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Time Business News
20-07-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
Why Sell Divorce Property Fast for Financial & Emotional Wellbeing.
Divorce is not just emotionally draining. It also introduces financial complications, especially when there is a property involved. In Texas, thankfully, divorces are comparatively lower at 1.9 out of 1000, which is much lower than the national average. But that is only a statistic; on a fundamental and individual level, the impact can be cataclysmic. A divorce is more than the dissolution of marriage; it has far-reaching effects on the estranged couples, their children, and their families. Apart from the obvious emotional devastation for all parties involved, finances are heavily impacted as well. Incomes may drop by 50%, and many families move into poverty post-divorce finalization, which can cost an average of $15,000. The solution is to cut ties, and manage assets, wherever possible. If there is property, a quick sale promises to bring emotional closure as well as financial relief to many couples. But that's easier said than done. Jointly owned property itself can become a contentious point, especially if it has a higher value, or there is pre-existing bitterness. Your property can turn into a major pain point during divorce. Here are the reasons. It can be challenging to decide what to do with a property after divorce. This happens due to joint ownership. Disagreement may arise about selling or keeping. Division of proceeds and property valuation can also be sources of conflict. Property tends to hold emotional values due to marital significance and cherished memories. This emotional attachment can be the reason behind both spouses not wanting to let it go. This leads to disagreements and delays. Property division becomes particularly complex if there are financial obligations like loans and mortgages involved. There can also be disputes over financial contributions and ownership. So, it's better to sell a divorce property fast. Property is valued as a symbol of the past by many. It can be the symbol of a past relationship. It can be the place where kids were born. This makes it emotionally challenging to divide a property or sell it. Suppose a couple has agreed to sell their property. However, there can still be delays due to downturns in the real estate market. You may not find a seller wanting to purchase the property for the desired price. You may also face delays if it takes longer to find a buyer in general. Property sales in Houston require navigating a competitive market. You must also follow specific regulations to sell houses in Houston. Successful sales depend on understanding the market trends. A legal requirement is to disclose known defects. You must also adhere to the rules of the Homeowners Association (HOA). You will also have to make sure that there are no instances of discrimination that violate Fair Housing laws. Finally, remember that inventory is growing and prices are going down currently in the Houston real estate market. There has been a fall of 0.7% in the average sales price. Let's look at the financial benefits if you sell divorce property fast. Selling a house will help you turn your asset into cash. This will help you arrange immediate funds for a number of purposes. You will have funds for living expenses and legal fees. You will also be able to pay for other financial obligations involved during divorce. Selling your house can help you eliminate the burden of mortgage payments. You can pay off any outstanding loan amounts with the proceeds from your property sale. You will also be able to avoid the ongoing costs related to insurance and property tax. You will also be able to free yourself from the cost of maintenance. You can sell your house in Houston in as-is condition. This will help you avoid the need for staging and repairs. It means you don't have to spend time, money, and energy getting your property ready for sale. Buyers will purchase your property in the exact condition it is in. Here are the emotional benefits of selling a house quickly during divorce. Your property can be an emotional wound during divorce. So, it is best to address this issue as quickly as possible. It will speed up your healing journey and prevent emotional distress. It is common for individuals to dwell on negative emotions during divorce. Selling your home quickly can help you reduce the time spent on negative emotions. It will reduce emotional attachment and help you let go of the past. This also helps reduce uncertainty and associated anxiety. Legal conflicts and property-related disputes can amplify the emotional toll faced during divorce. Then there is also the distress related to involvement in legal proceedings. So, selling your property quickly during divorce can help you avoid the drama. Here is an overview of the different types of property buyers you will find in Houston. Method Pros Cons Cash Home Buyers . Quick sale . As-is sale . No commission . Lower buying price offer than the market value iBuyers . Fast digital offers . Quick closing . Available only in certain areas Auction Sales . Quick public sale . Competitive bidding . May fail to extract the desired price. Wholesale Investors . Direct selling . Convenient selling . Seed of sales prioritized over maximum price. Table 1: Overview of quick property buyers in Houston Here are the aspects you should look for to ensure that the buyer is trusted. Check if the buyer has a local presence in Houston. It will ensure that they have knowledge of the city's legal processes. Check if the market assessment methods of the buyer are fair. You need to go with the buyers on transparent terms. Check if the buying body has experience dealing with divorce-related property sales. It will ensure that the buying party can help you avoid legal disputes with your spouse. Check if the buying party acts as a promise. Verify if the buyer has the habit of revealing hidden fees or commissions. Verify if the buyer is known for causing delays. Selling divorce property fast can be emotional relief as well as financial freedom. You can focus on handling instead of haggling by selling property. The process becomes easy, from seeking closure and splitting assets. Are you someone going through a divorce and wants to sell your property in Houston? Reach out to quick home buying companies for no-obligation cash offers. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Bloomberg
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
As Trump Reshapes Housing Policy, Renters Face Rollback of Rights
During the first 100 days of the Trump administration, a flurry of executive orders, policy reversals and proposed funding cuts have threatened to dramatically curtail housing assistance and renter protections in cities across the US. At the Department of Housing and Urban Development, field offices are slated to close and staff may be cut in half. HUD has vowed to withhold funds from sanctuary cities that don't cooperate with President Donald Trump's efforts to deport undocumented residents and to stop enforcing the Equal Access Rule, which protects tenants regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Trump has also re-revoked HUD's Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing standard — a target of his first term that mandates communities receiving federal aid proactively address barriers to fair housing.
Axios
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Fair housing grants next on DOGE chopping block
Ohio's largest legal aid organization stands to lose significant federal funding via DOGE cuts. Why it matters: Lost funding could render Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio unable to help people facing housing discrimination in most of the region. How it works: LASCO provides civil legal services to 36 Ohio counties, focusing largely on helping low-income residents. Programs help people obtain and keep housing, secure public benefits and fund legal cases. Those helped are often domestic violence survivors, families in poverty and people who face discrimination. Catch up quick: On Feb. 27, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and DOGE cut $30 million in congressionally authorized funding for 78 Fair Housing Initiatives Program grants, which fund organizations across the country. Four National Fair Housing Alliance members filed a class action lawsuit March 13 against HUD and DOGE alleging the cuts were unlawful. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order to reinstate the grants but dissolved that order Monday, allowing HUD to move forward with cancellation of funds. Threat level: For LASCO, this would mean the loss of $425,000 a year representing about 70% of the funding for Fair Housing work, senior managing attorney Melissa Benson says. That money pays for LASCO programming and staff, both of which would suffer from cuts. LASCO receives a separate grant that covers the city of Columbus and some other small sources of funding, but not nearly enough to close the gap. What they're saying:"[Fair housing] has really become a big part of our work, and it is something we think really matters and affects the community. To not know the extent of which we're going to be able to provide these services is difficult," Benson says. Between the lines: April is Fair Housing Month, which celebrates "the advancements of equal access to housing." The other side: HUD spokesperson Kasey Lovett says she cannot comment on FHIP grants because of the active legal case, but contends that fair housing enforcement is not being reduced due to the cuts. "To suggest anything else is false," she tells Axios in an email. " See here for the Secretary's recent comments reaffirming the Department's commitment to supporting the Fair Housing Act." She adds: "Funding to external entities is a separate matter from the enforcement the Department will uphold. Therefore, enforcement will not be reduced." What's next: Benson and LASCO expect continued legal challenges, but nothing has been announced.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WA Attorney General sues company, landlords for alleged rental inflations
The Washington State Attorney General announced a lawsuit against a software company and nine landlords for allegedly artificially inflating rental prices. Attorney General Nick Brown held a press conference in Seattle Thursday morning about his latest lawsuit. Brown claims that RealPage, a software company, colluded with nine landlords, which impacted around 800,000 renters across the region from 2017 to 2024. 'RealPage and landlords conspired to artificially raise rents for thousands of people in multi-family housing in Washington,' Brown said. 'Washington needs a competitive market to help with our critical shortage of affordable multi-family housing. RealPage's unfair practices are drowning renters and pricing more and more families out of stable houses in Washington.' According to Brown's lawsuit, landlords would share sensitive, non-public information to the software company, which would then feed into the firm's algorithm that favors higher rental prices. Brown said the company would tell landlords to keep prices high even if they had empty units. 'Every step of their pricing method favors setting rents at the very top of the market, artificially pushing that ceiling higher. That's price fixing. It's illegal and it hurts Washingtonians,' he said. 'The company advises its client landlords to automatically accept the higher pricing recommendations. It tells landlords to keep prices high even when occupancy is down.' The lawsuit lists RealPage, and nine local landlords as the defendants, including Greystar, Cushman & Wakefield/Pinncale, LivCor, LLC, UDR, Inc., Quarterra Multifamily Communities, LLC, LaSalle Properties, LLC, MG Properties, LLC, and Sares Regis Management Company, L.P. KIRO 7 News reached out to landlords for their response. We're still waiting to hear back as of Thursday. The Attorney General said his office filed the lawsuit in King County Superior Court after pulling out of a federal lawsuit involving RealPage. 'We filed this case in state court because we believe that state law protects a greater number of Washingtonians and tenants than the federal case had,' he said. Jennifer Bowcock, senior vice president of communications for RealPage, shared the following statement with us: 'Washington State AG Nick Brown decided to recycle misleading and inaccurate allegations from predecessor cases, despite our efforts to constructively engage with his Office to help resolve their misunderstandings. RealPage's revenue management software is purposely designed and built to be legally compliant and has always used data legally and responsibly, and we have a long history of working constructively to show that. RealPage's revenue management software uses data responsibly, aids compliance with Fair Housing laws, rent control laws and state of emergency price gouging laws and does not use any personal or demographic data to generate rent price recommendations. We believe the claims brought by Washington State AG Nick Brown are devoid of merit and will do nothing to make housing more affordable. Washington State should stop scapegoating pro-competitive technology, and we encourage Washington State's public leaders to focus on meeting the greater demand for housing with more supply. Washington State's residents deserve real solutions to increase access to affordable housing.'
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wisconsin housing crisis fueled by the Thurmond Amendment. Repeal this relic.
When former President Biden commuted the sentences of nearly 2,500 nonviolent drug offenders in January before leaving office, he reignited attention to the unjust sentencing disparities born from the "War on Drugs" policies that continue to harm thousands of Wisconsinites decades later. Chief among these relics is the Thurmond Amendment, a draconian policy that enforces a lifetime of punishment by denying Fair Housing protections to individuals convicted of drug distribution, no matter how much time has passed or how much they've rebuilt their lives. Imagine making a mistake as a young adult and getting mixed up with drugs. After serving your sentence, maturing, and working hard to rebuild your life, you're ready to start fresh. Only to discover years later that a single conviction legally locks you out of housing opportunities indefinitely. Some landlords won't return your calls. Others deny your application outright, regardless of your income, credit score, or rental history. Opinion: Providing services to released inmates cuts recidivism and boosts life prospects This is the reality for over 50,000 Wisconsinites living under the shadow of the Thurmond Amendment. These individuals and their families often face a lifetime sentence for low-level offenses involving small quantities of drugs. Take the case of Stacey Smiter, a Wisconsin resident convicted of marijuana distribution. For years, Stacey faced rejection in the housing market or was forced to pay exorbitant security deposits solely because of his record. His punishment didn't end with his sentence — it extended into every corner of his life as he struggled to secure stable housing for his family. Ironically, had Stacey been convicted of a violent crime, he would not face this legal barrier. In 2016, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued guidance requiring landlords to consider criminal records in the context of other factors, such as rental, credit, and employment history. However, the Thurmond Amendment excludes drug distribution convictions from these protections, creating a loophole that leaves individuals like Stacey permanently locked out of fair housing opportunities. The impact of the Thurmond Amendment in Wisconsin is staggering. Since its enactment in 1988, over 50,000 people in the state have been convicted of drug distribution offenses, many involving minor amounts of drugs. Eleven percent of all drug convictions in Wisconsin are for marijuana, and 81% of cocaine convictions involve small amounts tied to personal use. Many of these individuals, had they been charged in today's political environment, would have faced simple possession charges and retained their Fair Housing protections. The law's effects are also deeply inequitable. Black Wisconsinites are 12 times more likely than white residents to receive a drug distribution conviction. For amounts as small as three grams or less, that disparity rises to 15 times. By denying stable housing, the Thurmond Amendment perpetuates cycles of poverty, recidivism, and family instability — all while offering no measurable benefit to public safety. Housing is the foundation of stability and opportunity. In today's historically tight housing market, denying families protections based on decades-old convictions—while ignoring standard measures of risk like credit score or rental history — isn't just bad policy. It's an unjustified barrier to economic mobility that harms individuals, families, and communities alike. Thankfully, there's reason for optimism. Reforming this issue has strong support from industry leaders such as the Rental Apartment Association of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Realtors. Both groups have endorsed repealing the Thurmond Amendment, recognizing that the law harms individuals who have paid their debt to society without benefiting the housing market. As the Rental Apartment Association noted: "Good renters deserve options in the rental market that align with their family's needs and wants. If a tenant qualifies for an apartment based on income, rental, and credit history, they should not be denied housing simply because of a conviction from decades ago." Repealing the Thurmond Amendment would also align with bipartisan efforts like the First Step Act, signed by President Donald Trump in 2018, and the Fair Chance Act, co-sponsored by Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson. Opinion: Doctors battle misinformation. RFK Jr. is wrong — and measles may only be start. Policies that show reforming punitive laws can promote second chances without compromising community safety. Now is the time for Wisconsin legislators on Capitol Hill to act. By removing this unnecessary and discriminatory barrier, we can ensure that people like Stacey Smiter are judged not by their past mistakes but by their current record of responsibility. Stable housing is not just essential for individuals—it strengthens families, supports economic growth, and builds stronger communities for all Wisconsinites. Shannon Ross is the CEO of The Community and Co-founder of Paradigm Shyft. Yusuf Dahl is the CEO of the Century Promise, the past president of the Rental Property Association of Wisconsin and is currently leading the national effort to repeal the Thurmond Amendment This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Decades old convictions prevent many from securing housing | Opinion
