All Forum Posts by: Zach Wain

I think the smart play is to keep the 2.99% loan in place. Trippling your mortgage rate without a plan for how that will make you more money does not add up. If you need the equity, you need the equity, but use the HELOC first.

Bank statement loans have particular good when compared to conventional 2nd home and rental deals. It depends on the scenario. Also yes, DSCR with long Prepayment penalties is something to be wary of. I am not a fan of anything over a 1-2 yr PPP. 3-5 yr PPP seem crazy to me.

With most lenders it is a no, but also consider the closing costs you will pay vs the savings in rate.

@Chris Burke - Do you have other options to raise cash? How much cash do you need? The HELOC is a great option. Losing the 2.99% rate for something in the 7%-8% range would be very painful.

Great read Scott!

Regarding rates, 6-9 months ago I was in the camp that inflation would cool and we would enter a recessionary environment and rates would settle down.  But the labor market and consumer spending keep trucking along forcing the higher for longer theme.  There is a pretty decent chance that the yield curve uninverts by long term bonds moving higher, which means rates go even higher.  But, there is a 300bp spread between the 10yr T and 30 yr fixed mortgage rates, when 175 bps is historically the spread range (roughly).  Does that spread return to normal as 10yr T rates go higher and we are in the same mortgage rate situation?  Too tough to tell.

I think it is possible the strong consumer spending and labor markets force the Fed to raise further and rates jump across the board.  I think there will be a breaking point when high prices, high rates - take the steam out of the consumer and job market and things come crashing down, which will cause the Fed to shift policy.  

For a soft landing it seems like we need to quickly see wages/job growth/consumer spending to get reigned in fast.

@Denise Holder - There are 12 month bank statment programs that can work off of business or even personal bank statements and will take a % of your deposits and use that as income.  Reach out if you would like to learn more about your options. 

Wayne nailed it and Ryan has a solid idea. Free and clear sounds great, but if you are scrapping change together for your next downpayment you are not using all of the tools in your tool belt. Even a HELOC on the home so you are ready to invest at the drop of a hat is an option.

Sleep is harped on as one of the most important tools for long term health and wellness.  But, most any motivational Rah Rah video will tell you sleep is for the weak, get 4 hours and outwork everyone, etc.  I feel into that thinking for a couple of years and it works, you get a lot of work done, but you do damage to your body and health - at least I did.  Now, Sleep is a must.  I do not want to 60 and everything in life is set up for success except my health.

@Corey Conklin - 100% Homerun!  This is the best post I have read on these forums in a long time.  I am with you and od my best to make my kids work for everything.  They have chores, they get paid for them, and I encourage/make them do a lot of work around the house and take responsbility.  Without that, what's the point of handing a spoiled kid that has never had to work hard in their life a ton of assets?  So they can be lazy and waste it all, and barely appreciate it?

I would rather leave my kids nothing but raise them to be hard working then vice versa

If we can accomplish both avenues that is the big win!  Create wealth that allows us freedom and choice, all while raising strong/hard working/independent kids that do not need us or anything handed to them.  

I think its still a viable model, but I think it will take a savy investor to do well right now.  

I think buying a new primary home every 12 months if the best way to grow a real estate portfolio.  You convert the old primary into a rental home.  It gets you the lowest market rates and the least amount of downpayment.  But that does not work for everyone.