Ask Chuck: 3 Ways to Sell Your Home and Build a New One
Dear Chuck, My wife and I want to sell our home (no debt or mortgage) and buy a piece of land where we can build a larger home. Our end goal is to come out mortgage free or with very minimal debt. We have 3 options: 1) Sell our home now, rent while we use […]
Ask Chuck: Financing Fixer Upper Fever
Dear Chuck, I need your advice. My husband thinks we should get an installment loan to update our home. Although we can do a lot of the labor ourselves, we need materials, tools, and some professional labor to get what we both want. I would rather save for a year, but he has time in […]
Ask Chuck: What To Do If You’re House Poor
Dear Chuck, I see that mortgage rates are dropping. Several years ago, my husband and I bought more house than we really need. Is this the time to sell so we can purchase something more affordable? Our current home eats up 40% of our budget preventing us from saving and giving at a level we […]
Ask Chuck: Subprime Loans
Dear Chuck, My husband and I would love to buy a home before our second child is born next spring. We are seriously considering a subprime loan since we don’t have a down payment. We have a few years left on our student loans and a car payment. We’ve been told that renting is like […]
Ask Chuck: Should My Diagnosis Stop Me From Paying Off My Mortgage?
Dear Chuck, I want to pay off my mortgage! My financial advisor says no since I am 1 year into my cancer healing journey and about to be laid off in June. But I’ll have 6 months savings in my emergency fund even after paying off my mortgage. Should I be debt free or hold […]
Is It Better to Rent or Buy? 6 Questions to Help You Make the Right Decision
Purchasing a home can be a costly and frightening experience. It’s likely the most expensive purchase most adults will ever make. The process is constantly changing, and potential pitfalls seem to lurk around every corner. So much so, in fact, that fewer people are buying homes. According to the Pew Research Center, “A decade after […]
5 Mistakes That Lead to Debt
Have you ever thought about what causes debt? Most people who have accumulated debt didn’t do so on purpose. It’s usually because of a series of small mistakes, one huge accident, or an assumption that “this is just the way it’s done”. But underneath all those causes are deeper, hidden problems. Paying off debt or […]
Ask Chuck: Should I Refinance My Home?
Dear Chuck, We have been our first home for three years and want to refinance to lower our mortgage payments. Should we go with an ARM, 15 year or 30 year fixed? Thanks, Happy Homeowners Dear Happy Homeowners, There’s a hymn that goes: “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through. My […]
7 Steps to Recover From a Crisis
In the wake of devastating natural disasters across the United States, we are reminded of the importance equipping individuals with accurate and timely information. From Hurricane Harvey, to the fires in the Northwest, to Hurricane Irma, we have experienced an avalanche of destruction across the nation. Power outages, destroyed homes, lost belongings, displaced families, and […]
Are Reverse Mortgages a Wise Financial Move?
Ever heard of a reverse mortgage? Many retired couples consider it if they feel strained on a fixed income. They’re advertised as a great option, but I’m not so sure. In fact, many people don’t think they’re a good idea. They’re called “the ugly stepchildren of the home-lending industry” by CNBC, and they may be […]
