Q: I am a homeowner in my early 70s. We purchased our current home a little over a year ago in a rural area of Wisconsin. We are considering going solar in order to better control our electric bills. There are tax and rebate incentives that make the upgrade to our home lucrative on paper [...]
Thinking of selling your home by owner? A by owner home sale can be tricky - unless you know how to do it. Here's a successful by owner home sale story. Q: I enjoy reading your column in our local paper. I sold my dad’s house on Facebook in three days. No sign, agents or [...]
Elder fraud or elder abuse? Godson worries his family is trying to steal his godfather's money Q: I'm wondering if someone is trying to steal my godfather's money. It could be a case of elder fraud or elder abuse. Here's what's happening: My godfather was put into assisted living by his family. He has a [...]
FSBO Selling A Home Fast Q: I'm a FSBO selling a home fast in Colorado. Do you have any tips or suggestions on how to do it quickly and efficiently? I've already tried listing it on some popular real estate websites, but I haven't had much luck. I'm thinking about working with a local real [...]
Family Money Home Renovation: Brother Fails to Pull His Fair Share in Home Renovation Q: I entered into a contract with my brother to renovate a house. The agreement was that we would be reimbursed for what we paid to renovate the home and then split the profit equally. The house was a disaster. I [...]
Sell and Rent Back: Is this a good idea for seniors? Q: I have owned a condominium in Sarasota, Florida since 1978 and it's been my permanent residence since 2004. The character of it has changed and my costs have gone up. However, at 90, I don't wish to move. I've been thinking of selling [...]
Am I required to pay tax on sale of foreign property? Q: I sold my house in my home country of Guatemala last year for around $90,000. The buyer paid me half of the sales price by wire transfer to my United States bank account. The other half was paid to me to an account [...]
Inheriting Property with Siblings? If you and your siblings are inheriting property from your parents or another family members, and everyone isn't on the same page about keeping or selling the property, you'll want to read this story. Distributing Assets Differently then Stated in the Will This week, we’re publishing comments and observations about two [...]
Every year, Ilyce and Sam offer their readers New Year’s resolutions for home buyers, sellers and their personal finances. These are their 2023 Home Seller Resolutions. We feel like a broken record, but 2022 was still one of the best years on record for home sellers. Despite mortgage interest rates rising at an all-time blistering [...]
Should You Plan a Move Before Retirement? How to handle a sale and purchase of a new home and move before retirement? Q: I used to listen to you on the radio in Atlanta and I’m hoping you can help me now. My husband is 65 and I’m 63. We live in a home that’s [...]
