ArcaMax

Q: Our community will not pay a resident to provide a service to the community, such as leading an exercise class or instructing an art class. I was told that this is a rule in all HOA communities in the area. Is this true? — Caroline

A: In Florida, where I practice law, there is no general rule banning all homeowners associations from paying...Read more

About 25 years ago, there was a pressure cooker renaissance in America. Our grandmothers knew the day would come that we would return to their favorite kitchen tool to make fast braises, stews, soups and casseroles. They just didn't know how we'd get there.

If you, like me, are a Nervous Nellie who grew up hearing stories about a great aunt who...Read more

Whether you want to look good or just feel better, makeup and skin care traditionally come at a significant cost -- but not if you're a dedicated cheapskate. While medications and beauty products you use must be safe, there's no reason that you have to pay exorbitant prices to accomplish the goal. Here are some functional hacks for saving time ...Read more

What I know about the art and science of negotiating I learned as a matter of survival.

Driven to save myself and my family from financial ruin, I jumped into the deep end of the real estate industry. I passed the state test to become licensed, but I knew nothing about negotiating. I was driven out of desperation to find a way to bring ...Read more

Trash bags don't look like liars. They're quiet. Unassuming. They don't beep, flash, or demand updates. They just sit there in a cardboard box, promising strength, freshness and heroic performance under pressure. And yet, if you've ever had one split open halfway to the curb, you already know something isn't adding up.

I started paying closer ...Read more

The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a bipartisan bill aimed at boosting the nation’s supply of homes on an 89-10 vote, setting up a showdown in the House over a contentious provision to limit Wall Street’s footprint in the housing market.

The bill bars investors with more than 350 houses from purchasing additional single-family homes — a ...Read more

Q: They’ve been building the house at the end of my block for months, and the builder put out these giant signs like mini-billboards, and they look terrible. If we’re not allowed to have billboards in our residential neighborhood, how do they get away with this? — Alison

A: Construction projects can be a common sight in many neighborhoods...Read more

So, you planted a garden, lucked out when your property included fruit trees, stumbled upon a produce sale you just couldn't pass up, or joined a Community Supported Agriculture group. Good for you! Now what? What will you do with all that bounty?

Your choices are: 1) quickly consume your harvest before it spoils 2) give it away or 3) preserve ...Read more

All-purpose cleaners are designed to clean everything from dust bunnies to toilet rings and grease spills. Having evaluated many commercial products for effectiveness, ease of use, versatility, price and overall value, here are my picks for the seven best all-purpose cleaning products for keeping your house clean.

BEST INEXPENSIVE

Don't let ...Read more

In a society of continuous change, those things that remain constant give us the courage to boldly face the uncertainty of each new day. No matter what should befall us, we rest in the assurance that some things never change. The rising of the sun, the coming of spring, the levy of taxes -- and the operation of refrigerators.

Few things in our ...Read more

There was a time when I assumed I needed to buy name brand, readymade cleaning solutions and laundry products. If something needed cleaning, fixing, deodorizing or shining, surely there was a brightly labeled bottle for that -- preferably one promising miracles in a trigger spray. I bought them faithfully. And then one day I realized something ...Read more