Oz Buzz

“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” 

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today’s Issue:

  • THE EARLY OCTOBER NUMBERS
  • HOT PROPERTIES – WATERFRONT LOT – $39,900
  • OZZIE TALKS (WHERE?)
  • QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS – ELECTION; INTEREST RATES
  • BEST REAL ESTATE APPS
  • EYEBROW RAISER – RATES TO GO HIGHER?

VANCOUVER NUMBERS

July, August, September sales were positively steaming! October … follow through. Yes, but look at the 2017 October numbers for each subset.

  • Major Point: The overall SF market has strengthened since mid June. September sales were up a whopping 47%, October ditto. Listings are down by 12%. Last month we said that a good fall market lies ahead. And September/October both – did not disappoint. Condo sales overall are higher by a rocking 36% while still lower than 2017 – quite a bit. But Eastside condos performed actually higher than in 2017! We said that “…we are gearing up to surpass 2017…once we do … back to normal in October?” Yes, we did! 
  • Listings – including condo – are lower – bottom in?
  • Still, again it is a mad world, negative interest rates, slowing global growth, trade wars and great geopolitical risks.
  • Money is on the move worldwide looking for safety … and you have not seen anything yet. The bet? Higher prices ahead again.
  • Best deals? Buy new condos, make lowball offers…

OZZIE TALKS

Thanks for attending the great REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE and the great Surrey BOARD OF TRADE events!

  • November 4 – Real Estate Action Group, Alpen Club, Victoria and 33rd at 6PM
  • November 7th – Personal Growth and Motivation
    Downtown, 970 Burrard St.
  • November 12 – So, you don’t know how to create your mission?
  • You can listen to Ozzie every Saturday morning on Michael Campbells CKNW ‘Money Talks’ radio station between 9:35am and 9:45am

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

Q: Commercial tax rates are up to 3 times higher than residential rates. And then business taxes can vary as much as 2 percent from suburb to suburb. How come?
A. Businesses don’t vote! However, they also go out of business.

Q: Benjamin Tal says that interest rates are too low, don’t low interest rates stimulate the economy?
A: I’m in full agreement with Mr. Tal and have been for 10 years. When history is re-written, Alan Greenspan will be blamed for the economic malaise. The only current solution of negative rates will backfire. NOTE: Maybe rates will go up when you least expect it!

Q: You seem to be positive on hard assets but negative on central banks around the world, don’t you like the new IMF chairman?
A: Currently central bankers are at the centre of all decision making. They should not be! Governments should be. The new IMF chief – a nice lady – she is a “all spend and print money” chief! Has not worked for ten years. It really won’t work now because banks are now breaking with huge untold bad debts. NOTE: Maybe rates will go up when you least expect it!

Q: The election outcome has surprised me; will another dose of Trudeau sink us?
A: We – the people – will survive all governments. “No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” – Winston Churchill. But it’s the best that we have – even with Trudeau in charge.

Q: I’m a big fan of Martin Armstrong and by default Mr. Mike Campbell; and listen to you quite frequently on his show. I have been a long-term contrarian on the Canadian housing market and have exercised the option of rental rather than direct home ownership here in … Ozzie I was wondering if you have a couple minutes for a quick telephone discussion this week. Thanks in advance for your time.
A: Thanks for your note. Not much left to discuss. I wish you well.

COMMENT: For the first time I understand the different prices used in the real estate statistic game. Of course, you forgot to quote “running averages” or “rolling averages” or mean averages or, or, or. 

EYEBROW RAISER

As I said above…I have thought higher interest rates were vital to bring in only to see them head lower. Here is an excellent blog by ace day trader Victor Adair…in which he makes an eyepopping eyebrow raising possible scenario…rates could go higher… www.polarfuturesgroup.com

TECH TIP: BEST HOUSE HUNTING APPS IN CANADA

(If you like other apps – please share with me.)

  • REALTOR.CA
    It’s probably the best and easiest to use. I love the ability to stand in front of a building and easily see everything around me – that’s for sale on the MLS and then star your favourites. Easier to use and friendlier than the PC main site – www.realtor.ca. (also, the best Canadian commercial listings)
  • BC ASSESSMENT SITE
    The best site to search listings, assessed values and even home price comparisons.
  • LOOPNET
    Largest commercial website (800,000 commercial listings)
  • SCHOOL LOCATOR *Currently only works for Toronto and the GTA. Coming soon to the rest of Canada.
    Kids? The school locator immediately finds out what the public and Catholic elementary and intermediate school options are and how they were rated by the Fraser Institute. Click on the school and you’ll find out more details, like its five years rating out of 10.
  • HOMETRICS.CA
    Check on every house in Toronto, also rent check and other apps coming.
  • DOCUSIGN
    With the DocuSign mobile app, you can easily sign documents (including offers) right from your phone.
  • HOUSE CREEP Murder, haunted houses? Type in your address and see where someone got killed around you. What? Yes!

BEST HOUSE HUNTING APPS IN THE UNITED STATES
(If you like other apps – please share with me.)

  • REALTOR.COM AND REALTOR.ORG
    For sale, for rent and what just sold, estimate value, get latest listings pushed to you
  • ZILLOW
    For sale, rent, mortgages
  • TRULIA
    Search Homes & Neighborhoods instantly. Photos, Prices, Maps, Insights & More. School & Livability Maps · Home Hunting Tools · Instant Notifications · Price History & Trends
  • HOMESNAP
    Homesnap is the top-rated real estate app built for agents also in use by homebuyers – easy to use on your phone
  • REDFIN
    On-line videos, 1.5% listing fee, commission kickback to owners. Foreclosure lists.

Major Point: Check out the App Store (www.AppStore.com) and the Google Play Store (https://play.google.com/store) to download these apps.

BOOK OF THE WEEK

robots“The Robots Are Coming!: The Future of Jobs in the Age of Automation” The Robots Are Coming! centers around the issue of jobs and their future in the context of rapid automation and the growth of online products and services. As two of Andres Oppenheimer’s interviewees – both experts in technology and economics from Oxford University – indicate, forty-seven percent of existing jobs are at risk of becoming automated or rendered obsolete by other technological changes in the next twenty years. Interesting read – recommended by Chopra.

HOT PROPERTIES

  • Quesnel – waterfront lot on the Fraser River – build now, all services are in. Gated community. Price: $39,900
  • Quesnel – 2-bedroom condo near the hospital. Price: $79,900
  • New Westminster – 8 Bedrooms, plus legal suite. Price: $1.1 million
  • Mission – House with suite. Cash flow. Price: $600,000

AUDIOBOOK

NEW: You can buy both of Ozzie’s books and Ozzie’s 25 Money Making Principles on USB and the complete Land Rush audio on USB by ordering them here https://jurock.com/shop/

WANT TO PARTICIPATE?

Go to www.realestatetalks.com – Some 2,500 members (47,009 posts) talk real estate. Ozzie created this bulletin board in 1998!
If you are in a real estate related industry of any sort (realtor, appraiser, lawyer, home inspector, etc.) list yourself in Ozzie’s free British Columbia real estate directory at www.bcred.ca.

OZZIE’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

You can watch all videos and podcasts on my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/jurockvideo. It is a great way to check on what I said 10 years ago.

RADIO

Ozzie is on air with Michael Campbell on the fabulous MONEYTALKS every Saturday sometime between 8:30AM – 10 AM. The radio station is CKNW and the best way to listen to it is WHEREEVER YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, just visit www.cknw.com at 8:30 am every Saturday (PST), click on live and you’re good to go. The Hot Property that we discuss there, is available by subscribing to the Oz Buzz Dispatch at Jurock.com

OZBUZZ.CA

Why subscribe if I can just go to the website at Ozbuzz.ca? Hot properties and the latest podcasts are DISTRIBUTED TO SUBSCRIBERS FIRST– posted 2 weeks later on website.

HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT?

You can reach me at info@ozbuzz.ca with all of your questions, comments and concerns regarding the Oz Buzz publication.

LIVE LIFE LARGE

To feel better is the root of every desire
If we had only one goal,
and that was to feel good,
we would live successfully
and happily

Nothing is more important
than that I feel good

I won’t do anything
I don’t really want to do

I will keep myself in a place
of feeling good

I will grow into my future best!

Look up all of my “Grow into your future best” cards at: www.commitperformmeasure.com

Oz Buzz Podcast

Disclaimer

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