My boyfriend mentioned “Rich like them” by Ryan D’Agostino which was about successful stories of homeowners in the most richest zip codes in America. I listened to Chapter 1 tonight and the author mentioned the book “Mindset” by Carol Dweck. I found mindsetonline.com and the article by Gladwell has caught my attention, “The Talent Myth” posted on gladwell.com.
One of my co-workers just lost everything in her house due to theft. In situation like this (theft, flood, storm, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, tsunami, etc.), it is better to take pictures of your properties and save the receipts or upload/ take pics of your receipts so that you can claim insurance.
My HOI (homeowner insurance) has personal property insurance of $152,000 but I don’t think my stuff is worth that much.
It’s been a long time since my last post. I really need to discipline.
Mortgage-free, tiny home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxGr9uloL9k&feature=share&list=UUDsElQQt_gCZ9LgnW-7v-cQ
The blog founder call these people with this lifestyle “Dreamers”. I would like to be a dreamer too, would you?
BTW, I bought a house, and yes, with a mortgage. It is a newly built house from Lennar, not done until February 2012. I plan to rent it out and it is my very first big fat investment. Will keep you posted :).
I really need to catch up with blogging :(. The good news is I get an A for the class yay!!! Professor asks me why I drop his RE appraisal class and RE finance class :(. He offers me free book and access code. I really like the platform of Rockwell Institute’s online course but the cost for tuition itself at Saddleback community college (SCC) is more than tuition + book at Allied school. If it was 3 yrs ago, I would choose SCC because I would qualify for financial aids. The platform of Allied school is really boring, no avatar or animation. You get what you pay for, right? Well, sometimes LOL.
Today I just go see more model houses from Lennar, a company that builds homes all over the States. Still debating whether I should buy new house or old house. New houses look really nice but it is far from where I work. Old houses need repairs and I may get into bidding wars but they are cheaper and closer to my work. I already have an agent in mind but I am too lazy to call her.
Some thought for the day: “Within the last 25 years, financial institutions have been part of two such fiascos—the Savings & Loan Crisis in the late 1980s and the Housing Bubble and Financial Crisis of the late 2000s. In part, both of these were caused primarily by unsound real estate lending practices.” – from my current class RE Appraisal.
Oops, my friend just told me about online RE classes with just $61 per class and $18 for the book plus shipping and tax. It is so cheap comparing to the one in community college with $46 per unit and each course has 3 units. I decide to drop the 2 classes that I just register and go with the new path. And I don’t have to take RE economics because my micro-econ qualifies as equivalent course (no limit on how long it was taken Yay!!!), so 6 more classes to go.
The website is alliedschools.com.
Just registered 2 classes today for Fall semester: Legal aspect of RE and RE appraisal I.
My current class RE practice is at chapter 6. Half-way done. Yay!!!
What I have learned so far:
1. Terms in real estate
2. How to read a purchase agreement
3. How to read a listing agreement
4. Disclosures when buying or selling a house
I do not intend to practice in RE. I just want to gain knowledge so that it will be easier for me to buy or sell my own house later. I can save 3% of commission if I sell my own house with the knowledge of a listing agent :D. To sit for the exam of RE broker, I need 8 classes. If everything goes smoothly, I will be able to sit for the exam by the end of next year. The total cost of 8 classes at a community college is about $2000. If selling a $350,000 house, you can save the amount of 3% commission which is $10,500. I think it is a good investment to take RE classes even when you do not want to practice in this profession. A transaction in buying or selling a house involves a big amount of money, probably the biggest investment of one’s life. Therefore, you need to have knowledge to make everything go smoothly and make it work for you, not for anyone else. I work, so I do not qualify for financial aids. I wish I took these classes while I was still in pharmacy school. Anyway, think about it and let me know if you decide to take classes after reading this post.
A little snowball 