Advice from Real Estate Power Players

It is awesome to get advice from two titans of Real Estate, Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki. This video and others like it have some great advice. It doesn't matter if you're buying your first house or looking to become a real estate investor, controlling your debt is one of the most important things to consider. Its important to keep it under control, keep track of your interest rates, stay up-to-date on your payments and of course, never go bankrupt. If you go bankrupt, you pay three times.

1. You lose your ability to generate credit.
2. You lose your ability to gain clearance to information.
3. You lose your ability to be considered accountable.

It closes off far too many options and should be avoided like the plague. If you can avoid it, never go bankrupt.

So, if you're ready to further into real estate visit Ottawa Moves. This website has all the information to get started with your next real estate venture. What are you waiting for? Get started today!

Economics Rap

This was a rare find. An Economics Rap? I haven't heard some of these terms since my first year economics classes. However, if you're economically or financially inclined, you will enjoy many of these inside jokes.

Considering the time that we've had recently with the economic crisis and recovery, I wonder if they're brining back more economics courses in schools. Of course, there is no such thing as the perfect theory and brining in changes to an economy can be difficult to test, but it is something younger people should know something about. Clearly, the people in the video get it.

Especially when we keep reading news articles like ... this one here.

In the meantime, if you're looking for a more stable investment, one that always appreciates, (pun intended) visit Ottawa Moves. It has some great tips for new buyers and sellers on the Ottawa Real Estate market. Visit today!

Disney Wedding Proposal

Ok, so this is a little older. It still boasts almost 3 million views. I have to say, this video never gets old. Can you imagine actually get proposed to via sing-a-long at DisneyWorld? I mean, it just doesn't get any better than that. It is totally romantic and it is a story to tell the children and grandchildren for years to come.

I wonder if DisneyLand offers a similar service like this to the public all the time? It might be something to look into if you're considering popping the question. Besides, Florida is always nice at any time of year so you can't really go wrong. Plus, ... its Disney! Happiest Place on Earth right?

Once you're done with the engagement, the wedding and the honeymoon, you can start thinking about buying a house. Enter, Ottawa Moves! It has everything you need. All the tips and tricks to make your next home purchase easier. What are you waiting for? Get started today!

So you want to go to law school?

Ok, so this was totally loaded with lawyer jokes. Don't worry, you'll get most of them soon enough. I was just really impressed this was filmed in Windsor. It is rare to find Canadian law stuff.

So you want to go to law school? Are you sure? Have you thought about the reason why you want to go? If not, this website will give you some pretty good advice you should consider before going.

If you still decide to go, this website has a great description of the steps to take before getting there. I'd strongly advise taking a prep course from either Kaplan or Princeton Review. Unless you're a philosophy major or you took the Reasoning and Critical Thinking class, you will definetely feel better prepared.

Finally, once you have the website consider which universities you want to apply to. Macleans has great guide to law schools that they update each year and you get additional information from here as well.

Finally, if you don't decide to go to law school, you want to buy a house. If so, visit Ottawa Moves for all of your Ottawa Real Estate needs. Great tips for potential homebuyers and homesellers.

The Necktie

At some point, a guy needs to learn how to tie a tie. There are variety of popular ways, such as the Windsor knot depicted above, or the Four in Hand or the Half Windsor. It can be fun to play around with the different styles knots once you learn how to tie them.

However, once you have the knot down, its time to select the specific tie. Will it be Stripes? Squares? Solid? or a Crazy Pattern? It is up to you and it can say a lot about you. The BBC had an interesting article about ties here.

Once you find the right tie, the shirt colour can have a dramatic effect as well. The writers at AskMen.ca had some interesting insights on shirt colour which can be found here as well.

Finally, if you get a moment from all the dressing up, don't forget to visit Ottawa Moves for all of your Real Estate needs. Great tips for new homebuyers and homesellers.

Healthy Snacks: Is the Granola Bar the Best Way to Go?

Yes, we all try to eat healthy and maintain a balanced diet, but what do you do when you feel hungry?

Relax, this lady has the answer to all of your questions. It doesn't matter if you're looking for a crunchy snack, a creamy snack, a sweet snack or a salty snack, she has all the right tips to help you through your day.

However, the one suggestion I had to investigate was the granola bar. We are constantly bombarded with the message that granola bars are healthiest option for us ... which can be true ... but not always. I didn't think she did a very good job of qualifying this.

According to this website here, even though Nature Valley claims to make the best tasting granola bar (I can attest to that, they are really good), the fat content is almost comparable to a chocolate bar. Which means ... you may as well have the chocolate bar. This other website does a very good job of pointing out some of these problems as well. Problems like too much sugar, too many hiddent calories, the list goes on.

In the end, I've always found balance is key. Everything in moderation and you should be ok. What are your thoughts on healthy snacks and granola bars?

Finally, if you're up for it, don't forget to visit Ottawa Moves for some awesome Real Estate tips. Great advice and great information so don't miss out!

Retirement Tips

Ok, nobody ever likes to talk about it but it is a very important issue of our time.

How to plan for retirement?

The video above certainly outlined many of the challenges facing older and younger people when approaching this question. It suggests that the conventional wisdom surrounding retirement may not be correct in this day and age.

Fortunately, TD Canada Trust has compiled a great list of suggestions for starting to think about retirement. These suggestions are:

There are many questions surrounding how to plan for retirement. We have compiled some key information and planning tools to help you start saving successfully for your retirement:

1. What should I do first?

Retirement Planning is a primary financial goal for most Canadians. Whether you have a savings program in place, or are interested in one now, visit our RSP Contribution Calculator. Use this tool to determine how much will be available for your retirement.

To go a step further in planning for retirement, Your Retirement Strategy is a personalized, easy-to-read retirement plan. Simply complete the short questionnaire and we will advise you of the savings amount required to meet your retirement goal.

2. What next?

Remember these three "s" words. Save now, start now and stay invested. Begin by investing what you can and try to increase this amount every few months. No matter when you start investing, the key is to stay invested as long as you can. The longer you hold your investments, the more they will benefit from compound growth.

3. What is diversification?

Diversification is the financial equivalent of not putting all your eggs in one basket. You spread your risk by investing in several different investments, therefore reducing the impact of one poor performer in your portfolio.

Act now. There's an RSP investment that is just right for your retirement goals.

If you're looking for a great place to invest in Real Estate visit Ottawa Moves for some awesome tips.

How to Choose the Best Mortgage

This is yet another debate in the Real Estate world. Do you pick a variable or fixed rate mortgage? In theory, it shouldn't be a debate at all. The fixed rate is determined from forecasts on the average of how rates will be 10, 20 or 30 years from now. If you're in a variable mortgage, you're paying the going rate at any given time. So, on average ... it should be about the same. However, as we all know, the markets don't usually behave according to the average and strange things can happen.

The video above does give some good points to consider. Always ask yourself, is this your long term home or is it temporary? This will give you a solid frame of mind when making a decision and will allow your mortgage broker to serve you better. Make sure to get as much information as you can and once you've made a decision, feel comfortable.

If you're interested into looking at the breakdown of how the two compare a bit more closely, read this great article here. It is written for an American audience but considering how closely related the markets are, it can still be pertinent information.

Finally, don't forget to visit Ottawa Moves. We have some other great mortgage tips which will really help. Take a look today!

Old Spice Guy

Ok, it has been pretty tough to miss Old Spice Guy these last few days. Apparently a group of marketers got together and created 87 ... I will repeat, 87 of these short videos of the buff guy in the towel. They're still making more too. If you Tweet or Facebook these guys they may make a video just for you. You could read the whole plan right here.

I have to say, props to these guys! They had a really unique way of getting the message out and using Social Media to the full potential. You could literally spend hours watching these pointless, yet humourous shorts and the whole time you're thinking about Old Spice. Its brilliant! It doesn't feel fake, it feels like he's talking to you. Plus, this guy is really easy on the eyes.

Much better marketing plan than PETA ... Then again, they are PETA and they'll do just about anything for their 15 seconds of fame.

Don't forget to visit Ottawa Moves for all of your Real Estate questions and needs. Great online resource for everything you need.

Always Get the Home Inspection

One of the biggest things homebuyers make when purchasing a home is to skip the home inspection. Yes! The process may be long. Yes! You may want to act faster than other buyers when buying in a tight market.

No matter what the circumstance, the Home Inspection is critical to protecting your time and your wallet.

However, checking up on your Home Inspector can be important too. I remember Mike Holmes teamed up with CBC Marketplace to Inspect Home Inspectors. You can still watch the special online. It had some great tips for identifying homes that were potential used as Grow-Ops as well as how to check up on your Home Inspector. Some of these tips included asking these questions:

What kind of experience do they have? If the inspector doesn't have much of an answer, that's a big red flag. Experience and the right kind of training is key, since even if someone is an engineer, it doesn't mean they are qualified to inspect a home.

Can they provide references? A large, satisfied client base is always a good sign. Get as many as possible from the inspector and call them all.

Are they independent? A home inspector is there to offer an unbiased assessment, and shouldn't be part of any construction or homebuilder group or offer repair services themselves.

What kind of equipment do they use? A pen and paper are simply not enough. Do they bring binoculars, a ladder, or an infrared camera? A thorough inspection includes hard-to-reach places like the roof and chimney.

Still not convinced about the Home Inspection? Send us your questions and feedback here at Ottawa Moves.

How to Find a Real Estate Agent?

This question, by far, is one of the most common difficulties new homebuyers and new homesllers have when first entering the Real Estate process. The above video has a really good breakdown of the things you should be looking for when choosing your next Real Estate professional. Considering this one of the biggest transactions most people will make in their lives, it is important to start working with the right person from the beginning of the transaction.

To get more information on choosing the best Real Estate Professional visit: Ottawa Moves. They have all your Real Estate needs covered and can help you get started with the right information you need for a smooth transaction.

Real Estate TV: Part II

I was watching the W Network the other night when I came across this show: Take this House and Sell It. The show is great! They take a house that has been on the market for a long time, find out why it isn't selling, perform renovations and redesign the house, and finally, sell the house. All in the process of providing home redesign tips, stressing the importance of home staging for a sale and having some fun along the way. It was a great way to spend an hour. I will definetely keep watching the show.

As I was watching, I couldn't but think about the importance of staging. True, you want to keep the home feeling like a warm space but at the same time it is important to let your buyers imagine their things in the house. In addition, it can be beneficial to do some renovations before you sell as it will increase the property value. It is great there is show out there to get potential home sellers to think about these decisions.

However, if you're looking for an expert opinion about Home Staging and Home Sellers Tips in Ottawa, Nepean, Orleans, Rockland and other locations in the Ottawa Area visit: Ottawa Moves. A certified professional will be more than happy to help you.

Big Money

News just in today, Royal Bank has become the 7th largest wealth management firm in the world coming at $379 billion of fee-based assets. This is the first time the Royal Bank has every achieved this level. Yet another testament to Canada's handling of the global recession and having one of the world's most stable banking systems.

Rank Rank Firm Assets under Management

2009 2008 ($ billions)

1 1 Bank of America Corp. 1,741

2 2 UBS AG 1,594

3 7 Morgan Stanley 1,508

4 4 Wells Fargo & Co. 1,218

5 5 Credit Suisse Group AG 775

6 6 JPMorgan Chase & Co. 636

7 - Royal Bank of Canada 379

8 8 HSBC Holdings Plc 367

9 9 Deutsche Bank AG 272

10 10 - Pictet & Cie. 243

Interesting to note, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Citigroup Inc. dropped out of the top 10.

Also, a bit of trivia, what is the most profitable company in the world? If you answered Russsia's Gazprom you would be correct. The Russian oil and gas company generated $24.6 billion last year. Interesting to note, 49% of the company is owned by the Russian government.

In 2nd place, Exxon Mobile although having lost 57.4% of its value.

Finally, environmentalists will be pleased to know that BP came in as the 4th most profitable.

Interesting ... still oil companies dominating the top of the list ...

If you're looking to help stimulate the economy, take a look at Ottawa Moves for all your Real Estate needs. Great tips here!

The Most Affordable Places to Retire

This was a fun article. Apparently the most affordable place in the world to retire is Cuenca Ecuador!!!

According to the article you can live in Cuenca Ecuador, on average, for $850 a month. Your expenses could look like this:

--Rent: $200
--Utilities and Internet: $120
--Groceries: $240
--Transportation: $40
--Health Insurance: $50
--Entertainment: $200

Plus, every day, you have the option of either experiencing a little of the local culture or you can get Canadian style groceries. The possibilities could be endless. Its nice colonial style town so the cultural sites would keep you busy for a very long time.

Just for fun, I looked up some of the housing prices in Ecuador. (Yes the is Coldwell Banker in Ecuador too) I was really surprised by the range in prices. Really the sky is the limit to how much or how little you want to spend on a home.

But ... if Ottawa is still the place for you don't forget to visit Ottawa Moves for all your Real Estate Questions.

Home with a Rental Suite?

I've always heard from various Financial Freedom Gurus that having a Rental Suite in a home is the best way to go. You can always use the additional rent to pay down your mortgage quicker which frees up more money in the long run. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.

However, I was surprised to find this article arguing the contrary. According to the article, it can be a nightmare trying to get rid of a less-than-desirable tenant and if the mortage is higher than expected it can lead to a dependency on the extra rent income as opposed to acting as bonus. Finally, according to the article, most rental suites are illegal or not in compliance with city zoning laws. If you do need to refinance at any point, you can bet the banks won't be understanding of this situation. Before buying a new property, don't forget to look into the legalities of a rental suite.

Rental Suite or not is always important to consult with qualified professionals. Visit Ottawa Moves to get any Real Estate or Home Questions answered by certified experts.

New Real Estate Tool

Looking for a tool to serve you better? Home File is the easy way to save searches, homes for sale agents, real estate videos and more with Coldwell Banker.

This is a great tool to stay organized when looking to buy a new Real Estate property.

To Get Started Click Here

Your Next Career

Are you looking for a new challenge? Thinking of a career in real estate? You should join Coldwell Banker. Why join Coldwell Banker? See what some our local Coldwell Banker agents have to say about the Coldwell Banker brand and the tools and services it offers their business.

Visit Ottawa Moves for more Information

Boredom can be a Good Thing

I was reading the Havard Business Review today and I came across this neat little article entitled: Why I Returned My iPad. As I'm personally still skeptical about the device I figured it was worth a read, even though I've read countless rants and circular arguments about the pros and cons of the thing. However, this one was different.

The author described how he was one of the first to buy the iPad and found it lived up to all expectations. It was slick, quick and did everything he wanted efficiently. Trouble was, the author found that the device began to take up every moment, including idle time. This is because, any moment could become an iPad. So he took it back to get his free time back and allow his mind to wander.

I totally agree with this guy. Some of the best ideas I ever had were from mindless idle time. True, too much of it can be costly but there something to be said from down time.

So, if you ever have some down time, don't forget to visit Ottawa Moves for all your Real Estate questions. This site has some awesome resources so don't miss out!