A tag for questions on real estate or property.
7
votes
1answer
114 views
How should I move out of my own house?
About a year ago, my mom and I purchased a house. It was something she really wanted and I was pretty much guilt tripped into moving in. After moving into the home and seeing our relationship go ...
6
votes
3answers
59 views
Is there anything I can do to prepare myself for the tax consequences of selling investments to buy a house?
I have about $500k in Vanguard funds, in a regular (i.e. taxable, non-retirement) account. I've been building these positions over the past 12 years or so.
There's a chance that I'll want to buy an ...
0
votes
1answer
37 views
Low cost real estate appraisal options
So I am buying a rental property as an investment and expect to do the purchase as a cash deal. So technically there is no lender to force me to get an appraisal on the property.
Of course, I still ...
4
votes
2answers
220 views
Discussing real estate appreciation: Compound vs. simple interest?
When people say real estate has appreciated 8 % over the past 5 years, do they mean 8 % compounded annually? or simple interest annually?
-1
votes
0answers
50 views
Early 20's Graduate: 10-99 work and self employed. I have some idea of what I want - I just don't know what it's called. (And if it's viable.) [closed]
I think the title contains most of what you need to know. Below are my opinions, formed from various sources that of course, are biased themselves. Feel free to tear any of my preconceptions apart - ...
0
votes
1answer
49 views
Comparing Investments: Selling land vs. starting a business
I have a situation where I need to compare some investing alternatives.
We and my partners own a piece of land with high commercial value, that was bought 7 years ago. Now the real estate market ...
3
votes
1answer
52 views
What industry standard values should I use when making assumptions about inflation, reinvestment rates, and real estate?
I'm trying to work out some Financial Management Rate of Return (FMRR) calculations for practice and I was curious if there are some industry standard variables to use.
Here are some assumptions I'm ...
2
votes
1answer
46 views
When buying / selling a house in the UK, is it normal for solicitors' fees to be due before or after completion?
When we made our most recent house move (selling one house and buying another) we had to pay the solicitor's fees in advance of completion - the fees for searches etc. had to be paid upfront before ...
1
vote
0answers
66 views
How can I hedge against local home value?
I'd like to hedge against my neighborhood home value. I'm not terribly concerned if the overall housing market fluctuates, since if I move and sell my home for less, I can buy a new home for less. ...
3
votes
1answer
44 views
What are the tax implications of a normal sale of a house?
What are the tax implications of a normal sale of a house, where the owner would make a "profit"? Does it make any difference if the house is owner occupied and for how long they have owned the ...
9
votes
4answers
254 views
Buying a house for a shorter term
I've lived under the impression that it is never wise to buy a house (as your home) unless you are planning to live there "at least five years" (or something like that). But is this necessarily ...
0
votes
1answer
19 views
Transferring a Property (with a loan) to a relative in Maryland
We have a property in Maryland, currently in my name, on a loan with a bank. Other than selling the property and having my relative buy it, is there a more cost-effective manner, in which the property ...
4
votes
1answer
126 views
Next option(s) after house is not selling on market?
Lets say I have a house which is pretty old and is not in the best neighborhood. I put in on the market and for one reason or another, even after dropping the price substantially I cannot get it to ...
5
votes
3answers
148 views
What are the transactional costs when buying and selling a house?
I am trying to breakdown all transactional costs related to buying and selling a house as well as their numerical values. For instance, the agents get around 3% in commission each, the inspection ...
5
votes
4answers
624 views
Are parking spaces and garage boxes a good investment?
Suppose, the following scenario:
You have an investment budget available to buy a parking space or garage box. (In Belgium that would be around €25000 ($30K).)
currently the saving accounts make ...
0
votes
0answers
55 views
Risk involved in buying Spanish property
I am considering investing in a Spanish property to let in a tourist area. I would be interested to know what people would consider are the risk factors. Here are some:
Anti-foreign sentiment in ...
2
votes
3answers
120 views
Buying a home without a Real Estate Agent - Who should I get to do the paperwork?
I'm considering buying a home from a friend without the aid of a real estate agent in the hopes of saving everyone the unnecessary 6% commission (since the property didn't need to be marketed).
...
1
vote
1answer
58 views
How do you go about buying a house directly from an owner? I.e. no broker involved?
I live in California. Usually when people buy a house here, they just entrust a broker. The broker deals with all the paper work, etc. for both parties. There are 4 parties involved...seller, buyer, ...
4
votes
3answers
150 views
Assessed value of my house
I received a letter from the county tax assessor. It gave me the total appraised value $188,000. I purchased it on Sept, 2008. The price was 216,000.
I am shocked at such a big difference. I use ...
0
votes
1answer
49 views
Homebuyer Credit - 2008 Installment Repayment
I bought my house in 2008. I took the $7,500 credit. I remembered that I have payed $500 each year in 1040.
Now I have to fill the tax form this year. How to fill the two textboxs.
7
votes
5answers
389 views
Making an offer on a property - go in at market price?
My roommate and I have talked about purchasing a home together and with interest rates being as low as they are, and the fact that we'd be able to get pre-approved for a good amount we decided to give ...
6
votes
1answer
69 views
Are commissions paid to realtors for finding tenants for my rental property tax deductable as a rental expense?
I used a realtor to find a tenant for my rental home. I paid her a commission of the amount equal to the first months rent. Is this what turbotax means by Commission Expenses "Commissions paid to ...
4
votes
2answers
392 views
How do banks lose money on foreclosures?
I read that when banks give out a mortgage the bank itself doesn't actually lend any of its money out. It is just accounting that adds the money to the borrowers account and adds the same amount of ...
12
votes
2answers
244 views
Is selling your house without an agent worth the hassle?
There have been numerous "for sale by owner" signs appearing recently. This seems like a convenient way to reduce the commission charged by Real Estate agents but I have heard that this is still a ...
6
votes
5answers
314 views
What is the purpose of property tax?
I currently rent, but have been looking to buy a home. I always imagined how great it would be to have a dream home, worth, say, $500K, and to have it fully paid off. My thought was the only recurring ...
5
votes
3answers
480 views
What is the standard real estate commission to sell a million dollar home?
I want to list my condominium for US $1.3 million. How can I decide on a fair real estate commission?
1
vote
1answer
36 views
Equity or alternative compensation in an LLC?
I am currently working for a real estate startup (LLC) that wholesales REOs nationwide.
I was one of the earlier employees to get hired. Since my time of employment, the company has been expanding ...
2
votes
0answers
62 views
New construction closing in a year; how can I lock in mortgage rate?
I've just contracted for a new house in Florida to be built. The closing won't occur for approximately a year. Is there a way to lock in a mortgage interest rate for so long in the future? It will ...
7
votes
3answers
329 views
Should we use an expected inheritance to invest in a rental property with cash, i.e. no mortgage?
My wife and I will be getting an inheritance soon. There are many ways to invest this money. One thought we had was to take advantage of the down real estate market and buy a house for a rental ...
2
votes
2answers
32 views
What determines a tax resident in Florida
As a retired non-US person.
I am planning to purchase a vacation home in Florida. I am told i am only allowed to reside there for a maximum of 60 days each calendar year, any longer and I will be ...
3
votes
3answers
284 views
What are my investment options in real estate?
In a nutshell, I'm about to graduate from college at 21 with a great degree and have a job lined up that pays just short of six figures. Things are looking good.
But I don't want to be a software ...
3
votes
2answers
211 views
Tax implications of short sale with second mortgage?
I short sold my home this year and was told by my Realtor that the government forgives taxes which would normally be owed by selling a property for a loss. I had heard this before and assumed it would ...
10
votes
2answers
175 views
What are the most important things to ask a real estate agent before hiring them?
I've been researching the best ways to search for a home, and questions have come up about real estate agents. Getting a good real estate agent could potentially save you thousands of dollars, but ...
7
votes
4answers
234 views
How can one hedge against property price change when buying a home?
Let's say I want to buy a home, with intent to sell it down the road ( < 10 years). If I want to minimize my exposure to market fluctuation, what would be the best way to accomplish that?
I ...
13
votes
3answers
353 views
My landlord is being foreclosed on. Should I confront him?
I just found out that my landlord is being foreclosed on. My lease agreement runs out at the end of this month, but I had, through email, agreed to stay for another year (no new contract was signed). ...
4
votes
2answers
86 views
Closing on two mortgages (investment refi & primary home) — is it ok to do them simultaneously?
My wife and are are simultaneously in the market for a new home and trying to refinance a condo we rent out as an investment.
The stars may be aligning that both loans could go into underwriting ...
2
votes
1answer
121 views
How can I get a loan secured with free and clear land?
I own a piece of vacant land free and clear. I have an immediate need for cash and would like to take out a loan secured by my property.
The land was last appraised at $980,000. I cannot pay a ...
1
vote
1answer
44 views
What are the tax rules of owning a vacation rental property?
I am considering purchasing a vacation property and renting it out for a majority of the season. Best case scenario I could generate about 50% of the annual cost (mortgage, tax, utilities, ...
9
votes
4answers
152 views
Can I use Case Shiller values to find an optimal time to buy in a recovering housing market?
I live in the NW US. I've been considering buying a house for some time now. But the market value of a house has been on a downward trend for years. I thought that around October last year the market ...
9
votes
2answers
110 views
Are Shiller real-estate futures and options catching on with investors?
Robert Shiller introduced an approach for reducing exposure to macro risks using real-estate derivatives. He created a successful housing price index with help from Karl Case, the S&P Case-Shiller ...
6
votes
2answers
208 views
Are there Investable Real Estate Indices which track Geographical Locations?
At one time there were the Shiller Case indices. I don't know if they are around anymore
6
votes
2answers
91 views
If Case-Shiller offers seasonally-adjusted indices, does that mean there's a good time to buy houses?
Saving up to buy a house in a few years, so right now I'm just watching the market to get a sense of the region. I noticed that the Case-Shiller index has seasonal adjustments, which make sense to me ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
If a house is in foreclosure what does the bank own vs what the former owner owns
So we were having a discussion about what we would all do if we were unfortunate enough to have our homes go into foreclosure. I asserted that all the appliances and even window blinds would still be ...
1
vote
3answers
291 views
Why could rental costs for apartments/houses rise while buying prices can go up and down?
In this U.S. city, I have the impression that the rents of apartments and houses always go up, say, about a 5% per year, while the prices of buying them fluctuates throughout the same years. If my ...
18
votes
6answers
868 views
Why do people use mortgages, when they could just pay for the house in full?
I would like your recommendation on whether you should buy a house with a mortgage, which you would pay as you go, or should you buy it in full.
2
votes
1answer
37 views
Is a trustee sale winning bid all inclusive, or are prorated taxes & fees due?
Is my winning bid at a trustee sale on a foreclosed home all inclusive, or
can the trustee make us pay prorated taxes and home owner association fees?
If we must pay the fees, when would they be ...
9
votes
1answer
103 views
What are the risks in buying a property from a “Tax Deed” auction?
Recently, I was approached by a friend of my wife's, and she said that she and her husband were making a lot of money bidding on properties that went up for sale in our area, at auctions like this ...
1
vote
2answers
97 views
How can one offset exposure created by real-estate purchase?
Is there any viable way to offset exposure introduced by buying a real-estate (house/land)? By "way to offset" I mean financial instruments (like derivatives) that you can buy to decrease the risk of ...
4
votes
4answers
429 views
Owning REIT vs owning real estate - which has a better hypothetical ROI?
Let's say I want to invest in the real estate market because I am bullish on it. Consider two options: invest in REITs or actually purchase real estate.
My question is which option has a better ...
3
votes
1answer
304 views
How much does a tenant eviction cost in Miami and New York City?
I heard it's easy to evict a tenant that does not pay the rent in US (at least easier than in Italy).
I heard in 60 days comes the sheriff and kicks the tenant out of the flat. I suppose the ...
