In this article, I, professional land developer Isaac Toussie, will quickly survey some of Ontario’s most happening cities for real estate investment.  I have several years of experience in the industry, and though there are nuances to the Canadian market, for our purposes right now my first-hand insights of the American market will be just as useful when considering Ontario property.

First, however, a disclaimer: what follows is simply Isaac Toussie’s personal opinion and is presented for human interest purposes only.  In no way whatsoever should Isaac Toussie’s remarks be considered professional advice of any kind.  Readers are urged to consult all the relevant professionals, such as lawyers and accountants, when faced with a business decision of some consequence.

Now, on to Canada!

Of course, when talking about Ontario one naturally talks first about Toronto, its capital city.  Populated by some 2.7 million people, Toronto property is without doubt the hottest in the entire province.  It is Canada’s premier economic dynamo, and one of the top financial centers in the world.  The city is also rather well-served by an extensive bus and light rail system, the third largest public transportation network in all of North America after New York City and Mexico City.  With solid infrastructure and world-class cultural and educational venues throughout its numerous wards, Toronto is the number one real estate investment opportunity in all Canada.

But good profits can also be made in less crowded municipalities, too, such as beautiful Belleville at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte.  Houses in the city are usually spacious and reasonably priced.  Classical styles of architecture is quite the norm in Belleville.  Schools are excellent and cultural amenities abound.  In fact, trends suggest that Belleville may well become a regional hub the way Toronto is.

However, rural living is in some regards quintessentially Canadian, and some folks don’t mind the inconveniences involved.  As can be imagined, investment opportunities are rather rare in the countryside, as most rural people tend to own their dwellings.  Unless you plan on leasing out farmland, the only other obvious way to turn a profit in such parts of the province would be to operate bed-and-breakfasts for tourists or renting out weekend and summer homes to vacationers.

Before the stock market guru enthusiastically persuaded the audience to put their money into individual stocks, he stated that the Real Estate Market was in disarray and that even in good years Real Estate would only appreciate at single digit percentages. While the latter is often true, I was surprised at how blatantly this gentleman overlooked the other key aspects of a Real Estate investment and wondered if the general public saw the benefits as narrowly as this man. There are at least four key issues worth mentioning in regards to that perspective. And while there are several ways to invest in Real Estate, this particular rebuttal will list some of the advantages of owning rental property.

1. “The Buy”- As is the case with any investment, the goal is to buy low and sell high. Today’s Real Estate market offers plenty of opportunities for a savvy consumer to purchase a home for 80 to 85 cents on the dollar. My mentor agent of The Williams Home Team in Rochester MN always says, “You don’t make money when you sell a house, you make money when you buy it!”

2. Cash Flow – If the rental income on your property is greater than your mortgage, which is often the goal, than you are making additional income. It is important to note that this income has not yet been taxed.

3. Principal Reduction – Allowing someone else to make the payments on your house is a beautiful thing. Just like the mortgage on your personal residence your investment mortgage is going to be amortized with most of the interest on the front end of the loan. Time is very powerful in this regard. And you can keep your money in other investments, earning you interest over the long run.

4. Tax Savings – Your mortgage interest as well as all operating expenses and improvements to your property are tax deductible. This is also a great savings over time.

When investing in stocks, the industry goal is to beat the benchmark of the market as a whole, which appreciates at an average rate of 10-12%. While the aforementioned gentleman was accurate in saying that typical Real Estate markets only appreciate at single digit percentages, when taking into consideration these overlooked aspects one can often times see far greater returns. Talking with a financial advisor or real estate agent may also prove beneficial in your endeavor to secure a financially viable real estate investment property.

Rochester MN real estate agent Tim Williams provides Rochester MN MLS listings and specializes in listing your home for sale or rent in Southeast Minnesota.

Buyers want reasonable asking prices. Gone are the days of multiple offers on overpriced homes, with desperate buyers waiving appraisals, contingencies and inspections in an attempt to win a bidding war. Get professional opinions of the current market value of your home before establishing your asking price. Ask your real estate agent to conduct a comparative market analysis (CMA), evaluating the selling price of nearby properties with similar features and square footage. Also keep in mind that just because the house next door to yours got one price, this does not necessarily mean that there is another buyer out there willing to pay the same for your home. If your agent agrees it is necessary, hire an independent appraiser to establish an objective opinion of value.

Buyers want quality and dependability. With economic conditions in transition, homebuyers are looking for home construction, features and finishing that can withstand the test of time. Classic designs that have proven their popularity tend to be more in demand when market conditions are unpredictable. For example, bamboo and oak flooring and custom-designed kitchen cabinets made of durable fine woods add significantly to a home’s buyer appeal. Neutral wall colors sell better than trendy designer tints or wild wallpaper, because buyers find it easier to visualize their furniture against a neutral backdrop.

Buyers want amenities that offer comfort and convenience. Homes that provide ways to pamper the homeowner are exceptionally attractive. Examples include master suites with his and her bathrooms (or at least his and her sinks), soaking tubs and rainforest showers, private exercise rooms and well-organized walk-in closets. Buyers appreciate homes that have high-speed Internet wiring and multiple phone lines for personal computers and home offices. Amenities that set your home apart from the ordinary will catch the attention of buyers.

Buyers want to work with savvy sellers. During the past several years, homebuyers were at a disadvantage in the hot seller’s markets that dominated Rio Rancho’s real estate climate. They had to study local market conditions, pay attention to economic trends, watch the mortgage interest rates and work intensively with their real estate agents to beat the competition for homes. Such well-informed buyers will not be eager to purchase property from a seller who is out of touch. They will prefer to work with sellers who know what their home is worth, list a property in top showing condition and are willing to give concessions to the buyer when negotiating the terms of the purchase agreement.

Ask your agent for feedback from buyers who visit your home. Selling your home could require you to invest in upgrades or cosmetic improvements such as new carpet, paint, lighting fixtures or hardware. Your real estate agent may suggest deep cleaning, home staging or replacing window coverings. It might take more effort than you anticipated, but placing your home above the competition will help secure the sale.

Life in Mississippi is slower, and offers escape from the cold northern weather. The people are friendly and hospitable. The six airports and the availability of the intracoastal waterways connect everyone to everywhere. Mississippi offers a wide range of investment opportunities. The greatest come on for living, investing, and retiring in Mississippi? Tax savings! Retirees relocate to Mississippi for the bonus and investors have a choice of industries to choose from.

Some Mississippi real estate companies can show you mountain cabin homes or quaint log cabins along the lakes. You can always ask your real estate agent in Mississippi to look for homes overlooking the Gulf. Licensed Mississippi real estate companies have several listings for home search, and schools. These companies will also help you find your vacation home, your first home and assist you to look up for investment property.

The moment you contact these Mississippi real estate companies, these will make your search easier. Schools, investment opportunities, and vacation homes or even relocating to Mississippi – there is much to scrutinize. You can look up the Mississippi real estate offices on the web. Mississippi is indeed a good place for those who want a more laidback lifestyle with modern amenities.

History

Mississippi is the 20th state of the Union. Its historical heritage run the gauntlet of foreign occupations, conflict with the native Indians, and the havoc wrought by the civil war of 1861-1865.

Geography and Demographics

Tennessee flanks Mississippi on the north, and Alabama on the east. The Gulf of Mexico and Louisiana settles on the south border. The Mississippi River, Louisiana and Arkansas occupy the west border.

Mississippi sits on a land area of 46,906 square miles. The population registered 2,844,658. The population is a racial mix of Americans, Asians, and African Americans.

Although the people are predominantly Protestants, there are a large number of Roman Catholics and Jewish populations in urban areas and along the Gulf Coast.
Weather

Mississippi has hot and humid summers, and mild winters. The northeast higher lands are cooler. January temperatures in Mississippi vary from 6°C or about 42°F in Northern Mississippi to about 12° (54°F) along the coast. The lowest temperature officially recorded was measured at -28°C (-19°F) in 1966.

Economy

Agriculture and forestry figure prominently in the economy of Mississippi. The State is a large producer of cotton and soybeans. Sweet potatoes, pecans, sorghum grain, hay, and wheat are the other incoming generating crops.

The 1930s fostered industrialization when natural gas and petroleum were developed.

Other industries that continue to thrive in Mississippi are:

Livestock and production of dairy products
Fisheries
Forestry
Mining
Tourism
Intracoastal waterways shipping

Education

The University of Mississippi was founded in 1844 and was followed by 7 state supported schools in the different parts of the State. As of 2004, there were 26 public and 14 private institutions for higher education.

So then, why wait? Grab the opportunity and invest or invest in Mississippi real estate.

Real estate values are very unpredictable, especially now with the decrease in the real estate bubble. Prices are falling in some cities and flattening in others. It will take some planning to get the most from selling your real estate to supplement your retirement.

Be Realistic. To plan effectively, you must be realistic about the price you may get for your home. Real estate is an up and down market, so you should assume a traditional real estate market for valuating your home, with gains in value equal to the inflation rate. At retirement, you will have the same purchasing power you currently have. If gains in real estate values are better than the inflation rate, then you will have more. Just don’t count on it.

Get the Most from Your Real Estate. People used to work hard to pay off their mortgages for homes they planned to raise their children in and retire. Since 1989, the number of people 65 and older with mortgage debt has nearly tripled, adjusting for inflation. Making payments on real estate in retirement years will deplete your savings and retirement income faster than any other expenditure.

There are three reasons to pay off your real estate mortgage — (1) decrease expenditures in your retirement years, (2) use the mortgage interest rate that you will save to increase your retirement savings, and (3) build more equity, in case you need it as income on which to live later. Paying off your mortgage is a good thing to do, regardless of what the real estate market is doing.

Downsize Your Home. If you are living in a home that is larger than what you need, do not hold on to it for sentimental reasons. Selling the larger home for a smaller one can: (1) give you a smaller mortgage payment than you currently have, or (2) purchase a smaller home outright with no mortgage. It also means less physical upkeep by you, as well as less maintenance and repair costs in the future during retirement. Please keep in mind that there will be selling, moving and new home renovation costs that must be deducted from the sale proceeds.

Sell the Extra Real Estate. If you have a second home or vacation real estate that will not be your retirement residence, you may wish to sell this extra real estate now, putting the sale proceeds into your retirement savings. You can put the mortgage and annual upkeep payments for this property into your retirement savings, too.

Reverse Mortgages. Though these products have been around for some time, we are hearing a lot about them lately. Such mortgages give you 50 percent or more of your home’s value with no mortgage payments, which are collected by the lender at your death or if you sell the real estate.

Beware! Reverse mortgages should be used only as a last-ditch effort at survival. The interest and fees added to your mortgage debt can be very costly. If you must consider a reverse mortgage, here are a few smart tips:

• There are only a few reverse mortgage products now on the market, but others are coming soon. So, wait two or three years to garner more options and possibly better products.

• You must be 62 to qualify for a reverse mortgage loan, but wait as long as possible to take such a loan. The younger you are, the smaller the loan and higher the cost over time.

• Check out all of the products on the market and get independent financial counseling on the best one for you. They may look the same upfront, but the number of years and the loan value differ greatly between products, as well as the costs over time.

• Do not buy into the hype! Mortgage brokers receive a large commission on these products. If you feel you are being pushed in this direction, check out other lenders.

• Plan ahead. If you move and sell your real estate, the lender receives all that is due on the reverse mortgage from the sale proceeds. This could actually leave you in a worse financial state.

John Harris is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations. For more information please visit San Diego Realtor

The terms “real estate” and “real property” are often understood to mean the same thing, although in some circles, real property refers to the rights of the owner over the real estate. Both terms are used mainly in common law, which is further divided into property law, the laws that refer specifically to the property, and contract law, the laws which refer specifically to the rights of the person over the property.

For centuries, people have viewed land as the primary measure of wealth. Even today, land comprises a large part of the fortunes of the wealthiest individuals and nations. Developing countries who are rich in real estate use this to attract foreign investments that can spur economic growth. However, in recent years, economists have noted that the key real estate investments into developing countries have been derailed by the lack of effective laws to safeguard such investments.

The leading source of capital for purchasing and developing land real property is mortgages. These are loans that banks grant to individuals who use the real property as collateral. Mortgages are favorable endeavors for banks because they can’t lose: either the borrower successfully repays his loan with interest or if the buyer cannot pay his loan, the bank can claim the rights to the property through foreclosure, which is an action that is decided in a court of law. Once the property is foreclosed, the bank can sell it to recoup its loan.

This is where economists raise a howl. An analysis of international banking and real estate laws reveals that, in many developing countries, there is no effective way for a lender to foreclose. With no legal or institutional protection, many investors are discouraged from investing in real estate in developing countries. Often, the mortgage loan industry is only open to a select few, mostly engaged in by a cabal of well-connected families who frequently use their social connections in matters of foreclosure.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Real Estate, Investing, and Business