What Renters Need to Know About Buying a House

There are two kinds of people: renters and owners. And they each tend to have horrible misconceptions about the other. One of those misconceptions is that one is better than the other. Which is better for you depends largely on the life circumstances you happen to have at the time. There are times when renting makes more sense, and other times when owning is the best choice. 

But one thing is certain: If all you have ever known is renting, there is a steep learning curve when going from renting to owning. There are things you simply have no need to think about as a renter that can make or break your prospects as a homeowner. 

One of the things you probably haven’t considered is what national title company you will be dealing with. If you are working with an agent, the title will be handled by whatever title service they choose. But if you are dealing with a sale by owner, you might want to have a more active role in who handles the title. You will also want to make sure you have sufficient title insurance in case there is a situation that puts your claim in doubt. This situation can cost you thousands.

When renting, you never have to think about who owns the title to your rental. That is one of the many professional services you don’t have to deal with as a renter. Here are a few others:

Mortgage Lenders

You might sign a lease for a year. But you pay rent one month at a time. You don’t have to pay 30 years of rent all at once. When buying a house, you do. It’s called mortgage. You get a loan for the total amount, then pay it back to the lender on a monthly basis. 

Often, whether or not you can afford a particular home has less to do with the total cost of the home, and more to do with the terms of repayment. When you rent an apartment, the only terms are the rent amount and the lease duration. Your credit may determine whether are not you are approved. But it has nothing to do with the amount you pay on a monthly basis. 

But when buying a house, nothing is fixed. You need a good lender to get the best terms. If you do not account for this aspect of buying, you will be stuck with unfavorable terms for your first home purchase.

Credit Repair Specialists

Your credit score does matter when you are renting. But it matters a whole lot more when you are buying. Some of the nicer apartment complexes will not rent to you if your score is not high enough. But if you do get in, you will not pay more than anyone else because of your credit score. Mostly, apartments are more concerned with your rental history than a high credit score.

If you want to transition from renter to buyer, you might have to find a credit doctor to help you increase your score before shopping for loans. Not all credit repair services are created equally. Do your homework. If you don’t repair your credit before shopping for loans, you could be denied, or worse, get a bad loan with bad terms. You don’t have to fix your credit before renting. But you absolutely do before buying.

Maintenance Inside and Out

One of the best things about apartment living is when something goes wrong, you fix it by picking up the phone and calling the super, not by opening your wallet. Owning a home means being responsible for all the myriad of things that will most certainly go wrong.

When the sink starts overflowing, you have to call a plumber that you didn’t budget. The grass has to be cut. And you are out of pocket for that tree limb that fell on top of your roof. It will serve you well to get to know a few people who are handy with repairs. And there are always repairs that need to be done.

Going from renter to owner means cultivating relationships with a new set of professionals. Beyond the title, you have to find a good lender, a reputable credit doctor, and a talented handy person for repairs. 

Also, renters need to consider other issues such as the costs associated with moving to a new home like buying new furniture, beds and mattresses, etc.

Life is But a Dream- Da-Da-Da-Da-Da!

Went to see an RV Gerry had said I would like.. as he went RV browsing one day on his own. He took me there today to see it. A 2013 Winnebego Itasca Suncruiser- Nice! and nice price @$105,000 USD! 

- 3 slides
- residential fridge
-stacked washer/dryer
-queen bed
-bath and half
-37,000 miles

We paid around  $55,000 CDN for ours that we have- a 2005 Georgetown XL 370, 2 years ago.
Unfortunately, even on a trade in, they really depreciate them and would only give us $35,000 high end for ours. But it's always free to dream.
Here are some pictures of it.

Overdue Post On Dental Trip To Mexico

Been putting off doing a post on our trip to Algodones, Mexico for dental for me last week. Sometimes one just gets "writer's block"!
We're settled in Quartzsite right now for two weeks- at La Posa South.

Have been here about a week already. Spent time here last two winters.( Alot dustier out here too though than in Lake Havasu). We love the space, and close to the water, dumps and garbage BUT shopping is not the best in town, food wise and especially if one is diet specific, like I am at most times. Having a dust-storm here today and waiting on called for rain that may arrive in the next few hours. With the wind blowing as much as as it is today, I can see a few things will be blown and tossed from campsites today!

We stopped in Quartzsite for 2 weeks ( $40), on our way from Yuma, Arizona and Algodones, Mexico. Had gone to Mexico for a crown, after my molar cracked and left me with little choice but to have it pulled - which I didnt want to do- or crown it. With no insurance, a crown was going to cost between $1300-$1500 US in Lake Havasu. Mexico? $200. So we made the trip of 1.5 hours from Lake Havasu, Az to Quartzsite, and then next day another 1.5 miles to border.  We went to a dentist office called Alberta Dental, in Mexico. It was recommended to us. Nice people, great service- although they were a bit behind both days and caused us a half hour wait over our appt times. 

Parked at the casino there, and yes, even went in and won some $$$. It helped Gerry buy 2 new batteries for the RV, some other things that we wanted, and some we played back and lost too. We had a two day layover there, and then now back in Quartzsite till at least the 16th of this month.

Gerry is in need of a a few bridges and crowns, which they told him in Havasu would cost $4352.00 for 1 bridge and 2 crowns for example. In Mexico? $600. So we may be putting some $$ aside and he'll get that done next year we are down here. He has teeth missing on both sides of his mouth and says it would be nice to have teeth on at least one side to make eating easier!

We are hoping to make another trip south once our 2 weeks is done here- so we'll tell you more about that soon!

Had our propane bill for back home ( as yes we have to leave the heat on while gone so it doesn't freeze up), this month was $194. compared to $253 last month.. so we're happy about that despite it being alot colder last month than it was in November. We had decided to have neighbor turn the furnace up a bit more so the furnace wasn't running as much to heat the place. Guess doing that made a difference.

My anxiety has been acting up over the last few months. Even trips to town to the store it will get bad, so I'm looking into some natural supplements that will help. It's not an easy thing to live with, especially when I also have IBS. Just do my best to live with it.

Updated pics on the rain we got today- views outside our RV. And she was coming down hard today! Heard about California's mudslides on the Internet today- will have to watch news later on that.

Sunday's Frugal Web Crawl

We're back with more great sites from around the web this week:

-5 Advanced Hacks No One Taught You About Personal Finance

-The Best Inexpensive Holidays for your family when money is tight

-100 Great Tips for Saving Money

-Sour milk? Make a spice cake!

-Garage Sale Jeans? Make them look new again.

Enjoy your week everyone....

A Bit of a Change

                                   
Wanted to share pictures of some painting I had Gerry do for me.  In  May we added back splash to the washrooms in the RV and Gerry had also painted the whole place with a fresh coat of a light beige. But- wanted another new look- so did a bit of painting.
In the smaller bathroom we left the back splash and also did it in two colors of gray. I also picked up 2 different fish for the walls from Hobby Lobby, in a light metal. They caught my eye in the store and had to have them!
Our bedroom also got the same color change. We like the change, and probably will do the living room area too at some point in the near future. Never know how things will turn out till you actually get started with painting.
You can see our post from May here, of the bathrooms before the below paint jobs. And some updated photos below:
( Excuse the not so bright picture of the bigger bathroom- the lighting in there is incandescent bulbs and in the other bathroom we have LED's in there so it's much brighter. The bulbs however for the bigger bathroom would need 6 and at $6-$8 a bulb we have left it for now).

Beating Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is something that can inflict us all, and because it can inflict us all we should all know how to beat it. To find out just how this can be done, make sure to read on.

Image source

Try to avoid bankruptcy in the first place

Obviously, the first port of call when it comes to beating bankruptcy is to not allow for it to take a hold of you in the first place. To do this, you simply must try to ensure that your cashflow is flowing at all times, even if it is just trickling along at certain times. What this is more than likely going to mean is cutting back on certain things monthly in order to have more money left over at the end of each of month than you usually do in order to pay your bills.

Get as much help as you can in regards to bankruptcy

Yes, bankruptcy might feel like an isolating experience, but having help with it could just be the answer you are looking for should you ever be questioning why you are facing it. You see, there are always going to be people more in the know in regards to the world of finance, and the world of bankruptcy specifically, than you. Whether these be professionals in the field, such as bankruptcy attorneys or financial advisors, or just simply people that you know that have gone through that financial turmoil themselves. The point is, whenever you can get an added insight into what it is like to have to deal with bankruptcy, don’t let you pride stand in the way of you getting it!

Never be afraid to file for bankruptcy

Yep, that’s right, if you feel like you or your business have gone bankrupt, then file for it. This might seem like the one thing you should be avoiding, but it’s not. It’s not because filing for bankruptcy can be the only thing a person can do to really give his- or herself the chance to really beat their financial plight — and this isn’t just about the financial aspect of it, either. No. by filling for bankruptcy a person can afford themselves the chance to clear their head, clean their slate and start a fresh. And, with the added support that comes with filing for bankruptcy, there is always going to be a chance for that person to find themselves back on their feet again in no time.

So, as you can see, there are ways to combat the financial plight that is bankruptcy. To do so, you just have to be willing to forgo certain things in life in order to ensure that cash is always flowing. You have to be willing to accept help on the matter from those in the know in regards to it. And you have to be willing to file for it if and when the time comes to do so.

How To Invest Like You’re Wealthy…Even Though You’re Not

Money doesn’t make you a better investor at all. There is a huge perception out there that those who are rich always make more money than those who are not, and therefore make better investments. This is not the case at all and it is more than possible for you to invest like you’re wealthy, even though you only have a couple of hundred to your name.

Know the Facts

If you want to turn your small bit of cash into a large investment then the first thing that you need to do is know the fees of your investment. When you look at high net-worth investors, you will find that they focus on diversification. They also focus on buying things at the lowest possible cost. It’s important that you focus on investments where you understand the fees and taxes that are involved before you choose to commit to them. The total cost needs to be at the forefront of your decision-making process so you can really benefit from your income in general.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/round-gold-colored-bitcoin-730557/

Don’t Waste Time

It’s important that you don’t focus too much on looking for the next big thing. Your investor may spend most of their time trying to do this but this isn’t always the way forward. It helps to look at lower-priced stocks as this will help you to make sure that you don’t waste your money by following the crowd.

Your Tolerance

Another thing that you can do is know your own level of tolerance when it comes to risk. You also need to know how much you can afford to lose. Choose a number and make sure that you stick to it. At the end of the day, you need to make sure that you sleep at night and this won’t happen if you are constantly investing more than you can afford. Every good investor knows their end goal and they make sure that they achieve it.

https://www.pexels.com/photo/abundance-bank-banking-banknotes-259027/

Never Panic

Wealthy investors are much more likely to take a strategical long-term approach when it comes to their portfolios and they never ignore knee-jerk decisions from other investors. If you want to know more tips about this then the Commodity.com blog has a great source of information. Of course, if you want to find out everything you need to know then learn the trade while also doing your own investments at the same time.

The best way for you to succeed with your investment would be for you to do everything by the book and it can even be helpful to follow an online demo as well. When you do this, you’ll easily find that you can invest using fake currency and this is a brilliant way for you to learn how fast you need to be when it comes to exiting your stock.

Programs like this can also teach you about the various commodities that are available and how you could benefit from investing in them. It can also show you how volatile some of them can be, so it is an invaluable learning tool to say the least.

Casino Games To Play If You Want To Make a Living Out of Gambling

Whether you want to become a pro or you just want to supplement your income with winnings from the casino, there are games that should be a definite no for you and those that should make the cut. The one common denominator to help you choose whether a particular casino game is good or not is the odds. You can find casino game odds on NetBet Live Casino among others. Alternatively, just continue reading this short article for the top casino games a pro or someone aiming to win big should play.

Blackjack

Blackjack is one of the easiest casino games you can play and it comes with the best odds. For a better understanding, we will discuss the odds of all the games listed here in terms of the house edge. House edge simply means the potential average loss for every bet you place over the long run. Blackjack has a 0.5 percent house edge meaning if you place a $10 bet, the average amount you stand to lose is just 5 cents in the long run.

The aim in Blackjack is to beat the dealer. How do you do this? In simple terms, you have to outscore the dealer by a card count of no more than 21. Numbered cards carry their face value while an A is 11 if your total score is below 11 or 1 if it is above 21. All face cards count as 10.

Baccarat

Baccarat has a slightly higher edge meaning for every $10 bet, you stand to lose roughly 10 cents. For those who love the James Bond collection, you probably have seen Baccarat as it is James Bond’s preferred table game. There is no strategy involved in Baccarat everything is about chance. The aim in Baccarat in simple terms is to choose among these three, the player’s hand, banker’s hand or a tie. If you choose the player’s hand,for instance, the value of the player’s cards have to outscore the banker’s cards by no more than 9 for you to win. A tie occurs when both the banker and the player have the same value of cards.

Craps

Just like Baccarat, the house edge costs you roughly 10 cents for every $10 bet. For a beginner, this may seem like a tough game but it isn’t. In simple terms, you have to bet on whether the dice, when thrown by the shooter (one who throws the dice),pass a certain set of numbers or not. If it passes the number you called, you win, if not, you lose.

Roulette

Roulette has two main variants having two distinct house edges. European roulette on average lets you lose 27 cents for every $10 bet place in the long run while American roulette on average lets you lose 53 cents for every $10 bet you place. Roulette is an easy and slow game to play combining both strategy and pure luck. The aim in roulette is to predict where the steel ball will land, whether in a red or black or in any numbered box from 1 to 36.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Well, I had meant to wish everyone a Happy New Year earlier in the day,  (also my dad's birthday today too) but the day got away from me once again, and here it is the end of the day already- but the wish is still here- to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions but I do think this year I'd like to try to make one- and that would be to be more mindful. Mindful of money spent, foods we choose to eat, kindness to others, etc.. mindful.

The mindful thought came to me today when doing our expenses for last month for our RV living for the month of December. Some expenses we had for the month of December were bigger than what we had in November. So, that in itself made me think we should be more mindful of what we are spending. Especially on a retirement income.

Here are our amounts for December for our regular kept expenses: (all in US $)
-Propane- $60.54
-Dumps and water for the RV- $60
-Gas for the RV- $280
-SUV gas- $61
-Laundry- $11.75
-Take out- $31.62
-Groceries - $566.12

Groceries were up at least $100 from last month- so that one we really want to try to look at changing. Although we weren't traveling with the RV,( except for within city limits) the gas bill for the RV was due to running the generator which is for our power. The propane is for hot water, bbq, fridge and heat.
I hear it's been very cold back home so not looking forward to our heat bill for the home back home, this month either. We'll see in a week what that will be.

We had a guy approach us today in the camp area that was missing his dog. Said he filed a police report too. Felt bad for the guy- no one wants to lose a pet. They are so much like family. He felt someone had stole it, but it was a pit bull and we were surprised anyone would just approach a pit bull to steal it unless they knew the dog was friendly- as he said it was. Either way- we do hope they are re-united.

Get Ready to Bubble! Win a Year’s Supply of Bubble Bath in Honor of National Bubble Bath Day January 8 ( USA)

Could you or a loved one use a relaxing bubble bath? If your answer is an enthusiastic “yes,” then Mr. Bubble is ready to bubble to the rescue. The loveable bathtime friend of kids and parents everywhere is giving away bubble baths beginning on Dec. 30, 2017, and ending on National Bubble Bath Day on Jan. 8, 2018—10 winners will receive a year’s supply of the iconic bubble bath in the pink bottle.

To enter for a chance to win a year’s supply of Mr. Bubble, just visit bubblebathday.com to nominate yourself or a deserving friend. While you’re there, also learn how you can add the Mr. Bubble profile photo frame to your Facebook profile picture. Hashtagging your profile frame #everybubblecounts qualifies you to be one of 10 people randomly selected each day Dec. 30-Jan. 8 to win a bottle of bubble bath.

For every nomination made at bubblebathday.com and for every Facebook profile photo frame used with hashtag, Mr. Bubble will donate $1, up to $10,000, to Ronald McDonald House Charities Upper Midwest. 

Bubble Bath Deliveries 

Mr. Bubble loves putting smiles on kids’ faces. And the families at Ronald McDonald House are among the most deserving of a little bubbly fun, especially when away from their homes this holiday. 

In addition to the potential $10,000 donation to RMHC-Upper Midwest, Mr. Bubble will deliver bubble-baths-in-a-box to additional RMHC chapters across the country on National Bubble Bath Day!