Robert W. May's Blog

Lethbridge Open House this Weekend. Saturday 2-4pm

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:37:45 -0600

Lethbridge Open House

Lethbridge real estate, mortgage, and open house info. Stop by this property and talk about Lethbridge real estate, mortgage financing options, or about real estate investment options. I am glad to talk about what is going on in Lethbridge with anyone who finds it as interesting as myself. Come check this home out and lets meet face to face.

Open House

Saturday October 17th, 2-4pm

2509 18 ST North LETHBRIDGE

Come check out this Lethbridge open house, this is a great family home in an excellent location. The home features a large fenced and treed backyard for the kids, 2 car parking off the rear lane for dad, a freshly renovated kitchen, living room, and dining room with sliding doors out to the deck for mom. Upstairs, the master bedroom has a full 3 piece ensuite, 2 more bedrooms for the kids, and a renovated main bath.

The 2 lower levels feature a large playroom for the kids, laundry area, storage area, a rec room, and a 4th room which can be used as a bedroom or office, plus a brand new 3 piece bath too.

This great family home is in move in condition and ready for a new family. It is located at the very end of a cul-de-sac and so the street is free from traffic and safe for the kids. This nice and quiet location yet close to shopping and tranportation and is great for those who want peace and security and know the value of location location location.

Here are a few of my favorite past articles from my Lethbridge real estate and mortgage blog you might have missed or wish to recommend them to a friend.

The Most Reblogged Post EVER - Could this blog be the most reblogged ever?
Lethbridge Real Estate - Popular Lethbridge real estate searches
Lethbridge Basement Suites - Advice for every landlord
MLS Sales Rising - Sales are picking up, don't miss out
WANTED: Single Women: - Single women are a hot mortgage market
Common Financial Problems - Avoid these financial mistakes
Get Your Credit Score UP - Invaluable insight into your credit score
Mortgage Guidelines Get Tighter - Harder and harder to borrow money
Is Your Mortgage Company Out of Business in 2009? - What to do when your bank goes broke
What is wrong with MLS - Is your info being abused?
Survivor - Real Estate Edition - Let's vote a few more off the island

Robert May is a Realtor, as well as the broker and owner of Rainbow Realty of Lethbridge Alberta . He is also a licensed Lethbridge mortgage broker and financing expert with Canada First Mortgage of Calgary Alberta. He has been in the Lethbridge real estate industry since 1993 and offers full Lethbridge MLS real estate services to Lethbridge and surrounding area, as well as Lethbridge mortgage financing, mortgage refinancing , preapprovals, and Lethbridge loans financing to Lethbridge and Southern Alberta. He can be found online at this link: mortgage broker Lethbridge

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

New Lethbridge Real Estate Website

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:12:35 -0600

I wanted to make a new Lethbridge real estate website that I could use for doing some testing of some fancy geek technology that I have been messing around with lately. Of course, when you are setting up a website primarily for experimentation and it is in total development, you don't want to spend a ton of money on it.

I chose to use a point2 template site, bought a godaddy domain, did a redirect, and spend an hour putting up the following website:

http://www.lethbridgerealestateonline.com

Now I will admit the site isnt pretty and sure wont win any awards the way it looks and functions yet, but it does have a few key components in it that I plan to build upon and see what I can achieve with them. It is about 2am on the 5th of November, 2009 and I am curious how long it will take to get that website spidered into google and ranked. I plan to spend about 2 hours this weekend doing some optimization, and then let the site sit for a week.

The end of November I will tweak the site and add more content to it and see if I cant push it into the top 20 searches for my local real estate market. That will be quite an accomplishment if I can do that within a month, but it is a great goal and I think I have a plan and the tools to achieve it WITHOUT spending a single dime on marketing.

Testing 1 2 3, lets give this a shot.

I would love feedback from anyone who clicks on it. What parts need work, what parts look okay the way they are. I am a bit of a rookie HTML programmer, but can do enough clean it up if suggested.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge Open House - Saturday November 7th 2-4 pm

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:50:47 -0600

Lethbridge Open House

Open House

Saturday October 17th, 2-4pm

2509 18 ST North LETHBRIDGE

The 2 lower levels feature a large playroom for the kids, laundry area, storage area, a rec room, and a 4th room which can be used as a bedroom or office, plus a brand new 3 piece bath too.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge Limousine

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:46:12 -0600

Lethbridge limousine service is one of the coolest ways to celebrate your special event. Most people in Lethbridge think of limousine rental when they think of Weddings or Graduations, but limo service can be special for many events beyond Lethbridge grads and Lethbridge weddings.

Lethbridge limousine service can compliment an anniversary, an event like a concert or sporting event, even a trip to the airport if you want to arrive in style. Lethbridge limo rentals can make any event special.

Check out the size of that limo in the pic above. It is built on a Ford F-650 chassis and is the largest limousine of its kind in Canada. The truly amazing thing about it is that it is based here in Lethbridge! It is true! There are more pictures of it and many other Lethbridge limousines at 4starlimo.com

I would like to thank Dave and the staff over at Executive 4 Star Limousine for not only offering the newest and most highend limousine service but also for their attention to detail and service. Thanks!

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge MLS Real Estate

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:53:20 -0600

Are you shopping for a home on the Lethbridge MLS? Or wanting your home sold on the Lethbridge MLS? Or just curious what MLS is?

What is the MLS^®?

When you want to buy a car, the pressure’s on to make the deal with that salesperson at that car dealership. You won’t hear about what’s being offered at the competing lot down the street.

That’s the exact opposite of the MLS^® used by REALTORS^® across Canada. In fact, MLS^® is all about REALTORS^® cooperating with each other, no matter what company they work for. MLS^® is a complex system that boils down to big advantages for consumers: cooperation and marketing among REALTORS^® mean better chances for you to succeed.

MLS^® was created 50 years ago to help Canadians wanting to buy or sell properties. You’re probably familiar with REALTOR.ca, the online property guide, but what began as reams of paper chock full of listing information and photos has become an online database of properties from across the country.

REALTOR^® members of the local real estate board pay for the MLS^®. That board operates the local system, while the umbrella group – the Canadian Real Estate Association – owns the MLS^® trademark.

Only REALTORS^® can list on the MLS^® and REALTOR.ca, so if you’re selling your property, you’ll benefit from the wide exposure the listing will enjoy. Other REALTORS^® use the database to present the possibilities to their clients, potential buyers for your home.

If you’re in the market to buy or looking to sell, remember that the MLS^®, REALTOR.ca and your REALTOR^® can help make your dream a reality.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge Weightloss and Fitness

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:58:29 -0600

Lethbridge Weightloss and Fitness

This is probably the worst part of the year for people to be thinking about weightloss. Thanksgiving is over, we all ate way too much. Halloween just passed and we all have buckets of candy and treats sitting around the house. The cold weather is coming and outdoor activity levels is dropping off rapidly.

In Lethbridge, we have several fitness facilities yet still have much of our population who struggles with weightloss. Perhaps it is due to the large number of fast food outlets, or maybe it is just due to inactivity. Regardless, having a control on one's health and fitness can not only add years to your life, but also improve the quality of life substantially.

I have to admit that I am one of the worst offenders here. I have had memberships to Lethbridge Gyms and Lethbridge fitness facilities. I have had periods of time when I went a few times a week, times when I went every day, and times that I paid $50 a month for a memberhsip to a fitness facility that I never seemed to go to.

There are many health and fitness scams out there. Yes some of them work temporarily and some of them may even work effectively but with no real proven reason or study of their other long term effects. Common sense dictates that the human body is designed to consume good food, burn energy, and work towards natural efficiency. To lose weight and improve fitness a combination of an improved diet and increased activity is the foundation which success is built upon. All the supplements in the world, diet pills, magic shakes, fruit drinks, etc will do nothing if you do not have the base of good nutrition and healthy activity.

At times when my business is booming I know that I let my own commitment to health and fitness suffer. I think we all do this. I need to get some Lethbridge weightloss and fitness planning back into my schedule. I look forward to putting a plan into action and using my blog to keep me on track.

Robert May

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge Plumber

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:40:41 -0600

Lethbridge Plumber

Thank goodness I have not needed the services of a Lethbridge Plumber in over a year. A Lethbridge plumber can be one of the handiest people to have saved in your phone! For some reason, it is the one service in your home that always seems to be the first to deal you a mechanical emergency.

I have had leaky pipes, leaky taps, blown hot water tank, and plugged drains. In every one of these cases there was little I was able to do myself, despite being a fairly handy guy with a gnarly set of tools. (props to Spicoli's dad).

I now have a couple of plumbers who are past clients and friends. These are guys who are reliable, affordable, and I can depend upon them when I have a Lethbridge plumbing emergency. I know that it will cost me more to have them come out on short notice, in the evening, or on the weekend, but when a plumbing catastrophe strikes the price is really not the first thing I am concerned about.

If you are involved in real estate in Lethbridge, you need to have a network of professionals. If you would like to add me and any of my Lethbridge plumber friends to your contact list of reliable available Lethbridge professionals, give me a call.

Robert May

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge Laywers

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:22:22 -0600

Lethbridge Lawyers

There comes a time in almost every individuals life when the services of a Lawyer are needed. If you are in Lethbridge or Southern Alberta, a Lethbridge Lawyer may be required for any number of things.

Of course, criminal defence is one of the first things that comes to mind, however it is among the least common areas of law. Other services provided by Lethbridge Laywers includes litigation, wills, business filings, estate planning, divorce, contractual arrangements, arbitration, and also real estate.

When I meet with my Lethbridge real estate and mortgage clients, the majority of them do not have a Lawyer. Most of them have never had any interaction with a Lawyer and rely upon myself to provide them with several recommendations of where to go to seek Lethbridge legal services.

I often recommend that the client not only utilizes the Lawyer to take care of their real estate and mortgage needs, but also consult them about will and estate planning at the same time. This is an issue that rarely gets discussed and almost never becomes a priority until it is too late.

I am always interested in meeting with Lethbridge Lawyers and discussing what services they can provide to my clients. I fnd that very few of them have any sort of online presence and virtually none of them do any online marketing at all. If any of the were interested in expanding their client base, they would be wise to contact front line client relationship builders and advise us how they can be a benefit to our clients.

If I have worked with you in the past or you are a current client, feel free to contact me and I will share my advice and experience on Lethbridge Laywers and hopeuflly steer you in a direction that will meet your needs.

Robert May

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

University of Lethbridge

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 23:02:45 -0600

University of Lethbridge

The University of Lethbridge is not only one of the finest educational instituions in Canada, it is also one of the greatest contributors to the economy and culture of Lethbridge.

I graduated from the University of Lethbridge in 1993. I have returned and taken more courses even after graduation, and had a completely new appreciation attending as a graduate student. I also served as a director and treasurer of the University of Lethbridge Alumni Association, and even served a term of 3 years on the Board of Governors of the University of Lethbridge as the Alumni Rep to the Board.

This was a tremendous experience and opened a whole new side of the institution to me. During my time on the Board I particiapted in major hiring, firing, funding, management, and policy decisions. It was a life changing experience.

If you are seeking real estate or mortgage advice or help and are a student, employee, or alumni of the University of Lethbridge, I would be glad to help you and may have a fairly indepth understanding of your situation and experience.

Fiat Lux!

Robert May

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

The Lethbridge Herald Newspaper

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:35:10 -0600

The Lethbridge Herald Newspaper is the only locally published daily newspaper in Lethbridge, Alberta. I have been a reader, subscriber, and a client of this newspaper off and on over the past 30+ years. Over that time there have been many changes to the paper itself as well as changes to the way consumers receive their news and other content.

The wiki on the Lethbridge Herald states that the paper had a daily circulation around 18,000 units. This number is most likely inflated to include those papers that sit unsold in newspaper boxes, get thrown in dumpsters, or sit rotting on the steps of apartment buildings.

The content of the Lethbridge Herald is unrivaled as a source to read 3 day old news. If you want to know what happened in the world last Tuesday, you definitely need to check out tomorrow's Herald. The content is basically stuff which is taken of newswires like the AP and regurgitated hours or days after other providers have published the identical content, as well as 2 pages of obituaries, and 4 pages of advertising from local businesses who are too ancient to think about having an online presence. As these businesses slowly fade from the economy and the list of subscribes slowly watches their names appear on the obits page, the circulation numbers will continue to drop like a rock.

I am not a fan of the Lethbridge Herald. The customer service there has always been below any acceptable standard. The advertising prices are ridiculous and the quality of the product is horrendous. I have seen more ads screwed up, misprinted, spelled wrong, wrong pictures, etc. The quality control is pathetic and the customer service response to it is equally as poor.

They do publish a weekly real estate publication, the quality of which is a crappy as the paper itself. If it were not for the Realtors themselves reading that publication there would be nobody reading it. It only continues to exist due to some sort of contractual relationship between the local real estate board and the Herlad itself. This may be due to the fact that the Herald employs at least one failed Realtor. But that is a total joke!

Most Lethbridge newspaper readers now turn to National publications, which provide more timely content and are of a higher quality. As print media continues to disappear, the Lethbridge Herald may one day print its own name on the obits page and disappear.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge Automobile Insurance and Home Owner Insurance

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:15:30 -0600

Lethbridge Automobile Insurance and Home Owner Insurance

Well it is that time of year again for me. I received in the mail my renewal for my Lethbridge car insurance and my Lethbridge home owners insurance. Not always a pleasant envelope to open, but a necessity in our society.

In Lethbridge (and all of Alberta), most consumers buy their car insurance/automobile insurance as well as their home owners insurance or tenant insurance from a licensed insurance broker. Lethbridge insurance brokers or insurance agents can help find you a policy that first of all meets your insurance needs and secondly meets your budget.

Often when selling Lethbridge real estate to first time home buyers I am asked to recommend a Lethbridge insurance agent to the client. I used to have a good friend who was a broker and I sent her countless clients and was always pleased with the service she gave my clients. Recently, I have began looking around due to all the competition in the industry and trying to see who can provide my Lethbridge clients with the most affordable and acceptable insurance coverage along with some attentive service.

If you are a client of mine, I am happy to share my experience in dealing with various Lethbridge insurance agents and possibly recommend a Lethbridge insurance broker to you. Feel free to give me a call.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge Financial Planning

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:02:08 -0600

Lethbridge Financial Planning

Many Lethbridge real estate and Lethbridge mortgage clients that I meet with often have no organized financial plan or debt management plan at all. A Lethbridge financial planner is a professional who can advise of several options available for structuring debt and investing for the future. There are several great money and wealth management companies that have offices in Lethbridge and I do work closely with them when requested.

When I meet with a client, I am often shocked to discover that I am the first person who has ever asked deep financial questions. The conversations which follow often are the first real indepth conversations about money that many individuals or couples have ever had. I am glad to open this door for clients, although it is not directly part of my relationship with them. I am quick to assess their needs and to direct them to a professional who has a proven track record and who is a comfortable fit for that client.

So if you are one of my past of existing clients, you will recall that we discussed many aspects of your finances. And if you are at the early stages of buying or selling real estate or thinking of mortgage financing, feel free to contact me. I am always glad to discuss personal financial matters, advise if there are options which I can assist with, and to recommend Lethbridge Financial Planning speicalist in cases that they are needed.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge SEO Search Engine Optimization

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:43:52 -0600

Lethbridge SEO Search Engine Optimization

As a business owner in Lethbridge, having a basic understanding of SEO search engine optimization is something which can help help you develope an effective and affordable marketing plan.

Lethbridge is an interesting community in the fact that our population of individuals who are under 25 and over 65 are both quite large. This is due to large numbers of students and senior citizens who call Lethbridge home. Lethbridge is also a fairly affluent city. Virtually all of our residents are online or have access to the internet, yet the majority of our local businesses have no online presence at all.

I do a substantial amount of shopping online. I also do a substantial amount of my own Lethbridge business online. Most of my competitors are not even there to compete with me. I find this amazing.

Even searching for 'Lethbridge SEO' in google you discover that 5 of the top 10 search results come back to me or articles that I have written. How can it be that the very companies who claim to be able to put your business on the first page of Google, or at the top of search engines, cannot even out rank me for search terms that directly pertain to their business?

Would you take financial advice from a poor man? Why would you ever take Lethbridge SEO advice from a business that could not even effectively get their own company to the top of the rankings?

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Low Interest Rates Wont Last Forever!

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:30:52 -0500

Recent actions from the Bank of Canada point to the fact that they are sticking to their policy of holding the prime rate at its current low level until next year. They also caution though that the low rate cannot last forever and the consumers should not make financial decisions believing that the rates will not be increasing eventually.

Here is an article from todays thestar.com

Be careful, low rates won't last, says top banker

Mark Carney says people should manage `for a longer horizon'

OTTAWA–Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney is warning homebuyers against taking on too much debt because today's low interest rates will not last forever.

"People should manage their affairs prudently in anticipation that, at some point, rates will return to a more normal level," Carney said after releasing his quarterly economic review.

"Obviously, rates are exceptionally low," he said, noting that the central bank has used its interest-rate-setting influence to drive down consumer borrowing costs to record lows to help stimulate economic activity.

At the same time, Carney said, the bank has "given pretty clear guidance on how long we expect they (interest rates) will have to remain at these levels. People should manage their affairs for a longer horizon." He reaffirmed his promise that, barring an outburst of runaway inflation, the bank will keep its trend-setting overnight rate at 0.25 per cent until next summer. Assuming the economy is recovering by mid-2010, the bank is expected to begin raising rates.

The bank now estimates that Canada's economy will shrink by 2.4 per cent this year before rebounding with 3 per cent growth in 2010 and 3.3 per cent in 2011.

Carney said the housing market is showing strength and he has "some concern" that low rates and increasing demand by homebuyers could create an artificial price bubble of the kind that plunged the United States into a severe recession when it burst in 2007.

But the debt burden in Canada has not reached the alarming levels faced by U.S. consumers before the recession, he said.

"Canadian consumer balance sheets are starting from a much stronger position than U.S. consumer balance sheets" were in ahead of the economic downturn, Carney told reporters.

The quarterly review indicated the economy is on the mend but the recovery is being slowed by the unexpectedly strong value of the loonie on exchange markets.

Carney, who said Canada's currency is being driven by investors bailing out of the U.S. dollar, kept up what appears to be an effort to throw speculators off balance.

"Intervention is always an option," he added.

"Markets should take seriously our determination to set policy to achieve the (2 per cent) inflation target. Markets sometimes lose their focus. We don't lose our focus."

The bank governor did not give specifics on how it might take the unusual and risky step of intervening.

On Tuesday, by repeating his pledge not to raise interest rates until next summer, Carney seemed to have succeeded in catching markets off guard, with the loonie dropping nearly two cents against the greenback.

CIBC World Markets economist Avery Shenfeld said Carney seems to be engaged in talking down the value of the loonie. "By dampening expectations for early interest rate hikes, he's taken a little bit of a shine off the Canadian dollar."

On Thursday, the dollar shed 0.16 of a cent (U.S.), closing at 95.44 cents.

The bank said the loonie has established itself on exchange markets at about 96 cents, much higher than the 87 cents forecast by Carney a few months ago.

If investors keep shying away from the U.S. dollar, a rising Canadian dollar could "act as a drag on growth" in Canada, he said, especially if consumer and business demand takes longer to rebound globally.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

H1N1 Vaccines Begin in Alberta on Monday

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:26:43 -0500

With the global epidemic showing signs of continued growth, there is some help available to those who want it. Alberta has vaccinations on hand and is opening clinics on Monday to offer flu shots to those who wish to receibe them. They are specifically requesting that high risk individuals are the first to take advantage of it, the Chief Medical officer of Alberta believes everyone should get one.

I am not a big fan of vaccinations and much prefer to focus upon natural health and keeping a strong immune system to fight off illness without medical intervention. Here is the article though:

Alberta to begin swine flu vaccinations

Albertans should be able to line up for swine flu shots at mass vaccination clinics across the province on Monday, health officials have announced.

The free H1N1 influenza shots will be available to every Albertan over six months, with anyone at risk of developing a more severe illness encouraged to get their shot early. The shot will be initially offered through mass vaccination clinics and won't be available in settings such as doctors' offices or workplaces until mid-November.

"While there are higher risks groups that are encouraged to get the vaccine first, I urge all Albertans to get this vaccine," said Dr. André Corriveau, Alberta's chief medical officer of health on Wednesday.

"Not only to protect themselves but to protect those that are around them that may be at higher risk and to do as much as we can to stop the spread of the virus as soon as possible over this coming season."

The vaccine has undergone rigorous testing processes and clinical trials around the world and is established to be safe, he said.

Alberta experiences 2nd flu wave

Alberta is in the first week of a second wave of H1N1 influenza, said Dr. Gerry Predy, Alberta's senior medical officer of health.

Most people are experiencing mild illness and are being treated at home. So far this year, H1N1 influenza has sent about 160 people to Alberta hospital, with eight people dying. Since students returned to the classroom last month, 25 schools across the province have reported absentee rates of more than 10 per cent.

Information about the mass vaccination clinics will be available on Alberta Health Service's website.

"We want them to be patient because they may have to wait in line for a while," said Predy. "What we are trying to do here is protect as many people as possible in a short a period of time."

By Monday, Alberta should have 400,000 doses of the vaccine available and with more shipments coming in every few days, health officials say there will be enough to vaccinate everyone who wants the shot. Predy hopes to see between 65 and 70 per cent of the population immunized.

Alberta's flu season isn't over until mid-April.

The federal government has also ordered 1.8 million doses without the adjuvant for pregnant women and young children, but health officials in Alberta said those won't be available until Nov. 9. Corriveau said he would encourage pregnant women not to wait and get the shot with the adjuvant.

Seasonal flu shot will still be available

Alberta began offering a free seasonal flu shot on Oct. 13. The original plan was to stop offering that shot once a vaccine against H1N1 became available, but health officials said Wednesday that both shots will be offered where possible.

As long as each shot is given in a different arm, the H1N1 and seasonal shots can be administered in the same visit, said Corriveau. The H1N1 vaccine won't be fully effective until two weeks after the shot is given.

Earlier Wednesday, federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced that the H1N1 vaccine has been approved for rollout across Canada. The approval only applies to the form that contains the adjuvant.

The federal government had already shipped more than two million doses of the H1N1 influenza A vaccine across the country in anticipation of the approval.

Canadian public health officials are urging those most vulnerable to serious complications from the virus — such as pregnant women, young children, people living in remote and isolated communities, and adults with chronic conditions — to consider getting the vaccine as soon as it becomes available where they live.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Fishing in Alberta? Maybe Catch and Release

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:22:05 -0500

The following article is a warning from the Edmonton Sun regarding certain species of fish found in certain specific places in Alberta that have recently been found to contain unhealthy levels of mercury. While this issue only affects a small number of people, any matter regarding public health should be taken seriously. And, since Alberta is well known as having some of the finest fishing in the world, this is important to spread the info around. Here is the article:

Safety Warning over Fish

CALGARY — Health officials are warning seafood lovers to avoid eating certain species of fish caught in Alberta after tests found high amounts of mercury.

A public health advisory has been issued by Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Andre Corriveau recommending people limit or avoid eating walleye, sauger and goldeye caught in some places in Alberta to reduce any heath risks.

Women who are pregnant or of child-bearing age and children are encouraged to avoid or limit eating walleye caught from Pine Coulee, Red Deer River at the mouth of the Blindman River or the South Saskatchewan River at the Bindloss Ferry and Medicine Hat.

People should also beware of northern pike from Twin Valley Reservoirs in southern Alberta, and sauger and goldeye from the South Saskatchewan River at the Bindloss Ferry and Medicine Hat.

“While levels of methylmercury identified do not pose an immediate health threat, limiting consumption is the best way to reduce any long-term health risks,” Corriveau said.

“I recommend people who eat fish frequently from these bodies of water either avoid or limit their weekly consumption.”

Mercury converts to methylmercury by bacteria or chemical reactions once it reaches a lake, and then fish absorb it from water as it passes through their gills, or from the prey they eat.

Large predatory fish like walleye and northern pike accumulate more methylmercury as they consume smaller fish.

katie.schneider@sunmedia.ca

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

More Banks Fail, Insurance and Pension Companies are Next

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:12:13 -0500

As I have been predicting, the wave of bank failures in the US continues. Another 6 or 7 failed this week. I expect this will continue for at least another 6 months as there are many small banks who are merely getting by on federal government money and creative accounting, in my opinion.

I expect to see the bank failures followed by something which none of the 'experts' in the financial news media are yet predicting, but I believe is imminent. I expect to see the bank failures followed by the failure of insurance companies and also pension funds. All it will take is a minor natural disaster and the insurers will start to fall like a house of cards. Anything the size of Katrina would be financially devestating, but anything half that size will start the process.

While I do see a few bright lights and opportunities arising, I also see that real estate prices are still too high in most US markets, I see 16 million vacant properties across the US (more then the total number of homes in Canada), and I see more then half the mortgage holders in the US being upside down in their properties.

I fully expect a black day on the stock markets any time soon. I don't know what triggered the 'black mondays' of the past, but honestly believe that the chances of 2009 ending without having a day with stock markets crashing 30% across the board, will in itself be a miracle. The correction has started, but it is far from over. Smart money will be sitting on the sidelines and waiting for opportunity.

Here is todays article from CNN regarding the most recent bank failures.

Bank failures stack up: Now 106 for 2009

Banks in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, were shuttered, costing the FDIC an estimated $356.6 million.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The tally of bank failures easily broke past the No. 100 milestone on Friday night, with regulators announcing the year's 106th closure.

That's more than four times the number that were closed in 2008, and the highest total since 1992, when 181 banks failed.

Earlier on Friday evening the dubious honor of the 100th failure went to Partners Bank, of Naples, Fla., which had $65.5 million in assets, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

The 101st failure was American United Bank, of Lawrenceville, Ga., which had $111 million in assets.

The 102nd failure was another Naples, Fla., institution: Hillcrest Bank Florida, which had $83 million in assets.

The 103rd closure was Bradenton, Fla.-based Flagship National Bank, with $190 million in assets.

The 104th was Bank of Elmwood, based in Racine, Wis., which had $327.4 million in assets.

The 105th failure was Riverview Community Bank of Otsego, Minn., with $108 million in assets.

The 106th failure was First Dupage Bank in Westmont, Ill., which had $279 million in assets.

Customers of all seven banks are protected, however. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which has insured bank deposits since the Great Depression, covers customer accounts up to $250,000. This is funded through premiums paid by member banks.

In fact, to reassure borrowers, FDIC chair Sheila Bair posted a video message to the agency's Web site, saying "for the insured depositor, a bank failure is a non-event."

Still, Bair cautioned that "until the healing process is complete, there will be more bank failures."

What happens to the banks. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Stonegate Bank will assume control of all Partners Bank's $64.9 million in deposits. It will also take over Hillcrest Bank's $84 million in deposits. The two branches of Partners Bank and six branches of Hillcrest will reopen on Monday as branches of Stonegate.

Moultrie, Ga.-based Ameris Bank will pay the FDIC a premium of 1.02% to take control of American United's $101 million in deposits. The FDIC and Ameris Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $92 million of American United's assets, an agreement in which Ameris will share in the losses on the assets covered.

The single branch of American United Bank will reopen on Monday as a branch of Ameris.

Lake City, Fla.-based First Federal Bank will take over all of Flagship National Bank's $175 million in deposits. The four branches of Flagship will reopen Monday as branches of First Federal.

Bank of Elmwood's $273.2 million in deposits are now controlled by Tri City National Bank, based in Oak Creek, Wis. The five branches of Bank of Elmwood will reopen on Saturday as branches of Tri City.

Stillwater, Minn.-based Central Bank will take control of Riverview Community Bank's $80 million in deposits. The FDIC and Central Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on $75 million of Riverview's assets.

First Dupage Bank's $254 million in deposits are now being handled by First Midwest Bank of Itasca, Ill. The FDIC and First Midwest Bank entered into a loss-share transaction on approximately $247 million of First Dupage Bank's assets. The sole First Dupage branch will reopn Saturday as an outpost of First Midwest.

The failure of the six banks will cost the Deposit Insurance Fund an estimated $356.6 million, according to the FDIC.

Why regional banks are failing. While larger financial institutions have received aid from the federal government, smaller banks have found themselves left adrift. Like their larger counterparts, many of these banks made risky loans to individuals and real estate developers during the boom years and are now facing large numbers of defaults as the recession drags on.

Rising unemployment has made it difficult for many individuals to keep up with expenses, and businesses are feeling the crunch of consumers' reduced spending power. As a result, regional banks are left holding loans their customers can't repay.

Problem banks list looms. The FDIC keeps a list of "problem banks," though it does not disclose the names to the general public out of fear that depositors at those institutions may prompt a "run on the bank."

In June, the agency said 416 banks were at risk of failure -- the highest level in 15 years.

It's a whopping figure, to be sure. But even as the pace of failures accelerates, 2009's numbers remain far from what happened during the savings and loan crisis two decades ago. More than 1,900 financial institutions failed from 1987-1991, peaking at 534 closures in 1989.

Federal coffers running dry. An average of 10 banks have failed per month this year, and the federal coffer is thinning under the massive strain. The fund now stands at $7.5 billion, down significantly from $45 billion a year ago.

When the FDIC factors in expected closures, the agency says the fund is in the red and will likely remain there through 2012. Bank failure costs are expected to total $100 billion over the next four years, leaving regulators strapped for cash.

Last month, the FDIC discussed how to raise quick cash to replenish the fund. The agency proposed that banks prepay their deposit insurance premiums for the next three years.

First Published: October 23, 2009: 5:40 PM ET

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Lethbridge MLS real estate

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:37:04 -0500

Are you shopping for a home on the Lethbridge MLS? Or wanting your home sold on the Lethbridge MLS? Or just curious what MLS is?

What is the MLS^®?

When you want to buy a car, the pressure’s on to make the deal with that salesperson at that car dealership. You won’t hear about what’s being offered at the competing lot down the street.

If you’re in the market to buy or looking to sell, remember that the MLS^®, REALTOR.ca and your REALTOR^® can help make your dream a reality.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge Realtor

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:33:00 -0500

Looking for a Lethbridge Realtor to take care of your Lethbridge real estate needs?

Working With a REALTOR^®

As of January 31, 2008, there were 10,931 REALTORS^® in Alberta, out of a total 12,267 licencees.

REALTOR^® is a trademark identifying professionals who are members of their local real estate board, the provincial association (AREA) and the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). These three organizations provide support to REALTORS^® to increase their skills and keep them up to date.

How Are REALTORS^® Different?

REALTORS^® in Alberta were the first in Canada to achieve mandatory professional development for the members of their industry.

REALTORS^® in Alberta use plain language contracts carefully designed to provide maximum protection to you, the consumer.

REALTORS^® ^__ and only REALTORS^® ^__ offer the MLS^®, a database of properties for sale. The MLS^® (which includes REALTOR.ca) is a powerful marketing system that provides wide exposure for properties ^__ a benefit to both buyers and sellers.

REALTORS^® adhere to a Code of Ethics and Standards of Business Practices that are strictly enforced by the local real estate board. When you deal with a REALTOR^® you are assured of the highest level of service, education and integrity.

REALTORS^® can save you time, money and sleepless nights. See 'Why Should I Use a REALTOR^®' below to find out how a REALTOR^® can help you, whether you are buying or selling.

REALTORS^® have a wealth of information on various topics, including tips on how to add value to your home, how to use your RRSP to buy a house and what costs to expect during the course of the transaction.

REALTORS^® use the Agency Relationships guide, developed by AREA, to explain the relationships between the parties to a real estate transaction and the service expected of a REALTOR^®. To learn more about agency disclosure, view the Agency Relationships page.

Find out more as to how REALTORS^® are professionals at www.realtor.ca.

Why Should I Use a REALTOR^®?

REALTORS^® work on behalf of both sellers and buyers and bring valuable experience and knowledge to the transaction.

If you're buying, the purchase of a home is probably the largest single investment you will ever make and if you are thinking of doing it alone, you may want to reconsider. All the details involved in the home buying process can be confusing. A REALTOR^® has the time, resources and contacts to make the home buying process as trouble-free as possible. You can trust a REALTOR^® to protect your interests and to look after the details.

A REALTOR^® provides expertise. He/she can help you determine a price range you can afford and can suggest ways to obtain a downpayment or explain alternative financing methods.

A REALTOR^® is familiar with development and trends in real estate, as well as current real estate values, taxes, utility costs, municipal services and facilities and may be aware of local zoning changes that could affect your decision to buy.

A REALTOR^® will be well-acquainted with the details of the neighbourhood you may be considering, including the quality of schools, safety of the neighbourhood, traffic volumes and more.

A REALTOR^® will find you homes best suited to your needs ^__ size, style, features, location and accessibility to schools, transportation, shopping or recreational facilities. With immediate access to homes as soon as they are put on the market, a REALTOR^®can save you much time hunting for the perfect home.

A REALTOR^®pledges to disclose property information and provide the facts needed to help you make one of the most important decisions of your life.

A REALTOR^® can provide advice as to what personal and financial data to bring with you when you apply for a loan, and what other documents you will need to make the transaction run smoothly.

If you're selling, a REALTOR^® can walk you through the more than 140 steps needed to complete a real estate transaction. Selling your home is a very complex procedure that involves large sums of money, stringent legal requirements and has the potential for costly mistakes.

A REALTOR^® is an expert in effectively marketing your home and helping you to set an attractive selling price. Moreover, only a REALTOR^® can give your home far-reaching market exposure through the MLS^®. The more exposure your home gets, the more likely you are to find a buyer willing to pay your price.

Under a seller brokerage agreement (or listing contract), a REALTOR^® is responsible for looking after your best interests, including full disclosure of any information that may influence your decisions.

A REALTOR^® will provide a full explanation of the selling process and what to expect from the beginning, as well as answers to all your questions along the way.

A REALTOR^® will also attempt to separate the lookers from the buyers. This can be a real time saver because it helps ensure that only serious buyers visit your home.

When you receive an offer, a REALTOR^® will have the knowledge and experience to negotiate an agreement on your behalf and according to your instructions.

If you decide to accept an offer, a REALTOR^® will participate in drawing up a legally binding contract that protects your interests throughout the transaction.

Once a legally binding agreement has been signed, a REALTOR^® will help you ensure the proper documentation is finalized and sent to the lawyers, that any conditions to the offer are fulfilled and that your questions and concerns are dealt with to your complete satisfaction.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Spring Forward .....Fall Back

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:52:56 -0500

Via Victoria Oak Bay Realtor Fred Carver 250-598-2963 for Victoria Oak Bay Homes (Re/Max Camosun Oak Bay & Surrounding Area Real Estate):

Spring Forward .....Fall Back

It's almost time to Change our Clock Back One Hour as Daylight Saving Time ends November 1, 2009 at 1.59 AM..You should put all your Clocks and Watches back to 1 AM. Good News we'll get an extra Hour Sleep after a busy night from Trick or Treating on Oct 31.

Personally, I change my Clocks back one hour when I go to Bed on October 31.

Here's a great Reminder to also Change you Smoke Detector Batteries at the Same Time Daylight Savings begins and ends.

Cheers

Fred Carver
Re/Max Camosun-Oak Bay

2239 Oak Bay Ave, Victoria, BC V8R 1G4
Victoria, BC
250-598-2963

Victoria Homes and Properties For Sale

Copyright © 2009 By Fred Carver All Rights Reserved "Spring Forward..Fall Back "

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Lethbridge Real Estate Commission Rates

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:41:27 -0500

Commissions Are Negotiable
When discussing fees, industry members must be honest in advising their clients as to the “typical” or “usual” rates charged in their area. The amount of commission or fee that might be charged is not officially set out by any industry body, therefore they may not indicate these fees are set and/or not negotiable.

Commissions are negotiable. However, wise consumers will know that the cheapest deal is not always the best deal. The old adage of, you get what you pay for, can apply to real estate services too. Therefore, shopping for an agreeable mix of services offered at a fair commission is recommended. Every brokerage will have its own policy on its services and fees and consumers are free to negotiate their own agreement with the brokerage of their choice.

Before entering into a contract, smart consumers will compare the services and fees of a few brokerages by interviewing industry members. The interviews will help the consumer understand what range of commission rates is common in the marketplace and what types of services each brokerage will offer. This will assist consumers in working out a fair arrangement with their brokerage of choice.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Thinking of a Move Try Alberta Canada

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:36:07 -0500

Via Bill Jones - Realtor® Airdrie & Calgary Area Homes and Condos (Century21 Castlewood Agencies - "Homes By Jones"):

Capital: Edmonton

Motto: (Strong and Free) Fortis et Liber

Flower: Wild Rose

The Land

Roughly half of the southwestern section of the province is dominated by mountains and foothills - striking reminders of the glaciers that, over millions of years, formed, moved and receded in the area. Peaks of the Rocky Mountains located in Alberta range from 2 130 to 3 747 metres in elevation.

Over one-half of the province of Alberta, or approximately 350 000 km², is covered by forests. Of the total forest area, 216 000 km² are classified as commercially productive forest land and contain both hardwood and softwood species.

Attractions

The Edmonton Alberta Capital Region features more than 40 attractions of interest, including galleries, museums, zoos, and historical sites. These attractions, including West Edmonton Mall, Odyssium (formerly the Edmonton Space & Science Centre), Fort Edmonton Park and the Alberta Legislature Building, offer enjoyment and entertainment value for all.

Economy

Alberta has one of the world's most productive agricultural economies, producing about 25 percent of the value of Canada's annual output. Approximately 22 million hectares of cultivated and uncultivated land are used as pasture and forage for livestock. While wheat remains the primary crop, the production of new crops continues to expand as the industry diversifies. The province maintains the largest livestock population in Canada.

Long known as Canada's "energy province," Alberta has more than 65 percent of the country's reserves of conventional crude oil, over 80 percent of its natural gas, and all of its bitumen and oil-sands reserves.

Health Care

Alberta provides for all citizens and residents through a publicly-funded health care system. Alberta became Canada's second province (after Saskatchewan) to adopt a Tommy Douglas-style program in 1950, a precursor to the modern medicare system. Alberta's health care budget is currently $13.2 billion during the 2008-2009 fiscal year (approximately 36% of all government spending), making it the best funded health care system per-capita in Canada. Every hour more than $1.5 million is spent on health care in the province.

A highly-educated population and burgeoning economy have made Alberta a national leader in health education, research, and resources. Many notable facilities include the Foothills Medical Centre, the Peter Lougheed Centre, Rockyview General Hospital, Alberta Children's Hospital, Grace Women's Health Centre, The University of Calgary Medical Centre (UCMC), Tom Baker Cancer Centre and Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta, in Calgary; In Edmonton, the University of Alberta Hospital, the Royal Alexandra Hospital, the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, the Stollery Children's Hospital, the Alberta Diabetes Institute, the Cross Cancer Institute, and the Rexall Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research in Edmonton. Currently under construction in Edmonton is the new $909 million Edmonton Clinic, which will provide a similar research, education, and care environment as the Mayo Clinic in the United States.

Come and enjoy a great lifestyle in Alberta Canada

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Overview of Medicine Hat, Alberta

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:33:21 -0500

Via Dean Littlechilds (Royal LePage Community Realty):

So you've never heard of Medicine Hat, Alberta? Let me extend a warm southern Alberta welcome to you all. As you start to discover Medicine Hat... you'll find that you want to stay!

What attracts new residents to our region? Being the sunniest city in Canada with mild winters certainly helps! (We receive an average of 2,513 hours of sunshine per year according to Environment Canada). Besides that favourite feature, it's the friendly atmosphere, beautiful outdoors and big city conveniences with small town quality of life that make "the Hat" a sought after location. Of course other reasons such as low property taxes, natural gas and electricity rates that are well below the North American average, reasonable housing costs, no provincial sales tax and the lowest income taxes in the country are attractive too!

Our little city has grown to be Alberta's fifth largest, with a population of 60,426 (2008). We are located approximately 293 km (183 miles) to the southeast of Calgary, Alberta, 60 km (36 miles) to the Saskatchewan border and 160 km (99 miles) from the United States Wildhorse border crossing.

If you love the great outdoors, then Medicine Hat is the city for you.... our community boasts more than 92 km (57 miles) of hiking and biking trails and 250 hectares of parks, not counting six first class golf courses, plus three private campgrounds and one municipally operated campground. We also have three indoor and four outdoor pools, six indoor ice arenas, indoor and outdoor waterslides, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts and a skateboard park – activities for every season and for every member of your family!

Medicine Hat is a manufacturer’s haven. This strong sector of our economy produces a variety of goods such as tires for cars and heavy equipment, anhydrous ammonia and granulated urea for fertilizers, clay brick and refractories, thermal carbon black, catalyst compounds for gasoline production, compressors, furniture, playground equipment, flour, cereals and feeds, business forms and commercial printing, dairy products, vertical blinds, modular housing, marble and onyx products, ceramic insulators, storage tanks, pipeline equipment, mining equipment and drills, pressure vessels, metal fabricated products, potting soil and concrete.

Another large contributor to the areas’ economy is agriculture. As you can imagine, with the most sunny days in the country we have the longest growing season too. Our region produces a variety of crops such as wheat, flax, barley and oats and specialty crops including corn, carrots, safflower, sunflowers and beans. The cattle industry and food processing are also important components of this sector.

If you head 56 km (35 miles) northwest of the Hat you can see the Canadian Forces Base Suffield. It is a military training area that is shared with BATUS, the British Army Training Unit.

Local manufacturing, agriculture and military sectors contribute about $120 million every year to our economy, thus providing many opportunities for employment as well as a great climate for new businesses to thrive.

When it comes to education, there are several options available to you here. The Medicine Hat School District #76 has thirteen elementary schools and three secondary schools to choose from. Also available from them are French Immersion, virtual learning, learning assistance and outreach programs. The Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education has six elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school, which offer a comprehensive religious education program. There are three private schools here: the Cornerstone Christian School, the Medicine Hat Christian School and the Montessori Elementary Institute of South-eastern Alberta. The Centre for Academic and Personal Excellence School is a chartered school and L’Ecole les Cypress rounds out the education resources for our young ones as a public francophone school.

For post secondary education, we have the Medicine Hat College that provides pre-employment trades training, apprenticeship and upgrading programs. Over 40 full-time certificate and diploma programs in business, technology, early childhood development, travel and tourism, rehabilitation services, nursing, police, security and visual communications to university transfer programs are offered.

Here concludes your short tour of Medicine Hat, Alberta. Whether you are planning a visit or relocation, I invite you to come experience the Hat – a community with so much to offer!

For a gorgeous view of Medicine Hat, check out this photo gallery from City Hall's website:

http://www.medicinehat.ca/Visitors/About%20Medicine%20Hat/Photo%20Gallery/index.asp

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

MLS Listings in Lethbridge Alberta

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:41:49 -0500

Want to do a quick search of Lethbridge MLS real estate listings on your own time? Try this out:

Here you can access Lethbridge and area MLS listings. If something catches your eye, contact me and I will arrange a showing. You can also contact me to get the latest Lethbridge Real Estate listings that match YOUR criteria delivered directly into your in-box.
you can do it! See my listings / See Lethbridge's listings

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

City of Lethbridge Planning

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 02:29:00 -0500

something is screwy with this website today. I am deleting these posts trying to fix it. Please stand by.

Let me share my 15 years experience in the local Lethbridge real estate and financing market with you! It is the first step towards making a profitable real estate decision.

Robert W. May's Blog

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Lethbridge MLS Real Estate

Are you shopping for a home on the Lethbridge MLS? Or wanting your home sold on the Lethbridge MLS? Or just curious what MLS is?

What is the MLS®?

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More Banks Fail, Insurance and Pension Companies are Next

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Banks in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, were shuttered, costing the FDIC an estimated $356.6 million.

Lethbridge MLS real estate

Are you shopping for a home on the Lethbridge MLS? Or wanting your home sold on the Lethbridge MLS? Or just curious what MLS is?

What is the MLS®?

Lethbridge Realtor

Working With a REALTOR®

As of January 31, 2008, there were 10,931 REALTORS® in Alberta, out of a total 12,267 licencees.

How Are REALTORS® Different?

Why Should I Use a REALTOR®?

Spring Forward .....Fall Back

Lethbridge Real Estate Commission Rates

Thinking of a Move Try Alberta Canada

Capital: Edmonton

Motto: (Strong and Free) Fortis et Liber

Flower: Wild Rose

The Land

Attractions

Economy

Overview of Medicine Hat, Alberta

MLS Listings in Lethbridge Alberta

City of Lethbridge Planning

What is the MLS^®?

What is the MLS^®?

Working With a REALTOR^®

As of January 31, 2008, there were 10,931 REALTORS^® in Alberta, out of a total 12,267 licencees.

How Are REALTORS^® Different?

Why Should I Use a REALTOR^®?