The median price of a home as you read this article was running over $200,000. Don’t forget to throw in maintenance, insurance, and property taxes. To see if you can afford a home, with a mortgage, why not do the calculations that lenders do—before you get in over your head? (more…)

Reaching your financial goals can get much easier if you buy a home wisely. Reason: Ultimately, when you pay off your mortgage, you’ll no longer have to pay big bucks for a place to live. You can route that additional money to increase your savings toward reaching your financial goals and improving your lifestyle. (more…)

If you look clearly under tax code in the Uniform Gift to Minors Act (or UGMA), when you put assets or securities in a savings plan for a child (commonly it is your child or grandchild that you want to support. The account is registered on behalf of children and one adult (parent or grandparent). These adults are responsible for the investment and asset management. The securities or assets actually belongs to the child. Once the child reaches age of 18 years (in most states), he or she then takes control of assets. (more…)

Owning real estate will still be a good idea in the twenty-first century. However, it will be for different reasons than in the past. In the foreseeable future real estate will not increase in value as it did during the 1970s and 1980s.

The real estate boom was an anomaly directly traceable to the uniquely huge baby boom generation driving up the demand for a limited number of houses. (more…)

Ever since economists and the media began focusing on what they heralded as potentially the single largest generational transfer of wealth in history—bequests to baby boomers from their parents—my clients caught patrimony fever. Even if you could inherit a small fortune (and I don’t think you will), I don’t think it’s something you should plan on or dream of. And it’s certainly not a process you should try to replicate with your own children. (more…)

If you are a homeowner, you will realize that your house requires maintenance and repair from time to time. Or, you may have a desire to beautify your home. It can be that long-delayed repainting job or the need to make room for a newborn; you desire to make home a comfortable sanctuary for you and your family. For your home improvement project, you will need a home improvement loan calculator to calculate the costs (more…)

Buying a second property can have several benefits. You can also avail the tax advantages for this kind of property. Although some are hesitant to settle for second properties, the government has granted them tax provisions. However, there are certain rules and regulations in order for you to aim the said exemptions. When you have a vacation or second house, the tax advantages you can get will be according to three major things: how frequent do you rent it out, how frequent do you stay in your vacation house and how long do you leave it vacant. (more…)

There are many reasons why you should want to improve your credit score rating. It could be to enable you to purchase that sought after car that you have been aching to drive since you were a teenage, or it could be to get a loan for your college studies. For many other people, improving credit score ratings are essential because it is the key to finally getting yourself a house you can call your own - your home. (more…)

Working as a Real Estate agent I noticed that most people who wanted to buy a house were really not ready to do so. Almost always (with few exceptions) they expected the agent to do everything for them. What they didn’t understand was that being the biggest investment of their lives, they needed to be more in control of the process instead of relying on other people to do all the work for them.

Over the years I realized that there were 5 mistakes that most buyers were making when purchasing a house. (more…)

As a result of the current global economic climate, the rise of casual or temporary employment in business is evident all over the world. It is basically defined to include all worker’s whose hours are not specifically guaranteed. Hours for these employee’s are usually distributed on an ‘as needed’ basis and can vary from week to week and month the month. This is done to provide flexibility to the employer and enable the company to cut back hours during harder financial times. (more…)