We are in a similar place. We have long outgrown our starter home, but with the equity tied up in properties in Kitchener with a modest cash flow, getting a larger place simply means higher monthly payments. We`re not quite ready to make that leap. We are waiting to see if some of our new...

We were cautious with our first eviction. It took 4 months, a paralegal and required a lot of time and cash to renovate afterward. Next time we will offer a good chunk of cash - say, 2 months rent - and hope gets them out immediately. Ultimately, that`s a LOT cheaper. Good Luck! Carla

Ed, I`m impressed you remembered our `vibrant` tenants. Great memory! Thank you for your kind words. Keep me up to date with your new photography adventure. May you magnetically attract great tenants that fit all the good qualities listed in this thread. See you at Quickstart? Carla

That`s great news! Welcome aboard. Please find me at Quickstart and say "Hi." I`m 6` 2" so I`m easy to spot. Carla

Bonne Chance Tim! Full steam ahead. Carla

Oh, a few hundred of us will be there! Get lots of rest and bring along some snacks & drinks. We have been REIN members for 3 years and go every year. We wouldn`t miss it. You will receive an enormous amount of invaluable information - concrete Canadian content, solid business strategy...

It is most likely Arlen Dahlin`s Renovation Secrets. It is an entire course in a beautiful binder with CDs of pictures. You can buy it at any REIN meeting. We bought it and have referred to it MANY times for our renos. Good Luck!

In the spirit of "Think and Grow Rich" this is an ebook I have enjoyed reading many times over. The Science of Getting RichIt was written in 1910 and has several faith-based references, but gives a broader understanding. It is a free online ebook and you get a monthly ezine that I really...

How about this one? - a tenant who doesn`t back their vehicle into the parking spot beside the door... leave it running while he dashes back into the house with the door open... carbon monoxide from the car filling the house... triggering the detector... resulting in a 911 call and several...

If any Toronto REIN members are looking for a great place to stay after a REIN meeting, I have to let you know how well we were treated at the Renaissance Hotel. Last night after the meeting, the girls and I stayed there and we were treated like royalty! A great employee named Aneesa bent over...

Go to Quickstart! It is worth every penny. You will be exhausted from the information, yet sleepless with inspiration. The information will be very valuable helping you decide where to begin investing in real estate. We go to the Toronto Quickstart every year. We plan our spring around it. Cheers!

Hi Tyrone, Tanya Santoro and her husband Marco Santoro are the realtors we work with. Marco is a very well-respected REIN member and has been an active investor in the area for many years. Their knowledge of the K-W-C area for investors in unmatched. They work together to truly make each deal a...

Sarnia is my hometown and my mom lives within view of the Bluewater Bridge(s). The trucks are sometimes backed up right through the city. It is as if they cut the city in half. They can seriously impede transportation. With the absolutely gorgeous beaches and oil industry, it should be booming...

Hi Neil, Look in the "Calendar" section at the top of the page. The Toronto Quickstart is at the Pearson Convention Centre just off the 407 in Brampton. It usually costs about $600 for the general public. If You will really enjoy Quickstart. The information is abundant. By Sunday evening you...

Wow Phantomtib! Thank you for all that information. You have given us a fantastic preview of what the program has to offer. Cheers! Carla

Hi Ronda, A good friend of mine did the Rich Dad coaching a year ago and loved it. She has purchased a property as a result. Even though she took action, she recently became discouraged and overwhelmed with her investment. We spent some time with her pulling out the information and ideas that...

That`s quite something. I have been to Wallaceburg several times over the years. It is an interesting community. This is good reason to look further into the fundamentals there. Carla

I suggest you put these into your lease agreement. We have tenants who verbally agreed to mow the lawn and shovel the snow, but dug in their heels when they actually had to do it. They said since it wasn`t in writing they weren`t going to do it. We have a very long detailed lease as it is, and...

Hi Rebecca, My father-in-law is a painter/decorator and told me that painting Melamine on countertops would work, but I didn`t believe him. Thank you for the great tip. Looks like it really works well. I guess I`ll have to admit he was right. Carla

During a conversation with an old friend today I remembered Robert Kiyosaki`s Cashflow Quadrant. It`s a slow read, but full of valuable information about the personal and emotional qualities that fit with each quadrant - Employee, Small Business Owner, Big Business Owner, Investor. Real estate...