The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Interior announced this week its plans to arrange the sale of federal land to the State of Nevada in an effort to spur construction of affordable housing units in the Las Vegas metropolitan area.
The arrangement, codified in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by both departments, establishes an arrangement to sell federal lands to the state at a rate of $100 an acre, far below the land’s market value. The sold land will be used for “the construction of critically needed affordable housing projects in Southern Nevada,” according to an announcement from HUD.
“We are proud of the partnership with the Department of the Interior to help families in Nevada get access to homes they can afford,” said HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman. “This builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts announced last week to ensure an increase in housing supply to lower costs across the country.”
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) was a key player in the development of the arrangement, according to local reporting by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“Nevada is facing an affordable housing crisis and we need to be doing more to ensure we can build more homes for working families,” Cortez Masto said in a statement. “For too long developing affordable housing on public lands in Nevada has been bogged down by an inefficient process, and I pushed for these vital improvements that will make it easier to build more homes for Nevada’s working families.”
The arrangement and inter-departmental collaboration is made possible by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) of 1998, which “allows the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to sell public lands within a specific boundary around Las Vegas, Nevada, for development,” HUD detailed.
Additional authority is established in a specific section of the law since the land is being sold well below fair market value.
“Although SNPLMA requires parcels to be sold for fair market value to fund education, water and public lands projects in Nevada, Section 7(b) of the Act allows state and local governments to purchase land for a nominal cost to support affordable housing,” HUD said.
Within Clark County – the area that contains the Las Vegas metro area – officials say that there is a shortage of approximately 85,000 housing units, echoing issues being faced across the country.
“Clark County has long advocated for more land to alleviate affordable housing challenges and recently worked with the BLM to negotiate the process reflected in the MOU,” a county spokesperson told the Review-Journal. “While this took some time to be formalized, we are happy this is moving forward now to benefit our community in the long-term.”
There’s something fabulous about the casual ease of a disheveled light fixture. It gives a stylish yet unpretentious twist to a space. That’s why this DIY light is this week’s Idea to Steal.
I’d love to drop something like this from a high height over an end table as an alternative to a lamp or make one a focal point over my dining table. Sure, there’s some debate among electricians as to their safety, but no one can argue with their seriously cool style!
You’ve just won $250 million, and it’s been deposited in your bank account. So what are you going to do today? After polling the internet, here are the top-voted responses.
1. Check My Balance About 100 Times
“Check my balance about 100 times,” confessed one. A second admitted, “I’m not going to lie; I’d be checking my account every three minutes.” “With that kind of money, you could hire someone to check your balance as often as you need to feel comfortable,” a third user joked.
2. Disappear
“Disappear. I’d travel the world for a bit and consider the options,” shared one. “It’s the only logical choice. Travel around a bit and let the dust settle. But still, don’t ever go home,” replied another. “That place is hostile territory as soon as you say ‘No’ to any request for money, of which there will be many.”
3. Retain the Services of a Top Lawyer, Accountant, and Financial Advisor
“Retain the services of a top lawyer, accountant, and financial advisor,” said one. “Then hire another top lawyer, accountant, and financial adviser to keep tabs on the first three firms,” a second added. “Hire two accountants you trust but hate each other,” a third tacked on.
4. Tell No One
“Tell no one. Once you have that much money and people know about it, you will be asked constantly for money or favors. You will start to get dirty looks when you go out to dinner because, after all, why wouldn’t the man with millions of dollars pay for the whole thing?”
Your family will tear itself apart. You will be blamed for other people’s lack of money. There’s always a slight undertone of ‘Well – if you could help me out,” and some of your family and friends may be bold enough to say it outright.”
“Anyone you give money to now sees you as a money printer. People who previously looked at you as a human with your own issues now see you as a bank with money they theoretically have access to,” said one.
“There is a reason that winning the big jackpot in the lottery has a such high mortality, drug addiction, and feuds. People with wealth aren’t friends with only other people who have wealth just because it’s fun. It’s their lifestyle. They’re the only people who won’t ask them for money.”
“They’re the only people they can interact with that do not look like puppies begging for scraps. And you’d be surprised just how selfish you will become, given access to the ability to be ahead of everyone else around you. We’re human, after all,” they concluded.
5. Sleep
“Sleep. I would sleep so long and so peacefully. Then I’d tackle business,” one replied. “This was my first thought; having no care in the world, generational wealth, and nothing forced me to wake up. I would sleep well,” agreed another.
6. Text Family and Ask Them for Money
One user suggested, “Do a mass family group text asking them to borrow money. It will buy me valuable time before anyone catches the wind and comes running for cash.” “It would also be a good test of who deserves a gift from Daddy Warbucks,” added another.
However, a third argued, “Not a group text, text them all individually. You’ll get more of an honest answer to how people would act. If somebody walks into a room full of people and asks someone to give them money, I’m not taking them very seriously. If they walk up to me and tell me privately, they need something. I’m much more inclined to help.”
7. Make Timely Acts of Kindness to My Friends and Family
“Tell no one and act normal, but eat a lot better. Pay off my debts quietly and make timely acts of kindness to my friends and family,” shared one. “I like this one a lot. I’d probably add simple acts of kindness to strangers and charity, too,” claimed another.
“Having this much money and people knowing, I feel I’d never be able to trust the sincerity of connections I make. But this is a way to have it and still offer timely help and kindness to others around you! Yes.”
8. Pay off Debts
One person expressed, “I’d Moonwalk out of my job and spend the entire day making sure every cent of any possible debt I have is paid off. Also, letting my dad know all his debt is gone, too, and we’re taking an extended vacation next summer, so start planning.”
A second person agreed, “Same here, pay off my debts first. Then any home repairs I have been putting off, and then discreetly pay off mortgages for specific family members and friends.”
Someone said, “Pay student loans off. Before another joked, “With the $5 leftover, you can probably get some Taco Bell or something.” Finally, the OP responded, “I can get TWO things off the dollar menu at McDonald’s and save the extra dollar for retirement.”
9. Mutual Funds Held in a Trust With a 1% Payout
“After getting a lawyer, accountant, or financial advisor, I’d probably end up putting it all into mutual funds held in a trust that pays me out 1% per year so the principal can grow over time while still giving me more than enough to live on very comfortably,” confessed another.
10. Hire a Team of Professionals To Get Healthy
“Hire a doctor, physical therapist, physical trainer, physiotherapist, nutritionist, masseuse – have them on a weekly home visit schedule for six months until I’m in much better shape and health,” one replied.
“Get a personal chef too. You can pay them $100k a year to do all your shopping (on your dime) and cooking, and I bet you could get a legit chef for that much,” a final user said.
Source: Reddit.
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites
Do you ever wish you knew the secrets to attract wealth because your 9 to 5 isn’t paying the bills very well? You’re not alone! Today, we’ll talk about the 11 secret life hacks that rich people are doing to make gaining wealth easier.
We’ve compiled the best answers from Reddit, so you don’t have to do it yourself. Read this blog and shift your mindset with these lessons from the wealthy.
1. Organize Everything
If you’re familiar with Marie Kondo, she specifically emphasizes that organizing and decluttering will have a huge impact our lives. It turns out that’s one of the life hacks of truly rich people.
One person said, “Allow me to ramble passionately about a hack of small consequence. Something I noticed about all the rich people’s houses is they have storage containers everywhere. The pantry isn’t piles of groceries shoved inside, it’s all in tidy bins, often matching, sometimes labeled. Their closets have shelves and drawers, not a single pole to hang items. Under their sinks are multiple bins and containers, sometimes on a pullout shelf/drawer. Their spices are ALL on racks, not just the few that fit in a singular rack with the rest piled on top or haphazardly in an adjacent cabinet.
“Their jewelry is organized like a utensil drawer and not shoved in a single box. There are trays or giant bowls by every entry door to toss your mail and keys instead of cluttering every flat surface. Imagine how much calmer your brain would be if you didn’t have to hunt through what feels like a disorganized garage sale everywhere you turn. You don’t have to bend over to rife through objects, you can bring a bin to you.
“I’m just a povvo, but I started ramping up my organizational game and it’s made a subtle but impactful difference in my daily life. Started with matching-sized Amazon boxes in the pantry and Dollar Tree fabric collapsible boxes for toiletries under the sinks and the closet floors, and built up from there. I’ve been slowly converting all my bathroom and kitchen shelves to pull-out drawers (this one is expensive).”
2. Buying in Bulk
This life hack may not be applicable to every body because, in order to save a lot of money on purchases, particularly groceries, you must have the money to shell out first.
One user shared, “Rich people can afford to save money on purchases if they want. I guess if you are rich and don’t care about saving $ it doesn’t apply to you, but it’s definitely a big benefit if you’re a frugal rich person. If that makes sense. A small tiny example. Most would categorize me as wealthy. I buy high-end groceries but aim to do it for as cheap as possible. When our Whole Foods has a sale on our favorite frozen pizzas, normally $12.99 and on sale for $7.99, I buy 10 of them and load up my deep freezer. The fact that I was able to save $50 is only possible because 1) I have enough money to shell out $80 for the upfront cost on the pizzas, and 2) I have a deep freezer to store it in. Neither of those things would be possible without money.”
3. Semi-Permanent Cosmetics
Beauty, in whatever form, is expensive—and only the rich don’t think twice about spending such a huge amount on beautifying themselves or their surroundings.
“…I think a lot of beauty at that level is faked, just like the lawns are faked. Spray tans, teeth caps, really expensive hair extensions and plugs, professional makeup, tailoring, even surgery, etc. etc. I was shocked when I learned about caps for teeth. I didn’t even know that was a thing. Feels like a total cheat code. Can even avoid the expense and discomfort of braces. There are a lot of beauty ‘hacks’ that are not accessible unless you have $$$,” someone shared.
4. Hacking Expensive Purchases
One person commented, “I’ve worked for a rich family and learned a couple hacks. Everyone else is correct. They just hire things out. If you’re genuinely curious, then I’ll share two things I learned in my job that are specific to the wealthy lifestyle. First, moths love real cashmere so you have to keep cedar in your closets to keep them away from eating your sweaters. Second, if you are flying private and only medium-wealthy not truly a fan of throwing money down the drain unnecessarily, it is actually more affordable to ship your luggage via UPS than pay for the additional fuel it will take to carry it in the plane with you.”
Another one shared, “I knew a lady who was, let’s just say she was in a different tax bracket. She and her late husband never took a road trip. They flew everywhere. He was a pilot, and they owned their own plane. They would fly somewhere, and if she ran out of clean clothes, she would just buy more. She’d ship her dirty clothes back home, and the maid would have everything dry-cleaned by the time the lady got back. I can’t imagine how many clothes this lady had. Or maybe she donated them on a regular basis?”
5. Networking
We’re familiar with networking, but it really is one of the life hacks that truly rich people are doing. They leverage the people they know who are also rich and powerful, and that’s what makes them too.
One person shared, “Networking. Powerful people have a large network of connections to get what they want. If you aren’t going out of your way to build ties with people who have things you want like wealth or power, the alternative is working very hard and hoping you get noticed—which doesn’t work most of the time because, unfortunately, the meritocracy is a lie. Learn to meet people and maintain professional connections, not just friendships. And no modesty, that’s a killer.”
The second person replied, “The best network—Politicians, Thieves, Police, Money Laundering—Mafia. Exist all around.”
6. Know What’s Worth Your Time
“When you are good at what you do to make money, you hire pros to do things that you need and get them properly done. That’s classic economics of the division of labor. You focus on what you do well and make more money. That’s the opposite of downward spiral. The concrete example is that I unblock my toilets and fix leaks. I also change my engine oil. Because it’s cheaper for me to do it. If my pay rate is higher than the pros, if course I’ll hire someone. That saves me money,” one person said.
“Sure… but I kind of hate how many people try to apply this to a typical salary worker. No one is gonna pay me to work overtime on a Saturday at my hourly rate (and I don’t want to), and it’s easier to work on a house project for a few hours than find a 2nd job. Many people point to your example, but they either don’t have time for projects cause they work 60 hours a week or prefer to use their disposable income and do something else with their free time. They are not financial wizards, they just make other choices based on circumstances, and that is fine,” argued another commenter.
Another user added, “Yeah, not every minute of my day is monetize-able. Someone once said Bill Gates is so rich that he loses money if he stops to pick up a penny in the street. No, he doesn’t. He didn’t cease to earn money for doing it. Rich people hire others to change their oil because it gives them back time for leisure.”
7. Buy Quality the First Time
One person said, “I was taught to always buy the best of anything I can the first time so I don’t waste my time, money, or efforts on junk. That bled over into everything. Relationships. Experiences. It becomes a mindset and lifestyle. I think that’s what you’re seeing when you look at that neighborhood.”
Another one replied, “This right here. If you want to buy a new piece of furniture, TV, car, etc… Buy nice things and buy quality. It’ll last for years and years. Also, pay cash. Don’t bother financing it. That’s just more wasted money.”
Another user quipped, “Buy once, cry once.”
8. Weigh your Options
“Not really a hack but spending dollars so they count. If there’s a gym that’s $50 a month but is 20 mins away and they’ll only go once a week, and there’s one 2 mins away that’s $200 but they’ll go every day, spend the extra money. The $50 option is a waste. This can be applied in many circumstances,” one person shared.
9. Elegant Appearance
One person shared their experience while working with truly rich people, “A few things I’ve noticed when working for wealthy people. They look rich even in casual clothes because they get everything tailored, even simple white shirts and jeans so they look expensive even when they aren’t.
“A lot of accessories like shoes, bags and jewelry are custom made which can be a better option if you’re going to spend a lot on designer brands anyway, and they will be unique. They don’t just go to the gym, they have a personal trainer who focuses on that toned without being too muscular look, so they look naturally hot without trying.
“Getting blow dry right before an event makes you look polished. I worked for a woman who never washed her own hair, and she always looked amazing. I saw people spend a lot of money on wardrobe staples like jackets and classics, but they would only buy high street seasonal pieces to keep them in style.
“They sell designer pieces to concession stores after wearing them a few times and basically get 50-80% of the cost back depending on the designer. Having lunch at a Michelin-star restaraunt can be slightly more affordable than dinner but you still get the experience. Having drinks at the restaurant bar so you can be ‘seen’ and mingle but don’t have to buy dinner. Going to clubs and events on weekdays means you are more likely to get in, get a table/ticket and it can be less expensive.”
10. Excellent “Talkers”
One person shared, “When I was doing my first startup I saw ‘new money’ people. In school I saw ‘old money’ people. There are all types of rich people and these types have their own ways. They do live in the same areas though. They recognize each other by their watch, type of clothes and behavior. And you can see if they are new rich, old rich, dem or rep by these things too. Their kids go to an endless amount of extracurricular activities. Here it is hockey and tennis, sometimes baseball. The parents do it so their kids build their network (I mean 5year olds).
“Rich people have some skills, but the main skill is talking. They are great at talking. It used to put me off. So and so became the director of yadayada. Why? The only thing he can do is talk. And that is precisely the point. They don’t get so stressed. They just talk for a living. Everything comes from their network. People like listening to their stories. But they cannot do anything of value other than talking. They hire people for that. Duh. Don’t be apologetic. Don’t do stuff worth 10$ an hour if you can make more. Do lots of self-care. And be a professional talker. Listen to people, look at their behavior and clothing, and copy that in your own way.”
Someone added, “I agree with this comment but will extend it further. You call it ‘just talking’ to anyone that will listen, but what they really are doing is ‘selling.’ They are selling their latest ideas, pitches, schemes, problems, solutions, whatever, etc. And their audience (other rich people) love to talk too, so the audience then adds on to those ideas, sometimes with money or introductions to other people with money. And it snowballs because of the network effect.”
11. Etiquette and Mannerisms
“You have a lot of time for personal maintenance and improvement if you don’t have to worry about cooking dinner or doing laundry. Some things, like good etiquette, are made very important from a very young age (hence the napkin folding, knowing what course to use which fork, how to properly address folks in a formal setting, etc) it’s a social code that helps identify who is and who isn’t,” one person stated.
Another one added in agreement, “Exactly. It’s very subtle and says a great deal.”
Source: Reddit.
Who is one actress you can never stand watching, no matter their role? After polling the internet, these were the top-voted actresses that people couldn’t stand watching.
10 Actresses People Despise Watching Regardless of Their Role
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
We’ve all heard the famous adage that “no publicity is bad publicity,” and while it tends to be accurate, there are certainly exceptions. But what about those few stars who stay out of the limelight and get along without a hint of trouble?
These 7 Celebrities are Genuinely Good People
Have you ever known someone and thought you liked them—until you learned about their hobbies? Then you get to know them and then you’re like, “Wow, red flag.” Well, you’re not alone.
These 10 Activities Are an Immediate Red Flag
Some celebrities definitely seem to enjoy the limelight and keep working to stay in the public eye. While others quickly move out of the spotlight. Many of these actors and actresses stepped out of the spotlight to live a more private life without constant media pressures.
10 Celebrities That Made the Big Times Then Disappeared Off The Face of the Earth
We’ve all been there – sitting through a movie that we can’t help but cringe at, but somehow it still manages to hold a special place in our hearts.
These 10 Terrible Movies Are Still People’s Favorites
Winter weather has arrived in Oregon — it’s rainy and cold. This time of year, Kris and I search for ways to keep warm. A lot of guides to saving money on heating contain impractical advice: “consider heating with solar energy!”. They offer good suggestions for the long-term, but they aren’t useful if you want to save money now. Here are some frugal ways we stay warm in our drafty old house.
Let in some light. Open blinds on south-facing windows during the day to let in the sun. Close them in the evening to add a bit more insulation. This provides just enough mid-day warmth that we don’t need the heater.
Use rugs on bare floors. We have hardwood floors above a poorly-insulated basement. These floors are cold in the morning and the late afternoon. An area rug does a fine job of keeping my feet warmer.
Block drafts. This is best done with weather-stripping or other forms of insulation, but even a blanket in front of a door helps. Because our house is so old, nothing is level. This makes it difficult to install weather stripping. The bottom of our mudroom door, for example, has a one-inch gap on one end but is flush with the floor near the hinge. By laying a blanket in front of the door, we can mitigate some of the heat loss.
Use space heaters. According to Michael Bluejay’s energy guide, this is the single best way to save money on electricity. As I learned from my tests with the Kill-a-Watt, a portable radiator-type oil heater uses a lot of power, but not nearly as much as a furnace. We have a couple of these heaters. They take a while to get warm, but once they’re going, the can heat a small space cheaply.
Bundle up. I love cold-weather clothes: long underwear, sweaters, hats, scarves, gloves. Some days we simply bundle up and turn down the heat. It’s cozy. And don’t forget: house slippers go a long way to keeping you warm!
Install a programmable thermostat. My sister-in-law just received her first big heating bill at her new home. “It was $100!” she said. (She had been leaving her thermostat at 68-degrees around the clock.) Her heating bill was more than she had budgeted, and made it easy to justify the cost of a new programmable thermostat. They’re easy to install and an excellent way to cut your heating costs. We set ours for 54 at night and when we’re gone during the day. (Reader Adam G. reviewed his programmable thermostat last August.)
Use an electric blanket. There’s no need to heat the entire house when you’re asleep. There’s no need to even heat the bedroom. An electric blanket is cheaper and cozier. (A blanket with dual-controls is best.)
Change the furnace filter. A dirty filter forces the furnace to work harder, decreasing its efficiency, increasing heating costs. We change the furnace filter at the start of the season, and once every month or two thereafter.
Close unused rooms. Do not heat them. This winter, we closed off our guest room and shut the heater vent. That room is now separate from the rest of the house. It stays cold, but there’s no reason to keep it warm.
These steps can reduce your heating costs immediately. In the long term, your best bet is to make sure your home is properly insulated. You should also check that your heat source is efficient, and that you’re not losing heat in unintended locations.
For example, I went down to the cellar last night to pull out some Christmas lights. I was startled to find that the basement was actually warm. It shouldn’t be. It’s uninsulated, below-ground, and exposed to the cold. The furnace was pumping away, doing its thing, heating the house. But it was apparently heating the cellar, too. It took only a moment to find the problem — our ductwork is not insulated. As the hot air blows through the pipes, the metal is heating, and the warmth is dissipating into the basement. We need to fix that.
Reportedly, insulating your water heater is another good way to save money. Since ours lives in the uninsulated mudroom, we should probably look into that.
For a detailed analysis of how your home can be heated most efficiently, set up an appointment for an energy audit. Many large cities have free programs for assessing home energy use. In Oregon, for example, the Energy Trust is a non-profit coalition of energy companies. A representative will tour your home and give you advice on how to save money on utilities. It’s free. (In fact, when we did it, they gave us several compact fluorescent bulbs and told us about rebates we qualified for. It was better than free.)
Robert Kiyosaki, Robert Allen, and Loral Langemeier would have you believe that in order to get rich all you need to do is throw your money into real estate, sit back, and let the profits come. It’s not that simple. There’s risk involved. You have to know what you’re doing.
Jon forwarded a link to what he calls “a personal finance trainwreck”. He writes: “If this guy is for real (and there appears to be some suspicion about that) then, wow. Unbelievable.” Casey at iamfacingforeclosure.com thought he could make a killing at real estate. He wanted to reach Financial Independence quickly.
I’m a 24-year-old aspiring real estate investor from Sacramento, California. After going to few seminars I bought eight houses in eight months across four states with no money down. I fixed and sold two and then ran out of cash. I am now facing foreclosure on six five houses. I’m learning my lessons, finding solutions and blogging about it.
Casey’s story is fascinating. Here’s a young man who read Kiyosaki and Allen, and who is trying to find riches by following their advice. He’s trying to make money quickly, and is struggling, but is willing to share the gory details. In one entry, Casey writes that he and his wife are running out of money. They’ve been living on credit cards, which are now maxed out. He’s afraid he might have to get a job.
I can’t just do a job. I do not want to give up my dream of financial independence. If I get a full-time job, I will continue doing my business and investing on the side. Finding time to do both will be hard (tried it before many times). If I must do that, I will. But it will probably take much longer to reach my goals.
An hourly job has limited earnings potential. Getting a 3% raise every year is not my idea of upwardly mobile. Making $25/hour writing code seems like a waste of time when I can sell a real estate contract for $5,000 after doing 5 hours of work = that’s $1000/hour!
So if I can work really hard for one month and find just 2 deals, I can make $10,000. That’s much better return on my time.
Casey received many responses (the comments are the best part of the site), some helpful, some angry, some flabbergasted. Some are all of these at once.
You’ve just nailed the difference between fantasy and reality. […] You are in the process of learning the difference between GAMBLING and INVESTING. Everything you’ve done so far has been gambling. Investing requires that one balance the risk with the rewards, diversify, and be dedicated. Some investments will fail, but a wise investor won’t have too much tied up in any single thing (like real estate purchased on a guru-drunken binge). Investments are made with money that one could stand to lose. Investing is not done by leveraging oneself up to the eyeballs and beyond, hoping for a miracle.
You can see television interviews with Casey (choose “House Flipper Part One” or “House Flipper Part Two” from the menu in the middle of the page). His story is also featured in two articles from the San Francisco Chronicle:
Langemeier, Kiyosaki, and Allen are inspirational. Some of their ideas may even be useful. (Prlinkbiz — who I’m sure will have something to say about this entry — is a huge Kiyosaki fan, and seems to be making his principles work for her.) But these folks preach that their methods are sure-fire ways to wealth and success. They overpromise in an attempt to sell books and seminars. Langemeier says she’s created 200 millionaires, and that she can make one out of anybody. Yet I can find no independent evidence that this has occurred. I’m not saying that it hasn’t happened, but I’m skeptical.
The only sure-fire way to wealth and success is to spend less than you earn, to save the difference, and to invest that savings for growth.
Follow-Up on Casey Serin, the Man Who Would Be Rich
Casey stopped by Get Rich Slowly yesterday and had this to say:
I don’t see why a person CANNOT get rich quick… but still do it in an honest and safe way. Whenever you hear “Get Rich Quick” you think somethhing bad.
And yes, if you read my story, it DOES sound like i’m just a big screw-up. AND YES.. I did do some stuff that I am NOT proud of (liar loans). However, I am learning my lessons and hoping to make a comeback.
I am determined to find a way to make an honest buck in real estate in a down market. My mentor “Rich Dad” did it. It took him only about 10 years. Now he has 20K+/mo in PASSIVE income from REAL ESTATE.
Is 10 years too quick? What about 5 years?
That’s an interesting question. How quick is too quick?
It’s not impossible to get rich quickly — the day before I wrote about Casey, I shared advice on how to handle sudden wealth — but it’s dangerous to focus on quick wealth as a goal. I’m convinced that people get rich quickly by chance, not by intention. If get rich quick schemes worked, more people would do them. You’d read and hear documented tales of success. But they don’t work. They’re mostly scams designed to transfer money from saps like Casey into the hands of others.
My advice for Casey is this:
If you have a burning passion to make these sorts of plans succeed, then pursue them with only a portion of your finances. Follow tried and true personal finance wisdom with most of your money. Take 90% of what you earn, and do the boring stuff with it: pay off debt, start an emergency fund, invest for retirement. You are so young right now, that if you would invest just $5000 each year until you’re 50, you could retire then as a millionaire. (Assuming 10% returns.) This is with almost no risk. Why try to get rich all at once? Why not ride it out?
If you’re dead-set on trying to get rich quickly, then don’t use all of your capital to do so. Do the safe stuff with 90% of your money. Save the remaining 10% to make real estate purchases. If you strike it rich, great. But if you don’t, then at least you haven’t mortgaged your future. This isn’t ideal for most people, but you have the drive and desire, so it gives you something to play with. But this means that you’ll have to work in order to meet your goals.
I don’t want to kick Casey’s dreams. Dreams are good, and I think people should pursue them with gusto. Too many people make a practice of telling others why their plans won’t work instead of lending support. But when your dreams are at odds with reality, you need to re-evaluate.
$2 Million in Debt in Two Years
Casey Serin of I Am Facing Foreclosure held a two-hour conference call to take questions from readers and to explain his situation. I didn’t hear the call, but I did read the entire transcript (part one, part two).
For those of you unfamiliar with him, Casey Serin is the Napoleon Dynamite of real estate investing. He took real estate seminars from Russ Whitney and read books by Carleton Sheets. He bought into the “get rich quick” mentality. In October, the San Francisco Gate wrote:
After spending a year and upward of $15,000 (borrowed on credit cards) going to real estate seminars and buying home education courses from everyone from Russ Whitney to Bruce Norris and, of course, the aforementioned Robert “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” Kiyosaki, Serin embarked on his brilliant career as a real estate flopper, er, flipper. “I wanted to move toward financial independence,” he told me by phone from his home in Sacramento, referring to “passive income,” a key tenet of the “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” scriptures (“Don’t work for money, allow money to work for you”).
Most people take these seminars and read these books but never do anything. Serin heeded the advice of these gurus. In his own words, he “bought 8 houses in 8 months in 4 states with no money down looking to fix ‘n flip.” He bought these houses between October 2005 and May 2006, after the U.S. real estate market had already begun to decline. He ended up $2.2 million in debt, and he’s been blogging about it ever since.
Serin’s story bugs a lot of people. He made many mistakes. He lied on his loan applications (and continues to rationalize this by saying it’s “industry standard policy”). He exhibits no regret. He continues to live a normal (even lavish) lifestyle despite being deep in debt. He refuses to pay anything on his debt because he doesn’t think it’ll make any difference. He refuses to take a job. He doesn’t take any action to improve his situation. He seems to be a publicity whore. Despite his failures, he believes that he can still get rich quick in real estate if he only finds some sweet deals.
I don’t get angry at Serin. I just think he’s dumb. He continues to pursue a way of life that is just not tenable. He’s trying to bypass the “hard work” portion of the American Dream. I consider his story a stark counterpoint to my message of “get rich slowly”. (Trivia: Casey went to high school with Ramit of I Will Teach You to Be Rich. The former tried to get rich quickly and failed. The latter teaches sensible entrepreneurship and personal finance advice, and has succeeded.)
As I said, I read the entire transcript of Serin’s two-hour conference call. It’s an amazing glimpse into the mind of a young man who wants wealth now. Since I know most people don’t have the time to wade through the entire thing, I’ve culled the best parts to share here.
The first thing that strikes you when reading Serin’s stuff is that he doesn’t seem to have learned his lesson. He’s two million dollars in debt, but he’s still convinced that there’s a quick fix for this mess.
Besides real estate, I’m also looking at other opportunities. With this exposure I’ve had, I’ve made a lot of interesting contacts in different industries, not just real estate. I’m talking with a gentleman in Southern California who’s a silver broker, for example. The silver and gold and precious metal market right now is on the rise, and whenever there’s turbulence, or any kind of a war, or anything crazy with the economy, that’s a good place to put your money. I’m definitely looking at that. I’m looking at stocks, but individual stocks, not mutual funds — the performers, the companies that are about to take off, that you’re able to make some money; for example, with penny stocks.
I want to mail Serin a box of personal finance books. I want to send him Dave Ramsey, Your Money or Your Life, the words of John Bogle. I want him to read real personal finance advice that works. But I’m afraid the books would go unread. (Does anyone have his address or know how to get it? Maybe I really will send him some personal finance books.)
At times Serin seems to have learned something. Regarding “no money down” deals, he says:
If I was putting my own cash down, I would have been a lot more careful. That’s what happens when you have a real down payment. Anybody out there who’s looking to do a no money down deal, I say, you have to be careful. Don’t treat the no money down as just a free deal for you.
But other times it seems he hasn’t learned a thing:
I love those no doc loans, they’re the best because you’re never stating anything so no one can ever go back and say you were lying on your application.
One caller tried to explain the concept of “buy low, sell high” to Serin, but he didn’t want to hear it.
CS: Well, you know, if you’re going to do flipping in a down market, here’s the biggest thing. Buying is going to be easy. There’s tons of people giving houses away, including myself. You come to me; I’ll give you my houses away. Just take them over, or whatever; save me from foreclosure. So, buying is not going to be the hard part. Selling is the tough part. You have to get really good at selling your properties, and in a down market, you probably don’t want to buy anything that’s not a first-time-buyer home. […] SC2K2: I just can’t handle how brainwashed you’ve been by all those seminars. CS: Oh, yeah? SC2K2: The way you make money in a down market, is you wait for the prices to bottom; you buy in paying very little; and then you sell when they’ve gone way up. Yeah, your Rich Dad probably — CS: That’s the long-term strategy. Are you saying you can’t do quick flips on the way down? SC2K2: You know, Casey, there’s no way you would be able to handle quick flips.
Serin isn’t interested in a long-term strategy. He wants his money now. He doesn’t see that this is precisely where he’s going wrong. While he’s focused on quick riches, he’s neglecting basic personal finance. For example:
I thought at the beginning it would be such an awesome story, a comeback story and show so much success to be able to pay everything back, but at the same time I think I had a bit of a wishful thinking going on, because I didn’t realize when I first started what kind of a hole I was in. The hole’s so big that at this point, I’m really out of options.
Yeah, but here’s what’s going to happen. I pay a credit card — even fifty bucks — that doesn’t do anything to the collection process. Here’s what happens: it’s going to go and get discharged, and then they’re going to try to sue me and try to get that money. So that fifty bucks could have been used better in something where I can actually make money, perhaps doing another deal —
And:
GDS: What’s your FICO now? CS: I actually don’t know because I haven’t logged into Washington Mutual in a while and I probably should have done that before this call, but last time I checked it was in the high 400’s, 490 I believe or something along those lines. It might be lower now because I’m going to have two official foreclosures showing up on my record any time. GDS: Well, it doesn’t go below 450, so it doesn’t get much — CS: It might be interesting to see if I might be a person that actually gets a 450 FICO score. I might be one of the few amongst some of my friends. I’m hoping other people don’t do the same thing I did.
The end of the conference call is the best part. A caller named Nacho tries to push Serin to think about his situation, about the things he’s done.
CS: Not everyone’s going to be successful and self-employed. But don’t you know self-employed doctors or lawyers or successful realtors or anybody who doesn’t have a W-2 but still makes money? It’s not like W-2’s the only… NACHO: But you haven’t been successful! So isn’t it time to try something else? Supplement your side jobs with a real job. CS: Well, you know, I never said I’m not going to get one. I’m definitely considering that, and since I do still have money coming in through some of those other sources, it allows me to stay flexible so I can still kind of be in real estate a little bit, and other opportunities. NACHO: Do you understand that the real estate market is tanking? Do you have a grasp of that? CS: Oh, yeah. That’s why I’m looking at other investing opportunities, not just real estate. NACHO: And do you understand that you bought in at the worst possible time? You do understand that, right? CS: It’s not like you can’t make money in a down market. My local Rich Dad, he made his fortune in the last downturn in California. But of course he had a lot more experience. NACHO: Did he have decent credit? Was he able to secure loans? CS: Well, he could secure loans. He had money partners. He had mentors. See, I kind of started off without any mentors guiding me, and that’s kind of one of my problems. And I didn’t have any construction experience. NACHO: You know what, Casey? I don’t think mentors is your problem. I think you’ve got enough with these guru mentors. I think that that’s the last thing you need. What you need is a swift kick in the ass, from somebody who’s going to tell you the truth. Seriously. Someone who’s going to tell you the truth. CS: I appreciate you being upfront and giving me a little dose of reality, as you said. NACHO: Well, that’s how I roll. I’m always trying to keep it real. I’m just trying to let you know, man, that you need to start looking at things differently. You’ve been going a certain way and it’s not working out for you, and you really need to change the way you’re viewing life. CS: Well, I appreciate it. NACHO: Because everybody that you owe money to is going to get shafted, and then, in turn, taxpayers are going to have to pay — you know, foot the bill. NACHO: Are you worried about going to jail? CS: I’ve already kind of addressed it, but the thing is, if I live my life in fear, what good is that going to do? NACHO: And you don’t think that you deserve to go? You don’t think that what you did was basic thievery? CS: Well, the thing is I wasn’t out to rob banks, I was out to make a business, and I screwed up. NACHO: But Casey, you got everything fraudulently. Come on, you knew in your heart that that was the wrong thing to do. CS: Part of me was thinking that maybe I shouldn’t be doing stated income loans, because even though everyone seems to be OKAY with it, I had a little bit of a gut instinct. I should have listened to it; you’re right. NACHO: And you understand that when you do things wrong like that, sometimes you have to pay the piper? CS: Oh, yeah. And do you think I’m paying the piper? NACHO: No, not yet. Not by any means, no. CS: You don’t think that all the financial stress and the issues I’m going through is not enough? NACHO: Absolutely not, Casey. I think you should be out there working your ass off — two jobs if necessary — paying five bucks a month on every single bill if that’s what it takes to pay this stuff down. I think you should be calling your creditors and making some sort of payment arrangement for you to — CS: You know what? Check this out; put yourself in my shoes. Even if I get three or five or ten jobs right now I’m not going to be able to catch all my loans up, so they’re going to go to collections, and they’re going to start suing me. So if the only good thing I can really do right now is bankruptcy protection or refinance all those loans. NACHO: If you pay five dollars a month on any bill, they can’t send it to collection, Casey, do you understand that? CS: Sure, they can. NACHO: No, they can’t. CS: If I don’t pay the full monthly payment — I can’t just keep letting them go… That means I can just pay a dollar on all my loans and they’ll just keeping indefinitely. They’re not going to do that. NACHO: I’m not talking about the foreclosure loans, I’m talking about the credit card bills. CS: Even the credit cards. NACHO: Casey, you have to do something to try and right this wrong. Who’s the guy who has the blog – I am [$334,442 in unsecured debt. I am 23. Will I make it ?] dollars, whatever the hell it is, in debt. CS: Yeah, the guy eating Ramen and stuff. Yeah, he’s eating Top Ramen; he’s doing all this other stuff. NACHO: He’s doing the right things. If you would do those things, people would be behind you. People would be giving you suggestions and telling you what to do. Do you understand that? CS: Well, you might have a good point there. But I wonder if that guy’s really for real, though. Do you think a person can survive on Top Ramen for six months? NACHO: Oh, yeah. Sure. CS: Do you think he can eat that crap and still be healthy and still be safe? NACHO: Yeah, throw some vegetables in there. Casey, the last thing you need to worry about right now, seriously, is eating your vegan — your mildly vegan — seriously, you throw some vegetables and a little bit of whatever, some chicken in the Top Ramen, and it’s fine. Have some beans and rice; that’s fine. Buy a big-ass bag of beans and a big-ass bag of rice and cook it up. Have oatmeal for breakfast —
Casey Serin may or may not be a good guy. I can’t tell. He seems likeable enough. But he has succumbed to the idea that the best way to make money is through tricks and games. I’m not saying that you have to be a wage slave all your life in order to get money to save for retirement. But there are clear, safe paths to wealth and happiness. They take time. They take effort. My goal is explore these paths with you. It’s too bad Casey’s not along for the journey.
Many of you wrote last week to say that I was too harsh on my friend Gillian, the woman with the “I can’t” attitude. Perhaps you’re right — I may have given up too early. I used to live like she does, and if I can turn it around, anyone can.
For a decade I was a deficit spender. I spent more than I earned. I used credit cards to fund a lifestyle that was beyond my means. Eventually I wised up — I destroyed my credit cards and cancelled my accounts, but my worries weren’t over yet. I wasn’t digging any deeper, but I was still stuck at the bottom of a hole: I was living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Twice a month I would deposit my paycheck, pay my bills, and then look to see how much was left. Whether the surplus was $20 or $200, I made plans for it: comic books, video games, clothes, whatever. I used to joke that I was an expert at spending every penny I had. Except that it was no joke. Late at night, when I couldn’t sleep, I would wonder why I could never get ahead.
I lived like this for years. You can maintain a paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle for a long time if you’re not taking on new debt (and if disaster doesn’t strike). Here’s another way to look at it:
If you spend more than you earn, you are acquiring debt.
If you spend about what you earn, you are living paycheck-to-paycheck.
If you spend less than you earn, you are acquiring wealth.
I don’t know about you, but my goal is the latter. Escaping the paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle means building positive cash flow, getting ahead of your expenses. Instead of spending exactly what you earn, you need to save something every month; even $25 or $50 can make a difference. Once you start, this amount has a tendency to snowball. For me, a $25 surplus grew into a $100 surplus, which grew into $300 per month and more!
But how do you start generating this surplus? How do you escape from the paycheck-to-paycheck pit? Here are some ideas that worked for me — one or more of them may work for Gillian. Or for you.
Start a savings account. For years I resisted the idea of opening a savings account. “Why should I?” I said. “I don’t have money to save. I barely have anything in my checking account!” But when I finally did open a savings account three years ago, a funny thing happened. I started finding money to stash there. It wasn’t much at first — $20 here, $75 there — but in time, it made a difference. Before long I had developed the savings habit.
Pay yourself first. The best way to begin your escape is to save first, before you do anything else with your paycheck. I know this can be difficult. You worry that you won’t have enough for your bills, for gas, for food. But the danger is that if you don’t set the money aside first, you’ll just spend it. Have a small amount — $25? $50? — automatically deducted from your paycheck and placed into savings. Chances are you won’t even miss the money.
Spend with purpose. You may want to consider a budget. Budgets aren’t scary, and they’re not difficult. Some people find them liberating. There are a variety of computer budgeting tools available, including:
A budget can be handy, but even if you can’t bring yourself to use one, you should know where your money needs to go.
Draft a spending plan. I don’t keep a budget, but I do create a financial plan every few months. It’s nothing more than a quick financial snapshot showing my income and expenses. I also list upcoming major outlays. This helps me keep my financial goals in mind as I go about my daily life. It’s easier for me to decide not to buy the latest Spider-Man comic when I remember that I’m saving for a trip to Europe.
Attack your debt. These methods are great, but if you really want to free up cash, pay off a debt. I recommend using a debt snowball to tackle your obligations one after the other. But if your goal is to ease financial pressure ASAP, you may want to try a slightly different approach. Pay off your debt with the smallest balance, but instead of rolling the freed cash flow into the next debt, use it to establish a savings buffer.
Cut costs. This one’s obvious, but can be difficult. My friend Gillian views cutting costs as deprivation. If you’re willing to look behind the immediate sacrifices to the long-term gains, cutting costs is an excellent, quick way to free up cash. There are a million little things you can do to save money now.
Boost your income. Many people have suggestions for how to cut costs, but few remember there’s a second side to the wealth equation. Earning extra money helps just as much as practicing frugality, and sometimes hurts less. But how do you get extra cash? Find a part-time job for a few months. Sell some of the stuff you’ve acquired over the years. Ask your boss for a raise. Find a way to make money from your hobbies.
Avoid lifestyle inflation. A final way to escape the paycheck-to-paycheck purgatory is to opt out of lifestyle inflation. When you get a raise, don’t adjust your standard of living to match. Use part of this new money to pay off debt, and another part to accelerate your savings. When your friends show you their new iPhones, ooh and aah, but resist the urge to get one yourself. Learn to love what you already have.
When I became serious about my finances, I realized that living paycheck-to-paycheck was dangerous. I was always one disaster away from returning to the credit bandwagon. I made a resolution to stop living on the edge and to start saving. It was difficult at first. Old habits die hard. But with time and persistence — and with the habits above — I made the switch. Now, a couple years further on, I’m just beginning to profit from my hard work. I have a monthly cash surplus. I have escaped from the paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle.
In some states, you can write a valid will yourself on a piece of paper
. However, if you have kids, property or assets, you’re probably better off using estate-planning software or working with an attorney.
Depending on your assets and family situation, there are several factors to consider when drafting a will. This essential estate planning step can spark conversations about the possessions you value and the legacy you want to leave, so it’s important to take the time to walk through the process.
Ways to write a will
Online will-writing software
Price: Free to $89 and up.
Who it’s best for: People with smaller estates or relatively uncomplicated financial situations and those looking to avoid legal expenses.
An online will maker is an inexpensive way to navigate the will-writing process. While it’s not a good solution for those with large or complicated estates, it’s an excellent starting point for people looking for a simple way to do basic estate planning.
Best for: Ease of use. Cost: One-time fee of $159 per individual or $259 for couples. $19 annual membership fee thereafter.
Best for: Users who want an all-inclusive experience. Cost: $99 per year for Starter plan. $139 per year for Plus plan. $209 per year for All Access plan.
Best for: State-specific legal advice. Cost: $89 for Basic will plan. $99 for Comprehensive will plan. $249 for Estate Plan Bundle.
Estate planning lawyers
Price: $300 to $1,000 and up flat fee or $200 and up hourly.
Who it’s best for: People with large or complicated estates, or those who want to use more advanced estate planning techniques to minimize estate taxes or bypass probate, the legal process for distributing a deceased person’s assets.
Estate planning attorneys can work with you to create a comprehensive estate plan including a will, trust and advance directives. They’ll ensure your documents are legally binding in your state and can help you navigate complex assets or family circumstances.
How to write a will in 7 steps
1. Account for all possessions
Everything you own, from physical property to financial accounts, is part of your estate. Assets you’ll include in your will include real estate, vehicles, valuables and other personal property.
Even if you intend to leave your entire estate to a single heir, creating a comprehensive inventory is important to ensure that none of your assets end up in the wrong place, such as an old workplace retirement account that lists your ex-spouse as the beneficiary.
2. Determine distribution
It can be helpful to separate bequests into categories to first take care of your beneficiaries’ needs, then consider sentimental gifts.
Start with larger assets such as property and accounts. If you want to explain your choices — leaving less to one child because you supported them financially for longer, for example — write a separate letter to your beneficiaries so you can keep the language in your will clear and precise.
Talk with family and friends to learn who would most appreciate certain belongings and record which items should go to whom.
Double-check the beneficiaries listed on your bank accounts, life insurance policies and retirement plans. Beneficiary designations override the wishes outlined in your will, so make sure your designations are aligned.
3. Think about your children
If you have minor children, you will need to decide who will take care of them once you’re gone. This means naming a guardian in your will in the event that both you and the other parent are not able to care for them. If you don’t appoint a guardian, your state court will have to appoint one without your input
.
4. Name an executor
An executor ensures that the directions in your will are carried out after your death. You can choose a family member to be your executor, but if you’re concerned about their ability to handle your estate during a difficult time, you can name your lawyer or an institution such as your bank.
» How does your executor distribute your estate? Learn about the probate process
5. Factor in fees
If your executor is an institution or an attorney, they’ll likely charge a fee to handle your estate. If you select a friend or family member, you’ll need to decide whether or not to pay that person for their services. Executor fees are paid out of your estate.
6. Make your will official
In most states, you’ll need to sign your will in front of at least two witnesses
. In Colorado and North Dakota, you can have your will notarized instead of witnessed. Louisiana requires wills to be both notarized and witnessed.
Store a hard copy of your will in a safe place, which could be a fireproof safe in your home or office or a bank-safe deposit box. Be sure to back up the digital version, too. Let your spouse, executor or a trusted friend know where your will can be found.
7. Update as needed
As your life and your heirs’ lives change, you may want to change your will. Did you sell an asset you had planned to leave to a child? Decide what you’ll bequeath instead. Did a potential heir die before you? Choose a new recipient for the items you planned to leave to them.
Don’t put off such updates; the court and your executor can’t confirm your intentions unless you’ve put them down on paper.
Some online will makers offer free updates, though some require an ongoing membership to make changes ranging from $19 annually to $39 monthly. An estate planning attorney may charge a $100 to $500 fee to update a will.
I‘m constantly amazed at the fact of how many young people I come across that don’t have any life insurance. While they all have there different reasons, the most common reason I hear is that it’s too early to think about life insurance. I couldn’t disagree more.
Most Important Question
Are you supporting individuals whose livelihood depends on your income? If the answer is yes, it’s time to look at life insurance.
Now, you may be saying: shouldn’t I wait to get a policy? Why should I pay premiums when I have so many other checks to write? Well, the reluctance is understandable: the perception is that life insurance is for old people, and when you’re 30 or 35, chances are you’ve got a long, great life ahead of you. But in financial terms, here is why this can be advantageous.
Healthy is Good
Typically, Americans shop for a life insurance policy in the middle of their life spans – when they are in their forties or fifties. At that time, they may have already fallen into the grip of bad habits (smoking, obesity, heavy drinking) and diabetes, heart disease, cancer or HIV may have entered their health picture. All these conditions can jack up premiums or make it harder to get a policy.
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Term Life Insurance is Cheap
Okay, maybe you won’t have to contend with any of the above health risks at 45 or 50 – but who knows? Buying a term insurance or permanent cash value life policy early in life, before you have to encounter any of these problems, should allow you to pay less expensive premiums. (Presuming you don’t face recurring risks to your health and safety today.) Getting life insurance quotes online are so easy nowadays, with sites like Matrix Direct offering you a free quote in minutes.
Did you know that premiums for standard-risk term life insurance fell 50% between 1994 and 2008?
Premiums have been getting cheaper and cheaper for new term life policyholders, partly because the mortality rate has dropped over the decades. In fact, the non-profit Insurance Information Institute says term insurance premiums have fallen by more than 4% per year since 2000, and the premiums on cash value policies are averaging roughly 5% lower today compared to a decade ago.
Do young singles need life insurance?
Good question. Some financial consultants will tell you there is no pressing reason for it. Yet if you are single, buying a term life insurance policy (or even a permanent life policy) early on could bring you a better deal and potentially guarantee your insurability. I have to admit that I did not do this. But I was fortunate to take out a term life policy early enough that the premiums were still very affordable.
Maybe it’s time. Time passes, things change, and so does your need for insurance. Check out Good Financial Cents 10 Best Life Insurance Companies for great resources to any of your questions. Even if you are insured, it’s important to keep up with change – as an example, the Insurance Information Institute estimates that about a third of families don’t update their life insurance coverage after a new baby comes home. I’m an exception to this stat. Not only did I increase my insurance after having our first child, but I’m now increasing it again with the soon arrival of our second. I increased the amount dramatically so that I won’t have to worry about increasing premiums if we have another child.
If you’re young and you haven’t yet talked to a qualified insurance advisor, think about doing so today – you may be pleasantly surprised how affordable life insurance can be.
Also, in cases where the FICO score is too low for every program, partners in the investment space can always step in and help. With other forms of lending, getting someone to co-sign on an investment property may be difficult especially with conventional lending. However, with private lending geared towards investment properties, it is a … [Read more…]