Blog | Robert Lizek

How To Make Your Home Sale “Smooth Sailing”

If you’ve ever been on a cruise ship, you know that rough waters can result in a miserable experience. Even on modern ships equipped with stabilizers, choppy seas and bad weather can leave you stuck below deck – and possibly seasick. In fact, the expression “smooth sailing” comes from a desire ...

Step-Up Basis and Real Estate

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay Suppose you’ve inherited your parents’ longtime home. Suppose they paid $100,000 for it, and it’s now worth $300,000. Had they sold it while it was in their possession, they would have avoided paying capital gains tax due to the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997. Now that ...

What to Consider When Deciding How Much to Put Down on a Home

Buying a home requires extensive financial planning. While the widely accepted standard for down payments has been 20% of the purchase price for decades, many are wondering if that’s still required. In reality, there are ways to qualify for a mortgage with less than 20% down payment—even some options without ...

7 Master Bedroom Staging Ideas

As you most likely know, staging involves setting up the furniture, art and accessories of each room to help make your home look as appealing as possible to potential buyers. It’s similar to what furniture stores do when they create displays of model bedrooms, kitchens, etc. When you’re staging your home, ...