Buying a flipped house: nightmare. This homebuyer discovered a host of expensive repairs right after moving into their new home. Buying a Flipped House: Nightmare Q: My question relates to buying a house that was flipped. I searched Ilyce’s website and only found articles for those who were flipping houses, not for buying what turns [...]
5 best states to retire in 2020. After weighing nearly 50 factors in each state, WalletHub determined this is best state to retire in 2020. At the end of your career, there are two big questions you need to answer: When should you retire, and where should you spend your retirement years? These are both [...]
Top kitchen trends to watch in 2020. The latest kitchen trends homeowners planning a remodel, renovation or home improvement project should know about. It’s all about the island when it comes to kitchen renovations, according to the 2020 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study. Houzz surveyed 2,600 homeowners in the U.S. who are in the midst of, [...]
3 tips for financial success in 2020. Make improving your financial wellness and preparing for an economic downturn a top priority this year, here's why. How Are Your Personal Finances Doing? How Much Have They Changed Over the Past 10 Years? Overall, average income hasn’t increased much over the past ten years, while home values [...]
What happens if you inherit a house with a mortgage? These readers want to know what to do if the mortgage exceeds the value of the property. Q: My husband's stepmother added him to the title to her home prior to death. She added him as a joint tenant with rights of survivorship. We understand [...]
Real estate insights on commission splits and exclusive buyer agents. Real estate market insiders give their take on trending topics. Over the past few weeks, we’ve had several responses to columns that have run, especially the one that explained in greater detail how real estate agent and broker commissions work. Real Estate Insights on Residential [...]
First-time home buying tips for 2020. A look at the real estate market heading into 2020 and four tips for homebuyers in the new year. In a few days, we’ll start a new decade. Rarely has a decade produced the kind of wild swings in residential real estate prices as we’ve seen over the past [...]
How to leave property to a child. This reader wants her daughter to inherit her home, but doesn’t want her to have to go through probate. Q: I am a 77-year old widowed woman. I have a house with a mortgage that I purchased a little over a year ago. At the closing, I asked [...]
Can a board of directors change the bylaws? This townhome owner is worried about the board redoing the declaration and bylaws without owner approval. Q: I live in a townhouse community. Our association’s board of directors is redoing our declaration and by-laws without approval of the owners. They say they are just bringing the language [...]
How are capital losses deducted? This reader wants to know how to go about claiming long-term capital losses on income taxes. Q: My wife and I sold two adjacent properties via quit claim deeds this year. We originally bought the properties in 1994 for $20,000, ($10,000 each) as an investment. We thought we’d build rentals [...]
