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Everyday Cheapskate: 7 Ways to Repurpose Old Towels That You Probably Never Considered
Face it -- towels have a rough life. They start out all fluffy and full of promise, soaking up years of bathing and showers. Then, seemingly overnight, they turn into faded, scratchy threadbare rags that are one step away from being loofahs. But before you toss them in the trash (or shove them in the back of a linen closet for "later"), let's ...Read more
'Experiential' retail surges as landlords try to lure customers back to the mall
SANTA MONICA, California — In a former clothing store, young entrepreneurs hawk products live on TikTok, sometimes in marathon sessions that last many hours. Fans and customers can stroll onto the floor that was once filled with racks of trendy women's apparel to watch them work and perhaps buy some of their wares.
Nearby, people play ...Read more
Toll Brothers CEO says company is ready to take on challenge of low housing supply
Douglas C. Yearley Jr. was in elementary school when siblings Robert I. and Bruce E. Toll built their first two model homes in 1967 in the Philadelphia suburb Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.
Yearley, 65, joined Toll Brothers in 1990 and has served as CEO since 2010.
“We’re America’s Luxury Home Builder,” he said, touting the brand’s ...Read more
Austin rents tumble 22% from peak on massive home building spree
Yasmine Acebo makes her living by hooking up renters with deals on Austin apartments. In recent months, they haven’t been hard to find.
In the midst of a pandemic-era population surge, rents jumped a staggering 25% in 2021 in the Texas capital for one of the biggest increases in the nation. But a development boom and new policies encouraging ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Booting car traps second vehicle in garage. In an emergency, are HOA and towing company liable?
Q: Our homeowners association has decided to boot vehicles instead of having them towed for various violations. Our community has single car garages and a space in front of the garage for the second car. Could the association and tow company be at risk for a lawsuit if both cars are out of service in case of an emergency, the booted one and the ...Read more
Downtown Seattle has escaped the 'doom loop,' still off pre-pandemic norm
Downtown Seattle is headed toward a “bloom loop,” business boosters and government officials cheered Tuesday.
Jon Scholes, president of the Downtown Seattle Association and vocal supporter of the city’s business community, coined the phrase, playing off a term that became common place amid the COVID-19 pandemic: the “doom loop.”
As ...Read more
Buyers want remodeled homes, but they don't want to do the remodeling
Even as home prices keep going up and properties become less affordable, homebuyers are willing to pay more to own a remodeled home, according to Zillow.
Nationwide, buyers pay roughly $13,200 more than expected — about 4% of the median price — for renovated homes, researchers at Zillow found.
In the company’s analysis last year, buyers ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Fun (Cheap) Birthday Gift Ideas for Kids
Some time ago, I got a message from Elaine G., who had recently joined a mom's group. With all of her newly minted friendships, she and her child are getting invitations to lots of toddler birthday parties.
Her dilemma took me back to when our boys were small. Birthday parties for all their friends were challenging. That's why Elaine's message ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Will I Inherit My Parents' Debts?
This week, as I reached into the mailbag, I pulled out two questions, neither of them with easy answers. I was tempted to set them aside and try again, but I decided to tackle both, knowing that my letter-writers are not the only ones facing these kinds of financial situations.
Dear Mary: If my parents are in debt and they die, who pays the ...Read more
Home Depot keeps building in 2025, signaling homeowner and contractor trends
Home Depot is continuing to expand with sales reaching nearly $160 billion in its 2024 fiscal year, even though uncertain economic conditions and higher interest rates are causing some homeowners to pause on big renovations.
Vinings-based Home Depot is a bellwether for the broader economy, and its performance offers clues to how homeowners and ...Read more
Real estate losses from fires may top $30 billion, from old mobile homes to $23 million mansions
Real estate losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires could top $30 billion, and government agencies that receive revenue from taxes stand to lose $61 million or more annually while homes are being rebuilt, a Times analysis shows.
The analysis, comparing California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection assessments of buildings destroyed ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Without Trust, You Have Nothing -- in Money and in Life
Dear Mary: I have been dating a woman for about two years. Getting to know her, I have learned that she has significant financial problems that she has not told me about. I have found out by doing a little research on my own (public records, etc.).
This is a serious relationship. We are both divorced with children. Money issues were one of the ...Read more
Survey: The stock market is again Americans' favorite long-term investment
The stock market is the top place to invest for the long term, say Americans in Bankrate’s 2025 Long-Term Investment Survey. In all, 27% of Americans said they prefer the stock market as the way to invest money that they didn’t need for a decade or more. This figure is in line with the 26% who chose the stock market in the 2022 survey, the ...Read more
1099-K tax rules: What you need to know if you get paid via Venmo, Cash App or PayPal
If you sell goods or services or rent property, and get paid through Venmo, PayPal, Cash App or another payment app, you may have been surprised by a Form 1099-K this year.
Here’s why you might be among the millions of taxpayers who got this form for the first time: If you received a total of $5,000 or more through a payment app in 2024, that...Read more
Hungry mortgage lenders are dangling deals and discounts
Slashed rates. Discounts on future purchases. Speedy delivery.
No, these are not the promises of an auto dealer or eager e-retailer start-up. They’re coming from mortgage lenders.
The incentives reflect the harsh reality of the residence-financing scene. Since 2021, mortgage rates have more than doubled. The predictable result: American ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Why Buying Brand-New Can Be a Financial Mistake (How to Score a Great Used Car Instead)
A reader recently wrote in with a question that pops up more often than dandelions in a spring lawn:
"I need a new car -- we want a Honda CR-V, but after looking at the used car listings, it looks like new might be a better deal, especially since it saves me from putting much money down."
To which I say no, no and NO! Unless you can pay cash ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Can my neighbor cut down avocado tree I planted?
Q: I live in a small condominium community. About five years ago, I planted an avocado pit in a common area landscape island in the parking lot, which has since grown to be a lovely tree. I came home yesterday and noticed one of the residents decided to cut it down on his own. Our condo docs are silent on this issue. Do I or the Association have...Read more
Could this Irvine neighborhood be the blueprint for a more fire-resistant LA?
IRVINE, California — Four years before the Palisades and Eaton fires ravaged Los Angeles, Irvine braced for a blaze of its own.
A bone-dry summer left the landscape parched and primed to ignite as Santa Ana winds roared through the region at 80 mph. On the morning of Oct. 26, 2020, the Silverado fire erupted.
Firefighters deployed. The city ...Read more
Philadelphia is 'rare' city where eviction filings dropped and stayed down. Here's why
PHILADELPHIA — Housing counselor Kenya Dow-Hill is good at striking deals.
Through Philadelphia’s Eviction Diversion Program, she was paired with a tenant living in a cold and leaky home who faced eviction after withholding rent for two months to try to force the landlord to make repairs.
During a mediation session last month, the landlord...Read more
Scams, bidding wars and predatory landlords: One couple's quest for housing after the fires
As the flames plunged down Eaton Canyon on Jan. 7, Todd Smoyer fled his Altadena, California, home in tears knowing it would be the last time he’d see it.
His neighbor confirmed the next morning that the Midcentury ranch was a heap of ash.
The devastating news kicked off a manic January for Smoyer and his husband, who joined thousands of ...Read more
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