Tom McLean
Sr. Editor
Tom McLean is a veteran writer, editor, and author with more than 30 years’ experience as a professional journalist. A graduate of the University of Arizona, McLean worked as a news writer, copyeditor, and page designer for daily newspapers in Arizona, Idaho, and California before entering entertainment journalism as a features editor at Variety, where he covered such diverse topics as animation, visual effects, the Oscars, and the comic book business. His freelance articles have appeared in Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Animation Magazine, Animation World Network, Newsarama.com and the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of Mutant Cinema: The X-Men Trilogy from Page to Screen, published in 2008, and served three years as editor in chief of Animation Magazine. Tom joined Rocket Los Angeles in 2021 to bring his experience to topics ranging from auto insurance to mortgages, real estate, loans, and personal finance. A native of Canada, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their two daughters.
Recent Articles
7-minute read
What are real estate property rights, and why do they matter?
Property rights determine your control over your home, land, and more. Learn the types of property rights in real estate and what each means for homeowners.
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5-minute read
Cost-of-living calculator
Can you maintain your current standard of living if you move to a new city? Calculate the cost of living between two cities to find out.
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6-minute read
The average cost to move cross-country (and how to save money)
Wondering how to budget relocating across multiple states? Learn the average cost to move across the country and how to save money on a long-distance move.
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7-minute read
How to calculate return on rental property
Learn how to calculate return on investment for rental properties, including formulas, examples, and tips to evaluate and improve your investment strategy.
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7-minute read
Buying a house with unpermitted work: What you need to know
Buying a house with unpermitted work requires extra steps. Learn about the risks, how it affects financing and insurance, and ways to protect your investment.
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4-minute read
How economic occupancy can help you maximize rental income
Economic occupancy helps real estate investors see whether their properties’ earnings match the full income potential. Find out about this key metric here...
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5-minute read
What is the average mortgage payment?
Wondering what you can expect for your monthly mortgage payments? Learn about the average mortgage payment and the factors that affect it.
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7-minute read
Property taxes by state: Ranked from highest to lowest in 2025
Compare property tax rates in all 50 U.S. states. Find out where taxes are highest and lowest in 2025, and see how much you might pay based on home value and lo...
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7-minute read
What is considered ‘debt’ when applying for a mortgage?
What is considered ‘debt’ when applying for a mortgage? Our guide describes what monthly debt payments lenders consider when approving a mortgage.
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