Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• Separate residences still offer tax benefits

  April 8, 2012 in Business on Page E2 Before the current, rather liberal tax advantages for home ownership, many older people delayed or declined marriage or remarriage “for tax purposes.” That’s because each person over age 55 was …

• Should known crimes return to sellers’ disclosure forms?

  March 25, 2012 in Business on Page E2 We once bought a large family home in Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood where a woman shot and killed her husband in front of the living room fireplace. Should we have been …

• Kelly: Mortgage relief won’t face tax – if you can get it, that is

  March 11, 2012 in Business on Page E2 Due to the decline in housing prices, many home sales are “short sales” in which the purchase price offered by the buyer is less than the mortgage amount owed by …

• Broker’s level of expertise may not be what you’re seeking

  February 26, 2012 in Business on Page E2 When we bought our first home, my wife and I were stunned to discover that the person representing us in the transaction did not have a real estate license. Here …

• Tom Kelly: Money to be made in yard, driveway rentals

  February 12, 2012 in Business on Page E2 My father was a physician in a two-man shop. He was also a baseball fan. When he was “on call” and felt things were calm enough to attend a game, …

• Kelly: Turning home into rental brings enticing tax benefits

  January 15, 2012 in Business on Page E2 Seniors are particularly careful about guarding their assets. With little monthly income, older people still living in their longtime primary residences need to make the most of an eventual home …

• Kelly: Housing stabilization seems to be moving target

  January 1, 2012 in Business on Page E2 The most popular question since the mortgage meltdown and subsequent dive in home prices has changed in the past 12 months. It has evolved from “where’s the bottom?” to “what’s …

• Holiday traditions linger in and out of the home

  December 18, 2011 in Business on Page E2 When our four kids were younger, Santa Claus always arrived earlier than expected. We set up the tree a few days after Thanksgiving, decorated it with lights and sentimental ornaments …

• There’s no ‘Plan B’ if mortgage interest deduction goes away

  December 4, 2011 in Business on Page E2 Moe Veissi, the new president of the National Association of Realtors, didn’t even blink an eye when the sensitive question was raised. It wasn’t an elephant-in-the-room topic, but it was …

• Higher property appraisal brings out agent’s competitive side

  November 20, 2011 in Business on Page E2 In a recent column, we asked if a person who serves homebuyers and sellers for a living should be held to different guidelines if they are competing to purchase a …

• Shoreline plan updates could use a little logic

  July 17, 2011 in Business on Page E2 An older couple had finally decided to move. Their landmark lakefront home, the headquarters for family reunions, community events and Sunday religious services, would soon be offered for sale. They’d … 1

• Fate of reverse mortgages depends on compromise

  July 3, 2011 in Business on Page E2 The recent exit of Wells Fargo from the reverse mortgage industry will become a critical point in time for lenders and mortgage companies with plans to service the financial needs … 1

• First-time home buyers face tough competition

  June 19, 2011 in Business on Page E2 First-time home buyers are critical to the housing industry. Once they get in the door, this enables the former first-timer to move up. In a nutshell, first-time buyers help to …

• Rental homeowners can’t afford to be deceptive

  June 5, 2011 in Business on Page E2 We have some friends who rented a home in the mountains for Memorial Day weekend. It was the only weekend of the summer their entire family could gather. Summer jobs, …

• Credit fraud, credit repair two different challenges

  April 24, 2011 in Business on Page E2 An old friend not only was a victim of credit fraud this past year but his family’s passports were stolen two weeks before a long-awaited vacation. Stuart, 60, took all …

• Mortgage forgiveness tax relief differs from home-sale loss

  April 10, 2011 in Business on Page E2 Four years ago, the Internal Revenue Service changed the law that required consumers to pay tax on mortgages forgiven by a lender. Those amounts used to be considered taxable income … 1

• Old consumer loan method applied to home mortgage

  January 30, 2011 in Business on Page E2 Refinancing continues to be a hot topic. Many homeowners who are planning to stay in their homes for the long term are trying to find ways to lock in record …

• Jobs remain key factor in 2011 housing outlook

  January 2, 2011 in Business on Page E2 The big wild card in the 2011 housing forecast remains employment. Will the predicted improvement in jobs and household formation balance the negative perceptions brought by rising foreclosure rates and … 1

• Jumbo mortgage now available for seniors with pricey homes

  October 24, 2010 in Business on Page E2 A new jumbo reverse mortgage option has finally surfaced for seniors with higher-value homes who have been seeking to tap more home equity than the federally insured FHA program can … 1

• Company’s plan offers hope for ‘underwater’ borrowers

  October 10, 2010 in Business on Page E2 Many lenders have not budged from their prepayment penalties – the practice of charging a significant fee if the borrower refinances or sells within a specific period of time – …

• Realtor economist sees ‘fear factor’ going away in ’10

  January 17, 2010 in Business on Page E2 While most housing analysts believe there will be no double-dip recession, the number of foreclosures will continue to hound the industry in 2010. “The only guys predicting a double-dip recession … 5

• TEAM program gives students access to music lessons

  June 18, 2009 in Washington Voices on Page S1 For many families, private music lessons are an unaffordable luxury. But thanks to the TEAM Project (Teens Engaging in Alternatives through Music) at Holy Names Music Center, children ages 8-14 …