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An Irish hotelier, Qatari royals and a federal lawsuit involving a Beverly Hills hotel
As Irish hotelier Patrick McKillen tells it, he met the former emir of Qatar on a yacht in Doha to discuss a business opportunity in California, more than 8,000 miles away.
McKillen and Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani were discussing the purchase of a Beverly Hills hotel, which McKillen said he committed to managing and redeveloping.
Now ...Read more
LA's office market takes a hit amid trade wars, fires and economic uncertainty
Tenants hunting for office space in the Los Angeles area are in the driver's seat as vacancies plague many landlords trying to fill their buildings with people.
The greater Los Angeles office rental market started the year with a turbulent first quarter and historically high vacancies as tenant demand was persistently soft in spite of more ...Read more
She transformed a historic Hollywood penthouse into a 'sanctuary' with secondhand gems
LOS ANGELES — Caitlin Villarreal felt giddy the first time she stepped inside the Whitley Heights rental, a storied 1926 Mediterranean-style penthouse with towering ceilings, hand-carved wooden beams and a pair of arched bookcases alongside an oversize fireplace.
"It had good energy," Villarreal said of the 1,500-square-foot apartment she ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Do we owe annual property taxes on home we've owned for a few months?
Q: We purchased our first home late last year. We have been getting notices in the mail telling us that our real estate taxes were not paid. We called the tax collector and were informed that we owed property taxes for the entire year, even though we only lived there for a few months. Is this legit? — Harold
A: Understanding real estate taxes...Read more
Commentary: No more delays: The REAL ID deadline must stick
It has become as predictable as the sun rising and setting each day, that the REAL ID requirement for air travel gets delayed.
The current deadline requiring REAL ID for air travel is May 7, with no word from the Department of Homeland Security that it will be moved. The Transportation Security Administration will enforce the deadline, while ...Read more
Commentary: No more delays: The REAL ID deadline must stick
It has become as predictable as the sun rising and setting each day, that the REAL ID requirement for air travel gets delayed.
The current deadline requiring REAL ID for air travel is May 7, with no word from the Department of Homeland Security that it will be moved. The Transportation Security Administration will enforce the deadline, while ...Read more
Tariffs could cost the average American household $3,800 per year. Here's how to save for it
Tariffs could cost the average American household $3,800 in 2025, according to The Budget Lab at Yale University. This estimate comes even as President Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs earlier this month, temporarily reducing most tariffs to 10% in the meantime, while maintaining higher rates for countries including China.
Tariffs — ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: If something happens to me, how can my daughter keep property we co-own?
Q: I am buying a vacation home with one of my children, and we will take turns using it and split the cost and expenses. We want to make sure that if something happens to me, she does not have to split the house with her siblings, whom I made other arrangements for in my will. What can we do? —Marjorie
A: When a property is co-owned with ...Read more
San Diego bans 'price-fixing' software from RealPage to set rents
San Diego voted Tuesday to ban software that it says is being used to illegally raise residential rents.
The city council targeted software used by Texas company RealPage, which has been in federal crosshairs since August when the Biden administration filed an antitrust lawsuit against it. The Justice Department claimed the software’s ...Read more
Here's what happens if you don't file your taxes
The tax-filing deadline is typically April 15 each year. If you can’t make that deadline, it’s easy to get a six-month extension for filing your return, though your tax payment is still due by April 15.
But what happens if you don’t file taxes by either of those deadlines? The consequences are very different depending on whether you’re ...Read more
7 investing mistakes financial pros say you should avoid
Investing in 2025 is more accessible than ever — but it isn’t always easy. With nearly constant market volatility and financial advice flooding your social media feed, it’s easy to make mistakes that hurt your long-term returns.
Whether you have $5 or $500,000, avoiding these common traps can save you from costly mistakes and future ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Can co-op board force us to install free-standing AC?
Q: I live in a 16-unit co-op with a water-cooled AC that runs throughout the building. My unit and one other are still on the system. The Board told us that when the pump goes out, we must add a free-standing AC. Does the Board have the authority to do this and not maintain the system? — Lance
A: While condominiums and cooperatives often look...Read more
Silicon Valley office market shows vacancy improvement after weak stretch
SAN JOSE, Calif — Vacancy levels improved and rental rates rose during the first three months of 2025, a welcome improvement in the battered South Bay office market after months of weaker conditions, a new report shows.
“The Silicon Valley office market showed resilience in the first quarter,” Colliers stated in its first-quarter report ...Read more
Tariffs chill Southern California's vast industrial property market
Demand for warehouses used to move goods through Los Angeles County ports is expected to fall if widespread tariffs take effect, potentially damaging the economic vitality of one of the world's largest industrial real estate markets.
Leasing of buildings used to collect and distribute imported goods has slowed at least temporarily as businesses...Read more
Silicon Valley office market shows vacancy improvement after weak stretch
SAN JOSE, Calif — Vacancy levels improved and rental rates rose during the first three months of 2025, a welcome improvement in the battered South Bay office market after months of weaker conditions, a new report shows.
“The Silicon Valley office market showed resilience in the first quarter,” Colliers stated in its first-quarter report ...Read more
Trump's 90-day tariff 'pause' leads to wild reversal in markets -- should investors stay on guard?
U.S. President Donald Trump threw markets for another loop on the roller coaster saga of tariffs, announcing that he was pausing the implementation of his “Liberation Day” global tariffs for 90 days on non-retaliating countries. Stocks soared on the day of the news, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq closing up 9.5% and 12.2%, respectively, as ...Read more
California's former insurance commissioner sees grim future, more wildfires
Former California insurance commissioner David Jones described the L.A. area firestorms in January as a “canary in the coal mine” warning for climate change that will bring more catastrophic fires all-year and push the property and casualty insurance industry to the brink of a financial crisis.
“Climate change is the canary in the coal ...Read more
Google, with potential breakup looming over its search monopoly, backs down from muzzling workers
Google, with key hearings starting this month in a blockbuster anti-monopoly court case that could lead to its breakup, agreed to lift a gag order banning its employees from talking about the lawsuit, a union representing workers said.
In August, Google’s global-affairs chief Kent Walker in a company-wide email ordered workers to “refrain ...Read more
Will Congress give Californians tax breaks for disaster-proofing their homes?
Upgrading a roof, air filtration or other items that will help protect your home against fires, storms and other disasters? Republicans and Democrats are proposing a tax break for the projects.
The Firewall Act, sponsored by Sens. Adam Schiff, D-California, and Tim Sheehy, R-Montana, is aimed at encouraging preventive measures against disasters...Read more
What is market capitulation?
Market capitulation is a term used by investors and traders during times of market decline. It refers to an extreme point of panic selling, where investors are willing to sell their assets at any price, resulting in a rapid decline in prices. Dictionaries define capitulation as the act of surrendering, which is a good way of thinking about how ...Read more
Popular Stories
- LA's office market takes a hit amid trade wars, fires and economic uncertainty
- Real estate Q&A: Do we owe annual property taxes on home we've owned for a few months?
- Commentary: No more delays: The REAL ID deadline must stick
- An Irish hotelier, Qatari royals and a federal lawsuit involving a Beverly Hills hotel
- Real estate Q&A: Can co-op board force us to install free-standing AC?
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