bobcat1995

First off, this isn't about me. I’ve always thought reverse mortgages were a bad idea (and I still do), but we recently had a death in the family, and dealing with the reverse mortgage when we sold the house was surprisingly easy. It was definitely a good deal for the lender, though—they loaned $85k twelve years ago, and by the time we sold the house, the lien had grown to $188k. From my family member's side, they never made any payments on the original $85k. Plus, there was still equity in the house when it sold that went to the surviving spouse. Of course, it would have been a lot better for them to have an additional $185k from the sale but they still made over $130k. Now, my dad is 79, and his wife is the same age. Their house and cars are paid off, and their main income is from Social Security. As their heirs, we aren’t expecting anything from them in terms of an inheritance. Houses in their area go for $400k-$500k. At their age, what are the downsides of a reverse mortgage? What is the downside of taking a $150k reverse mortgage and never making a payment? Even if they live another 12 years, there would still be equity in the house. It seems like the extra money would give them a bit more financial security (they just had to install a new A/C system). Thanks!

As a retired cop (25 years) working on a small second career, I'm looking forward to the day I start drawing my TMRS retirement. I have friends who went into the private sector right out of college and earned more money, and I hope they were as disciplined as we were forced to be with automatic deductions from our paychecks. I know there are people here who are much more knowledgeable (I did mention I was a cop) about retirement accounts and who might have outperformed the TMRS system in the stock market. But let's be honest—most of us aren't disciplined enough to set that money aside and then manage it to maximize gains. Plus, my city offered 2-to-1 matching! How many companies do that in today's world? If I can keep working until I'm 60 (I don't have to, but 53 is too young to sit around the house all day), I'll officially retire making almost $90k a year from TMRS for the rest of my life. Did I mention that my wife will continue to receive the same amount after I die? Add this to our other 457 accounts, SS (if still there) and we should be okay! When I started in the late 90's my pay was $30k a year and I never made more than $120k throughout the 25 years. All this could have been yours! You just needed to sign up for high-stress, low pay, crappy hours, lousy days off, being called names, people hating you because you wear a uniform, and exposure to diseases, death, and destruction! Signed, Should have been a firefighter!!!

In May, the wife and I had the opportunity to take two other couples to Cuba. It would be our second trip and their first to Cuba. We took our HS-aged kids in 2017. In preparation for the trip, we explained everything we could, might or should experience. We explained that this trip was not necessarily a vacation, or holiday but more of an experience. We will plan for what we can and roll with whatever happens. To visit Cuba, all you need is an approved reason, ours was “Support for the Cuban people” and a Cuba visa. We flew Southwest Airlines from Dallas to Ft Lauderdale and then Ft Lauderdale to Havana. The 10-day trip lived up to the billing. During our trip, we visited, Havanna (5 nights total), Playa Larga (one night), Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs), Cienfuegos, Trinidad (3 nights), and Santa Clara. We walked, talked, shared, read, hiked, swam, enjoyed the local cuisine, drank some Cuban Rum, and smoked Cuban Cigars. The people, cars, and architecture were all beautiful in every place we visited. We survived a fall down the stairs, rolling blackouts, Russian-made taxis, no Wi-Fi for 5 days, no cell phone for 10 days and me running a 100-degree temp in Trinidad! You must bring your own anti-biotics!! For all the great moments, there was contrasting sadness. The Cuban people struggle every day for basic items. The black-market exchange rate is devastating for Cuban families (350 Cuban pesos to $1 USD). After both of our trips (2017 and 2024), the wife and I wish we had brought more items to giveaway to the people who showed us their beautiful country. On our last night in Trinidad and with only one night in Cuba before returning home, all six of us emptied our bags of every piece of medicine and other items we didn’t need. Our host was beyond gracious and thankful for the generosity. Multiple times Cubans told us, “It’s the governments, not the people!” If you are interested in going, I have a great host who will plan every detail for you. We prefer a more free-flow vacation and he scheduled everything perfectly for us. He provided us with a detailed spreadsheet with each day's activities and even broke down what was included in the fees and what was going to need to be paid for by us when we were there. If you are interested in going, then book a flight and go!! The accommodations (all with AC), breakfast, tour guides, taxis and most entry fees cost us about $800 per person for the ten days. Tips: Take more cash than you think (NO ATMS, NO Credit Cards)! Take more medicine than you need! Tip great! We never felt unsafe. We walked a lot with a guide and by ourselves! We walked during the day and late at night! There is so much more I could say about Cuba, the government, and the people but it is better left to you to explore!

A Team Automotive Address: 250 S Collins Rd, Sunnyvale, TX 75182 Phone: (972) 203-3599 Friends and co-workers have been using them for years.

Trying to buy 4 for the OU game. Just in case this might help my cause, it's my son's senior year and we want to attend the game with him. Unfortunately, he did not get a ticket through the university.

I am going to do my best to explain this so i apologize if my description isn't clear. We have a media room on the second floor. The room has no walls that connect to the exterior of the house. The media room sits right above the 3 car garage and I can access the backside of 3 walls from the attic. The walls currently have the pink insulation in between the wall studs. The garages face west and get full sun. this time of year the second floor gets really warm and doesn't cool down until after 10pm. It was 81 degrees last night at 9:45p. Can I add attic foil to the backsides of the walls to help reduce the heat on the second floor? Should I remove the insulation and spray foam the walls? Again, I have access to the backside of the walls from the attic. DFW area

Only had to wear a mask once, in Capri. Only had to show my vax card once, at the Naples Airport returning to the states and no Covid test to come home. No masks on the plane going or returning home!! The Amalfi coast was beautiful. We stayed in Positano and Ravello, took day trips to Amalfi and Capri!

Starting from June 1, 2022, travelers to Italy will no longer be required to show the Green pass (i.e. Anti-COVID 19 vaccination certificate or recovery certificate, or a negative swab test) to enter Italy and are not subject to quarantine upon arrival to Italy if they do not possess the Green pass. The timing of this is awesome. Tomorrow, we leave for the Amalfi coast.

yes, my booster was almost a year after my vax but was older than 9 months. They were only looking at the dates of on the cards. I was under the same impression as you but I was not going to argue with someone while in line at a museum. It first happened at the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena. We sent the kids into the museum while we walked to get our Covid test. BY the time we returned, they were done with the museum. It was the same in Florence at Accademia and Uffizi, Rome for the Vatican. They even asked us to wear a mask on the floor of the Colosseum. We almost weren't allowed into the Herculaneum because our 48 hour test had expired by 2 hours. I had to plead my case for us to be allowed in to an outside museum (crazy). By the way, the Herculaneum gets my vote over Pompeii. My kids, who are college age, did not get their second vax until 15 days before our trip. They did not have to have the 48 hour covid test. No booster and they were technically considered Super Green. To be clear, it was all worth it!! There were no crowds. We were on the floor at the Colosseum with about 30 people. We could have sat or stood anywhere in the Sistine Chapel. We were only in line for 10 mins to get into St Peters. As you can see in the pic, there was no one there. Let me know if you need a local tour guide in Florence. Our guide was great and she also does Tuscan wine tours.

Just so I can be clear on your point... Those people who are vaccinated and boosted can not get Covid and therefore are at no risk to spread the disease? As a vax, boosted and a person who has recovered from Covid (after the booster), I should not have to show a negative test to enter another country? CDC defines fully vaccinated as receiving both doses and one booster. I was unaware that my booster was too old for their "Super Green Pass" and I needed to get tested every 48 hours to enter certain museums and tourist attractions. I was also unable to obtain a recovery certificate from the local pharmacy that provided my positive test which would of negated the 48 hour rule. I just did what the fine people of Italy asked me to do, it just sucked! I will say that every Italian that we ran across was happy to see Americans returning to their country and spending money. Luckily for me, I do not plan on visiting any tourist attractions when we return to Italy in June for tourism but if we do, I will get the negative test every 48 hours. Then again, maybe I should get a second booster. Has anyone ever caught covid being fully vax'd, two boosters with antibodies?

Modena, Florence, Rome, Naples We had no issues entering with a negative test and old vax dates either. The key to the statement was tourist attractions. We walked around all day outside without mask, went into restaurants without mask but don't try walking into a tourist attraction without a KN95 and a recent vax card or negative Covid test.

It not just the planes, you need them for trains and tourist attractions as well! I laughed at the souvenir vendors selling the KN95 mask outside of all tourist attractions when we were in Italy for spring break. I was upset when I found out my vaccine shots were too old and I needed a negative covid test every 48 hours to enter the tourist attractions. A negative test to enter the country and then a negative test every 48 hours to enter the tourist stuff! The least invasive test was the one to fly home. I think that swab barely touched my nose.

$20K! More like $8-$12!

Short story..... College age son totaled his car. First ever accident. I need to buy him a cash car. Also, insurance company gave more for the card than we paid for it 5 years ago!!! Crazy!! Does anyone have a contact for purchasing cars at auction? Is this a good option during this crazy market? Ex: Lexus LS 400/430 with less than 150K miles Any free options similar to carfax? Anyone have an account that would be willing to run a few VIN #s? Thanks, Ill hang up listen...

Softly is correct! This has been going on for years with files sent over the internet. If it makes you feel better they are not looking at your actual pictures, they are just comparing hash values or some other digital signature attached to files. I slept at a Holiday Inn Express last night so that makes me a qualified expert.

Another year of disappointment!!!

I'm not sure how my statement about our experiences could be inaccurate but okay. I guess it depends on how you approach things and how much money you want to throw away on kids activities. We we never trying to turn our kids into the next Bryce Harper or Hailey Kinsel. We just wanted them to have fun, learn and be responsible. I have seen plenty of people spend stupid money on private coaches for batting and pitching, and fancy trucks, to pull the fancy trailer just for the kids to lose interest once high school starts or they go off to college. My son quit sports after high school and my daughter took her horse to college.

T'boo - I sent you a message with a couple Sunnyvale Realtors.

Stoney Creek is a huge development and they were just getting started when we moved to town. I haven't seen an update on Lupton Farms in while (off Town East). The last proposal to the P&Z did not go well. Many people from the Homestead neighborhood voiced objections to the developers plans and they were shelved. Oddly enough, we have never been to Kearney's. I love the town and the people but I also enjoy time away from the town and people. That is what is good and bad about a small community. Bank Head Brewery in downtown Rowlett is not too far. There are also places around White Rock Lake.

The QT and Panda Express are up and running. Whataburger is framing and they are moving dirt on the new chick fil a. They are also widening and paving Collins Rd. All of this at the intersection of Collins and Hwy 80 (south). It will be interesting to see what happens now that a few places are starting to be built on this land. They have room for a grocery store but who knows if one will be built anytime soon. Schools are great! Just remember that there are not as many options for advanced classes or AP classes in a small district. We drive to Dallas to eat and Forney for groceries. If I had my choice, I would find a house in the Harris neighborhood (other wise know as the "M" Streets) off Trip Rd. Older homes, one acre lots. Let me know if you need a Sunnyvale relator. Trust me, in this market it would be beneficial to have someone on the inside of all the town scoop. On a side note, we have been in Sunnyvale long enough that I paid less than $100 sq ft for my house!!!! Good Luck!!

Not looking to tackle a DIY cabinet painting so can anyone recommend a cabinet painter in the Dallas area? Thanks

I received my second Pfizer dose today at Eastfield College in Mesquite. Was in and out in 35 mins!!

People ask me all the time about the cost of the horse? Yes, the horse is expensive but once you buy all the crap to ride, the monthly cost is no more than travel baseball, softball, volleyball or soccer. I know people who have paid way more over the years for sports than I did for all the horse stuff. It also made it easier that she just rode horses and didn't play sports!! She bought her last horse by herself, $8k!!!! My first car didn't cost $8k!!

Anyone have a countertop guy in the Dallas Area? Looking at quartz, around 73 to 75 sq ft.

City Guy whose daughter fell in love with horses. Ill I do is drive the truck and the write check. One of these days, I have to get comfortable with her hauling long distances but for now Ill keep enjoying the great daddy/daughter time. She started on barrels and play days around age 8, but she is a heeler now. Not a competitive roper but she loves going out to practice with the big guys. We have owned 5 horses since she was little but only one at a time. Pic is of her current horse and a pic of her practicing breakaway roping. At college (TX Tech) she working toward ranch versatility. Who would ever thought I would be paying tuition for a class where she rides her horse for a grade?!?!?!?