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☆ A homebuyer's guide to the real-estate revolution
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Real-estate agents' commissions have fluctuated between 5% and 6% of the sale price for decades, despite advances in technology and an influx of agents. The recent lawsuits, which accused the NAR and some of the country's largest brokerages of conspiring to keep agents' commissions unfairly high, could signal the start of a new era. If sellers aren't paying out commissions to buyers' agents, buyers themselves could end up on the hook. For example, what happens if the seller isn't willing to pay the buyer's agent's commission? In most states, the buyer's agent can technically just rebate that extra money to their client.

Persons: Austin Whitt, Whitt, —, I've, Steve Brobeck, Sabrina Brown, they've, Michael Warren, Sellers, Prentiss Cox, it'll, you've, doesn't, Jack Ryan, Ryan, homebuying, Rob Hahn, Wendy Gilch, Gilch, I'm, it's, David Dworkin, Dworkin, Cox, It's Organizations: Realtors, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Consumer Federation of America, Getty, University of Minnesota, MLS, Consumer Federation of, National Housing Conference, Justice Department Locations: Tennessee, Nashville, America, North Carolina, United Kingdom, Australia

☆ New Rule for Buying a Home: Fire Your Real-Estate Agent
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Albert Fox Cahn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

She had never purchased a home, and as a lawyer, I just assumed I knew how the system worked: The buyer has an agent, but the seller pays a commission (typically 6% of the sale price) that's split between their agent and the buyer's agent. So my agent wasn't going to find me my dream house, and the work of hunting was basically on me. But the real-estate industry has made it hard for many buyers to understand just how little having an agent can help. The class-action settlement with the NAR is going to make it a lot harder for sellers to be forced to pay for buyers' agents. Going forward, for people like me without an agent, a savvy seller may pay just 3% of the sales price to their own agent instead of 6% to be split with a buyer's agent.

Persons: it's, vouched, Obvious, Stephen Brobeck, Alice, Wonderland, I'd, I've, —, cosmically, Brobeck Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Hunger, US Department of Justice, Realtors, Consumer Federation of America, New York City, NAR Locations: Brooklyn, New York City, McCarren, Williamsburg, New York

☆ The Long, Strange Decline of Iconic Chicken Soup for the Soul Brand
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Amanda Chicago Lewis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +39 min

What followed was hundreds of sequels and spinoffs, everything from "Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul" to "Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul" to the bestseller I read cover to cover, several times, in sixth grade: "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul." What began as Chicken Soup for the Soul board games and calendars turned into Chicken Soup for the Soul chocolates and Chicken Soup for the Soul pet food. What began as Chicken Soup for the Soul board games and calendars turned into pet food, barbecue sauce, and — yes — soup. He pointed out that the cover of the original Chicken Soup book "ripped off" Campbell's Soup, to trigger "nourishing and comforting and warming" feelings. He started suggesting outrageous directions Chicken Soup could go in next: "The Chicken Soup pistol!

Persons: I'd, I've, who'd, John Wayne, Jack Canfield, Canfield, Oprah Winfrey, Tony Soprano's, Russ Kamalski, Laurel, Hardy, Tyler Le, Americus Reed, hadn't, he'd, Johnny Nunez, Getty, Clement Stone, Stone, Napoleon Hill's, Norman Vincent Peale's, Mark Victor Hansen, Hansen, Bennett Raglin, let's, Mark Twain, They're, they'd, Kamalski, Preteen's, Christian Woman's, Mother's, —, Wayne Booth, Booth, Barbara Ehrenreich, David Gray, Amy Poehler, Kenan Thompson's, Patty Aubery, I'm, I, blurbing, Bill Rouhana, Amy Newmark, Newmark, Rouhana, Winstar, Ashton Kutcher, Isaac Brekken, Kevin, Reddit, Chicken, Redbox, You've, We're, Kevin fumed, hicken, orth, ince, eason, rance, ike, osses, ives, ake Organizations: John, Hyatt Regency, Soul Entertainment, Nasdaq, Americus, Wharton, Hyatt, Harvard, Triple, Beverly, Hotel, Canfield, University of Chicago, Oklahoma State, Washington Post, Wall, Company, Connecticut —, NASCAR, Hollywood, Consumer Federation of America, CSSE, Hindenburg Research, Sony Pictures Television, GameStop, YouTube, Soup, ust, anfield Locations: Newport Beach , California, Indonesian, Crackle, Canfield, Nigeria, Japan, France, Ohio, West Virginia, Mali, New York, Anaheim, Florida, ,, Teacher's, Baltimore, China, Australian, Darfur, Southern California, Greenwich , Connecticut, Connecticut, Zillow, Canadian, Wells Fargo's, Redbox, ife

☆ The Long, Strange Decline of One of America's Most Influential Brands
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-31 | by ( Amanda Chicago Lewis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +39 min

What followed was hundreds of sequels and spinoffs, everything from "Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul" to "Chicken Soup for the Canadian Soul" to the bestseller I read cover to cover, several times, in sixth grade: "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul." By 2003, research found that more young readers seeking solace turned to the Chicken Soup series than to the Bible. What began as Chicken Soup for the Soul board games and calendars turned into Chicken Soup for the Soul chocolates and Chicken Soup for the Soul pet food. He pointed out that the cover of the original Chicken Soup book "ripped off" Campbell's Soup, to trigger "nourishing and comforting and warming" feelings. He started suggesting outrageous directions Chicken Soup could go in next: "The Chicken Soup pistol!

☆ The home insurance market is crumbling. These owners are paying the price
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Courtesy Victoria ZangaraIn the past, acquiring or keeping homeowners’ insurance didn’t present much of a problem. There was roughly a 10% to 12% increase in homeowners’ insurance costs last year in the United States, said Mark Friedlander, spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute, a nonprofit industry association. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty ImagesHomeowners who have a mortgage are not able to go without homeowners insurance as their mortgage servicer will require an escrow account for insurance. Some 6 million homeowners chose to forgo homeowners insurance, according to a report from the Consumer Federation of America. They have lived in their home for 19 years and had a policy with Foremost Insurance, paying about $1,910 a year.

Persons: Alfredo Herrera, Herrera, Zangara, “, ”, ” Herrera, policyholders, Mark Friedlander, Neil Fernandes, Fernandes, David Swanson, Matthew Carletti, Jim Watson, Diana Troxell, Diana Wright Troxell, Bruce, ” CNN’s Ella Nilsen Organizations: New, New York CNN, Louisiana Citizens, ”, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Louisiana State University, Insurance Information Institute, Farmers Insurance, Farmers, AAA, CNN, Firefighters, Reuters, State, Citizens Property Insurance, JMP Securities, Getty, Homeowners, Consumer Federation of America, CFA, Social Security, Foremost Insurance, California FAIR, FAIR Locations: New York, New Orleans, City, Louisiana, New Orleans , Louisiana, America, United States, Santa Clarita , California, California, Florida, Sycamore, Whittier , California, AFP, Cottonwood , California, ‘

☆ I was charged $150 for missing a doctor's appointment. Turns out these fees are on the rise
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Eric Audras | Onoky | Getty ImagesIf you miss a doctor's appointment these days, you could get hit with a "no-show" fee of up to $100 — or more. But, she said, "to solve this problem is not to charge patients more fees, which many can't afford." For my appointment, I did get a call the day before from the doctor's office. Fees shouldn't hurt credit, still may be worth disputingWhen you make a doctor's appointment, ask about the office's policy around late cancellations and missed appointments, Donovan said. "Ultimately, these fees are discretionary and I would be reluctant to work with any office that inflexibly charged them," Donovan said.

Persons: Eric Audras, Caitlin Donovan, Janna, didn't, I'd, Adam Rust, Rust, Isabel Pavia, Donovan, you'll, inflexibly Organizations: Onoky, Patient Advocate Foundation, Consumer Federation of America Locations: Camden , New Jersey

☆ Premarket stocks: Why Zillow is worried about America’s housing market shakeup
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Zillow reported that it outperformed the residential real estate industry by 12 percentage points in 2023. That’s because one of the main ways Zillow makes money is through lead generation for real estate agents. “This shift in the structure of real estate transaction costs is too new to understand how it will impact housing market dynamics,” a spokesperson said. Zillow could make even more money if real estate agents offer their services piecemeal, he said. The takeawayThere’s a lot of disagreement between analysts about the future of Zillow and the real estate industry at large.

Persons: Zillow, ”, Dan Kurnos, it’s, Zillow’s, they’ll, who’s, Kurnos, ” Stephen Brobeck, “, It’s, Homes.com, William Blair Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, National Association of Realtors, Realtors, Benchmark Company, NAR, Zillow, Consumer Federation of America, CNN, Bank of America Locations: New York

☆ The way Americans buy and sell homes is about to get turned on its head
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The way Americans buy and sell homes is about to get turned on its head. And other broker tactics that critics say are anticompetitive, such as a rule that made sellers’ agents set compensation for buyers’ agents, will be prohibited. Goodbye, 6% commissionsFor decades, Americans have paid a standard commission of around 6% when selling a home, split between the seller’s broker and the buyer’s broker. A separate new rule will require buyers’ brokers to enter into written agreements with their buyers. Second, it led buyers’ brokers to push more expensive homes on buyers, so their payout would be higher.

Persons: Cowen, Stephen Brobeck, Norm Miller, Miller Organizations: CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Industry, Consumer Federation of America, University of San Locations: America, University of San Diego

☆ The NAR settlement could slash home prices for many Americans
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The settlement, which is still subject to a judge’s approval, will eliminate the long-standing standard 6% commission paid by the seller. The NAR, which represents more than 1 million agents, declined to comment on whether home prices will fall as a result of the settlement. For instance, listing agents will likely continue to tell sellers that their homes will be sold faster if they pay for the buyer’s agent’s fee. That would increase how much they’re compensated since the total fee ends up getting split between listing agents and the buyer’s agents. NAR settlement or not, factors such as housing inventory, mortgage rates and consumer savings rates will “play much larger roles,” said Brobeck.

Persons: won’t, Kevin Sears, ”, Stephen Brobeck, ” Brobeck, “, ” Tomasz Piskorski, Piskorski Organizations: New, New York CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Consumer Federation of America, CNN, Columbia University Locations: New York, Missouri

☆ Real-Estate Agents Use 'Steering' to Hide Cheap Houses From Homebuyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Technically, the seller can promise as little as $0 to the buyer's agent; after all, why pay for someone you didn't hire? But multiple agents told me there are all kinds of ways shady practitioners try to skirt the rules. Critics say the stickiness of the going commission rate is evidence of steering's ubiquity. He said buyers' agents might call and say, "'Why is there no buyer's commission?" There are lots of willing brokers out there; if you suspect steering, agents told me, you've got plenty of options for a second opinion.

Persons: should've, Redfin, Julie —, Julie, Wendy Gilch, Gilch, they're, Doug Miller, Real, Rex, Keller Williams, I'm, Brendon Bowers, we're, Stephen Brobeck, Brobeck, they'll, you've, Rich, they've Organizations: Department of Justice, National Association of Realtors, Business, Facebook, Realtors, NAR, Consumer Federation of America, DOJ Locations: America, Minnesota, Austin, Houston, Kansas City , Missouri, Phoenix

☆ Home Equity Loan Alternative Could Revolutionize the Housing Market
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Like a lot of homeowners, Schummer was keen to convert some of his theoretical wealth into real cash. These kinds of deals, often referred to as home-equity-sharing agreements or home-equity investments, have existed on the fringes of housing finance for decades. The success or failure of home-equity investments could shape the future of homeownership in America. If the home's value has gone up, everyone wins; sell it for a loss, and the investor might share in that downside. "Over time for us, the customer becomes everybody," Eoin Matthews, the chief business officer and a cofounder of Point, told me recently.

Persons: Kennis Schummer, Schummer, Laurie Goodman, Goodman, he'd, Eoin Matthews, —, Hometap, Jim Riccitelli, Riccitelli, Adam Rust, Rust, Rust wasn't, I'm, Jordan Gilberti, Holly Bunting, Mayer Brown, Edwin Remsberg, Matthews, they'd, Jeffrey Glass, Glass, I've, he's Organizations: Consumer, Urban Institute, Federal Reserve, Bain Capital, Palisades Group, Redwood Trust, Getty, Consumer Federation of America Locations: Pensacola , Florida, California, homeownership, America, Connecticut, Maryland, Florida

A combination of inflation, increased interest rates, and the end of pandemic-tied relief, such as the moratorium on student loan payments, has led to record credit card debt, experts say. A recent report from credit rating company Moody’s found credit card delinquencies are now well above 2019, or pre-pandemic levels. If you're facing increased credit card debt, while feeling the ongoing effects of inflation, here's what to consider:ASK FOR A RATE CUTPhotos You Should See View All 45 ImagesOne of the first things you should do is ask your credit card company to lower your rates. While the Federal Reserve signaled Wednesday that its first interest rate cut is likely months away, the average credit card interest rate is already far and away higher than the rate set by the Fed. PAY OFF HIGHER-INTEREST DEBT FIRSTKnown as the “avalanche approach,” paying off debt that accumulates interest more quickly will always be more efficient than paying off lower-interest debt first.

Persons: Moody’s, Silvio Tavares, ”, Kia McCallister, Charles Schwab Organizations: —, Federal Reserve, ASK, Fed, National Foundation, Credit, nfcc.org, Federal Trade, Public, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Federation of America, America, Associated Press, Charles, Charles Schwab Foundation, Inc, AP Locations: realtor.com

☆ More Americans can buy investments earmarked for the rich. Why doing so may be risky, say experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Anyone can generally buy the stock of public companies on a stock exchange, or buy pools of stocks or bonds via publicly available mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. By comparison, private investments let people invest in companies that aren't listed on a public exchange. Julio Estela, 41, who lives in Wantagh, New York, made his largest private investment in 2021, in Green Coffee Company. Why private markets are 'two-tiered'Hxyume | E+ | Getty ImagesSome of the largest U.S. investors, such as pension funds, often have some exposure to private investments, proponents say. As with public stock, betting on one private investment instead of pooling risk in a fund of many private companies is an even riskier strategy, experts said.

Persons: Micah Hauptman, Charles Failla, Cassandra Borchers, Thompson Hine, Borchers, it's, Michael Cembalest, Mike Curtis, Shaka Tea, Julio Estela, he's, Curtis, Estela, Hauptman, Failla Organizations: SEC, Consumer Federation of America, Sovereign Financial Group, Sovereign Financial, Morgan, Wealth Management, Shaka, Green Coffee Company, rehabbing, American Investment Council, Pensions, Cambridge Associates Locations: Honolulu , Hawaii, Wantagh , New York, Hawaii

☆ Opinion: Bad behavior test isn’t just about George Santos
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-19 | by ( Michael Ryan | Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

What they do results from neurons firing in assorted regions of the brain, the product of an array of causes they can’t control. Every now and then someone bursts out crying — a member of his family has been killed, or his house destroyed. • Join us on Twitter and FacebookThere was no visible sign of progress on the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Writing before the summit, Frida Ghitis noted, “Biden may want Xi to help bring down the temperature on the world’s ongoing wars and help prevent new ones from igniting. “Today’s miseries of flying derive from this choice to deregulate airlines and unleash them into the Hunger Games of ordinary incentives.

Persons: Robert M, Sapolsky, ”, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Douglas Heye, Tim Burchett, Kevin McCarthy, elbowing, McCarthy, Heye, Burchett, tortuously, Mike Johnson, Johnson, George Santos, “, ” Drew Sheneman, Julian Zelizer, Santos, ” “ Santos, Trump, ” Zelizer, John Avlon, Clay Jones, Nikki Haley’s, Nikki Haley's, Nikki Haley, Haley, she’d, Cupp, Hussein Ibish, ” “, Israel —, Abbas —, Fatma, Khan Younis, there’s, —, Jessica Rosenberg, Joe Biden, ” Biden, Rosenberg, “ Biden, “ Aviva Klompas, speechwriting, Laden, Osama bin Laden, Peter Bergen ,, bin, bin Laden, ’, Walt Handelsman, Joan Steinau Lester, Xi Dana Summers, Biden, Xi Jinping, Frida Ghitis, Xi, ” Peter Bergen, Juvenal, Stephen I, Vladeck, they’ll, Stephen Brobeck, ” Trump’s, Donald Trump, Dean Obeidallah, “ I’m, Barack Obama, Peter Bergen, Megan Fox, Mike Coppola, Megan Fox isn’t, Patricia Grisafi, Tupac Shakur, Billy Corgan, Alicia Keys, Mary Lambert, Florence Welch, Halsey, Lana del Rey, Bob Dylan, Grisafi, Ganesh Sitaraman, Sitaraman, ” Don’t, Fareed Zakaria, Jill Filipovic, Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift Judi Ketteler, Noah Berlatsky, Nicolas, Elizabeth Debicki, Diana, Daniel Escale, Holly Thomas, Princess Diana, irresistibly, ” Thomas, Prince Charles ’, Camilla Parker, Bowles, Mohamed Al, Dodi, Spencer, Diana cavorting Organizations: CNN, Teamsters, House Republican, “ Tennessee Republican, Democrats, George Santos of New, Content Agency Santos, Long Island Republicans, GOP, Guinness, World Records, Democrat, CNN Former UN, New Hampshire, Trump, Fox News, West Bank, Gulf States Institute, Fatah, Palestinian Authority, Palestine Liberation Organization, PLO, “ Aviva, United Nations, Guardian, Agency, Biden, San Francisco Wednesday, China, Twitter, Consumer Federation of America, Democratic, Fox, “, Hunger Games, Liberty ’, Netflix Locations: George Santos of, George Santos of New York, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, New, Israel, Gaza, Washington, Gaza City, Minneapolis, Iran, United States, America, al Qaeda, San, Ukraine, China, Mexico, Kansas City , Missouri, New Hampshire, Nazi Germany, Ohio, Al

☆ A $1.8 billion earthquake just hit the real estate industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

On Tuesday afternoon at a courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, the collective nightmare of the real-estate industry became reality. For decades, the basic structure of how real-estate agents get paid when they help someone buy or sell their home has remained roughly the same. Here's how it works: When you list your home for sale on an MLS, you're required to offer a commission to the buyer's agent. The good buyer's agents who can prove their value will be fine, Brobeck predicted. The wild thing is, the decision could be just the beginning of tumult for the real-estate industry.

Persons: Burnett, —, Stephen Brobeck, Brobeck, Mike Rosenthal, Rosenthal, Sellers, Saul Klein, you've, Klein, Keller Williams, Bob Goldberg, Inman, Opendoor, James Rodriguez Organizations: National Association of Realtors, NAR, MLS, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer, nab, New York Times, Justice Department Locations: Kansas City , Missouri, Missouri , Illinois, Kansas, California

☆ Real-estate agents may be forced to charge home buyers less, thanks to a new $1.8 billion verdict
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

On Tuesday afternoon at a courthouse in Kansas City, Missouri, the collective nightmare of the real-estate industry became reality. For decades, the basic structure of how real-estate agents get paid when they help someone buy or sell their home has remained roughly the same. Here's how it works: When you list your home for sale on an MLS, you're required to offer a commission to the buyer's agent. The good buyer's agents who can prove their value will be fine, Brobeck predicted. Buyers might also start making offers on the condition that the seller agrees to pay both agents' commissions — otherwise, no deal.

☆ After a $1.8 billion verdict, the clock is ticking on the 6% real estate commission
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

And yet, every day, people across America hire a real estate agent to help them sell a home. While state governments license real estate agents, NAR has an extensive code of ethics it expects members to adhere to. NAR and the brokerages have vowed to appeal the verdict, which means real estate commissions aren’t going anywhere immediately. Last month Redfin, an internet real estate company, left the association. The longer-term impact of the verdict may be that the pairing of buyer’s agent commission and seller’s agent commission will eventually be separated.

Persons: Keller Williams, –, Corcoran —, Kenny Parcell, ”, Mantill Williams, Darryl Frost, homesellers, Stephen Brobeck, ” Brobeck, Jen Davis, ” Davis, “, they’ll Organizations: DC CNN, National Association of Realtors, Homeservices, Keller, Keller Williams Realty, Coldwell Banker, Sotheby’s, Realty, NAR, US Department of Justice, “, Consumer, Consumer Federation of America, Holt Homes Group Locations: Washington, America, Missouri, Keefe, Springfield , Missouri

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A series of court challenges are seeking to upend longstanding real estate industry practices that determine the commissions agents receive on the sale of a home — and who foots the bill. But already the NAR and several real estate brokerages are facing another lawsuit over agent commission rules. As home prices have soared in recent years, pushing the national median sales price to $394,300 as of September, so have agents’ commissions. Traditionally, that works out to a 5% to 6% commission split roughly evenly between the buyer’s and seller’s agents. “The real solution is for buyers to be able to finance the buyer-agent commissions as part of their mortgages.

Persons: “, ” Mantill Williams, Williams, Fresh, ’, ” Williams, ”, Stephen Brobeck, Max, Brobeck, Michelle Chapman Organizations: ANGELES, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Western, of, Redfin Corp, Weichert Realtors, Compass Inc, “, Consumer Federation of America, Inc, MLS, Associated Locations: Missouri, U.S, of Missouri, New York

☆ Is a Financial Advisor Worth It?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Bernice Napach | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +12 min

The right financial advisor can help you find the right answers to your life’s biggest, most difficult financial decisions. A one-time feeIf all you need is a comprehensive financial plan—a look at how your current savings, including your 401(k) and investments stack up—you don’t need to retain a financial advisor. When a financial advisor may be worth the costA financial advisor is worth paying for if they provide help you need, whether because you don’t have the time or financial acumen or you simply don’t want to deal with your finances. You want reassurancePlenty of investors work with a financial advisor for less tangible reasons too. ”It’s important that you get quality fiduciary advice on all those subjects because they’re irrevocable.”When a financial advisor probably isn’t worth the costThere are several financial areas where paying for a financial advisor may not be worth the cost, especially if you are willing to do a little basic research and have the discipline to stick to your goals.

Persons: Bernice Napach, ”, Rick Ferri, Read, it’s, that’s, won’t, Fee, Micah Hauptman, Peter Palion, —, “ They’re, ” Sheryl Garrett, Eric Amzalag Organizations: Vanguard, Ferri Investment Solutions, Investment, Consumer, Consumer Federation of America, IRS, Advisors, Garrett Planning Network, Peak Financial Locations: Georgetown , Texas, East Norwich, N.Y, Los Angeles

☆ 8 easy — and cheap — ways to cut your carbon emissions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Here are some easy — and inexpensive or no-cost — ways to reduce your carbon footprint today, according to efficiency and environmental experts. As such, the average household saves about $225 in energy costs per year by switching to LED lighting, the Energy Department said. Cut food wasteErlon Silva - Tri Digital | Moment | Getty ImagesThe average American wastes more than 400 pounds of food a year. A washing machine spends 90% of its energy to heat water, for example, the Consumer Federation of America said. Even putting something like a brick in your toilet tank will displace — and therefore save — water.

Persons: Katharine Hayhoe, Keoleian, Jose Luis Pelaez, Hayhoe, Oscar Wong, Tom Werner, Digitalvision Organizations: Nature Conservancy, Texas Tech University, U.S . Department of Energy, Energy Department, Silva, Tri, Environmental, Agency, Consumer Federation of America, Public, Getty Locations: U.S

☆ Bad Real Estate Agents Are Costing Homebuyers Millions, Making Housing Market Worse
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

But lately, he's been having trouble squaring that passion with a growing problem: a glut of underqualified real-estate agents. "The general public deserves so much better than what the majority of real-estate agents provide." A threat to the industryThe vast majority of real-estate agents are independent contractors who rely on commissions. But despite the ease with which home shoppers can now browse homes online, buyers and sellers still see themselves as dependent on real-estate agents. And if those people don't have the ability to become a real-estate agent or a Realtor, then they lose their access to representation."

Persons: Bret Weinstein, he's, Weinstein, they're incentivized, It's, appraisers, they're, they'd, Lawrence Yun, Stephen Brobeck, Brobeck, Inman, that's, There's, Jessica Reinhardt, Reinhardt, bristled, who's, Reinhard, James Rodriguez Organizations: Realtors, Consumer Federation of America, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Consumers, CFA, Denver Metro Association of Realtors Locations: Denver, Texas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania

☆ An epic fight over how real-estate agents get paid could transform the housing market forever
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Trying to find a buyer and sifting through offers sounds like a nightmare, so you hire a real-estate agent. The seller might no longer pay out both agents' commissions after the sale closes. Despite the potentially earthshaking consequences, most local real-estate agents — who, to be fair, have more pressing short-term concerns — have largely ignored the cases. "They not only have to pay a buyer's agent commission, but they can't negotiate that commission," Brobeck said of sellers. "It just doesn't make any sense for the seller to have to pay the buyer's agent," Brobeck told me.

Persons: —, Sitzer, that's, Max, Keller Williams, Sellers, Brokerages, Stephen Brobeck, Brobeck, Moehrl, Wager, Katie Johnson, you'll, Johnson, Buyers, Nicholas Economides, homebuyers, Trump, Everyone's, Rob Hahn, Steve Marcus, David Eisenstadt, Eisenstadt, Hahn, James Rodriguez Organizations: National Association of Realtors, NAR, Realtors, MLS, Consumer Federation of America, New York University, CFA, Realtor.com, REUTERS, Berkeley Research Group, Justice Department's Antitrust Locations: America, Missouri, Illinois, MLSs, Houston , Texas, Australia, Netherlands, United Kingdom

☆ A debate raging in Washington DC over the definition of who qualifies to be an accredited investor could transform the way startups raise money
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Lawmakers and federal regulators are contemplating changing the definition of "accredited investor." There's a philosophical debate raging in Washington that could transform the multitrillion-dollar capital markets and change the way startups raise money. The origins of the definition of "accredited investor" trace back to the Great Depression and the Securities Act of 1933. And since the Reg D exemption's creation, private markets have become the dominant way for most issuers to access capital markets. According to analysis from the Brookings Institution, in 2020, 13.85% of US households qualified as accredited investors, compared with just 1.8% in 1983.

Persons: Gary Gensler, Elizabeth Holmes, Sam Bankman, Ronald Reagan, Reg D, Maxine Waters, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Micah Hauptman, Hauptman, haven't, Marcia Dawood, Dawood, Tyler Gellasch, Gellasch, Theranos Organizations: Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Apple, Securities, Financial Services, Politico, Consumer Federation of America, Yale Endowments, Brookings Institution, Angel Capital Association, ACA, Healthy Markets Association Locations: Washington, of Arkansas, California

☆ How many credit cards should you have? The answer isn’t zero, say experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Eighty-two percent of American adults had a credit card in 2022, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve. Benefits to having more than one credit cardHowever, there can be drawbacks to having just one credit card. In addition, having a second credit card, or more, can help build a person's credit utilization ratio, said Curtis, founder and CEO of Curtis Financial Planning. Credit utilization is an important determinant in one's credit score and having one that's too high can reduce your score. Having more than one card raises one's overall credit limit, and with responsible use, can reduce one's credit utilization ratio.

Persons: Jose Luis Pelaez, Ted Rossman, Strong, cardholders, Bruce McClary, McClary, Rossman, Cathy Curtis, Curtis, Xavier Lorenzo, Cardholders Organizations: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc, CreditCards.com, Consumer Federation of America, U.S . Federal, National Foundation, Credit, Mastercard, Curtis, Curtis Financial

☆ Forever in debt: Why U.S. loans are getting longer
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Chris Taylor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NEW YORK, June 5 (Reuters) - Consumers facing high asset prices and rising interest rates have a few loan options. But if you must go ahead, either face taking on a big monthly payment, or stretching out the loan term to keep the monthly bill down - as many are doing. New car loans lasting 73-84 months (over six years) rose to 34.4% of the market in 2022 from 28.6% in 2018, according to auto information site Edmunds. A few borrowers are going even longer, with less than 1% of new car loans lasting 85 months or more. MAKE SOME HARD DECISIONSIf you must keep pushing out the loan term to afford an asset, that may be a signal to get real.

Persons: Ira Rheingold, Rheingold, Eric Scruggs, Brandon Gibson, Erin Witte, Witte, Lauren Young, Richard Chang Organizations: YORK, National Association of Consumer, Housing Administration, Consumer Federation of America, Thomson, Reuters Locations: Edmunds, Stoneham , Massachusetts, Dallas

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