Home Maintenance I’ve written a post about preventative maintenance, but I never actually presented concrete figures regarding just how much these costs can be. This email from my dad the other day was quite an eye opener. Hey, just thought I would let you and [your wife] know, we got a programmable thermostat. I think…
Category Archives: Series
First Time Home Buyer Series: Are You Financially Ready?
We’re set to close on our first home Friday morning at 9 AM. I can’t believe it’s almost here. We did a thorough final walk through tonight to make sure things were as they should be. As we were wrapping up, it hit me how easy everything seemed to be coming together. To be honest,…
What Every New Home Owner Should Do Now
If you are a frequent reader of The Broke M.B.A., you are well aware that we will soon close on our first home. Actually, less than two weeks from today, we’ll be proud homeowners. I’ve posted several articles under the First Time Home Buyer’s Series category if you are interested in more of the details….
Home Maintenance: “An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure”
Although we’ve heard it many times, nothing could be truer than the old cliche, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Preventative maintenance is the best and cheapest way to keep your house in great shape. It also reduces the risk of unexpected repairs and improves the odds of selling your house…
Tap Retirement Accounts For Down Payment?
Saving up cash for a home down payment can definitely try your patience, especially as the first time home buyer tax credit deadline rapidly approaches. There are options other than selling your kidney to come up with some quick cash. Why not withdraw money or take out a loan from one of your retirement accounts? …
Top 10 Tips When Buying Your First Home
1. Find a Reputable Real Estate Agent A good agent will look out for your best interest and guide you through each step of the buying process. We found ours through Dave Ramsey’s Endorsed Local Provider program. 2. Get Your Finances in Order How much can you afford to spend? We figured out how much…
1st Time Home Buyer Series – Option Period (Contract Pending)
Quite a bit has happened since the last Home Buyer Series post. Here’s what has happened since we agreed upon the original offer: Home Inspection Results Because the house is 45 years old, our Realtor warned that we would receive a long laundry list of problems from the inspector. She suggested we be present during…
1st Time Home Buyer Series – Under Contract, Now What?
We Are Getting Closer We signed the seller’s counter offer and are officially under contract. We have ten days to back out without question. However, if we choose to cancel the deal after next Tuesday, we will have to kiss the $2000 in earnest money goodbye. It’s time to do our due diligence and make…
1st Time Home Buyer Series – We Made an Offer!
My wife and I recently viewed several houses with our real estate agent. She took us all over town to see new homes in new neighborhoods, old homes in old neighborhoods, and everything in between. This was tons of fun, and we finally decided on on an older home that needed some updating, but in…
What’s a Bond? – Part 1
I'm not an investing pro, but I'm not a newbie either. I've sat through several classes and learned the basics, including those on bonds. However, I've never spent much time outside the classroom researching this investment class. The biggest reason has to do with my investing style. I'm 25 years old and the only investments…