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 2023, my family and I have been grappling with the budgetary
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 2025 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 felt 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. I’ll then share my follow up interview with Ben for his outlook on 2025. Financial Samurai is an investor in Fundrise and Fundrise is a long-time sponsor of Financial Samurai. The
Past The Real Estate Market Bottom With Brighter Days Ahead Read More »
Anticipating future trends can lead to smart investments. Drawing from my 22 years of real estate investing experience, I expect bidding wars to resurge in the housing market. The main reasons for the return of bidding wars in the housing market are as follows: If you believe the real estate market will strengthen, as I
How To Prepare For Upcoming Bidding Wars When Buying A Home Read More »
House rich, cash poor is when you have a lot of equity in your house but not a lot of cash. For whatever reason, a homeowner has untapped equity in their property but is unwilling or unable to withdraw it. Due to excessive spending habits or financial responsibilities, the homeowner feels poor. After paying for my
House Rich Cash Poor Is A Terrible But Fixable Situation Read More »
