Total Number of News: 5396
  • 10/6/2008 - Real Estate News
    Buying fixer-upper? Don't expect goldmine
    Fixer-upper properties come in many varieties. Cosmetic fixers usually offer the biggest return on your investment. And, they tend to be a lot less costly than homes that require major renovation. An ideal cosmetic fixer would be a house that had been s...
  • 10/6/2008 - Real Estate News
    Walkaway paves path to prison
    DEAR BENNY: I know someone who has qualified to obtain a second house by stating that he will rent his first house; however, he has no intentions of actually renting it. Upon obtaining the new house, he plans to walk away from the first house, letting ...
  • 10/6/2008 - Real Estate News
    Americans rush to judgment on 'bailout'
    Whenever government is involved in a program to assist a private firm in trouble, much of the press reports it as a "bailout." Back in the 1980s when the savings and loan industry was in trouble, the operations of the Resolution Trust Corpora...
  • 10/3/2008 - Real Estate News
    Deck railings become fun and exciting
    Deck railings can do a lot for the appearance and especially the safety of any outdoor deck. So when designing and building your new deck, there are a number of things to take into consideration. MEETING THE BUILDING CODES The first thing you want t...
  • 10/3/2008 - Real Estate News
    Don't forfeit home because of back taxes
    Q: Several years ago my father deeded his home to me and two of my siblings. Our understanding was that he would pay the real estate taxes and the insurance premiums. The mortgage on the home has been paid off for some time, and my father still lives ...
  • 10/2/2008 - Real Estate News
    Can whistleblowing rental manager be fired?
    Q: I am a tenant and also the manager for our apartment building. I've just been fired from the manager's job, and given a termination notice, too. Here's what happened: The owner has been refurbishing rental units as they come vacant, having our maint...
  • 10/2/2008 - Real Estate News
    Readers describe short-sale troubles
    My mailbox is full of questions from homeowners trying to complete short sales. Here are two fairly common situations I'm hearing about: Q: I signed a contract for an alleged "short sale." The price of the house is listed online at $280,000....
  • 10/2/2008 - Real Estate News
    Lesser of two evils: short sale or tenant?
    Q: I bought a house about four years ago, and relocated for work last year. My old house has been on the market for almost a year. I thought about renting it, but I really don't want to deal with tenants from a long distance. The place is almost fully ...
  • 10/1/2008 - Real Estate News
    Termite damage a nightmare to fix
    Q: I had a termite inspection done on my home. Now I must find a reputable contractor to do the work. The work to be done is extensive, and I feel it will be costly. The termites have damaged the rim joist, mudsill and subfloor in the subarea. Termite ...
  • 10/1/2008 - Real Estate News
    Purchase offers are for buyers to decide
    In a recent column, a seller wrote in that his agent had a buyer for his house at the full asking price. The only quirk in the deal? The seller -- not the buyer -- wrote up the full-price offer. The seller wanted to know if I had heard of this practice...