Automatic teller machines. Email. Self check-out lanes at the grocery store. Pay bills by phone or online.

President Obama announced a tentative deal this morning with congressional Republicans to extend certain tax cuts signed by President George W. Bush a decade ago. 

When we bought our house, a partially renovated REO property, I worked closely with our insurance agent to create an insurance policy based on the actual features of the house.

North Carolina unemployment is 11.1%. There is one residential foreclosure filed for every 1,595 households. Forty-five percent of consumers believe the current economic situation is bad. We have discussed where people are cutting back and where they are not willing to scrimp, but as the recession lingers, more and more people will find it harder [...]

By now, the laser-like focus of the virtual world on the hoax video by two misguided Domino’s pizza employees and the effectiveness of Domino’s corporate response has dimmed. But for a few days last week this story was the train-wreck we couldn’t stop watching.

If you want to read a simple, straight-forward article that shows how the international credit crunch is hurting local business, read this article from the Raleigh, NC News & Observer. It discusses why apparently booming and successful Wakefield Commons shopping center might be sold at a fire sale and how that will affect local properties.