Raj Dhaliwal (MyAbbotsford.Com)

Last month when BC govt. announced the plans to implement new tax system HST (harmonized sales tax) in 2010, I wrote a blog post about how it would affect the real estate industry and new home buyers.

Starting July 2010 consumers will have to pay a higher tax on new houses, renovations, REALTORS®' fees and other real estate transaction fees such as notary services, home inspections and appraisals. All of those are currently exempt from the PST and are only subject to the GST.

Just like me most other REALTORS® are concerned that home buyers and sellers, particularly buyers of new homes, will bear most of the burden associated with the proposed Harmonized Sales Tax.

The BC Real Estate Association has launched a new website to provide REALTORS® and members of the public with a >> Read MOre >>

Hey Abbotsford REALTORS®, this post is for those of you who email their new (and old) listings to others REALTORS® on regular basis. Email can be great marketing tool if you are using is properly. I use Google apps for my email and recently I have noticed that most of your "listings blasts" are landing in the junk mail folder. Google has some of the smartest junk mail filters available and if Google is starting to filter your emails as junk you can imagine whats happening at other mail exchange servers like 1and1, GoDaddy, Shaw & Telus etc.

Now I'll move your e-mail addresses to my safe list because I don't want to loose your emails if we are doing a deal together or if there is any other important e-mail coming from you guys. But is everyone else out there going to do the same thing for you?

Once your domain name or email address is "blacklisted" at major ISPs you'll have tough time delivering emails to other REALTORS® or even clients. So be careful how many mass e-mails you send from your e-mail address. If you are using email based on your domain name (IE: listings@MyAbbotsfordListings.Com) your domain name will be seen as the culprit by the junk mail filters. Changing email address to something like NewMail@MyAbbotsfordListings.Com will not work.

I usually delete your listing promoting e-mail without opening it if I am receiving 1-2 emails a day from your office, because I know there is nothing special about this email (you know who you are). If you are one of those who send out listing emails once in a while because there is something special to announce about your listing, there is better chance that I'll open it and there is minimal chance of getting blacklisted at internet service providers.

You should also track you emails to see if they are being opened by the recipients. Point2, MLXjet and other software allow you to do that. By using these easy to use programs you can easily tell if your email campaign is working or you are wasting your time.

Here is a screen shot of my junk mail folder:

New Listings. Link Ct Abbotsford.

Well kept home in desirable location offers three bedrooms Plus 2bedroom in-law suite. Family room and living room are on the main floor. There is a rec room + full bathroom downstairs for owners use.

Click here for more details and pictures.

Don't want to sort through listings that are not in your price range. We have made it easy for you. Just go to a page within my website that offers homes for sale in your price range. Click on the link below in your price rage and you will see all listings in Abbotsford in your selected price range.

$0 To $350,000

$350,000 To $400,000

$400,000 To $450,000

$450,000 To $500,000

$500,000 To $550,000

$550,000 To $600,000

$600,000 To $700,000

$700,000 To $800,000

$800,000 To $900,000

$900,000 To $1,000, 000

$1,000,000 To No Limit

Once on the listings page, you can select a page number to view more listings in your selected price range. or select another price range from the drop down menu.

July was indeed the hottest month in Fraser Valley for both weather and real estate sales. The hot weather and home sales both broke the all time record for month of July.

Fraser Valley saw the highest number of real estate transactions ever >>>> read more