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Airbnb launches co-host marketplace to boost listing supply

Airbnb launches co-host marketplace to boost listing supply

Natalie Lung | (TNS) Bloomberg News

Airbnb Inc. launched a new section of its app and website where homeowners can hire fellow hosts to manage their rentals, underscoring a broader push to increase listings and attract more people to the platform.

The idea is that hosts who may not have the time or inclination to be hands-on can pay preapproved “co-hosts” on the platform to help set up or furnish their listings, or manage their bookings and guests. Airbnb has already received applications from would-be co-hosts, whom the company vets based on criteria indicating a strong track record, such as the number of stays they’ve hosted, ratings from guests and low cancellation rates.

A co-host can offer as many as 10 different types of services, with different compensation options that include, say, charging a one-time fee for setting up a listing page, or a percentage of a booking for day-to-day support. The new “co-host network” is launching in 10 countries including the U.S., Canada, UK, France, Spain and Brazil, the company said on Wednesday. It already has 10,000 co-hosts to start, with an average rating of 4.86 out of 5. read more

Living paycheck to paycheck: A hardship or good budgeting?

Living paycheck to paycheck: A hardship or good budgeting?

By Elizabeth Renter, NerdWallet

Google “paycheck to paycheck” and you’ll be flooded with statistics that seem a bit suspect to an economist’s eye. Diving deeper into the spending habits of people who say they’re living with every dollar spoken for, it’s clear we’re not all defining paycheck to paycheck quite the same way. And it’s clear that some who assign themselves to this group could just be very efficient budgeters.

More than half of Americans (57%) say they’re currently living paycheck to paycheck, according to a nationally representative NerdWallet survey conducted online in July by The Harris Poll. In our survey, we didn’t define the phrase, as we wanted to measure the share of folks who identify with “living paycheck to paycheck” regardless of their finances. Then, we asked for some budget specifics.

Of those who said they’re living paycheck to paycheck, many regularly contribute to savings accounts (31%), retirement accounts (22%), or emergency savings funds (22%), all of which are important, but none of which are obligatory. And others include house cleaning services (15%) and subscription boxes (19%) among their regular monthly expenses. read more

People on the move

People on the move

Architecture

Eliane Florez Sanzone Garbero was hired as project manager at FK Architecture, Winter Park.

Jessica Romeo was hired as accounting manager at FK Architecture, Winter Park.

Law

Attorney Megan J. Nowicki has been named a firm partner at ShuffieldLowman, Orlando.

Kayla May, a Florida registered paralegal, has joined The Rebecca L. Palmer Law Group, Orlando.

Attorney Estevan J. Griego has joined McDonald Toole Wiggins P.A., Orlando.

Public relations

Karen Suarez has joined Paquin Public Relations as chief operating officer in the agency’s Maitland office.

Real estate

David Murphy was promoted to vice chairman at CBRE, Orlando.

Submit professional appointments, management-level promotions and significant awards for individuals, along with photos as .jpg attachments, to peopleonmove@orlandosentinel.com.

US agency adopts rule to make it easier for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions

US agency adopts rule to make it easier for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions

By HALELUYA HADERO

The Federal Trade Commission adopted a final rule Wednesday that will require businesses to make it easy for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions and memberships.

The “click-to-cancel” rule will prohibit retailers and other businesses from misleading people about subscriptions and require them to obtain consumers’ consent before charging for memberships, auto-renewals and programs linked to free trial offers.

The FTC said businesses must also disclose when free trials or other promotional offers will end and let customers end recurring subscriptions as easily as they started them. Most of the provisions take effect effect 180 days after the rule is published in the Federal Register, the agency said.

“Too often, businesses make people jump through endless hoops just to cancel a subscription,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said in a statement. “The FTC’s rule will end these tricks and traps, saving Americans time and money. Nobody should be stuck paying for a service they no longer want.” read more

Recent Central Florida bankruptcies

Recent Central Florida bankruptcies

Chapter 7

Central Florida individuals and businesses that have filed for liquidation under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code include:

Prime Install LLC, 2295 S. Hiawassee Road, #104, Orlando. Filed: Oct. 4. Assets: $49,588. Liabilities: $170,477. Major creditors: Christian Dominguez, Orlando, $110,312; Chase Bank, Wilmington, Del., $36,543. Creditors meeting: Nov. 14.

Chapter 11

Central Florida individuals and businesses that have filed for reorganization and protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code include:

Bahama Bay II Development LLC, 8660 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee. Filed: Oct. 4. Assets: $0-$50,000. Liabilities: $0-$50,000. Major creditors: Not available.  Creditors meeting: Nov. 6.

BB2 Development Holdings LLC, 8660 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee. Filed: Oct. 4. Assets: $0-$50,000. Liabilities: $0-$50,000. Major creditors: Not available.  Creditors meeting: Nov. 6.

Digital Graphics Plus LLC, 1550 S. U.S. Highway 17-92, Longwood. Filed: Oct. 4. Assets: $23,337. Liabilities: $465,272. Major creditors: U.S. Small Business Administration, Birmingham, Ala., $159,258; Envision Capital Group LLC, Laguna Hills, Calif., $93,971; B.S.D. Capital Inc. doing business as Lendistry, Los Angeles, $71,482. Creditors meeting: Nov. 6. read more