The new boomtowns: Why more people are relocating to ‘secondary’ cities

As they began planning their future together, Ashley Brown and her fiance, Aaron Shuman, concluded that they could no longer remain in Los Angeles because it was getting much too expensive. “Our rent in L.A. was $1,500 for a tiny, 650-square-foot apartment with no amenities,” says Brown, 29, a native New Yorker, actress and New York University graduate. She and Shuman, a 28-year-old musician, began looking at Austin, Detroit, Portland, Oregon, and Columbus, Ohio, before settling on Atlanta.

Source: The new boomtowns: Why more people are relocating to ‘secondary’ cities

Renting vs. buying a home in Tampa. Here’s the lowdown on when you break even.

Buying versus renting a home is a conundrum many of us have faced. Do you want to spend your weekends fixing stuff and sweating about whether the insurance is paid up or would you rather leave that to a landlord? On the flip side, owning means not getting booted when the lease runs out. The boost in equity that comes with a rising market is a nice perk, too.

Source: Renting vs. buying a home in Tampa. Here’s the lowdown on when you break even.

Realty Mogul Returns Reach $100M in Cash Disbursements 

Crowdfunding firm Realty Mogul has reached $100 million in cash disbursements, a major milestone for the company, GlobeSt.com reports exclusively. The firm has two REITs, MogulREIT I and MogulREIT II as well as private placement opportunities, all of which contributed to the returns. The $100 million in cash disbursements includes cash flow, appreciation and return of principal. The first REIT has generated 8% annualized returns over the last 24 months. The second REIT, which is focused on long-term capital

Source: Realty Mogul Returns Reach $100M in Cash Disbursements

How to get results from insurance carriers

Q: Our condominium sustained significant damage from Hurricane Irma.  It has been a year and our insurance carrier is offering a settlement that is woefully inadequate to address our damages.  We have been advised that we have window damage and the roofs must be replaced.  The insurance carrier is ignoring our demands. What do we do? T.C., Naples

A: It is hard to believe that Hurricane Irma was a year ago, but your question is unfortunately still a common question. Many insurance carriers are denying coverage, breaching the insurance policy requirements, or taking no action to delay the claim adjustment. On top of that, Southwest Florida received numerous roofing and water remediation contractors from all over the country that formed in Florida in October 2017. In this atmosphere, a few of our condominium clients had great experiences with their contractors and insurance carriers, but the more common experience is frustration and delay.

Our firm employs a team of attorneys and staff that are devoted solely to assisting condominium and homeowners’ associations with their insurance claims. In part, this is because the frustration and delay has reached a critical point and the boards need to compel action to repair their communities.

Source: How to get results from insurance carriers

They spent $15,000 adding a driveway to their St. Pete House. Now the city says they can’t park on it

One day in January, Dana Cremo was on her front porch hanging a vintage screen door when two city employees walked up.”You can’t park on your driveway,” they said.”Why?” she asked. “Because somebody filed a complaint,” they said.Five days later, an investigator notified Dana and her husband, Larry, that they had violated city codes by adding a driveway to their home in the city’s Historic Old Northeast. They were cited even though city officials had approved their plans four different times. Even thou

Source: They spent $15,000 adding a driveway to their St. Pete House. Now the city says they can’t park on it

Is Owning an Airbnb a Smart Investment? 

It’s easy to see the rise in popularity of Airbnb and other online vacation rental sites and think it’s a good idea to buy a property dedicated to short-term housing. But that strategy may not be as simple or lucrative as it seems, experts warn. The old adage “location, location, location” is true even more in vacation rental ownership. “Certain areas are better for year-round renters,” says Will Woodard, a certified financial planner in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. He explains the climate in his hometow

Source: Is Owning an Airbnb a Smart Investment?