Friday, February 27, 2009

Fox and Fiddle, Etobicoke

So many of the structures in West Toronto and Etobicoke have been multi tasked and re-purposed over their life times.

The property at 4906 Dundas is just such and example.

C:1927 Etobicoke Township Hall, Once located at 4906 Dundas, the building has been a church, library, a Police Division, a gift shop and a pub. It is now the Fox n' Fiddle.

During a recent visit, I had the opportunity to meet with Restauranteur, Thana of the Fox and Fiddle, who reminded me again of the buildings heritage. This lively nightspot now has open air patio's on the front and rear.  The building adjoins the commercial retail shopping via a glass portico that encloses and joins the structure.





If you would like to make a submission for a building that you love in west Toronto and Etobicoke, feel free to contact me thru my email david@davidpylyp.com

Should you like information about living in this vibrant community, contact me at 647 218 2414.

Providing Value First.

Timothy's Patio Bloor west Village

With a few spring like days, we have already been teased out of our winter slumber.

I took the opportunity to visit with a friend in Bloor west Village, Manuel Choi who is preparing for a busy sidewalk, people watching season. People are always out and about in this vibrant community.




Take a moment to savour the day by actually enjoying the sunshine and stop by Manuel's patio, Timothy's at Kennedy and Bloor in the Heart of Bloor west.

For information about homes in this neighbourhood, feel free to contact David Pylyp at 647 218 2414 or email 


Tuesday, February 24, 2009

The New Way to Hunt for a New Home

If you’ve ever hunted for a resale home, chances are you’re well acquainted with the Canadian Real Estate Association’s consumer site Realtor.ca (formerly MLS.ca). Millions of Canadians rely on it every month to learn about their housing market. It provides insight on nearly all the resale inventory available through CREA Realtors.

While it may not be the flashiest site on Earth, it’s current and comprehensive and it does the trick. If you’re searching for a new home, however, you likely have a folder overflowing with newspaper clippings and builder brochures and a dozen (or so) builder websites pegged as favourite URLs. With the hours spent on your computer, you’re ready to add “Real Estate Analyst” to your résumé.

Why is it so much harder to shop for a new home?

Well, up until recently, access to comprehensive, up-to-date information on new homes has only been available to those in the building and development industry. But things have changed.

Toronto-based RealNet Canada has been compiling data on new construction for years. Working with local builders to amass an inventory of records, they have become the official source of new housing data for BILD (Building Industry & Land Development Association, formerly the Greater Toronto Home Builders’ Association).

RealNet reports on 99% of developments over 15 units in the GTA, and their information is updated monthly. And now your Realtor has them, too — nearly 40,000 current records right at their fingertips. Sitting down with your Realtor (the service is not available to the general public), you’ll be able to view loads of details on available properties in your desired areas, separated into high-rise and low-rise. Want to see two-bedroom condos at Yonge and Bloor? RealNet has them. Fancy a three-bedroom townhouse in Aurora? RealNet has them. The search is similar to any other, allowing users to find properties based on geography, price, type and number of bedrooms. RealNet new-home records show the individual details, including price ranges, lot sizes, options, available parking, occupancy dates and more. There are also tidbits that you just can’t find anywhere else — like what the condo fees will be, the deposit structure and whether or not you can buy a storage locker.

Some house hunters may prefer to conduct their online research independently by visiting consumer websites. If you come across properties of interest on your own, you can contact your Realtor to see how they compare to others in the area. Having a well-informed Realtor involved offers significant benefits. In a fluctuating market like the one we’re currently experiencing, you’ll want to be as informed as possible. Through TREB and RealNet statistics, your Realtor is armed with industrial-strength information on both new and resale properties — data which will aid you in making better real estate decisions.

With a Realtor by your side, you’ll have someone who understands your life needs, financial goals and best interests when advising you during key moments, not to mention helping to coordinate multiple sales and closings. Next time you’re looking to fuel your real estate addiction, invite your Realtor over for a tour of what’s going down in the suburbs or up in the city. You’ll have the benefit of an expert armed with the latest in market intelligence and you’ll save yourself the frustration of searching the Web in vain — and maybe even a tank of gas or two.

DAVE YOUNG - SUN MEDIA 23rd February 2009


Candid Comments From Mayor Hazel McCallion

Toronto Star Interview Dec 31, 2008




Candid and valid advice about fiscal responsibility.

In times of economic turmoil we have proven experienced people at the helm.

Trillium Health Centre Unveils the Hazel McCallion Centre for Heart Health Signage at Mayor's 88th Birthday Celebration

         Community shows its heart for Mayor Hazel McCallion, donating more than $12 million to date
MISSISSAUGA/WEST TORONTO, ON, Feb. 14 /CNW/ - Trillium Health Centre today celebrated Mayor Hazel McCallion's 88th birthday as part of its "I Heart Hazel" campaign to raise funds for the Hazel McCallion Centre for Heart Health. 
Mayor McCallion unveiled the signage for the cardiac centre named in her honour.     
Birthday festivities also included an honour guard salute, a performance of "Happy Birthday" by the Heart and Soulz choir from Hazel McCallion Senior Public School, and a presentation to the Mayor of a Heart Art quilt created by patients from Trillium's Complex Continuing Care program.     
"Mayor McCallion's birthday marks an important milestone in this campaign," said Kim Warburton, chair of the Trillium Health Centre Foundation board. "It was such a pleasure to celebrate with the Mayor and to be able to give her the gift of knowing that over $12 million has already been raised for the cardiac centre named in her honour."     
The Hazel McCallion Centre for Heart Health at Trillium Health Centre is one of the nation's busiest and most advanced cardiac care centres, providing the citizens of Mississauga, West Toronto and the surrounding area with access to advanced cardiac services and care within their community.
"When someone requires lifesaving cardiac care, it is important that it is delivered quickly within minutes of home or work, by the best clinical staff, using the latest technologies," said Janet Davidson, O.C., president and CEO, Trillium Health Centre. "Trillium is a recognized leader in advanced cardiac care, providing this community and the surrounding region with the best in diagnostics, cardiology, cardiac surgery and rehabilitation."
The Hazel McCallion Centre for Heart Health also conducts half of the minimally-invasive beating heart surgeries in Canada and is one of the few hospitals implanting defibrillators directly into patients' chests to help maintain their heart rhythms.
In 2008, the Trillium Health Centre Foundation launched a campaign to raise $15 million for the Hazel McCallion Centre for Heart Health. Eight leading corporations and community leaders, the "cardiac champions" pledged to give half of the $15 million campaign goal.     
These cardiac champions - Fred Ketchen, Robert and Francine Barrett, Nameh and Jacqueline Jabbour, the Bank of Montreal, Ralph Chiodo, and Ethel Taylor - are matching dollar-for-dollar the amount donated by the community.     "We are so grateful to the community for their ongoing support and to Tim Hortons and Mattamy Homes for their partnership," said Warburton. "Thanks to the generosity of our cardiac champions, corporate partners and individual members of the community, our target of $15 million is in sight."     
The $15 million fundraising initiative will help Trillium treat high-risk patients without delay in expanded catheterization and electrophysiology laboratories, diagnose complex heart disease earlier and more accurately with new equipment and technologies, benefit cardiac patients here and across Canada by increasing research capacity, and acquire next generation diagnostic equipment.     
Those interested in making a donation or learning more can visit www.ihearthazel.com. Donations can also be arranged by contacting the Trillium Health Centre Foundation at 905.848.7575.      About Trillium Health Centre      Trillium Health Centre is one of Canada's largest community hospitals with regional programs in cardiac, stroke, neurosurgery, orthopaedic, and sexual assault and domestic violence services. Housing a model ambulatory care centre and the largest free standing day surgery centre in North America, Trillium serves more than one million residents in Peel and West Toronto and from other communities across Ontario. With the continued support of the Trillium Health Centre Foundation, the hospital's fundraising arm, the two-site facility is attracting international attention for its innovative approach to providing health care services and has received numerous national awards for quality and innovation. For more information, visit www.trilliumhealthcentre.org. 

www.twitter.com/dpylyp

Listing Your House for Sale in Toronto

Listing Your Home for sale in the Toronto West, Etobicoke, Mississauga Spring Market?

What you need to do is get out and get noticed. Reach out to different markets and social communities. Easier said than done?

Marketing is to promote your listing to the highest number of potential customers that would be suitable candidates to your property.


Will tossing a few newpaper ads work best? They do have a very short shelf life. Most are locally distributed papers that are rolled up and placed below the mailbox, and usually end their short life in the recycle bin without even being unrolled.

Social Marketing is connecting with people on a different level, reach out to different people that are not local to your area. This includes people that are like minded in what they are reading or interests. More importantly they are EX Pats either coming to or comng back to Canada, or merely relocating inside Canada due to economic and employment changes.

There are many ways to promote the home for sale; send an email to your circle of friends and associates and ask them to forward the presentation to others that might be looking. Post the listings on bulletin boards that are frequented by job seekers (they will need a place to live).

I invite your comments, input and questions about the vibrant and diversified City of Toronto

Monday, February 23, 2009

Reaching Baby Boomers with Social Media

A new report from Forrester Research revealed some surprising information: apparently Baby Boomers aren't exactly the technology Luddites that people think they are. In fact, more than 60 percent of those in this generational group actively consume socially created content like blogs, videos, podcasts, and forums. What's more, the percentage of those participating is on the rise.

In 2007, the percentage of Boomers consuming social media was 46% for younger Boomers (ages 43 to 52) and 39% for older Boomers (ages 53 to 63). By 2008, those number increased to 67% and 62%, respectively.

The number of Boomers responding to content posted online, as opposed to just passively consuming it, is also going up. For example, the proportion of older Boomers responding to content doubled from 15% in 2007 to 34% in 2008. According to Forrester, this is now a percentage that's high enough to target this group with a social application.

Joining social networks is also becoming a widely popular among the younger Boomers. Today, almost one in four younger Boomers are active in social networks, up from 15% in 2007.

The one thing that Boomers are less likely to do in the online world is actually create content - outside of updating their online profiles and leaving blog comments, that is. Boomers are still not involved heavily in writing blog articles or creating videos and posting them online. In 2008, 16% younger Boomers were involved in content creation (up from 12% in 2007) and 15% of older Boomers were (up from 8%). Although both groups saw an increase, it's still the least popular activity.

What This Means

For companies wanting to reach out to the Baby Boomers online, this data shows that spending at least a portion of your budget on social applications for the group isn't entirely a waste of time and money. The group isn't as active online as younger generations are, but their participation levels are now moderate and increasing.

The best bets for getting Boomers interested in your content is to create blogs or videos that relate to the life or work-style of Boomers, Forrester suggests. And if you're looking for feedback and contributions from the Boomers themselves - like comments or criticisms - make that process dead simple. Don't introduce overly complex sign up forms or processes. Instead, encourage low-effort contributions such as star ratings.

Marketers can also look into reaching Boomers through social networks now - specifically those favored by this generation like Classmates Online, Eons, BOOMj.com, TeeBeeDee, and even theAARP's online community. There is some participation in these social spaces now, but even more growth is expected over the next 12-month period.
Or you could start following me on twitter/dpylyp
How are you reaching out to people online?

Harmonized tax would hit renovations, resales

The already battered real estate industry had reason for concern when Premier Dalton McGuinty said last month that "we owe it to ourselves to take a good, long hard look" at harmonizing the GST with the Ontario provincial sales tax.

In his column in this section on Jan. 31, Stephen Dupuis, president of the Building Industry and Land Development Association, pointed out that buyers of new homes would be hit particularly hard if Ontario harmonized the PST with the federal GST.

On a $350,000 new home, he wrote that the consumer would have to pay an additional $17,920. But it's not just buyers of new homes who would be affected by a merging of the two taxes. Buyers and sellers of resale homes would also be hurt because a harmonized tax would apply to many services that are currently exempt from PST – including legal fees, real estate agent commission, renovation services, land survey reports, home inspections, landscaping and house cleaning services. Also affected would be the cost of labour for installations or repairs, including additions, kitchen renovations, driveways, roads, fences, swimming pools and patios.

Assuming no change in the provincial sales tax rates, the seller of a $350,000 resale home would get hit with an additional $1,400 in tax on a real estate agent's 5 per cent commission, plus a new 8 per cent provincial tax on moving expenses, legal fees, accounting and bookkeeping fees, renovations, painting and other services which are currently exempt.

I agree with Frank Giannone, president of the Ontario Home Builders' Association, who calls harmonization a "poison pill" for housing. It would also have a serious impact on access to justice for ordinary Ontarians as their legal fees would jump an additional 8 per cent.

Of course, none of this matters to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and other business groups who are pushing for harmonization. According to chamber chairman Len Crispino, if the taxes are blended, Ontario business stands to save an estimated $100 million. That saving would be dumped onto the wallets of hard-hit Ontario consumers.

Toronto home buyers have still not recovered from the imposition of the "Miller bite" land transfer tax last year. In a market where the volume of home sales has dropped by almost half over the first month of 2008, and house prices have softened considerably, the last thing Ontario needs is a new 8 per cent tax on legal fees, agent commission and other costs related to the purchase and sale of new and resale homes.

The home renovation industry could also be badly affected by a harmonized tax. In a pre-budget submission to the Minister of Finance last month, the Ontario Home Builders' Association noted, "The renovation industry is already plagued by the growing underground economy with the GST acting as the catalyst for the `cash deal'. Many legitimate renovation businesses would be in serious peril if they were to add an additional 8 per cent in PST onto their quotes when competing with the black market."

In case anyone thinks that the chances of a harmonized PST and GST are somewhat remote, they have only to look at the website of the Canada Revenue Agency to see that the Ontario Ministry of Finance and the Canada Revenue Agency have already teamed up to offer dozens of joint seminars on a harmonized sales tax all across the province throughout 2009. The effort and cost put into creating these seminars is a clear indication that harmonization is in the cards.

The last word on harmonization goes to Toronto real estate guru Barry Lebow, who is a land economist, appraiser, arbitrator and educator with 40 year's market experience. When I asked him what he thought about tax harmonization, he replied, "I hate the idea as a small businessman and as a professional. Harmonization only works well for singing groups!"


Bob Aaron is a Toronto real estate lawyer and a director of the Tarion Warranty Corporation.  He can be reached by email at bob@aaron.ca, phone 416-364-9366 or fax 416-364-3818.  Visit the column archives at http://aaron.ca/columns/toronto-star-index.htm for articles on this and other topics.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Female Buyers better risk than Men?

Female Buyers in Toronto west Real estate

Not every home owner is married or independantly wealthy. Some are single women, some are older women who are divorced and wanting to find a way back into home ownership. You could be their guide.

Are Realtors Marketing to This Growing Segment of the Market?

More and more single females are signing up for Memberships on sites like http://www.buyingintoronto.ca/ to get monthly newsletters about real estate market updates and trends, and Googling phrases like “homes for sale, mls listings” and other similar searches.
More of these women are buying homes on their own and 25% of these prospective buyers said they would prefer to buy a 'fixer-upper's". David Pylyp of Toronto west Homes.

This is not surprising given that women are earning higher salaries than previous generations of women and many are enjoying incomes disproportionate to what their parents earned. Single women now play a significant role in the housing market. Divorced or widowed and wishing to get back into home ownership after having to step out of their home for financial reasons or young, single women who have not owned a home before are eager to experience the pride of ownership and exercise their independence. We are seeing growing numbers of women buying their first home on their own.

Today's woman is much more financially astute than her counterpart was a decade ago, and is well versed in real estate as a solid long-term investment.

David Pylyp of DavidPylyp.com says, “I have to think that all of the new TV programs like 'Property Ladder' and 'Flip That House' have contributed to women feeling more capable of doing the renovations to a home, or at the very least, feel more comfortable about not being taken advantage of by a contractor. These shows have done a terrific job of eliminating the fear of the unknown and the fear of ‘really screwing things up' for women and for more than just a few men.”

Things we don't read enough about

Worthwhile Canadian Initiative
Published in Newsweek Magazine, Feb 16, 2009

The legendary editor of The New Republic, Michael Kinsley, once held a "Boring Headline Contest" and decided that the winner was "Worthwhile Canadian Initiative." Twenty-two years later, the magazine was rescued from its economic troubles by a Canadian media company, which should have taught us Americans to be a bit more humble. Now there is even more striking evidence of Canada's virtues. Guess which country, alone in the industrialized world, has not faced a single bank failure, calls for bailouts or government intervention in the financial or mortgage sectors. Yup, it's Canada. In 2008, the World Economic Forum ranked Canada's banking system the healthiest in the world. America's ranked 40th, Britain's 44th.

Canada has done more than survive this financial crisis. The country is positively thriving in it. Canadian banks are well capitalized and poised to take advantage of opportunities that American and European banks cannot seize. The Toronto Dominion Bank, for example, was the 15th-largest bank in North America one year ago. Now it is the fifth-largest. It hasn't grown in size; the others have all shrunk.

So what accounts for the genius of the Canadians? Common sense. Over the past 15 years, as the United States and Europe loosened regulations on their financial industries, the Canadians refused to follow suit, seeing the old rules as useful shock absorbers. Canadian banks are typically leveraged at 18 to 1—compared with U.S. banks at 26 to 1 and European banks at a frightening 61 to 1. Partly this reflects Canada's more risk-averse business culture, but it is also a product of old-fashioned rules on banking.

Canada has also been shielded from the worst aspects of this crisis because its housing prices have not fluctuated as wildly as those in the United States. Home prices are down 25 percent in the United States, but only half as much in Canada. Why? Well, the Canadian tax code does not provide the massive incentive for overconsumption that the U.S. code does: interest on your mortgage isn't deductible up north. In addition, home loans in the United States are "non-recourse," which basically means that if you go belly up on a bad mortgage, it's mostly the bank's problem. In Canada, it's yours. Ah, but you've heard American politicians wax eloquent on the need for these expensive programs—interest deductibility alone costs the federal government $100 billion a year—because they allow the average Joe to fulfill the American Dream of owning a home. Sixty-eight percent of Americans own their own homes. And the rate of Canadian homeownership? It's 68.4 percent.

Canada has been remarkably responsible over the past decade or so. It has had 12 years of budget surpluses, and can now spend money to fuel a recovery from a strong position. The government has restructured the national pension system, placing it on a firm fiscal footing, unlike our own insolvent Social Security. Its health-care system is cheaper than America's by far (accounting for 9.7 percent of GDP, versus 15.2 percent here), and yet does better on all major indexes. Life expectancy in Canada is 81 years, versus 78 in the United States; "healthy life expectancy" is 72 years, versus 69. American car companies have moved so many jobs to Canada to take advantage of lower health-care costs that since 2004, Ontario and not Michigan has been North America's largest car-producing region.

I could go on. The U.S. currently has a brain-dead immigration system. We issue a small number of work visas and green cards, turning away from our shores thousands of talented students who want to stay and work here. Canada, by contrast, has no limit on the number of skilled migrants who can move to the country. They can apply on their own for a Canadian Skilled Worker Visa, which allows them to become perfectly legal "permanent residents" in Canada—no need for a sponsoring employer, or even a job. Visas are awarded based on education level, work experience, age and language abilities. If a prospective immigrant earns 67 points out of 100 total (holding a Ph.D. is worth 25 points, for instance), he or she can become a full-time, legal resident of Canada.Companies are noticing. In 2007 Microsoft, frustrated by its inability to hire foreign graduate students in the United States, decided to open a research center in Vancouver. The company's announcement noted that it would staff the center with "highly skilled people affected by immigration issues in the U.S." So the brightest Chinese and Indian software engineers are attracted to the United States, trained by American universities, then thrown out of the country and picked up by Canada—where most of them will work, innovate and pay taxes for the rest of their lives.

If President Obama is looking for smart government, there is much he, and all of us, could learn from our quiet—OK, sometimes boring—neighbor to the north. Meanwhile, in the councils of the financial world, Canada is pushing for new rules for financial institutions that would reflect its approach. This strikes me as, well, a worthwhile Canadian initiative.

John Scholl B. Mathematics, CGA,
Wealth Management & Financial PlanningInvestors Group
200 - 24 Queen Street East,
Brampton, Ontario L6V 1A3
* Tel. : (905) 450-2891 X529

David Pylyp; Our employement rate is 93% and we are all nervous. In a previously posted item I refer to the CMHC forecast predicting an increase from 6.7 to 7.0 or 7.1%.

Compared to Europe and some states south of the border we are still and will continue to be a desired location. Take advantage of the Buying Opportunites that will appear in 2009!

6 Tips to Pay off Your Mortgage Debt

Practical Advise to Pay off your Mortgage Faster


Most homeowners would love nothing more than not to have that mortgage debit in your account every month. But trying to pay off your mortgage ahead of schedule is not something to be undertaken lightly. You must make sure you are financially secure, with no other significant debt, and have money in reserve for emergencies. Above all, IT will take discipline.

There are also compelling arguments for not paying off your mortgage ahead of schedule. If you are inclined to take some risks, you could invest the money instead. Your investment could conceivably earn enough money to offset the benefit of paying off the mortgage.

In your haste to be rid of your monthly mortgage burden, you cannot afford to mortgage your financial future. Make sure you will be able to finance your children's college education and your own retirement, Investigate the newest (TFSA) Tax Free Savings Account.

If you are in a debt-free financial position where you can pay off your mortgage more quickly without sacrificing other aspects of your life, there are a few ways to accomplish this. Naturally, you will have to consult your lender to see what you can and cannot do. Here are a few of the most used options.

1. Increase your payment schedule. Biweekly mortgage payments have become increasingly popular as a way to pay off a mortgage more quickly. OK OK... we all know that one. One extra payment a year.

2. Make lump sum payments. Depending on the terms of your mortgage agreement, you may be able to make lump-sum payments at specific times. For example, you could earmark your bonus cheque of $5,000 to pay off part of your mortgage. Let's approach this a touch differently. Let us suppose we open a credit line of $10,000, (pay it on the mortgage Day 1) that we then use to deposit our income/payroll cheques, then pay our regular bills. The goal here is to retire the entire credit line with a 12 month period and borrow an additional $10,000 again to pay against the mortgage. Most mortgages contain a 10 or 15% annual prepayment priviledge without penalty.

3. Shorten the time frame of your loan. You could elect to refinance and change your 30-year mortgage to a 15-year mortgage. Bear in mind, though, that your monthly payments will be considerably higher. Lets try this concept in smaller bites. With a mortgage at year 30 you just bought the house. On the Anniversary Date, shorten the mortgage from 29 to 28 years. By making modest adjustments over the next 15 years you will have retired your entire mortgage.

4. Increase your payments. If your financial situation has improved and you are making more money, you may be able to make higher payments or balloon payments. Most loans will allow you to increase your payments in this manner with certain restrictions.

5. Refinance at a lower interest rate, but pay the same amount each month. If you maintain a 30-year mortgage, but the interest rate drops from 6.25 percent to 5.00 percent, the money you were paying in interest can now go toward the principal. Should You Refinance Your Mortgage Loan? If you are approaching a renewal I recommend that you schedule an interview with a Personal Banking Representative in your home to discuss your options.

6. Use your RRSP-driven tax rebate religiously as a mortgage prepayment method. Even if you can only prepay annually, make sure these funds are set aside for that purpose. Many Canadians will borrow (at prime) to buy an RRSP to ensure the maximum rebate. When applied to the mortgage principal, this refund is a "gift that keeps on giving". Combining the refund with the tax-free interest earned on the RRSP over the subsequent years will quickly outpace the short-term interest costs of the RRSP loan.

I welcome your input if you have additional ideas to add to this plan of debt reduction. Add your ideas in the comments section.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Fast Facts About your 2008 RRSP

RRSP fast facts – what you need to know to save and grow

The deadline for making your 2008 Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) contribution is fast approaching – but you still have time to take advantage of a few last-minute RRSP facts and tips that will reduce your tax load this year and help build a financially comfortable retirement.

· Don’t miss the deadline. This year’s contribution deadline is March 2nd, 2009.

· Maximize your RRSP contribution. The best strategy is to always make your maximum allowable contribution each taxation year.

That way, you’ll get the most in immediate tax savings and maximize the potential long-term growth of the investments in your RRSP. You’ll find your personal maximum allowable contribution room on your most recent notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

· Catch up on past contribution room. You can fill your unused contribution room in a single year or over a number of years until the year you reach age 71 – but the faster you fill it, the better for additional tax savings and longer term tax-deferred, compound growth.

· Borrow to save. Taking out an RRSP loan can be a smart way to maximize this year’s contribution or to catch up on your past contributions. The key is to get a loan at a low interest rate and pay it back as quickly as possible. You can even use your RRSP tax savings to help pay off the loan.

· Split income to save. While you can take advantage of the new pension income splitting rules in retirement, in the right situation, a spousal RRSP can still make sense to save taxes in your retirement.

· Diversify for better growth. The government caps the amount you can contribute to your RRSP(s), so it’s highly likely you’ll need additional income to afford the retirement of your dreams – and that’s where a Tax-Free Savings Account and your non-registered investment portfolio comes in. A well-balanced portfolio is based on an asset allocation plan that matches your risk profile and time horizon.

· Choose an RRSP beneficiary. You can designate a beneficiary on your RRSP (in Quebec, this must be done through the Will). If you die without a beneficiary designation, up to 48% of your total RRSP value could be lost to taxes. Generally speaking, the RRSP assets do not form part of your estate and, therefore, do not attract probate fees. And, if your beneficiary is your spouse (or a disabled dependent child or grandchild) your RRSP may be transferred on a tax-deferred basis to your beneficiary’s registered plan.

With the right RRSP strategies wrapped in a sound, overall financial plan, you will save on taxes every year and retire with more.

John Scholl B. Mathematics, CGA,
Wealth Management & Financial Planning

I strive to continually improve my wealth management practice to be worthy of the referrals received. I build my business one introduction at a time, and would consider it a great compliment to be introduced to one of your business associates, friends or family.

Investors Group 200 - 24 Queen Street East, Brampton, Ontario L6V 1A3
* Tel. : (905) 450-2891 X529
* Toll Free: (866) 799-2223
* Cell: (416) 731-3660
* Fax: (905) 450-9747
* Email: john.scholl@investorsgroup.com

Monday, February 16, 2009

Buyer Registration System Toronto

The Toronto real estate Board maintains a sytem called Buyer Registration (BRS) that permits other agent to view the clients that I have posted as wanting a particular home or neighbourhood.

With these times of more sellers than Buyer's (Buyers Market and the inevitable Buyers Strike) agents who use this system can contact me to discuss the seller's motivation, new pricing, motivation and need to sell.

As a Buyer under contract, I can legally pass all this information on to you, just as it was when the prices were creeping upwards. The Seller was entitled all the details they could find out about you. This leverage is now in your favour!



Put my 19 years of real estate experience into your corner. Have a look at what other clients have to say. I welcome your call.

Twitter/dpylyp

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Licensed Home Inspectors Make Perfect Sense

British Columbia has become the first province in Canada to license home inspectors in order to protect buyers by ensuring qualified inspections. The B.C. model could well serve as a template for similar legislation in Ontario.

In announcing the move last week, B.C. Solicitor General John van Dongen said, "A home is the single biggest investment most British Columbians make but financial risk can be the result of an incorrect or misleading report from an unqualified inspector. Whether they're buying their first condo or starter home, dream or retirement home, consumers need to have confidence that the person who is doing the inspection has the qualifications to make a professional assessment."

To date, home inspector training has been voluntary across Canada. As a result, homebuyers may not know whether a home inspector is qualified and trained to complete an inspection properly.

Following stakeholder consultations, B.C. opted for licensing under the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority (BPCPA). The model adopted by the government is intended to minimize paperwork and costs in order to maximize compliance.

At the end of next month, the BPCPA will help protect the province's consumers by:
assessing the qualifications of, and requiring mandatory licences for, home inspectors
receiving and responding to complaints from consumers, and monitoring compliance, with penalties that can range as high as $5,000.

To become licensed, home inspectors will need to meet the qualifications of one of three professional associations of B.C. home inspectors. A criminal record check will be required, as will mandatory insurance.

John Winters, president of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, is quoted in a provincial announcement as saying, "While most inspectors are dedicated professionals, under the current system they may have little or no qualification, which can create problems for legitimate real estate transactions. Requiring inspectors to be licensed provides sellers and buyers with confidence that all inspections will be carried out by a qualified professional."

In Ontario, a private member's bill approved in December 1994, established the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors (OAHI). As a non-profit corporation, OAHI is dedicated to enhancing the technical skills and professional practice of home inspectors, and maintaining high professional standards through education and discipline.

Members are entitled to use the designation R.H.I., for registered home inspector.
Unfortunately, membership is not compulsory and virtually anyone who takes an online course can set up shop as a home inspector. The industry calls these players "cowboys."

Terry Carson was one of the five founding directors of OAHI. He told me earlier this week that licensing was one of the long-term objectives of the group, "an extension of our self-regulation."
"The current system works quite well," he added, "but the cowboys are always going to be a problem."

Bill Mullen is past president of the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors. He told me that he is "quite pleased" with the B.C. move, and that his group is in favour of mandatory licensing as long as it establishes a high enough standard.

Alberta and Quebec are expected to implement licensing in the near future. I don't know whether the Ontario government has an appetite for creating a self-governing regime of licensed home inspectors, but it seems to me that it is badly needed in this province, and that the OAHI would be the perfect body to take over the job.

Regulating Ontario home inspectors could be implemented in much the same way as the province recently legislated the regulation of paralegals by the Law Society of Upper Canada.
The government could follow the B.C. example and let OAHI, or a government body similar to the BPCPA, set up a regulatory framework involving training, testing, licensing, regulation and insurance.

Ontario's homebuyers are entitled to the same protection as their counterparts in B.C.
Bob Aaron is a Toronto real estate lawyer and a director of the Tarion Warranty Corporation.

He can be reached by email at bob@aaron.ca, phone 416-364-9366 or fax 416-364-3818. Visit the column archives at http://aaron.ca/columns/toronto-star-index.htm for articles on this and other topics.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Oh, I hope you're not teasing us with LRT

I so hope that the Municipal and Provincial levels of government can finally get together and improve the Lake Shore Humber Bay shore area with the Proposed LRT.

This Humber Bay Shore area encompasses approximately 7,000 condo units plus the SFD.

This will provide economic stimulus, improved neighbourhood pride, and make the west end envied by the "other" boroughs.

If someone could guide these wise politicians to see their way to JOINING the Mississauga Lakeshore into the Communities of Lakeview, Port Credit, and even as far as Walden Spinney at Erin Mills / Southdown Road, the sigh of relief will be felt to generations.

Slide Show about Lake Shore LRT

Additional Information and Mapping of proposed routes

As part of the Transit City initiative, the TTC is studying the idea of replacing the existing Lake Shore Blvd streetcar with LRT (Light Rail Transit) line in a dedicated right of way in the middle of the road from Parklawn Road to the end of the existing streetcar line.
While we applaud efforts to improve our public transit system, we have some serious doubts about this plan. We fear that an LRT in this area will have a negative effect on both transit service and neighbourhood businesses. Read More details

As always your comments are respected and invited.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Second Time Around - Toronto Real Estate

As a current home owner, you remember what it's like being a First Time Buyer. You've been through the process before. But now that you've decided to move, what can you expect as a second time buyer?

One big Advantage to being a second time buyer is increased confidence in steering thru the home buying process. You 've been thru it before and as a result, you know what to expect and will better prepare this time around. This will help ease your stress levels when they might be high.

Many First Time Buyers may have, perhaps due to inexperience or enthusiasm, made a hasty choice to get into the market and purchased a home they are now not happy with. (For this reason reason I offer the "If you're Unhappy Guarantee") Maybe you have purchased more or less space than you required or the nieghbourhood is not what you expected, or the commute to work is gettiong too long. Simply perhaps, your needs have changed.

The difference now as a second time homebuyer, is that you have another difficult decision to make; Do you Buy First or Sell First? If you buy your second home prior to selling your first home, first home, you could be commiting to two mortgage payments for an undetermined period. If you sell your home first, you could be under a tight timeline to find that new home or arrange temporary living accomodations.

It's Now more important than ever to secure professional real estate representation, no matter how confident you feel about your prior experience. Real Estate laws and procedures have changed and the real estate market is completely different (Buyer's Strike or Buyer's Market?) now than it was even 6 months ago, let alone when you last bought possibly 10 years ago.

So take advantage of the current market slide and insecurity to Buy something more suited to your needs today. Use my experience and knowledge of the market to help make your transaction stress free.

Contact david@davidpylyp.com or simply call at 647 218 2414

Divorce and Your Toronto Property

David Pylyp interviews Stan Gelman, local Mississauga lawyer regarding what assets are included in a divorce.




With recent economic uncertainty and stress, many couples are rethinking where they are in their lives. Get prudent wise advice from people who care.

Feel free to contact Stanley Gelman at 905 270 5110 or check his website at http://wiselawyer.ca/ for any real estate, divorce or family related matter.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Condo Insurance Toronto west Real Estate

Stan Gelman, Lawyer interviewed by David Pylyp, Realtor for Toronto west Real Estate.

Condominium Changes updates and Insurance requirements;




Feel free to contact Stanley Gelman at 905 270 5110 or check his website at http://wiselawyer.ca/ for any real estate, divorce or family related matter.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Smoking in Apartments Issue Lites Up

Neighbours' smoke a hot issue for tenants

Toronto woman seeks compensation after moving to escape neighbour's noxious cigarette fumes February 7, 2009 Rob Ferguson QUEEN'S PARK BUREAU

Headaches. Hoarse, dry throat. Dizziness. Shortness of breath. Rapid heartbeat.
These were the symptoms teacher Linda Fox had in her third-floor apartment on Davenport Rd. after a heavy smoker moved in below last August and dangerous fumes began seeping upward.

"One of my neighbours said it was like being in a stale bar after people were in there smoking all night," says Fox, who suffers from scleroderma, an auto-immune disease she says was made worse by second-hand smoke.

Within seven weeks, she'd had enough and went to stay with a friend. A week ago, she moved out of her home of 10 years into a new unit in a smoke-free building.

"It's really hard to find somewhere they can really guarantee it," says Fox, a teacher of English as a second language for the Toronto District School Board.

Anti-smoking activists say her experience points to the need for the Ontario government to bolster protections for residents of multi-unit buildings who find themselves in similar situations.
"Anybody who tries to do anything about this just runs into a brick wall," says Michael Perley of the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco, who is calling for the government to create a "one stop-shopping" information centre on the issue.

Tenants can, for example, file complaints with the Ontario Landlord and Tenant Board on grounds that "reasonable enjoyment" of their living space is being compromised under protections in the Residential Tenancies Act.

But even in buildings designated in their leases as smoke-free, it is debatable how far landlords can go acting against tenants who break the rules and light up, acknowledges Housing Minister Jim Watson.

"I have asked my staff for some clarification on what is allowable under the law."

Watson said he's trying to find out "what options are available to us," but they will not include a law banning people from smoking in their own homes, says Margarett Best, minister of health promotion.

"We want to strike a balance between people's rights ... We do not intend to do that."

The landlord and tenant board does not keep statistics on second-hand smoke cases, but there has been at least one eviction ordered in a case where a tenant in a rented condo unit smoked contrary to the rules and was ordered to pay $10,000 in damages.

But in many cases, particularly in buildings not designated smoke-free, tenants are left to their own devices, which can include negotiating with smoking neighbours or with landlords or boards in co-op housing complexes, activists say.

"Unfortunately, you're often going to have to fight. It's not easy to ban people smoking in their units," says John Fraser, of the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation, a not-for-profit charity that helps people deal with housing issues from a human rights perspective. "You're in a situation of trying to balance people's rights."

Solutions can include trying to seal apartments from seeping fumes, or changing ventilation to create positive air pressure that keeps second-hand smoke out.

The managers of Fox's co-op apartment complex on Davenport Rd. maintain they did their best trying to seal her unit against fumes from below, but it was not enough for Fox, who is seeking compensation for her almost $600 a month in rent, moving expenses and smoky furniture that needs replacing.

"I honestly don't know what else I could have done for Linda," said manager Gloria Dynes. "There's no law in Ontario that we can kick someone out of their home because they're a smoker."

NDP justice critic Peter Kormos acknowledged the government must walk "a difficult and fine line" in any action it takes but must keep in mind the serious health dangers of second-hand smoke exposure.

The smokers' rights group MyChoice.ca considers any attempt to limit people from lighting up in their own homes or apartments "bullying," says spokesperson Arminda Mota in Montreal.

"I'm sorry, but I'm consuming a legal product. If someone says they're getting smoke from a neighbour, there's something wrong with that building and it has nothing to do with smoke. What about garlic smells? What about perfume?"

David Pylyp; Still unanswered is what happens when someone complains in a condo?

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Parking Pad Licensing Update

Toronto Boulevard / Front Yard Parking Information

February 3, 2009 -- TREB has received a letter from the City of Toronto indicating that the City has made information regarding properties currently licensed for boulevard parking (i.e. front yard parking, driveway widening, residential/commercial boulevard parking) available on its web site. The City has advised that a license for boulevard parking does not follow the property, and that new property owners need to apply to have the license agreement transferred.

View City of Toronto letter (pdf)

Boulevard parking information on the City’s web site is available at www.toronto.ca/transportation, under “parking”, then “off-street parking”, and then “licensed locations”.

Friday, February 6, 2009

6 Reasons this Market is a Rewarding Opportunity

1. The market has taken a downturn in the number of houses being sold and how much they are selling for.

Over the past 4 years the number of real estate agents has dropped from 1.2 million to approximately 700,000. In four years 40% of agents have left the industry and more will follow.
Those agents who left the industry were forced to do so because they did not adapt their business plan to the changing market

Here in the Toronto GTA, we can look forward to the same drop-out rate over the next few years.

2. For the first time in the history of our industry we not only have the right but the legal obligation to sign our buyers under a buyer representation agreement in a falling market. This is a vital point to note b/c the last time the market fell, which was in 1989; we did not have this capability.

The importance of this ability lies in our fiduciary duty to our buyers. We are now obligated to take them under our professional wing and to coach, educate, and help our buyer clients through this market. This means that we can actually show them how to take advantage of a falling market and get them a better deal then they ever though possible.

3. All the stars have aligned for us, as the TREB and other boards across the country have recognized as being important, has the capability of registering your buyers under the buyers registry system, "BRS". The 'BRS' works exactly the same way as MLS, in reverse. Buyers Registration System.

Once you sign your buyer up on a buyer agency agreement you can now register that buyer on 'BRS'. Listing agents who are having difficulties getting showings can now consult the BRS system in order to find agents who have contracted buyers whose requirements fit those of the listed property in question.

4. Commissions. Even in an up market, when sellers are getting 100%, 105% or even 110% it is common place for agents to be subject to their seller clients asking for kickbacks or lowers rates of commission. In the times ahead you can bet this is going to get worse.

Perhaps you have noticed in the last few months, that there are greater and greater numbers of listings that are offering a full 2.5% commission to the co-operating broker.

Look a little further and it will not be hard to notice that it is becoming common place for co-operating brokers to be given a bonus on top of the 2.5% commission. Going forward listings agents will take less and less commission and buyer agents will gain more and more of the total commissions and that is not even mentioning other bonuses such as flat screen TV's, trips, cash bonuses etc...

5. It is a statistical fact that buyers give 2-3 times more referrals than sellers.

6. If you become diligent and serious about building an inventory of buyers and building a business plan around your buyer clientele two things will happen

  • You will get more listings than you ever though possible
  • You will have absolutely no competition.
Being an advocate of buyer representation since 1994, Ken Wilder has been signing up buyers in coaching real estate agents on how to do it in the past 15 yrs. Since the inception of buyer representation in January 2005 it is his contention that 95% of this industry does not understand, nor practice buyer representation with any kind of effectiveness or professionalism, whatsoever. You have virtually eliminated all competition before you even get started. The world is you oyster.

Source; Ken Wilder The Real Estate Coach

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Will People walk away from deposits on Condos?

New trend happening out in the Vancouver market brought to my attention by Will Wertheim.

People are refusing to close on condominium purchases even though they may have already paid a deposit / down payment of 15, 20 or 25%.

They are just walking away. The Builder then puts the units up for sale. Failure to complete means that the developer really only has one option: Sell them and sue for the difference.

When a buyer backs out of a firm deal (no subjects and we are talking with a pre-sale or even your own sale with your own realtor) you cannot sue for the whole contract value. You must demonstrate a loss and that means you must sell the property. At this point in time No Mutual Release has been provided to anyone. The Builder has your initial deposit and will probably be coming back for more.

Once the property has been resold the Builder will have tangible losses to prove in court for the shortfall in the transaction and you will be liable.


Developer sues buyers for backing out on condo pre-sales agreements

Another Metro Vancouver developer has launched a flurry of lawsuits against buyers attempting to walk away from pre-sale contracts in one of its developments.

In January, Amacon filed suit against seven buyers in its Morgan Heights project.
This time it is Onni, the developer that is also attempting to unload hundreds of unsold condominium units in developments around Metro Vancouver, that is suing 20 buyers in the Aria 2 building of its Suter Brook community in Port Moody.

David Pylyp; There is another question posed by someone from the Financial and Mortgage community, How will the banks treat the contracts that were committed to lets say 24 months ago where financing is now required in 2009?

Frosty Month, Frosty Sales from Market Watch

Market Watch Update Feb 05, 09

GTA REALTORS® Report 2,670 Resale Housing Transactions in January

February 5, 2009 -- According to TREB president Maureen O'Neill, there are opportunities at any point in the housing market cycle.

“Moderated housing prices combined with low interest rates could present excellent long-term investment and homeownership opportunities in the GTA housing market,” noted TREB President Maureen O’Neill. ”REALTORS® can help potential home buyers and investors identify value in today’s market.”

Greater Toronto REALTORS® reported 2,670 sales in January compared to 5,075 in the first month of 2008

Get the complete report.

How do you spin a 50 % reduction in sales? Thats a Buyer's Strike.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Why You should Buy on the Slide

In the Toronto Real Estate Buyers Market you should be buying on the Slide of the Market and Not the Bottom of the Market.

Let me explain;

Everyone was running to buy when the market was on the way up. But who had the advantage?
The Seller!

They had the Listing and you were running to give them whatever THEY wanted to buy their house. Now, the Shoe is on the other foot.

With a Buyer's Market, The proportion of Listings to the Number of homes sold has changed
See Table



Using the statistics from the Toronto Real Estate board for the west end of Toronto, Etobicoke and Mississauga. at year end December '08, there were 7,398 listings available with 993 homes sold. This results in a ratio of 13.42 . That translates into a 7.4 month supply of homes available for sale vs Buyers. This is the time to be in the Buying Mode even compared to last January where the Listings to Sold Ratio was 25.68. (one home in four sold).

This will allow you to be in the driver's seat during an offer.

If you are considering purchasing a home and want the best deal possible why not have the Sellers of Homes approach you with their best pricing to see what you can buy for your money?

Buying on the Slide Logic

To participate in this type of program you need to understand the concept of Exclusive Buyer's Agency. Not only are you receiving the best possible attention, with your interests in mind, we are able to use technology to find the perfect house for you and have the Seller's BID on your purchase. Wouldn't you love to have Sellers lined up, courting you with the phrase Please buy mine?

Applying the same logic that sellers used against you in multiple offer situations you will have properties offered to you with the same ZEAL!

How do you get involved?

Buyers Registration System is in place and active. I'm ready. Are you?

To all the naysayers, who are waiting for the market to "BOTTOM", when will the bottom be? How will you know the bottom? If you can see the bottom, you have already lost all your Buying advantages or Leverage. Then we will have entered a balanced or possible yet again, a seller's market.

Your comments are always invited.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Smith Manoever Final Answer IS....

Beware of mortgage tax deduction claims

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court of Canada issued a decisive ruling that clarifies once and for all that the interest paid on a mortgage taken out to purchase a principal residence cannot be tax deductible under any circumstances (unless part of the house is used for business purposes.)
The ruling in the case of Lipson v. Canada relates to a complicated series of transactions put into place by Earl and Jordanna Lipson back in 1994.

Initially, Jordanna borrowed $562,500 from the Bank of Montreal to buy shares in her husband's company at market value. She paid the proceeds of the share purchase loan directly to her husband.

The next day, the couple bought a home for $750,000 and obtained a Bank of Montreal mortgage on it for another $562,500. Right after the house closing, the Lipsons used the proceeds of the mortgage to pay off the share purchase loan completely.

In 1994, 1995 and 1996, the husband deducted from his taxable income a total of more than $104,000 in interest expenses on the mortgage loan.

The Minister of National Revenue disallowed the deductions and reassessed Lipson accordingly. The government's position was that the complicated series of transactions amounted to "abusive tax avoidance."

In this country, evading tax is illegal, but avoiding tax is – generally – acceptable, except when the avoidance is abusive. If the minister believes a tax avoidance scheme is an abuse and misuse of the Income Tax Act, the government can invoke the general anti-avoidance rule (GAAR) and deny the taxpayer's claimed deductions. That's what happened in the Lipson case.

When his deductions were disallowed under the GAAR rules, Earl Lipson took the minister to Tax Court, then the Federal Court of Appeal and ultimately, the Supreme Court of Canada.
In a 36-page judgment with two separate dissents, the Supreme Court sided with the government and the two lower courts in a 4-3 ruling.

The Lipson case may have serious ramifications for taxpayers who use schemes like the Smith Manoeuvre to attempt to convert the interest on their principal residence mortgage to a tax-deduction.

The seductive pitch for the Smith Manoeuvre on the promoter's website, www.smithman.net, reads, "Go ahead, make your mortgage tax deductible. Yes, it can be done. Yes, it's legal."
The essence of the Smith Manoeuvre strategy is that each month the homeowner pays down a little bit of the principal owing on the home mortgage, and then borrows it back. The borrowed money is then invested and the carrying charges on that newly borrowed money only are tax-deductible.

But, according to Melanie and Robert McLister at canadianmortgagetrends.com, "it's not for everyone. There are both investment risks and serious tax risks. Your (investment) returns could be insufficient, CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) could invalidate your application of the strategy, or you could wind up in a negative amortization scenario if your house value falls."
(A negative amortization occurs when the balance owing on the mortgage exceeds the value of the house.)

In my opinion, strategies like the Smith Manoeuvre are far too risky for the average homeowner.

After the Lipson decision was released, tax specialist Dan White wrote me to say that taxpayers simply "cannot convert their mortgage to tax-deductible interest. The final verdict is in. ... The primary purpose of an activity dictates the final results in tax deductibility.

"They can borrow money against their house to invest and write off the interest ... so long as it is not just a manoeuvre."

Anyone tempted to participate in the Smith Manoeuvre or other strategies to try and make interest on a home mortgage tax-deductible should obtain tax advice from a qualified accountant or tax lawyer who is not selling anything except unbiased advice.

Tax advisers who make a commission from selling participation in schemes like the Smith Manoeuvre may be in a conflict of interest and their advice may not be impartial.

Above all, taxpayers should not be misled by promises, which appear to make all their home mortgage interest tax-deductible.

Bob Aaron is a Toronto real estate lawyer and a director of the Tarion Warranty Corporation. He can be reached by email atbob@aaron.ca, phone 416-364-9366 or fax 416-364-3818. Visit the column archives at http://aaron.ca/columns/toronto-star-index.htmfor articles on this and other topics.

Appraisal of Toronto Home

Appraisals for the purpose of the Lender (Mortgage Company) are to ensure that their lending amounts are in line with the borrowers purchase. Simply put, The amount you are borrowing against a house, is valued in the range you are buying for.

In a Seller's Market, where we had multiple offers, and Buyer's furiously competing with each other, an appraisal was not as critical... in theory the house would /could be worth more tomorrow. Ostensibly by the time you moved in, 90 to 120 days later you may have instant equity.

But in a Buyer's Market, the appraisal is ever so critical. The Appraiser, is taking real estate values from identical sales (historic values) similar homes on streets near your purchase, to compare values. An appraiser is not caught up in the emotion of buying, does not give the same weight to the landscaping and staging, or fresh paint, or how well the house showed. They measure the exterior, consider the general condition and make their recommendations. They may not ever go inside.

Although the Buyer usually pays for the appraisal in their bundle of services they will rarely see the final report as it is commissioned by the lending institution. If they do see the report it usually contains real estate jargon that concludes "Purchase within guide".

Where the Buyer is working with a 20 or 30% downpayment the appraisal is not as critical, but where the buyer is funded with a 5% downpayment, plus the insurance fees, a difference of 5% to the appraised value may result in a request from the Lender to have the Buyer come up with additional downpayment from their own sources. (They effectively, feel you have committed to a strong purchase price.)

An interesting segway from this line of thought is a FSBO transaction, that was declined for financing just days prior to closing. The house appraisal came in, at whatever value but the line of thought was that since it was not on the MLS system, there was no way to establish fair market value as no comparibles could be used. This mystery is within the banks Offer to Finance conditions; that state a number of subject to clauses, IE appraisal, confirmation of Borrowers details, confirmation of down payment source, etc. This FSBO saved by selling himself, and is now in litigation against the bank.

Buyers will continue to buy homes, Sellers will continue to sell, but pricing a home for sale correctly from the onset has never been more critical. After the enthusiasm of the offer and the raw emotion of the purchase the supporting numbers must justify the Bank's investment in your home.

There are deals out there, if you take your time to find that jewel that your family needs. Contact an experienced Realtor to find your Dream Home.
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Sunday, February 1, 2009

Getting Involved with Camp Change



We also need to involve ourselves and take responsibility for our circumstances.

We are leaders in so many fields of business, science and technology yet we have allowed the media, blantant ponzi schemes and outright fraud create a sense of defeat.

Get involved!

Join a Charity Group and Volunteer your time and energy to something worthwhile.

Contact your local, provincial and federal politicians and become engaged in the debate about changes being made in your own community.

I am seeking a source of Job Loss Insurance that can be added to the tools available for buyers to overcome the hestitation factor that is intangibly strangling many families.

Contact me with your thoughts or comments.

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