Weekly Radar #333: A Wheely Good Solution To Wildfires, Sand And RC Toys, Vacasa Exits To Casago
In this Weekly Radar, we cover:
- Home insurance is in crisis. Companies like Zillow are incorporating wildfire risk data into listings, and innovators like Lightship RV and Pebble are pioneering high-end mobile homes as a glimpse into potential solution for homeowners in wildfire-prone areas.
- Casago acquired Vacasa for $5.02 per share, with Roofstock supporting the combined entity, validating a shift from high-growth public ventures to steady private property management.
- Chris Koerner proposed adding RC-heavy machinery sandboxes to coffee shops to attract families, offering a unique and low-cost way for businesses to increase foot traffic.
As always, links surrounded by the ❇️ emoji indicate exclusive GEM Diamond content. If you would like to have access to all links, please consider GEM Diamond membership.
Latest from Geek Estate Blog:
Drew Meyers
Geek Estate Team
Geek Estate Team
Transmission Recap:
Last week, we looked forward to proptech in 2025 with the explosion of data required for the rise of the machines leading the way...a selection of GEM members share a range of trends and predictions heading into the year ahead. Most recently, Drew Meyers & GEM members reflected on how they fared now that 2024 is in the rearview mirror.
BIZ INTEL
PROPTECH INDEX WEEKLY
By: Community Relations
Consisting of 29 stocks, the GEM Proptech Index had a combined market cap of $217.234B, a decrease of 4.7% from the previous week.
Shares across the market declined as the jobs report significantly exceeded expectations, showing an increase of 256,000 non-farm payroll jobs compared to analysts' forecast of 155,000. The robust employment data reduces the likelihood of future interest rate cuts, with the Federal Reserve now anticipated to lower rates by only 25 basis points in 2025, compared to 50bps or more as previously expected.
CLIMATE
A WHEELY GOOD SOLUTION TO WILDFIRES
By: Logan Nagel
❇️An insurance crisis was already here❇️. ❇️Jasper (Canada) was devastated❇️. Now, the half-dozen wildfires currently menacing Los Angeles are further exacerbating the situation, a tangible indicator that the status quo of locating, building, and insuring properties in high-risk areas is due for a change. As Brad Cartier writes in Briefcase, Zillow recently added wildfire risk data to their home listings and California recently introduced new rules that will incrementally increase insurance coverage in high-risk areas, if at a higher cost to consumers.
