Consumer News: Here’s how to tell if that financial advice video is AI-generated

HOA fees add to the cost of owning a home

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Nearly 44% of homes for sale in the U.S. now come with a homeowners association (HOA) fee, making monthly dues an increasingly common part of the cost of buying a home.

• HOA fees continue to rise, with the median monthly payment hitting $135 in 2025, up sharply from pre-pandemic levels.

• Florida stands out for both the prevalence and cost of HOAs, with several metros where dues consume a significant share of typical mortgage payments.

If you live in a neighborhood without a homeowners association, youre still in the majority, but barely.

Homeowners associations with monthly or annual dues are becoming a defining feature of the modern U.S. housing market. In 2025, 43.6% of homes listed for sale included a non-zero HOA fee, according to the newly released Homeowners Association Report from Realtor.com.

That marks a steady climb from 34.3% in 2019 and reflects how HOA obligations have moved well beyond condos and gated communities into the mainstream of homeownership.

HOAs are no longer confined to condos or brand-new developments, said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com.

HOA-heavy construction

He noted that a surge in HOA-heavy construction earlier in the decade is now reshaping the resale market, as those newer communities age and change hands. At the same time, rising insurance premiums, stricter building safety requirements, and higher labor and material costs are forcing many associations to raise dues, increasing the long-term financial commitment for homeowners.

The growth of HOAs is not just about how many homes are subject to them, but also how much they cost. The median HOA fee rose to $135 in 2025, up from $125 in 2024 and $108 in 2019, continuing a multi-year upward trend. Realtor.com previously found that both HOA prevalence and fees were increasing between 2023 and 2024, and the latest data show that momentum carried into 2025.

Condo and townhomes

HOAs remain most common among condos and townhomes, where 84.8% of listings include monthly dues. Still, their presence among single-family homes is expanding, with about one-third (33.4%) of those properties now carrying HOA fees.

Homes governed by associations also tend to be larger and more expensive. Single-family houses with HOAs have a median size of 2,306 square feet, compared with 1,818 square feet for those without, and they sell for a higher price per square foot. Condos with HOAs, while similar in size to those without, also command higher per-square-foot prices.

New construction continues to lead the market in HOA prevalence. Nearly 68% of newly built homes are subject to HOA fees, compared with about 39% of existing homes. However, the share of resale homes with HOAs is growing faster, a sign that the construction boom of 2020 to 2022 is now feeding into the broader housing inventory.

On average, homes with HOAs list for $450,000, well above the $374,900 median for homes without associations. Much of that difference is tied to age: existing homes with HOAs were typically built around 1998, while those without date back to about 1968. Despite the added monthly cost, HOA status had little impact on how long homes stayed on the market overall in 2025.

Nevada has the most HOAs

Regionally, HOA prevalence varies widely. Nevada tops the list, with more than two-thirds of listings subject to HOA fees, while South Dakota has the lowest share at just over 12%. The West and South have seen the largest gains since the pandemic, reflecting high levels of new development in those regions.

When it comes to cost, Florida dominates. Several Florida metro areas rank among the most expensive in the country for HOA fees relative to mortgage payments, including Miami, Naples, and Cape Coral. In some markets, monthly dues account for more than a quarter of a typical mortgage payment.

Floridas status as an outlier is driven by a combination of climate-related insurance costs and regulatory changes. Following the 2021 Surfside condo collapse, new state requirements for inspections and reserve funding have increased expenses for condominium associations, which are often passed directly to homeowners.

Between rising insurance premiums and stricter safety and reserve requirements, many associations are facing higher operating expenses that ultimately get passed on to homeowners, Berner said.

As HOAs continue to spread across housing types and regions, buyers are increasingly forced to factor monthly dues into their affordability calculationsmaking associations a central, and growing, part of the U.S. housing landscape.

Lower oil prices have removed some pressure

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The nations average price of gasoline has fallen 0.9 cents over the last week and stands at $2.83 per gallon, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 12 million individual price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

• The national average is up 3.9 cents from a month ago and is 21.3 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

• The national average price of diesel rose 4.2 cents in the last week and stands at $3.585 per gallon.

Despite a recent surge and subsequent pullback in oil prices, U.S. gasoline prices remained largely stable over the past week, with more than half of states seeing prices edge lower. According to GasBuddy, declines were most pronounced in parts of the Midwest, where so-called price-cycling states such as Indiana and Ohio saw double-digit weekly drops after earlier increases.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said the muted national movement reflects competing forces in the energy market. Oil prices climbed to their highest levels in months last week on geopolitical tensions, a weaker U.S. dollar, and supply concerns, but those pressures did not translate into broad price hikes at the pump.

Just over half of states saw gas prices decline, led by Indiana, Ohio, and other price-cycling states that had previously seen prices jump but have since started to fall, De Haan wrote in the GasBuddy blog.

Meanwhile, prices are rising across much of the West Coast as the transition to summer gasoline begins, and attention turns to another refinery shutdown in California expected in April.

Relaxed tensions in the Middle East

Oil markets began the new week retreating from last weeks highs as tensions in the Middle East appeared to ease and supply disruptions showed signs of improvement. West Texas Intermediate crude was trading around $62 per barrel early Monday, down more than 4% on the day, while Brent crude slipped to the mid-$66 range. Analysts pointed to the restart of major oil fields in Kazakhstan and fewer U.S. supply interruptions as key factors behind the pullback.

U.S. inventory data painted a mixed picture. The Energy Information Administration reported that crude oil inventories fell by 2.3 million barrels and are now about 3% below seasonal norms. At the same time, gasoline and distillate inventories both rose modestly and remain above their five-year seasonal averages. Refinery utilization declined to just under 91%, even as implied gasoline demand jumped sharply, suggesting stronger consumer demand heading into late winter.

At the pump, motorists most commonly encountered prices around $2.99 per gallon nationwide. The median price stood at $2.72, slightly below the national average, highlighting the wide spread in prices across regions.

The cheapest states for gasoline were Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi, while Hawaii, California, and Washington remained the most expensive. Ohio and Indiana posted the largest weekly declines, while New Jersey and California saw the biggest increases.

Bargains on clothing and furniture continue to draw shoppers

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Thrift store shopping has surged nationwide as consumers shift toward secondhand buying.

• Economic pressures, environmental awareness, and Gen Z cultural trends are driving the boom.

• The secondhand market now outpaces much of traditional retail and shows few signs of slowing.

Americans are flocking to thrift stores in growing numbers, reshaping a segment of retail once seen as niche into a mainstream shopping habit. For many, its the answer to the affordability issue. For others, it offers the thrill of the bargain hunt.

Recent industry data and consumer trends show that secondhand shopping isnt just a fad its becoming a fixture of how many people buy clothes, furniture, and household goods.

Once the domain of bargain hunters and charitable donors, thrift store visits are now rising across income levels and regions. Analytics firm Placer.ai reports that visits to thrift stores have outpaced traditional apparel shopping in recent years, drawing interest from suburban and higher-income shoppers alike a sign that thrift is no longer confined to any single demographic.

A growing market

Industry estimates project the U.S. secondhand market will reach roughly $61 billion in 2026, with apparel resale accounting for much of that growth. Secondhand apparel sales climbed about 14% from 2023 to 2024 and are forecast to continue expanding annually well into the decade.

Whats driving the boom? Economic reality. Persistent cost pressures from inflation to higher clothing prices are pushing more shoppers toward thrift stores for basic needs and value. Nearly half of consumers say new clothes have become too expensive, prompting them to redirect their budgets to secondhand options.

Environmental and ethical concerns are also a factor. A growing segment of shoppers views thrifting as a way to reduce waste and lessen the environmental footprint of their purchases. As sustainability becomes a more prominent part of consumer identity, thrift stores offer a tangible way to put values into practice.

Social media is also playing a roll. Younger generations, especially Gen Z, are enthusiastic thrifters, often blending vintage and unique finds into personal style. Many consumers enjoy the treasure hunt aspect of thrift shopping, and social platforms have amplified the appeal of rare and distinctive pre-owned items.

The rise of resale platforms like Poshmark and the booming online secondhand market have also helped normalize thrift shopping and given consumers alternative ways to shop used goods, further fueling demand.

Challenges and changes

With the surge in popularity comes complexity. Some thrift stores are beginning to adjust pricing and inventory strategies in response to competitive pressures and increased demand, while others grapple with balancing donations, resale interests, and sustainable mission-driven goals.

Retail analysts say thrift shoppings momentum is likely to continue as economic and cultural forces reinforce each other. As households rethink how and where they spend their money, thrift stores from local charity shops to curated vintage boutiques are poised to remain a dynamic part of the retail landscape.

Stop arguing with robots and start getting real help

• Use escalation trigger words. Say agent, representative, billing issue, or legal concern then stop talking so the system flags your request for a human.

• Keep responses short and direct. Long explanations trap you in automated help loops. Try short commands like: Billing error. Need agent.

• Reach out when humans are working. Weekday mornings and afternoons give you the best odds of a live rep. Nights and weekends are often bot-only support.

The next time you call any large company or brand, theres a great chance youre going to start with an AI bot trying to help you. Youcould havea billing question, maybe you want to cancel a service, or perhaps you need technical support. It almost always starts with AI these days.

Companies love AI customer service because it significantly cuts their costs, but it clearly adds a new cost for you: wasted time and major frustration.

The good news is that most AI systems have clever workarounds. You just have to know how to trigger them.

Below are some field-tested tactics that dramatically increase your chances of getting a human quickly, and more importantly, a real resolution to your issue.

Use the 'magic words'that force escalation

Most of these AI bots are trained to escalate your phone call to a human when they hear you say certain pre-determined words or phrases.

To get to a human as quickly as possible, try saying one of the following:

• Agent
• Representative
• Human please
• Escalate this issue
• File a complaint

If all of these fail, try this:

• This issue involves billing or legal rights.

Usually the word billing and legal trigger the AI system to transfer you to a person because many companies flag those categories as higher risk.

Pro tip: After you say your escalation word or phrase, shut up. Resist the temptation to add any new details. Every extra sentence you say gives the bot fresh keywords to latch onto and pull you away from an actual human.

Instead, just let the request sit there so the system flags it for human review instead of trying to solve it over and over again.

Dont over-explain your problem

Bots love long explanations because they can keep you stuck in the companys automated help articles.

Use this bit of information to your advantage and instead, keep your responses short and simple:

• Billing error. Representative.
• Account problem. Need agent.
• Human support.
• Speak to representative.

If you tell the bot your entire issue, it will try to solve it with prewritten responses and help articles.

But if you use short phrases, youre more likely to get escalated to an actual human quickly.

Pro tip: Think of your interaction with the AI bot like using elevator buttons, its purely a means to an end. Remember, wedo not want to have a real conversation.

This means that short phrases are always more likely to get you to a human, whilelong, full sentences can keep you stuck in the self-help loop that ends with you pulling out your hair in frustration.

Time your contact for when humans are actually working

Many companies quietly switch to AI-only support during off-hours, which means no matter what you type, there may simply be no human available to take over. If a bot feels unusually stubborn or keeps looping you through articles, timing could be the real issue.

Best odds of reaching a real person:

• Weekdays
• Mid-morning (911 a.m.)
• Mid-afternoon (14 p.m.)
• Avoid evenings, Sundays, and major holidays

If youre stuck, try again during standard business hours simply because youll get routed to a human much faster because live agents are actually available.

Pro tip: Whenever I call a company, it doesnt matter the reason, I avoid saying technical supporteven if that may be why Im calling.

Instead, Ill say something like cancel service, close account,or even dispute charge. These will get you to a human fast because companies know those calls can lead to losing a customer.

Keep in mind that the first person you talk to can easily transfer you to a technical support rep without putting you back in the system.

Skip chat. Try social media support instead.

Heres a little-known secret: Many brands still have real humans running their Twitter/X support accounts, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram DMs.

And the takeaway here is that public posts often get the brand or company'sattention fast.

Heres an example Ive used with success several times:

@Company Ive been stuck in chatbot loops for 30 minutes trying to fix a billing error. Can a human help?

Without fail, Ill get a human response inminutes which leads to a quick resolution of my problem.

Pro tip: When using social media, be sure to keep your messages short and specific. That way your message can be triaged quickly and they know exactly what the issue is without guessingor having to contact you with further questions.

Also, provide just enough information so they know youre a real customer. This might mean including your order number or the last four digits of your account number.

Keep a record of everything

If AI denies your initial request for any reason, remember that keeping some documentation is going to be your secret power.

Specifically, keep a record or screenshotof all of these:

• Chat transcripts
• Denial messages
• Confirmation numbers
• All emails and correspondence

Then, if you have to escalate the issue at a later date to a supervisor, a BBB complaint, or even a state consumer protection office, you have all the proof you need to make your case.

Plus, the proof youve kept in the form of screenshotsshows that you tried to resolve the issue reasonably first.

A tip for getting a human when using Live Chat

When youre using the live chat feature on a companys website, be aware that the system often decides within the first message or two whether youll stay with a bot or be routed to a human.

If you open the conversation by describing your problem in detail, the software assumes self-service will work and sends you into automated troubleshooting. You dont want that.

Instead, always start with something like:

Hi, I need to speak with a live agent about my account.

Then repeat the same message again if the bot tries to keep you in their AI system. Repeat it as many times as necessary.

What this does is set the interaction type as human support rather than FAQ help. After that, resist the urge to answer a bunch of bot questions. By replying too quickly, or adding superfluous details, it can re-trigger the AIautomation.

Once a human finally joins the chat session, thats when you can share the full story and get the resolution youre looking for.