Selling Game

Don and Tom kick off the show with weekend banter and nostalgia about checkbooks before diving into why buying and selling a home remains one of life’s biggest—and most misunderstood—financial decisions. Using a Wall Street Journal quiz, they explore smart pricing, commission negotiations, low-cost home improvements, inspections, seasonal pricing patterns, and even haunted-house disclosures. Along the way, callers ask about life insurance planning, tax-managed accounts, umbrella insurance, and retirement income strategy. The episode emphasizes realistic expectations, low-cost investing, diversification, and avoiding unnecessary fees, while reminding listeners that simple, disciplined decisions usually beat flashy financial “solutions.”

0:04 Weekend open, call-in invite, “no annuity” guarantee, check-writing nostalgia

1:24 Don discovers last checks were written in 2019–2021

2:45 Home buying/selling as life’s biggest transaction

3:20 Overpricing your house and “it’s worth what someone pays”

4:24 WSJ real estate quiz: pricing strategy in slow markets

6:14 Break, banter, and commission quiz setup

7:04 Real estate commissions are negotiable

8:10 Selling by owner and staging realities

9:14 Caller Dustin: debt-free at 27, life insurance, DIY vs advisors

12:41 Planning for life insurance proceeds and beneficiaries

14:06 Zillow estimates and home values

14:43 Caller Joey: SMAs and tax-loss strategies

17:31 Capital gains, housing exemptions, and SMA practicality

19:16 Caller Beth: umbrella insurance for homeowners

22:02 Caller Ron: retirement income, stable value funds, RMDs

25:06 Diversification beyond the S&P 500

26:50 Returning to WSJ real estate quiz

27:43 Best ROI upgrades: paint and curb appeal

28:23 Pre-listing inspections

29:44 When home prices peak (June)

31:09 Haunted houses and disclosure laws

33:43 Listener portfolio: AVGE, AVGV, bonds