Home prices have been on a steady climb from the depths of the housing crash, leaving many wondering if it is still a good time to invest in the residential real estate market. According to the National Association of Realtors, or NAR, 85% of major metro areas saw gains in existing, single-family home prices in the first quarter of 2015, while 14% saw a price decline. However, low interest rates are still attracting buyers, according to the NAR, and limited inventory is behin

Credit and debit cards aren’t the only plastic out there. Prepaid debit cards have become more popular, and they can be productive tools for managing money. So, how do they work, and should you get one? What is a prepaid debit card? A prepaid debit card is an alternative banking card that lets you pay for things as you would with a debit card. You can generally use one wherever its payment network, such as Visa or MasterCard, is accepted. It’s safer and more convenient than u

Conjure up a Halloween party that draws on autumn's natural splendor, punctuated with spooky touches Setting the Scene Come October, often you can still host a party outdoors. Just let fall's exuberant palette lend a hand with the decorating, suggest Richard Kollath and Ed McCann, who like to layer in atmospheric Halloween accents when entertaining. The designers, authors, and event planners (their most recent book is Faux Flowers; Chronicle Books) advise: "Host a party for a

The New Orleans area is succeeding in attracting new residents to its historic neighborhoods and in attracting companies to buildings in the Central Business District and beyond, thereby solidifying the post-Katrina turnaround and stabilization of the area’s real estate market, speakers at the UNO Economic Outlook and Real Estate Forecast Seminar said Friday. “This is a fabulous time for real estate: commercial, residential, mortgage, title insurance and all the businesses we