Mecklenburg Times: News for Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties Real Estate, Development, Construction, and Community News in the Charlotte area and throughout Mecklenburg, Union and Iredell counties

  One of the things I find to be fascinating is that people who normally act with integrity and consider themselves to be upright and honest seem to check that principle at the door when it comes to the process ...

Tagged with: Investor's Corner

Dear Mr. Berko: I have 28 shares of Science Applications International Corp. in my account and don’t know how they got there. If they’re mine, should I keep them or sell them? I’ve changed brokerage firms six times in the ...

Tagged with: Berko

  In a conversation I had with a real estate investor regarding the differences between assignments and double closings, we talked about the cost associated with double closing a transaction. When you close two separate real estate transactions involving the same ...

Tagged with: closing costs

Dear Mr. Berko: In 2008, I was 46. My husband passed away that year, and my 600 shares of United Technologies were selling at $43 each. I own eight stocks, United Technologies, which recently announced a spinoff into three companies. ...

Tagged with: Berko

According to an April 2017 Gallup Poll, American’s perceptions of the best place to put their money for the long term is not in the stock market or in mutual funds, gold or silver, bonds, CDs, or in savings accounts. ...

Tagged with: Investor's Corner

Dear Mr. Berko: My husband of 34 years is a retired Marine colonel with prostate cancer, and the doctors told him that it is aggressive and could metastasize. I know that you know a lot about prostate cancer because you ...

Tagged with: Cancer

  The first step is to set a goal for the number of free and clear houses that you want to own. Work backwards into this goal by first setting an income goal and then asking how many free and ...

Tagged with: Investor's Corner

Dear Readers: The following are answers to recent letters received at my post office box from readers who did not include a stamped self-addressed envelope. I’ll list the cities where the questions came from after my answers. In response to ...

Tagged with: Berko

If these last few years your pocketbook has become lighter, your expenses have gone up, and your incoming cash flow has gotten tighter, you’ve got to ‘rise above the occasion’ and take control of your situation. I know so many people ...

Tagged with: action

Dear Mr. Berko: I’ve invested $85,000 in five companies involved in the development and manufacturing of autonomous vehicles. Four of the five issues currently trade well below my cost basis. I am beginning to have doubts and wonder whether I ...

Tagged with: self driving cars