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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
You could say that real estate has quite literally hit rock bottom in some areas of the country, since you can find free land, and possibly homes in some areas of the country, for free! If you've ever dreamed of moving out the rural Midwest and breadbasket of America you can find some great opportunities for real estate...
We've all seen those commercials for bowflex and 6 minute abs, but have you checked out the recent home mortgage calculator workouts? Intense doesn't even begin to describe how much financial fat you'll burn with these bad boys. Unlike 6 minute abs, you can have them all completed and get your home finances ripped in just 5...
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...
You see them in almost every neighborhood, but did you realize that trees are a great way to raise the value of your home? According to a diagram presented by the arbor day foundation, trees can increase the value of your property by up to 15%. That's a big shift! If you owned a home that is...
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...