Whether you are a home buyer, seller or real estate agent, you can never learn too much about negotiation tactics. Sooner or later, some or all of these key tricks will be used by your negotiation opponent. Even the best negotiators admit there is always more to learn.

Having been involved in real estate sales, purchases and brokerage more than 40 years, I admit to having been the victim of too many shrewd negotiators. However, I always learned from the experiences and vowed never again to let someone get the best of me in a negotiation.  more...

If asked what is America's most important contribution to residential architecture, most people would probably suggest the log cabin of Abraham Lincoln, a Southern plantation mansion like Scarlet O'Hara's Tara (even though it was only a movie set), or George Washington's Mount Vernon.

The correct answer? The ranch house.  more...

DEAR BOB: What would be the process to trade two homes for one? The two homes are valued at $1.5 million total. The home for sale is valued at $1.2 million. The seller will trade. What is the first step to take? --Phyllis S.

DEAR PHYLLIS: If I understand your question correctly, you want to trade two rental houses worth a total of $1.5 million for one rental house worth $1.2 million. That would be a partially taxable trade down because the two rental houses are worth $300,000 more than the one rental house being acquired.  more...

DEAR BOB: Can a home builder force us to buy the home? We have reached our boiling points with our builder. The mortgage monthly payments are too high and we decided not to purchase the home --Chandra K.

DEAR CHANDRA: Of course, you can't be "forced" to buy a house you don't want.

Purchase Bob Bruss reports online.  more...

Ulysses Lee was a full-time IRS tax examiner. His brother, Kai, worked as a full-time professor of radiology. Together, they are partners in Lee Brothers Investments, which owns a rental house, a five-unit apartment building and another small apartment building. Each investor also owns several rental properties individually.

On their income tax returns, the brothers claimed passive activity tax loss deductions, mostly from depreciation of their properties, against their substantial ordinary income from their full-time jobs.  more...