Always start with your mortgage broker - they are there to advise you - even if that advice is that you are best to deal on a refinance with the lender directly.

According to industry predictions the new shale gas discoveries, backed by new recovery technologies, are threatening to keep Natural Gas prices in North America down for the fore-seeable future. Hence there should not be much likelyhood of price hikes going forward. It`s a bit like the...

From an article in the Oct 10 Calgary Herald Like many others, Dan Gustafson was greeted by smiling city officials at the open house on financial subsidies to create legal secondary suites. Like many others, he left shaking his head. Some were told they`d need the costly, politically...

QUOTE (thomasbeyer2000 @ Oct 8 2009, 06:20 PM) Where is Canmore ? An hour west of two of those neighbourhoods

This is not a direct answer to the question, but rather a comment more on valuations in general, for what it`s worth... Good mortgage brokers know where to place your mortgage so you will see fair valuations, and will often have good relationships with the lender`s appraisers that can be...

Jarrett, first, as others wrote above, make sure your value is correct first. Spend $300 on an appraisal. Ask for both current and ARV (after repaired value). Very important! I can`t tell you how many times I have seen people buy based on inflated ARV value expectations and ended up losing money...

QUOTE (Ian @ Oct 5 2009, 03:56 PM) Thanks Greg. You speak of rent increases --is it not true that one can only raise rent by 4%/year? If so, then how can someone realize "big rent increases?" Ian You can charge a new tenant whatever they are willing to pay - the maximum increase regulation...

Try Merv Stradecki Re/MAX Crown Real Estate Ltd. (306) 596-4480 He is working with a client of mine and appears quite experienced to me, although I am not certain about his specific experience re apt bldgs. Use my name as the referral.

If you are only really concerned about the physically visible condition of the property, you could write it something like this (yes I actually did this once on an offer): "as is where is, as at this date xx/xx/xx, and as shown by the following photos taken this date xx/xx/xx".

A few questions that come to mind: 1) What does the over $4,000 in Admin costs represent? 2) Have you completed the REIN Analyzer for this property? 3) Does this take you closer to your goals (a key question in that analysis doc)? 4) Did you stress-test this property (ie with higher vacancy...

QUOTE (gwasser @ Oct 3 2009, 11:57 AM) P.S. Can anyone explain me how to do a `Warp-around" mortgage in Alberta? Godfried, do a couple of searches for `Wrap Mortgage` or `Wrap Around` and `Agreement For Sale` and you will find much good info. Wrap is more a US term wheras AFS is what we call it...

Just ordered it online. Can`t wait to see it, as I take poor to average photos. Thanks Carla!

Three good options below (use my name as referance on the last two, and use your REIN membership with Park Park Insurance +1 (800) 663-3739 State Farm Jody Johnston 250, 11488 - 24 St SE Calgary, AB T2Z 4C9 +1 (403) 279-3133 DeJong`s Insurance Trevor Stewart 202, 1211-14th St SW Calgary, AB...

Not sure what your intent is here. You have a binding contract, and so are free to negotiate a resolution that satisfies you, and perhaps also the Seller, or to try to complete the purchase - notwithstanding what Brett wrote of course.

Mike, you could also connect with Valden Palm, aka Mr RRSP. He is most certainly in the know

QUOTE (JimWhitelaw @ Sep 29 2009, 10:25 AM) I`m not an accountant, but that doesn`t seem like the correct way to report a leased vehicle, which you don`t own. A leased vehicle shouldn`t show up on a balance sheet or net worth statement. It makes more sense to report the monthly lease payment in...

QUOTE (llee @ Sep 29 2009, 10:12 AM) I see properties in Maritimes usually have low LTV (60% first mortgage, some even 40%), because the property value is low. Do you think it`s too risky to do mortgage investment to properties too "remote" (although you have the appraisal with pictures and...

I would list the amount owing on the lease as a debt. The car`s market value is on the asset side.

Hi Mike, I have not check on this in quite a while so I am not aware of which Trustees allow this in their internal rules. You should check with all the Financial Institutions that will act as Trustee for your self-directed RRSP account. Googling the phrase `non-arms length RRSP mortgages` and...

QUOTE (MikeMcCrae @ Sep 28 2009, 03:02 PM) Talk with your mortgage broker. We deal with MIC lenders all the time. We have a pretty good idea about some of the players and get a feeling for some of them. Is their model sustainable? Do they actively solicit on both sides ie. look for lenders as...