Search found 366 matches

by Bud
Sun Mar 10, 2024 7:58 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: To sell or not, that is the question?
Replies: 5
Views: 871

Re: To sell or not, that is the question?

I own several similar rentals and have owned index funds for 25 years.

When I sell a rental, some questions for me are:
- how will the money from the sale be used?
- Is there a better opportunity for the proceeds?
- Is the liquidity of the extra funds needed?
- Do you enjoy managing the rental?
- Are there better time investments instead of managing the rental?
- Is passive investing better than active property management at this point?

Money is a median of exchange so I find it helpful to think about what the sales proceeds will be exchanged for that will better my and my family's situation.

All the best.
by Bud
Mon Jan 01, 2024 9:31 pm
Forum: US Chapters
Topic: What's changed in the last 10 years Bogleheads?
Replies: 279
Views: 57022

Re: What's changed in the last 10 years Bogleheads?

There are a couple of changes in the forums that I have notice (apologizes if someone already commented about this.) One is that that many newer posters do not seem to be familiar with Mr. Bogle's writings, they are only familiar with low-cost index fund investing. You can check all of Mr. Bogle's papers, articles, and more here https://boglecenter.net/bogle-archive/ . Another is that there seems to be a lack of familiarity with financial literature in general that appeared to be common knowledge to many posters here at one time. You can see a list of recommend books here. https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Book_recommendations_and_reviews I am deeply grateful for the Bogleheads since I discovered this group in 2000-2001. I followed silently f...
by Bud
Thu Dec 07, 2023 8:09 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Is 2 hours enough to clear customs and make flight in Atlanta?
Replies: 39
Views: 6723

Re: Is 2 hours enough to clear customs and make flight in Atlanta?

Download and use the Mobile Passport Control (MPC) app - it will speed your way through customs. I have experienced where using MPC gets me through faster than the global entry line.

All the best.
by Bud
Wed Dec 06, 2023 3:27 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fractional Real Estate Ownership - Thoughts?
Replies: 95
Views: 12285

Re: Fractional Real Estate Ownership - Thoughts?

A few thoughts... Do not buy a fractional share - I did this, and sold out 18 months later and never regretted it. Instead of using VRBO, google "Lake Tahoe short term rental." Many owners who list on VRBO or ABB have their own websites. Going direct you can save 25-50%. What's the difference? Nothing. Same place, same service. Whaat about insurance or fraud? Well, if they are listed on VRBO or ABB, they are vetted and the possibilities of problems with either of those areas is minimal. All the best. Your bought a fractional through Pacaso? What were the main issues that caused you to sell it? Did you resell it for more, less or about the same that you bought it for? No, not through Pacaso. It was a private LLC and sold it for a ...
by Bud
Tue Dec 05, 2023 7:24 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Fractional Real Estate Ownership - Thoughts?
Replies: 95
Views: 12285

Re: Fractional Real Estate Ownership - Thoughts?

A few thoughts...

Do not buy a fractional share - I did this, and sold out 18 months later and never regretted it.

Instead of using VRBO, google "Lake Tahoe short term rental." Many owners who list on VRBO or ABB have their own websites. Going direct you can save 25-50%. What's the difference? Nothing. Same place, same service. Whaat about insurance or fraud? Well, if they are listed on VRBO or ABB, they are vetted and the possibilities of problems with either of those areas is minimal.

All the best.
by Bud
Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:39 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: What's the easiest way to donate appreciated shares to a non-profit?
Replies: 9
Views: 1296

Re: What's the easiest way to donate appreciated shares to a non-profit?

MrJones wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:25 am
jebmke wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:19 am Right. The mechanics is their issue to solve. If they won’t open a brokerage account they might check with a community foundation about a pass through account. The foundation will certainly have a brokerage account but will take a small cut for the transaction..
Good question, will ask.
Many non-profits have provided ways for people to donate shares because it is so common. When I donated shares, the website provided the information and forms. If the information is not on their website, contact the non-profit directly.

All the best.
by Bud
Fri Aug 25, 2023 2:38 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: VNQ at the same level as in 2014! what’s the point of REITS ?
Replies: 135
Views: 14261

Re: VNQ at the same level as in 2014! what’s the point of REITS ?

A few observations in reading this thread:

REITs are considered an asset class, not a sector
sectors within REITs are medical properties, long-term care facilities, residential, multifamily housing, hospitality, etc.

Volatility actually increases returns for DCAing over the long-term.

As a holder and DCAer of Vanguard REITs since 2002, my personal experience is that it has outperformed the S&P 500.

All the best.
by Bud
Mon Aug 21, 2023 6:16 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: REALLY thinking of selling rental property
Replies: 20
Views: 3250

Re: REALLY thinking of selling rental property

What Sandtrap said...

If you think you should sell, 99.9% of the time, you should sell.

All the best.
by Bud
Tue May 23, 2023 5:06 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Where do you store your valuables in a AirBnB?
Replies: 28
Views: 3644

Re: Where do you store your valuables in a AirBnB?

As an Airbnb host, our guest's have exclusive access to their space during their stay - no cleaners, no one else entering their apartment during the guest's stay. If the place you are staying has a 4.96 rating, your do not need to be concerned about the host. Just a few "1" ratings can crater a property rating quickly and any theft, 'shadiness' or lack of ability to create a safe property on the part of the host generally gets many low ratings. Also, Airbnb as a corporation would normally ban a host from their platform if a guest had a substantiated complaint of theft by a host. However, there is no way to guarantee against an exceptional event such a break-in - just like a hotel or your own home. If you have something valuable, h...
by Bud
Tue May 09, 2023 9:05 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Property auction due to non-payment of property taxes
Replies: 22
Views: 2582

Re: Property auction due to non-payment of property taxes

I do a bit of buying and selling of my own real estate and enjoy looking for 'off-beat' deals.

That being said, I also have a real estate lawyer I do not hesitate to go to - investing $250-1000 for a lawyer (depending on complexity), even if it is only for a conversation or to look some documents over, is a very minor cost in relationship to most deals. in my case, often one hour of conversation is worth 10-20 hours of internet searches.

Invest money on a conversation with a lawyer and go with all your questions ready - all the best.
by Bud
Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:32 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Does Anyone Else Apply Graham's Value Principles to Mutual Funds?
Replies: 43
Views: 2728

Re: Does Anyone Else Apply Graham's Value Principles to Mutual Funds?

however, for those who understand that asset classes have reversion to the mean, then it can be used to invest in under performing asset classes with the expectation that they will revert to the mean, or over perform in the future. In other words, the concept that is suggested here is a combination of the Callan table with Bogle's reversion to the mean (RTM). You can think of this strategy as "anti-chasing performance" or "chasing under performance". Bogle and Callan are only talking about indexes and asset classes, not sectors or individual stocks or managed funds. I think reversion to mean is a dangerous concept when it comes to asset classes, and especially to stock sectors. There is nothing in finance that predicate...
by Bud
Mon Apr 24, 2023 6:33 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Does Anyone Else Apply Graham's Value Principles to Mutual Funds?
Replies: 43
Views: 2728

Re: Does Anyone Else Apply Graham's Value Principles to Mutual Funds?

Wonderful! So glad I posted this question to get your response. But how do I read/use this periodic table. Does anyone else do this? I wonder if there is a primer how to use Graham's metrics to mutual funds. Yes, I do something similar but use the Callan Periodic table to find the undervalued asset class. https://www.callan.com/periodic-table/ Graham's metrics were not designed for mutual funds so it does not seem appropriate to apply them as such. However if there is data that examines the use of Graham's metrics for mutual funds, it would be interesting to read. There is data for Callan's periodic chart as a way to invest in out-of-favor asset classes. I do not have the data handy however the conclusion is that investing in the out-of-fa...
by Bud
Sun Apr 23, 2023 8:39 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Does Anyone Else Apply Graham's Value Principles to Mutual Funds?
Replies: 43
Views: 2728

Re: Does Anyone Else Apply Graham's Value Principles to Mutual Funds?

Does anyone else do this? I wonder if there is a primer how to use Graham's metrics to mutual funds. Yes, I do something similar but use the Callan Periodic table to find the undervalued asset class. https://www.callan.com/periodic-table/ Graham's metrics were not designed for mutual funds so it does not seem appropriate to apply them as such. However if there is data that examines the use of Graham's metrics for mutual funds, it would be interesting to read. There is data for Callan's periodic chart as a way to invest in out-of-favor asset classes. I do not have the data handy however the conclusion is that investing in the out-of-favor asset classes provides out performance over the long run. It also has worked in my situation. All the b...
by Bud
Fri Apr 21, 2023 7:32 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 60/40 stocks/bonds vs 70/30 stocks/cash
Replies: 33
Views: 4865

Re: 60/40 stocks/bonds vs 70/30 stocks/cash

Good morning - lots of discussion which is good. However, some of the discussion misses the point of the post - the point of the post in not backtesting, although the fact that historical periods exist when a 75%stock/25%cash outperformed 60%stock/40% bond with less volatility is meaningful. Rather the point of the post was to find a link to research which discusses the advantages of a stock & cash portfolio over a stock & bond portfolio. In other words, the goal is not opinion, but evidence based investing. Those articles were uncovered and are mentioned below. At no time was it suggested that while a stock/cash portfolio may be optimal for some situations that therefore it is optimal for everyone in every situation. All the best. ...
by Bud
Tue Apr 18, 2023 4:42 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 60/40 stocks/bonds vs 70/30 stocks/cash
Replies: 33
Views: 4865

Re: 60/40 stocks/bonds vs 70/30 stocks/cash

Are you talking about Peter Bernstein? https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=301771 His suggestion was 75/25 not 70/30 though (not that that's a huge difference). Thank you, your post provided the clues to the article. Here is the link for anyone interested. https://www.andersongriggs.com/our-letters-to-clients/-a-bond-free-portfolio-why-cash-should-replace-bonds-to-reduce-risk-and-improve-returns Here is a link to a discussion of this topic on these boards. https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=228900 The original article by Peter Bernstein is How True Are the Tried Principles? which appeared in the March/April 1989 edition of Investment Management Review. He may also bring this topic up in his book Against the Gods ...
by Bud
Mon Apr 17, 2023 9:53 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: 60/40 stocks/bonds vs 70/30 stocks/cash
Replies: 33
Views: 4865

60/40 stocks/bonds vs 70/30 stocks/cash

Several years ago, there was an academic paper which showed that a portfolio of 70% S&P 500 and 30% cash has less volatility and better performance than a portfolio of 60% S&P 500 and 40% Total Bond. Portfolio Visualizer demonstrates this reality. https://www.portfoliovisualizer.com/backtest-portfolio?s=y&timePeriod=4&startYear=1985&firstMonth=1&endYear=2023&lastMonth=12&calendarAligned=true&includeYTD=false&initialAmount=10000&annualOperation=0&annualAdjustment=0&inflationAdjusted=true&annualPercentage=0.0&frequency=4&rebalanceType=1&absoluteDeviation=5.0&relativeDeviation=25.0&leverageType=0&leverageRatio=0.0&debtAmount=0&debtInterest=0.0&maintenan...
by Bud
Tue Apr 11, 2023 7:11 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Sell, rent or hold?
Replies: 8
Views: 755

Re: Sell, rent or hold?

In your situation, you probably want to spend more time in ND before making a major life decision. Sometimes we just know, but often it is good to have a longer experience, especially when thinking about where you may want to buy a home.

But, you probably could do option 1 or 2. If you do 2, used https://www.furnishedfinder.com/ which rents to professionals like yourself.

All the best.
by Bud
Mon Apr 03, 2023 7:49 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Supporting a Grandnephew's College Education w/o Deincentivizing his Parents??
Replies: 81
Views: 7910

Re: Supporting a Grandnephew's College Education w/o Deincentivizing his Parents??

A few options & suggestions (echoing some of what has been stated): - match what the parents give - find a way to include his parents in the discussion as a first/early step. Do not ask about the parents plans to finance college, tell them you would like to help and you would like to find a way to do that with them. - provide gifts equal to 50% of the state university tuition (or some percentage) - provide a gift based on GPA (this is what we did with our children. They can select their university, we provide 50% annually of the state based university tuition if they keep their GPA over 3.5, 37.5% over 3.0 and 25% over 2.5GPA and nothing for a lower GPA. Not saying this is perfect or even close to what is correct for you, just this is w...
by Bud
Sun Apr 02, 2023 7:36 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Cash or Mortgage?
Replies: 6
Views: 1058

Re: Cash or Mortgage?

I would suggest you at least attempt to get a mortgage through a local bank or connection. The one late payment vs 700+ FICO scores means you should shop around for a mortgage. For people in your situation, one possible scenario you may want to consider is paying 50-60% cash, paying the mortgage at an accelerated rate, and then if you desire, paying off in full in 3-4 years. You can also get loans in other ways, using your business as collateral for example. Having 80% of your net worth in a house is a concern, but your income rate and expected savings will quickly change that percentage if you decide to pay cash. In the end, you should move if it impacts your family's health in a positive way and you have several possible options. All the ...
by Bud
Fri Mar 31, 2023 4:55 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Investing in Japan from 1991 to Today
Replies: 70
Views: 9876

Re: Investing in Japan from 1991 to Today

One note about the Japanese Nikkei Index is that very few people would have invested a lump sum at the apex of that market in 1989. Noting that it is lower today than in 1991 really only says one thing about a single metric. There are many reasons that Japan is very different than the United States financially and economically which should be considered in a comparison of markets and possible outcomes (growing vs static population, population age, natural resources, incentives to innovate, gov't intervention, etc). More importantly, if a person had DCA monthly into the Nikkei index since 1991, they would be ahead by a significant factor. This is important to note because this is the way many, maybe most, people invest. The link below explai...
by Bud
Tue Mar 28, 2023 3:09 pm
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Modest Home Loan Mortgage - Banks - Credit Unions - Mortgage Brokers
Replies: 6
Views: 628

Re: Modest Home Loan Mortgage - Banks - Credit Unions - Mortgage Brokers

I worked with a local bank which keeps all loans under $250k in house (they do not sell the loans). This allows them leeway in rates and qualifying terms and also to work with those who have a bank relationship with them.

You may want to see if there is a local bank in your area which does this. This would be a bank or credit union with their local headquarters in your town or near where you intend to buy.

All the best.
by Bud
Mon Mar 27, 2023 8:12 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: WSJ article on retiring with less than $1 million
Replies: 217
Views: 28219

Re: WSJ article on retiring with less than $1 million

In the United States, 8.8% of the population are millionaires Globally, 1.1% of the population are millionaires https://www.zippia.com/advice/millionaire-statistics/ Retiring with a million dollars is outside the realm of possibility for the majority of people. It seems lifestyle creep is a major enemy to retiring within your means. Culturally, the normalization of excessive consumption creates pressure on Gen Z - cost of living is their primary concern. https://www.deloitte.com/content/dam/assets-shared/docs/deloitte-2022-genz-millennial-survey.pdf As a parent of four Gen Z children, it is rewarding to demonstrate simplicity in life and contentment within my means, not only to to my children, but to their peers. “Wealth consists not in hav...
by Bud
Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:32 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Would you buy a house for 615k if you were us? UPDATE: under contract
Replies: 99
Views: 10921

Re: Would you buy a house for 615k if you were us?

I'd wait 2 years. In that 2 years I would pay the new house payment for the current house. This tells you 1. Do you want to put that much towards house 2. Likely at lower rate right now so extra payment goes further 3. Will you have kid 3 4. Kids are 2 or more years from school. If private school doesn't need as nice a school district vs public. Also will 1 or more kids have dyslexia or adhd which can effect school choice. 5. Work from home might or might not be permanent. The next 2 years will tell Definitely understand this. We have been looking in this specific neighborhood for some time and are excited about this particular house/lot. We will take the school situation year by year. Both our current home and new home are in excellent pu...
by Bud
Wed Mar 08, 2023 7:22 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: MUST LISTEN "Bogleheads on Investing" podcast with financial historian Edward Chancellor
Replies: 165
Views: 22878

Re: MUST LISTEN "Bogleheads on Investing" podcast with financial historian Edward Chancellor

I love Rick Ferri, but why is this a "must listen"? What actionable steps is someone like me (a set-it-and-forget-it Boglehead style passive investor) supposed to take from it? I mostly lurk on this board but the more I read, the more anxious/frustrated I get when I see topics that make me question my Boglehead approach. The more time I spend reading this board, the more I think I'd be better off staying away from here and just go about living my life, and only come on here when I have specific financial questions. Does anyone else feel the same way? Sorry for the rant, and no disrespect intended toward Mr. Ferri. I enjoyed the conversation immensely because Chancellor's analysis was based on centuries of data from markets around...
by Bud
Sun Mar 05, 2023 9:31 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Do you go for walks?
Replies: 175
Views: 17256

Re: Do you go for walks?

Yes to walking ...

I try to get in 8-10k/ steps per day with something longer on the weekends. Very enjoyable. Also one key factor in why my heartrate & blood pressure are in the good zone.

My walks alternate - some are listening to podcasts while others are 'quiet'.

All the best on your walks :).
by Bud
Wed Feb 15, 2023 8:14 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Investing in private companies
Replies: 5
Views: 1135

Re: Investing in private companies

Disclosure: Accredited investor with current holding in private company Private equity investing should be based on some degree of relationship. In your area, you should be able to find a a group of investors. This group will becomes colleagues and maybe friends in private equity investing. You can google something like "angel investors ...." and replace the .... with the name of your state or city. In my Midwest state, there is an angel investing group in my mid-size city and two others larger cities within a few hour drive also have groups. Most firms who serve as middlemen need some percentage of your return to make money - very, very few are worth it. the challenge with a website like Hiive is private equity becomes consumer d...
by Bud
Thu Feb 09, 2023 7:11 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Amazon Credit Card & Chase app
Replies: 16
Views: 1520

Re: Amazon Credit Card & Chase app

I have had a chase/amazon card for years. I set up a chase.com acct to verify purchases & account balances.

All the best.
by Bud
Wed Feb 08, 2023 8:15 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: WWII Non-Fiction Book Recs
Replies: 103
Views: 8043

Re: WWII Non-Fiction Book Recs

I would add Rick Atkinson's trilogy:
An Army at Dawn
The Day of Battle
The Guns at Light

These cover the US participation in WW2 from the first landing in Africa thru Germany's surrender. Well written and highly detailed.
by Bud
Tue Feb 07, 2023 6:09 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Worth the risk? High Yield Junk = 13.29%
Replies: 58
Views: 5669

Re: Worth the risk? High Yield Junk = 13.29%

ChinchillaWhiplash wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2023 5:45 pm Side question: how is NAV determined for a pot of not very liquid holdings and are the given numbers an accurate representation of their value :confused
NAV should use the best available information. For a mutual fund holding publicly traded companies, this value is relatively easy to assign. For holdings which are private or illiquid, the value is more difficult to find and there should be fiduciary discretion in assigning that value. However, the desire to attract investors can the cloud judgement of those responsible to assign that value.

All the best.
by Bud
Tue Feb 07, 2023 5:28 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Worth the risk? High Yield Junk = 13.29%
Replies: 58
Views: 5669

Re: Worth the risk? High Yield Junk = 13.29%

Previously I held a junk bond fund for 10-12 years, probably sold the last of it 10 years ago. The yield was nice, but the NAV was all over and in the end, my total return was less than a money market account over the same period. In short, NO, do not buy a high yielding fund. You might consider a high-yielding REIT as an alternative: https://www.suredividend.com/high-dividend-reits/ You can consider a safer list of REITs which provide lower dividends but better prospect of total returns: https://realmoney.thestreet.com/investing/reits/3-high-yield-reits-for-safe-dividend-income-16115226 You also may want to consider Berkshire Hathaway (BRK) which is selling at a 20% discount to NAV. These are not recommendations per se, but are some possib...
by Bud
Wed Feb 01, 2023 8:58 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Lowest cost of ownership car for 20k per year driver
Replies: 79
Views: 7767

Re: Lowest cost of ownership car for 20k per year driver

scot wrote: Tue Jan 31, 2023 6:01 pm
Bud wrote: Tue Jan 31, 2023 5:22 pm 2021 certified civic in my area, no accidents, 15k miles for $22k
2021 certified corolla, no accidents, 30k miles for $18k

Either gets 30mpg city/38mpg hwy

Can't go wrong with either one.

All the best.

Not sure where you are at, but not seeking anything in the 20k range. Everything is $25k plus and they are adding fees on top.
You can www.autotrader.com to search for car prices. There are other websites which also can be used to search for vehicles. On a large ticket item like a car, it is reasonable to widen the search area.

All the best.
by Bud
Wed Feb 01, 2023 7:06 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Buying property cash vs finance?
Replies: 6
Views: 754

Re: Buying property cash vs finance?

financing increases cost quite a bit, depending on many factors but you can liquidity which equals flexibility but more difficult to recoup all costs in the short-term with rising rates.

paying it yourself simplifies everything and makes your breakeven point lower.

all the best.
by Bud
Tue Jan 31, 2023 5:22 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Lowest cost of ownership car for 20k per year driver
Replies: 79
Views: 7767

Re: Lowest cost of ownership car for 20k per year driver

2021 certified civic in my area, no accidents, 15k miles for $22k
2021 certified corolla, no accidents, 30k miles for $18k

Either gets 30mpg city/38mpg hwy

Can't go wrong with either one.

All the best.
by Bud
Tue Jan 31, 2023 7:33 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Yet another ‘What car should I get?’ question (older Porsche)
Replies: 43
Views: 3455

Re: Yet another ‘What car should I get?’ question (older Porsche)

Disclosure... married, two kids at home. I have two cars - my wife has her car. I do not have the capacity to drive two vehicles. Unless you spend alot of time on the road, one of your cars may sit excessively.

Buy the nicest four door you can afford and sell the BMW - you want the Porsche, get the Porsche. If it was me, well personally, I would look at an Audi A7 or A8.

All the best and enjoy your new ride :).
by Bud
Thu Jan 26, 2023 9:01 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Which do you think is the better investment: real estate or the stock market?
Replies: 141
Views: 15050

Re: Which do you think is the better investment: real estate or the stock market?

Background: Vanguard index fund investor for over 20 years Real Estate investor for over 20 years Asking which is the better investment is not a good question. They serve very different purposes. If you want to DCA, you are best served with index funds. Real estate, even raw real estate, is a job. I have been involved with a spectrum of real estate activities which include rental properties, short-term rentals, subdividing real estate, real estate development, and owning farm land. None of these should be compared to owning an index fund. Just like any business owner, my investment into my business of real estate has involved sweat equity. My real estate investments have flourished. So have my index funds. At no point did I think of swappin...
by Bud
Thu Jan 26, 2023 7:25 am
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best Way to Obtain Honest Coin, Bill and Stamp Appraisal
Replies: 20
Views: 2276

Re: Best Way to Obtain Honest Coin, Bill and Stamp Appraisal

Thank you all for your input.

In doing a bit of research, came across this website which lists ten websites on which to sell coins.

https://wellkeptwallet.com/sell-coins-online/

After doing a bit of research, I will inventory mine and attempt to sell online. There seems to be some valuable pieces in this collection.

All the best.
by Bud
Wed Jan 25, 2023 9:01 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: Best Way to Obtain Honest Coin, Bill and Stamp Appraisal
Replies: 20
Views: 2276

Re: Best Way to Obtain Honest Coin, Bill and Stamp Appraisal

I am following because I am in a similar position.
by Bud
Tue Jan 24, 2023 2:26 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Total Bond Index question- does it act like a bond ladder?
Replies: 60
Views: 10592

Re: Vanguard Total Bond Index question- does it act like a bond ladder?

jdamo wrote: Tue Jan 24, 2023 2:06 pm Would it be better for the individual investor following the 3-Fund approach that the Vanguard Total Bond Index ,VBTLX, kept their bonds to maturity?
Then you would always get your principal back plus the coupon at the time the Bond Fund bought the bond.....
It has about a 69% turnover every year it said when I first started the thread...I haven't checked recently....
You should have a clear reason to use bond ladder instead of a bond mutual fund. Personally, I have never bought individual bonds and have no plans to buy them. If you can clearly discern that the ladder will provide something the mutual fund doesn't, then buy a ladder.

All the best.
by Bud
Fri Jan 06, 2023 8:54 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Faster mortgage paydown?
Replies: 20
Views: 1875

Re: Faster mortgage paydown?

Yes, keep your mortgage. I really do not like debt, but at 2.55% fixed, it makes sense to put that extra money in a MMA, CD or T-bonds.

All the best.
by Bud
Wed Jan 04, 2023 7:00 am
Forum: Personal Finance (Not Investing)
Topic: Collecting rent via Zelle and 1099K
Replies: 5
Views: 1489

Re: Collecting rent via Zelle and 1099K

No, you should not need a 1099K.

If you report all rent you receive appropriately, you should be fine. In my case, I receive rent via Zelle, Venmo, Paypal, and the old fashion way, $$$. Just be sure to report it and keep the appropriate support documents. At some point, you will want to hire a qualified tax accountant to make sure your tax's are done correctly.

All the best.
by Bud
Thu Dec 15, 2022 7:48 am
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Investment options for down-payment on home
Replies: 10
Views: 1155

Re: Investment options for down-payment on home

If your time horizon is less than a year, Vanguard Money Market account. The money market is already earning 3.75% SEC yield.

You may be able to squeeze a few more dollars out from other places, but the simplicity of the money market is nice.

All the best.
by Bud
Mon Dec 12, 2022 12:54 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Vanguard Total Bond Index question- does it act like a bond ladder?
Replies: 60
Views: 10592

Re: Vanguard Total Bond Index question- does it act like a bond ladder?

I have a Vanguard Total Bond Index Fund (VBTLX)question- does it act like a bond ladder? Since VBTLX has a 69% turnover every year and a average duration of 6.41 years, does it act like a bond ladder in a way as the interest rates rise and therefore cut the bond fund's losses we have experienced lately as the fund manager buys new bonds every year? (I can't seem to find the total bond index range of duration, just the average....) Is it a lazy person's bond ladder in a way? I'm trying to weigh staying with VBTLX vs say taking some % and buying 6 month Treasuries that are yielding ~4.5% now and likely to rise as the FED continues to raise rates into next year, and re-buying them as the curve goes up and stabilizes. No, it does not act as a ...
by Bud
Mon Dec 12, 2022 5:29 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Fundrise - Real Estate
Replies: 161
Views: 26295

Re: Fundrise - Real Estate

Tony, It is always good advice not to chase past performance. In any case, to expand a little on my reference to Portfolio Visualizer and the Callan Table - it is not an encouragement to chase past performance. In fact, these are helpful tools which can be used to find the asset allocation which works for you. They are helpful in understand asset class correlations and how to adjust your allocation over time. Mr Bogle's theory of reversion to the mean when implemented in tandem with these tools can help a person understand how indexes can be used in light of asset classes and correlation to increase gains. Rick Ferri (among others) has written a book about some of these ideas. https://rickferri.com/books/all-about-asset-allocation/ All the ...
by Bud
Sun Dec 11, 2022 6:00 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Fundrise - Real Estate
Replies: 161
Views: 26295

Re: Fundrise - Real Estate

Can I pick your brain on VNQI or international real estate? It seems to be a value trap and VNQ seems to have companies branching out globally the last few years as well so I'm hesitant to hold it. Have you ever chosen to invest in it? [/quote] Trance, Glad to help if I can... You mentioned VNQI as a value trap - not sure what you mean. But, personally, I believe that the diversification of revenue within US companies is sufficient in the global markets to diminish any benefit from investing in an international fund. It is also apparent that the combination of differing accounting standards, gov't oversight (or lack thereof) and a range of government intervention/involvement in the markets creates issues that do not make it worthwhile to in...
by Bud
Sun Dec 11, 2022 4:50 pm
Forum: Personal Consumer Issues
Topic: My Mint Mobile Experience... Terrible!!!!!! What has your experience been?
Replies: 59
Views: 9740

Re: My Mint Mobile Experience... Terrible!!!!!! What has your experience been?

Just switched to Mint Mobile recently - we had two lines on Straight Talk (Walmart) for years because they were low cost and provide good service.
Had the kids on Cricket mobile because of cost.

But Mint is less expensive and provides better service so far. Only downside was they do not provide a reciept, they only show the charge on the credit card, which is weird.
Currently have 5 lines on the family plan and pay for it annually.
by Bud
Thu Dec 08, 2022 10:13 pm
Forum: Personal Investments
Topic: Real estate - what would you do?
Replies: 6
Views: 1466

Re: Real estate - what would you do?

Yes, your question it is broad - here is a practical suggestion and what I would tell a good friend if they asked me this question: - real estate rental property is a job, not a passive investment. Do you want another job? - real estate pricing is not transparent, there can be many hidden costs beside the initial cost of the property - real estate is not liquid, there can be significant lag between when you want to sell and when you actually sell You need to decide, do you want a job managing property? This isn't for everyone. You can make money, but you need to do the work and this is especially true in the current market. You need to track prices of comparable properties for at least six months before buying something. I suggest you put y...
by Bud
Thu Dec 08, 2022 7:50 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: WSJ: Public REITs Are Down, Nontraded REITs Are Up. Which Is Right?
Replies: 67
Views: 8648

Re: WSJ: Public REITs Are Down, Nontraded REITs Are Up. Which Is Right?

https://www.wsj.com/articles/public-reits-are-down-nontraded-reits-are-up-which-is-right-11667171717 Public REITs Are Down, Nontraded REITs Are Up. Which Is Right? Private funds price themselves, raising concerns that they are overvalued Oct. 31, 2022 6:54 am ET It has been a terrible year for many publicly traded real-estate investments as rising interest rates and falling property prices hit the market. The MSCI US REIT Index, which tracks publicly traded REITs, is down about 26% this year. But it has been a strong year for a type of investment especially popular with individuals: nontraded real-estate investment trusts. Some of these funds have returned about 10%. The difference worries some investors—and it could cause losses for those...
by Bud
Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:52 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Fundrise - Real Estate
Replies: 161
Views: 26295

Re: Fundrise - Real Estate

Joining the party late here and after reading the thread, have a couple of comments & observations. First, I am not investor in Fundrise but I have invested in VNQ or its mutual fund equivalent for more than 20 years. I also invest in real estate. - 2017 to present is a period of rapidly rising (the most rapid?) real estate prices in recent history - volatility works in your favor when you DCA - my investments in Vanguard REITs has outperformed the S&P 500 index over the last 20 years (which obviously includes 2008-09) - Higher expenses create tremendous friction on the rails of performance - It becomes more difficult to outperform or maintain performance as a fund or company grows - It is increasingly difficult for a managed fund t...
by Bud
Sat Dec 03, 2022 7:58 am
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Current real estate cap rates
Replies: 7
Views: 1109

Re: Current real estate cap rates

If I did this, I'd probably go unleveraged. Not sure what a high enough cap rate is to get me interested. I like the approach of Bud of buying a slightly run-down property and then renovating it. I think I'd like the actual task of renovation, and yeah, doing that probably juices the returns, though you should reasonably account for your time and $$$ to do the reno. Unleveraged is a good move - reduces risk. When I think about whether do do work myself or hire someone to do the work on rehabbing a property, `some questions I ask myself: a) will I enjoy doing the work? b) will I learn anything doing the work? c) do I already have the expertise to do the work? d) are my kids (friends or extended family) interested in this project? e) how muc...
by Bud
Fri Dec 02, 2022 12:45 pm
Forum: Investing - Theory, News & General
Topic: Current real estate cap rates
Replies: 7
Views: 1109

Re: Current real estate cap rates

Real estate is is not an efficient or transparent market and investor have a range of reasons for purchasing in their location so cap rates will vary. You need to decide what is satisfactory return for you in your situation. Here are a few more thoughts - Because cap rate considers the current market value as one of the components, it loses validity in a market of rapidly rising real estate prices or in a general inflationary environment. Personally, my preference is to buy beaten down properties that need capital investment. This has provided me not only good cap rates (10-14%) but also healthy unrealized capital gains. This is in a LCOL midwest city. Recently I purchased a multifamily unit and the current cap rate is about 6-7%. However a...