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Karen Ducey/Seattle Times/TNS

Living on a boat in Seattle used to be cheap. Who still opts for liveaboard life?

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

When Michael and Rie DePaula decided to relocate to Seattle, they realized they would need to be creative in the hot housing market.

It was 2017, and the couple saw the move as career advancement for Michael, 46, and an English immersion opportunity for their three sons, who had been born and raised in Japan.

Home prices were high and renting ...Read more

Al Seib/Los Angeles Times/TNS

A world away from the Palisades and Altadena, landlords try to sell fire victims on living downtown

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

With thousands of houses and apartments lost to wildfires in an already tight housing market, landlords in downtown Los Angeles are trying to woo displaced fire victims to a more urban setting far from the burn zones.

A social media campaign has been launched by members of the Historic Core Business Improvement District to get people searching ...Read more

Real estate Q&A: Can HOA stop us from smoking in our home?

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Q: Our association adopted a rule banning all smoking anywhere on the premises, including inside individual units, except for a small, designated area outside. The rule was passed by a vote at our annual membership meeting and passed. We have owned our home here for 25 years, and no one ever complained about my wife’s smoking. Can this rule be...Read more

Toro Development Co/TNS

Office parks were a strength of Atlanta's suburbs. Now, some are tearing them down

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

What happens to office space in a post-pandemic world has often centered on what to do about high-rise workplaces in the downtowns of major cities, such as Atlanta.

But there is an awful lot of office space in the suburbs, much of it built in the 1980s and 1990s as developers planted office parks far from central business districts but closer ...Read more

Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times/TNS

What to learn from rebuilding of Paradise after 2018 wildfire? Plenty, says top insurance executive

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

LOS ANGELES — The 2018 Camp fire that destroyed most of the town of Paradise caused $12.5 billion in insured damages, making it the costliest wildfire in U.S. history. Now, the multiple Los Angeles County fires are expected to easily surpass that, raising questions about the future availability and affordability of homeowners insurance. Many ...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: Got Debt? Do Something About It!

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

Doing something about consumer debt is good for your finances -- and just about every other area of your life.

HEALTH

Experts say there's no question that carrying a lot of debt can be stressful, causing all kinds of health issues. It can result in worry, sleeplessness, communication breakdown, depression and anxiety. Credit card debt takes a ...Read more

Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Fed pauses interest rate cuts despite Trump's call to lower rates 'immediately'

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

The Federal Reserve decided to delay additional rate cuts for now and keep interest rates unchanged at its first meeting of the year, giving themselves time to assess whether inflation is cooling and how President Donald Trump’s policies might impact the U.S. economy.

The decision means the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will keep its ...Read more

Bill providing one year of mortgage relief for LA fire victims moving forward

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

LOS ANGELES — State legislation that would make it easier for victims of the Los Angeles County fires to receive one year of mortgage relief will move ahead, despite voluntary agreements Gov. Gavin Newsom reached with hundreds of lenders.

Assembly Bill 238 would allow borrows to put a stop to their mortgage payments for up to 180 days with no...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: Clearing Up the Confusion Around Date Labels on Packaged Foods

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

No doubt, you've noticed that some food products come with dates and codes printed on them. And who isn't noticing this more now as food costs are skyrocketing?

Do those codes and dates mean the item must be consumed by that date or just sold by that date?

What about canned or packaged goods that show only a date like "2.01.25"? Does that mean...Read more

Rocket Mortgage wins majority judgment dismissal in suit over appraisals

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in West Virginia has dismissed the majority of a $10.6 million judgment against Rocket Mortgage and its affiliate, Amrock LLC, according to court documents.

The judgment, issued last week, was related to a 2012 class-action lawsuit that alleged the mortgage company had improper influence over appraisals.

At ...Read more

TOM GRALISH/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Philadelphia is one of the least affordable major metros for its renters

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Housing in the Philadelphia region is often considered affordable when compared to other parts of the country. But tell that to renters who live here.

The Philadelphia metropolitan area is one of the least affordable in the country for its apartment renters based on their incomes, according to a report by the online real estate brokerage Redfin...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: 7 Reasons You Would Be Smart to Add Borax to Every Wash Load

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

Borax, a combination of sodium, boron and oxygen, is a natural substance mined from the earth in its crude form, found in abundance in the deserts of California and Nevada.

Powdered borax is white, consisting of soft, colorless crystals that dissolve in water. Borax is an ingredient in many detergents, cosmetics and enamel glazes. The trademark...Read more

Jessica Griffin/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

What small daily acts can help save money? Try these financial life hacks

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

PHILADELPHIA — When it came to her personal finances, Brittany Bronson knew the big-picture advice — the tips a financial adviser might dole out for saving more, paying off debt, or hitting other money goals.

She was well aware of the power of budgeting, the value of investing, and the habits that can lead to lower energy bills.

But the ...Read more

DREAMSTIME/TNS

5 ways to protect your bank account from identity theft

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Vivian Thornton received quite a shock when she logged onto her bank account and noticed an unfamiliar debit charge for concert tickets totaling more than $2,000. In fact, the hefty charge had brought her account to a negative balance, says Thornton, who is a small business-owner and Charlotte, North Carolina, resident.

On the day this happened...Read more

Prostockstudio/Dreamstime/TNS

Survey: 2 in 5 Americans in a relationship have kept a financial secret from their partner

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Would you be upset if you found out your partner had a credit card you didn’t know about? On the flip side, have you ever fudged the numbers with your spouse about a recent shopping spree? Romantic relationships can come with mixed feelings about money. That’s why we asked more than 2,000 people for their takes.

New Bankrate survey data ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

The Fed looks poised to skip a January interest rate cut. How long could a pause last?

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

At the Federal Reserve’s first meeting in 2025, consumers are going to want what Fed Chair Jerome Powell simply can’t give them: An answer to how much longer interest rates are going to stay high.

Americans got a taste of the rate cuts they were craving last year. With inflation slowing and the job market flashing warning signs of an ...Read more

DREAMSTIME/TNS

Trump signs crypto executive order: What investors need to know

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

President Trump signed an executive order Thursday promoting U.S. leadership in digital assets and establishing a working group that would be charged with proposing regulations for the crypto industry.

The news sent prices for popular cryptocurrencies higher in Friday trading. Bitcoin was up more than 1.5% to $105,880, while Ethereum climbed ...Read more

My house didn't burn but ash from the LA fires fell in my yard. Can I eat from my garden? Is my soil safe?

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

LOS ANGELES -- In the world of wildfires, there are basically two kinds of ash: the good kind from burned vegetation that enriches the soil and the very bad ash from urban wildfires that's created when everyday items like plastics, electronics, couches and tires burn along with people's offices, homes and stores.

"Ash from a chaparral [...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: Affordable Health Insurance Alternatives When COBRA Isn't an Option

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

Dear Cheapskate: After 10 years at the same job, my husband was recently laid off. I'm a freelance writer. I work mainly from home so I can be with our 3-year-old son. We've always relied on my husband1s company for health insurance. Now we're faced with paying for COBRA, and the cost for a family of three is outrageous. We have no choice but to...Read more

Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Some price-gouging rules could be keeping high-end homes off LA's rental market

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

In Los Angeles’ high-end rental market, it’s long been common to find homes advertised for $10,000 a month or more.

But in the wake of this month’s devastating wildfires in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, new listings above that amount are effectively barred by state law, just as a crush of wealthy, displaced families are looking for ...Read more

 

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