关于财富，你做过的最正确的决定是什么？
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What has been your best financialdecision?)

MauraRudd), Maker of multiple things.

Almost 20 years ago, when myhusband and I were house-hunting. I would often discuss our progress with aco-worker. He was at least 30 years older than I was, and had bought and soldhomes several times.

He pointed out an error in ourstrategy. We would choose a neighborhood we felt we could afford, and then lookfor the nicest home there in our budget. We were getting frustrated because thenice homes we liked, were in somewhat depressed neighborhoods.

My friend suggested the financialadage- Look for the worst house in the best neighborhood. We took his advice,and looked in one of the nicest neighborhoods in my town, right on the water,but minutes to town. It seemed silly since every house we saw was almost twiceour budget.

Then, in that lovelyneighborhood, we found a house at the end of a quiet lane. It was ugly as hell.The front porch was just a 5 X 5 foot slab of concrete with 2 steps leading upto it. There were crazy overgrown bushes everywhere. There was a splintered,wooden porch across the width of the second floor that looked like it was aboutto fall off, and almost every window was full of condensation from broken sealson the double paned glass.

We almost drove away, but wedecided to look inside. It had plenty of large bedrooms and baths, and eventhrough the fogged-up windows, the house was full of sunlight. There was evenan in-law apartment for my Dad to come stay with us. It was also close to halfthe price of comparable houses in the neighborhood.

People thought we were crazy whenwe bought it. But when we ripped down the falling-off porch, put a balconyacross the second floor of the house and built an entryway and garden in front,they understood. It even turned out that replacing the window seals was notthat expensive either.

We had taken a butt-ugly housethat had sat on the market forever, and turned it into a place that fit prettywell into the upscale neighborhood. It took some time, effort and of coursemoney, but 19 years later, I am very glad we took my friend’s advice.