Tag: Retirement Planning
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Cashing in the Deed and Moving to Retire
A deed is a key asset as you approach retirement. If you opt to sell your home, you’ll have the equity at your fingertips. You might opt to downsize, or you might decide to rent at a retirement community, or move downtown for the culture and convenience. Here are a few points to consider—and an…
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HECM: Can It Ease a Senior’s Financial Stress?
A home equity conversion mortgage (HECM) is a lesser-known financial tool designed for seasoned deed holders. At essence, it’s a reverse mortgage. Backed by the FHA, it allows qualified seniors to reach some of their home equity while holding onto the home.
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A New Century’s American Dream: Holding a Deed, or Retiring Early?
The world has changed. Work is increasingly automated, and jobs aren’t guaranteed. Property values are high. Could early retirement be taking homeownership’s place at the core of the American Dream? In previous generations, secure careers underpinned the dream of holding a deed. Financial independence was not as urgent when a career and retirement were predictable.…
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If the Fed Keeps Up the Rate Cuts, More Seniors Will Open HELOCs in 2026
For a great many seniors, home equity is up. And as interest rates are easing (a little), home equity borrowing is likely to get (a little) cheaper. Tens of millions of seniors could be tempted to take out lines of credit on their homes. They’ll then invest money into bucket-list projects, like major home updates.…
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Financial Planning for Deed Holders: Keep the Mortgage?
Some deed holders, hoping to pay their loans down early, send extra money toward their mortgage principal each month. Why are they eager to pay down a mortgage balance faster than the loan agreement requires? Is that the best approach from a financial planning standpoint? Here, we go through some factors that prompt some deed…
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Thinking of Downsizing? Consider Costs Along With Benefits.
Thinking of downsizing? For some deed holders, it’s a fantastic choice. Just be sure you’re on the lookout for unexpected costs in today’s housing market. Here, we go through some scenarios so you can spot potential issues related to moving into a smaller place. Don’t let them catch you by surprise.
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“The Senior Living Market Can’t Keep Up With Demand”: A Deed May Be the Best Senior Living Plan
In a recent issue of the CNBC Property Play newsletter, Diana Olick wrote that older adult living is “on the edge of a boom — a baby boom, to be exact.” Between today and 2030, more than 4 million baby boomers will reach the age of 80. Can active adult and assisted living properties climb…
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Seniors Say: Why We Buy, and What We Look for in Real Estate
The average age of a first-time home buyer keeps getting higher. The trend has turned into a tectonic shift. Today, it’s not the slightest bit unusual for a buyer to reach 55+ before getting that first deed. You or someone you know may be in this position, and it might help you to know you’re…
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The Compass Real Estate Company Is About to Open a New Division Just for Boomers
Compass is launching a new division to guide and serve senior clients. The agents who sign up will be certified by the Society of Certified Senior Advisors. Here’s the latest.
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Selling the Family Home to Fund Retirement: Get It Done in 5 Steps
Thinking about the financial and practical aspects of selling your family home to fund your retirement? Wondering where to even begin? It’s a major milestone. And it’s best approached one step at a time. Here are the steps in the process of navigating the real estate market as a senior, selling your home and starting…
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Is Buying a Home a Path to Financial Freedom? (Is the Answer Changing?)
For most U.S. deed holders, a home is at the core of their retirement wealth. So, does that make buying a home a path to financial independence? It certainly can be, although the calculus is changing.
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Reverse Mortgage Scams? What Seniors Need to Know.
If you or someone you care about is 62+, you’ll know it’s important to avoid sketchy financial offers targeting older adults. But what about reverse mortgages? From time to time, media outlets point to scams or high-pressure tactics involving reverse mortgages. And it’s true that reverse mortgages are designed for senior homeowners. But are these…
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What’s Best in Retirement: Owning or Renting?
To transfer the deed or keep the deed? That is the question. And it tends to come up when retirement age approaches. This phase of life often involves downsizing — to lower the household tax, insurance, and maintenance costs. Paying off the home mortgage can net longtime owners enough to unlock some great options. Rent…
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Unlocking Your Home’s Equity Without Selling: A Guide for Retirees
Options at Retirement Age and Earlier The closer we get to retirement age, the more we start thinking about how to avoid pulling from our retirement accounts too early or too much. For many homeowners, home equity is starting to look like a key retirement planning resource. What’s the best way to tap into it?…
