201612.16
0
1

Solar Energy Adds Value

Christine Parrish, Another Friend of our Firm submitted this very informative article article on Solar Energy, the Pros, Cons, and ways it affects the value of your real estate investment  (Let us know if you’d like to submit an article to this blog for consideration and republication!) Dear Charlie, In many parts of the U.S.,…

201610.24
0
0

Virginia Voter Information!

This year’s (11-8-16!!) ballot has the potential to be a little more complex than usual.   In my city there is a referendum on Light Rail, a question on exempting widows of First Responders killed in the line of duty from real estate taxes, and a constitutional amendment on keeping Virginia a “Right to Work”…

201608.17
0
0

Fear Mongering to Motivate Home Ownership?

The ever entertaining and thought provoking NREP (National Real Estate Post), formerly known as TBWS (Think Big Work Small) challenges our national leadership and loan regulators to promote home ownership by easing qualification regulations.  /Shocking Zillow Renter Report The NREP blog also points out that the 50 year low in the home ownership index  may…

201606.29
0
0

Short Selling in Divorce

For most divorces, a driving objective is closure.   One or both of the parties has generally reached the state of being “over it”.   Child custody, division of assets, and support issues are challenging.   But there is another issue which can rain frustration on a divorce like a monsoon, and that is the disposition of real…

201606.03
0
0

Dare To Own The Dream

Newsflash!    HUD (the Department of Housing and Urban Development) has declared June as National Home Ownership Month! Some believe the hype is a way of trying to generate better economic figures and arguments for the incumbent party to convince voters that the incumbent party deserves another four years in the White House. According to DS…

201605.27
0
0

The Decade After

In the past roughly ten years, emphasis on roughly, nearly ten million (10,000,000) American homes were lost in foreclosure, short sales or deeds in lieu of foreclosure!   While our current tepid recovery continues at an underwhelming pace, there is clearly a lack of enthusiasm for home ownership.    The “American Dream” seems out of reach to…

201605.23
0
0

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

On occasion we lose great employees, lawyers, staff, and friends of the firm as they go on to new callings or perhaps to meet their Maker.   Thankfully, this edition’s ‘WHERE ARE THEY NOW” is about the former. Matt Pittman, former law firm digital maintenance expert, network and computer guru, file scanning department leader and firm…

201604.15
0
0

Creative Financing = Creative Tax Headaches

A client called today to have our lawfirm engage in a discussion with his CPA as to tax ramifications for “subject to” sales of homes.    For those of you who have never considered using “creative financing” to sell your home or buy a home, a “subject to” means the buyer takes over the seller’s mortgage…