The bottom line

Real estate near good public schools

Homes cost an average of $205,000 more in U.S. neighborhoods with high-scoring public schools than they do in areas with lower-scoring ones, according to a report from the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C.–based think tank.

CNNMoney.com

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Travel agents make a comeback

Travel agents may be making a comeback. Though the number of travel agencies has plummeted, from 34,000 locations in the mid-1990s to about 15,000 today, their business is growing as travelers seek personalized recommendations. Agencies posted their second consecutive year of growth in 2011, and now account for a third of the $284 billion U.S. travel market.

The New York Times

Amazon takes on Home Depot and Staples

Amazon this week launched AmazonSupply.com, a site aimed at wooing business and industrial customers away from retailers like Home Depot and Staples. The site sells more than 500,000 items, including office supplies, power and cutting tools, lab equipment, and general industrial material.

The Wall Street Journal

People receiving disability benefits at record high

A record 10.8 million Americans receive disability benefits, a 53 percent increase over the past decade, according to new data from the Social Security Administration. More than 5 million people have applied for disability since President Obama took office.

The Daily

How important are high-paying careers?

Two thirds of women ages 18 to 34 say that high-paying careers are very important to them, compared with 59 percent of their male counterparts, according to a new Pew poll. In 1997, 56 percent of women and 58 percent of men reported valuing a high-paying profession.

USA Today