Stain removal

Household cleaning tasks:

To clean deodorant stains on clothes: Mix a past of baking soda and a small amount of water, then work it into the stain and allow it to sit for a few hours. Brush away and repeat as necessary. Alternatively, try lemon juice with a liberal sprinkling of salt. Scrub with an old toothbrush, and let dry in direct sunlight.

To clean burnt pots and pans: Mix baking soda with water, bring to a boil, let cool, then scrub with a non-abrasive scouring pad. White vinegar is also an option (instead of baking soda) but this can create a rather strong odour. Tough stains may call for a detergent paste or even oven cleaner, but try milder solutions first.

To get gum out of carpeting: Apply an ice cube wrapped in a thin towel or plastic bag to freeze the gum, and then chip it away with a spoon or dull knife. The smaller bits can be loosened with a degreasing product, cooking oil or even peanut butter, but these could stain your carpet, so always test first.

Note: Always test any cleaning solution on an inconspicuous area or surface before using.

Why it's SO important to talk to a Mortgage Professional

In the last couple weeks I have begun to feel really bad for a couple of my trusted realtor partners.

They have had clients whom have gone to their bank for financing and have been given the green light to go out shopping. Well, in these few cases all of them were unable to purchase.

This being the best and worst case. Clients go into the branch, (I wont mention the actual bank as I've heard it happening at others) sits down with the supposed 'mortgage specialist' and the person behind the desk says this... From looking at what you've told me for income etc. I believe you can purchase for the $300k you are looking for. Clients say great, can we have a pre-approval to be certain. We don't do pre-approvals, we tell you yes and go write an offer and then we'll get everything going, is what they were told.

Well they went out shopping and wrote an offer. The realtor finally convinced them to talk to me, which was a good thing. First off, what they were being offered in terms of product and price, was way offside of current market conditions. Secondly, if this person at the branch would've done his homework up front, i.e pull credit and check income, he would've found out that there was a concern with credit and they were NOT financeable. So ALL that work, writing offers, seeing homes, was for not. Again, he didn't even pull their credit, nothing!

I see this happening more and more these days. As banks ramp up their 'mortgage specialists' to try and get rid of us, Mortgage Professionals. They're hiring people that really don't have a true clue. Of course by all means, this is not everyone. Just seems to be the norm. There are some really good bank reps and I have relationships with them. And don't get me wrong, there are some misguided brokers out there too!

Remember, we as Mortgage Professionals have to go to school and educate ourselves all year round to stay on top of the industry. Well, most of us do anyway! More often than not, the person at the bank has done his duty and gets pulled to a different position within 6 months, and to be a 'mortgage specialist' they do NOT need any real education etc. How can you really trust anyone that has no education, real guidance, or only has the small couple products to sell to you, with your biggest financial purchase? In my opinion it's very hard!

I hope more and more people will start getting the word out and help the general public understand that we are professionals and do this day in and day out. I've been here for 8 years and have no reason to go elsewhere! It's my passion and I LOVE helping people!



Side notes: Remember that bank employees are generally paid a base salary and a commission on how high of a rate they charge you. This is why in the example above their offer was a lot higher. Once the bank knows a broker is involved they all of a sudden come down. Well, why wouldn't they offer you this to begin with???

If it wasn't for us we'd all be paying posted rates or rates much higher than they are today. We are competition and have access to lenders that ONLY do mortgages. So they are able to provide MUCH better products and services.

There's my rant for the day! Something that's been on my chest for a couple days.

Vancouver Daily Province - February 23, 1920

This past weekend I was cleaning out an old barn on a property I have. In the barn I came across a Vancouver Daily Province newspaper dating back to 1920.

The article that stood out was the one I'm showing here. This was a marketing technique used by someone in real estate. It's very interesting and made me smile!

In case you can't see the wording in the picture, here's what it says.

You have property to sell. You know that somewhere in the city is a man to whom that property would appeal strongly. Perhaps there are many such men - but in the group of 'possible buyer's for your property there is ONE MAN to whom it would be especially valuable. To this man it would represent the successful end of his search. It is what he wants, what he needs, what he is going to keep on looking for until he finds it.

If you knew who this man is you could make a prompt sale of your property. But you don't know him. You have no clue. So far as you are concerned he is lost in the crowd. There is one chance in a million that he may happen to find out about your property through somebody else. It is too long a chance. YOU MUST FIND HIM.

He reads the real estate advertisements - of that you may be sure. He may have read an advertisement of YOUR PROPERTY - but failed to have identified it as WHAT HE IS LOOKING FOR through your own failure to describe it adequately.

You can find him by making it easy for him to find you. It will not be easy for him to find you unless you tell him all about your property - answer, in your advertisement, all of his probably questions about it. If you do that, in your advertisement, you will find yourself in DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH HIM.

BC First time, new home buyers bonus

BC First-Time New Home Buyers' Bonus - a one-time payment worth up to $10,000 for BC residents who are first-time home buyers and who purchase an eligible new home.
BC Resident - if you file a 2011 BC resident personal income tax return, or if you move to BC after Dec. 31, 2011, or you file a 2012 BC resident personal income tax return (you will not be eligible for the bonus if you move to BC after Dec. 31, 2012)
First-time home buyer - an individual who has never previously owned a primary residence anywhere in the world. If multiple buyers, each must be a first-time home buyer (unlike PTT).
Primary residence - generally a house that you own, jointly or otherwise, that you intend to live in on a permanent basis.
An eligible new home includes new homes (i.e. newly constructed and substantially renovated homes) that are purchased from a builder and that are owner-built.
Other conditions:

• Contract of purchase and sale is entered into on or after February 21, 2012;
• HST is payable on the home;
• no one else has claimed a bonus in respect of the home;
• construction of the home is complete, or the home is occupied, before April 1, 2013

How much is the Bonus - equal to 5% of the purchase price of the home (or in the case of owner-built homes, 5% of the land and construction costs subject to HST) to a maximum of $10,000.
Bonus will be reduced if income is too high:

• for individuals, bonus reduced by $.20 for every $ in net income over $150,000 (bonus is reduced to zero at $200,000 net income),
• for couples, bonus reduced by $.10 for every $ in family net income over $150,000 (bonus is reduced to zero at $250,000 family net income).

The builder sent in my BC HST New Housing Rebate. Am I still entitled to the bonus? Yes, so long as you meet all the other eligibility requirements.
Is the bonus taxable? No. The bonus is a refundable personal income tax credit, meaning it will not be added to your income on your tax return.

Information from http://www.bcrealestatelawyers.com