Do I need a real estate attorney to buy a house? This reader can’t find a residential real estate attorney and wants to know how to proceed without one. Q: I have a goal of becoming a first-time homebuyer soon. I picked up Ilyce’s 100 Questions Every First-Time Homebuyer Should Ask book and found it [...]
Do you need a real estate agent to buy or sell a house? These readers bought their home and sold a vacant lot without the help of any real estate agents. Q: My husband and I sold a vacant lot in Texas this past year without any agents being involved. We have followed the market [...]
What happens when no one runs for the HOA board? This reader’s association doesn’t vote on board members, they step up whether they’re qualified or not. Q: I wanted to comment on your recent column in the Sarasota Herald Tribune relating to the use of a homeowners association (HOA) pool during COVID-19. Halfway through your [...]
Top 5 DIY home improvement projects during COVID-19. In 2020, these are the five most popular DIY home improvement projects homeowners took on during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ninety percent of homeowners have tried their hand at DIY home improvement projects since the onset of COVID-19 in the U.S. in 2020, and 64 percent of them [...]
Should I refinance my mortgage before retirement? This reader wants to know if they should take advantage of low interest rates even if they’re close to retiring and selling the home. Q: We borrowed $355,900 in 2007 for a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.25% and still owe $230,000. My wife is retired, and I plan [...]
Is title insurance a waste of money? The title company handling the purchase offered it and the homebuyer wants to know if it’s really necessary. Q: Have you ever heard of an "enhanced title?" A friend of mine is buying a home and the title company handling her purchase is offering that to her. I [...]
COVID-19 has changed the landscape when it comes to sales and marketing. Learn how to manage business development and increase your close rate in a world where the usual tools of business are no longer available. Join Ilyce Glink, WGN Radio's business correspondent and CEO of the award-winning financial wellness technology company Best Money Moves, [...]
5 tips for enjoying the holidays during COVID-19. How to get in the spirit of the holiday season and keeping everyone safe. COVID-19 makes every holiday a little scarier. Now that your spider web netting, scary masks and adorable kids costumes have been safely tucked away in storage, it’s time to turn our attention to [...]
How to approach neighbors to buy their house. This reader thinks neighbors might move out in the next decade and wants to indicate interest in buying the home. Q: I live in a suburb of Chicago and have two neighbors across the street who I have met a couple of times at block parties. Both [...]
What happens when a will and a quitclaim deed conflict? She quitclaimed her interest in the home when they split, but he never changed his will. Q: My friend prepared his will and specified that his house would go to his girlfriend. She had contributed money to the upkeep while they were together. At the [...]
