Expertise

Kids & Family, Credit Cards, Saving, Budgeting, Debt Management, Budgeting & Saving, Family Money & Life Events, Credit Scores

Location

Columbia , Maryland

Education

Hampton University, B.A. Sojourner Douglass College

Bio

I am a licensed real estate agent and owner of 11 investment properties in Maryland. I realized the importance of having good financial skills after making horrible financial mistakes both going into and coming out of college, mostly as a result of not being taught financial education in school or at home. I went from having horrible credit, high finance charges and being a perpetual renter, to becoming a homeowner and a real estate investor with decent credit- all because I learned to save, the importance of credit and budgeting, and the power of discipline. I was determined to do something about the fact that neither my 13 year old son nor his friends are being taught financial literacy skills in their school. Based on my own experience, this was a potential setup for disaster for the next generation. I often times say, "There are some things that you can learn as you go through life, but basic financial knowledge should not be one of them." I give advice to people on how I cleaned up my credit, and on some of the many ways in which I have purchased properties. As a real estate agent, I continue to be amazed at the number of adults who have the best of intentions and want to buy a house...have been saving... but have no clue as to the effects that their spending decisions have had on their credit (and therefore, their ability to buy a house for anything other than 100% all-cash). I strongly advocate that people should buy with their head, with (at most) only a small part of their heart. I firmly believe that ethics and sustainable wealth are tied together, and that if you "do right" in the world and to others, your share of the wealth that is meant for you will "do right" by YOU! I'll be the first to say that I don't have any letters behind my name. So if you're looking for advice from someone who has learned in class how to do it, then I'm not your person. However, I have "been there and done that"... and if I can do it, SO CAN YOU! I'm more than willing to help you or guide you in any way that I can... besides, have you ever asked someone with those letters behind their name about THEIR financial fitness?