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

April 1st., 2016
Volume 20, Issue 6

Dear Friends and Partners,

I wish I was kidding about that, but I’m not. Bill 202 has been tabled to form a committee to monitor rents… You can read more about this and the actual Bill below. Bills like this are insidious and frankly not very democratic. In the coming weeks I’ll let you know what we are doing to stop the Bill and how (if you choose) you can help too.

In the meantime we’ve got a mixed bag of news for Edmonton and Alberta. Overall, Edmonton is like a beleaguered fighter in the 5th round, beaten but not defeated. We’ve still got a lot more ahead of us, but we’re holding our own; Calgary is taking some hard hits. We’ve got to hang in there, communicate with our tenant base, keep providing and delivering value.

All storms pass and there are great opportunities along the way for business, properties, new systems and creativity - we also have great mortgage rates.

Bonnie Doon: Side by Side, 4-plex Conversion - Cash-flowing diamond in the rough

Turbo charge your portfolio. Great, soon-to-be 4-plex (side by side duplex style) is 7 minutes to downtown; in the heart of Bonnie Doon. I won’t lie, it’s a bit ugly right now and that’s where the opportunity is. This is a renovation deal where we use PPI to add a suite and improve this building. 1971 built, with good bones. Terrific access to local amenities in sought after Bonnie Doon.

We will add new furnace, windows, full upgrades, fire prevention system and complete suite. This property has potential for 4 X 2 bd suites. Includes a double garage, pad and large lot. Purchase price includes reserve fund and large renovations put into mortgage, to make the property shine! This is a turn-key deal. Excellent access downtown and in the highly rentable and desirable neighbourhood of Bonnie Doon.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Bonnie Doon is a mature neighbourhood that is convenient for tenants working downtown and attending UOA. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this property in relation to Edmonton's desirable growing core. *Purchase price includes $100K in renovations.

Purchase price: $625,000
Total Investment: $149,170
Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $88,841
Your pre-tax Total ROI is 60% or 12% per year

These 4 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: impeccable tenant selection, 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!

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

Notley’s Bill 202 targets Alberta landlords: trample on private property rights

By Sheila Gunn Reid, Rebel Media, March 29th., 2016

Sheila Gunn Reid discusses Rachel Notley's Bill 202, officially "Alberta Affordable Housing Review Committee Act", a dangerous bill that makes drastic changes to how landlords manage rental properties and is no more about affordable housing than Bill 6 was about safety. It's about bringing people under government control.

Want to know what BILL 202 Says? Polarizing video but Bill 202 Facts remain the same.

The Act, called the Alberta Affordable Housing Review Committee Act, or Bill 202, enables the creation of a committee consisting of no fewer than 3 members that will, “prepare and submit to the Minister a report on the accessibility and affordability of housing in Alberta, which must include any recommendations of the Committee for improving the access of all Albertans to safe, appropriate and affordable housing.

Further, the report must include, but is not limited to, a review of the following subject areas and any related recommendations of the committee:

(a) rent regulation

(b) rent subsidies

(c) security deposits

(d) affordability of rental rates including rates for the rental of mobile home sites

(e) affordability of home ownership and mechanisms to support affordability

Download the Bill Here
Read more here

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Alberta’s Economy needs more than stimulus

By Chris Varcoe, Calgary Herald, March 23rd, 2016

When stuck in a rainstorm, people are always looking for the nearest umbrella.

Sometimes, a newspaper over the head is the best you can do.

Alberta’s economy is sputtering today. Unemployment is up, private investment is down and the oilpatch is sideways, waiting for higher commodity prices.

Under such an economic deluge, the new federal budget offers a smattering of help, from bolstering employment insurance (EI) benefits to ramping up infrastructure spending.

GRAB THIS ARTICLE

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Alberta’s economy will shrink for second straight year: Conference Board

By Bill Mah, Edmonton Sun, March 2nd, 2016

Alberta's faltering economy will contract for the second straight year in 2016, a recessionary streak not seen since the bleak years of 1982-83, says to the Conference Board of Canada's deputy chief economist.

The economic malaise will also spread from the oilpatch into the rest of the provincial economy, Pedro Antunes said Wednesday at the not-for-profit economic research group's western business outlook in Edmonton. "The problem for Alberta is that $37-a-barrel oil price doesn't kick up the economy at all," he said

"In fact, we're going to see another hit to Alberta's economy.” FOLLOW 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.

“Three things cannot be hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.” -Buddha

Warm Regards,

Todd and Danielle Millar

Lucky for us in Alberta we have a relatively easy eviction process. The biggest wait is getting into the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS) for a hearing date. If the landlord then files with the Queen's Bench that dispute is on the public record for all other landlords to find.

In other provinces it's not so easy. There are waiting periods before you can file and the process can take months. All the while your property is perhaps being damaged and rent not getting paid.

This professional tenant cost Ontario seniors an estimated $30,000 and probably a lot of grief and sleepless nights. She didn't pay rent or utilities for 6 months and changed the locks. Apparently she's done this over and over again but because of privacy laws it's hard for landlords to discover. Read more

PHOTO COURTESY OF © Torstar News Service

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

March 15th., 2016
Volume 20, Issue 5

Dear Friends and Partners,

Although the majority of news coming out of Alberta lately has been negative, and surely more is one the way, Alberta is never idle. There is substantial evolution taking place. Despite having a dose of ‘it’ll get worse before it can get better disease’, we have the downtown core growing and a tireless energy sector striving for innovation.

I was part of a small group that attended a bespoke economic presentation from the government of AB last week. The major takeaways were that we (Alberta) need to continue strategically diversifying (I say continue, because we’ve been diversifying for 20 years) our energy sector. Alberta is a great innovator but ideas need to be focused on a collective goal, not independently. The guiding target that was presented was to reduce oilsands water consumption by 50% before 2030. This idea has been discussed before, but I feel there is an urgency to work collectively on this goal.

Focused diversification within the energy sector and on a measurable target, makes sense. By reducing the amount of water used in extracting oil, we can decrease cost and further reduce environmental impact.

Until we make this change (and others) we remain increasingly vulnerable to low oil prices, political agendas and (for right or wrong) environmental critique. Jump to one idea here.

Prince Rupert Bungalow: 2 Legal suites, cash-flow central

Turbo charge your portfolio. Great, 2-unit bungalow, 7 minutes from downtown; a winner to add to any portfolio. 1952 built, meticulously maintained. Terrific access to local amenities in mature Prince Rupert. New furnace, electric panels and suite upgrades. This property has a legal 2 bd suite down and 3 bd on the main, plus over-sized single garage and pad. This property has a tried and true layout and is built to last. Purchase price includes reserve fund and small renos to make the property shine! This is a turn-key deal. Excellent access downtown and in the highly rent-able and desirable neighbourhood of Prince Rupert.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Prince Rupert is a mature neighbourhood that is convenient for tenants working downtown and attending NAIT. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this property in relation to Edmonton's desirable growing core.

Purchase price: $385,000
Total Investment: $88,500
Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $54,760 Your pre-tax Total ROI is 62% or 12% per year

These 2 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: impeccable tenant selection, 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!

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

How the West was done: Plummeting oil prices and political change cosier to stall Canada’s growth engine

By Claudia Cattaneo, Financial Post Media, March 2nd, 2016

As painful as it is, there is much to be learned from Canada’s economic decline, such as: We are getting lots of what we (and many of our politicians) wished for and finally getting a clear picture of what Canada looks like without a strong oil sector.

Partly due to the oil price collapse, partly by the design of new governments in Alberta and Ottawa, oil no longer fuels the economic engine. Climate change policy has won the day and the oil sands’ industry has been kneecapped.

Proposed bitumen pipelines have been gutted by organized campaigns and red tape. The West’s economic leadership has been quashed, and with that — for now — its political clout. THIS ARTICLE

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Rob Roach: Alberta’s identity is built on growth for good reason

By Rob Roach, Edmonton Journal, March 10th, 2016

When it comes to population growth, Alberta is an outlier.

Our GDP per capita is among the highest in the world, but our population growth rate is more in keeping with relatively poor places such as Ethiopia and Nigeria.

While the populations of wealthy countries like Japan and Germany are shrinking, Alberta’s average annual population growth between 2004-14 was over eight times greater than in the European Union and almost three times the rate in the United States.

Alberta’s population has increased by 1.2 million people since 2000 — roughly equivalent to adding another Calgary or Edmonton to the province. GRAB THIS STORY

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Why reducing water consumption is critical to Oil Sands competitiveness
Despite considerable progress, thermal oil sands producers desperately need to reduce water consumption. Are solvents the answer?

By Jesse Snyder, Alberta Oil, March 2nd., 2016

For the people who operate and manage steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) projects, oil is almost treated as a by-product to what is actually their primary concern: water. Indeed, SAGD operations are basically just “water facilities with an oil problem,” according to Darren Massey, a programs leader at GE’s Customer Innovation Centre, a Calgary-based facility where energy companies try to tackle the fundamental challenges inherent in developing heavy oil. “Water is really the main resource that you have to manage here,” he says. “The energy that you put in to generate that high-temperature steam accounts for a substantial portion of your total costs.” READ MORE HERE

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

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.

“Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.” -Julie Andrews

Warm Regards,

Todd and Danielle Millar

Balancing Act: Inside the Alberta Governments New Deal on Energy - "Notley didn’t kill the province’s golden goose. Drilling rigs won’t be trundling next door to Saskatchewan or over the southern border to avoid a cash-grab royalty regime. The oil patch’s sigh of relief was heard across the prairies. The government’s election promise was to review if Albertans are getting their fair share of royalties, and it’s been decided that yes, they are.

The review panel said, “Overall, Alberta’s royalties are comparable with other jurisdictions,” and that the existing regime gives the province an “appropriate share of value.” Broadly, it was well-received by the industry. “[The] announcement has been the result of a fair and credible process, one Albertans can trust,” says Tim McMillan, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP)." Read more

Still afloat in Alberta despite tighter competition - "While Alberta's contracting economy is not yet causing panic among some Edmonton general contractors, its effects are taking hold. Competition is heating up for smaller-scale projects and dollars are being squeezed in bids, according to some industry executives.

"We see margins right now that are so tight, it's hard for us to go any lower than that. We still have to pay the bills and pay our employees. It's tough," said Antoine Gruson, vice-president of sales and marketing for Synergy Projects." Read More

IEA for the first time sees light at the end of oil’s ‘long, dark tunnel’ - “There are signs that prices might have bottomed out,” the Paris-based adviser to 29 countries said in its monthly market report on Friday. “For prices there may be light at the end of what has been a long, dark tunnel” as market forces are “working their magic and higher-cost producers are cutting output.” Read more

You can be part of a survey to determine the direction of Northlands site. Super website, lots of information and it's very exciting to see what possibilities are there for the 160 acre site. Make history 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

March 1st., 2016
Volume 20, Issue 4

Dear Friends and Partners,

What’s in a network? You may have heard it said that if you add up the net worth of your 5 closest friends and divide, you get an amount equal to your own net worth. Now, that applies to money. But I bet it also stretches into values…

Your 5 closest friends probably have similar values to you when it comes to raising kids, managing their money, health and lifestyle. This can be either a very good thing or a really bad thing - in general terms. I know some of my best friendships are with smart folks that I don’t always agree with, but with whose opinions I respect.

Lately I have been expanding my network; talking to different people, collaborating on ideas and getting exposed to new ways of thinking. I challenge you to do the same. Start with a local group, LinkedIn or an interest group that you’ve been keen to learn more about. See what this brings to you…

Prince Rupert Bungalow: 2 Legal suites, cash-flow central

Turbo charge your portfolio. Great, 2-unit bungalow, 7 minutes from downtown; a winner to add to any portfolio. 1952 built, meticulously maintained. Terrific access to local amenities in mature Prince Rupert. New furnace, electric panels and suite upgrades. This property has a legal 2 bd suite down and 3 bd on the main, plus over-sized single garage and pad. This property has a tried and true layout and is built to last. Purchase price includes reserve fund and small renos to make the property shine! This is a turn-key deal. Excellent access downtown and in the highly rent-able and desirable neighbourhood of Prince Rupert.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Prince Rupert is a mature neighbourhood that is convenient for tenants working downtown and attending NAIT. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this property in relation to Edmonton's desirable growing core.

Purchase price: $385,000
Total Investment: $88,500
Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $54,760 Your pre-tax Total ROI is 62% or 12% per year

These 2 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: impeccable tenant selection, 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!

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

The world is on the cusp of a golden age for natural gas

By Jesse Snyder, Alberta Oil, February 16th, 2016

These are the factors that could quicken — or inhibit — the rise of "the fossil fuel of the future”

“Natural gas is a fuel of the future,” wrote Daniel Yergin in his 2011 opus The Quest: Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World. At the time, the notion that natural gas would eventually overtake coal – and even oil – as the most widely consumed fossil fuel in the world was not new. But it was just beginning to take on a new level of certainty. That same year the International Energy Agency (IEA) raised the question in its annual World Energy Outlook, which it called, “Are We Entering A Golden Age of Gas?” It predicted that by 2035 global natural supplies would need to grow by 1.8 trillion cubic meters per day from their current level in order to meet demand – a figure that is three times the current production of Russia. THIS ARTICLE

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Gary Lamphier: How much money has flowed out of Alberta to Ottawa? A lot.

By Gary Lamphier, Edmonton Journal, February 19th, 2016

If you’re still wondering why oil-rich Alberta doesn’t have a massive sovereign wealth fund like Norway, consider this.
Alberta is a province, not a country. Ergo, we don’t get to keep all the wealth we generate in this province. Not even close.

I realize this runs counter to the preferred narrative in Canada, where politicians and media types insist Alberta either “put all its eggs in one basket” by failing to diversify its economy (hello Christy Clark), or that Albertans “spent like drunken sailors” during boom times.

Sure, there’s some truth to those arguments. But the far bigger reason why Alberta isn’t rolling in filthy lucre is that we are part of a federation called Canada. GRAB THIS STORY

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Kristina McLean: Memo from Alberta’s economic front lines

By Kristina McLean, Edmonton Journal, February 21st., 2016
I recently passed a milestone, not an achievement by any means, nonetheless it is one that stands out for me in my profession. I delivered my 200th layoff notice in less than six months.

As I sit and provide the “You are now unemployed” letter to this employee, a father and husband, a grown man whose eyes well with tears, I realize that he is suffering the consequences of the government’s lack of effort, the international oil and gas markets egotistical tactics and the now unrealistic Alberta dream.

This employee who has dedicated his career and life to what began as the oil and gas advantage, striving towards excellence in his work, has now been told in a mere five-minute meeting that his job is over. Feeling his efforts a waste and contributions a failure, this employee has to go home and deliver the same unsettling news to his wife and children. READ MORE HERE

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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.

“Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.” - Hans Selye

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.

Land-lording is so stressful! Sometimes just having a group of like-minded (or situated people) to vent to can make this industry seem easier.

I also guarantee you will meet someone who will tell you a story and you walk away saying "I'm glad that's not me!" We all have bad stories and if you don't you just haven't been doing it long enough.

Here is a collection of lighthearted stories from other landlords. Think of it as Chicken Soup for the Landlord's soul. Read more here

We're constantly looking at property prices. We sometimes play a game were we look at the location, the interior photos and read the property details then try and guess the price. It's super fun but recently ends with lots of gasps of "That's insane!"

It's a buyer's market in Edmonton. There will be pricing adjustments and you'll need to decide if you have to sell or if you need THAT price. Because your house will sit longer and cost you more if you don't reflect the price the slighty flooded market is willing to pay for your property.

Edmonton city center is changing so much. The next 4 to 5 years is going to bring our downtown core to world class levels.

Northlands and Rexall place are being totally revitalized. It's so exciting because both areas haven't always been the best foot our city could put forward.

Remember when all we had to worry about was the new arena? Take a look

Well one good thing in Alberta is we are having a beautiful winter. Maybe there is a direct correlation between low oil and higher temperatures. Every one of us here would go down to -40C for an equal hike in oil prices.

Dropping oil prices aren't over yet nor is there any clear indication of when they will rally.

"A growing number of grim forecasts are calling for even that demolished price to fall further. Last fall Goldman Sachs warned oil could hit US$25 as crude storage tanks reached capacity. In December a report from the International Monetary Fund argued new oil flowing from Iran could push prices even lower. This week analysts at Morgan Stanley made the case for US$20 oil based on the strengthening value of the U.S. dollar, which tends to push commodity prices lower." JUMP

Some say that China's economic slump will keep the price of oil low for a long long time.

"They say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. For Canada’s oil patch, China’s growing demand for oil always seemed like a permanent fixture – an everlasting thirst that would never run dry. Chinese oil consumption skyrocketed after the turn of the millennium, from an average of under 4.4 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2000 to just under 11 million bpd 15 years later. A massive infrastructure buildout in the country was fueling a bonanza, and in April 2014 China surpassed the U.S. as the world’s largest net importer of oil." Read More

And our current political situation hasn't helped with stability.

“Heightened environmental concerns, a lack of pipeline access to new markets and the unknown impact of the victory by the New Democratic Party in Alberta’s elections last year are causing companies to slow development,” IEA HERE

New mortgage rules start today - see what Peter Kinch has to say.

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

February 13th., 2016
Volume 20, Issue 3

Dear Friends and Partners,

For the last few years we’ve seen a bit of a boom in RTO (Rent To Own) investments in Edmonton. There are a few ways to do them. You can bring in an investment partner and with full-disclosure they are perfectly legal. RTO, like many investment strategies, have risks and require their own set of due-diligence questions to go through.

Another investment that isn’t new, but has been popping up quite a bit is flipping and skip transfers (similar versions; wraps, sandwich leases).

Many of these strategies have been around for a long while. There are legal ways to do them and illegal ways to do them. With our market slowing considerably in Edmonton, you won’t find as many people employing this strategy; rather you will see people modifying it to entice a sale for a seller that wants rid of his property. Similar to shorting a stock.

Where you typically see flipping is in hot markets like Vancouver and Toronto. Peter Kinch clarifies what a skip-transfer is in this short video. Watch it here.

Downtown Edmonton: Oliver 9-Unit Apartment

Turbo charge your portfolio. Great, 9-unit apartment, minutes from Ice District; a winner to add to any portfolio. 1972 built, meticulously maintained. Terrific access to local amenities in trendy Oliver.

Mechanical, roof and 6 units all upgraded. This property has a great suite mix; 6 X 2 bd and and 3 X studios, all parking stalls are energized and separately metered.

This property has a tried and true layout and is built to last. Purchase price includes reserve fund and estimated $30K in renos to make the property shine! This is a turn-key deal. Excellent access downtown and in the highly rent-able and desirable neighbourhood of Oliver. CAP rate of 6% and 5% C.O.C. return.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Oliver is a mature neighbourhood that is desirable for tenants working in the downtown and attending NAIT. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this property in relation to Edmonton's desirable growing core.

Purchase price: $1.05M
Total Investment: $387K.
Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $151,968.
Your pre-tax Total ROI is 40% or 8% per year

These 9 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: impeccable tenant selection, 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!

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

Trudeau and Notely talk pipelines and slumping prices with oilpatch

By James Wood, Calgary Herald, February 4th, 2016

Justin Trudeau’s pledges of help were met with guarded optimism in the heart of the oilpatch Thursday, even as the prime minister made no concrete promises around pipeline proposals.
As Trudeau and Premier Rachel Notley hosted a round table meeting in his first visit to Calgary since becoming prime minister, he told a group of top energy executives the government wanted to hear ways Ottawa “can be a better partner in helping you through this difficult time.”

When he spoke to reporters later after touring the downtown YWCA, Trudeau said he believes the battered energy sector is open to a different approach from the federal government. FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE
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Jingle mail rears its ugly head in Alberta again
Federal government worried about Albertans making strategic defaults on their mortgages

By Tracy Johnson, CBC News, February 8th, 2016

One of the big bads from the 1980s is starting to emerge again in Alberta.
Jingle mail — the act of walking away from an underwater mortgage by mailing your keys back to the bank — is a peculiarity of the Alberta residential market and an act of desperation. However, a combination of high debt and lost jobs make it an option in a province going through a significant economic reckoning.

It's enough of a concern that the federal government is watching the Alberta market closely. Jingle mail, or strategic defaults, weaken the housing market and increase loan losses among Canada's banks. GRAB THIS STORY

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Edmonton real estate market gives reason for optimism

By Graham Hicks, Postmedia Network, February 11th, 2016

You have to forgive Realtors.

They are relentlessly optimistic.

The economy is dropping like a rock. A great time to buy!

The economy is sizzling red-hot. A great time to sell!

I was impressed with the reasonably objective research and conclusions of Edmonton Realtor (and ex-accountant) Kathy Schmidt, in her monthly The Schmidt Report.

The sky is not falling, she argues, not in Edmonton’s housing market.

It has crashed down in Fort McMurray, it’s falling in Calgary, but here, we’re just a little overcast.

Median house prices are down – about 3% — in most of Metropolitan Edmonton, a median price of about $340,000 compared to $350,000 at this time last year. READ MORE HERE

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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.

“Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.” - George S. Patton

Warm Regards,

Todd and Danielle Millar

Ingvar Krampad is the man that built IKEA to it's global prominence. As a child he had an entrepreneurial spirit which clearly worked out well for him. He is one of the top 10 richest men in the world at $39B net worth.

This quick slide show gives a glimpse at the IKEA story. My favorite part? He's been driving the same Volvo for 20 years. He's the original Y.A.W.N.

My house is near a new planned LRT station. The city cleared about 6 houses on the street for the upcoming expansion and I believe all of them were moved this way.

There's nothing I love more than a 50's bungalow, they are solid well built homes and from a generation that maintained property keeping it "neat as a pin". If you can reuse houses (upcycle if you will) and give someone and affordable home then that is a great business model.

These houses at the end typically cost under $100,000!

"A lot of these houses, there's nothing wrong with them. They're structurally sound and they've been maintained and upgraded over the years." Read more

Alberta could qualify for up to $250 million in aid

"The Alberta government could be eligible for payments under the 50-year-old fiscal stabilization program, designed to compensate provinces that suffer steep drops in revenues from one year to the next, federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau" Read here

“If you want to buy low and sell high, generally speaking, the time to buy low is when things are going wrong,” Ian Glassford, the chief financial officer with Servus Credit Union in Edmonton Read 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

February 1st., 2016
Volume 20, Issue 2

Dear Friends and Partners,

So, there you have January 2016 - done. It was an anemic month for growth, decisions and ‘keeping a steady hand on the rudder’.

But, let’s focus on the good; oil hung on around $30 bbl., rates stayed low (a neutral event), some cash was injected into the AB economy (see below) and a rather frustrating, yet good decision was made to keep the Royalty Rate - the same. You can read more about that from Don Braid.

What we need is more clear decisions and less indiscretions. The royalty review was a ‘decision' and that will create some stability, at a needed time - so that’s good news.

I’m seeing a lot of for rent signs up, but that’s what happens during down turns (preferably not in January, but hey..). You’ll have a segment of renters that will choose to move to cheaper properties. You’ll also have landlords adjust from higher rents to moderate ones and inexperienced landlords at already low rates, panic, and drop further - don’t be the latter sort.

Downtown Edmonton: Oliver 9-Unit Apartment

Turbo charge your portfolio. Great, 9-unit apartment, minutes from Ice District; a winner to add to any portfolio. 1972 built, meticulously maintained. Terrific access to local amenities in trendy Oliver.

Mechanical, roof and 6 units all upgraded. This property has a great suite mix; 6 X 2 bd and and 3 X studios, all parking stalls are energized and separately metered.

This property has a tried and true layout and is built to last. Purchase price includes reserve fund and estimated $30K in renos to make the property shine! This is a turn-key deal. Excellent access downtown and in the highly rent-able and desirable neighbourhood of Oliver. CAP rate of 6% and 5% C.O.C. return.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Oliver is a mature neighbourhood that is desirable for tenants working in the downtown and attending NAIT. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this property in relation to Edmonton's desirable growing core.

Purchase price: $1.05M
Total Investment: $387K.
Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $151,968.
Your pre-tax Total ROI is 40% or 8% per year

These 9 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: impeccable tenant selection, 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!

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

Opinion: Let’s not let economic gloom kill Alberta’s dreams

By Thomas Lukaszuk, Edmonton Journal, January 29th, 2016

Recent media articles paint an apocalyptic picture of Alberta’s economy and the province’s prognosis for recovery.
Maclean’s magazine declared our economic slowdown as the “Death of the Alberta Dream.” The sudden drop in commodity prices, shifts in carbon fuel production and consumption, plummeting dollar and some counterintuitive fiscal policy shifts by the provincial government have resulted in massive job losses, the outflow of investment capital and immediate drop in government revenues.

These financial challenges are felt by Albertans and will become more evident in 2016. Yet my outlook is optimistic. FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE
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Alberta kicks in another $5M to help-high tech companies

By Jodie Sinnema, Edmonton Journal, January 22nd., 2016

The Alberta government is pumping an additional $5 million into a program to help small and medium companies and entrepreneurs create jobs and develop high-tech ideas into commercial products.

That’s on top of $4.1 million already funnelled into the program. It has allowed companies such as Pleasant Solutions, which hires out software developers and works in the security and password field, create one permanent job for every $15,000 in such grants. READ MORE HERE

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The 10 Best (non-oil) things about Alberta

By Todd Hirsch, Special for Globe & Mail, December 17th, 2015

While it was booming, Alberta’s petroleum sector was a gravitational black hole that sucked up everything else around it. Other industries scrambled to compete for labour, office space and investment capital. It’s a challenge for a tech firm, for example, to open an office in Calgary when a receptionist could command $75,000 a year.

Today, Alberta is grappling with an energy patch that has lost its gravity, at least for now. Oil is below $40 (U.S.) a barrel, and it won’t come suddenly roaring back in 2016. This winter will be difficult for thousands who’ve been thrown out of work. 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.

“I don’t know where I’m going, but I promise it won’t be boring.” -David Bowie

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.

If you really want to see what's going on in Edmonton you can take a look at the Citizen Dashboard. It covers transportation, livability, environment, urban form, economy and finance.

Not to much to complain about I would say. View slideshow here

Here is a cool video of a 100 year old man who concisely reflects on his 75 years in the real estate market JUMP

Owning a company called Alberta Oilsands Real Estate you'd think the fall of oil would be nerve wracking. Well it is. It's not the first time we've been through a recession - in fact it's my third. No matter how many you go through you don't enjoy them, but you see the possibilities.

I remember in 2007 watching a young Realtor on TV saying "we've never seen this in Alberta". (I thought maybe not the 20 year olds) We ARE used to this in Alberta. It's kind of part and parcel with living in a commodity driven province.

Most Albertans will tell you to put funds aside for the next downturn and don't over extend yourself. When you get to the really savvy Albertans they will tell you "Don't waste a good recession"

It's a time for re-evaluation and re-development. For example giving out of work oil geologists and engineers funds to start new green companies. It's a time to change your focus and redirect your energy, open all the doors that you never looked in because oil was $100 a barrel.

Alberta IS about oil but that's not all it's about. Todd and I talked about this recently if the oil were gone would Edmonton still be a great place to invest in? YES. The population is growing (not at record amounts but its moving), there are world class universities, great innovation and a lot entrepreneurial spirit.

Todd Hirsch wrote about all the economic juju Alberta has aside from oil. You must read this.

Alberta's not going to close its doors and shut down. We might just get new better doors.

There is a big downturn coming but it will turn around eventually - "We need to take a much more aggressive stance and make sure this industry, which has been our bread and butter in this province for so long, needs to continue to be invested in and be competitive at those lower prices," (Edmonton Economic Development Corporation CEO Brad Ferguson) said, adding even if oil ends up at less than $20 a barrel, it still promises to be a money-maker for provincial coffers." Read HERE

Notley rethinking the budget to create jobs and stability for Albertans. There is a great video here too of Brad Ferguson - JUMP

Yes unemployment is rising, housing prices are dropping. It's to be expected. For investors the question is how to make this an opportunity for you - HERE

Liberals looking at Alberta because a weak Alberta is a weak Canada - 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

January 15th., 2016
Volume 20, Issue 1

Dear Friends and Partners,

I hope that you enjoyed your break over the holidays. I’ve heard many conversations at home, events and socials where the talk varies from the Chinese economy to death of oil. Most of the conversations are gloomy, and why wouldn’t they be - it’s a gloomy time in Canada.

My American friends seem more optimistic, while being cautious. Friends in the EU are concerned about terrorism and whether the UK will dump the Euro, triggering a decline. I’m sure that in your circle of friends, you’ll find different opinions too.

Right here in Canada people speak with conviction whether they have insight or just experience to share. Bottom line = No one can predict the future.

As I’ve said for over a year, we have tough times ahead; it’s time to make well calculated financial decisions. Remember, there are many strategies to employ during a down-turn that can be very successful with both paper assets and bricks and mortar.

Stay calm, mind your assets, take the news with a grain of salt and your eyes open and do remain in action.

South Central Edmonton: Hazeldean 2-Unit Cashflow

Great, 1200 sqft bungalow with suite; a winner to add to any portfolio. 1957 built, located a few blocks from 99th St., on an inner road insulated from traffic. Terrific access to local amenities in trendy Hazeldean. Walking distance to schools, transport and close to downtown. This property has separate entrances to each suite; 1 X 3 bd up and and 1 X 2 bd, there is also a double garage and small driveway.

This property has a tried and true layout and was built to last. Included in purchase price is an estimated $30K in renos to legalize suite and make the property shine! This is a turn-key deal. Good access to downtown and in a highly rentable and desirable neighbourhood.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Hazeldean is a mature neighbourhood that is desirable for tenants working in the South and downtown. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this property in relation to Edmonton's desirable growing core.

Purchase price: $380,000
Total Investment: $90,120
Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $51,057
Your pre-tax Total ROI is 56%

These 2 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: impeccable tenant selection, 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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The death of the Alberta dream
Large-scale layoffs, empty office towers, falling house prices: Alberta has been gutted by the glut.
By Jason Markusoff, Maclean’s, January 6th, 2016

Late last year, Brandon MacKay listed his Kawasaki dirt bike for sale on Kijiji, the online classifieds site. It was the only treat the 25-year-old had given himself in three years living in Fort McMurray. The rest he’d spent on supporting and visiting his wife and kids in Pictou County, N.S. But in crafting the ad for the bike—$4,400 or best offer—MacKay did what any sales agent would advise against: he revealed his desperation to sell. “I lost my job and am in need of money for my wife and kids for Christmas.” GRAB THIS STORY

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Alberta needs an oil price "sweet spot"

By Kevin Maimann, Edmonton Sun, January 6th, 2016

An oil price "sweet spot" - not another boom - is what Alberta's economy needs, according to ATB Financial's chief economist.

Todd Hirsch said the ideal price for oil would be $65-70 per barrel.

"I know most people in the energy sector would say 100 is the sweet spot. But I actually think that something counter-intuitive happens when oil prices are too high, and that is the petroleum sector turns into this sort of black hole of gravity that pulls everything into its orbit - labour and office space and investment capital.

"It's really difficult for other non-energy sectors to do well when the energy sector tends to be pulling everything in," he said. READ MORE HERE

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Alberta’s economy forced to ‘recalibrate': economist

By CTV staff, CTV News January 4th., 2016

Low oil prices took a toll on the Alberta economy in the latter half of 2015. But the price of crude is forcing a "recalibration" which will better prepare the province's petroleum sector for when oil prices eventually rebound, says one economist.

Low oil prices have resulted in mass layoffs in the oilpatch.

In July, 2014, a barrel of crude was priced at just over US$100 a barrel. It now sits below US$40.

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.

“We’re still in a recession. We’re not going to get out of it for a while, but we will get out” -Warren Buffett

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 blog at Edmonton Real Estate Investor for all your cutting edge market news and information.

Every January first my family makes a dream board. They encompass all the things we hope to do in the upcoming year. From our kid's "running as fast as a Power Ranger" to our mature "eating healthy, delicious food".

Dream boards are so much fun to make. They erase the anxiety that comes at the beginning of a new year and replaces it with positive expectations and focus.

We do a business one as well and they are empowering to look back on. From planning for one property to the portfolio we hold now. It's amazing but over the last 15 years we've reached 75% of the goals we wrote down. Not necessarily in the year we anticipated to reach them but it does happen. Your goals are usually met when you can handle them.

So by all means do your goal sheets, write specific tangible goals and see where you go.

"When people tell you that they hope you reach your potential, they are usually talking about the future. But the best use of your potential is not in the future. It's now. Because your potential is just another word for your hidden, under-utilized talent. And the best use of your talent is right here, right now. " Steve Chandler

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

December 16th., 2015
Volume 19, Issue 10

Dear Friends and Partners,

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Holiday Season! We’ll be off to share the festive season with our loved ones out west. Take the time to enjoy, celebrate, listen, talk, laugh and reflect. Come back healthy and refreshed for the New Year.

Thank you for all your help and support, Todd & Danielle Millar.

Happy Holidays - we will be closed from 12/18/15 - 1/11/16. Newsletters will resume 1/15/16.

South Central Edmonton: Hazeldean 2-Unit Cashflow

Great, 1200 sqft bungalow with suite; a winner to add to any portfolio. 1957 built, located a few blocks from 99th St., on an inner road insulated from traffic. Terrific access to local amenities in trendy Hazeldean. Walking distance to schools, transport and close to downtown. This property has separate entrances to each suite; 1 X 3 bd up and and 1 X 2 bd, there is also a double garage and small driveway.

This property has a tried and true layout and was built to last. Included in purchase price is an estimated $30K in renos to legalize suite and make the property shine! This is a turn-key deal. Good access to downtown and in a highly rentable and desirable neighbourhood.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Hazeldean is a mature neighbourhood that is desirable for tenants working in the South and downtown. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this property in relation to Edmonton's desirable growing core.

Purchase price: $380,000
Total Investment: $90,120
Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $51,057
Your pre-tax Total ROI is 56%

These 2 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: impeccable tenant selection, 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 faces uncertainty, opportunity in 2016 after oil prices collapse

By Ian Bickis, The Globe and Mail, December 7th, 2015

A year into the global oil price plummet, and Calgary’s boom-and-bust economy is decidedly leaning towards bust.
Home prices are down, unemployment is up, food bank usage is climbing, and no one knows when things might turn around with oil below $40 (U.S.) a barrel on Monday from highs of well over $100 less than two years ago. GRAB THIS STORY

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Jim Grey, Oil patch legend, says crude may fall to $30 a barrel
A veteran of Alberta’s oil patch weighs in on the future of the oil business

By Peter Armstrong, CBC News, December 10th, 2015

The price of oil dipped below $37 a barrel on Thursday. CBC News asked oilpatch veteran Jim Gray what is driving the price down.

Gray got his start in the industry in 1956 when oil was $1.35 a barrel. Over time, he established Canadian Hunter Exploration as one of the country's most successful natural gas producers. He's been a fixture of the industry for decades and is considered a kind of sage elder for an industry that is once again reeling from hard times.

A volatile combination of factors is dragging prices down, including persistent oversupply and OPEC's decision to hold the course on production levels. But Gray says a more fundamental shift is at hand. READ MORE HERE

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Gary Lamphier: Alberta’s carbon tax no game-changer, oilsands critic says

By Gary Lamphier, Edmonton Journal, December 8th., 2015

Mark Jaccard, professor of sustainable energy at Simon Fraser University, is one of Canada’s most influential experts on energy economics and climate change policy.

Jaccard, a vocal critic of the fossil fuel industry, has long opposed expansion of Alberta’s oilsands, and new pipelines to the West Coast.

The Journal interviewed Jaccard after he addressed the Economics Society of northern Alberta’s annual economic outlook conference in Edmonton last week. Here is a condensed version of the interview: 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.

“Never let a good crisis go to waste.” -Winston Churchill

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.

It's not hard to find stories of the wealthy behaving badly. It's documented well documenta and you can find instances everywhere. There is even scientific proof! Like this, this, this and this. They are generalities about a large group of people.

There have been, and have always been, many more who give immense amounts to charity and do magnitudes of good with their wealth.

Some recent examples:
5 billionaires giving their fortunes away - HERE
This Mark Zuckerberg pledge has been all over twitter this last week.
Billionaire Saudi prince makes a $32 Billion pledge.
Time - 9 Billionaires who have pledged their fortune.

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

December 1st., 2015
Volume 19, Issue 9

Dear Friends and Partners,

It’s getting tougher to pick ‘positive' articles for our newsletter and remain balanced. The fact is that there are good news stories, but there are many more ‘bad’ or truly; uncertain ones. Make no mistake, Alberta is in a tough place right now and it’s going to take a while to dig ourselves out and get the economy back on track - that looks far into the future.

Now, with that said it doesn’t mean that everything is bad. There is much opportunity for businesses in the greening, environmental improvements and infrastructure sectors, for example. There is also opportunity for development in the EAD for the skillful and experienced investor; noobs will run a very high risk of losing their shirts wading into this market.

And what for the strategic long-term investor? Buy and holds must be patient, build up cash reserves and weather the downturn. Yes, there is opportunity to add to your portfolio when you buy right, buy for cash-flow and know your exit.

The first article I have used shows how Terry Paranych, long-term Edmonton investor, continues to buy. Terry has been buying for 30+ years. His strategy is to build up massive cash-flow, not sell units. For investors needing to exit in a short time frame, this might not work unless you are a skilled wholesaler that can buy, add value and sell at discount - with profit. The other articles are cautionary; we do have real issues in Alberta that need our attention and care to navigate.

South Central Edmonton: Hazeldean 2-Unit Cashflow

Great, 1200 sqft bungalow with suite; a winner to add to any portfolio. 1957 built, located a few blocks from 99th St., on an inner road insulated from traffic. Terrific access to local amenities in trendy Hazeldean. Walking distance to schools, transport and close to downtown. This property has separate entrances to each suite; 1 X 3 bd up and and 1 X 2 bd, there is also a double garage and small driveway.
This property has a tried and true layout and was built to last. Included in purchase price is an estimated $30K in renos to legalize suite and make the property shine! This is a turn-key deal. Good access to downtown and in a highly rentable and desirable neighbourhood.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Hazeldean is a mature neighbourhood that is desirable for tenants working in the South and downtown. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this property in relation to Edmonton's desirable growing core.

Purchase price: $380,000
Total Investment: $90,120
Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $51,057
Your pre-tax Total ROI is 56%

These 2 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: impeccable tenant selection, 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’s Ice District spurring new real estate projects

By Omar Mouallem, Globe and Mail, November 20th, 2015

From the driver’s seat of his Escalade, real estate investor Terry Paranych is recreating the moment he found his newest buy on the northern fringe of downtown Edmonton. He was picking up Chinese food in a rough part of town that had been neglected for decades, until Edmonton Oilers owner Daryl Katz turned his attention to it for the team’s new home.

“I was looking at all the cranes,” Mr. Paranych, who’s better known as a residential agent, says. “All of a sudden I see a commercial real estate sign on the corner.” He points to a red, humble, six-unit apartment he secured for a $505,000 bargain. GRAB THIS STORY

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Debt delinquencies rise in Alberta, bucking national trend
TransUnion says ripple effect of oil price slump seeing more consumers struggling to make payments

By CBC News, November 18th, 2015

"Credit and loan delinquencies are starting to pile up in Alberta as consumers cope with the ripple effects of the collapse in the price of oil, a new report says.

The credit agency TransUnion released figures Wednesday showing that Alberta surpassed the Canadian average in delinquencies in the third quarter of this year." READ MORE HERE

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Oilwell drilling contractors expect one of the worst years in history
Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors (CAODC) releases grim forecast for 2016

By Kyle Bakx, CBC News, November 18th., 2015

The Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors has released a bleak forecast for the upcoming year that projects the downturn will only get worse for the sector.

CAODC projects 4,728 wells to be drilled, a decrease of 58 per cent from the 11,226 wells drilled in 2014.

"The 2016 forecast is grim or as we call it in our office, butt ugly," said Brian Krausert with Beaver Drilling, who delivered the CAODC forecast to the organization's members at an event in downtown Calgary. "It's not a pretty sight, but I know the industry is resilient enough and hopefully we'll be here next year." 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.

“Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it’s less good than the one you had before.” Elizabeth Edwards

Warm Regards,

Todd and Danielle Millar

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

I love this post. It's MSN's "What 14 super successful people wish they knew at 22" It's enlightening and I think a must read for any age.

At 22 I was rudderless, living in a green shag apartment over a Chinese restaurant in Victoria, B.C. I was working towards an associate degree in applied sciences (which I used for 1 year and never liked) and working at Money Mart. I had no clue what I was doing and never dreamed I would be doing what I do now.

I would tell my 22 year old self, "You don't have to decide RIGHT now, take some time and experience the world. Think about where you are getting your advice from."

"If you are willing to dream and then work hard and execute well, you can achieve more than you ever imagined." Maynard Webb Apple Chairman's advice to his 22 year old self.

I found this article on Facebook through a friends account. It's basic good sense for anybody in an industry that is cyclical. I don't know how many times I've seen this bumper sticker:

"When I was five years old, my Dad took my Mother and I to Jamaica. It was my first trip anywhere, and it was paradise. My Dad wore a gold nugget Rolex, and carried literally thousands of dollars in cash in his front pocket. He bought my Mother a diamond that made every woman jealous, and we were rich. And then oil went to $10 and the nearly 5,000 rigs that were drilling in the US went to 1100. We were broke, and although my Dad didn’t sell his gold nugget Rolex, he had me put it in the floor safe of the home we lived in on Cornett. Since then, I’ve lived through my own oil boom and bust, and likely will see a few more. My skin grows thicker by the minute." Read more here

Here are a few quick facts about the new climate change policy announced Sunday by the Alberta government:
Main thrust: Broad-based carbon tax of $30 a tonne by 2018; phase-out of coal-fired power by 2030; hard cap of 100 megatonnes on all oilsands emissions.
___
Effect on families: Gas, fuel, power bills to rise about $500 a year by 2018; policy promises at least partial rebates for about 60 per cent of Alberta families.
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Effect on industry: Emissions cap will be almost entirely taken up when projects now in the pipeline are built, meaning future expansion will have to be done by reducing energy use per barrel of oil; renewable energy to be 30 per cent of Alberta mix by 2030
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Effect on climate: No specific emissions reductions set; policies projected to reduce emissions from business as usual by about seven per cent by 2020 and about 16 per cent by 2030; Alberta's total emissions to start falling in 2020.
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Effect on politics: Alberta emissions about one-third Canadian total, so province's plan is key to Canadian position at upcoming Paris conference; plan also expected to reduce market resistance to export of Alberta oilsands products.

You can read the original 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

November 16th., 2015
Volume 19, Issue 8

Dear Friends and Partners,

I belong to Steve Chandler’s Wealth Warrior Group. This is the last year as they’re wrapping it up to focus more on coaching as that is his real passion. Here is a timely thought from Steve Chandler:

"Well, you know, fears are something that we multiply in our mind, and we multiply them so that every fear that everyone has, in their mind they've multiplied by a factor of about 100. So the fear is so much worse than doing the actual thing would be, and then by not doing it it grows and grows and grows. And then finally, if for some reason we just have to do it, we're really exhilarated and we almost feel giddy because, my gosh, there's only one way around that. And that is to find a way to walk toward that fear and deal with it in a way that isn't frightening. Now, if people will take time, they will be able to come up with a way, a routine, a structure, to deal with any fear they have in grown up life that does not scare them. But they don't take the time because they're too afraid to even look at the issue. And that occurs over and over and over. "

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” - Marcus Aurelius

North West Edmonton: Canora 4-Unit Cashflow

Turbo charge your portfolio. This bright and open four-unit is listed as a side by side Duplex with condo titles (I interpret that to mean that the lower suites are non-conforming and not legal). 1997 built, located a few blocks from 107th it has good access to local amenities.

Walking distance to schools, transport and close to downtown. This property has separate entrances to each suite; 2 X 3 bd and 2 X 2 bd, single garages, plus pad. This property was well designed for light and spaciousness, it’s in good condition.

This is a turn-key deal. Good access to downtown and in a rent-able, working-class neighbourhood.

Comes complete with great tenants making this a totally turn-key property for you. Canora is a mature neighbourhood that is desirable for tenants working in the Westend and downtown. HUGE upside potential due to the great purchase price, strong economic fundamentals and the proximity of this property in relation to Edmonton's desirable growing core.

Purchase price: $664,000
Total Investment: $153,540
Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $89,900
Your pre-tax Total ROI is 58% or 11.7% per year

These 4 suites rent for top dollar and have everything arranged, including financing structure and incredible tenants. Your investment includes: impeccable tenant selection, 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!
=========================

Gary Lamphier: Canadian Western Bank sees growth beyond Alberta

By Gary Lamphier, Edmonton Journal, November 6th, 2015

In a year that has been chock full of lousy economic news, this was an especially depressing week for Alberta.
Long-slumping oil prices slid anew Friday, closing at just $44.29 US a barrel, down nearly five per cent from the previous Friday.

On the employment front, Alberta shed another 11,000 jobs in October, according to Statistics Canada’s latest monthly data, even as Canada gained more than 44,000 jobs.

That pushed Alberta’s unemployment rate to 6.6 per cent, up from just 4.4 per cent a year ago, leaving tens of thousands of people out of work.

Just for good measure, U.S. President Barack Obama piled on Friday, putting the final nail in the coffin of TransCanada’s long-proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline project.

While Obama’s decision surprised no one, it inflicted another psychological wound on Alberta’s struggling oilpatch, which is bracing for tougher emissions penalties and a possible hike in royalty rates by year’s end, courtesy of Alberta’s new NDP government. GRAB THIS STORY

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Alberta loses nearly 11,000 jobs as unemployment rate rises to 6.6%

By Mario Toneguzzi, Calgary Herald, November 6th, 2015

Alberta’s unemployment rate crept higher as the province lost nearly 11,000 jobs in October, including 3,600 in Calgary, Statistics Canada reported Friday.

The unemployment rate rose to 6.6 per cent, from 6.5 in September.

StatsCan said the job losses provincially were full-time — 11,600 fewer positions month-over-month — while part-time employment rose by 800 jobs.

On an annual basis, employment was up by 13,400 positions, but the gains were in part-time work, which saw a gain of 35,500 positions. The number of full-time jobs in Alberta fell 22,100 from October 2014.

The unemployment rate is 2.2 points higher than it was in October 2014, due largely to a 70,000-person increase in the size of Alberta’s labour force — people who are working or looking for work. READ MORE HERE

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Shell says it halted oilsands pipeline over uncertainty

By Jeff Lewis, The Globe and Mail, November 6th., 2015

Royal Dutch Shell’s chief executive says uncertainty over pipelines such as Keystone XL, killed by the U.S. government on Friday, played a role in the company’s decision to scrap a major oil sands project last month – a sign that export constraints are squeezing some of the industry’s largest players.

Last month, Shell took a $2-billion (U.S.) hit after halting construction of its 80,000 barrel-per-day Carmon Creek development in northwest Alberta. It cited high costs and insufficient pipeline capacity to move the supplies to market as reasons.

On Friday, Ben van Beurden said the project’s economics were subject to a “very, very wide range of outcomes,” including the fate of major pipelines, undermining its viability as the energy giant reins in spending to cope with lower oil prices.

“It was basically a clear, straight-forward economical decision,” he said during a meeting with reporters at the company’s Scotford refining complex northwest of Edmonton. FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE

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

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.

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." - Dale Carnegie

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.

Edmonton's part in a 6 year old campaign to eradicate homelessness is well on it's way to being a success. Since joining the national campaign to house the chronically homeless, approximately 20,000, by 2018, the city has reduced our numbers by 25%.

"If you are unmoved by any of the moral arguments or ethical arguments for why we should do this, there is a very, very strong business case," "We will all save money as taxpayers supporting very expensive justice costs and very expensive health-care costs. And if you're concerned about where your tax dollars are going, the biggest cost centre at the city of Edmonton is policing." Mayor Don Iveson

There are many ways you can help stop homelessness. I'm going to a Lunch N Learn on Monday November 16 from 11:30am to 1pm. Tickets are $21.80.

When we started our newsletter almost 10 years ago it was called "More Good News" because there WAS always more good news to write about. I looked at the links that were selected for the blog today and wanted to call this blog "More Bad News"

The job losses in Alberta, falling house prices and reduced drilling forecast for 2016 in the oilsands to name a few. It's easy to get caught up in the sky is falling mentality. It's not our first bust, not the first time real estate prices have dropped and not the first time oil prices have fallen. The best thing to do is keep your head down focus on your business ( no one elses) and ensure you're playing your "A" game.

My "A" game means impeccably renovated rentals, an aggressive approach to tenanting and watching my loonines and toonies. That's all. Oh and not getting caught up in the media.

So, instead of all that news up there, why don't you read about the love between a man and a penguin, how we live in the freest country in the world (not sure why Trudeau is the image) and how this library waived nearly $1,000,000 in overdue fees.

Enjoy.