When your short sale is a foreclosure in sheep’s clothing, what can you do to make sure you don’t lose any of your deposits? Here’s what I suggest. Q: I read with interest your definition of a short sale in a recent column in the real estate section of our paper. We have a contract [...]
These four financial resolutions for those buying a home in 2018, or those who wanna be home buyers can help them achieve their financial goals and move into that dream house. Home buyer demand is the strongest since 2000, according to a new survey from Genworth Mortgage Insurance. And, according the National Association of Realtors, [...]
Home buying in 2018? If you're looking to buy a home in 2018, you may be worse off than home buyers in 2017. Here's what you need to know. It’s been a rough couple of years for home buyers. At the beginning of 2016, we said, “be prepared to see higher prices and fewer homes [...]
A land contract purchase can cause confusion. When do you own the property? When does a land contract confer ownership? Q: I have a land contract to purchase my home in Flint, Michigan. I started to pay the seller, then after a few months my checks mailed to the seller were not being cashed [...]
Are you the victim of wire fraud? There are other financing options available that will still allow you to buy a home. Q: My wife and I recently moved and my son would like to buy our previous home (at a discount from the current market price). The home’s price and our capital gains are [...]
Is an inspection required when a home is gifted to you by a relative? This reader wants to know if she should get an inspection on the home that was gifted to her by a relative. Here’s what I suggest. Q: If a home is gifted to an adult child, does it need to be [...]
Can you keep the security deposit after a tenant breaks the lease? When a tenant breaks the lease on your rental property, you could be entitled to keep the security deposit based on your state’s laws. Q: Can I keep the security deposit my tenant gave me after he broke the lease? Here's what happened: [...]
Is a Free Timeshare a Gift or a Problem? When someone gifts you a timeshare, there are a lot of problems that come along with it. Q: I found a lady on Facebook from my town who owns three timeshares. She is retiring in 2019. She can’t sell one of her timeshare units and she [...]
Can a Condo Board Require Me to Pay For a Limited Common Element? When a common element of a property becomes a limited common element, can the condo association board force you to pay for it? Q: I just read your article on ThinkGlink.com relating to limited common elements in a condominium association, and I have [...]
Is the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act going to kill the housing market and tank home prices? With the passage of Tax Reform in the House of Representatives, real estate industry groups have gone on the warpath to prevent legislation they believe is ultimately damaging to real estate. Is tax reform going to kill the [...]
