According to CNN Money, the most expensive housing market in the USA is... drum roll please... HONOLULU! I can attest Honolulu, is VERY expensive, but it is possible to live there cheaply if you do it right. Heck, I lived in Honolulu for about $1,000 a month, but it's not for everyone. If you're focused enough on achieving financial freedom in...
This project took a few years and included ripping out a chimney that went from the basement to the roof, which became unnecessary when I put a new furnace in the house.  The hardwood flooring is original maple and was carpeted over.  The kitchen floor is new as there was no wood floor originally in the kitchen.  A large...
Craigslist Real Estate Deals
"It's a lot easier to find something when you know what you're looking for." I'm constantly checking real estate listing websites for deals. Although they're a lot harder to find than during the great recession they're still out there and it only takes one to make you tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, because as any good...
Is now the best time to buy a house since the great depression? I think so, and after reading through this article I think you may also side on the fact that now is an amazing time to get into home ownership. 2012 has the potential to be the best year for buying a house in over...
Housing is by far the most expensive budget item for practically everyone. So it should come as no surprise that we spend years of our lives working simply to pay for the place we call home. But exactly how many hours of your life are dedicated simply to having a place to sleep at night? And...
Calculating real estate values can be as simple as 1, 2, 3! There are three ways appraisers go about determining the fair market value of income producing property.  These three approaches are: Income Approach Market Data / Comparable Sales Approach Cost / Replacement Value Approach Each of the models is unique and take a completely different viewpoint.  You'll notice that I also used two...
Think long term and try to pay off your mortgage early Being a homeowner has many benefits, but being wed to debt isn’t one of them. Paying the minimum balance on your mortgage will keep you in debt for the majority of your life, as traditional mortgages are 25-year or 30-year commitments. Start thinking seriously about your financial future by...
Each year millions of wide eyed and money hungry gamblers flock to a neon lit sand pit hundreds of miles from the barren Sierras. They come in droves to test their luck with slots, cards, and roulette. Free booze pours as gorgeous people from around the world make these new guests feel like they hold the key...
Fixing Up a House
This is a property I purchased in 2015 and simply haven't had time to complete, but will be working on in 2017. I'll begin to track my budget and eventually return on investment as I begin to focus on this project more in the summer of 2017. Until then, here are some current before pictures along with...
It's become fairly common with the dips in housing prices for those who are underwater to walk away from their mortgage, but I just learned that in Chicago, practically in my backyard, banks are beginning to follow suit. Perhaps this isn't news to you, but for me, it's interesting to learn about banks literally abandoning properties. I just read...