Retirement Update
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Archived Under: Directory Updates , Life Events , Retirement Planning
Tags: Directory Updates, Life Events, Retirement Planning
Are you prepared for retirement? The experts say no. The best response is to begin taking action today, so you can enjoy retirement tomorrow. The recently updated Moneysmartz Retirement category includes simple tools, powerful resources, and the gentle nudge you need to move forward in your retirement planning. This category now includes navigation tips for getting the most out of retirement planning resources on the web, including links to easy to use retirement savings calculators, financial portals, and online encyclopedias. If you are short on time, visit the Editor's Best Bets at the top of the category listings. Designed to save you time and get you moving, the Moneysmartz retirement planning page will help you prove the experts wrong.
HotPads.com
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Archived Under: Life Events , Local Financial Services , New and Notable , Real Estate
Tags: HotPads.com, Life Events, Local Financial Services, New and Notable, Real Estate, Rent vs. Buy
Searching for rent vs. buy information about a local real estate market? HotPads.com combines maps, visual images, and information to give you a birds eye view of rental and buying opportunities in local markets. If you want to compare available sales and rentals by price range, then HotPads.com is worth a visit.
Baby Boomers and Real Estate
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Archived Under: Baby Boomers , Life Events , Moneysmartz Editor , Real Estate , Retirement Planning , The Moneysherpa Pages
Tags: Baby Boomers, Life Events, Moneysmartz Editor, Real Estate, Retirement Planning, The Moneysherpa Pages
As the first of the baby boomers turn 60 and begin to seriously contemplate retirement, get ready for even more coverage about this cohort of 78 million Americans. The good news for everyone is that the information and advice should be helpful for all generations, particularly since so many pundits regularly voice concern about the sad state of retirement planning and savings in the United States.
An example of this media barrage, Newsweek's The Boomer Files, is a noteworthy boomer resource. The most recent installment focuses on real estate, with advice about where to retire, second homes, and real estate strategies such as reverse mortgages and mortgage payoffs.
This is serious stuff for boomers turning 60 and for the rest of us a glimpse into our future and opportunity to get ahead of the game.
BuySide Realty
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Archived Under: Life Events , New and Notable , Real Estate
Tags: Buying a Home, BuySide Realty, Life Events, New and Notable, Real Estate
Internet savvy homebuyers know the pain of finding a home without the assistance of an agent, and then forking over a hefty commission. The Walk-Through reported the launch of BuySide Realty, a service designed to put a large chunk of the buy side agent commission in your pocket. BuySide recently launched with licensed agents in 27 states. Is this the beginning of the end for brick and mortar agents? Probably not says Joe Fox, a BuySide co-chief executive, but expect more competitors to enter the market and more opportunities for saving money when purchasing your next home.
Google Real Estate
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Archived Under: Life Events , New and Notable , Real Estate
Tags: Buying a Home, Google Real Estate, Life Events, New and Notable, Real Estate
Shimon Sandler recently reported the launch of a beta real estate product by Google. Like most Google products, the interface is intuitive. To test, go to Google; enter "real estate" (and presumably other related key words) in the search box. You should then see a "refine your search" box like the one below. Choose location and listing type, then click search housing. The result should be a map with listings.
Google Real Estate Search Results for Los Angeles
My Next Phase
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Archived Under: Financial Planning , Life Events , New and Notable , Retirement Planning
Tags: Financial Planning, Life Events, My Next Phase, New and Notable, Retirement Planning
Site Name: My Next Phase
Description: Making an easy transition to retirement depends on both financial and non-financial factors. My Next Phase focuses on non-financial factors, providing "resources for guided self-reflection, exploration and planning to help people gain clarity about their futures." Fee-based services include an online assessment, coaching, and classes. Initial registration includes a 20-question assessment.
Features: Personality test assessing one's ability to make the transition to retirement and a significant resource section with link's to non-financial retirement resources.
Profile of Site Founders: After selling his family business, Michael S. Burnham, Jr. wondered about the next phase of his life. Burnham worked with his colleagues, J. Randolph Burnham, PhD and Eric Sundstrom, PhD, "to create a unique, personalized, non-financial retirement guidance tool for the tens of millions of people who will retire in the coming years."
Bottom Line: If you are making the transition to retirement, then a second-opinion may be just what the doctor ordered. My Next Phase offers a friendly helping hand from individuals experiencing a similar transition. At the minimum, a test run of the site will only take ten minutes of your time.