real estate: Is the market stablizing? - 09/17/09 05:10 AM
Find out here
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real estate: Calgary Real Estate Market Update - 08/17/09 03:44 AM
Calgary Real Estate Update: In the past 7 days there has been 544 NEW Listings, 493 SOLD listings, 550 Pending. http://tinyurl.com/opymj8
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real estate: Calgary Home Owner.com is offering Homes for Sale in Calgary as Rent to Own - 03/22/09 03:27 PM
Bryon Howard of ReMax House of Real Estate has launched a new website called CalgaryHomeOwner.com.  Bryon believes that it is the goal of all Calgarians to own their own home. However, many people are faced with financial setbacks and circumstances that prevent them from obtaining conventional financing. CalgaryHomeOwner.com specializes in helping people with less than perfect credit realize the dream of homeownership.
 
The goal of www.CalgaryHomeOwner.com is to Create Win-Win Real Estate Solutions.  Essentially Investors will Rent to Own their homes to tenant/buyers. Investors have a long term tenant/buyer and the tenant/buyer is in a stable home and experiences all … (4 comments)

real estate: Cruising Through Life … Getting to Unconscious Competence - 01/18/09 09:17 PM
Last year, along with my roles as a realtor, husband, and father … I set a goal to qualify for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. I also set goals around my business, finances, fun time, contribution and relationships.  (Things worked out pretty well.)
 
In the process of determining what I want 2009 to look like, I came across some notes I took from some lecture on Maslow’s Four Levels of Learning. From my pen scrawled notes, I reflected on these levels of learning:  Unconscious Incompetence; Conscious Incompetence, Conscious Competence, and Unconscious Competence.
 
Unconscious Incompetence is not knowing what … (4 comments)

real estate: Altadore Home for Rent - 01/09/09 02:02 AM
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real estate: Deer Ridge, SE, Calgary - No Money Down - 01/07/09 03:08 AM
 

 
I got a call back in October from the owner of a home in Deer Ridge, SE Calgary, AB, Canada.
 
He was thinking about moving out of the country, and would need to sell his home.
 
Today he called again.
 
He got the job … and is offering this home at no money down - Today. The buyer must qualify for the TD mortgage of $340,000 at 5.3% interest. PI is approx. $1799. Taxes are $140 per month.
 
This is a great home, or a great investment property with a potential illegal basement suite.
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real estate: Is “Recession-itis” taking its toll on you? - 01/06/09 11:08 PM
For the past few months we’ve all seen the headlines … “Financial Meltdown”, “Recession”, and “Hunker Down”. The word of the year for 2008 is ‘bailout’.
 
Looking ahead at 2009, what will you choose to fill your head with? One of hope, resilience and knowing that, “this too will pass?” or, will you bury your head in the sand along with all those other doomsday prophets?
 
I believe 2009 is the year that many folks will get back to reality in spending habits. Life may become simpler.
 
This morning as I was preparing my kids sandwiches, I used … (1 comments)

real estate: Is “Recession-itis” taking its toll on you? - 12/12/08 04:09 AM
For the past few months we’ve all seen the headlines … “Financial Meltdown”, “Recession”, and “Hunker Down”. The word of the year for 2008 is ‘bailout’.
 
Looking ahead at 2009, what will you choose to fill your head with? One of hope, resilience and knowing that, “this too will pass?” or, will you bury your head in the sand along with all those other doomsday prophets?
 
I believe 2009 is the year that many folks will get back to reality in spending habits. Life may become simpler.
 
This morning as I was preparing my kids sandwiches, I used … (0 comments)

real estate: Creating a Business Team That Wins - 11/02/08 11:22 PM
Over the last few years I have formed a good team; however, I’m stilling working on creating a Dream Team.
 
I’ve recently read Blair Singer’s book, “The ABC’s of Building a Business Team That Wins”. He recommends that a team develop a Code … then use this code as way to retain and recruit people to your team.
 
Code – The Howard Team Real Estate Service
 
Never abandon a teammate in need. Be willing to “call” and be “called.” Celebrate all wins! Be on time. Keep all agreements and clean up any broken or potentially broken agreements ASAP. … (0 comments)

real estate: Guess Who's Going to the World Championship in Kona - 09/03/08 05:35 AM
On Aug 24, I had the race of my dreams ... taking 28 minutes of my best time, qualifying for the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, and finishing 3rd in my age group.
About 10 months ago ... I booked my Kona accommodations from Oct 2-17 ... for WHEN I qualify for the World Championships on Oct 11. My mind set was ... Kona or bust.
Since I did not register for IMC, I had to qualify to get there. I qualified in Oliver, BC on June 1.
 "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has … (2 comments)

real estate: Calgary Real Estate Stats - Summer Soltice Sale - 06/20/08 05:34 PM
Amazing days in Calgary ... I love the light in the sky this time of year.    Schools out ... or nearly out ... and Stampede is coming. Oh yea!
I'm having a SUMMER SOLSTICE SALE!
Effective this evening, the following properties have been drastically reduced in Price ... and are amoung the best value in the Neighborhoods!
·         121 West Springs PL SW, MLS # C3323780, $ 899,745    Amazing Value/Estate Home (Building cost were at least $1 Million).
·         1312 48 AV NW, MLS # C3333822, $ 395,445                Great 5 bedroom home just 48 blocks from Downtown ... near Calgary Winter … (1 comments)

real estate: Do you like building basement Suites ... for Cash Flow? - 03/05/08 05:30 AM
... looks like a deal - that I found on MLS today. MLS #C3306939Here's a bungalow priced at fair market value ... where the seller is willing to finance 100% of the value ... less the $25,000 he is asking you to come in with.Install a basement suite ... and voila ... you got cash flow. (... albeit it will be illegal - as this is a R1 property.)I haven't seen the property yet ...If you are interested, or know someone who said 'let me know if you find a deal' ... this could be it.This is a deal for someone who:-find the process … (1 comments)

real estate: Recessions from 1962-2007, world wide - 02/05/08 05:11 PM
The Economic Research Center studies recessions.
Between 1962 and 2007 the following countries have been in recession x% of the time:
Germany - 37%Japan - 18%Italy - 18%US - 13%Britain - 10%Canada - 8%What is a recession?A recession occurs when an economy grows at less than 0 ... or negative ... over two quarters.
Germany has been in a recession 37% of the time over the last 45 years.
Some believe that when the US sneezes, Canada follows. Not true. The US has been in a recession  13% of the time - while Canada has only been in a recession 8% of the time.
My friends, … (4 comments)

real estate: In the next 2-5 years ... buy real estate ... buy real estate ... buy real estate ... Says Diane Francis - 01/17/08 12:19 AM
I study the economic fundamentals on buying Calgary, Alberta real estate nearly everyday.
Yesterday I attended CREB's (Calgary Real Estate Board) Forecast 2008 Conference and Trade Show. Our feature Speaker was Diane Francis, broadcaster, best-selling author, and editor-at-large for The National Post. Her expertise is interpreting the impact of national and international events on the business community. Francis draws a clear picture from the pitfalls and opportunities facing Canadian businesses.
She's a believer in Real Estate ... and believes that North America is the most safe, secure, and can do entrepreneurial place on earth. 
In my region ... British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan are … (2 comments)

real estate: Calgary, Alberta Real Estate Appreciates 18.62% in 2007! - 01/04/08 11:44 PM
The stats are out ... and Single Family Homes in Calgary appreciated 16.62% in 2007. Condo's increased by 20.41% ... for combined appreciation of 18.62%!
 The year-to-date average price of a single family Calgary metro home in 2007 was $472,230, and the year to-date average price of a metro condominium was $316,370.
The year-to-date median price for a home was $421,000, an increase of 16.62 per cent from the 2006 year-to-date median price of $361,000. (Creb.com)
These are amazing stats.
March and April was a Sellers Market ... where multiple offers and high prices were the norm. May through July showed a balanced Market. Since … (4 comments)

real estate: Gross Rent Multiplier - GRM - 12/07/07 05:57 AM
I recently sent out a spread sheet designed by someone else ... that had a formula on GRM.
While it is one of many ways to begin due diligence on an potential investment property, I prefer to use a simpler method. I like to calculate using "The 10% rule".
I divide potential annual rent into purchase price. When I started buying Calgary real estate in 2004, I would consider any property that yielded 10% and more. Today, I will consider any property that yields 6% or more.
The Gross Rent Multiplier or GRM is a ratio that is used to estimate the value of income … (3 comments)

real estate: Oil hits $99.29 a barrel on Wednesday, Nov 21! - 11/22/07 02:14 AM
In Jan or Feb of this year, Greg Habstritt, who has been investing in Real Estate for many years and runs Investors Agent in Calgary, predicted oil would hit $100 per barrel by Christmas 2007.
I've admired Greg and his insights on economic fundamentals since first meeting him in 2004.
I've been fortunate to meet a few key players ... who help me understand the econmic fundamentals which support real estate investing opportunies here in Alberta. This information has assissted me in significantly increasing the networth of my own ... and many clients.
It's my birthday today. We're closing on an investment/recreational property in Nicolson, BC (near … (1 comments)

real estate: A Veteran Real Estate Investor's Strategy for Working With Realtors - 11/14/07 05:05 PM
An investor friend of mine wrote the below article. I like to share it with clients.
Bryon
 
Author: Arlen Dahlin
A Veteran Real Estate Investor's
Strategies for Working With Realtors
Having a quality realtor on your side is critical in the game called real estate. With this said it is important to note the word 'Quality'. How do you define a quality realtor? How do you find one? How do you maximize that relationship?The answers are all held in this special report. In this report you will discover, in a very succinct fashion, the answers to the following questions:
Why You Need A Quality Realtor On Your … (3 comments)

real estate: My first day with a Blog - 10/04/07 01:11 AM
I've been considering starting a blog for some time now ... but had no idea how.
I just signed up to a free service ... and in just a few minutes I have a blog.
Of course, I'm sceptical ... and will see how it goes. I'll try to post frequently for the next 90 days ... to see if I can create a habit ... and really learn how to get this thing going. 
"It's become a golden opportunity for buyers to buy property", Ron Stanners, CREB's president was reported saying in Calgary Herald yesterday.  Luckily for sophisticated real estate investors, that … (12 comments)