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The Basics for Smart Real Estate Investing

People are saying that the economy is in trouble and the housing market is in the tank, how could this possibly be a good time to invest in real estate? Because investing in real estate is always a good income stream strategy no matter what the market is doing. The key is being smart about your investments.

Here are 6 reasons why real estate is always a good investment: L-Leverage A-Appreciation D-Depreciation I-Income E-Equity S-Secure

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In Mexico, The Building Boom Rages

In Mexico, the building boom rages

By Scott Burns | Columnist

Published: 4/15/2008 12:09

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico -- Standing on our 10th-floor balcony at the Westin, my wife hands me her binoculars. "I think they added the verticals for another three floors while we were having lunch." She points to the framework for yet another skyscraper along the Banderas Bay shoreline.

This is not the usual use of her binoculars. For much of the last week they have been focused on the pelicans and frigate birds that cruise the shoreline or have checked out the regular parade of sail and power yachts that emerge from nearby Marina Vallarta.

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Investment Opportunities

Investment Opportunity 1:

Do you ever get stressed out or frustrated? We all know the answer but what is the solution? There are many ways to reduce stress and create mental harmony but a recent speaker of ours is excited to share an innovative way to combat mental stress.

Allan Marston, who spoke last Thursday, has extended an invite for Club members to see this exciting product for themselves.

Imagine office workers in a Banker's Hall type building taking 20 minutes out of their lunch break to go sit in a recliner, put some futuristic goggles on with flashing lights and calming music and suggestive words that helps the mind relax.

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Alberta mortgage debt reaches $60B

Canada's mortgage market set another record year for growth in 2007, with total outstanding residential mortgage debt soaring by $94 billion from the previous year, according to a housing report by AltusClayton.

The report said that in percentage terms the growth rate is not as high as the peaks in the latter 1980s, "but market-wide growth of 13 per cent a year "in an 'established industry' (and low inflation environment) is still very impressive."

Total outstanding mortgage debt at the end of year in 2007 was $821.4 billion.

And mortgage debt in Alberta last year increased by more than the national average.

At the end of the year, the province's outstanding mortgage debt was $60.919 billion, up 15.8 per cent from the previous year's $52.626 billion, said Richard Corriveau, economist for the Prairies and Territories region for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

He said the main factor in that mortgage debt was the escalation in house prices in Alberta.

For example, the average MLS sale price for a resale home in the province in 2007 was $356,235, up 24.8 per cent from $285,497 in 2006.

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Bank of Canada cuts key rate to three per cent, as widely expected

OTTAWA - The Bank of Canada cut its benchmark lending rate to three per cent on Tuesday as the central bank moved to defend against a sharply slowing U.S. economy and its spillover into Canada.

The half-point cut in the bank's rate on overnight loans between commercial banks had been widely expected by economists as growth in Canada slows and the inflation rate remains benign.

The Bank of Canada said it now projects the Canadian economy will grow by 1.4 per cent this year. That's the slowest pace since 1992 and lower than the 1.8 per cent growth forecast by the central bank in January. The bank revised down its outlook for 2009, cutting its forecast rate of growth to 2.4 per cent from 2.8 per cent, and predicted and 3.3 per cent in 2010.

The bank last eased lending rates - also by a half point - on March 4, at the time saying more action would likely be needed.

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