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: [...]
Denver’s real estate market is rapidly growing, but what is driving that market and why is it becoming a millennial haven? Q: I recently heard you on the air talking about rental construction in Denver. I just visited my two boys there, and I saw all the cranes up close. I wonder: who is filling [...]
For many people, like this commenter, the "American Dream" has been to own a home. But even with interest rates at near historic lows, affordability is still a serious problem. Q: I’ve been reading your column with all the letters from homeowners who have all kinds of problems. They sound as though they’d rather be renting [...]
When you sign an apartment lease, you agree to uphold the terms of that document. Some municipalities have landlord-tenant ordinances that give additional rights to tenants, but a tenant can't decide to terminate their lease without taking the proper steps to do so. Q: I have a small question, I'm from Cleveland, Ohio. I had [...]
Is there a good way to define a rental unit as long-term or temporary? As this correspondent finds, there can be several different definitions. Q: This question may seem odd, it has been hard for me to research it and I hope you can help. I am trying to determine a realistic and reasonable definition [...]
When transferring rental property to your child, is it better to sell it to them or leave it to them in a will? Both ways have their advantages and disadvantages. Q: First, I always enjoy reading your advice column in the Torrance CA Daily Breeze home guide magazine. Your article today, "Selling a rental property [...]
How can you avoid paying taxes when selling a rental property to a child? You could try an installment sale. Q: We have a rental property that we would like to sell to our son and his wife. The problem is that we have not lived in the house as our primary residence for the [...]
Are we now living in a Landlord Nation? If you look at who owns rental property in America, you might think that more people are renting than are owners, although that isn't the case. In addition to our primary residence, we own one and a half rental properties. That is, we own one by ourselves [...]
Q: I am a 55 and own a house in Chicago. I decided to change my career and to pursue a PhD beginning in the fall of 2018. Meanwhile, I just accepted a 1-year position in Seattle, and am not sure after my year away whether I will return to Chicago, stay in Seattle, or potentially [...]
Finding the right apartment to rent is tough enough. Renting an apartment on a budget is even tougher. Between the application fees, moving fees and stress of finding the right apartment (in the right neighborhood and at the right price), the best thing you can do is carefully figure out how much you can afford [...]
