House Hunting in 2022

The housing market is continuously on the rise. Last year’s market proved to be a true seller’s market. This year (2022) it appears to be the exact same. Which means, there are more people looking to relocate than homes available. The running price to rent homes range from $1200 per month to $2,000 per month. With rents being as high as mortgages many people are looking deeper into purchasing a home. 

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

It’s a seller’s market! Simply put there are more people putting in offers on the same homes. In order to be competitive as a buyer you need an agent. A Real Estate agent literally costs you nothing, but their job is to help you find a new home. Your agent will also conduct the financial negotiating for you. However, you need to be financially prepared to bid over the asking price. This seems to be one of the guaranteed ways to get your offer taken seriously. 

BE PREPARED

Be prepared by keeping tabs on your credit score and not through credit karma (Rolls eyes). You can open free accounts with all three credit bureaus. Do not! I repeat do not open any new lines of credit while in the process of purchasing a home. For majority of the homes on the market you can’t view them without a preapproval! The last thing you want to do is get an offer accepted, and then no longer meet that credit requirements, because you’ve been applying for credit cards and car notes.

 SAVE SAVE SAVE! Save your money. When it comes down to it, you must have seasoned funds. I suggest you put your seasoned funds in an account that you don’t touch. Lenders are notorious when it comes to calling buyers in the process of loan approval to ask why $200 was spent. Purchasing a home is a huge financial decision. As we previously discussed in this market overbidding is a must. Therefore you need to be financially prepared for whatever amount you bid over (it is not paid by your lender), closing costs, home inspection, and appraisal fees. 

PACK YOUR PATIENCE 

Buying a home is a process, that often heightens or causes anxiety. Just remember that you need to have patience to prevent yourself from making irrational decisions. This process also seems to evoke emotions. Buyers are going through everyday life and trying to decide where they are going to live. It’s a lot. As a buyer try to stay grounded, open minded, and remember that your agent is working for your best interest. So listen, ask questions, and be mindful during the process.

Happy House Hunting!

Mind your stimmy

Around this time last year we all were concerned about our health, safety and livelihood. Companies were laying off employees or cutting people hours drastically. Some were fortunate, so it seemed, to be able to work from home until further notice. Schools, childcare and eldercare centers were also closing until further notice, which also caused people to have to walk away from their jobs to care for their children or parents. This is only a snapshot of an exhaustive list that left many Americans wondering how they were going to live and pay their bills. Then real panic set in… tissue, lysol, soap and alcohol were all out-of-stock; along with bread and meat . We seemed to be on  the brink of food scarcity! The supply and demand equation suddenly was tested as more and more of the workforce was in limbo with if their job was secured or not!

Continue reading “Mind your stimmy”

The bag!

On the internet, it seems like everyone’s goal is to get to the bag- which is a great thing! We can’t eat, pay bills, or live without getting a bag. Money is a necessity, and I’ve come to the conclusion that enough of it is never really enough. You’ll always want more so that you can do more. Continue reading “The bag!”

Rake it up the re-up

 

How much money did you spend on Christmas gifts? Did you add additional people to the list at the last-minute? Did you dip into your saved money to do some extra things over this holiday season? I know many people are still buying outfits for a big New Year Eve party or get together. Some of us got new outfits to sit in our families living room for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Christmas is now over, and if you don’t have a New Year Eve outfit yet I wish you the best of luck out here.  It’s important to start replenishing your cash!

You probably used your credit card too. Watch out for those interest rates. I know you still want to go to brunch on a Sunday or two after the holiday. I’m also sure you want something to eat other than holiday food. I didn’t even take any leftovers home. I can’t eat them after day 2 anyway. If you’re one of those people that don’t need to replenish any funds be it regular spending money, savings, or savings for Christmas funds next year then bravo to you! The tips I provided are not for you, but maybe you know someone that may be interested.

Below I’ve have 10 tips on revamping your stash. It’s all about discipline.

  1. Go over the amount of money spent over the holidays.
  2. Decide how much you want to save or replace per pay cycle.
  3. Create a budget for groceries, toiletries, and gas to last you until your next pay. STICK TO THE BUDGET!
  4. Don’t dine out unless someone is treating you. You’ll save so much money by eating at home.
  5. You don’t have to go to every single event you’re invited to. Instead invite people over for a game or movie night.
  6. Stop yourself from ordering merchandise online. You don’t need it because you’re not doing that much hanging out, remember? Refer to number 5.
  7. When shopping for your toiletries get them from a store that you don’t like to be in for long periods of time like Walmart. It’ll be beneficial to get what you need, and get out of there!
  8.  See if there are extra hours available for you at work. If you have your own business big or small run a sale on some items or services that you provide.
  9. With the money you have remaining from your pay cycle you can pay more toward your credit card balance if you used your credit card, and the rest you can stash in your savings.
  10. Repeat the cycle until you are back on track with your dollars.

Happy Savings!

Budgeting and saving.

 

I started my blog because I wanted to inform the people about what’s going on in the world, and to help people comprehend situations and circumstances beyond the surface. In fact I want people to question everything that they were ever told, because many of us have been told untruths. My website (blog) is my small contribution to the people. Recently I decided upon some new categories. One of the categories is “MONEY TALKS!” I’m a person that has struggled with saving money because I lack discipline in this area. Simply put I am a spend thrift and I know I am not the only one. I buy what I want and I’m unapologetic about it. However, I know that saving money is important. It doesn’t matter how much money you make either. If you’re bad with money you can be a millionaire and still be broke.

This is the first post for the Money Talks category. I am pleased that Sonia Perkins-Thompson,  an entrepreneur with a Bachelor of Science in Business with a focus in financial management supplied LetsTalkRaeStyle with a video about budgeting. This is her contribution to the people.

A MESSAGE FROM SONIA!

“This video is a short “down to earth” basic why to create a budget. It gives examples and reasons on why creating a budget is so important. This video talks about the things we over look and do not think about when it comes to budgeting. We think sometimes it’s hard to budget and save but in reality, no one can win a game without a game plan. Focusing on the importance of discipline and other things mentioned in this video can lead to  the goals you have in life.” 

PLEASE SUBMIT ALL INQUIRIES IF ANY ON THE CONTACT PAGE

HERE IS THE VIDEO!

 

 

She has her own: Independent Women.

 

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I made a Facebook status posing the question “when did being an independent woman equal not needing or wanting a man?” Of course the comments section blew up. Some people stated that social media has a lot to do with this new found definition, while others said they actually heard women stating that they are independent and don’t need a man. However, I’m sure that the statement of not needing a man is being misinterpreted. Continue reading “She has her own: Independent Women.”

Greed…..

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The media is constantly informing the public that we need more. If it’s not a music video, movie, or commercial, it’s a TV show telling us that we need to “upgrade” something in our lives. It’s natural to want to be successful, and strive to be able to take care of yourself, and your family, but it’s important to recognize when you’re already excelling in life.
Continue reading “Greed…..”