How Do I Avoid Lowering My Credit Score? Q: I am widowed, retired, love to travel and grateful I have the wherewithal to do so. I am looking at getting an airline credit card to take advantage of their 75,000 point offer that my daughter says is worth around $750. I already have way more [...]
HOA Ignores Condo Owner What can you do when the homeowner association (HOA) ignores mentally unstable and violent owner? Q: I hear Ilyce on the radio often and figured maybe the guru of all things having to do with money and real estate might help me. I am a condo owner in Illinois and have [...]
Title Issues Cloud Estate Step-daughter wonders why lender failed to add her to title and what she can do now Q: Early last year, my stepmom and I had a meeting with her loan company to figure out what the easiest way to pass her home to me when she died. I know nothing about [...]
HOA Board Member Causing Trouble Q: We have a new HOA board member who is very troublesome and off the wall with regard to rules and regulations. I am a board member along with one other person. The actions and language of the new board member with vendors and the other owners are offensive. We [...]
Do Solar Panels Help Sell a Home? Q: We're thinking of moving to a senior living development in a few years, so we'll be selling our house. We've gotten quotes for solar and think it's the thing to do regardless of whether we'd use it long enough to pay off the initial investment. I thought [...]
Condo Reserves A Growing Issue: Part I of II It’s expensive to own any type of home. You’ve got the mortgage, homeowners insurance, property taxes, maintenance and upkeep. You may also, if you buy in a subdivision, have some sort of homeowner’s association fee to pay. In an era where affordability is an issue, with [...]
HOA Problems After suing his HOA, a reader wants to know if he's really been banned from contacting HOA management or the Board. Q: I know you’ve answered a lot of questions about HOAs in the past. But I haven’t seen you address my particular situation: Would a lawsuit against our condo association, whether I [...]
Signing Legal Documents Whether you're signing a mortgage or a trust, you might need an original signature. Q: Just read your story where the writer said that his/her mother wants to put her house into a living trust. Excellent article! I’d like to add one thing that I’m sure that you know, but many people [...]
My View is Blocked: What Can I Do? A reader bought a lot 50 years ago with an unobstructed view. Then, trees grew. Q: Fifty years ago, I purchased a lot in a community in Maryland. I paid a higher price for this lot due to its better view. Several years after buying the lot, [...]
Open Floor Plan: Not Everyone's a Fan What if you want to find a traditional house that isn't one big room? Q: I know this isn't your usual type of question, but when on earth are people going to stop tearing down supporting walls in their houses in the quest for an open floor plan? [...]
