August 2011 Report and September Cash Flow Goals

What a month this ended up to be. Its been a happy month with a family holiday and visiting an Island for a weekend on one hand and a real estate business challenge on the other hand. Not to mention the shopping that went out of hand. The latter taught me a lesson about myself and I promised myself, it was the last. August Cash Flow Tracking I finally...

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Money and Relationships

I heard a few (not so wise) people mention that money and relationships have nothing to do with each other. More like, money is a non issue in a love relationship. Or, people should stop placing money in the way of love. Yada, yada... but really, how do people seperate the social commitment from finances. Beats me. I did stick around with losers,...

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Emergency Fund

The story of my personal emergency fund is that---its non-existent. I know, pretty unbelievable. My point is that, I have access to funds in one of the properties.  We have paid up that one property as we were kind of saving our extra income in it. Anyway, I decided to have a separate emergency fund, yipee. Now, I can speak like a PF blogger. On...

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When a Tenant Pays Rent Late

What to do when a tenant pays rent late??? Call, write letters, issue notices, follow the procedure stated in the contract? It sounds easier than it really is. I have to thank God for being in this business from 2002 and never having a vacancy for more than 2 weeks. Its been a pretty down slide for almost 10 years. I credit the time I take to find...

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Cutting the Budget

Nothing raises you from your financial sleep like a loss of a job or salary. I would love to think that I am generally reasonable with my finances. I can do with a bit of budget cutting as I am bordering the shopaholic and the financially responsible. I wish I were more to the frugal side but I gave up on that frugal lifestyle dream long ago. I just...

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Why I Chose to Buy my Home

The heated debate on whether to rent or buy your home continues. For the record, I don't support or crush any of the two. I just choose to buy my own home so that I feel good about making it comfortable, customizing it, boring holes on the walls, painting it red as I please, taking carpets out when my kids sneeze, etc. But for some people it just...

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Investing Inheritance and Gifts

I do a lot of blog hopping, especially in circles that deal with personal finance. I have seen different backgrounds of bloggers. Those from a "tough start" background and those with a little or a lot of help from their parents. I must say I am happy for those who are taking "difficult" decisions on investing inheritance and gifts from their parents,...

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Family Relations and Money

Trying to keep great management of family relations and money matters in harmony is no easy juggle. Especially when the family doesn't speak in the same financial and investment language. Charity begins at Home: I have gone past my mid thirties, and I am yet to hear my dad giving me a financial advice. Any kind of financial advice. Even a really...

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Is Education in Real Estate Investment Necessary?

Is education in real estate investment necessary to make it as an investor? In my books, educations is never over-rated. There is following your instincts, which plays a huge role in any investment decision making. But nothing takes the place of knowledge. Ignorance can only cost you a great deal. Knowledge of real estate policies, regulations, laws,...

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Buy or Rent a Home

I still have to think hard before I respond to the question of whether one should buy or rent a home. There is definitely no “one size fits all”. Even with countless debates around the value of home ownership in economic forums, we still have no one answer for all. In the 19th and early 20th century home was seen as a shelter and provision for comfort....

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Retirement Plans for Self Employed

The Best Retirement Plans for Self Employed Parents and PartnersWhen a parent or partner leaves a comfort zone of a monthly salary for a risky business, or any kind of venture, it makes perfect sense (read cents) to have her family financially covered. I actually don’t even see any comfort or lowered risk in a job anymore. So many people lost their...

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Setting Real Estate Goals for Wealth

Welcome to my very first post here. Come set Real Estate Goals with me, will you? I have been a real estate investor for more than 10 years now. Since I bought my very first apartment, I was sold into property investment. My husband, then friend helped me decide on that first apartment I ultimately called home. A decade later, a lot has happened....

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