.

...recommended by mature Canadians

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Allen has helped hundreds of families make their transitions during his decade and a half in real estate in Abbotsford.

Known as the  "Senior's Realtor" because of his compassion for mature clients and their unique circumstances, he is constantly referred from one satisfied family to the next.

Contact Allen for a unique explanation of the relocation process known as your

"safe trip review".

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September 01   2010

Housing bubble?

I was just listening to a talk show about a potential "housing bubble" in Canada. The experts said that we could be in for a meltdown.

I don't see it coming in my portion of the market. First of all we live where everyone wants to live in Canada. Yes...this is just about paradise. If and when things get tough in the rest of the country many more will move here. That means more rentals and sales and things just keep rolling along.

So, I guess I would worry if I lived in rural Manitoba, but not here. No matter what happens to the rest of the country, there will always be buyers and sellers in the good old Fraser Valley!

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August 06,10

Housing Forecast Update from BCREA

(translated into English)

I just got the latest report from the BC Real Estate Association about what’s happening out there.

Here’s what the big cheese had to say: “The volatility in consumer demand characteristic of the past 24 months is expected to give way to more gradual improvement through 2011,”  said Cameron Muir, BCREA Chief Economist.

“Housing demand has fallen back to earth from it’s break-neck pace at the end of 2009 and is expected to more closely match overall economic performance over the next 18 months.”

IN ENGLISH  . . . It looks like the real estate market should be back to the way it used to be before everything got so crazy and blew up on us.  . . . . . Sounds good to me.

July 20,2010

Should I just wait until prices go up again?

A lot of Sellers are asking that question lately.      Over the last 45 days the market has slowed down somewhat.      The big question is  WHY?

A few months ago the government brought in regulations to change the rules on first-time home buyers ability to qualify for mortgages. Officials are trying to avoid the problems that first-time buyers had in the USA  being in way over their heads. In my opinion the government may have set the bar too high and now the entire real estate market has changed because of it.

Here’s what’s happening ...

The first-time buyers don’t qualify to buy the second-time buyer’s homes and the second-time buyers now can’t buy the 50+ seller’s homes and the 50+ buyer’s can’t buy their retirement residence.  So, that’s the domino effect that changes everything. Buying and Selling takes a pause until the market corrects itself and things start selling at a normal pace again.

So, what’s the wisdom in this situation? Unless you have years to wait the market out, you are probably wise to deal with the reality of today. Nothing is predictable anymore.  Buyers have a smorgasbord of properties to buy. Because of all the detailed market information available to them nowadays they know exactly what to pay.  They will make lower offers and the market will adjust accordingly until the demand goes up again..

So.....wait or deal with the hand you are dealt?  Remember what Grandpa used to say?                   ...a bird in the hand...

You decide

June 09, 2010

Are they trying to steal your home?

Many of the offers we receive lately are what we would have called  "lowballs"  back in the good old days when buyers lined up for bidding wars in front of your house.

So, how should we react when we look at the low price that's usually on the first page of the contract? Your first reaction is probably to be insulted and want to punish this rude buyer for trying to "steal" your home.

"I'm not giving this place away.  I'd burn it before I let them have it for a ridiculous price like that!"

WAIT BEFORE YOU BLOW UP > > >

Buyers have a smorgasbord of homes to choose from these days. They happened to like yours best or they wouldn't have made an offer. So we go through the offer and pick out the things we like. For example, the dates are acceptable and the conditions all seem normal. No funny stuff there.

Really it's just the price that needs to be changed, so we thank them for the offer and ask to begin negotiations. The key is to treat them and their agent with respect even though it would be easy to hate them for what we feel is an attempt to take advantage of us.

Just imagine all the advice these buyers got before they made the offer. All their friends and family including "know-it-all" brother Bill have told them to start very low because it's more of a buyer's market now.

They probably do want your home and really do want to be fair. They just want to negotiate and go back and forth  to make sure they got the best deal possible. And guess what, we'd probably do the same if I was acting for you as your "Buyer's Agent".

Usually there's a deal to be made. Don't blow your cool or become the wounded duck who's been insulted by a low offer. Play the game and usually everyone wins...

May 18, 2010

How will they find your home for sale?

When you list your home for sale it seems like you are swimming in a sea of thousands of other listings... and you are. How will a buyer ever find you?  Here are the facts from the latest research:

83% of Buyers find their next home through the internet, yard signs and realtors they work with.

(the largest % by far use the web site... www.realtor.ca)

10 great photos and all the information needed to whet their appetite to call for a personal appointment to view your home.....

Surprised? .... this is the new reality

Everybody is surfing the web these days. Folks all the way up to 100 and beyond. The web works just like the old Eaton's catalogue, only about a hundred times better!

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May 06, 2010

Can you count on your pension?

*Excerpts from article by N. Miller, PC Finance critic. Ontario

Pension Reform

April 2010: We reached out to a variety of politicians and invite them to inform our readers of their views on pension reform by drafting a position statement for publication. Here are the answers we received:

The global economic crisis highlighted serious flaws in pension systems around the globe including: poor investment returns; corporate bankruptcies; chronic underfunding of plans; contribution holidays and an aging population, all of which have pushed the pension discussion to the forefront.

In addition, more than 60% of workers in Canada have no pension at all. Clearly this is one of the most serious issues that must be addressed. Creating an environment which helps workers to put away savings is one thing Governments can and should do. This may include reducing income taxes; increasing allowable RRSP contributions; eliminating harmonized sales tax from equity management fees, to name a few.

It is also absolutely critical that students have a solid foundation and a complete understanding of finances, including financial services education in Ontario's elementary and secondary school curricula. The sooner young people begin saving; the greater the likelihood they will continue the practice into adulthood.

The Report of the Expert Commission on Pensions entitled, Balance: Safe Pensions, Affordable Plans, Fair Rules made 142 recommendations, however, its mandate was limited to defined benefit plans. In fact, the popularity of these plans is in decline as employers look to other models, such as target benefit plans, as an alternative.

Creating financial savings opportunities that allow workers to pool their savings to maximize their return while maintaining individual responsibility, flexibility and portability may provide much needed help to encourage saving.

It is not appropriate or acceptable to wish the pension problem away or to do nothing. It is our hope that the discussion will continue on a national scale to ensure that all Canadians can look forward to retirement knowing they are secure.

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April 24,2010

Are Boomers on the Move?

Are they going to be selfish about where they live?

Whether it's in the Sunbelt or the Rustbelt, a move across the street or across the nation, Baby Boomers are still willing to move to a new place when they retire, according to the 2010 Del Webb Baby Boomer Survey released this month.

"Retirement marks a new phase in a Baby Boomer's life, and it only seems natural to relocate or move to a new home when they transition away from their primary career, or from the day-to-day rearing of school-aged children," said Deborah Blake, Del Webb creative director. "After all, when Boomers went off to college, they lived in a new place -- a dorm or an apartment. When they married, they lived in a new home, most likely moving several times to different states for a job. Today, Baby Boomers are even purchasing their home before they actually retire.

Whether staying close to home or moving across the country, there are many options for them as they plan their future home in retirement," added Blake.

According to the Del Webb survey, nearly a third of older Baby Boomers plan to move in retirement, with more than 50 percent planning to move to a different location.

Additionally, the desire to move during retirement is on the rise among today's younger Boomers surveyed, with 42 percent of those turning 50 in 2010 planning to do so, as compared to 36 percent among 50 year- olds in 1996.

Staying Close or Moving Far. Where are Baby Boomers Planning to Move to?

For today's millions of Boomers, the choices vary on where to spend their retirement years. During its 50-year history, Del Webb has found that some consumers choose to retire in place, in the city where they currently live and, potentially, near family and grandchildren. Alternatively, some consumers seek warmer climates and more opportunities for culture and physical activities.

Factors in Moving

Among Baby Boomers looking to move, the most important factors in deciding where to relocate weighed heavily towards an area's cost of living and access to reliable healthcare programs, 81 percent and 66 percent for the younger Boomers. Surprisingly, cultural and recreational amenities, as well as a more favorable climate, ranked higher than being close to family members, including parents, children and/or grandchildren.

According to Blake, this survey confirms that Baby Boomers want, need and do lead an active social life. "Their day planners are more scheduled today than ever before and they would have it no other way," she said. "They want to take their hard-earned money and stretch those dollars in a community that gives them confidence, not only in the stability of the market, but also a vibrant life. It's great if that community is near their children or grandchildren. But, if it's not, that's okay, too."

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April 10,2010

Is everybody's house worth a million?

The headlines in the Vancouver papers screamed about million dollar price tags on family homes in Vancouver this week. It feels good to think that maybe the market wave that hit Vancouver will eventually come our way.

But, don't hold your breath.

Even though we are only an hour away we are in a totally different market. Appraisers and tax assesors will confirm that. Our market is finally solid again after the scary times of 2008/2009 and for that we can be grateful. Expect to see prices rise SLOWLY  over the next few years. But don't wait to sell thinking somebody is going to knock on your door with a million dollars cash.

If you could move your home to within five minutes from downtown Vancouver that just might be the case. But it might be difficult to get it over the bridges . . .

In real estate it's stil location, location, location.  Just be glad you're not living in Spuzzum.

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April 02, 2010

Tired of paying taxes?

__________________________

Let the

government

pay

them for you

for a

while...

Sound good? PROPERTY TAX DEFERMENT Homeowners aged 55 years and over may defer the payment of annual property taxes on their principal residence. The Property Tax Deferment Program is a low interest loan program that assists qualified British Columbia homeowners in paying the annual property taxes on their home. The deferred taxes are paid by the Province to the taxing authority (municipality or provincial collector), on behalf of the homeowner. The deferred taxes must be repaid with interest and an administration fee to the Province, either: before the home can be transferred to a new owner other than to a surviving spouse; or upon the homeowner’s death, with repayment through their estate. The program is also available to homeowners of any age who are surviving spouses of homeowners who were enrolled in the deferment program, or who have been designated as a Person with Disability by the Ministry of Housing and Social Development or have supplied a disability certification form completed by their physician. For more information on the Property Tax Deferment Program, including other eligibility criteria for the program, contact your local government office or government agent office (refer to Service BC Centres page) where you pay your property taxes. Or call the Real Property Taxation Branch. Real Property Taxation Branch, Tax Deferment Section Ministry of Finance PO Box 9446 STN PROV GOVT Victoria, B.C. V8W 9V6 In Victoria, call: 250 387-0555 E-mail: ruraltax@gov.bc.ca Website: www.sbr.gov.bc.ca/individuals/Property_Taxes/Property_Tax_Deferment/ptd.ht

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March 24, 2010

"Baby Boomers as old people?

This New York Times article sort of says it all . . .

The New York Times Attendees at the Woodstock rock festival in 1969. In the coming decades, the baby boomer generation may grapple with old age in novel ways.

Raise your hand if your elderly parents issue one of the following proclamations whenever you try to persuade them to accept some sort of assistance — wearing an emergency-response pendant, say, or hiring a home care aide, or moving into assisted living when remaining at home becomes too difficult to manage.

1) “It’s too expensive” — though you know they could afford it.

2) “I can manage on my own” — though a history of falls, missed medications and poor nutrition suggests otherwise.

3) “I don’t want a stranger in my house.”

4) “The only way I’m leaving here is feet first.”

Not every elderly person needs help, and not every elderly person who needs it resists it. But the No. 1 question I encounter when I speak to family caregivers is how to cajole old people into adapting to increasing disability when they are, to be a tad euphemistic, “fiercely independent.”

It makes me wonder how much of this apparently widespread intransigence has to do with a particular cohort — anyone over 80 was shaped by the Depression, whether they were old enough to remember it or not — and how much of it is intrinsic to aging itself.

In 20 or so years, when we baby boomers enter the ranks of the “old-old” ourselves, will we be any different?

I vote yes, in certain important ways. We are, for example, much more accustomed to paying people — from house cleaners to personal trainers — to help in all sorts of ways, so I doubt we’ll suffer as much angst about hiring home care aides or geriatric care managers or drivers. (How we’ll pay for it is another matter.)

“We’ll see more seniors coming directly to us for help in the next 10 years, versus the past 10 when it was a daughter or son calling us and tearing their hair out,” predicted Paul Hogan, who as chief executive of Home Instead Senior Care, the country’s largest network of home care franchises, has a major stake in this matter.

With the Depression generation, Mr. Hogan told me, agreeing to home care “takes a doctor’s ultimatum: ‘You’re not going home from the hospital unless you get help, because you’ll break that other hip.’” But Mr. Hogan’s own mother, a businesswoman in her 70s, has long paid financial advisers, child care workers and housekeepers. “She sees getting help when she’s older as just another in the long line of services she’s taken advantage of throughout her career,” Mr. Hogan reported.

In fact, we’ll probably have to accept hired help. As a generation, we’ve had far fewer children than our parents, and we’re less likely to be married. Even if we prefer to rely on unpaid care when we’re sick or frail, our smaller families may be stretched too thin to provide it.

Moreover, we’re not as cheap. Every month, my father and his neighbor mail in their credit card payments in a single envelope, thus achieving savings of $2.64 a year each in postage.

Boomers are another story. “Our generational ethos is personal gratification,” said Matt Thornhill, president of the Boomer Project, a market research firm in Richmond. “We have a much different attitude about spending money.” Of course, that ethos also means we hadn’t saved enough for retirement, even before the Great Recession. (Insert grim joke about 201K’s here.) But if we have enough money, we’re less likely to agonize about spending it on something as essential as personal care.

In other ways, though, we may drive our children just as crazy. Take the question of moving. “Previous older generations started and embraced the age-restricted retirement community,” like Sun City, or the 55-plus condo complexes that carpet so many suburbs, Mr. Thornhill pointed out.

For boomers, though,“the concept of reaching a certain age, leaving work, and disengaging from our lives and social networks is anathema,” he continued. “We get a lot of our self-fulfillment from work – and we’re going to need the income,” Mr. Thornhill said. So we may not be so amenable to leaving our homes, either — or giving up our cars.

I think. We’re all speculating, because the fact is that as a society and as individuals, we’re facing unprecedented longevity, and nobody quite knows how these changes will play out. Perhaps we’ll be just as unwilling to acknowledge infirmity, just as stubborn about defying our children’s entreaties.

Mr. Thornhill thinks otherwise, though. Would his father have embraced a gizmo like an iPod? No, that sort of thing was for kids. But Mr. Thornhill, a boomer himself, has one.

“The reputation of older people is that they get stuck in their ways,” he mused. But that may not pertain to boomers. “We’ve always been so adaptive. Life for us has been change.”

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March 19, 2010

Why does Grandma have a mortgage?

It used to be that Canadian grandparents planned carefully to leave a nice financial inheritance to their grandchildren. Now, since the recent economic upheaval many have changed their priorities. They want to make sure their grandchildren are on a firm financial footing as they start their adult lives.

Good advice now, along with a healthy down payment for a home may be the best financial legacy they can leave. With mortgage rates as low as they are, sometimes this strategy makes good sense.  Your thoughts?

March 10, 2010

Thought She Was Wasting My Time

Grace B. asked me to come over and give her an evaluation on her home. Grace was now a widow and hadn’t kept up with market values and the process of selling. We talked for several hours about many things, including of course the possibility of her selling and moving to something much smaller. As Grace talked she realized she just wasn’t ready to sell.

As I left she kept repeating over and over: “I just feel so bad that I’ve wasted all your valuable time. I know you must be so busy and now I’ve taken most of your afternoon and you won’t get anything out of it.”  

At the door I told Grace how my business works. “Grace, sometimes it seems like I get business that just falls like a gift from the sky. But over the years I learned that much of my business comes from people like you. We talk things through and we come to some decisions. Sometimes those decisions mean no business for me right then. But, when I get those calls out of the blue asking me to help a client buy or sell a home I always ask where they heard about me. Nine times out of ten that call came as a result of great clients like you Grace. It’s a long road and if I can help you today it always comes back to me. Waste of time? NEVER.

February 19, 2010

Taking the "market temperature"

(Surrey, BC) - The Fraser Valley experienced a return to typical home sale levels plus an early surge in new listings in January, according to the latest figures from the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board.

Paul Penner, President of the Board said, “Compared to last January, the market has returned to balance. Consumers continue to take advantage of the affordability created by lower interest rates.”

There were 981 sales processed on FVREB’s Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in January, an increase of 152 per cent compared to the same month last year when 389 sales were processed. There was also a 46.8 per cent increase in new listings, 2,941 compared to 2,003 during January last year.

On a month-to-month basis, sales decreased 22 per cent in January compared to December, while new inventory more than doubled, going from 1,453 new listings in December to 2,941 in January. This increased overall inventory by 14 per cent in one month.

Penner added, “If I were house-hunting right now, I’d be pretty excited. There is more selection and potentially less competition over the next few weeks.

February 15, 2010

Originally published in the Toronto Star on February 3rd, 2010. To view the Toronto Star's website, please click here.

Most Canadians can live 30 years after they finish working so securing a long-term financial plan is key to a healthy and happy lifestyle later in life

The good news is that Canadians' life spans are getting longer.

The bad news is that their retirement savings may not be keeping up, experts say.

On average, a Canadian man born in the 1931 could expect to live to age 60. That rose to 68 for those born in 1961 and again to age 78 in 2005, according to Statistics Canada. A woman born at the start of the Great Depression expected to live to about 62. By 1961, that climbed to age 74, and it went up again to 82 years in 2005.

That's life expectancy at birth. Research shows that if you reach age 65 and you're married, there's a good chance one of you will reach your 90th birthday. Half of the time, one spouse will reach age 92, and a full quarter of the time, one will reach 97.

February 14, 2010

Welcoming "can-do" Seniors on-line.

In the high-tech universe where strange new planets are being born all the time – Skype, Twitter, Facebook – Josephine Edwards might be considered an ancient mariner.

She was 87 when she surfed the Net for the first time. At 90, she's learning the intricacies of email and emoticons. And she has got lots of company – four 60- and 70-somethings who are also trying to grasp the bold new world of technology in the basement of an East York seniors' centre.

When something really clicks for Edwards, her fellow late adapters are the first to know. "Oh, for crab-apple sake. Isn't that amazing?" the Toronto resident exclaims as a video pops up on her screen.

For these eureka moments, even email isn't fast enough to get the message out.

***Article excerpt from The Toronto Star

February 10,2010

What’s Happening in Newspaper Advertising?

Since 2005, newspapers have been losing advertising revenue. In fact, 2009 saw the largest decline in advertising revenue in the history of the industry:

• Employment classified advertising dropped 67.4% to $205.4 million.
• Real estate classified advertising slumped 45.6% to $336.9 million.
• Automotive classified advertising crashed 43.4% to $332.8 million.
• National advertising slipped 25.9% to $1.1 billion.
• Retail advertising stumbled 23.7% to $3.3 billion.
• Other classified advertising slid 16.5% to $587.7 million

2005 - Newspaper industry’s all-time best year with overall advertising revenue $49.4 Billion.

2009 - Newspaper industry overall advertising revenue at $30 Billion (40% decline from 2005).

(source: Newspaper Association of America)

The fact is that newspaper advertising is in decline and that during this period, online advertising has increased by double-digit percentages every year.

The Florida problem       February 03,10

I get many calls from adult children who are experiencing what we call “the Florida problem”. Their parents have moved to the West Coast (Canada’s Florida) to retire and now are beginning to show signs of aging. Maybe a son still lives in Saskatoon and is getting very worried about how Mom and Dad are getting along here in retirement land. They only see each other several times a year.

When I meet their parents and see what the situation is I’m usually able to call the son in Saskatoon and tell him the best thing he can do is to call them more often. That’s what they miss the most. His real voice on the phone. I can usually assure him that things are just fine but it’s time to start talking as a family.

Nobody wants to have “the talk” about the next phase of retirement living for Mom and Dad. It’s the subject that’s usually avoided until it’s too late.

The delicate question       Feb.01,10

Your property has been listed for well over a month and no offers yet. It's spic and span and ready to show to buyers. And, there have been quite a few buyers through with no apparent negative comments. So why aren't they buying?

Here's the delicate question. Ask it quietly and gently so you don't scare yourself. "Am I overpriced?"

All your life you've been given the advice, "don't price it too low, you can always come down".

Maybe you are just above the optimum price point for your property in the current market. Drop it some and see if you get more fish biting. Once we get a fish on the line we can usually put a deal together. It's finding just the right bait.

Sometimes the right bait just happens to be finding the right price.

Best place to advertise?    Jan. 29,10

As you can imagine we try everything possible to market our listings. The old way was strictly the newspaper. The last few years we have strong evidence to show that almost 100% of our sales come from someone starting their search on the internet. So we try every possible way to get the attention of web surfers. Lately the big buzz is about advertising all our listings on a free site called "Craigslist". I find that you get lots of calls but very few serious buyers.

SO.... In review:  My greatest success is coming from the public real estate site   www.realtor.ca.  and of course the Realtor site  MLXchange where thousands of realtors come to view the inventory of places for sale every day.

I like to stick with something that works. 10 great colour photos, a map and a large area for description of the listing. Instead of the old fuzzy black and white I used to put in the newspaper.

Bridesmaid or Bride?    January 28,10

Buyers have a lot to choose from in today's market. When they come back for a second look you know you're in the running.

Expectations run high. Could these be the buyers we've been waiting for?  And then the letdown when the buyers write an offer on another listing. So, so close....but we came second this time. Which means we are closer than ever. That's good news although I know it doesn't feel like it right now. Ending up the Bridesmaid and not the Bride.
 

Life is interesting. When I look back, there have been times when the buyers weren't able to complete their deal on the other unit and we became the bride.

I'm working on a situation like this right now. Will we hear wedding bells or be satisfied to catch the boquet?

Wood and metal still works...Jan 25,10

Over the weekend someone stole all the signs from an acreage I have for sale in Yarrow. Guess what...the good old lawn signs I've used for years must still work because I sure got notified quickly by people driving by, wondering if it was sold or taken off the market...or what?

Just a reminder: Marketing comes in all different ways. Sometimes it's the simple things that we tend to take for granted that still work the best.

"Memo to myself"   January 23,10

______________________________________________________________

I was checking the new crop of realtor ads and websites to keep up to date with how my associates are marketing themselves. Most of us talk about ourselves and all our brilliant sales achievements. This is the time of year that the awards come out for last year's sales performance. I was struck with a powerful thought and an amazing quote that I've tried to live by.

"Clients don't care about how much you know until they know how much you really care". I sold a lot of real estate last year. There is a box full of sales award plaques in my garage. Did I also impact many lives in a positive way?

January 20,10

________________________________________________

Waiting patiently is the hardest thing to do once you've got the FOR SALE  sign up. Just making the decision to sell was a stressful process. Then getting the place ready with tidy-ups, touch-ups and hauling box after box of your life history to storage, recycling or the charity thrift store.

OK, now you are ready, but where are the buyers?

Just so you know, there is no rhyme or reason as to when the right buyer comes along. We market the same way every time. The right buyer for yours is out there. Maybe their situation is just deveoloping and ready to mesh with yours.

PATIENCE  

When the right fish bites on the hook it's easy to land. Now we've got the hook in the water...we keep the tension on the line and keep fishing. We'll get a few bites and then WHAMO...the real buyer for your place will be in the net.

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January 18, 2010

What do you expect from your realtor in 2010?  There is a lot of talk that the internet has changed everything and you won't need realtors any more.

A recent survey by Strategic Inc. shows that consumers still expect a lot from their Realtors and most are still prepared to pay for first class personal service.

Here's what's expected:

Indepth market knowledge, not just what you hear on the news.

The ability to make the buying/selling process easier and more understandable

Personal service . . . understanding client's unique goals and concerns

Experience in negotiating the deal. Facing the other side confidently.

So, it looks like my clients will still use my experience and expertise for a while, until some big internet company invents a "robotic Seniors realtor".  ha ha

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Newspaper headlines say prices are going through the roof...Should I wait to sell? 

Reporters are always looking for sensational stories. Only good news and bad news sells. Stories about stable markets aren't that interesting. So when a reporter is assigned to dig up some real estate news they look for sensational.  There have been some "multiple offers" in certain markets and that's great news...but the real market where you home lives is just good and stable and normal and all those other boring words. Nobody is going to "win the lottery" in the housing market this year. Lets be so very grateful that there has been a recovery. We can feel confident that the investments in our homes are safe and isn't that just fine?