For homebuyers and sellers, the original list price is the conversation starter, yet rarely the final word -- only about 15% of homes in the largest metro areas sold for the seller's original asking price during 2019's second quarter, according to real estate data firm CoreLogic.

Discounted sale prices occurred on 61% of homes sold, CoreLogic ...Read more

Q: Years ago, I renovated my home doing much of the work myself. Since I was working on my house, all the construction was done far exceeding the minimum building code requirements, and it has held up well. However, I did not pull permits. I am planning on selling my home and concerned about this coming back to haunt me. Please help. -- John

A:...Read more

SEATTLE -- When the chief financial officer for Costco gets messaged by his sister asking if that viral Facebook posting about that $75 coupon is for real, you know this is a pretty good scam.

Richard Galanti takes a philosophical attitude.

"They come and they go periodically," he says. "We've all clicked on something and afterwards realized ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell called the U.S. economy a "star" performer and voiced solid confidence that its record expansion will stay on track.

"Our forecast is, and our expectation very much is, one of continued moderate growth," Powell told the House Budget Committee Thursday in Washington. "The U.S. economy is the ...Read more

The two biggest newspaper chains in the country are on the verge of combining, after shareholders of both gave green lights to the $1.13 billion deal Thursday.

New Media Investment Group, which operates under its GateHouse Media subsidiary, is expected to close on its acquisition of USA Today parent Gannett Co. in the next several days, now ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- The White House is inviting lawmakers to its first summit on paid family leave and childcare affordability next month in an effort to increase momentum for Ivanka Trump's signature issues.

Invitations to the half-day Dec. 12 event at the White House were expected to be sent this week to lawmakers and advocates for those policies, ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Did you graduate from Penn Law? Better buy your sweatshirt and other swag soon.

The University of Pennsylvania law school's name has changed to Carey Law, after a $125 million donation that included the naming rights to one of America's oldest law colleges.

Grads, faculty and students are alternately happy or furious the naming...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Few phrases in home design inspire diverging opinions quite like "open-concept floor plan."

For decades, real estate agents and developers have pitched clients on the idea, arguing that flowing, wall-less spaces could be the solution for more natural light, more family togetherness, and more flexibility in how spaces are used. ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Spring Education Inc., formerly Nobel Learning Communities Inc. in West Chester, says it will be more understanding with disabled children who have development delays with potty training.

The national for-profit daycare and school settled a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Justice Department after the Chesterbrook Academy in ...Read more

SEATTLE -- Convoy, the Seattle-based company whose app promises to make the freight process more reliable and efficient, said it has raised $400 million in its latest funding round, announced Wednesday.

Big names have been eyeing Convoy for years. Convoy's investors include its creators' former employer, Jeff Bezos, as well as Salesforce CEO ...Read more

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Is the Bank of Google close to becoming a reality?

The internet giant, which has cemented its position in the markets for operating systems with Android, mobile phones with its Pixel smartphone, and is looking to become a force in healthcare and wearables following it's $2.1 billion acquisition of Fitbit, now wants to get ...Read more

Q: About three months ago, I purchased an HP Pavilion laptop, model 17-ar050wm, that is clearly the slowest PC I've ever owned or used. I had a technician look for anything that could be turned off or deleted to make the PC run faster, but it hasn't helped. Is this a problem with the PC that I'll have to live with, or is there a remedy?

Tom ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Jeff Bridges has found a big-time buyer for his Spanish Revival-style compound in Montecito: Oprah Winfrey. The media mogul shelled out $6.85 million for the home -- the exact same price Bridges and his wife, Susan Geston, paid for it five years ago, records show.

Winfrey is adding to her stock of Montecito real estate while ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Disney's ambitious new streaming services has already achieved a major subscriber milestone, the company said Wednesday.

More than 10 million people have signed up for the $6.99-a-month service so far after it officially launched Tuesday morning.

People who sign up for the service get a seven-day free trial, so it's impossible ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- Americans increased their borrowing for the 21st straight quarter as more households took out loans to buy homes or refinance existing mortgages, according to a report released Wednesday from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Total U.S. household debt rose $92 billion, or 0.7%, to $13.95 trillion in the third quarter, the New ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- Maybe it's hard to imagine what could have changed so much that what made financial sense not even a year ago -- spending about $336 million for the food delivery company Bite Squad or investing in WeWork at a $47 billion valuation -- can seem silly now.

The reality, of course, is that nothing changed. Those deals were silly then...Read more