Why I Don’t Regret Paying Off Our Mortgage Last Year

Last year, on April Fool’s Day, we paid off our mortgage. Was it foolish to pay off a 2.0% interest rate mortgage instead of investing in the stock market? Being immersed in the personal finance world, I know what the conventional wisdom says to do. Expected returns in the stock market are far greater than … Read more

Are ARMs (Adjustable Rate Mortgages) Worth The Risk? A Look At The Numbers

Are ARMs (adjustable-rate mortgages) worth the risk? First, let’s take a look at how ARMs work. Then, we’ll take a look at the numbers. What is an ARM (adjustable-rate mortgage)? I’ll go over what I consider the important things to know about ARMs. If you want all the details, here’s a great resource. With an … Read more

Is This Interest Rate Meme Really True? Let’s Do A Quick Analysis

This meme about interest rates has been circulating around social media, at least among my real estate contacts. Don’t believe everything you see on the internet. Let’s do some analysis and see if there’s any truth to this meme. It suggests that paying a 7% interest rate at $30k under list price is better than … Read more

7 Life/Money Lessons We Can Learn from Monopoly (As a Real Estate Agent)

As I was playing Monopoly with my son, I realized there are some profound life and money lessons that can be learned. I used to play with my twin brother when I was young, but I see it so differently now after working as a real estate agent for almost a decade. First, let me … Read more

10 Ways to Back Out of a Real Estate Contract in Virginia (as a Buyer)

Going through a real estate transaction can be a roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes, as a buyer, you may feel the urge to back out of a contract. It is most common to feel some form of buyer’s remorse right after you ratify a contract. It’s good to know what your options are BEFORE you … Read more

My Thoughts: W-2 Employee (Patent Examiner) vs. 1099 Self-Employed (Realtor)

In terms of my career, I have a lot going through my mind these days. This post is just me putting my thoughts in writing. I work as a W-2 employee. I am a patent examiner at the USPTO. I’m coming up on 14 years in October. This job is completely work-from-home, pays decently, and … Read more

2021 Year-End Financial Summary and Life Updates

crop unrecognizable financier using calculator on smartphone near dollar banknotes

Wow, we’re at the end of 2021 already! Here is my year-end financial summary. I’m doing these financial updates twice a year now (semiannually) to keep track of my progress. This is the year we finally became millionaires (read that post here). After over 5 years of hard work and tracking that goal, we eclipsed … Read more