While income tax season is upon us, there is a much broader list of other taxes to consider when measuring the total tax burden. As a resident of Texas, I live in a state that has no personal or corporate state or local income taxes. At first glance that sounds great, but what is important …Read more
Millennials remain the largest homebuying segment for the fourth consecutive year in the U.S. As the largest population demographic ever in the country, where Millennials locate, live and work will impact the economic landscape of the country for decades to come. With a median age of 29, Millennials are not at the peak age of …Read more
Even if you have no mortgage on your home, everyone faces monthly utility bills — except those living off the grid. Depending on where one lives and the type of property (varying with size, climate, energy efficiency, and life style and associated costs), the monthly utility bill can be a material and significant expense. Utilities …Read more
There is one statement that is almost always true among the majority of homeowners: Homeownership is an older person’s game. The key word is majority. While younger people buy housing every day, when the homeownership metric is viewed with respect to age, it is highly correlated. LendingTree examined the 100 largest metros in the U.S. …Read more
This is the time of the year we enjoy the most in giving and sharing with others. How much do we give? Summary statistics from the Charity Navigator (the nation’s largest and most utilized evaluator of charities) include: 2017 U.S. contributed an estimated $410.02 billion to charitable causes, setting a record for the third year …Read more
There is no shortage of the best places to live lists, with each yielding a differing set of winners – with the outcome dependent on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, metrics and relative weightings. A Best Cities to Live Stewart Blog was last included in September 2018 which can be found at http://blog.stewart.com/stewart/2018/09/25/another-top-10-list-best-places-to-live-in-america-2018/ The latest …Read more
No doubt there is general agreement on the idea that we should leave Mother Earth in better shape than when we arrived. The extent to how much should be done to preserve and improve this planet, however, likely varies across every individual and from city to city. WalletHub developed a methodology to rank the 100 …Read more
Not only have vacation homes been a benefit for owners in escaping the stresses of life, those recently selling are pocketing some impressive gains on the way out of the closing. As usual, I invoke the TINSTAANREM axiom — There Is No Such Thing As A National Real Estate Market or a National Economy. The …Read more
Technology continues to be a market-leading growth industry, attracting the best of the best workers given potential financial rewards. Some of the major technology hubs, however, rank among the most expensive places to live. Those cities costs often overwhelm even the higher tech incomes. While San Francisco and San Jose were the original tech meccas …Read more
Everyone’s top-10 list of anything ranked will vary since we all have differing wants, needs, likes and dislikes. Whenever any top-10 list is presented, prior to trusting the rankings, always focus on the selection, inclusion and exclusion criteria. A good example of personal preference is my own avoidance of cold climates and weather. As stated …Read more