Home titles and property taxes: What you need to know to make sure you don’t end up with a defective deed. Q: We purchased a house and have been going through a lawyer to get our deed from the previous owner. In the meantime, we’ve been living in the house for well over a [...]
How to save money on your property taxes when moving within the same state. A tax assessment under your municipality's laws may help you save big bucks. Q: I thought you’d find the following information relevant concerning one of your recent correspondents. In that question, a homeowner was relocating within California and the reader wanted [...]
Can you sell a tax sale property back to the city? Probably not. But here are a few tips to make the most of your investment. Q: My son bid on a property at a tax sale in Philadelphia back in 2010. He found out after he bought it that the property had no value [...]
ThinkGlink.com publisher Ilyce Glink was recently interviewed by MoneyLife Radio host Chuck Jaffe about her latest book, 100 Questions Every First-Time Home Buyer Should Ask, fourth edition. Chuck, who for decades was a columnist and blogger for MarketWatch, said that the book is what he's going to give his own children when the time comes [...]
Do appliances increase the cost basis of your home? The short answer: it depends on your situation. Q: How can you say, as you did in a recent newspaper article, that putting in a new washer and dryer is an expense that would increase your basis in a condo? Aren't appliances simply replacements rather than [...]
Have you received a notification about unclaimed property? How to find an assignment of mortgage if you need to prove that unclaimed property from the mortgage company belong to you. Q: How do I find an assignment of mortgage to prove that the monies in the division of unclaimed property for my state belongs [...]
Tax reform has caused a lot of confusion in 2018 for taxpayers, tax-preparers, and homeowners looking to deduct home loan interest. The recent Tax Reform Act has caused consternation for taxpayers, tax-preparers and even syndicated columnists. In a recent column, we addressed the issue of the deductibility of interest in an equity line of credit [...]
What happens when property is promised to you but not written in the will? Depending on how the will is written, you may be out of luck. Here’s what you should know. Q: My father told my dying sister her husband would receive her portion of his estate, including his house, in the presence of [...]
Buying a home under the new tax laws can be a daunting task, especially since we still have so little information. Here is what you need to consider before buying. Q: I just read your article on what to expect in the real estate residential market for 2018. I liked your perspective and have a [...]
Ex-spouse uses home equity line of credit. If you didn’t change the name on the account during the divorce, they could be using your HELOC, and hurting your home’s worth in the process. Q: Can my ex-husband refinance our home equity line of credit (HELOC) without my consent? I have a signed quit claim deed [...]
