Answers by Megan Kilmer

They can be! You may want to talk to a tax professional. You may want to talk about a 1031 exchange if you are thinking of selling and finding a replacement property.

Commercial is a different ball game. You will want to seek solid representation. Most commercial agents are not REALTORs they have a different accreditations. As for seeing value in a property. You will want Profit and Loss statements. You may find yourself in negotiations with the selling/leasing agent, just know that you can absolutely find your own representation. Keep in mind the highest and best use for a property. Want to buy a warehouse? Is storage the best use? Or could it be a showroom, gymnastics studio, offices etc. When leasing the property marketing is huge you want to make sure you are on both the big websites and the local market - use an agent that will give you the time effort and energy that you deserve.

Hi Eric, https://www.flccim.com is the Florida Chapter for CCIM, I hope this helps:)

You can save by putting 20% down to eliminate the need for Primary Mortgage Insurance, boosting credit score can lower APR, asking for a credit (seller credit, realtor credit or lender credit), you can buy down the rate, or pay points - 1% of the loan amount, are all ways to save on your mortgage.

Hi Darren, Housing Authority or HUD can help with the Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher program. The program is federally funded. You will need to show your ID, income statement (including SSI or SSDI), veteran status (if applicable), Social Security Card, and fill out an application. Once you are accepted in the program you will receive a blue form that you need to offer landlords when you apply for housing. Housing Authority will need to inspect the property and there is a separate lease for Housing Authority to fill out with the landlord as well. You will owe rent based on 30-40% of your income (the fluctuation is based on utilities). If you have no income they may cover all costs. You will need to submit recertification and if your income changes you will need to report the change.

Are you asking as someone who will be living in the home or as someone looking to sell. The homeowner should budget and make renovations that add value for them. If you are selling I would work with a company that FRONTS renovation costs. That means that they are investing with you on prepping the home for market. It takes the emotions out of the process. Working with a professional they are going to tell you what reno is needed and the rate on return. I have had very unhappy clients the dumped 100k into a kitchen remodel that they loved - but it did not improve the value 100K. You can OVER RENO a property. The best thing to do is pull comps and discuss reno with a professional.

Hi Kristin, you already got the best answers - no gift but gratitude and referrals. I wanted to add REVIEWS. Ask you agent to send you a link (or links!) to review them. It helps with SEO (search engine optimization) and will help folks find them on the web.

You can sell a property and carry the note having the buyer pay you zero-interest. If you are need to have a no interest loan on the property for religious reasons (or personal philosophy) there are loans that charge an up-front premium instead of interest and then the buyer only has a monthly principal payment.

I would wait until your primary residence has at least 50% equity. That being said you may have a very robust nest egg, or high income, where that might not be an issue. I would consult a CPA for assistance with budgeting. You can also "pre-qualify" (no credit pull) for a loan and see what they say about your lovability and how you may improve it ex: paying down debts, boosting credit score etc.

Hi Margaret, What kind of investment property? A home rental, Assisted Living Facility, a commercial property? When it comes to building a rental portfolio or investing in a business there are different aspects to consider. You may want to do a DSCR loan where the current income on the property is used to qualify you for the loan. Or a SBA loan if you are considering running a business. Some folks want to keep their property separate in an LLC for liability you would want to talk to a tax professional about that.

Use comps, see what has sold in the area. You can ask a local agent to price, they should NOT charge you a penny, good luck!

1. Get a copy of your lease 2. Ask legal - self help at the local court house 3. Ca. is very tenant friendly, generally they need to give you 60 days and they may need to pay relocation costs. 4. look for housing asap it can take months, good luck!

Find a real estate company that will do that for you someone that will FRONT the renovation cost and prep your home for market that means they are invested in the sale of your property too. They get paid after the close of escrow.