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  6 Best Investments for Retirement Planning
Posted by: Seattle World Investments - 04-10-2019, 02:11 PM - Forum: Business news, general discussions and feedback - No Replies

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Baby boomers are the first generation of a new retirement era with the burden of saving the bulk of their retirement income and making those savings last 20 to 30 years. This responsibility is due to the decline in company pensions which shifted saving and investment responsibilities to employees, as well as an increase in life expectancy after attaining adulthood (almost 20% since 1950). The challenge of investing has been particularly difficult in the last five years; a study by Thornburg Investment Management calculated the annual “real return” for many classes of investment during the period as being negative.
The possibility of a future investment environment where inflation remains low and interest rates rise (the opposite of the 1960s to 1980s) producing slower economic growth, projected healthcare expenses not covered by insurance, and the uncertainty of program changes in Social Security and Medicare will result in people continuing to work as long as possible, accelerating their savings in their later years, and seeking maximum returns in their portfolios.
According to Chris Brightman, head of investment management at Research Affiliates, “Baby Boomers are going to work longer than they originally expected. They’re going to have to save more than they planned. And they’re going to have to consume more modestly in retirement.”
Your Investment Options for Retirement
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of different investment vehicles available. The following list describes the most popular choices, while some investments (such as gold and collectibles) are not listed because, according to Warren Buffett, they are difficult to analyze, lack any productive use, and their future price depends solely on the hope that the next buyer will pay more for the item than the owner paid.
Investments in private companies can be lucrative but are also not considered. If you invest in the stock of a private company, be aware that the investment may have significant undisclosed, higher risks than an investment in stock of a regulated, publicly-traded company.
1. Annuities
Annuities are contracts between an insurance company and the policy holder, with the former guaranteeing a specific or variable return for the invested capital and making payments to the policy holder and/or his beneficiaries over a specific length of time, even a lifetime. Payments can start immediately or be deferred until retirement or later.
An annuity can be structured to resemble a fixed income investment like a bond – adding to principle at a fixed rate – or as an equity investment where growth is uncertain and based upon the performance of a security index, such as the S&P 500. The benefits of annuities as investments include:

  • Tax-deferred growth of the principal until distribution. Most importantly, there are no limits to the size of annuity you can purchase, unlike the annual limits to an IRA or 401k.
  • Distributions are a combination of returned capital (no taxes) and growth (taxable at the then current rate), effectively increasing the net income you receive each distribution.
  • Investment flexibility. Purchasers can choose specific investments in a variable annuity at purchase and before distribution. This flexibility also extends to how to receive distributions which can be for a specific period of time up to a lifetime and can include survivor benefits.
Disadvantages include purchase commissions that can be as high as 10%, onerous surrender charges if you take withdrawals earlier than initially contracted, early withdrawal penalties and taxes if you withdraw prior to age 59 1/2, and high annual fees. Annuities should never be purchased in a tax-sheltered account, such as an IRA, with one exception: after you have retired and desire to have the certainty of income for the remainder your life.
2. Bonds
A bond represents a loan to either a government or a corporation whereby the borrower agrees to pay you a fixed sum of interest, usually semi-annually, until repaying your investment in full (maturity). Bonds are rated for credit risk – whether interest and principal payments will be made – by independent credit rating companies such as Standard & Poor and Moody’s, the best rating being AAA or Aaa, respectively. Bonds usually trade in units of $1,000, the amount being denoted as “par.” The interest rate is fixed at the time of issuance and remains unchanged throughout the life of a bond.
Market values of bonds vary according to the bond’s interest rate and the prevailing market interest rates at the time of the valuation. This variation is called “interest rate” risk.
For example, if interest rates today were 6%, a bond due in 10 years with an interest rate of 4% would sell for approximately $666, even though the older bond will be paid off in full ($1,000) when it matures. The discount occurs because a new buyer would invest in a new bond of an equal quality rating, which would pay interest of $60 per year, rather than buying the older bond which paid only $40 per year. In order to have marketability, the older bond must be discounted to provide the same annual return on the investment – in this case 6%. Simply stated, if the current interest rate is greater than the interest rate of the bond, the bond’s market value will be less than par ($1,000); if less than the interest rate of the bond, the market value will be greater than par.
The major advantage of bonds and similar fixed rate instruments is that their return is known and repayment of the principal is certain if held until maturity. This certainty is unlike equity investments, which have no specific or predetermined future value. Some issuers of bonds (such as states and municipalities) can issue bonds with interest which is not taxed by the Federal Government, but such bonds should never be purchased in a tax-favored retirement account since the tax benefits would be redundant.
Treasury bonds and bills issued by the United States Government are considered the safest investments in the world, with virtually no credit risk. In order to minimize interest rate risks, astute investors utilize “bond ladders,” an investment scheme that staggers bond maturities so that a portion of the portfolio matures each year and can be reinvested at the then-current rates.
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3. Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
ETFs are portfolios of assets especially designed to track or parallel the movement of a stock or bond index, such as the S&P 500, the Nasdaq-100 Index, or the Barclays Capital U.S. Government/Credit Index. ETFs trade just like stocks, except there is the advantage of built-in diversification – they are not actively managed except to bring the fund’s performance in line with the index.
ETF administrative costs are low – as little as one-quarter the cost of administration for an actively managed portfolio, such as a mutual fund. Trading activity is considerably reduced compared to the typical mutual fund, producing less taxable capital gains (irrelevant in a tax-deferred retirement account) and a more efficient return on investment. ETFs are particularly useful in retirement portfolios, as investors have recognized the importance of asset allocation, rather than individual stock selection, and usually have an investment horizon of 10 years or more.
In the past decade, exchange traded funds have appeared which offer wide selection in the underlying index which the ETF is intended to track. The choices include various national and international stock indexes; different maturities and/or ratings of corporate and government debt; commodities such as gold, silver, and palladium; and world currencies.
Some ETFs attempt to replicate the performance of such investments as emerging-market stocks, futures-based commodity indices, or junk bonds. However, where trading is less frequent, there is the possibility that the ETF may not exactly replicate the performance of the underlying index, thereby introducing an uncertainty in their performance and a possible deterrent to investment.
4. Mutual Funds
Essentially, mutual funds are professionally managed portfolios of stocks and bonds. Each fund is intended to accomplish a specific investment objective such as high growth, balance between growth and risk, income, and every variation between these categories. Mutual funds are registered with the Securities Exchange Commission and regulated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and have been available in the United States for more than a century, becoming popular in the 1920s. The Massachusetts Investors Trust, widely credited as America’s first modern mutual fund, was established in 1924 and has produced a lifetime annual return of 9.11%. Had you been lucky enough to have a grandfather invest $100 on New Year’s Day in 1925, the fund would be worth almost $250,000 today.
For such reasons, mutual funds have historically been an important part of Americans’ retirement plans. According to the 2013 Investment Company Fact Book , mutual funds of different types accounted for 68% of IRA assets and 48% of 401k balances at year-end 2011. However, the popularity of mutual funds in retirement accounts is on the decline.
In an August 28, 2013 article for The Motley Fool, certified financial analyst Amanda Kish flatly states that many funds are “too pricey, and a majority won’t be able to beat their index over the long run.” Kish also points out that, due to record-level changes in the managers of funds, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
In addition, the value of a professionally managed portfolio has been questioned by numerous studies since a significant portion of their growth has been attributed to broad market movement, rather than the skill of the managers. The asset allocation model of portfolio management has become more popular, stimulating a transfer of mutual fund ownership to ETFs with lower management fees and commissions, a more simple process of buying and selling units, and better tax efficiency in taxable accounts.
5. Individual Stocks
Common and preferred stocks represent proportional ownership in a corporation, the latter being in a preferential position regarding dividends and liquidation. Owners of common stock benefit through a combination of appreciation – the increase in the price of the stock in excess of the price paid at purchase – and dividends. Stocks are usually bought and sold through representatives of brokerage houses acting as agents for their customers who receive commissions for their service.
The price of a common stock continuously changes as existing shareholders’ and potential investors’ perceptions about the company’s future change. When investors are optimistic about the future of a company, prices for its common stock increase. When they are concerned or worried, prices remain level or decline. The price movement of a stock is the consensus of hundreds or thousands of investors making individual decisions about the stock – whether to buy, continue to hold, or sell.
Trying to project the future price of an individual company’s common stock is extremely difficult, since so many factors can affect future results positively and negatively. As Peter Lynch, manager of Fidelity Investment’s Magellan Fund (which delivered a 29.2% annual return between 1977 to 1990), said, “In this business, if you’re good, you’re right 6 times out of 10. You’re never going to be right 9 times out of 10.”
Sometimes, prices fluctuate without apparent reason or justifiable cause. Jim Cramer, author of “Real Money: Sane Investing in an Insane World,” once complained, “Every once in a while, the market does something so stupid it takes your breath away.”
The advantages of publicly traded common stocks are that they are liquid (easy to buy and sell), transparent (since financial information is readily and easily available), and highly regulated. However, unless you are a knowledgeable, experienced investor willing to devote the necessary time to analysis and are able to restrain your emotions during periods of financial stress, investing in individual common stocks should be avoided. This is especially true during your retirement years, when a single bad investment could wipe away years’ worth of savings.
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6. Income Partnerships
Real estate investment trusts (REITS) and energy master limited partnerships (MLPs) are popular with retirees due to their high cash distributions as compared to corporate dividends. REITS can either own property directly, managing the assets and collection rents, or own real estate mortgages; some REITS own a combination of each. An energy MLP owns proven reserves of oil and gas that will be produced in the future. REITs and MLPs avoid the double taxation applied to corporate dividends.
REITs are required to distribute almost 90% of their yearly taxable income, and most MLPs pay out a majority of their income each year, the exact percentage being set in the partnership documents. Owners can profit from distributions and increases in the value of the underlying real estate or reserves. However, potential purchasers should also be aware that a portion of their distributions each year is theoretically a return of their capital in the form of depreciation and depletion. Units of REITs and MLPs are traded on the exchanges just as stocks and bonds.
Final Word
Building and maintaining sufficient resources to assure a comfortable, worry-free retirement is a constant struggle for most people, becoming even more difficult in recent years. Unfortunately, there is no single investment or investment method that guarantees success. Each of the options above can be effective depending upon the investor’s risk profile, ability to monitor and manage investments, and income needs.
What additional investment options would you suggest for retirement planning?

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  How to Get Money for a Down Payment on a House – 16 Strategies & Tips
Posted by: Seattle World Investments - 04-10-2019, 01:55 PM - Forum: Business news, general discussions and feedback - No Replies

How to Get Money for a Down Payment on a House – 16 Strategies & Tips


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Whether you’re purchasing a prefab dwelling, building a new construction home, or planning to fix up an older house, you’re probably excited about the prospect of closing the deal and moving in.
Not so fast. Buying a home is an expensive proposition – the biggest investment that most families ever make. While you aren’t required to cover the entire purchase price up front, you do need to come up with a substantial cash sum before you can close on your house.
You need to worry about common closing costs such as your home inspection, lender appraisal, and title insurance. Taken together, these expenses are nothing to sneeze at – depending on your situation, they can amount to anywhere from 3% to 6% of the total purchase price. In buyers’ markets, you might have luck convincing your seller to pay some closing costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.
The Biggest Closing Cost of All
Most line items are small change compared with the biggest closing expense of all: your down payment.
Though it’s due at closing, the down payment usually isn’t considered a closing cost. That doesn’t make it any less impactful, though. Your down payment plays an important and sometimes decisive role in whether you can close on your dream house – or, let’s be real, the best house you can afford on your budget.
This is because your down payment is a key part of the offer you present to the seller. The general rule of thumb is simple: the larger the down payment, the stronger the offer. More precisely: the greater the down payment’s share of the total purchase price, the more likely the seller is to accept.
Historically, the ideal down payment has been at least 20% of the purchase price. On a $200,000 house, that’s $40,000. In recent years, smaller down payments have come into vogue, thanks to looser underwriting requirements and growing acceptance among sellers.
Nevertheless, scraping together a down payment is a tall order, especially for first-time homebuyers in expensive coastal markets. According to CoreLogic, the average home price in California’s Bay Area topped $700,000 in 2016 – and that figure includes relatively inexpensive bungalows in East Bay suburbs, as well as ultra-pricey row houses in San Francisco proper.
That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to save for a down payment. It just requires time and fiscal discipline. If you can follow some or all of the following tips and strategies, I’m confident you’ll realize your dream of homeownership faster than you thought possible – even if it means scrimping in the short term.
Tips and Tricks to Save for Your Down Payment
1. Determine Your Expected Down Payment and Timeframe
First, figure out about how big your down payment will be.
Down payment size is a function of three overlapping factors: your desired initial loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, your time horizon (when you want to buy), and local housing market conditions. When people talk about budgeting for a future home purchase, they generally refer to list prices: “We’re willing to pay $300,000,” or “We can afford $250,000, but no more.”
However, on the matter of affordability, the most important number is the down payment amount. If you can’t cobble together a $50,000 down payment on a $250,000 house (or a $400,000 house, if you’re putting down less than 20%), then you can’t afford that house.
The top end of your affordability range, then, is the highest down payment you can save for within your allotted time horizon, without undershooting your target LTV. So, if you want to buy a $300,000 house with a 20% down payment in three years, you’ll need to have $60,000 set aside for that purpose 36 months from today.
Of course, you need to bring more than just your down payment to closing. To be safe, assume your other closing costs will add up to 6% – near the top end of the realistic closing cost range. On a $300,000 house, that’s another $18,000, for a total of $78,000.
Lastly, don’t completely deplete your bank account to buy your dream home. It’s wise to have at least three months’ income in liquid savings as an emergency fund, regardless of your near- or long-term goals. Six months is even better.
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2. Shrink Your Required Down Payment With a Special Loan
If you’re looking to buy on an accelerated timetable, live in an expensive housing market, or doubt your ability to save for a 20% down payment on an acceptable house in your target neighborhood, look into special loan programs with lower down payment requirements.
Some of the more common special loan programs are listed below. Other options exist, so check with local, state, or federal housing authorities to learn what’s available for families in your area and circumstances.

  • FHA Loans. FHA mortgage loans are insured, but not originated, by the federal government – specifically, the Federal Housing Administration. Known as 203b mortgage loans, they require just 3.5% down. They can be used on one- to four-family homes and typically carry lower interest rates than conventional mortgage loans, though your exact rate will depend on your creditworthiness and other factors. Underwriting standards are also much looser than on conventional mortgages – you can qualify with a credit score below 600.
  • VA Loans. If you or your spouse is a current or former member of the military, your family may qualify for a VA home loan backed by the federal government (Department of Veterans Affairs). On the down payment front, VA loans are even better than FHA loans – they require no money down, though you’re free to put money down and reduce the total amount you must borrow. If interest rates drop after you’ve been in your house for a while, look into VA streamline refinance loans (IRRRL), which can reduce your rates significantly at a lower cost than a conventional refinance loan.
  • USDA Loans. If you’re buying a home in a rural or outer suburban area, you may qualify for a USDA loan, another type of federally insured loan designed to bring housing within reach for lower-income country-dwellers. Unlike FHA and VA loans, USDA loans are direct loans – they’re made by USDA itself. Use USDA’s property eligibility map to see if you qualify.
  • Conventional 97 Loans. Conventional 97 loans are just as they sound: conventional mortgage loans that let you put as little as 3% down, for a maximum LTV of 97%. They’re backed by Fannie Mae and come in different configurations, so be sure to read Fannie’s fact sheet before applying.
Beyond program-specific requirements, these special loans have some important drawbacks. Perhaps most importantly, they carry private mortgage insurance (PMI) premiums until LTV reaches 78% (though you can formally request PMI removal at 80% LTV). In some cases, these annual premiums can exceed 1% of the total loan value – an extra $3,000 per year on a $300,000 loan, for instance.
Special loans can also weaken your offer. Some sellers are reticent to sell to first-time homebuyers with FHA or Conventional 97 loans, reasoning that their finances may be shaky and the deal may fall apart before closing. All other things being equal, rational sellers are likely to favor conventional 20%-down offers over lower down payments.
3. Take Advantage of National Down Payment Assistance Programs
Relatively few prospective homeowners realize that they could qualify for national down payment assistance programs that can reduce their out-of-pocket down payment costs by thousands of dollars.
Resources abound, but the National Homebuyers Fund is representative. Since 2002, it has provided more than $200 million in direct grants to more than 30,000 buyers. It has a slew of grant option backed by various institutions – you can see the requirements for the Citibank-backed Sapphire option here, for instance.
NHF grants may only be available in certain states and on loans of certain sizes. Other conditions may apply as well, so it’s a good idea to contact the organization directly and speak with your lender before assuming that you’ll qualify.
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4. Look Into State-Specific Down Payment Assistance and Resources
Your state and perhaps local governments may offer down payment assistance programs as well. For instance, in my native Minneapolis, the Minnesota Homeownership Center has a handy Down Payment Assistance finder that tells prospective homeowners about down payment financing and non-financial assistance resources available in their areas. In California, Golden State Finance Authority provides direct, need-based grants (with some strings attached) worth up to 5% of the loan amount – not an insignificant sum in pricey California metro areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles.
5. Pay Off Outstanding Credit Card Debt
Prospective homeowners often face a fraught choice: pay off their outstanding credit card balances or save for their down payments.
For many folks, paying off credit card debt is a high-priority goal. Even low APR credit cards typically charge interest rates north of 10% APR. On an average balance of $1,000, that’s $100 in interest charges each year. If your debt load is higher, adjust accordingly.
Because they’re secured by physical property, mortgages almost always have lower interest rates than credit cards, even when the borrower’s credit is less than perfect. Faced with the choice to purchase a home at 5% APR or carry credit card debt at 15% APR, most people would select the former.
Paying off credit card debt isn’t always straightforward, though. Focus on your highest-interest debt first (debt avalanche method), even if that means putting as little as $25 or $50 extra toward your payment each month. As your high-interest debt load shrinks, you can move onto lower-interest credit card debt, and you’ll likely accelerate your progress toward a $0 balance. With lower (or no) interest charges eating into your spending and saving power, you can then direct your dollars toward your down payment fund.
To accelerate and simplify your debt payoff process, consider taking out a debt consolidation loan that rolls all your disparate obligations into a single instrument. Many lenders make unsecured personal loans for just this purpose, so shop around for a lender whose products fit your credit profile and ability to repay.
6. Round Up and Save Your Change
The advent of online banking makes it easier than ever to save small amounts of money without even realizing it. Some major banks, including Bank of America (Keep the Change) and U.S. Bank (S.T.A.R.T.), empower deposit account holders to save their spare change from every transaction using apps that automatically round debit card payments up to the nearest whole dollar and sock away the remainder in a savings account.
For instance, when you spend $3.69 on your morning latte, your debit card is charged $4, and the remaining $0.31 drops into your savings account. Multiply that by 50 or 100 transactions per month and you’ve got yourself a nice side pot.
7. Set Aside a Portion of Your Tax Refund
Expecting a tax refund this year? Reserve a slice of it to reward yourself for all your hard work last year – a nice restaurant meal, a frugal weekend getaway, a new piece of furniture for your home. Enjoy it.
Then sock the rest of your refund away in your down payment fund. If you reliably receive a $3,000 refund, spend $1,000, and save the rest, you’ll have $6,000 after three years, and $10,000 after five. That probably won’t account for your entire down payment, but it can’t hurt.
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8. Set Aside a Portion of Your Performance Bonus
If part of your compensation package involves monthly, quarterly, or annual performance bonuses or profit-sharing payments, apply the same logic to these: Save a portion, then put the rest into your down payment fund.
Since performance bonuses and profit-sharing payments aren’t guaranteed, it’s risky to account for them in your day-to-day or month-to-month budgets anyway. That’s like counting your chickens before they hatch. If you don’t make plans for your bonuses or profit shares before you know you’ll get them, you won’t miss them. Actually, you’ll be grateful for them as they slowly but steadily grow your down payment fund.
9. Make Recurring Savings Deposits
Knowing you need to set money aside each month is one thing. Actually doing it is another. Set yourself a calendar reminder on the same day each month or pay period to transfer a set amount of money – at least 5% of your take-home pay, and ideally 10% – into your primary savings account. You can then separate the share allotted to your down payment from your general savings or other savings goals. Or, better yet, create a separate savings account whose sole purpose is to hold your down payment funds.
10. Automate Your Savings Deposits
What’s even better than recurring savings account deposits? Automated savings account deposits that you don’t have to remember to execute each month. Most banks allow recurring savings transfers from internal or external checking accounts. Examine your budget and determine how much you can afford to save each pay period or month, and then make it happen, preferably on the same date (or the day after) you receive your paycheck or direct deposit. Again, consider a separate savings account just for your down payment fund. If you’re looking to open a new account, go with one of these bank account promotions so you can make the most of the opportunity.
11. Save Your Cash Back Earnings
You can choose to pay off your credit card debt and focus your financial firepower on saving for your down payment without actually canceling your credit cards. The secret: cash back credit cards.
There are literally hundreds of cash back credit cards on the market. Some, like Chase Freedom and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards, are practically household names. Others are more obscure – they might be new, or issued by regional banks with zero name recognition.
By definition, all offer some return on spending. More generous cards with favored spending categories can offer as much as 5% back on a consistent basis, and more on spending with select merchants or on certain items. Many have attractive sign-up bonuses worth $100, $200, or even more. And most don’t charge annual fees.
A cash back credit card (or two, or more) won’t singlehandedly finance your down payment. But, as long as you actually save the cash you earn and remember to pay off your balance in full each month to avoid interest charges, it can provide a helpful boost to your savings efforts.
12. Withdraw from Your IRA Without Penalty
Under certain conditions, your retirement account can serve as a supplemental funding source for your down payment. Specifically, if you’re a first-time homebuyer, you’re permitted to borrow up to $10,000 from a traditional or Roth IRA without penalty to fund your down payment.
This isn’t free money, of course. If you have a traditional IRA, you need to pay taxes on the withdrawn amount at your overall rate – 28% in the 28% bracket, and so on. On a Roth IRA held for longer than five years, your withdrawal is tax-free, because you’ve already paid taxes on the contribution.
If you and your spouse both have IRAs, you can both withdraw up to $10,000, for a total of $20,000. Depending on the projected size of your down payment, that could be a sizable boost. And, on Roth IRAs held longer than five years, you can withdraw tax- and penalty-free contributions in excess of $10,000, though any withdrawn earnings are taxable at your normal rate.
However, you also have to consider the opportunity cost of taking that money out of your account, potentially for years (by the time you make additional contributions to cover your withdrawal).
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13. Take a 401k Loan
You can also borrow from employer-sponsored 401ks to fund your down payment. On 401k loans, borrowing limits are much more generous: You can borrow up to the lesser of $50,000 or half the value of the account. That’s enough to fund a 20% down payment on a $250,000 house, or a 10% down payment on a $500,000 house.
However, the devil is in the details. You have to pay back your 401k loans, with interest – typically at 2% above the prime rate. On larger loans, that means several years’ worth of three-figure monthly payments and several thousand in interest charges. Plus, if you take out a 401k loan before applying for a mortgage loan, your credit utilization ratio will spike, which could raise your mortgage loan’s interest rate or cause the bank to think twice about lending to you in the first place.
As a general rule of thumb, 401k loans are useful in two situations: for funding small down payments ($5,000 or less) in their entirety or as the last piece of a multi-year, multi-source down payment funding strategy.
14. Earn Extra Income on the Side
If your take-home pay won’t get you to your down payment goal on your desired timeframe, or you’re worried about negatively impacting your lifestyle as you scrimp and save for your dream home, consider increasing your income by picking up a side gig – either by taking on a second part-time job, picking up work as an independent contractor, or exploring the many ways to make money from home.
At-home and on-the-side money-making opportunities are virtually limitless. Your chosen pursuits will likely depend on your unique skills and the assets or amenities you have at your disposal. Some common ideas for monetizing your time, talents, and physical assets include:
  • Freelance writing and editing
  • Freelance web development and design
  • Selling disused possessions (and downsizing in the process) on Craigslist, eBay, Amazon, or a garage sale
  • Driving for a ridesharing app such as Uber
  • Teaching classes through online portals such as Udemy
  • Growing and selling your own produce
  • Selling crafts on Etsy or at a flea market
  • Becoming a medical transcriber
  • Working as a virtual assistant, remote customer service representative, or tech support professional
15. Put Short-Term Down Payment Savings in Low-Risk, Interest-Bearing Accounts
We touched on the wonders of recurring and automated savings above, but it’s worth reiterating that not all savings options are created equally.
Unless you’re operating on a very long time horizon, it’s not wise to put your down payment funds in the stock market. Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and other equity instruments are vital components of retirement portfolios, but they’re not appropriate for certain shorter-term savings goals.
Why? Because, over shorter timeframes, market downturns can devastate savings goals. Imagine that you put $20,000 in the market between 2005 and 2007, on your way to an expected $40,000 down payment by 2009. Between mid-2007 and early 2009, U.S. markets lost roughly half their value. In other words, that $20,000 sum would have shrunk to just $10,000, assuming you added no new funds – no doubt crushing your dream of buying a home in 2009.
In the short and medium run, it’s much safer to invest in FDIC-insured instruments such as traditional savings accounts, certificates of deposits (CDs), and money market accounts. Though these instruments have relatively low yields – currently below 2% APY in most cases – the risk of principal loss is extremely low. If you want your down payment to actually be there, in full, when you need it, save investments in FDIC-insured accounts are your ticket.
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16. Use a Budgeting App to Stay on Track
For most prospective homeowners, saving for a down payment is a medium- to long-term prospect. Much will happen between the day you decide you want to become a homeowner and the day your future home’s seller accepts your purchase offer.
A budgeting app can reduce the risk that you’ll get knocked off track by unforeseen events. The world is filled with such apps, some of which are quite lightweight – basically, glorified spreadsheets – and others of which have lots of bells and whistles. Among the most common are:
  • Mint is one of the oldest and best-known of the many personal budgeting apps available to U.S. consumers. It has a slew of capabilities designed to increase your understanding of your personal finances, categorize your spending and saving, and become more financially fit overall. It’s free to use, though subsidized by sponsor ads and partner offers.
  • Level Money weighs your expected monthly income against your projected monthly expenses to produce your Spendable, the balance you can safely spend over the course of the month without spending more than you earn. It can easily account for savings goals such as a new home. It’s totally free.
  • Wally is a global personal finance app that provides a complete, intuitive picture of your earning, spending, and saving, all in a lightweight, user-friendly interface. Wally is free, though its developer has plans to add premium features in the future.
  • PocketGuard links your entire financial life – all your disparate accounts – to provide a total picture of your fiscal health. It’s super easy to create goals, and a machine learning component helps create dynamic budgets that let you know when you need to dial back your spending in order to reach them.
Final Word
Your house might be the single biggest purchase you ever make, but it won’t be the only big-ticket item you ever buy. Unless you can comfortably live without a car, you’re likely to buy a new or used vehicle every few years. If you have kids, you’ll need to budget for their education. Once you’re ensconced in your home, you’ll probably want to make sensible improvements that enhance its value or accommodate your growing family. And, all the while, you need to have enough set aside for the unexpected.
Every one of these items, and many others not mentioned here, demand a measured, thought-out savings strategy. As you notch small victories in your quest to cobble together a down payment for your dream home, don’t neglect your other goals – whether you’re aiming to reach them next month, next year, or next decade.
If you still need help saving, check out 25 Easy Ways to Save Money on a Tight Budget Today.
Are you saving up for a down payment on a house?

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  How to buy a house
Posted by: Seattle World Investments - 04-10-2019, 01:54 PM - Forum: Business news, general discussions and feedback - No Replies

There are 127 million homeowners in the country, according to the U.S. Census. To join their ranks, here are 11 steps you should follow that will help you achieve homeownership:

  1. Check your credit score
  2. Create a budget
  3. Hire a real estate agent
  4. Shop for a mortgage
  5. Make time for open houses
  6. Sign a contract
  7. Interview your home inspector
  8. Review your home inspection report carefully
  9. Negotiate any repairs
  10. Do a final walkthrough
  11. Close on your house
1. Check your credit score
A good credit score will get you a good interest rate. A great credit score will get you a great one. Lenders use credit, or FICO, scores as one factor to determine how much interest they charge borrowers. Borrowers who have excellent credit pose less risk of defaulting on the mortgage, so their reward is paying a lower mortgage interest rate.
The interest charged on a $300,000 home, depending on your FICO scoreFICO score
APR
Monthly payment
Total interest paidSource: MyFico.com760-850
4.18%
$1,464
$226,879
700-759
4.40%
$1,503
$240,949
680-699
4.58%
$1,534
$252,301
660-679
4.80%
$1,573
$266,182
640-659
5.20%
$1,652
$294,575
620-639
5.76%
$1,754
$331,563
To begin, check your credit report to make sure there are no errors on it. Credit reports from each of the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, are available for free once every 12 months. If there are errors, then contact each agency and report the mistake. You can also check your credit score for free with Bankrate. The goal is to raise your credit score before you shop for mortgages.
Some other things home buyers can do to turbocharge their scores is to bring any past-due credit card balances current and stop using credit cards altogether — but don’t close the accounts once you pay off the balance. It looks good for you to have established and available credit, as long as you don’t use it. That means keep that Old Navy card and Visa gas card open, even if you no longer use them. The longer you’ve had the account, the more it enhances your score.
Finally, shoot for a 36% debt-to-income ratio, or DTI. This is how much debt you have versus income. Bills that are counted in your DTI include debt like student loans, car payments and credit cards. Utility bills, for example, are not included in the DTI.
This step might take the longest (it’s up there with saving for a down payment), so get started on improving your credit before you do anything else.
2. Create a budget
This is the part where dream house meets reality. It’s time to figure what your needs are and what your budget can afford. The general rule of thumb is that you shouldn’t spend more than 30 percent of your gross income on housing. This not only includes your mortgage payment, but your insurance and property taxes, as well.
If you don’t already have a down payment, now’s the time to start saving up. For folks with less than 20% saved, they will have to get private mortgage insurance, or PMI. If you can save up enough to skirt the PMI requirement, you’ll save big bucks. Generally, PMI costs 0.5% to 1% of the entire loan on a yearly basis.
Keep in mind, there are programs that require as little as 3% down and some programs, like VA and USDA, require no money down. Navy Federal offers a loan with no money down and no PMI, but charges a 1.75 percent funding fee.
Part of your house budget is knowing what kind of house you can afford. Create two lists, one for features you must have, for example: walking distance to school or three bedrooms, and the second list should outline the features you would like to have, but can live without.
Once your wish lists are complete, you can begin researching what’s on the market. You might find that your market is reasonable enough that you can afford your dream house. The opposite could also be true: a modest house in your desired area is unaffordable, so you have to adjust where you look or the type of house you buy.
Whatever the case, your budget is your blueprint for making a decision you won’t regret later.
3. Hire a real estate agent
A good real estate agent is like a skeleton key that can unlock the door to the multiple resources you need to buy a house. An agent can refer you to lenders, appraisers, title companies and, of course, buyers.
Before you hire an agent, make sure you find out what their sales track record is, how many houses they can show you each week (some agents are overscheduled), and how they’ll handle multiple offers.
Find out how familiar the agent is with the areas you want to look at. If they have little expertise and no network in the neighborhood, then you won’t get the agent advantage of being the first to see a house (sometimes even before it’s listed) or getting expert advice on price. Plus, neighborhood knowledge saves the buyer time because an agent will likely know exactly where to look and what houses to show based on your needs.
4. Shop for a mortgage
Before you start looking for a house, you need to have a prequalification letter in hand. This letter is basically proof that a lender will loan you a certain amount of money. This is your ticket to putting an offer on a house. People with excellent credit scores, can have their pick of lenders and the most competitive rates. If your score is somewhere in the middle, you might have to spend more time shopping around to get the lowest rate.
Borrowers with lower credit scores and smaller down payments might have to get an FHA or VA loan. These loans can be the best way to get into a house for some folks, but they do come with restrictions and extra costs, so be sure you weigh your options carefully.
5. Make time for open houses
If you want to find a house quickly, the best thing you can do is to keep your schedule open. A proactive real estate agent might ask you to see a house that just hit the market within the next hour. To get an edge on other buyers, you’ll probably want to drop everything and see it.
Keep your options open. Some homes might be listed as a two-bedroom, but if the square footage is in the same range as three-bedrooms you’ve been looking at. This could be a sign that it’s a hidden gem with a “secret” third bedroom. Secret bedrooms are often sunrooms that can be easily converted into a bedroom or an extra-large master that could be divided with some drywall.
Don’t look at houses outside of your budget. The last thing you want to do is be house rich and cash poor. If you max out your budget and push your paycheck to the limit, you could risk your house and financial well-being if your income falls.
6. Sign a contract
Now that you’ve found a home you want to buy, it’s time to agree on a price and sign a contract. Depending on the market you’re in, you might be able to negotiate with the seller on the price or extras, like appliances and other goodies. If there are multiple offers on the house, then your negotiating powers are all but nil. This is where you can rely on a trusted, knowledgeable real estate agent to guide you.
Once you and the seller agree on a price, then the seller’s agent will draft a purchase agreement, which is a legally binding contract that includes agreed-upon terms, such as the estimated closing date and the price.
At this point, the buyer will also put up earnest or “good faith” money. This is usually around 2% of the purchase price. So on a $300,000 house, a buyer would put up $6,000 in earnest money. If the buyer breaks the contract, the seller could keep the money.
This is where contingency clauses come in; these are important conditions designed to protect the buyer.
Common contingency clauses include appraisal, financing and home inspection. For example, if the appraisal comes in lower than the sale price, the appraisal contingency allows the buyer to back out of the contract. The same goes for financing and home appraisal. In the event the buyer’s loan doesn’t go through or the inspection report shows significant problems, the buyer can get out of the contract without losing their earnest money.
7. Interview your home inspector
Homebuyers often rely on their real estate agent to appoint a home inspector. While this can be helpful, buyers should also check the inspector’s credentials and read reviews themselves. Since this is the person responsible for ensuring your investment is sound, you want to make sure they’re thorough and have solid experience.
Make sure the inspector is bonded or insured, ask for referrals, find out what the inspection includes and whether they have any specialties (such as chimney or HVAC expertise).
If there are special considerations, such as for historic homes or homes in flood plains, find out how the inspector will approach that scenario.
8. Review your home inspection report carefully
Big-ticket items like roofs, HVAC systems, and structural integrity, are things you want to look at carefully. If your inspector hast a question about any of them, it’s worthwhile to get a second opinion by a specialist. If major problems do surface, this is when you have to talk to your agent about negotiating repairs or the sale price.
Other home problems that might require home inspectors who specialize in those areas are: chimneys, sewers (chronic plumbing problems can come from poor installation of sewer pipes), pools, asbestos, mold and termites.
9. Negotiate any repairs
Chances are your home inspection report will turn up some problems with the home — but, keep in mind, not all repairs are created equal. There are major issues that will likely need to be dealt with before a lender will honor a home loan, such as structural problems and building code violations. In these cases, the homeowner is responsible for repairs before the sale can go through.
In a seller’s market, experts advise buyers to overlook cosmetic issues, such as loose fixtures, water stains (as long as it’s not the symptom of a larger problem), failed window seals and cracked tiles. However, some buyers might be in the position to negotiate these repairs with the seller. One option is to ask for a cash-back credit at the close of escrow. This will save you some money and you can oversee the repairs yourself.
10. Do a final walk through
The final walk through is your last chance to see the property before you buy it. This is an important step, so don’t dial it in. Come prepared with your checklist — which should include repairs the owner agreed to make, post-inspection report.
It’s a good idea to do the walk-through with your agent, who can act as witness and help answer any questions you might have. Make sure you document any problems with a camera and time-stamped notes.
Check for issues like mold (which can appear within a matter of days) and plumbing issues. Make sure sinks drain properly and verify that electrical outlets as well as the heater and air conditioning are working.
11. Close on your house
The closing process is the last lap before you reach the finish line. At closing, the home is transferred from the seller to the buyer.
Before you actually close on the house, you’ll have a chance to do a final walkthrough to make sure all the agreed-upon repairs were made and that the seller has vacated the property.
Once you’ve made sure the property is in the agreed-upon condition, you’ll set a date to meet with the required parties. Different areas have different requirements as to who must be present, so you might meet one or all of the following: the escrow or closing agent, the attorney — who could also be the escrow agent, someone from the title company, the mortgage lender, and the real estate agents.
During this meeting, you’ll be required to sign a variety of legal documents (which can be provided to you to review before closing). This is also when you’ll pay all of your closing costs and escrow fees. In some instances, you can roll the closing fees into the mortgage, but this should be arranged before closing.
Finally, bring all the required identification such as a driver’s license or passport and any other identification required.

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  Tips for First-Time Home Buyers
Posted by: Seattle World Investments - 04-10-2019, 01:51 PM - Forum: Business news, general discussions and feedback - No Replies

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13 Minute Read
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by Rachel Cruze

Being a first-time home buyer is exciting! But I know it can also feel overwhelming—especially when you see median listings priced at $297,000 and available homes flying off the market in 55 days.(1)
With real estate trends like those, you might be tempted to make an impulsive purchase that could hurt your financial goals and keep you paying a mortgage well into retirement.
No one wants that! Trust me, you guys, it’s worth doing this the right way. And that means buying a home that you love and that doesn’t hurt your future money goals.
You may be thinking: Yeah, that would be great, Rachel. But where do I even start?
I’m so glad you asked! I’ve put together 10 tips for first-time home buyers as they tackle the home-buying process. Put these into practice today so your first home is a blessing not a burden.
1. Pay Off All Debt and Build an Emergency Fund
Owning a home is expensive—much more expensive than renting, even if your monthly house payment will be similar or cheaper than your current rent amount. That’s because when you own a home, you’re responsible for all the maintenance and upkeep costs. And those can add up fast! So, before you even think about buying your first home, make sure you’re debt-free and have an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses in place.

When you get into a home with no payments (besides the mortgage) and have a nice big emergency fund, you’ll have the cash to pay for huge expenses that suddenly come your way. You’ll be able to love the life you’ve set up for yourself because stress and worry won’t be part of the equation!
Now once you’re debt-free, I want you to stay debt-free. So, as you’re shopping for your first home and getting excited about decorating and filling it with new furniture, be mindful of your budget.
The spender in me knows that’s easier said than done. When my husband, Winston, and I moved into our first home, I had so many visions for what our home could look like! It was hard for me to accept the fact that I could only decorate one room at a time, but I knew our future money goals were more important than me spending all our savings at the furniture and home stores.
You might have some empty rooms for a little while, but your budget and your future selves will thank you! And if you find yourself thinking, Oh well, I’ll just put it on credit—stop right there! Debt is dumb. Plus, taking on new debt in the middle of buying a house could delay your approval for a mortgage and make you miss out on the perfect home. Don’t do it!
2. Determine How Much House You Can Afford
Before you get emotionally attached to a beautiful house, check your monthly budget to determine how much house you can afford. You need to leave room in your budget for other things, so make sure your monthly housing costs (including HOA fees, taxes, insurance, etc.) are going to be no more than 25% of your monthly take-home pay.
[Image: icon-calculator.svg] How Much House Can I Afford?
What is your monthly take-home pay?  

For example, let’s say you bring home $5,000 a month. Multiply that by 25% to establish your maximum monthly house payment of $1,250. Based on a 15-year mortgage with a 4% fixed interest rate, here are the home options you can afford (not including taxes and insurance):

  • $187,767 home with a 10% down payment ($18,777)
  • $211,238 home with a 20% down payment ($42,248)
  • $241,415 home with a 30% down payment ($72,424)
  • $281,650 home with a 40% down payment ($112,660)
That’s an easy way to find a number in your ballpark. But don’t forget that property taxes and homeowner’s insurance will affect your monthly payment. You’ll also need to factor those numbers in before settling on a maximum home price.
If you use the above example and enter $211,238 into our mortgage calculator, you’ll find that your maximum monthly payment of $1,250 increases to $1,515 when you add in $194 for taxes and $71 for insurance. To drop that number back down to your monthly housing budget of $1,250, you’ll have to lower the house you can afford to $172,600.
Since property tax rates and the cost of homeowner’s insurance vary, check with your real estate agent and insurance company for estimates to calculate how much house you can afford.
3. Save a Down Payment
If saving up to pay the total price of a house in cash isn’t reasonable for your family’s timeline, at least save for a down payment of 20% or more. Then you won’t have to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI), which protects the mortgage company in case you can’t make your payments and end up in foreclosure. PMI usually costs 1% of the total loan value and is added to your monthly payment.
If a 20% down payment seems out of reach for you, first-time home buyer programs that offer single-digit down payments may sound tempting. But don’t do them! These options will cost you more in the long run. Here are some low-to-no down payment mortgage options to avoid:
  • Adjustable-Rate Mortgages (ARMs): ARMs might seem great with a low initial interest rate, but they allow lenders to adjust the rate to transfer the risk of rising interest rates (and monthly payments) to you.
  • FHA Loans: You may be able to get an FHA mortgage with as little as 3.5% down, but you have to pay PMI for the life of the loan—that’s thousands of dollars that won’t go toward paying off your mortgage.
  • VA Loans: VA loans allow veterans to buy a home with no down payment. But if the real estate market shifts, you could easily owe more than the market value of your home. These loans also carry a bunch of fees and usually charge interest rates that are higher than those of conventional loans.
I only recommend a 15-year, fixed-rate conventional mortgage with a 20% down payment, and here are the reasons why:
  • A 15-year term creates a higher monthly payment, but you’ll pay off your mortgage in half the time, have a lower interest rate, and save thousands of dollars in interest.
  • A fixed-rate conventional loan keeps your interest rate the same for the life of the loan, which protects you from the increasing expenses of rising rates.
Please don’t get a 30-year mortgage because of the lower monthly payment. When you look at the math on a 15-year versus a 30-year, you’ll realize you pay a whole lot more money on a 30-year mortgage in the long run!
Let’s say you put a 20% down payment ($34,520) on a $172,600 home. Your monthly payment for a 15-year, fixed-rate mortgage at 4% would be $1,250. If you add up the interest you’ll pay over the 15 years, it’ll total $45,765.
15-year, fixed-rate mortgage at 4% interest on a $172,600 home = $45,765
But maybe you didn’t want to pay that much every month and instead went with a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage at 4% to lower your monthly payment to $888. After 30 years, you’ll have paid $99,236 in interest—which makes it $53,471 more than the 15-year mortgage! And, you’ll be in debt 15 years longer!
30-year, fixed-rate mortgage at 4% interest on a $172,600 home = $99,236


4. Save for Closing Costs
Along with your down payment, you’ll also need to pay for closing costs. If you’re a first-time home buyer, you may be wondering how much it costs to close on a house. On average, closing costs are about 3–4% of the purchase price of your home.(2) Your lender will give you a specific number so you know exactly what to bring on closing day. These fees pay for important steps in the home-buying process, including:
  • Appraisal
  • Home inspection
  • Credit report
  • Attorney
  • Homeowner’s insurance
Let’s see how this plays out with our example of a $172,600 home. If you multiply $172,600 by the higher 4% closing cost average, you’ll find that you need $6,904 for closing costs. Now let’s add that to your 20% down payment of $34,520. The two together equal $41,424, which is about what you’ll need to save to pay for the down payment and the closing costs on your first house.
$172,600 x 4% = $6,904
$6,904 + $34,520 = $41,424
You want to save for your closing costs and down payment as quickly as possible—with the same amount of intensity I tell people to use when they’re getting out of debt and building a full emergency fund. In fact, it’s okay to put retirement savings on hold for a short period of time to save for a home—but you’ve got to hustle!
Pick up a second job, sell whatever isn’t nailed down, move into a smaller space, add a roommate and charge rent—do whatever you need to do to save for your closing costs and down payment as fast as you can.
5. Get Preapproved for a Loan
Once you’re confident you have enough cash saved to pay for closing costs and 20% of your home, you’re ready to handle the other 80% by talking to a mortgage lender.
Get prequalified for a loan and take the extra time to get a preapproval letter before you start your home search. Preapproval shows sellers that you’re a serious buyer, which is a great way for first-time home buyers to get ahead in a competitive market.
To get preapproved, your lender will need to verify your financial information (proof of income, taxes, etc.) and submit your loan for preliminary underwriting. If you live a debt-free lifestyle like I teach, you may need to find a lender that believes in debt-free homeownership and will work with home buyers who have no credit score.
6. Find a Home for Sale in Your Price Range
According to recent data reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), most buyers either found the home they purchased online (51%) or through a real estate agent (31%).(3) Doing both sets you up for success!
Find homes you like online and send them to your real estate agent so they have a good idea of what you’re looking for. Then they can use the multiple listing service (MLS) to find homes that meet your criteria in your desired areas.
An MLS is created, maintained and paid for by real estate professionals to help buyers view the largest pool of properties for sale in the marketplace. Real estate agents also provide valuable market expertise and can help you find great deals on homes as soon as (or before) they’re listed.
7. Research Neighborhoods for Best Fit
After you’ve found some homes for sale in your price range, be careful not to make a decision based on the property alone. According to a NAR survey, 78% of home buyers believe neighborhood quality is more important than the size of a home. And 57% of buyers would opt for a shorter commute over a larger yard.(4) So make sure you factor neighborhood quality and location into your decision.
Ask your real estate agent for information on crime rates and the quality of schools around your prospective neighborhoods. Calculate your new commute times to see if they seem manageable. Visit the neighborhood at different times and days to check for traffic conditions, noise levels, and if people are comfortable being outdoors. Only choose a neighborhood that you and your family feel good about.
8. Attend Open Houses and Think Long Term
Once you’ve narrowed down the neighborhoods, attend a few open houses. Looking at homes that are for sale—even if they’re not a perfect fit for you—is a great way to learn more about the area. When you eventually do find a house you love, you’ll know how your place compares to better or worse homes in that neighborhood.
When it comes to buying, a good strategy is to find the most affordable house in the best neighborhood. If you buy at the bottom of the price range in a good neighborhood, you’ll have more room to build home value.
For instance, let’s say you find a home that’s the only one on the block without wood floors and granite countertops. If you have the cash to make those upgrades, you’ll be able to add instant value to your home!
9. Make a Competitive Offer (That’s Within Your Budget!)
Let’s say you found the home you want and can afford. Since you’re already preapproved for a loan, you’re ready to make an offer. If you’re a first-time home buyer, it may be hard to know how much you should offer. That’s when you can rely on the expertise of your real estate agent.
Ask your agent to help you make sure your offer is competitive but also within your budget and the home’s value. Be careful not to make an impulsive offer that’s higher than you can afford just to knock out the competition. A personalized letter might help your offer stand out among multiple bids in a hot market.
10. Prepare for Closing
Once a seller accepts your offer, the closing process will begin. Keep things running smoothly by knowing what to expect when closing on a house. The average closing process takes 41 days, which gives you plenty of time to tackle closing items.(5) A real estate agent will schedule the remaining steps, from home inspection to final walkthrough, and keep you informed about any road blocks.
As you prepare for closing, make sure you read every document and ask your real estate agent to explain anything you don’t understand—especially before you sign the official contract for the home transaction. It’ll be your signature on the documents, so you’ll be the one responsible for anything you sign.
Ready to Get Started?
Your first home is a big purchase—maybe even the biggest one you’ll have ever made up to this point in your life! Because of that, you don’t want to risk messing this up. A real estate professional will take the weight off your shoulders by helping you find a home, negotiate a deal, and see the process through until closing.
Need help finding an expert you can trust with such an important purchase? Check out our Endorsed Local Provider (ELP) program. We only recommend real estate agents who close 35 home transactions per year or close more home transactions than 90% of the agents in their market (among other qualifications). Trust me, these pros are the best! Find an agent now!
About Rachel Cruze
Rachel Cruze is a seasoned communicator and #1 New York Times best-selling author, helping people learn the proper way to handle money and stay out of debt. You can follow Rachel on YouTube, Facebook, or rachelcruze.com.

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  Earn up to $350,000 Fast Big Luxury Condo Investments. Free Smoothie Post
Posted by: Baypress - 04-05-2019, 04:04 PM - Forum: Advertise your business here - No Replies

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  Flip a Free Forum Fast while you sleep $5000 per sale. Wealt
Posted by: Baypress - 04-05-2019, 03:57 PM - Forum: Advertise your business here - No Replies

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  arn up to $350,000 Fast Big Luxury Condo Investments. Free Smoothie Post
Posted by: Baypress - 04-01-2019, 01:44 PM - Forum: Lose Belly Fat Fast - No Replies

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  Kim Kardashian Admits She's 'Freaking Out' About Expecting Baby No. 4 with Kanye West
Posted by: Baypress - 04-01-2019, 01:32 PM - Forum: Business news, general discussions and feedback - No Replies

The Kardashians are celebrating sweet 16.
Sunday’s season 16 premiere of Keeping Up with the Kardashians opens with a rare appearance from Kim Kardashian’s husband Kanye West in his first on-camera interview for the show.
“This is my first time doing this,” the rapper, 41, says. “I’m not actually attempting to do good, I just like, part of the reason why I even thought about or considering doing this recording like— what do you call it? this interview — is because of the movie The Incredibles. It starts off with the interviews. The superheroes are giving interviews. The wife got a big butt and I just see our life becoming more and more and more like The Incredibles before we can finally fly.”
Then he and Kim, 37, reveal some big news over a meal with mom Kris Jenner, her boyfriend Corey Gamble, sisters Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian, Kourtney’s ex Scott Disick and their kids Penelope, 6, and Mason, 9.
“We have an announcement to make,” Kim, 38, declares to the table. “We’re having a baby. We’re having a boy.”
The KKW Fragrance founder adds that, like her younger sister Kylie Jenner, she wants to keep the birth of her and West’s fourth child (and second via surrogate) a secret. “We don’t want anyone to know until it happens,” Kim says. But it turns out her oldest child North, 5, is already going around telling people at school that she has a baby brother on the way.
“I’m low-key freaking out,” Kim admits later to Kylie. “I didn’t think it was going to happen. I thought like ‘oh, it probably won’t even take.'”
Meanwhile, Khloé gushes to the camera about her first few months as a mom to daughter True, who she welcomed with NBA player Tristan Thompson in April 2018.
“Me and Tristan are great and I am loving being a mommy,” Khloé says. “It’s bittersweet. I love seeing every milestone with her, but I feel she grows … like in one week she’s a completely different baby.”
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The Kardashian-Wests in June. | Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Kim and Kanye take Chicago
The Kardashian-Wests take a trip to Chicago, where the Grammy winner grew up, and he’s working on numerous projects, including refurbishing the Avalon Regal Theater. They bring along North so she can see where her father was raised.
But the visit also brings up Kim’s negative feelings toward Rhymefest, the musician who took over West’s charity in his mom’s memory, Donda’s House. Kim and Rhymefest had gotten into a Twitter feud after he called out West in May, and all three eventually sit down and hash out their issues back in California.
“You don’t have anyone else around to protect you, so I feel like I have to double-watch everything,” Kim told her husband since 2014. “It comes from a different perspective. I’m not being a hater.”
Rhymefest gives Kim some crystals as a peace offering, and all is well.
“My fave thing about Kanye is that he is a completely free thinker,” Kim adds in an on-camera interview. “I know that Kanye is always going to be Kanye and I’m never trying to change that. I mean, that’s who I fell in love with.”
RELATED VIDEO: Kourtney Kardashian Shows Off Her Figure in Sexy Bathtub Snap (with Strategically Placed Bubbles)
Kourtney mourns her breakup
“I just got out of a relationship and have been feeling a lot of anxiety,” Kourtney, 39, says in an on-camera interview of splitting from model Younes Bendjima. “When I’m in a relationship, there’s like this sense of security. And when I’m single I just don’t like the unknown and I really don’t do well with change.”
To get her mind off of her newly single status, Kourtney’s sisters whisk her off for a girls’ weekend in Palm Springs, California, where momager Kris just bought a new vacation house.
While sitting poolside, though, the mother of three can’t get her mind off of Bendjima, who was spotted cozying up to another woman the same week as his split from Kourtney.
“We literally broke up the day before and the next day that’s how you’re going to go act?” Kourtney laments to a friend. “Like, I don’t have time for this. And it’s too much.”
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Khloé, 34, starts up a karaoke party inside to help her older sister realize that “she can be single and it’s okay.”

And the getaway works. “I feel like I needed this trip to get away,” Kourtney admits. “I love that we have this house now to get away to. I am the kind of person that I feel like usually [is] better when I’m in a relationship, but I feel good. It’s almost like it’s an anxiety, but it’s also like an excitement. At some moments I feel like I’ve gone through already like the sad and Iike, I feel good. I feel happy. I feel like this is where I’m meant to be. I don’t have regret. I feel like I gave it my 100 percent. It’s kind of like, God has a plan and just trusting.”

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  Grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle shot dead at age 33
Posted by: Baypress - 04-01-2019, 11:40 AM - Forum: Business news, general discussions and feedback - No Replies

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 07: Nipsey Hussle arrives at the Warner Music Group Pre-Grammy Celebration at Nomad Hotel Los Angeles on February 7, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images)

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Only a few weeks after his only studio album, Victory Lap, was up for Best Rap Album at the 61st Grammy Awards, West Coast rapper Nipsey Hussle (real name: Ermias Ashgedom) has died at age 33, after being shot outside his South Los Angeles clothing store, Marathon Clothing, on Sunday afternoon.
Although Victory Lap, which debuted at No. 4 last year on the Billboard 200, was Hussle’s only official studio album, he was already a hip-hop legend, having released 12 hugely popular mixtapes over the past 13 years, including the Bullets Ain’t Got No Name series, The Marathon, The Marathon Continues, and Crenshaw. In 2010, he was one of the XXL magazine’s “Annual Freshman Top Ten,” and the L.A. Weekly declared him the “next big L.A. MC.”  Over the course of his career, Hussle collaborated with Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Tyga, Rick Ross, Lloyd, and Trey Songz, among many others.
Hussle also occasionally took on acting roles, appearing in Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s semi-autobiographical 2007 film I Tried, 2010’s Caged Animal, and the pilot episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in 2015. Hussle, who was born and raised in the Crenshaw neighborhood of South L.A., also worked as a local community organizer and was involved in the Destination Crenshaw arts project.
Only a couple hours before his death, Hussle tweeted, “Having strong enemies is a blessing.” As of this writing, the shooting suspect, who fled from the scene, remains at large, and the attack is being investigated as a homicide. Two other victims of the shooting are reportedly receiving treatment and are in stable condition.

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  Burn Belly Fat fast with grapefruit detox smoothie .
Posted by: Detox Smoothies - 03-31-2019, 01:04 PM - Forum: Lose Belly Fat Fast - No Replies

This grapefruit detox smoothie is loaded with nutrients to help diminish bloating, boost your metabolism and get you feeling your best! The perfect way to reset after indulging in too many cocktails, traveling and/or celebrating.


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Description
This grapefruit pineapple detox smoothie is loaded with nutrients to help diminish bloating, boost your metabolism and get you feeling your best!


Ingredients
  • 1 Winter Sweetz red grapefruit
  • 2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
  • 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/4 inch knob of fresh ginger
  • grapefruit segments, berries and granola (for topping)

Instructions
  1. Segment grapefruit over a bowl so you can collect all the juice. Set 2-3 segments aside for topping. Add grapefruit segments, grapefruit juice, frozen pineapple, Greek yogurt, coconut oil and fresh ginger into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust ingredients based on your preference. If smoothie is too thick you can add a little non-dairy milk.
  2. Pour into two glasses and enjoy. Or serve in a bowl with your favorite toppings — grapefruit segments, granola, berries, etc.

Nutrition
  • Serving Size: 1 smoothie
  • Calories: 234
  • Sugar: 28g
  • Fat: 7g
  • Carbohydrates: 37g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 4g

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