Old Houses Draw New Buyers

Some things get better with age. And while that’s a claim usually applied to fine wine and classic cars, it’s also proving true in the world of real estate, as sales of “vintage” houses – those built before 1990 – are boosting the housing recovery and related areas of...

Younger Investors Embrace independence

A few decades or more ago, parents knew best about money management, and their offspring typically followed their lead about buying, banking and investing. But a new study of the investing habits of three generations – baby boomers, the fortysomething Generation X and...

Are Community Nuisance Ordinances Constitutional?

Laws against public crime and misbehavior have been around for years. Virtually every community has ordinances – and consequences – for public drunkenness, loitering, vagrancy and the like. But a new kind of law aimed at crushing neighborhood crime allows law...

Can Online Auctions Boost the Recovery?

“Going, going, gone!” And the gavel slams down. If that’s your image of an auction sale, think again. Although “real world” auctions are still around, letting people bid on everything from livestock to acreage, auction sales have gone online in a big way. And because...

Will Rising Interest Rates Slow the Economy?

To offset the risk of an economic slowdown after the government’s 16-day hiatus, the Federal Reserve has opted to stay the course on its much publicized stimulus program. But although one goal of the multibillion-dollar securities buyup was to keep interest rates low,...

Five Ways Rich Investors Build Wealth

As currencies rise and fall and markets both global and local turn jittery because of political uncertainty, some wealthy individuals nevertheless manage not just to survive but also to thrive, reaping returns on their investments even in uncertain times. These...

No End in Sight For Bank Settlements?

As the latest in the long line of bank fraud investigations comes to a close, JP Morgan Chase has reached a tentative settlement deal with the US Justice Department to the tune of $13 billion. Investigators aren’t finished, though; criminal charges could still be...

Is the Dollar Losing Its Global Luster?

The dust is settling after the end of the government shutdown, but the dollar continues its downward slide. As the world’s leading reserve currency struggles amid concerns about its long term stability, some countries are calling for an alternative reserve money and...

The Dollar Falls, the Stimulus Stays the Course

The government showdown –er, shutdown – has ended and the debt ceiling has risen, but the economic fallout has experts worried about the future. The 16-day hiatus didn’t affect just government programs and services – it rippled all through the economy. As the dollar...