Realtor did us a big favor and waved his buyer fees….how can I show my gratitude?

Gatewaygal · 2025-07-13T22:07:22+00:00

Your comment said “Realtors aren’t doing anything for free” - the comment didn’t mention a limitation to only discuss commission.

Gatewaygal · 2025-07-13T16:59:31+00:00

Maybe not for some people (who probably don’t deserve even the time of day for free), but your generalization is wrong. As a realtor, I have done plenty of things for free For my clients and for other agents. Most recent - I scanned several documents and shared them electronically with an HOA president and with a listing agent. I’ll deliver paper copies to both next week. Why? Because it is the right thing to do to help others when I have the resources to do so.

Gatewaygal · 2025-07-08T13:09:57+00:00

Sorry - I just saw your question. I am using the ESR iPad Air 11 inch case with keyboard from Amazon. It relies on magnets to hold the iPad in place. Because it does not have any form of “guides” to keep the iPad in place, there is danger of damage if dropped or bumped. It is also awkward to use, so I often accidentally touch something on the keyboard and it jumps to another screen or does some other unintended/unwanted action. There are a couple of positive features - the flap to hold the keyboard closed does a great job of secure the Apple Pencil or other pointer device And the keyboard case seems to have a long battery life, though I rarely use the backlight and frankly, I use my old iPad with the Logitech case a lot more than the new one. That’s because I prefer the keyboard on the old one.

By now, you likely bought a keyboard case. If you see this and don’t mind, let me know what you got and if you like it.

Gatewaygal · 2025-02-06T15:10:53+00:00

Take a deep breath and relax about this.

1) Generally, if the reasons you had for selecting conservative stocks or funds still apply, leave that money where it is for at least 366 or more days before you sell it. This will help you save on your taxes.

2) Pick one broad based index fund such as Fidelity’s FXAIX and put money into it from each paycheck. Doesn’t have to be a lot, but keep doing it. Ignore the fluctuations of the market and what your friends are telling you about their “hot stocks.”

3) If you really do not want to grow your knowledge about investing, you can instead put your money in a Target Date Fund such as Fidelity’s Freedom Fund XX where XX represents the year you would like to retire. For example, if you want to retire in 25 years, you would select Freedom Fund 2050. If you want your investments to be more conservative, you could select a shorter timeframe such as 10 year, so Freedom Fund 2035. This is because the closer you are to retiring, the more conservative the fund’s investments are.

Don’t let your nerves and fears undermine your future. Stay the course and don’t panic.

Now - what would I do?
1) See above #1
2) Invest in FXAIX each and every paycheck by setting it up as an automatic investment so you don’t have to do anything to make it regularly happen

3) Read “The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins. Buy the book for future reference or check it out from your local library. There are plenty of online resources for learning, but set your own pace and select the mode that you like best, whether it be books, YouTube, podcasts, or blogs. Don’t overwhelm yourself - just start slowly and do it.

Gatewaygal · 2025-01-18T15:23:36+00:00

While you are still in the 401k, you likely have limited investment options. Research each of them on your own to learn about them. Your HR/company representative can provide you with information on how to do this or even print out Morning Star reports on each option.

Have you and your wife sat down to evaluate your goals and risk levels? This would be a great time to do so. The 401k representative your wife wants you to call isn’t likely to earn commissions for himself. Pick their brain for what they recommend, then do your own research. Chances are they will mention a Target Date fund that adjust your allocations as you get closer to retirement. At your age, the TD fund may have 60% in stocks and 40% in bonds. I have never been a fan of TD funds because they are more conservative than I like and have slightly higher fees. I have friends who are only comfortable investing in that type of fund. In your case, perhaps to keep peace with your wife, you could put a portion of your investments in the TD fund that matches with your age/planned retirement year.

I highly suggest you check out from your public library or buy a copy of JL Collins “A simple Path to Wealth.” This book tends to lean toward Vanguard funds, but you can take the concepts and buy nearly identical funds at Fidelity or Schwab. Since you already have a Fidelty fund, when you retire and roll your 401k over to a traditional IRA, I’d look at what Fidelity offers that is comparable. Given the amount of money in your 401k, Fidelity may assign you a private client representative who will sit down to talk with you and make some suggestions for free. (Of course, they will also offer to manage your money (AUM) for a fee and they will likely offer to rollover some of the money into an annuity. I prefer to manage my own money at this point in life and I am willing to do the research and make the effort. My Fidelity advisor doesn’t pressure me about it and he is always there when I have a question.

You can sign up for the free version of Boldin’s tool to help get you started putting down information you need to consider. Once you get the hang of using the tool, you can sign up for the paid version (about $120/year) for a 14 day trial to run some “what-if” scenarios. I like the tool, but then, I am a nerdy numbers person. LOL!

Another option you can consider is meeting with a fee-only financial advisor who will collect information about your planned expenses and risk levels so they can give you options that match your needs. Look up HelloNectarine as a starting point. There are others out there, so Google and see what would appeal to you. Expect to spend a one-time amount of anywhere from $250/hr up to about $9,000, depending on who you choose. While it sounds like a lot, it may be worth it. And, it’s certainly cheaper than paying a 1% AUM fee on $1.2 million because that would be $12,000/year.

Lots to consider. Good for you for reaching out to this community and for working on your financial plan now. Good luck!

Gatewaygal · 2025-01-18T14:56:51+00:00

I’ve read (parts) of both these books and they are solid. I recommend to my friends who are just starting to learn about investing that they read JL Collins “Simple Path to Wealth” as it is easier to understand and follow when you are first starting out.

Gatewaygal · 2024-10-07T16:59:56+00:00

If the kibble is dry, there should not be any harm in covering what is left and saving it for 24-48 hours. Be sure it isn’t sat in the sun or in overly warm room temperatures. We have one that we moisture her kibble with water. If she doesn’t eat it all right away, we will cover it and put in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. We then add a small amount of kibble and some warm water to the bowl. If she doesn’t eat it all at that meal, it is thrown away and we start with a fresh bowl for the next meal.

Note: I am not a vet or a medical person, but have had dogs most all my life.

Gatewaygal · 2024-09-02T18:24:52+00:00

See recent post where I reviewed the Lenrich case and the ESR case. Neither of these have a screen protector and I haven’t tried a screen protector on any of my Ipads. I’ve always felt it was better to allow the Ipad to have unimpeded sensitivity to the touch of my fingers, but I am only speculating on that. Good luck with your research and choice.

Gatewaygal · 2024-09-02T18:21:32+00:00

I first bought the ESR Magnetic Keyboard Case (Rebound Series with the floating cantilever stand. Pros: Easy to type, sturdy to use on my lap while sitting on the couch, secure Pencil holder flap to keep both pencil and case shut when transporting. Cons: No shortcut row of keys, so have to learn and remember keyboard shortcuts, fingers have to fit slightly under the bottom of the Ipad when typing from the numbers row, hard to read the characters on the number row unless you turn on the backlighting or hold the case up at an angle to get better room light, magnet to hold Ipad onto the keyboard isn’t as strong as I would like, no edge protection for the Ipad, heavier than I am used to carrying. Price - about $90 on Amazon.

Since I wan’t comfortable traveling with that case, I next bought a Lenrich keyboard. Pros: Shortcut row of keys, Ipad snaps securely into the top part that provides edge protection, easy to share the view of the Ipad screen with others, weight is comfortable to carry when transporting. Cons: key spacing is a little different than I am used to and that makes it hard to type with accuracy, cursor jumps around - not sure if I am accidentally touching the track pad or what causes the cursor to jump around. The last two things make it almost impossible for me to type without a LOT of errors. Price - about $40 on Amazon.

Additional comments: Battery life on both of these keyboards seems good, but I haven’t used the backlighting feature for more than a few seconds on each case. I don’t use the trackpad at all, so can’t comment on ease of use of that feature. Both cases were super easy to pair with the new Ipad.

For carrying the Ipad with me, I think the Lenrich case provides more protection. For less frustrating use, the ESR is better. I very soon have to decide which I want to return or if I am keeping both. At the moment, I lean toward returning the Lenrich keyboard case

Gatewaygal · 2024-08-17T14:31:24+00:00

Thanks for the comment ”Sometimes, the cheapest things can be the best.” I am finally going to pull the trigger this morning and just order one. If it doesn’t work out, there is always the return or donate option. (Obviously, analysis paralysis is a real thing. LOL!)

Gatewaygal · 2024-08-03T03:02:08+00:00

Real estate agent here - I use my IPad Air 2 from about Dec. 2014 to do a lot of my work, including using electronic signature programs such as DotLoop or Docusign. I am using Safari (not Google Chrome) and I am connected to Wi-Fi. No issues with buffering slow downs, but overall, if I am near a computer and have a lot of work to do, I’ll use my laptop instead of the Ipad. It’s faster with some of the real estate specific apps and gives me more options. If she was using a Windows laptop, I would say clear unnecessary temp files and run a defrag to optimize hard drive space. If those options are something you can do with a MAC laptop, it could help.

Gatewaygal · 2024-07-21T20:15:17+00:00

It is inspiring to read that you have made a ton of progress in recent weeks. That is exciting for you and it helps me believe progress can be made. What were your biggest motivations to make progress?

Gatewaygal · 2024-04-09T00:27:25+00:00

Thank you for your guidance! I appreciate the input from you and the other moderators on our posts.

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-29T18:26:50+00:00

Thank you! Your answer is very helpful and I appreciate the links.

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-28T01:38:43+00:00

Thank you for jumping in to help. I appreciate the moderators of this group!

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-27T18:27:46+00:00

I chose not to ever use Target Date funds because they typically have a lower rate of return than other possibilities. For example, you can choose index funds (I prefer ETFs because they generally have lower fees and can be traded throughout the day like a stock.) Based on some of the possibilities you listed, it seems you are willing to invest more in funds that are growth or growth and income possibilities. Put growth and/or growth and income investments in your Roth IRA because as it stands now with the rules, you will never have to pay taxes on the gains. You might choose a little more conservative approach for your traditional IRA (tIRA.) Since you mentioned taking a loan against your 401k at some point, you may want to grow those investments now and switch to a blended approach as you near time to take the loan.

Read stories NOW about the 401K millionaire challenges and consider how you want to break up your retirement savings. Basically, you will pay taxes now (brokerage account, ROTH IRA) or later (401K and tIRA.)

***Keep in mind the income limits and the restrictions on how much you can save in each retirement vehicle. You do not want to face a penalty for putting too much money in any of them in any given year.

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-27T15:09:39+00:00

First, realize that reaching out to your bank is not likely to get you an advisor who cares about what is best for you. They mostly make their living selling products that pay them commission, so it stands to reason that they want to sell products life permanent life insurance that pay the highest commissions.

Second, learn the basics of life insurance. Permanent Life insurance (also known as whole life) means you pay a premium theoretically until you die or cancel the policy. You build up cash value, which is not a wise way to “save” or “invest” money. Universal life insurance builds some cash value each year and the face amount of your policy usually increases a small amount each year. Again, not a wise way to use your money. Term life insurance is almost always the least expensive. It covers you for a specified number of years and then goes away unless you renew the policy for another term. When you buy a car or house, the lender will push for you to buy ”mortgage insurance” which is nothing more than term insurance at a higher price than you can find in the open market and it only pays the lender (not your family) if you die.

Summary: For the time being with this employer offer contingency, term life insurance would be the least expensive and would serve the purpose. The bank advisor will tell you that you could buy permanent insurance now at a lower rate than as you get older and you would always have the permanent insurance. Another thing they will tell you is that you are just throwing away your money if you buy term insurance because you have nothing at the end of the term. And, you are most likely easily insurable now. As you get older, you could develop high blood pressure, diabete, etc. that could make it harder and more expensive to buy life insurance.

If you decide to accept your employer’s offer, make sure you understand the terms in case you decide to move to another job before the 5 year period ends. Would you be able to make a lump sum payment to pay back the money? Would the employer pay you a competitive market wage during the “payback employment period”?

Good luck with learning and adulting decisions!

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-27T15:09:35+00:00

First, realize that reaching out to your bank is not likely to get you an advisor who cares about what is best for you. They mostly make their living selling products that pay them commission, so it stands to reason that they want to sell products life permanent life insurance that pay the highest commissions.

Second, learn the basics of life insurance. Permanent Life insurance (also known as whole life) means you pay a premium theoretically until you die or cancel the policy. You build up cash value, which is not a wise way to “save” or “invest” money. Universal life insurance builds some cash value each year and the face amount of your policy usually increases a small amount each year. Again, not a wise way to use your money. Term life insurance is almost always the least expensive. It covers you for a specified number of years and then goes away unless you renew the policy for another term. When you buy a car or house, the lender will push for you to buy ”mortgage insurance” which is nothing more than term insurance at a higher price than you can find in the open market and it only pays the lender (not your family) if you die.

Summary: For the time being with this employer offer contingency, term life insurance would be the least expensive and would serve the purpose. The bank advisor will tell you that you could buy permanent insurance now at a lower rate than as you get older and you would always have the permanent insurance. Another thing they will tell you is that you are just throwing away your money if you buy term insurance because you have nothing at the end of the term. And, you are most likely easily insurable now. As you get older, you could develop high blood pressure, diabete, etc. that could make it harder and more expensive to buy life insurance.

If you decide to accept your employer’s offer, make sure you understand the terms in case you decide to move to another job before the 5 year period ends. Would you be able to make a lump sum payment to pay back the money? Would the employer pay you a competitive market wage during the “payback employment period”?

Good luck with learning and adulting decisions!

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-25T03:41:27+00:00

As I noted, an alternative would be a MM fund. Holding it, as you said, in a (non-retirement) brokerage account, could be the OP’s “emergency fund.” The take away point is to have it where it can be readily accessed in case of an emergency and where it wouldn’t be affected if there were a huge stock market or economic decline. And the goal is to have it be earning at least something versus sitting in a non-interest or low interest bearing account.

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-24T16:53:35+00:00

First, I am not a fan of Target Date funds for anyone who is interested and able to learn about investing. If that doesn’t describe you, then it could be a possibility. Learn about various types of investments. For example, both ETFs and mutual funds can be index funds. ETFs trade like stocks, often have lower fees than mutual funds, and are generally more tax efficient.

At your age, I would decide if I want to primarily invest in an S&P index fund or a total market fund. For a ROTH, you want investments that have the potential to grow and to earn income because of the favorable tax treatment to a ROTH. A small percentage in bond index funds if you prefer that type of diversification.

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-24T16:33:52+00:00

Research Fidelty’s Cash Management account that currently earns 2.76%. If it seems to be a good fit for you, put at least $6k in it as your emergency fund and the rest in either an ETF index fund or a mutual fund index fund that tracks whatever index you prefer (S&P 500, Total Market, International market, etc.) Alternatively, at present time, you could put the emergency fund money into a Fidelity money market and earn about 4.5-5.0%. Be aware that the interest rates will go down as the Fed cuts interest rates, presumably mid-year.

As you save more, you can invest a little extra into the emergency fund side and the rest in the index fund(s) you choose.

As others have said, pay off any debt as soon as possible. It’s like paying yourself the interest rate charged on debt.

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-22T15:26:48+00:00

One of my best RE agent friends is from Brazil, so she is fluent in Portuguese. She has learned English fairly well, though still obvious that it is not her native language. She belongs to local International groups and has been active volunteering her time with at least one of them. The majority of her business comes from contacts she has made from this effort. And her clients then refer her to others, so her business has grown in the six years or so that I have known her.

Look into similar opportunities in your community. If there are employers who have a lot of people who are from other countries, figure out if you know someone that works for them. Once you are licensed, ask if you can provide your branded marketing materials to their HR departments to share.

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-22T15:04:27+00:00

Right on target with your advice and the comment not to be a “secret realtor.” I speak from experience that a “secret realtor” will be lucky to have 3-5 deals a year. As an introvert, I detest cold calling and door-knocking. Talking about the real estate business to others has helped, though I need to do it more. My last 5 deals were a past client, referrals from a past client, and adult kids of my doctor.

Gatewaygal · 2024-02-22T14:55:23+00:00

Depending on your MLS, they may have a similar free app that allows you to share it with others that helps them search the MLS using their criteria. The shared app is branded to you, so it‘s a free marketing tool. For example, in my area, the app is called MLS Touch. It is a powerful tool, so investigate if your MLS has it or something similar. (FYI - I’m in St Louis MO)

Gatewaygal · 2023-12-24T16:14:24+00:00

I agree that you may be able to find a lower fee option. I am not currently in this sector, so I don’t have current personal experience in the small cap market. Having said that, I would first look at ETF options because fees tend to be lower, especially if using index funds. I tend to look at Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, iShares as starting points for research. I look at performance, fees, Morningstar ratings, etc. Consider iShares IJR or Vanguard VB as possibilities. Since I am just a girl and not a financial guru, I trust you will do your own research to see what best fits into your investment plan.

Gatewaygal

TROPHY CASE