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How savvy homebuyers use mortgage strategies to cut their interest rates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:38 GMT

After years of record-low mortgage rates, many homebuyers are frustrated by paying more than 8 percent interest to buy a new home.“Nobody loves rates in the high 7s or 8s,  but they’re not sticker shocked like they were in the beginning,” said Nicole Rueth, senior vice president of The Rueth Team powered by Movement Mortgage.However, using mortgage strategies can reduce monthly payments and save thousands over the loan’s lifetime.Rate buydownsThese strategies include 3-2-1 or 2-1 rate temporary buydowns on fixed-rate mortgages, permanent rate buydowns, adjustable-rate mortgages, cash purchases, and utilizing down payment assistance programs.A 3-2-1 mortgage buydown reduces the interest rate by 3% in the first year, 2% in the second year, and 1% in the third year. After the buydown period ends, the mortgage reverts to the original rate.A 2-1 buydown lowers the mortgage interest rate for the first two years before it rises to its regular, permanent rate.“For most people, it would make...

Chicago family rescued from Greenhorn Mountain in southern Colorado

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:38 GMT

A family of five visiting from Chicago was rescued from Greenhorn Mountain in southern Colorado on Wednesday night after they became fatigued and stranded, according to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office.The family of three adults and two children set out from the Greenhorn Trailhead on Wednesday morning, which is about 35 miles southwest of Pueblo near the town of Rye. Greenhorn Trail is an eight-mile moderate trail that includes 3,880 feet of elevation gain, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The hikers were near the summit when they were hampered by the effects of altitude, unexpected snow and their experience level, according to Pueblo County officials.As the sun started to set, the group realized they had a long way to go with no food and inadequate clothing, and called 911 for help.A Pueblo County Search and Rescue team was flown by Flight for Life to the top of North Peak and found the family via GPS and gave them food, water and warming supplies.The rescue team hiked with...

Broncos seek to improve run defense as they prepare for matchup against Cleveland Browns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:38 GMT

If the Minnesota Vikings ran the ball the entire game against Denver, the outcome might’ve been different.The Vikings, who had one of the worst rushing attacks in the league, ran the ball all over Denver’s defense, totaling a season-high 175 yards on the ground. Starting running back Alexander Mattison had 81 yards, while Ty Chandler had 73 yards despite rushing for a combined 87 in 10 games prior to Week 11.Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has coached his tail off in recent weeks. Denver has gone from allowing 70 points to the Miami Dolphins to forcing 13 turnovers in four games. However, its run defense remains an issue, which doesn’t bode well against Cleveland on Sunday, as the Browns have one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL.“I’m impressed every year when I watch (the Browns),” head coach Sean Payton said. “They’ve always got a good run game plan. We know that heading into this game.”Denver showed signs of improvement as a run defense when it held the Kans...

Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard enters players’ assistance program, cites mental health issues that led to alcohol abuse

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:38 GMT

Samuel Girard will take an indefinite leave of absence from the Colorado Avalanche after entering the Player Assistance Program, the NHL and NHLPA announced Friday.Related ArticlesColorado Avalanche | Greasy goals, more Cale Makar magic lead Avalanche past Canucks Colorado Avalanche | Caleb Jones’ return to Colorado has been positive for him and Avalanche Colorado Avalanche | Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes set for a showdown between two early Norris Trophy favorites Colorado Avalanche | Predators score twice in final minute to stun Avalanche in “heartbreaking” fashion Colorado Avalanche | A few wobbles aside, the Avalanche is a destructive force of nature in third periods this season The Avalanche defenseman has been away from the team since he wasn’t available for the club’s game Monday at Nashville. Coach Jared Bednar said Girard had left the team for personal reasons after the ...

Investigators searching for couple who stole $1000 Lego sets

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:38 GMT

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help to identify two people who stole two large Star Wars Lego sets from a Costco in Westlake Village.The theft happened on Nov. 5, officials said, and it involved two Lego sets valued at more than $1,000.LASD detectives are searching for a couple who stole two expensive Lego sets from Costco in Westlake Village on Nov. 5, 2023. (Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department)Photos shared by the Sheriff's Department showed a man and a woman wanted in connection with the theft.Investigators say the man loaded up a shopping cart with the merchandise, pushed out the emergency exit and then loaded the stolen items into a Kia Soul driven by the woman. The Sheriff's Department is asking that anyone who may recognize the couple come forward by calling L.A. Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online.

ByrdSeed is The Newest Seed Company in Town 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:38 GMT

Brett Feldman is one of the few survivors in the legacy Los Angeles cannabis market, and now he’s giving some of the genetics that helped fuel Wonderbrett to the world.We ran into Feldman by chance last weekend at Storz and Bickel’s launch party for the Venty. In front of Feldman sat a collection of his newest heaters and a few classics. The first thing that caught my eye was the BrydSeed sticker on the side of the black jars. Feldman dove in on the new company where he is currently a one-man show with support from his wife shucking seeds into the wee hours of the morning after he’s already spent 10 hours of the day working on Wonderbrett stuff. “All right, so, I’ve been wanting to put out a seed line for like, several years now. But with the way Wonderbrett set up,” Feldman said, “I wasn’t gonna get what I felt was fair out of it.”Feldman explains ByrdSeed to Leafly Senior Editor David Downs.Essentially when Feldman expanded Wonderbrett, the tracks were laid in a certai...

Sharks takeaways: A needed response, a better power play and why Hoffman’s uptick is big for San Jose

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:38 GMT

SAN JOSE – It wasn’t the end result the San Jose Sharks were looking for on Friday.But at least the Sharks have something to build on as they continue with the rest of their homestand.“It was good to see that we didn’t give up 400 shots,” Sharks coach David Quinn said. “So that was a step in the right direction.”The Sharks in fact allowed a season-low 24 shots and received some production from their top line and power play, but also couldn’t hold a two-goal lead and lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Montreal Canadiens before an announced crowd of 16,897 at SAP Center.Up 2-0 on goals by Mike Hoffman and William Eklund, the Sharks allowed goals to Johnathan Kovacevic near the end of the second period and Cole Caufield early in the third. After a scoreless overtime, Eklund scored in a shootout, but Nick Suzuki and Jesse Ylönen both beat goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, handing the Sharks (3-15-2) their sixth loss in seven games.The Sharks, who had given up an average of 37.8 shots per game befo...

Person killed by Caltrain near Brewster Avenue in Redwood City

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:38 GMT

A person died Friday afternoon after being hit by a Caltrain in Redwood City.The fatal collision happened about 2:55 p.m. when the train hit a person at Brewster Avenue in Redwood City, Caltrain announced in a statement.None of the 149 passengers aboard the train were injured during the collision, which caused authorities to close the tracks in the area for about a half-hour. Limited train service resumed about 3:30 p.m., and another train arrived about 3:45 p.m. to pick up passengers aboard the affected train.The circumstances of the incident remain under investigation by Transit Police, the agency said. Friday’s collision marks the 13th fatality along Caltrain tracks this year.

Striking Swedish workers getting under Elon Musk’s skin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:38 GMT

By Oleysa Dmitracova | CNNIt has taken nearly a month, but workers striking against Tesla in Sweden have finally drawn a response from the company’s famously anti-union boss. “This is insane,” CEO Elon Musk said Thursday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter that he owns.Musk was responding to news that Swedish postal workers are refusing to deliver Tesla license plates, joining a wave of action in sympathy with mechanics who stopped servicing Tesla cars late last month.About 130 mechanics began their ongoing strike in October after their employer, a Tesla subsidiary in Sweden, announced that it would not recognize their labor union, according to Expressen, a CNN affiliate.The industrial action soon spread to dockworkers who started blocking deliveries of Tesla cars at the country’s ports, to electricians who stopped maintenance work for the carmaker, and other workers in Sweden, Expressen reported.“This is about good wages, good pensions and good insurance for all our member...

Fire in backyard tree spreads to nearby house in Concord

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:38 GMT

A fire caused significant damage to one house and threatened another Friday afternoon in Concord.The blaze began shortly before 3:45 p.m. in the backyard of a house in the 1100 block of Haven Court in Concord, according to Capt. Chris Toler of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. The fire appeared to start in a tree before quickly spreading to the nearby house, Toler said. Within minutes, the flames also began threatening a second, neighboring home.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Turkey Day turmoil: Small fire extinguished at San Jose airport on Thanksgiving night Crime and Public Safety | ‘I’m committed to Oakland,’ Matt Horn says; post-fire GoFundMe effort launched Crime and Public Safety | See the regrowth: Big Basin time-lapse video shows remarkable recovery of redwood forest from massive wildfire Crime and Public Safety | Fire ravages celebrated Oakland pitmaster’s Horn Bar...