Month: December 2018

  • Novice investor needs help with where to start

    Reader Question: I would like to get a home ready to rent but I don’t know where to start. I am a novice investor. Structurally the house is sound, but it has been neglected and needs to be cleaned up! The kitchen and master bathroom needs updating, and an in-ground pool and fencing need to…

  • Home Seller Seeks Negotiation Advice

    Reader Question: I need negotiation advice. ​I own a duplex and occupy one of the units. I have accepted an offer from a buyer for the property. My tenant’s lease extends eight months past the date of closing. I have negotiated a rent back to stay in my unit until the end of my current tenant’s…

  • Should a Homeowner Allow Others to Use Property

    Question: Should I as a Homeowner Allow Others to Use Property I own? I own a home that sits on about one-and-a-half acres that is very close to a high school. The back part of my plot is a twenty thousand square foot plot that was a fallow cornfield when we moved in. The agricultural…

  • Are real estate appraisals flawed?

      Reader Question: ​Why do​ appraisals use comparative analysis as a means for valuing a home? This approach is flawed as most of the time they do not take into consideration the upgrades one has made in their home, plus the layout of the yard and landscaping that enhances one’s home. Why don’t they use…

  • Unsold home frustrating – should we give up?

    Reader Question: We want to sell our house to move closer to our families. Our home was listed two months ago. We interviewed multiple agents, and all agreed the house would sell fast because of the price range and the excellent neighborhood. We set the price toward the low end to sell quickly. Several people…