Latest news with #Gilbert
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Parents' home in Gilbert sold for well under market value. It was 'equity skimming'
Question: In 2019, my parents sold the family home in Gilbert and moved to a continuing care facility 3 miles away. They had purchased the family home in the 1980's for $185,000. Both of my parents passed away last year. My sister and I were going through their paperwork recently. We were shocked to find that our parents had signed a contract with a buyer to sell the home, which was in pristine condition, for only $290,000. This buyer, while in escrow sold the home to another buyer for $425,000, and the sale closed. My sister is a Realtor, and she said that the fair market of the home in 2019 was at least $425,000. In other words, my parents were cheated out of at least $135,000. Is there anything that we can do now, or is it too late? Answer: Probably too late. The original $290,000 buyer in this transaction was a 'wholesale' buyer. In other words, a buyer who never intends to close escrow, but intends to assign the purchase contract in escrow to another buyer for a higher price. This was 'equity skimming.' Some escrows would even have three or four wholesalers raising the price of the home in increments from the $100,000 contract price to a $200,000 closing price. Fortunately, in 2022 the Arizona Legislature passed A.R.S. 44-5101, which requires a wholesale buyer to disclose in writing to the seller of a home that the wholesale buyer will be assigning the purchase contract for a higher price to another buyer who will close the escrow for the purchase of the home. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to know about 'equity skimming' in real estate Solve the daily Crossword
Edinburgh Reporter
a day ago
- Politics
- Edinburgh Reporter
Gilbert's Bill makes its way to the House of Lords
Tracy Gilbert, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, was chosen in October last year to introduce the Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Bill. This 'Ballot Bill' or private members bill received its second reading on 17 January 2025 and has been making progress through the Commons. It will now be considered by the House of Lords where it has already had its first reading. It is open to any MP who is not a government minister to propose a Private Members' Bill, and then they can proceed with it if their bill is chosen in the ballot. There were 458 MPs in the ballot in autumn 2024 – and two of those who were successful were Edinburgh MPs. The topic is chosen by the MP themselves but usually tries to change the law in a specific area. Scott Arthur MP was the other and he chose to pursue the matter of Rare Cancers which is also now in the House of Lords. Ms Gilbert told The Edinburgh Reporter: 'My bill has gone through all the stages in the House of Commons and we now need it to pass through the Lords. I'm still waiting to hear from the civil servants when that'll happen, but fingers crossed it should become law. And the bill is about absent voting. So in October '23, the UK gGovernment introduced an online digital service to enable people to apply online for a proxy or an absent voting application. If you were going to be on holiday for the general election or if you were not able to vote and you wanted to have someone else voting on your behalf you could apply online. But that only applied to England and Scotland and Wales for General Elections. It didn't apply for Scottish Government and Senedd elections, or for local government elections. My law, if passed, will enable us to use that digital service in Scotland and Wales for all elections so we're trying to get that through so that it's in place for May 2026.' She also explained that at the General Election in 2024 some 1.5 million people applied online for an online or proxy vote. And 90% of the people who applied were successful. Ms Gilbert said: 'Although it's a technical and geeky bill, it's actually quite nice because it changes the Scotland Act and the Welsh Act and Electoral Act and actually it will help, hopefully, our democracy and encourage people to use their democratic right to vote.' Any MP can be chosen in this lottery to champion a Private Members Bill and it can be on any subject but Ms Gilbert explained that it cannot cost money to pass the legislation. She sifted through quite a number of bills but this was the ones landed on. And she was most complimentary of the civil servants. She said: 'Thank goodness for the civil servants, because this has been their life working on this piece of legislation in the background. Long before I was even thought of as an MP, there's these bits of legislation or bills that people are thinking about which might be useful for the rest of the UK. 'Their knowledge and experience really leads and guides you between the civil servants and the clerks in the House of Commons, tailoring how you manage to pass this legislation and make it your own. They help support you through all the technical stages of the bill with amendments and making sure that it goes through smoothly without any problems. And also working with The Scottish Government and working with the Welsh Senedd and UK Government.' Tracy Gilbert MP speaking to The Edinburgh Reporter from her Westminster office Tracy Gilbert MP in the House of Commons in 2024 when her Ballot Bill was chosen. Ms Gilbert said at the time she was picked: 'My Bill will end the anomaly in Scotland and Wales where you can apply online for a postal or proxy vote for General Elections, but not devolved or local elections. This will make it easier and simpler to get a postal or proxy vote in the 2026 elections.' When the general election was called in July 2024 by then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, it was held on 4 July which is when most children in Scotland are already on holiday from school. The bill will make it easier for voters to retain their right to vote if they are going on holiday or are otherwise unable to attend to vote in person. When her bill achieved its third reading, Ms Gilbert said that during the passage of this proposed legislation she has 'received quite an education in the legislative process'. She continued: 'The introduction of the online absent voting application service has given electors in England, Scotland and Wales the option to apply online for a postal or proxy vote in UK general elections. Electors in England are also given the option to use the online service to apply for a postal or proxy vote for all other types of election that they can participate in. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for voters in Scotland and Wales. As it stands, voters in Scotland and Wales face a fragmented system in which they may apply online for a postal or proxy vote for a UK General Election but still rely on filling out paper forms for their local council or devolved Parliament elections. The Bill enables that inconsistency to be ended. 'In short, the Bill will allow for the extension of the same online application options to voters in Scotland and Wales for devolved elections. The goal is to have the measures in place ahead of the devolved elections scheduled for May 2026.' In supporting the bill Peter Lamb MP for Crawley said: 'As a country, we have an increasingly confusing set of election arrangements. Many different types of electoral systems are employed, there are different age arrangements in different places and there are different rules around this, that and the other. When people think that one set of rules is in play and in fact, given a particular context, there is another, that creates growing problems with confidence in our electoral system. Although it is a challenge, it is important to our democracy that, as far as possible, the general public understand how the systems operate, how they select their governors and how they express their voice. That is a critical part of the UK retaining genuine democratic accountability. 'The more that can be done to harmonise arrangements across the entire United Kingdom, and to ensure that there is a much simpler approach to people expressing their views to us, the greater the level of confidence in the system. Having two different sets of arrangements around casting votes cannot do much to encourage people to engage in the process.' Tracy Gilbert MP in the House of Commons Like this: Like Related
Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
'My son could've died'— Gilbert Arenas survives a parent's worst nightmare before Alijah commits to USC
(Image Source - Getty Images) There are few things in life that hit as hard as the fear of losing a child. For Gilbert Arenas, a former NBA All-Star famous for his clutch shots and fearless attitude, that fear became a harsh reality in April 2025. His son, Alijah Arenas, who was on the rise as a basketball star, was in a serious car accident that left Gilbert shaken and changed forever. 'My son could've died,' Gilbert expressed in a heartfelt post on Instagram shortly after the incident. Months later, Alijah not only pulled through but also committed to the University of Southern California (USC), turning trauma into triumph. Alijah Arenas describes how his Cybertruck failed to respond during late night drive Alijah's life—and Gilbert's—almost came to a halt. Following a late-night workout, Alijah was heading home in his Tesla Cybertruck when things went terribly awry. In a June 24 interview with PEOPLE, Alijah detailed the frightening experience. 'The car didn't really register that I was in there,' he said. 'Even to this day, the car app still says I'm at the gym.' The keypad started flickering, the lights shut off, and then the steering wheel locked up. 'I switched lanes without meaning to, and I knew something was wrong,' Alijah explained. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Old Ship Discovered Frozen in Arctic Ice Oyila Read Now Undo 'Next thing you know, I can't get back to the left lane.' undefined What happened next was a blur of panic and chaos. 'I can't stop. The wheel wasn't responding to me as if I wasn't in the car,' he said. Alijah hit a curb, blacked out for three minutes, and came to with his car on fire. Trapped in a fog-filled cabin, he fainted multiple times while trying to escape. 'I went into panic mode, instinctively checked my surroundings,' he told PEOPLE. 'I couldn't see outside the car because of all the fog. ' Two strangers heroically pulled him out through a window, saving his life. Even after surviving, Alijah showed remarkable maturity. 'Honestly, I take full responsibility for the crash, whether it was me, another car, a malfunction,' he said in the PEOPLE interview. 'I don't want to put anyone else in this situation, the people who made the car, anything like that. I take full responsibility.' Gilbert Arenas calls son a walking bucket as Alijah commits to USC Alijah's recovery was a testament to his grit. By June, he was back on his feet, healthy enough to resume his basketball dreams. 'I'm grateful to be here,' he said. 'It's a second chance, and I'm not taking it for granted.' The accident hadn't broken him—it had sharpened his focus. Then came the big news. On a Monday in 2025, Alijah announced his commitment to USC, choosing to stay in Los Angeles over offers from blue-blood programs. For Gilbert, it was a moment of pride and relief. 'Looks like the Trojans just got a walking bucket raised by one of the NBA's most fearless scorers,' he boasted on Instagram, alongside a photo of Alijah in USC gear. The accident had tested their bond, but Alijah's decision to play close to home felt like a full-circle moment. Also Read: Los Angeles Lakers waive Shake Milton to clear path for Marcus Smart's $11 million deal after Wizards buyout As the standout of their 2025 recruiting class, he brought top-notch scoring and a tale of perseverance to a program that's gaining momentum under Coach Musselman. The Trojans outperformed Kansas, Kentucky, and Arizona to secure the five-star guard, showing that Alijah's background—and his comeback—were more significant than the appeal of far-off arenas. FAQs What happened to Alijah Arenas in April 2025? He was involved in a serious Cybertruck crash that nearly cost him his life. How long did it take Alijah to recover? By June 2025, Alijah had fully recovered and returned to basketball. What are Alijah Arenas' high school basketball stats? He averaged 31.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yorkville Giants vs. Gilbert Cardinals highlights NFL FLAG Championships
Watch highlights between the Yorkville Giants and the Gilbert Cardinals at the 2025 NFL FLAG Championships.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yorkville Giants vs. Gilbert Cardinals highlights NFL FLAG Championships
Watch highlights between the Yorkville Giants and the Gilbert Cardinals at the 2025 NFL FLAG Championships.
