A reputable buyers' agent realtor will recommend you have a qualified home inspector review the home of which you are making an offer.

The home inspector will look for issues regarding building code violations, the state of repair from the roof to the basement, and for evidence the home was used for a grow op or other drug production.

The inspection may identify the home as a former drug production centre.   There are the obvious construction related issues with such a home.  Cored basements that may leak, structural damage from creating venting conduits, plus

On the weekend I was asked to analyze a bank "early renewal blend and extend" offer.

The mortgage information, as it was, follows:

Balance= $165,428.87, current rate= 5.1% with 19 months left, $1065.87 monthly payment.

OBJECTIVE: Save money, and be protected from potential higher rates!

What the bank offered:

1. No approximate penalty of $6,800 for breaking the existing contract
2. 4.99% rate (under the 5.39% posted rate for five year fixed)
3. keep the same payment because the objective is to save m

Many are concerned that their available cash for their initial investment into a home is only enough to cover the down payment, and they have to severely restrict their home choice to near Perfect "as is" homes.

For example, someone with $20,000 down payment who income and credit qualifies for a $400,000 purchase (5% down payment), may avoid homes that are Imperfect "as is" for their needs, because the homes may be missing:

• newly constructed without back yard landscaping, fencing, decking (stairs?), or garage
• older home needing cosmetic upgrades for flooring

The March 18 Millrise condo fire news coverage showed interviews with folks who were not insured or not adequately insured for fire losses.

Even as a tenant, you would be amazed at the amount of money it would take to bring you back the possessions you lose, even if you could possibly ignore the keep-sakes and memorabillia lost.  In the early '80's I was renting a three bedroom home and lost all due to fire.  We thought $20,000 was way more than we needed to recover when we bought the insurance coverage.  Once we got up to $43,000 in retail replacement, we gave up ite

MORTGAGE QUALIFYING BASICS- St.

As a potential home buyer or investor, we all have been riding a picket fence of economic data, forecasts and opinion.

Often the same single article will raise you up and dash you down.  It's like sitting on a picket fence.

Take for example a few of the Royal Bank news releases issued in the first half of the month of March.

March 1- Headline: Albertans most upbeat about their personal financial situation (up); but, in same release "29 percent say they or someone in thier household is worried about job loss" (down).

March 8- Albertans most intereste

PIGS is an acronym for Portugal, Ireland (and could include Italy), Greece and Spain.  These countries have been in the news because of their relative small population and high precentage of debt to their Gross Domestic Product.   There are concerns these countries, especially Greece, may default on their government debt.

A default in any category of investment causes a ripple effect for similar investments.   If one country defaults, there is concern and a worry about investing in the sovereign debt of other countries.   Canada has a larger popula

Some folks think the mortgage insurance their lender insisted they pay for gives them protection if they can't pay their mortgage payment.

The default insurance loaded to your mortgage balance is to protect the lender only.   If you become sick or injured and loss income to pay the mortgage payment, the default insurance cleans up the loss after the house is lost to you.

Moral of the story?  Talk to your mortgage professional about getting insurance that will protect you from events that will reduce your income.

The Alberta government oil and gas royalty contest is called "Roll Back"- and every participant who plays wins!

Tim Horton's "Roll up the rim to win!" contest has a few big prizes, many small prizes and many more "please try again".  But, Tim can get away with that because Tim Horton's has been CONSISTENT for their consumers.  When you invest in a Tim Horton's coffee, you know it will have today the same temperature, the same coffee taste, the same amount of sugar and cream- as it did yesterday and the day before.

Since Alberta unemployment statistics for February

There will be a time when you consider buying a condo.  What should you keep in mind?

There are very good reasons to buy a condo:

• location, location, location
• price per square foot
• home cost budgeting
• amenties
• social conscious- saving resources with tigher density
• mitigating land use municipal by-laws