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Noteworthy Articles Re: Condo
Ownership
By Harvey S. Jacobs, Washington Post, Page
F02 7/10/10
The federal government's Home Affordable
Foreclosure Alternatives program, or HAFA, announced in April,
may actually achieve some success where its predecessors have
failed.
.
By Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin,
Washington Post,6/19/10, Page E04
We are selling our home in Maryland, and it
is listed for $499,900. We're willing to offer $10,000 to the
buyer, and we're wondering whether we should offer to pay
$10,000 toward closing costs or reduce our price by $10,000.
Which benefits us most as sellers?
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page E01
If you're thinking about applying for a home
mortgage, here's some important news: Beginning June 1, your
lender is likely to order a second full credit screening
immediately before closing.
Some tax issues to
consider on mortgage
write-downs
Kenneth R. Harney,
Page E01
With the Obama
administration and private lenders actively considering
mortgage principal-reduction programs to help financially
distressed homeowners, the Internal Revenue Service has issued
a new advisory to taxpayers who receive -- or seek to receive
-- such assistance.
What sellers can
expect from participating lenders starting in
April:
By Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J.
Tamkin, Page E05
By Kimberly Lankford,
Page G03
Q: We lived in our house
for about 1 1/2 years. Then we moved out of state and did not
sell our house because the price would have been less than
what we owed on our mortgage. So we rented it out and sold it
for a big loss almost two years later. Now we're wondering
whether we can claim the loss on...
Kenneth R. Harney, Page
E01
If you're thinking about
applying for the new $6,500 federal tax credit for repeat home
buyers or the extended $8,000 version for first-time buyers,
here's some news: The IRS has just issued its first formal
guidelines for you.
By Benny L. Kass, Page
E03
If you plan to buy into a
condominium association -- or if you already own and plan to
refinance the mortgage -- you should be aware of the new rules
published by the Federal Housing
Administration.
Should You Buy That Condo?
(Check tabs to left to see
how we stack up)
By Benny L. Kass,
WashPost 10/16/09 Page E06
Q After living in the
Washington area my entire life (I'm now 68), my wife and I
retired to another state in January 2007. We tried to sell our
Virginia condo while purchasing a new home where we now live.
The D.C. market was in bad shape, and we were unable to sell.
We decided to rent our condo...
Maryland Condo
Owners may have to pay up to $5,000 if a fire or hazard causes
damages to their own unit
How Can Condo Residents
Protect Themselves From Deadbeats
Condo Boards Take on
Lenders
Condo Buyers May Have New
Way to Leave Contracts
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page E01
You might assume it's just another
boring-looking piece of the paper blitz you're hit with when
applying for a home loan. But given the new prominence of IRS
Form 4506-Ts in the fraud-shocked mortgage market, it's much
more than just another document to sign.
In the Eye of the Appraiser: With Cautious
Banks and New Rules, a House's Valuation is No Longer a Sure
Thing.
With Cautious Banks and New Rules, a
House's Valuation is No Longer a Sure Thing
By Renae Merle, Page
E01
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page E01
If you're applying for a loan to purchase a
primary or secondary home, or planning to refinance, you
should be aware of a little-publicized new set of federal
consumer-protection rules that takes effect
July 30.
Jack Guttentag
The relationship between making extra
mortgage payments and refinancing.
DIY Rental
Repairs Fixing up
an apartment without permission from the landlord can be a
costly mistake.
Assessing Your
Options Here are some tools to help you
sort through the decision to refinance
Could Mortgage Preapproval Hurt Your
Credit Score?
Shop Around Wisely for a
Loan
By Alan Zibel, Page F07
If you love to cook, but are afraid of buying
or renting a place with a kitchen the size of a phone booth,
fear not. A small kitchen doesn't have to be a big drawback if
you use your space creatively.
Enlarge Small Rooms With Fold-Up
Furniture, Shelving
By Alan Zibel, Page F07
If you have a tiny room that you're thinking
about as a bedroom for your child or a guest, getting the most
out of a small space is a challenge but not an insurmountable
one.
It's Taking
Longer and Longer to Sell. Here's How Some Owners
Cope.
By Kirstin Downey,
Page F01
With Credit
Tight, Buyers, Sellers Rediscover Renting to
Own
By Alejandro Lazo,
Page F01
By Kenneth R. Harney,
Page F01
By Benny L. Kass, Page
F04
Two of the most
important documents for home buyers are getting a long-awaited
overhaul.
How Best to Sell Vacant
Home Depends on Why It's That Way
By Dan Rafter, Page F01
By Anne Kates Smith, Page
F03
Appraisers are supposed to be
the market's gatekeepers. But who are they really working for?
Good overview by Rob
Pegoraro, Page D02
How to survive a computer's hard drive
crash.
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page F01
By Benny L. Kass, Page F02
If you are planning to sell your
vacation home in the next few years, you might want to move in
and treat it as your principal residence as soon as possible.
This summer's housing stimulus
legislation changed a tax law
that could affect you.
If You Find a Great Rate, Grab It, Consumer Advocates
Say
By Dina ElBoghdady, Page F01
Just about anyone who cares knows
that interest rates on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage have
dropped recently.
By Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J.
Tamkin, Page F08
When it comes to getting a home loan,
the game has changed dramatically.
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page F01
(Second of two articles) When an
investor offers you $50,000 or $100,000 in exchange for 30
percent to 50 percent of your home's future appreciation, is
it a good deal?
Ask About Fees, Rules and
Lawsuits Before Buying
By Alex Veiga, Page G02
For many aspiring homeowners, buying
a condominium is an affordable way to transition from being a
renter and begin reaping the benefits of homeownership without
a lot of the added costs involved in maintaining a house with
a yard.
By Jack Guttentag, Page F09
Aborrower negotiating the terms of a
mortgage with a lender or mortgage broker is in what
economists call a "bilateral bargaining process." Only two
parties are involved, and the terms arrived at depend in part
on their respective bargaining power.
By Jack Guttentag,
Page F07
Over the past year,
the mortgage market has changed more rapidly than in any
comparable period since the Great Depression. From the
standpoint of borrowers, two changes are of paramount
importance.
By Benny L. Kass
By Elizabeth Razzi
Home sellers could save money by
thinking of real estate commissions as an agent's asking
price. It's something that's open to negotiation.
By Benny L. Kass, Page
F08
Q I signed a contract to buy a
condominium unit in the District, but the seller apparently
has changed his mind. I think I am getting a good deal and
don't want to let him off the hook. What remedies do I
have?
By Benny L. Kass,
Page F08
Maryland's highest
court this spring ruled that condominium associations
aren't required to
pay for damage to individual units, a ruling that may please
association
directors but not individual unit owners.
By Jack Guttentag, Page
F07
Last week I reported favorably
on one part of HUD's reform proposals.
By Ilyce R. Glink with Samuel
J. Tamkin, Page F10
Q. I recently entered into a
contract to buy a house, but the deal went bad because the
house did not appraise for the negotiated
price.
Upgrades to the common
areas over the years can affect the amount of tax you owe when
you sell. It's a tax break that many people
overlook.
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page
F01
A legal brawl is breaking out
over how homes are appraised, at what cost and by whom. The
outcome could directly affect how much you pay for your next
piece of real estate and how much money you can
borrow.
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page
F01
If you own or plan to buy a
condominium, an ominous new phase of the mortgage-credit
squeeze could be looming for you.
Standard Form Would
Provide Details on Terms and Costs to Borrowers
Pressures Grow for Good Appraisals and
Bad
Real Estate Mailbag
Page D01
In a mortgage refund, the bank
holding the loan reimburses all interest, closing costs and
broker fees to the borrower. The borrower pays the balance of
the loan, usually with a new mortgage.
At Builders Show, a Quest
for The Ultimate Gadget
By Allan Lengel,
By Jack Guttentag, Page G02
I have been spending time
recently kicking the tires of a new Web site,
http://www.mortgagegrader.com, which has excellent
credentials.
Forms of Ownership
Foreclosure Isn't a Foregone Conclusion
Bankruptcy: a Drastic Step but Sometimes the Wisest One
Finding the Silver Lining in Foreclosures
Ailing Economy's Lower Rates Provide Opportunity to
Refinance
By Elizabeth Razzi, Page F05
How much is it worth for your
condo or homeowners association to keep its money
safe?
Page F05
A month ago, I had never heard
of a wireless digital readout monitor for home electricity
use, but now that I have used one for several days, I would
recommend it for every household.
By Robert Griswold, Steven R.
Kellman and James McKinley, Page T13
Q: I am a tenant, and the owner
of my apartment complex recently sent notification to the
residents that as a condition of our lease, we are required to
have $100,000 in renter's insurance coverage in case of damage
to the apartment.
Condo Owners, Renters
Often Don't Know Limits of Insurance
Make a record of the
contents of your home with a written list of items backed up
by photos or a video.
that it says can help
owners tally the value of personal
property.
When Walls
Get in the Way
Condo Kitchen Conundrum
Lease, sell or fix
Contracting? Cover Your Bases
Reverse Mortgages: The
Choices Expand
Loan Servicers,
the Lesser-Known Predators
There's No
Debating This Policy: Everyone Needs Renter's
Insurance
Condo Board Must Juggle Privacy,
Openness
Architectural Committee Has No
Right to Remain Silent
By Benny L. Kass, Page
F14--WashPost 8/4/07
The New Jersey Supreme Court
recently dealt a serious blow to dissident community
association homeowners there, ruling that protections for free
speech and freedom of assembly don't apply to a private
community association.
Happy With Homeowners
Groups
About 57 million people live in
communities governed by associations, including homeowners
associations, condominiums and cooperatives. A 2005 survey of
association members by Zogby Research found:
By Benny L. Kass, Page
F14
What is a point? What is a
margin? What does "due on sale" mean? Did you comparison shop
and review the APR? What's APR, anyway?
By Robert
J. Bruss, Page
F09
Q:
DEAR BOB: About two years ago, I set up a revocable living
trust and included my checking, savings and stock brokerage
accounts. I recently realized that the title to my condominium is
not in my living trust. What must I do to place my condo into
my living trust to avoid probate after I
die?
By Benny
L. Kass, Page
F13
Real estate commission rebates
are back in the news.
By Robert
J. Bruss, Page
F15
Q:
DEAR BOB: As a real estate agent, I want to thank you for your
recent item about the drawbacks of cutting home sales
commissions below the customary
rate.
Subleasing? Protect Your Rights by
Making It Official.
By Robert Griswold, Steven R.
Kellman and James McKinley, Page T13
Q: I own a condo that I have
rented out for 13 years. I'm concerned about my property
manager.
By Benny L. Kass, Page
F16
By Robert J. Bruss, Page
F04
Q: DEAR BOB: Which home mortgage
fees are proper for a lender to charge
borrowers?
By Benny L. Kass, Page
F05
Q: We own and live in a small
condominium in the District. The tenant who lives below us
smokes, and the smoke is entering our unit. We plan to have a
baby soon and do not want the smoke to create health problems
for us. What can we do?
Page F10
Setting ground rules is a
critical part of managing a remodeling project. David
Lupberger, author of "Managing the Emotional Homeowner,"
suggests some issues homeowners should discuss with their
builders before a project begins:
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page
F01
Page F08
What happens when the owners of
a two-story house can't manage the stairs any
longer?
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10 ways to make your house more valuable
