Dear Ms. Lank: I don't want a for sale sign on my front lawn. Is it a requirement? What if I don't use a broker? -- J. S.

Answer: A real estate broker needs permission to place a sign in your yard. If you don't want one, you can just say so. ...

Dear Edith: We moved out of our home because we could not afford to pay our two home equity loans and the upkeep of the house. We moved to a one-bedroom apartment. The bank has been informed. We have mailed to the bank copies of our taxes, which ...

Dear Ms. Lank: How do we go about hiring a realtor to sell our cottage? We've never done it before. -- via askedith.com

Answer: You want to find an agent who does business in a way that's comfortable for you, someone who inspires confidence, is ...

Dear Edith: My question is for my sister. She is currently commuting two hours twice a day for her job and needs to move. She has a house but does not have the money to fix it up. She really just needs to rid herself of the mortgage debt. She does...

I have been using the same agent for over a year to help sell my house, and the contract is up for renewal at the end of this month. I think that he has been doing every thing possible, including a couple of price reductions. We get lots of ...

Dear Edith: As a retired associate real estate broker, I was interested in the item about what questions homeowners should ask when interviewing prospective brokers.

Asking how many homes an agent sold last year might reveal important information...