Edmonton Real Estate Investor: November 2011

It's been 5 months from start to finish but yesterday our Cornerstone Grant funding came in the mail. We started building the secondary suite in July and final approval came around November 15, 2011, seven days later we got our cheque. Here, here and here are the steps we took through the whole grant process.

The biggest delays were permits the longest one took about 6 weeks, our contractor (the guy seriously lost the plot) and finally fireproofing the furnace room ceiling with drywall. 95% of the people we spoke to said it couldn't be done but it was. It took 3 inspections by the city but finally we got it right. The first shot is with gypsum board which is not to code the second two we have drywall and some fireproof duct tape throughout the ceiling.

After our whoops of joy we thought lets do it again. The first attempt was a bit rough going but once you've done the program and been approved it's easier to get your reno team in place and anticipate delays.

"Canada must reduce its dependence on the United States and look to Asia's rising fortunes, Premier Alison Redford told an Toronto audience during an Economic Club of Canada keynote speech on Wednesday.
Redford said her government remains committed to the delayed Keystone XL pipeline to Texas but the province needs more customers for its oilsands products.

"Our success is dependent on exports and the prosperity they bring, but U.S. demand is declining," the premier said during her first visit to Toronto as premier.

"Asia's star is rising and it will dominate the 21st Century. We can guarantee national prosperity for a long time to come by supplying them with the energy that they need."

Premier Redford hits the nail on the head when she starts the conversation of creating an energy supply chain to Asia. If Keystone isn't ready, lets diversify. The more global partners, the merrier. Read More Here

"A CIBC report suggests that over the next two decades, energy infrastructure construction will add a million jobs to the Canadian economy – enough to pull it away from recessionary risk without government intervention. At least part of that depends on Canada processing its oil sands crude."

As the battle over the Keystone XL pipeline threatens to upset exports from Canada’s oil sands to the United States, an old dream to make Alberta an oil-processing powerhouse is back on the table.

Alberta’s energy industry has long counted on the planned pipeline to carry much of the province’s ever-increasing volume of oil sands output to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Go to article

We've been really busy over the last few months from contributions to Real Estate How To books to magazines in Canada, Japan and the UK.

I've finally put up some of the articles, links and pdfs on our media page. Take a look some are interesting and hopefully you can find at least one golden nugget of information among them.

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 15th., 2011
Volume 11, Issue 5

Dear Friends and Partners,

We're up again, no we're down again. Like a ball in the air, it has been tough to know exactly where it'll land - that has been our economy and politics of late. I suppose in a sense that is consistent. If you've been trying to figure out what Greece, Italy, France, Iran and the U.S.A. are going to do - don't. I have attached a quote at the bottom of this newsletter that offers sage advice for these uncertain times. Another good saying to practice now is "Hope for the best and plan for the worst". The Keystone pipeline is a good example, if we're not going to build it now; we can build it later. If not to the U.S.A., then to China. Use today to practice optimism like water; flow around your obstacles.

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West Central Edmonton: Cashflowing Three-Plex In Inglewood

Turbo charge your portfolio. Legal upgraded 1960 built 3-plex with separate entrance to all units. The main floor is massive with nearly 1900 sqft of beautifully designed space, including 3 bedrooms, dining, kitchen and living room. There are 2 large 1 bedroom self contained suites downstairs. You'll find coin operated laundry on the lower floor and main floor has its own laundry. Both lower suites have their own furnace and are legally built to city code. All suites are well maintained with the main floor having some luxury touches and the basements remaining simple, nice and functional. Outside is professionally landscaped, fenced and complete with parking for 2 cars plus a double detached garage. 20 minutes to U.O.A. and 10 minutes to Grant MacEwan, NAIT and Downtown. This property has good holding value and cash-flow.
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 established neighbourhood featuring many heritage homes; 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 $400.64 positive cash flow per month using an investor's mortgage plan - taking advantage of current low rates.

Purchase price: $449K Total Investment: $103,498K. Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $54,039.65K. Your pre-tax Total ROI is 52% or 10% per year + $400.64 Cash Flow in Your Pocket Every Month

Poised for massive growth. These 3 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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Lamphier: Economic Future Lies With Booming Asia

By Gary Lamphier, Edmonton Journal, November 7th 2011

EDMONTON - It’s all about Asia now. As is increasingly obvious, that’s where Canada’s economic future lies.
If you don’t get that, you can’t appreciate what we’ll need to do to sustain our comfy Canadian living standards or secure our kids’ economic futures in the years ahead.

The world has changed. When some 20 million Americans remain jobless two years into a recovery, and crisis-ridden Europe is forced to beg China for bailout money, you know it’s different this time.

Asia’s soaring economic clout is reflected in the changing makeup of the world’s 250 largest energy firms, a list that’s compiled each year by Platts, a New York-based commodity research firm. GRAB THIS STORY

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Canada Defiant After U.S. Oil Pipeline Rebuff

By David Ljunggern, Reuters. Thursday November 10th, 2011

OTTAWA/CALGARY, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Canada will keep promoting crude from the tar sands of northern Alberta as a secure source of energy despite a U.S. decision to delay approval of a pipeline to carry the oil from Alberta to Texas, officials said on Thursday.
The Canadian government and the oil industry have limited options, however, as another controversial proposal to build a pipeline to export tar sands crude to Asian markets is just at the beginning of a lengthy review process.

The U.S. move to put off a decision on TransCanada Corp's proposed $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline for 18 months is a significant blow for Ottawa, which has strongly backed the project. READ MORE HERE.

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Gains In Edmonton Home Prices No.2 In Country Over Last Decade
Average goes from $124,203 to $328,803 - Still $10,000 off national pace

By Dave Cooper, Edmonton Journal, November 8th 2011
A red-hot economy fuelled unprecedented price appreciation in Edmonton over the last decade, making the city Canada's secondstrongest-performing market - up 165 per cent since 2000, says a report release Monday by Re/Max.

Across Canada, the report says the average value of housing doubled to $339,030 in 2010 from $163,951 a decade earlier.

In Edmonton, the average price of a home climbed from $124,203 in 2000 to $328,803 in 2010, peaking in 2007 at $338,636. 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.

"Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records." - William Arthur Ward

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 home-study 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 scanned this article today and initially I thought it was obvious. However, if you don't know how to manage your money then having and maintaining a high net worth will be hard. That's why you see lots of celebrities broke after years of making millions and millions of dollars.

"Calgary will and trust lawyer Coady Cormier has spent the past 13 years advising people who are worth more than $1 million on how to best protect that money. Along the way, he has noticed some trends in how that money is managed and the attitudes of the wealthy. Some of the observations are what one might expect."

Here they are:
- frugality
- good at controlling debt
- fewer divorces
- tolerance within couples ie to workaholics
- tendency to not be conspicuous consumers
- review portfolios, wills and insurance every 3 years
- deeper responsibility with financial planning

It's a great article read more HERE

We had the first snow of the winter season over the weekend. It was beautiful to awaken to the fresh dusting that happened quietly while we slept.

The first snow is a great reminder that we'll be seeing this for the next 6 months and the real estate market is going to s-l-o-w down. Less tenants moving, although I did a move on New Year's Eve last year, less buyers looking. Sellers are out there but the prices are reflected in the season.

I've got one beautiful townhouse left to rent for December 1st and plan to have a baby this weekend. Then hope to batten my hatches for the weather, focus on our fine tuning our goals for 2012 and work on streamlining our portfolio.

I never clued in that Remembrance/ Veterans Day was celebrated in the US on the same day we celebrate in Canada. Fallen war heroes are honoured in many countries today Take a look HERE

Another quick Google in my free time - Babies born on November 11, 2011 at 11:11:11. I was hoping to get this delivery date but my little guy isn't complying. Oh well, 11/22/11 is an auspicious date too.

And to round it off things you didn't know about 11/11/11.

I found this video/ad for an investment property in one of the areas we like to buy in. It's simple and effective.

Take a look HERE

As an affluent, high-tech industrial society in the trillion-dollar class, Canada resembles the US in its market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic integration with the US, its principal trading partner.

Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with the US, which absorbs about three-fourths of Canadian exports each year. Canada is the US's largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power. Given its great natural resources, skilled labor force, and modern capital plant, Canada enjoyed solid economic growth from 1993 through 2007.

Buffeted by the global economic crisis, the economy dropped into a sharp recession in the final months of 2008, and Ottawa posted its first fiscal deficit in 2009 after 12 years of surplus. Canada's major banks, however, emerged from the financial crisis of 2008-09 among the strongest in the world, owing to the financial sector's tradition of conservative lending practices and strong capitalization. During 2010, Canada's economy grew only 3%, due to decreased global demand and a highly valued Canadian dollar. 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

November 1st., 2011
Volume 11, Issue 4

Dear Friends and Partners,

I listened to the audio book 'Start With Why' by Simon Sinek last week. It was pretty good. I didn't find it new or groundbreaking, but it was a good refresher. The premise of Simon's book is that all great leaders and companies have a big, clear WHY of what they are doing. This 'Why' attracts other people that identify with it. For example, here at Glenn Simon Inc. we have a catch phrase that reads "Making you successful, one property at a time". Good, clear catchy - if not super original. But the 'why' behind the late hours, long days, relentless management and due diligence resonates more like this… "

Why we created GSI and decided to work with partners is because we like to play with our kids, share a sunny afternoon with our family, travel by tuk-tuk to Denpasar with friends, eat delicious foods, create more time (to do as we like), take pictures, enjoy art, nature, the sky, adventure, grow and regrow our money, write and contribute, sponsor children, give a family a chance to rent or buy a home that they otherwise didn't have, live out loud, connect with cool, like minded, positive people - who are also doing the same, take initiative, take control and nimbly steer our own ship in the direction that resonates with our beliefs." If that Why sounds unstructured, there is a concrete set of business goals that we continually use to measure and match it.

The 'How' is by investing and managing specific pieces of real estate, very carefully. The 'What' we offer is the ability for other folks who find resonance in what we do and whom have their own unique 'Why" get on-board and leverage their time and their money to reach their 'Why'. So, what is your 'Why' and are you living it or on the path to reaching it?

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West Central Edmonton: Cashflowing Three-Plex In Inglewood

Turbo charge your portfolio. Legal upgraded 1960 built 3-plex with separate entrance to all units. The main floor is massive with nearly 1900 sqft of beautifully designed space, including 3 bedrooms, dining, kitchen and living room. There are 2 large 1 bedroom self contained suites downstairs. You'll find coin operated laundry on the lower floor and main floor has its own laundry. Both lower suites have their own furnace and are legally built to city code. All suites are well maintained with the main floor having some luxury touches and the basements remaining simple, nice and functional. Outside is professionally landscaped, fenced and complete with parking for 2 cars plus a double detached garage. 20 minutes to U.O.A. and 10 minutes to Grant MacEwan, NAIT and Downtown. This property has good holding value and cash-flow.
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 established neighbourhood featuring many heritage homes; 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 $ positive cash flow per month using an investor's mortgage plan - taking advantage of current low rates.

Purchase price: $449K Total Investment: $103,498K. Your Estimated 5 Year Profit $54,039.65K. Your pre-tax Total ROI is 52% or 10% per year + $400.64 Cash Flow Every Month

Poised for massive growth. These 3 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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Ottawa Announces Details Of $1B Program to Improve Army Light Armoured Vehicles

By The Canadian Press, October 21st, 2011
EDMONTON - A big part of the Canadian army's fleet of light armoured vehicles is getting a billion-dollar makeover to make them tougher, safer and more mobile.

Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose announced details Friday of the plan to upgrade 550 LAV IIIs so they can better withstand deadly roadside bombs and mines.

Ambrose said the $1.06 billion contract awarded to General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada will protect jobs at plants in Edmonton and London, Ont., and with the company's suppliers across the country.

"They will maintain 2,400 jobs across the country. These are very high-value, high-skilled jobs," Ambrose said while standing beside one of the green, 17-tonne vehicles.

"But most importantly, this upgraded equipment will make sure our men and women in uniform are safer on the battlefield." FOLLOW THIS ARTICLE

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Harper Sees Keystone Pipeline Prevailing with Jobs Over Nebraska

By Theophilos Argitis and Bradley Olson, Bloomberg, October 23rd 2011.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper says U.S. approval of Keystone XL, a proposed 1,661-mile pipeline from Alberta to Texas, is a “no brainer” because demand for oil and jobs will overwhelm opposition from Nebraska lawmakers.
“The need for energy in the U.S. is enormous, the alternatives for the U.S. are not good, on every level,” Harper, 52, said in a Bloomberg Television interview. Harper said he’s “confident” the pipeline will be built.

The promise of jobs will outweigh protests over the $7 billion pipeline, the prime minster said in a Sept. 21 interview. At a time when almost one in 10 Americans is unemployed, TransCanada Corp. (TRP) expects to create 20,000 jobs to build the pipeline, Chief Executive Officer Russell Girling told reporters on Oct. 7. Work for suppliers and indirect staff related to Keystone would add 118,000 jobs, according to Michigan Representative Fred Upton, who heads the House Energy and Commerce Committee. READ MORE HERE

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Surviving and Thriving in a Sustainable Economy
Chris Turner tells stories of cities adopting new power generating methods

By Sheila Pratt, Edmonton Journal, October 22nd 2011

For oil-soaked Albertans, there are some eye-popping moments in Chris Turner's new book, The Leap, a fascinating tour of countries and places already making the transition to a renewable, low-carbon economy.Start with Turner's visit with Harald Muller and Barbara Braun, middle-class urban homeowners in Freiburg, Germany.

Their 10-yearold townhouse operates like a small power generator thanks to a bank of solar panels on the south slope of the roof. That solar energy provides more power than the family needs, so they put it back on the grid and make money on the sale - about $5,000, in fact. It didn't take long to pay off solar panels - he checked their power bills - and it made Turner wonder: Why can't we do that here? 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.

"When I chased after money, I never had enough. When I got my life on purpose and focused giving of myself and everything that arrived into my life, then I was prosperous." - Abraham/Hicks

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 home-study sets at a discount. Get your copy of the Canadian Success Stories book and the 2011 Top Ten Investment Towns of Alberta and Ontario.