What happens to unclaimed good faith deposits? As this loyal reader points out, there are many options which vary depending on your location. Q: Every Sunday morning, your article is one of the first two or three that I read in my local paper. Thank you for enlightening me and the public on real estate [...]
If you want to take out a loan on an inherited home, finding the right lender and knowing your credit score can start you off on the right path. Q: My grandparents passed away years ago. Then, last year, my mother passed. My grandparents owned a home and I paid a title company to complete [...]
Does seller disclosure cover plumbing problems? If there was misrepresentation on the disclosure sheet, you may have a case. Q: Three months ago, I bought a house. I didn’t have a septic inspection. A few days ago, the septic pump failed. I had it pumped, then had a plumber come to inspect. He found that [...]
What to consider before purchasing property for friends. No matter how long you’ve known them, a detailed title and promissory note are always necessary. Q: My father purchased a fixer-upper for a friend and hand-wrote a mortgage payment plan they both agreed upon. Well, after a few payments, the buyers stopped making the mortgage payments. [...]
Is it a good time to buy a home in 2019? It just might be. It might also be a good time to sell. This morning, Fannie Mae released its March 2019 Home Purchase Sentiment Index, which is a composite index designed to track consumers’ housing-related attitudes, intentions and perceptions, using six questions from the [...]
What is a deed of trust? This document often confuses homeowners, especially after they pay off their mortgage. Here’s what you need to know. Q: Thank you for your recent article about transferring ownership of a home among family owners. My question is simpler. I recently paid off my mortgage and received a Certificate of [...]
Are you ever too old to buy your first home? Of course not! Just make sure you understand what’s required of you as a homeowner and a real estate investor before you buy. Q: I am almost 61 years old and single. I moved to Baltimore and would like to buy a small two-flat to [...]
Should a family member be your Realtor and charge commission for selling your home? Before you ask your family member for a commission discount, think of what it really takes to get a home sold. Q: Should my brother-in-law charge commission for selling my mother's house? Should a Family Member Acting As Your Realtor Charge [...]
When it comes to common plumbing problems, here’s one you won’t see that often: a reader’s condo doesn’t have cold running water in the kitchen. How do you resolve this (un) common plumbing problem? It may not be that easy, and there’s a question about whether the seller knew there was a plumbing issue before [...]
What to do when you have home buyers remorse. Should you go ahead and sell the home or consider being a landlord? Q: Four years ago, as a first-time homeowner, I bought a single family home in the D.C. metro area. I hate to admit this, but I failed at the due diligence portion of [...]
