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March 2026 Renting vs. Buying: The Numbers Might Surprise You

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Renting can feel like the easier choice right now. There’s no big down payment. No dealing with surprise repairs. And no long-term commitment. But then your rent goes up again. And again. And suddenly the thing that seemed flexible starts looking…  expensive , especially considering you’re not building any equity. And once that happens, it’s easy to feel a little trapped in the cycle. That’s because there’s so much chatter today about how buying a home isn’t affordable. But the truth is, the math may work out better than you'd expect based on what’s changed recently. Buying Is More Affordable Than Renting in Many Areas  In a lot of places today, owning a home actually costs less each month than renting a 3-bedroom home.  and recent   data   from  A TTOM   shows   that’s true in nearly 58% of counties across the U.S.  ( see chart below ). And that's  after  you factor in things like insurance and typical maintenance costs.  In o...
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Halloween Safety Tips

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Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is an exciting time of year for kids, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). 

Walk Safely

1. Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
2.Look left, right, and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. 
3. Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
4. Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
5. Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far left as possible.  Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
6. Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.

Trick or Treat With an Adult

7. Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.

Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe

8. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
9. Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
10. Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers. 
11. When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. 

Drive Extra Safely on Halloween

12. Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
13. Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
14. Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
15. Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
16. Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
17. Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

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