spotlight On: Jeff Burns, Owner & CEO, Affiliated Development
Key points: • Rising costs and constrained equity have made public incentives essential to delivering workforce housing in South Florida. • The Live Local Act and faster entitlements are accelerating...
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How the K-Shaped divide is reshaping US housing
Key points: • First-time buyers are at historic lows as affordability pressures favor equity-rich and investor buyers. • Housing costs now far exceed traditional income thresholds, widening generational wealth gaps. • Supply constraints and investor competition are deepening regional and economic divides. February 2026 — In America’s K-shaped housing economy, first-time buyers are getting squeezed out of the market, while high-net worth investors continue to capture a greater portion of...
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What we stand for: caa’s ‘Pillars of Excellence’
This past year, we celebrated something big: 10 years of caa. And while anniversaries are a moment to look back — to reflect on
I:BSS
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With the Invest: Business Sentiment Survey, we take a deep dive into our markets through an on-the-ground approach to tell you why you should be doing business there.
The Regional Economic Sentiment Index, drawn from the Invest: Business Sentiment Survey (I:BSS), tracks perceptions of economic strength across 20 U.S. metro areas. The index is based on a standardized question posed to senior executives and public officials featured in Invest: reports, asking them to rate the strength of their regional economy on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being strongest).
Sentiment remained stable from late 2023 through most of 2025, but it became more volatile following the January 2025 political transition, as a new wave of tariff activity and shifting trade expectations introduced greater uncertainty. After a mid-2025 slump and a brief rebound in early fall, sentiment declined sharply at year-end, with December 2025 marking the weakest reading of the series.
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caa annual business guides take a 360° view of each metro area we cover through in-depth analysis, interviews with local business and political leaders and comprehensive data and statistics. Click on a cover to read more.
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Invest:Insights captures the collective voice of the business community. This video series features industry leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs sharing insights on key sectors and local economic opportunities.
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About caa
caa is an integrated media company that connects the dots in the markets it covers, providing business intelligence to businesses, executives, investors, and entrepreneurs across its digital and print platforms. It produces annual economic reports and engaging content on important US metro regions, while forging strategic connections through its conferences and events.
