Tag: consumer services
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‘She has a poor work ethic’: I rent out rooms in a single-family home. I charge $1,300 per room, but my sister only pays $800. Should I ask her to pay more?
Dear Quentin, I own a rental property single-family home. I rent the rooms out individually for $1,200 per month plus utilities (about $1,300 all in). I have a very good track record of maintaining full occupancy. One of the tenants is my sister, who has lived in the house for 10 years. Due to our ... -
Five boozy Father’s Day gifts for dads and Sen. Cory Booker still believes this bill could narrow the racial wealth gap, help people buy homes and afford college
Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories. Sen. Cory Booker still believes this bill could narrow the racial wealth gap, help people buy homes and afford college Baby bonds are ‘a powerful way to deal with the wealth inequalities in our country by also empowering our economy overall,’ Booker tells MarketWatch. Read More IRS unveils ... -
Selling a vacation home that’s gone up in value? A Section 1031 exchange is one way to avoid a tax hit
Say you own a highly-appreciated vacation home that you’re ready to unload for whatever reason. If you simply sell it, you could face a whopping big income tax bill. See my earlier column on that unfortunate outcome. Ugh. But if you’re still bullish on real estate and not a fan of paying taxes unnecessarily, you ... -
Independent booksellers grew in number, diversity in 2021
NEW YORK — Laura Romani, a Chicago-area resident with a background in education and library science, had been thinking of a new career. “I was at home a couple of years ago reflecting on all the experience I gained and how I wanted to contribute to the Latino community, while also allowing myself to be ... -
My family owns a house that’s split among my father and his three siblings. He spent $100,000 on renovations and wants to buy his siblings out. What can he do?
There’s been a property in our family going back decades. It was actually split into four equal parts among the original owners, who have now all passed away. So the kids of the owners have the rights to the property. They each have 25%. My grandma and her son (my uncle) were living there rent-free ... -
‘Not one sibling wants to pony up the money to purchase the property’: My father owns a family home with 3 siblings. He spent $100,000 on renovations. Can he force them to sell?
There’s been a property in our family going back decades. It was actually split into four equal parts among the original owners, who have now all passed away. So the kids of the owners have the rights to the property. They each have 25%. My grandma and her son (my uncle) were living there rent-free ... -
Renting vs. owning: The difference is ‘higher than at any time since the turn of the century’
The housing market may be slowing down, but owning a home is still a costly proposition. Two charts reveal exactly how expensive it is. Just over a year ago, the monthly cost of owning and renting were practically identical, according to a blog post from John Burns Real Estate Consulting. “Now, owning a home costs ... -
Crypto crash FOMO and Americans are increasingly worried about red-hot inflation, jobs and their own deteriorating finances
Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories. Crypto crash FOMO? ‘I missed the bus on Bitcoin, but now feel like my time has come. Is it time to go big or go home? I have another 25 years of a boring 9-to-5 job, and I just want out.’ ‘I sit here day after day, doing ... -
‘All of this points to a broader weakness in the housing market’: Buyers are officially spooked by rising interest rates — just don’t expect a real-estate crash
‘All of this points to a broader weakness in the housing market’: Buyers are officially spooked by rising interest rates — just don’t expect a real-estate crash The U.S. housing sector is losing steam amid rising rates, which is spooking some would-be home buyers, according to various reports. The housing sector’s been red-hot for months ... -
I put $200,00 towards a down payment for a condo with my boyfriend. He is on the title, but not on the mortgage. How do I protect my equity investment now?
Dear Quentin, I recently sold my condo and put the equity earned (over $200,000) towards a new condo I own with my partner. My partner — we are not married — is on title, but not on the mortgage. He pays half of all expenses monthly without fail. What would be the best way to ...
