Forum wide moderators
I don't remember some of the recent ones at all.
Have to admit I've often ignored these types of guidelines. Full fat milk products have been part of my diet for my entire life. Remember when eggs were considered to be bad for you? I thought it was crazy and ate them anyway.
Seen during protest in Greenland:
And from the Guardian:
A third voting bloc in the European Parliament has said they will halt the ratification of the EU-US trade deal next week, signalling the biggest material confrontation between the two sides since Donald Trump came to power.
The centre-right and largest group, the European People’s Party, and the second-biggest bloc of MEPs in the Socialists & Democrats group have already said they will pull the plug on the parliamentary legal process on Wednesday.
Now, the liberal Renew group has said it will join them.
In a statement, Valerie Heyer, the French MEP and head of the group, said:
The threats by President Donald Trump to impose increased customs duties on states refusing to agree with his plan to annex Greenland are unacceptable.
These announcements follow many other aggressive actions towards the EU. Therefore, it is now time to move from reliance to deterrence.
Consequently, Renew Europe cannot vote the EU-US Turnberry trade deal.
Furthermore, the EU should be prepared to deploy targeted and proportionate countermeasures. The activation of the EU Anti-Coercion Instrument should be explicitly considered, as it was designed precisely for situations of economic intimidation of this nature.
I just found one more that I think is helpful. It also highlights something that I was not aware of, namely some changes to how commissions are paid to agents involved. They went into effect in 2024; I haven't done any real estate transactions since 2020.
How do your fees work?
Listing agents work for commission. When the seller pays a listing agent a 3% commission, that agent typically splits it with the brokerage he or she is a part of. For buyers, the changes to the commission rules and regulations mean being responsible for paying the buyer’s agent commission. These changes took effect in August 2024 following the NAR landmark lawsuit settlement terms. You can negotiate with your agent directly about commissions, and the agent will also split the agreed-upon commission with his or her brokerage.
While fees should always be negotiable, Bonnie Fleishman, a top-selling real estate agent in Glen Burnie, Maryland, warns sellers, “Don’t work with somebody because they say they’ll cut their commission. Use somebody you feel confident is going to give you the best advice.”
https://www.homelight.com/blog/questions-to-ask-a-real-estate-agent/
I know it's a lot of reading, but I think a good investment in time so you can navigate the buying process and get a home you love.
I think a lot of people ask friends and family. Some general tips:
https://www.zillow.com/learn/how-to-find-a-good-real-estate-agent/
edit to add: https://www.zillow.com/learn/choose-right-real-estate-agent/
https://www.homelight.com/blog/search-for-a-realtor/
I am not familiar with the newer ways of finding an agent like online agent matching services that are described in that HomeLight article, so I can't comment on how effective they are.
Here are some units (of varying sizes) in and around the address of the building that you posted on Cove Cay. They have sold recently.
@Steve-Miller It seems to be a case of follow the money, doesn't it?
I heard one this morning....I hadn't realized that Don Jr is an informal advisor to Polymarket. Remember that big bet someone put on hours before Maduro was captured that made someone $400K? Gotta wonder if Little Donny walked away with some bucks from that one....
Somewhat limited experience with condos here, but I am aware of a few things that need to be considered when buying one.
First is the competence of the management company and also the HOA board. People who live in a condo building are relying on the management company to keep up the property well and to address issues promptly as they come up. The board represents the wishes of the residents, so you want to be sure that whatever rules are in place are things you agree with.
It's also good to take a look at the financials. You get charged an HOA fee that goes towards the maintenance of the building. That includes the everyday stuff and also major long term projects like putting on a new roof, etc. If the association runs short of money, they may call for a special assessment to cover an unexpected cost.
So from my limited experience with my Mom's condo....
They had a small family-run management company and tons of involvement by residents who were on the HOA board. These folks were retired business people who had experience in a lot of relevant areas (finance, construction, etc),. People tended to live in their units for many years and had a commitment to the community. That resulted in an association was really well run. They kept a tight rein on costs but always were careful with keeping up with maintenance. And for instance, they ended up phasing out owner rentals because they wanted owners only living in the community, not renters. There was an on-site manager and he helped run interference for the residents with the management company.
Monthly HOA fees weren't cheap but they were reasonable and the community had no special assessments for 30 years. Right around the time my mom went into memory care and I sold her condo, they had their first special assessment ever. Later the small management company went out of business and that role was taken over by a much larger national outfit. They weren't as responsive as the previous group and residents haven't been nearly as happy with the new management.
Anyway, just want to note some of the things that can affect your costs and your day-to-day life that are out of your control and that come with condo living.
@Daniel said in What do you all think of this apartment?:
But what are the insurance laws if no mortgage
It will depend on what the condo association covers. They typically have a statement of what their policy covers, and then an insurance agent can help you get the appropriate level of coverage that you pay for, to cover what you are responsible for.
As for the units you've posted, I noticed that the first one is a short sale and that the sale is Pending, which means there's a deal about ready to close.
The second one sold in June 2024, I'm guessing it got remodeled and went up on the market in July 2025. They've reduced the price a little, but it's been on the market for 200 days. I don't know if that's typical for your area, or if it means that there's an issue with it or maybe it's overpriced. A realtor can provide you with comps of similar units that have sold recently so you can get a better idea whether the price they are asking is reasonable.
BBC following the threat of tariffs on those countries that oppose the orange man's Greenland takeover.
A retired ICE agent from Minneapolis talks about how things have changed.
@Piano-Dad said in The Dems are sweeping up tonight!:
Look who I ran into a few days ago ...
Inauguration.
https://www.npr.org/2026/01/16/nx-s1-5675312/spanberger-virginia-governor-inauguration
