How is my homeowner's insurance premium determined? Homeowners Insurance pricing is complicated making it difficult to choose the best policy. Q: We put in a bid on a 1920s home in the Chicago area for $275,000. I called my insurance company to get a quote and they told me it would cost around $1,800 a [...]
How do you navigate new rental rules from your condo association and is it possible to be grandfathered into the old rules? Q: We are buying a vacation condo which we plan to use in the winter months, but also hoped to rent it in other months. We just learned that the condo association has [...]
What can you do when you discover an old oil tank leak on your recently purchased property? Your options may be limited, especially with the title company. Q: I bought an investment property located on the edge of a river. Apparently, years ago, a nearby oil tank leaked. The tank was not disclosed in the [...]
Buyer’s Remorse: Is it a bargain or a bad idea? Sponsored posts from influencers and ads in social media streams motivate Americans to buy into the hype. It’s the time of year when cash and credit fly around freely. But, it’s also the season of buyers remorse. It probably won’t surprise you to learn that [...]
Where is the safest city in America? On the east coast, in a smaller metropolitan area with lower home prices, a boon for home buyers and investors. After comparing more than 180 cities across 39 key indicators of safety (like assaults per capita and road quality), WalletHub determined that Columbia, MD is the safest city [...]
Making the most out of the sale of an underwater investment property can be difficult, especially in a competitive housing market. Here’s how to get started. Q: I bought a home as an investment for $450,000 with several partners back in 2006. We intended to buy it, knock it down and redevelop the property. That [...]
What can you do when the seller won’t leave the new home that you’ve already closed on? First, take a look at the closing documents, then call your lawyer. Q: We just closed on a house but the sellers have not vacated the property on our agreed terms. They were supposed to be completely out [...]
These homeowners want to know how their homeowner association fees are determined for a large neighborhood that restricts access to some areas the association maintains. Q: Hi, I enjoy reading your column in our local newspaper. I live in a homeowner’s association that is aggressive. We have around 250 homes and some of the homes [...]
How do you decide if a home equity loan is right for you? An honest look at your current debts and a talk with your mortgage lender may be able to help. Q: We’re thinking that we don’t want to move forward with a home equity loan we applied for. We’re pretty far along in [...]
When’s the best time to buy a house? ATTOM Data Solutions analyzed over 18 million single-family home and condo sales over the past 5 years for the answer. If you plan to close on a home purchase soon, you’re in luck! Seven of the 10 best days to buy a house are in December. The [...]
