London, ON

Dear Clients Past and Present:

My company and I strive to provide the best service possible but, as former Mother of the Year, Louise Heath Leber, once said, "There's always room for improvement, you know, it's the biggest room in the house!"

If you see any specific areas in which you think we could improve our service, I'd really appreciate hearing from you.

Feel free to call anytime, or just jot a comment or two right on the bottom of this letter. Your opinion matters to me and your input will make a difference. I guarantee it!

Thanks for taking the time to help me improve.

All my best,

Dan and Rachael Polakovic

Sales Representatives

Realty Executives Elite Ltd Brokerage London Ontario

www.two-realtors.com

First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit in Canada

About the Initiative

The HBTC will assist first-time homebuyers with the costs associated with the purchase of a home, such as legal fees, disbursements and land transfer taxes, which are a particular burden for first-time homebuyers, who must also save for a down payment.

The $5,000 non-refundable HBTC amount will apply to qualifying homes acquired after January 27, 2009, and will provide up to $750 in federal tax relief.

A qualifying home is generally considered to be a housing unit located in Canada that the individual or individual's spouse or common-law partner intends to occupy as the principal place of residence no later than one year after its acquisition.

Any unused portion of an individual's HBTC may be claimed by the individual's spouse or common-law partner. When two or more eligible individuals jointly purchase a home, the credit may be shared but the total credit amount claimed cannot exceed $5,000.

How It Works

First-time homebuyers purchasing a home will be able to claim the HBTC on their income tax returns, starting in 2009. Claimants should ensure that documentation supporting the purchase transaction is available if requested by the Canada Revenue Agency. Claimants are also responsible for making sure that all applicable eligibility conditions are met.

Who Is Eligible

First-time homebuyers are eligible. An individual is considered a first-time homebuyer if neither the individual nor the individual's spouse or common-law partner owned and lived in another home in the year of the home purchase or in any of the four preceding calendar years. Special rules apply for the purchase of homes that are more accessible or better suited to the personal needs and care of an individual who is eligible for the Disability Tax Credit. In these situations, the HBTC can be claimed, even if the first-time homebuyer requirement is not met.

How to Find Out More

For more information, please visit the Department of Finance Canada website or the Canada Revenue Agency website.

Homeowners Eligible for up to $5,000 EcoEnergy Retrofit In Canada

About the Program

ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes provides home and property owners with grants of up to $5,000 to offset the cost of making energy-efficiency improvements. The grants apply to a range of measures that reduce energy consumption and provide for a cleaner environment, from increasing insulation to upgrading a furnace. The maximum grant for property owners with multiple properties is $500,000.

How It Works

Before undertaking any energy-efficiency renovations, the homeowner hires an energy advisor certified by Natural Resources Canada to perform an energy evaluation on the home. The homeowner selects which improvements to do and implements the recommended energy upgrades, leaving time to ensure that the post-retrofit evaluation is completed within 18 months or before March 31, 2011, whichever comes first. The homeowner calls the energy advisor to perform the post-retrofit evaluation, which will confirm the home's new energy rating. The advisor submits the ecoENERGY Retrofit grant application to the Government of Canada. If applicable, the application will also be forwarded to the collaborating provincial and territorial retrofit program for further financial reimbursement. Approved reimbursements are then sent out to applicants.

Who Is Eligible

Owners of single-family homes (detached, semi-detached and low-rise, multi-unit residential buildings that are no more than three storeys high) are eligible. Additionally, owners of some small buildings less than three storeys high, where at least 50 percent of the floor area is used for permanent residences, are also eligible.

How to Find Out More

For more information, visit the ecoACTION website. Information is also available from the Government of Canada inquiries line at 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232) (teletypewriter: 1-800-926-9105).

Initiative Update

Since this program was expanded under the Government of Canada's Economic Action Plan, there has been a 50% increase in the number of pre-retrofit assessments. Canadians responded quickly and created economic activity for their communities.


As well, the website has been updated to make it even easier for Canadians to find an energy advisor in their area. More than 1,400 energy advisors are now employed across the country, an increase of 300 since April 1, 2009.

Canadians are reducing their energy consumption and investing in their local economy. It is estimated that for every $1 invested by the program, homeowners are investing $10 directly in the renovation industry.

More Info:
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/home-improvement.cfm?attr=0

There is quite a misconception of the meaning of the word educate. Dictionaries do not help the situation because they define the word educate as an act of imparting knowledge.

The word educate has its roots in the Latin word educe, which means to develop from within, to educe; to draw out, to grow through the law of use.

As real estate people, we hear "You have to educate your buyers and sellers", Broker/Owners "You have to educate your agents."

How many of us draw out the client's motivation to sell, the area and style of home, what they can afford, all the what ifs you can think of?

What do we do?

We talk, we try to educate our clients by giving market statistics, price ranges, how to pick a home inspector, staging a house and on and on!

What about if we guide our clients instead of educating them! Learn what questions to ask, when to ask and why to ask?72% of home buyers and sellers were disastisfied with their agent. Why? Lack of communication!

How?

In the second paragraph, to educe, to grow through the law of use. I think most of our businesses would grow exponentially if we could get our clients to open up about their real feelings and concerns about buying or selling real estate. If we break an arm and don't use it, it atrophies. If we don't practice at something, we lose it.(if we ever had it in the first place).

So in short, let's not tell them, lets listen!