What can I do if my building isn’t following local COVID-19 rules? What you can do about it and how to keep yourself safe. Q: Our city maintains a list of states that have high COVID-19 cases and requires local residents or visitors to quarantine for two weeks after traveling to these states. One of [...]
Affordable housing options in 2020: granny flats and garage apartments aren’t a thing of the past, they’re in high demand all over the U.S. Affordable housing options are scarce all over the country. Americans working full-time at minimum wage can’t afford a one-bedroom rental in 95 percent of U.S. counties, according to a report by [...]
COVID-19 Pandemic: how can you enforce a quarantine? This reader wants to know how travel quarantines can be enforced in a 55+ condo development. Q: We live in Florida in a 55+ condominium development in Florida. Our question is whether residents who visit out-of-state folks need to quarantine themselves upon return. And, what about residents [...]
What do you do if you can’t afford a new septic system? These homeowners want to know their options if the town requires a replacement they can’t afford. Sign up for Ilyce Glink's free newsletter, Love, Money + Real Estate. Q: We found out a couple of months ago that the leach field of our [...]
How do you know if it’s worth it to refinance your mortgage? These homeowners want to know if they’re getting a good deal with their best offer. Q: When we bought our house, I read several of Ilyce's books and it not only empowered me to stand up to mortgage agents, it saved us tens [...]
Can you break a lease during COVID-19? This reader’s grandson rented an apartment near campus but fall classes are being held online. Q: In January, my grandson and three of his friends agreed to rent a 4-bedroom apartment near the campus starting in August, when school was supposed to resume. They signed the lease in [...]
What happens to the economy when the PPP runs out of money? This reader wants to know how another rise in unemployment will impact the economy. Q: I tried to call in to WGN radio when Ilyce was on a couple of weeks ago. Do you think unemployment will skyrocket when the Paycheck Protection Program [...]
How can I get out of my underwater mortgage? If my mortgage is underwater and the home is in disrepair, can I let the bank foreclose and move on? Q: I am a widow in my 70s and my mortgage is underwater. In addition, the house is in need of much repair. Can I just [...]
5 easy home improvement projects you can do during the COVID-19 pandemic. Simple DIY home improvement projects that homeowners can start on now. The past four months have felt like four years. Most of us have spent more time at home than ever before, and are quite sick of our four walls, floor and ceiling. [...]
COVID-19 housing impact: which homeowners are most vulnerable? New research spotlights housing markets that are most at-risk in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on many parts of the economy: Mortgage interest rates hit an all-time low last week (a 30-year fixed-rate loan can be had for an average of 2.98 percent) [...]
