Posts by Kacey Carnes
Student Debt Reduces Home Buyers’ Budgets by Nearly $100,000, Zillow Finds
Carrying student debt, whether for themselves or someone else, limits potential home buyers’ budgets by $92,440, leaving fewer homes on the market they can afford, according to a new report from online real estate company Zillow. The average monthly student debt payment for renters who plan to buy a home in the next year is $388, says…
Read MoreKelley Blue Book Announces the 2019 Best Buy Award Winners
Following head-to-head testing and evaluation of 2019 model-year vehicles, the experts at Kelley Blue Book today announced the 2019 Best Buy Award winners. Kelley Blue Book’s Best Buy Awards honor the top new model-year vehicles available in the U.S. market in 14 major categories, along with a brand-new category for 2019 – Best New Model – with the…
Read MoreDo You Practice Home Fire Drills? Have You Installed Smoke Alarms?
The American Red Cross is reminding everyone that fire prevention demands some action on the part of homeowners and renters. Americans should take two simple steps – practice fire drills at home and test smoke alarms monthly – to stay safe from the nation’s most frequent and deadliest disaster. On average, seven people die every…
Read MoreNew Homeowners Pay $40,000 on Average to Buy and Move into a New Home, Zillow Finds
Buying a home is one of the most expensive transactions someone will ever make, and home shoppers can expect to spend $40,000 on average in one-time fees on the typical U.S. home, according to a new analysis from online real estate company Zillow\’s RealEstate.com brand, and online resource Thumbtack. For first-time buyers, understanding their home-buying…
Read MoreMajority of Finance Executives Willing to Provide Tuition Reimbursement
A college diploma may not always be required for new hires in accounting and finance, especially when it comes to functional areas such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, credit and collections, and payroll, according to staffing firm Robert Half. Many executives in the recent Robert Half Finance & Accounting survey also report they’re open to…
Read MoreIt Takes Seven Years to Save for a Down Payment on a Home, Zillow Finds
For someone making the median income and putting away 10 percent each month, it would take just over seven years to save for a 20 percent down payment on the typical U.S. home, according to a new analysis from online real estate company Zillow. It hasn’t taken this long to save for a down payment…
Read MorePersonal Income Increases $35.7 by Billion
Personal income increased $35.7 billion (0.2 percent) in September according to estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Did you get your share? Disposable personal income (DPI) increased $29.1 billion (0.2 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $53.0 billion (0.4 percent). Real DPI (inflation-adjusted) increased 0.1 percent in September and Real PCE increased…
Read MoreHalf of Americans Haven’t Had a Week-Long Vacation in More Than a Year, Allianz Finds
Half (51%) of Americans haven’t had a vacation in more than a year, including four in ten (38%, up a point from last year) who say it’s been more than two years, according to the 10th annual Vacation Confidence Index released by travel insurance provider Allianz Global Assistance. A vacation is defined as a leisure trip of at least…
Read MoreAverage New-Car Prices Rise 2 Percent Year-Over-Year, According to Kelley Blue Book
The estimated average transaction price for light vehicles in the United States was $35,742 in September 2018, the analysts at Kelley Blue Book report. New-vehicle prices increased by $687 (up 2 percent) from September 2017, while remaining flat (down 0.4 percent) from last month. “While September sales are expected to decline, average transaction prices remained strong, rising 2 percent year-over-year,” said Tim Fleming, analyst for…
Read MoreTight Labor Market Likely to Push Hourly Wages Higher This Holiday Season
Good news for those planning to get seasonal work this holiday season. A tight labor market should result in higher wages this year, according to a new report from hourly work marketplace Snag. Employers, including retailers, hotels, and restaurants, say they expect to be filling more jobs and offering significantly higher wages than they did…
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