Selling Your Home Soon? You’ll need my Free Consumer Guide titled, “6 Steps For Selling Your Home For TOP DOLLAR.” Call me right now at 480-448-2020
to learn more…
October 2024
Chandler, AZ
Volume 10, Issue 10
www.myclementeranch.com
Ben Graham...
Your Neighbor & Realtor!
"Insider Tips For Healthy, Wealthy & Happy Living..."
Going into debt isn’t something any of us aspire to do, yet it’s where many of us find ourselves. According to Debt.org the average debt of Americans is $19,575, and that’s not even including mortgages.
While carrying debt may be the norm, that doesn’t mean you have to. A percentage of the population (a little less than a quarter) are adopting a debt-free lifestyle. That means having no debt at all, including not having a balance that carries over to the next month on your credit cards. While it isn’t possible for everyone (this does require cash flow, and dedicating yourself to paying any debt off first before you live debt-free), it can greatly reduce money stressors in your life and mean you have more control over your finances. Here are some ways to get started:
- Make a plan: Think about your current financial situation and plan to check in with yourself regularly so you don’t take on any new debt. You may have to do some work on changing your outlook on spending.
- Create A Budget: Review your monthly expenses and create a budget to cover all the necessities, keeping luxuries at bay… for the time being.
- Track Your Spending: Keeping tabs on how you spend your money will provide a visual of how cash flows in and out of your bank account.
- Pay Down Debt: As the cash in your bank account increases, you may be able to make additional payments toward paying down your debt.
- Charge and Pay: If you decide to continue using credit cards to charge purchases, be sure to pay off the balance each month. It might help to set two dates for payments – for instance, pay everything you’ve charged so far that month on the 15th, and then again on the last day of the month.
- Reward Yourself: You know what they say about all work and no play… Well, you should occasionally reward yourself for the work you’re doing to live debt-free. Just remember to not reward yourself too often.
- Start Saving: Saving while paying down debt may seem counter-intuitive, but it’s important to plan for emergencies, too. This will help you have more freedom to make choices to keep you out of the red.
Thinking Of Buying A Home Soon?
If you’re planning to buy a home in the next 6 months, you’ll want a copy of my Free consumer guide, “7 Secrets For Saving Thousands When Financing Your Next Home.” My report will help you avoid frustrations and costly pitfalls when buying a home. You can get a free copy by calling me at…480-448-2020
Word Of The Month…
Studies have shown your income and wealth are directly related to the size and depth of your vocabulary. Here is this month’s word, so you can impress your friends (and maybe even fatten your wallet!)…
Tchotchke (CHAHCH-kee) noun
Meaning: A small decoration, also known as a trinket or knickknack.
Sample Sentence: She found the perfect tchotchke to remember her trip once she returned home.
5 Tips To Make Raking A Breeze
We love our trees, but when the leaves fall… well, raking is a chore no one looks forward to. These tips will help make raking leaves a breeze.
- Take advantage of breeze and rake in the same direction it’s blowing.
- Try to rake before a rain to avoid the weight of wet leaves.
- Split the yard into four and rake leaves into rows to avoid a lot of back-and-forth.
- Use a tarp to “pour” leaves into yard bags.
- Bag leaves right away so they’re not blown back into the yard if the wind picks up.
Did You Know...?
The favorite Halloween activity of trick-or-treating dates back to medieval times. In Scotland and Ireland during that time, kids dressed up in costumes to go “guising,” or door-to-door singing, reciting poems or performing tricks for food or money.
Quotes To Live By…
“Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower.”
–Albert Camus, novelist
“There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.”
–Mister Rogers, TV personality
“When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you.”
–Nora Ephron, novelist
Most of us will come to a time in our lives when we need to help care for a loved one, while at the same time balancing our careers, families and personal lives. In the U.S. alone, more than 100 million adults serve as caregivers for their parents, children, spouses, or other relatives. In the event caregiving becomes too much to manage on our own, we may find ourselves turning to help with in-home care.
Here, some tips on how to find the best fit for you and your family.
- Determine The Kind of Help You Need: Take some time to determine just what it is you need help with. Do you need someone to help bathe and dress your loved one? Help with transportation to appointments? Help with managing medical care? Knowing exactly what you need will help you find the right person.
- Review Finances: Bringing someone into your home to care for your loved one is an added expense. Review your finances to determine what you can afford, and go from there.
- Involve Your Loved Ones: Keep in mind that they should be part of the in-home care discussion, too. Do you have siblings or other family members who can help out, either with time or finances?
- Ask Around: A recommendation from a close friend, neighbor, or fellow caregiver goes a long way. Community centers, religious places and social clubs can be terrific resources, too.
- Create A Job Description: Once you know exactly what you need from someone providing in-home care for your loved one, write up a detailed job description that highlights their personal needs.
- Ask Questions: When it comes time to interview potential candidates, ask plenty of questions. What is their comfort level with this type of work? What is their experience with in-home caregiving? Be upfront and don’t hesitate to ask hard questions.
By being prepared, you can find the right help and both you and your loved one can have more time to just enjoy each other and your time together.
Developing a yoga practice not only improves strength, flexibility and balance, but benefits heart health, helps you sleep and can improve energy levels and mood.
If you are looking to develop a new yoga practice, here are some things to know as you get started.
- Be Gentle With Yourself: If you’re new to yoga, start slow and gentle. Rather than jumping into a power yoga class, opt for one that’s designed for beginners, or a gentle yoga class.
- Introduce Yourself: Arrive to the studio early and introduce yourself to your instructor. You’ll be able to share any concerns you may have, or injuries they should be aware of before you begin.
- Don’t Compare Yourself to Others: Everyone is on their own yoga journey, so try not to look around the class to see what others are doing. Focus on your own breathing and positions.
- Success Is in the Arrival: Some days, simply arriving at your yoga class is a success. Embrace it.
www.myclementeranch.com
Brain Teaser
What can be stolen, mistaken, or altered, yet never leaves you your entire life?
Brain Teaser Answer:
Your identity
What's My Home Worth?
If you want to know your home’s current value, I will gladly conduct a Maximum Value Home Audit. Request this “no charge” in-depth home value analysis by calling me at: 480-448-2020.
The Best Jack O' Lanterns Ever
Show off your pumpkin carving skills with these pro tips:
- Cut out the bottom instead of the top.
- If you’re using a template, use toothpicks to keep the design in place.
- Use small, sharp knives to carve fine lines.
- Divide the pumpkin into sections to make carving easier.
- Seal the carved flesh of the with petroleum jelly to keep it looking good and spooky.
Have A Laugh
Son: "Mom, can I get $20?"
Mom: "Does it look like I'm made of money?"
Son: "Well, isn't that what M.O.M stands for?"
THANK YOU for reading my
Service For Life!® personal newsletter. I wanted to produce a newsletter that has great content and is fun and valuable to you. Your constructive feedback is always welcome.
AND…whether you’re thinking of buying, selling or financing real estate, or just want to stop by and say “Hi,” I’d love to hear from you…
Ben Graham
Fiv Realty
480-448-2020
Science shows that indoor plants may add myriad benefits to our lives, including reducing stress levels; helping us recover from illness, surgery, or injury faster; and boosting productivity, to name a few.
Fortunately, these benefits and the plants from which they’re derived don’t have to cost a lot. Online plant shops can help deliver the greens right to your door, with special species for those of us who don’t have green thumbs.
- TheSill.com: Brighten up your windowsills with green selections that range from mini-plants, growing from one to three inches, to medium plants that grow to six to 9 inches. There’s even a collection just for beginner plant parents.
- HeyHorti.com: This subscription plant service delivers hard-to-kill plants right to your door. Over time, the easy-to-grow plants will be replaced with more involved varietals as your plant skills grow.
- LivelyRoot.com: They offer personal recommendations if you take a quiz, care instructions with your order and help if you need it.
www.myclementeranch.com
How’s The Market?
- Active Listings - 19,643 versus 13,404 last year - up 47% Under Contract Listings: 7,261 versus 6,499 last year - up 11.7%
- Monthly Median Sales Price: $442,000 versus $432,000 last year - up 2.3% - and up 0.5% from $440,000 last month
Finally, we’re starting to see some movement in the re-sale housing market after a long quiet period. Since mortgage rates began dropping in July, the response from buyers has been slow, but it’s now becoming noticeable. In September, the number of homes under contract increased by over 9% and is nearly 12% higher than this time last year. This rise in demand is a positive sign as interest rates become more appealing.
However, it’s important to keep an eye on both supply and demand. So far, the lower rates have brought more sellers into the market than buyers. As a result, the market is getting busier, but it’s becoming less favorable for sellers.
Prices are staying steady, and the supply of re-sale homes is growing, which usually happens between August and November. This means buyers still have the upper hand when negotiating.
If supply starts to decrease in November, as we expect, the market could shift in favor of sellers. For now, the balance has only slightly tipped towards buyers during September. (Courtesy of The Cromford Report)
www.myclementeranch.com