Single women are saying "I do" to mortgages.

"No man. No dual income. No problem," is the tag line of the new HGTV show Buy Herself, which documents the increasing trend of women buying homes solo.

Host Sandra Rinomato, a certified real estate broker, author of Realty Check: The Real Scoop on Real Estate and award-winning Canadian entrepreneur, says women are investing in property with or without a partner.

"Women are buying real estate because they equate it with financial security," says Rinomato.

Growing up, she didn't think of her financial future.

"I was raised as a young, Italian girl to think that the man was going to take care of all that stuff."

But after her first marriage ended, she became a certified real estate agent and realized owning her own house was a realistic goal. "I didn't think that a failed marriage was something that I had to use as a road block. I didn't want it to stop me from carrying on with my life."

So she made a bold decision to buy a house by herself. Now, years later, Rinomato owns four houses with her new husband and one on her own.

"I think you really need to analyse truthfully what your lifestyle is; what property will suit your need 99 per cent of the time."

And there is one thing a buyer should never sacrifice, she says - location.

"Location affects your lifestyle so much and people sometimes underestimate it for the sake of getting that extra bedroom or a den. Sacrifices should come in space on the interior, because people always overestimate what they really need."

It's a Great Time to Buy - And To Sell

The Canadian economy – including the housing market – seems to have been weathering these world setbacks with remarkable grace. It’s certainly true that housing markets have softened slightly in some regions, but most financial authorities don’t foresee anything like the “bubble” so many Canadians feared.

Tracking the intricacies of the B.C. housing market is no simple task, and it’s often a matter of “who do you believe,” when it comes to forecasting. There’s certainly a hint of prices easing off in some areas of the province such as the Okanagan/Interior and Vancouver Island, but the coast is likely to remain strong – especially in “hot” areas like Vancouver West Side, Richmond, South Surrey and parts of the North Shore.

The condo market is very brisk with strong sales and lots of exciting new developments to choose from in most Lower Mainland locales. Some bankers believe that condo prices are unlikely to leap because of a strong supply situation. The Canadian Real Estate Association reported that home sales across Canada in December – traditionally a slow month – rose 4.6 per cent over the same period in 2010, so the overall picture isn’t too daunting.

Sales are likely to be boosted by the Bank of Canada’s recent announcement that it has no plan to raise the interest rate from its historic low and some analysts believe that rates are unlikely to be hiked much before 2014. One worry bankers have is that household debt levels are too high and this could affect the home-buying decisions of many.

Royal LePage predicts that house prices in Canada will climb by 2.8 per cent by the end of this year (2.3 per cent in Vancouver) and hinted that predictions of “doom and gloom” in the housing market are unfounded. Said Royal LePage Real Estate Services President Phil Soper: “Widespread calls for a major real estate correction in 2012 simply can’t be justified. The industry has significant momentum entering the year and buoyed by the stimulative effect of very low interest rates, we can expect the market to continue to expand – albeit at a slower pace.” Vancouver continues to experience some of Canada’s largest year-over-year price increases and according to Royal LePage, standard condo prices rose by 10.7 per cent and detached bungalows by 14.1 per cent.

         Although many homebuyers and current owners may not realize it, the commercial market is something of a bellwether for the real estate picture in general. Bentall Kennedy is Canada’s largest real estate investment advisory and service organization and Executive Vice-President Tony Astles told Westcoast Homes that the downtown Vancouver commercial sector is “very strong, with very high occupancy and a healthy tenant base.” Astles explained that although it might be thought that businesses may be moving from the downtown area due to high rents, taxes, the cost of parking and other factors, this is not the case. “People usually have solid business reasons for maintaining offices downtown,” Astles said.

“We have substantial institutional ownership that doesn’t rely on high levels of debt… ‘Balanced’ is the word to describe our market.” Tony Astles, Executive V.P., Bentall Kennedy

Whether you’re a single or double income household busting at the seems trying to balance a cheque book and a nocturnal infant, or trying to figure out new ways to toss your alarm across the room everyday at 6 am, our lifestyle choice is a determining factor as to what purpose purchasing a second home would satisfy. 

 A second home can be utilized as an income earner throughout the year.

Most of us rent for many years before owning our first “standard home” and after some time may wish to sell it in order to purchase a second one. 

Assuming that the kids aren’t piled into one room and the roof isn’t leaking, why wouldn’t we consider

purchasing a rental property and adding to our portfolio? Think about this:

With the extra income you can jet set around the world. Ok,  maybe not the world… but it may just allow you the financial freedom to take your friends to the movies and spend $62 on popcorn and Twizzlers.

Real Estate is one of the smartest long term

investments you can make with your hard earned

cash and current equity.

So as you look at all your financial options for the upcoming year, ask yourself first and foremost; what results do I need from the investments I plan to make? Then analyze your options in the context of your goals. If you choose real estate, simply stick to the fundamentals, take action while others worry over headlines of global chaos, take advantage of the low rate environment and use leverage wisely. Invest and don’t speculate and both you and your children will be glad you did in the years to come.

Don’t pay for another hotel room.

We tend to leave the vacation home owners alone in their pleasures because we just can’t grasp how to incorporate that luxury into our own lives. But having a little cottage getaway where alarm clocks lay dormant may not just be the daydream we have during these gloomy West Coast winters.

Vacation properties can come complete with groundskeepers and maintenance men. From Cultus Lake to Whistler, Ucuelet to the Okanagan, B.C. has some of the most beautiful vacation spots on the planet to choose from .

Here's a superbly written article written by Peter Kinch who is the author of The Canadian Real Estate Action Plan and co-author of the Canadian Bestseller - 97 Tips for Canadian Real Estate Investors.

MORTGAGE MINUTE: Looking ahead to investing in real estate for 2012

http://www.bclocalnews.com/business/132558663.html

While I can’t promise that it will get you that Ferrari or put your kids through Yale, owning a second home-whether it is for vacation or to generate a rental income-is an upgrade in lifestyle.  The good with the bad and the bitter with the sweet is indeed the plague of many second home owners, but the satisfaction and pride in owning two homes for these very same home owners, is priceles

Happy Investing!!

Realtor's don't decide how much your home is worth. The price your home will realize should be determined by market conditions, which is ultimately a direct reflection of supply and demand.

What's the difference between a “Buyer's Market” and a “Seller's Market” and how does it affect the price of your home?

In a Seller's Market, inventory is lower in comparision, therefore Seller's often have the benefit of pricing power. There are fewer purchases which result in properties staying on the market longer and median sales are on the downward slope. Buyer's tend to find themselves in competition with eachother, therefore putting pressure on home prices.

On the other end of the spectrum, the opposite is true in a Buyer's Market where Buyer's have an unambiguous advantage due to the higher volume of inventory available.

During a phase such as this, homes stay on the market for longer periods of time and Seller's feel the heat to price their home more competatively with the waning levels of urgency for Buyer's to purchase.

Selling your home in today's Buyer's Market is not a matter of perception but a matter of how realtistic you are at pricing your home.

" The agency that governs realtors in Canada expected the average price of a home to fall in 2011, the result of slowdowns in B.C. and Ontario."

(M. Spencer Green/Associated Press)

HST was the number one reasoning behind people's uncertainty about dealing with their real estate needs.  Now that a decision has been made regarding the HST, overall activity in the real estate market has picked up.

The Fall market looks to be a busy one!

We are pleased to announce yet another successful referral!!! 

Becoming a part of the referral process is easy! Just tell your friends and family about the professional services we have to offer...and when they mention your name, you're in the program! If a sale results you will be given a GENEROUS referral fee!

Thank you, Lee, for being our latest referral success! Check back next week for yet ANOTHER program success story.

Rememeber, we're never too busy for the referral of your friends, family and business associates.

Thank you for your trust!

Do your friends call you John Daly when you're out on the golf course?! Even if you've slipped rank like Tiger Woods we'd still love to see you out on the green!!

Now is your chance to win a $10,000 hole in one at the 13th Annual Charity Golf Tournament!

This is the third year that the Travis Bowman Team has proudly supported this tournament by sponsoring a hole at the event. Watch for our Team Travis plaque on the green!!

Hosted at beautiful Ledgeview Golf & Country Club at 35997 McKee Road in Abbotsford.

Entry fee includes a gourmet dinner at 6:30pm. Space is limited, but if your clubs are dusty and your caddy is on vacation you can still sponsor a hole or contribute a donation to LIFE Recovery. (Tax receipts available.) 

For further information please contact Lori Gress at:

BCBHEC, 180- 32160 South Fraser Way

Remember, LIFE Recovery depends on your generousity and compassion. For more information please visit

www.liferecovery.ca

Happy Golfing Everyone!!!

Just when the good weather starts to roll in, so does August come to an end!  I'm sure the drab July didn't hinder many of our vacation abilities. It seems alot of us enjoyed some "stay-cations" that found us exploring our own beautiful province - mind you, with the price of gas these days it was also a benefit to cruise across the line and stay a while to take advantage of the dollar exchange and the deals.

With summer coming to a close we want to remind you of the exciting and busy Fall that we anticipate in our Real Estate Market. There is still alot of inventory out there to choose from, so now is the time for you to give us a call and ask how you can capitalize on this Buyer's market and start or add to your real estate portfolio!