REITs and Inspirational Tax Policies

Everything is on the Table in Tax Time Review…

 REITs are an attractive way to look at real estate and to derive your cash flow from real estate – a big driver for the vast majority of investors with REITs is the tax strategy or rather the exemption they currently enjoy. They give you the shareholder 90% of their profits and you pay the taxes – without this tax burden, their yields look larger relative to other publicly listed corporations who distribute after tax monies to the shareholder and then you pay taxes again although at a lower marginal rate.

A regular and timely review of the tax code, citizen’s and investor’s charter of rights and the spirit and philosophy of taxation is a good thing. Change for the sake of change or simply to appear to have blocked an exemption from income taxes could well create some very real unintended consequences which would really hurt the real estate industry and take away any incentive investors currently have to put money into REITs. This would hurt all and benefit none.

“Since they were established in 1960, REITs haven’t had to pay corporate taxes on their income as long as at least 90% of their taxable income is paid as dividends. The tax savings from this exemption, which have allowed them to pay more in dividends, has been one of their main selling points.

Industry officials and analysts say it is unlikely that REITs will lose their tax exemption because it doesn’t result in a major loss of revenue to the Treasury. They point out that REIT dividends are taxed at a higher rate than other corporate dividends, 39.6% versus 20%.

REITs paid $29 billion in dividends to shareholders in 2012, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts. If the 195 REITs lost the tax exemption and dividends were taxed at the same lower rate as other corporations, the amount gained would largely be offset by the amount lost from the lower tax rate on dividends, industry officials say.

Industry officials also note that the first REITs were established to give individuals an easy way to invest in income-producing real estate. If they lost their tax exemption, they would likely pay lower dividends and act more like other companies. “REITs are a creation of the tax code, so it’s no surprise that all parts of the tax code would subject to a review,” said Tony Edwards, general counsel of Nareit.” (Wall Street Journal, A.D.Pruitt April 2013)

More private REITs should be encouraged in Canada, with the appropriate policies, small investors can come together uniting their dollars and skills to build better communities.

To move the economy, government should consider allowing people to create and build new more efficient structures – using new technology and greener building approaches. This is expensive and therefore there should be a different approach to the taxation in this area. More levels and more marginal rates should be considered and  added to the code to differentiate different activities. Yes it may complicate things a bit more, but using a good accountant with a degree of competence in tax and tax strategy will also help your investments and businesses.

Increase the percentages for depreciation (CCA), altering and allowing more capital gains on newer projects built say after 2013/14 would also inspire the creative juices of the small investor – business category [ say under the ten million dollar capital range].

The infrastructure spending which is required for any new project should spread the burden over a longer amortization and this should be picked up by provincial and local government (they should control it, own it and yes pay for it).

New policies should be introduced that inspire and motivate, not policies that penalize spending money for the betterment of our communities and employment of our citizens.

These policies should also inspire the upgrading of our current inventory of buildings with upgrades of electrical systems, heating systems, windows and doors, etc… in commercial buildings. This could even be funded with  borrowed  money  from local government with a modest interest rate and yes with a lien on the  property until paid off, conveniently added to your local property tax bill (because the city is so efficient in this area of taxing and billing).

These improvements to the property should not be immediately assessed and taxed via MPAC, there should be an exemption say for a period of five years.

These upgrades should target Canadian made products so that our manufacturing sector gets a helping hand along the way again a part of the exemption from the improvement tax.

There are many things we could do better and work from a vantage point of motivating, inspiring and incentivizing our small business sector and investors to succeed and hire just one more person to learn the craft of the businesses in the community – keeping it local.

Focusing on the positive, helps all succeed.

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc., Brokerage would like to help you get inspired with real estate, developments , investing and managing it all. We can help you start and build your own real estate portfolio and set up your  management systems. Contact us for an initial meeting to review and discuss your real estate goals.

http://www.envoycapitol.com

Twitter : EnvoyCapRealty

Facebook : Envoy Capitol Realty Inc., Brokerage

Toronto , Ontario  Canada

Word on the Street in Toronto…

Word on the Street … What Realtors are thinking and what some are saying.

 It Can’t Happen Here, Ever — Right?

 

A lot of small investors and some who have become bigger players in real estate will tell you – to put your money into real estate. It’s your best investment period.

You don’t even need to worry about it, just buy and hold and keep for a long time.

And after many years – miracles happen, the value goes up and Wow you’re rich.

Don’t think about it too much, don’t read the papers or listen to the news it will only confuse and confound you – and you will be paralyzed to do anything.

 

Action equals results, so think only about the ability to carry the property, that is cover your costs of ownership of the asset. And oh yes – don’t forget to borrow as much as they (the banks) will lend you – take ever last dime they give you and put it all into your real estate investment. This will insure you are on the fast track to wealth, quick or quicker riches while we are young.

 

So leverage to the max young man (or woman) and invest. This is the biggest secret to getting rich – using the magic of opium ; rather OPM (other people’s money – and make it all on the spread between your cost of capital and what you can earn from the opportunity. The greater the spread the richer you will be…

The Wall Street Journal reported recently that the U.S. and Canadian border services are stopping a lot of Chinese carrying undeclared cash into the country…(would you rather have the government print the money? – just a side question) this can’t help the economy because it can’t be spent buying things here right?  True there maybe legal and ethical considerations that are being addressed here. But that money will simply go elsewhere.

 

Money they say flows towards the least point of resistance. Why are we putting up a resistance? Some other country or region of the world will get it or like the supply of drugs into North America it will enter using increasingly creative methods.

The word on the street in Toronto real estate is that since the introduction of the federal anti-money laundering legislation (FINTRAC) a lot of Eastern European, Russian and South American money that use to flow here and into real estate has stopped. “And these people use to buy and buy a lot of real estate here” say a few central Toronto realtors.

 

We lost the Americans a few years ago when our Canadian dollar started to soar because of our great supply of petroleum and our productive economy. The American dollar would be able to purchase about $1.45 Canada and as of today

the American dollar would get less than $0.99 (below par) (less exchange rate fees). This is huge. So the American investor is less likely to bring dollars here and buy real estate.

 

A similar but more dramatic currency problem is the currency crisis of Iran – their monetary crisis and horrific devaluation has negatively impacted both the buying and building active of a lot of investors in Toronto real estate. As it has temporarily taken out another player in the market – who use to fund their purchases and projects with their resources and assets in Iran.

 

These are just some highlights of the various purchasing, investing and developing group that have been helping fuel the growth and robustness of the Toronto real estate market place.

 

There isn’t any hard data regarding the volume and dollar value these investors have been bring into Toronto,Canada some real estate professionals have suggested they represent approximately a third of the market place however a significant catalyst for the market place flooding it with liquidity, driving prices and the competition up for the rest of us. We may have escape the last potential recession because of it – thankfully.

So it could hurt and hurt a lot when the currency flow is no longer there.

 

The Federal guidelines with respect to borrowing money for real estate have also tightened over the last 18 months with shorter amortization periods (25 years), more equity requirements (20% min) which will drive up the monthly cost of carrying a residential purchase. With GDS and TDS ratios of 39% and 44% respectively will be applied to application for mortgages along with a ban on mortgage insurance for properties over one million dollars. You are going to need a mortgage adviser to help you understand what money may be available for a loan to you and your family for your real estate purchase. And don’t assume you will get the needed money – make your offer conditional upon appropriate and satisfactory financing or you could get into trouble.

Hard times ahead for first time  buyers and move up buyers of Toronto real estate ahead.

Hick up ? Or the new normal? We will have to wait and see…

 

These moves say real estate practitioners affects mostly first time purchasers who would enter the pipeline and push everyone else forward and up, through it to the top. It just slows things down. All this being done without increasing interest rates at this time – because the economy could not handle that – a soft landing for housing being engineered by the Federal government? Trying to keep real estate affordable in the country for everyone?

 

Others from the local economy will have to step up and step in, into the void and a possible re-evaluation may take place of the real estate assets that come to market, get appraised or refinanced. However things are projected to remain steady in the short-term say the Banks’ economic forecast for the Canadian real estate market. Do you get the feeling there is less money and investors/buyers on the streets these days? Is that why some developers and developments have slowed down or put some of their projects on hold?

 

Those that are here and deep into projects/investments with no turning back may soon run short of funds and may get desperate for liquidity and so may have to get creative…watch out – say business people and financiers – interesting things could happen.

 

Toronto is still shining like a diamond with the steady inflow of immigration and job creation – Canada reported 40,000 new jobs last month. And these people need a place to live and work. They also bring money and ideas with them to help the economy’s momentum forward. Supply and demand seem to be holding steady at this time with no great inventory. Things are working well at this time in Toronto and things appear healthy. With the right measure of concern and care the government appears to be trying to keep a steady hand on the overall economic health of the country. However the worry by some is whether the best efforts will breed unintended consequences –which may be painful in the short-term as we try to achieve a good and healthy re-set for the longer term.

There are reasons why some believe housing wouldn’t crash in 2013 I hope they are right…

Steady as she goes…

We would love to talk to you about your real estate investment(s). We can also assist with asset/property management of your property in the Greater Toronto Area. Let’s connect over a coffee to discuss needs and strategies – call us when its most convenient and we will make ourselves available for you.

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc., Brokerage      Toronto , Canada

Twitter : EnvoyCapRealty

Blog : http://www.capitalmoves.blogspot.com

LinkedIn and Facebook — join us!

Investing Your Money In Real Estate to Make Money

Earlier today I had a meeting with an older gentlemen

investor who I usually have a telephone conversation with, however today was a coffee meeting.

“Anything new out there that’s interesting.

Anything worth investing in, he asked?”

“Well nothing screaming Buy Me,” I said.

“However I was driving down a street in the east end yesterday which seems under-appreciated

and some properties appeared to be available. They were in an industrial area with a real mixed

bag of uses and the buildings were of all sizes, shapes and vintages. But the location was

good and I saw potential.”

“What are the sizes of the buildings and the lands/lots they are situated upon?

What are they asking for them?” he asked

Let me quickly check my computer and see I replied.

This property is situated upon about an acre and has a building of approximately 20,500 square feet.

The building is about 40 to 50 years old and has a sixteen feet clear floor to ceiling (joists).

“What are they asking?”

“They want about $2 million, about $100 per square foot” – I said.

“Will they take  $1,250,000, he offers within seconds. It’s worth that to me and no more.”

The comparable sales are averaging approximately $85 per square foot, which would

give it a rough value (subject to a lot of things which we would discover only after a good

due diligence and an honest discussion with the current owner of the property via the

listing brokerage I commented. That would give it a value in the range of say ; $1,742,500.

“That’s too much, I would not be interested in it at that number.”

Well let me see, the building is 20,500 sf at a market rent of say $5 net psf that would give an

income of $102,500 at a 100% occupancy with say a 5% adjustment for vacancy and credit losses.

We arrive at $97,375 net to the landlord.

Playing a quick what if game of a range of cap rates, say from 8% to 4%;

the value range estimates based on a direct capitalization would be as follows;

Net income / cap rate = Value (estimate)

$97,375 / 8% = $ 1,217,188

$97,375 / 7% = $ 1,391,071

$97,375 / 6% = $ 1,622,917

$97,375 / 5% = $ 1,947,500

$97,375 / 4% = $ 2,434,375

This is a simple direct capitalization based upon one year’s potential revenues which

results in a value range estimate for this property.

The investor needs to worry about his cost of capital and factoring in the closing costs

(legal fees, land transfer taxes, reports, appraisals, survey, lender’s fees, etc).

The investor also needs to factor in RISK, as a safety margin over his cost of capital.

Is it really worthwhile doing this exercise of purchasing for the anticipated future profits — cash flows.

Is there enough here to motivate him or  keep him motivated?

The investor has to worry about how long it will take him to lease the property out and the challenges

of working with a tenant over the term of the lease.

For my real estate investor today, this was not an opportunity that was priced right for the level of risk

and the return expectations. It’s always a good exercise to know your investor(s), know their

investment criteria before you start going to far down the road and invest volumes of time and

energy with little results but experience.

What are your thoughts?

Share with us your comments and experiences we would love to know and grow with you.

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc.,Brokerage    Toronto  / Canada

www.envoycapitol.com

Twitter : EnvoyCapRealty

 

Blog : www.capitalmoves.blogspot.com

 

LinkedIn and Facebook : Nor Yeretsian  , join me.

Stop Wasting My Time!

Please Don’t waste my time, or I will hate you and your company!

Promoters of any kind need to worry about how and what they are doing today more than ever

when they decide to put on an event, call it a FREE event where people/prospects sign up and

put aside their valuable time to come out to your Event.

You must give them Value for their Time or you could lose a customer for life and

they will tell their friends and maybe even write a Blog about it to spread the word.

If you are going to put on a free introductory seminar to promote your real mission

(your Agenda, prospecting for new clients) – to sell your

future seminar(s), books/CDs , coaching/mentoring/consulting/training activity  then you must

do certain things correctly and very well.

Otherwise you will be creating a bigger problem for yourself and your organization.

In this high-tech,fast paced, rich content universe we live in – we expect more,

much more from people and professionals.

People that wish to do business with us, must educate and entertain profoundly.

The world is smarter now. Don’t waste my time with a weak or out dated presentation

which you have been delivering since 2008 and have not changed a story or a word.

Learn new material, try new things – stretch the envelope because the old world of marketing

the slap stick gimmick style of sales or the simple elementary education approach is gone.

The audience today will get up and leave because you have bored them, you have disrespected their intelligence

and worst of all you have wasted their valuable personal time. 

They came out to your presentation tonight, leaving other activities that give them pleasure and they sacrificed

themselves to spend time with you – honour them, respect them, give them a valuable gift of awesome entertainment,

profound information, a gift – something of value (your book, a CD,a free one hour session). Give them rich content.

They spent money and risked travelling to your seminar – you must do better.

The audience has a higher expectation today, don’t deliver content to the lowest common denominator.

Be Awesome!!! Blow them away, it must be a wow!

Time is Money!

Don’t insult them and their clients and future clients by robbing their valuable preparation

time to give them a 3 hour presentation with 45 minutes(or less) of content they can get on the internet

and do a comparison of you and your competitors as well as pricing of the services.

This is not earning their Trust. This is not delivering when it matters most.

Don’t waste people’s time, it’s their most precious commodity they have today.

Because if you waste my time if you throw it away, I will hate you and your organization forever.

We, you and I can not afford to be hated by our future potential clients – because then they will

never be – a client of  ours and they will tell their friends and anyone willing to listen – how bad you

and your company are and you are a waste of Time.

Whatever you do, make sure it is purposeful and of value.

Continuously improve your presentation with current technologies,new information and innovative concepts.

The audience is getting smarter and they do expect much more than before, your seminar must be fresh and honest.

Let’s deliver it in the best possible way.

Gage your audience’s appreciation and request comments, feedback and criticism for improvement.

Speak and test your material with a good cross-section of the people in your city – to determine

that the material is relevant and considered valuable.

Give your audience a gift upon arriving – a book , CD, a good pen and a nice pad with your logo on it,

that they will  take home and keep around for a while.

Win their hearts first and then their minds.

What are your thoughts about the seminars you have attended lately?

Have they been awesome, did they rock your world, did they compel you to action?

Share your thoughts, tell us what you would like to see at a future presentation or receive as a gift ?

http://www.envoycapitol.com

Twitter :  EnvoyCapRealty

Blog: http://www.capitalmoves.blogspot.com

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc., Brokerage       Toronto / Canada

Join us on Facebook and LinkedIn : Nor Yeretsian . Like us on Facebook and subscribe to our updates, its Free and Valuable.

Dashing Towards Opportunities

Dashing towards Opportunity

 

 

 

You can’t get a good yield in Toronto and there is not any decent product available. And what is available is crap at a high price – thereby creating a very low yield.

What does a small to medium-sized real estate investor do?

 

The opportunities are outside Toronto, maybe even outside the country they tell me.

First it’s the GTA (greater Toronto area) next its cities or smaller communities outside the GTA however still in Ontario – then they leap outside the country into the U.S. to the right to work states – places where they perceive there maybe opportunity for growth.

If the U.S. gets the right president with a growth and employment agenda, rather than a tax and spend agenda, this is the critical time – this is the fork in the road where a decision can make you wealthier over the next few years or be dead in the water.

 

In speaking to a lot of private investors the first thing that comes up is; what cap rate is it being offered? With the hope that the cap rate can capture the entire story

of the property – the investment – the opportunity.  The cap rate is certainly interesting and it does tit- a-late investors to look closer at the investment and consider getting attached. As their hope is to be able to draw this yield consistently over time to their advantage plus this have the asset gaining an increasing valuation over time. Taking the optimistic view of timely cash flows that are being provided in steady fashion. And having the benefit of a valuable asset that can be leveraged and refinanced or sold at a higher valuation.

This blue sky perspective is what draws us into the investment. Is this enough thinking? Should we only be driven by cap rates and yields promised.

 

Does location not matter?

Does risk associated with any type and category of real estate not matter?

Does the area’s demographical trends matter?

What about the grow prospects for the area, region?

Is there competition?

What about the infrastructure in the area, the region – its age and quality?

The vacancy factors in the area relative to the growth of the business environment?

What governmental restrictions, by laws, development freezes exist that may trap your investment for years to come?

What about environmental issues in the area, any history?

Is real estate all the same wherever you decide to buy it and all that really matters is the simple cap rate?

 

Or all you really need is Love? Does Love Conquer All?

 

What are your thoughts on the above?

What is your impression of the Picasso works above and do they fairly represent investors in our time?

Freely and emotionally (some would say mindlessly) running towards an investment opportunity with their money without the care of due diligence.

Believing that investing in real estate is as simple and easy as attaching yourself to an investment and sucking back the yields from the assets?

Leave your comments below, share your wisdom and experience with us…thank you in advance.

 

www.envoycapitol.com

Twitter : EnvoyCapRealty

Blog: www.capitalmoves.blogspot.com

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc.,brokerage    Toronto  / Canada

Join us on Facebook and LinkedIn , Nor Yeretsian

Google leads with Leasing Space in Chicago

Google Inc. has leased space in Chicago Merchandise Mart,, one of the city’s largest office buildings, was viewed by many as a big win for downtown Chicago. But to real-estate industry executives, the deal is also a coup that may help Vornado Realty Trust the landlord speed up its exit from the furniture-mart business.This is a part of the complexity of Vornado Realty whose financial performance may well have been depressed by the furniture-mart division, the sooner the exit the better some say.

Since late last year, Vornado Realty Trust, based in New York and one of the nations’ biggest office and retail landlords, has surprised skeptics by whittling down its trade-show and furniture-showroom division. The company is selling a string of properties that include the Washington Design Center, Boston Design Center and L.A. Mart. The separate deals, valued at a total of $228 million, have closed or are expected to close by October.

Then, by bringing 3,000 jobs from Google’s newly acquired Motorola Mobility unit into the Chicago Merchandise Mart, Vornado Realty is shoring up the property and is widely expected to put it on the block to unlock the value.

 

“That’s the one that really matters,” said Michael Knott, a managing director at real-estate research firm Green Street Advisors, who estimates the 3.5 million-square-foot Merchandise Mart could fetch between $787 million and $875 million. “It’s the big mother ship.”

Vornado Realty Trust has not decided or commented as yet to publicly whether to  offer the property for sale.

Vornado Realty acquired the Chicago Merchandise Mart in 1998 and some related assets for $630 million from Joseph P. Kennedy Enterprises, the Kennedy family holding company. The sprawling terra-cotta building overlooking the Chicago River was built by retail tycoon Marshall Field and opened in 1930. In 1945, it was acquired by Joseph P. Kennedy for $13 million, and it became a national hub for the home-furnishing industry and one of the most valuable Kennedy family assets.

For the next half century its rents helped fund the lives of his children and grandchildren.And here is the value of real estate as a passive and secondary investment to your main entrepreneurial activity and a foundation for your family to fall back upon if and when needed.

The housing crisis in America has depressed furniture sales and showroom demand. Annual home-furnishing sales volumes hit $83 billion last year, up from a trough of $78 billion in 2009 but still below the previous peak of $94 billion in 2007, according to Jerry Epperson, a partner with financial-services company Mann, Armistead & Epperson in Richmond, Va., which tracks the industry. Some showrooms became creditors as a number of tenants folded, Mr. Epperson said.

In 2010  Vornado Realty felt the pain. It gave five High Point buildings back to the special servicer overseeing the company’s $191 million securitized mortgage in lieu of a foreclosure action. At about the same time Vornado Realty tried to sell the Mart business and “came close with one buyer, but no cigar,” Vornado’s Chairman Steven Roth wrote in his annual letter to shareholders in April. As of Dec. 31, the company’s Merchandise Mart Properties unit owned five properties containing 5.7 million square feet. Others saw a signal of change when Christopher Kennedy, son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, announced last year that he was stepping down from his post as president after many years with the division.(sourced , Wall Street Journal,07/2012)

Understanding cycles of  business and real estate and the use of the different investments as counter cyclical risk reduction measures is a great defence for the businessman and his family. Having the diversity of assets in your portfolio could help when one area may not be performing as you expect or is hurt by the bigger economy. And real estate as a quasi-passive/long term investment vehicle, does give you the time to work on other things and businesses and political campaigns whatever your heart desires meanwhile appreciating in value over time as we can see in the above case study. However having good management of this asset over this period of time with a great leasing/marketing program for the space is vital for your real estate’s performance.

A great location can mitigate poor management over time as values steadily rise over the decades,

if you can keep the real estate because cash flow will be impacted.

Knowing where and how to make money is only one part of the wealth equation the other is the

protection of your capital from major downside pressures/risks having a variety of assets ( asset allocation) helps.

What are your thoughts about the case study within this story about the different levels of value of real estate?

Leave your comment below, share your experience and wisdom with us.

http://www.envoycapitol.com

Twitter : EnvoyCapRealty

Blog: http://www.capitalmoves.blogspot.com

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc., Brokerage      Toronto , Canada

Join us on Facebook and LinkedIn ;  Nor Yeretsian

 

Apps To Assist Your Biz and the Commercial Realtor

      Apps for Commercial Real Estate and small investors have been expanding and the variety of tools available to the professional have made it easier to be productive and offer new perspectives to clients on investment opportunities.

For realtors the new Stratus, torontomls for Apple products; Macbook and iPad users has a nice map feature which is user-friendly and quickly locates for you the amount of competition within the radius of most interest to your client and you. You easily change the criteria and quickly the new flag appear for your overview.

Below the above which for most realtors that all they need as Toronto MLS provide many useful links and services; from GeoWarehouse ( with title search features) to RealNet to Assessments to Education and on-line training.

There is obviously a huge amount of  U.S. related content with any App and what follows are such, however there is much learning here and great perspectives about what you can consider doing as well; So lots of news wire  and blogs/ op eds , etc…stuff such as :

CoStarGo , Inman News

LoopNet ,  ActiveRain

Plus consider or at least visiting to see what is available to make your business and investing life more productive;

1. 10BII Calc Financial Calculator  – “If the iPad saves you from having to pull your laptop out, this app saves you from having to carry your 10BII calculator,” says Jonathan Epstein, CCIM, of Berger-Epstein Associates. in Allentown, Pa.
2. Dropbox (free) – Debi Carter, CCIM, vice president of Hudson Peters Commercial in Dallas, uses the Dropbox app to access property fliers, video, and pictures on the go. She shares files by saving them to a public Dropbox folder and sending the download links to clients and colleagues.
3. LogMeIn Ignition – Remotely access work files and programs via an iPad with LogMeIn. Users can also remotely log in to their desktop to view Flash Websites, which the iPad doesn’t support. The GoToMyPC and Remoter apps offer similar features.
4. TheAnalyst  – Developed by Blyncc, a tech company co-founded by Todd Kuhlmann, CCIM, this app includes lease vs. own analysis and investment analysis tools, financial calculators, and an environmental risk summary report generator.
5. Springpad – This app organizes notes, images, and places that users want to remember and syncs them on an iPad, iPhone, or computer. Springpad also can retrieve product information from a barcode scan and includes location-based features like business and restaurant searches.
6. Google Earth – Commercial real estate pros can use Google Earth to show clients aerial property images. Geo-located Wikipedia articles and user-submitted photos provide additional location information.
7. GoodReader – “GoodReader is an excellent app for storing and opening almost any file,” says one user of the app. The app works with Microsfot Office, iWork, audio, and video files. It also can be used to view and annotate PDF files. Office² HD  and Documents To Go Premium  have similar features, and iAnnotate PDF and SignMyPad  include a comprehensive set of PDF tools.
8. Penultimate – With “photorealistic” paper designs and a selection of ink colors, Penultimate positions itself as the stylish alternative to other note taking apps. Notes and sketches are organized into notebooks and can be shared as PDFs. For free alternatives, try Evernote or the previously mentionedSpringpad.
9. CamCard  – Networking pays dividends in commercial real estate, and the business card is the currency of in-person networking. CamCard digitizes and organizes those cards and also has features for adding supplemental information. Contact information can be exported to Excel, which makes it easy to import new contacts to Outlook and other e-mail programs.
10. Air Sharing HD – The iPad has built-in support for printing to any of HP’s 28 AirPrint printers. Printing to a non-AirPrint printer is possible with Air Sharing HD. It has to be networked with a Mac OS X or Linux computer – it’s not compatible with Windows. PrintCentral for iPad  is an alternative to Air Sharing HD.
11. Plus if you go to http://www.yeretsianonrealestateinvesting.wordpress.com there are at least 50 links to websites where you can get a ton of  information and insights to help you in your real estate career, links for investors and those generally interested in real estate.
12. If  we have missed anything above that you believe is worthwhile and needs to be mentioned kindly send us a memo on what we missed and what should be included in the above.

1. Twitter : EnvoyCapRealty
2.  www.envoycapitol.com
3. Blog: http://www.capitalmoves.blogspot.com
4. email :  capitalmoves@gmail.com

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc., Brokerage        Toronto  /  Canada

Nor Yeretsian  join us on Facebook and LinkedIn

Industrial or Office Space, Yes We Have it

There is a versatility to industrial zoned properties which gives

them an interesting diversity of uses in Toronto East from office uses to

industrial and beyond.

Always check with your City’s zoning department to make sure

that the property you may be looking that can in fact accommodate

the use(s) you or your company may be contemplating now and in the future.

Depending upon the degree of concern about a particular use or the need – it

is highly recommended you apply for a PPR ; yes there is a small administrative fee

by the City to have one of their planners review your desired use of the property

 and determine whether it is in compliance or noncompliance with the current

 zoning bylaws and standards, only then says the City you will know for sure.

 

Yes we have space available in Toronto from 2000 sf and up of 

 

office or industrial space. And my associates can help with your retail needs.

 

Call us, and we will be happy to help you arrange the type and size of space you need.

 

http://www.envoycapitol.com

Twitter : EnvoyCapRealty

 

Blog : http://www.capitalmoves.blogspot.com

 

Envoy Capitol Realty inc., Brokerage     Toronto , Canada

(416) 441-6163

email :  capitalmoves@gmail.com

Nor Yeretsian …. Facebook and LinkedIn

 

Major Shock Ahead

Dr. Doom, economist professor Nouriel Roubini (New York University, business) is predicting bad

things for the global economy in 2013 and he is suggesting it has begun. He accurately forecast the

housing collapse and the credit crunch which ignited the financial crisis in 2008. Professor Roubini says

the gathering storm clouds are highlighted by;

* Weakening economies of China and India, followed closely behind by Brazil, Russia, Mexico …

* Euro-zone is a ” slow-motion train wreck’

* Escalating tensions in the Middle East

* Lack of tools remaining / available to policy makers

* And anything else that we don’t know of that can hurt us

These will make 2013 much more challenging than 2008 according to Dr.Doom – professor Roubini.

What are your thoughts and why, what factors will influence the future economy for all of us?

http://www.envoycapitol.com 

Twitter :  EnvoyCapRealty

Blog : http://www.capitalmoves,blogspot.com

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc., Brokerage           Toronto / Canada 

Turning Tenancy into Millions

Wow, paying only $20-23 a month for decades for a 2,600 square foot apartment in the upscale Nepean Sea Road  neighbourhood (Mumbai, India), where rents are typically over $2000 a month. Orbit – a real estate developer is planning to convert this old property into a garage for a project they are constructing next door, a 29 storey residential condo.

After  3 years of negotiating with the last tenant in the building, the developer has agreed to pay about $2.5 million to have the tenant leave. It’s still a good deal for the landlord says the article by Pooja Thakur of Bloomberg Businessweek entitled; Mumbai’s Boom Turns Renters into Millionaries. Apparently the new 5 bedroom units are selling for about $12 million. The developer is suggesting he may stand to make as much as 4 times the value of his equity in the project after it is all said and done – time value of money notwithstanding.

One could say that this is how rent control can help tenants in the end to becoming wealthy, if they stay (survive) around long enough in miserable conditions to get the pay-day. Here’s a little historical background ;

“The Bombay rent control act of 1947 was introduced to provide relief to the city’s migrants after the partition of colonial India. Rents at about 19,000 buildings were set at 1940 levels to prevent owners from charging excessive rates during a time of distress. In Mumbai, the measures have been amended and the act rechristened the Maharashtra Rent Control Bill, which allows for 5 percent annual rent increases.

Like other colonial-era buildings, Mukund Mansion, built-in 1923, is crumbling. Owners often can’t afford to maintain their buildings on the rents they receive. Barred from evicting tenants by the rent control statutes, their only way to cash in on rising property values is to sell the building to a developer who can afford to buy them out.”

The long waiting game with a happy ending it seems.

What are your thoughts?

Does your area have rent control and who does it really help?

Leave your comments below…

http://www.envoycapitol.com

Twitter : EnvoyCapRealty

Blog: http://www.capitalmoves.blogspot.com

Envoy Capitol Realty Inc., Brokerage                      Toronto / Canada