The Chris Fritch Team

Question . Our house is free and clear. We have a $100,000 home equity line of credit, and the interest rate is somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 percent. We itemize tax deductions and are in a high federal tax rate, and hoping that any new tax laws will reduce our taxes. My question concerns using the home equity loan for investment. We are considering using $50,000 of the home equity line of credit and investing it in a growth stock for the next five years. An accountant/tax advisor, however, is strongly in favor of having an unencumbered house especially as we are close to retirement. Answer . It is a strong belief that homeowners -- of any age -- should make use of the equity they have gained from their real estate investments. As this column has suggested in the past, there are too many retired persons who are "house rich and cash poor." Hopefully, your house will appreciate in the future, and this appreciation will continue whether you have equity or not in ...

WRITTEN BY JAYMI NACIRI Strapped for cash and desperate to buy a home? We hear ya. While today's homeownership rate is trending back up after reaching its lowest level since 1965 last year, there are still thousands upon thousands of people who would love to become homeowners but who are stymied by the lack of a down payment . Homeownership Photo by  Lea Böhm  on  Unsplash Yes, loans you can get through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) require as little as 3.5% down, and some other loans out there drop that minimum down payment even lower. But rents that just continue to rise across the country can keep cash-strapped folks from being able to get together the savings required to get in the door - literally. Rent-to-own company  Home Partners of America  may have an answer. Yes, rent-to-own. Before you scrunch up your face at the idea of something that sounds too good to be true or something that brings back memories of "old school" ...

WRITTEN BY JAYMI NACIRI          You need approval to do stuff to your house in a planned community, even if that stuff is going to be an improvement over what it currently looks like. It's not the only potential downside, but there are also plenty of advantages associated with an HOA. And with more than 40 million U.S. households "or 53% of the owner-occupied households in the America" living with an HOA, according to  HOA-USA  - a number that's on the rise with new construction, of which more than 60% have an HOA - it's something you might have to deal with. Get to know the pros and cons so there won't be any surprises. Pro : An HOA protects your investment. "HOA rules and regulations help ensure homeowners keep their homes well maintained and in compliance with overall appearance standards,"  said Signature Homes . "Combined with proper care of amenities and common areas, the value of your home is more protected than o...