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Conor Sen: These unpopular mortgages may be the key to affordable housing
Can a mortgage product tainted by the financial crisis come back to revive U.S. housing? The answer could reorient the housing market and give the Federal Reserve greater control over consumer spending in the years ahead.
A lack of affordability has hindered housing transactions the past two years, frustrating would-be buyers and, more recently...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: What Is a Grace Period, and How Does It Work?
Dear Mary: Is there a law that says how long the grace period must be? (And if you don't mind, exactly what IS a grace period?) -- Justin
Dear Justin: In the world of lending and borrowing, the "grace period" is the number of days between the time you make a credit card purchase and when you will begin to pay interest on that short-term loan.
...Read more

In Altadena and Pacific Palisades, burned lots are hitting the market
The first vacant lot in Altadena, California, went up for sale in late January. The listing promised "great opportunity to build" after the Eaton fire destroyed the home previously on the site.
A few weeks later came half a dozen more listings. Now the floodgates appear open.
"There is so many to choose from," said Jeremy Hardy, a real estate ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Financial Harmony Is More About Trust Than Money
Dear Mary: My wife and I have been married for three years. She has memorized my credit card information.
This is my personal account, and she is not listed as an authorized user. However, she charges to it without my knowledge, and it's getting out of hand. About a year ago, I took a loan from my 401(k) and paid off the balance, only to have ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Homemade Ice Melt for Steps, Walkways and Driveways
Got ice and snow on top of super cold temperatures this winter? "Everyday Cheapskate" reader Jennifer does, and she wrote, "Do you have a solution for melting ice and snow on walkways, driveways, steps and windshields?"
I do, and at least one of these homemade recipes is sure to come to Jennifer's rescue, and quite possibly yours, too
All of ...Read more

Survey: Many consumers stick with same bank accounts for decades, cite convenience as a factor
These days, the perks of a shiny new bank account often include high yields and no fees, and many can be opened in mere minutes. Nevertheless, Americans with a checking account have held onto that account for an average of 19 years, while those with a savings account have had it for 17 years, according to Bankrate’s latest Checking Account ...Read more

How to fire your financial adviser in 4 steps
Breaking up is hard to do, even when it comes to firing your financial adviser.
Whether it’s a mismatch of investment strategies, a lack of communication or even ethical concerns, the decision to part ways with your financial adviser can be stressful.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of firing your financial adviser step-...Read more

Rocket Companies is buying Redfin, the real estate listing firm
DETROIT — Rocket Companies said Monday it is buying the real estate listing platform Redfin in a deal valued at $1.75 billion.
The all-stock deal, expected to close in within about six months, would incorporate one of the country's largest mortgage lenders in Rocket with one of the top home search platforms in Redfin.
Seattle-based Redfin, ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: 27 Grocery Shopping Tricks to Keep More Cash in Your Pocket
Next to your rent or mortgage payment, food is probably your biggest expense. Don't believe me? For the next 30 days, track every nickel you spend to feed your face, then tell me it doesn't add up to one boatload of cash-ola.
Every dollar you don't spend on food is a dollar you get to keep for something else -- like knocking down that student ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Can HOA force owner to put up fence and swap out plants?
Q: My fiancé lives on the main road in a community of single family homes. He received a violation letter from the association saying he needs to put up a fence, remove the current bushes, and plant different ones. The section of the bylaw they sent over discusses maintenance of existing fences, docks, etc., but does not require them. I ...Read more

'Tariffs do not help with housing costs': Apartment builders brace for steel and aluminum tariffs
Developer Nat Bosa has been responsible for some of downtown San Diego’s largest residential towers but looming tariffs have him flabbergasted.
His company, Vancouver, Canada-based Bosa Development, is in the middle of construction on a 389-unit condo tower called Andia in downtown San Diego. It also has plans to build a 211-unit apartment ...Read more

Sharks 'smell blood' in Atlanta's office market as distress mounts
When Thomas Taylor looks at Atlanta’s skyline, he sees a quarter of its office buildings underwater.
The city’s towers, of course, stand well above sea level. But Taylor’s job as the senior research manager for data firm Trepp is to assess their financial stability — and many borrowers are in industry terms “underwater,” meaning ...Read more

Jonathan Lansner: 3,200 Palisades, Eaton fire victims miss mortgage payments
The sudden rush of increased household expenses is one of the numerous pains faced by fire victims in Los Angeles County.
Consider a new report showing as many as 3,200 homeowners in fire-ravaged neighborhoods are struggling to make their mortgage payments. Remember, owners of mortgaged homes must make loan payments even if the housing is gone ...Read more

A beginner's guide to downsizing
For most dream-seeking retirees, moving is not on their bucket list.
More than three-quarters of older American homeowners plan to stay in their current home and age in place, according to a survey by Redfin, a tech-based real estate brokerage.
That’s wishful thinking, said Lauren Bednar, owner of Oasis Senior Advisors. Her senior placement ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: The Inside Buzz on Batteries
Little things mean a lot -- like the two words "batteries included." Just knowing they're in there somewhere means less hassle and one less thing to buy. But face it. The initial powering-up of a battery-operated device is a minor concern. It's the cost of keeping it going for years to come that should be considered.
The commercials are ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: The Most Overlooked Type of Insurance
Insurance is a funny thing. You learn all you can, shop diligently, scrape together the money to pay for it and then hope you'll never have to use it.
In addition to health and automobile coverage, most people insure their lives so that in the event of their death, those who depend on their income will not be left high and dry.
Term life ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: The Agony and Ecstasy of Getting Out of Debt
Dear Mary: We've just received notice that the rent on our three-bedroom house is going up from $950 to $1,200 a month. We were struggling before, so we really can't afford the increase. We have looked at an apartment community, where our rent would be around $850 a month.
I found another home that could be a great permanent family home. This ...Read more

Best value ETFs: Top funds that hold bargain-priced stocks
Value investing has proven to be one of the most successful investing strategies over the long term. Many of the world’s top investors, including the legendary Warren Buffett, have used the value approach to generate outstanding returns over time.
In recent years, however, value stocks have drastically trailed growth stocks as low interest ...Read more

A 401(k) with an annuity twist: Blackrock offers paycheck-like income option
A growing list of companies have begun offering investments inside their 401(k) plans that promise a way for workers to generate steady income during retirement.
These investments combine target-date funds, a popular 401(k) investment, with annuities, an insurance contract that promises a stream of lifetime payments.
Global asset manager ...Read more

What is a rug pull?
A rug pull is a scam where a cryptocurrency or NFT developer hypes a project to attract investor money, only to suddenly shut down or disappear, taking investor assets with them. The name comes from the idiom “to pull the rug out” from under someone, leaving the victim off-balance and scrambling.
Rug pulls have increased as decentralized ...Read more
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