The Daily Money: Compensation for remote workers; homebuying trends

Good morning, it's Nathan hoping you're staying cool wherever you are!

💸 Should your pay be based on where you live?

Google says it should be. The tech giant is apparently basing compensation for remote workers on where they live.

In other words, if you are working remotely from New York City, you'll get paid a lot. If you're working remotely from a low-cost area of the country, not so much.

That strategy may not fly everywhere. One expert our Gabriela Miranda interviewed argued that employees should be paid based on the quality of the work, not the place they perform it.

One thought I'll add: If your company bases your compensation on where you work, you could game the system by living in a shoebox in an expensive area to maximize your pay. 

💰 The Daily Money is USA TODAY's Monday-through-Friday-morning roundup of all things personal finance, business and tech. If you're not yet subscribed,it's free, so sign up here!

On to our ... 

💡 INSIGHT OF THE DAY: You're not alone in wanting more space during the pandemic. Among homebuyers in the last year, about 44% sought out bigger houses. At the same time, the number of buyers aiming to downsize remained steady at about 28%.

📰 And here are more stories you won't want to miss:

1. Looking to buy a home?Here are this year's top 10 hottest housing markets.

2. Think strategically about Social Security: Here are three ways to set yourself up to get paid more.

3. Are your kids using Zoom for school? There's a new way to keep them focused.

4. "Just a parade of incompetency": Spirit Airlines travelers are furious after the recent run of flight cancelations. 

5. Pumpkin spice is back at Dunkin': The fall menu arrives Aug. 18.

🍁Um, I can't think about fall right now. The high today at USA TODAY headquarters near Washington, D.C. is 99.

--@NathanBomey