Moving into a new home? A study by Hire A Helper found that Connecticut ranks among the worst states for moving scams.
One in every 853 moves in the Nutmeg state has a reported scam, according to a report. It puts Connecticut 4th overall compared to other states. For comparison, Florida ranks 1st with a reported scam every 262 moves, and Maine ranks 50th with a reported scam every 8,360 moves.
While there are multiple types of moving scams, such as with shipment documents, claim settlements, estimates/final charges or deceptive business practices, the most common moving scam in Connecticut is loss and damage related, according to the report.
Hire A Helper did find that moving scams and associated fraud are expected to drop 9% in 2024 (thankfully). Even so, losses from moving scams is expected to rise 5% this year to $32.2 million.
Jaclyn Lambert of Hire A Helper offered possible ways to protect yourself if you plan on moving:
- Shop around
- Compare multiple quotes to avoid scams and ensure a good deal. Beware of significantly lower or higher quotes, lack of concrete details, absence of written contracts, and excessive down-payments.
- Research your mover
- Legitimate moving companies have a website and listings on platforms like Yelp or HireAHelper. A lack of online presence or frequent name changes may indicate a suspicious company.
- Check their reviews
- Look up what previous customer said about the mover you’re looking at and avoid companies with a history of dissatisfied customers on review-aggregating websites like Yelp and the BBB.
- Keep a detailed inventory
- Create a detailed list of packed items and consider taking photographs. Being organized helps prevent theft and identify missing items after the move.
- Protect your most valuable possessions
- You can get a few lockable moving boxes and properly pad fragile items to prevent tampering or theft.
- Consider insurance
- Moving insurance can protect against financial losses due to damaged or lost items. Third-party insurance is recommended in case of fraudulent moving companies.
CONNEAUT – After five-month absence, the Conneaut Area Chamber of Commerce has found a new home — and two roommates.
This month, the Chamber formally set up shop inside 929 Broad St., sharing space with the Conneaut Port Authority and the Conneaut Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. The Chamber had been looking for a new office since February, when the building it had occupied was sold.
Wendy DuBey, executive director, said the location is a perfect fit.
“Being under the same roof as the Port Authority and CCVB makes so much sense,” she said. “All three organizations are working towards the same goals: Promoting Conneaut.”
The new office is just a few steps from Lake Erie, another reason the address stood out, DuBey said. “The location seems to be ideal due to the close proximity to the lake,” she said.
DuBey ran the office from her home while the property search was under way.
“We didn’t have anything specific in mind,” she said. “We just decided I would work from home until a suitable location presented itself.”
The office is open to the public 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays. DuBey sometimes has to leave to conduct Chamber business, so visitors are advised to call ahead (440-593-2402).
An open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new office will be held in the coming weeks, DuBey said.
Quentin Tarantino has a filmography filled with classic action-packed movies, but perhaps his most iconic film is finding a new home on Paramount+.
Grab your royale with cheese, because Pulp Fiction is coming to Paramount+ on Aug. 1. Pulp Fiction firmly established Tarantino as Hollywood’s next big heavy-hitter, receiving overwhelming praise from critics, and countless awards. It earned the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival, and raked up seven Academy Award nominations. Tarantino and his longtime friend Roger Avary won the Oscar for Best Screenplay. The unforgettable classic stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, and Christopher Walken.
![Memento, Pulp Fiction, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotlight Mind](https://ukpropertyguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Quentin-Tarantinos-Most-Iconic-Film-Finds-a-New-Streaming-Home.jpg)
Related
10 Movies Like Pulp Fiction With Disjointed Timelines
Although Pulp Fiction is the most well-known film with a disjointed timeline, there are plenty of other great movies that do the same.
Perhaps the most important film of the 1990s, Pulp Fiction inspired many knockoffs in the years after its release. Tarantino’s trademark dialogue blends seamlessly into the non-linear storyline that would become a staple of his work for years to come. The film has many storylines that are told out of order, but inevitably converge at the end of the film. The film is primarily centered around two hitmen, Vincent Vega (Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Jackson), as well as other supporting characters such as the wife of the man they work for, Mia Wallace (Thurman).The film is split into chapters, each one of which focuses on a different character. One focuses on a boxer (Willis), who refuses to take a dive, angering Marcellus Wallace (Rhames). Another focuses on two robbers, who open the film, while converging with another character during the climax of the film, neatly wrapping up the non-linear story.
What Will Tarantino’s Final Film Be?
To the dismay of many filmgoers, Tarantino has long-maintained that his tenth film will be his last. Afraid that the more films he makes, the less fondly he will be remembered, Tarantino has stated for years that his career goal was to make ten films and call it quits. So it’s not a shock that when it was announced that Tarantino had an idea in mind for his final film and was almost ready to begin production, anticipation from fans skyrocketed.
![Quentin Tarantino and Reservoir Dogs](https://ukpropertyguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1722047438_887_Quentin-Tarantinos-Most-Iconic-Film-Finds-a-New-Streaming-Home.jpg)
Related
Tarantino Quietly Helped Develop Two of the Best ‘90s Action Movies
Despite Quentin Tarantino’s status as one of Hollywood’s greatest directors, his involvement in these two ’90s films often flies under the radar.
Tarantino’s final film was supposed to be, The Movie Critic, a film set in the late 1970s and apparently would tie-in with his prior film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Reportedly, Brad Pitt was expected to star, possibly reprising his role as Cliff Booth, and by all accounts was nearing the start of production. However, Tarantino scrapped the idea seemingly out of nowhere, giving no reason as to why he abandoned the project. Sony, who had produced Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, was onboard for making the film and have maintained since Tarantino left the project that they still would love to work with him. For now, Tarantino’s final film is up in the air, and their have been no official announcements concerning his final film since departing The Movie Critic.
Pulp Fiction hits Paramount+ on Aug. 1.
Source: Paramount
One of the most important elements of success for any NBA team is player development, and that process cannot be cultivated properly without a functioning minor league team. For the LA Clippers, the G League has been big for the growth of young players like Terance Mann.
There is a certain value in getting young, unproven players time on the court, whether that is in the NBA or at the minor league level. For a team in serious contention for a playoff spot in the regular season, playing even the best rookies often is not practical. As such, the G League becomes the stomping ground for all kinds of rookies and second-year players.
After being founded in 2017, the Clippers’ G League affiliate moved to Ontario, California, becoming known as the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario. They eventually rebranded to simply the Ontario Clippers in 2022.
In March 2024, the team announced they would be moving to San Diego and officially rebranding as the San Diego Clippers, taking on the previous name of the NBA club used from 1978 until 1984. The move will take place in the current offseason, with the Clippers’ affiliate playing their first season under the new name in the 2024-25 season.
On Friday, it was officially announced that the San Diego Clippers will be playing their home games next season at the Frontwave Arena, which is currently under construction in Oceanside, California. The venue will feature 7,500 seats and be one of the premier entertainment destinations in the North County area of San Diego.
Clippers fans living in San Diego will certainly be thrilled to see their team’s young players and prospective players bringing their talents to the city. The G League season is set to open in November.
It’s no secret that Denton County is booming.
A recent U.S. Census report of the top 15 fastest-growing cities in the country includes five boomtowns in North Texas.
Denton and the surrounding area made the list, which means county and city departments must make plans to keep up with the growth.
On Friday, a symbol of that new growth is being officially celebrated – the all-new Denton Fire Department Station 9.
“It’s a dream come true for us. This is something we’ve been talking about for almost a decade since we got into the aircraft rescue firefighting,” said David Boots, public information officer for the Denton Fire Department.
A grand opening is planned for 10 a.m. Friday, with city leaders and county officials getting a closer look at the state-of-the-art building and new 3,000-gallon aircraft response firetruck.
The keyword is ‘aircraft’ for Station 9 because the location is strategic. It’s on the west side of I-35 in Denton, right next to Denton Enterprise Airport.
Believe it or not, the airport is the 60th busiest in the entire country.
Even though they don’t have commercial airline operations, the airport has corporate jets, charters, freight aircraft, and two flight schools using the airport every day.
“It’s a very, very busy general aviation airport,” said Boots. “So, just in this area alone for Station 9, we’ve got a huge manufacturing district. We’ve got millions of square feet of warehouse. We have Peter Built Trucks, TetraPak, Target, WinCo, and Aldi distribution centers, lots of others.”
To have all of this new activity means they need to have proper coverage for aircraft rescue firefighting – that includes the specialized yellow firetrucks seen at many airports that are designed to handle aircraft emergencies.
The newest ARF unit, known as ‘Bigfoot’, weighs 93,000 pounds and joins another that is based at the airport.
![](https://ukpropertyguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Denton-builds-new-fire-station-to-keep-up-with-growth.jpg)
Before Station 9, the closest fire station was 5 minutes away near the University of North Texas. If there were an aircraft emergency at Denton’s airport, crews would have to drive that distance to the one ARF vehicle on site and then spend more crucial minutes getting their gear together to respond.
Now with the new facility right next to Denton’s airport terminal, the response time is just over one minute.
“We’re planning for future growth, and we need to be able to cover all of the aircraft that are coming in and out of this airport,” said Boots.
Station 9 will also handle all the newcomers moving to the western side of Denton County. Around 25,000 new homes are being built in this area.
In the next decade or so, Boots said Denton Fire is looking at building four more fire stations throughout the county to keep up with it all.
“All the growth that’s been in Collin County over the last few decades, it’s now in Denton County,” he said. “There’s a big movement coming up from the Fort Worth area. There’s movement coming in from Collin County area and it’s converging right on Denton. And with our location being right here on I-35, it makes it very, very popular for growth.”
Another element of Station 9 is a state-of-the-art decontamination bathroom and infrared sauna, designed to help firefighters reduce their exposure to toxins and reduce their risk of cancer.
Denton Fire Department plans to take that technology into two other older stations that they plan to update next year.
The grand opening of Station 9 also coincides with the 150th birthday of the Denton Fire Department, which is one of the oldest in the state, dating back to 1874.
An aerial view of new homes under construction.
As expected, today’s “New Residential Sales” report matched the other weak measures: The pessimistic home builder survey results, the declining real (inflation-adjusted) median sales prices, the low lumber prices.
The only bright spot is the home builder stock price run-ups to new all-time highs. Or is that mismatch a sign of excess investor optimism?
However that shakes out, here are the uninspiring fundamentals:
New house sales
Note that the next six months are weaker than the first six. That is a strong seasonal shift that “seasonally adjusted” data attempt to hide. But the reality is that home builders gear down during the long period.
New house sales pre- and post-Covid 2020
Seasonal adjustments for home building
Home builder inventories
Home builders are normally very sensitive to their stock of “new houses for sale” inventories. They tend to average about six months of sales. Now, though, they have been carrying about nine months supply, a very significant 50% overage. Therefore, expect construction to get trimmed doubly: for the seasonal sales decline and for the readjustment of the high inventories.
Houses sold and for sale
New house sales prices
After rising about 30%, nominal prices have stagnated. Adjusted for inflation, the prices are actually declining. Thus, another sign of a weakening new house market.
New house prices, nominal and inflation-adjusted
An ignored confirmation: Lumber prices
Inflation-adjusted lumber prices are back to their 2020 Covid lows. That is another important sign of slack home building.
Lumber prices, nominal and inflation-adjusted
The bottom line – Remember the importance of home building
New house construction is an important economic activity that boosts other industries. It also reflects the state of potential home buyers. Therefore, the weakening we are seeing carries the risk of a recession ahead.
Why? Because, despite the Federal Reserve assurances of having tamed inflation, prices continue to compound higher, eating into savings and income and budgets.
What about the Fed dropping interest rates? If it does so, mortgage rates are unlikely to follow suit. (See my recent article, “Home Builder Stocks Are At Risk.”)
June new home sales in the GTA remained low – new projects facing structural barriers; high costs to build
Toronto, July 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Greater Toronto Area, July 24, 2024 – Greater Toronto Area (GTA) new home sales remained slow in June, with year-to-date sales sitting at nearly half of last year’s record low year-to-date, the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) announced today.
There were 1,339 new home sales in June, which was down 46 per cent from June 2023 and 59 per cent below the 10-year average, according to Altus Group*, BILD’s official source for new home market intelligence.
“GTA new homes sales remained weak in June,” said Edward Jegg, Research Manager at Altus Group. “Where we are seeing activity, new home buyers are finding homes that meet their needs and that they can afford.”
Condominium apartments, including units in low, medium and high-rise buildings, stacked townhouses and loft units, accounted for 732 units sold in June, down 61 per cent from June 2023 and 68 per cent below the 10-year average.
There were 607 single-family home sales in June, up five per cent from June 2023 and 38 per cent below the 10-year average. Single-family homes include detached, linked and semi-detached houses and townhouses (excluding stacked townhouses).
Total new home remaining inventory increased compared to the previous month, to 21,158 units. This includes 17,391 condominium apartment units and 3,767 single-family dwellings. This represents a combined inventory level of 14.5 months, based on average sales for the last 12 months. This remains an exceedingly high inventory level, maintaining the trend seen since autumn 2023 of remaining inventory levels hovering consistently near the 20,000 mark.
“Significant ongoing structural issues, notably the cost to build and lengthy approval timeframes, are hampering the ability for new projects to come to market – and limiting affordability,” said Justin Sherwood, SVP Communications & Stakeholder Relations at BILD. “We are continuing to see some sales return in select regions of the GTA, predominantly single-family homes and outside of the City of Toronto. However, the high costs of material, labour, and land combined with municipal fees (such as development charges) and slow municipal approvals are adding unnecessary costs and delays to new projects. This in turn is causing price stickiness and acting like a brake to new projects. While interest rates will moderate over time, inaction on these structural barriers will have long term consequences to deliver new homes in the in the region.”
Benchmark prices decreased in June for both single-family homes and for condominium apartments compared to the previous year. The benchmark price for new condominium apartments was $1,023,389, which was down six per cent over the last 12 months. The benchmark price for new single-family homes was $1,613,613, which was also down six per cent over the last 12 months.
With 1,200 member companies, BILD is the voice of the home building, residential and non-residential land development and professional renovation industries in the Greater Toronto Area. The building and renovation industry provides 256,000 jobs in the region and $39.3 billion in investment value. BILD is affiliated with the Ontario and Canadian Home Builders’ Associations.
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For additional information or to schedule an interview, contact Janis McCulloch at jmcculloch@bildgta.ca or 416-617-7994.
*Altus Group should be credited as BILD’s official source of new home market intelligence.
Attachments
CONTACT: John Provenzano Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) 4166443912 jprovenzano@bildgta.ca
by Lori Shriner, For the Seward County Independent
Joan Shurtliff remembers the woman from Utah who came to the Seward County Genealogical Society a few months ago with a newspaper clipping she found through the Seward Public Library’s online newspaper search.
She wanted to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, which requires a family tree linking the potential member to someone who fought in the mid-1770s to create the United States. She was looking for a missing piece in her genetic chain.
“A lot of people we deal with come from out of state and they want to see where their families lived,” Shurtliff said.
She was able to use the clues in the newspaper clipping to go to a specific cemetery record book that is archived by the society to find the missing ancestor.
“Everybody has their own unique story,” said Shurtliff, who spent years reporting for small town newspapers as she moved with her husband’s National Resource Conservation Service job around Nebraska, Montana and South Dakota before following their grown children back to this area around 2010.
Her own family had homesteaded near Ceresco back in the 1870s, so she was familiar with this region.
People researching their family histories have multiple resources in Seward, for example, online genealogical programs, the Seward Public Library’s tools for searching newspapers, National Guard specific information at the local museum, school census, birth records and property records at the Seward County clerk’s office, online U.S. Census records, and the Seward County Historical Society’s collection.
But Shurtliff said the Genealogical Society is in a special place because it holds on to an array of materials other groups do not.
Chief among those resources are the more than 200,000 index cards that hold newspaper clippings and other references filed by family names in an old style library card catalog cabinet. But there is also military information from branches other than the National Guard, family scrapbooks and diaries, obituaries, yearbooks, church histories, plat books, and cemetery sexton record books that chronicle the care of the cemetery and the people buried there.
Since the 1980s, the local society has created this card system to locate articles (sort of Google before Google) and preserve the varied and sometimes odd documents they have been given to tell the story of Seward County.
That’s why the visitor from Utah could find the information on burial plot purchase that led to the information she was seeking. Especially if graves remain unmarked, it can be hard to connect bits of information.
“It’s kind of an eclectic mix of items,” Shurtliff said. “It is not like we have one place in the county that is a one-size-fits-all place.”
The 501(c)3 nonprofit organization joined the Seward County Gives program this year, hoping to raise funds for protective archival sleeves in which to store and preserve documents. They do not charge people seeking their research help but appreciate freewill gifts.
“There is a lot that is on the internet. There’s no way it is going to be everything in the world,” Shurtliff said.
Some of the pieces the society preserves are just not in high enough demand to be digitized.
For most of its existence, the group was holed up in the basement of the Seward Civic Center, keeping most of the information under protective wraps.
“Who knows when somebody will walk in and that will be the book they are looking for,” Shurtliff said.
Most of the people who contact the society are doing their own research, not looking for someone to do it for them. They just need some help.
“It’s the thrill of the chase,” Shurtliff said.
With the remodeling project ongoing at the civic center, the society was one of many groups that had to give up its meeting and storage area. But an unnamed individual rented a house for the group to use for the next few years and the space is allowing the society members to unpack things previously packed away.
They are now fully occupying the 1950s bungalow at 233 Jackson St. and are open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fridays from 3 – 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., as well as by appointment by calling (402) 400-5250. A core group of eight to 10 society members meets at 10 a.m. the third Thursday of each month.
They also have a presence on Facebook, where they have more than 200 followers, many living outside Nebraska.
“It has been fun to repurpose the house,” Shurtliff said. “It is a nice research environment.”
Camila Arteche is over the moon with joy as she has just purchased her first home in the United States, a dream come true for her. On Instagram, the Cuban actress shared the news with her followers along with a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported her in this journey.
“Today, I want to express my gratitude for another blessing I’ve manifested: My first home in the USA. First and foremost, thank you to myself for my focus, persistence, and working from a place of love. Thank you to the infinite divinity for the lessons. Thank you to this country for the opportunities it has given me in less than five years of living here. Thank you to the people who have come into my life to guide me along the way,” the artist wrote in the caption of her post.
Arteche accompanied her post with two photos showing the front of the house, located in Fort Lauderdale, and the backyard featuring a pool and various amenities. However, the news didn’t stop there, as the artist confirmed that the property, ideal for vacations and accommodating up to eight people, is now available on various rental platforms.
Last year, Camila Arteche achieved another dream in the United States by purchasing a convertible car.
Camila Arteche’s New Home and Achievements in the USA
Here are some frequently asked questions about Camila Arteche’s recent milestones in the United States.
Where is Camila Arteche’s new home located?
Camila Arteche’s new home is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
What amenities does Camila Arteche’s new house have?
The house features a pool and various amenities, making it ideal for vacations.
Is Camila Arteche’s new home available for rent?
Yes, the property is available on various rental platforms and can accommodate up to eight people.
This story is published in cooperation with Willamette Week and the Home Building Association of Greater Portland.
Here’s a fun summer idea: Grab your partner (or a friend you’d like to live with), get all dolled up, and spend the day looking at houses together.
Now, you might be thinking, ‘Willamette Week, it’s 2024… And while cosplaying as someone buying a house might make for a fun afternoon—I can’t actually afford to buy a home like that.’ We hear ya. But the NW Natural 2024 Street of Dreams Tour might just prove you wrong.
The annual summer event is produced by the nonprofit Home Building Association of Greater Portland, showcasing the talent of Portland’s builders, interior designers, craftspeople, and landscape architects since 1975. This year, NW Natural Street of Dreams fully embraces that dreams look different these days, by going on tour.
What does that mean? Rather than showcasing homes on one street, or in just a couple sites (as the event functioned in years prior) – this year the homes featured are all throughout the city, better demonstrating a variety of living styles and affordability. The tour will consist of over 20 homes crafted by more than 10 builders—from luxury new construction homes, to luxury condominiums, to affordable middle housing to container homes—all for only $27.
Overwhelmed? Don’t be. Here’s how to prep for the Best NW Natural Street of Dreams On Tour experience:
![](https://ukpropertyguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/A-New-Spin-on-Home-Tours.jpg)
1. Identify what you hope to get out of the tour. Not everyone embarking on the Street of Dreams Tour is looking to buy a brand-new home. Some are simply there for inspiration; and that’s exactly Street of Dreams Tour’s mission—whether you’re looking for your dream home, wanting to build a new home, getting ready to remodel or redecorate your home, or you’re just having fun exploring Portland’s development market.
2. Download the mobile app. It will be available to download before the show opens – search Street of Dreams on the Apple app store or Google Play to download. The app will provide you with turn-by-turn live directions to each build!
3. Keep an eye on the website. Always confirm hours and open weekends for the location you would like to visit. Sometimes, things change, and that’s the quickest way to ensure you’re all set.
Alright, now let’s get to the good stuff. Here are some of the must-see spots on the tour.
1. Dez Development, North Portland
Situated in North Portland’s Portsmouth neighborhood, this adjoining duplex property is perfect for college roommates who don’t want to say goodbye just yet, or twins that are arguably too close. Just kidding.
In all seriousness, these adjoining duplexes are gorgeous—there’s two three-bedroom homes in the front, and two two-bedroom homes in the back, making them ideal for various living arrangements. According to Darryl Bodle and Serena Johnson from Darryl Bodle Real Estate, the duplex provides a flexible, affordable housing solution that caters to diverse buyer needs, including multi-generational families and those seeking rental income opportunities.
2. Fish Construction, North Portland/ St. Johns
In Portland’s iconic St. John’s neighborhood sits a three unit townhome, right across the street from St. John’s Park. What makes this unit so cool? Well, a lot of things, but—its size is probably at #1. Given the size of the lot and its proximity to the park, developers at Fish Construction felt they had an opportunity to build a larger townhome, one with three stories.
“Our unit is quite a bit larger than most of the other middle housing on the market today,” says Justin Wood from Fish Construction. “It has a large kitchen, a family room, three bedrooms, [and a backyard], which is a rarity today in the middle housing market.”
3. Aker Development, North Portland/St. Johns
![](https://ukpropertyguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1721770716_888_A-New-Spin-on-Home-Tours.jpg)
Last but not least (there are at least 15 more homes on the tour) is the cottage cluster by Aker Development. These detached, three-bedroom homes redefine affordability.
They provide fee-simple ownership, private yards, and a traditional home environment, free from the constraints of HOAs. According to Serena and Daryl, this approach ensures that more Portland residents can achieve the dream of homeownership without compromising on quality or space.
“In today’s market, it’s difficult to provide a home with a mix of higher end features, while still keeping the home affordable,” says Wood.
The idea of buying a home right now can sometimes feel impossible—and that’s why NW Natural Street of Dreams is going on tour to provide more affordable and middle housing options.
“The push for affordable and middle housing is not just about providing homes; it’s about making homeownership accessible to a completely new demographic of Portlanders,” add Serena and Daryl. “Encouraging young people and lower-income households to pursue homeownership is crucial. The more people, especially young individuals, who can own homes in Portland, the more stable our local economy will become in the long term.”
“Being able to provide a home with nice features at an affordable level is a dream for many,” Wood affirms. “I’m proud that I get to take part in this show not only helping my homebuilders association but also by providing dream options for entry-level homebuyers in middle housing.”
Learn more about this year’s NW Natural Street of Dreams, and grab tickets at www.streetofdreamspdx.com.