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Noteworthy Articles Re: Condo Ownership
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 valuable
