In my last entry in this series, I discussed local rental regulations, “invisible” factors which can have a huge impact on your rental experience. One type of regulation which can particularly impactful concerns parking. 4. Ensure proper parking is available. In one local township, parking requirements for rental and residential real estate differ substantially. While ... Continue reading this article…

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In my last entry in this series, I talked about how to find the right neighborhood if you’re looking to buy a rental property. But there’s more to understanding an area than just seeing the neighborhood: invisible factors which could cost you big-time. Here’s my next tip. 3. Be aware of local rental ... Continue reading this article…

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As I mentioned in my last entry on this topic, rental property ownership can reward or punish you for decisions made during the buying process, so it’s crucial to make the right ones. It’s about much more than just getting the right price. Here’s my next tip in the series. 2. Find the ... Continue reading this article…

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This is the first in a ten-part series about residential rental properties based on my experiences. Looking to diversify your investments and take advantage of the current dip in real estate prices? While by no means a passive investment, if you’re up to the challenge, residential rental property ownership can provide not just additional short- and ... Continue reading this article…

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The National Association of Realtors claims that the median price for sold homes in May was $223,700. Would you pay more than that for a parking spot? Perhaps this is an indication of how crazy the market is in Manhattan, where a parking spot at 246 West 17th Street is fetching $225,000 — ... Continue reading this article…

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Last December, I criticized a Kentucky couple for complaining that their house wasn’t selling at the price they were asking. They thought they were asking a fair price, but it’s only a fair price if someone’s willing to pay it. Either price your house to sell, or wait around for someone to come ... Continue reading this article…

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I have limited access to the internet over the next few days, so there may be only sporadic posting on Consumerism Commentary during that time. I saw Les Christie’s article, Out of Touch With Realty Reality, last night and I found it interesting. If homeowners are convinces that their homes are increasing value even in ... Continue reading this article…

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My choice for a new apartment isn’t the most frugal decision I’ve ever made, and I’m fine with that. The apartments are in a nicer area, they don’t attract partying college students, and they’re relatively new. That shows in the $1,425 monthly rent. The loft area, while increasing the square footage and ... Continue reading this article…

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Last week, I called my gas and electricity provider, PSE&G, to transfer my account from my old apartment to the new. The phone system said that I should complete my request online, so that’s what I did. It’s a good thing I called the back earlier this week to verify they had my ... Continue reading this article…

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I recently decided to move to a new apartment rather than stay in my current apartment or buy a house. It’s a bit of an upgrade for me, and it’s been a long time coming. I haven’t written much about the financial effects of this decision other than to say it will be ... Continue reading this article…

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About a month ago I publicly ruminated on the yearly question of whether to rent again for another year or settle down and buy a house to call my own. I spent a good amount of time weighing the pros and cons of all my options, including putting all my cash into a down payment for ... Continue reading this article…

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On Sunday, I noticed yet another new article describing the benefits of renting over buying a house. I’ve been following these articles with interest as my lease is getting closer to its end date six weeks from now, and I’ve been thinking about what to do. In this article, Liz Pulliam Weston provides ... Continue reading this article…

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Over the weekend, Moom left a comment on 7 Ways to Kill Your Net Worth after observing a number of mainstream media articles touting the idea that real estate — your own home — is not a good investment. Interesting how now that the housing market is stagnating or going down in many regions there are ... Continue reading this article…

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Those who have been following my travails closely may have a feeling I might need to start contemplating my living situation. About a year ago, a chronicled my adventures looking for an apartment with my girlfriend (one, two, three, four, five, and six) which ended unsuccessfully and with a bit of a scuffle with ... Continue reading this article…

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Yikes. Yesterday I was discussing my living options, and I’m thinking about buying a condominium when my lease is up. I’ve been in this apartment for longer than I had originally planned, and I can probably afford a modest condo. According to a calculator offered by the New York Times, it makes more financial ... Continue reading this article…

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If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a professional real estate investor, Jon’s blog will be helpful. Jon runs 4 real estate companies, managing a total of $50 million in real estate. He does this all while living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a degenerative neuromuscular disease. In this guest post, ... Continue reading this article…

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This is a guest post by SVB, the Silicon Valley Blogger. She is a software engineer juggling a family, an IT job, and running her household. At The Digerati Life, SVB discusses finance and business with how-to articles as well as personal stories. I decided to take a nice stroll down our ... Continue reading this article…

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For the second time since moving into this apartment several years ago, the landlord (a national corporation, not an individual or a family) has decided to stop accepting credit cards for rent payments. While I suppose this is good for tenants who don’t pay their full credit card balance every month, but I’ll no longer be ... Continue reading this article…

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