The Homeowner Gain Exclusion Deduction

Written by Diane Kennedy
It’s been 10 years since Congress brought us the homeowner gain exclusion deduction — one of the most powerful and useful tax-saving tools ever given to homeowners.
The deduction itself is simple: If you have lived in your home for two out of the previous five years, you get a tax break when [...]

Through a Child’s Eyes

Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the old man cry, [...]

Downpayments Shrivel as 100 Percent Financing Becomes The New Norm

Written by Kenneth R. Harney
Leverage is a key concept in real estate-buying a lot with a little, but among recent home buyers it has reached extraordinary levels. New survey research using a representative sample of purchasers found that at least among first-time buyers, downpayments have withered to the point of virtually disappearing.

Holding Escrow After Settlement Could Cause Headaches

Written by M. Anthony Carr
Once you finally go to settlement it would be wonderful that all the loose strings were neatly tucked in and all the checks were written to make all parties happy. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Especially when it comes to the exchange of moneys between buyers and sellers to wrap [...]

Number of Home Inspectors Makes Choosing The Best Difficult

Written by Phoebe Chongchua
In the state of Illinois alone an increase in the number of home inspector practitioners jumped from 450 to 3,335 in the last four years. While more competition could mean better prices for those in the market to buy or sell, home inspector and incoming President of the American Society of Home [...]