Can you keep the security deposit after a tenant breaks the lease? When a tenant breaks the lease on your rental property, you could be entitled to keep the security deposit based on your state’s laws. Q: Can I keep the security deposit my tenant gave me after he broke the lease? Here's what happened: [...]
After a homeowner dies, the large remaining mortgage balance may entice you to call the lender and negotiate new terms. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. Q: My father died of cancer in January 2017. He is the only one on the mortgage with a big box lender. I was a joint tenant with rights of [...]
Is a Free Timeshare a Gift or a Problem? When someone gifts you a timeshare, there are a lot of problems that come along with it. Q: I found a lady on Facebook from my town who owns three timeshares. She is retiring in 2019. She can’t sell one of her timeshare units and she [...]
Can a Condo Board Require Me to Pay For a Limited Common Element? When a common element of a property becomes a limited common element, can the condo association board force you to pay for it? Q: I just read your article on ThinkGlink.com relating to limited common elements in a condominium association, and I have [...]
Real estate development inheritance costs heirs money. This reader expected a windfall and is wondering how to turn a money-losing situation into something that's at least breakeven. Q: My husband inherited a private development in West Virginia that his father owned. How does one go about starting a homeowners' association (HOA) for something like that? [...]
There are friendly and not-so-friendly divorces. But if your ex-spouse can't pay the mortgage because he lost his job, should you step forward and offer to pay off the remaining amount and give him the house just to be completely done? What's the price of being done? What would you do? Q: I have been [...]
Is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act going to kill the housing market and tank home prices? With the passage of Tax Reform in the House of Representatives, real estate industry groups have gone on the warpath to prevent legislation they believe is ultimately damaging to real estate. Is tax reform going to kill the [...]
When a parent adds their children to the title of their home - and later sells that home - the tax implications for the children are complicated. Q: I read somewhere that what my mother did by putting her kids on the title to her home with her was wrong. How can the title be [...]
When a vacant lot in a depressed area becomes seemingly unsellable, a lot of creative thinking and hard work is needed to get the property off your hands. Q: Six years ago, I inherited a vacant lot from my dad when he died. My dad purchased this lot in 1963. However, he never did anything [...]
Many factors have to be considered when your lender backs out of a mortgage before you can take action against them. Here are a few that this reader and I want you to remember. Q: I’m writing in regards to your response to a reader’s question that was published in my local paper several [...]
