Investing 101: Mortgage Investment Corporations
Mortgage Investment Corporations We’ve received many emails about Mortgage Investment Corporations (MICs), so we put together a 101 lesson for the new investor. Let’s breakdown the MIC. What is a Mortgage Investment Corporation? A MIC is an investment that lets people pool their money to be lent out as mortgages. 100% of the net profits from [...]
A Simple Investment Strategy for a Better Retirement
When you sit down and think about it, as few as three rent houses free and clear can give you enough income to live comfortably on. Let’s take my brother as an example. He just purchased his first home. He’s a carpenter so he bought a home that needs some love. If all he does [...]
Real Estate – The Swiss Army Knife of Investments
As a professional, I believe that all real estate decisions – influenced as they may be by the requirements, constraints and bias of finance, taste, location, etc – are investment decisions. At the risk of preaching to the converted readers of this publication, I also believe that a decision to invest in real estate is [...]
Affording your Dream Home
The swirling mill of rumors surrounding the current housing market undoubtedly has many prospective homebuyers anxious about taking the plunge of ownership. Factor in concerns about job market/economic stability and it becomes quite clear why one might fear the prospect of being house proud, but cash poor or badly in debt. Having said that, however, there are [...]
The Bidding Games
A survey conducted from March 19 – 22, revealed that 1 in 4 Canadians would be willing to enter a bidding war to purchase a house. The survey by Leger Marketing for BMO Bank of Montreal polled 1,000 house and condo owners, a quarter of whom responded as much. A report from the Canadian Press [...]
Cottage Season Approaches
A few months ago, BOOM e-magazine published an article on the perceived and real value of recreational property. With cottage season fast approaching, perhaps you’re thinking about dipping your toes in the market for a recreational property. Check out this gallery at the Vancouver Sun for a snapshot of what’s on the market across Canada [...]
US Property Tax Incentives
According to the National Association of Realtors, with reduced home prices and interest rates near historic lows, affordability levels in early 2012 reached their highest point in 42 years. So what are the biggest real estate tax breaks? For most owners and investors the list of major tax write-offs looks like this: 1. Property Taxes. Real [...]
Investor Spotlight: Kosi Stobbs and The Learning Curve
by: Jill Von Sprecken Kosi Stobbs was 15 when he first had aspirations of investing in real estate. He carefully put aside savings from his part-time job with the intention of one day investing it in property. When Kosi graduated from university with an engineering degree at the age of 21, Stobbs bought his [...]
Think Outside the Box: Creative Financing Solutions
By Sylvia Sigurdson One of the biggest hurdles of purchasing an investment property is coming up with the financing. Often, the desire is there, but the means are not. Like anything, it sometimes pays to look outside the traditional box for financing solutions, especially in light of the recent tightening down of policies for [...]
Back to basics
Sometimes it’s good to remind yourself of investment basics. So if you’re looking to purchase an investment property, ask yourself a few key questions and make sure you do your research. Ask yourself: How will I finance the property? How much income can it generate? How much will it cost to maintain? Keep in mind [...]
Turn your cottage into a moneymaker
For many property investors, renting out property is the name of the game. But what about that property you already own– a cottage or vacation property, which is only used a few weeks or months of the year. Enter vacation rental sites, that find the tenants for you, and at an availability that works for [...]
Fort McMurray: residential development in the works
Northern Alberta’s crude-propelled boom town will be getting a boost of another kind: real estate development. Fort Mac has seen an alarming housing shortage over the past few years as people flood to Alberta’s north for work on the oil sands. With no shortage of tenants, this new housing development will likely send investors scrambling [...]
Investing in mortgages: a tip for sophisticated investors
by Antony Heung Should I invest in real estate or stock options, including bonds, GICs and mutual funds? This is the age-old argument. There is a hidden option that is not commonly discussed, however. Investing in private mortgages is an option that sophisticated investors use to diversify their portfolio and mitigate the risks of an [...]
Leveraging – How to make it work for you!
by Julie Hauser-Jones Real Estate investing for many can seem out of reach, but there are many avenues that you can use to break into the real estate investing world. Real Estate investing is another way to build your wealth and can allow you to obtain a passive income without too much effort. The key [...]
Financial Freedom into Retirement
This week has seen media buzzing about retirement and pensions after PM Harper hinted at possible changes to Old Age Security Benefits. The below excerpt from the Globe and Mail offers a few tips to retirees on how to ensure financial security into your golden years: Educate yourself If your employer offers a pension plan, [...]
Resale or Pre-Construction Condo?
Condos are rising in popularity as baby boomers make the foray into hassle-free housing and new immigrants look for more affordable housing. With both resale and pre-construction condos available, which is the better investment? The article taken from the Globe and Mail suggests that what really counts is that the investor does their due diligence [...]
Surrey top investment destination in BC
In the words of Don Campbell, when it comes to real estate investing, “you want your money to go where the people are going to go.” And with that in mind, the Real Estate Investing Network (REIN) has published their list of the top investment towns in BC. Some things that they look for is [...]
The Essential Real Estate Investment Team
We have all heard the phrase, “two heads are better than one.” When it comes to real estate investment, having the right team of professionals walk you through the myriad of steps involved is not only better than doing it alone – it is absolutely essential. Three key professionals who will enhance your real estate [...]
Answers to Real Estate Questions You May Have
Over the years, I have gotten many questions in regards to real estate and the real estate market. I compiled some of the more interesting questions I have received and did my best to answer them fully. Is it worthy to invest in real estate? Why? ANSWER: In the last decade, the “average” real [...]
Buying a Home versus Property Investing
Many people consider their home and an investment property to be one and the same. However, mortgage brokers and bank lenders do not – and with this in mind, neither should the investor. The bottom line is that a home is shelter and an investment property is an investment. Although many people consider their [...]
Is Canada Still a Safe Haven for Real Estate Investment?
When it comes to buying real estate, it might seem obvious that location is the most important factor in one’s decision-making process. However, the perfect location for an investment has as much to do with aesthetic value and infrastructural assets as it does with the socio-economic climate. This has certainly been evident amidst the ongoing [...]
Leveraging to Purchase Real Estate
Leverage is power in the investment world, and buying real estate by leveraging makes it one of the most effective investment strategies available. In the simplest of terms, levering means using other people’s money (OPM) to purchase an investment. A mortgage would be considered leveraging; using the equity against one property to help finance another [...]
Considering GDP in Investment Real Estate
The importance of researching economic growth or decline and emerging market trends is not lost on any property investor. Much of the information that investors turn to, however, is based on lagging indicators, such as vacancy rates and average prices. Lagging indicators are useful when predicting long-term trends because they change after the economy as [...]
