Real Estate
Oct 12, 2026
Having spent years selling and appraising real estate, I’m familiar with the usual measures for valuing a house. Price per square foot, comparisons to similar properties, and the guideline of keeping housing at or below 25 percent of what a household earns are...
Sep 28, 2026
For three years, clients have been asking me when the economy will get back to normal. I have started answering that this current flat economy may be the newest redefinition of normal, one of many I’ve seen in 40-plus years of writing about money. Home sales, auto...
Dec 8, 2025
Recently I heard from a reader who had just finished building a new home. He noticed something on his loan paperwork that didn’t sit well: his construction loan rate floated two percent above prime. This was on top of a one percent origination fee and several smaller...
Sep 8, 2025
Given the economic uncertainties around trade policies and their impact on the markets, might this be a good time to add more real estate to your investment portfolio? Only if you do it very thoughtfully. One of the ways I stay grounded in a broader view of economic...
Mar 10, 2025
If you have ever filed a homeowners insurance claim, you know it can feel more like an endurance test than a straightforward process. While insurers are legally required to honor valid claims, they have strong financial incentives to delay, underpay, or deny them...
May 20, 2024
There’s nothing like cleaning out your attic or a storage unit to offer a chance to reflect on your life. I’m currently “enjoying” this opportunity as I dig through boxes holding decades of accumulation. It takes a lot longer if you stop and ponder on the contents of...
