Davenport Condos

Open Question: Bought a condo in West LA (near UCLA) in 2005 at its peak? When should I sell for the least loss?

Hi, I'd appreciate professional advice. I bought a 2/2 condo with w/d inside in 2005 It's in West LA, about a mile south of UCLA, close to the 405 and I-10, close to Century City and only a 5 minute drive to Beverly Hills. In other words, a great spot in a very walkable spot! Fireplace, granite/stainless steel renovated kitchen and travertine update bathrooms are all great selling points. I bought the condo for $480K. I put $20K into renovations. I'd have to spend $25k on seller's fees. So in theory, I would need to sell for $525 to break even. If I sell now, I'd get $475k, losing $50k. In a way, I want to. I'm losing about $500 a month now by renting as it is. I now live in Florida and don't need the Calif. condo headache anymore. According to any experts out there reading this, am I better off selling now or waiting till 2011? I've been doing some research and some experts think that 2011 will be even worse than 2010. My arm is up in 2012, so if I have to choose 2010, 2011, or 2012, which do you think is the lesser of all evils? Thanks for your advice, Sandy

Open Question: If this makes Palin a "tax cheat", then what is Charles B. Rangle?

Palin: ---- Records: Palin cabins not noted in tax assessments ---- "Property taxes totaling $156.13 were paid on the land in 2009" "The two parcels of land, separated by one lot, total 25 acres and had a combined value of $30,000 in 2007 through 2009, according to assessment records. Dunivan said the data collected in Thursday's survey will be calculated into 2010 assessment notices being mailed out at the end of the month." Rangle: "The New York Times reported on July 10, 2008 that Rangel rents four apartments in the Lenox Terrace complex in Harlem at below-market rates. The newspaper reported that Rangel paid $3,894 monthly for all four apartments in 2007, but that the going rate for similar apartments offered by the landlord in that building would be as high as $8,125 monthly" "Rangel received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from one of the company’s owners, according to The Times." "... experts cited by The Times indicated that the difference in rent between what Rangel was paying and market rates on the second, third and fourth apartments he rented, an estimated $30,000 per year, could be construed as a gift as the savings is granted at the discretion of the landlord and is not offered to the public at large; if this should be treated as a gift, it would exceed the $100 limit established by the House of Representatives" "Rangel was also accused of failing to report income from the rental of a villa he owns in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, a three-bedroom, three-bath unit that has been rented out for as much as $1,100 per night in the busiest tourist season, from mid-December to mid-April." "...was one of several early investors who had interest payments waived in 1990." " ...Rangel's attorney, disclosed that Rangel had failed to report $75,000 in income he had received for renting the condo on his tax returns" "Additional accounting discrepancies were disclosed on September 15, 2008, including omission in Rangel's financial reports of details regarding the sale of a home he once owned on Colorado Avenue in Washington, DC,..." "...discrepancies in the value listed for a property he owns in Sunny Isles, Florida .." "... and inconsistencies in investment fund reporting." "An article in the September 18, 2008 New York Post states, "Rep. Charles Rangel has been using a House of Representatives parking garage for years as free storage space for his old Mercedes-Benz - a violation of congressional rules and a potential new tax woe ..." "On November 23, 2008, the New York Post reported that Rangel took a "homestead" tax break on his Washington, DC house for years while simultaneously occupying multiple New York City rent-stabilized apartments, "possibly violating laws and regulations in both cases." "In December 2008, it surfaced that Rangel paid $80,000 in campaign funds to an Internet company run by his son for the creation of his PAC website." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_B._Rangel#cite_note-nyt071108-39

Open Question: investing in real estate, is now a good time?

Hello, I'm looking to invest in real estate in Texas, Florida, Nevada or Arizona. I want an investment property, either a house or condo, and I want to spend about 100k to 150k. My first choice would be a two bedroom condo, but I could accept a one bedroom condo or a small house. I want to get something in a city that isn't too small, one with jobs that will continue to attract people. Or at the least, I want to invest in a city that won't be losing too many more jobs in the future. I'm hoping for a state that doesn't have too high property taxes, but I'm willing to accept one if there are other good reasons to invest there. Do you think now is a good time to invest, or will prices continue to fall? I plan on putting down up to fifty percent down payment and my credit is fine, so it shouldn't be very hard to get a loan, hopefully. If you are an agent, please give me your contact information, also let me know if you know a great agent. I'll thank you in advance for any information you can give me.

Open Question: Best means by which to move to Florida from Ohio?

My family and I plan to move from Ohio to Florida and are wondering if anyone can offer up some suggestions to solve the logistical problem of moving a condo full of stuff across country in the best and most economical manner possible. We got an estimate from Two Men and a Truck and they want almost $5,000 which seems quite high to me. Aside from renting a U-haul and doing everything ourselves, does anyone have some ideas we might want to consider? Be creative but practical. Also, any recommendations or advice about living in the Winter Park or Orlando areas of Florida are quite welcome. Got a quote from PODS today for about $2,000; so that was a great suggestion.

Open Question: whats a good condo in florida keys for a decent ammount?

whats a good decent condo in florida keys for a week for like $1500-

Open Question: how much would my payment be on a condo on a beach?

If I spent 80k and say I put 10k down. So 50 would be financed and i have good credit. My concern is how much would insurance be ect in Florida. Daytona Beach to be exact.

Voting Question: Good places to stay in Florida.?

My husband and I, along with our 3 year old son, are planning a trip to Florida during the second week of October. We really don't have a place in mind as of yet. This will all of our first times seeing the ocean so we would like a place that has a really nice beach view. Maybe renting a house/cabin/condo type place on the beach. Where would you guys recommend?

Resolved Question: How can I obtain Adverse Possession on my property in Florida?

Ok I have been renting my condo for 9 years now and paying taxes. But my landlord says he is not paying for the property anymore, even though I was the one paying the taxes on the property. So now the bank has a put a lien on the condo I am staying in. Is there a way I can claim Adverse Possession?

Resolved Question: Things to do in Ft. Myers Florida for college aged students?

I'm going to Ft Myers florida over spring break and staying at my friends condo. Anywho, the 5 of us want to know if there is anything cool around there that doesnt cost an arm and a leg. (No 200 dollar excursions...)

Resolved Question: i don't know what to do with my husband. serious answers only please!?

I have been married for a little over a year and my husband is in the Army. Right now he is on a 9 month "deployment" to Miami, Fl. 10 guys from his unit were sent there and put up in condos. They have to work a lot, but obviously they have time off too, and this has put great strain on our marriage, mostly because I feel stuck at home with my 4 year old son dealing with everything by myself, away from my family, and every second he's off work he's out partying it up like a bachelor in Florida. I don't think he has cheated on me yet, but yet is the key word. We have been fighting a lot lately over him always being out when he's off, promising my son to get on webcam with him and blowing him off, and his blowing through so much money being down there. My husband won't communicate about anything: he holds everything inside. I've had a lot of other things going on for me lately, and I've been under a lot of stress and he feels like I was smothering him (which I'm his wife, it's not smothering it's marriage) and he felt I was taking him for granted. And in retrospect, I guess I was, but he'd never say anything to me, so I never knew it was bothering him like that. Finally, he blew up on me, took off his wedding ring, and said it was over he was filing for seperation. This came as a huge shock to me, because I took my wedding vows seriously. I was 25 when I got married and I meant what my vows said : in good times AND in bad. It blew my mind that he could let something bother him that long without telling me until it got to the point where he didn't want to be with me anymore. I apologized to him and I told him that if he talked to me, I would work on changing because I don't mean to be a bitch, I just come off that way. And I've never been willing to do that for anyone. He has made a lot of mistakes and everytime I gave him another chance because he's my husband and I love him and I want it to work. He told me that he's done, and doesn't want to give a chance for anything. He even called my family and told them it's over. I've had tickets for months to go see him for 5 days next week and he's telling me not to come down. But I think I want to go anyway: you can't tell your WIFE you want a divorce over the phone, that's an in-person conversation. And I want to see what's going on down there, because I'm so scared he's cheating-- even though that's not his style because he is so shy. Also, he is on my phone plan, and since this went down I looked over the recent bill to see if there were any weird numbers and there aren't, so Idk maybe he isn't. Either way he's saying he's not in love with me anymore, and I don't understand how you can instantly feel that way about someone you swore to spend your life with. I'm not a really religious person, and the only advice I seem to be getting is to pray. Which I have actually tried, but that's not solving anything. What do I do??? I love this man with all of my being, I just don't understand how he can be hurting me so bad. I don't know what I can do to fix things. I may be a bitch sometimes, but I've never cheated on him, never lied to him, do everything I'm supposed to as a wife. I was balling my eyes out begging him for another chance to work things out because we are MARRIED not dating, and he said no, he's over me. Please, please don't respond with a smart ass comment, I'm obviously not doing well as it is. Please don't tell me not to worry about him, I can do better, because I can't. Please don't tell me to pray or just to "let him go and if it's meant to be he'll come back." That's bullshit. Just please, tell me how to make my husband come back so my son and I don't feel like this anymore. I don't know what else I can do, and it's killing me. So after all this trying to figure out what I need to do, it comes out he's been having an affair and spending all of our money on some girl in Miami....