Ms. Lank: You answered a question in a column about things to protect yourself against when "taking over payments" to eventually become the owner. There is one important one I did not see there: make sure the seller is actually the owner.

Some years back in another state, my daughter and her husband contracted with a widower to rent his house, with rent credited toward purchase. After a couple of years and some significant improvements, it turned out that the man's late wife was the owner of record. The property didn't legally belonged to him, but instead to her children from a previous marriage! An expensive lesson learned. -- W.B.

Answer: I'm happy to remember that in answering the item you referred to. I would have advised using an attorney when entering into a lease-option agreement. Even without a full title search at that point, I'd like to think a lawyer would check the property tax account, which would show the owner of record.

If your kids had a lawyer when they "contracted" with the widower, I'd say the attorney had some obligation to help them when they discovered the problem. It might never have occurred to them to verify ownership, but a lawyer should have done just that.

WHAT MATTERS MOST

How will you prioritize the following:

1. Choice of Street

2. Choice of Neighborhood

3. Choice of Town

4. Size of the house

5. View from the house

6. Location of house

7. Elevation of the house

8. Curb appeal

-- via e-mail

Answer: Your question looks to me like a really poor homework assignment. I'm trying to imagine what the course might be: How to write advertising? Beginning salesmanship? Basic appraisal? And just what is "elevation of the house"?

But at any rate, if you're asking what should matter most to a buyer, then of course each person's priorities will differ. You haven't even listed what I'd look at first: the reputation of the local schools. I'd research that if I had school-age children. Even if I didn't, I'd still take it into consideration because school quality eventually affects resale price.

BOUGHT STUDENT HOUSING

Ms. Lank: I currently live in a home that my father and I purchased when I was going to school for my undergrad degree. We thought it would be wise to invest in a property as opposed to throwing money out the window on a rental. Now five years later, I am ready to get out! A combination of intrusive neighbors and bad memories are making my living situation unbearable.