Author Archives: Jill Kuchle
Quick Plumbing Inspection
No one wants to waste water or money. For that reason, take a few minutes every other month to do the following inspections: Check to see if cutoff valves on sinks and toilets are working properly. Many times, builders will put individual cutoffs on supply lines to sinks and toilets. It is reasonable to expect... Read More
Rentals are IDEAL
Rental homes are the IDEAL investment because they offer a higher rate of return than other investments without the volatility of the stock market. With certificates of deposit and bonds at less than 2%, people need an alternative investment that they understand and with a reasonable amount of control. In this case, IDEAL is an... Read More
Attracting Buyers
There is a common body of knowledge among real estate professionals that indicates that the longer a home is on the market, the lower the price will be. Many sellers discount this belief in the beginning because they feel confident their home will sell quickly. Lowering the price is the most obvious thing that can... Read More
Rent or Buy – You Pay for the House You Occupy
The ironic thing about people who think they can’t afford to buy a home for themselves, end up buying the home for their landlord. There are several facts that support this notion. Mortgages, whether held by an owner-occupant or an investor, are usually amortized so that each payment reduces the principal amount owed so that... Read More
Facts or Myths
“It’s impossible to get low down payment loans.” – FACT! FHA down payments are 3.5% and VA is 0%. In some areas, there may be some 0% down payment USDA loans available. FNMA and Freddie Mac have 3% down payment programs. “It takes perfect credit to get a loan.” – FACT! There is a relationship of better rates to... Read More
“This is going to be the year”
Every year, it seems like the same things are on the list but this could be the year you really do invest in a rental home. Rents are climbing, values are solid and mortgage rates are still low for non-owner occupied properties. A $150,000 home with 20% down payments can easily have a $300 to... Read More
What a Difference 50 years Makes
In 1966, a gallon of gas was $0.32 and today, it is $2.49. A dozen eggs were $0.60 but they’ve only doubled to $1.33. A gallon of milk was $0.99 and today, it costs $3.98. You could send a letter for five cents and now, it costs forty-seven cents. The average cost of a new... Read More
Can 0.5% Really Equal 5%?
Since the election, rates have started going up and it will have a direct effect on the cost of housing. There is a rule of thumb that a ½% change in interest is approximately equal to 5% change in price. As the interest rates go up, it will cost you more to live in the... Read More
Time May Be Running Out
During the Great Recession, some homeowners elected to rent their home rather than sell it for less than it was worth. IRS tax code allows for a temporary rental of a principal residence without losing the exclusion of capital gain based on some specific time limits. During the five year period ending on the date... Read More
Gift or Inheritance – Does It Matter?
A person called into a radio talk program with a situation that was troubling to the caller and disturbing based on the potential tax liability that may have been avoided. The caller’s elderly father had deeded his home to his daughter a few years earlier because in his mind, his daughter was going to get... Read More