About Ruth Lyons

Trading three decades of financial publishing experience in the corporate world for a life of personal and financial freedom as a freelancer in 2012, Ruth is passionate about helping others take control of their personal finances and to become aware and educated on their options as self-reliant individuals. Disenfranchised with the high cost and lackluster performance of her IRA, college savings and other retirement accounts handled by a full-service broker, Ruth moved her retirement money to a self-directed IRA in 2015. Ruth holds an MS in Finance from Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business (1991) and a Business Management degree from University of Maryland (1984).

You can follow Ruth on: Twitter

What Are the Risks of Investing in Real Estate? Part 1

Historically, investing in real estate has been one of the best ways to build long-term wealth. Many of the world’s richest people made their fortunes by investing in properties. However, just as with any other type of investment, real estate investing is not without risk. Here are a few pitfalls you should be aware of before becoming a real estate investor. We’ve divided them up into two installments.

7 Important Things That HGTV Real Estate Shows Don’t Tell You

HGTV and other popular cable channels are flush with home renovation “reality” shows. They make it look both fun and easy to buy, fix up and quickly resell a home for big profits. While entertaining, the shows are obviously scripted for high viewership and ratings. Here are a few important things the shows omit or just get wrong.

Commercial vs. Residential Real Estate Investing: Which Is Right for You?

If you hang around online forums for real estate investors, it’s easy to assume that everyone starts with residential properties, but if you really want to be a successful real estate investor, you need to move to commercial. It seems most investors believe that residential real estate is the kiddie pool and “mature” real estate investors turn to commercial as soon as they’ve accumulated enough experience and have access to enough funds. But is commercial real estate better than residential?

The Best Real Estate Investing Books

I love investing in real estate, and it’s been more profitable and personally rewarding than any other investment strategy I’ve tried. I’ve read a lot of books on real estate investing, and I’m occasionally asked to list my favorites.

8 Ways to Fund Your Real Estate Deals

If you’re thinking about buying an investment property but don’t have the cash needed in your bank account, don’t despair. Luckily, there are more financing options than you probably realize. Selecting the best option for your real estate investment strategy and particular situation can even save you thousands of dollars.

403(b) vs. 401(k) – What’s the Difference?

You’ve certainly seen the term “401(k)” before. And it’s likely that you already have one set up through your employer. But what’s a 403(b)? If you’re wondering what this type of employer-sponsored plan is, who qualifies for it and how it’s different from a 401(k), read on.

What’s the Best Way to Determine the Value of My Property?

For many of us, our home is the single biggest investment we’ll ever make. And just as we track the value of our other investments, it’s wise to assess the value of our main property (as well as any secondary properties we might own) from time to time. Of course, the value of any home fluctuates based on market conditions and other factors. So the question is: How do you determine the current market value of your home?

3 Steps to Get Started As a Real Estate Investor

I firmly believe we are all budding entrepreneurs. We want to control our destiny, work for ourselves and feel good about making a difference in the world. Real estate investing is an excellent way to stretch one’s entrepreneurial muscles.

Should You Rent Your Property to Section 8 Tenants?

Finding a suitable place to live is often difficult for families with financial challenges. Many low-income families pay half their monthly income in rent and still find themselves living in sub-par, and even unsafe, conditions. Ever since the Great Depression, there have been housing assistance programs in the United States. One of the most popular is a federal program, known as “Section 8,” that’s managed by local Public Housing Authorities. And Section 8 may also provide investors who want to take part in active real estate investing with some great opportunities.

Betterment vs. Vanguard – Which Robo Advisor Is Better?

With so many robo advisor platforms on the market today, finding the one that best suits your individual needs can be a challenge. That’s why we’ve created this comparison of two of the most popular services, Betterment and Vanguard Personal Advisor Services. Both products have each received excellent ratings from our reviewers. So which one is better? Let’s put them head-to-head and find out.