Got homeowner association problems? You're not alone. Here's what you can do. Q: I read the article you wrote about first-time homebuyers and homeowner associations. The State of Florida has a lot of gated communities and along with that typically comes a powerful homeowners association (HOA). Unfortunately, I didn't know that when I moved and [...]
Does Paying Property Taxes Give Ownership of the Home? Q: Someone paid my deceased uncle's property taxes before I could pay them. Does this mean that person now owns the property? The property has a mortgage on it. What should I do next? Does paying property taxes mean you own a home? A: Here’s the [...]
HOA: Can we shut down our HOA? What can a small community do if no one wants to step up and manage the homeowner association? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCg1nR3GzfU Q: We live in a small townhome community of 24 houses in Maryland. We have a homeowner’s association (HOA), and it is generally very mellow, without any [...]
Do we owe tax on the sale of our parents' home? Paying tax on the sale of your parents' home can be costly if you don't plan ahead. Q: My parents gave their house to their children but continued to live in it and pay all expenses related to the home. Life happened, and my [...]
What to do when your homeowners association is making life difficult? What do HOA's do? Q: I read the article you wrote about first-time homebuyers and homeowners associations. The State of Florida has a lot of gated communities and along with that typically comes a powerful homeowners association (HOA). Unfortunately, I didn't know that when [...]
Will my son inherit the house? Q: I purchased a house with my married son several years ago for him to live in. My husband and I gave him the money for the down payment. Only my credit was checked when we purchased it. Both my son's name and my name are on the deed [...]
What to do with inherited property that is leased? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeQ0uX-Li4w Tenants, leases, and inherited property. What happens when you inherit property but it comes with a tenants? Are there options for handling with this lease? Q: My brother and I inherited several acres of commercial property from our parents. The land came with [...]
What are some common homeowner association problems? So many homeowners have problems with their homeowner association. Whether you live in a condo, co-op, a townhome or subdivision, each version of a homeowner association has a set of common problems that everyone will face. Sometimes it's mismanagement of the homeowner association itself or the association hires [...]
Selling a home outside the U.S.? You may owe taxes to the IRS. Q: I sold my house in my home country of Guatemala last year for around $90,000. The buyer paid me half of the sales price by wire transfer to my United States bank account. The other half was paid to me to [...]
Am I required to pay tax on sale of foreign property? Q: I sold my house in my home country of Guatemala last year for around $90,000. The buyer paid me half of the sales price by wire transfer to my United States bank account. The other half was paid to me to an account [...]
