A Realtor's Perspective

Lawsuits mount over drywall concerns

Friday, Nov. 6, 2009

We purchased a newly built home last year. Soon after we moved in, we and our two kids started noticing a weird “rotten-egg” smell that gave us constant headaches and sometimes made us vomit. Read story.

Lawmakers mull cuts to realty deductions

Friday, Oct. 2, 2009

Q: Is it true that Congress is thinking about reducing or even eliminating the tax deductions for mortgage-interest payments? Read story.

Buyers, sellers should welcome home inspections

Friday, Sept. 25, 2009

Q: You always advise buyers to make their offers contingent upon receiving a satisfactory report from a professional home inspector, but are such inspections required by law? Read story.

Habitat ReStores offer bargains on materials

Friday, Sept. 11, 2009

There are several ways to save money when launching a new construction or remodeling job. One of the best is to shop at the “ReStores” that are operated by the nation’s largest not-for-profit housing group, Habitat for Humanity. Read story.

Home equity may affect college aid options

Friday, Sept. 4, 2009

Our son has just started his senior year in high school, but we have already received the various forms to fill out so we can try to get some financial aid to send him to college. Our home is worth about $150,000 more than what we paid for it several years ago. Will this affect our family’s ability to get the most financial aid possible? Read story.

New rule puts limits on lender setup fees

Friday, July 31, 2009

I want to apply for a loan to buy a house, so I visited the bank that I have done business with for almost 20 years. Read story.

First-time buyers win with tax credit

Friday, July 24, 2009

Q: My wife and I would like to purchase our first home. Could you please explain how the new $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time buyers works? Read story.

If contract allows, buyer can cancel

Friday, July 10, 2009

Q: We made an offer to purchase a house, and included a contingency that would allow our attorney to cancel the deal within three business days upon her review of the contract. Read story.

Financial advice for real-life problems

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Over the years, I’ve found that people end up in financial trouble not just because they don’t have enough money. It’s because of poor decision-making. Read story.

Bounced check no harm to credit

Friday, June 26, 2009

Q: I am planning to refinance my mortgage. I am self-employed, and a $4,000 check that one of my clients wrote for some work I did was sent back to me because he didn’t have enough money in the bank to cover the $4,000. Read story.

Tell insurer about remodeling to get full coverage

Friday, June 19, 2009

We did a fairly small ($6,000) remodeling job on our house in 2007. Now we are planning a bigger job that will involve lots of construction, including the addition of two new bedrooms and bathrooms. Are we required to report this information to our insurance company? Read story.

Co-owning can be dicey if 1 wants out

Friday, June 12, 2009

My twin brother and I inherited our parents’ home after they died in the 1990s, and we have been renting it to tenants for the past several years. The mortgage was paid off in 2001. I would now like to sell the place and use my share of the proceeds to start a business, but my brother wants to hold on to it and keep renting it out. We hold title to the property as joint tenants, so I cannot simply sell my half-interest to someone else. What can I do? Read story.

Unpaid property-tax bill could spur foreclosure

Friday, June 5, 2009

Although our mortgage loan payments are up-to-date, we did not have the cash to pay the final installment on our property-tax bill due in April. Our lender has threatened to begin foreclosure proceedings if the tax bill is not paid immediately. Can the bank do this, even though our loan payments have been made on time? Read story.

Renters should consider options after job loss

Friday, April 17, 2009

Q: I signed a one-year lease for a home last November, but lost my job in January. My unemployment benefits barely cover half the monthly rent, and what little savings I had are almost gone. Read story.

Costs to increase for FHA loans

Friday, Oct. 3, 2008

The Federal Housing Administration is boosting the cost of its most popular loan-insurance program. The increase will cost many home buyers hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Read story.

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