There are three must-have amenities when I buy a home. A hot tub, a deck, and Toto Washlets (bidet). With work-from-home here to stay for millions, having both a hot tub and a deck can dramatically improve your quality of living. And once you go electric bidet, you will never go back. If you find Read More... The post The Cost Of Building...
Food costs a lot more today than it did a year ago due to rising inflation. But what’s really going on in the US agriculture industry? Let’s take a look at what global trends are impacting the market with some insights by FarmTogether, a leading farmland investing platform and Financial Samurai sponsor. Historical Farmland Investment Read More... The post Seven Global Trends Benefiting...
Recently, I was told by a producer of a certain podcast that I was being overly frugal. This comment came after an interview covering my upcoming book, Buy This, Not That was done. I had thanked her over e-mail and also asked her to tell the host I had finally gotten a headset for potential Read More... The post Being Called Overly Frugal...
Whether you are a fake retiree, a traditional retiree, or someone with a day job, cash flow is more important than net worth, especially during an economic downturn. Net worth is often an illusion that only helps to boost your ego when times are good. When times are bad, calculating your net worth loses it’s Read More... The post Why Cash Flow Is...
As a blogger since 2009, I love blogging. As a real estate investor since 2003, I also love real estate. Therefore, I thought it would be smart to do a real estate versus blogging showdown! Exactly which is a better investment? They require different amounts of effort, capital, and skills. In Stocks vs. Real Estate, I Read More... The post Real Estate Versus Blogging:...
Are you a stay-at-home father or father who spends a lot of time with his children? If so, you may be second-guessing your decision to spend so much time with them during their early years. Without some reciprocating love, you might be wondering whether your effort is worth it. You see, the more time and Read More... The post The Age Children Begin...
In the past, I used to think the best house floor plan for a family with young kids was all on a single floor. The house would have 700 or more square feet per person and be spread out over a large lot. However, with many parents now working from home, I’ve changed my mind. Read More... The post The Best House Floor...
In February 2012, I decided to negotiate a severance to break free from corporate life. By mid-June 2012, I had received a severance check and the last of my three months of WARN Act pay. Ten years of fake retirement later, I want to share with you some of my biggest takeaways. Overall, it’s been Read More... The post 10 Years Of Fake...
Inflation, like a boa constrictor, is squeezing us most noticeably at the grocery store and at the pump. Beyond tightening our budget, staying patient until prices eventually decline, and growing more passive income, what else can we do? Today’s post is sponsored by RealtyMogul, who writes how multifamily real estate may be used as a Read More... The post Multifamily Real Estate As...
Imagine getting a $55,077 mortgage credit rather than paying a mortgage fee to get a new loan. A $55,077 mortgage credit was what I was quoted for a $4.125 million, 10/6 ARM at a 3.625% rate. Surely receiving a large credit is better than paying a mortgage fee right? Not necessarily. The higher the mortgage Read More... The post Why It’s Better To...
House prices have cooled and will likely decline in some of the hottest housing markets. However, on my quest to get financing to conquer my real estate FOMO, I realized a positive datapoint for the U.S. housing market. Well-qualified borrowers are paying much lower mortgage rates than the headline rates you see in the news. Read More... The post Well-Qualified Borrowers Are Paying...
As a partner with Masterworks for the past few years, I’ve been following their growth in recent years. It’s been a while since I’ve published a deep dive on the company. So this post provides an update on their Masterworks performance, growth, track record, and explains how art could help improve your portfolio. Masterworks is Read More... The post Masterworks Performance Review And...
Before I was addicted to real estate, I was addicted to cars. At one point, I had owned eight cars over a 10-year period. And out of those eight cars, one was considered a luxury automobile: the Mercedes G500. Buying a G-Wagon in 2002 was one of my biggest financial regrets. Thankfully, once I became Read More... The post A Surprising Benefit Of...
Remodeled homes will sell for bigger premiums going forward because it has become so much more costly and difficult to remodel today. In the previous article, I focused mostly on the negatives of remodeling as it can truly be a painful experience. However, remodeling your rental property for more passive income and more value are Read More... The post Remodeling Your Rental Property...
If you’re in the market to buy a home, I’m not sure if you should buy a fixer-upper anymore unless you’re under 40 and hungry. Instead, you should consider buying a remodeled home to save your sanity. I’ve bought two fixer-uppers and I never want to buy another again. I’m too old and tired to Read More... The post Why Remodeled Homes Will...
