Will you use video?

If a picture is worth a thousand words then a VIDEO is worth 1.8 Million Words  * Dr. James McQuivey

The second largest search engine behind google is Youtube.  To avoid this medium would be the same as missing the launch of new Yellow Pages directory for your market in the early 80's.  You might be waiting a whole year for your phone to ring.

Today your clients and prospects, Text, email and fax their enquiry to your numbers.

Video presents a unique opportunity for you to connect with a new audience. They watch you, listen to your pace and cadence, your articulate delivery and planned script.  You are telling a story and providing a solution to their problem. Remember Aesop's Fables?

Lets plan your video and control all the aspects we can.

• Camera
• Sound
• Lighting
• Script
• Length of Video
• Editing
• Being Seen
• Promotion Distribution

A story will spark interest in seconds; It is imperative to catch the viewers attention in 6 - 9 seconds or they move on. 

There are some great points here;

http://blog.bazaarvoice.com/2013/07/02/bite-sized-videos-challenge-brands-to-nail-engagement-fast/

Get help coaching and educating you through the process as you move towards either self production or professional video work; Shoot stage and help you script. Help with editing and then it needs to be SEO keyworded and uploaded to multiple platforms.

http://torontoshoptalk.blogspot.ca/2011/12/video-your-message.html

Who am I to give you any advice? The 2103 Stefan Swanepoel Technology Report, David Pylyp youtube.com/dpylyp was named as one of the Top 10 individual real estate channels on YouTube.

Call me 647 218 2414

Danger Will Robinson! Danger

There is danger in the Real Estate market;  but it may not be the Bubble or Over Supply, Meddling and tinkering with Finance Programs or even the addition of higher lot Levy's to the purchase price. Demand continues unabated.

The Toronto Real Estate market just seems to defying logic and continues to increase in price (5% yoy) [and competition] for single family homes.  Taking the average sale price in the 905 [ ring of homes around the 416]   Land Transfer Tax Calculator net of First Time Buyer Rebates.

Average Sale Price in 905          $598,708
Ontario Land Transfer Tax              8,449
Toronto Land Transfer Tax              7,699
Inspection Legals      +/-                 2,500

Mitigating Factors;
You are impacted by two land transfer taxes PLUS the legal fees to close.   I am assuming that CMHC Hi Ratio fees do not apply ( unless you are media where everyone is buying with 5 % down)   Average Mortgage in Toronto is $270,000.

Buyers have been reduced by the Bank of Canada reducing restricting amortization terms to 25 years.* (Yet other insured lenders continue to offer 30 year ams on insured mortgages) You will be taking a five year fixed rate because that is prudent with all the rhetoric about increasing interest rates.  

Selling after 4 years of ownership will incur the following expenses;

• Lawyer Fees      $ 1,600
• Mortgage Penalty at 3 months differential  $3,000
• Real Estate Fees   assumes 5% but we all negotiate  $30,000
• Irrespective of the property taxes and living expenses of heat, hydro, water, insurance repairs gardening, repairs and improvements....

The Toronto Real Estate market would need to gain just shy of 10% accumulated over the next 4 years JUST to BREAK EVEN.

Real Estate is something to buy and hold for decades; raise a family. Plant roots in a community, Join volunteer Groups and Community Watch.  Worship, have christenings and weddings.  Graduations.

I appreciate the benefits and concepts of home ownership and building equity.  I do not believe in Buying to Flip with our Expense and legal structure of ownership.

What do you think?  Ready to Buy a house?   You're staying put, Right?

Cliff Dwellering - In the Digital Age

Photo Cred BlogTo

The hydro power (electricity) has been out for 10's of thousand of Torontonians for the last two days, going on 3 days a results of a large storm cell that brought rain and world wide attention to our plight on CNN.

The reliance of city living and the simplest things that we take for granted;

• Elevators and underground parking
• Diesel Power generators for backup power systems
• The coffee machine
• The electric razor
• The Hot Shower in the morning before work
• Charging your phone and ipad
• Your TV in the evening
• Food in your fridge and cooking
• The internet connection
• Laundry

A young mother lamented this morning in the elevator; "It's not just the food we're throwing away or the sleepless nights with the heat,  Our daycare center for our daughter is also without hydro and closed.  We just don't know what to do."

We could listen to the radio for Hydro One updates of rolling black outs in Etobicoke, but my radio plugs in and I'm busy cleaning out everything from my fridge today.

If someone had asked just a few weeks ago what the greatest achievement for our society was, I might have answered the ISS International Space station; Google glasses that placed a computer in your glasses, a medical marvel or mechanical heart.
Today, I say that single step in mankind was harnessing and generating electricity.

Toronto had deferred for too long the required improvements in infrastructure that prevent us from truly being considered a World Class City.

When we go looking at houses we need to request their insurance report for the drains backing up and flooding their basements in this rain storm #FloodTo 2013.   You will see its in the thousands.

Want to go looking at houses or condos?

Let's wait till the power is back on  ok ?