How do I get rid of bats? Uninvited "guests" upset one homeowner. Q: How do I get rid of bats? I have a large colony of bats in my fireplace and some in my walls. Two weeks ago I alerted the property management and they sent out professionals. The professional sent them a report and [...]
Do renters make good neighbors? A condo owner wants to know if she should worry that her fellow owners rent out their homes. Q: I live in a nine unit self-managed condominium building. Over the years, the board members rented out their units. In one year, two units sold and a third unit is up [...]
What are the options for parents lending money to kids? How can you safely lend money to your kids and not run afoul of the law? Q: I read with interest one of your older articles online about the Dodd Frank Act and whether personal loans are subject to it. I want to lend money [...]
Is there a bird nest in your dryer vent? How can you prevent a bird from nesting in your dryer vent? Q: I live in an adult condominium community. There are sparrows that have built a bird nest in the dryer vents. The vents have four louvers. It is very easy for the birds to [...]
Settling an estate, condo sale and debts. These are the issues this family is facing two years after their son's death. What would you do? Q: My single son died two years ago. He had no children. His only assets were his condominium and the money he had in his 401(k) plan. His condo is [...]
Condo living: pros and cons of a small HOA Q: I purchased my condo in July 2021. Since then, the condo board put through a special assessment for $120 per month for the next 84 months to pay for “unsafe balcony” repairs. This was not disclosed at the time of my closing. Condo HOA is [...]
Buying a home with a family member can cause problems down the line. If you're buying a home with family doesn't always work. If you're buying with family members you can lose the value of your investment and the relationship with your family at the same time. Is it a good idea to buy a [...]
A reader asks: What is my home value? How does my home's value compare with others? How much is my home worth? Have I lost money? All homeowners ponder their home value. They wonder, "How much is my home worth?" With home values and skyrocketing over the past 5 years and mortgage interest rates climbing, [...]
How much can I afford for a home? With home prices skyrocketing over the past few years, home buyers are worried about affordability. Q: How much can I afford for a home? I retired in 2020. My long-term plan was to move to a single level home. I've delayed it due to Covid but hope [...]
Calculating capital gains on sale of a home is tricky. Especially if you've made improvements to the property. Not everyone enjoys calculating capital gains on the sale of a home. It requires keeping close track of the cost of improvements made to the property over the years. Over the past few weeks, we’ve fielded a [...]
