The non-paying tenant can be devastating to your financial plans for the property. In addition to the obvious issues of cash flow, a non-paying tenant in possession continues to have access rights, and can interfere with a landlord’s plans to market and sell a property. And eviction is also expensive and time-consuming. And typically the …
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There is new relief in sight for homeowners “underwater” on their mortgage, where the market value of the property is less than the outstanding payoff of their mortgage. Previously, only those whose mortgage was no more than 125% of the market value of their home were eligible, and then only in certain circumstances. That permitted …
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Being a landlord is not an easy line of work. And in this market where some homeowners opt to become landlords “temporarily” and rent their empty home until market conditions improve, it’s easy to end up in a far worse financial situation than you were in before taking on the landlord role. Here are a …
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Separating the useful information from the “not so useful”
Buyers in today’s market have no lack of information when it comes to real estate. And much of that information flows in through the internet, with new real estate blogs and Q&A from “experts” popping up as quickly as the google engines can find them. The trick for customers in today’s market then is separating …
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So unless you have been on a desert island for the last week with no internet access, you have likely heard about the case involving the Connecticut couple that just lost a tax appeal to the tune of about $1 million in back taxes, interest and penalties. The case hinged around a second home they …
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I had a client call me in tears a few years ago relating the following story. She and her husband decided to adopt a dog from a shelter. Her building had a policy that permitted dogs, but restricted them to a 30 lb. weight limit. Not entirely uncommon in our region to have such a …
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A phenomenon unique to our New York real estate market
In the land of the bizarre (New York real estate), some phenomena unique to our market raise eyebrows for even the most jaded of real estate experts. Explaining these to potential buyers can be a challenge, so we begin here a series on these unusual issues with a brief primer on each. Can I Borrow …
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Understanding Building Financials
Building financial statements have taken on a new found prominence in the age of tough bank underwriting, as institutional lenders are now scrutinizing these reports to determine whether the collateral – the apartment being financed – as opposed to the borrower, are worthy of extending a loan. But to the non-CPAs in the crowd, these …
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What separates those deals that are successful, from those that fail?
Having successfully closed well over a thousand real estate deals, trends develop that separate those deals that are successful, from those that fail. And in the new reality of post-Lehman markets, the rules of the game are different – sometimes markedly so. Looking forward to a successful 2011, I offer the following insights that might …
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Change is a part of all industries. And real estate is no different.
In 1978 Sony invented a device that enabled people to carry their music with them, and play cassettes (that’s what we called them then) without being tied to their home. The Walkman revolutionized the music industry, and paved the way to mobile music. They were first, and the innovator. Why then do I have an …
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