Category Archives: Real Estate

Approximately 52 million or 16% of Americans are age 65 and over. It is easy to understand that some of them are thinking of downsizing their home because they don’t need the same space they did in the past. It … Continue reading →

35% of respondents, in a recent annual Gallup poll that dates back to 2002, identified real estate as the best long-term investment option compared to 27% who identified stocks. The top choices included real estate, stocks, savings accounts and gold. … Continue reading →

The Internal Revenue Service considers four different types of real estate. Specific types of properties have benefits based on their classification. The determination does not depend on the property itself as much as it depends on how the property is … Continue reading →

Leverage is an investment term that describes the use of borrowed funds to control an asset; sometimes referred to as using other people’s money. Borrowed funds can affect the investment in your home positively. For instance, if you had a … Continue reading →

Two things can happen when the mortgage rates go up before you’ve found a home or locked-in your mortgage. You’ll either pay the current mortgage rate which means a higher payment, or you’ll have to increase your down payment to … Continue reading →

The price of any item (including residential real estate) is determined by ‘supply and demand.’ If many people are looking to buy an item and the supply of that item is limited, the price of that item increases. According to … Continue reading →

Some buyers think that finding the right home is the critical part of the buying process and that is how they determine which agent to use. While it is important, there may be a broader skill set to consider when … Continue reading →

The new tax law doubles the standard deduction and it is estimated that over 90% of taxpayers will elect to use it. However, even without considering tax benefits, homeownership has convincing advantages. Besides the personal and social reasons for owning … Continue reading →

The new tax law that was signed into effect at the end of 2017 will affect all taxpayers. Homeowners should familiarize themselves with the areas that could affect them which may require some planning to maximize the benefits. Some of … Continue reading →

During the banking crisis in the Great Recession, certain types of mortgages were unavailable that are once again being offered. Fortunately, the 80-10-10 mortgage is one of those making a reappearance and it can save borrowers a considerable amount of … Continue reading →