With a title like "The Nation's Best Home Mortgage Lender," if you expect me to name one of the largest national home mortgage lenders, such as Bank of America, Washington Mutual, Wells Fargo, Countrywide or Chase, you will be disappointed.

These are all fine lenders. I've done business with all of them over the years. But the nation's best home mortgage lender is one you probably don't know. Most home buyers and real estate agents have never heard of this well-kept secret mortgage source.  more...

I grew up near Alexandria, Va., where local history is American history and there are at least 16 historical sites connected in one way or another to George Washington.

Now I discover that I can make my own connection to George Washington. I can plant a sapling in my backyard that was germinated from the seed of a tree that Washington planted himself at Mt. Vernon.  more...

DEAR BOB: In early January I plan to put my house on the market for sale. I have already signed the 90-day listing with the Realtor. She wants to hold a Sunday open house every other week; sometimes she will attend and other times her licensed assistant will attend. During the process of interviewing several Realtors to get my listing, most said open houses rarely sell homes. What is your opinion? Should I agree to open houses every other week until my home sells? --Janice C.

DEAR JANICE: Yes.  more...

As emphasized before, your first "investment property" should be your home. One of the major reasons is that owner-occupied residences are the easiest to finance.

Another big benefit is your capital gain resale profit will be tax-free up to $250,000 (up to $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly in the year of home sale). Internal Revenue Code 121 requires principal residence owner-occupancy for any 24 of the 60 months before selling for tax-free profits up to the limits.  more...

John F. Flynn filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Among his assets, Flynn owned 50 percent of a property with his mother, Elsie C. Stine. At the time Flynn filed bankruptcy, the property was subject to a state court partition lawsuit to force its sale and divide the sales proceeds between Flynn and Stine.

The co-owners eventually agreed to sell the property.  more...

You're getting ready to sell your home. The market is a bit softer than it was a year ago. There's more competition from other sellers.

So, you plan to tidy the place up and you're thinking of down playing the defects. After all, who would buy your place if you revealed the trouble you had with the roof or the fact that your neighbor's son practices on his drums past most people's bedtimes?

Sellers beware! What you don't disclose to the buyer could come back to bite you.

Disclosure laws vary from state to state.  more...

DEAR BOB: I am a new real estate sales agent. As mortgage interest rates slowly rise, I've seen mortgage lender ads that say, "No negative am." What does that mean?  more...

"House Poor," by June Fletcher (Harper Collins Publishers, New York), 2005, $21.95, 192 pages; available in stock or by special order at local bookstores, public libraries, and www.amazon.com.

The worst thing about "House Poor" by Wall Street Journal real estate columnist, June Fletcher, is its negative title.  more...

DEAR BOB: I would appreciate your expert advice on a touchy subject for residential landlords. Should I rent to Section 8 tenants whose rent is subsidized by the federal government housing program? After talking with fellow landlords at the monthly meetings of the local real estate investor's club, I am confused. Some landlords tell me Section 8 tenants are wonderful. But others tell me those tenants and the housing authority are a big pain. Whenever I had a vacancy, I get phone calls asking, "Do you accept Section 8 vouchers?" What should I do?  more...