ArcaMax

WASHINGTON -- A new report from the New York Federal Reserve sheds light on a question that's been hanging over the American real estate market: Has the massive tax overhaul adopted by Congress in late 2017 had any effect on whether consumers want to buy or sell homes?

It's an important issue because federal tax laws can make owning a home much...Read more

With a recent report naming the Bay Area being the priciest place on the planet to build structures like apartments, schools and office buildings, we wondered how real estate looks in other places far away from the region and its nose-bleed cost of living.

In the Bay Area, residents obsess so much on how expensive property is that they tend to ...Read more

The Bay Area is the most expensive place in the world to build an apartment building, office tower, hospital, warehouse or school.

And it's not even close -- the region is 13 percent more costly to develop than second-place New York, according to a new report by UK-based consultant Turner & Townsend.

"Another dubious award for the Bay Area," ...Read more

Amazon is again adding to its real estate portfolio in Bellevue, Wash., this time acquiring a central parcel that could accommodate the tallest towers in the city across the street from a downtown transit hub and forthcoming light rail station.

The deal for the Bellevue Corporate Plaza property appears to give Amazon the opportunity to develop ...Read more

I am not one to spend coins. I prefer to save them. In fact, I go out of my way to make sure I get plenty of change. But I hate to carry loose change, so my husband and I routinely dump the day's accumulation into a container to save for a trip or to buy something special. One year we saved $1,100 in coins. But I have to admit the logistics can ...Read more

Q: My credit was damaged because of divorce, so my mother helped me buy my house by putting it in her name. I have lived here for 11 years and always paid the bills. I am concerned because she has dementia and her health is failing. Should I have her deed the house over to me? -- Sally

A: In my experience, I have spoken with many people in your...Read more

Chronic lawsuits against new Bay Area housing developments. Loud, angry protests against pro-growth legislators and mayors.

If the Bay Area has an all-season contact sport, it's the recurring NIMBY fights against housing construction.

And although almost everyone agrees housing prices are too high, few want to see faster development to tackle ...Read more

Our kids are fortunate to be growing up in the most progressive and exciting time in history. Sadly, the very culture that offers them the world is also perpetrating this lie: "You are entitled to have everything you want, even if you don't have the money to pay for it. It's not a problem. You deserve it. Get it now, and you can pay for it later...Read more

In the wake of America's big economic wake-up call back in 2008, dollar stores and thrift stores saw a big resurgence. And now another kind of retail quasi-lender is commanding all kinds of attention from sellers and buyers: pawnshops.

I admit to having grown up with a weird bias against pawnshops. To me, pawnshops were just one level above ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- John Dwyer and Colin Oglesbay aren't always fond of how new housing in the Twin Cities looks these days, and they think others feel the same.

"People are sick of the repetitive cookie-cutter stuff," said Oglesbay, a partner in D/O Architects in Minneapolis.

So the Twin Cities-based architects designed a pair of break-the-mold ...Read more

I wish I had a quarter for every stupid purchase I've made in my life. I'd have some major dough. Regrettably, my financial faux pas have been remarkable in both quantity and quality. I've made some real doozies.

Take the above-ground swimming pool. Its a la carte price was bad enough. Adding everything required but not included took it from ...Read more

Dear Ms. Lank: Hope you can help us.

We have been trying to sell our house for three months now -- with not a single offer. From our agent's market analysis, we are at the low end of the price range for similar houses. We have even dropped the price with no effect.

Our house is relatively new (a little over two years). I think lots of buyers ...Read more

Choosing the best time to claim Social Security benefits can be tricky, mostly because we don't know precisely how long we'll live to collect.

Even if we make an educated guess on our own longevity, however, plenty can still go wrong.

This column recently steered a 65-year-old retiree to the Social Security Administration to sort out a ...Read more

Today, the U.S. population includes nearly 50 million adults over the age of 65. Members of this demographic control substantially greater assets and net worth than any younger generation.

According to the Federal Reserve, the average net worth for Americans age 65-74 is $1,066,000. The median net worth is $224,000. The U.S. Census Bureau ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Actor Bruce Willis kept his Caribbean getaway in the Turks and Caicos Islands long enough to renew his wedding vows with model-actress Emma Heming Willis last month, but now the Parrot Cay estate is for sale at $33 million.

Set within COMO Resorts Parrot Cay, the more than seven-acre bay-front property contains three homes with ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- American homeowners are doing something surprising: Despite record amounts of home equity available to them -- an estimated $1.5 trillion worth -- they are tapping into it less via home-equity credit lines (HELOCs) and cash-out refinancings.

The big question is why. Are people simply getting more frugal? Or are other forces at ...Read more