Robert W. May's Blog

West Lethbridge Real Estate

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:42:50 -0600

West Lethbridge Real Estate

Are you looking for information on real estate in West Lethbridge? This includes the areas of Paradise Canyon, Copperwood, Varsity Village, Indian Battle Heights, Heritage Heights, Ridgewood Estates, Mountain Meadows, Sunset Arcres, Mountain Heights, Riverstone, etc. These are just some of the great areas available in West Lethbridge for you to shop for your next home or real estate investment.

A great place to start your house search is at my Lethbridge real estate online website. While this blog is full of great information on mortgages, the market, prices, industry trends, things to watch out for, etc, my other website is great for searching the local Lethbridge MLS system for Lethbridge real estate listings without any pressure or obligation.

Go to my MLS Lethbridge real estate search site at: LethbridgeRealEstateOnline.com

Search for properties at your own pace and in the privacy of your own home.

Give me a call and lets discuss the ones that interest you.

403-330-3039

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.

South Lethbridge Real Estate

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:36:49 -0600

South Lethbridge Real Estate

Are you looking for information on real estate in South Lethbridge? This includes the areas of London Road, Lakeview, Fairmont, Coulee Creek, Tudor Estates, Park Royal, Fairview Subdivision, etc. These are just some of the great areas available in South Lethbridge for you to shop for your next home or real estate investment.

Go to my MLS Lethbridge real estate search site at: LethbridgeRealEstateOnline.com

Search for properties at your own pace and in the privacy of your own home.

Give me a call and lets discuss the ones that interest you.

403-330-3039

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.

North Lethbridge Real Estate

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:12:22 -0600

North Lethbridge Real Estate

Are you looking for information on real estate in North Lethbridge? This includes the areas of Hardiville, The Uplands, Legacy Ridge, Park Meadows, Stafford Estates, etc. These are just some of the great areas available in North Lethbridge for you to shop for your next home or real estate investment.

Go to my MLS Lethbridge real estate search site at: LethbridgeRealEstateOnline.com

Search for properties at your own pace and in the privacy of your own home.

Give me a call and lets discuss the ones that interest you.

403-330-3039

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.

Canadian Mortgage Bonds Trading Globablly

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:03:35 -0600

Canada Housing Trust is selling $1.475-billion of fixed rate bonds, due in 2020, and that debt will be sold at a 43 basis point premium to the similar government of Canada bond, despite carrying the very same triple-A credit rating.

A floating rate issue is also being marketed, with am estimated minimum targeted size of $1-billion.

These financings are being conducted by BMO Nesbitt Burns, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, RBC Dominion Securities and Scotia Capital.

As part of a push to win a global following for Canada mortgage bonds, underwriters have already applied to have this debt listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, which will result in the availability of this issue to trade in European markets.

This means little to the average Canadian, but does demonstrate the increased global interest in Canada and its strong economic base. I expect further flow of foreign investment dollars into Canadian real estate as more investors become convinced of the stable opportunity here.

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.

What To Do When Your Mortgage Is Not Renewed

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:53:50 -0600

Right now in Canada there is a strange thing happening. Some property owners who have mortgages with a certain few money lenders are coming up to the end of their mortgage term. Most of these mortgage holders were either told by their mortgage broker or else mistakenly believed that at the end of the term they would receive renewal documents automatically, as long as their mortgage payments were current and not in arrears.

This is wrong. The mortgage lender has no obligation or legal requirement to renew the mortgage at the end of the term. Also, the homeowner has every obligation and legal requirement to pay in full the outstanding borrowed amount of the mortgage in FULL at the end of the term. This comes as a bit of a shock to many who did not have the advice of a professional mortgage broker when they obtained their financing.

What do i do when my mortgage company does not renew my mortgage?

This is a question which I have had in the past and expect to have several more times in 2010. There are going to be many surprised people who have mortgages with companies such as XCEED mortgage, ACCREDITED, or WELLS FARGO. These companies have all changed their focus in the recent past and have walked away from the sub-prime lending business. They are trying to focus upon more solid and secure sectors of the financial industry instead.

So what does the homeowner do? CALL ME ASAP! Seriously, time is of the essence for anyone in this situation. Waiting even a single day may be too late to do anything to help you with your situation. The sooner you act the more options you may have and the less likely the chance that you will incurr fees and expenses. Speak to a mortgage and real estate expert immediately!!!

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.

Canadian Interest Rates Remain Stable

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:36:13 -0600

The Bank of Canada has decided to kept borrowing costs at a record low 0.25 per cent today and reiterated they'll probably stay there through the middle of next year, while expressing optimism that economies around the world are on the mend. ``Conditional on the outlook for inflation, the target overnight rate can be expected to remain at its current level until the end of the second quarter of 2010,” said Governor Mark Carney.

The stable interest rates are contributing to investor and homebuyer confidence. It is inexpensive to borrow and finance right now and much of the Canadian economy continues to remain strong.

If you are thinking of finding a sound place for your investment dollars, Canadian real estate is probably one of the most solid choices you can make.

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.

Canadian Real Estate Market Still Strong

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:26:52 -0600

Real Estate in Canada, Alberta, BC

Check out this article from the Globe and Mail regarding the booming housing market that is still going on in many parts of Canada. Canadian banks are making record profits due to their sound fiscal policies, real estate is continuing to solidify in value, and global investment is still finding its way into Canada.

While our neighbors to the south continue to suffer from prices dropping like a rock, tons of foreclosures, and many bank owned properties sitting vacant, the market in Canada is a vibrant contrast. Our lenders have a near zero foreclosure rate. Our prices remain solid and our inventory still reasonably tight.

The Canadian and the US economies are making quite an abrupt diversion from each other as we continue up and they continue down. Here's the article:

Vancouver Housing Market Still Booming - People lining up and sleeping on the streets to purchase

People were sleeping on the streets of Vancouver the other night.

This is nothing new, of course. Except these people weren't homeless, they were home-hunters, camping overnight on a downtown sidewalk to be among the first to buy into a new condo tower opening in the city's trendy Yaletown district.

About 20 people spent a frigid Friday night a week ago outside the sales office for a new building called The Mark. By the end of business the next day, 163 of the 214 available condos had been sold.

Phew, what a relief. Insanity is back in the real estate market.

Not that long ago, these condo campouts were all the rage. And new towers were going up as fast as man could build them. Many of the purchasers were young couples who weren't prepared to part with their first born – and a million bucks of the bank's money – to own some shack on the city's east side.

Open houses, meantime, were events. Cars of would-be buyers would line neighbourhood streets waiting for a real estate agent to fling open the front doors of some red-hot property that the owner had bought for a song 10 years earlier. A stampede would ensue. Bidding wars would erupt on the spot. Sellers would routinely get tens of thousands over their asking price.

When financial calamity arrived in the form of the economic meltdown of 2008, it was almost a blessing. Home prices had become way out of whack. Now there would be a massive market correction. Economic forecasters were predicting it might be two or three years before we again saw house sales and prices begin to grow at the rates we had witnessed for much of the decade.

Some correction.

A recent report by the TD Bank indicates Canadians have gone house mad once again. As of October, sales were up 74 per cent and prices were 20 per cent ahead of what they were at their low point in 2008. In some markets, sales and prices have recovered to the crazy 2007 levels and beyond. The report says the average home right now is about 12 per cent overpriced.

And climbing.

Vancouver certainly isn't your typical real estate market. Still, it's all relative. And lately there doesn't seem to be a home that isn't selling for more than the listed price. One home on the east side of the city went for more than $300,000 above asking. Many have been going for a couple of hundred grand more.

What's fuelling this madness? Pent-up demand certainly. But more importantly, mortgage rates that are almost too good to be true. And definitely too good to be passed up.

If you believe the economy is coming back, that your job is safe and that real estate remains the most solid investment a person can make, why wouldn't you jump in? Prices are only going to keep going up, right? The longer you wait the more it will cost you. Isn't that the law of the jungle? It is, except no one expects this latest price surge to continue. The bidding will become unsustainable. Home affordability will deteriorate to a point where the average person can't get in. Some think we're almost there.

The greater worry, however, is with some of those who are taking huge gambles. Many have assumed a massive mortgage load to finance their little piece of heaven. It all seems manageable now with mortgage rates so low. Here's the problem: those rates will soon begin going up as sure as a blonde cocktail waitress from Las Vegas will claim later this week that she slept with Tiger Woods.

And in three or four years time, the mortgage math on which some people predicated the purchase of their home will no longer make sense. Suddenly, their payments are hundreds of dollars more a month.

Then what? “Some of these folks undoubtedly will end up in financial distress in a few years' time,” says economist Jock Finlayson of the Business Council of B.C.

Many of today's buyers will deal with that crisis when they come to it. For now, they're not going to let a little scary talk burst their housing bubble.

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 Update for November

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:33:32 -0600

Lethbridge Real Estate

The month of November was fairly good for the Lethbridge real estate market as the number of sales for the month was up 48% from year ago levels.

The number of sales that took place in November was 158, compared to 107 in 2008. This makes 49 more sales in November 2009, than November 2008, with main reason being that the economy had been rooted in the recession by then.

The total sales dollar volume for November 2009 was $38,035,170, while in November 2008 the total sales dollar volume was $25,047,605; this shows an increase of 52% from the previous year.

It only goes to show that with the recession over, buyers are more confident in making larger purchases, which includes housing.

The total year to date sales dollar volume for 2009 is $553,721,350, while for 2008 the total year to date sales dollar volume is $611,911,834.

With the slow start we saw at the beginning of the year, it has hindered sales reaching year ago levels.

The year is on track to end with a slight decline compared to year ago levels, as it stands it suggests to be around 5% – 8%. The reason for this is that it is the holidays, and not many people will be willing to make larger purchases at the end of the year.

For information on Lethbridge real estate, feel free to contact me.

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.

RIOCAN Takes Stake in Lethbridge Commercial Property

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:28:12 -0600

Lethbridge commercial real estate is attractive to many national and international clients. Just this week RIOCAN icreased its local portfolio by taking a stake in a North Lethbridge shopping center. Here is a copy of the news release from Canwest, it seemed to get good national publicity, but most of those in Lethbridge including those involved in Lethbridge real estate are unaware of the investment that is flowing into this community.

This is the place to buy and invest!

Here is the release:

TORONTO - RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust said on Tuesday that its share of a deal to purchase four new format retail shopping centres in Western Canada is $166 million.

Two properties will be purchased on a joint venture basis with the Canada Pension Plan Investment board and Sun Life Financial. The total value of the deal, which affects properties located in British Columbia and Alberta, will be approximately $280 million.

Three of the four properties are anchored by Walmart, which represents 54 per cent of the occupied space by gross leasable area and generates 34 per cent of the gross rental revenue. In addition, 86 per cent of the rental revenue for the portfolio is generated by national or anchor tenants.

The portfolio, which totals approximately 1.2 million square feet, is currently 98 per cent occupied.

"RioCan is excited to be able to acquire these very well anchored centres in excellent markets as well as expanding our relationship with Walmart, which will become RioCan's third-largest tenant upon the completion of this acquisition," said Edward Sonshine, president and CEO of RioCan, in a statement. "These four centres represent an excellent addition to RioCan's core portfolio and provide an opportunity to acquire a number of strategic assets while expanding our important relationships with CPPIB and Sun Life."

The properties are: Grandview Corners in Surrey, B.C.; Edmonton West Retail Centre; Lethbridge North Retail Centre in Lethbridge, Alta., Calgary East Retail Centre.

RioCan will complete the purchase of Grandview Corners in Surrey, B.C., and Edmonton West Retail Centre in Edmonton, on a joint venture basis with CPPIB and Sun Life respectively. In both cases, RioCan will act as property and asset manager.

Riocan said the overall weighted average cap rate for this portfolio of four new format retail properties is approximately 7.1 per cent. RioCan has arranged five year conventional first mortgage financing for three of the four properties in the amount of approximately $113 million, of which RioCan's share will be approximately $94.5 million at an interest rate expected to be approximately five per cent. The financing is expected to close shortly after the closing of the purchase of these four properties, expected before the end of the year.

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 Enters Seasonal Slowdown

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:05:16 -0600

Lethbridge real estate sales and listings traditionally slows down this time of year. As the first permanent snow begins to cover the ground and the holidays near, there are a few things that happen to alter the marketplace. One of the first things that happens is that the number of new listings drops off. Not a lot of people choose to move this time of year because of the season and temperatures. Also, many of the listed homes in Lethbridge which have not sold and have sat for some time on the market often expire unsold or are removed from the market for the holiday season. These events combine to lower the inventory of available Lethbridge real estate and property significantly.

Some people look at this time of year as a terrible time to do business, however this may be completely wrong. If you are thinking of selling, putting your home for sale while there are less properties to compete with may allow you to get a higher price for your property. For those who are shopping for a home, you would have to agree that any seller who has their home for sale during the cold Christmas season, is a serious motivated seller, which can often result in a great purchase price for Lethbridge real estate.

So December offers some great opportunity for those who are interested in making some money in Lethbridge real estate. Of course, many of the agents in the city are either on holidays or on their way out of business, which can make it a bit interesting right now, but for those of us who have been here for a long time, we know the cycles and we know the Lethbridge real estate market.

If you see opportunity where others see crisis, or are not adverse to making money in real estate, you should have me on your team. With over 15 years helping my clients make money, I have the experience and insight that might help guide you through the current economy.

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.

Avison Young Commercial Real Estate in Lethbridge

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:42:44 -0600

An announcement came across the newswire this week regarding a new commercial real estate office opening in Lethbridge. This new office will be an Avison Young real estate office. Avison Young is a Canadian commercial real estate brokerage and property management company with more than 500 real estate professionals in (now) 14 offices across Canada and in the U.S.

While Avison Young is not the largest commerical real estate office, they are widespread. Now that they have opened in Lethbridge, they are one of the few alterantives available for clients seeking commercial real estate help. I suspect that they will focus upon International and National clients, as that seems to be the majority of their clientel in other major cities, and not so much on the small business side of things.

In Lethbridge, our commercial real estate is mostly Government and Corporate clients mixed with small business clients. On one hand we have the large industrial property owners, real estate trust companies, and large big box retailers and then scattered among them we have the small business owner, small building owners, and small commercial rental business.

Over the years, I have been involved in the sale and purchase of commercial buildings, multifamily apartment buildings, small businesses, and small business leases. I have learned a ton from these experiences and now that many of my peers are small business owners like myself, the information comes in extremely helpful. I am always glad to help my friends negotiate and purchase real estate and leasehold properties, as it is the most significant expense that many of them have in their business operations.

If I can be of help to you or answer any questions, feel free to contact me. I will be quick to help you with things that are within my field of expertise, and even quicker to refer you to the most qualified professionals for your needs which I cannot help you with. I believe that is the sign of a great Realtor.

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 Rental Property Fire Code - For Rent

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:04:11 -0600

If you are looking for a house to rent in Lethbridge, or are a landlord trying to rent your Lethbridge house, this is some good info. I originally posted it to my Lethbridg real estate blog several months back, but wanted to bring it back to the front page, as Christmas season seems to be a time of the year that fire safety is a big concern. So here goes....

I am asked by both clients and real estate professionals on a weekly basis for information and advice regarding basement suites. This is a very serious issue here in the Lethbridge Alberta real estate market as our basement suite marketplace is prime for investors who are looking for maximum return on their real estate investment, and also for home buyers who wish to supplement their income and help make their mortgage payment with a little revenue out of a secondary suite in their property.

So, as a matter of interest and public benefit, here is a link and the original text of the Alberta Fire Code which governs these suites. It is pretty important to read it and understand it before buying or selling a property with a suite in it. It is also very important the all real estate professionals familiarize themselves with the code prior to listing, marketing, or showing such properties as they may accidentally walk into some liability due to being uninformed. I did write a similar post on these suites which you may be able to dig up with a little effort, or you could just give me a call directly if you need some assistance.

So here it is. It is pretty dry reading and unless you have the personality of a lawyer or a rock (sorry rocks), your likely going to be speed reading and skipping lines before you get one third of the way through it. Enjoy.

Robert May

Lethbridge Fire Code for Suites

Requirements of the Alberta Fire Code 2006 Section 2.16 Secondary Suites:
1. 2.16.2.1. Height of Rooms and Spaces
1)Unless acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction, the height of rooms or spaces in
a secondary suite over the required minimum area in accordance with Table 9.5.3.1. of
Division B of the Alberta Building Code 2006 shall be not less than 1.95 m.
2. 16.2.2. Bedroom Windows
1)Except as permitted in Sentence 9.7.1.2.(1) of Division B of the Alberta Building Code
2006, each bedroom within a secondary suite shall have at least one outside window that
meets the requirements of Articles 9.7.1.2. and 9.7.1.3. of Division B of the Alberta
Building Code 2006.
3. 16.2.3. Exit Stairs
1) Exit stairs shall have a clear width of not less than 860 mm.
4. 16.2.4. Landings
1) Landings for stairs shall be at least as wide as the stairs and not less than 900 mm in
length.
5. 16.2.5. Handrails and Guards
1) Handrails and guards shall conform to the requirements of Subsections 9.8.7. and
9.8.8. of Division B of the Alberta Building Code 2006.
6. 16.2.6. Public and Exit Corridor Width
1) The clear width of every public corridor and exit corridor shall be not less than
860 mm.
7. 16.2.7. Unenclosed Exterior Stair or Ramp
1) Where an unenclosed exterior exit stair or ramp provides the only means of egress
from a secondary suite and is exposed to the hazards of fire from unprotected openings in
the exterior wall of another dwelling unit, the openings shall be protected in conformance
with Articles 9.10.13.5. and 9.10.13.7. of Division B of the Alberta Building Code 2006.
8. 16.2.8. Exit Doors
1) Every exit door or door that provides access to exit from a secondary suite shall be
a) not less than 1 980 mm high,
b) not less than 810 mm wide, and
c) permitted to swing inward.
9. 6.2.9. Means of Egress
1) Except as permitted in Sentence (2), each dwelling unit shall be provided with at least
one exit that leads directly to the outside.
2) Dwelling units may share a common exit meeting the requirements of
Article 2.16.2.10.
10. 16.2.10. Protection of Exits
1) Every exit, other than an exit doorway, shall be separated from adjacent floor areas by
not less than one layer of 12.7 mm thick gypsum wallboard or equivalent material on
each side of the walls. (See Appendix A.)
11. 16.2.11. Dwelling Unit Separations
1) Dwelling units shall be separated from each other by not less than one layer of
12.7 mm thick gypsum wallboard or equivalent material on the ceiling and on each side
of the walls. (See A-2.16.2.10.(1) in Appendix A.)
12. 16.2.12. Protection of Public Corridors
1) A public corridor shall be separated from the remainder of the building by not less than
one layer of 12.7 mm thick gypsum wallboard or equivalent material on each side of the
walls. (See A-2.16.2.10. (1) in Appendix A.)
13. 16.2.13. Furnace Room Separations
1) A furnace room shall be separated from the remainder of the building by not less than
one layer of 12.7 mm thick gypsum wallboard or equivalent material on the ceiling and
on each side of the walls. (See A-2.16.2.10. (1) in Appendix A.)
2) A door shall be provided to each furnace room.-
14. 16.2.14. Heating and Ventilation Systems
1) For an existing secondary suite, a single heating and ventilation system may be used to
serve both the secondary suite and main dwelling unit.
15. 16.2.15. Smoke Alarms
1) Smoke alarms conforming to CAN/ULC-S531, “Smoke Alarms,” installed in
accordance with Subsection 9.10.19. of Division B of the Alberta Building Code 2006
shall be provided in each dwelling unit.
2) Smoke alarms shall be installed by permanent connections to an electrical circuit and
wired so that activation of one smoke alarm will cause all alarms within both dwelling
units to sound.
3) Smoke alarms shall be installed in areas that are common to both dwelling units and
connected in conformance with Sentence (2).
16. 16.2.16. Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Smoke Alarms
1) Smoke alarms required by this Section shall be inspected, tested and maintained in
conformance with the manufacturer's instructions.

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 MLS

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:58:44 -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.

You can now search directly on the internet and access ALL MLS listed properties. Go to:

www.LethbridgeRealEstateOnline.com

take your time, search without hassle or pressure.

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 Rental Property For Rent

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:54:11 -0600

Lethbridge rental property and houses for rent in Lethbridge are 2 of the things I receive a lot of general questions about. I dug up this blog post I made to my Lethbridge Real Estate Blog about 10 months ago and wanted to repost it becuase it answers several questions that I receive from Lethbridge landlords.

lethbridge mortgage broker lethbridge real estate

For many years, illegal and non-conforming basement suites have been the bane of many real estate transactions and mortgage applications. The City of Lethbridge has tried to deal with the situation several times in the past few decades, at one time allowing suites that were in existence before 1969 to remain in their non-conforming condition and making exceptions onf suites which were constructed after 1969.

As 2008 drew to a close, a new fire code amendment required all existing basement suites to be improved to meet a minimum safety level including smoke and fire detectors, proper egress windows on all bedrooms, free access to exits from the suite, and containing all HVAC systems behind moderately fire retardant walls.

To the bestof my knowledge, most landlords made no effort to comply.

A recent house fire in Calgary this past week is certain to bring this issue to the front page of the newspaper and encourage more discussion in the community and City Council chambers.

Now, a new grant program eliminates all excuses for a landlord to fail to improve the conditions of their properties and comply with the fire code. Here is a recent article which details the grants.

City to offer incentives for secondary rental suite safety upgrades

Written by Gerald Gauthier

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

The City of Lethbridge will soon be offering cash incentives to encourage landlords to upgrade pre-existing secondary rental suites to comply with updated safety codes.
Grants of up to $2,500 could be available by spring to reimburse homeowners for improvements they make to suites in existence before 2007 within singe-family homes. The goal is to ensure such suites are safe for tenants and meet provincial fire and building codes.
A total of $260,000 has been set aside for the grant program, and an application process is still in the works, said Ald. Tom Wickersham.
In December, a new bylaw was enacted that makes compliant pre-existing suites a permitted use in residential areas where they previously required special permits from the city. The measures are part of a larger effort to address a critical shortage of affordable housing in Lethbridge.
Chief Fire Marshal Ken Knox said he hopes property owners with pre-existing secondary suites will see the benefits of complying with the new regulations and contact the fire prevention office to arrange for assessments of their rental units.
“If people have secondary suites and they don’t call us, they’re (effectively) saying they don’t want to get them to a level of life safety,” he said.
Safety inspections can be requested by property owners, tenants or owners’ agents such as property managers, realtors or lawyers.
A fire prevention officer will conduct a 16-point inspection, Knox said, but the focus will be on three critical elements: smoke alarms, unobstructed escape routes and bedroom windows at least 38 centimetres in width and height to serve as emergency exits. Heating and ventilation systems will also be checked. Once upgrades have been completed as required, the city will issue a permit making the suite legal.
In 2006, the province announced owners of pre-existing suites had until December 2008 to bring their properties into compliance with the new Alberta Fire Code.
The intent of the new fire code, he said, is to make it easier for owners to affordably achieve an equivalent safety level in pre-existing suites rather than insisting on strict conformance to the updated 2006 Alberta Building Code.
New suites in existing residential areas are still subject to an inspection and approval process, however, and must fully comply with building and fire codes.
Property owners who want to apply for the local grant once it becomes available are advised to keep receipts for materials and labour pertaining to suite improvements. To arrange a safety inspection, call 403-320-3811 or email: fireprevention@lethbridge.ca. More information is available at the city’s website www.lethbridge.ab.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.

Lethbridge Real Estate

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:28:05 -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 have other Lethbridge real estate websites, but wanted one specifically for syndicating listings out.

I chose to use a point2 real estate 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. I figure it should take a month to get it ranked, and about 3 months for it to have decent indexing.

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 to 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.

Travel Contest - Vote and Enter

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:04:21 -0600

Hey activerain friends, I entered a travel contest and was hoping that you would help me out by giving me a vote. Its a pretty simple thing, you might even want to enter it yourself (but if you win, you really should feel obligated to take me on the holiday with you, lol, no seriously take me with you)

http://www.tripcentral.ca/tripfor20/?8576551747

Vote for me and I will return the favor for you if you enter.

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.

Clearly Lethbridge Online Directory and Advertising

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:02:11 -0600

Clearly Lethbridge

Today I had a meeting with Doug, a salesman for Clearly Lethbridge, a new online directory and marketing website that has launched in Lethbridge. The intention of the site seems to be to create an online directory of local businesses and to act as a central hub which will help to increase the search engine optimization and placement of each of the advertisers through the cooperative efforts of all. This is much like many of the online directories which attempt to do the same thing for businesses within specific categories, except that in the case of Clearly Lethbridge, the common thread is that all of the businesses are local to Lethbridge.

The company has some solid backing and is an extension of Clear Sky, who is a media company which operates several local radio stations. This should help Clearly Lethbridge enjoy some longevity while it attempts to build an advertiser base. There have been other Lethbridge business directory websites that have come and gone, some are still sitting dormant on the internet. A few of them have been good ideas, but have not continued due to the constant need to solicit advertisers and to keep content updated. Hopefully Clearly Lethbridge will have better luck.

At this point in time I declined to purchase advertising on the Clearly Lethbridge site, primarily because I accomplish much the same goals through my blog here, in addition to my other websites:

LethbridgeLoans.com

LethbridgeRealEstateBlog.com

LethbridgeRealEstateOnline.com

I also do a substantial amount of social media marketing through twitter, facebook, and other sites. My web content is often syndicated out via over 400 directories and another 400 RSS feeds. Because of the combined reach of these sites and their syndication, the content that I publish reaches thousands of people.

As a simple test, I am writing this blog at 1am, Friday Nov 20th, 2009. I would expect that if you were to search "clearly lethbridge" tomorrow on your favorite search engine that this very post would already be indexed and ranking at or near the very top. Try it out and see if my marketing is as effective as I claim it to be.

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 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.

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 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

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.

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.

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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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Lethbridge Plumber

Lethbridge Laywers

What is the MLS^®?

What is the MLS^®?