If there was ever an industry that I thought would benefit from the internet, it’s real estate. These are data-heavy purchases that people want to really research before making a decision. Still, we’ve bought and sold a few different properties over the last few years and it’s difficult to get a good sense of how to price a property without talking to an agent. We … Continue reading Online Real Estate Estimates
A week ago, we drove 1,550 miles from MN to FL to drop off a vehicle at our new vacation condo. My trusty SUV is being retired to Florida – so that we can just fly down whenever we want and have some wheels here. We got arrived in the Sunshine State last Friday and it’s a good thing our SUV’s air conditioner is well-charged. … Continue reading Tropical Summerland
We’re shuffling home to cold Minnesota today from our new vacation place in sunny Celebration FL. We’re heading from a place you can walk through a tropical paradise – sunny & 80-degrees – to a snowy landscape with temperatures in the teens overnight. We’ve been gone a full 74 days, so we’re excited to get home. Everyone is asking us when we will be back … Continue reading Two State Shuffle
The MVP of our move-in to our new vacation condo in Celebration FL is our new handyman, Carlos. At home in MN, I’m known for my roster of “guys” that work in the house – my handyman Joe, painter Jeff, irrigation specialist Roberto, concrete guy Zac, etc. Still, our one new Florida “guy”, Carlos, might be the best of the whole team. It’s sometimes hard … Continue reading Handyman MVP
Yesterday morning I took our dog, Riley, on a long walk around the Margaritaville Orlando resort that has been our home for the last three winters. It was our ceremonial last walk before moving to our own vacation place in Celebration, Florida. I really enjoyed the time that we spent here at the Margaritaville resort. The colorful, pastel-hued cottages were cute & comfortable and the … Continue reading Farewell to Margaritaville
When I was working at MegaCorp, we would do an exercise called “Sharks & Nets” to assess the risks of a big decision. “Sharks” were the big risks that could take the bite out of a big decision. “Nets” were the mitigation strategies that we would need to prepare ahead of time to stop each “Shark”. With that in mind, I used an AI tool … Continue reading Sharks & Nets – Vacation Home
We did it. In probably the biggest milestone we’ve had since retirement – we found and are buying a condominium in Celebration, Florida, outside of Walt Disney World. We had expressly agreed before we left Minnesota in January that we would NOT to look at real estate this year, but this place just clicked. The next thing you know – we’re signing an offer. Why … Continue reading Celebrating
I’m old enough to have been assigned the chore of ‘raking’ the orange, thick-cut, shag carpeting in our family room when I was a kid. We had a bonafide carpet rake to keep the shag looking new and not matted down under the feet of our family of six. I remembered that dubious task this week, as my wife and I prepared for carpet layers … Continue reading Roll Out The Rug …
With interest rates rising and housing prices up, it’s no surprise that home affordability is in the headlines. I thought I’d share these two charts that highlight trends in the ‘starter home’ market … First, this US Census chart is making the rounds as evidence that young people can’t afford homes … You can see that the gap between 35 & 65 year olds has … Continue reading Starting Out or Waiting – Homeownership
I have been eligible to live in a 55+ community for almost 2 years now. Still, our visit to Latitude Margaritaville in Daytona Beach last week, was the first time that we have ever visited one. It is quite a development. Pitched as a “55-and-better community inspired by the legendary music and lifestyle of Jimmy Buffett, built on food, fun, music and escapism.” it has … Continue reading Latitude Margaritaville, Daytona Beach
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