Forbearance means patient self-control; restraint and tolerance. I practice forbearance when my little dog Frida eats my best sandal. I don't get mad though I do try to remember to close my closet door. A loan forbearance can be the same thing. The person owing the debt can't pay right now (not a good thing) but the lender allows the debtor more time and there's no punishment. Or there shouldn't be. The analogy really doesn't work here because my dog should have been disciplined if I had …
Are We in a Housing Crisis?
“Am I going to lose the appreciation I’ve gained on my house in the last few years?” “Will I be able to get a really good deal on a house this summer?” “Are we all going to die and go to hell?” As a real estate agent, I can give you a best guess as a professional on the first two questions. I can only speculate on the last one. Life is different now. It will never be the same again. But that’s a good thing. Humans are nothing but change agents, evolving and getting out of our own way and …
Hey, What’s Up with the NOCO Market?
Slowing Down or Taking a Breather? I wish I knew the answer. The real estate market always slows down around end of summer. Everyone is settling into a new routine whether they're in school or not. It's just how we think--a hard habit to break. I propose we celebrate the New Year in September. It makes more sense to me. The Crystal Ball Saga Continues However, I have seen a substantial amount of price reductions, especially of vacant homes. What does this portend? Once again, I dug through the …
Your Magical Real Estate Agent
I had been working with a new buyer the last few days—her first house—and I just assumed I’d be working over the Labor Day Weekend for her. My client didn’t assume that. “Go have fun,” she says. “I’m going to Breckenridge.” It didn’t occur to me that I would have a holiday weekend off. If I wasn’t showing property, I’d be creating a new marketing plan or writing a note for our new Market Reports or write a few blogs for the next couple of weeks. I’m not alone. Many self-employed folks are …
When Home is Home
Jessica was a vet student with enough money to buy a half-duplex with a small yard for her dog. That was twenty-years ago. When she called a real estate agency about that duplex, I answered the phone. Jessica was my first client. She had inherited the down payment and was able to afford the $900 a month mortgage with a roommate and somehow, she qualified for the loan. She turned the beaten-up old rental into her first home. And it was beautiful. But she moved on with a marriage then babies …
Why Everyone Should Own a Rental Property
Confession time--I didn't buy a rental because I thought as a single mom with young kids, 3 dogs and a burgeoning real estate career, I didn't know enough or had the energy to learn about being a landlord. It's one of my top 5 regrets. It competes for #1 with a major regret I'm not going to reveal in this post. Come to one of my storytelling events and you'll probably hear it there. Of course, you say, back then prices were more affordable even if interest rates were higher. Back then, it was …
