I recently came across an eye-opening chart by the National Association of Realtors showing that the median age of first-time U.S. homebuyers is now 38 years old. That’s a significant jump from 30 years old between 2008 and 2010. Meanwhile, the median age for repeat buyers has risen to 61 years old. What is going […]
Waiting For The Perfect Price Could Hurt Your Lifestyle And Happiness Read More »
If you don’t believe the world will grant your children a fair chance to succeed, you may want to take matters into your own hands as parents. One way is to set them up for financial independence—ideally making them millionaires before they graduate high school, finish college, or leave home. If your children are millionaires
How To Make Your Children Millionaires Before They Leave Home Read More »
What if your best is never good enough? If you knew that no matter how hard you tried, success was impossible or practically impossible, would you still push yourself to the limit? Or would you rationally pivot to another endeavor with a real chance of success? Personally, if the odds were overwhelmingly against me, I’m
Trying Your Best When There’s Little To No Chance Of Succeeding Read More »
I keep reflecting on how incredible 2024 was. With the S&P 500 up 23%, Bitcoin surging, and residential real estate climbing in most of the country, personal finance enthusiasts have had an amazing year. The investment gains almost feel like free money—and who doesn’t love getting something for free? With the return of volatility, we
The Million-Dollar Mindset of Personal Finance Enthusiasts Read More »
Unless you are incredibly rich or lucky, it’s highly likely that your vacation property is smaller than your primary residence. Having a smaller vacation property is a rational choice given you don’t live there as long as you do your primary residence. Further, it’s unlikely you need as many extra rooms for guests, an office,
The Ideal Vacation Property Size To Own Depends On Your Primary Home Read More »
There are plenty of reasons people choose not to have kids, with the cost of raising them being a major one. Another big factor is the fear that children will disrupt an ideal FIRE lifestyle. Many envision a life of traveling the world, indulging in incredible cuisine, and living spontaneously—things that can feel more challenging
Having Kids Might Not Hurt Your Ideal FIRE Lifestyle After All Read More »
When I lived in the Marina neighborhood of San Francisco, I could walk to endless bars and restaurants within 10 minutes. It was the perfect place for twenty- and thirty-somethings to live, socialize, and indulge in city life. Back in 2005, at age 28, I had just bought my first single-family home—a handsome three-bedroom house
A Home Within Walking Distance of Everything Might Not Be Ideal Read More »
Recently, I went off the deep end—living like a degenerate gambler and party animal—and I wanted to reflect on it. Perhaps to nobody’s surprise, I don’t think having extreme amounts of fun is good for your financial future. It’s probably also not good for your health. In our personal finance world bubble, where we go
Partying Like A Young Degenerate Is Not Good For Your Finances Read More »
One of the reasons I left my job at Credit Suisse was that I no longer felt I was being paid based on merit. After the global financial crisis, the firm—like many others—faced tough times, and overall compensation steadily declined for years. As a top-three ranked producer, I expected to be compensated accordingly. But I
Rewarding Based on Merit Alone: Great in Theory, Tough in Reality Read More »
If there’s one lesson I’ve learned the hard way in real estate, it’s that a full-on, gut-remodel can be a nightmare. After years of painful, unpredictable remodeling projects, I can confidently say: I will never do a complete remodel again. Instead, I now favor purchasing a fully remodeled, move-in ready home for any future investments.
Buy A Fully Remodeled, Move-In Ready Home Over A Fixer-Upper Read More »
