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Google turns Foster + Partners’ Selene into the ultimate smart condo

Google has collaborated with FrenchCalifornia, Guillaume Coutheillas’s design and creative studio, on two model residences at Selene, the newly relaunched 63-story condo tower in midtown Manhattan designed by Foster + Partners. Google’s Nest smart home devices are incorporated throughout both units, according to a representative, “providing a benchmark for how residents may effortlessly integrate high design with intuitive technology.” Addressing security, entertainment, connectivity, and more, the devices—which include Nest Wi-Fi, Indoor Nest Cam, Nest Audio, and Nest Hub Gen 2—incorporate both voice and gesture controls and come in minimalist color palettes that match the design envisioned by Coutheillas’s team.

In addition to high-tech offerings, the residences include cultural masterpieces including one-of-a-kind works by artists like Christo, Agnes Martin, and Lisette Model, and collectible furnishings by Marcel Breuer, Hans Wegner, Christophe Delcourt, and Philippe Starck.

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Out-of-state moves hit new high

Americans are on the move, according to a new report from Redfin that finds migration in the US is at an all-time high. In July 2022, roughly a third (33.7%) of prospective homebuyers on the property listing site were searching in metro areas outside their own. That’s compared to about a quarter (26%) before the pandemic and 32.6% in the second quarter of 2022. Florida and California were the top picks, with Miami the most-searched region, followed by Sacramento, San Diego, and Tampa.

Redfin agent Jodie Lee reports there’s been a steady uptick in relocators from LA and the Bay Area to San Diego since the pandemic made remote work more common. “I’ve also seen quite a few remote workers move in from places like Seattle and North Carolina,” Lee said in a statement, “because they like the sunny weather and outdoor activities.”

Tampa and Miami had the largest number of prospective homeowners from the New York City metro area. But migration into the sunny states is starting to slow compared to last year, according to the site, as prices rise and inventory shrinks. Las Vegas rounded out the top five metro areas and, in the ninth position, Portland, Maine, landed in the top 10 list for the first time since Redfin began tracking the data in 2017. It’s especially popular with Bostonians, the site says—both those relocating and those purchasing second homes.

The report examined two million Redfin users looking for homes in more than 100 metro areas. Users must have viewed at least 10 homes in the area to be included.