Ask Chuck: Should I Buy a House?
Dear Chuck, My wife and I are considering buying a house now although it’s a year earlier than we planned. We don’t know if the low rates will be available next year. Should we go for it? Buy or Hold? Dear Buy or Hold, You and your wife are not the only ones with […]
How To Reduce Financial Stress
With many things causing stress in today’s world, here is a short list of financial practices that will reduce your stress, make managing your money simpler, and generally improve your quality of life. 1. Spend less than you earn. It sounds easy, but this is too often our greatest financial challenge. The vast majority of people that […]
Ask Chuck: A Year of “Unexpecteds”
Dear Chuck, 2020 has been a year of ”unexpecteds.” My wife is pregnant and we are growing concerned about raising a child in the city. We are considering moving since both our jobs offer online flexibility. Any advice? Thanks for your ministry. Headed for the Suburbs Dear Headed for the Suburbs, First of all, […]
Ask Chuck: Is Refinancing My House Worth It?
Dear Chuck, With interest rates so low, should we refinance our house? We bought it in 2014 for $220,000. We put 10% down and still pay PMI. We think it is worth $240,000 now. We also have some troubling credit card debt we want to pay off in the refi. Refi Now? Dear Refi […]
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 […]