DEAR BOB: I am so grateful to you for your helpful articles and to the newspaper for running them. About a year ago, you wrote about the benefits of holding real estate titles and other major assets in a living trust. I convinced my mother, then 87, to put titles to her Florida vacation condo, her primary house, a timeshare, inherited land in Nebraska, her stock brokerage account, her bank accounts, and a New Jersey commercial building into a living trust. I was named the successor or alternate trustee.  more...

It's no fun to be told that you are second best. But in some situations, being in second position can pay off.

For example, you could bid on a house and lose out to another buyer who offered a higher price or better terms. If you accept a counteroffer from the seller for first backup position, and the first buyer withdraws, you could end up being the lucky buyer after all. This happens fairly often, particularly in hot real estate markets when buyers make hasty decisions under the pressure of a multiple-offer bidding contest.  more...

Dear Barry,  more...

The best thing about "How to Invest in Real Estate with Little or No Money Down" by famous real estate author Robert Irwin is the title. Unfortunately, the book's content doesn't deliver the promise of the title.

Much of the book's material is from the author's previous books on other realty topics. But very little is new content about how to acquire investment property with little or no cash. Some personal examples would have added realism.

Purchase Bob Bruss reports online.  more...