Q. We accepted an offer last month to sell our home for $245,500, in part because the buyers provided a letter from their bank stating that they were approved for a loan of up to $275,000. But last week, the buyers notified us that they are canceling the sale because the lender will no longer [...]
May 14th, 2012 by David W. MyersBack in March, Joel Doelger of Credit Counseling of Arkansas (CCOA) said there was a problem with people either discarding letters from their lenders or believing those letters were from scammers out to make some cash off people going through bad times. At the time, Doelger said the letters at issue informed borrowers who lost [...]
May 14th, 2012 by Ethan NoblesConsidering that my deck is nearing the age of 10 years, I was glad to receive a news release reminding me to check my deck for safety concerns that could lead to accidents and injuries. It’s a thought that never occurred to me and probably wouldn’t have until the damage was done. It’s also a [...]
May 14th, 2012 by Amy Glover BryantQ. I want to reduce my electric bills especially with the upcoming summer’s air-conditioning costs. I thought about installing a skylight or tubular skylight so I need fewer lights. Which would be best? A. If this mild winter was any predictor of the upcoming summer temperatures, we are in for some high electric bills for [...]
May 14th, 2012 by James DulleyI’m always fascinated at the impressive array of architectural styles that populate the North American landscape. The combination of climate demands, indigenous building materials and imaginative solutions to housing — whether there are budget constraints or the sky’s the limit — have produced buildings that satisfy more than the need for shelter. The different styles [...]
May 14th, 2012 by Debbie TravisQ. You recently wrote about the various problems an owner must disclose about his own house when he puts it up for sale. We are planning to put our own home on the market in July. It’s in mint condition, but our neighbor’s three dogs often wake us up at night by their incessant barking [...]
May 7th, 2012 by David W. MyersThere have been a number of political spats over the past few years among lawmakers with the intention of helping Americans through the housing crisis that’s been blamed for everything from falling housing prices to reduced sales. We’ve seen the federal government bail out banks and attempt to remedy bogus foreclosure practices. We’ve watched the [...]
May 7th, 2012 by Ethan NoblesThis week’s column is guest authored by Gary Isom, executive director of the Arkansas Real Estate Commission. For the 25 years that I’ve worked for the Arkansas Real Estate Commission, a consumer group that has consistently been a target of unethical activity is timeshare owners who wish to sell their timeshares. Many persons who purchase [...]
May 7th, 2012 by Amy Glover BryantQ. My husband and I got married late in life. We both love to cook, but we have very different styles. I like a super tidy-kitchen with everything put away and counters cleared when I start. My husband prefers all the kitchen equipment out on the counters with open shelves for spices and dishes and [...]
May 7th, 2012 by Debbie TravisQ. We had some major plumbing problems last year, including a flooded basement. We spent almost $7,000 to make repairs, and everything since has been fine. Now we are getting ready to sell. Must the problems we had a year ago be disclosed to a potential buyer, even though everything now is OK? A. Disclosure [...]
April 29th, 2012 by David W. Myers