Real estate news
Buyers often face pro-rated property taxes
Friday, Jan. 29, 2010
Q: I signed an agreement to purchase my first home in November, and the deal closed a few days ago. Although the seller had paid this year’s property taxes in full, the closing statement shows that I had to pay $971 for part of the bill through my closing expenses. Did the closing agent screw up or, worse, try to rip me off? Read story.
Buyers should scrutinize home inspectors
Friday, Jan. 22, 2010
Q: We are buying our first home. You recently wrote that all buyers should make their purchase offer contingent on getting a satisfactory report from a professional home inspector, but how can we be sure that we hire a good one? Read story.
Home resale profit can remain tax-free
Friday, Jan. 8, 2010
Q: My wife and I have lived in the same house for the past 21 years, but now we are planning to sell it and then rent a home in a retirement community. Can we still keep up to $500,000 in our resale profit tax-free, or is this tax break only available to people who buy another house instead of renting one? Read story.
Interest rates should remain steady
Friday, Jan. 1, 2010
We are thinking about refinancing our mortgage. Would it be better to do it now, or to wait and see if interest rates will drop even farther? Read story.
Local home sales post increase in November
Tax credit brings more buyers to market, with 110 homes sold last month
Friday, Dec. 25, 2009
The end of 2009 brought holiday cheer for Lawrence-area real estate agents as they look to 2010. Read story.
3 North Poles, but only 1 is for tourists
Friday, Dec. 25, 2009
Q: Is there a real city called “North Pole,” or is it just a bunch of icebergs floating around at the top of the Earth? Read story.
Smart tax moves now can save thousands later
Friday, Dec. 18, 2009
Q: Our monthly mortgage payment is due at the start of each month. If we made our payment that is due on Jan. 1 now, would we be able to deduct the mortgage-interest portion of the payment on our 2009 income-tax return? Read story.
Sellers shouldn’t appear at open houses
Friday, Dec. 11, 2009
Q: We hired an agent two weeks ago to sell our home, and our first open house is scheduled for next weekend. We were planning to stay for the event and help show visitors around, but our agent says it would be better if we spent the afternoon somewhere else because being present for the event might hurt our chances of making a quick sale. What do you think? Read story.
Millions more eligible for homebuyers’ credit
Friday, Dec. 4, 2009
A new law has extended the valuable tax-credit program for first-time homebuyers, while also creating a new break for soldiers and other longtime homeowners who weren’t eligible for the credit under the previous Internal Revenue Service rules. Read story.
How did early settlers in America divide up, pay for land?
Friday, Nov. 27, 2009
When the first Pilgrims came to America, how did they divide up the land? How much did they pay? Read story.
Buyers should always order home inspections
Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
Q: I disagree with your recent statement that all buyers should make their offers contingent on first obtaining a satisfactory report from a professional home inspector. Read story.
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.
Program extension to help housing market
Monday, Nov. 2, 2009
An $8,000 tax credit continues to spur area residents to shop for and buy their first homes. Read story.
Swatch watch: The right paint chip may make you feel at home — or help you sell it
Monday, Oct. 12, 2009
Somewhere in America, there is a yellow house with a red dining room, orange living room, green kitchen and blue bedrooms. And the people living inside are excited when they eat dinner, comfortable when they watch television, calm when they open the refrigerator and feel safe when they sleep. 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.
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