A bill pending in Congress would approve the use of remote online notarizations, making it easier to close on houses even if you cannot meet in person. The measure, called the “Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2020,” would allow every notary across the country to perform remote online notarizations. The bill was introduced by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND). At the current time, nearly half of the

Commercial real estate owners can now get big tax benefits, thanks to a fix of a glitch from 2017 contained in the economic stimulus measure passed in late March. A provision in the new law fixed a typo in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was intended to allow certain real estate businesses and retailers to write off the costs of certain property improvements right away, instead of over time. However, due to a

The IRS is giving investors with like-kind exchange or opportunity zone investment deadlines between April 1 and July 15 more time to complete their deals. The deadline is extended to July 15 for all taxpayers, including trusts, estates, corporations and other non-corporate tax filers. Like-kind exchanges under Section 1031 allow real estate investors to sell a single asset, such as condominiums or an office building, identify another property with a similar value to buy with the

When you sell your house, your real estate agent usually represents you throughout the process. And your agent has a fiduciary duty to you, which means he or she has a responsibility to act in your best interest. It is possible for the seller’s agent to represent the buyer as well. But how does that work in practice? The idea is that the “dual agent” manages all negotiations and paperwork between the buyer and seller and

You can maximize the return on your real estate investments by knowing the rules for writing them off on your taxes. Taxes on rental income Rental income is taxable as income on your ordinary income tax return, but is not subject to FICA tax. Income on your rental property includes anything paid to you as rent or royalty, minus any deductible expenses, which include mortgage interest and basic repairs to bring the property to a minimally

Cash security deposits, on top of high rents in most cities, make it difficult for many people to find affordable places to live. State and city lawmakers are working to eliminate the requirement that renters pay the deposits, which can be as much as one to two months’ rent, up front. The bills would require that landlords accept installment payments over time or insurance that would protect against damages to the rental. Legislators say many people

The year 2019 was the best year for mortgages since the crisis in 2006, the Wall Street Journal reported. The lending boom amounted to $2.4 trillion in home loans, an increase of 46 percent since 2018, according to industry research group Inside Mortgage Finance. The trend is expected to continue this year. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, refinancings made up nearly 40 percent of mortgage originations in 2019. Lending, fueled by cuts in interest rates,

The IRS recently clarified the terms under which rental real estate owners can qualify for a new tax break under section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code. The section provides a tax deduction of up to 20 percent of an entity’s qualified business income, or QBI, for many owners of pass-through entities, including sole proprietorships, partnerships and S corporations. (QBI is defined as the net amount of qualified items of income, gain, deduction and loss from

Starting in October 2019, some home sales under $400,000 no longer require an appraisal. Previously, appraisals were not required on home sales of $250,000 and below. But federal regulators just approved a rule that will raise the threshold for the first time in 25 years. Loans that are partially insured by, or eligible for sale to, a government agency such as the FHA, VA, Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac will still require an appraisal, per each

The Trump administration is limiting the amount of cash borrowers can withdraw from their homes under the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) financing program. As of September, the FHA now limits cash-out refinancing to 80 percent of the home value. Previously, borrowers could take out up to 85 percent of their property’s equity. The new FHA rule brings the limits in line with standards already in place at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Veterans Administration (VA) loans