A new exhibition opening September 30 at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum aims to highlight design projects that use art, architecture, urban planning and design to address issues of poverty and sustainability. The show, called “By the People: Designing a Better America,” is the third in a series the museum has curated about socially responsible design.

Curator Cynthia Smith spent two years conducting field work to find the designs that will be included in the show.

“I traveled, for two three weeks at a time, around the US trying to meet designers and community members, and a whole range of people, to see what was going on and who was working on these issues,” she says. Smith chose 60 projects to feature, each of which aim to solve a local problem or address a challenge facing a particular community.

Here are 11 of the most notable projects.

SEE ALSO: This device can literally pull clean drinking water out of thin air

RAPIDO Recovery Housing, (Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties, Texas)

John Henneberger won a MacArthur genius grant in 2014 in part due to his work on a model for rebuilding homes after disasters. Instead of creating temporary shelters or waiting for a government organization like FEMA to bring trailers, the RAPIDO system works with individuals and families to modify a set of housing prototypes to fit their needs.

Each design begins with a permanent 400-square-foot core, and then other rooms can be added on according to the specifications of the individual residents. The components that make up the prefabricated homes would be manufactured locally through a pre-arranged network, making building streamlined and fast. Though the system isn't in use yet, a pilot program in 2014 built homes for 20 families who' were displaced by flooding in Texas' Rio Grande Valley.

“This is one of those that’s going to be a real game changer,” Smith says, explaining that this system could replace the short-term, cookie-cutter disaster housing currently used after floods or hurricanes. 

Underpass Park (Toronto, Canada)

The design team behind this park took advantage of derelict space under part of the city’s elevated highway system — land that often goes unused in cities — to create a new public space.

Underpass Park includes a playground, skate park, basketball courts, flexible community area and series of benches. The area is also home to a public art project called Mirage, which reflects light throughout the park. The development is part of an ongoing project in Toronto to make better use of neglected spaces near the city’s waterfront. The first phase of construction was completed in 2012, and the second phase finished in 2015, bringing the total area of the park to 2.5 acres.

Rebel Nell (Detroit)

A design initiative that helps women transitioning out of homeless shelters, Rebel Nell teaches women to create jewelry out of upcycled pieces of peeling graffiti paint found around Detroit. The earrings, rings, pins, necklaces and bracelets are sold around the country and online at Rebel Nell’s website. 

“It’s using design, but it’s a program that offers not only guidance on how to make the jewelry but also life management and financial training,” Smith says. “It’s really a means to an end to help women transition out of shelters.”

Don't have the time or money to get a bachelor's degree?

It turns out that plenty of two-year associate degrees have a high return on investment.

According to the latest data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the 30 highest-paying jobs that require only an associate degree.

Each has a median annual salary of at least $48,000.

This is an update of a story originally written by Vivian Giang.

SEE ALSO: The 20 highest-paying jobs for women

DON'T MISS: The 30 highest-paying jobs you don't need any college experience to pursue

30. Respiratory therapy technicians

They provide respiratory care under the direction of respiratory therapists and physicians. 

Median annual wage (2015): $48,490

Projected job openings (through 2024): 1,100

Work experience: None

On-the-job training: None

29. Environmental engineering technicians

They modify, test, and operate equipment and devices used in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental problems like waste treatment and site remediation under the direction of engineering staff or scientist.

Median annual wage (2015): $48,650

Projected job openings (through 2024): 6,400

Work experience: None

On-the-job training: None

28. Paralegals and legal assistants

They do a variety of tasks to support lawyers like maintaining and organizing files, conducting legal research, and drafting documents. 

Median annual wage (2015): $48,810

Projected job openings (through 2024): 82,700

Work experience: None

On-the-job training: None

Bloomberg News just released its list of the 50 most influential people in financial markets, which included politicians, entrepreneurs, and central bankers.

To determine the ranking, Bloomberg asked dozens of reporters and editors to nominate candidates, which were then vetted and voted on by senior editors. The list was narrowed from 100 to 50.

Hedge funders have had a horrible year, which explained why not many of them made it to the list. However, there are some familiar names at big banks and investment giants, such as Goldman Sachs' Lloyd Blankfein and Vanguard Group's Bill McNabb.

Here are the top 9 movers and shakers from the world of finance, according to Bloomberg's 50 Most Influential list.

SEE ALSO: Here's why Warren Buffett is giving his billions away

9. John Stumpf

Who: John Stumpf, CEO of Wells Fargo

Why: Wells Fargo's Stumpf, who has been known to run Wall Street's most squeaky-clean bank, is all over the news. He has long touted his love for cross-selling (and he still does), but a recent scandal exposes how the bank has gone too far to that end. This isn't only a cautionary tale about incentive pay, but also represents a huge threat to Stumpf's career.

Overall ranking: #23

Source: Bloomberg News

8. Jeffrey Gundlach

Who: Jeffrey Gundlach, founder and CEO of DoubleLine Capital

Why: Gundlach has a track record of making prescient calls. Earlier in January, he forecasts that gold would reach $1,400 this year, and continues to hold gold halfway through the year. He asked investors to sell everything else amid a forthy market, and most recently predicted that the Federal Reserve will not raise rates in September (which ran true). He oversees $100 billion in assets as of June. 

Overall ranking: #22

Source: Bloomberg News

7. Sergio Ermotti

Who: Sergio Ermotti, CEO of UBS

Why: Since he took helm in late 2011, Ermotti's been reshaping the Swiss bank's strategy in the wake of the global financial crisis. That includes shrinking the investment bank, focusing more on wealth management, and a range of cost cutting measures. However, the bank is facing an exodus of money as tax authorities ramp up scrutiny on the wealthy.

Overall ranking: #21

Source: Bloomberg News

On Wednesday evening, Tesla began rolling out its latest software update, Version 8.0.

It's the biggest software upgrade to date for the company and will bring all kinds of new features to Tesla cars. 

Here's a look at some of the best new features included in the software update. 

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk just announced big improvements coming to Autopilot

Tesla's user interface gets a major facelift.

According to Tesla, the redesign is the biggest user interface refresh since the launch of the Model S. The new UI aims to make accessing information easier so that the driver can focus on the road. 

The media player, for example, has been redesigned to put your favorite content at the center of the screen to give the user easier access.

Maps and navigation functions will also look different. Maps will now take up the entire screen and will highlight the most important details of the trip.

The control bar will fade automatically so you can get a clear view of the map. The zoom will also adjust itself so that the map shows only the area related to your navigation. 

A number of great titles are leaving Netflix in October, but that void will be filled by a fresh crop of classics.

"Ferris Bueller's Day Off," a cult '80s hit and director John Hughes' "love letter" to Chicago, will arrive on the streaming service at the start of the month. 

Other notable additions include "Dazed and Confused,""Titanic," and quite a few new Netflix originals.

Here's the full list of everything coming to Netflix in October, and we've highlighted some of the titles you should check out. 

SEE ALSO: Here's everything leaving Netflix in October that you need to watch before it disappears

Available October 1

"A Cinderella Story" (2004)

"Barbershop 2: Back in Business" (2004)

"Blue Streak" (1999)

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961)

"Dazed and Confused" (1993)

"Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief" (2008)

"Fairy Tale: A True Story" (1997)

"Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986)

"Gentleman's Agreement" (1947)

"Ghost Town" (2008)

"Grizzly Man" (2005)

"How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" (2003)

"Millennium" (1989)

"Murder Maps: Season 2" (2015)

"My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree" (2016)

"Once Upon a Time in the West" (1968)

"Oriented" (2015)

"Patton" (1970)

"Picture This!" (2008)

"Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin" (1997)

"The Queen of the Damned" (2002)

"Quiz Show" (1994)

"Robotech" (1985)

"RV" (2006)

"Saving Mr. Wu" (2015)

"Snake Eyes" (1998)

"Snow Day" (2000)

"Sphere" (1998)

"Three Kings" (1999)

"Titanic" (1997)

"Unforgiven" (1992)

"The Uninvited" (2009)

"Unsealed: Alien Files" (Season 4)

"Without a Paddle" (2004)

Available October 3

"Dheepan" (2015)

Available October 4

"American Horror Story: Hotel" (Season 5)

"Chevalier" (2015)

"Dartmoor Killing" (2015)

"The Flash" (Season 2)

"The Grinder" (Season 1)

What do a Nantucket home on the harbor, a Scottsdale mega-mansion, and a plantation in Mississippi have in common? They’re all the most expensive homes for sale on Trulia in their state (as of April 11, 2016) — and many of them do a superb job showcasing a unique real estate style that’s specific to each locale. 

From rustic 2,000-square-foot lodges in Alaska and Oregon to an uber-modern 10-bedroom spread on 2 acres in Los Angeles, CA, all you need is a generous mortgage lender (or a hefty bank account) to stake your claim on one of these stunners.

SEE ALSO: What the median rent in New York City buys you in 25 big US cities

Beachside beauty:29416 Canal Road, Orange Beach, AL 36561

$2.9 million, 7 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, 10,580 square feet

Hidden Bay hideaway:Hidden Bay, Juneau, AK 99801

$4.75 million, 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2,382 square feet

Sunset paradise:10696 E. Wingspan Way, Scottsdale, AZ 85255

$32 million, 8 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, 29,700 square feet

For years, Brooklyn Navy Yard sat underutilized, a massive piece of real estate on the Brooklyn waterfront filled with the relics of World War II. 

But now, Washington, D.C.-based startup incubator 1776 is doing its part to revive the historic space.

1776 is setting up shop in the navy yard as the anchor tenant, opening the doors of a "beta" space as it continues work on its 32,000-square-foot campus nearby. The company is rehabbing part of a massive building that used to house munitions during World War II with plans to move into that space — called building 77 — in the first few months of 2017. 

1776 is two things at once: a startup incubator with a focus on companies in highly-regulated spaces like healthcare, transportation, and education, and a seed-stage investor with 22 investments under its belt.

Business Insider got a tour of both the beta space, which officially opens Thursday evening, and building 77, which is still under construction. Check it out.

SEE ALSO: This startup can analyze anyone's online personality in less than a minute

For now, 1776 is housed inside this 6,000-square-foot space, which can fit up to 50 people.

All of 1776's campuses — in D.C., San Francisco, and eventually Dubai — have the same Revolutionary War-inspired theme. The Brooklyn campus is no exception, especially with the George Washington mural on the wall.

Every campus also has this light fixture, which is actually an old boxspring refashioned into a chandelier.

Charlotte, North Carolina, remains in a state of emergency after two nights of unrest followed the fatal police shooting of 43-year-old Keith Scott on Tuesday.

Charlotte Police Chief Kerr Putney said nine civilians were injured and 44 have been arrested after Wednesday night's protests.

One person remains in critical condition after being shot, and police are still searching for more suspects.

Although demonstrations started off peacefully on Wednesday, the situation quickly escalated and turned violent.

Here are photos that show the unrest in Charlotte this week:

SEE ALSO: Charlotte's police chief said he won't be releasing video of the fatal shooting of Keith Scott

Demonstrations on Wednesday began with a prayer vigil, before part of the group split off and began marching downtown.

The march was peaceful at first, making stops at the police department, a black church, and the EpiCenter, an entertainment venue in Charlotte.

As protesters headed downtown, they came face-to-face with a line of police officers and patrol cars.

Schools and conferences have seen a sharp increase in sports television revenue in recent years. That, combined with large contributions from boosters, has led to more and more money going to the coaches of football and men's basketball teams.

The earnings have risen so much, that in 39 of the 50 U.S. states, the highest-paid public employee is a university coach, according to data collected by 24/7 Wall Street.

Below is a look at each of those coaches, ranked by their earnings.

39.Wyoming — Craig Bohl, $850,000

Employer: University of Wyoming

Position: football coach

Contract: Bohl was hired away from North Dakota State where he was making $206,000 per year.

38.New Mexico — Craig Neal, $950,000

Employer: University of New Mexico

Position: men's basketball coach

Contract: Neal's $5.7 million contract makes him the highest-paid coach in the Mountain West Conference.

37.Rhode Island — Dan Hurley, $990,000

Employer: University of Rhode Island

Position: men's basketball coach

Contract: A recent extension for Hurley will guarantee his earnings will top $1 million annually, through the 2020-21 season, starting in 2017.

In the best-case scenario, you go on a first date with someone, and you hit it off. The chemistry is off the charts, and you're never at a loss for what to talk about.

Sometimes (okay, most of the time), though, first dates aren't smooth sailing. That doesn't always mean you're incompatible — just that we are humans, and dating can be awkward. It can be hard to figure out what to ask without making it seem like you're interrogating your date. After all, the key to a good date is relaxed conversation, and the last thing you want is to recreate the beginning of this scene from The Holiday, in which Cameron Diaz essentially makes Jude Law's palms sweat from her interview-like first-date demeanor.

But whether you're trying to fill an awkward silence or just trying to get to know your date better, we have you covered. We sent out an anonymous survey to get people's best, most creative first-date questions. Ahead are the ones that stood out to us most. Check them out, and if you want, leave a comment with some of your own go-to conversation-starters.

What do you like to do when you're not working?

"I feel like living in NYC, everyone is pretty much married to their jobs, but even if you really love what you do, you've gotta have a life outside of that."

What kind of music do you listen to?

"Ask anyone who knows me: Music is the biggest part of my life. I love being able to share that with someone. If we don't [already] have any favorite artists in common, [introducing them to new stuff] can be a really great way to get to know each other."

Describe yourself in one word.

"It sounds really interview-y, so I only pull this one out when the conversation is dying and I'm trying to revive it."

Feel that chill in the air? Well, it's not going anywhere.

Because, while you might not want to hear this, summer's already gone and it's not coming back — at least not for another nine months or so.

Next thing you know, the sun will be setting before you leave the office, the temperature will have dropped by double digits, and you'll be breaking your favorite topcoat out of storage for the season.

Which is why it's important you start transitioning away from your summer skincare routine and into one more autumn-appropriate now. So that when the real hardcore weather comes along, seeking to wreak havoc any stretch of exposed skin, you'll be ready.

SEE ALSO: How a former lawyer quit his office job to revolutionize how men buy luxury bespoke suits

Don't ditch the SPF.

Before we get into what you need to start doing, let’s talk about one habit you should keep up, and that is protecting your skin from the sun. Sure, the days may be getting shorter, but the fact of the matter is that regardless of what time of year it is, UV rays will keep doing what they do best: damaging your hide and putting you at risk for wrinkles, spots, and cancer down the line. So don’t let up on shielding your skin just because you won’t be roasting by the pool anymore. What you can do, though, is swap your straight-up sunscreen for an SPF-infused moisturizer, like this one by Ursa Major.

Ursa Major Force Field Daily Defense Lotion, $54, ursamajorvt.com

Stock up on moisture.

During the summer, skin seems to be at its healthiest with little to no effort from you — save a shower or two, of course. Fall, on the other hand, can be tough, and a lot of that has to do with moisture. You see, with things like artificial heat and the elements all of a sudden back in the picture, your skin has to recalculate exactly how much moisture it needs on the daily, and in the meantime, you may find yourself drying out a bit more than usual. Now you can combat that with a solid moisturizer, of course, and you should. But pro-tip: swap your regular body wash out for one formulated specifically to help your skin restore balance, and it’ll go a long way. This stuff by V76, made with chamomile and ginger extracts, is just that.

Energy Body Wash, $16, v76.com

Scrub your way back into shape.

Here's the thing about summer: as fun as it is to be outside as much as possible, enjoying the lovely weather without a care in the world, you end up paying for it come fall, when all that fun leaves a heavy buildup of dead skin cells behind to show for it. Alas, what's past is past. Luckily, there's an easy way to move forward: All you need to to do is give yourself a good scrub with something like this exfoliating bar by Anthony a few times a week and you'll be good as new in no time. Plus, it'll help with any dry skin going forward. Win-win.

Exfoliating & Cleansing Bar, $17, amazon.com

A selection of photos from some of the biggest news that you might have missed this week.

SEE ALSO: 19 photos show a rare side of the world that aircraft servicemembers see

New York City police commissioner James O'Neill stands with Mayor Bill de Blasio as he holds up a picture of Ahmad Khan Rahami, the man believed to be responsible for the explosion in Manhattan on Saturday night and an earlier bombing in New Jersey, at a news conference in New York City on September 19, 2016.

A New York Police Department robot retrieves an unexploded pressure cooker bomb on 27th Street, hours after an explosion nearby in New York City, New York, September 18, 2016.

Police officers face off with protesters on the I-85 (Interstate 85) during protests in the early hours of September 21, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The protests followed the fatal shooting of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott by a police officer near UNC Charlotte. Scott, who was black, was shot and killed by police officers, who say they warned Scott to drop a gun he was allegedly holding.

Putting in more than 40 hours a week is becoming something of the norm in the US for a number of occupations, with some workers putting in an average of more than 58 hours a week.

As a result, more Americans are feeling overworked.

To find jobs that allow you to maintain work-life balance but still get paid well, we analyzed US Census data for about 478 occupations from the Minnesota Population Center's 2014 American Community Survey Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.

Based on that survey data, the average American works close to 40 hours a week and has a total income — a combination of salary, business, and any other form of money earned in a year — of about $50,569.

While some may work more or less than the average depending on their employer or where they are in their career, people with the following professions report typically working an average of less than 40 hours a week and earning at least $60,000 a year, on average:

SEE ALSO: 19 jobs to avoid if you hate people

DON'T MISS: The 30 highest-paying jobs you can get with an associate degree

15. Speech-language pathologists

They assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. 

Average hours typically worked a week: 36.7

Median earned income: $60,646

14. Registered nurses

They assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing-care plans, and maintain medical records.

Average hours typically worked a week: 37.6

Median earned income: $61,844

13. Occupational therapists

They provide rehabilitative treatments and procedures that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills.

Average hours typically worked a week: 36.4

Median earned income: $62,162

Bangkok will be the most visited city in the world this year, according to Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index released earlier this week, with 21.47 million tourists expected to stay in the city in 2016.

Measured by the number of international overnight visitors, London, Paris, and Dubai followed close behind on the list.

Taking Bangkok's top attractions on TripAdvisor into consideration, we've rounded up the most stunning photos that show the top things to do in the city and prove why Thailand's capital took the top spot.

From opulent temples to bustling markets, see the best the city has to offer below.

While many visitors use The Bangkok Mass Transit System, commonly known as the BTS or the Skytrain, to quickly move around to the city's attractions, the BTS is also an attraction in and of itself.

Many tourists choose to see the city by private tour, such as this group who chose to go by boat to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.

Sightseeing tours come in all shapes and sizes, with elephants available for visitors to ride throughout the city.

Worthwhile urban transportation infrastructure projects are ambitious, cost millions to make, and make it much easier to get from Point A to Point B. But for every transportation plan that makes it, there's another one that doesn't make the cut.

Here are some of the transportation projects that would have radically changed cities, if only they were completed.

Cincinnati wanted to have a subway.

While Cincinnati has a bike share and a bus system, it had real dreams for a subway at one point. 

According to the Verge, the city planned in 1916 for some 16 miles of subway lines to loop around the city. It would have been called the Rapid Transit Loop. 

The city only constructed seven miles of subway lines before the project was cancelled altogether ten years later due to a lack of funding followed by an economic downturn.

Today, only three abandoned subway lines remain.

There could have been an airport in the middle of London.

King's Cross is busy enough with a subway station in the geographic center of London, but imagine for a second how busy it would be with an airport.

In the 1930's, British architect Charles Glover had an idea for an elevated "aerodrome" at King's Cross, which would have been placed above the station's sidings. The aerodrome was imagined in the shape of a pinwheel with concrete runways to let airplanes shoot off in different directions out of the city. 

You can read more on the plans and see photos on the Guardian. 

New York had lots of subway extension ideas, including a subway connecting to Staten Island.

Today, New Yorkers know Staten Island as the one borough the train doesn't connect to. In 1923, the city broke ground on tunnels underneath the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, but the tunnel only went on for 150 feet before being abandoned due to a lack of funding.

Unfortunately, the city missed the bus on making a subway line work. Today, Curbed writes, it would be prohibitively expensive to build a subway going Staten Island and purchase properties around the train line.

Between Broadway shows, towering department stores, and $200-a-head tasting menus, New York City has no shortage of ways to blow all your cash.

But, luckily, the city is also home to plenty of affordable activities that make it possible to live here without going bankrupt. So when my friend Kelly came up from Philadelphia for a recent weekend visit, I intended to strike a balance between showing her the magic of New York and sticking to my budget. 

Kelly agreed. Thanks to multiple weddings, bridal showers, and bachelorette parties on both our schedules for the fall, we knew we wanted to keep our weekend together cheap. 

Despite aiming to keep our expenses low, we still managed to fit in plenty of food, exploring, and classic New York sightseeing. In total, we spent less than $50 per person on food and activities for the entire weekend.

Here's everything we were able to fit in.

SEE ALSO: I moved to New York City 2 years ago — here’s what I tell my friends who say they can’t afford to

SEE ALSO: The 12 most affordable countries for Americans to travel to right now

Kelly arrived around 8 p.m. on Friday night, and we headed straight to dinner. We met up with a few friends at Artichoke Basille’s Pizza, where we filled up on the joint’s classic artichoke slice.

Known for its late-night crowd and huge, creamy pieces of pizza, Artichoke is a must-try for anyone visiting New York. We went to the one in Park Slope, but there are locations throughout the city, including the original on 14th Street.   

Cost: $5 per slice … but trust me, one slice is more than enough.

From dinner, we headed to a nearby dive bar called High Dive.

You can’t beat the prices at $6 per beer, and it was a fun way to see some of Park Slope’s local flavor.

I had an early morning run planned for the next day, so I stuck to one drink.

Cost: $7 with tip

I’m training for a half marathon, so I got up with the sun to go running, and Kelly decided to join.

While I don’t advocate forcing guests to exercise against their will (she volunteered!), going for a run or walk is far and away the best way to see a city in my opinion.

As we cruised through the tree-lined streets of picturesque neighborhoods like Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights, I got to show Kelly all the little things that make New York — and Brooklyn in particular — great, such as historic brownstones and cute coffee shops.

Cost: Free!

These stunning neighborhoods will have you packing your bags. 

10. Los Altos Hills—San Jose, CA

Median home sales price: $3,450,000

9. Westlake—Dallas, TX

Median home sales price: $2,000,000

8. Rancho Santa Fe—San Diego, CA

Median home sales price: $2,119,000

"The Magnificent Seven" is in theaters Friday. But if you thought the film featuring Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington was the first of its kind, you're mistaken.

The film is a remake of not one, but two films before it. It's certainly not the first big remake. Go all the way back to the 1930s and 1940s and you'll find that Hollywood has been rebooting classics for a long time.

You may not even realize that some of your favorites from recent years are remakes themselves. 

Keep reading to see movies you probably didn't realize were remakes.

"The Magnificent Seven" is out in theaters now starring Chris Pratt and Denzel Washington. A group of unlikely cowboys is brought together to defend a small western town.

It's based off the 1960 version of "The Magnificent Seven" starring Charles Bronson, Yul Brenner, Steve McQueen, and James Coburn. But this film wasn't even the original.

It was an Americanized version of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 samurai epic "Seven Samurai."

Cowboys and samurai have a lot in common. Samurai movies were frequently used a base of inspiration for some of the most famous westerns of the 1960s. The films of Kurosawa were especially influential. 

It’s every home buyer’s worst nightmare: Finding a house within striking distance — of your price range and work— that quickly turns into a money pit.

On the flip side of the fixer-upper experience is someone like Jordan Brannon, a director of digital strategy in Spanaway, WA, near Tacoma. Although he’s sunk considerable money into his two-story, late-1990s home, he feels it was a good investment.

“It was about finding a home that we could add value to — and could purchase at a below-market rate,” he says of his 3,000-square-foot home. But there was one crucial caveat: “The fixer-upper work that we wanted to do, we had to be able to do.”

While that fixer-upper you’ve got your eye on may not be the steal you’re expecting — the average fixer-upper lists for just eight percent less than market value, according to a new analysis from Zillow Digs— it’s still a tempting prospect for many buyers.

Should you make a fixer-upper your next home? Here are three scenarios where the answer may be “Yes!”

When the upgrades are simple

Knowing that hiring contractors was out of the question — in part because Brannon works from home — Brannon and his wife focused on finding a home they could revamp themselves.

This meant forgoing homes with any foundation, electrical, or plumbing issues, and eyeing properties where cosmetic upgrades were the name of the game.

This isn’t to say the couple didn’t put in a lot of hard work; the project took nearly three months.

“We basically gutted the first floor down to drywall — did a full repaint, with all new trim; replaced the kitchen cabinets and countertops, and added new light fixtures and door handles,” Brannon says. New toilets and sinks are recent installments.

“The home looks 10 years younger, and feels cleaner and brighter,” Brannon remarks. “We’re more comfortable living in it, and I’m confident we’ve made an improvement in the home’s resale value.”

Combined estimates from contractors put the value of the improvements around $55,000, minus one bathroom. Altogether, Brannon says the couple spent about $15,000 on the work, plus 240 hours in labor (yes, he’s been tracking). For Brannon, it was a worthwhile endeavor.

When the numbers add up

“Fixer uppers [only] make sense as long as the numbers pencil out,” says George Vanderploeg, a luxury real estate broker with Douglas Elliman in New York. In other words, “Is the money that I have to put into it going to make the property worth at least that much when I do it?”

In general, people will price a property based on what others sell for, Vanderploeg explains. “If I were just to pick a block in Manhattan, say on 63rd Street, between Lexington and Third Avenue, the renovated townhouses there might sell for $3,000 per square foot,” he continues. “An un-renovated townhouse might sell for maybe $2,000 per square foot. If you have the money to put in, it may all work out.”

Of course, for many home buyers, especially those without a big — or any— renovations budget, this is easier said than done.

When the timing is right

Every municipality has a building code, says Vanderploeg, and the work that you do on the home must fall within legal bounds. “An architect usually will supervise the work, and then at the end of the process, they’ll sign off on it,” he says. However, this can be time-consuming.

You can also run into hurdles if your contractor falls behind schedule, has trouble staying on budget, or is just unreliable. “Where people go wrong sometimes is having a bad contractor,” says Vanderploeg.

If you’re unable to live in the home or get stuck waiting for permits, you could also find yourself in a bind. “Sometimes we have to find people a place to live for six months to a year while they’re waiting for something to be finished,” Vanderploeg adds.

For these reasons alone, homeowners need to be clear-eyed about the renovation process.

Remember, committing to upgrade a fixer-upper is more than a labor of love — it requires a time and financial commitment. But if you’re willing to go all in, think about the bragging rights!

In this age of the internet, a well-programmed robot could easily put together a pretty decent “Best Beer in Every State” listicle. Scrape results from Beer Advocate, RateBeer, BeerGraphs, even Untappd, and you’d have a fairly competent nifty 50. But screw the algorithms and user reviews—we all know a highest-rated beer isn’t necessarily an overall best beer.

Scan any user-generated beer rankings and you’ll see the top of the list dominated almost completely by hazy IPAs, adjunct-crammed imperial stouts, and barrel-aged sour oddities—the more limited the higher-ranked. But that entirely misses the point of what it means to be the best.

Just like the scissor-tailed flycatcher is the state bird of Oklahoma, or the ponderosa pine is Montana’s state tree, the following are the brews that should be the official state beer of their respective localities. Shameless congressman ought to immediately issue floor bills to honor these beers. In fact, you know what—just go ahead and add ’em to each state’s Wikipedia page if you’re so inclined.

You may argue with some of these picks, but unquestionably they’re all great beers. Some have been around since the 1990s, helping pioneer the state’s entire craft beer scene from its infancy, while others have existed for less than twelve months and haven’t even been drunk by your average beer fan. We at First We Feast did a similar exercise back in late 2012—a mere three-and-a-half years ago, but a lifetime in the world of craft beer. Back then, now-ballyhooed breweries like J. Wakefield, Side Project, and de Garde didn’t even exist, and a Hill Farmstead and Tree House barely did. As you can imagine, that previous list is, by our count, 91% different from this one.

With help from some friends in the industry—local experts, some of them fellow writers, some just good ol’ fashioned drinkers—here is the best beer for each and every state (plus Washington D.C.). 

Our panel:

• Os Cruz, social media guru at TalkBeer
• Michael Pomranz, writer for Food & Wine
• Bryan Roth, writer for All About Beer and runs the blog This is Why I'm Drunk
• Luke Schmuecker, co-founder & CMO of The Beer Exchange
• Cory Smith, writer/photographer for Good Beer Hunting
• Mark Williamson, beer enthusiast living in Boise, Idaho

Scroll below to view the best beer selection for every state. Or, to scout locations through our interactive map, click the "explore" button.

Alabama - Good People El Gordo

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Alabama’s beer scene is better than you’d probably guess, long bolstered by these boys from Birmingham, who have been putting out outstanding offerings since 2008. El Gordo is one of Good People’s more limited beers—part of something called their Bearded Reserve series—and, man, is it bold. Impressively, it’s not even barrel-aged (unusual for a rare stout in 2016), though it checks in at nearly 14% ABV. Thick as motor oil, rich as melted chocolate, with an underlying complexity of dark fruits, coffee, vanilla, and even pipe tobacco—this one delivers in every which way.—Aaron Goldfarb

Alaska - Midnight Sun Arctic Devil Barley Wine

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Staying warm is pertinent up in Seward’s Folly, and luckily our 49th state’s best beer is a banger of a barleywine. A near 14% English-style effort aged in oak barrels that previously held port, wine, and/or whiskey, Arctic Devil sure sounds like a product made for the modern beer geek. Shockingly, it’s been produced since 2005, and this liqueur-like offering still stands strong today as the state’s best brew.—Aaron Goldfarb

Arizona - Arizona Wilderness American Presidential Stout

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In hotter-than-hell Phoenix, you’d expect the preferred beer to be anything stylistically-described as “ice cold.” But out in the PHX ’burbs, Arizona Wilderness Brewing makes a rich, thick, and boozy imperial stout as good as anything you’d find in a colder climate. It does have an Arizona twist though—it’s made with smoked jalapeños from a local farm, then smoked over Arizona mesquite wood before being aged on cocoa nibs. And that’s how you make a Russian imperial stout more ’murican!—Aaron Goldfarb