You know spring is in the air when people start thinking about home buying. I recently got questions from several people asking about buying a home. One of the most common is how much to put down. Let’s look at a few things to consider: Continue reading “How Much Should You Put Down On a Home?”
I recently talked to someone selling his house and he told me about something he is doing that I had never heard of before. It helped him get a quick sale at his asking price without a lot of back and forth negotiating. Then, I read this article about the same thing and began to wonder if this is going to be a trend that picks up momentum across the country. Continue reading “A New Way to Buy or Sell a House”
For a long time now, I’ve talked to people who have found it relatively difficult to come up with a 20% down payment and banks have not been very flexible with the 20% down payment requirement. Things may be changing though. This article talks about what may be an encouraging sign for borrowers. It looks like there is some relaxing of the 20% rule now, with the return of the mortgage with a 10% down payment being seen more widely. Is this a sign of hope that banks are having money flow back into the economy? Continue reading “Is There Hope or Doom on the Horizon?”
One of the most common questions we get is whether to prioritize paying down debt, building up savings, or investing for retirement. Ideally, of course, we would do all three but most of us have limited dollars with which to work with. So what should take priority? It’s a topic that has generated some disagreement among some well-known financial gurus. Here are some guidelines to follow: Continue reading “What Comes First: Saving, Investing, or Paying off Debt?”
Exactly one year ago, our family completed a crosstown move in Charleston, South Carolina to get closer to family, my wife’s business, and our children’s schools, and thankfully, within a short little drive to Folly Beach. Any planned major purchase can add significant joy (and stress) as well as some expected and unexpected financial challenges and this was one was no different. Our new home was purchased through a short sale and although it was left structurally sound when we moved in there, there was a long to-do list related to cosmetic repairs, appliances in need of replacement, and an exterior in need of pretty significant landscaping and TLC. Continue reading “8 Home Buying Mistakes to Avoid”
Today is the first day of spring and among other things, that means many people will begin the process of buying a home. Despite the crash in the real estate market a few years ago, real estate remains a great investment. In fact, it can often make the difference of whether someone is able to retire. Here are some reasons why: Continue reading “Why a Home is Still a Good Investment”
Thursday is the first day of spring, which means daffodils in bloom, Easter egg hunts, and new homebuyers coming out of hibernation. For employees considering a home purchase this spring househunting season, their decision could be the best or worst thing for their financial future. Your workforce may have opportunities to learn about the housing market by working with a local real estate agent or mortgage lender, but these professionals have an ultimate agenda to seal the deal. Employees can benefit from an unbiased workshop on the ABCs of real estate to help them make one of their biggest buying decisions. Helping your employees find their dream home can also benefit the company by encouraging a more stable, less transient workforce. Here are some of the topics that should be covered: Continue reading “Helpful Tips for Househunters”
I read this article about the increasing number of “bounce house” injuries and at first I thought it might have been a hoax. But then I remembered a bunch of kids’ birthday parties that I’ve attended and if my memory serves me correctly (and that’s not always such a sure thing!), there has been at least 1 injury at each party. One was particularly memorable because it was one of my good friends who was in the bounce house with her son and his head collided with her lower lip. A whole lot of paper towels and a few stitches later, she had a fat lip for over a week. Her son, to this day, jokes with her about the time he nearly knocked her out and made her go to the hospital. (It was an urgent care center but he likes to embellish a little bit for an audience.) Everyone loves the idea of a bounce house. Not everyone loves the end result of jumping around in one. They may look wonderful, but it isn’t all a 100% pure joy. Continue reading “How Some Financial Decisions Are Like Bounce Houses”
Lately I have talked to a lot of people who are interested in buying their first home and with a combination of today’s low interest rates and a housing market that does not have prices appreciating rapidly, this might just be a great time to be in the market to buy a house. They understand that part of it but then don’t know how much house they can afford. They are getting different opinions from different people in their lives. So, are there any objective measures by which we can figure out how much house someone might want to consider buying? Sure… Continue reading “How Can You Avoid Being a Slave to Your Mortgage?”
In terms of building wealth, we don’t have a level playing field. Two seemingly identical college graduates starting out with the same salary may have a very different wealth building experience if one has $100,000 in student loans and the other has none. A pharmacology major or engineering student may immediately find a well paying job even in today’s economy while journalism majors may have more of a challenge finding a job in his or her field. Continue reading “8 Ways to Build and Protect Your Retirement Savings Today”
