Search found 2039 matches

by DiscoBunny1979
Thu Aug 04, 2016 12:44 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Community Solar [Should I buy a solar farm]
Replies: 13
Views: 1805

Re: Community Solar [Should I buy a solar farm]

1) If solar was such a great investment, utilities would have blanketed the entire southwest US in them. This is not a true statement as the reason the southwest isn't blanketed by solar is because 1) the environmentalists argue that covering the ground with miles of solar panels disrupts the natural migration of living things, such as desert turtles and other creatures and therefore the placement of such panels can destroy nature, making it a no-go in certain desert communities, and 2) Companies like Edison in CA are required to have a certain amount of their energy produced by renewable resources like solar or wind or geothermal. Therefore it is wrong to assume that utilities aren't doing this. they are. It's just that the cost to the co...
by DiscoBunny1979
Tue Jul 05, 2016 1:29 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: How to negotiate result of big item home inspection
Replies: 54
Views: 21098

Re: How to negotiate result of big item home inspection

In CA you can make a house contingent upon a home inspection. Therefore anything that comes up in an inspection is fair game to ask the seller to correct. IF this was a house that required a loan, if important things like an HVAC or water heater was not working, some loans would not go through, like a VA FHA type loan that requires all systems to be in working, move-in condition. If the systems are 'end of life' the question would be are they working or not. Some loans would require at least a year warranty on systems. That might take care of the concern of the item going out within the first year of ownership. But in my opinion, I would not necessarily take money off the top of a price. For instance, going from $800 to $790 just because of...
by DiscoBunny1979
Mon Jun 27, 2016 11:42 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Home Sale Strategy
Replies: 9
Views: 2142

Re: Home Sale Strategy

I would make sure that the rule for claiming the house as Primary Residence does NOT mean living in the house for 24 consecutive months. If my memory is correct, the law might only allow for 24 consecutive months to avoid something like the OP is suggesting that he/she can rent the place for 2 1/2 years, getting benefit of a rental and then moving back for a few more months to claim the tax benefit, when in reality, the OP gave up the tax benefit when it became a rental.
by DiscoBunny1979
Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: house affordability question
Replies: 39
Views: 3976

Re: house affordability question

Just because the OP and the wife likes living in SoCal, doesn't mean that that feeling about the neighborhood they want will stay the same. As people age, many tend to want less noise and less traffic congestion. Also, depending upon health status, people need to find housing whereas it's a usable space. For instance, if the house you want has stairs and you've always wanted the bedroom upstairs, the older one gets, maybe stairs aren't so friendly of an option. The other thing is that people sometimes buy what they want rather than what they need. Does the OP really need a house since the OP has no children? Or is it a want list on some idea that the American Dream includes a house. Home ownership is not for everyone. I certainly wouldn't l...
by DiscoBunny1979
Wed Jun 22, 2016 1:04 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: best wristwatch for the price
Replies: 196
Views: 23287

Re: best wristwatch for the price

My vote(s) is for the Citizen EcoDrive Chronograph with stainless steel wrist band or something by Invicta
by DiscoBunny1979
Tue Jun 21, 2016 12:35 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Where (safely and legally) to keep "cash"?
Replies: 78
Views: 10249

Re: Where (safely and legally) to keep "cash"?

In my opinion, investing in 1) a security camera system whereas it records on your personal DVR, 2) dogs, and 3) a good fence are great ways to protect your belongings - whether it be cash or something else. But if you have to put cash somewhere, my first response would be a combination safe that can be bolted to the ground in a secure room that can be locked. Next to that, creating a fake wall switch or hiding the money in a cored out book or divided between not so favorite or not so popular Record Albums - provided the collection is large enough that looking through individual record albums would not interest a thief. A thief is interested in going through your stuff quickly, so putting money/cash in locations that can't be searched in a ...
by DiscoBunny1979
Wed Jun 15, 2016 12:22 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: All I have to do is get to 70?
Replies: 27
Views: 5551

Re: All I have to do is get to 70?

Of course taking the side of the devil's advocate, whereas it is not all flowers and bunnies . . . Social Security is expected to pay out more than it receives by 2020. By 2035, some say that Social Security will run dry. Therefore, one might want to take into account that there could be some cut in benefits or no benefits during one's "retirement" years. I would like to add that while we would like to pay our military folks what they have 'earned' this doesn't mean that at one point in the future there will be any money to pay their benefits as well. The number of people contributing to the 'system' are getting less as at the same time the population ages. Are military pensions in some kind of lock box, or are they being paid as ...
by DiscoBunny1979
Sun Jun 12, 2016 7:33 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Renew flood insurance?
Replies: 10
Views: 1240

Re: Renew flood insurance?

I have Earthquake insurance on my home (15% deductible) and so, even though I'd have to have about 45K in damage before it would pay 1 cent, it's worth it to me as "insurance" against total loss. Put it this way, if the house was flooded to such an extent that it was a total loss or red tagged, could you be happy knowing you had the insurance, but decided not to carry it for such a relatively small premium? I afford my premium by putting away a little bit each month, like an escrow account. And since you have a mortgage, you could see if that bank or financing company could increase your monthly payment by 467/12 by $38.92 to cover the annual cost and pay the bill.
by DiscoBunny1979
Sun Jun 12, 2016 3:40 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: 3 Row SUVs - Help Educate Me
Replies: 42
Views: 7171

Re: 3 Row SUVs - Help Educate Me

I own a Nissan Xterra and absolutely love it for its versatility. I'm wondering why folks haven'g mentioned the Nissan Aramada. I've been looking at new SUVs as well, but am concerned that the price I'd have to pay for something that meets my expectations would be close to the $40-$50 range for a new vehicle. The GMC Arcadia looks nice, but it doesn't appear to have the same inner space as my xterra. Why aren't folks mentioning the GMC Yukon? Has anyone driven all the GMC models to give a comparison.
by DiscoBunny1979
Sat Jun 11, 2016 1:32 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: investing in platinum
Replies: 19
Views: 2719

Re: investing in platinum

Do this first. Go to Apmex and click on historical charts on the right. Click 5 year. Realize that ignoring inflation, an investment in platinum 5 years ago is worth half today. At the top of the chart, click gold. Click 5 year again as it reverts to 6 months. Gold did better, only dropping from $1524 to $1272 in 5 years. Silver is the poor mans gold investment and easy to find as coins. But its the most expensive (spread %) to buy and sell. Over 5 years, it has gone from $35.51 to $17.41. No thanks. This is a terrible way of viewing metals. If the S&P 500 was down 50% would you be saying "no thanks" or would you be backing up the truck? Holding Gold, silver, whatever metal, is not a 5 year commitment. It is a long-term strat...
by DiscoBunny1979
Wed Jun 08, 2016 5:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Taxation of house sale proceeds
Replies: 7
Views: 2194

Re: Taxation of house sale proceeds

Is the house he purchased for $1 an actual sale; whereas it was a transaction made with a Deed and therefore given to the county for recording? If so, what were the ramifications of paying property taxes on such property? Was the property still valued at "market" at time of sale, so that the property taxes were reevaluated at market value? There might be a legal situation in that while the sale was for $1, the fair market value was not. Therefore the transaction could be the fair market value, not the $1 - which sounds to be hiding assets from the Federal Government to qualify for benefits, an illegal act if one had applied for such benefits (unless over 5 years had passed from such transaction). So I'm not too sure whether the or...
by DiscoBunny1979
Fri May 20, 2016 2:23 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Defined benefit plan. Should I "buy" extra years of service?
Replies: 22
Views: 4870

Re: Defined benefit plan. Should I "buy" extra years of service?

I began working for my current employer 11 years ago and it makes all contributions on my behalf to that plan. then you said I am considering buying 10 extra years of service The question I have is since the employer makes all the contributions to the plan, and then you will be buying the extra years, not the employer, are any of these contributions (either employer paid or yours) a taxable benefit? For instance a popular website says: "Generally, your pension benefits are fully taxable if you did not contribute anything to the pension or annuity and your employer did not withhold contributions from your salary. If your employer made all the payments to your pension fund, you must report that amount on your tax return." Did the e...
by DiscoBunny1979
Wed May 11, 2016 6:15 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buy Lake Cabin and Rent It Out? Stupid?
Replies: 15
Views: 6085

Re: Buy Lake Cabin and Rent It Out? Stupid?

HomerJ wrote:"Hi, I'm 60, and I want to spend a quiet weekend at the lake with my daughter and grand-daughter."

Accepted!
This is a warning. Just because someone says they are going to spend a 'quiet weekend at the lake with my daughter . . ." doesn't mean that the daughter won't bring her friends AND that the "adult" won't go to the 'movies' at night, leaving the 'children' at home to party. Don't believe the things people say because 90% of the time, they are full of sh*t and will lie just to get what they want.
by DiscoBunny1979
Mon Apr 18, 2016 8:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Solar Price Per Watt?
Replies: 25
Views: 3744

Re: Solar Price Per Watt?

I agree with Cindyjrn. I took bids from Sunrun (Lowe's), SolarCity and a California Installer called Solar America (Petersen Dean). The problem with suggesting that costs should be this or that for labor is that it's not just the time the installers take. For instance in our 40 panel installation, permits had to be done that included different phases of the project. The town/city wanted to see how the mounting brackets were installed before they would allow the panels to be mounted on them. They also wanted a separate inspection for the electrical work and then a final inspection. Every county/city has different requirements. But as said installation is just one aspect of the project. With Sunrun (Sungevity/Lowes) they had a 'team' of peopl...
by DiscoBunny1979
Wed Feb 17, 2016 4:42 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Contacted by three heir locators
Replies: 56
Views: 11421

Re: Contacted by three heir locators

This has been suggested, but I would contact the California Probate Court whatever County the case is in. In some California County websites, one can search on a case by case number. I would explore online first and see what comes up.
by DiscoBunny1979
Tue Feb 09, 2016 7:53 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Move to another house after 10 months??
Replies: 35
Views: 4141

Re: Move to another house after 10 months??

I would stay in current home if you wouldn't be able to afford potential problems with a Septic system or Well Water. Septic Systems, even after an inspection, can have problems. Having the Septic inspected though, is a must to qualify for a loan - at least in my state. Certain questions to ask concerning the septic is how old is it, is the tank made of concrete or old school metal drum, how many leach fields OR is it a sewage pit? All these can determine whether there is the potential of future Septic costs. Also, is the location you are considering eventually going to have a sewer system and what are the costs concerning it?
by DiscoBunny1979
Tue Feb 09, 2016 5:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Banned from Home Depot Returns
Replies: 206
Views: 153967

Re: Banned from Home Depot Returns

Home Depot use to be the Bank of Home Depot when you could return any item without a receipt and get CASH. They have tightened up the return policy and it could be that because the purchase was used using a credit from a points card that that is the problem. The only return possible is to either reload the card or get an in store credit. Maybe there are rules against returns with using such credit from points. I know that losing said card means you can't get it replaced. That's why I only use a Home Depot Credit Card for store purchases - so I don't need a receipt to return an item, it's in their system for about 3-6 months. It's preferable that one returns an item to Home Depot within 3 months, not having it hanging around for a year until...
by DiscoBunny1979
Tue Feb 09, 2016 12:14 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Bar/Bat Mitzvah gift question
Replies: 21
Views: 18817

Re: Bar/Bat Mitzvah gift question

Rob5TCP wrote:Chai is a Jewish word for life. Adding up it's numerical value (not sure how that is done) comes to 18.
Because of that; it's traditional to give gifts, donations, etc in increments of $18
($36,/72/90/108...)
While that might be a traditional way of doing things, for the person that's not familiar with 'traditions' I don't think the family or child would be insulted that you didn't follow such customs. For instance, I sent a family member a rounded $50 bill for his bar mitzvah; and have an ongoing pledge to Hadassah @ $20 a month. Hadassah hasn't turned their nose up at my monthly donation because it's not in $18 dollar increments.
by DiscoBunny1979
Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: 10% Mortgage Down payment
Replies: 49
Views: 10095

Re: 10% Mortgage Down payment

Most people do not put down the full 20%, I don't know what most people you are referring to. In my opinion, 20% is the minimum one should put down on a house. And, if one can not afford a 15 year mortgage and are considering a 30 year mortgage to double down on it, then they really can't afford the house. What happens if the roof needs repairing/replacing or the kitchen needs new appliances, or some other major financial issue occurs? There needs to not only be an 'emergency' fund for emergencies, but a house fund for those repair/replace projects. Just because one can get a VA loan for $1 dollar down (or whatever down it is) or an FHA loan for only 3.5% down, or a bank loan for only 10% down, doesn't mean it's the best thing to do. The w...
by DiscoBunny1979
Fri Dec 25, 2015 12:41 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Burial plans and Being buried in a National Cemetary
Replies: 16
Views: 2153

Re: Burial plans and Being buried in a National Cemetary

I remember reading somewhere that in certain places, like California, being buried in a National Cemetery is getting increasingly difficult as some facilities are filled to capacity for a regular service. Therefore, many are turning to cremation with ashes saved in a National Cemetery. This supposedly is true for Los Angeles area whereas people are more likely to find 'room' outside of the area such as Riverside County. For me, the issue is the use of Public Resources and for what purpose and by whom. While I believe everyone should get the benefits they are entitled to, I often view the right to be buried in a National Cemetery to the right to use a Handicapped parking spot. I am both a Veteran and can qualify for the use of a Handicapped ...
by DiscoBunny1979
Sun Dec 13, 2015 7:04 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Solar panels purchase as an inflation indexed bond
Replies: 23
Views: 2824

Re: Solar panels purchase as an inflation indexed bond

hoops777 wrote:I find it very difficult to believe any power company will get away with charging huge fees to solar users.If that is allowed we are going to have some really serious problems.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national ... story.html

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-s ... story.html

http://www.desertsun.com/story/tech/sci ... /71343552/
by DiscoBunny1979
Sun Dec 13, 2015 6:39 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Solar panels purchase as an inflation indexed bond
Replies: 23
Views: 2824

Re: Solar panels purchase as an inflation indexed bond

Other risks include: 1) How much sun is actually available during the day in terms of PEAK HOURS - how much solar energy is available during the day. This relates to location, the sun's movement in the sky, what's in the atmosphere, etc. This is greatly different from a location in California versus a place on the east coast. the Peak hours are greatly different from Summer versus Winter months. Therefore, comparing solar to a bond is not a good comparison because the peak hours are not consistent and therefore you really do not know what you're going to be getting. An expert can only give one an 'estimate' of what to expect but in practice, could fall short. 2) In some states, one can only put as many panels on the roof that will produce a...
by DiscoBunny1979
Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:11 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: New Military Retirement System
Replies: 86
Views: 14836

Re: New Military Retirement System

Every sailor has the internet on their smartphones and Google knows everything I know this is a little off topic, but I find this comment quite amusing. So, that's where as a Nation we have advanced to - the need to carry smartphones and rely on Google for all our information? Heaven forbid we run out of electricity to power up these devices. there's no excuse for not knowing a basic level of knowledge about where your money goes and your financial future. I'm glad that the military has offered at least one training class to help understanding these issues, but I remember in the 1980s there was absolutely nothing, except where your pay went. But I don't believe that many of the enlisted folks understand finances unless they have a brain to...
by DiscoBunny1979
Wed Dec 02, 2015 4:17 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Paying property tax with credit card to reach spending bonus
Replies: 19
Views: 3324

Re: Paying property tax with credit card to reach spending bonus

Before charging one's credit card for the purchase of gift cards, make sure by reading the credit card terms and conditions that there is not an exclusion to buying gift cards as some credit card issuers are waking up and treating some gift cards as a 'cash advance'. This 'cash advance' then comes with a 2%, 3%, or 5% fee.
by DiscoBunny1979
Sat Sep 26, 2015 8:02 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Looking for advice about stepping away from work.
Replies: 8
Views: 2296

Re: Looking for advice about stepping away from work.

Years ago I stepped away from work due to health issues. In my case, I really had to decide was it more important to continue making money at a job that wasn't getting any less stressful or step away to a less costly place to live so I could afford to live without working. The choice for me was clear. Leaving my job, which really didn't define me as a person but was causing undue hardship because of long commutes, doing the work of 2 people without additional compensation, even though I requested it, and the inability to advance in a corporate structure geared toward being rewarded for not only your overtime but whom you are close friends with, required the transition. It's important for me to note that the work environment, while it might ...
by DiscoBunny1979
Sun Sep 13, 2015 2:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Earthquake insurance for low risk area?
Replies: 18
Views: 2123

Re: Earthquake insurance for low risk area?

I agree with Alan. Someone with a recently built wood-frame home has much less exposure than someone with a building made from adobe. The serious damage occurs in masonry homes. A moderate quake in unlikely to bring down a wood-frame home, if it is bolted to the foundation. Perhaps, the chimney will take out part of the roof and a wall, and knock out some windows. But it will take the mega-quake predicted for the rim of fire to due hundreds of thousands of damage. In which case, the feds will step in with low interest loans. Full disclosure: I live in California, had EQ insurance for 10+ years, but dropped it after the state took over the program. Rates went way up and benefits went the other direction. I know many others that did the same...
by DiscoBunny1979
Wed Sep 09, 2015 3:50 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Prospective home buyer
Replies: 23
Views: 3135

Re: Perspective home buyer

I'll take a stab at why it hasn't sold. There could be a number of factors but right off the top of my head is that people buying in 1 million price range can afford to be picky. They want what they want and some will not settle. That means if you are in competition with other like properties, there must be something about yours that the average person looking in that area finds either distasteful or too much work to redo. That could mean the black and white tiles upstairs. It could mean the shape of the pool. It could mean the colors of the walls. It could mean a lot of other things. So, given that in 2003 the house sold for something like $930,000 the market is not pricing the house any higher than 2003 levels and not over a million. So, ...
by DiscoBunny1979
Mon Sep 07, 2015 2:52 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buyer's agent for real estate??
Replies: 10
Views: 1909

Re: Buyer's agent for real estate??

The buyer's agent gets paid whatever house you buy, so it is not in their interest to push you into a bad house or a house at a bad price. Thus, your interests and the buyer's agent's interests are in fact aligned. -jalbert This is not necessarily true. A buyer's agent, especially in California can not comment on whether a house is a bad house or a good house. They can not make any claims as to the condition. That is the responsibility of an inspection or qualified individuals, like a roofer or plumber. Therefore, while a buyer's agent would like to sell a house that has minimal problems so that the escrow goes through, they have no idea what problems the house has until those are discovered. If problems are already known, an agent still c...
by DiscoBunny1979
Fri Sep 04, 2015 8:09 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When will be a good time to buy a house in the South Bay Area?
Replies: 26
Views: 4163

Re: When will be a good time to buy a house in the South Bay Area?

Home prices are so expensive in coastal cities because the demand is so high. If you think the Bay Area is going to becoming undesirable in the near future, you should do the logical thing and preempt it. And just move to a better/cheaper city today! Many People Have! I've known many folks that after making their 'small fortune' in the bay area at some tech company moved back to where they came from. Other folks, like some CEOs or VPs have been buying up real estate in places like Palm Springs or Indian Wells - why do you think Larry Ellison has spent some of his money on building the Tennis Courts in Indian Wells? The Bay Area is nice to live in terms of weather . . . but with the traffic congestion and high real estate prices, there's a ...
by DiscoBunny1979
Thu Sep 03, 2015 9:51 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: When will be a good time to buy a house in the South Bay Area?
Replies: 26
Views: 4163

Re: When will be a good time to buy a house in the South Bay Area?

The time to buy a house is when you plan to stay in the area a long time and you can afford the home, 30 year conventional 20% down, 1/3 monthly income. It's a place to live, not an investment. I ignore what the market is doing. My mortgage payment has to be paid regardless of what the housing market is doing. We bought our first home in 2009 when we were DINKs, a 2 bed fixer-upper. After my first daughter arrived, we sold and upgraded to a 3 bed in 2012. After my second daughter arrived, we upgraded last month to a 4 bed. Step by step we moved on up. My original 20% down payment on my first home after sale and appreciation became my next home's downpayment and so on. The first downpayment was difficult to save and required both of us to c...
by DiscoBunny1979
Thu Sep 03, 2015 1:12 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: For Pension: tax withhold or do quarterly estimated?
Replies: 16
Views: 1657

Re: For Pension: tax withhold or do quarterly estimated?

In my opinion, it is much easier to have some tax withholding each month. In some instances, it is required to withhold at least a certain percentage. The OP would have to contact the plan administrator to determine if there is such a requirement. However, the US Government doesn't like to wait to get paid, even though you have the right to make estimated payments or quarterly. It is much better to pay monthly, auto deducted from the pension and then next year, if things change, just adjust accordingly just like you'd do a once a year rebalancing for a portfolio of mutual funds. JMO
by DiscoBunny1979
Wed Sep 02, 2015 5:14 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Evaluate Proposal on Installation of Solar Panels
Replies: 46
Views: 6878

Re: Evaluate Proposal on Installation of Solar Panels

G. Current Monthly Bill- $224 electric bill, projected bill with solar panels $125 For me it is as much about saving money over time as it is to not give a penny more than I have to to the Utility company. Therefore, I believe it's in my best interest, to max out my roof. For instance, the Utility Commission here in CA says that one can only build a system that is as powerful as last years' consumption. So, with the OP suggesting that the solar panels will only cover less than 50% of the electric bill (if I'm interpreting correctly), then what is the point of having solar if the entire bill isn't covered? Has the OP maxed out his roof space with the proposed system size? If not, the OP might want to consider a larger system. So, the OP nee...
by DiscoBunny1979
Tue Sep 01, 2015 10:33 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Evaluate Proposal on Installation of Solar Panels
Replies: 46
Views: 6878

Re: Evaluate Proposal on Installation of Solar Panels

G. Current Monthly Bill- $224 electric bill, projected bill with solar panels $125 For me it is as much about saving money over time as it is to not give a penny more than I have to to the Utility company. Therefore, I believe it's in my best interest, to max out my roof. For instance, the Utility Commission here in CA says that one can only build a system that is as powerful as last years' consumption. So, with the OP suggesting that the solar panels will only cover less than 50% of the electric bill (if I'm interpreting correctly), then what is the point of having solar if the entire bill isn't covered? Has the OP maxed out his roof space with the proposed system size? If not, the OP might want to consider a larger system. So, the OP nee...
by DiscoBunny1979
Sun Aug 23, 2015 5:41 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Is it possible to hold cash in Roth IRA?
Replies: 12
Views: 1927

Re: Is it possible to hold cash in Roth IRA?

As others have said, you can put it in the money market. Vanguard unfortunately applies a 3000 minimum even to the money market. Funny, I often have less then $3000 in Prime Money Market and haven't received any warning from Vanguard. Perhaps I opened it with more. I think the minimum is for opening balance. For yrs I had $500 there and finally I got tired of earning 20 cents/yr so I removed all of it and account is still open with 0 balance and I am richer by $5/yr . :happy Perhaps whether they bother you or not may depend on other balances with them. I must be at some other Vanguard because I opened up a Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund and they said there is no minimum. They opened up the account with $0.00 dollars and a few weeks later...
by DiscoBunny1979
Sat Aug 22, 2015 3:28 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Selling house dad to son
Replies: 19
Views: 2212

Re: Selling house dad to son

I'm trying to see if I can buy my dad's house without incurring any taxes and would like some advice. This is two part question . . The first part is whether you want your Dad not to pay taxes on any sale of the house. The cap for individuals is $250K and for a couple $500K federally. But I don't see the value of lowering your Dad's tax bill, unless he's on some government assistance programs that require yearly income to below some % of poverty income. That's like saying I don't want to sell a stock at its high to incur a tax bill, I'd rather wait until the stock crashes and don't have anything to be taxed. The other tax issue has to do with Property Taxes on your part. For instance in California, property taxes can be determined by the C...
by DiscoBunny1979
Fri Aug 14, 2015 6:45 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Saving a tree when installing a septic drain field
Replies: 5
Views: 799

Re: Saving a tree when installing a septic drain field

When I chopped down my 30 year old olive tree, and when it died, my septic backed up. Not saying that it was proved beyond a reasonable doubt that that's why my septic backed up, but it is ironic. I would not put leach lines or sewage pits near any trees that have long extending root systems that search for water.
by DiscoBunny1979
Fri Aug 14, 2015 9:17 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Sungevity versus SolarCity
Replies: 2
Views: 1391

Re: Sungevity versus SolarCity

Buy outright, don't lease anything and don't buy from Solar City. You're welcome. Thanks for your response. However, I need to have more feedback as to why you believe leasing is not a better option than buying. Of course there is the lower over cost. For instance if Leasing Company "A" provides a quote of $185 a month for 20 years, that equates to $44,400 dollars if there is no escalator involved. Sales Company "B" that offers same or better quality system for 50% of Leasing Company "A" means that there is a total out of pocket of $22,200 (unless utilizing some other financing option). I can see the BIG difference. However, there still are advantages to leasing that I've described. I assume your perspective t...
by DiscoBunny1979
Thu Aug 13, 2015 12:38 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Sungevity versus SolarCity
Replies: 2
Views: 1391

Sungevity versus SolarCity

I'm investigating Solar Options. I've decided not to buy outright for a number of reasons. So, this thread I'd like to address just if there is anyone on this board that has gone through the investigation process and how they have felt about dealing with either Sungevity (associated with Lowes) or SolarCity (associated with Home Depot) or both. I've been given a quote by Sungevity that seems to be much lower than Solar City and am wondering why for similar type/size system. Does anyone know if Sungevity uses significantly different suppliers or equipment than Solar city? It appears as though Solar City might not take off from the price of the system the federal rebate, keeping it for themselves; whereas Sungevity appears to have applied tha...
by DiscoBunny1979
Fri Jul 31, 2015 3:37 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Inheritance - Buy House then Reverse Mortgage?
Replies: 13
Views: 2481

Re: Inheritance - Buy House then Reverse Mortgage?

Another thing to consider is that in many states an Inherited Asset belongs to the person that inherits the asset - even when we're talking about married couples. Therefore, the OP should consider that the transfer of an "Inherited Asset" to one that might be considered "community property" because the house would be obtained during a committed relationship (even if funds were from separate funds) and therefore there would need to be some written understanding that the house would still be a separate asset, possibly in a pre-nup or post-nup, in order to avoid confusion if there is question as to who the property belongs to upon 'divorce' 'separation' or death of owner. If there is a want to put the partner or close frien...
by DiscoBunny1979
Thu Jul 30, 2015 10:17 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: First Time Buyer In CA
Replies: 11
Views: 1519

Re: First Time Buyer In CA

This might be a program where-as it is Lender-paid mortgage insurance versus Borrower-paid mortgage insurance. With Lender-paid, the cost of PMI is included in the interest rate. Unlike, Borrower-paid that the PMI can be cancelled once loan to value is under 80%, Lender paid cannot be cancelled because it's assessed through the life of the loan. So, one isn't avoiding paying PMI, it's just not a line item that can be deleted over time.
by DiscoBunny1979
Thu Jul 30, 2015 9:56 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Appraisal Higher than Accepted Offer Price
Replies: 21
Views: 12229

Re: Appraisal Higher than Accepted Offer Price

IF the appraisal is based on both land and house, what percentage of the appraisal value is for land? My parent's house in San Jose is over the 1 million mark, but it would only take about $300,000 to put the same house on the lot. Make sure insurance documents reflect the actual rebuilding costs.
by DiscoBunny1979
Thu Jul 30, 2015 1:41 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Keep paying the mortgage??
Replies: 67
Views: 10456

Re: Keep paying the mortgage??

In my state it's not illegal for an agent to act as both selling and buying agent, however, it is definitely a conflict of interest because on one hand a selling agent just wants to sell the house and will skirt any questions regarding quality, mold, etc as they are not experts in those fields; and on the other hand, the buying agent does look after the interest of the buyer and will provide names of qualified inspectors or firms to inquire into in regards to mold issues, etc. One major issue here is the 'as is' sale. An 'as is' sale does not relieve the seller of responsibilities such as concealing things from the buyer. For instance, if there is a huge stump in the backyard that is covered up by a shed that was placed over it, the seller ...
by DiscoBunny1979
Sun Jul 26, 2015 8:59 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Is selling our home the right decision?
Replies: 3
Views: 1085

Re: Is selling our home the right decision?

While many folks buy and sell based upon emotion, it's important to make the decision as objective as possible like a Business decision, rather than a personal one. In my view, if one were to buy a house, one should not be relying on rental income to support the payment or partial payment. This is one of the programs on HGTV that suggests to make a house more affordable, rental income is a good thing . . . but in reality it requires a tenant for a long-term solution to a money problem. On the flip side, you have to judge whether living in the house/apt is better than having to afford something somewhere else. Just because a house increases in value 2x or 3x what one originally paid might not be good enough reason to sell because there are i...
by DiscoBunny1979
Tue Jun 30, 2015 1:46 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Will removing a wood burning stove reduce my home value?
Replies: 16
Views: 11316

Re: Will removing a wood burning stove reduce my home value?

I'm not a realtor, but in my opinion this would be a location driven question. For instance where I live there are mostly wood burning fireplaces that have been converted to gas fireplaces. My particular fireplace is wood burning, floor to ceiling brick, but has a gas line built in that can be converted with an insert to a full gas fireplace. By doing the 'conversion', by using the fireplace as a source of heat for the house, rather than just one room, the duct work might have to be modified or some kind of system to send heat through the rest of the house. A fireplace adds value in my opinion in that a fireplace is the heart/foundation of the living room or room that it's in - whether it is used or not. Therefore removing the fireplace mig...
by DiscoBunny1979
Thu Jun 25, 2015 7:52 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Best Advice [Best single piece of advice to give a new investor]
Replies: 56
Views: 8952

Re: Best Advice [Best single piece of advice to give a new investor]

Invest in taking care of yourself first by eating right, getting adequate sleep, working out - because without physical health you won't be able to enjoy your "retirement".

Then. . .

1)Automatically invest in your investment plan on a regular basis by having the contributions deducted from paycheck or directly from checking account.
2)Make Use of any 401K and max out ROTH each year
3)Don't become obsessed at looking at mutual fund NAVs on a daily basis
4)It's not how much money you make, but how happy you are.
5)Do contribute to a charity or give periodically to random homeless people on the street - because often it is with the giving that we find reward, but also it might be returned one day in ways never imagined.
by DiscoBunny1979
Wed Jun 24, 2015 12:00 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: tap IRA to pay off CC debt?
Replies: 31
Views: 9825

Re: tap IRA to pay off CC debt?

I've found the Chase Slate Card and the American Express Everyday Card to be good choices for 0% for a year + (although they have 2% or 3% transfer fees depending upon the offer).
by DiscoBunny1979
Tue Jun 23, 2015 5:03 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Ask me anything - Mortgages
Replies: 33
Views: 6782

Re: Ask me anything - Mortgages

What type of loans exist for putting down 5 % and getting a 15% + 80% loan ? <--- poor wording, just clueless on loans I assume pay off the 15% loan and then PMI would go away ?? Excuse my ignorance , I'm trying to put 5% down and pay no PMI or as little PMI as possible. Options ? TIA You can typically get a regular mortgage at 80% LTV, a second piggy back loan at 15% (for a higher interest rate and most that i saw we're amortized over 30 years but had a balloon payment after 15 years), and put 5% down with no PMI involved. Condos / Townhomes may be hard to get this kind of financing on though. When I last looked into this you could get a 30 year fixed rate at 3.875%, 30 year (balloon payment in year 15) at 5.99% for the piggy back loan, a...
by DiscoBunny1979
Fri Jun 12, 2015 2:34 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Which is a best place to start learning yoga?
Replies: 31
Views: 5325

Re: Which is a best place to start learning yoga?

I disagree that a class or teacher is better than a DVD. For my own purposes, I didn't want to spend the extra time to drive to a gym just to suit up for some Yoga class. I wanted the privacy of my own home, where I can wear as little as I want ... and the special reason . . . Yoga has a tendency in some people, like me, to ease the bowels and therefore quick access to a bathroom is on the top of my list so that half way through the routine I can empty out so to speak and return to my routine on my own terms. The video I started out with was by GAIAM, Rodney Yee's Yoga For Beginners that includes Pose Training for perfect form and smaller 20 or 15 minute workout programs. I prefer the Pose Training as it is a work out in itself. Once one le...
by DiscoBunny1979
Sat May 30, 2015 3:34 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Housing Market in SoCal
Replies: 55
Views: 10403

Re: Housing Market in SoCal

One of the benefits of CA is prop 13 which locks in your property tax rate for life, folks that bought in the 1960-70-80s hit the jackpot because they're paying property tax as if their house if valued at 100-200k when they could sell it on the market for 600-800k. That's part of the problem with CA though, very little interstate mobility. You're sort of handcuffed to your home. And the Following: We bought 15 years ago in San Diego. In hindsight it's turned out well. It's true that Prop 13 does tend to keep you in your home, as increasing property taxes is unappealing Seems to miss the fact that California has Propositions 90/60. According to CA.gov, "Proposition 60 allows transfers of base year values within the same county (intraco...
by DiscoBunny1979
Fri May 15, 2015 5:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard's email "The case for a global portfolio"
Replies: 46
Views: 8029

Re: Vanguard's email "The case for a global portfolio"

I currently have 18.3% of my retirement portfolio in International stocks, and the previous allocation Vanguard recommended of 20-40% has now changed to 30-50%. Thoughts on this change and your approach? I knew I'd be close to 20% and was going to hit that in the next few months to a year but to get to 30% I would likely have to rebalance a bit more of my US stock admiral funds into my International stock admiral fund. I was looking up articles to determine what percentage of International Equities one should hold and came across this 2012 Vanguard Research Called "Considerations for investing in non-US equities". https://personal.vanguard.com/pdf/icriecr.pdf Vanguard research suggests that while "As of December 31, 2011, U....