Home

Analyzing the real estate dream Premium Content

By Alison Rogers, Tuesday, September 2, 2008.

In the dream, I am showing a suburban house -- I am a city Realtor who shows apartments, so this was a good first cue that it was a dream -- and it is my first open house for the property. There are so many visitors that they form a tribe, and I am leading them through, tour-guide style.  more...

Common disputes between home buyers, sellers

By Dian Hymer, Tuesday, September 2, 2008.

One of the best ways to avoid getting into an ugly dispute involving a home purchase or sale is to be proactive. In order to do this, you need to be aware of the sorts of issues that can lead to disputes. By knowing what could possibly go wrong, you can prepare yourself to recognize a potential problem if it arises.  more...

Three ways to reduce capital gains tax

By Benny Kass, Tuesday, September 2, 2008.

DEAR BENNY: I was told by a prominent accountant that there is a loophole in the law that states that you can be exempt from paying capital gains (if you are in a home less than the two-year period) if there are "unforeseen circumstances" involved. Are you aware of this? Can you doublecheck to make sure? This accountant is well trusted by a lot of businesspeople! At the time I was going through an "unforeseen" divorce. --Patricia  more...

Credit pinch forces buyers to save

By Jack Guttentag, Tuesday, September 2, 2008.

Over the last 18 months, the mortgage market has changed more rapidly than in any comparable period since the Great Depression of the 1930s. From the standpoint of borrowers, two changes are of paramount importance. The first is an increase in day-to-day price volatility, which I wrote about a few weeks ago. The second is a tightening of underwriting requirements, with higher down-payment requirements the centerpiece. That is the subject of this article.

Underwriting requirements are the rules lenders impose to assure that loans will be paid off, and the down payment has always been the most important of them.  more...