DEAR BOB: My husband died without a will (suicide). He owned 10 rental properties on which I am now paying the mortgages. I want to sell or transfer them to my son-in-law. My concern is the capital gains tax. I want to sell the properties so I can put money in the bank. Each property is worth only about $75,000, but they have positive cash flow. I just am not the landlord-type person. I'm too old for this and I need to have something set aside for retirement. My late husband didn't have any life insurance. Any suggestions?  more...

The theme of "Make Money in Abandoned Properties" by Chantal Howell Carey and Bill Carey sounds unusual and enticing. But once the reader passes beyond the first few chapters about the characteristics of abandoned properties, the reality sets in that the methods are virtually the same as for buying foreclosure, fixer-upper and other distress properties.

"Owners abandon properties for three main reasons. These include financial reasons, death or divorce, and when the property becomes uninhabitable," the authors explain. Sounds much like foreclosure property, doesn't it?  more...