Skip to contentMany UK regions saw rises in house prices during 2011, according to a new report. Figures from Nationwide show values rose by 0.3 per cent on average across the board in the fourth quarter and by 1.1 per cent to GBP 163,822 for the year as a whole. Nine of the 13 UK regions recorded … Read more
Let’s get something out of the way from the beginning…..both of these plans are good….self-directed or not. But, for someone who wishes to maximize their contributions into a qualified retirement plan, generally speaking the 401K will be a better option. And, please keep in mind that an individual can qualify for a 401K as long … Read more
There are many unnoted costs in our lives. One of the biggest is procrastination. In personal finance you see it often. You most often see it in making a decision about change. Change can be very hard for people because often it means that you made a bad decision earlier. Once momentum has been built … Read more
For six years the IRS has been working on new rules for repairs, supplies, and capitalization. Twice over this period they have issued proposed changes giving us some insight into what they were looking to do. Last week the IRS finally issued temporary regulations that take effect January 1st, 2012. These regulations keep some of … Read more
I apologize for the sparse posting lately. The holiday season and it’s predictably fun logistics have made it somewhat, um, challenging for me and the other contributors. However, since the calendar says that lame excuse has come ‘n gone, the regularly scheduled programs will now resume. Thanks for your patience, and Happy New Year to … Read more
Attention: Rant Alert There are times when a buddy, a reader, or family member sends me a link, or tells me about some real estate investment they read about online. Most of the time it’s a thoughtful gesture. They wanna know my take, or if I’d heard about this or that new ‘trend’. Then there’s … Read more
In yesterday’s post, in which I addressed why Texas is the place to put your real estate investment capital, Dave, a reader for some time, apparently, asked a couple questions. They were so good, especially the second one, I thought the answers deserved center stage. So, thanks Dave. Here’re Dave’s questions, verbatim, with text before … Read more
It’s almost a lock. Whenever I’m talkin’ to an investor familiar with this site, I’m asked about my take on Texas. Why are you so high on Texas? In a nutshell, here’s what I tell ‘em. First, though, let’s talk about the markets from which they’re coming. They fall into a few categories. Markets like … Read more
It’s been about family, friends, clients, and year end obligations and planning. How ’bout you? What suffers sometimes at this time of year is the time needed to write. As you can see, the last week or so has found me and my stable of stud contributors short on time. This has led to our … Read more
This is a San Diego county duplex. It’s for sale, asking about $470,000. The units consist of a 2 bedroom 1 bath, and a 1 bedroom 1 bath. It was built 65 years ago. The rents are $1,375 and $1,050, which are about right, give or take. I’m intimately familiar with the neighborhood, as I’ve … Read more