Thursday, September 11

Very interesting meetings lately regarding my real estate investing thoughts and dreams. I have had some discussions with people who are already investors themselves, listening to their long term goals and what seems to currently work for them. And I met with 2 realtors. The first I met this morning to discuss what action I should take if I am serious about investing (ie getting pre-approved, squaring away debt, socking away some money for a safety net, etc). The second I met this afternoon to see some properties to establish what we could purchase in certain areas of the city for a smaller investment. It was when we were looking at a duplex that we met The Green Finch. He was trapped upstairs in the window, looking for a way out from the opposite window that he had flown in through. I tried to help him escape by trying to open the window but they had painted the window shut and I couldn't open it. However, it made him panic and he flew sporadically around and straight into a closed window. He seemed to survive but was extremely stunned and I left him to recuperate at the open window he had come in from. An odd experience for certain. Note to self should I be reincarnated as a bird that windows are paneful. (WHAT!? I COULDN"T HELP IT !!!! =P) Seriously though, folks, duly noted that when we panic or make decisions in haste or fear the desired outcome can be missed. Often we manage only hurt ourselves in the process of flailing wildly towards what we think is the goal. Stay calm and focused, make decisions only when we know where we want to go, how quickly we want to get there and fly freely towards the intended destination.

Mom got me a terrific sterling silver totem ring from Pender Island, made by Val Lancaster from the Namgis First Nation (a band from the Gulf Islands). It has a Hummingbird wrapped around it signifying energy, persistence, joy, sincerity, luck, spiritual healing and other great attributes. I have to say that I resonate with Hummingbird. I always do things [too] fast, run quickly from one thing to the next, have pretty high energy and am pretty tenacious. I feel like I understand this totem energy. It reflects me whether that's good or bad LOL !!!

Overall I feel really enthused about where potentially Life is headed. Specifically I feel encouraged about the potential that investing offers. Obviously there is risk involved in any investment regardless of which vehicle is utilized. The best you can do is educate yourself, investigate thoroughly, start slowly and cautiously to see if it works for you. In Winnipeg you can literally search the www.mls.ca website for properties under $100,000 and return 236 items. Evidently oil in Manitoba last year had the highest volume for production on record, yet Manitoba is not yet known as an oil province. (In fact when I read that link I had to laugh at the reporter even comparing teeny tiny Virden Manitoba to Calgary OMG LMAO!!! I think Virden has 30 residents...pulleeeez!!!!!) At any rate the real estate market gained the average Winnipeg homeowner a 15% raise in value this year over last (condos being the softest market overall) Perhaps Winnipeg has some strength over the Coastal provinces where sales have waned. Both Vancouver and Toronto have softened markets while Saskatchewan and Manitoba have maintained their sales if not increased values overall, with new construction and industry on the rise in Winnipeg this year.

Good for buyers that condo sales have stayed consistent and not escalated like single family homes have. Probably why I managed to purchase so affordably last November, and why buying one to rent out would be financially accessible and easy peasy....

3 comments:

holymotherofgod said...

And not that they read this but Happy Birthday to Sam and Justin who are like 16 and 13 years old or something now (JK but time flies) I miss them...

~n~ said...

What a beautiful ring! You lucky duck. OBVIOUSLY mom loves you more than me. LMAO (just kidding, just kidding....) glad to see you taking steps towards your goals... good job!
~n~

Anonymous said...

Didn't you know that Virden is the Oil Capital of Manitoba?!? Let me tell you that the population is nearing 3500 residents! (including surrounding area) Do you recall which EMPLOYEE of your's is from Virden?