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Noteworthy Articles Re: Condo
Ownership
Kenneth R. Harney, Page
E01
If you're thinking about
applying for the new $6,500 federal tax credit for repeat home
buyers or the extended $8,000 version for first-time buyers,
here's some news: The IRS has just issued its first formal
guidelines for you.
By Benny L. Kass, Page
E03
If you plan to buy into a
condominium association -- or if you already own and plan to
refinance the mortgage -- you should be aware of the new rules
published by the Federal Housing
Administration.
Should You Buy That Condo?
(Check tabs to left to see
how we stack up)
By Benny L. Kass,
WashPost 10/16/09 Page E06
Q After living in the
Washington area my entire life (I'm now 68), my wife and I
retired to another state in January 2007. We tried to sell our
Virginia condo while purchasing a new home where we now live.
The D.C. market was in bad shape, and we were unable to sell.
We decided to rent our condo...
Maryland Condo
Owners may have to pay up to $5,000 if a fire or hazard causes
damages to their own unit
How Can Condo Residents
Protect Themselves From Deadbeats
Condo Boards Take on
Lenders
Condo Buyers May Have New
Way to Leave Contracts
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page E01
You might assume it's just another
boring-looking piece of the paper blitz you're hit with when
applying for a home loan. But given the new prominence of IRS
Form 4506-Ts in the fraud-shocked mortgage market, it's much
more than just another document to sign.
In the Eye of the Appraiser: With Cautious
Banks and New Rules, a House's Valuation is No Longer a Sure
Thing.
With Cautious Banks and New Rules, a
House's Valuation is No Longer a Sure Thing
By Renae Merle, Page
E01
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page E01
If you're applying for a loan to purchase a
primary or secondary home, or planning to refinance, you
should be aware of a little-publicized new set of federal
consumer-protection rules that takes effect
July 30.
Jack Guttentag
The relationship between making extra
mortgage payments and refinancing.
DIY Rental
Repairs Fixing up
an apartment without permission from the landlord can be a
costly mistake.
Assessing Your
Options Here are some tools to help you
sort through the decision to refinance
Could Mortgage Preapproval Hurt Your
Credit Score?
Shop Around Wisely for a
Loan
By Alan Zibel, Page F07
If you love to cook, but are afraid of buying
or renting a place with a kitchen the size of a phone booth,
fear not. A small kitchen doesn't have to be a big drawback if
you use your space creatively.
Enlarge Small Rooms With Fold-Up
Furniture, Shelving
By Alan Zibel, Page F07
If you have a tiny room that you're thinking
about as a bedroom for your child or a guest, getting the most
out of a small space is a challenge but not an insurmountable
one.
It's Taking Longer
and Longer to Sell. Here's How Some Owners
Cope.
By Kirstin Downey, Page
F01
With Credit Tight,
Buyers, Sellers Rediscover Renting to
Own
By Alejandro Lazo, Page
F01
By Kenneth R. Harney,
Page F01
By Benny L. Kass, Page
F04
Two of the most
important documents for home buyers are getting a long-awaited
overhaul.
How Best to Sell Vacant
Home Depends on Why It's That Way
By Dan Rafter, Page F01
By Anne Kates Smith, Page
F03
Appraisers are supposed to be
the market's gatekeepers. But who are they really working for?
Good overview by Rob
Pegoraro, Page D02
How to survive a computer's hard drive
crash.
By Kenneth R.
Harney, Page F01
By Benny L. Kass, Page
F02
If you are planning to sell your
vacation home in the next few years, you might want to move in
and treat it as your principal residence as soon as possible.
This summer's housing stimulus
legislation changed a tax law
that could affect you.
If You Find a Great Rate, Grab It, Consumer Advocates
Say
By Dina ElBoghdady, Page F01
Just about anyone who cares knows
that interest rates on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage have
dropped recently.
By Ilyce R. Glink and Samuel J.
Tamkin, Page F08
When it comes to getting a home loan,
the game has changed dramatically.
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page
F01
(Second of two articles) When an
investor offers you $50,000 or $100,000 in exchange for 30
percent to 50 percent of your home's future appreciation, is
it a good deal?
Ask About Fees, Rules and
Lawsuits Before Buying
By Alex Veiga, Page G02
For many aspiring homeowners, buying
a condominium is an affordable way to transition from being a
renter and begin reaping the benefits of homeownership without
a lot of the added costs involved in maintaining a house with
a yard.
By Jack Guttentag, Page F09
Aborrower negotiating the terms of a
mortgage with a lender or mortgage broker is in what
economists call a "bilateral bargaining process." Only two
parties are involved, and the terms arrived at depend in part
on their respective bargaining power.
By Jack Guttentag,
Page F07
Over the past year,
the mortgage market has changed more rapidly than in any
comparable period since the Great Depression. From the
standpoint of borrowers, two changes are of paramount
importance.
By Benny L. Kass
By Elizabeth Razzi
Home sellers could save money by thinking of
real estate commissions as an agent's asking price. It's
something that's open to negotiation.
By Benny L. Kass, Page F08
Q I signed a contract to buy a condominium
unit in the District, but the seller apparently has changed
his mind. I think I am getting a good deal and don't want to
let him off the hook. What remedies do I have?
By Benny L. Kass, Page F08
Maryland's highest court this
spring ruled that condominium associations
aren't required to pay for damage
to individual units, a ruling that may please
association directors but not
individual unit owners.
By Jack Guttentag, Page F07
Last week I reported favorably on one part of
HUD's reform proposals.
By Ilyce R. Glink with Samuel J. Tamkin,
Page F10
Q. I recently entered into a contract to buy
a house, but the deal went bad because the house did not
appraise for the negotiated price.
Upgrades to the common areas over the
years can affect the amount of tax you owe when you sell. It's
a tax break that many people overlook.
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page F01
A legal brawl is breaking out over how homes
are appraised, at what cost and by whom. The outcome could
directly affect how much you pay for your next piece of real
estate and how much money you can borrow.
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page F01
If you own or plan to buy a condominium, an
ominous new phase of the mortgage-credit squeeze could be
looming for you.
Standard Form Would Provide Details on
Terms and Costs to Borrowers
Pressures
Grow for Good Appraisals and Bad
Real
Estate Mailbag
Page D01
In a mortgage refund, the bank holding the
loan reimburses all interest, closing costs and broker fees to
the borrower. The borrower pays the balance of the loan,
usually with a new mortgage.
At Builders Show, a Quest for The
Ultimate Gadget
By Allan Lengel,
By Jack Guttentag, Page G02
I have been spending time recently kicking
the tires of a new Web site, http://www.mortgagegrader.com,
which has excellent credentials.
Forms of Ownership
Foreclosure
Isn't a Foregone Conclusion
Bankruptcy: a Drastic Step but Sometimes the Wisest
One
Finding
the Silver Lining in Foreclosures
Ailing
Economy's Lower Rates Provide Opportunity to Refinance
By Elizabeth Razzi, Page F05
How much is it worth for your condo or
homeowners association to keep its money safe?
Page F05
A month ago, I had never heard of a wireless
digital readout monitor for home electricity use, but now that
I have used one for several days, I would recommend it for
every household.
By Robert Griswold, Steven R. Kellman and
James McKinley, Page T13
Q: I am a tenant, and the owner of my
apartment complex recently sent notification to the residents
that as a condition of our lease, we are required to have
$100,000 in renter's insurance coverage in case of damage to
the apartment.
Condo Owners, Renters Often Don't Know
Limits of Insurance
Make a record of the
contents of your home with a written list of items backed up
by photos or a video.
that it says can help
owners tally the value of personal
property.
When Walls Get in
the Way
Condo
Kitchen Conundrum
Lease,
sell or fix
Contracting?
Cover Your Bases
Reverse Mortgages: The Choices
Expand
Loan Servicers, the
Lesser-Known Predators
There's No Debating This
Policy: Everyone Needs Renter's Insurance
Condo Board Must Juggle Privacy,
Openness
Architectural Committee Has No Right to Remain
Silent
By Benny L. Kass, Page F14--WashPost
8/4/07
The New Jersey Supreme Court recently dealt a
serious blow to dissident community association homeowners
there, ruling that protections for free speech and freedom of
assembly don't apply to a private community
association.
Happy With Homeowners Groups
About 57 million people live in communities
governed by associations, including homeowners associations,
condominiums and cooperatives. A 2005 survey of association
members by Zogby Research found:
By Benny L. Kass, Page F14
What is a point? What is a margin? What does
"due on sale" mean? Did you comparison shop and review the
APR? What's APR, anyway?
By Robert J.
Bruss, Page F09
Q: DEAR BOB: About two years
ago, I set up a revocable living trust and included my
checking, savings and stock brokerage accounts. I recently
realized that the title to my
condominium is not in my living trust. What must I do
to place my condo into my living trust to avoid probate after
I die?
By Benny L. Kass,
Page F13
Real estate commission rebates are back in
the news.
By Robert J.
Bruss, Page F15
Q: DEAR BOB: As a real estate
agent, I want to thank you for your recent item about the
drawbacks of cutting home sales commissions below the
customary rate.
Subleasing? Protect Your Rights by Making It
Official.
By Robert Griswold, Steven R. Kellman and
James McKinley, Page T13
Q: I own a condo that I have rented out for
13 years. I'm concerned about my property manager.
By Benny L. Kass, Page
F16
By Robert J. Bruss, Page F04
Q: DEAR BOB: Which home mortgage fees are
proper for a lender to charge borrowers?
By Benny L. Kass, Page F05
Q: We own and live in a small condominium in
the District. The tenant who lives below us smokes, and the
smoke is entering our unit. We plan to have a baby soon and do
not want the smoke to create health problems for us. What can
we do?
Page F10
Setting ground rules is a critical part of
managing a remodeling project. David Lupberger, author of
"Managing the Emotional Homeowner," suggests some issues
homeowners should discuss with their builders before a project
begins:
By Kenneth R. Harney, Page
F01
Page F08
What happens when the owners of a two-story
house can't manage the stairs any longer?
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10 ways to make your house more
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