Home buying, selling and getting a mortgage in retirement. This reader wants to know how to time selling their home and getting financing for a new one. Q: I am single and have an 800+ credit score. I plan to retire in the next year or so and move to a small town in the [...]
Top 5 bathroom trends 2020. Homeowners are after high-tech features, eco-friendly flooring, spa-like styling, modern medicine cabinets and more. Do you ever find yourself daydreaming about renovating your master bathroom into a relaxing sanctuary with a spa-like feel? Or is it just me occasionally browsing through before and after photos of bathroom remodels admiring the [...]
Using an LLC to transfer property from parent to child. This reader wants to know how to avoid future gift taxes transferring property to their son’s LLC. Q: We are subscribers to Ilyce’s Expert Real Estate Tips YouTube channel. Thanks so much for sharing such good advice and tips. We jointly bought a rental property [...]
Can condo associations ban cannabis smoking in units? This reader wants to know how cannabis smoking can be prohibited if cigarette smoking isn’t. Q: I recently received a letter from my condo association about a proposed amendment to our condo declaration to ban cannabis smoking in our units. The letter states "The Condominium Act states [...]
How much commission do real estate agents make? Research shows a lack of commission rate transparency and negotiability at traditional real estate firms. Please note that this story has been updated to add in additional information that shows how real estate commissions get split between brokers and the real estate agents who work for them. [...]
I received a property tax bill after selling the house, now what? What happens when real estate taxes are still in the seller’s name years after closing? Q: I owned a house for six years and then sold it. It appears the new owners never put the home in their names. Three years later I [...]
Selling a house in disrepair: tax implications. This reader wants to know how selling a rundown family home will affect their income taxes. Q: I recently received title to a home from my brother by quitclaim deed. He purchased the home in 1982 from my parents who at the time were in financial trouble. My [...]
Retirement housing costs and the effects of inequality. Research from JCHS spotlights the financial challenges seniors face finding affordable housing. America’s aging population is facing considerable financial challenges when it comes to housing inequality. Research from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) underscores the severity of these challenges. The number of older adults [...]
How do water leak detectors work? How new technology uses artificial intelligence to detect water leaks and prevent water infiltration. Several months ago, we went to the Housewares show in Chicago. There were a couple of companies showing off their latest technology for detecting water leaks in homes. What Causes Water Infiltration? Water infiltration is [...]
Explaining California Prop 13 transfer rules. Proposition 13 capped property taxes at one percent, but what happens when you transfer home ownership? Q: The family trust has one piece of real estate in California. If a buyer wants to protect the low Proposition 13 basis, may he or she "buy" the trusteeship and pay the [...]
