ArcaMax

Q: My wife and I are in our late 70s. She's shown some recent changes and last week she tripped on a rug she's walked over for years. I'm taking her to her doctor, but it made me wonder if our home itself has become a risk. Do you have a safety checklist I should walk through?

A: You're right to see your doctor first. But you're also right ...Read more

Q: There are 3 approaches to valuing a piece of land: the income approach, the comparable approach and the cost approach. I have a plot of 8 feet by 19 feet. I don't have time to take a course in real estate valuation. What will be the price if I sell this plot?

A: None of the three approaches you named will get you a usable number and it's ...Read more

Q: My brother, sister and I inherited an older apartment building in a Midwest downtown three years ago. It has tenants and a property manager handles the day-to-day and collects the rent, but we have never agreed on what to do with it long-term. None of us has real estate experience, but everyone has an opinion. The emotions are escalating, ...Read more

Q: We are watching the growing controversy over the huge data centers popping up around the country. There are conversations and rebuttals everywhere. One example we saw was a video opposing a data center that showed brown water coming out of a kitchen tap. Beyond the rhetoric, what are the economic benefits of these data centers?

A: The ...Read more

Q: We have an accepted offer on our home, pending closing, and we are moving into a new 55-and-older community. We have made a down payment there, and we expect our buyer's financing to be approved soon. Moving from one home to another is complicated. Do you have advice, or a to-do list organized by order of action steps?

A: Most moving ...Read more

Q: We've covered the surveyor, lot sizing, TIF financing, phasing, stormwater, sewer and septic and bonding. You said this final column would cover the one mistake that kills more subdivision projects than any other. What is it?

A: It's assuming the FEMA flood map is accurate.

Almost every developer treats the Flood Insurance Rate Map as ...Read more

Q: I've heard FEMA flood maps can be wrong. Is that true and how would I even know if it affects my home?

A: It is true, and it affects more homes than most owners realize.

The National Flood Insurance Program was created by Congress in 1968, after the Mississippi River floods of 1927 and Hurricane Betsy in 1965. FEMA itself wasn't created ...Read more

Q: We own and live in a home located on a 30-acre parcel near a small Midwest city that has zero vacant lots remaining. The city is popular for many reasons, including a fiscally conservative school district and a beautiful setting overlooking one of the Great Lakes. Please share what you know about creating a subdivision.

A: You may be ...Read more

Reader Question: I keep hearing real estate agents say buyers and sellers want more "transparency." But when I read the news, it seems like the industry keeps fighting transparency every time someone actually proposes it. Which is true?

Monty's Answer: Both are true and that tension is exactly what played out at NAR's midyear meetings in ...Read more

Q: We are under contract on a house and our agent recommended an inspector who she says she "uses all the time." The inspection turned up a few issues, but nothing major and the inspector seemed almost rushed to tell us everything was fine. A friend mentioned that inspectors sometimes soften reports because agents control their referrals. ...Read more

Q: A real estate agent recently showed us a foreclosure home. Our offer was not accepted. Three weeks later, the house is now in auction. Can we/should we still work with the agent when this happens? Or are we on our own?

A: First, the good news: Yes, your agent can still help you. Whether they should depends on one critical document -- your ...Read more

Q: The real estate market feels chaotic right now. Some areas are still strong seller's markets, while others have flipped to buyers' or balanced markets. Interest rates remain elevated, inventory is thin in many places and the rules seem to keep changing. How do we go about selling our home in 2026?

A: You have correctly identified the ...Read more

Q: Is the owner or real estate agent of a rental property obligated to paint the walls and fix leaks and leak damage before a tenant moves in?

A: The answer depends on two things: what was agreed to in writing, and whether you have already moved in. Those facts change your legal position considerably. Here are some thoughts on both issues.

...Read more