Envy Apartment

House-flipping hit its highest levels last year since before the recession as investors seek to capitalize on rising home prices and a seller’s market with tight inventory. But the process is nothing like what you see on TV, where it looks like a home can be bought, gutted, renovated and resold in less than an hour – not including commercial breaks . The truth is often much messier, real estate professionals in Charlotte said. “It’s a lot easier to lose money in this business than it is to make it,” said Jeff Johnson, owner of NewPath Properties , which specializes in buying and rehabbing distressed properties . Still, that’s not deterring people from giving it a try in Charlotte. First-quarter figures from Attom Data Solutions show flips – defined as the same property selling twice in a 12-month period same year – made up more than 6 percent of sales in the Charlotte region, or 540 sales. House-flipping increased almost 4 percent from a year ago, though it remains well below the cit...

It is one of the necessities in life, finding shelter. But who actually enjoys taking the time to search all over town for a perfect place that mandatorily fits into a budget? Anchorage isn't exactly the most expensive city around, but it's certainly not the cheapest. In a search for almost anything these days, most will likely turn to everybody's favorite modern resource , the Internet. Unfortunately, the online listing for Anchorage apartments is slim, and the information available for those apartments is even more feeble. The best and probably most accurate aid in an apartment search is an Apartment Finder catalogue , the small, detailed pamphlets found all over town in stores like the local supermarket and other retailers. The Apartment Finder names a variety of complexes citywide, lists apartments within most everyone's budget, and even provides maps for easy directions. And it can be acquired for every consumer's favorite cost: p...

Most Americans are behind on their savings. The median amount the average American family has saved for retirement is just $5,000, according to a recent report from the Economic Policy Institute . Even among those nearing retirement age (age 56-61), the median amount saved is a mere $17,000. Also, while the cost of living in the U.S. varies depending on the area of the country, it's generally becoming more expensive to cover the basic necessities. Once you consider the costs of healthcare, long-term care, and other expenses you may incur during retirement, it may be more expensive than you think to retire comfortably. But who says you have to retire in the U.S.? With increasing healthcare costs , a shaky Social Security program , and rising home prices , it may be a good idea to pack your bags and consider moving abroad during retirement. Here are a few cities that may be a good choice for retirees looking for a more affordable lifestyle. Image source: Getty Images. 1. Kingston,...

DETROIT (CNNMoney) - This is Detroit, not Hobbiton. Just like the tiny homes of the hobbits in the "Lord of The Rings" series, the Cass Community Center Tiny Homes Project looks cute. But its small buildings house big hopes . Four years ago, Detroit became the biggest American city in history to file for bankruptcy, brought down by a snowballing financial crisis that followed huge layoffs at the city's major employers General Motors and Chrysler. Today, Detroit is in a period of economic recovery, yet many of its hardest hit residents still don't have adequate housing . The homeless population is around 2,000 and dwindling, according to city authorities. But uncertainty hangs over low-income earners, who struggle to keep up with the rising cost of living. "Purchase prices and rents are increasing faster than people's incomes," says Earl Poleski, executive director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority . "That's a manifestatio...

The city of Tampa is on the cusp of a total makeover. With billions of dollars in investment and dozens of new apartment, condo, office and cultural buildings in the pipeline, the city's skyline and surrounding communities are poised to look a whole lot different than what it does today. But dreaming up the future of Tampa doesn't come without its challenges. For all the promises of a new urban core filled with hotels, parks, food halls and stores, there are also potential pitfalls. The Tampa Bay Times identified the five key obstacles that stand in the way of some of the biggest projects proposed in Hillsborough County . Many of these challenges are ones local politicians and business leaders have been fighting for years to find a solution. Others are fairly new territory, but still pose a real threat to the region's continued growth. [LOREN ELLIOTT | Times] A construction site is seen just north of Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa , Fla., on Monday, May 1, 2017. Curr...