Questions tagged [housing]
The housing tag has no usage guidance.
103
questions
12
votes
2answers
4k views
How many years do I need to own a house until I don't have to pay capital gains taxes?
I've owned my home for 1.5 years and it has been my primary residence. I decided to move, and want to sell, however, I'm unsure if I have to pay capital gains.
When searching the internet I find ...
0
votes
0answers
99 views
Can you make money by predicting the average house price in the UK?
It feels like this should be possible, much like how you are rewarded for predicting the value of stocks.
I'd like to find the best way to do this that's as accessible as buying & shorting stocks (...
16
votes
9answers
8k views
Pay off half mortgage vs invest in stocks
Some background: I have a mortgage ($212K/$247 remaining, 3.675% APR) on a house in my previous city. Selling it was my primary goal, but unfortunately that hasn't happened. And looks like the ...
47
votes
15answers
12k views
Is there any reason to not buy if mortgage is comparable to rent?
I'm curious: Say if you could buy a property or choose to rent and the mortgage per month on the property is similar to the rent in your area, is there any reason to not buy?
Assuming you are not ...
3
votes
1answer
73 views
For buying a home, what kind of loans can I seek with a large cash collateral but no credit history?
Story:
I'm just after going to my local bank and attempting to get 'prequalified' for a home loan, since the first realtor I called instructed me to do so before we got started.
On trying, I was ...
1
vote
1answer
315 views
Is $15 USD for a hotel/motel room really that “unthinkably low”?
I just watched a video where a guy tried to claim that the hotel or motel room he was going to meet somebody at and pay for costs "$15", in the USA. I assume he means "per night".
While money is not ...
-1
votes
1answer
137 views
If you want to buy a house but you also think value will drop… is there something you can do to alleviate the risk?
Disclaimer: yours won't be fiscal advice. People involved will consult a professional before doing anything. This is just to gather some preliminary information.
Situation:
you want to buy a house ...
0
votes
1answer
96 views
Sell or keep property just purchased
I bought a house with 2 units in Switzerland recently for $750k mainly for rental income and long term security.
The house returns $29,000/annum brutto rental and after deducting interest, ...
4
votes
1answer
991 views
Implications of buying a house during/ after a stock market crash?
I am currently in the process of buying my first house (I live in the UK). Having had an offer accepted, I am now waiting on the sellers to complete on buying the house they're moving to.
With the ...
1
vote
0answers
554 views
Should I buy a new house now the coronavirus is breaking out? [closed]
Just looking for some advice on whether the conclusions I have come to are sound. I live in the UK.
In November (pre-virus) a house came on the market in an area my partner and I really like, a ...
13
votes
5answers
10k views
Pay off Credit Card Debt now or later
I recently paid a non-refundable housing deposit of $1,300 for summer intern housing. The company I am going to work at this summer has outlined in my contract that I will receive $2,500 to cover ...
2
votes
2answers
166 views
Roof warranty 5 year versus 25 year- Would it allow me to get more money back in a house I plan to sell?
I inherited a 1960 house worth over 200k in tax assessment. It's has some issues though....foundation and internal renovation to become updated in styles.
I bought full coverage insurance for it. A ...
1
vote
2answers
236 views
How to price target when selling a home?
Under the Fair Housing Act,
it is prohibited to "impose different sales prices or rental charges for the sale or rental of a dwelling."
But in the residential market, does price targeting actually ...
2
votes
0answers
54 views
Do I need to report rental income on my apartment? [duplicate]
Say I am renting an apartment for ~$1000 a month and I have a friend that needs a place to say. I let him stay on my couch and he pays me ~$999 a month. So I'm at a loss of $1 each month.
Do I need ...
40
votes
9answers
12k views
Do I care if the housing market has gone up or down, if I'm moving from one house to another?
I can see several cases in which it obviously IS important if the market is high or low. e.g:
if I'm buying my first house
if I'm retired and selling my last house
if I'm moving to a very different ...
1
vote
2answers
182 views
Is it a wise decision to buy a home in the current market in a coastal market where prices are at a premium [closed]
I am looking at the possibility of purchasing a property in the San Diego costal area, however I wanted to get some feedback from people that know the economic outlook better than I would. Is it a ...
1
vote
0answers
67 views
HUD section 8 benefits — community service exemptions
Regarding the HUD (Housing and Urban Development) policy for Area Housing Assistance (general page, specific definitions, and exempt status mainly what the question is about, definition for "work ...
4
votes
4answers
485 views
Is buying an apartment a worse choice than renting, currently (2019) in Australia?
For one reason or another, an apartment is considered a bad investment in Australian cities. This is because the demand here isn't huge yet (people in general would rather live outer-city in houses/...
5
votes
4answers
821 views
Why is the “buy vs rent” debate framed in terms of “buy a house vs. rent an apartment”?
Most coverage of the "buy vs rent" debate in North American popular financial media (see here for an example) frames the debate as a simple dichotomy: either renting an apartment (i.e. renting a unit ...
0
votes
2answers
192 views
Buying strategies for foreclosure condos
I saw a foreclosure condo which seems upgraded by the bank. I really liked the place, but the price can be cheaper.
Can we negotiate with the bank on such foreclosure houses? What are some ...
3
votes
1answer
445 views
Self-employed net income for affordable housing - valid to take from profit/loss?
I'm trying to understand net income from self-employment, when qualifying for an affordable housing program.
I had always thought that net income was the cash (checks, wires, etc) coming in. However,...
56
votes
10answers
27k views
When is it better to move - before or after a housing bubble bursts?
My husband and I currently own our home and are looking at upgrading to a bigger house in the next year or two. The housing market right now in our area (US East Coast city) is doing really well, and ...
2
votes
2answers
199 views
Trust issues with rental security deposit
I'm in a situation where I will need to rent an apartment without the ability to
see it or meet the landlord/sublessor first. This creates a trust issue that I'm
not sure how to address.
Most ...
4
votes
2answers
450 views
Can I break a lease in response to a nonrenewal notice?
Just got notice that our house is being put up for sale and that we need to be out in 6 months. This is not an early termination, but a notice we will not be able to renew our lease.
Since we'll ...
26
votes
16answers
10k views
How to best invest 90,000 EUR with zero knowledge in investing?
I have 90,000 EUR and difficulty figuring out what to do with it. This money is in a savings account with an interest rate of only 0.05%. Here in Netherlands, I pay around 600 EUR each year on this ...
12
votes
1answer
2k views
What should I be concerned with in buying a house for less than the market value? [duplicate]
I've grown up in my grandparents house my entire life. They lived two miles away my entire life. Sleep overs, dinners, barbecues, etc.
It's been the plan since I was a kid to buy the house when I got ...
120
votes
19answers
31k views
Should I buy my house in cash, or with a mortgage and invest the rest of my money?
I can afford to buy a house (to live in myself) in cash. Most of my investor friends tell me this would be a dumb idea, because I could earn more in interest by buying the house with a mortgage and ...
0
votes
1answer
130 views
Should I pay off my mortgage? [duplicate]
I have €77,000 in my bank account. My mortgage has €75,000 left on it (without interest) and a term of 14 years remaining. The current interest rate is 4%, but of course this can change.
Should I pay ...
3
votes
2answers
294 views
Apartments are far more expensive in my area. Should I seek a house on limited income?
So, where I live: the cheapest apartments are within $150/mo of a two story house + basement. There are more modest lots available, and this more modest housing is my goal (maybe). Preliminary ...
5
votes
1answer
311 views
Can landlord/property change unit after approval and payment of fees?
My boyfriend and I are currently in the process of moving across the country, about 650 miles. On September 2nd we visited a property in the area we will be moving to and we really liked it. After ...
6
votes
3answers
775 views
Pay off entire mortgage or put into investments
I am currently living in a house with my family, which I see 5 - 10 more years left, until we move onto to a new home.
I have received a lump of sum of 600k that would be enough to pay off my entire ...
0
votes
1answer
272 views
I want to rent an apartment. The landlord wants me to sign at the court. Is this safe? Or smells like fraud?
I saw an apartment in a listing (I live in Taipei, Taiwan). The websites states that the contract has to be signed at the court.
Is this safe? Or smells like fraud?
16
votes
3answers
5k views
How do I go about asking landlord to prorate when I can't move in yet?
I am renting an apartment. Move in date was August 1st. The apartment is slightly dirty with cobwebs and the walls definitely need to be painted. Landlord says that she will paint very soon but until ...
2
votes
1answer
8k views
What is a non-residential grant deed?
In looking at properties on one of the popular property aggregator sites, I've seen some transactions labeled as being "insured non-residential grant deeds." This is usually accompanied by a sale at a ...
2
votes
1answer
410 views
“Gifting” a house to a family member
I bought a house for myself a few years ago with the profit from an investment, however as I was (still am) under 18 I had my mother buy it in her name. As I am nearing 18, I was wondering how I could ...
1
vote
2answers
151 views
What do I need to consider when refinancing one home to pay the down-payment of another?
I recently (2+ years ago) purchased my first home, and we are financed with an 7:1 ARM loan as well as a HELOC as a second mortgage. I also have excellent (760+) credit. My family is growing and I ...
3
votes
4answers
2k views
How do Inspection Contingencies work if the seller offers to fix the problem?
We made an offer on a house and the seller accepted it. Now we did a Home Inspection of the house, and we found that it had unacceptably high Radon levels. The seller has offered to install a Radon ...
4
votes
3answers
839 views
~$75k in savings - Pay off house before new home?
Thought I would give a summary of my current financial situation:
Home owner
No debt outside of mortgage
Annual income of $120k
Amount owed on house is at ~$95k
Expected rent the current house for ...
1
vote
2answers
122 views
Selling a leasehold flat
What happens when you want to move out of a leasehold flat - can you still sell it and move your mortgage to another property?
4
votes
3answers
1k views
Is housing provided by a university as employer reported on 1040?
I work as a Resident Assistant for my University. According to Moss-Adam's article, the difference of the lesser of market value of the property rent at YE or 5% of the total value of the house/...
2
votes
1answer
93 views
High housing allowance and good for tax return?
I interned last summer at a big tech company in the US and I just got my W-2 form. The company paid for my housing and added ~24k for renting an apartment for 3 months to my gross pay.
First, I ...
5
votes
3answers
279 views
Is Rate Hike a good thing or a bad thing for homebuyer?
I am a bit confused with co-relation between rate hike being a good or a bad thing for home buyer. I have some notions and please correct me on each if I am wrong:
Home Prices and Interest rates are ...
2
votes
4answers
3k views
Can one get a house mortgage without buying a house?
As of this writing, mortgage rates are low, but are expected to rise. I am not ready to commit to a house that ties me down to a location but would prefer to take advantage of the low mortgage rates. ...
1
vote
0answers
313 views
Can a sponsored spouse buy a house in Canada while her permanent resident application is still being processed?
I will get married with my Canadian partner, and plan to buy a house for us in Canada. However, I am currently not a permanent resident of Canada yet. I will apply for being a permanent resident of ...
4
votes
2answers
338 views
Can housing prices rise faster than incomes in the long run? [closed]
I am curious in a macro economic sense, if housing prices really can continue to rise past 2006 levels (thinking US here..) at a rate much faster than income is rising?
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Is it normal to pay two application fees for an apartments as a married couple?
My wife and I are looking around at apartments, and the one we both ended up liking wants us to each pay an application fee of $95.
I will be the only one on the lease, and solely financially ...
3
votes
6answers
2k views
Pre-pay mortgage in full - do you have to pay off the projected interest as well?
How does paying off a mortgage early work? Example:
I have a 30 year fixed rate mortgage of 3.5%, the amount borrowed is $300,000. I have just inherited $300,000. I am in the first year of the ...
3
votes
2answers
377 views
Best return on investment for new home purchase
My fiancé and I are considering buying a house. We're in our late 20s and plan on moving from our low rent apartment in a relatively upscale area to the house we'll potentially buy.
Now we have two ...
3
votes
6answers
681 views
What are the possible benefits and risks of buying an old house in a far away area?
I live in Germany with very little savings, around 20k. I have seen some run-down old houses in far away areas offered to be sold. My gut is telling me that it's a good idea to own a house as property,...
18
votes
10answers
12k views
First job: Renting vs get my parents to buy me a house
Finished my studies and got my first job starting in Nov.
I'll have to move to a city far from where I currently live. I'll get paid around 17.5K/yr (1.4k/month net after taxes) and have to find a ...
