Archive for October, 2006
Buying a starter home
Tuesday, October 31st, 2006A common idea among first time buyers, and promoted by real-estate developers, is to buy a “starter home”. Typically, this is a smaller home with the possibility to add more rooms at a later date. Other variants on this is to buy this, and upgrade or exchange to a larger home when you need it.
In […]
Are you ready to buy?
Monday, October 30th, 2006Before jumping into a purchase, you need to be sure that you’re ready to take on a commitment like buying a home. Remember, this is something that you’ll be paying for years, and a hasty decision could leave you with a great deal of regret, not to mention the financial loss.
The important elements that you […]
Buying a multi-family property.
Friday, October 27th, 2006If after the last two days discussion, you’re debating whether to go ahead with a multi-family property, here are some useful links for you. These should provide additional information for you to decide whether this is right for you.
The Wall Street Journal’s Guide to Property has an interesting question / answer on the subject. […]
Your first buy - a multi-family home?
Thursday, October 26th, 2006We talked yesterday about the house versus apartment choice. Let’s extend this to the first purchase decision. Does buying a multi-family home make better sense than a single house?
The disadvantages :
On a per home basis, multi-family homes are cheaper. But the total cost is likely to be higher than a single house, which means larger […]
House - or apartment?
Wednesday, October 25th, 2006Most people look at buying a home as being a single family house, with its own plot of land, out in the suburbs. That’s been the great American dream for the last 40 years plus, with the proliferation of cars making a commute both feasible and sensible. Sensible because, with price differentials between city and […]
Capital Appreciation or Income?
Tuesday, October 24th, 2006While buying a first home, many buyers confront this dilemna - do you buy a property that has a good return, or a property that is likely to appreciate more?
It isn’t an easy decision, and there is no single right answer. That said, for a first time buyer it makes more sense to concentrate on […]
Home buying advice
Monday, October 23rd, 2006When you’re looking to buy a home, you’ll find many people giving you advice and suggestions. Most of them will sound very good - the only problem might be, that some of them contradict each other! One person recommends a staggered payment or interest only mortgage, yet another talks about lower terms, and all of […]
Buying your first house!
Friday, October 20th, 2006As we saw yesterday, if you’re renting, you’re paying the mortgage and bills anyway. Unless you’ve taken this short-term and expect to move out of town pretty soon, it makes more sense for you to own the house, too.
It’s a big decision; the amounts are scary, in comparison with what you make each month, you’re […]
Your first home!
Thursday, October 19th, 2006Home. That’s the first and most important decision for any family. It’s about where you live for years, bring up children, make friends and feel at ease. And by the way, make huge payments; much more than any other.
If you’re renting a place to live in, chances are that you’re spending around 20% to 30% […]
Marry and grow rich!
Wednesday, October 18th, 2006Looking to increase your wealth? Here’s a tip - get married!
It helps if your prospective partner is already a multimillionaire (or heir to one); but even if he or she isn’t, it doesn’t matter.
A study by an Ohio State University researcher shows that a person who marries — and stays married — accumulates nearly twice […]