by Welcome to our monthly update on the Nuestra Casa Fund (NCF), our dedicated savings for our future home purchase. As we progress towards early retirement, we’re committed to fully funding our home purchase before we bid farewell to our full-time jobs. Let’s dive into our December 2017 update and share our recent exploration of Florida’s Gulf Coast!
NCF Progress: December 2017
We’re thrilled to report that we’ve now saved 82% of our target for our future home purchase. This represents a 1.5% increase from last month, keeping us slightly ahead of our benchmark. We’re on track to meet our goal by August 2018, maintaining our 80% bonds and 20% cash allocation to balance growth with risk management.
Here’s a quick look at our year-to-date progress:
| Year-to-date NCF Update | |||
| Month | Percent of Goal Met | Benchmark | Percent Increase Towards 100% |
| January 2017 | 23.9% | 23.9% | Month that we started tracking this goal. |
| February | 25.1% | 26.5% | 1.2% |
| March | 28.5% | 29.2% | 3.4% |
| April | 28.8% | 31.8% | 0.3% |
| May | 30.2% | 34.5% | 1.4% |
| June | 39.1% | 37.1% | 8.9% |
| July | 46.1% | 39.8% | 7% |
| August | 49.1% | 42.4% | 3% |
| September (new target) | 78% | 77.2% | 28.9% |
| October | 80.5% | 79.3% | 2.5% |
| November | 82% | 81.4% | 1.5% |
Exploring Sarasota: A Potential Retirement Paradise
Recently, we took a vacation to Florida’s Gulf Coast, specifically exploring Sarasota as a potential post-retirement home. Our experience was overwhelmingly positive:
- Convenient location: Our hotel was just 10 minutes from downtown and 20 minutes from the beach.
- Diverse dining: Downtown Sarasota surprised us with its variety of restaurants.
- Parking perks: Free 2-hour parking downtown and free beach parking were unexpected bonuses.
- Weather: The promise of nine months of fantastic weather is enticing.
- Outdoor activities: We enjoyed biking along the 38-mile Pinellas Trail and visiting Crystal Beach.
- Natural beauty: Siesta Key Beach’s fine white sand was a highlight.
While we’re excited about the possibilities, we’re approaching this decision cautiously. Our plan is to continue monitoring the real estate market in Sarasota County and potentially rent in the area before making any long-term commitments.
Financial Reflections and Looking Ahead
December brought some interesting financial insights:
- Three-paycheck month: We’re expecting a significant boost to our savings this month.
- Dividend reinvestment: All dividends from our taxable brokerage account are being reinvested into the NCF.
As we wrap up 2017, we’re proud of our financial accomplishments:
- Reached financial independence
- Maxed out Roth IRAs and Traditional 401(k) accounts
- Adhered to our spending plan
- Continued to grow our net worth
We’re excited to welcome 2018 and the new opportunities it will bring to our financial journey.
Your Turn: Set Your 2018 Financial Goals
What financial milestones are you aiming for in the coming year? Share your goals and strategies in the comments below!
