General Discussion - Recent Threads

Scams in Real Estate by Jon Murray of Jowen Investments

Nischal — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:39:46 GMT

Please be aware of Real Estate scams by Jowen Investments of Chilliwack, B.C. It is a Real Estate investment company primarily owned by Jon Murray and his wife Wendy Murray. Their legal names are Jonathon James Murray and Wendy Lynn Murray. Jon Murray owns and operates, Jowen Investments in British Columbia and True North LLC in Arizona.

They encourage investors to do Joint Ventures in Arizona in their so called “Fix and Flip” deals. If you travelled with Allegiant Air in 2012 to Arizona, you would have seen Jon Murray’s ads in their in-flight magazine.

To date they have directly misappropriated $687,500.00 US Dollars in investor money. These investors have not seen a dime of their investments. Jon Murray calls himself, Mr. Creative” in his advertisements. He is surely creative with his persuasion techniques in convincing people transfer money to his personal bank account in United States. Jon Murray would invite potential investors to Arizona and use his family as a tool to present himself as a legitimate deal maker who could make things work. He also promotes himself as a honest Christian man working for your best interest.

Jon Murray also has a bankruptcy order against him in B.C. This was made against him by the people he owes money to. Total amount as of May 2012 was $630,326.78. That is a total of $1,317,826.78 Jon Murray scammed from people to live a luxurious life in Scottsdale, Arizona. This man is a disgrace to all the real estate investors out there who bend over backwards to make things work for their clients.

At the moment, Jon Murray and his wife Wendy Murray are currently under investigation by Arizona Corporation Commission for violating the Securities Act. More information about this file can be obtained from http://www.azcc.gov/. The filing number with ACC is S-20883A-13-0112.

If you or anyone you know who has been scammed by Jon Murray or his wife, Wendy Murray, please call the Arizona State Corporation at (602) 542-3026. The mailing address is:

Arizona Corporation Commission,

Securities Division

1300 W. Washington, 3rd Floor

Phoenix, AZ 85007

You can also file a complaint at Port Moody Police where all the investor complaints have been filed. The contact information is:

officer Budial - Port Moody RCMP - 604 461-3456, email - sbudial@portmoodypolice.com

If you need any other information about Jon Murray and his investments, please contact me directly at:

Nischalram@shaw.ca.

3 Ways To Get Your Offer Noticed and Accepted!

MatPiche — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:59:36 GMT

We’ve all heard the expression, “If you’re not writing offers, you’re not finding deals”. You’ll hear many “gurus” say you should be writing multiple offers per week in order to get that smoking deal. But what if you didn’t have to? What if all you had to do was make your offers harder to reject? If you’re writing 100 offers and only getting 1 accepted, or none, you either love wasting your time, or there’s something wrong with your offers. So how can you get your offers accepted?

1. Less Conditions

Reduce the amount of pointless conditions. The more conditions, the more confusing the offer becomes. Remember, a confused mind ALWAYS says NO! Insert the conditions that are essential to your deal. I know many investors that add a number of pointless clauses in order to feel more important. More like a sophisticated investor. Most of the time, their conditions are just repeating the pre-written clauses already within the offer i.e. “The seller must leave all fixed items. The seller will leave any rental equipment as part of the sale etc.” These types clauses are already set in the OREA offer! By adding them, you’re doing nothing but making the sellers eyes cross from looking at 3 pages of conditions. The reality is, if you’re buying single-family properties, 9 times out of 10 you’re dealing with a homeowner who is uneducated with your “savvy” tricks and clauses (9 times of 10, so is the sellers realtor!). Keep it simple and straight to the point.

2. Cover Letter

“A cover letter? I’m not applying for a job here!” You would be surprised by how much of a difference a cover letter will make. This is where you can connect with the seller personally and give a short description of how you arrived at this price. Maybe the roof needs some work and you also pulled some comparables with your realtor and that’s why you are offering them $10,000 less than their asking price etc. It makes the offer that much more personal and also shows them that they’re dealing with a human, not a faceless mean investor looking to steal their house! Below is a FREE example of the exact template I use for my clients on a daily basis. Please, use it and see your deals get accepted.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Buckingham,

It is with pleasure that we submit the following offer to purchase 750 Parkview Cr. As veteran investors, we find it important to keep the lines of communication open between the vendor and the purchaser and trust that you’ll find this quick cover note to be helpful.

We would like to take the opportunity to point out a few items regarding the attached offer:

We took a lot of time to carefully research the current market conditions as well as comparable properties and decided that our offer of $171,000 is very fair and reasonable. We are not trying to ‘steal’ or get an ‘unbelievable deal’ on your property but rather create a win-win scenario. There are many upgrades that need to take place such as replacing all the flooring throughout, installing a new bay window as well as updating the upstairs bathroom in order to make it ready for the rental market. This was factored into our offer.

We understand that you are looking to purchase a home and included a closing date of June 21^st to best fit your needs. However, if you would like an earlier date at any time, we are very flexible and can close at a time that suits you best.

We would also like the point out that there is no financing condition and we do not have to sell our own home in order to buy this property. Once our few conditions are met by April 1st, this will be a firm deal!

I am certain that you will be extremely happy with this offer and I look forward to making this another smooth and hassle free transaction.

Sincerely,

John and Jane Smith

P.S. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to submit them to my realtor (Mat Piche) on my behalf. We’ll then be sure to get an answer back to you in a timely and efficient manner.

3. Give Two Offers

Here is one for all you investors who love savvy “tricks” in order to get the seller to say YES! Give two offers and a cover letter for each explaining the deal. For example, you could give one close to their asking price with a longer closing and one for a lower asking price but with a shorter close. It’s a scientific fact that when you give someone options, they are more likely to pick one of them rather than say no to both.

Remember, you should be a geographic specialist focusing on one type of property. When something in your target neighborhood pops up that fits your criteria, give a fair offer(s) using these tips, and you’ll be hearing more “YES!” and less “No way!” Stop wasting time throwing garbage offers because you feel that you are entitled to a deal just because you’re an “investor” (sellers don’t give a crap who your are!). Yes, you may get a few here and there but your portfolio will grow much slower using that strategy. Not to mention that this is a business and if you’re known around town as the “mean investor”, that definitely won’t help your business grow. Trades, realtors, mortgages brokers etc won’t want to work with you either. You’re wasting their time! How fast will your business grow without these essential services??

For more investing tips and blogs, stop by my website :)

8th Longest Economic Expansion Of All Time

Rickson9 — Wed, 15 May 2013 01:44:20 GMT

The current economic expansion is now in its 47th month going back to June of 2009. That means that since 1857 there have only been seven periods of expansion that have lasted longer than the current one. Out of the 33 total cycles in that period, the average expansion lasted 38 months. Since World War II the average has been 58 months in 11 cycles.
8th Longest Economic Expansion Of All Time

Annual deficits are falling even faster than the Congressional Budget Office predicted back in February. And the country's total debt is set to fall as share of the economy for a few years.
Deficits Fall Faster Than Expected

Stock Market 2013 YTD Returns*
Dow +16.1%
NASDAQ +14.7%
S&P500 +15.7%
S&P/TSX +1.2%
* does not included dividends

YTD at +15.8% I'm barely keeping track with the market. I tend to do better in bear markets. I don't do well during bull markets. My average annual rate of return is ~15% for the last 15 years.

Tabular results

Graphical results

Portfolio 1

TFSA holdings

TFSA trade dates

The TFSA return is better only because it was introduced during the last stock market crash. I only buy during crashes. Because the TFSA is so young and was introduced during the perfect storm, it shows a better result. However, this will normalize (read: fall) over time.

I don't believe in conventional diversification, asset allocation, re-balancing. I strongly believe that utilizing those methods would destroy portfolio returns. Without going into it (because it would take too long), utilizing those methodologies would increase risk as well as fees and provide no benefit whatsoever.

I like using the TFSA as a good example of what a small amount can turn into if an individual applies a rational framework for investing while ignoring conventional diversification, re-balancing, and asset allocation. It's easier to turn big money into bigger money. But most people think that the TFSA is too small to do anything useful (because the majority are using it like a savings account). I think that they are wrong.

Lease completion in AB....grounds to kick the tenant out?

BJPastor — Tue, 14 May 2013 21:11:07 GMT

I’ve got a problematic tenant that is on a 1 year lease that is set to end July 31/13. I want them out. I’m OK with them staying until the end of the lease. What grounds do I have to kick them out when their lease ends? I posted below how its worded in our lease.

I was thinking of telling the tenant that we are planning on doing renovations starting Aug 1, and need to be out.

Any other suggestions? Thoughts?

1. TERMS: RESIDENT agrees to pay in advance $ 1275.00 ___ per month on the FIRST

day of each month. This agreement shall commence on ___July 16, 2012___and

continue; until ____July 31, 2013_as a leasehold. Thereafter it shall become a

month-to-month tenancy. If RESIDENT should move from the premises prior to

the expiration of this time period, 30 days notice is required to be given to the OWNER. If 30 days notice is not given, RESIDENT shall be liable for all rent due 30 days past the date at which notice was given to the OWNER.

3 Reasons Why "B Tenants" Are GOOD For Your Business

MatPiche — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:11:53 GMT

So, what is a "B Tenant"? "B Tenants" are generally hard working lower-middle class people trying to get ahead. Here are 3 reasons why they're great for our Real Estate business.

They're saving up for a home

While you may be thinking, “how could that be good for our business!?” it really is! If they are thinking about buying a home in the near future, it means they will be watching their spending as well as improving their credit. The less "toys" your tenants are buying i.e BMW's, big screen T.V's, etc, the more money they have to pay their rent. Something every investor wants, am I right? :) It also means they are career minded and are focused on their employment. Talk about sleeping a little easier at night. It's all about attracting a particular type of tenant and filtering out the rest.

They stay a while! (But not too long)

These particular tenants generally stay for 2-3 years, and that's exactly what we want. You may be thinking, "How is that good? I don't want to be dealing with tenant turn overs every few years". And while you may be right, having a new a tenant every 2-3 years isn't the worst thing in the world, and here's why.

In Ontario we are capped at 2.5% for yearly rent increases. If you have a tenant stay for 5-10 years, the "market rent" could far exceed your minimal increases of 2.5% per year. (On average it's $20-$30 per year for a Single-Family home here in KWC). So, when the tenant moves out in 2-3 years it gives us the chance to whip through, make small repairs, clean and throw it on the market at a much higher rent. Remember, our strategy is to completely renovate the property when we FIRST buy it so we generally only have to make small repairs and clean for the next tenants.

Don't get me wrong; if a tenant decides to stay for more than 5 years, I definitely won't be beating down the door asking them to leave. We already know the REAL money is made in mortgage pay down. So if they decide to stay, great! If they do follow the pattern and leave after a few years, awesome!

Largest Pool To Choose From

The majority of renters fall into the lower-middle class bracket. This means that if you're catering to this type of clientele, you will have the largest pool to choose from! *Hint Hint* - To give you an idea, great Single-Family properties here in KW/Cambridge attracting these types of tenants are Townhomes, Semi's and Detached Homes renting from $1250-$1350 per month plus utilities.

Buying higher end properties that rent for more is not a bad thing, but becomes too expensive for the lower-middle class tenants. These rentals tend to attract higher end tenants, which can also be a great business to be in. But that's just it. It's a different business!

Remember how I always say to buy properties that fit with YOUR goals and lifestyle? This would be the time to decide which clientele do you want to serve? Both have pro's and con's. "B Tenants" will come and go and can give you more headaches if not properly screened, but there will ALWAYS be a high demand for these renters if you're buying in great areas. "A Tenants" or, high end tenants, tend to stay much longer and can make your business very easy as they are generally much more sophisticated. The down side is it may take a while (1-6 months or more!) before finding that right tenant. So, which business fits your lifestyle and goals? Let's chat and I can help you decide.

For more investing tips and blogs, stop by my website.

JV Attraction Secrets: The Elevator Pitch

JoeRagona — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:10:41 GMT

I wanted to share some of the JV Attraction "secrets" I've been training my clients on to help you get more JV partners into your funnel.

This post I want to focus on the 'elevator pitch'

When you are creating your elevator pitch, you want to Arouse Interest. Have a simple message that is instantly recognizable. It should ALIENATE your non-Jv prospect. What do I mean by this? Well FIRST of all you should know EXACTLY who your JV prospect is. Knowing what they want, fear and so on will help you define a 'pitch' that 'wakes' them up from their daily routine.

At the SAME time, your pitch should cause your non-JV prospects to say "eww, that's not for me". The reason is, you DON'T want to be wasting time with people that are NEVER going to "buy" from you anyway. I find a lot of my coaching clients feel they need to 'sell' everyone ... to talk about real estate all the time and in reality they are chasing money. This is backwards.

The elevator pitch's primary purpose is to set up communication - it's NEVER about selling on the spot.

You just want to pique curiosity, trigger an EMOTIONAL tie using specific HOT button words that speaks to their fears and frustrations, wants and desires.

You'll know you have a winner when you hear something like "Really? How do you do that?"

Here's a simple framework for a great elevator pitch:

I help (people who) [specific JV Avatar]
Who [specific problem]
Achieve / Get ... [specific result]
In / With / Without ... [specific convenience]

Hook question: "do you know anyone who...[RECAP]?

Here's an example of one I use:

"I help people investing in mutual funds & stocks who are constantly losing money no matter what they do get back on the winning side without paying any more hidden fees to a financial planner. Do you know anyone who has lost money in the financial markets?"

Can you see how this would spark the question "How do you do that?"

Anyway, just thought I'd share some tips to help you attract more people using the new movement of marketing to people!!!

- Joey

New To REIN and looking for a Mentor/ JV Partner

bukandmac — Sat, 11 May 2013 20:52:22 GMT

Hi,

I am new to REIN however not a full fledge member yet. Through my research I stumbled across this company and I am impressed from what I seen and heard so far.

I have aspirations of becoming a successful real estate investor like many of you one day. I am currently trying to learn everything I can about real estate investing, and have decided on 2 strategies that I will use in the beginning. They are buy and hold and flipping.

These 2 strategies align with my goals of creating passive cash flow and generating immediate cash through flips that I think everyone can appreciate.

I am looking for a mentor because this is a new realm for me and I want to start strong. I never purchased a house or any type of property for that matter, so I would consider myself a novice in real estate but not investing and creating wealth overall. I been on this journey for a few years now and am ready to take the next step.

In addition, to a mentor, I am also in search for a JV equity partner(s) with high integrity and knowledge that is willing to give me a chance. I do not have the funds to start on my own so I am very flexible and am willing to have any deal structured mostly in the partners favor. My main concern is breaking into real estate investing and building a strong and growing portfolio that will provide cash flow for years to come. Properties that are of high interest to me are multi-family homes such as (duplexes, triplex, and fourplexes) and apartment buildings. Like I said earlier, I do not have the initial funds. I qualify for 170k mortgage right now as well. I am looking for a mortgage qualifier and equity investors willing to come together to get a high cash flowing property.

My brother is a licensed plumber and I am also very handy. I was a 2nd year apprentice electrician before I decided to change my career to finance and work at the bank. Me and my brother have been around reno's for a long time and understand how to add value to any project.

If you are interested and want to start an amazing wealth building journey with me please feel free to contact me by replying to this post, giving me a call to chat about possible opportunities, or sending me a personal email. Contact details are below:

Remone McGhan
Mobile: (647) 704-9257
Email: bukandmac@gmail.com

how to select target neighbourhood?

rzhang930 — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:59:38 GMT

Dear friends,

I am a new comer in real estate investing, and it become a bit confusing when i begin to look for target market/ neighbourhood.
Can you give me some advice on how to find target market and what should be criteria considered?

Thank you :)

How To Be A Full Time Investor

JoeRagona — Thu, 09 May 2013 05:42:44 GMT

Yup, I'm a full-time investor. In a moment I'm going to share how I did it.

There's a lot of people out there who want to invest in real estate full time and no shortage of people (me included) who will tell you how to do it.

The question is Jimmy, (Superman reference) DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE A FULL TIME REAL ESTATE INVESTOR?

My guess is the true answer is "no".

From all my experience in consulting professional real estate entrepreneurs (investors included) ALL they want is to get out of their current job or situation.

Real Estate has been sold to them as the vehicle to do it.

That's a good thing. It's also a bad thing. Because I see TOO MANY dreams die.

I"m a huge believer in Real Estate investing and like I told you, I AM a full time investor, BUT I didn't do it THROUGH investing in real estate.

That DOES NOT mean you CAN'T...I just want to be real when people ask me "how did you do it"?

To do this full time, I sold my previous company.

That left me with nothing to do and some money.

Fast forward a few years and BINGO I was investing in real estate full time before I even knew there was such a thing and it became a "sexy" thing to say.

But let's drill down to the truth even more. I personally chose real estate as my ticket out of the 'corporate world'. (read: I wanted O.U.T. - OUT!!!)

I easily could have stayed on as the VP of my family company making tons of money, cars paid for and so on…but I wanted to get out of it because I HATED it.

Strong words yes, but it's the truth. I was FINISHED with trading my life for something I hated.

Just like you may be doing right now - I dunno.

Full time real estate looks great because I'll bet you've met some great people and heard the stories of huge success: people living their dreams travelling and golfing Tuesday afternoons.

THAT's cool! Maybe you want that too. So do all my consulting clients when they start working with me.

However, I DON'T believe ANY of them want to be "FULL TIME" real estate investors.

No matter what they tell me.

They just want to build their life FROM real estate investing.

What's that life?

Many of 'em don't even know. Do you know why?

It's because they're clouded with all the crap that's in front of them today.

I can spot it a mile away because I was there too. As soon as I simplified, unplugged and looked deep inside, full time real estate investing was not, IS not what I want to do. I just happen to "officially" do it.

Clarity is key

You've heard it multiple times - but let me tell you, when you know exactly why you're investing, EVERYTHING changes.

And here's something you can look forward to: THINGS WILL CHANGE as you progress. (read: your WHY changes)

One of the hardest challenges I had when starting real estate investing was coming up with my "why".

How come you ask?

Because I felt it had to be "profound", not driven by money or having a reason that was selfish such as "I want to just get OUT of my freakin' job because I hate driving 45 minutes every day"

It took many years for me to stop following everyone else's dreams of owning 50 or 100 or 1000 doors and hundreds of JV partners and so on.

That 'aint me.

I LOVE what I do for people like you e v e r y s i n g l e day!!!

THAT'S full time to me. My PASSION of changing lives is full time. My LIFE is full time. Real Estate just happens to be in the mix.

What about you?

What do you want to get away from?

What do you want to have NOW? (we'll worry about tomorrow later)

What would get you out of bed every day?

IS it real estate investing? I'll argue that for most of us, it is NOT.

That's cool. Because you can still be a "full time" investor and have a job/career that pays you way more than money ever will.

Here's your permission:

Yea, it sounds corny, but a lot of people I find need to have 'permission' to say it's ok to be investing in real estate for the 'selfish' reasons to get you out of something, or pay off a debt or buy a new car. I don't care what you're reason is...but be REAL.

When you begin living and doing by how you truly feel, your "why" BECOMES clear. The "Clarity" everyone talks about will hit you in the face.

What are your thoughts about becoming a full time real estate investor? Write them below.

- Joey

Question: What's your TOP challenge presenting to JVs?

JoeRagona — Thu, 09 May 2013 05:05:26 GMT

I'm wondering what your TOP challenge is when you are doing a presentation to a potential JV. Or maybe something that's STOPPING you from presenting in the first place?

Garage Rental Ontario - Security Deposit How Much Can I ask For

rforgiel — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:11:38 GMT

I will be renting out a garage in Ontario (Hamilton) and I plan on using the REIN standard commercial/warehouse/garage contract. As a residential landlord I am use to asking for 1st and last months rent. Is this legal or the norm with commercial contracts. There is also a space for security deposit. What is this. How much can I ask for.

The appeal of a commercial lease is I can evict the tenant right away if they miss on rent. Would collecting last month's rent or a large security deposit undo this advantage.

Changing LOC to Mortgage Possibly... Need Advice

Millions — Mon, 06 May 2013 05:24:09 GMT

Hey everyone,

I have some family members who are not the best at managing money. They already owned their house outright but took a LOC and spent $100K on more or less useless things like stocks that went bad, basement renovation, etc.

So now they have a $100K debt on LOC at 3% interest (variable prime). Not bad but in the past 5 years they have not paid it down at all. Just the interest.

They are retired with a pension.

I have since recommended that they look into getting a $100K mortgage instead so that it forces them to pay it down as it doesn't seem like they will do it on their own.

They seem inclined.

I'm thinking with a $500K house and only a $100K mortgage, they should be able to get a great rate. Maybe 3% 5 year fixed or something.

So my questions are:

1: Is this a smart move to make for them?

2: If it is, what do you recommend as a mortgage and a rate given that they are only borrowing 20-25% of the value of their home.

Need a REIN Membership?

akoppejan — Sun, 05 May 2013 20:45:21 GMT

I am currently a REIN member, but due to other priorities need to step back from real estate investing. My membership commitment has 9 months remaining (expires Feb 2014), but is able to be transferred to another person.

I also have the Kick Start kit which I would provide as well with the transfer of membership.

If you are interested please feel free to drop me an email at:

andrew@invigoproperties.com

Thanks!

Andrew

Laminate floor installer Guelph May 2013

TomRebstock — Sat, 04 May 2013 05:56:28 GMT

Can anyone recommend an installer. I'd like to hire this out. Home is near university of Guelph. Thank you.

30 years expert in apartment’s building maintenance in Edmonton is looking for part time job

TAMI — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:59:26 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE

To all Edmontonians members ,
A close friend who was working for the last 30 years as general maintenance person in large apartments complex’s in Edmonton( 15 years for one company and 14 years for another ) is looking for a part time job . As far as I know he is expert for appliances repair and apartments’ general maintenance. If you want to find out more information or get his resume, please e mail me .
Kindly
Tamir

30 years expert in apartments building maintenance in Edmonton is looking for part time job

TAMI — Fri, 03 May 2013 13:57:23 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE

Looking for a mentor

Landis — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 03:48:13 GMT

Hi: My name is Darcy Carlson. I'm a 48 year old professional working in the automotive service field at a prominent dealership in Vernon B.C. I'm looking to meet a successful residential real estate investor in the Vernon area to take some time to share some experiences with me and help me get started on successfully investing in real estate. Any takers?

Looking for Accountant in Regina SK.

craigford — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:20:41 GMT

Looking for a accountant that has experience with other real estate investors and or has there own real estate investment properties.

Accountant question: taxes on the income from 2nd mortgage

Angie13 — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 21:20:55 GMT

Hi,

I am a T4 employee. Last year I lent money through 2nd mortgage.

It will be highly appreciated if anyone could advise me on where to put the one time fee and the monthly interest earned from the 2nd mortgage when I submit my taxes online.

Regards,

Angie

Walking Dogs

2ndstory — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:49:11 GMT

I had a thought the other day as I took the dogs for a walk. They were being a bit ornery, and I had to let them know who was boss with a sharp word and a yank on the leash.

While I was out with the dogs, I was thinking about how my real estate business was going. It has been busy lately, but not always that "good" busy. Some renovations are taking longer and costing more than I had initially planned for. One tenant is posing some challenges. My condo conversion project has had some legal hurdles to navigate. To be honest, 2013 has been rather challenging. There have been days when I have felt like throwing my hands up in the air and giving up.

There are two types of dog owners that I see when I am out in our neighbourhood. Those who take their dogs for walks, and those whose dogs take them for walks. My dogs are big. A German Shepherd and a Lab. They can take me for a walk if I'm not careful. I have to remind them who is the boss from time to time.

With 99% of the things that come our way, we have a choice. What end of the leash are we going to be on? Are we going to let the challenges that face us be the dogs that walk us, or are we going to turn it around and be the one who gives the commands and sets the direction?

Ever since that day with my dogs, I've felt better about my investment business. I decided to take the leash and give it a yank. Get some things taken care of that needed be done, make some phone calls, put pressure on some people that needed some pressure, and get the office organized.

This business feels much better, and will only be successful, when you are the one in control of it.

Nik

Looking for an accountant, broker, & realtor references (Winnipeg)

ryderneedham — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:03:24 GMT

I'm a new investor located in Winnipeg. I have incorporated a company with 2 other investors, and we are in the process of looking for good professionals that will become important members of our team. I have read a number of old posts requesting similar information, but did not find many responses. Any references that other members could provide would be very helpful.

Most importantly I am looking for a good accountant that has experience with other real estate investors. I do have the names of a couple realtors and mortgage brokers that I am going to contact, but any recommendations would be appreciated. The brokers and accountant don't necessarily need to be local, but it would be preferred as I like the option to meet with them face to face (especially the accountant).

Look forward to hearing from fellow members.

Work Truck - Worth It?

MooseHead — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 03:32:33 GMT

My old truck is starting to die on me so i'll soon be in the market for a new truck.

I'm debating purchasing a 4 door pickup 4x4 which will be my only vehicle vs purchasing a 2 door reg cab pickup used solely for my rental properties (as I self manage and reno my units) and purchasing a nice little fuel efficient car for personal use.

I'm sure there has been a few here who have had this dilemma. What decision did you go with and why?

Cheers,

MH

What's Happening in Vancouver April 22nd to 26th?

mikemcmillan49 — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:04:49 GMT

Hi
I'm attending a Worksafe Seminar the week of April 22-26. I was hoping there would be something going on in the REIN world that I could attend in the evenings, but alas. Does anyone have info on an event that is happening in the Real Estate Investor relm?
Regards]
Mike

Home staging results in Calgary

kenko — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:47:43 GMT

Hi Everyone:

Just wondering if anyone tried to stage the homes before selling and had generated good results from it? It seems like very costly to stage a home.

Also, does anyone know any good home staging company here in Calgary?

Thank you,

Ken

Realtors

Rooks — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 03:05:10 GMT

Hello everyone;

I am looking for realtors in the Hamilton area who specialize in multi-family units (duplexes, triplexes, etc..) who can help me look for such rental properties. Could you please message me with your contact info?

Thank You.