Full Disclosure Finance

By Justin
I have put together a series of posts on the Rent versus Buy decision that many people face, especially in times of softening property markets.
I have found a useful tool on Yahoo Finance that lists key variables and will allow you to calculate the value of buying.  Be sure to account for all expenses [...]

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by Justin
Well, I must admit that I’ve not been making adequate time for FDF lately as a combination of travel and settling in from a move are my best excuses.  A ton has happened since I was last writing about Real Estate comparisons and getting into detail regarding a few stocks.
Most recently, I had an [...]

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By Justin
I am enjoying this format because it provides information on real estate markets not readily available (see Part 1 for the skinny). There is currently no free source out there green-lighting certain areas of Canada or the US. You could join the Real Estate Investment Network to get hot tips about where [...]

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By Justin
Here is the continuation of my quest to produce a systematic tool for identifying if you should buy or rent. Keep in mind that when you combine these insights with some diligent research, you should feel confident in making a decision.
The previous post discussed your Plans for Savings and % Down Payment as [...]

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By Justin
Over the past 8-10 months every magazine and television channel has been discussing the fact that US Real Estate prices are tanking. This trend is well covered in the macro sense but up in the Great White North we get few specifics.
I wanted to do a little comparison between 2 areas that I [...]

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By Justin
Here is the continuation of my quest to produce a systematic tool for identifying if you should buy or rent.
The previous post discussed the Level of Financial Education as a key indicator. Below is a complete list of the key variables.
Key Variables affecting the Rent vs. Buy decision:
• Level of Financial Education
• Plan for Savings
• % [...]

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By Justin
I’ve heard varying opinions on the Rent vs. Buy topic. These opinions come from people with all types of education (financial and otherwise) and all levels of income. One will say “We bought because a house is the best investment you can make”, while others will back it up with “We bought [...]

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By Justin
I have been examining some more real estate deals lately and am back in a situation where I am debating putting 5% down to get into a deal with lots of upside.
This may or may not be a great idea. As part of my due diligence, and to learn from my past experiences, I [...]

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By Justin
In light of operating my investment property for a little over 5 months I’ve learned some pretty hard lessons and also discovered some that make life a lot easier. I realized very quickly that if you live more than 1 hour away from your property you must be able to manage a property at [...]

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By Justin
What do you know about mortgage loan insurance? In Canada it is provided by the CMHC, Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. To quote the website, insurance is required when homebuyers make a down payment of less than 20% of the purchase price. These homebuyers are deemed to be more of a lending risk but [...]

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