When you sign an apartment lease, you agree to uphold the terms of that document. Some municipalities have landlord-tenant ordinances that give additional rights to tenants, but a tenant can't decide to terminate their lease without taking the proper steps to do so. Q: I have a small question, I'm from Cleveland, Ohio. I had [...]
Is there a good way to define a rental unit as long-term or temporary? As this correspondent finds, there can be several different definitions. Q: This question may seem odd, it has been hard for me to research it and I hope you can help. I am trying to determine a realistic and reasonable definition [...]
Wondering what threats await real estate this year (and in the future)? Scott Muldavin, Chair of the Counselors of Real Estate (CRE), ran down his annual list at this year's National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) conference, in Denver. This story features the first 5 threats to real estate. Real Estate Threat #1 - [...]
What is your “forever” home? And, how old will you be when you buy it? Turns out, the magic age to buy forever homes, the home in which you will ostensibly spend the rest of your life, is anytime after you turn 52, according to the 2017 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report, published [...]
What is a lot line adjustment? Is this an easy way to transfer property between neighbors? What goes into a lot line adjustment? Q: My neighbor owns his property with no liens and no disputes. We have reached an agreement for me to purchase part of it with cash. I have heard that a lot [...]
What happens when your parents die and you discover an unpaid home equity loan with an extremely high interest rate? This person inherited a house, which is in probate, but also discovered what looks like a 30-year home equity loan that carries such a high interest rate that the loan balance is never paid down. [...]
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 [...]
What are the terms under which your professional home inspector is inspecting the house you want to buy? Liability caps on home inspections aren't wrong, but good home inspectors should disclose this information before they're paid. Q: I was buying a house and hired a home inspector. We went through the whole inspection and I [...]
When is it a mistake to refinance your mortgage? Only if you don't know this mortgage secret: Your amortization schedule will "reset" each time you refinance your mortgage, unless you opt to refinance at a lower rate for a shorter term length. In this case, your monthly mortgage payment tends to rise, however. Q: Did [...]
