Sick Babies, Vacuums and Microwaves - 05/31/09 10:44 PM
Sick babies, vacuums and microwaves. What do they all have in common? Hard to guess for most, but for me they are a flurry of things that went sideways in my house last week. It brings to mind the old adage trouble comes in threes. Our challenges were small this month but what about months when you're hit with bigger and longer lasting bumps in your path? The ones that go from speed bumps to small mountains.Deepak Chopra wrote that America's safety net is unraveling to the point where an illness can wipe-out a middle class family.In Canada (and Japan) we … (0 comments)

Alberta Cities North American Top Economies - 05/29/09 02:01 AM
Regardless of what is happening in the short term Alberta, specifically Edmonton and Calgary are the best places to keep your money for long-term returns.
"Cowtown is Wowtown but Edmonton isn't far behind, says a report released yesterday that gave Calgary a top-of-the-class grade on a global scorecard for overall economic prosperity.
Calgary was the lone metropolis in a survey of international commerce heavyweights to earn an A grade in the Calgary Economic Development-commissioned Conference Board of Canada report.
Edmonton was third. Dallas was sandwiched at second between Alberta's two major centres in the 23-city ranking.
Such results aren't surprising for … (2 comments)

Jeff Rubin On Canada's Future - 05/22/09 07:25 AM
From Globe and Mail
"Jeff Rubin, former chief economist at CIBC World Markets Inc., took your questions at Wednesday at 12:15 p.m.
Mr. Rubin built his reputation on a number of successful predictions, including one in 2000 that oil prices would hit $50 (U.S.) a barrel within five years and correctly calling the residential real estate market bust in the early 1990s. He was named Canada's top economist a number of times.
Mr. Rubin recently forecast that the price of oil will reach $225 a barrel by 2012, and his book, called Why Your World Is About to Get … (0 comments)

Edmonton Continues To Rock - 05/19/09 02:57 AM
With the the hint of warmer weather and a couple of dead cat bounces, market sentiment seems up. I'd say that for Edmonton real estate it is a combination of the increasingly lower prime rates; soon banks will be stuffing dollars into our pockets. And the cyclicallift that spring/summer bring to home listings and sales.Folks that have been waiting to buy are now cautiously dipping a toe or two testing the waters. Is it a good time to buy? Yes, of course it is - whenever you buy for cashflow in a fundamentally strong area, it is a good thing.Did you … (0 comments)

This is scary stuff! - 05/17/09 09:12 PM
Have you ever left your house and miles away wondered if you locked the door? Well apparently it doesn't matter if you did or not because thieves and miscreants can now open almost any door with a technique called bumping. First watch what it is: There are special lock sprays and bump-proof locks you can buy. The above video also mentioned two lock brands that are bump-proof. Here is one cost efficient way to stop bumping. I've never used this product so I can't advocate it but the video is very informative: … (2 comments)

This And That - 05/16/09 04:27 AM
Local bankers see thaw in economy Alberta the place to be to 'ride out' recession - "I'd rather be here in Alberta than anywhere else in the world right now to ride out this recession," said Garth Warner, chief executive of Servus Credit Union
Alberta's jobless rate highest since 2002 - "Alberta gained 5,700 jobs in April but its unemployment rate still inched up to six per cent, according to figures released Friday by Statistics Canada. It’s the highest provincial rate since 2002.The increase in unemployment from 5.8 per cent in March despite job growth was attributed to the labour force … (0 comments)

Is a little knowledge dangerous? - 05/14/09 11:59 PM
My husband forwarded House Miners to me today. The information from three simple drop down menus is analyzed to help you decide whether or not to sell or buy a house now. The parameters are:1. Where is it? - Country, Province/State, City2. I'm thinking about -buying or selling3. How much is....?- the house price and if applicable the monthly rent4. Hit Analyze and you're done.After "careful" analysis the site will advise you whether to sell or buy. Is it really that easy? Do people honestly make large financial decisions based on a website that couldn't possibly have even the slightest idea … (2 comments)

Yes, speculating is dangerous. - 05/12/09 11:19 PM
If you stood in line for hours two years ago hoping to pick up a pre-build condo when Alberta prices were going up - I hope this article isn't about you.Builders are suing buyers who backed out of a condominium development in Leduc. Now that prices are softer and the condo sale price has lost value, going from $400,000 to $355,000, buyers want out.Buyers put down $20,000 and are being sued for $75,000 - it's probably the most expensive line-up they've ever been in. There are two kinds of investing, the first based on economic fundamentals and the other based on … (0 comments)

Small Business Newz - Disaster Plan - 05/12/09 08:25 AM
What do you do when a natural disaster strikes your community? How will it affect your business?Payroll, separate operating locations and client contact information are a few of the preparations you must consider."A survey from Office Depot last year found that 40% of small businesses in the US were unprepared for disaster. Hopefully that number has gone down since then. " (I know we're Canadian)Chris Crum at Small Business Newz has put together an excellent Disaster Plan checklist for small businesses. Take a look.
… (0 comments)

Edmonton Mayor Mandel Sees Sunny Side - 05/11/09 07:30 AM
Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel sees the sunny side of the "bust". He's not being a Pollyanna rather a realist who realizes the area as the economic powerhouse that it is.Below are Mayor Mandel's quotes from an exclusive interview with Metro“(Edmonton was) so overpriced that it was ridiculous,”“What we need to do now is to retrench and plan for what we are going to do in the future.”“(We) need to put in place a kind of infrastructure planning so we don’t face the huge growth, the huge pressure on our economic growth that has happened here over the last three or four … (0 comments)

Stable conditions for the long term - 05/09/09 04:41 AM
Edmonton real estate market expected to be steady in 2009 -"Buyer reluctance will continue through the first part of the year, but confidence will return in the latter part of the year and sales will pick up," Charlie Ponde with the Realtors Association of Edmonton
To read more: RBC Housing Market Outlook 2009 RBC Provincial Forecast 2009 Alberta's Growing Workforce Edmonton's exceptional economy, industrial expansion and business confidence creates a climate that promotes long-term investments such as property. The conditions that are helping to fuel unrelenting demand for housing, pushing building permit values, housing starts and resale prices to record levels. … (0 comments)

About Alberta - 05/08/09 07:52 PM
This is from the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation About Alberta page. Great info!
Alberta, number one in Canada Alberta was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Princess Louise was the wife of the Marquess of Lorne, the Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. The total population of Alberta is approximately 3.62 million as of January 2009. Alberta is in the west of Canada, next to westernmost British Columbia, the coastal province on the Pacific. Alberta’s border to the west, with B.C., is mostly formed by the Rocky Mountains. To the north, Alberta … (0 comments)

Terminate California's Fuel Standard? - 05/06/09 05:21 AM
"Federal and Alberta officials were lobbying hard last week against the specter of California - with a population larger than all of Canada's - shutting its doors to Alberta crude, dubbed "dirty oil" by environmentalists."Perhaps "The Terminator" feels like a fight and prefers the blood soaked oil of the Middle East?The irony is California doesn't even buy oil sands oil! Way to go Arnold! It's a lot of chest banging especially if importing oil won't affect your state but gets you pats on the back for being green. That's what politics is I guess. Anyway maybe now that he wants to … (2 comments)

Is that a glimmer of hope? - 05/02/09 04:19 AM
It seems as though everyone is seeing them nowadays. Glimmers of hope caught here and there in the news. Obama saw one and now the heads of three major Edmonton-based financial institutions are seeing them too. Is it something in the water?Low interest rates and a slight loosening on mortgages both stimulate the real estate market and help more and more people get into a property."I'd rather be here in Alberta than anywhere else in the world right now to ride out this recession," Garth Warner, chief executive of Servus Credit UnionCREA also got into the happy hour with predictions of … (1 comments)

 
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Todd & Danielle Millar

Edmonton, AB

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