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Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News/TNS

How tariffs could impact the housing market

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Mortgage rates could go up because of a trade war between the United States and Canada, Mexico and China, according to real estate experts.

Tariffs also could potentially increase prices on building materials, and more, and inflation invariably means mortgage rates will go up.

Nicholas Irwin, research director for UNLV’s Lied Center for Real...Read more

Tom Gralish/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

The surprisingly smooth process of turning offices into apartments in Philadelphia's first big conversion project

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

The first major office-to-residential conversion of the post-pandemic era in Philadelphia is set to be completed this spring.

Alterra Property Group is on schedule to finish the conversion of 1701 Market St. from an office building to apartments by Memorial Day. Units will begin leasing in March.

For all the talk of transforming empty offices ...Read more

Real estate Q&A: Can association's new tree block owner's ocean view?

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Q: Can a community association plant a tree on the common property that will obstruct a single owner’s view of the ocean? — Roy

A: Homeowners, including those living in a community association, ordinarily have no legal right to a certain view.

However, like most issues involving legal rights, the specific facts of the situation can make a ...Read more

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS

A Los Angeles ADU is inspired by West African textiles and a fresh take on modernism

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

LOS ANGELES -- As an urban planner, Marina Martos Dabel was dreaming about adding an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, long before she and her husband, Dr. Pascal Dabel, purchased their Silver Lake home in 2016.

“I always wanted to get my hands on a backyard rec room or ADU project,” Marina says. When it came to the stylish addition the ...Read more

Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group/TNS

A major Bay Area real estate firm is leaning into private listings. Critics contend buyers and sellers will be hurt

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Today's housing market mostly operates out in the open — in one place, buyers surfing Zillow or Redfin can see nearly every home listed for sale.

But in recent months, one of the industry's largest brokerages, Compass, has been pushing for more sellers to list their homes "privately" — meaning they can only be viewed by buyers represented ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Survey: Almost half of loan applicants have been denied over the past 12 months

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

As interest rates stay elevated and inflation remains stubbornly high, many Americans appear to be finding it tougher to access the financing they need — and it’s posing challenges for both their finances and their aspirations.

Nearly half of Americans (45%) said they have applied for a loan or financial product in the past 12 months since...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Best online brokers of 2025: Choose the right brokerage firm for you

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

If you’re starting to invest or looking for a new brokerage account, checking out the best online brokers is a great place to begin. The best online brokers offer low commissions, strong trading platforms, plenty of research and education as well as helpful customer support — all the features to help you succeed as an investor.

We’ve ...Read more

Yuri Arcurs/Dreamstime.com/TNS

5 annuity mistakes you do not want to make

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

An annuity is a financial product that can provide a stream of guaranteed income in retirement. But buying an annuity isn’t always as straightforward as it seems.

With different types, rates and costs to consider, it’s easy to overlook key details. However, these simple mistakes can lock you into an annuity contract you don’t fully ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

5 popular investment strategies for beginners

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

When you start investing on your own, the world of investing may seem wide, often with too many choices and confusion on how to start. What if you make a wrong move and regret it? Well, you wouldn’t be alone.

In fact, 77% of U.S. adults have regrets when it comes to their personal finances, according to Bankrate’s Financial Regret Survey. ...Read more

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

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

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

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