QUOTE (ThomasBeyer @ Apr 22 2010, 09:37 AM) switch broker perhaps. Last time I checked non-residents can get up to 65% or even 70% .. certainly more than 50% ! We have five mortgages at 75% with one bank and five at 65% with another bank. Maxed out at both. Things may have gotten easier since...

Thanks everyone for the replies. We are in kind of a difficult situation as we are non-resident investors. Last time I checked with our broker (a few months ago) regarding new mortgages (not renewing existing ones), there were practically no banks that would give us a mortgage. (Only one...

Hello, This may be a dumb question, but I`m just wondering exactly how it works with a straightforward mortgage renewal. For example: Original 5 year fixed-term mortgage, 25 year amortization: $125,000; monthly payment $650 (variable rate P -.5%, but fixed monthly payment) At the end of the...

QUOTE (Dan_Eisenhauer @ Apr 17 2010, 01:56 AM) I appreciate everyone`s comments. My options have become very limited. I may be able to protect the balance of my portfolio. But, there is no guarantee. My reason for starting this thread was to issue a hard learned warning that our portfolios can...

QUOTE (vinco @ Apr 8 2010, 05:50 PM) Hi everybody, My wife and I just moved to Ottawa. We`re interested in real estate investing but we`re really beginners. Do you think it`d be wise to purchase a small property ($150-250k range - 20-25% down) in Ottawa (or on the Quebec side in Gatineau)? We...

QUOTE (jwilbrin @ Feb 10 2010, 01:32 AM) Hi MarcP, that is high. check out places like End of the Roll where you can get a good mid range to high end carpet anywhere from .99 cent to 1.99 per sq. ft. My advise is to stay away from berber: they snag easily, show furniture impressions which you...

Please explain how to delete double posts. Thanks.

Hello, We have a townhouse at Sifton Park Acres in Edmonton. I`ve been trying to track down the condo manager, who I think is Kingsway Asset Management. However, so far I haven`t had any luck. Does anyone know if they are still the manager, or if not, who is? Thanks, Nicola

Thanks Adam and Thomas, I was thinking more like $4000 than 6000 - we will be getting quotes next week, so hopefully that`s what it will be. It just seems a lot to pay about 6 months` worth of rent to make it rentable!

Hello, I posted a while back asking for ballpark ideas of what it would cost to re-carpet the stairs and upper floor of an 1100 sq ft. townhouse. It seems that it would be in the $1500-2000 range. Our PM is now quoting us $6000 to repaint and re-carpet (probably including the living room...

QUOTE (terri @ Jan 14 2010, 02:05 PM) I thought I would share this information with everyone. I was recently in Mexico when I got an email from one of my tenants saying that they were going to be moving. As I had photos on the laptop with me, I decided to not wait 5 days until I returned...

Hi, Just wondering if anyone has had any experience working with Rental Advisors. If so, could you please give some feedback about their services? Thanks, Nicola

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies!

Hi, Could anyone give me a ballpark figure of what it would cost to carpet the 2nd floor (and stairs) of an 1100 sq ft. townhouse in Edmonton? (With a durable Berber). Thanks, Nicola

QUOTE (gwasser @ Dec 5 2009, 01:15 PM) Some condo complexes had fireplaces installed in the 1980`s. When not maintained or when the chimney system is not maintained, over time, this may pose a serious firehazard. The condo board is authorized to issue an order that forbids the use of the fire...

We`ve just received a fax from the condo board at Rockglen in Edmonton saying that "Effective immediately, all owners with original fireplace chimneys are instructed not to use the fireplace until required repairs are made" - they have approved a fine of $5000 for each violation! Apparently the...

QUOTE (RobAllan @ Nov 24 2009, 02:11 AM) Hi all. I came across this recent article in Canadian Underwriter and wanted to share this with you. You will note the article pertains to Ontario.You may want to check out other provinces for similar cases should your property not be located in Ontario...

QUOTE (UTCVenturesLtd @ Nov 17 2009, 05:58 PM) Born there a long long long long time ago! http://cgi.ebay.com/Beautiful-3-BR-Colonia...=item19b7c073cb My father held a property there that he rented out and ended up in the 70`s selling for $1000! And almost 40yrs later, the bargain price has...

QUOTE (CarlaJohnson @ Nov 20 2009, 04:55 AM) Real estate photography techniques are new and poorly understood. Few statistics exist on it, yet a small number of people are now starting to make the business aware of it - including me! 15 years ago, people thought staging was a frill concept, but...

Hello, Does anyone have any experience with working with Advanced Trenchless in Edmonton to reline a sewer pipe and put in a back-water preventer? Any idea what it might cost? (I imagine this particular sewer line might be around 20+ feet to the property line.) Thanks, Nicola