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Real estate Q&A: Can we stop a resident from smoking on the balcony?
Q: Can a resident smoke on his balcony if the smoke is disturbing the resident next door, who also likes to sit on his balcony? Also, a butt fell several floors below on the balcony and burned a hole in resident’s outdoor sofa? — Catherine
A: Smoking can be a heated topic in shared living spaces, especially when it impacts neighbors or ...Read more

With a surging residency rate, this neighborhood is transforming LA
Like many downtown Los Angeles residents, Ricardo Sebastián doesn’t own a car and prefers it that way.
“I do not want the responsibility of owning a vehicle. That’s not for me,” said Sebastián, who grew up in Chicago relying on public transit.
The 38-year-old consultant travels around L.A. by train and bus, but finds most of what ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Worst and Best Ways to Clean Your Eyeglasses
You just paid a small fortune for new eyeglasses. On top of the cost for prescription lenses and fashionable frames, you opted for anti-reflective, anti-scratch and UV-protection coatings. After all, eyesight is a precious thing, and it's only wise to do all you can to protect it, right? Absolutely! But here's the deal: You may be destroying ...Read more

Seattle to ban controversial rent-setting software RealPage
Seattle will soon ban the controversial rent-setting platform RealPage and similar services, becoming the latest local government to take aim at a technology that critics say helps drive up housing costs.
The Seattle City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to ban a widely used class of software that gathers information from an array of ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: 11 'Cool' Summer Tips, Tricks and Hacks
Whatever summer adventures you have planned -- to the beach, pool, campground or even your own backyard -- these cool summer tips, tricks, hacks and DIYs will bring a smile to your face and, perhaps, even a sigh of relief. There's still plenty of time to get out there and do summer like a champ!
NO. 1: PACK A FITTED SHEET
Take a fitted bed ...Read more

Illinois must build 227,000 units in 5 years to keep up with housing demand, report finds
Illinois has a shortage of about 142,000 housing units and must build 227,000 in the next five years to keep pace with demand, a number that would require recent annual production rates to double, according to a new economic study.
The joint study published Tuesday by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: 7 Pleasantly Surprising Reasons to Decorate with Houseplants
There's something warm and inviting about a well-placed, thriving houseplant. Experts call this "interior landscaping," and it's becoming increasingly popular, not only in homes but in offices and other commercial settings. I would have assumed that's because houseplants can be quite inexpensive. But now, we're learning that houseplants offer ...Read more

Critics fear tall towers turning downtown Boston into Manhattan
BOSTON — Critics of a proposed Boston zoning plan are fuming over new regulations that they say will “Manhattanize” the city’s historic downtown with shadow-casting 700-foot skyscrapers.
Downtown Boston Neighborhood Association representatives say the administration of Mayor Michelle Wu “blindsided” them with the final draft of a ...Read more

Why long-term CDs can be a smart choice in any rate environment
Whether interest rates are rising, falling, or holding steady, long-term certificates of deposit (CDs) can play a valuable role in your financial strategy. While timing the market perfectly is impossible, understanding the benefits of long-term CDs can help you make better decisions about when and how to incorporate them into your savings plan. ...Read more

Bitcoin mining: A beginner's guide to how it works
Bitcoin mining is the process of creating new bitcoins by solving extremely complicated math problems that verify transactions in the currency. When a bitcoin is successfully mined, the miner receives a predetermined amount of Bitcoin.
Bitcoin is one of the most popular types of cryptocurrencies, which are digital mediums of exchange that exist...Read more

About 78% of Americans say they're uncomfortable investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Here's why
Despite all the hype around cryptocurrency, the vast majority of Americans say they’re uncomfortable investing in it, according to Bankrate’s 2025 Long-Term Investment Survey. Nearly 4 in 5 Americans (78%) say they’re not comfortable putting their investment dollars in crypto.
So, what might be making Americans uncomfortable with ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: More Ways to Simplify Your Life: The Homebody Edition
Today, a cool collection of original household hacks to save your time, your money and your last nerve.
Let's face it -- life at home can be just as hectic as life outside. If you're the CEO of your household, then you're managing logistics, supply chains, customer service, inventory and waste removal, and occasionally refereeing minor civil ...Read more

Zillow says it's fighting for buyers. Compass says it's fighting for sellers. What if neither is fighting for you?
As two real estate giants escalate a war over how homes should be listed for sale online, both sides say they’re acting in the interest of consumers.
Both sides also stand to make a lot of money if they win.
The issue intensified at the end of 2024, when Compass, the country’s largest brokerage by sales volume, began advising its sellers ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Should I pay $8,000 to repair damage from leak that didn't start in my condo?
Q: My condominium is charging me $8,000 to repair a leak they claim originated from my unit. They sent the assessment in a letter without even discussing it with me. The leak wasn’t from my unit because I also had slight water damage where water leaked through my ceiling, leaving a stain, which they would have known if they had contacted me. ...Read more

Seattle's affordable housing industry is in crisis. City faces tough choices
Late last year, one of Seattle's most vaunted affordable housing providers put six buildings up for sale.
A few months later, another nonprofit listed four of its eight.
Then, another developer gave up its stake in all three of its affordable properties in Seattle.
While one-off sales happen from time to time, 13 buildings with more than 1,...Read more

Zillow says it's fighting for buyers. Compass says it's fighting for sellers. What if neither is fighting for you?
As two real estate giants escalate a war over how homes should be listed for sale online, both sides say they’re acting in the interest of consumers.
Both sides also stand to make a lot of money if they win.
The issue intensified at the end of 2024, when Compass, the country’s largest brokerage by sales volume, began advising its sellers ...Read more

Eviction cases still soaring in the Bay Area five years after COVID-19
The eviction court of Alameda County, California, was crowded on a recent Wednesday. It usually is.
Tenants, family members, landlords and attorneys — about 100 people in all — waited long hours to appear before a judge at the Hayward Hall of Justice. Fifty-six people were slated to appear that day in a marathon of back-to-back sessions. ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Life in a Crowded Nest
It used to be that kids reaching adulthood could not wait to leave home and be on their own. That worked out well because their parents longed for an empty nest and quieter lives. But these days, young people are spoiling these plans.
Estimates out there indicate that, currently, some 50% of U.S. college graduates plan to move back home with ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: The Mystery of Hair Conditioners Solved
Hair conditioners fall into general categories according to what they do and the problems they solve. Using the wrong product for the specific condition of your hair will produce disappointing results. For example: If your hair is thin and fine, you are not going to be happy with an industrial-strength conditioner for thick, coarse, frizzy or ...Read more

Seattle office king Martin Selig loses another piece of his empire
It took more than half a century for developer Martin Selig to build one of Seattle's largest downtown office portfolios — and barely six months to lose control of most of it.
Since late last year, 19 of Selig's roughly 30 downtown buildings have been put under outside management or turned over to lenders after pandemic-related vacancies left...Read more
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