Consumer
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House hunters fear Realtor settlement could make homebuying harder
Real estate investor Debra Falese called a landmark Realtor commission settlement “horrible” because it requires home shoppers to sign contracts with their agents.
That could leave buyers “locked into” working with unreliable agents, the Huntington Beach, California, property owner said.
New homeowner Morgan Hedrick worries the ...Read more
Silicon Valley billionaires planning 'California Forever' utopia score big win in $510 million fight against farmers
The Silicon Valley billionaires trying to build a utopian city in Solano County, California, scored a major win in court against landowners they accused of conspiring to inflate the prices of their properties.
In May last year, the project’s real estate arm Flannery Associates sued dozens of landowners for $510 million in damages, claiming ...Read more
How to buy life insurance in 8 steps
At first, thinking about how to get life insurance might seem overwhelming. If you’re not familiar with coverage types or how to buy life insurance policies, you might be tempted to put it off. Fortunately, Bankrate’s editorial team has done a lot of the legwork for you. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide for purchasing a life ...Read more
How to protect your deceased loved one's credit after death
Grieving the loss of a loved one is an emotionally and mentally challenging experience. Still, amid the turmoil of the grieving process, it’s essential to address the deceased’s financial matters and protect their credit information. Requesting a credit freeze is a crucial first step.
By following this process, you can safeguard their ...Read more
How much money you could be missing out on with a low-APY savings account
There’s some comfort in knowing that your money is in the bank down the street. But in the era of Federal Reserve rate increases and brick-and-mortar banks offering yields that are much lower than yields at many online banks, this comfort may be costing you money. Generally, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) online banks offer savings ...Read more
California's home insurance crisis: What went wrong, how it can be fixed and what owners can do
Climate change and extreme weather have contributed to catastrophic fires that destroyed thousands of California homes in recent years — and an insurance crisis that could result in the biggest set of regulatory changes since the passage of Proposition 103 in 1988.
Insurers have pulled back from the homeowners market, leading to a flurry of ...Read more
Are California homeowners getting any insurance breaks for beefing up their property to protect against wildfires?
The CZU Lightning Complex wildfire that burned through the Santa Cruz Mountains in late summer 2020 was a wakeup call for Frank Bäuerle. He wasted no time fireproofing his Ben Lomond home and neighborhood, clearing brush and screening vents against flying embers to bolster his property’s resistance to flames.
But even as his neighborhood got...Read more
Landlord incomes climb in NYC, touching off annual battle over rent increases
The board that decides on lease adjustments for millions of rent-stabilized New Yorkers held its first public meeting of the year on Thursday in which they set the stage for the fraught annual battle between landlords and tenants over rent hikes.
The nine-person Rent Guidelines Board (RGB) — whose members are appointed by the mayor — met to...Read more
Real estate Q&A: How can I protect myself against wire transfer scams?
Q: I am buying a house and have been warned about the various scams, especially those involving wires. I spoke with the closing agent, and they will not accept a check to buy my new home. How can I protect myself when sending a wire? — Nick
A: Whenever large sums of money are involved, scammers seem to come out of the woodwork. Throughout my ...Read more
Disneyland is now a historic theme park district: What's that mean for future projects?
The DisneylandForward environmental impact report identifies the potential Disneyland Theme Park Historic District as eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places – which automatically places the district on the California Register of Historical Resources.
The DisneylandForward proposal seeks to update a 1990s Anaheim, ...Read more
Women's salaries are lower, and their expenses are higher. Here's how to push back
Anyone walking down the personal care aisle at a grocery or convenience store will see the distinction immediately.
Pink razors, shampoo, body wash and all the items that smell like flowers and boast ingredients like white tea and shea butter are for women. Blue products that evoke earthiness and sports without any flowery additives are for men...Read more
In 2023, Florida insurers turned first profit in seven years, new report says
In 2023, Florida’s domestic insurers turned a net profit for the first time in seven years, a new report by marketing intelligence company S&P Global said.
The study of “around 50” Florida-based insurers credited the turnaround to investment income, a mild hurricane year, and tort reforms that took effect in March 2023.
The group ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Can HOAs ban politicking?
Q: With the upcoming elections, our association is considering banning politicking in our community. They want to stop everything from door knocks to lawn signs, all in an effort to “keep the peace.” While I understand that community harmony is important and this will be another controversial election, I don’t think they are allowed to do ...Read more
TikTok agrees to sublease big San Jose tech building, preps offices
SAN JOSE, Calif. — TikTok has completed a rental deal for a big San Jose tech building, a transaction that suggests some pockets of strength still exist in a feeble Bay Area commercial real estate sector.
The fast-expanding tech company has subleased an office building at 1143 Coleman Avenue in San Jose, according to documents filed on March ...Read more
New downtown Oakland tower offers “full stack” of live, work and play
OAKLAND, Calif. — A new tower in downtown Oakland is offering what its developer calls a “full stack” of lifestyle amenities and choices in a new approach to the realities of the post-coronavirus era.
The 39-story mixed-use tower that has sprouted atop the 19th Street BART Station was built with the concept that the highrise could offer ...Read more
Philly couple who went viral for living in a storage unit want to prove 'homelessness is a flex'
PHILADELPHIA -- Like many Gen Zers, Lansdale couple Leland Brown Jr. and Breanna Hubbard gave TikTok viewers a tour of their new home, hours after they moved in.
The space was just large enough to fit a twin-size mattress, a small couch, a dresser, and a wall of storage boxes. But no windows, bathroom, or kitchen. It also happened to be located...Read more
Realtor rules just changed dramatically. Here's what buyers and sellers can expect
So long, 6% commission.
For decades, real estate commissions have been somewhat standardized, with most home sellers paying 5% to 6% commission to cover both the listing agent and the buyer's agent.
On Friday, everything changed.
A landmark agreement from the National Association of Realtors paved the way for a new set of rules that will ...Read more
A sign of the times: Tearing down an emptying Orange County office complex to build a warehouse
In the hierarchy of commercial real estate, office space has long been king.
Developers and landlords lived by the conventional wisdom that there was no better use for your square footage than business offices because they commanded higher rents than industrial spaces.
Simple math, the thinking went.
Well, not so simple anymore. At least in ...Read more
American debt stings like never before in new era for households
After years of managing household budgets through the stress of the worst inflation in a generation, U.S. families are increasingly pressured by a different kind of financial squeeze: The cost of carrying debt.
Two years after the Federal Reserve began hiking interest rates to tame prices, delinquency rates on credit cards and auto loans are ...Read more
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