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Seminole Tribe sues Lennar over 552 'defective' new houses across Florida
Hundreds of homes built by the Miami-based Lennar Corporation on tribal land over the last five years are in such shoddy condition that no one can safely live in them, according to a lawsuit against the construction company filed by the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
The lawsuit was filed in March, but efforts to resolve the dispute between the ...Read more

10 of the biggest changes to retirement accounts due to new 401(k) and IRA rules
Congress has shaken up retirement plans once again, and the changes benefit a wide swath of Americans saving for their golden years through IRAs or employer plans such as 401(k)s.
The SECURE Act 2.0 became law in the last days of 2022, and the new rules provide assistance for retirement savers, small businesses and many others. In fact, the ...Read more

Ordinary annuity vs. annuity due: The small difference that affects its value
An annuity is a financial product that provides a stream of income over a set period. Annuities are often used in retirement planning as a way to generate income from a lump sum investment.
However, there are different ways these payments can be structured, including ordinary annuities and annuities due. While the concept may seem ...Read more

Rule of 72: What it is and how to use it
You don’t need a finance degree to figure out how long it’ll take to double your money as an investor. The Rule of 72 offers a quick shortcut to estimate growth based on interest rates or, on the flip side, the erosion of buying power from inflation. It’s not perfect, but it’s useful for spotting how time and compounding work in your ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Patina, Paint and the Price of Sentiment
I call it a hall tree. It's an antique piece of furniture with hooks for coats, a lovely mirror, and two umbrella stands -- each with a tin plate to catch the drips. My husband surprised me with it one Christmas morning more than 30 years ago, and I've loved it every day since.
Yesterday, I casually mentioned that I'm thinking about painting it...Read more

Car crash kills 3 members of 'Meet the Putmans' reality family; 5 hospitalized
The family at the center of TLC reality show “Meet the Putmans” was torn apart Saturday after a deadly car crash killed three relatives and left five others hospitalized.
The Putmans announced on Saturday that patriarch Bill “Papa” Putman, his wife Barb, better known as “Neenee,” and Aunt Megan had all died “in a tragic car ...Read more

Fire victims get one year of mortgage relief under new California law
Legislation that allows victims of the Jan. 7 fire storms to receive up to a year of mortgage relief was signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom as an urgency measure that takes effect immediately.
Assembly Bill 238 enables borrowers to put a stop to their mortgage payments for up to 12 months with no late fees or penalties, by attesting without...Read more

The LA fires destroyed 11,000 homes. Less than 10% have permits to rebuild
Of the thousands of residents needing to rebuild after this year’s California wildfires, Andy Weyman would seem especially well positioned. The TV and stage director had remodeled his Malibu home just five years earlier and had city-approved blueprints in hand, with the same architect set to oversee reconstruction.
Yet eight months after the...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Who pays for condo repairs after second leak from association's AC unit?
Q: I live in a condo on the top floor. About a year ago, there was a leak caused by the condo association’s AC unit, which damaged my wall. The association claimed that they had repaired the unit and roof, but stated that repairs — to my interior were my responsibility. Recently, the same leak happened in the same spot, caused by the same AC...Read more

Many of Philadelphia's office buildings are plummeting in value -- and it's costing the city millions
If you’re in the market for an office building in Philadelphia, now’s the time to buy.
Several Center City office buildings have sold in recent months for well under half their previous prices and assessed values, attracting residential developers and out-of-market investors.
The 29-story, 665,000-square-foot tower at 2000 Market St. last ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Face to Face With the Junk Drawer
I'm going to go on a limb and assume that you have a junk drawer. We all have one, and I don't know about you, but I'm not about to get rid of mine. After all, where else would we put our junk?
Recently, a reader wrote asking how to conquer his junk drawer. "I can't find anything in there so I keep re-buying all the stuff I bought already!" he ...Read more

Developers say on-again, off-again tariffs are making it difficult to predict prices and kick off projects
The night before the Trump administration began enforcing a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, Chicago-based GI Stone had 13 trucks at the U.S. border, each loaded down with specialized granite set for installation in the Obama Presidential Center under construction in Jackson Park.
Only eight trucks made it through before the tariffs took effect ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: 7 Smart Reasons to Use Vinegar in Laundry
Using inexpensive distilled white vinegar in the laundry is smart because it will whiten, brighten, reduce odor and soften clothes without harsh chemicals.
IT'S CHEAP
Plain distilled white 5% vinegar runs around 3.5 cents per ounce in the typical supermarket when purchased by the gallon, and even cheaper when you can find it at the dollar ...Read more

Kids' Halloween costumes cost as much as $90. Here's how to get them for under $10
When it comes to her kids’ Halloween costumes, Devon Weaver has learned to take a laid-back approach.
“Costumes don’t have to be stressful,” said Weaver, a 45-year-old content creator who runs several blogs, including Mamacheaps.com, from her Hilltown, Bucks County, home. “You can always repurpose things: Sports uniforms, dance ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Secrets to No-Fail Tender, Juicy White Meat Chicken
They're convenient and, we're told, more healthy. But there are few things quite as boring or more difficult to prepare well than boneless skinless chicken breasts (BSCBs).
Here's the problem: Chicken skin helps keep the chicken moist, and the bones add flavor.
Remove both and what do you have? The potential for dry, tasteless, tough chicken. ...Read more

How the Fed impacts stocks, crypto and other investments
Higher interest rates played out on stocks, cryptocurrency and commodities such as oil over the past few years. But now that the Federal Reserve has been lowering short-term rates, what can investors expect from here, and how long will the shifting rate environment impact markets?
After lowering interest rates by 25 basis points at its December...Read more

Should couples have a separate or joint bank account?
Joint bank accounts allow couples to manage budgets together, monitor spending and save for shared goals. But they aren’t right for every couple. And you don’t have to go with an all-or-nothing approach, either. You can have a joint account without merging all your finances.
Here’s what you should consider before deciding whether a joint...Read more

After insurance pullback, advocates demand a 'bill of rights' for California policyholders
A leading consumer group is proposing a policyholder rights initiative that would require insurers to offer coverage to California homeowners who fireproof their homes — or lose the right to sell home or auto insurance in the state for five years.
The Insurance Policyholder Bill of Rights was filed with state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta’s office ...Read more

A big Realtors settlement could have led to lower agent commissions. They haven't changed
SAN JOSE, Calif. — When Eric Itakura listed his Mountain View condo last year, he hoped to save some money on commissions.
The rules over how agents’ fees are set had recently been rewritten as part of a landmark settlement reached between the National Association of Realtors and a group of home sellers. For decades, sellers typically paid ...Read more

How to negotiate commissions with your real estate agent
SAN JOSE, Calif. — For decades, home sellers typically covered both their own agent’s commission and the fee for the buyer’s broker, a structure that left little room for negotiation. But a recent legal settlement has shaken up that system, opening the door for buyers and sellers to haggle over who pays what — and how much.
In the Bay ...Read more
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