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They got their LA rentals ready for the World Cup. Did it pay off? For some, absolutely
LOS ANGELES — The 2026 FIFA World Cup has wrapped, but some Angelenos who rented their homes to fans are still tallying up profits from a month of soccer frenzy in the city.
Driven by projections of massive tourism and a $750 first-time host incentive from Airbnb, many local property owners expected a sizable payout. While some savvy owners ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Should I buy renters' insurance?
Q: My landlord is asking me to buy renters’ insurance before I move into my apartment. I do not own the place, so I do not understand why I would need it. Is this really something I should pay for, or is my landlord just covering himself? — Alison
A: Get the renters’ insurance. This is one of the best deals in insurance, and people find ...Read more
He bought a desert bunker -- and wants to make it an EV lounge
BAKER, California — The walls are covered in graffiti, some glass is shattered, and most of the copper is gone.
But some 20 to 30 feet below ground in this Cold War-era bunker in the middle of the California desert, Jonathan Shinn envisions a modern twist for the hidden relic: a lounge for EV drivers.
Shinn, founder of PowerStation Charging,...Read more
Mobile homes, an overlooked refuge of affordability, are disappearing in LA Residents fight to stay
The small patch of dirt encircling Carmen Silverio Guardado's home bears fruit — lots of it. There are pomegranates, guavas, dragon fruit and nectarines. She also grows oregano and lemongrass, which she brews into a tea to soothe stomach issues.
All of this Silverio Guardado and her husband cultivate beside the two-bedroom mobile home they ...Read more
Forget Halloween: Giant skeletons are staying up year-round across LA
LOS ANGELES — The undead are invading L.A.
They wear Santa hats and sunglasses, American flags and pool floaties. Some stand erect, towering over houses and neighborhoods. Others rot in the California sun, disintegrating into bony fragments. A pelvis atop two legs in a driveway. A skull peering over a rooftop.
They are, of course, giant 12-...Read more
Graffiti towers set to be cleared for cleanup and sale
The sale of notorious Oceanwide Plaza in downtown Los Angeles is expected to be approved by a bankruptcy court judge, clearing the path for removal of graffiti that has loomed over the city skyline for years and completion of the long-stalled real estate development.
Work cleaning the skyscrapers — known informally as Graffiti Towers — ...Read more
Jonathan Lansner: California foreclosures at 7-year high. Time to worry?
The last time California foreclosures were this high was pre-pandemic, in 2019.
However, if you see this as a signal that hordes of California homeowners are going to lose their homes to foreclosure, just like the last real estate crash, you may be waiting a while.
My trusty spreadsheet reviewed a report from the real estate tracker Attom on ...Read more
Homeowners of color pay higher insurance costs
Homeowners all over the country are feeling the crush of rising insurance costs. But that burden isn’t distributed evenly.
Property owners in predominantly Black and Hispanic corners of the country pay higher home insurance premiums than those in mostly white areas, even when factoring for environmental risk, the Consumer Federation of ...Read more
Could a split-rate property tax reshape Baltimore? City Council weighs option
Baltimore City leaders are set to begin what could become one of the most significant tax debates in decades: whether Maryland’s largest city should pursue the state’s first split-rate property tax system in an effort to combat vacant properties, discourage speculation and spur investment.
A bill introduced Monday by City Councilman Zac ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: My contractor stiffed a supplier, and now there's a lien on my home. What do I do?
Q: We hired a contractor to redo our kitchen and paid him every dollar we owed, on time, right through the final check. Last week, we got a certified letter saying the company that supplied our cabinets was never paid and has now put a lien on our house. We paid in full. How is there a lien on our home, and do we really have to pay for those ...Read more
WA announces cap on rent hikes for 2027
Landlords across Washington state can raise rents by up to 10% next year.
The Washington State Department of Commerce announced the annual cap Wednesday, the latest reflection of persistently high inflation in the Seattle area.
The cap stems from a state law passed last year limiting rent hikes at many properties to 7% plus inflation, up to a ...Read more
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Why Did Grandma Wash the Walls? 7 Once-Routine Cleaning Practices Rarely Seen Today
To modern eyes, some old household routines seem almost astonishing. Grandmothers washed walls, beat rugs, aired bedding, scrubbed front steps and polished furniture on schedules that could rival a military operation.
These chores were not necessarily signs that earlier generations enjoyed cleaning more. They reflected the homes, fuels, fabrics...Read more
No House Shoes: Why Going Barefoot Indoors Is Good for You
For generations, people have treated house shoes as a basic necessity. Slippers wait beside the bed. Foam clogs sit near the kitchen. Indoor sneakers promise cushioning, support and protection from the supposed dangers of an ordinary floor.
For most healthy adults, however, shoes are not needed inside the home. In fact, going barefoot indoors ...Read more
Legendary Television City may be be sold in further blow to Hollywood
LOS ANGELES — Television City, one of the most famous studios in the entertainment industry where generations of TV shows have been created, is expected to hit the market again as its owner grapples with debt.
It's the latest sign of distress in Hollywood as the film and TV industry struggles from a sharp falloff in production activity across...Read more
Is buying a home still the way to wealth? Some young Americans aren't sure
The fast-rising costs of owning a home have some young Americans questioning whether buying a house is still a good investment.
Take Tony Zhang, 34, who bought a $950,000 townhouse in Irvine, California, in 2021 and says he now regrets it. The supply-chain manager says investing his down payment of roughly 30% in the stock market instead would...Read more
Seattle couple making $173K unsure having children is financially doable
SEATTLE Jorge Aranda and Mattie Gottbrath are at a crossroads. The couple want to have children one day, but to do so they may have to leave the city they love.
“We constantly ask ourselves whether we can live in Seattle long term, let alone with a kid,” said Aranda, 29.
The couple moved from St. Louis, Missouri, to Seattle in early 2023, ...Read more
Popular Stories
- He bought a desert bunker -- and wants to make it an EV lounge
- Mobile homes, an overlooked refuge of affordability, are disappearing in LA Residents fight to stay
- Real estate Q&A: Should I buy renters' insurance?
- They got their LA rentals ready for the World Cup. Did it pay off? For some, absolutely
- Homeowners of color pay higher insurance costs






