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Vignettes
2007-07-25 03:16:00
Alberta Strike Almost 25,000 Alberta tradespeople are in favour of going on strike. Of the 5 unions involved, a startling 95% of the members voted to go on strike.Alberta is already in a labour deficit, this strike could bring construction to a grinding stop by as early as next week. Tradespeople involved include plumbers,pipe-fitters, millwrights and electricians. The areas affected would be Calgary, Edmonton and the oil-sands.Alberta Fire Codes An inferno left $25 million in damages and 100 people homeless Saturday in an Edmonton Condo development raising concerns that fire codes need an overhaul. Vinyl siding, close proximity and outdated building codes are to blame says Fire Chief Randy Wolsey. Ministers say that stricter codes will come but will take time.The Edmonton Sun Has Two Links: Video: As it happened Photo Gallery: Big blaze

It Takes Ten Of These To Kill A Tree
2007-07-22 08:14:00
Have you seen the denim pine furniture? That color is due to damage by the mountain pine beetle. In hopes of salvaging the pine industry, the blue colored wood is hoped to be a hit with furniture buyers.The mountain pine beetles that have ravished 9 MILLION hectares of B.C's pine forest have "blown over" into Alberta. The pine beetle is expected to kill 80% of B.C's mature pine trees by 2013, Only 10 are needed to kill a tree.To Read More Of This Scary Story Click Here
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The Power Is Shifting
2007-07-22 07:45:00
"Slowly but nevertheless surely Ontario is being edged out of the driver's seat of the federation. The latest push came this week when the Bank of Canada raised its key lending rate to curb inflation or, to be more specific, to cool the economy of Alberta.While Ontario still attracts the lion's share of newcomers to Canada, Alberta and British Columbia's populations have been increasing more quickly. Ontario's demographic growth has fallen under the national average for three consecutive trimesters over the past year, a first since 1981, according to Statistics Canada." Read More
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Real Estate Transfer Tax On Hold
2007-07-22 00:33:00
Less than 3 months after the real estate transfer tax was proposed it has been put on hold. It has not been completely vetoed but shelved for the time being.Edmonton Real Estate Board and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation were both extremely vocal in their protests to the proposed tax. Leading Mayor Steven Mandel to insult Realtors for "not discounting their commissions"The 1% tax was estimated to cost home buyers about $4000 on top of the property's purchase price.
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Not Again
2007-07-21 10:58:00
I know where I am investing and I wouldn't stop investing there for anything. I might buy a few houses in some parts of Ontario, where the cash flow is good. If you are a savvy investor you could invest in Saskatchewan but you must be very careful on timing. "..... the majority of people from Alberta buying are Saskatchewan people cashing in and moving back home. They're tired of the 45-minute commutes, the hassles. They've got huge equity, and can still find a comparable house here for much less than in Edmonton or Calgary...."Saskatoon Remax broker Trent LipkaAs long as more native Saskatchewans keep returning home you could buy and sell your property to them at a profit, or perhaps to other investors who rely on the greater fool theory. Invest, but have a solid exit plan that includes carrying your property in the event that it doesn't sell. When people start moving to Saskatchewan at the tune of 100,000 a year I will start buying there; that number is a long way off from t...

The Best Knee Surgery -Ever
2007-07-21 06:45:00
I am a maniac. Whenever I start a new hobby or sport I have to do it every day 3 hours a day, I just can't quit. Five years ago I got really into squash, took lessons and competed in regional and national competitions here in Japan. I was a force to be reckoned with until 5 months ago when my knee kept locking suddenly, ANY movement was incredibly painful and worst of all high-heels became a new form of torture. Turns out that in my zeal I torn my meniscus and needed arthroscopic surgery.Now that I am based in Japan going to the doctor and being admitted to hospital is no walk in the park. Luckily, just 30 minutes south of my city is Dr. Suzuki, one of the top arthroscopic knee surgeons in Japan and he speaks English. I just got out of the hospital today and am walking around like nobody's business. I spent the week getting IVs (the Japanese love them - you get one for a bee sting!) doing 1000 leg lifts/day and looking over the rice paddies that surround the Suzuki Clinic. All and...
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Tidbits
2007-07-14 00:04:00
Five minutes of surfing around produced these great articles on the Alberta Real Estate situation. BOOMRoyal LePage Real Estate Services is forecasting all regions in Canada are going to experience a rise in average house prices, especially Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Regina where double-digit gains are foreseen. Read MoreBOOMSt. Albert a suburb of affluent neighbourhoods, is finally geared to join the surging industrial boom that has engulfed the rest of Alberta.Neighbouring counties have rung in the new economy with billion-dollar energy projects but St.Albert's lack of land had kept it off the economic playing field. A recent annexation of land from Sturgeon County has given the city land to develop an industrial base Read MoreBOOMThe end to Canada's housing boom, forecast for early this year, will have to be postponed for quite a while. Alberta is the money machine that is flooding real estate dollars into eastern, central and western Canada. Read MoreBOOMNew housing pric...
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Thirtynothings
2007-07-13 05:58:00
I read an article in the Globe and Mail about the new "Thirtysomethings", how they actually have less then they expected at this point in their lives and feel disappointed with adulthood. I am in my mid thirties and can only say "you get out what you put in". If you feel your life isn't what you expected it to be by now or that your are disappointed with your R.O.L (Return On Life) then look at what you invested.According to the article the average thirty year olds have:*had 7.5 jobs...I could say lack of focus or I could say striving for a better work environment; on the fence with this one*$1,500 to $19,200 in debt - I know school is expensive I worked full time during school and my student loans totaled still $12,000, but I paid them off by doing without for a year...Call me crazy but I didn't expect to have my loans magically disappear while I watched my thin screen T.V in my Manolo Blahniks*an average income of $29,013- well you are paid for your work, somewhere there are peo...
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Interest Rates Will Go Up
2007-07-13 03:35:00
"persistent strength in the housing market" is a major reason why the Bank is raising rates....."The latest resale data show precisely zero signs of a let-up."Douglas Porter, deputy chief economist Bank of MontrealA robust housing market and the Bank of Canada's recent increase in interest rates may indicate more "modest" rate hikes in the future. Investors who hold multiple mortgages should add a higher interest rate to their spreadsheets and prepare for the rates to increase in the future. Higher interest rates mean higher mortgage payments and lower cash flow. So check and double check your numbers!For the current interest rate CLICK HERE
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Happy Birthday To Me!
2007-07-11 01:03:00
It is my birthday today! I actually LOVE my birthday even though I am woman over 30. My husband and I had a great day together and ate two cakes yes two, we have a sugar problem. That is all.If it is your birthday too....HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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Don't Walk - Run
2007-07-10 15:06:00
The newly released Real Estate Fraud brochure by Canada's four mortgage industry associations is a must get if you are applying for a mortgage. You can easily download the brochure from any of the associations' websites: Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals Independent Mortgage Brokers Association of Ontario Mortgage Brokers Association of British Columbia Common types of real estate fraud including fraud-for-shelter, fraud-for-profit, identity theft and document forgery are explained in the brochure as well as what steps consumers can take if they think they are victims of real estate fraud or identity theft.
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Why Alberta Leads The Country
2007-07-09 14:17:00
Progressive Business EnvironmentThe Alber ta n government, IBM and the University of Alberta are teaming up to help organizations use IT to improve service and gain a competitive edge in the business world. “This project has potential for commercial success and will help Alberta develop expertise for applications in nanotechnology, life sciences technology, and information technology, to support economic diversification.”Alberta's government will contribute $100,000, IBM Canada will contribute $184,000 and the U of A $83,000. The Federal government will also provide funding of about $117,000. Read More From Alberta Index siteThis site is a great place to find out about Alberta's Economy, Diversity, Events, Shopping and Jobs
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Now This Is News I like.....
2007-07-09 13:09:00
ATB Financial Business Sentiments Index(TM) most recent edition predicts the continuing strength of the Alberta economy. "We are seeing an upward trend in business sentiment that is reaching thelevels of last year.... This optimistic outlook is a result of continued strength in employment growth and projected oil sands development." Todd Hirsch, Senior Economist ATB FinancialIt doesn't take financial genius to realize that economic growth and an upward trend in business generally means a higer demand for employees. Job seekers will require rentals, they will purchase properties and increase the demand on the housing market. Great if you are investing in Real Estate.Read Full ArticleAbout ATB FinancialATB Financial is a leading full-service financial institution based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. ATB serves more than 600,000 Albertans in 244 communities through 155 branches and 134 agencies, as well as a customer contact centre in Calgary, Alberta. Services are also available t...
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Ebb and Flow
2007-07-07 02:29:00
"After 17 months of spectacular gains, Edmonton house prices fell an average of almost $9,000 in June."Prices have really gone up and this is a welcome break. If they didn't take a break and slow down that would be scary. Hardly a falling knife with $130 Billion invested in Alberta.The good news?"Economist Ted Chambers at the Western Centre for Economic Research said Edmonton's immigration and employment numbers are solid, but he thinks "there's bound to be some speculative activity."Demand remains strong, with 2,203 home sales in June. That's down from May, but up 11.7 per cent from the average of the previous 12 months.The fallen prices reflect a fast-rising inventory of 6,367 units at the end of June, compared to 4,485 in May and 3,151 in April.""That doesn't mean the market is glutted, it is regaining balance." - Carolyn Pratt president of the Realtors Association of EdmontonWe have investors from all over the world who see Alberta as the place to be, they understand the pe...
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Which Renovations Payoff?
2007-07-07 01:03:00
Wonder where you should spend your reno dollars? Which renovations give the greatest payback when you sell your house and which are throwing money down the drain?Globe and Mail did some asking around and this is what they came up with:Big no-nos Pools and Hot Tubs - intensive and expensive maintenance that home buyers are reluctant to pay for Where to focus?Bathrooms and Kitchens- high traffic, high use areas The article says that women make buying decisions based on seeing themselves spending 3 hours or more in the kitchen....like June Cleaver maybe? If I spend 30 minutes in the kitchen it is 29 too many but the point is keep the kitchen and bath modern, clean and in good repair.A really useful link is Appraisal Institute Of Canada The AIC's 2004 renovation survey identified the following renovation projects provide the highest payback potential for homeowners1 bathroom renovation2 kitchen renovation3 painting - interior/exterior There is an interactive guide...
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Vancouver- So Beautiful You Won't Mind Not Eating
2007-07-06 06:51:00
If you live in Vancouver and think that 70% of your income is okay to spend on housing then don't read further. If you are worried about buying your first home then by all means Read This ArticleHighlights Include:*Finding a mortgage that feeds you, not eats you*How to buy in the right area for maximum appreciation*New trend of "Equity Sharing"
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Vignettes
2007-07-06 06:25:00
"Record numbers of homes were sold in both Regina and Saskatoon in the second quarter as intense demand was driven by a swell of in-migration of Saskatchewanians returning from expensive Alberta living."The Saskatchewan market is based on people going back after making their money in Alberta. And THAT is all. Once everyone has resettled back in Saskatoon who will buy your property for more than what you paid? Oh, maybe the people coming for the jobs .... "Energy-rich Alberta's potent economy continued to attract in-migration; however, the runaway prices and activity that have characterized Calgary and Edmonton for the past 18 months have eased and will continue to return to more manageable conditions as the year progresses."The market was crazy and beautiful last year. I mean 52%?? Excellent but not what you want year over year. I WANT it but it would wreak havoc on affordability and many, many people would be out of luck trying to buy an home."Commodities, such as crude oil and co...

OPM - How To Raise Capital
2007-07-04 06:33:00
Here is another one from NuWire Investor. Todd Millar was interviewed by NuWire for this article there is also a 40min audio section. This site does require that you sign up for a FREE 30 day trial to access the article. It is well worth it, NuWire is well laid out with a lot of excellent articles for all types of investors"You’ve likely heard the adage, “it takes money to make money.” While this is generally true, most business and real estate entrepreneurs will tell you it doesn’t always take your money to make money. The idea of leveraging “other people’s money,” also known as OPM, has become extremely popular in the post dot-com world."NuWire Investor - Other People's Money
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Canadian Boom Town - Edmonton
2007-07-03 06:56:00
NuWire Investor - NuWire Investor was created to help investors successfully pursue and profit from the wide range of alternative investments. Read Canadian Boom Town : Edmonton which quotes Todd Millar Glenn Simon Inc President/Owner many times. (free 30-day trial subscription required)
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Saskatchewan, The Land of JOBS????
2007-07-02 08:21:00
An American and his wife were driving in Canada and got lost. Finally, they arrived at some city. They saw a gentleman on the sidewalk, so they stopped. The wife let down her window and asked, "Excuse me, sir. Where are we?"The gentleman replied, "Saskatoon, Saskatchewan ."The wife rolled up the window, turned to her husband and said, "We really are lost. They don't even speak English here!" I can't read an article about real estate without hearing about "Saskatchewan's Boom" I am just not buying it. I have always wondered what is the economy there and what is fueling it? I know there are a lot of natural resources there and perhaps oil but nothing in the same league as Alberta. Here is a great article from a Saskatchewanite with a realistic take on the Saskatchewan Boom.The Leader-PostPublished: Friday, June 29, 2007Premier Lorne Calvert and Mayor Pat Fiacco love to go on tours to Alberta to recruit people to come to Saskatchewan to work and live.The only problem is that there ...
More About: Jobs , Land

One More For Canada Day!
2007-07-02 08:05:00
It’s not just the weather that’s cooler in Canada …Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Wednesday, July 30, 2003 | Samantha Bennett (412-263-3572)You live next door to a clean-cut, quiet guy. He never plays loud music or throws raucous parties. He doesn’t gossip over the fence, just smiles politely and offers you some tomatoes. His lawn is cared-for, his house is neat as a pin and you get the feeling he doesn’t always lock his front door. He wears Dockers. You hardly know he’s there. And then one day you discover that he has pot in his basement, spends his weekends at peace marches and that guy you’ve seen mowing the yard is his spouse.Allow me to introduce Canada.The Canadians are so quiet that you may have forgotten they’re up there, but they’ve been busy doing some surprising things. It’s like discovering that the mice you are dimly aware of in your attic have been building an espresso machine. Did you realize, for example, that our reliable little tag-along brother never...
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Polymer "Greens" Oil Sands
2007-06-30 10:29:00
If it isn't global warming then it is certainly the oilsands use of potable water that has enviromentalists in an uproar. The industry consumes 2–4 barrels of water for every barrel of oil it produces, if oil sands production triples to 3 million bbl/day by 2015, as predicted, the industry would require 15 cubic meters of water per second.“The Government of Alberta is very interested in making sure our resources are extracted in a fashion that’s environmentally friendly and has long-term potential to enhance recovery,” says Alberta Energy spokesman Tim Markle. A polymer which increases waters viscosity is hoped to be one of many solutions.This polymer is a solid, imported from the United States and blended at the site. It thickens water to a jelly like syrup that reduces the difference in viscosity between water and oil, improving H2O's ability to displace oil when producing wells.“We’re using polymer to create elasticity in the fluid,.... If you think of pushing mola...
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Fun Facts About Canada
2007-06-29 02:12:00
It is almost Canada Day! (and a slow news day) so....What Do Canadians Have To Be Proud Of?Canadian Inventions, Products from Canada and Etc. 1. Smarties, Crispy Crunch, Coffee Crisp and Apple pie are products from Canada. 2. Baseball, Hockey and Basketball are Canadian inventions. 3. Mr. Dress-up kicks Mr. Rogers butt 4. Tim Hortons beats Dunkin' Donuts 5. We have the largest English population that never ever surrendered or withdrew during any war to anyone, anywhere. 6. The Hudsons Bay Company once owned over 10% of the earth's surface and is still around as the worlds oldest company. 7. We invented ski-doos, jet-skis, velcro, insulin, penicillin, zambonis and short wave radios that save countless lives each year. 8. We invented Superman. 9. The handles on our beer cases are big enough to fit your hands with mitts on. 10. Canadian Tire money, Vachon cakes, the Jolly Jumper, and Botox were all invented by Canadian women. 11. The word cyberspace was coined by...
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2 Calculators I Couldn't Live Without
2007-06-28 23:55:00
Is it better to rent or buy? How much will my mortgage payment be? What will I have paid down on my mortgage by 2015? If you are plagued by these questions then I suggest you head over to ATB Financial for their great mortgage calculators.ATBHere is my favorite appreciation calculator. It's easy to use and very accurate. Appreciation Calculator
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Eskies Are Going To Be Okay!
2007-06-27 02:27:00
The first Eskimos challenge of the new season was the Edmonton housing crisis but 20 new Eskimo players have found many leads on places to live. "Every second call we took to our administration office yesterday at the Edmonton Eskimo facility was someone in the Edmonton area, either offering up a place for a player to live, or telling us that they knew a friend of a friend who had a place, a basement suite and that kind of thing," Dave Jamieson Spokesman for Edmonton EskimosIn a city with record low vacancy rates and high rents this situation is not uncommon."The province of Alberta's ascendant economy has meant that real estate prices have risen dramatically. The 40.5 per cent increase in the price of a new home over the past year in Edmonton is the highest anywhere in the country according to a Statistics Canada report." Click Here For MoreGreat to see that Edmontonians pulled together to help their city's CFL players find a place to live.
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$250 Million to Heritage Scholarship Fund
2007-06-27 01:36:00
To those that say they aren't benefiting from the Alberta Oil Sands, perhaps your children can."The Alberta government is using some of its energy revenue windfall to add $227 million to the province's largest scholarship fund. Premier Ed Stelmach has announced a 35 per cent increase to the Alberta Heritage Scholars hip Fund , bringing its total value to $851 million. The program provides annual scholarships to high school students as well as undergraduate and graduate students. Interest from this new money will allow an additional $10 million dollars in scholarships to be paid out, starting in the fall of 2008. This year alone, a record $57 million in scholarship funding will be paid out to about 33,000 students across Alberta." Read More
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Women Bolster Alberta Economy - $18B
2007-06-25 10:53:00
Women are leading men in entrepreneurial-ism and have contributed nearly $18B to the Canadian economy. Especially Alber ta n women where the number of self-employed women has risen almost 5%."Canadian women's entrance into self-employment and small business ownership in recent years has been nothing short of dramatic," professor Karen Hughes, at the University of Alberta, wrote in a recently published paper that explored their motivation and success."In a relatively short period of time, they have established themselves as a formidable presence, contributing an estimated $18 billion to the Canadian economy."Full Article
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How Do You Spell Relief? - M-a-n-a-g-e-a-b-l-e G-r-o-w-t-h
2007-06-23 01:06:00
Some relief is in sight for buyers into the Edmonton market. We are still having stellar appreciation with price growth slowing only slightly to 21.6% from 28.9%. Genworth Financial estimates that the average new home price in Edmonton will reach $388,694 in 2007. They also predict a 5% increase in 2008 and 4% annually to 2011. Let`s do the Math So if your house is valued at the average price now $388,694 and it increases 5% in 2008 = $408,128.70 Then 4% every year to 2011 compounding of course 2009 at 4% = $424,453.84 2010 at 4% = $441,431.99 2011 at 4% = $459,089.26 At the end of 2011 your house would be worth $459,089.26 a $70,000 dollar increase $48 per day. $2 per hour $0.03 per minute I made $.66 just writing this post. Now that is passive income. To be honest I think housing prices will do much much better than 4% a year. That seems incredibly conservative for this market.
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Chicken Littles - Are They Right??
2007-06-22 04:48:00
Somewhere, someone is saying, "I told you so" because Edmonton Real Estate prices dropped over the last three weeks. Keep in mind the market has doubled over the past two years. Edmonton real estate skeptics aren't in for the last laugh yet, because the market isn't falling just softening, a little.The market is less frenzied and we can say goodbye to multiple offers and offers with out conditions - a very dangerous practice. Buying houses without inspections is a good way to purchase someone else's headache and moneypit."Edmonton buyers were getting used to bidding wars and buying homes without inspections, but today buyers have more choice." READ MOREIf you are an investor now is the perfect time to get into the market before the next big rise in prices.
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Long Term Looks Like Edmonton
2007-06-22 04:26:00
The new LRT and proposed Bitumen upgraders in the northeast are two more solid reasons why Edmonton is the No. 1 city in Canada for long-term real estate investment. Any improvment in transportation for renters will improve property values as commutes shorten. The Bitumen upgraders set to employ 4,000 labourers during construction will put the squeeze on an already tight housing market. Full ArticleDon Campbell also put out his list of Alberta Top Ten Towns: Alberta's top places for real estate investment1. Edmonton2. Grande Prairie3. Calgary4. Red Deer5. Sturgeon & Strathcona6. Lacombe7. Sylvan Lake8. High River9. Devon10. Fort McMurraySource: Real Estate Investment Network
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