The Group of 8

Unique Christmas gift

What do you get the entrepreneur that already has everything?

Kiva gift certificates.

What is Kiva?

Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can "sponsor a business" and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you've sponsored. As loans are repaid you get your loan money back.

If that doesn't work for you, Apple will likely announce a new iPod by Christmas.

What to know before buying. Part 3

Room to Renovate

If you intend to renovate part of your home, make sure you're aware of your lot space and the legalities around building up or out. Equally important is to be aware of your neighbours' building rights and forthcoming projects. You don't want to buy a house next to a development that will become a 10-storey high-rise, blocking the light from your patio's afternoon sun. If condominium living speaks to you but you want to renovate the interior, check potential restrictions, especially when it comes to construction that affects any wall bordering on a corridor or neighbour's condo.

 

Avoid a Money Pit

Is the house good to go with a few DIY renovations, or a fixer upper in need of more major repair? If it's newly built or has recently renovated interiors, you'll need to spend a lot less on getting it shipshape. Still, even after your house is given the inspection thumbs-up, pricey, unforeseen home repairs can crop up at a moment's notice. Build a cushion fund and set it aside for just such unexpected problems.

 

Consider the Resale Value

If you don't plan to live out your days at this address, think about how long you might like to stay, and what the real estate forecast for that area might be like in a few years. If it's in an up-and-coming area of town, you'll likely get a bigger return on your sale years from now. Weigh factors like whether the house in question is on a corner lot, which will get more traffic and be that much less desirable to future home buyers.

What to know before buying. Part 2

Do the Math

Figure out what percentage of your take-home pay will go to your mortgage-as a general rule, no more than roughly a third of your monthly salary should be spent on this expenditure. Then, factor in your living expenses, and determine how this potential purchase will impact your lifestyle. If you need to recoup costs and happen to have a large property, consider getting a tenant or a student rent a room to defray some of the weight of the mortgage.

 

It's What's Inside That Counts

Size does matter-when it comes to the square footage of your new digs, that is. Think about the day-to-day running of the house: if all the appliances, electricity and heating systems are older or outdated, they'll be less efficient and in turn more costly to maintain, plus may need replacement earlier. Also, dimensions of doorframes, hallways, and stairways can affect whether you're able to get that heirloom armoire up the stairs, or your new King-sized bed into the guest bedroom.

 

Hidden Costs

When buying a home, there are lots of extras over and above the cost of the property proper that seem to come out of the woodwork. These costs can add up quickly-as well as those that'll come up post-sale, like homeowner's insurance and annual property taxes. Remember that the final price tag on the home you'll buy likely won't include services like a home inspection, land transfer tax, and even standard fees for lawyers' costs. Investigate whatever additional fees might be applicable to your particular home-buying situation, and account for these in your total budget.

What to know before buying. Part 1

                  

Buying your first house can be exhilarating but it can also be a challenge. What you don't know can hurt you, so brush up on these home-buying tips and tricks to make the most of your search for the space of your dreams.

Licensed to Sell

Before hiring any real estate agent, ensure they're legally licensed and associated with a reputable real estate broker. Seek out someone with whom you are comfortable, who is interested not strictly in their commission, but in getting you what you want. Your agent should be familiar with the neighbourhoods you're contemplating, because each area has its own idiosyncrasies. Ask for references from other buyers-not sellers-who've employed your prospective real estate agent in the past.

 

Write a Wish List

Make a list of all the items that absolutely must be part of your home. Figure out where you'll be spending the most of your time, and ensure that those spaces-like a kitchen if you love to cook, or the office if you work from home-are suitable to your needs. Does the home offer coveted elements like a yard, sunroom or garden terrace? Have you always wanted an eat-in kitchen? A wraparound veranda? A bathroom off each bedroom? To maximize your options, decide what's critically important to you versus what you are flexible on, and convey this to your real estate agent early on.

 

Location, Location, Location

Contemplate the pros and cons of your new home's geographical situation. Is your prospective pad close to all the amenities you desire, like public transport, schools or green spaces? Are the neighbours mainly single young professionals, middle-aged families or retirees? Is it smack in the middle of a commercial centre, an industrial area, or a desirable area of town? If you're looking uniquely for detached, 2-bedroom properties in the city centre, you'll be paying a pretty penny more than if you were looking for semi-detached 3-bedrooms in an up-and-coming neighbourhood.

Benefits Consultant

As a benefits consultant, our services include conducting a market review for our clients and prospective clients.  We solicit quotations from all the insurance carriers in the marketplace and do a cost and benefit analysis.  Our recommendations take into account the insurance carriers product features, cost, service standards and technology.  Cost is predominantly the major factor in the final decision.   Why not choose the insurance carrier who offers the lowest price?   John Ruskin, English Philosopher, 1819-1900 says it better than I can:

"It is unwise to pay too much, but it's unwise to pay too little.  When you pay too much, all you lose is a little money. But when you pay too little, you stand a chance of losing everything, because the thing you bought is incapable of doing what you bought it to do.  The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it cannot be done.  So, when you deal with the lowest bidder, it is wise to put a little something aside to take care of the risk you run. And, if you do that, you can afford something better".

During a time when employers are building extensive rewards programs to retain employees and making huge investments to attract top talent, the cost of the lowest price is larger than ever.

Room to grow

Over the past year, the Saskatoon housing market average selling price has increased 49 percent. This has pushed the average selling price to $240,000 in 2007.

While this can be both exciting and scary for those in the housing market, there are no signs of a decline.

The most conservative estimates put the average selling price at $250,000 for 2008. We must also realize the average selling price in Canada is $303,000.

Even though the housing market took a dramatic leap in 2007, we are still behind most Canadian housing markets. This simply means there is still room to grow.

What does is cost?

When a client's first question revolves around how much your product or your service costs, do you answer with a dollar amount?

Does that question make you nervous?

You are a professional. You are an expert. But what is the client actually buying from you though?

Are you selling remarkable service, convenience, the best, the only or are you relying on your low price?

You have the choice. Are you going to do what no one else is doing in your industry or are you going to be the wal-mart of your industry.

Just remember it is easy for a competitor to their lower prices.

Tell me, what is the client buying from you?

How to be your best everyday

Jeffery Gitomer gives a list of things to do that will help you become your best. I suggest to start with 3 of his tips that will change your world within a week.

1. Wake up early. The early bird doesn't get the worm. The early bird makes the money. Work while others sleep.

2. Read for 20 minutes every morning. This gives you quiet insight. You can reflect on ideas and thoughts of others, and immediately convert them to your own success formula. Your best chance for success is reading. Learn to earn. Read to succeed.

3. Write for 20 minutes every morning. What should you write about? Anything you want! Begin to clarify your thoughts and ideas in writing.

There you go, a simple plan that can radically improve your world.

What is stopping you from radically improving your life?

Why Not Us?

I was in Winnipeg for three days over the past week.  I met some phenomenal entrepreneurs while teaching a marketing class.  One of the things that amazed me was how little they knew about our province as their neighbor.  They didn’t know that most of the world’s uranium comes from our north.  They didn’t know that our unemployment rate is so low that businesses have given up marketing products and services and are marketing themselves as great employers.  They didn’t know that the increased price of wheat will make this Christmas a very merry one across the prairies.

I told the stories of prosperity and wealth.   I told stories of our amazing entrepreneurs.  They were shocked!  Have we got such a beaten down, Depression mentality that our counterparts around the country can’t even think of us as a leading economy? 

Why not us?

When the city is growing...

                  

Years ago, you might have been able to keep up at pace with all the new development, but today's market is changing neighbourhoods. If you are in the market of buying a home, you likely are unfamiliar with neighbourhood demographics.

Your realtor can give you an overview of the neighbourhood, telling you about nearby amenities and a general feel for the demographic of the area. For example, you may be looking for more mature residents to be the majority, or alternatively, more young families.

You may want a condo complex with only a few tenants, or you may be looking for the exact opposite with a neighbourhood known for auxiliary apartments and renters.

The realtor will also make you aware of upcoming zoning changes or new construction of highways or housing that may affect the enjoyment of your home and the resale value.

The fast pace market brings some new challenges. Using an expert is your best bet in overcoming these new challenges.