Consumer

/

Home & Leisure

/

ArcaMax

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Their corporate landlord kicked them out to fix their flooding home, suit says. Instead, it was sold

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

LOS ANGELES — Cody Recker and Jessica Perez loved their Boyle Heights rental — warts and all. Lots of warts.

The plumbing broke, spraying raw sewage puddles on the floor. The floor and foundation were falling apart, inviting hordes of mice and fleas. The basement flooded 14 times, and there were so many leaks in the attic that mushrooms ...Read more

Real estate Q&A: Is it a good idea to buy a starter home with my boyfriend?

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Q: My boyfriend and I want to move in together but cannot find an affordable rental that allows pets. With interest rates and prices inching down, we are thinking about buying a starter home. We both have good jobs and strong credit. My mom reads your column and suggested I ask if this is a good idea. Thanks! —Rita

A: I cannot say if it is a ...Read more

TOM GRALISH/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Philadelphia usually only inspects rental homes if someone complains. The city may soon start doing proactive checks

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Philadelphia is looking into proactively inspecting rental homes for safety and health instead of relying on tenants’ complaints to trigger inspections, according to a city official who testified at a City Council hearing Tuesday.

The Department of Licenses and Inspections has started working with the Pew Charitable Trusts to conduct research...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

The history of women and mortgages

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Throughout history, women have had to push to achieve parity with men in many arenas. And financing a home purchase is no different.

From not being able to sign for their own loans to outnumbering single male buyers, here is a recent history overview of the changes and trends that helped shape mortgage financing and home buying opportunities ...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: How to Freeze Eggs, Dairy Products and More

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

I'm sure my supermarket is not the only grocery store with an area in the back I call "My Bargain Bin." It's refrigerated and features some dandy bargains, especially on perishable items approaching that "sell by" date. There are no limits on the number of items I can load into my cart -- all of them with ridiculously low, rock-bottom prices.

...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: Who Needs Balance?

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

Dear Mary: What does it mean to "balance" my bank account? How do I do that? Why should I? I really appreciate you answering my question. I'm sure I should know this, but honestly, I don't. -- Josey

Dear Josey: This is a great question, and I'm sure you'd be surprised to know just how many of your fellow readers want to know the same thing!

To...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: Before You Jump Into HEL, Consider Your Options Very Carefully

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

Dear Mary: We have decided to pay off a bunch of bills and do some much-needed repairs on our house. Can you tell me the difference between a home equity loan and a home equity line of credit? Which would be better? -- Scott

Dear Scott: With a home equity loan, or a HEL, you walk away with a check for the full amount of the loan and a second ...Read more

TIM TAI/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Economic 'shock and awe' leaves consumers uncertain

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

PHILADELPHIA — Courtney McCallum is making more money than she anticipated earning at 30 years old.

Still, the magazine editor said, “I am living paycheck to paycheck.”

McCallum and her husband, an accountant, would love to buy a house and start a family, she said, but they are holding off until they can save more.

Student loans, car ...Read more

Everyday Cheapskate: Why Are We So Gullible?

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

The claims are so over the top, they practically sparkle. The messages flood in from every direction -- email, TV, radio, social media and sometimes even hand delivery by a very enthusiastic "friend."

"Make over half a million dollars every four to five months from home with a one-time investment of just $25!"

"Become a millionaire overnight -...Read more

Jeff Wheeler/Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS

Move over, Airbnb! Mid-term rentals are the new game in town

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

When a string of hurricanes ravaged the East Coast this past fall and a cluster of wildfires burned the Los Angeles area in January, tens of thousands of displaced people suddenly needed shelter.

A Twin Cities-made website specializing in mid-term rentals — stays of longer than a vacation but not more than a year — hopes to help these ...Read more

Real estate Q&A: What can we do about raccoons damaging cars in condo parking lot?

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Q: I live in a great condo community, but recently we have experienced raccoons getting inside the engine blocks and causing severe damage to our vehicles. This includes biting into the wiring system, fluid lines and hood insulation. When we approached the association, they were dismissive and said, “it’s out of our hands.” What options do...Read more

Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman/TNS

Could you get a house delivered like a pizza? This Boise company thinks so. What to know

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

BOISE, Idaho — Cody Draper stood outside his Boise Bench warehouse on a cold February afternoon and watched as a crane truck, flooding the area with the smell of diesel, lifted a house into the sky.

Workers carefully placed the home out of the way, then slid green straps over a second home to lift. Those homes, says Draper, could be a ...Read more

Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Getting a filling -- at the mall. Why dentists and other wellness tenants are in big demand

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

Not long ago, dentists were about as welcome as a toothache at shopping centers.

Landlords preferred more conventional retailers in their malls, relegating dentists to out-of-the-way locations if they would lease space to them at all.

Now they are prominent tenants in many shopping centers as part of a growing trend of medical-retail or "...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Conor Sen: These unpopular mortgages may be the key to affordable housing

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

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?

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

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

Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times/TNS

In Altadena and Pacific Palisades, burned lots are hitting the market

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

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

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

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

Consumer / Everyday Cheapskate /

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

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Survey: Many consumers stick with same bank accounts for decades, cite convenience as a factor

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

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

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

How to fire your financial adviser in 4 steps

Consumer / Home and Consumer News /

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

 

Related Channels

America's Test Kitchen

America's Test Kitchen

By America's Test Kitchen
ArcaMax Chef

ArcaMax Chef

By ArcaMax Chef
Ask The Builder

Ask The Builder

By Tim Carter
Ask The Vet

Ask The Vet

By Dr. Lee Pickett
Celebrity Travel

Celebrity Travel

By Jae-Ha Kim
Dear Monty

Dear Monty

By Richard Montgomery
Do It Yourself Or Not

Do It Yourself Or Not

By Gene and Katie Hamilton
Eric's Autos

Eric's Autos

By Eric Peters
Everyday Cheapskate

Everyday Cheapskate

By Mary Hunt
Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family

By Jim Daly
Georgia Garvey

Georgia Garvey

By Georgia Garvey
Jeff Rugg

Jeff Rugg

By Jeff Rugg
Lenore Skenazy

Lenore Skenazy

By Lenore Skenazy
Living Space

Living Space

By Kathryn Weber
My Pet World

My Pet World

By Cathy M. Rosenthal
Problem Solved

Problem Solved

By Christopher Elliott
Real Estate Matters

Real Estate Matters

By Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin
Recipes by Zola

Recipes by Zola

By Zola Gorgon
Rick Steves' Europe

Rick Steves' Europe

By Rick Steves' Europe
Taking The Kids

Taking The Kids

By Eileen Ogintz
Travel & Adventure

Travel & Adventure

By Various authors
Travel Troubleshooter

Travel Troubleshooter

By Christopher Elliott

Comics

Randy Enos Fowl Language Arctic Circle Aunty Acid Al Goodwyn Cul de Sac