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Market Insights
California’s Drought, Our Shared Responsibility
Thanks to new water usage regulations in California, the state saved nearly 388 billion gallons of water between June 2015 and February 2016. That is enough water to supply nearly six million residents for a year. Although increased rain and snow levels helped to ease the water crises in California, it wasn’t enough to draw…
Market Insight: Vacant Buildings are Hidden Gems
When it comes to real estate, it takes a rare eye to look beyond boarded-up windows, graffitied walls, and broken shutters to spot a diamond in a rough—and those gems are becoming scarcer. It’s a seller’s market, as inventory diminishes and demand begins to outstrip supply. Close to one out of every 63 residential properties…
Last-Minute Tax Tips: Rental Property Deductions
Ahh, April. The highs of March Madness are forgotten all too soon as Tax Day looms large in the not-so-distant future. Recognizing that a few of us might be scrambling to wrap up our taxes in time for the April 15 deadline, we plumbed the Internet for guidance on rental property deductions. Don’t overlook the…
Ask the Expert: Common Area Pool Safety Checklist
Pool season is almost upon us. Which means it’s time to invest in new sunscreen and pull the bathing suits out of winter storage. It’s also time to reassess pool safety, maintenance, and good risk management. Community associations bear responsibility for common pool areas, a value-added amenity that serves as a great benefit to residents,…
A Pricey Wedding Mishap
A bride is suing a luxury hotel for more than $250,000 after she slipped on a wet floor and fractured her kneecap on her wedding day. In addition to compensation for injuries, the woman, a hairdresser, wants the hotel to pay for loss of income and the cost to hire cleaners to help around the…
To Rent or To Buy?
The choice between buying a home and renting one is arguably one the biggest financial decisions that many young adults face. While there are several factors that can make a housing decision a complicated one, especially if it’s your first time, there are a few recent data points that might help inform your decision.
Vegetarian Drive-Thrus Change the Fast-Food Game
It started with San Diego’s Evolution Fast Food, the first vegan drive-thru in the country. While they consider themselves a “burger and fries” place, all the menu items are made from scratch without the use of any animal byproducts, refined sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, or artificial additives. Owner Mitch Wallace named his restaurant…
Attracting Millennials to the Insurance Industry
Last week, we wrote about our recent Distinguished Cellars event, which produced a variety of insights into millennials, those success-oriented, multi-tasking individuals born between 1980 and 2000. This week, we turn our attention to unpacking the themes we discussed, to see more specifically how we might tap into the this age group to fill the…
Distinguished Cellars: Discussing Millennials in Denver
Last week, U.S. News & World Report issued its 2016 report on the best places to live. Out of the 100 metro areas that were analyzed, Denver, Colorado was placed at the very top of the list. Denver’s high quality of life and strong job market have made it an attractive destination for all ages,…
Going Green Goes Mainstream
As consumers become more conscious of the environmental impact of their day-to-day lives, entrepreneurs are taking the opportunity to create new businesses and products that enable green living. Annual green building construction spending in the U.S. is projected to increase 15 percent a year between 2015 to 2018, reaching $224.4 billion in 2018, according to…