This is why I have a REAL Financial Advisor.

Yesterday I was watching TV and saw Ivanka Trump. She said something about real estate mortgage rates being at an all time low, and that this was a great time to refinance. I promptly called my bank and asked for some rates.

After 30 mins on the phone with the broker, It ALL sounded great.  I could consolidate my bills, my payments would be lower and I could own my home in 20 years.  I was ready to sign and get my lower interest rate like Ivanka suggested.

I shopped around a little, but as I remembered from my original mortgage experience, every bank has different offers, and its never apples to apples. ( I think I finally I settled on my original mortgage because in addition to it being a good rate, the broker went to church with my Mom.)  But based on what I could tell, this refi rate sounded good.

Just before I started moving the on the refi, I called my personal Ivanka,  my financial advisor, Rae.   I never make a move without her.

She said it sounded good, but she gave me a bunch of questions to ask the broker. They were questions I wouldn't even know to ask. I called the broker back, got the answers, and called Rae.  Then Rae crunched the numbers and explained that the closing costs were so high and that my current rate was pretty good. At the end of the day, it wouldn't really be worth it.   (Who knew?)

I have discussions like this at least 4 times a year with Rae. She always helps me realize if I am on the right track, or if I have considered all the possible sources of money available to me, and most importantly, keeps me from making some costly mistakes. Most of the advice she provides me are on decisions that will never put money in her pocket (at least not in the near future!).  I might not always take her advice, but I always understand the situation better after talking with her.

Rae's helped me buy a condo (when I thought it was impossible), got me through 2 periods of unemployment (unharmed),  and she took my 401K that was basically only the money that I had put inside in it for 11years and made it GROW. She's even helped my friends get engaged, and buy the homes of their dreams.

Anyway...the moral of the story really is, don't believe everything you see on TV, and if you don't understand the fine print or the nitty gritty, find someone who does. 

QUOTE OF THE DAY:
“Experience taught me a few things. One is to listen to your gut, no matter how good something sounds on paper. The second is that you're generally better off sticking with what you know. And the third is that sometimes your best investments are the ones you don't make.” --Donald Trump