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 [...]
If I pay back taxes on a property do I own it? This reader wants to know how the system works and if he becomes the property owner when he pays back taxes. Q: If I pay the back taxes on a property do I own it? My parents are about to lose our family [...]
Ilyce appeared on WGN's Steve Cochran Show in Chicago recently, and was inundated by listeners who wanted to know how to appeal their property taxes. Here are three steps you shouldn't miss if you want to successfully appeal your property taxes. Q: I heard Ilyce on the radio recently talking about how to lower your property [...]
In this email we received last week, an abusive mother is fighting with her disabled daughter, threatening to throw her out of the home they both own. The daughter wants to know if she can legally be thrown out of a home when she is on title and has helped maintain it and pay for [...]
If you own a home, you're probably thinking about the top tax benefits of homeownership. But you may not know how your single biggest asset (your home) can help you save on your tax bill. You probably already know that your biggest asset could also help you save on your taxes. It's the "how" that's [...]
Q: Should I stretch my budget to buy a house? I'm thinking about buying a first house but I'd have to really stretch my budget to afford it. And, to complicate things, I don't plan to stay in this first house more than for five years. Is it worth stretching my budget to buy if I'm [...]
A mild fall is one thing, but if you don't prep your home for winter, you could be putting your home value at risk. Prepping your home for winter means more than just digging out the shovels and filling a bucket with salt. A cold winter season can cause damage to your home and property, which translates [...]
Is homeownership still a part of the American Dream? Can we trust that the secondary mortgage market won’t collapse again like it did in 2008? Get answers to these questions by listening to this week’s episode of the Ilyce Glink Show. You can click the audio link below to listen to the full show, or [...]
Buying a home can be an exciting and overwhelming process. When all the paperwork’s been signed, you’ve moved in, and the dust has settled, you may be thinking twice about your choice in homeowners insurance. How soon after you buy your home can you switch insurance providers, what happens to the money you may have [...]
Growing up, I was constantly told that buying a home was the American Dream. When I was in the military, I was sometimes looked down upon because I was a renter, but it just made more sense for me at the time. Here are four reasons you might consider renting rather than buying a home: [...]
