Richard Funchess

Thursday morning Frank Robinson passed away at the age of 83. The MLB player and coach was battling bone cancer and lost the battle after a lengthy time. Robinson was the first African American manager in the MLB in 1975 for the Clevland Indians. He also is the only player to ever win MVP in both leagues during his time playing. During the 1966 season, he won the Triple Crown while playing for the Baltimore Orioles and he is currently ranking 10th on the career home runs list with 586. Robins...

Historically low-interest rates have prevailed since the financial crash of 2008. This leads to the questions of whether or not such low-interest rates are a net positive. In particular, how do extremely low-interest rates affect those who are just trying to save? The benefit of low-interest rates is that they allow people to borrow much more freely. A typical 30-year mortgage that goes from eight percent to five percent interest may result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings to th...

Real estate is a tricky business. The same strategy that worked a decade ago is now defunct. The real estate development world changes year to year. Only the experts know where the real profit is. Most people would think that investing in large cities is the way to go; however, 2019 doesn’t appear to be heading that way. Below are the best real estate markets to invest in during 2019.
These locations all have a few things in common. For one, the local economy is outperforming the national eco...

Mortgage rates are hitting an average high of 5%. Mortgage rates have been steady in recent years around 4%, but TransUnion credit bureau predicts that these rates will rise to 5% by the end of 2019.
Along with the rising interest rates, the housing prices are steadily rising as well. Near the end of 2018, the median home price in the U.S. was $276,000. Rising interest rates and increasing housing prices has brought back a home-buying strategy into popularity.
The strategy is commonly referre...

Earlier this month, the Oracle of Omaha, the greatest investor of all time, and Berkshire Hathaway’s CEO– Warren Buffett sat down for an exclusive interview with Andy Serwer, Yahoo Finance’s editor-in-chief. The discussion revolved around the importance of good habits in younger generations.
“I think the habits you develop are important. They may be more important than an IQ or something,” Buffett said in response to whether young people should be saving and investing. Reflecting back to his ...

In today’s economy, it can feel overwhelming, and even impossible, to save money. As living expenses zoom past what is considered to be a livable wage, the lifestyles of today can make you feel discouraged and pessimistic. While the budgeting practices of the past may not work for your daily lifestyle, there is still hope.
Intuit, the creator of QuickBooks, Mint, and TurboTax, thinks financial gain could be as simple as changing the way you think. Do you have a jar or center console filled wi...

Getting tips on how to handle your personal finances from billionaires isn’t as daunting as it may seem. While yes, there are some wealthy people who were lucky enough to be born into their money, there are also many, many others who have built their own wealth themselves. Here are 5 tips from billionaires that can apply to anyone struggling to handle their personal finances.
Start early, or as soon as possible
If you’re young, I’m sure you’ve heard it over and over again: start saving money ...

If you’ve been paying any attention to the investing world lately, you’ll know that index funds have become a major key player. Since 2016, out of every $5 invested in the United States, $1 was through an index fund.
What is an Index Fund?
An index is an academic concept or an idea. The most famous index of all time is the Dow Jones Industrial Average, commonly known as “The Dow.” This is a list of the 30 largest American publicly-traded companies. Its use is to evaluate the American economy ...

Sports media comes in many forms of mediums: radio, internet, television, and now even podcasts. Similar to that of the radio, sports podcasts are produced for a low cost and are broadcasted to the public. Here’s a list of some of the best sports podcasts of today.
Ring Rust Radio
Fans of WWE will rave about this podcast. The Bleacher Report writers Brandon Galvin and Donald Wood are the hosts of Ring Rust Radio and bring their style and humor to the job of predicting and analyzing profession...

When considering an investment of real estate, college areas may be the last thing to come to mind. You may be thinking, “why would I purchase a property just to rent it to party-heavy teenagers?!” But statistics show that investing in college town properties has far more to offer.
In the real estate industry, your choice of neighborhoods is exceptionally crucial to your success. Different areas and regions offer different pros and cons for your investment. Carefully compare and consider both...

In 2018, about one-third of the housing market is made up of millennials. At the same time, millennials are currently the largest generation and make up more than two-third of first-time homebuyers. Because of these numbers, it’s important to monitor the trends that are being caused in the real estate market because of millennials. Below are three to be aware of.
Location, Location, Location
Although millennials have caused many changes in the real estate market, location is still the biggest...

Go ahead and ask absolutely anyone what characteristics make someone successful? You’ll hear the same typical answers: time management, communication skills, leadership skills, luck, persistence, etc. While these more common skills do play a factor in a person’s success, the characteristics listed below focus more on the talents that successful inventors cultivate over time.
Here are four hidden characteristics of successful investors.
Lovers of Learning- Bill Gates says he tries to read a ne...

Continued from my last blog…
The Wheels Fall Off the Trolley Dodger
Although years removed from their time in Brooklyn, there were still hundreds of New York residents who worshiped the Dodgers. Although the series was tied at 2-2, there was a sense of urgency missing from the LA dugout. It was as if one play had knocked the wheels off their trolley.
Los Angeles chipped away early, building a two run lead heading into the bottom of the 3rd inning. That point seemed to be the beginning of the ...

The 1978 World Series turned out to be an unexpected repeat of the previous year’s battle between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. During the 1977 six-game series the two teams traded shifting momentum.
LA actually outscored New York by two more total runs, but the Yankees took the series 4-2. This year Los Angeles started out in the friendly surroundings at Chavez Ravine, the home of Dodger Stadium.
The Friendly Confines
Los Angeles faithful started the 1978 World Series wit...

Between the ages of 20 and 30, there are plenty of major life changes that occur. For many, these changes are graduating from college, finding a career, getting married, and starting a family. Having an understanding of your personal finances is required for each of these life changes. Here’s some advice on how to navigate your finances in your 20s.
Maximizing Your Income
Entry-level jobs right out of college most likely won’t land you a salary you’ve been dreaming of all throughout undergrad...