Real Estate
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Real estate attorney is crucial in lease-to-own dealsJan 16, 2010 10:00 pm - Q. You answered a question in a column about things to protect yourself against when "taking over payments" to eventually become the owner. There is one important on...
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Lenders attempt to exploit a loophole in new disclosure rulesJan 14, 2010 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - The federal government's efforts to eliminate settlement cost surprises for home mortgage applicants may have opened the door to a new - and potentially cos...
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Townhouses offer convenient access to downtown Des PlainesJan 14, 2010 10:00 pm - Buyers like the winning combination of suburban living with an urban flair at Lexington Park, a new community of 120 luxury townhouses in downtown Des Plaines. The Lexin...
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Tenant disappears, leaving landlord in the lurchJan 09, 2010 10:00 pm - Q. I was renting my condominium to a guy, who just disappeared after about four months. After I got the place rented again, I tracked the guy down and filed a lawsui...
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Don't refi for the wrong reasonsJan 09, 2010 10:00 pm - In a recent article on lifestyle mistakes by mortgage borrowers, I gave an example of such a mistake that touched a nerve on the part of some readers. I said in the arti...
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Crack in sump may not be a problem if basement is dryJan 09, 2010 10:00 pm - Q. I bought a new home last year, and it seems like there is always something to repair. The house is only eight years old, but I decided to replace the sump pump, a...
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Documenting false income to gain a new mortgage is a crimeJan 09, 2010 10:00 pm - Q. I will try to make this short. I bought my condo in 2006. My mortgage rate becomes adjustable in 2011. I am upside down $85,000. I originally bought for $435,000;...
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Extend the life of your paintbrushes with these easy tipsJan 07, 2010 10:00 pm - Sometimes you can get away with buying cheap paintbrushes or pads. These usually are meant to be thrown away after each project. But some of us like to use really good b...
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Most people won't owe taxes after selling home at a profitJan 07, 2010 10:00 pm - Most sellers can keep up to $500,000 of their profit away from the Internal Revenue Service, even if they then decide to rent a new home instead of purchasing one. Q...
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New rules regarding credit files arrive extremely lateJan 07, 2010 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - For mortgage applicants and home purchasers, it's been a six-year wait, but the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Reserve finally have come out with ...