8 Steps to Paying Off Your Mortgage Early

Amortize, the dictionary tells us, is the gradual extinction of a future obligation.  It’s also what occurs when we repay our mortgage through our monthly payments.

Recently, I have had two people ask me if they should repay their mortgage early.  While there are psychological benefits to wiping away what is often a person’s largest debt, there are several things you should consider before taking steps to pay off your mortgage ahead of schedule.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/bAj84L

No Straightjacket Required: How to Stay Sane During Home Renovations

Deciding to embark on a home renovation can be a very exciting prospect. Additional square footage, altering the architectural features of a room, and having a whole new floor plan opens you up to all sorts of possibilities. You can spice up your decor, and breathe new life into a once stagnant living space. Renovations can also have a very positive impact on your home’s property value.

The drawback of a major home renovation is the fact that your living space will be under siege with carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and the like. These workers will be in your home for months at a time, tearing down walls, and spreading construction dust all over the place. Tools lying around, strange people using your bathroom facilities; it’s all a bit intrusive. If you can keep focused on the finish line however, the inconveniences of renovating can be bearable.

To read this article, click on the oink below:

http://bit.ly/aCEiP4

Five Things to Consider When Looking For a Good Plumber

Plumbing problems can be pretty common, especially in older homes. They can come in as simple a task as a leaky faucet or clogged drain to something more complex like installing a slop sink or adding a laundry room. Some of the small jobs can easily be handled by a handy homeowner, while others are so complex that your average homeowner shouldn't even begin to consider tackling them on their own.

If you have a major plumbing undertaking there are things you should certainly consider before hiring a plumbing contractor to do your work.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/aYCudE

Book Review: Online Marketing Techniques for Real Estate Agents and Brokers

In this groundbreaking new book you will learn the secrets of top producing real estate agents and brokers and how they use the Web to market listings and get new clients and listings. You will learn how top agents and brokers are taking their business to the next level by using low cost and highly effective methods on the Internet. Learn how to take advantage of new marketing systems so you can connect with today’s Internet savvy real estate consumer.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/8XXv8K

New Home Construction – Questions to ask

I have put together a small list of questions to ask when you decide to you want to build a new home. Whether you are in Calgary, or are building abroad, you will want to make sure you know what to ask your architect or your home builder when it comes to starting your new home.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/d2Cybf

Bunk Beds - Safety Checklist When Shopping

Shopping for a bunk bed shouldn’t be a “window purchasing” kind purchase. You must do your analysis before handing over your bank card quantity to the store. Be certain to buy many alternative stores both on-line and brick and mortar.

Just because Bunk Beds look great doesn’t suggest that they are going to be protected and secure and constructed with high quality supplies and craftsmanship. After all, it is our kids that will probably be sleeping and enjoying on them so you’ll want to educate your self on what to look for.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/djjEvT

100 Best Twitter Feeds for Homeowner DIY Ideas

Some DIY because they’re control freaks, others do it because they’re on a budget. Whatever your reason, fixing or building something yourself has a rewarding feeling that doesn’t come with writing a check. That said, there’s a right and wrong way to go about a DIY and these Twitter feeds will lead you to the right blogs, websites and companies to make any DIY job easier for homeowners.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/drOi4T

How a New Baby Could Hurt Your Mortgage Approval

It’s a typical life event: a couple learns they are expecting a baby, so they begin shopping for a larger home.

But as I pointed out in an article for Tuesday’s paper, lenders are taking a harder look at prospective borrowers who are out on leave, which means the timing of a baby’s arrival could affect their ability to get a mortgage.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://nyti.ms/dvBq1v

Selecting a Real Estate Investing Guide

Many people have the desire to invest in real estate as it can be a very lucrative venture but in order to be successful you should seek the help of a real estate investing guide. Successfully investing in real estate can build your credit rating, create cash flow, and eventually net you a lot of money. But the world of real estate investing is not one that should be entered into lightly as it takes a lot of knowledge to be able to profit from real estate investing. A good real estate investing guide will help you to succeed in your real estate investing ventures.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/9HBGwz

Alberta Tories under fire for delay raising building practices

Alberta home buyers must be diligent

Calgary - Renovation Capital of Canada

July 2010 - AlbertaHomeOwner.com Newsletter & Website Statistics

Welcome to the July 2010 newsletter and website statistics update for AlbertaHomeOwner.com – the regional website for Alberta home owners.

We thank everyone for their continued patronage and support on our journey of being the number one business to consumer websites for Canadian homeowners.

For those businesses that want to maximize their presence on our regional websites, we are pleased to offer a new banner advertising service. Contact us for the rate sheet.

Website statistics for June 2010 - all three websites

• 5,581 page views
• 3,248 visits
• 2,680 absolute unique visitors

Companies listed in our regional business directories

• AlbertaHomeOwner.com - 295
• BChomeOwner.com - 239
• OntarioHomeOwner.com - 92
• 626 total

To get your company listed in the AlbertaHomeOwner.com business directory – Click Here

We welcome the below companies that have listed their businesses in our regional directories over the past 30 days:

·         A and Y Plumbing

·         Anway Construction Ltd

·         Backyard Oasis

·         Bathrenovation

·         Century 21 In Town Realty

·         Designers at Large

·         Foam Comfort Inc.

·         Hans Haest Painting

·         iHome Custom Builders Ltd

·         Jonas' Staining & Painting

·         Kengary Contracting Inc

·         Lanron Inspections

·         Macdonald Realty Westmar – Lisa Gibson

·         Neatfreak

·         Norwood Stairs & Railings Inc.

·         Pallucci Leather Sofas Vancouver

·         Ring Electric Inc.

·         Robyn King CIP - Agent  State Farm Insurance

·         Silver Fern Plumbing Ltd.

·         Summit Mortage Corp.

·         The Robert Crowe Team - Re/Max Real Estate Services

·         TorontoDecks.com

·         Verico Canada First Mortgage

·         Vickars Construction Inc.

·         Woodcastle Homes Ltd

·         Yellow & Green Group of Companies

Twitter Followers – People we “social network” with:

• AlbertaHomeOwner.com - 988
• BChomeOwner.com - 1332
• OntarioHomeOwner.com - 488
• 2,808 total

To follow AlbertaHomeOwner.com on Twitter – Click Here

News Articles posted over the past 30 days

To read any of these articles – Click here for links

·         Canadian June Existing Home Sales Fell 8.2%

·         Attic Renovations

·         TTC meets with homeowner targeted for expropriation

·         Steps home owners should follow when fire strikes

·         100 Best Twitter Feeds for Homeowner DIY Ideas

·         House targeted after Facebook posting says homeowner away

·         Make Room for the Hottest Real Estate Game to Hit Your Phone

·         Alberta government stalls in development of more energy efficient building code

·         Canadian Mortgage Tips

·         For one house, it's not so easy being green

·         Home Renovations and Landscaping Ideas ...

·         Negotiating Real Estate Commissions

·         Water Damage Mold - A Home Owner's Dilemma

·         Homeowner tips to reduce exposure to West Nile virus

·         Reasons For Hiring a Kitchen Designer

·         Top tile trends for today’s renovations

·         Rising temperatures spark a reminder to ready homes for fire season

·         A Housing Project in Victoria That Embraces Nature

·         Homeowner’s Insurance Checklist

·         Ask the local architect: Many steps to take before renovating your home

·         Easy backsplashes make home renovations quick and easy

·         BMO Bank of Montreal Decreases Mortgage Rates

·         OOPS: DIY Disasters

·         Real estate sales sag in Greater Victoria

·         Ontario Home Energy Audit Program

·         Mortgage Prequalification vs. Preapproval

·         HGTV's FrontDoor.com Introduces New Series of Real Estate Widgets for the Web

·         Don’t Let Your Dog Bite Your Homeowner’s Insurance

·         Great Deck Ideas for a Homeowner

·         Getting property tax done right

·         What will it cost? The Ontario Liberal Top 10 HST List

·         Sorting Out Simple Bath Renovations

·         4 Reasons to Cancel a Real Estate Listing

·         Exterior Renovations for Your Home to Boost Home Value

·         Vancouver's Real Estate Bubble Trouble

·         Tips for a Residential Home Inspection and Preventive Maintenance

·         Mortgage rates drop at CIBC

·         Renovation financing tips for Canadian homeowners

·         BMO Bank of Montreal Decreases Mortgage Rates

·         Kitchen Remodeling Trends For The Discerning Homeowner

·         Mirror residents have new hope on CN issue

·         What Every Homeowner Should Look for in Their Moving Company

·         Pro Painting Tips For Every Homeowner

·         Website lets buyers and sellers vent about bad agents

·         Squashing stinging ant colonies a battle for homeowners whose lawns are infested

·         Five electrical tasks a homeowner can do on their own

·         Canadian homeowners sell, start renting instead

·         Plumbing Basics Every Homeowner Should Know

·         LA: Record Broken For Most Expensive

·         How to Deal With Real Estate Brokers

·         Canada home resales fall 9.5 pct in May

·         Enmax launches home solar, wind power generation project

·         Study - Canadians Ready to ‘Go Green’ with Home Renovations but Overwhelmed by Information

·         Home & Garden Books Customer Reviews

·         US housing market may take years to recover

·         Real Estate Website Accidentally Lists the White House for Sale

·         Cure for the summertime property tax blues

To read any of these articles – Click here for links

Resources Centre

We offer our home owner visitors a comprehensive list of resource links – Click Here to access

Events Calendar

Want to find an upcoming event that pertains to home ownership in your local area? Click Here

Final Comments

We encourage your feedback and suggestions to help make our websites even more user friendly for both our homeowner visitors as well as the businesses that advertise on our website and in our directories. You can contact us anytime by clicking here.

Thank you for being part of our success. We look forward to your next visit in the very near future.

Kind Regards,

Arnie Gess

President

Canadian June Existing Home Sales Fell 8.2%

Attic Renovations

A lot of people don?t like going to the attic since they have to go all the way upstairs and sift through the junk just to find one or two items. That could all change as more people realize that attic renovations can turn this into living space.

If you have no idea where to begin, the first you can do is call the building inspector that can check whether or not the space can be converted. This person will check on following:

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/bxehNh

Steps home owners should follow when fire strikes

Images of this week's Peachland wildfire and Armstrong sawmill fire offer vivid reminders of the devastation fire can have on homes, personal property and residents' peace of mind. Both Okanagan fires quickly ballooned after erupting and forced evacuations of over sixty people from their homes in the Peachland area and nearly 250 people near Armstrong. Firefighters took two days to contain the Armstrong blaze and one day to get the Seclusion Bay Resort fire to a manageable level.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/byHouB

100 Best Twitter Feeds for Homeowner DIY Ideas

Besides reading your favorite Canadian homeowner article updates on AlbertaHomeOwner.com, BChomeowner.com and OntarioHomeowner.com - click on the link below for some other good Twitter sources for home ownership and DIY:

http://bit.ly/ai56NB

House targeted after Facebook posting says homeowner away

Although this happened in the United States, it is a good reminder to recognize that we should be careful when posting messages on social media websites.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/cXd07A

Make Room for the Hottest Real Estate Game to Hit Your Phone

Glu Mobile Inc., a leading global publisher of mobile games, today announced the launch of Build-a-lot 2: Town of the Year on the App Store for iPhone and iPod touch. In the sequel to the award-winning Build-a-lot, an online game by HipSoft, players must combine strategy and time management to build their way to the top and become a real estate market mogul. Expanded gameplay, more colorful graphics and improved UI make Build-a-lot 2: Town of the Year a perfect investment.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/aZnKBF

Alberta government stalls in development of more energy efficient building code

A study commissioned by NAIMA Canada and the Consumer Council of Canada (CCC) has found that the more energy efficient a house is, the more affordable it is.

The costing analysis for upgrades of EnerGuide 80 homes in Alberta concluded that the total incremental renovation cost was approximately $6,000. When compared to a standard home, built to minimum energy efficiency requirements, the EnerGuide 80 homes boasted a positive net value between $6,600 and $11,000.

To read this article, click on the link below:

http://bit.ly/aVmC4G