Over the past several months, everyone’s lives have been upended, with consequences nobody predicted. One unexpected result of the pandemic? A real estate boom. With so many more people working from home, people are reevaluating their living spaces, including those who need to factor in homeschooling. Some families are realizing they need more bedrooms, larger […]
finance
What Buyers Really Look at During Property Viewing
With the housing market currently experiencing a boom, comparethemarket.com has carried out an eye-tracking experiment to reveal what buyers really notice on a viewing. Buyers viewed three different properties while using eye-tracking hardware to capture the parts of the home that caught their attention. Whilst some of the key areas they looked at might be […]
Washington No. 12 State Most-Affected by Cybercrime
Cybercrime is a massive global industry, reaching $3.5 billion in damages from reported incidents in 2019. Safety.com consulted the 2019 FBI Internet Crime Report to uncover the states most affected by cybercrime. The report provides statistics for every state regarding the number of victims, number of cybercriminals, total losses and total earnings by cybercriminals. States […]
Why Food Prices Are Rising and How to Save a Little Money
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected food prices more than nearly any other part of the household budget. In April, the Food-at-Home Consumer Price Index increased 2.7 percent, which was the largest monthly jump since 1974. From June 2019 to June 2020, food prices are up 5.6 percent. Why is this happening — and how can […]
Understand Your Options when Mortgage Payment Forbearances End
The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) wants you to understand your mortgage status if you have not been making payments after being financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. For starters, make sure you know whether you are in forbearance status or if your lender or servicer considers you to be in default and […]
Life insurance 101: Tips for Getting the Right Coverage
Life constantly changes and no one can predict the future, which is why life insurance offers peace of mind that your loved ones are protected financially should anything happen to you. There are many life insurance options available, which is beneficial because that means you can find the best one for your needs and budget. […]
Be Prepared: 5 Steps to Build Your Emergency Fund
Many of life’s interruptions can’t be predicted. Not having funds set aside for unexpected problems can leave you racking up high credit card debt or putting yourself in other difficult financial straits. “When it comes to savings best practices, it is especially clear after the pandemic how valuable an emergency savings fund can become at […]
6 Tips for Refinancing Your Mortgage
The recent economic downturn has caused many Americans to worry about their money, but there is at least one potential bright spot: lower interest rates. For homeowners, this means that it may be time to consider refinancing your mortgage. Refinancing can give you an opportunity to lower your monthly mortgage payments and save money by […]
4 Steps for Developing a Thoughtful Estate Plan
Many people may avoid estate planning because they think it can be put off until later in life. But experts agree that adults of any age should have a plan in place to make sure their financial affairs are in order after they pass on or in case they are incapacitated. A complete and thoughtful […]
