Jim Elliott at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Looking into a federal student loan? Here's what you need to know.

A Breakdown of How Student Loans Work Federal student loans are often the first step for students looking for help paying for college. Whi...

Southern California housing is preposterously expensive
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Southern California housing is preposterously expensive Affordability indexes may not accurately reflect the high cost of housing in Southern California. The region has eight of the nation's 20 least-affordable cities for homebuyers, with Los Angeles on top where a buyer would spend 99% of their income on a house payment. Home prices in Orange County saw...

Have a medical bill with an upcoming late payment date? Take care of it before it impacts your credit.

How Unpaid Medical Bills Affect Your Credit Score Paying your medical bill is one of the last things on your mind when you’re at a hospital emergency ...

Is your home aging-proofed? Read these tips on aging in place.

Aging in Place: Safety Tips to Help Make It Possible One third of American homes today house residents over the age of 60, and 90 percent of those reside...

FYI...improved credit scores could just now be coming to fruition for many consumers.

How FICO 9 May Increase Credit Scores How medical debt and other collection items are tallied in a credit score is changing, potentially i...

No. 4: Don't move debt around!

6 Small and Easy Steps to Improve Your Credit Score The best way to improve your credit score is simple, but not always that easy: Reduce your debt. Pay...

Are pink and aqua the new neutral? Retro colors are back!

Retro Colors Make a Comeback: What's Hot in Decor Right Now Everything old is new again, and that goes for decorating with color. While the last decade in home ...

Los Angeles County Revives Rent Relief with $68 Million Aid for Landlords and Tenants Impacted by Pandemic Debts
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Los Angeles County Revives Rent Relief with $68 Million Aid for Landlords and Tenants Impacted by Pandemic Debts Los Angeles County has revived the Rent Relief Program to help landlords and tenants struggling with pandemic-related debts. An additional $68 million in grant funding is available, with landlords potentially receiving up to $30,000 per rental unit. Priority will be given based on various factors, a...

For the home cook! What are your favorite spices to cook with?

5 Spices That Add Flavor but Not Heat Are you looking to add spice to your home cooking, but not heat? Here are five interesting flavors t...

Do you really need to call a repair service? Check out these quick, simple fixes for common household problems.

Quick Fixes for Your Common Household Problems It may seem like there’s always something going on as a homeowner, from silencing a squeaky hi...

Here's how you can save on energy and cash at the same time!

6 Shortcuts to a Smaller Utility Bill Looking to cut your energy costs? It can take years for a new, more energy-efficient refrigerator or...

Do you show your birthdate on Facebook? While it's a day to celebrate, you may not want to publicly promote it on social media.

What Identity Thieves Want from Your Facebook Profile Social media is just that—social. And a big part of it is sharing photos when you’re out celebrating...

Subdued Retail Demand Persists Throughout Los Angeles
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Subdued Retail Demand Persists Throughout Los Angeles Los Angeles' retail market has faced challenges due to the pandemic, with a slowdown in consumer spending and increased vacancy rates. Downtown areas have been more affected than suburbs, with closures expected to continue in 2024. Despite these struggles, the market is positioned for growth once th...

Old-school appliances may be making their way into your modern kitchen.

Trend Alert: Retro Kitchens Are Today's Big Thing For some of us, retro is just another term. But for those who recall Grandma’s aqua-blue fridg...

7 small ways to boost your savings for a down payment on a house
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7 small ways to boost your savings for a down payment on a house To buy the statewide median-priced home in California, a buyer would need to make monthly payments of $5,570 on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. With rising interest rates, many first-time homebuyers may find it challenging to afford a home. Ways to boost savings include tracking spending, using cash,...

Checking out your central AC now can head off costly repairs in the future.

Check Your Central A/C Unit Now, Avoid a Repair Call Later Few household maintenance routines pay off better than checking out your central air conditioning un...

Southern California Housing Market Heats Up in April 2024
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Southern California Housing Market Heats Up in April 2024 The Southern California housing market is showing signs of improvement after a long period of decline. Median home prices have increased, with all counties experiencing gains. Home sales volume has also risen across the region, indicating a resurgence in buyer confidence. This positive trend is expe...

What's your favorite veggie? Here are some great ways to sneak more into your diet.

How to Sneak in More Veggies Trying to munch more veggies on the reg, but sick of salads and steamed sides? Below are a handful o...

Buying your first home? See if you qualify for a 0% interest down payment loan
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Buying your first home? See if you qualify for a 0% interest down payment loan California is offering an interest-free loan to low-income first-time homebuyers to assist with down payments. The Forgivable Equity Builder Loan program provides up to 10% of the home's purchase price, forgiven if the buyer stays in the home for five years. The initiative aims to make homeownership...

Looking to invest? Here's what you need to know.

Growth vs. Value Investing: Know the Differences Your investing style and tolerance for risk can help determine what type of stock mutual funds you i...

How smart is your home? Here are six tools that will take your house to the next level.

Smart Home Gadgets That Will Elevate Your Home Technology seems to mutate with the speed of light, but is your home keeping up with the changes? Sm...

LA County supervisors approve new rules on short-term rentals in unincorporated areas
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LA County supervisors approve new rules on short-term rentals in unincorporated areas LA County supervisors approved new rules for short-term rentals in unincorporated areas. Hosts with Airbnb or VRBO must register annually and pay a $914 fee. Rentals limited to primary residences, with restrictions on guests, stay length, and events. Regulations aim to balance housing availability a...

Try these simple organizational hacks to make your life a little easier.

5 Easy Organizational Tips Do you feel like you’re constantly battling clutter around the house? You’re not alone, ...

California Mortgage Relief Program Announces Final Funding Phase and Urges Homeowners to Apply Now
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California Mortgage Relief Program Announces Final Funding Phase and Urges Homeowners to Apply Now The California Mortgage Relief Program has been successful in preserving homeownership opportunities for vulnerable populations, ensuring they have a chance to build a secure future.

If you don't have gap insurance for your car, you may get caught short in an accident. Make sure you understand your coverage by knowing these terms.

Deciphering Auto Insurance Jargon From buying auto insurance to filing a claim, figuring out the language of auto insurance can be dif...

Six months is just the start. There's a lot to consider.

How Much Do You Need for an Emergency Fund? An emergency fund should cover disasters such as a job loss, sudden illness, broken car or other cat...

Find out if it's time to sell your home
How much is your home worth? Type your property address and get a quick home estimate.

Home Evaluation Estimate | roomvu How much is your home worth? Type your property address and get a quick home estimate.

Federal laws are meant to protect student loan borrowers. Here are some ways to make sure problems with your lender don't become burdensome.

Solving Student Loan Challenges When it comes to student loans, dealing with the lender can be more difficult than repaying the loan...

Ever wondered what to do if flooding is predicted in your area?

How to Prepare Your Home for Flooding While no one ever wants to imagine their home filling with water, for many areas of the country, flo...

Los Angeles County offers new homebuyer assistance program
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Los Angeles County offers new homebuyer assistance program The LACDA is offering the HOP120 program, providing second mortgage loans of up to $85,000 or 20% of the purchase price for eligible properties in Los Angeles County. The loans are interest-free but must be repaid if the home is sold or no longer the primary residence. Applications open on February....