In my first post about life goals quotes, I discussed things that I needed to do but just hadn’t, because…. well….procrastination, I have to keep it real! But, I am most certainly in the holding myself accountable phase and wanted to report I have installed my chandeliers!! Up next, bathrooms and kitchen!
In my first life goals post, we started with small goals, but that phrase can be very intimidating. In America in general and the black community in specific, we are taught to be better. Not just better, but exceptional just so you can be on equal footing with your non-black counterparts because, well, we live in America.
This notion framed my professional development in my youth (my 20’s and early 30’s), as I am from the generation of the serious hustle! Nobody is going to do it for you, so get out there and make it happen! But I realized as I got older, I had no definitive goals for my life that I could articulate. I was always and forever grinding, without a clear path for the grind. It seems counterintuitive but all you grinders know what I am talking about, you just do!
Wisdom is a valuable teacher, the Bible has an entire book, Proverbs, dedicated to it. There is nothing like it. My wisdom is enhanced through prayer, intuition, and, paying attention. I realized I was on a hamster wheel. So, I began the journey toward #LifeGoals. What was I given this life for and how can I use it to move people and live this life to its fullest? If you sincerely and earnestly ask, The Father will answer. For me, the answer was entrepreneurship and sharing through that platform. That is my current big #LifeGoal and all roads lead to it!
I want to enrich our community with black homeownership so that we can all begin to share in the American dream! Homeownership is never out of reach, maybe you aren’t ready today, but you can be fully prepared for a year from now. It is all about preparation. That is what I do! I work with and prepare my clients for the now or later, whatever is best for you!
If we are so blessed to continue the journey, you most certainly don’t have to relegate yourself to one #LifeGoal. This is my current one not my last! What are your life goals? Share with the community, maybe you will spark someone else’s thought process as that is how the community works! Until next time.
As we go barreling through 2018, time is intent on trying to leave me behind with how fast it’s going by! I don’t know about you, but I find myself having to take stock of my next moves much more often than I used to. Time waits for no (wo)man and it certainly is not making any concessions for me; which brings me to #LifeGoals, listing all my life goals quotes this year and the years ahead!
Taking stock or evaluating your next moves doesn’t have to involve writing a business plan for your life. All your plans do not have to be on a 1 – 5-year track, short #LifeGoals are highly effective in helping one move forward in a very meaningful way. Take the lightning-fast summer approaching, what goals have you set for this time? This is the perfect opportunity to do things you’ve put off because you had it categorized under ‘ next year I will….’; no do it now!
Take that mini-vacation you‘ve been putting off but need desperately; take your kid(s) to that place they refuse to leave you alone about; read that book that’s been sitting on your nightstand for a year; pull your credit reports and review them. Completing these small tasks can get you to your final goal(s) surprisingly quickly and you don’t have to put them off or feel as if you don’t have time, just do it!
As for me, I am getting small projects in my house done that I haven’t done because I felt I needed to do the big things first. Well, I am certain you can guess, it hasn’t happened yet. So, I’m starting with my girls’ bathroom and my foyer chandelier, I am finally making headway toward my big house project, which is one of my biggest #LifeGoals!
What about you? Share your life goals quotes with us!
Have a great week and give us a shout with your questions/comments/inquiries customerservice@bascombrealestate.com.
Our weather gets a bad wrap up here in the Pacific Northwest. It seems the dreaded gray takes over a good portion of our time here! But this week has provided some much-needed sun (it is indeed spring in Seattle), along with longer days and the opportunity to get outdoors and see what our region has to offer.
Here are a few things you can get out and do now that the sun has reminded us it still cares:
2018 has served as a pivotal year in this country’s history. We mourned 50 years of the loss of a beloved leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act also known as the Fair Housing Act the same year just days after Dr. King’s murder. Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 was signed into law. This amendment “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin in housing sales, rentals or financing.”
Here in King County, we have seen monumental changes in housing, particularly in who owns their home and who doesn’t. Homeownership has always been the American way to build roots; wealth; legacy; and sustainability. But, how far have we come in 50 years in our community?
This graph only reinforces the importance of homeownership in a community. Some may think it is merely about buying a home, which is true in some cases. But, in reality, homeownership can be the single most important indicator of future health for you and your family. In what way? Just by owning your property. The term ‘asset poverty’ denotes a household’s inability to access wealth resources that are sufficient to provide basic needs in times of emergency for a period of three months.
This month, Bascomb Real Estate Group would like to continue the conversation around the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 and black homeownership in King County. We would like to talk about how we can begin a pendulum shift in our community around the barriers to reaching one of the most basic of American goals, owning your home.
If you’re currently renting and not certain if buying fits into your financial and/or life plans, here are just a few pros and cons for you to consider. Which best describes the benefit of renting a home?
Renting
Pros
Cons
Average rent in King County for 2 bedroom apartment – $1,750*
If you’re owning a property, the following should be noted.
Owning
Pros
Cons
In conclusion, there are ways to identify which best describes the benefit of renting a home, or buying one. Both have their pros and cons, but at the end of the day, your financial situation will decide what’s best for you at the time being.
Average mortgage in King County for 2 bedroom condo – $1,268**
Gives us a call to discuss your specific situation to determine if it is a good time for you to buy!
We hope our series on credit was helpful during Open Forum Wednesday, as always do not hesitate to reach out and ask any questions regarding the series and your credit. Now in this article, we will talk about DIY home renovation.
This week we are focusing on homeowners and providing a few tips for upgrading your home on a budget. When you have been in your home for some time, and even if you are a new homeowner, there may be some changes you want to make but you feel like you can’t afford it. For those of us who can’t quite pull off a $50K upgraded kitchen yet, there are other options that are surprisingly cheap and easy to do. When I first purchased my recent home, I switched out all the hardware on the cabinets and drawers in my kitchen to flow with the new appliances I had installed. It gave my kitchen a fresher look and cost me less than $100.
If you are good with paint or have friends who enjoy it, throw a paint party and give a room a facelift, or paint the trims and doors throughout the house. Window coverings can also be changed on a budget, a curtain rod and some new curtains can liven up any room and can be purchased for a few hundred dollars depending on the number of windows. The list goes on, but we want to hear from you! Gives us and the community some ideas for easy/inexpensive home upgrades. Visit our Facebook Page to interact more with us.
As a member of the National Associations of Real Estate Brokers, I am pleased to share one of the many great initiatives currently launched by NAREB, the 2 Million in 5 Initiative (2MN5). This initiative focuses on 2 million new black homeowners nationwide in 5 years. It was created out of a response to the State of Housing in Black America report that discusses the stark difference in homeownership rates between blacks and whites. The current disparity (42% black vs 71% white) is yet another indicator of the inequities faced by black Americans but provides an amazing opportunity to be a part of this lofty objective proposed by NAREB.
Visit the NAREB website to learn more about 2MN5. You can read the report on the state of black homeownership and the objectives set by the organization to support NAREB’s motto of ‘Democracy in Housing’. In addition, you can read about why an increase in black homeownership matters. Contact Bascomb Real Estate Group to be 1 of the 2 million new black homeowners by 2023!
This Wednesday we are going to wrap up our discussion on first time homebuyer tax credit and cover the do’s and don’ts around your credit when purchasing.
DO’s:
1. Pull your credit to see where you stand, every consumer in America is entitled to a free credit report every year www.annualcreditreport.com.
2. Contact a credit repair company if you feel you need a little extra help (we have great referrals).
3. Contact the three bureaus – Experian, Trans Union & Equifax if you find an error to begin making corrections.
4. Pay all your credit lines and loans on time.
5. As questions of your real estate broker and/or lender if you are unsure.
DON’Ts:
1. Have your credit pulled (inquiries) for any reason while you are purchasing a home, only your lender should be accessing your credit during this time.
2. Open new accounts of any kind for any reason.
3. Buy any large items either using your credit (auto loan purchase); or your current credit cards or lines (large purchase charged on your account). Wait until your transaction is closed and you have your keys in hand before making any purchases.
4. Pay your bills late.
5. Co-sign for anyone for anything, this will end up on your credit report.
6. Use Your Credit During Your Purchase!
We hope this segment was useful, if you have any questions about first time homebuyer tax credit feel free to leave a message in the comments section or shoot us an email at customerservice@bascombrealestate.com. Have a great week!
This week we are going to continue our conversation around your credit. As discussed last week, if you are in the market to buy now, very soon, or sometime in the future, it is wise to start here. Let’s talk about credit tradelines.
Your credit mix is also important when a lender is reviewing your qualifications to buy a home. Just having the right credit score will not guarantee approval, your credit mix is just as important. The term ‘credit mix’ encompasses the items that make up your credit as well as the age of your credit report.
Your credit tradelines are very important; generally speaking, a good mix is 2 – 3 unsecured tradelines lines, i.e. credit cards, lines of credit etc….; 1 – 2 installment loan(s), i.e. a car loan and/or fixed rate loan with the occasional student loan mixed in for a good number of us! For your credit lines, you should try and keep your balances at 30% of the line amounts. An example of this is if you have a credit card with a limit of $2,000, you want to keep the balance at no more than $600 while you are shopping for a home.
The age of your report is also important, you may have a great score and all the tradelines lines needed, but if your credit is only 1 year old, additional questions may be asked. To verify your credit age, confirm how old your oldest tradeline is, that will determine the age of your credit. Until next Wednesday, have a great week!
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