DEAR BOB: I have been unemployed almost 18 months and my unemployment payments evaporated recently. I'm burning through my savings at $3,000 per month. However, I have several hundred thousand dollars equity in my home. If I refinance, to lower my interest rate and take out some cash to live on, will refinancing trigger a property-tax reassessment? – Patrick K.

DEAR PATRICK: No. Refinancing should not trigger property-tax reassessment because a sale has not occurred.  more...

If you are thinking about buying a second or vacation home, first read Tom Kelly and John Tuccillo's "How a Second Home Can Be Your Best Investment." This new book is filled with ideas and alternatives you might never have considered.

The book's basic approach is to look at the purchase of a second or vacation home primarily as an investment property and secondarily as a property for personal enjoyment.  more...

Dear Barry,

When I hired a home inspector, I expected him to help me decide whether I should buy the property and to let me know if I was paying too much. After the inspection, he gave me a detailed list of building defects, but when asked if I should buy the property and what he though of the price, he hemmed and hawed but would not give me a straight answer. What's the point of a home inspection if the inspector won't address these essential questions? – Diane

Dear Diane,  more...