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gregmckinney1 · 2 years

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The History Of Chevrolet Pickups

Chevrolet pickups marked 100 years in 2018, and over 85 million trucks have been produced in the past century. Let’s take a look at some classic Chevrolet pickups to see their evolution over the years.

The Beginning of Chevrolet Pickup History

Superior Trucks: 1918-1929

Chevy released its first truck in 1918, the Chevy Model 490, and was inspired by vehicles used in plants to move parts and pieces across the facilities. The 1918 Series 490 was super primitive and was sold as a chassis with just a frame and a basic seat. The engine was a basic 2.8-liter 4-cylinder good for 30 horsepower or less.

A New Era: 1929-1936

In 1929 Chevrolet introduced its International Series LD. In 1931, Chevrolet started producing factory-built pickups. The Independence Series had four body styles available: a pickup, panel, sedan delivery, and canopy. In 1936, the first-generation pickups came to an end with the next engine update for Chevrolet trucks.

Post World War II: 1937-1946

In 1937, Chevrolet pickups were equipped with a 78-horsepower engine. In 1938 the company introduced the Chevrolet Half-Ton truck featuring a new redesigned vertical grille and front bumper along with swept fenders.

In 1946, after World War II, Chevy produced a full line of trucks ranging from light duty to heavy duty. However, these trucks were only in production until 1947, when Chevrolet launched a completely redesigned line of pickups known as the “Advance Design” trucks.

Advance Design Trucks: 1947-1954

Debuting in 1947, the Advance Design pickups sported a completely new look with a five-bar horizontal grille. Beneath the hood was a 216.5-cubic inch Thrift Master overhead-valve six-cylinder engine capable of producing 90 horsepower.

In 1954 the trucks featured a brand-new grille, steering wheel, instrument panel, parking lights, and a one-piece windshield. The engine increased to 235.5-cubic inches with 112 horsepower.

Task Force: 1955-1959

In 1955, Chevrolet released the new “Task Force” models that included a new small block V8 engine. The Chevrolet 3124 Series Cameo Carrier had a new power steering and power brakes, and a 12-volt electrical system. The small block V8 engine displaced 265 cubic inches and 162 horsepower with a two-barrel carburetor. The small block was enlarged to 283 cubic inches in 1957, with ratings starting at 185 horsepower.

Evolution Of Modern Trucks

Chevy C/K Series 1960-1966

The 1960 redesign marked the introduction of the C/K designations for Chevrolet. “C” was for 2-wheel drive models and “K” was for 4-wheel drive models. There was a more sophisticated suspension design providing a more car-like ride.

Chevy C/K Series: 1967-1972

The 1967-1972 Chevrolet and GMC trucks were named “Action Line.” Most pickup models in this generation were built with coil spring rear suspension. All the 1967-1972 four-wheel drive trucks had leaf springs on both axles.

Chevy C/K: 1973-1986

For the 1973 Chevrolet and GMC trucks, testing was done in a wind tunnel and designed for better aerodynamics. The wheelbase of these models was extended and a dual rear wheel option was offered on one-ton pickups.

Chevy C/K Series (GMT400): 1988-1998

From 1990-1993, a performance model called 454SS had a 454ci V8, a sport suspension, and quick ratio steering. A turbo-diesel was also made available beginning in 1992.

In 1995, Vortec V8s debuted with high-flow cylinder heads, roller valve lifters, new camshaft, and higher compression for increased power and efficiency.

Chevy Silverado (GMT800): 1999-2007

General Motors dropped the C/K designations for 1999. They chose Silverado for Chevrolet and Sierra for GMC, referring to the new platform as GMT800. Just before the next generation (GMT900) was released for the 2007 model year, GM began selling outgoing GMT800 models under the name "Silverado Classic."

Chevy Silverado & GMC Sierra (GMT900): 2007-2018

GMT900 series pickups are the most popular for businesses with employees that drive more than 100,000+ miles. These pickups are considered the most reliable Silverados and Sierras that GM has ever produced.

The series has two available V8 engines were equipped with Active Fuel Management (AFM). This is a feature that deactivated four cylinders when the engine wasn't under load.

GMC Canyon & Colorado

Chevrolet also produced a smaller pickup truck called Colorado also known as the S10 before 2004. The GMC Canyon and Colorado became standalone trucks, with the first generation produced from 2004-2012.

In 2018, Chevrolet produced a Centennial Special Edition Colorado alongside the Silverado. The celebratory model featured a 3.6L DOHC V6 engine capable of producing 308 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft. of torque.

From the first Chevy truck in 1918 to the new 2018 Silverado and Colorado Centennial editions, Chevy has come a long way from where it started so many years ago and there is a continued popularity of its older designs.

Greg McKinney Mineola Texas

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gregmckinney1 · 2 years

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Top 10 realistic ways to make your money work for you By: Greg McKinney Mineola Texas

Having a lot of money and making it work for you are two different things. Anyone can make money, but not everyone knows how to make it work hard for them. There is a famous quote from Warren Buffet, “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.”

If you think it's hard, you are probably right, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can make your money work for you. All you need is a little bit of knowledge and some elbow grease, and you will be on your way to financial success in no time.

In this article, we will be sharing the top 10 realistic ways to make your money work for you. So, whether you are looking to save for a rainy day, invest for your future, or just want to make your money work a little harder, this article is for you.

1. Pick investment vehicles that can beat inflation

If you don't know what inflation is, it's basically when prices of goods and services increase over time. This means that the same amount of money will buy you less in the future. To combat inflation, you need to invest in vehicles that will grow at a rate higher than inflation.

There are many different investment vehicles out there to beat inflation, but some of the best include:

Precious metals (Gold, Silver, Platinum)

Real estate

Retirement plans (IRA, 401k, 403b)

Mutual funds

Stocks, etc.

You have to do your research and pick the investment that is right for you but picking one of these vehicles won't help you beat inflation. You will need a well-diversified portfolio to protect yourself against inflation.

2. Invest in equity

This is one of the smartest and most effective ways to make your money work for you. When you invest in equity, you are essentially buying a piece of an entity (company, real estate, etc.) and become a partial owner.

As the value of the entity grows, so does your equity stake. This is one of the best ways to make your money work for you because it has the potential to make you a lot of money.

Of course, there is risk involved because the value of the entity can also go down, but as long as you are diversified, you will be fine.

And the best part is that you don't have to move an inch to make money from your equity investments. All you have to do is to make a few smart decisions and let your money work for you.

3. Have multiple sources of income

It's never a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket and this is especially true when it comes to your income.

Having multiple sources of income gives you a safety net in case one of your sources dries up. It also allows you to make more money because you are essentially earning money from multiple streams.

Anything could happen to your primary source of income, so it's always good to have a backup. And if you can make more money by having multiple sources of income, then why not do it? There are many different ways to earn additional income, some of the most popular ones include:

Rental income

Passive income

Interest and dividends

Side hustles, etc

Don't depend on one source of income, have multiple streams so that you can make more money and be prepared for anything.

4. Save for emergencies

Most individuals don't prioritize saving because they think they don't make enough money or emergency funds are a myth. However, this is the one mistake that can ruin your financial stability.

You never know when an emergency will arise and if you don't have any savings, you will be in a tough spot. And you don't want to use your future savings to handle current emergencies, that's not how it works.

Start small and make it a habit to save a fixed percentage of your income every month. Once you have built up an emergency fund, you can use the extra money to invest or save for other goals.

A golden rule is to have at least 4-6 months of living expenses saved so that you can cover yourself in case of a job loss or other unforeseen circumstances.

5. Invest, invest, invest

If you truly want to make your money work for you, there is no better way to do it than to invest. When you invest, you are essentially putting your money in some investment vehicles that have the potential to grow.

That's not it, with the power of compounding, your money will grow at an exponential rate. And the best part is that you don't have to do anything, just sit back and let your money work for you. Compounding is basically when you earn interest on your investment, and then you reinvest that interest so that you can earn even more interest.

It's a self-perpetuating cycle that can make you a lot of money if done right. Of course, there is risk involved because investments can go up or down, but as long as you are diversified, you will be fine.

The key is to start investing as early as possible and invest regularly. The sooner you start, the more time your money has to grow and if you invest regularly, that's even better!

6. Start your retirement plans

It's never too early to start thinking about retirement, in fact, the sooner you start, the better. The earlier you start saving for retirement, the more time your money has to grow and compound.

Not to mention, the sooner you start saving, the less money you will have to put away each month. If you start saving for retirement at age 25, you can easily retire by age 60. However, if you wait until age 35 to start saving, you will have to save a lot more each month to reach the same goal.

There are many different retirement plans that you can choose from, such as:

IRAs

401ks

Pensions

Annuities, etc

The best thing you can do is to set up an automatic withdrawal from your paycheck so that you are saving automatically every month.

7. Make a budget

If you are serious about saving and thinking about your future, having a budget is as important as having a retirement plan. Without a budget, it's very easy to overspend and get off track with your finances.

A budget will help you track your income and expenses so that you can see where your money is going and make decisions accordingly. When you have a good idea of where your money is going, it's much easier to save.

There are many different ways to make a budget, but the best way is to use the 50/30/20 rule. This means that 50% of your income goes towards essentials, 30% goes towards wants, and 20% goes towards savings and debt repayment.

Of course, you can make changes and tweaks to this budget depending on your financial situation, but it's a good starting point.

8. Invest in yourself

Investing in yourself doesn't mean going out and buying a new car or a new house, although those things can be nice. Investing in yourself means taking care of yourself and making sure that you are on the right track financially.

This means investing in your education so that you can get a better job, learning about personal finance so that you can make better decisions with your money, and investing in your health so that you can live a long and healthy life.

Investing in yourself is one of the best things you can do because it will pay off in the long run. Not only will you be happier and healthier, but you will also be wealthier. The most important thing about investing in yourself is keeping yourself open to all new things and possibilities.

9. Get out of debt

Debt is one of the biggest obstacles to financial freedom because it can take years to pay off, and it drains your money each month. However, if you stay disciplined and focused, you can get out of debt relatively quickly.

Having a budget that focuses on debt repayment is a great way to attack your debt. Allocate a certain amount of your income each month to debt repayment and make sure that you stick to it.

You can also use debt snowball methods such as the debt avalanche and the debt snowball to get out of debt even faster. Whichever method you choose, make sure that you are consistent with your payments and that you stay focused on your goal.

10. Live below your means and know your worth

If you don't have a clue about where you stand financially, you're not alone. According to a research study, 62% of Americans don't know how much they need to save for retirement, and 45% have no idea how much debt they have.

Not knowing your financial situation is a recipe for disaster because it's very easy to overspend and get into debt. The first step to financial freedom is to educate yourself about personal finance and understand your worth.

Once you know your worth, it's much easier to live below your means and make smart financial decisions. You will also be less likely to fall prey to consumerism and the rat race mentality.

Start by educating yourself about personal finance and learning about money. There are many great resources out there, and you can find most of them for free. Once you know your worth, make a budget and stick to it.

And finally, live below your means so that you can save money and achieve financial freedom.

Conclusion

These are just a few of the many ways that you can make your money work for you. If you are serious about saving and creating wealth, then you need to start implementing these tips immediately. However, you have to remember that it might take some time to see desired results so be sure to be patient and stay focused on your goals. Good luck!

Greg McKinney Mineola Texas

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gregmckinney1 · 2 years

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Buying a House in 6 Months? Take These Steps First

By: Greg McKinney Mineola TX

If you've created a timeline and decided you'll buy a house in six months, your journey starts now. The more you prepare for the mortgage process, the easier it will be and the better terms you'll get on your approval.

A mortgage is a significant investment and one that you'll have for the next 15 – 30 years, so the more prepared you are, the more money you'll save.

Lenders look at many factors when approving you for a loan, but here's how you can best prepare yourself.

Steps to Take 6 Months Before Buying a Home

You can start these steps as early as you want, but if you're at the six-month mark, it's time to kick it into high gear to get the best loans available.

Check your Credit

Your credit is the first thing lenders will look at when you apply for a loan. So, pull your credit to see where you stand.

Everyone gets free weekly access to their credit reports. Pull all three bureaus and look for any negative information, such as:

· Late payments (payments over 30 days late)

· Credit lines with more than 30% of the credit line outstanding

· Collections

· Incorrect information

· Accounts that don't belong to you

If there is any inaccurate information, write a dispute to the credit bureau to get it corrected. This can take 30+ days, so act now. Make your request in writing and provide as much proof as possible to prove your point.

If you have late payments or overextended credit lines, take care of them as quickly as possible. Your credit score changes monthly, so the faster you fix these issues, the higher your credit score will be when you apply for a mortgage.

Save Money for Down Payment and Closing Costs

Most lenders require a down payment of 3% - 5%, and closing costs are between 3% - 6% of the loan amount.

This means for every $100,000, you’ll $6,000 - $11,000 on average. You should have money for the down payment already saved at the six-month mark, but many people overlook the closing costs and are unpleasantly surprised when they figure out, they don't have enough cash to close.

Err on the side of caution and save as much money as possible for the closing. Then, if you don't need all of it, you'll have cash reserves that you can use for things like furnishing your home, setting up utilities, or putting away for a rainy day because you'll soon be a homeowner with a lot of responsibilities.

Don't Quit your Job

Lenders prefer a 2-year job history at the same job when you apply for a loan. However, if it's within your control, stay at your current job, giving your lender proof of stable income.

If you've recently changed jobs, write a Letter of Explanation regarding why you changed jobs. For example, if you took a higher paying job or recently went to school or training to take on a new job, these are great reasons lenders usually approve of when you have less than a 2-year job history.

Don't Rack up Credit Card Debt

Next to your credit score, lenders look at your debt-to-income ratio. This compares your monthly debts (credit cards, student loans, car loans, etc.) to your gross monthly income (income before taxes).

The less debt you have compared to your income, the more your chances of approval increase. You can have some debt but carrying unnecessary credit card debt can decrease your chances of approval or cost you a higher interest rate or closing costs.

Lock up your credit cards, and don't use them until after you've closed your loan.

Pay your Credit Card Debt Down

If you're already over your head in credit card debt, pay the balance down as much as possible. But, again, the lower your DTI, the better it is for loan approval.

Focus on paying your credit card debt down as much as possible at the six-month mark so that you'll get the best rates and terms when you get closer to applying for pre-approval.

Get Pre-Approved for a Loan

Within the six-month mark, you must get pre-approved. I suggest doing this when you're 2 to 3 months out from buying a home.

Pre-approvals last for 60 – 90 days, and most sellers require them. Sellers don't want to waste time showing their homes and accepting offers from unqualified borrowers. To prove you're a qualified borrower, you should have a pre-approval letter from a lender.

A pre-approval letter means the lender did the following:

· Pulled your credit

· Evaluated your income

· Assessed your assets

· Determined how much loan you can afford

The pre-approval letter states how much you can borrow, the estimated interest rate and closing fees, the loan program, and the conditions you must clear to close the loan.

A good pre-approval letter will only have the property's conditions outstanding. This means you did your due diligence and proved to the lender that you can afford the financing.

Shop Around for the Best Loan

The pre-approval process is the best time to shop around for a loan. Getting quotes from multiple lenders doesn't hurt your credit if you do it in a short period – usually 2 to 3 weeks.

This allows you to compare offers from various lenders, ensuring you choose the loan that costs the least monthly and over the loan's term.

Final Thoughts

Buying a house in six months is exciting! But, before you jump in headfirst, prepare yourself as early as possible.

Buying a house is one of the largest investments you'll make in your lifetime. Preparing as much as possible to get the best financing term can save you thousands of dollars over the loan's term.

Work with a reputable mortgage lender or broker to get the best loan terms and make the most of the investment you'll make in your new dream home!

Greg McKinney Mineola Texas

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gregmckinney1 · 2 years

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gregmckinney1 · 3 years

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Investors Are Changing Low Income Neighborhoods Across The Country by Greg McKinney Mineola Texas

With investors having a harder and harder time finding a good deal on investment property many are purchasing homes in areas they typically would shy away from. Homes in these lower income and higher crime areas are seeing a revitalization across the country. Some of these neighborhoods have not seen activity or wide spread improvements to the homes in decades but that is all changing and changing rapidly.

Home values in these lower income areas have increased almost 50% over the past few years which is about double the average increase we have seen in mid-price homes. The 50% value increase we are seeing in these areas is about 3 times the value increase we are seeing in higher priced homes.

Some very low-income areas of the country have even seen increased values of homes well over 100%. Previously these very low-income areas were not even eligible for financing but that has changed. Banks are starting to make loans on these homes. Some cities who have been sitting on these vacant homes for decades are seeing investors move in and remodel entire city blocks. They are buying up multiple homes at a time and remodeling several homes at the same time. The investors can keep their crews busy by moving from one adjacent project to the next. Investors can also increase the resale value of their homes by improving the other homes in the neighborhood.

Many of these larger cities who typically demolish dozens of homes each year have stopped as these investors have started to move in bring these old neglected houses back to life. I’m Greg McKinney from Mineola TX and we are seeing this in our small town as well.

This isn’t just happening in the larger cities but it’s also happening in smaller towns across the U.S.. We are seeing it happen in every small town in East Texas with these older low-income neighborhoods seeing a substantial uptick in activity. Many of these low-income neighborhoods were the original neighborhoods built in the city 75 – 100 years ago. In turn many of these old homes have beautiful designs and architectural details you will not find in other areas of the city. Investors are bringing these beautiful architectural details back to life and highlighting those details. Some of the trim work, roof lines and just the material they made these old homes out of was far superior to the pressed wood and particle board they use in home construction now. Many of these old homes were actually framed with full size oak or old growth pine which makes the homes much stronger than newer homes. Many of these newer homes are built from new growth hybrid pine trees. These hybrid pine trees are designed for fast growth which means a softer wood which isn’t as strong and more susceptible to termite and insect damage.

This red hot real estate market has given cities across the country a very positive side effect with the revitalization of these low income neighborhoods which will last for decades.

Greg McKinney Mineola TX

Gregory S. McKinney Mineola Texas

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gregmckinney1 · 3 years

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Home Remodeling Project 2017-2017 in Mineola TX by Greg McKinney Mineola...

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Do Letters To Home Sellers Work? by Greg McKinney Mineola Texas

Just when it looks like things couldn’t get any crazier in this current real estate market well it does. My niece was recently trying to buy a home in the red hot market of Dallas / Fort Worth. This was her first home and she was becoming very frustrated. She had found several homes she liked but lost those to other buyers. After weeks and weeks of looking she found a house she absolutely loved. An older couple owned the home and they had lived there for decades. The sellers had already received multiple offers above asking price. They were looking over these offers trying to decided which one to take. My niece’s real estate agent suggested she make an offer and along with the contract she should write a letter to the homeowners with background information on my niece and why she wanted the home.

Well my niece did just that. She had a very compelling personal story to tell. She had recently graduated from grueling 6 years of nursing school and she just landed her first job as a nurse practitioner. She had also recently lost her father. She had worked so hard her whole life in school to get where she was and she had just went through a very difficult year with the loss of her father. She wanted a home where she could live and enjoy for many many years not just a starter home were she would just live for a few years. She poured all of this into a letter to the homeowners. In the letter she explained in detail what she loved about the home. She keyed on personal touches the homeowners had added to the home which made it unique from other homes in the area. She explained how she also wanted to stay in the home for decades not just a use this home as a stepping stone to another home. She also explained how difficult the recent loss of her father had made it on her journey to find a home. They were very close and he was a real estate agent who would have loved to help her find her first home. Well the letter did the trick. The sellers accepted her offer and signed the contract. I believe the sellers were just as excited to sell the home to her as my niece was to buy the home.

Apparently this new practice of writing “Love Letters” to homeowners is becoming very popular across the country and it’s working. With sellers receiving multiple offers on their homes many are looking for something other than a preapproval letter to convince them to sell the home to potential buyers. Agents say these letters must be truthful and heartfelt. Many sellers are not accepting the highest offers based on these letters. To convince the seller, buyers cannot write a general letter to give to multiple sellers. Each letter needs to be tailored specifically for that home.

So if you are having trouble finding a home and getting your offers accepted, brush up on your writing skills. When you do find the home you really want, slip in a love letter to the homeowners. It could save you thousands of dollars and get you into the home you really want.

Greg McKinney Mineola TX

Gregory S. McKinney Mineola Texas