No! No, no, no. A thousand times, No! Or maybe, just maybe… For this blog, two great things about the Ask jlcollinsnh posts are that they help me understand the real world concerns of my readers and they provide ideas for a steady steam of great Case Studies. These are ideas and topics I would… [Continue Reading]
How we finally got the house sold
painting by Sergey Gusev April has long held some significant dates for me. My wife’s birthday is April 9th. My daughter’s is April 1st. How I was hoping she’d also be born on the 9th so I’d have only one date to remember. April 15th is Tax Day here in the USA. And now I have… [Continue Reading]
Storage, Moving and Movers
Despite what felt like a relentless and merciless disposal of our stuff, our new apartment is overflowing. We’ve rented a storage locker. Too much stuff! The snow tires were the first thing to go in, but only because the space was there. My pal David had offered them sanctuary at his place. Kind of… [Continue Reading]
Homeless, and a bit on the strategy of dollar cost averaging
All packed up and ready to go Drawing by Trisharay Finally, we are homeless. Well almost. Closing is actually Monday April 8th. Then, at around 4 pm, we will formally trade the house for a nice fat check that will be wired directly to Vanguard. Our money, formally tied up in home equity, will be… [Continue Reading]
Wild Turkeys, Motorcycles, Dining Room Sets & Greed
Wild Turkey painting by Don Balke This morning the wild turkeys came out of the woods and on to the back lawn for a visit. The last time was in the Fall when they were in the front yard with a small herd of deer, so it’s been a while. While I am very much… [Continue Reading]
Roots v. Wings: Considering Home Ownership
“Sold” now hangs below the real estate sign in front of our house. All the contingencies have been cleared and it should be smooth sailing until the closing date about a month from now. In the next few weeks we’ll be going thru the myriad of chores involved: Packing, finding a mover, switching services, dropping… [Continue Reading]
Rent v. owning: A couple of case studies in Ecuador
If you’ve been reading the last few posts focused on my recent trip to Ecuador, you know one of my objectives was to take a look at property for sale both in Cuenca and in and around Bahia on the coast. I like looking at property, it is an excellent way to get a feel… [Continue Reading]
How I Lost Money in Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable, Part V: Sold! and the Taxman Cometh
Previously: Part IV: I Become a Landlord Part V: Sold! and the taxman cometh. One of the few good things to come from all this was the bond and friendship we owners developed. My pal, whose name I have somehow shamefully managed to forget, was now the Condo Association president and he kept an eye on… [Continue Reading]
How I Lost Money in Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable, Part IV: I Become a Landlord
It is said some are born to greatness, some seek greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them. So, too, with landlording. And I was definitely in category #3. So now the battles have ended and the dust has begun to settle. I’m a home (well, condo) owner! Got my very own personal little slice… [Continue Reading]
How I Lost Money in Real Estate Before It Was Fashionable, Part III: The Battle Is Joined
Major Mistake #3 In the comments section of Part II you may have noticed a couple that celebrated my ultimate success in the completion of my unit. At the time, me too. Things looked pretty good and I was feeling thrill of victory. But I had lost sight of the bigger picture. I had no… [Continue Reading]
