Real Estate Mailbag

Homeowners who want to cancel their PMI usually must pay for an appraisal to determine their home's market value. An appraisal usually costs at least $300. You got a bargain from Chase, and you will be saving PMI fees.

DEAR BOB: Reserve balances for condo associations are a big problem, especially as condos become older and need more repairs. I was treasurer of a townhouse homeowner association that made a big mistake in the 1990s when we had a surplus: We reduced the monthly assessment. Then we had to go to the homeowners and ask for a substantial dues increase, which was approved only after much toil, bickering, anger and accusations. I suggest condo homeowner associations make a replacement study every few years to anticipate repairs -- and don't reduce assessments. -- Gerry G.

DEAR GERRY: You are correct. I own a condo as a second home, and the homeowner association's directors voted two or three years ago to increase our annual assessments by 5 percent to provide for increased replacement reserves.

Now, when we have an unexpected expense, such as a $26,000 elevator repair last year, we have plenty of reserves without the need for a special assessment.

If we ever have too much in reserve, I hope the directors will find some way to spend the surplus rather than reduce our monthly fees.

DEAR BOB: You recently had a letter about a handicapped renter whose service dog's barking was disturbing the other tenants, especially at night. Although I am not handicapped, my German shepherd's barking gave me fits, as I didn't want to disturb my neighbors. Then I bought a muzzle for the dog, which cost about $10. Now I simply show her the muzzle and say "quiet." She stops barking. The alternative is to leave the muzzle on for the night and she can whine, but not bark. -- Scott W.

DEAR SCOTT: Yours was the best letter of many I received about that problem. The landlord made a "reasonable accommodation" for the handicapped tenant although he didn't normally allow pets. But when the dog disturbed other residents, the landlord justifiably threatened eviction. Your solution of putting a muzzle on the dog, especially at night, should solve the problem.

DEAR BOB: When I bought my home three years ago, I had it inspected by a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors and negotiated with the seller about repairing the defects he discovered. But last week we pulled up the wall-to-wall carpet to install tile. We discovered an uneven concrete slab with large cracks. We had to replace the slab to lay the tile, and it apparently had been replaced before. I contacted our seller and she told me her seller had told her about the slab work, which she did not disclose to me. Do we have a case against her and her real estate broker for nondisclosure? -- Jim S.

DEAR JIM: Probably not. The fact that the seller had the concrete slab under your house replaced did not have to be disclosed to you unless the seller knew it was defective. A professional home inspector didn't discover the problem; even you didn't find it until three years after the home purchase.

Proving that the seller knew of the defect and should pay for replacing the concrete slab would be extremely difficult.

DEAR BOB: I am considering selling my home and buying a home with my boyfriend. I have two children, as does he. Should we take title as joint tenants with right of survivorship or as tenants in common? We want to ensure that our children get their share of the home if either of us dies. -- Brenda C.

DEAR BRENDA: If you and your boyfriend take title as joint tenants with right of survivorship, when one of you dies, the survivor owns the entire property. Your written will, or his written will, has no effect on joint tenancy property. However, if you take title as tenants in common, each of you should have a will to convey title to your half upon death as you wish.