Buying Your First Summer Vacation Property – Be Practical
Posted on 03. Mar, 2010 by admin in general
Buying your first vacation property – be it a family summer vacation camp or perhaps a more elaborate upscale lakeside chalet or condo is a dream that often comes to light during weekend or summertime visits to friends or family who are so equipped. Spring and summertime is such a short season that a getaway retreat – that is far away from it all – and provides solace away from the demands of the city, the office and the business is more than desirable – from a multitude of standpoints – be fishing waterskiing or hunting spot, recreation, a family gathering and outing place – or just plain fun and relaxation.
However from both a financial and property owner’s perspectives if you are planning on taking that big plunge to research, purchase and invest in a summer or second property there are a number of both practical and logistical considerations to delve into.
First of all as with any real estate the key words are location, location and location. It is basic and more than important to do your research on defining the geographic areas on where both your ideal and practical location of your summer cottage or property may be. You may love the Whiteshell , but find after several jaunts that the 1 ½ hour jaunt out of Winnipeg seems a lot longer after repeat trips and end of the weekend summertime traffic jams on the highways – all with other working spouses on their way back for the Monday start of the work week. It may seem fine once or twice; it may even seem fine for an occasional early morning drive in to work. However in your case a closer, yet less scenic cottage setting – say at Gimli or Winnipeg Beach. Also take into account if you have recently moved your regular home as well. What was now a short jaunt to the lake of 40 minutes from the perimeter may now have added to it an hour jaunt across the city as well? Be realistic with the location of your cottage. Ordinary practicality is the key – not only to you but also for the family. On the other side of the fence if your employment is as a teacher – and you or your spouse have the summer months off then a cottage at Lake of the Woods – may be very practical. On top of that the long distance may increase your solitude and keep unwanted guests away. It’s not a short or easy jaunt to their cottage after all. Especially now when people add in gas prices for the highway trip to the equation of their costs of a day at the lake.
It can be said in summary that a summer vacation cottage, camp or year round vacation property can be great. It can be a most relaxing haven away from home in the city, the city with all its hustle and bustle as well as the office and its pressures. Cottages are often for family. Often children have their best memories, in retrospect of the fun times spent with their friends and family at the lake during summer vacations. A vacation property is a big investment now and for the future not only in a financial sense but also for peace of mind and the time and recreation that the family can share together. Take the time to evaluate your summer vacation cottage property or year round second property fully and with practical measures in mind. Its well worth the time spent. After a vacation property is a real estate purchase.
Buying your first vacation property – be it a family summer vacation camp or perhaps a more elaborate upscale lakeside chalet or condo is a dream that often comes to light during weekend or summertime visits to friends or family who are so equipped. Spring and summertime is such a short season that a getaway retreat – that is far away from it all – and provides solace away from the demands of the city, the office and the business is more than desirable – from a multitude of standpoints – be fishing waterskiing or hunting spot, recreation, a family gathering and outing place – or just plain fun and relaxation.
However from both a financial and property owner’s perspectives if you are planning on taking that big plunge to research, purchase and invest in a summer or second property there are a number of both practical and logistical considerations to delve into.
First of all as with any real estate the key words are location, location and location. It is basic and more than important to do your research on defining the geographic areas on where both your ideal and practical location of your summer cottage or property may be. You may love the Whiteshell , but find after several jaunts that the 1 ½ hour jaunt out of Winnipeg seems a lot longer after repeat trips and end of the weekend summertime traffic jams on the highways – all with other working spouses on their way back for the Monday start of the work week. It may seem fine once or twice; it may even seem fine for an occasional early morning drive in to work. However in your case a closer, yet less scenic cottage setting – say at Gimli or Winnipeg Beach. Also take into account if you have recently moved your regular home as well. What was now a short jaunt to the lake of 40 minutes from the perimeter may now have added to it an hour jaunt across the city as well? Be realistic with the location of your cottage. Ordinary practicality is the key – not only to you but also for the family. On the other side of the fence if your employment is as a teacher – and you or your spouse have the summer months off then a cottage at Lake of the Woods – may be very practical. On top of that the long distance may increase your solitude and keep unwanted guests away. It’s not a short or easy jaunt to their cottage after all. Especially now when people add in gas prices for the highway trip to the equation of their costs of a day at the lake.
It can be said in summary that a summer vacation cottage, camp or year round vacation property can be great. It can be a most relaxing haven away from home in the city, the city with all its hustle and bustle as well as the office and its pressures. Cottages are often for family. Often children have their best memories, in retrospect of the fun times spent with their friends and family at the lake during summer vacations. A vacation property is a big investment now and for the future not only in a financial sense but also for peace of mind and the time and recreation that the family can share together. Take the time to evaluate your summer vacation cottage property or year round second property fully and with practical measures in mind. Its well worth the time spent. After a vacation property is a real estate purchase.
Scottsdale Condos – 7 Buyers Tips
Posted on 02. Mar, 2010 by admin in general
Buying a Scottsdale condominium (or condo for those hip to the lingo) has always been very popular in Arizona. There are many perks with condominium living, and the low maintenance lifestyle and associated amenities appeal to a large variety of potential home buyers. Currently there are over 1,400 condos and town homes available in Scottsdale. With today’s market conditions and low interest rates, there has never been a better time to consider purchasing a new condo in Scottsdale, AZ. But before you take the plunge, take the time to review our 7 buyers tips in preparation of starting your new home search. 1. Homeowners association dues (HOA, or Strata fees for those from Canada) are common place for those who purchase condos or town homes in Arizona. As a buyer you need to be aware of what these fees include. In most cases HOA dues include: water, sewer, trash, roof repair, roof replacement, exterior maintenance of the unit, common area maintenance and a blanket hazard insurance policy. In some cases your HOA fees could include cable and electricity. Be sure you know what your HOA dues include before purchasing your condo so you can budget accordingly. 2. Be sure to call the Homeowners Association prior to writing a contract on a potential property and inquire about the state of the “reserves” for the community you’re interested in. If the association maintains adequate cash reserves you are less likely to be hit with a special assessment fee when the time comes for units to get new roofs, paint, or streets repaved (if the complex is gated). While you’re at it, inquire as to whether there are any special assessments due, or if there are any known assessments that will be levied in the future. This could be material in your decision to write an offer on a new condo or town home. 3. Take the time to consider whether you would like a ground floor or upstairs unit. If you’re an investor with intentions of leasing the condo, consider buying a unit on the ground floor. Many potential tenants either physically can’t walk up stairs, or would just prefer not to. If you’re just looking for a nice unit to enjoy, consider buying an upstairs unit. Upstairs units often have nice vaulted ceilings, and you won’t have to listen to homeowners walking around above you. Also, be aware that if you purchase an upstairs unit, the Covenants Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R’s) may prevent you from putting in that beautiful travertine or wood floor you have been dreaming about (due to noise concerns for the occupants located below the unit). 4. Most condos in Scotttsdale include one covered parking space, and a common parking area for additional vehicles. If you have a shiny new car you may want to consider a town home with a garage, 24 hour guard-gated community, or at the very least a gated community. These amenities usually come with a cost in the form of higher purchase prices or increased HOA dues. For those on a budget, consider a community that is not gated. 5. If you’re a pet lover, check the CC&R’s prior to writing your purchase offer. Many complexes have rules regarding the type of pets allowed as well as weight and size limitations for animals such as dogs. 6. Scottsdale condos and town homes offer a wide selection of amenities. It’s not uncommon these days for complexes to not only have pools and spas, but business centers, fitness centers tennis courts, concierge services, movie rooms, bike rentals, video game rooms, billiard rooms and much more. Be sure to have your REALTOR find the complex that best suits your needs and lifestyle. 7. Always have a professional home inspection performed prior to the end of the inspection period. Not only does this give you peace of mind regarding your investment, but also gives you an opportunity to have the seller repair any defective items prior to the close of escrow. In addition, it’s always a good idea to verify that your home inspector carries the ASHI designation.
With Mortgage Rates so Low Will it be Easy to Refinance
Posted on 02. Mar, 2010 by admin in general
At present, nobody can predict precisely, what the mortgage rates will be in 2009-10, although economists across the world think that it will either go down or stay at the same level in the near future. During mid-January, interest rates fell to an average of 4-5 %, the lowest ever since it has been monitored. Due to global financial meltdown originating in the United States on the back of sub prime loan crisis, Canada as well as world overall is in a deep recession since THE GREAT DEPRESSION of 1930 and we have by now seen a sharp fall in home prices as well as a lower 30 year fixed mortgage rate. On the other hand, merely for the reason that mortgage rates might dip lower, it doesn’t indicate it will be simple to obtain a loan.
Currently, lenders want wide-ranging documents in addition to a high credit score for viable low interest loans. You besides in all probability will have to shell out high down payment of almost 20 % or even more in some cases. It is anticipated that thirty year fixed mortgage rates in 2009 will be approximately 5-6 %. As a part of a stimulus package, the present government is encouraging lenders to provide low interest loans to borrowers to revive the property market and economy on the whole.
This will have a multiple effect on the market as cost of the property which were down considerably of late, will resume their upward journey and to some extent the same will be true for the mortgage or refinance rates. Already realtors are witnessing increased inquiries and multiple bids for their projects. So, if you are on a look out for a new home you should act fast before it is too late. Remember your higher credit score can save you a lot on your interest cost so do all you can do to boost your credit score.
With interest rates at their historic lows, this may be your best chance (read once in a lifetime opportunity) to refinance your home as well as lower your monthly payments by going for a lower interest rate. Contact your broker or search for one online to guide you to buy a new home or if you already have a loan with higher rate of interest can restructure by refinancing with current lower interest rates bringing down your monthly payments and adding to your financial freedom.
Sorry to say, but not everyone will be eligible to refinance their home or buy a new one. Lenders will now have a need of adequate home equity in terms of high down payments and a first-rate credit score to refinance at a lower interest rate. Interest rates will vary between five and six percent in 2009. A relentless fall or sharp hike is not anticipated in 2009. While making a decision to refinance your home, make use of online refinancing calculator to work out the costs of the application against the cost benefits. Additionally, you can as well compare best mortgage rates; get professional advice on home loans and host of other financial services.
Faq’s – Home Staging as a Career
Posted on 02. Mar, 2010 by admin in general
Definition from Sun On My Back Redesigns:
“Home Staging encompasses everything involved with preparing a house for selling. The end objective is that the house has broad buyer appeal so that it will sell sooner and for more money than a house that is not staged.”
How I Got Started
I went through the same process and stages that many of my students who are looking for a career change have gone through. My previous work experience included a very successful 20 year corporate career but I always had ‘hobbies’ that involved decorating and provided a creative outlet for me. When I was approaching my 50s I decided I wanted to change careers and do something that I really really loved. So, I got my interior decorating diploma and became a certified Redesigner. I built my client base by starting part time and those initial clients not only wanted decorating and redesign advice, they wanted me to help them get their houses ready for selling. It was a ‘no brainer’ for me! And the rest is history…
FAQs Home Staging As A Career
There are many common questions that I get asked when people are looking into this as a career change for them. I would like to share their questions and my answers with you.
1. How do I know this is the right career for me? You will know if you have a gift for this type of work or not. It is something that will bring you joy and you are most likely doing it for family and/or friends for ‘free’ right now. They all tell you how good you are at it. Sound familiar?
2. How do I get started? The very best way to get started is to do some RESEARCH. Research can be done through a variety of resources. A very good one is the Internet. You can do a www.google.com search or a www.yahoo.com search and get great information on line. Another method is by conducting Informational Meetings with home staging business owners. Attend Networking Meetings â?? find out who knows someone in the business or a related business. Talk and meet with Realtors and other real estate professionals such as Mortgage Brokers, etc. Email or talk with graduates of Professional Home Staging Training programs.
3. Do I need to have a degree or training in interior design or interior decorating? Absolutely not. I do recommend that you continue to educate yourself in related fields. The more services that you can offer your clients the more revenue streams you will have. Your strategic alliances can be another source of revenue for you as well.
4. How do I know if I will be successful or not? My standard answer comes from a professional development course I took a few years ago â?? “How you do anything is how you do everything; how successful you have been in the past is a good indicator of how successful you will be in creating your future.”
5. How much money can I make? This is the million dollar question! When asked this question I put the questions back to you – How much do you need to earn? Will this be a part time or full time business? How willing are you to put forward a 100% commitment to grow your business? Do you have a business plan? Currently a professional home stager’s earning potential is being compared to that of an interior decorator. Because this is a fairly new profession there are not statistics to support what a Home Stager will make annually.
6. What kind of start-up costs will I have? The wonderful thing about this business is that the start-up cost is very minimal. You will incur some costs for registering your business as any new business would. Your main expenses will be for tools which can be as low as $150. There are many things that you can do for ‘free’ such as getting your business cards, creating a website and advertising. Other costs can be reduced by belonging to a professional redesign & home staging association.
7. Are credentials and a designation important? YES! As this business grows awareness about home staging is getting the recognition it deserves. Many home sellers and realtors will ask a home staging what their credentials are and who they took their training through. You can become accredited and certified and obtain a designation through investing in a professional training course.
8. What professional training courses are recommended? Selecting the right course for you will be a personal decision. Do your research and determine what you want your outcome to be from the course you are taking. There are several types of courses now being offered in Canada and the United States. Some involve classroom theory and business start up learning, some are all teleclasses and offer no hands on. Some of the 3 day courses offer limited hands-on while the 5 day courses offer 3 full days of hands-on experience in real client’s homes.
9. What happens after I take the course? Many instructors offer mentoring to their graduates formally and informally. Many associations have monthly meetings and networking events for graduates. If business coaching is offered after the course this is something worth looking into.
10. Any other questions? Email or phone me and I will answer them for you. Remember what the Law of Attraction says “Focus on what you want, speak about it and act upon it; have faith and believe it is possible and you will achieve it.”
Six Common Mistakes Under Canadian Trade-mark Law
Posted on 02. Mar, 2010 by admin in general
As more and more companies are seeking to distinguish their products and services in the marketplace by registering their names, slogans or designs as trade-marks, many companies which do not retain a Canadian lawyer or trade-mark agent often make fundamental mistakes. Among the most common mistakes are the following.1. A Company Name is not a Trade-mark.A company name is the legal name under which a company carries on business. However, unless the company name is used as a trade-mark, it cannot be registered under the Canadian Trade-marks Act. For example:• Acme Insurance Ltd. markets life insurance under “Goodlife Insurance”. “Acme Insurance Ltd.” is the company name, “GoodLife Insurance” the trade-mark. “Acme Insurance Ltd.” is not used as a trade-mark, “GoodLife Insurance” is.• Acme Insurance Ltd. markets life insurance under “Acme Life”. “Acme” is part of its company name, but it is also used as a trade-mark to distinguish its insurance policies from those of other insurance providers. The important point here is that the registration of a company and the registration a trade-mark are two distinct processes. Federal and provincial company offices do not search the Trade-marks Office database to determine if a proposed company name is a registered trade-mark; nor does the Trade-marks Office search federal and provincial company offices to determine if a proposed trade-mark is registered as a company name. The two processes are unrelated, and the trade-mark must be registered separately. 2. There’s no Requirement to use a Trade-mark before Registering.Many companies believe that they must commence use of their trade-mark before registering it. In Canada, as in many other countries, trade-marks may be filed on the basis of “intention to use”. An application which is filed on this basis must specify the products and services that the company intends to use in association with the trade-mark. Once the application has been filed, the company generally has three (3) years from the date of filing to file a Declaration of Use confirming the use of the trade-mark in association with the specified wares and services. The Declaration of Use may be filed anytime within the three (3) year period, but must not include any products and services that have not been used in association with the trade-mark. 3. Search before Using a Trade-mark.It is always advisable to conduct a trade-mark search before commencing use of a trade-mark. This will ensure that the trade-mark does not infringe another trade-mark and will avoid the wasted expense of such things as advertising and labeling. A trade-mark search may be conducted through the Canadian Intellectual Property Office Trade-marks database by inserting the trade-mark in the search text box and selecting the appropriate search field. If the search does not reveal an exact match, a secondary search should be conducted based on such factors as the elements of the trade-mark (where, for example, the trade-mark comprises more than one word), different spellings of the word(s) comprising the trade-mark and the sound of the trade-mark. This is referred to as a “comprehensive search” and is advisable to ensure that the trade-mark is not confusing with a registered trade-mark and therefore unregistrable.4. Some Trade-marks are not Registrable. Not all trade-marks are registrable. Among the trade-marks that are not registrable under the Canadian Trade-marks Act are:• trade-marks that are clearly descriptive of the character or quality of the products or services,• trade-marks that are deceptively misdescriptive of the character or quality of the products or services,• trade-marks that are clearly descriptive or deceptively misdescriptive of the origin of the products or services, • trade-marks that are the name of the products or services, and• trade-marks that are confusing with a registered trade-mark.There are a number of tests which have been developed by the courts which are employed by the Trade-marks Office in determining whether a trade-mark is registrable. In general terms, however, where an application for registration of a trade-mark falls within one of these categories, the trade-mark will not be registrable.5. International Classifications Don’t Apply. Products and services which are used in association with a trade-mark must be described in ordinary commercial terms. In many countries such as the United States this is done by using International Trade-mark Classes. The International Trade-mark Classes are categorized into 45 classes, Classes 1-34 relating to products and Classes 35-45 to services. Canada does not use this system and therefore trade-marks must be described in ordinary commercial terms for Canadian filing purposes.For example, Class 32 refers to “light beverages” which are enumerated as: “beers; mineral and aerated waters and other non-alcoholic drinks; fruit drinks and fruit juices; syrups and other preparations for making beverages”. For Canadian filing purposes, the wares “non-alcoholic beverages” require further specification, for example carbonated drinks, colas, energy drinks, sports drinks, drinking water, fruit-based soft drinks, fruit juices, hot chocolate, milk, non-dairy soy, coffee or tea.6. Copyright may reside in Trade-marks and must be Acquired.Where a trade-mark is in the form of a design, the design will be subject to copyright protection, as well as trade-mark protection. If a trade-mark owner retains a graphic artist to develop and design a trade-mark, the trade-mark owner should obtain all rights to the design, including the ability to make changes to the design. This is generally done by means of a simple contract known as an “Assignment”.In Canada, copyright need not be registered as rights to the design arise at the time of creation, which provides the copyright owner with remedies for copyright infringement at common law. These remedies are additional to the remedies that the trade-mark owner will have under the Canadian Trade-marks Act.
Getting the Most Out of your Investment!
Posted on 01. Mar, 2010 by admin in general
By Joe Samson, Calgary REALTOR®
Great, you have decided that you want to invest in real estate, perhaps you are thinking of flipping a house or thinking of renting it for long term appreciation. Regardless of your exit strategy, more likely your investment will include challenges such as finding the funds to support the project, finding the right property, dealing with contractors and so on.
The truth is that everyone invests in something throughout their lives. Some of us invest in stocks, gold, stamps, cars, their hobbies or real estate. Personally I believe in real estate not because of what the media says on the 6 o’ clock news but rather due to the fact that history shows that over 90% of all millionaires have become wealthy by owning real estate. If this is true, why isn’t everyone doing it? Unfortunately there is more to investing than most people might think. The first obstacle that most of us have to cross is coming up with the money to invest.
Who says it has to be your money to invest? Lets get high on OPM or other people’s money. Generally humans go through three phases in their lives. When we are born we are dependent on our parents, then we want to become independent and finally we realize that we cannot do everything ourselves therefore we become interdependent of others. You can easily approach your circle of influence to partner with you in a project. For example if you know someone who has some cash sitting around and he is tired of earning 2%-3% at the bank you can create a win-win relationship by offering your real estate expertise in exchange for his investment. Your expertise could include finding the property, renovating it, and taking care of the day to day management activities. The key is to remember to make sure that each one of you brings different values to the relationship. If neither of you have any investment funds but you are great buddies, it’s not going to propel you forward.
If you have owned a house in Calgary for the last couple years you should have seen a substantial equity increase in your home. The money sitting in your home is a great feeling, it gives you security and piece of mind to your family. Ask yourself the question, how much profit is that equity putting in your pocket each year? Banks nowadays will be happy to provide you or your investor partner with a PLC (personal line of credit) against your home and then you can use those funds to invest in real estate and earn a lot more than your savings account would generate.
The Calgary real estate market is so expensive, where do I buy? Probably 99% of the listings today aren’t going to fit your criteria. But that still leaves you with lot of options available to choose from. One of the biggest mistakes that I see Investors making is calling up their REALTOR® and asking them to give them a call when he sees a great deal out there. In my point of view this statement is no different than saying to a Doctor to fix your problem but you won’t let him to examine you. My suggestion to serious investors is to decide what part of Calgary or communities he is planning on investing and get familiar with the neighborhood. The investor will need to consider the type of homes he is after, general size, garage or no garage etc. The more specific the criteria the better chances a REALTOR® have of finding a solution. This approach will also forge the investor to become a specialist in the area and he will have a great insight on property values. It will take some time to go through the learning process but dividends will be rewarding especially when an undervalued property shows up on the market.
You think you’ve found the right house, how do you make sure it’s going to work? Doing too much due diligence will never get you into any trouble, not doing any research will cost you a fortune. At this point you should be educated enough to know approximately how much do certain renovations will cost. It’s worth the effort to visit suppliers to get familiar with prices. I suggest outsourcing the same suppliers as builders are using, this could easily save you 10%-25% compared to retail price. If you just need to replace a couple of doors you can find business in the city who sells recycled materials. Most of the time if you just paint it, it will look brand new and you could buy it at 1/3 of the new door. At the time of making an offer, you aren’t going to have any time to ask contractors to provide you with a quote. Plus homeowners wouldn’t appreciate strangers coming through their homes. Prior to your house hunting, you can interview a few contractors and have a general idea of what their prices are. For instance to replace a carpet in a house it would probably cost $3.50/sq.ft. supply & install or paint $2/sq.ft. I don’t recommend starting to measure floor space when you are viewing a home but you should be able to estimate an approximate cost of repairs in 5-10 minutes by using round figures to the nearest thousands. Always over estimate your expenses because it’s guaranteed that you will have surprises.
What kind of renovations should I be doing to maximize my profit? The trick here is to renovate the house to the point where the potential buyer will fall in love with it but it doesn’t cause the resale price to be above the norm in the community. According to the Appraisal Institution of Canada finished basements will only return about ½ of the investment and the greatest values are usually gained from the renovated kitchen and bathrooms. If you are planning on doing multiple renovation projects you need to set up a system to follow. You need to now exactly the type of colors, carpet, baseboards, window coverings that you are going to use. Once you have this information nailed done, you are just repeating the same process over and over until it becomes “cookie cutter” and that will save you a lot of time.
After the renovation is complete staging always helps to sell a home quicker and for a higher price. To speed up your learning curve on how to stage a house you can visit a few show homes on the weekend. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel you just need to get some ideas from what works for others.
Finally you’ve got the keys to the house and you are ready to swing the hammer. Prior to submitting your offer you’ve decided what kind of renovations you will be doing and you have an idea how much it’s going to cost. How do you orchestrate the contractors so it won’t be nightmare? First and most importantly who ever you choose to hire at whatever price, make sure that both of you understand the exact plan. The best way to avoid any misunderstanding is to have everything in writing and in great detail. If you want to establish a long term relationships with contractors it doesn’t hurt to discuss your policies and perhaps have them to sign off on it.
Keep in mind that you must take action. As with anything in life, knowledge without action equals nothing. Although, dreaming is an enjoyable and important process, only actions can transfer dreams into reality.
by www.JoeSamson,com
Recent Asteroid impacts on Earth and the prediction of the end of the world â?? the doomsday!
Posted on 01. Mar, 2010 by admin in general
Recent Asteroid impacts on Earth and the prediction of the end of the world â?? the doomsday!
Small objects frequently collide with the Earth. There is an inverse relationship between the size of the object and the frequency that such objects hit the earth. Asteroids with a 1Â km diameter strike the Earth every 500,000 years on average. Large collisionsâ??with five kilometer objectsâ??happen approximately once every ten million years. The last known impact of an object of 10Â km or more in diameter was at the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event 65 million years ago. Asteroids with diameters of 5-10 m enter the Earth’s atmosphere approximately once per year, with as much energy as Little Boy, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, approximately 15 kilotonâ??s of TNT. These ordinarily explode in the upper atmosphere, and most or all of the solids are vaporized. Objects of diameters of over 50 meters strike the Earth approximately once every thousand years, producing explosions comparable to the one observed at Tunguska in 1908. At least one known asteroid with a diameter of over 1Â km, (29075) 1950 DA, has a calculated probability of colliding with Earth in March 2880, with a Torino scale rating of two.
Throughout recorded history, hundreds of minor impact events (and exploding bolides) have been reported, with some occurrences causing deaths, injuries, property damage, or other significant localized consequences.
In China’s Shanxi Province, 10,000 people were said to have been killed in 1490 by a hail of “falling stones” that some astronomers surmise may have been triggered by the breakup of a large asteroid.
The most significant recorded impact in recent times was the Tunguska event, which occurred in Siberia, Russia, in 1908. This incident involved an explosion that was probably caused by the airburst of an asteroid or comet 5 to 10 kilometers (3â??6 mi) above the Earth’s surface, felling an estimated 80 million trees over 2,150 square kilometers (830 sq mi).
The late Eugene Shoemaker of the U.S. Geological Survey came up with an estimate of the rate of Earth impacts, and suggested that an event about the size of the nuclear weapon that destroyed Hiroshima occurs about once a year. Such events would seem to be spectacularly obvious, but they generally go unnoticed for a number of reasons: the majority of the Earth’s surface is covered by water; a good portion of the land surface is uninhabited; and the explosions generally occur at relatively high altitude, resulting in a huge flash and thunderclap but no real damage.
Some have been observed. Noteworthy examples include the Sikhote-Alin Meteorite fall in Primorye, far eastern Russia, in 1947, and the Revelstoke fireball of 1965, which occurred over the snows of British Columbia, Canada.
A small number of meteorite falls have been observed with automated cameras and recovered following calculation of the impact point. The first of these was the Pribram meteorite, which fell in Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) in 1959. In this case, two cameras used to photograph meteors captured images of the fireball. The images were used both to determine the location of the stones on the ground and, more significantly, to calculate for the first time an accurate orbit for a recovered meteorite.
Following the Pribram fall, other nations established automated observing programs aimed at studying infalling meteorites. One of these was the Prairie Network, operated by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory from 1963 to 1975 in the midwestern US. This program also observed a meteorite fall, the Lost City chondrite, allowing its recovery and a calculation of its orbit. Another program in Canada, the Meteorite Observation and Recovery Project, ran from 1971 to 1985. It too recovered a single meteorite, Innisfree, in 1977. Finally, observations by the European Fireball Network, a descendant of the original Czech program that recovered Pribram, led to the discovery and orbit calculations for the Neuschwanstein meteorite in 2002.
The only reported fatality from meteorite impacts is an Egyptian dog that was killed in 1911 by the Nakhla meteorite, although this report is disputed. The meteorites that struck this area were identified in the 1980s as Martian in origin.
The first known modern case of a human hit by a space rock occurred on November 30, 1954 in Sylacauga, Alabama. There a 4Â kg stone chondrite crashed through a roof and hit Ann Hodges in her living room after it bounced off her radio. She was badly bruised. Several persons have since claimed to have been struck by ‘meteorites’ but no verifiable meteorites have resulted.
On August 10, 1972, a meteor which became known as The Great Daylight 1972 Fireball was witnessed by many people moving north over the Rocky Mountains from the U.S. Southwest to Canada. It was filmed by a tourist at the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming with an 8-millimeter color movie camera. The object was in the range of size from a car to a house and could have ended its life in a Hiroshima-sized blast, but there was never any explosion. Analysis of the trajectory indicated that it never came much lower than 58 kilometers off the ground, and the conclusion was that it had grazed Earth’s atmosphere for about 100 seconds, then skipped back out of the atmosphere to return to its orbit around the Sun.
On the dark morning hours of January 18, 2000, a fireball exploded over the city of Whitehorse in the Canadian Yukon at an altitude of about 26 kilometers, lighting up the night like day. The meteor that produced the fireball was estimated to be about 4.6 meters in diameter and with a weight of 180 tones. This blast was also featured on the Science Channel series Killer Asteroids, with several witness reports from residents in Atlin, British Columbia.
A meteor was observed striking Reisadalen in Nordreisa municipality in Troms County, Norway, on June 7, 2006. Although initial witness reports stated that the resultant fireball was equivalent to the Hiroshima nuclear explosion, scientific analysis places the force of the blast at anywhere from 100-500 tons TNT equivalentâ??at most, around 3% of Hiroshima’s yield.
On September 15, 2007, a chondritic meteor crashed near the village of Carancas in southeastern Peru near Lake Titicaca, leaving a water-filled hole and spewing gases across the surrounding area. Many residents became ill, apparently from the noxious gases shortly after the impact.
Many impact events occur without being observed by anyone on the ground. Between 1975 and 1992, American missile early warning satellites picked up 136 major explosions in the upper atmosphere. In the 21-Nov-2002 edition of the Journal Nature, Peter Brown of the University of Western Ontario reported on his study of US early warning satellite records for the proceeding 8 years. He identified 300 flashes caused by 1 m to 10 m sized meteors in that time period and estimated the rate of Tunguska sized events as once in 400 years. Shoemaker estimated that one of such magnitude occurs about once every 300 years, though more recent analyses have suggested he exaggerated by an order of magnitude.
The 1994 impact of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter also served as a “wake-up call”, and astronomers responded by starting programs such as Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR), Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT), Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search (LONEOS) and several others which have drastically increased the rate of asteroid discovery. However, many objects undoubtedly still remain undetected.
On October 7, 2008, a meteroid labeled 2008 TC3 was tracked for 20 hours as it approached Earth and as it fell through the atmosphere and impacted in Sudan. This was the first time an object was detected before it reached the atmosphere and hundreds of pieces of the meteorite were recovered from the Nubian Desert.
Close encounters and forecasts of new asteroid impacts on earth
On July 19, 2009, a new black spot about the size of Earth was discovered in Jupiter’s southern hemisphere by an amateur astronomer. Thermal infrared analysis showed it was warm and spectroscopic methods detected ammonia. JPL scientists confirmed that another impact event on Jupiter had occurred, probably a small undiscovered comet or other icy body.
On March 31, 2004, a 6 m meteoroid, 2004 FU162 made the second closest approach on record with a separation of only 6,500Â km. Because this object is certainly too small to pass through the atmosphere, it is classed as a meteoroid rather than an asteroid.
In 2004, a newly discovered 320 m asteroid, 99942 Apophis (previously called 2004 MN4), achieved the highest impact probability of any potentially dangerous object. The probability of collision on April 13, 2029 is estimated to be as high as 1 in 17 by Steve Chesley of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, though the previously published figure was the slightly lower odds of 1 in 37, calculated in December 2004. Later observations showed that the asteroid will miss the earth by 25,600Â km (within the orbits of communications satellites) in 2029, but its orbit will be altered unpredictably in a way which does not rule out a collision on April 13 or 14, 2036 or later in the century. These possible future dates have a cumulative probability of 1 in 45,000 for an impact in the 21st century.
Asteroid 2004 VD17, of 580 m, previously was estimated to have a probability of 1 in 63,000 of striking earth on May 4, 2102 (as of July 2006), with risk 1 on the Torino scale, but further observations lowered the estimate. As of the observation on December 17, 2006, JPL assigns 2004 VD17 a Torino value of 0 and an impact probability of 1 in 41.667 million in the next 100 years.
Asteroid (29075) 1950 DA has a potential to collide with Earth on March 16, 2880. The probability of impact is either 1 in 300 or zero, depending on which one of the two possible directions for the asteroid’s spin pole is correct. This asteroid has a mean diameter of about 1.1Â km. The energy released by the collision would cause major effects on the climate and biosphere and may be devastating to human civilization.
The latest close encounter to earth.
Asteroid 2007 TU24, with an estimated diameter between 300-500 meters, came very close to earth orbit by 1.4 times the lunar distance on January 29, 2008. The orbit of the asteroid is shown on NASA’s website.
End of the civilization?
An impact event is commonly seen as a scenario that would bring about the end of civilization. In 2000, Discover Magazine published a list of 20 possible sudden doomsday scenarios with impact event listed as the number one most likely to occur. Until the 1980s this idea was not taken seriously, but all that changed after the discovery of the Chicxulub Crater which was further reinforced by witness to the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 event. Since then there has been more interest from the scientific community and greater public awareness of the possibility of impact events.
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How the Canadian and American Media Unjustly & Negatively Affects Tourism, the Working Manâ??s Economy and Real Estate in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Posted on 01. Mar, 2010 by admin in general
By: William McFadden; a Canadian expat, business owner, working & residing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, May 8, 2009
Living in Puerto Vallarta for over eight years; I have seen during that time how some of the media in the USA and Canada will pick up on anything negative that happens in Mexico. They then glamorize it into a news release that makes people reading or viewing the reports, think that Mexico is a very undesirable place to visit or live. I have lived in what would be considered a relatively safe place in Canada, that being Edmonton, Alberta, for 31 years prior to moving to Puerto Vallarta. I can tell you that Edmonton is by far a more dangerous place to live than Puerto Vallarta. It seems the media has a fascination for sensationalizing anything that occurs in Mexico and this reflects in the fact that Americans and Canadians are uncomfortable about visiting or retiring in Mexico. Puerto Vallarta, in contrast, is a virtual Paradise.
Most recently; the combination of the Worldâ??s Financial Crisis, Swine Flu (HINI), corruption in the government and the negative publicity concerning the internal fight against the Drug lords have had an extremely bad economic effect on Mexico: an effect that is mostly unjustified. This article will present a very different viewpoint for most parts of Mexico. This is not to say that I believe there are areas in Mexico where I would not live while having the same freedoms and comfort in the safety as in Puerto Vallarta. Having lived and worked in Puerto Vallarta as a business owner, realtor & architect for over eight years, I can attest to much of what I am about to report:
1. World Financial Crisis: Mexico and Puerto Vallarta are certainly affected in a very significant manner from this downturn. The resale and pre-construction real estate market has not come to a standstill but is certainly down by perhaps 85 to 90% by volume from the previous year. In the re-sale market, there are very good deals to be had on a hit and miss basis.  Most properties are owned in Puerto Vallarta without mortgages and the cost of maintaining a property here is very low compared to the USA and Canada. If an Owner does not need the equity they have in a property, there is not a very significant financial drain by owning the property. Effectively the deals are from those that have a property here and need the equity elsewhere, be it in Canada or the USA and are often deeply discounting prices to obtain the equity they require. Other owners who are not in a financial pinch are simply riding out the economic downturn for good reason as they know the prices will rebound. This is currently a Buyerâ??s market and for those properties that are selling, the sales prices are generally in the 2006 to 2007 market levels. Since this a popular tourist and retirement destination, these people are being quite wise. A few things to consider concerning owning property in Puerto Vallarta are:
a.      Property taxes are a mere fraction of what they are in the USA and Canada. Currently in Puerto Vallarta, they are approximately 0.001 of the assessed tax value, which is generally lower than the market value. In my opinion, this will probably remain so as, although the cities and governments in Mexico need capital for development, the majority of the Nationals are still poor and cannot afford to have the property taxes increase significantly and the governments know this. The government cannot simply impose large increases to a population that does not have the money to pay for these increases. The result is a very significant benefit to a foreign owner as they also do not have to pay large property taxes and they can be relatively assured this will not change very quickly;
b.      Puerto Vallarta has not seen, outside of the few properties mentioned above, the deep devaluation of real estate values as has been seen in many parts of the USA. There is good reason for this:
i. Puerto Vallarta is a very desirable location for a second home or even a place to retire to. One can live here very economically. It has an ideal semi-tropical climate even in the summer for those that can take a little heat and humidity. This is much easier to take than the minus 35 winter weather in parts of Canada;
ii. Most owners know that Puerto Vallarta will recover rapidly as the world comes out of recession so unless they are themselves in a financial crisis, why should they offer deep discounts for selling their properties?
iii. Puerto Vallarta is one of the safest places to live in the world, has very good flight connections to many locations in both the USA and Canada, provides almost a guarantee as to what to expect in the weather, has wonderful medical and dental care, has a myriad of charitable options for foreigners to get involved in should they want to assist Mexicoâ??s developing nature and has so many options for lifestyle.
2.        The Drug War: There has been extreme negative publicity concerning the effective warfare between drug lord families trying to get control of this multi-billion dollar illegal business. Locally in Puerto Vallarta, there were some Drug Families that tried to move into Vallarta. The Federal and State Governments sent in the army and have made it very clear that Puerto Vallarta is a very significant tourist and foreign retirement community and they do not want to have the Drug Lord families playing havoc with that. This action has put a pretty good lid on this problem. Like any area, be it in the USA, Canada or Mexico, if one stays away from buying and participating in drug use, the area is extremely safe. In my past life of 31 years in Edmonton, Alberta, where there are drive by shootings and gang related crimes I have found that this is virtually unheard of the Puerto Vallarta. To give you a sense of what it is like to live here, please review the following:
a. I would not be concerned if my wife walked alone in most public areas of Puerto Vallarta, even in the middle of the night. She owned a restaurant for two years and frequently left to come home at 2:00 in the morning without an escort and nothing ever concerned her. In Edmonton, Alberta, I would not be comfortable with that even if both of us were together;
b. Most of the dangerous crime areas are around the Mexican/USA border which is the area that Hillary Clinton recently acknowledged that the USA is very connected to the cause of this problem. In her statements she said if it was not for the market for drugs in the USA, there would not be a problem with the smuggling of weapons and money from the USA to Mexico and conversely for the smuggling of drugs into the USA from Mexico. This acknowledgement has paved the way, in my opinion, for both the Mexican and USA governments to work cooperatively to fix this problem;
c. In Puerto Vallarta, like in any city in North America, there is an illegal drug trafficking business and like most cities if you choose not to participate, you live generally unaware of the problem and have a peaceful life unaffected by the problem. I have seen extremely unfair journalism concerning how bad Mexico is to visit while very little reporting is being done on the local problems that all cities have. An example would be reporting on how a USA or Canadian was killed while out partying. I look at this and realize how some tourists simply do not use common sense about how they party, where they party and how they act. In any country one must keep a sense of courtesy toward the local people and use common sense concerning how they act. Do the newsmakers report that when there is a brutal killing in Detroit that this should mean that people should avoid visiting the United States? No!!! but that would be a good comparative to use. The Canadian and USA news should report that it is a good idea to act civilly when you are a tourist in a foreign country, be it Mexico or Russia and keep your head about you so you will not get into trouble.  I have seen too many tourists come to Mexico and think they can treat the Nationals with disdain and without respect. Mexicanâ??s are, for the most part, a very friendly people and are happy to assist tourists to have a good time. Most tourists are wonderful, come to have a rest and a good time and accomplish this. For those that are uncivil and get into trouble, where is the reporting on how tourists act and how they should act?  The reporting should be telling people to keep their heads when they travel, keep away from getting too drunk that you lose your senses and definitely stay away from getting involved with drugs. Then you will most likely have a wonderful holiday.
3. Swine Flu: Another element that has crippled Mexicoâ??s economy recently is this flu which has created hysteria worldwide. Mexico acted with incredible integrity for the world in that they reported the disease and made all sorts of closures of businesses and schools to help contain this potential Pandemic. In the end, the flu has turned out to relatively minor with few deaths outside of Mexico and in reality about 100 deaths inside Mexico. This number represents cases when the disease was not known and people thinking it was only a common flu did not get treated on time. Major underlying chronic diseases also had a lot to do with the deaths.  The number of deaths has been reduced significantly over the last few days due to better information acquired and all the preventive measures taken by the Mexican government. The majority of infections in Mexico have taken place in Mexico City and central states with zero cases in most Pacific states including the city of Puerto Vallarta. The international news now is â?¦.. wait until this flu virus mutates and comes back again with a vengeance in the fall!!! How do they know this and what does it now have to do with Mexico. This influenza virus is now all over the world and if it does mutate, it could mutate anywhere in the world. I bet if you asked people about this, they still relate the potential problem to Mexico. In all probability this may well again be a mild flu causing insignificant deaths compared to the annual death toll from influenza related diseases. Unfortunately, the public perception will probably take time to waiver and Mexico will be unjustly punished in the meantime.
4. Government Corruption: Mexico is a developing nation, moving from the being a third world country to a developing nation and in time a fully developed industrial country. Some of itsâ?? primary assets are people, wonderful tourist destinations, a very rich culture and a people who are mostly pleased to welcome and make the tourists and retirees comfortable in being here. There is a history of corruption at all government levels and this will not be negated overnight. There has been a tremendous improvement even in the eight plus years that I have been here.   Keep in mind also that this is a developing nation and is not as polished as the United States or Canada. I donâ??t imagine that anyone in the USA and/or Canada could say that their governments do not have a lot of corruption as well but not as blatant. This problem should not tarnish Mexico with regards to tourism or buying a piece of property.
This covers the primary points & opinions that I have and wanted to express at this time. Puerto Vallarta has been our little piece of Paradise for over eight years and before that for another six years of frequent visits for quality of life, a wonderful work environment and I would invite anyone including the media to contact me for further information, to invest in dialogue about this wonderful place or to dispute what I have reported.  My contact information is through McFadden Group Real Estate with the toll free number from the USA and Canada 1 877 651 3118. My personal e-mail is William@mcfaddengroupmexico.com or visit our web site www.mcfaddengroupmexico.com.
Home Equity Q&A
Posted on 01. Mar, 2010 by admin in general
Can I win a home equity strip of credit on an owner financed home? Have allowed contract. I live contained by TX.?Is it even possible? Want to do remodeling, pay off son’s vehicle etc. Will also pay off house so I won’t enjoy two “mortgage” payments. From what I’ve heard a HELOC is easier/faster to get. What I want to…Can i write bad property import tax and also, can i write sour interest on a personal information secured by my home equity?i have a personal note that i settle up 50 per month interest on and it is secured by my homes equity, a second if you will, and i wanted to know if i can write this off?…Can interest on a home equity strip of credit be claimed on my taxes?If the line of credit was used (and is solely anyone used) toward the purchase of my house, can the interest I pay on it be claimed on my taxes like mortgage interest? yes If the home equity line of credit is used solitary to purchase the…Can interest on home equity dash of credit be taken as an interest expense for rental property on agenda E?if it is used for personal reasons? Tax laws differ from country to country and perchance state to state but I think in broad: Interest paid on money borrowed for investment purchases is tax deductable. The home equity chain…Can maying bi-monthly mortage payments relief earn equity on your home?If your mortgage/PMI/Property taxes amount to $1000/month, and you pay $500 on the 1st of the month and $500 on the 15th, will this help you gain equity on the house faster and, surrounded by turn, pay off the loan quicker? Or will it work out to be impossible…Can my 62 yr ripened mother release $100000 equity on her home for me to buy a house?she owns her house outright and it is worth at lease $200,000 she is on a pension Why not buy your own home, short the help of your mother? If you can’t buy one on your own, maybe you shouldn’t hold…Can my ex-fiance thieve partially equity of my home after living here 1 and a partially years?My Fiance and I recently split.. She lived in my house for a angelic year and a half…. By Texas law, is she entitled to partially the equity in this house? And if this happens, when and how will she be owed…Can my home equity flash lender force me to provide (or into foreclosure) if I own almost 70% of my home?We are not in foreclosure but this bank have had trouble. I’m trying to understand our position should they emergency full payment of the equity line. Unless you have a ballon or a constraint on the loan or are…Can my mortgage or home equity wall repossess my saloon if I stopped making mortgage payments?I am ready for foreclosure. I cannot afford any more payments. I have two cars that are fully rewarded and I am just wondering if a bank can repossess or put a lien on them? No, they cannot repossess your cars. But get…Can my partner gain a home equity row of credit lacking my signature?My partner and I are splitting up. We own a home together. Can she take out a home equity line of credit short my signature? Not unless she forges your signature. No, to do any mortgages, or refinances, etc, both spouses must be present, even…Can someone please explain how sweat equity works when building a alien home? ?Including what documentation I would need? And how I would go something like utilizing it? My husband did all the brick/stone on the outside of the house himself along with adjectives the flooring. Thank you!! Julie You saved the money (adding equity to improve the…Can someone transmit me if they know anyone who can refiance a home when within is no equity within it?I am facing in this coming May a “dramanic” increase in my interest rate and inevitability to refiance but do not have much equity in my house because of a house equity procession of credit I have out. check with…Can the beneficiary of an estate borrow money against the equity within the home surrounded by direct to renovate it for mart?A relative has left me their home as slice of the proceeds of their estate. I have been cleaning out the house over times past month and now that it is almost empty it is comparatively evident that…Can u formulate money next to your home equity?I’m new to this buying a home. I’m not sure what is home equity is or how i get it and what to do next to it. I know that u can use it to upgrade you home but can u make money on your home equity? if so…Can you borrow from home equity near spouse signature? If both your names are on the title then you MUST hold your spuse sign on the home equity loan. Can you buy a coup¨¦ rotten of home equity?line of credit sure it’s your money! cha ching you freshly hit a small lottery, but don’t blow ALL of it! You can buy anything near it. I wouldn’t though. Especially a car. It looses value and your house doesn’t. yes you can… the major benefit individual that…Can you do a home equity loan contained by texas near a power of attorney? It depends on if it is a limited power of attorney, or a full power of attorney. If it is limited, it depends on the stipulations nominated. Yes Can you foreclose on your home when your second is an equity chain? Yes, but your liability for the 2nd TD is enforceable against you, even after the foreclosure. Good luck. Can you get hold of an equity flash on a home you merely bought using another equity splash and lolly combined?I just bought a house for 65,000 using an equity line and lolly. 40,000 in cash and 25,000 equity string. After fixing up, it will be worth about 90,000. Since i don’t have a morgage on this house, can i…Can you go and get a Home Equity loan or 2nd mortage on a house that you don’t occupy?I have a second home that I am trying to sell but if I can’t market it I am going to have to turn it into a rent house. I have fixed this house up so I own lots of equity…Can you income bad a home mortgage next to a home equity file of credit?My sister is asking me for money to pay up her home equity line. When I asked going on for her mortgage payment, she said she paid it sour with her home equity line. Is that possible to borrow money on your home to…CAN YOU PULL OUT EQUITY FROM YOUR HOME AND USED IT TO PAY OFF DEBT? ? Yes, you are exchanging one from of debt for another. Yes you can using a HELOC loan call this for its a tax write offable Home Equity line of credit=HELOC I get one and it was a godsend. I got 50k…Can you put a home equity queue of credit into a liquidation? yes you can assuming that you are letting the house go also.failing that you would want to keep up on house relateecstatics. not usually…. Your Heloc was secured by the equity in your house. Your house is the collateral for it. Bankruptcy with the…Can you re fiance or extract equity out of your home and later record chapter 7 collapse?I own a condo in Florida and have some equity within it. My bills are too much and i’m going to file for chapter 7 bankruptcy. I want to extract any equity out of the home and money back personal family debts…Can you release equity on your home, even if you still enjoy a mortgage ? Kayla, I wonder what you mean by “release.” If you mean how can you access or grasp your hands on the money you have built up within equity, if there is enough equity, you can apply for a home equity loan at a guard…Can you relieve me beside some home equity and mortgage question I hold?Little background: I live in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) and own about $80,000 equity in my current home. I owe just about about $10,000 for miscellaneous creditors and personal loans. My credit is poor but I”m trying to clean it up and I also don’t own…Can you seize a 2nd on your home if you own no equity within your home alreay enjoy a 1st? yes you can but you just have to find the right place. anyone can assume a mortage if it is an assumable one or find one where on earth the vendor takes vertebrae the mortage. there are lots of…Can you subtract the mortgage interest from a first home mortgage, a break home mortgage and an equity procession?? Only for two properties deaing beside Mortgage interest. Regarding property taxes you can have more than two properties. You can reduce by the mortgage interest from your first home and your second home. If you rent out your…Can you take a home equity chain of credit on a property that you own, but do not live within? Yes…. but they will only bestow on what you got into it. I AM Yes, but the rates aren’t too desirable. Hi Cool Dad, Great question! You can absolutely carry a HELOC on…Can you take a home equity loan if you hold a usda home loan? I’m not a banker, but I believe you would have to bequeath up the usda loan in order to switch to a home equity loan. It is usually crooked to have more then one loan using alike property as collateral. As I said… More Home Equityquestions please visit : RefinanceFreeFAQ.com
Single Woman Home Buyers – Lethbridge Real Estate
Posted on 28. Feb, 2010 by admin in general
Fierce and sassy, well equipped with confidence and a pay check to back it, single woman home buyers are taking the real estate world by storm. According to the most recent (2007) stats from the National Association of REALTORS®, single women accounted for 22% of all home purchases with single men trailing behind at just 9%. One in five single women are taking the bull by the horns and plunging into home ownership!
So what are the driving forces behind this growing trend? Here are my thoughts:
1. Women are more organized. Face it guys, we have you beat here and with all that organization comes the discipline needed to scrape together a down payment. It’s also that organization that helps us keep our bills paid on time protecting that much needed credit score that’s so very important at mortgage time!
2. Women are making more money and are feeling the independence that comes with a bigger pay check. No more waiting for Price Charming or Mr. Right to make our real estate dreams come true. Our focus instead, has shifted to The Mortgage Guy, the REALTOR® and perhaps the cute guy at Home Depot!
3. Women are (generally) more likely to “do their homework” before embarking on a big purchase. In the home purchase process, that can mean anything from getting pre-approved for a mortgage, to interviewing REALTORS®, to checking into the cost of renovations before viewing that “fixer-upper”. Knowledge is power and familiarity with things such as the steps to buying a home or how much home you can afford makes the transaction smoother and less stressful for everyone!
I bought my first home (with the help of my parents) as a single 23 year old girl. It’s where I lived when I met my future husband (now my current beloved!) and we said our wedding vows in that very back yard. We’ve since moved on together to our second home, but I got to take with me some wonderful memories not to mention a few extra greenbacks from that sweet little starter that I had the courage to go it alone on!
For more information on how to get the ball rolling have a look at a great little book by Brenda Bouw called “Home Girl – The Single Woman’s Guide to Buying Real Estate in Canada”.