Archive for the 'Real Estate' Category

Using Home Equity as Retirement Plan

With real estate in a boom over the past few years, one thought that crosses peoples mind is to use ‘Home Equity’ as a Retirement Plan. Good idea? Feels so. At least at this juncture, however like all assets it has its ups and downs. Let us look at what I mean. What is Home [...]

Payoff Mortgage or Invest….continued

Let us take a real life case and see what is to be done when you have a lump-sum amount. Should you repay the loan amount or should you Invest that money? The sad part is YOU need to take a decision TODAY and you will be judged (you may be the judge) after 5, [...]

Rational reasons for real estate prices to be high…..

If you believe that all bubbles are created by RATIONAL reasons and causes taken to IRRATIONAL HEIGHTS, welcome to the post. Is Mumbai real estate terribly high and unaffordable? Yes. Let us come to some RATIONAL reasons why people buy: 1. If we do not buy NOW we will never be able to buy in [...]

Real estate could be next to crack…but

Gold is under tremendous pressure internationally, so India may also see Rs. 25000 (just speculating, actually no clue) but Swaminathan A Aiyar says so in Economic Times. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/columnists/swaminathan-s-a-aiyar/gold-to-be-a-lousy-investment-in-the-next-decade/articleshow/19537567.cms I am not commenting on the price of gold at all. I do not think that to be a good investor you need to be playing the [...]

Should I pay off my housing loan? or invest the money?

I have handled this question many times, and have come out with similar answers. However here are some questions which are IRRELEVANT …. 1. How much has the house appreciated by: Many people write in to say ‘I paid Rs. 20L now it is worth Rs. 37 lakhs’…This is completely immaterial. Your house appreciating has [...]

Creating Income and Wealth…

Subra one does not know whether I will pop off at 45 or like A K Hangal at the age of 98. So in order to live peacefully, I need to create a serious amount of income and wealth. – So said a reader who is about 40 years of age.  He also said ‘the [...]