Summary:

Anthony welcomes Benjamin Brandt to the show. Benjamin is a Certified Financial Planner and the Founder/President of Capital City Wealth Management, a Bismarck, North Dakota fee-only financial planning company. Listen Ben educates with his tips and as he answers questions on retirement for millennials.

Covered Topics:

• Millennials on their Retirement Accounts
• Roth IRA as a Substitute
• Maxing Out Contributions

Takeaways:

• Living frugally your whole life does not guarantee you money in retirement — expand your income instead.
• Create a lifestyle that you don’t need to retire from.
• The sooner you start saving up for your retirement, the better yields you’ll have in the future.

Link and Resources:

• Retirement Starts Today – Benjamin’s podcast

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Summary:

Anthony chats with Brit Foshee, an experienced entrepreneur with a demonstrated history investing in both real estate and small business with an emphasis on multifamily assets. Tune in as Brit walks us through how he started with $8,000 just after the housing crisis to reach the real estate success he currently has now.

Covered Topics:

• How to Pay No Tax on Property Gains
• Buying Properties: Home or Investment
• Closing Times
• Negotiations
• Creativity in Financing
• Distressed Sells
• How Buyers Should Negotiate

Takeaways:

• ALWAYS do your own due diligence.
• Adjusting prices is subjective and you literally can negotiate on everything.
• The key to negotiations is to try meet people’s needs and then present yours to them, too.

Link and Resources:

• Zillow and Redfin – Real estate platforms Brit recommends

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Summary:

Anthony chats with Jennifer Longworth, a Twitter pro. She works as a coach for entrepreneurs and individuals to help them start on Twitter and help them monetize through it. Listen as Jennifer shares a lot of value in explaining Twitter chats – how to find and use them, tools you can use for your Twitter account, and how to market yourself on the platform.

Covered Topics:

• Twitter Chats and Hashtags
• How to Find and Use Chats
• #TwitterSmarter
• Remarketing/Marketing Yourself on Twitter
• What to Tweet About

Takeaways:

• Providing value to your followers should always be a top priority.
• To be followed means to become a follower first.
• Maximize and utilize what you have to catch people’s attention.

Link and Resources:

• InsideSchool
• #TwitterSmarter Chat – A Twitter chat Jennifer talked about
• TweetDeck.com – A software to help you with chats
• Hootsuite or Buffer – Platforms where you can schedule your Tweets in
• Social JukeBox and Promo Republic – Softwares that recommends what you can post about
• UpMyInfluence.com – Jennifer’s coaching website

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Summary:

Anthony interviews Maggie Ross, one of the top real estate agents in Brooklyn and Manhattan for over the past decade. Apart from being an agent, Maggie is also a licensed lawyer. Listen as she talks about everything you need to know when buying your first home. With Anthony, Maggie walks us through how people decide on purchasing a home, what factors are to consider, what role seasonality plays in the market when buying or selling, what are the possible location differences, budgets and costs.

Covered Topics:

• Deciding on a home purchase for 1st time buyers
• Factors that come in negotiation
• Seasonality
• The difference between properties in the city and the suburb
• Amenities
• Zoning
• Budgets and Costs
• Red flags to look out for
• Offers and negotiations

Takeaways:

• Closing dates are dependent on the purchaser.
• Details, expectations, and wish lists are things to be talked about when co-purchasing a house.
• It’s important to consider all factors like zoning and amenities before deciding on a home.
• The ideal budget you should have upfront is the 20% down payment + closing costs + liquidity required by your bank/lender.
• Work with people who will be on the buyer’s side and not just on the seller’s.
• Get a broker rather than just selling/buying by yourself.
• It’s paramount to work with a broker or an agent that you trust.

Link and Resources:

• InsideSchools – Online resource you can check in to check school zones

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Summary: Anthony shares the mic with his friend, Maureen Pritchard, a probate and estate attorney. Estates are always an issue to families of a decedent, and to clear things up in this area, Maureen shares her expertise with us. Listen as she answers common questions regarding probate and the decedent’s estate. Covered Topics:

• Out-of-State Probate
• Personal Appearance and Getting a Lawyer
• Getting Your Inheritance
• What to Expect
• Hiring a Lawyer to Represent and Advocate on Your Behalf

Takeaways:

• Out-of-state probate is possible — there is no need for personal appearance if you get a lawyer to represent you.
• How an estate is handled is dependent on the will and/or the state law.
• It’s always best to hire a lawyer who can act on your behalf rather than doing things on your own.

Link and Resources:

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Summary: In this episode, Anthony interviews his friend Jason Lee, an insurance and financial advisor. Jason has been in the insurance industry for almost 12 years after taking over his father’s business in 2007. Today, he walks us through life insurance and answers common questions people ask regarding it, including, the difference in term and whole life insurance, the pros and cons of both, when to buy an insurance, and a lot more. Tune in as he and Anthony give you, our listeners, the information you need to know before getting an insurance. Covered Topics:

• Life Insurance
• Term vs Whole Life Insurance
• When to buy an insurance
• The cost of life insurance
• The importance of life insurance
• What you need to know when purchasing insurance

Takeaways:

• There is no defined age to buy insurance, but getting it early gives you an edge.
• The insurance you need depends on your needs and priorities.
• Having an agent assist and guide you is a better choice than buying insurance online.

Link and Resources:

• Select Quote – An online insurance brokerage company

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In this episode, Anthony interviews Laura Cowan, an estate planning attorney in the NYC area. Unlike what most people think, an estate plan is necessary for every family — definitely something not only for the rich! Listen as Laura walks us through the do’s and don’ts of estate planning, what it really means, it’s importance in your family, the protection it provides, and a lot more.

• The Importance of an Estate Plan
• Choosing Guardians
• Financial Set Up
• Trusts
• Why Getting a Lawyer is Important
• How to Get Started

• A will is necessary especially in families with young children as it is a determinant of your children’s future.
• The financial set up is just as important as choosing the guardian for your children.
• Don’t try to do things your own because a simple error can cause disastrous consequences.

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Summary: In this episode, Anthony interviews his friend Dave, who recently closed on the purchase of a new home via short sale in just 8 weeks and saving $60,000. Dave has been in the real estate industry for 15 years with a 2-year property management start. Today, he talks about his short sale experience — how it was for him, what processes and steps he went through to close at 8 weeks, and his overall thoughts on the ups and downs of short sales. Covered Topics:

• What short sales are
• How short sales work
• The downsides and upsides of short sales
• Foreclosures vs Short Sales
• Normal Closing vs Short Sales

Takeaways:

• Be open to other options including ones beyond the norm.
• Make sure the risks you take are calculated ones.
• Learn to trust your gut instincts.

Link and Resources:

• Redfin, Zillow, and Trulia – Sites where Dave searched properties

Thanks for listening. Go to anthonyspark.com for full show notes. Join my free weekly newsletter for regular updates in your inbox. Or follow me on:

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