Bill Jones - Realtor® Airdrie & Calgary Area Homes and Condos

I went to a Networking meeting the other morning, but because the line up at MacDonalds was soooo Long (to get my coffee) and because I am a Knight and had to rescue a damsel in distress, as I was rushing along the Highway to the meeting, there was a girl waving at cars speeding by and her car was in the Ditch it was , I picked her up and drove her to work. Anyway, I got to the meeting late and was glad I did, everyone at the meeting was so negative about 2009, it almost made me ill. These are supposed to be motivational Breakfast meetings with a networking component. I stood up after 1/2 hour and said just before I leave , I want you know that I'm glad you are all taking part in the recession , I'm Not, I will have a really good 2009, and Left the meeting. Later that day I had several people phone me and announce they had decided not to take part in the recession either. Now , there are some that might feel we don't have a choice, but I feel if everybody decided NOT to take part and continued to Work hard , Advertise hard, and Play Hard. The recession would likely vanish. Now I know we have all lost money due to the world economic condition and if we listen to the gloom and doom in the media, we might even buy into this recession idea. But can you imagine how are economies would rally if the millions of us were to continue to contribute to the economy and not withdraw back into our beds cover-up and hope it all goes away. So can anyone tell me why we should participate in a recession when all we have to do is continue on and focus on doing a great job?

Bill

With the 2008 fall real estate season just about behind us, it’s time to start thinking about the next big season. I’m talking the spring real estat market! It is a well known fact that spring is a great time to buy and sell houses. But what most people don’t know is that winter is the perfect time to get things done around your home to prepare it for selling.

1. Cut the clutter: If you’re like most people, you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. Moving provides a great incentive to finally get rid

of the junk you’ve been hoarding. Starting now will give you ample time to take that trip down memory lane as you go through old papers, letters, photographs and other mementos. If you set aside a couple hours to do this each weekend, by February you will have weeded out a

lot and moving will be much less stressful.

2. Paint the interior: Nothing will give you more bang for the home improvement buck than a fresh coat of paint. Keep your potential buyer in

mind and go for a neutral palette. Using the same color family in adjoining rooms will improve the flow of the house and tie everything together. And remember, neutral does not necessarily mean white or beige. In fact, white can be quite stark and cold, while beige can be boring and blah. Go for warmer tones in the main living areas to make the rooms more inviting.

3. Donate to a good cause: This is the time to edit your wardrobe. Take everything out of the closet and force yourself to let go of those 80’s outfits and anything else you haven’t worn in a year. Be ruthless about what you get rid of. You will thank yourself when it comes time to move. This is also a great time to collect all the winter coats, boots and gloves your family has outgrown or grown tired of and donate them to the needy. Several organizations do winter coat drives for the homeless this time of year and would be thrilled to have your cast-offs.

4. Make a list of needed repairs: Go through your house, inside and out, and look at it objectively, as buyer would. Write down everything that needs fixing. These are things you simply must take care of before listing your house. Otherwise, buyers will see small problems and wonder what bigger problems await them. Call a handyman and get those repairs done of by the end of January. If you need to hire some trades people, they are often more available throughout the winter months as well.

5. Call your Century 21 , Local Real Estate Expert Bill Jones, for a Free No Obligation Market Analysis of your home. That way you can start

doing the numbers for your next purchase early. Bill will also give you a good idea of anything you may have overlooked. Being prepared for the spring market means you can list your house ahead of those people that weren’t as prepared. Sell early and enjoy your summer in a new home!

Being prepared for the spring market means you can list your house ahead of those people that weren’t as prepared. Sell early and enjoy your

summer, in a new home!

Bill

Bill Jones - Realtor- Century 21, Castlewood Agencies -- Serving Airdrie Calgary and Area

AIRDRIE, ALBERTA - Residents of Airdrie anxious to catch the Flame in person on January 19th , 2010 as it passes through on it's way to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter games.

The 2010 Olympic Torch Relay, presented by Coca-Cola and the Royal Bank of Canada, will reach over 90% of canadians within a 1 hour drive. The torch relay route is available at www.vancouver2010.com . The torch relay will begin it's 106 day Canadian Journey on October 30, 2009 and will complete it's journey on February 12, 2010 when it arrives in Vancouver British Columbia The route is proposed to be 45,00 Kilometers or approx. 27,961 Miles from beginning to end on Canadian soil and will have passed within 1 hour of 90% of the entire Canadian population.

Bill

My guess is that everyone dreams of that day when they will able to do what every they want. How about you? Does that sound like perfection to you?

Well, there is an old saying, "A person's worst difficulties begin when they are able to whatever they like." Chances are you don't agree with that saying, I'm not sure I do either. Heck, I've been dreaming of that day, since the day I started elementary school, I can't give up on it now! After all who could argue with freedom to do what we like, come and go as we please; have enough money to do what we've always wanted to do.

But I had the misfortune to have to stay home for 3 months this year due to a health issue and to add further to my dismay, I wasn't capable of doing anything or even going outside, I know (WAH WAH Poor me), the point is if you have time to do anything you want to do, but don't have the ability , inclination or the forethought to plan for those times, as I found out free time isn't much fun.

Now, consider the individual that has taken up a consuming hobby, Photography, Wood Work, Gardening, Travel or Hiking, etc. When they reach that day when they can do whatever they wish, they don't stop and vegetate in front of TV they still have a purpose to get up and enjoy their lives.

One of the top Real Estate Agents in the country, a distinguished Realtor who has made significant contributions to our industry and his community, was born into a wealthy family and himself is worth a tidy sum. He drives to the office each day in his expensive Mercedes, and he's one of the busiest Realtors in North America, even in todays economic environment. He puts in long hours and is available to his clients when their needs arise, from early morning to late nights. Because of his financial situation, he can do anything he wants to do, but he loves our business and helping people and makes a considerable contribution to society by doing well what he loves.

How about you? One day you will likely be able to do anything you want to do, and it's good to plan for that time. This train of thought can put us no a path to discovery, and help us find an area the area of our greatest interest, now that might be a consuming hobby or activity, or it might be doing more of what we do everyday, helping others with the biggest, most important decisions of their lives.

There are many thousands of retired Men and Women today whose lives could be much Happier and Interesting if they had only planned for the time when they could do whatever they wanted to.

Successful people LIKE YOU need not worry about that old saying, as I know all successful people plan ahead.

Thanks for reading my post.

Bill

Airdrie Public Library has just what you might expect – a lot of books. Now a new campaign is showing that the library also has resources you may not expect, including CDs, DVDs, Internet access, magazines, newspapers, and programs.

"We’re working hard to meet the diverse needs of the community," says Janine Jevne, Library Director. "We know that people count on us for a range of services, from high-speed Internet access to learning English. Our library is a place that the community increasingly depends on for essential resources."

To highlight this reality, Airdrie Public Library has joined other public libraries across the province to launch Books and beyond -- a campaign designed to show how libraries are used by Albertans in their everyday lives (www.booksandbeyond.ca).

"Books and beyond is a unique campaign that breaks down stereotypes and shows that people use libraries in incredibly diverse ways," says Jevne. "The fact is that libraries truly are the centre of most communities – and provide resources and services that people really care about."

While the Books and beyond ads come with an ironic twist, the campaign highlights some serious numbers. Last year:

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- There were over 17 million visits to Alberta public libraries

- Over one million Albertans took part in one of over 50,000 public library programs across the province.

- Albertans borrowed over 33 million items from public libraries alone.
- There were over 1.2 million public library cardholders in Alberta – about 40 per cent of the population.
- Albertans asked nearly 4.5 million reference questions at public libraries.

"Alberta’s libraries are also connected, giving everyone in our community access to over 30 million items, including popular magazines, journals and newspapers," says Jevne.