Essentially, being a good neighbour means being considerate of how your behaviou affects your fellow residents. Here are some tips to keep in mind!
Keep up with garden chores
If you have a yard, keep your lawn mowed, your trees and bushes trimmed and your weeds under control. (I wish that some of my neighbours would read this!!) A well kept yard is welcoming to neighbours, and could encourage pride in their homes and neighbourhood!
Be conscientious about noise
Mowing your lawn in the early morning or during dinner can be intrusive, especillay in warmer weather when neighbours are enjoying dining outdoors. The same consideration should be taken with snow blowers and other loud equipment.
This rule applies to parties too. Give neighbours advance notice of the day you plan to have a party, the start time and when you expect it to end. Let them know that if the nouse gets too loud, they are welcome to call you.
Keep your dog under control
Always keep your dog on a leash during walks and never let it run free in the neighbourhood. Anyone with a fewar of dogs could be afraid to exit their own home. Keep barking to a minimum. For someone relaxing in their backyard, it can become an annoyance quickly. And, of course, always clean up after your dog.
Welcome new neighbours
A friendly welcome to new neighbours can immediately provide them with a sense of belonging. Let them know garbage and recycling days, where to find the local grocery store and post office, and offer to be their go-to person for questions about the community.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Consumer debt is the problem.
I came across an article today that I've been try to stress for a couple of years now. (more so when the federal government starting changing mortgage rules)
The debt problem brewing in Canada is NOT due to mortgages. The problem is due to all the un-secured debt; line of credits, visas etc. which the banks almost force on people to take.
The article is here and I truly beleive that something has to be done.
The end all is that we must be responsible for our own actions and not take on the unecessary debt. However, if a family situation takes place, sometimes you need to fall back on the equity in your home. With all the rules that have pretty much killed the refinance business and with more and more banks registering mortgages as collateral mortgages not allowing you to take out a second, I guarantee you that we will start to see more foreclosures, consumer proposals and bankruptcy's.
Time will tell...
The debt problem brewing in Canada is NOT due to mortgages. The problem is due to all the un-secured debt; line of credits, visas etc. which the banks almost force on people to take.
The article is here and I truly beleive that something has to be done.
The end all is that we must be responsible for our own actions and not take on the unecessary debt. However, if a family situation takes place, sometimes you need to fall back on the equity in your home. With all the rules that have pretty much killed the refinance business and with more and more banks registering mortgages as collateral mortgages not allowing you to take out a second, I guarantee you that we will start to see more foreclosures, consumer proposals and bankruptcy's.
Time will tell...
Friday, December 2, 2011
I can't beleive this can happen.
Yesterday a fellow co-worker went through an exact situation that I've been through twice in the past and I feel very compelled to write about it today.
A client of hers needed to redeem his GIC from a major banking institution and went into the branch yesterday to do so. He needed these extra funds for his down payment and he knew that pulling the money out early meant he didn't receive any interest that he would have earned on this money.
However, when this fellow went into the branch to redeem his money the bank told him that there was no way he could UNLESS they did the mortgage. WHAT?????? This is complete black mail and is brutally unfair.
"Don't worry," they told him, "we'll give you free banking as well". What a joke as the rate he is getting was slightly higher than the one she was obtaining and they knew that. So the $5/m he saves in "free banking" will actually end up costing him more in the end as he's in with a slightly higher rate and doesn't have the expertise of an experienced mortgage broker monitoring his mortgage through it's life.
He felt very stuck and like he had no other option. Which I don't blame him for.
I'm not too sure if there's a moral to this story or not, however, it makes me very frustrated and upset that we continue to be taken by the big banks and others. This type of business is WRONG.
A client of hers needed to redeem his GIC from a major banking institution and went into the branch yesterday to do so. He needed these extra funds for his down payment and he knew that pulling the money out early meant he didn't receive any interest that he would have earned on this money.
However, when this fellow went into the branch to redeem his money the bank told him that there was no way he could UNLESS they did the mortgage. WHAT?????? This is complete black mail and is brutally unfair.
"Don't worry," they told him, "we'll give you free banking as well". What a joke as the rate he is getting was slightly higher than the one she was obtaining and they knew that. So the $5/m he saves in "free banking" will actually end up costing him more in the end as he's in with a slightly higher rate and doesn't have the expertise of an experienced mortgage broker monitoring his mortgage through it's life.
He felt very stuck and like he had no other option. Which I don't blame him for.
I'm not too sure if there's a moral to this story or not, however, it makes me very frustrated and upset that we continue to be taken by the big banks and others. This type of business is WRONG.
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