Buying or selling a home involves negotiation at all stages of the process whether you like it or not. It’s not like going to the store where you decide to buy something and then just pay for it. Emotions get involved that could affect the negotiations adversely and it is easily the most expensive purchase […]
Even with taking the standard deduction instead of itemizing to take the interest and property tax deduction, homeowners still have considerable advantages from the amortization of the mortgage and the appreciation enjoyed by most homes. There is a saying, “Rent or buy, you pay for the house you occupy.” Either you pay for it yourself […]
Many homeowners have had to rethink the way they live in their home over the last two months with the stay at home or shelter in place orders. Your home has now become an office for working, a school for your children, a gym for working out, and a place for recreation. With all this […]
Willie Sutton was an American bank robber and he was asked why he robbed banks. He answered, “because that is where the money is!” He stole about $2 million during his 40-year career. However, internet scammers are stealing much more by using phishing schemes and preying on unsuspecting home buyers. These scammers know where to […]
These are unsettling times and buyers and sellers have a concern about keeping virus-free and staying healthy like the rest of us. To keep everyone safe, these new showing procedures should be considered before walking into a home. Agents are reporting that they are selling homes where the buyers have not physically been in the […]
Baby boomers are getting older. They are retiring and staying home more and more. Television ads with your old favs Tom Selleck, Henry Winkler and Robert Wagner come and trying to convince you to consider a reverse mortgage. This is where you basically sell your home to the bank and they let you live there […]
Five percent of all homebuyers choose not to work with an agent. They conduct their own home search, contact the sellers, negotiate their contract, locate their financing and arranged inspections. All these services are provided by a Realtor®. If you had to think about what motivated them to do all this work, it would have […]
As you prepare to file your 2019 taxes, it is important to note that the standard deduction for 2019 was raised to $12,200 for single taxpayers and $24,400 for married filing jointly. Married filing separately pays the same as single. As you work through your taxes, whether by professional or by tax program on your […]
If you invest in or have a company-sponsored 401k, 403b or have a life insurance policy, you may know that you can borrow funds against these sources. Alternatively, you cannot borrow against the funds in a traditional or Roth IRA without incurring a 10 percent penalty before 59 ½ unless you use it for one […]
When purchasing a home, the largest expenditure you will have is the down payment. This payment can range from zero, if you are a veteran, to 3.5, 5, 10 and even 20 percent. When you get a mortgage, you will also get closing costs which will add another 2-4 percent that must be paid in […]
