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Minnesota lawmakers vote to limit powers of homeowners associations
Homeowners associations across Minnesota will see their powers diminished under a far-reaching “HOA Bill of Rights” approved by state lawmakers this week.
The bipartisan measure that runs more than 50 pages is aimed at protecting homeowners by requiring more transparency from HOAs, limiting their ability to levy fines and foreclose ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: Can HOA regulate street parking?
Q: I am interested in finding out if a homeowners association can dictate that cars cannot be parked on the street in front of a single-family residence, and that they must instead be in the driveway or garage. — Sherrie
A: The answer to your question turns on a single point that most people do not stop to consider, namely, who actually owns ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: How to Soften New Denim, Make Homemade Eyeglass Cleaner and More
Dear Mary: I used to buy a packet of "blue jeans softener" in a store that has since gone out of business. Added to the first washing, it would make a pair of new jeans feel like they had been stone-washed. I can no longer find anything like this. Do you have a suggestion for softening new denim? I've tried extra fabric softener in the last ...Read more
Data centers use lots of electricity. Should we be worried? Here are 5 key issues
Data center proposals across the country are stoking wide-ranging questions and concerns tied to their consumption of electric power.
The facilities store racks of computing equipment, in row after row, powering main features of modern technology, especially artificial intelligence.
Keeping that machinery humming can consume as much ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Frugality on the Fun Meter of Life
I was not born with a natural bent toward frugality. Everything in me cries out to spend, acquire, spend, achieve, amass, spend, spend, spend! I am drawn to the extraordinary, the luxurious and the unique. I live with visions of grandeur and opulence. My fondest dreams include tailored clothing, domestic staffs, $600 silk bed sheets, manicured ...Read more
An AI bubble? Not so, says this leading money manager
The world’s largest asset manager dismissed worries of an AI bubble and instead said that the industry is providing unrivaled opportunities to investors, in remarks Tuesday at the Milken Institute Global Conference.
Larry Fink, chairman and chief executive of BlackRock, said that despite concerns that AI is being hyped, there is legitimate ...Read more
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Why going barefoot is better for your home
Going barefoot at home has long been a quiet, almost instinctive habit for many households, but in recent years it has gained renewed attention as people reconsider how their living spaces function day to day. From cleanliness to comfort to long-term maintenance, the simple act of removing shoes at the door can shape the entire atmosphere of a ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Financial Planners and Other Mysteries of Life
I am noticing a growing trend in my mailbox -- readers in search of financial planners or advisers. Or assistants. The problem is that when taking in the message's context it's pretty clear that not everyone means the same thing when they refer to a financial "planner-advisor-assistant-helper."
One reader wanted to know where to find a "...Read more
Is college still worth it? Survey says yes, but …
Teenagers aren’t turning their backs on college — but they are rethinking what “college” actually means.
And they’re doing it at a moment when the value of higher education itself is under fresh scrutiny.
Earlier this month, a committee at Yale University warned that colleges and universities share responsibility for a growing ...Read more
Living on $60K in Seattle comes with up to 7 roommates
When Adriana Gomez-Weston first got the offer for her current job in Seattle, she was ecstatic.
Working for the catering company Compass, she estimated that she'd make around $60,000 a year before taxes. That sounded high compared with the average income in North Carolina, where Gomez-Weston, 33, grew up.
I thought that would be a lot of money...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: The Cheapest Mother's Day Gift Might Be the One You Don't Buy
Mother's Day has become one of those occasions that comes with a lot of expectation -- and a lot of suggestions about what you're supposed to buy.
There are reminders everywhere -- emails, store displays, last-minute "gift ideas" that guarantee to make the day special if you just click, buy and wrap in time. The message is clear: Don't miss it,...Read more
How Mae, an AI real estate agent, is putting a face on HomeServices of America
MINNEAPOLIS -- The country’s newest real estate specialist is Mae (short for Maestro), and she was just born this year.
The “synth human” is really part of a new AI-powered platform that will put a (digital) face on Minneapolis-based HomeServices of America, which owns mortgage, title, insurance and escrow companies, among others. The ...Read more
Real estate Q&A: New survey shows our driveway overlaps neighbor's property. Now what?
Q: We are preparing to refinance our home, and the lender ordered a new survey. It turns out that about 2 feet of our driveway is on our neighbor’s property. The driveway has been there since the house was built over 20 years ago, and no one has ever said a word about it. Now we are worried this could cause problems. What should we do? — ...Read more
LA considers expanding Airbnb-style short-term vacation rentals
Owners of second homes — and Airbnb — stand to reap a windfall under an initiative in Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' new city budget proposal.
Tucked away in the more than 500 pages of city budget expenditures, the mayor calls for creating a new revenue stream by allowing people who own a second home to rent it out on a short-term basis, ...Read more
Rivian to place more than 100 new EV chargers around Caruso properties
Real estate developer Caruso is partnering with the electric vehicle company Rivian to add more than 150 public EV chargers to Caruso's properties, including malls and apartment buildings.
Caruso owns several iconic Southern California destinations, such as the Grove and Palisades Village, which is scheduled to reopen this summer after last ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: A Shelter in the Time of Storm
The most important thing you can do to make your personal economy strong is to have an umbrella -- a contingency fund with at least enough money to pay all of your bills without a paycheck for three to six months.
Call it $10,000. On a weekly basis, try to save 10% of your paycheck. It may sound like a lot, so if you can't do 10%, start with 5%...Read more



























