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

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

The history of women and mortgages
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
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?
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
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

Economic 'shock and awe' leaves consumers uncertain
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?
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

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

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

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

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
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