Archive for 'Industry Updates'

I will start with a long time coming confession: it isn’t me. So many of my clients are wary about me that they are sure I have my hand in it some how. Nope! It is way more complex than that. Let us begin at the beginning, we are talking about mortgage rates in these United States. And no the Federal Reserve doesn’t set them either.

The President doesn’t have a say nor does Congress or the Senate, and you can ...

Vince Lombardi, the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers, was once asked about how important winning is to him. He said “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing!” That is exactly how I feel about the residential, owner occupied home mortgage. It is the most important financial decision you most likely will ever make in your lifetime. And guess what — most people do what their Realtor suggests, barber suggests, or aunt or uncle points out. Not that any ...

Should you have any of my character flaws, as my children might say, you can’t wait for the Holidays. Not only does it mean that we are well into the football season, but the air is crisp, the anticipation is rising and the stores are baiting their traps. That’s the Holiday season for sure. I know what is ahead and it doesn’t matter – I am a kid in the candy store again. As a conservative financial being, it should ...

Americans, on a whole, spend too much on their retirement plans! That should get the keyboards pounding with objections without even going any further. Let me start with the exclusions: social security, unfunded corporate pensions and existing plans. That said, some people have stopped typing. But don’t give up yet because I am sure that I am a rare voice in the wilderness that feels you are spending too much on retirement and not enough on your life. Now for ...

After the loss of my dog of almost 11 years, I wasn’t interested in getting another one until the day we went. I was more or less dragged to a rescue kennel to see if any dog would feel right to us. All the dogs were barking but when we turned the corner there was a dog known as the Disney dog jumping up and down trying to get our attention. A half hour later, she was ours—we haven’t stopped ...

Unfortunately living on the edge is an acceptable way of life for way too many people, especially those who own their own home. (That generally is a figure of speech as most people and the bank own their own home.) Why do they live so close to oblivion or at least utter chaos? There are many reasons but the one that concerns me the most is that a great many people do not realize where they are: on the edge. ...