Unlike buying a primary residence, where I believe you should buy one as soon as you can afford to, purchasing a vacation property is a different matter. Nobody needs to buy a vacation property; it’s a luxury expense that everyone can do without. Chances are, you won’t use your vacation property enough times a year […]
Don’t Buy A Vacation Property Until After You Have Children Read More »
During the global financial crisis in 2008 – 2009, I expected the San Francisco Property Assessor Office to automatically lower my property tax bill. After all, home prices had topped out at the end of 2006 and had declined about 5% a year for three consecutive years. Instead of receiving a property tax bill reduction,
Downgrade Your Property Statistics Online To Lower Your Property Taxes Read More »
Who stands to gain the most from the settlement reached with the National Association of Realtors regarding commission price collusion? The clear beneficiaries are residential real estate investors and owners. Why? Because they were the ones burdened with paying the so-called “standard” real estate commission ranging from 5% to 6%. Following the judgment against the
Why Every Residential Real Estate Investor Is Suddenly Richer Read More »
If you’re aiming for more value and cost-efficiency, you might find it surprising that opting for a more expensive home over a median-priced one could be the way to go. While it may seem counterintuitive, let me explain. Since purchasing a pricier home in the fourth quarter of 2023, my family and I have been
To Gain More Value, Buy A More Expensive Home Read More »
Exciting news for homesellers and homebuyers! The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has reached a settlement in its lost $1.8+ billion lawsuit on price fixing and collusion, agreeing to pay $418 million in damages. This settlement marks a significant shift in the homebuying and selling business model, where sellers traditionally paid both their broker and
The NAR Settlement’s Impact On Commissions And Home Prices Read More »
Zillow recently released an intriguing study that outlines the income needed to afford a “typical home” in different cities. The study considers a 10% down payment and utilizes the Zillow Home Value Index to determine the median home price in each city. A 10% down payment is lower than my recommended 20% down payment based
Income Required To Afford A Typical Home By City In 2024 Read More »
One of the most effective ways to build semi-passive income is to own your primary residence, live in it for several years, then rent it out and purchase a nicer property. If you’re aiming to retire early, over a 20-year career, you could easily build a rental property portfolio consisting of 3-5 units. This has
The Best And Worst Times To Find Renters For Greater Cash Flow Read More »
For those of you who are looking to upgrade homes, let me tell you a sad truth. I climbed to the top of the property ladder with my latest home purchase, and after five months, I feel no happier. Whenever someone would congratulate me about my home purchase, I felt nothing. What’s there to celebrate
Climbed To The Top Of The Property Ladder And Feel No Happier Read More »
In this episode, I interview Ben Miller, the CEO of Fundrise, discussing his revised perspective on the real estate market for 2024 and beyond. Financial Samurai is an investor in Fundrise and Fundrise is a long-time sponsor of Financial Samurai. The year 2023 posed challenges for institutional real estate investors, marked by 11 rate hikes
Past The Real Estate Market Bottom With Brighter Days Ahead Read More »
Anticipating future trends can lead to smart investments. Drawing from my 20 years of real estate investing experience, I expect bidding wars to resurge in the housing market in 2024 and beyond. The main reasons for the return of bidding wars in the housing market are as follows: If you believe the real estate market
How To Prepare For Upcoming Bidding Wars When Buying A Home Read More »
