Have real estate questions? Here, you’ll find helpful articles and other resources that cover issues related to real estate, buying, selling, financing, refinancing, credit and debt, insurance, second homes, vacation homes, real estate investment, new construction, and renovation.
The Pitfalls of Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship
The Pitfalls of Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship Stepmother leaves her father, but stays on title as joint tenants with rights of survivorship Q: My father passed away and my stepmom said that I could have the house. My father and my stepmom were married when he died but she left him over seven [...]
Electronic Vehicle (EV) Charging Concerns
Electronic Vehicle (EV) Charging Concerns Readers are concerned about electric vehicle (EV) charging in condominium buildings. Reader Comment on Electronic Vehicle Charging Concern - Fire You missed a very real concern with the questions of EVs charging – fire. Standard sprinklers will not extinguish a battery-based fire. Water can't smother it and even if it [...]
Capital Gains Tax on Real Estate
When do I have to pay capital gains tax on real estate? What's included when calculating the cost basis for his home and what costs of sale count. Q: I have a couple of capital gains tax questions regarding upgrades to my home. First, I had $400 worth of bushes installed last spring in my [...]
Common Elements in a Condo Association
What are the common elements in a condo association? What happens when one homeowner makes changes to common elements? And what happens when they don't check with the condo association board before making those changes? Q: I live in a rather small condominium building of seven units. As you can imagine, our finances are fairly [...]
Inheriting a Home: Options to Consider
Are you inheriting a home? There are several options to consider if you'll be the beneficiary of this sort of bequest and don't want to keep it. Inheriting a Home: To Keep or Sell Q: I read your column regularly and always find it very interesting and informative. I have a rather complicated question: My [...]
Investment Property Damaged By Tenants
Was your investment property damaged by tenants? If it was, can you recoup the costs to repair your investment property? Was Your Investment Property Damaged by Tenants? How Can You Recoup the Costs to Repair? Q: My wife and I bought a house in Maryland in early July 2022. The sellers wanted to stay in [...]
Neighbor’s House Fire Damaged My House
Neighbor's House Fire Damaged My House. Is our Neighbor Liable for the Damage? Q: We live in a townhouse. The unit attached to ours had a major fire. The fire also caused considerable damage to our home. We have been in temporary housing for the last 17 months waiting for our home to be restored. [...]
2023 Home Buyer Resolutions
Every year, Ilyce and Sam offer their readers New Year’s resolutions for home buyers, sellers and their personal finances. These are their 2023 Home Buyer Resolutions. My, how the tide is shifting for home buyers, sellers, renovators, investors, and owners. At the end of 2021, we wrote that “Covid is a trend accelerator.” When it [...]
2023 Home Seller Resolutions
Every year, Ilyce and Sam offer their readers New Year’s resolutions for home buyers, sellers and their personal finances. These are their 2023 Home Seller Resolutions. We feel like a broken record, but 2022 was still one of the best years on record for home sellers. Despite mortgage interest rates rising at an all-time blistering [...]
Getting Rid of a Timeshare Property
Options on Getting Rid of a Timeshare Property. Q: This is a comment regarding your article on getting rid of timeshare properties several months ago. I have two bits of information for disillusioned owners. Two of the major timeshare companies have a process where they can assist you in disposing of your timeshare ownership. Vistana [...]