This is a great first-time buyer opportunity! Very affordable and move-in ready! Owner has done all the work and remodeled this home throughout! New kitchen, new baths, new pergo floors throughout & more! The carport is converted into a bonus room/guest wing and fenced a portion of the front yard for privacy. Huge driveway so there's plenty of room for parking, and a large set back from the street.

Click here to see the virtual tour.

I understand an owner can choose if they want to rent to pet owners or not, but what about an guide dog? Can a landlord not rent to a person with a handicap and/or a dog?

This is hard to answer in brief, but guide dogs and assistance animals should be accepted in rental housing as they are not considered pets. The landlord can ask for verification and explanation as to the role of the service animal to verify that it is not a pet. When looking for a rental property it's wise if the applicant is up front and explains their situation and that they have an assistance animal. The landlord should be aware that there is an animal on the premises so they can relay the information to neighbors, service personnel, and HOA representatives as necessary.

Remember that there are a variety of service animals–not just guide dogs for the blind. There are service and animals for people with mobility limitations, hearing disabilities, diabetic conditions, and so forth. And, usually they are dogs, but not always. (There are miniature horses being trained as "guide dogs" for the blind! Click here if you don't believe me!)

So my apartment complex was sold, and I and several other tenants have cats. The original owner allowed them, but the new owner has given us notice to move or get rid of the cat(s). Is this legal?

Check your lease agreement. Most leases will have a clause about pets–whether they are allowed or not allowed. The default is usually "not allowed" unless there is a pet addendum incorporated into the lease.

The lease terms transfer from old owner to new owner, so unless you signed a new lease with the new owner, whatever is in your original lease is valid. If your cat is included in the lease agreement, then the new owner may start a no-pet policy with new tenants but your cat is "grandfathered" in under the original lease terms.

If the cat is not part of the lease and you wish to stay, my recommendation would be to ask your new landlord to do a walk through of your unit and see the condition in which it is kept. If you keep house well and there is no evidence the cat lives there, you may be able to bargain for a concession. However, what one tenant is allowed is usually expected by the other tenants, so it's possible the new owner just wants to have a pet-free building.

I am a first-time buyer looking at an REO listed at $239K. It's been on the market for almost a year and needs a lot of work. It hasn't been maintained for at least that time and now there is vandalism to repair. What do you think about offering $150K?

If the home has been on the market a year, it's possible no one wants it and it's just sitting there waiting. Or, could be the bank has it priced at $239K to attract multiple offers. In that case, your $150K probably won't even get a reply. Find out what similar homes in the area are selling for, as that will tell you where the market is for this property. Most REOs need work, that's a given. The bank is aware of that and usually the condition is already factored into the listing price. If you/your agent can access the transaction history on the home, you can find out more about what the home sold for last, how much the loan was, and feel out how much the bank lost on the property. If the bank bought it back for $275K after a $400K loan was defaulted on, then there is no advantage for them to give the house away for $150K.

Also, keep in mind that unless you are purchasing with cash, you will have trouble getting a loan on a vandalized REO.

Traditionally the seller pays the commission to the agents involved in a transaction. This is how it goes: The seller lists the property and agrees to pay a commission for the sale. That amount is agreed to between the listing agent and seller. The listing agent then offers a portion of that commission to the "selling" agent (or buyer's agent). Often the two agents split the comission 50/50, but that is up to the listing agent. The listing agent may have a 6% commission, but offer 2.5% to the selling agent. Or, the listing agent may offer more commision to the selling agent in hopes of attracting more agents to show the property.

Therefore, as a buyer, the agent you select to work with is compensated by the seller. So there's really no reason to enter a real estate transaction without an agent representing you.