I have clients who love to regale me with stories about their fun experiences with tenants. Like the one who literally took everything that was not bolted down when he moved out: Carpeting, curtain rods, towel bars, you name it. In fact, he even took one thing that was bolted down - a toilet, believe it or not.Putting up with tenants can ...

Question: I have been renting an apartment, and my lease will expire at the end of November. I have taken a job out of this area, and expect to begin my new position on November 1 of this year. My landlord has a security deposit which is equivalent to one month’s rent. Should I pay for November since I will not be living in the apar...

Investing with a partner in real estate, especially residential properties, can often be appealing as a business venture due to the inherent benefits, like mitigation of risk and shared responsibilities.But proceed with caution. Real estate investing partnerships are like any other business undertaking, and should be treated as such. This...

Forget what you know from HGTV. When it comes to investing in the housing market, things tend to look less like Property Brothers and more like you pulling the hair out of your head. The difference here is in expertise and resources that can help a buyer separate the money makers from the money pits.Plan a Budget Before Looking....

Conventional wisdom has long suggested that renters rent because they can’t afford to buy homes. But Zillow has posed the question of whether renters are renting out of necessity or choice.Zillow’s latest look into homeownership rates found that almost 14 percent of renters are qualified to buy the median property in their mar...

AARP calls young adults moving back in with their parents “the new normal.” Although the U.S. economy has come a long way since the financial crisis, more young adults in this country are living with their parents than at any time since 1940. Some return home after being on their own for a while, some never left at all.Recentl...

As home prices and rents continue to rise, confidence in the housing market is starting to wane. It is showing up in weaker traffic at open houses and less interest in taking on a mortgage as some worry about their student debt loads.The numbers are dropping, and a new survey from the National Association of Realtors only adds fodder to t...

For Rob and Elizabeth Yingling of Fairfax, Va., the 10 years it took for their master bathroom to become a showpiece in their home was worth it.Last year, the couple took a sledgehammer to their master bathroom’s 1950s-era hot pink fixtures and walls that seemed fit for Barbara Eden in “I Dream of Jeannie.”For their...

Taxes and Real EstateNothing contained in this article shall be construed to be tax advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed professional.Tax reform has certainly been a hot topic recently! Regard-less of whether you agree, or disagree, with the fundamental concepts of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1) (TCJA), it is now the ...

WelcomeThe last quarter saw us welcome two additional members to our team. Please give a big welcome to Keicha Harper and Matthew Zawertany.  Keicha has joined our Resident Services department and will be assisting our current and prospective residents in their housing needs. Prior to joining Birch Management, Keicha has extensive ex...