Monthly Archives: August 2013

Family

On family…

…please pardon the seemingly non real estate related topic. I just thought I’d share a brief story with you today. Yesterday, I met with a mortgage broker who’d checked out my site before our meeting. In the conversation, he mentioned that it was nice to meet someone who obviously loved their family. That struck a chord with me on a number of levels.

First, that he’d taken the time to do a quick check on me.

Second, that his takeaway from my site and Facebook accounts was that I love my family.

Third, that he’d mention it.

Nothing is more important to me than my family. While I have a number of obligations and duties, being a very good father and husband are at the top of my list.

I want to do right by them and set an example for my daughter that will endure after I am gone (which is, admittedly, hopefully far into the future).

Have a good day all and if there is anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Economy, Mortgages

Ignoring the economic bogeyman…

…if you’re like me, you’re probably very worried about the state of the economy. Further (if you’re like me), you’re probably inundated with information saying the economy is on the upswing…and downswing. I get emails and see headlines every day that alternate from “FINANCIAL ARMAGEDDON IS UPON US!” to “Housing surging! Economy is improving!”

Who do we believe?

I propose: neither. Follow the advice highlighted in this article and plan according to your finances and expectations. Don’t overleverage yourself; buy what you can afford.

We bought the home we live in now with my military pension in mind. Our threshold had to be $XXXX. When the numbers came in initially at $XXX7, I considered walking away from the deal. That’s how committed I was to making sure we didn’t overleverage.

Colorado Springs, Mortgages

Should a homeowner price their home high or low?

Should I list my home high or low? That’s an interesting question and one whose answer seems to center around “strategy”. This WSJ article explores both sides of the high vs. low pricing. One thing it doesn’t mention that’s relevant in some markets right now is the appraised value of the home. We must consider what the home will appraise for; if a home appraises low, a high offer won’t mean much.