The insurance industry is one of the most profitable on earth. In its simplest form, insurance should be a straightforward transaction where one side pays in advance for the peace of mind of knowing that a future event (loss) will get paid. However, much like other monopolistic areas of life and business, it is rarely…
Society has conditioned us to focus on interest rates like the be-all and end-all of personal finance. You can hear people talking about it all the time. It’s either an argument for why buying the brand new BMW was a good purchase because the dealership provided 0% financing or how the timing is bad to…
Affordable housing is a hot topic, and a widely contested one. From the meaning of the term all the way up to solving the crisis, most have strong feelings one way or the other. For the sake of this conversation, we will be looking at affordable housing as it relates to government-subsidized housing, or the…
In my book, Get Real! Building Knowledge & Wealth Through Real Estate, the very first chapter is dedicated to the belief that every successful person in the real estate world has a core Dream Team of partners to assist with all facets of the transaction. For a comprehensive list of those specialists, buy the book!…
A case is currently playing out in the court system that could forever change the real estate landscape. Accusations of anti-trust violations have been levied against the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for their stranglehold on the real estate listing market and the undue influence they hold over agents and brokers nationwide. With other resources available…
One of the most frustrating aspects of real estate is the time it can take from the beginning of a transaction to the end, and that is not counting the time spent searching for the right house to buy or waiting for the perfect buyer for your sale. It makes sense considering all the moving…
Are you thinking of buying a home for the first time but are paralyzed by fear with all the things that could go wrong on what will conceivably be the largest purchase of your life? Maybe you have bought a home in the past and are now looking to upgrade, downsize, or relocate. You might…
Real estate is generally regarded as one of the safest assets and investments available, no matter where in the world you are. The reason is simple. Land is a finite resource, unlike other investment options that can issue new shares with relative ease – such as stocks, bonds, or mutual funds. That’s not to say…
There is an ongoing debate about whether renting an apartment/house is better than buying one. Valid arguments exist on both sides of the coin, and as with any choice in life, the only right decision is the one that makes the most sense for an individual’s personal situation. Even that can change over time as…
Look, we get it. Your home is not only likely to be your largest asset, but it is also something you have a biased opinion of. It’s a natural human tendency to think what we have is the best. We do it all the time, even when it defies logic. Our children are the smartest…
