kristinehayes2014

Comments

• "Yeah, ok, it’s true, I have little patience for people like this."  Can I suggest you take a break from social media? I don't really think you are doing anything good for yourself or for those you think you are 'educating'.

  Post: Seniors are a frustrating lot. Here’s why…IMO

  Link to comment from October 29, 2025

• The Portland Oregon real estate market was good to me, for sure. My first house was purchased for $62,500. Sold five years later for $120,000. Second house (located five blocks away from the first house) was purchased for $173,000 and sold for $420,000 about twelve years later. Third house was the one I wrote about. I occasionally look at all of them via Zillow. The first house is now worth $394,000. The second one is estimated to be worth $650,000. And the third one, the one for sale right now, just sits there, apparently worth at least $100,000 less than it was three years ago...

  Post: Luck, Timing and Not Following the Rules

  Link to comment from October 21, 2025

• I think it's a more common term for government employees. My husband has a 'deferred comp' account (he was a deputy sheriff) and I know I was eligible to contribute to one when I was a state employee. It's actually one of the first financial terms I became acquainted with.

  Post: Luck, Timing and Not Following the Rules

  Link to comment from October 21, 2025

• I was so worried that housing values would crash before I could sell that I contacted a real estate agent in January of 2022, almost six months before I would actually retire. I didn't think there was any way I could list/sell the home until after we moved out (in June of 2022). The real estate agent assured me that the market was so hot, anything would be possible via negotiations. He advised me to list it in March--which I did. And, sure enough, everything was negotiable. We got to stay in the house for 2+ months rent-free. I can't imagine we'll ever have another real estate market like the one that existed during 2020-2022, but never say never...

  Post: Luck, Timing and Not Following the Rules

  Link to comment from October 21, 2025

• When we purchased our 'retirement' home in 2019, we only put a 10% down payment on it as we still had a mortgage on our Oregon home at the time. We wanted to get a home purchased before real estate values got so high that we'd get priced out of the market. The values of houses rapidly increased shortly after we purchased the house. By 2021 we had enough equity in the home to apply to have the private mortgage insurance we were paying (about $70/month) removed. I assumed we'd have to pay for an appraisal but the mortgage company didn't require it. They had a real estate agent write up a report on local home values and accepted that.

  Post: Luck, Timing and Not Following the Rules

  Link to comment from October 21, 2025

• That's a great example of timing and luck! My husband and I purchased our retirement home in 2019 because we sensed the real estate market was about to explode. We were able to get a 3.5% mortgage and I'm so glad we did!

  Post: Luck, Timing and Not Following the Rules

  Link to comment from October 20, 2025

• Yes--and take the dog with you. It will hopefully help both of you sleep a little more!

  Post: MONTH TWO AND ITS NOT GOING WELL

  Link to comment from October 20, 2025

• Thank you--that's high praise here on HumbleDollar!

  Post: It is never too late. By Chris

  Link to comment from October 20, 2025

• When I reach Medicare age, my employer is supposed to offer me a monthly cash benefit (currently about $400, I think) that I can use to apply towards any Medigap coverage I want. We'll see if that benefit exists in a few years...

  Post: ACA Subsidies for Early Retirees

  Link to comment from October 19, 2025

• There's obviously no way of knowing if the benefit will eventually be done away with, but so far they seem to be standing behind it. They stopped offering the early retiree health care benefit I have around 2004 or so. The benefit current employees get is generous but not nearly as generous as the one I have. The college I worked for has an excellent "financial health" rating at the moment. I believe they have one of the largest endowments for a school their size. That said, I think college and universities will continue to close/consolidate at a rapid rate over the next decade or so. The 'enrollment cliff' is upon us and it seems like the desire to go to a traditional college is trending down.

  Post: ACA Subsidies for Early Retirees

  Link to comment from October 19, 2025