Recent Blog Posts
Are Mortgage Buydowns A Win-Win Situation Or A Shady Gimmick?
Nowhere besides the Washington, D.C. area is it more obvious that, during the pandemic, people with cushy, salaried jobs used the months of working from home to save up money to buy real estate. With no commuting expenses and no opportunities for dining out and recreational travel, the upper middle class turned those budget… Read More »
Disputes Between Businesses And Landlords Linger After The Pandemic
A new strain of COVID, even more contagious than the previous ones, may be making its way to the DC area, but people are going to approach things differently. No one seems especially interested in holing up at home and doom scrolling for an entire winter or partying just to be defiant. This time,… Read More »
Real Estate Investing Is Not A Game
Some people approach investing as a game, as if the uncertainty about whether you will gain or lose money from the investment, and how much you will gain or lose, is part of the fun. If this is your approach to investing, then buying real estate properties and renovating them in order to generate… Read More »
What Is The Penalty For Lying To Customers And Business Associates?
There is truth, there are lies, and then there is the special mix of reckless optimism and implausible tales that makes business school happy hour fun. It would be an exaggeration to say that every lie you tell in the context of your job can get you fired or sued. For example, if a… Read More »
Can You Inherit Bitcoin?
Most people focus on a narrow range of items that can make a person wealthy, such as cash, real estate properties, gold, and stocks. It is easy to scoff when someone boasts about their wealth in a form that you would not think of as valuable. Laugh all you want at the coupon clippers… Read More »
DC Voters Approve Initiative 82 To Phase Out Tipped Minimum Wage
For months, the discussion about the midterm elections has been dominated by speculation about which candidates would win seats in Congress, but meanwhile, many states and the District of Columbia distributed ballots asking voters to vote directly for or against specific policies relating to issues such as abortion and cannabis policy. Here in Washington… Read More »
Corporate Fit Is Overrated
Two candidates interview for the same job. They have similar qualifications, and they both have good references. Which one do you hire? All else being equal, most businesses hire the person that the hiring managers consider friendlier and easier to get along with. This intangible characteristic that makes a job applicant appear collegial is… Read More »
Patient Financing Plans And Your Medical Practice
You went into the medical profession because you want to help people. Treating patients is the most rewarding part of your practice and, for some physicians, so is participating in medical research, but even the most business-minded doctors find medical billing stressful. Your billing staff is diligent about negotiating payment with insurance companies, but… Read More »
What Is The Difference Between A Real Estate Agent And A Realtor?
In many endeavors in life, it is simple and practical to follow the principle that too many cooks spoil the broth. For example, the fewer people involved in the planning of your wedding, the better. Likewise, many entrepreneurs look back fondly on their startup days, when two or three friends made their great idea… Read More »
Are Handwritten Wills Valid In Maryland Probate Court?
Your parents can tell you about a time when typing documents was only for special occasions. Perhaps they used to handwrite most of their homework assignments; for final term papers, they would handwrite a first draft, and then type the paper before bringing it to class on the last day. These days, only the… Read More »
