Blog Posts

NEW NATIONAL MLS CONSUMER WEB SITE IN CANADA

Canada's www.mls.ca has changed to www.realtor.ca

On July 2, 2008 the New REALTOR.ca was launched, consumers will find New interactive mapping and search Criteria.
The Existing National Consumer MLS site www.mls.ca will remain in effect and then forward to www.realtor.ca

There were an Average of Nearly 3 Million Unique Visitors a month to mls.ca throughout 2007!.

"80% of CREA members say www.mls.ca was their primary markeying tool for their listings."

The New mapping technolgy will be interactive from Microsoft Virtual Earth and .Vistors will still be able to view MLS listings across the country and by using the interactive mapping, select the specific area or neighbourhood they are interested in.

Check out the New CREA MLS web site by clicking on the captured web site front page of realtor.ca photo below


The New VREB Matrix Is Up and Working! View Homes For Sale from the Sky!

VREBMatrix. is our New MLS system for Victoria Realtors.

We officially had a soft launch last Thursday (July 3/06) Several of us monitored and assisted our MLS computer staff with possible Glitches and to ensure a smooth start for the 1400 + members of the Victoria Real Estate Board. One of our biggest challenges was converting our Client Search databases into the new Matrix system, and it has gone over well. I already have many Buyers commenting on the New Automated Listing search program, especially the new Aerial Mapping feature from Microsoft Virtual Earth called Bird's Eye View. On the Map Button, not only can Buyers clients look at a map location, but also four aerial views of the subject listing and the surrounding neighborhood. My Buyer and Seller Clients are very excited about the New Aerial Photo option for Buyers to preview listings.


Can You Imagine if.....

You are looking for a New home in Victoria?
Now you can do so from the comfort of your home, view inside and outside with a virtual aerial view from Microsoft, plus up to 20 listing photos and virtual tours
.


Planning on Selling your Home?
Make sure you talk to me about all my New Internet marketing tools to help find the right Buyer for your Home.


Super Slow Fitness Training Vs Curves for Women..you decide!


Super Slow Fitness Training in Victoria BC....Last year I discovered physical fitness trainer Marc Noel who owns Six Factors Super Slow Fitness Training in Victoria BC. Marc has been in the business as a fitness instructor and personal trainer in Victoria for 30 years. I had heard about Super Slow through a co-worker at my wife's work place. I was wanting build my strength up again, since over the years I had lost muscle mass and the Strength to lift many things around my home. At 64, and being an active and busy Realtor, I was not keen about spending hours every day in a gym. so I followed up and met with Marc, he is a personal trainer and qualified Super Slow instructor. After hearing the benefits of Super Slow Training I joined and hired Marc as my Personal Trainer. My workout routine is only once a week, for about 20 minutes, I have doubled my personal strength since joining Six Factors. Just yesterday Marc told me about the how bad the fitness program like Curves is and how it does nothing to improve fitness with women. He feels they maybe misleading the public in Victoria. he told me he has written a explanation on his opion regarding Curves. I thought this story needs to be told so I asked Marc if I could post his explanation on the disadvantages of Curves on my Blog....

Here is Marc's explanation:

Danger! Curves for Women should be outlawed! Read why below...

This LONG rant is to expose the numerous drawbacks of Curves for Women exercise facilities. I apologize for its length, but this information must be conveyed. Please be advised that none of the following comments can be denied (meaning that they CAN be proven), although some people (primarily Curves' advocates) will take offense at them. That reaction is childish. If Curves’ method/equipment is valid, then it should stand up to scrutiny. If it isn’t, don’t those advocating it want to know what’s wrong, so they can fix it? There now follow numerous comments describing the different problems with Curves…

No seat belts to arrest reactionary force, thereby enabling subject to be moved out of equipment (to varying degrees), due to forces on body during exercise. Exercises should be performed in a stable manner to maximize loading efficiency and to minimize injury potential.

Curves’ method, based on isokinetics (meaning “same speed”), was proven invalid over 35 years ago. Concept was to prompt user to work as hard as possible, since movement arm will only move so fast, regardless of how hard one pulls. However, since movement arm will still move with less-than-maximum force/effort applied, user may work at less-than-maximum effort. In comparison, it requires a minimum amount of force to lift regular weights; if that force is not generated, the weights won’t move. Regular weight training consists of lifting a selected weight a number of times, inducing enough fatigue that the subject can’t continue, and thereby stimulating an improvement. Contrary to popular belief, the weights do not get heavier. Fatigue sets in, making it seem like they are getting heavier.  If subject doesn’t get hurt at start of movement, he/she won’t, since nothing will change, aside from fatigue setting in.  As long as form/composure remains the same, so will the force on the body, along with potential for injury.

No negative (lowering) portion for each exercise, which is the primary contributor to muscle mass gains, and also provides for stretching potential to address flexibility.

Swaying of shoulder girdle due to alternating motion in some exercises; pivoting of pelvic girdle due to same, thereby increasing potential for injury.

 

Independent movement arms present motor-control issues that would not exist with fused movement arms.  This drawback just increases the exercises’ complexity, and distracts the subject from proper performance.

No adjustability to accommodate people of different shapes and sizes, for optimum positioning and/or alignment.

Loading through spinal column in squat and shoulder press; dramatic potential for injury to inter-vertebral disks. In particular, squat is to be performed by slowly lowering, then driving up as hard and fast as possible. This exerts excessive force on the spinal column. Similar benefits can be had from a properly designed leg press, without spinal column loading issues.

Sideways-loading through knee joints on adduction/abduction machine (opening/closing of legs), due to pads being placed against lower legs. This loading tries to bend the knees sideways.

Elevated pads, where the subject runs in place to keep their heart/respiration rates up, are unnecessary, since machines initiated heart rate and respiration increases. Rationale is to give worked muscles a rest, but next machine would work different muscles anyway.

One circuit is sufficient, if done properly. More are counter-productive, because they do not beget proportionately greater results (meaning, doing twice as much does not attain twice the progress), but it does consume valuable recovery resources, along with time and energy. Plus, the more you do, the more potential to do something wrong and possibly incur injury.

A whipping action occurs each time the subject changes direction, which greatly increases force on the body. Changes of direction (turnarounds) should be done slowly, smoothly, carefully, cautiously,… not fast! Unfortunately, if you move slow enough to maximize loading efficiency and minimize force generation, you also detract from the loading efficiency of the exercise in Curves equipment, since the equipment dictates that one move fast to get significant resistance. However, moving fast enough to get meaningful resistance can result in injury. You can’t win with Curves!

Slamming into the ends of the machines’ excursions can send shock waves through the involved body parts, thereby increasing injury potential.

Exercises are performed in an alternating fashion, i.e.: pull with biceps, push with triceps, pull with biceps, push with triceps. This results in each muscle experiencing a respite each time the other muscle is in use. This is inefficient. One should focus on a muscle until it has been addressed, then move on to the next one.

Although machines rotate, straight-line resistance is applied to the rotary mechanisms through the hydraulic cylinders. This conflicts with the requirements of the target musculatures, which should have rotary resistance that can be balanced in accordance with their needs.

Resistance is dependent on movement – no movement, no resistance. When stopped, however briefly, unloading occurs. Also, alternating nature of the resistance contributes significant slack at each end of the machine’s travel, further reducing loading efficiency. In comparison, even if one stops the movement of regular weights, the subject must still expend effort to hold the weights, therefore, much less potential for unloading.

Because the equipment does not have adjustable resistance, it is nigh-impossible to quantify improvements. Most are subjective observations (“I feel stronger.”), but those are unreliable. Rather, objective observations need be made by using regular weights, thereby seeing how much the subject can lift for how many times over what distance in how long.

Only way to show improvement is to move faster, resulting in greater force on the body and potential for injury.  Doubling speed increases kinetic energy four-fold (1/2MxV2), thereby increasing injury potential while simultaneously decreasing loading efficiency on the target musculature(s).


30-second sets are of insufficient length to elicit improvement(s).

Music in the environment is a distraction for concentration, which increases injury potential.

Signage says "... weight loss centers", yet weight loss (actually body-fat loss) is primarily a dietary issue. When most people decide to lose weight (fat), they usually embark on an exercise program and start a diet. After losing a significant amount of weight (hopefully, fat), the exercise will get the credit when the diet had the major impact. Try ONLY exercising and see how much weight you lose. Then try ONLY dieting and see what happens. A workout might consume 500 calories, but following that up with a 1,500 calorie meal at McDonald's complete negates one's efforts. The point is, it is much easier to not eat something in the first place than to try exercising it off.

Boasts are made about how the Curves' workout only takes 30 minutes, three times a week. In comparison, if done properly, a safe/productive/time-efficient workout need only be done once a week for 20 minutes. It will be hard (as in tiring and uncomfortable), but not dangerous. The trade-off is that you don't have to do very much. JUST ENOUGH!

If you want safe, productive, time-efficient exercise, I urge you to investigate SuperSlow strength training. It addresses all aspects of physical fitness simultaneously in a safe and efficient manner, and is of such high quality and efficiency that it need be done only once a week for 20 minutes. Also, it is performed in a cool, dry environment, with no music, mirrors, or telephones (therefore no distractions, which can increase injury potential), on equipment that is optimized for that method. Additionally, only one person goes through at a time, fully supervised by a certified SuperSlow instructor in a private environment.

As an aside, unless you know something about exercise equipment design, don't assume that anything you encounter is correct, safe, valid, etc. It is possible that you might be looking at shiny, new, clean,... CRAP! SuperSlow exercise instructors are educated in exercise equipment design principles, which enable them to look at a piece of equipment, determine what's wrong with it (if anything), and propose how to fix it.

The foregoing is to inform those individuals who want to know. PLEASE don't contact me with the intent to argue. As I've already said, none of the comments can be denied, so leveling personal attacks at me won't accomplish anything.

Have a nice day!  Marc

Please review your exercise program, hire a personal trainer like Marc and Join a Super Slow Program, stop spending hours in the Gym every day, keep your personal time for things that you enjoy doing. I hope Marc's explanation will convince you to look at options when it comes to physical exercise.

Here is a You Tube Video done by Marc to help explain Super Slow Strength Training


Sooke BC Real Estate Market Report

We here at Fred Carver Real Estate Marketing Re/Max Camosun continuously monitor local real estate statistics to keep our clients informed and ahead of the real estate trends. Below you will find Sooke BC real estate statistic for July 5, 2007 to July 5, 2008.

New listings homes, condo’s and townhouses New to the market in June 08= 72

Number of new pending home sales up to June = 50

Number of homes Sold’s (completed sale) in June= 22

Number of home listing expiring in June= 13

Current Pending Sales -Average days on the market DOM= 10 new pending sales in June

Year to-date home Sales (07/05/07 to 03/05/08) Activity: Solds = 396 Total Pending = 76, Pending Average Days on the Market= 46.

Current Active listings of single family homes, = 167

Average Current Pending Selling Price in Sooke :

Single family homes up to June 30 = $450,945 from 50 sales average DOM =48.

Condo & Townhouse in June= $300,951 from 15 new sales average DOM =46

Go Here to find the value of your home

If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this neighborhood, and would like more information about James Bay or would like to be the first to know about HOT new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 598-2963

Fred Carver Associate Broker

Promise Made…Promises Kept !

Fred Carver Real Estate Marketing with Re/Max Camosun

598-2963, Calling from out of town? Call toll free 1-800-663-2121

Find Hundreds of homes for sale throughout Greater Victoria


Fairfield Victoria Real Estate Market Update for July

We here at Fred Carver Real Estate Marketing Re/Max Camosun continuously monitor local real estate statistics to keep our clients informed and ahead of the real estate trends. Below you will find Fairfield Victoria real estate statistic for July 4, 2008.

New listings homes, condo’s and townhouses New to the market in July= 2

Number of new pending sales= 13

Number of Sold’s (completed sale last 30 days)= 2

Number of homes expiring last 30 days= 6

Current Pending Sales -Average days on the market= 30

Year to-date (07/04/07 to 07/04/08) Activity: Solds = 303 Total Pending = 14, (Pending Average Days on the Market= 34, Current Active listings of homes, condo’s and townhouses = 89)

Average Current Pending Selling Price in Fairfield :

Single family homes in June = $731,166 (median $744,500) from 6 new sales DOM 30.

Condo & Townhouse in June= $371,257 (median $322,000) from 8 new sales DOM 27

Go Here to find the value of your home

If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this neighborhood, and would like more information about Fairfield or would like to be the first to know about HOT new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 598-2963

Fred Carver Associate Broker

Promise Made…Promises Kept !

Fred Carver Real Estate Marketing with Re/Max Camosun

598-2963, Calling from out of town? Call toll free 1-800-663-2121

Find Hundreds of homes for sale throughout Victoria

Copyright © 2008 By Fred Carver All Rights Reserved "Fairfield Victoria Real Estate March Market"


Canada....Big Brother Wants Your Clients ID Recorded on Every Sale and Listing

The Federal Government Of Canada put in place a New Law that requires All Realtors to Record their Clients Identification on both sides of a real estate transaction, sales and listings, Realtors are required keep this information for 5 Years! Penalty to Not Record Your Client ID...a 2 Million Dollar Fine!
Web Site for Fintrac
This New Law Overrides The Privacy Act, all Consumers(Buyers and Sellers) must Show Identification, minimum. of 2 pieces of ID to their Realtor(s).
Realtor Guideline for Record Keeping:


On Board The Tall Ship "USCG Cutter Eagle" and Other Tall Sailing Ships in Victoria BC

Victoria Inner Harbour In Front of the Empress Hotel.

Friday June 27/08 afternoon after lunch I met up with again with my friend Capt. Mobey. also known as Derrick Mobey (no relationship to Mobey Dick, as far as Derrick knows) my Friend who I Wrote about Earlier this week is the first series on the Tall Ships in Victoria in 2008.

We had a great time, especially on Board viewing the USCG Cutter Eagle, We were told she was a war prize after the war with Germany, and Given to the US Coast Guard as a Sailing training ship for Officer Training .

Here's a few photos from Friday's Day in the Sun with the Tall Ships....Enjoy!

Great Day in the Sun Viewing the Tall Ships in Victoria Harbour.


The Tall Ships Have Arrived in Victoria

Today I'm off to Board the Tall Ships in Victoria's Inner Harbour.

The Tall Ships arrived in Victoria Harbour yesterday around noon, 24 in Total.
I bought a four day event pass($35). I am going with a client and friend Derrick Mobey( no relation to Mobey Dick, Derrick is better looking even at 76!).

It'll be a great photo opportunity for Derrick and I armed with our Pentax Digital SLR's which we both enjoy..I now realize I need a telephoto lens for photographing Ships etc,who would think of that, I just need a wide angle lens for house shots right!


Here's a few photos we have taken already this week, leading up today....


Oak Bay Real Estate Market Update June 2008

We here at Fred Carver Real Estate Marketing Re/Max Camosun continuously monitor local real estate statistics to keep our clients informed and ahead of the real estate trends. Below you will find Oak Bay real estate statistic for June 1, 2008 to June 23, 2008.

New listings homes, condo’s and townhouses New to the market in March= 36

Number of new pending sales= 18

Number of Sold’s (completed sale)= 11

Number of homes expiring= 3

Current Pending Sales -Average days on the market= 37

Year to-date (06/23/07 to 06/23/08) Activity: Solds = 304 Total Pending = 55, (Pending Average Days on the Market= 34),

Current Active listings of homes, condo’s and townhouses = 135

Average Current Pending Selling Price in Oak Bay :

Single family homes in June = $861,133 from 15 new sales.

Condo & Townhouse in June= $344,000 from 2 new sales.

Go Here to find the value of your home

If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this neighborhood, and would like more information about Oak Bay or would like to be the first to know about HOT new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 598-2963

Fred Carver Associate Broker

Promise Made…Promises Kept !

Fred Carver Real Estate Marketing with Re/Max Camosun

598-2963, Calling from out of town? Call toll free 1-800-663-2121

Find Hundreds of homes for sale throughout Victoria

Copyright © 2008 By Fred Carver All Rights Reserved "Oak Bay Real Estate Market Update"


James Bay Real Estate Market Update for June

We here at Fred Carver Real Estate Marketing Re/Max Camosun continuously monitor local real estate statistics to keep our clients informed and ahead of the real estate trends. Below you will find James Bay real estate statistic for June 1, 2008 to June 23, 2008.

New listings homes, condo’s and townhouses New to the market in March= 24

Number of new pending sales= 9

Number of Sold’s (completed sale)= 10

Number of homes expiring= 2

Current Pending Sales -Average days on the market= 36

Year to-date (06/23/07 to 06/23/08) Activity: Solds = 244 Total Pending = 28, (Pending Average Days on the Market= 48),

Current Active listings of homes, condo’s and townhouses = 101

Average Current Pending Selling Price in James Bay :

Single family homes in June = $603,250 from 4 new sales.

Condo & Townhouse in March= $410,000 from 5 new sales.

Go Here to find the value of your home

If you would like a free list of homes for sale in this neighborhood, and would like more information about James Bay or would like to be the first to know about HOT new listings before other buyers do, then give me a call at: 598-2963

Fred Carver Associate Broker

Promise Made…Promises Kept !

Fred Carver Real Estate Marketing with Re/Max Camosun

598-2963, Calling from out of town? Call toll free 1-800-663-2121

Find Hundreds of homes for sale throughout Victoria

Copyright © 2008 By Fred Carver All Rights Reserved "James Bay Real Estate Market Update"


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