Edmonton Real Estate Investor

Alberta Oil Sands Investment Real Estate News®
Glenn Simon Inc., Suite 1217, 5328 Calgary Trail NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Tel 1-888-780-5940 Fax 1-888-276-4517
www.glennsimoninc.com email: info@glennsimoninc.com

July 15th., 2011
Volume 10, Issue 8

Dear Friends and Partners,

Trust that you are keeping busy and taking advantage of the summer. We're knee-deep in drywall, asbestos and concrete for our Cornerstone suite renovation. You can follow the progress on Edmonton Investor blog spot.

CBC Radio Active had a snapshot interview that centered around the very good advice of not over-"renoing". One of the most common traps that home owners get into when renovating is the add on. We're much more likely to throw in all our wish list items during a renovation project and end up way over budget. It seems easier to get the work done on your bathroom when your kitchen is being ripped out. Logical or not, don't do it. Stick to your budget and factor in additional renovations for a later date.

Often during renovations you may uncover some fault that needs remedy and it is beneficial to have a cushion in your budget for the unexpected. For example, while tearing down the walls to build a kitchen in the basement suite we found a hairline crack in the parging. Not a big deal except that it was damp at the base with a slow seep of water coming in. The parging had been done about 20 years earlier and covered up a much larger crack in the concrete wall. Better to discover this now than after you have spent $35K building the basement suite.

I ended up repairing this crack myself for about $60 in materials and 4 hours labour. You can spend anywhere from $400-$1000 for an internal crack to be repaired and much more if you attack the job from on the outside (I did a combination of both). Unexpected jobs come up and can be costly; prepare as best you can in your budget. Resist the urge to over renovate, instead, work in stages.

West Central Edmonton: Cashflowing Six-Plex In Queen Mary Park

Turbo charge your portfolio. Upgraded 1978 built 6-plex with separate entrance to all units. 4 functionally finished 710 sqft. 1 bedrooms on main, plus 2 upgraded 650 sqft. 1 bedroom suites up. The upper suites have laminate and fresh paint. There is a common laundry room in basement. The lower units have new paint and some fixtures as well. Lower suites walk out to a private grassy, fenced yard. There is a 2 car detached garage bringing in additional revenue. 10 minutes to NAIT, Grant MacEwan and Downtown. Fast access to Yellowhead Highway and on the bus routes. These pictures show the detail and care that went into building this quality home.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Convenient Central area with easy access to transit and downtown. Excellent transitional neighborhood with solid value and stable rents. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this home in relation to Edmonton's developing core.

Produces $676 positive cash flow per month using an investor's mortgage plan - taking advantage of current low rates.

Purchase price: $525K Total Investment: $126K. Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $76K.Your pre-tax Total ROI is 60% or 12% per year + $676 Cash Flow in Your Pocket Every Month

Poised for massive growth. These 6 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: renovation costs, financial analysis, professional inspection, insurance, financing set-up, legal fees, basic accounting, reserve fund, CMA, bi-annual statements, strategic market planning to ensure successful entry and exit, plus much more!

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Job Gains In Alberta Top Numbers For Entire U.S.

Province Added 22,000 Jobs In June

By Kim Guttormson, Calgary Herald. July 9th 2011

Alberta's brisk employment growth continued in June as the province added 22,000 jobs, more than were created in the entire United States.
But with more people re-entering the job hunt and moving here in search of work, Alberta's unemployment rate actually climbed slightly, to 5.6 per cent.

"They're really strong," ATB Financial economist Dan Sumner said of the Statistics Canada job numbers released Friday. "It's a little bit surprising how strong."

The variety of jobs across a number of sectors also speaks to the health of the Alberta economy, he pointed out. FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE

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Husky Bets Big On Northern Canada Oil Drilling Rights

TEDx A Showcase of Edmonton Innovators

By Jeffrey Jones, Reuters July 5th 2011

CALGARY, Alberta, July 5 (Reuters) - Husky Energy Inc (HSE.TO) has opened its wallet to grab the lion's share of C$534 million ($556 million) of winning bids for oil-drilling rights in the central Mackenzie Valley area of Canada's far north, sparking speculation it may be chasing a rich prospect.

In the 2011 government auction of drilling rights in northern lands, Husky bid C$376 million for two parcels near Norman Wells in the Northwest Territories, vastly outspending some of the world's largest oil majors, the government announced on Monday. READ MORE HERE

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Energy Drives Alberta To #1 Growth

By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary Herald July 7th, 2011

An improving energy sector will fuel economic growth in Alberta, which Scotia Economics predicts will be the strongest in the country this year and next.

In a report released Wednesday, the bank said real GDP growth in the province will be 4.2 per cent this year, the highest in the nation, followed by 3.3 per cent growth in 2012, which will tie Saskatchewan at No. 1.

Scotia Economics is forecasting Canadian economic growth of 2.7 per cent this year and 2.5 per cent in 2012. GRAB THIS STORY

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I appreciate all your calls and emails. I'm looking forward to helping you with your next step towards building real wealth.

Your success continues EVERYDAY, let me help you build for tomorrow.

"The more chance there is of stubbing your toe, the more chance you have of stepping into success." -Author Unknown

Warm Regards,

Todd and Danielle Millar

===SPECIAL NOTICE: NO CASH, BUT GOOD CREDIT? CALL US TODAY TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN OWN INVESTMENT PROPERTY===

P.S. Stay ahead by checking out Danielle's daily blog at Edmonton Real Estate Investor for all your cutting edge market news and information.

P.P.S. Don’t forget to visit our website and take advantage of the Resource Tools and product section including REIN's #1 real estate books and Quick Start homestudy sets at a discount. Get your copy of the Canadian Success Stories book and the 2011 Top Ten Investment Towns of Alberta and Ontario.

I'm continuing my Cornerstone Project basement suite development series. Please read the first post here.
In order to get funding for the Cornerstone Project you have to provide a series of documents. Most are relatively easy to get together but timing is crucial especially with the permit.

What you need:
1. Two itemized estimates of the total construction cost of the proposed suite - easy enough it would seem. If you have contractors you trust and use regularly have them come by and took a look. We actually had 8 contractors come through to get 2 quotes that ranged by about $15k. Make sure you get a lot of estimates so you have a good idea of what's out there and what is inline for costs.

2. Copy of Development Permit and Building Permit/ Electrical Permit - This one takes A LONG time. Think 4 to 8 weeks. If you think you'll get the suite up and be rented withing 6 weeks it's ambitious. The permit requires a lot of documents of it's own so prepare well, reserve a lot of time and plan for 2-month turnover before you can even start renos.

A) Development Permit and Building Permit for the City of Edmonton requirements:
i. Pictures from all angles of the property
ii. The Real Property Report - it must show 3 parking spots NOT including street parking (I know)
iii. A drawing of the space to be renovated including

-size and uses of all rooms
-locations of doorways
-floor to ceiling height
-direction the doors open
-window size and locations
-location of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in main suite, basement suite, furnace room and top of exit stairwell
-plumbing and electrical changes
-construction materials

There must also be a true to scale drawing of the main floor above the suite. Our contractor did a basic drawing and I finished off all the details. I'm pretty artistically challenged and my walls didn't line up but as long as you "do your best" they will accept it ~ within reason of course.

The permit cost a total of $724.88 $260 of that is basic fee for Secondary Suite built within and Existing House and the rest depends on the cost of your renos.

Electrical Permit - generally the contractor pulls this.

3. Copy of land title or a valid offer to purchase to confirm the ownership of the property - an accepted offer is great or if you've owned the property for a while get title from the Registry office.

4. Copy of a current property tax notice/assessment - we just squeaked by on this as the vendors had not paid any taxes for 2011. Taxes are due by June 30 of the tax year and our closing date was June 24th. We went down to city hall and paid the arrears of course funds were credited to us in the sale. Make sure your taxes are up to date.

5. Confirmation of project financing - simply a bank statement showing you have the funds.

If you take away anything from this it's give yourself enough time to get the permit.

Alberta Oilsands Real Estate Investment News ,Glenn Simon Inc., Suite 1217, 5328 Calgary Trail NW, Edmonton, AB Canada.
Tel 1-888-780-5940 Fax 1-888-276-4517
http://www.glennsimoninc.com/ email: info@glennsimoninc.com

July 1st, 2011 Volume 10 Issue 7

Dear Friends and Partners,

This newsletter is our compact holiday version. Please look for the full length issue on July 15, 2011.

It's a beatiful day in Edmonton. The sky is blue and sprawling as only the prairie sky can be. For the last ten years we celebrated Canada Day in a small park in Tokyo generally during rainy season. Eating hotdogs and cake with a smattering of ex-pats from across our country sharing funny stories of being the stranger in a strange land while rain poured down. Sounds dire but we never missed a single celebration.

Driving around Edmonton seeing the flags, all the celebrations and fireworks is a great reminder of why we got together every year with our fellow ex-pats. Being Canadian was our common denominator, although we spanned from British Columbia to P.E.I we were joined by the red maple leafs sewn on our packs or sometimes tattooed on limbs.

We raise a glass to all the ex-pats joined together wherever they are to celebrate being Canadian.

Click Here for Fun Facts about Canada!

I appreciate all your calls and emails. I'm looking forward to helping you with your next step to building real wealth.

Your success continues EVERYDAY, let me help you build for tomorrow.

"When one door closes another door opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully at the closed door, that we do not see the ones that open for us." Alexander Graham Bell 9th Greatest Canadian

Warm Regards,

Todd and Danielle Millar

living room of basement suite

For the past 2 years the City of Edmonton has offered a program to help improve the amount of affordable housing in Edmonton. The Cornerstone Project offers funding, up to 75% of $32,000 to be exact, to bring an existing suite to code or build a new basement or garden suite.

At first the program was a little lame. No funding for rentals houses had to be owner occupied and rent had to be below market average. Recently with a lot of money not going anywhere Edmonton has revised the program. Rentals are ok with market rent to a tenant with less than average income ie student etc.

So with over $6 million looking for suites to renovate we've decided to take the plunge and I'm going to chronicle the process for you here.

I've bought over 50 house but I've never bought a home. Unbelievable right? We bought our first home this month and decided to use the Cornerstone to put a suite in the basement. Even though we'll live here we'll improve the market value and make it a great rental for when we move onto our next place.

Step 1: The Inspection

So our first step was to call Cornerstones and book a inspection. A fire inspector and building inspector came out, went over the whole basement inside and out and made reports on the work that had to be done.

Including:

1. Drywall all ceilings and walls even in storage areas and under stairs
2. Ensure windows in bedrooms meet egress requirements. They also must not require special knowledge to open
3. Put hard-wired smoke alarms in suite, common areas and on the main floor
4. There should be a fan in the bathroom and proper venting in kitchen
5. Separate entrance must have easy access
6. Ceilings must be 96 inches minimum

The report also called for inspections of the hot water tank and that the furnace had property venting.

The next step PERMITS.

The riots last week in Vancouver left us all ashamed and angered at the hooligans that turned a sporting event into a national embarrassment.

One light in the darkness (isn't there always one?) is the couple who found a bit of time for romance on the street while cars burned, windows smashed and tear gas zinged around them.
Take a break to look at this truly funny photo gallery dedicated to their unbridled passion.

Click Here - the hot dog one is my favorite.

Alberta Oil Sands Investment Real Estate News®
Glenn Simon Inc., Suite 1217, 5328 Calgary Trail NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Tel 1-888-780-5940 Fax 1-888-276-4517
www.glennsimoninc.com email: info@glennsimoninc.com

June 16th., 2011
Volume 10, Issue 6

Dear Friends and Partners,

I've had a very busy month that took me to Mississauga, NYC, 3 awesome workshops and the Canadian book launch of Change Anything where I met author Joseph Grenny. The travel was fantastic and the folks that I learned with at these events, were amazing. I'd love to share with you the long list of cool experiences that I had including buying a Gretchen Fuss painting in SoHo to hanging out with a pair of very successful IT developers in a Manhattan beer garden.

But, the point that I'd like to mention is that you have to raise your hand. Initially, I didn't raise my hand to go on this Eastern trip as I have many pressing obligations back in Edmonton, but Danielle challenged me enough to look at how I could tweak my schedule to make it happen - and I did. As soon as I 'raised my hand' and committed to going, everything fell into place - well almost everything, as there are always a few hiccups.

One thing I thought about New York was the image of 'making it' there. If you have taught yoga or owned a restaurant in NYC for longer than a year, chances are you look like you've made it. In reality your day may be a struggle and you are fighting to attract customers and keep your head above water, but optically you've made it. Why is that? I think many people aren't willing to raise their hand to challenge and competition, be it NYC or any other place or form. When you 'yes' I'll try, you are already halfway there. It may turn out that you don't like NYC or that you learned a better way to do something or another place or career that you'd rather be living out, but for that moment you have 'done it'. The staying power needed in a big city, top company, specific niche is tremendous. The competition extreme, and if you can stay the course, which is always much longer than a year, you have proven your ability to play the game at a higher level.

Here's to upping the game this month or taking time to savour the view from the place you're at.

West Central Edmonton: Cashflowing Six-Plex In Queen Mary Park

Turbo charge your portfolio. Upgraded 1978 built 6-plex with separate entrance to all units. 4 functionally finished 710 sqft. 1 bedrooms on main, plus 2 upgraded 650 sqft. 1 bedroom suites up. The upper suites have laminate and fresh paint. There is a common laundry room in basement. The lower units have new paint and some fixtures as well. Lower suites walk out to a private grassy, fenced yard. There is a 2 car detached garage bringing in additional revenue. 10 minutes to NAIT, Grant MacEwan and Downtown. Fast access to Yellowhead Highway and on the bus routes. These pictures show the detail and care that went into building this quality home.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Convenient Central area with easy access to transit and downtown. Excellent transitional neighborhood with solid value and stable rents. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this home in relation to Edmonton's developing core.

Produces $676 positive cash flow per month using an investor's mortgage plan - taking advantage of current low rates.

Purchase price: $525K Total Investment: $126K. Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $76K.Your pre-tax Total ROI is 60% or 12% per year + $676 Cash Flow in Your Pocket Every Month
Poised for massive growth. These 6 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: renovation costs, financial analysis, professional inspection, insurance, financing set-up, legal fees, basic accounting, reserve fund, CMA, bi-annual statements, strategic market planning to ensure successful entry and exit, plus much more!

===============

Edmonton International Airport Terminal Expansion Under Budget, Ahead of Schedule

Original $1B Budget Reduced By 25% As Recession Reduced Cost Of materials

By Bill Mah, Edmonton Journal. June 8th 2011

EDMONTON - Construction of a massive terminal expansion at the Edmonton International Airport is coming in under budget and faster than expected.
Adding more than 480,000 square feet — roughly the size of eight football fields — to the existing terminal building was originally budgeted at about $1 billion.

===============

TEDx A Showcase of Edmonton Innovators

By Codi Wilson, Postmedia News June 11th 2011

EDMONTON -- Of all the video games former programmer Aaryn Flynn enjoys playing, Scrabble on his iPad is a favourite.

“It’s fun to play with your friends,” Flynn said. “It’s good for travelling too.”

Flynn, the studio general manager at BioWare, an Edmonton-based video game developer, spoke at the TEDx event Saturday inside the Citadel Theatre to a crowd of approximately 200. TEDx is a conference of ideas lead by technology and design industry leaders around the world.

===============

I appreciate all your calls and emails. I'm looking forward to helping you with your next step towards building real wealth.

Your success continues EVERYDAY, let me help you build for tomorrow.

"Winning isn't everything, but the will to win is everything." -Vince Lombardi

Warm Regards,

Todd and Danielle Millar

===SPECIAL NOTICE: NO CASH, BUT GOOD CREDIT? CALL US TODAY TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN OWN INVESTMENT PROPERTY===

P.S. Stay ahead by checking out Danielle's daily blog at Edmonton Real Estate Investor for all your cutting edge market news and information.

P.P.S. Don’t forget to visit our website and take advantage of the Resource Tools and product section including REIN's #1 real estate books and Quick Start homestudy sets at a discount. Get your copy of the Canadian Success Stories book and the 2011 Top Ten Investment Towns of Alberta and Ontario.

"Now, the Alberta government forecasts a shortage of at least 77,000 workers within the next decade.

“We’re walking into a perfect storm,” Alberta Employment and Immigration Minister Thomas Lukaszuk says."

Is this the beginning of another labour shortage? Possibly – there are definitely more ‘Help Wanted’ signs appearing and contractors are busier.

We’ve noticed an increase in tenants looking for rentals as well. Some of this demand is seasonal with a rush to get outdoor jobs (construction) done before winter. We’re busier here in Alberta and starting on the upswing, but we still have a few valleys to cross before we get moving full swing. Next year we should really see the demand. Click Here to read more

May 31, 2011 was the day anyone holding a variable rate mortgage was waiting for with bated breath. Mortgage rates looked like they were going up but now it looks like we may have a reprieve from rate increase for the short term due to global unrest.

“The Fed is not even dreaming of raising rates in the next 12 months,” Benjamin Tal

We've got a rate lock on a mortgage for September 2011, the big dilema, wheter to go variable at great cashflow and higher stress or lock in at a great steady rate for 3 years. We've chosen to lock in on this property. There were many factors but sometimes you get sick of the ups and downs of variable rates even though they do better in the long run. In the end it's all up to you.

VIDEO : Peter Kinch on the Bank of Canada's decision to not increase mortgage rates on May 31, 2011.

"An improving Alberta economy will lead to employment growth and an increase in the number of people moving to Calgary, which will be good news for the region's housing market in the next two years.

A report by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. forecasts MLS sales in the Calgary region to increase by nearly five per cent this year compared with a year ago, while the average sale price will rise by just over one per cent."

We’ll still see ups and downs for a while longer while we head into improved upward momentum. The next 18 to 24 months will be steady for Calgary and Edmonton, and then we should move into full recovery cycle (meaning 2 years into a 5-7 year cycle). Calgary generally dictates the direction of Edmonton, so we watch and welcome their increase in home prices. If you factor in 3% appreciation per year over the next 5 years you should be on track.

Read More Here

Alberta Oil Sands Investment Real Estate News® Glenn Simon Inc., Suite 1217, 5328 Calgary Trail NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Tel 1-888-780-5940 Fax 1-888-276-4517  www.glennsimoninc.com email: info@glennsimoninc.com  

June 1st., 2011  Volume 10, Issue 5  

Dear Friends and Partners,

I moderate my doses of news as so much of it is unhealthy; unhealthy reporting, topics and servings of negativity. With that said I do tune into a few CBC Radio programs and they have had extensive coverage of the Slave Lake fire. I have found the interviews of the residents powerful. CBC reporters had spoken with folks who were literally breathless from having run to escape the flames. Other coverage took place from makeshift shelters in Athabasca. And more recently from the parking lot of a nearby town, as buses departed taking residents on a trip back of the remains of Slave Lake, touring neighborhoods where fire disintegrated more than three quarters of the homes to smoldering ash.

Imagine that for a moment. You're at home with your kids when suddenly you get a knock at the door telling you you have to leave - right now. You grab the kids, your pets and not much else. As you try and flee town you realize the fire is much worse than you thought as your only escape is a dusty, smoky, potholed back road lined with an inferno of blazing orange trees, collapsing helter-skelter around you. The next couple days are a blur as firefighters from all over Canada are sent in to help put out the fire - but it is stubborn and takes days. You still don't know if your house or business survived. Fast forward to last Thursday when residents did get to go back, many of which had lost their cars, homes and places of employment.

CBC interviewed these folks and the matter-of-fact resilience was amazing. Many people were optimistic to rebuild and excited that a few landmarks remained. They might have lost almost all of their material objects save the intangible memories they shared in their homes - but they are optimistic! I certainly hope I would be. Of course there are folks rightfully bewildered by loss and despair but the overwhelming majority shares a bespoke 'Getter Done' attitude to rebuilding.

Take a bit of that resilience today and magnify it back in the things you do; let it grow and go back to those people and the people in your family and community.

===============

West Central Edmonton: Cashflowing Six-Plex In Queen Mary Park

Turbo charge your portfolio. Upgraded 1978 built 6-plex with separate entrance to all units. 4 functionally finished 710 sqft. 1 bedrooms on main, plus 2 upgraded 650 sqft. 1 bedroom suites up. The upper suites have laminate and fresh paint. There is a common laundry room in basement. The lower units have new paint and some fixtures as well. Lower suites walk out to a private grassy, fenced yard. There is a 2 car detached garage bringing in additional revenue. 10 minutes to NAIT, Grant MacEwan and Downtown. Fast access to Yellowhead Highway and on the bus routes. These pictures show the detail and care that went into building this quality home.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Convenient Central area with easy access to transit and downtown. Excellent transitional neighborhood with solid value and stable rents. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this home in relation to Edmonton's developing core.

Produces $675.87 positive cash flow per month using an investor's mortgage plan - taking advantage of current low rates.

Purchase price: $525K Total Investment: $126K. Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $76K.Your pre-tax Total ROI is 60% or 12% per year + $980 Cash Flow in Your Pocket Every Month

Poised for massive growth. These 6 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: renovation costs, financial analysis, professional inspection, insurance, financing set-up, legal fees, basic accounting, reserve fund, CMA, bi-annual statements, strategic market planning to ensure successful entry and exit, plus much more!

===============

Calgary Rental Company Offers Free Apartments For Slave Lake Fire Victims

By Clara Ho, Calgary Herald. May 24th 2011

CALGARY — A Calgary-based apartment rental company is offering 50 Edmonton suites to Slave Lake fire victims free of charge for up to three months.

“When I was watching TV, I saw many guys sleeping in gyms, sleeping bags, in cars, and my heart bled for them,” said Bob Dhillon, CEO of Mainstreet Equity Corp., which owns 8,000 apartment units across Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Vancouver.

“What we can offer is accommodation. We want to give them an opportunity to get their life together.”

READ MORE
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Expect To Pay More For Food, Power This Summer: National Energy Board

By Dina O'Meara, Calgary Herald May 20th 2011

CALGARY — Be prepared to pay more for power and fuel this summer in Alberta, according to the latest price outlook by the National Energy Board.

Although gasoline prices have eased somewhat since jumping earlier in the month, oil prices averaging $100 US per barrel to $120 US per barrel over the summer likely will cause renewed pain at the pump, the board said Thursday.

Unrest in the Middle East, the crisis in Japan and China’s growing demand for energy all factored into the boards expectations of continued high prices for oil. READ MORE HERE

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Armed With White Stetsons, Calgary Invades China

Carolynne Wheeler: The Globe and Mail, May 27th, 2011

There will be an estimated 150 million outbound Chinese tourists by 2015. Alberta is hoping a few hundred thousand of them will be inspired to take a look at some of Canada’s natural wonders.

Armed with a new Mandarin-language tourism website and dozens of white Stetsons to give away to business leaders, Calgary’s largest-ever trade delegation has just landed in Beijing for a week of selling its city to a Chinese audience. GRAB THIS STORY

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I appreciate all your calls and emails. I'm looking forward to helping you with your next step towards building real wealth.

Your success continues EVERYDAY, let me help you build for tomorrow.

"The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm." -Swedish Proverb

Warm Regards,

Todd and Danielle Millar

===SPECIAL NOTICE: NO CASH, BUT GOOD CREDIT? CALL US TODAY TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN OWN INVESTMENT PROPERTY===

P.S. Stay ahead by checking out Danielle's daily blog at Edmonton Real Estate Investor for all your cutting edge market news and information.

P.P.S. Don’t forget to visit our website and take advantage of the Resource Tools and product section including REIN's #1 real estate books and Quick Start homestudy sets at a discount. Get your copy of the Canadian Success Stories book and the 2011 Top Ten Investment Towns of Alberta and Ontario.

In case you missed this video when it was aired earlier this year, we bring it back again. Don Campbell puts forth a solid argument for Edmonton and Calgary's real estate future.

If you are new to investing, you'll need to add several more lines of expenses to Don's example. Perhaps his 'miscellaneous' item covers some of these but in addition to your P.I.T. (principle, interest and tax payments) you'll need to add: vacancy factor, repair factor, property management (even if you do it yourself, factor it in as one day you might pass it over to a manager), advertising costs and insurance.

We also add bookkeeping costs, but you may feel you don't need that. These additions will give you a realistic cash flow number and it will be significantly less than the cash flow number derived from P.I.T./misc. alone in the BNN video. If you have money left over from repair/maintenance at the end of the month that goes into your account to build a buffer for the unit.

Watch Video Here

Bold Step Forward Starts with Future Fund - "During the latter part of the Klein years, the Alberta government was criticized as not having a vision for the province's economic future. In response, in 2009 Premier Ed Stelmach commissioned a council of prominent resident and non-resident Albertans to create a vision for sustained prosperity in a changing world.

Some of the report's recommendations, released this month, have been criticized, some are gathering support and many will play out in the coming months as no less than three Alberta political parties choose new leaders. But whatever you think about the report, it is important not to throw out the baby with the bathwater."

Imagine if this kind of plan became mandatory for a province? Every city, town and local government sat down together and made an action plan for the next 30 years. Sure, sometimes plans would change or the ideas may be off-track and need to be altered, but what a great idea! Instead of running to catch up with what happens to us; we begin to shape and attract what we want to see in the future. Read More Here

Inter-provincial Migration to Alberta Set to Pick Up - "This provides an incentive for Canadians to relocate to Alberta and, if history is any guide (see graph), net interprovincial migration to Alberta could as much as triple from 2010 levels over the next few years.

In addition to the favorable unemployment differential, wages and housing prices in Alberta are also supportive of higher net-migration to Alberta. Wages in Alberta are the highest in the country (by far) at over 15 per cent higher than the Canadian average. And, compared to the boom years, housing prices have cooled off in Alberta relative to other provinces, which makes relocating here more affordable."

Strong in-migration, higher wages and housing affordability all equal an increase in renters as well as renters-turn-to-home-buyers in the next 18-36 months. This is good for landlords in the Edmonton housing market. Click Here

Five Alberta MPs rewarded with spots in Harper's new cabinet - "University of Calgary political scientist David Stewart said cabinet's composition gives the province a strong voice at the decision-making table. "Albertans certainly are arguably in the two most powerful positions (in government)," Stewart said."

Although the new cabinet is on the large side (should make NDP pleased) the selection of Albertan MPs will give us a representative voice in Ottawa. Jump Here

Sad news from Northern Alberta - thousands of homes, business and public structures have been destroyed by raging wildfires. Over 7,000 residents have had to flee their homes.

Please go here to read the story and watch videos - HERE
To donate to these people who now relay on the kindness of others - RED CROSS DONATION

"A Canadian Red Cross team of volunteers are deploying immediately from Edmonton and will accompany more than 400 shelter cots and 800 hygiene kits and blankets. The Red Cross volunteer team will provide additional shelter support to the lead agency which is the Slave Lake Disaster Services once they have arrived. The Red Cross will work closely with Alberta Emergency Management Authority and other community partners to ensure that basics needs of the evacuees are met."

Alberta Oil Sands Investment Real Estate News®
Glenn Simon Inc., Suite 1217, 5328 Calgary Trail NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Tel 1-888-780-5940 Fax 1-888-276-4517
www.glennsimoninc.com email: info@glennsimoninc.com

May 14th., 2011
Volume 10, Issue 4

Dear Friends and Partners,

My opening newsletter for May was titled 'Winds Of Change' and they certainly blew through our nation and province; both figuratively and literally. Every riding but one in Alberta is Conservative. We will all benefit from a majority government for the next 4 years (hopefully) bringing continued economic growth and stability leading the country out of the recession.

Real Estate wise I have seen a unique little hot-spot develop in the area in which I live; house hunters are combing the sleepy tree-lined streets. The most sought after homes have character, are suited and nestle the green belt. Now I'll temper that comment with the buyers being very price sensitive - there is a narrow margin of what the market is saying these houses are worth and if you are priced over, your listing will stagnate. There are other hot-pockets (not like Jim Gaffigan's) around town, and plenty of flat ones too.

Another literal affect of the winds of change, was the wind we've had this week. I awoke on Friday morning to discover one of my trees had split in half and blown down on the freshly planted blueberry bushes. I marvel these forces. Be an act of force; be the change you want to see.

West Central Edmonton: Cashflowing Three-Plex In Prince Rupert

Turbo charge your portfolio. Upgraded 1931 built 4-plex with separate entrance to lower units. Beautifully finished 1280 sqft. 3 bedroom up, plus 2 upgraded 840 sqft. 1 bedroom suites down. The upper suites have laminate and fresh paint. There is a common laundry room for up and down suite, 1 per side. The lower units have had windows replaced as well. Lower suites walk out to a private grassy, fenced yard. There is a 2 car detached garage bringing in additional revenue. 10 minute walk to neighborhood park and fast access to Yellowhead Highway, NAIT, Grant MacEwan and bus routes. These pictures show the detail and care that went into building this quality home.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Convenient West Central area with easy access to transit and downtown. Excellent neighborhood that demands high resale value and stable rents especially with the city airport' improvement project. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this home in relation to Edmonton's developing core.

Produces $980 positive cash flow per month using an investor's mortgage plan - taking advantage of current low rates.

Purchase price: $525K Total Investment: $126K. Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $76K. Your pre-tax Total ROI is 60% or 12% per year + $980 Cash Flow in Your Pocket Every Month

“Get into action and realize secure, long-term profits”

Already producing a great RETURN. Visit for the full FEATURE sheet and call 1-888-780-5940 to get started.

-Please remember: All investments carry RISK. Be sure to seek your own independent legal advice-

Poised for massive growth. These 4 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: renovation costs, financial analysis, professional inspection, insurance, financing set-up, legal fees, basic accounting, reserve fund, CMA, bi-annual statements, strategic market planning to ensure successful entry and exit, plus much more!

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U of A Eyes South Campus For High Tech Institute

By Keith Gerein, Edmonton Journal. May 7th 2011

The University of Alberta's president thinks her school's south campus would make an ideal home for an advanced technology institute, one of the major proposals touted by a government-appointed economic panel.

Indira Samarasekera said the site's abundance of undeveloped land, access to the LRT and proximity to the U of A's research centres make it a good spot to host an institution dedicated to commercializing discoveries. FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE

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Alberta Must Start Saving Oil Cash: Report

By Darcy Henton, Calgary Herald May 6th 2011

Alberta must stop using royalty revenues to fund day-today operations and start pumping all its energy dollars into a fund that will support hightech companies, economic diversification and targeted initiatives such as high-speed rail, says a report from a blueribbon economic panel.

Former federal Tory cabinet minister David Emerson, who chaired the 12-member Premier's Council for Economic Strategy, said the government has a decade to wean itself off the non-renewable resource revenues it now relies on for 30 per cent of its spending. READ MORE HERE
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Expansion Of Oil Sands Upgrader Goes On-Stream

Press release: By Shell Company, May 1st 2011
CALGARY, Alberta, May 4, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Shell today announced the successful start of production from its Scotford Upgrader Expansion project in Canada. The 100,000 barrels-per-day expansion takes upgrading capacity at Scotford to 255,000 barrels-per-day of heavy oil from the Athabasca Oil sands. "This start-up is an important milestone for our heavy oil business.' said Marvin Odum, Shell Upstream Americas Director. "And it adds new capacity from an important source of oil in a world requiring more secure energy." GRAB THIS STORY

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I appreciate all your calls and emails. I'm looking forward to helping you with your next step towards building real wealth.

Your success continues EVERYDAY, let me help you build for tomorrow.

"Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know that you can lose." -Tom Krause

Warm Regards,

Todd and Danielle Millar

===SPECIAL NOTICE: NO CASH, BUT GOOD CREDIT? CALL US TODAY TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN OWN INVESTMENT PROPERTY===

P.S. Don’t forget to visit our website and take advantage of the Resource Tools and product section including REIN's #1 real estate books and Quick Start homestudy sets at a discount. Get your copy of the Canadian Success Stories book and the 2011 Top Ten Investment Towns of Alberta and Ontario.

A report on the challenges facing Alberta in the coming years is a blueprint on what we'll have to be, think and do to bring Alberta to the state of success she can be. Topics include pressing environmental issues, control program spending and curbing the province's reliance on energy royalties.

"It challenges Albertans to dream big, to look beyond the province's (and Canada's) borders, to think long-term, and to recognize how the rapid ascent of Asia and the decline of the U.S. will affect the province's future prospects." Read More

Politics and often the general mindset of folks is for today. People grumble about their daily jobs and rejoice during a boom; but many don't give much thought to the long-term. To think and live larger than our positions today, to plan and build for a BIG future is what is important. Breaking away from myopic ideas and talking, working and thinking bigger will lead to more ingenuity and a superior economy that is well balanced.

“It does make me quite nervous when someone talks about another wealth-transfer program,” “All that’s going to do is reduce competitiveness and diminish our economy. We’ll lose our momentum and may never get it back.” Premier Ed Stelmach on Jack Layton's comment on oilsands

Cleanup is always good - just not when you're cleaning up money from Alberta's pocket and putting it into yours. Respecting the Oil Sands and the industry that they create and the lifestyle that they give many folks is very important. Keeping the Oil Sands moving towards better and more innovative environmental practices - also a good thing. Not addressing your plan and using the phrases 'dirty oil' a bad thing.

I am certain that many U.S. American's are now temporarily feeling that some form of justice has been finally served by Osama Bin Laden's death. But that may only be a temporary feeling and illusion. Bin Laden is only one of many individuals that have opposed and that still do oppose what the USA represents.

An over celebration of this death may be transiently meaningful and socially unwise. That is like the irrational exuberance that occurred when Saddam Hussein's statue fell and when he was captured. Many illusively imagined that the war in Iraq was now over and another illusive villain finally gone. But this too was naïve.

It is wiser to now understand that there are probably many Osama Bin Laden-like individuals with alternative and even opposing human values and intentions that will most likely emerge and attempt to confront or counter attack the U.S.A. once again.

Any time two individuals, families, communities, cities, states or nations have dissimilar or opposing values; clashes, conflicts and wars can ensue. Until two individuals, nations or cultures understand their differences and find their hidden similarities and humble themselves enough to learn and appreciate each other's unique values; value and ideological clashes will be repeated historically.

I am grateful for the closure on the story of 9-11 for many of the families and people directly and indirectly involved during the 2001 and other terrorist's attacks, but I feel that we are wise to ultimately learn that similar and opposing values (like synonyms and antonyms in language) are what make up the world. Having temporary wins or defeats over or under our opponents in a world that is ultimately here to teach us how to love and appreciate ourselves and others, is missing the ultimate purpose of the variety amongst human value systems that make up the world as a whole.

As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus once emphasized there exist dynamic equilibriums of complementary opposites throughout the world. True love may be ultimately a synthesis and synchronicity of these various complementary opposites.

Alberta Industry cut 6.5M tonnes of Carbon emissions in 2010 -Do you remember a decade or longer ago when we captured almost zero green houses gas? There is so much more environmental control and cleanup being done now, it is a complete industry of its own. Does that mean that we shouldn’t expect green house gases to increase during growth periods? No. Does that mean that we shouldn’t continue to increase environmental stewardship and create newer and better ways to reduce gasses and improve the environment? No. We need to acknowledge the victories and continue the improvements; it might not be as fast as the snap of your fingers, but we are on the right path.

Edmonton house prices steady in March - Still a flat, but optimistic market; you can still ‘get a deal’ if you find a motivated seller. Folks with homes that don’t show well will get passed over or need to sell for lower as the competition for nice, clean homes is strong.

Harper says Western Canada can breathe easier with majority - B-R-E-A-T-H-E

It has been quite an exciting election this time around. If you look at the Canadian map of party support you can really see how diminished the Liberals/others were in this election. Equally amazing is how much of a win the NDP had. I hope that folks will agree to let the Conservative government with a majority win, do what they plan to do. Fair is fair and everyone got to vote. The NDP vote I think, should be pleased to see Jack Layton sitting across from Premier Harper in the HOC. It is a victory for them. And a victory for the Conservatives. Jump!

This is an article from the Irish Times reviewing a book by Richard Gills. Gill's theory is that Northern Rim countries and cities will do well (better than BRIC countries for example) over the next 25 years. There isn't a whole lot of depth in the article/review but the lat sentence puzzles me

"While a nationalist Canadian might find optimism here, the rest of us should be concerned. Nothing funny there."

Why do people write such nonsense? The review is about the economy opening up in these areas through new trade channels and cities growing. Hardly scary for anyone. The take away is that, yes, Canada is indeed well positioned if we stay on track with responsible energy and economic development. Read More Here

Alberta Oil Sands Investment Real Estate News®
Glenn Simon Inc., Suite 1217, 5328 Calgary Trail NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Tel 1-888-780-5940 Fax 1-888-276-4517
www.glennsimoninc.com email: info@glennsimoninc.com

May 1st., 2011
Volume 10, Issue 3

Dear Friends and Partners,

On Monday we will have a Federal election. If you didn't cast your vote early, you can cast your ballot on Election Day - May 2nd. For young adults or folks that aren't that familiar with the current party positions, a simple albeit rough guide to finding which party most matches your values can be found at CBC's Vote Compass. It is tool mainly designed to get Canadians interacting (voting) and deflate some of the recent apathy towards voting people have felt. After all, it really is your $300M being spent on this election, so you should at least have a say ☺

With spring finally here you see more for sale signs popping up and tenant inquiries as they shift from one rental to another. A small percentage may move as sellers list their property, another group have leases coming up in May (winter moves are brutal) and perhaps others have spring fever. It is a dance of sorts; buyers wait for sellers to list, sellers list expecting buyers. Tenants give notice to find another property, landlords post vacancies. The duration of a well matched tenancy in Edmonton is approximately 2 years. That is fairly short with many tenants rotating after a 1 year lease. In other parts of Canada I have seen a 4 year average period for rentals. Here we are in spring; a Royal wedding, an election and a couple more For Sale signs in the lawn.

West Central Edmonton: Cash-flowing Four-Plex In Prince Rupert

Turbo charge your portfolio. Upgraded 1961 built 4-plex with separate entrance to lower units. Beautifully finished 1280 sqft. 3 bedroom up, plus 2 upgraded 840 sqft. 1 bedroom suites down. The upper suites have laminate and fresh paint. There is a common laundry room for up and down suite, 1 per side. The lower units have had windows replaced as well. Lower suites walk out to a private grassy, fenced yard. There is a 2 car detached garage bringing in additional revenue. 10 minute walk to neighborhood park and fast access to Yellowhead Highway, NAIT, Grant MacEwan and bus routes. These pictures show the detail and care that went into building this quality home.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Convenient West Central area with easy access to transit and downtown. Excellent neighborhood that demands high resale value and stable rents especially with the city airport' improvement project. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this home in relation to Edmonton's developing core.

Produces $980 positive cash flow per month using an investor's mortgage plan - taking advantage of current low rates.

Poised for massive growth. These 4 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: renovation costs, financial analysis, professional inspection, insurance, financing set-up, legal fees, basic accounting, reserve fund, CMA, bi-annual statements, strategic market planning to ensure successful entry and exit, plus much more!

Purchase price: $525K Total Investment: $126K. Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $76K. Your pre-tax Total ROI is 60% or 12% per year + $980 Cash Flow in Your Pocket Every Month

“Get into action and realize secure, long-term profits”

Already producing a great RETURN. Visit for the full FEATURE sheet and call 1-888-780-5940 to get started.

-Please remember: All investments carry RISK. Be sure to seek your own independent legal advice-

===============

Western Premiers Worry Ignatieff-led Coalition Will Threaten Energy Energy Industry

By Darcy Henton and Jason Fekete, Calgary Herald April 21st 2011

EDMONTON — The premiers of Alberta and Saskatchewan teamed up in British Columbia on Wednesday to rail against the prospect of a federal opposition coalition and the threat of energy policies that will hurt the West.

Brad Wall and Ed Stelmach, clad in Vancouver Canucks jerseys along with new B.C. Premier Christy Clark, used a New West partnership meeting to deliver a one-two punch assault and call for a majority government, or at least one formed by the party that wins the most seats on May 2. READ MORE HERE

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Thriving in Good Times And Bad:
Edmonton's Clarke Builders More Than Weathered The Recent 'Correction' With A Crowded Slate Of Local Projects

By Gary Lamphier, Edmonton Journal April 21st 2011

Seasoned business execs who have survived Alberta's volatile economic cycles tend to be a circumspect bunch.
After riding the oil-and-gas rollercoaster for decades, they know how quickly the world can change -for better or for worse.

Back in 2008, when oil prices hit nearly $150 US a barrel, no one expected prices to drop by nearly 80 per cent within months. But that's exactly what happened. READ MORE HERE

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Growing Interest in Energizing Downtown Just What The City Needs

By David Staples, Edmonton Journal. April 8th 2011

It's that rarest of days, a truly good news day for Edmonton's downtown.
This mediocre, unlovely part of the city is much closer today to getting two key facilities that belong downtown, a new $340-million Royal Alberta Museum, twice as big as the old one, and the city's main hockey arena.

It's the goal of city council to create a more vibrant downtown. One sound strategy is to group major cultural institutions close together in the downtown. The thinking is that you bring together the people who visit such amenities, thus creating vibrancy and safety in numbers, as well as opening up opportunities for nearby restaurants and shops to have enough customers to thrive. FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE

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I appreciate all your calls and emails. I'm looking forward to helping you with your next step towards building real wealth.

Your success continues EVERYDAY, let me help you build for tomorrow.

"Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family." -Kofi Annan

Warm Regards,

Todd and Danielle Millar

===SPECIAL NOTICE: NO CASH, BUT GOOD CREDIT? CALL US TODAY TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN OWN INVESTMENT PROPERTY===

P.S. Stay ahead by checking out Danielle's daily blog at Edmonton Real Estate Investor for all your cutting edge market news and information.

P.P.S. Don’t forget to visit our website and take advantage of the Resource Tools and product section including REIN's #1 real estate books and Quick Start homestudy sets at a discount. Get your copy of the Canadian Success Stories book and the 2011 Top Ten Investment Towns of Alberta and Ontario.

"The Alberta government wants aging workers to put off retirement instead of putting golf balls as a way to stave off a looming labour shortage.
Employment and Immigration Minister Thomas Lukaszuk released Wednesday a strategy aimed at encouraging more mature workers to stay on the job."

As we gear up for a busy stretch in the economy, labour shortages loom. This is a good problem to have, much better than not enough jobs. We'll see more folks drift back to Alberta as the economy starts and an influx of new Canadians pouring in that will help the shortages. I already see an incredible variety of plates every day driving around town.
Read More Here!

Dave Collyer sees growth in the oilsands benefiting developing countries through the support of global demand. He touches on the keystones of making the oilsand's growth environmentally balanced and he takes out a lot of the 'emotion' associated with them. Good article.

Calgary mayor highlights the way municipalities have been ignored in the campaign - "Whatever happens in this federal election, voters in cities like Edmonton aren't likely to come out as winners. No major party is consistently standing up for the interests of city voters. They all need to do better.

Calgary's progressive new mayor Naheed Nenshi recently studied the platforms of the three major parties and found little in them for the 80 per cent of us who reside in the cities of this country."

Take the political posts with a grain of salt... I think the basic idea here is in the title and worth repeating 'Commit To Big Cities'. We must remain active shaping the direction of our federal, provincial and municipal riding so that we get leadership in place that will help our city grow and expand thoughtfully. Edmonton has so much opportunity and a plan to see LRT expansion coupled with revitalizing the city core are basics. How we spend, reinvest and distribute provincial money to create art and community building activities is also key.

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a small gathering at the U.O.A Listner Hall to hear Dr. DeMartini speak. I have read 2 of Dr. DeMartini's books and found them both to be immensely insightful, practical and potent. He bridges many concepts from business to philosophy.
There were less than 100 people in attendance and I was able to meet Dr. D and talk to him for a few minutes.

My uncle Bill is South African and lives in the Karoo desert. One of his dreams was to build the pension he has out there so that guests can come and see the great expanse of this off the beaten path place. One year Danielle and I spent Christmas in Kloof, S.A. with my family there. It was then that my uncle gave me the Dr. DeMartini book 'How to Make One Hell Of A Profit And Still Get To Heaven'. It became my reading companion throughout the trip from Kloof to Paternoster and circling the Cape of Good Hope. I remember being on Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years imprisoned and reflecting upon Dr. D's insights.

Last night's talk was about the 'Hierarchy of Values' and how your highest values will be your most organized and position you with your number one goals. These goals might be family, relationship, money, health, business or social. You may not even beware of what those values are if you're not careful - that is where many folks spend there time in delusion.

On the lower scale of Hierarchy lives your neglected values, often in chaos. Dr. DeMartini breaks down what drives you to have your current values, identifies them and shows you ways to replace or hone them to meet your highest intrinsic value; the one thing that serves others and makes you happy.

If you like what you read here and want to see Dr.. DeMartini in action, he will be in Calgary, Alberta over the weekend. Check him out - you will be changed.

I imagine the transition from fighting in a war to civilian life must be extremely difficult. In many cases battle haunts solders throughout their life. If you have been wounded abroad it adds the pressure of rehabilitation and the reworking of family dynamics. Edmontonians have gotten together to raise money and create this unique 'home' You can also donate here.

"Valour Place will provide “hope away from home” for injured soldiers, veterans and their families when in Edmonton, Alberta for medical treatment and rehabilitation.

The first facility of its kind in Canada, Valour Place will enable Canadian military families to live together in a supportive environment during a difficult time."Read more here

Alberta Economic Optimism is the Highest in Nation -"Last year Alberta was one of two provinces that saw a decline in employment so you were late in this employment recovery story but that all changed in January as you had the best job numbers in a month since May of 06," RBC Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Craig Wright

I’ve heard leading economists Todd Hirsch and Mary McGregor speak this year. The news for Alberta looks to be one of stable and long growth. 2013 to 2019 really show the economy expanding and projects being built. From 2020 to 2030 many of the larger projects currently booked will come to completion. From 2030 onwards the building growth simmers down, but maintenance and operation continue steadily.

Premier Shells Alberta Economy - "Last week, Stelmach ambushed the oil industry by rolling out proposed regulations to halt oilsands production on two million hectares - including land that had already been leased to two dozen different oil and mining companies.

Those companies had followed all the rules. They went through the necessary hearings, complied with all the regulations, paid their fees and were approved.

That's a contract. And based on that contract, those companies spent money and hired workers."

Stelmach isn’t leaving soon enough… Regardless if you are pro, anti or in the middle when it comes to Alberta’s Oilsands – what you DON’T do is rip up a contract. Then again, some would say you’d stay your term as Premier too, without bailing out in the middle, but in this case, the sooner an unstable Premier such as Stelmach leaves, the better.

Edmonton Stories - A great site to get insight into living, visiting and working in Edmonton. There are some pretty interesting stories.

You'll notice that these articles continue to resurface as the mood and economy change. You'll see pro-oilsands and anti-oilsands as the political climate swings back and forth from boom to doom. Quite often the core information doesn't change; just the spin on it. At any rate this article outlines the oilsands and the use of natural gas in extracting it - there is some good general info here.

We did just see a rate hike about 2 days ago. Luckily I've been able to lock in rates with my bank for my next purchase. Peter Kinch thinks October for the next one. I think buy while you can because prices will rise and interest rates make a huge difference in your cashflow. Lock in if rates increasing worries you and if it doesn't ride the variable over the long term it's proven to cost you less.

It's Millar Time! - Canadian Real Estate Magazine features Todd and Danielle Millar in their Annual Special Edition. Get insight into how we got started, our lessons passed on to you and Todd Millar's Top 5 hints so you get an expert's knowledge boiled down into useful information. On Sale at most retailers near you!

"After being particularly affected by the recession and late to the recovery, the Alberta economy is once again hitting its stride with “robust crude oil prices” and an increase in drilling activity, says a report by TD Economics." Calgary Herald

I think we are. It is a long, dark walk out of the recession though. Will the next 'boom times' be sweet enough to erase and make us forget the sourness of the down-times? Probably not, and that is a good thing.

The growth ahead seems to be much more steady than the big spikes of 2006 and 2007. I also think this growth period will stretch out much further too - leading into a bigger, more diversified province.

According to the article from 'Kick Ass Canadians' Don does. Don has helped me align specific elements of my business and has offered invaluable solutions to a few particularly complex real estate questions. Believe me, stuff gets complex when you work with partners outside of Canada, never mind the regular hurdles an investor faces daily. After time you begin to roll with things or get out of the game.

The best investors (the most profitable ones at least) invest without emotion - that is true. But, all the while tenants, employees, partners, husbands, wives, children and the world - are running around emotionally charged. It can get overwhelming at times.

One of the many likable traits Don has is his bluntness (well, I like that about him). He calls it like he sees it. If you like unbridled doses of truth, Don is your guy.

Now, Don may not look like a massive He-man, but he isn't a sissy either. He is a verbal ninja with words like razor-sharp throw stars, he defends the good. I would go as far to say if Don Campbell and Chuck Norris were in a fight.... Never mind.

Yes, Don is a kick ass Canadian.

I'm so behind blogging it's taken me two weeks to write this. Todd and I had an incredible weekend at the I Can Do It conference in Vancouver.

We had our minds blown and opened by Dr. Wayne Dyer, Caroline Myss, Louise Hays and other outstanding Hay House speakers. The highlight Dr. Dyer shook Todd's hand and gave me a book!

It was well worth it and we came back determined to live our biggest self!

There's a new 6 lane freeway in talks for South Edmonton. I've taken the Anthony Henday and I'm always surprised at how quickly I can circumnavigate the city. Well this proposed route will take things to a whole new level. Anyway the most apparent is Edmonton is really thinking ahead for population growth, increased traffic and commerce.

Strong oil, wheat prices buoy Alberta's economy - "A new survey suggests happy days are here again for Alberta's economy with crude oil and grains poised to be the hottest commodities in the coming year.

According to the report by Barclays Capital, investors are increasingly bullish on both oil and grain, with prices for both viewed as likely to continue to rise amid geopolitical uncertainty and weather challenges around the world.

"The fact of it is agriculture is a good news story today," said Richard Phillips, the head of the Grain Growers of Canada"

Good signs in agriculture are good signs for Alberta. Remember Don Campbell saying "Food, Fuel and Fertilizer will drive the western region"? You've seen potash highs and lows in Saskatchewan, oil prices regain to above $100 a barrel and now food - agriculture begin its accent. The job new job numbers are terrific too.

Totem builds on it's Canadian roots with sixth Edmonton store - "Before the new Edmonton Ellerslie Totem opened its doors for the first time Thursday, company officials and Royal Canadian Legion members raised a big Canadian flag outside the building supplies store.

It was a not-so-subtle reminder to customers that Totem Building Supplies and its corporate owner, Rona Inc., boast Canadian roots — unlike U.S. imports The Home Depot and the under-construction Lowe’s a few blocks north at South Edmonton Common."

I've posted about a few other stores opening up in the Edmonton area. Some come from the U.S.A. or even further abroad from Europe or Asia. But the one constant to note here is that Edmonton is again on the map for growth. Predictably more stable and spread out growth, but growth nonetheless.

TD forecasts banner year for Alberta in 2010 - "Alberta is expected to lead the country in Real GDP growth in 2012 after a strong 2011.

A report by TD Economics, released Wednesday, projects gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 3.2 per cent in Alberta in 2012, but only 3.2 per cent nationally.

For this year, TD Economics predicts 4.2-per-cent economic growth in Alberta, behind Newfoundland and Labrador at 4.7 per cent and Saskatchewan at 4.3 per cent, but ahead of the three-per-cent national forecast."

Oil will probably stay around the high $90's and step above the $100 mark until the political environment stabilizes in the middle east. Profitable oil (for both the U.S. buying and Canada exporting) is around $85 a barrel. Temporarily high priced oil ads gains, but doesn't help in the long term as it is too expensive for importers especially if the CDN dollar is higher. Hovering around the mid $90s for a few months creates a decent cushion for Alberta as long as we can get down a few dollars to the $80s.

Economic spring appears to have bloomed for Alberta - "Over the past six months, more than one-third of the new jobs created in Canada have been in Alberta, which is home to just over 10% of the country's population. This clearly indicates the Wild Rose province is starting to bloom once more following an extended economic winter. Across major industries, manufacturing has, by far accounted for most (+41.7%) of the new jobs added followed by health services (+25.5%), professional and business services (+18%), natural resources (+10.9%) and agriculture (+8.2%). Reflecting this strong pattern of employment growth, Alberta's unemployment rate fell to 5.7% in February, the second lowest in the country and well under the national average of 7.8%."

Tuesday morning CBC Radio announced that Flint Energy was hiring 1000 immediate positions for jobs with skilled and semi-skilled labour. You show up, you get job. Some of the jobs are in Red Deer and others in Sherwood park, just outside of Edmonton in the modular building site. I heard Mary MacGregor, the chief economist of Alberta speak last week. Mrs. MacGregor outlined the growth indicators showing 2013-2019 to have exceptional growth. Being an economist, these numbers were tempered that there are always unexpected events that can damper the best of economies (remember back to 2008?). Needless to say, the real job numbers are solid.

I spent more than a decade living in Japan, very close to the area where the Tsunami hit. This mid-month newsletter will be a brief one and my message simple. Turn off your T.V. and news radio. Donate some money, time or energy to be in positive action in helping the people of Japan.   

It does no one any good to be caught up watching the news and worrying about Japan; simply send a positive vibe and any action you can. The collective consciousness of disaster won't help. We need to be positive and move towards helping and healing.  

I have added a link to charities below that you can donate to followed by the monthly Edmonton updates.

Where Canadians Can Donate For Japan Earthquake,

Pacific Tsunami Aid   Passengers sleep at a lobby as they wait for their transportation at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, March 12, 2011. A devastating tsunami triggered by the biggest earthquake on record in Japan killed at least 1,000 people along the northeastern coast on Friday after a wall of water swept away everything in its path. GO HERE TO DONATE

Take care, be well and help our friends and family abroad.
Todd and Danielle Millar

"Sales have been pretty slow in Edmonton housing market since last spring and although the market wasn’t a hotbed of activity in February, it is showing some life." Read More

For my 2 cents worth.... We will continue to see-saw for the better part of 2011. In Alberta, economically we are very strong, emotionally we are fragile. Once we get through the better part of 2011 and really see the strength of the economy continue momentum, Albertans will become emotionally invested and beginning to buy, spend and invest. 2012 should reflect that and continue upwards barring any major world crisis.

"KMS Tools and Equipment Ltd. is fixing a hole in Edmonton for car buffs, contractors and hardcore home handymen it says was left when the House of Tools chain went under.

The family-owned, Coquitlam, B.C.-based company — whose Edmonton presence has been limited until now to a small distribution outlet — will hold the grand opening of its first Edmonton store next week." Read More

I read this and think - $6,750.00. Why $6,750.00? That is the average rent paid for a 2.5 year garage tenancy, very affordable compared to any other secure storage of the same size. I have been providing safe and affordable service for years to folks that want to restore collector cars.

Many car buffs restore their old beauties over the winter and take them out in the warmer months. In-turn I welcome KMS Tools to town and encourage them to deliver awesome service to the many car buffs of our city.

Alberta Emerging As Safe Haven Among Growing Economic Volatility

"It will morph into something that will not be very kind to financial assets, but may be kind to Alberta. One solution is to take a shot of Novocain, invest in Alberta, and I have a suspicion you will come out ahead. A second approach is to hold real assets or proxies for real assets, such as TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities) and inflation-linked bonds. A third way to approach things is to play by the rules as they're written, which demands being cautious, but I don't mean buying bonds. I mean it is incumbent on all of us to maximize complexity in your portfolio, which is the responsiveness of your portfolio to macro-economic outcomes." Vinay Pande, chief investment adviser for global markets research with German-based Deutsche Bank

I think you can spare the Novocain if you are investing directly into real assets (like owning a revenue property) that you control. once again the Provincial, National and Global economies are looking at Alberta as a safe haven. The only risk you have investing in Edmonton is looking to make too fast a buck and not stay the course. When you are prudent and invest into a cash-flowing asset, in an expanding market - you will do well.

Final Anthony Henday Drive Gets Green Light

The massive project — named Anthony Henday Drive Northeast — will be Alberta’s single largest highway construction project to date with 47 bridges, eight interchanges and 27 kilometres of six- and eight-lane divided road that will connect Whitemud Drive East to the Manning Freeway. It’s expected to ease the traffic crush on Yellowhead Trail and, to some degree, the Whitemud.

“I really do believe another period of rapid growth is coming, and it’s coming quicker than you think,” Stelmach said of the province’s continued investment in infrastructure. “It’s no secret that Alberta wasn’t ready for the last one, but we will be ready for the next one. We are moving forward as a province. The world is changing, and Alberta is changing and we’re meeting the demands of the new economic order.”

I second that Mr. Premier, we are on the cusp of another wave of growth. A nice 3-5-7 year cycle I hope. The Anthony Henday has already proven to link up areas of the South East, particularly Millwoods and Ellerslie. And the South West areas have grown, like Terrwilligar, Rutherford and the Hamptons into nice, beautiful communities. Along with the great connectivity, real estate prices have followed and birthed some really scenic areas with upscale shopping and eateries that is still affordable to live. The NE will also experience a price jump in homes and a jump in value by being better connected.

Edmonton could earn more than $6.5 million a year in property taxes, which would help pay off the debt it would incur if it covered one-third of the cost of a downtown arena, city administrators told council Wednesday.

Mayor Stephen Mandel said councillors need to make up their minds to ink or tear up the deal within a month. "It's enough already. I think we're going around too many circles and let's make a decision."

Anthony Hendlay construction (5 year project), Upgrader in Fort Saskatchewan (3-5 year project), Proposed downtown bridge (3 yrs?), Various LRTs and of course don't forget the possibility of a new arena. Even during the recession Edmonton continued with infrastructure but has certainly stepped up the pace now. I think a new arena will vitalize the downtown area, but isn't necessary. Built with private money... I like that idea too.

Here on the South Side there is another interesting project in the works and that is transforming the old Molson brewery into character town-homes with a mix of commercial business and restaurant space. Great idea. I can't wait to see that. Lots of building = strong economy.

Again we are reminded about Alberta's unique, geopolitical ties to the Middle East. Likely the violence and unrest in Libya will be noticed to impact oil prices primarily in the short-term. What is subtler is the long-term shift already underway that positions Alberta as a 'safe oil' country.  

Granted this phrase was coined as a market strategy aimed to take heat off from the environmental bad mouthing that was taking place, but truly Alberta is growing into the 'safe oil' role. And to note many improvements have been put into action to ensure improved environmental responsibility that few other countries would have the ability to honour and act upon so quickly.

Our global trading partners are increasingly keen to watch the alliances Alberta builds, and how those relationships will affect other countries and economies around the world. The latent impact of overseas turmoil will prove itself as adding yet another, stronger layer, to Alberta's stable (key) global foundation.  

Of course our newsletter is about real estate and not buying oil stocks or covering riots across the world. When I look at buying a property, I'm constantly thinking 'what will this city, neighborhood, road be like in the next 5+ years?' Most of the time the impacts will be local; new LRT or an improving demographic. But in Edmonton there are significant global changes that affect our real estate too, and that is why I touch on some of these larger economic drivers, like oil. For example the economic landscape may of course change in Kelowna, B.C. but not quite to the degree that it will in Edmonton, Alberta.

We are fortunate to have another great opportunity here like we did in pre-boom days. Property prices are low, mortgages rates are low, people are moving into the province and there is massive job growth in the works. Political instability abroad, coupled with higher oil prices and large local energy expansions will create higher real estate prices here. You will get greater cashflow and potential appreciation in Edmonton real estate as Alberta plays an increasing role in geopolitics.  

I appreciate all your calls and emails. I'm looking forward to helping you with your next step towards building real wealth.  

Your success continues EVERYDAY, let me help you build for tomorrow.

  "We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And honour those ideals by upholding them not when it is easy, but when it is hard." -Barack Obama   Warm

Regards,
  Todd and Danielle Millar 