working april 2015 copy
TRANSCRIPT
“Jane” made a major error in
selecting her Realtor. Jane was
seduced by the Realtor’s big hat and
flashiness. Every Realtor has their
own style. One who’s fun and
flamboyant might be a good fit, but
you want to make sure he or she can
sell your home. A word to the wise,
just because “Uncle Bob” with a real
estate license will give you a major
discount doesn’t mean he is right for
the job. Selling and buying real estate
are major transactions and emotions
do get involved. They require a
professional and a marketing plan.
Look at people with attention to
detail, those who return calls, texts
and emails immediately. These people
are great communicators, and they
will let you know the truth, potential
roadblocks and disclose everything.
If you are selling, your agent will tell
you about the person making the
offer. Likewise, your agent will let
you know if the offer is in all cash, or
if the borrower is financing the
purchase, whether there is solid
proof that the funds are in place to
purchase the property.
Realtors love their work. They have
a passion for meeting people and
work hard to advertise their services.
Many have a presence in the
community. Intimately knowing their
neighborhood is extremely important,
and talking with people in the area is
one way to be on top of their sales
area. Agents are likely to know before
anyone if a new baby is expected or
who may be getting a job transfer.
Look and ask about a Realtor’s
network of vendors. How long have
they known them? These should be
contractors, handymen, cleaners,
insurance providers, appraisers and
top mortgage financers. The best
Realtors will coordinate all this for you,
arranging times and having someone
at your property to meet vendors and
oversee projects. Within an agreed upon
time frame, a Realtor will properly
prepare your home for an open house.
To find “an extraordinary realtor,”
talk with me and neighbors to locate
an agent who has been successfully
selling property in your neighborhood.
With the right professional, the process
should be effortless on your part.
Extraordinary Realtors
Apr i l , 2015 I ssue
S C I E N C E O F I N V E S T M E N T
Best WebsitesThe Wall Street Journal reports
more than 5 million American adults say they’ve used online dating sites
in the past 30 days. Here’s a few:
seniorfriendfinder.comSenior FriendFinder helps match
mature singles and build meaningful relationships online.
eharmony.comeHarmony was the first service within the online dating industry
to use a scientific approach to matchinghighly compatible singles.
It claims to have 20 million online users.
okcupid.comThe Boston Globe says
“this is the Google of online dating.” OkCupid reports its matching algorithm
helps you find the right people.
Ins i g h t sThe Week did some research on how to teach children about their
allowances. One example was from Ron Lieber in Slate.com. He said most
parents “start too late, they hand over too little money and responsibility,
and they tie the money to completion of household tasks while asking
nowhere near enough in the way household cooperation.” But the biggest
problem is that many households “divert the conversation” about money
and the family finances altogether, even when kids express an interest.
Laura Shin in Forbes.com recommends bucking the traditional model of
linking allowances with chores. Instead, use an allowance as a teaching
tool, such as allotting a portion to art supplies or a musical instrument.
Next, teach little ones to mimic an adult budget and split their allowance into
thirds, for saving, spending or giving. This method teaches patience, thrifti-
ness and generosity.
Another idea, proposed by Nicole Dicker in TheBillfold.com, is to give your
children a large sum at the beginning of the year. Let them know it is to
cover expenses for the year. If they should fail, don’t bail them out; there is
no better way to learn.
Other families choose to open up about the family’s books as a basis
for understanding money. Being candid about your own errors can provide
a cautionary tale for children. Whether you go this route is a personal
decision. Finding a way to start such a conversation early is key for children
in today’s complex financial world.
Home renovation is on the rise. According to HUD and the U.S. CensusBureau, more than half of U.S. homeowners made improvements of somesort between 2009 and 2011. Nearly a quarter of those made energy efficient improvements like installing solar panels, adding insulation orimproving heating and cooling. On the more glamorous side, most peopleliked fixing up the smallest room in the house. In 2010 more than 14 million households remodeled their bathrooms. Another popular project was remodeling the kitchen. The least common project was adding aninground pool. There are certain loans provided for renovation. Ask me for more information.
H o m e R e n o v a t i o n
This newsletter is published for home owners and real estate investors. Please refer to my phone number for my specific opinion on various topics and loan programs. This information is provided for general use only and should not be relied upon in making an investment, tax or legal decision.
Bond Marketing ® 4/2015
� The euro has lost more than a fifth ofits value against the U.S. dollar since last July and has now dropped to around$1.06–a 12 year low.CNBC.com
� The U.S. economy showed surprisingstrength in February, adding 295,000 jobs despite severe weather and a rising dollar. Los Angeles Times
� Now might be the perfect time to tap into your home equity. With interest rateslikely to rise in the coming months, thereare home equity lines of credit, known as HELOC’s, with temporary fixed rates.These loans can be used to finance home renovations or even unrelatedexpenses like college tuition. Wall Street Journal
� Credit card companies are clamoringfor your business. A new report fromcredit bureau Equifax shows that inDecember consumer credit card debtreached its highest level in five yearsthanks “almost entirely to shoppers taking out new cards.”USA Today
� American Sniper has become the top-grossing movie released in the U.S.last year with $337 million in domesticearnings so far. It had already become the highest earning war movie of all time, overtaking Saving Private Ryan’s$216 million haul in 1998. Oz.com
Noted
Little Kids With Money