Dreams & Money

“LOVE BEGINS AT HOME”

Perrii — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:32:23 +0000

Selective portions of a popular speech delivered on
December 11, 1979 at Oslo, Norway.

As we have gathered here together to thank God for the Nobel Peace Prize I think it will be beautiful that we pray the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi which always surprises me very much.

Lord, make a channel of Thy peace
that, where there is hatred, I may bring love;
that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
that, where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
that, where there is error, I may bring truth;
that, where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
that, where there is despair, I may bring hope;
that, where there are shadows, I may bring light;
that, where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted,
to understand than to be understood;
to love than to be loved;
for it is by forgetting self that one finds;
it is forgiving that one is forgiven;
it is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.

- St. Francis of Assisi

Let us thank God for the opportunity that we all have together today, for this gift of peace that reminds us that we have been created to live that peace
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I never forget an opportunity I had in visiting a home where they had all these old parents of sons and daughters who had just put them in an institution and forgotten maybe. And I went there, and I saw in that home they had everything, beautiful things, but everybody was looking towards the door. And I did not see a single one with their smile on their face. And I turned to the Sister and I asked: How is that? How is it that the people they have everything here, why are they all looking towards the door, why are they not smiling? I am so used to see the smile on our people, even the dying one smile, and she said: This is nearly every day, they are expecting, they are hoping that a son or daughter will come to visit them. They are hurt because they are forgotten, and see — this is where love comes. That poverty comes right there in our own home, even neglect to love. Maybe in our own family we have somebody who is feeling lonely, who is feeling sick, who is feeling worried, and these are difficult days for everybody. Are we there, are we there to receive them, is the mother there to receive the child?
I was surprised in the West to see so many young boys and girls given into drugs, and I tried to find out why — why is it like that, and the answer was: Because there is no one in the family to receive them. Father and mother are so busy they have no time. Young parents are in some institution and the child takes back to the street and gets involved in something. We are talking of peace. These are things that break peace, but I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a direct war, a direct killing — direct murder by the mother herself
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And this I appeal in India, I appeal everywhere: Let us bring the child back, and this year being the child’s year: What have we done for the child? At the beginning of the year I told, I spoke everywhere and I said: Let us make this year that we make every single child born, and unborn, wanted. And today is the end of the year, have we really made the children wanted? I will give you something terrifying. We are fighting abortion by adoption, we have saved thousands of lives, we have sent words to all the clinics, to the hospitals, police stations — please don’t destroy the child, we will take the child. So every hour of the day and night it is always somebody, we have quite a number of unwedded mothers — tell them come, we will take care of you, we will take the child from you, and we will get a home for the child. And we have a tremendous demand from families who have no children, that is the blessing of God for us. And also, we are doing another thing which is very beautiful — we are teaching our beggars, our leprosy patients, our slum dwellers, our people of the street, natural family planning
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One evening we went out and we picked up four people from the street. And one of them was in a most terrible condition — and I told the Sisters: You take care of the other three, I take of this one that looked worse. So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her in bed, and there was such a beautiful smile on her face. She took hold of my hand, as she said one word only: Thank you — and she died.
I could not help but examine my conscience before her, and I asked what would I say if I was in her place. And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little attention to myself, I would have said I am hungry, that I am dying, I am cold, I am in pain, or something, but she gave me much more — she gave me her grateful love. And she died with a smile on her face. As that man whom we picked up from the drain, half eaten with worms, and we brought him to the home. I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for. And it was so wonderful to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that, who could die like that without blaming anybody, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything. Like an angel — this is the greatness of our people. And that is why we believe what Jesus had said: I was hungry — I was naked — I was homeless — I was unwanted, unloved, uncared for — and you did it to me.
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Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do. It is to God Almighty. How much we do it does not matter, because He is infinite, but how much love we put in that action. How much we do to Him in the person that we are serving.
Some time ago in Calcutta we had great difficulty in getting sugar, and I don’t know how the word got around to the children, and a little boy of four years old, Hindu boy, went home and told his parents: I will not eat sugar for three days, I will give my sugar to Mother Teresa for her children. After three days his father and mother brought him to our home. I had never met them before, and this little one could scarcely pronounce my name, but he knew exactly what he had come to do. He knew that he wanted to share his love.
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You must come to know the poor, maybe our people here have material things, everything, but I think that if we all look into our own homes, how difficult we find it sometimes to smile at each, other, and that the smile is the beginning of love.
The other day I received 15 dollars from a man who has been on his back for twenty years, and the only part that he can move is his right hand. And the only companion that he enjoys is smoking. And he said to me: I do not smoke for one week, and I send you this money. It must have been a terrible sacrifice for him, but see how beautiful, how he shared, and with that money I bought bread and I gave to those who are hungry with a joy on both sides, he was giving and the poor were receiving. This is something that you and I — it is a gift of God to us to be able to share our love with others. And let it be as it was for Jesus. Let us love one another as he loved us. Let us love Him with undivided love.
I never forget some time ago about fourteen professors came from the United States from different universities. And they came to Calcutta to our house. Then we were talking about that they had been to the home for the dying. We have a home for the dying in Calcutta, where we have picked up more than 36,000 people only from the streets of Calcutta, and out of that big number more than 18,000 have died a beautiful death. They have just gone home to God; and they came to our house and we talked of love, of compassion, and then one of them asked me: Say, Mother, please tell us something that we will remember, and I said to them: Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family. Smile at each other. And then another one asked me: Are you married, and I said: Yes, and I find it sometimes very difficult to smile at Jesus because he can be very demanding sometimes. This is really something true, and there is where love comes — when it is demanding, and yet we can give it to Him with joy. Just as I have said today, I have said that if I don’t go to Heaven for anything else I will be going to Heaven for all the publicity because it has purified me and sacrificed me and made me really ready to go to Heaven. I think that this is something, that we must live life beautifully, we have Jesus with us and He loves us. If we could only remember that God loves me, and I have an opportunity to love others as he loves me, not in big things, but in small things with great love, then Norway becomes a nest of love. And how beautiful it will be that from here a centre for peace has been given. That from here the joy of life of the unborn child comes out.
If you become a burning light in the world of peace, then really the Nobel Peace Prize is a gift of the Norwegian people.
God bless you!
If you have liked this page, you would also like similar page (Popular Speech) in the previous issue. To see the July issue, please visit: www.dreamsandmoney.com

THE ORGANIZED MIND – THINK OF SPACE AS A RESOURCE

Janine Gwendoline Smith — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:24:56 +0000

We are all aware of what happens when we spend more than we can financially handle.
Most of us have a fairly good grasp of budgeting and balancing our income with our expenses/savings. Because the consequences can be so dire when we don’t manage this area of our lives, we will take action fairly quickly to restore stability.
We also know what happens when we eat more than our bodies can process through normal daily life, given our lifestyle and exercise level. There is a wealth of information available to assist us in fine-tuning this relationship, either ‘amping’ up our energy output, or paring down by dropping useless or non-nutritive foods. For most of us, we will not let this get too out of hand, starting some kind of program within a 5-10 lb. weight gain.
In either case, the message is the same – you have to work within the limits of what you have.
This same principle applies to Space Management. We do know what it is like to experience Space deprivation, although we may never actually call it that. Anyone who has ever sat in gridlock on the highway has experienced what happens when the number of objects in a Space exceeds the capacity of that Space to process the movement of the objects through it. Nothing moves. In contrast, when the number of vehicles is few, we flow through effortlessly, enjoying the road as it was meant to be enjoyed, (as shown in car commercials) and in a much better mood. And, the luxury of interior automotive Space was spawned, at least in part, by the experiences of previous generations scrunched together during long road trips, while trying to enjoy a vacation. Some of you might remember those pre-SUV days.
We might have had a sampling of Space deprivation on public transit at rush hour.
Not only is one’s Space limited when squished together, so is one’s freedom. Just think of it. You are not free to sit down, despite how tired you might be. You certainly can’t fling open your paper and browse the sports section. And, no matter how small your latest gadget is, using it is hard if one arm is hanging from a grab strap, while the other clutches your daily commute bag(s). But we usually grin and bear it, as we know this restriction is temporary. Soon we will reclaim our personal Space.
But, what about Space Management at home?
Well, to start with, once you cross your thresh hold, somehow the Laws of the Universe change. For instance, after thirty days, any objects within your environment actually visually disappear, merging seamlessly with the existing field. And for some strange reason, we will tend to decrease our need for personal Space, deferring it to our possessions. Hoarder Exposés show the degree of Space annihilation to which some individuals will go for their things. In the extreme of self- destruction, they are similar to the morbidly obese or the financially reckless.
So let’s talk about Space. Is it just an empty vacuum to be filled?
Ancient wisdom, (and modern physics) would disagree.
Space is actually a resource, a commodity. Businesses/Real Estate measure Space by dollar value per square foot. If our Space were to be reduced drastically, as in a prison term, we would certainly notice its absence.
With what does Space provide us? Among other things:
1. Space provides us with movement.
2. Space provides us with growth.
3. Space provides us with potential.
4. Space provides us with freedom.
5. Space provides us with relationships.
6. Space provides us with self-discovery.
7. Space provides us with perspective.
1. Space provides us
with movement.
As we have seen in the examples of rush-hour travel and prison confinement, we need Space to move. Although individual ranges of movement may vary and change with our life stages, the Space must allow for us to extend to our capabilities. Obviously a brand new baby has fewer Space requirements than a six year old, and a thirty-something may have more activities than an advanced senior. Nonetheless the Space should exceed, (albeit slightly) the amount of movement within.
2. Space provides us with growth
Forest trees need a certain amount of Space in which to grow. If too dense, the taller, stronger trees will crowd out the weaker ones, blocking their light and rooting for water/minerals. The result is some trees die.
Grow or die, and growth needs Space – to work, to sleep, to eat, to play, to relax, and for expansion opportunities. If there were no extra Space beyond which we already occupy, where would we expand?
I will continue discussing the benefits of Space and how this applies at home in my next installment. In the meantime, I suggest you take some time to observe if you actually have sufficient Space in your environment. Stay tuned for Part 2.
Janine Gwendoline Smith is available for coaching, consultation and organizing services. She can be reached at: 416-694-7070 E-mail: janinelok@aol.com

Appeal on an immigration matter

Sadick Kesavjee — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:18:46 +0000

Recently, a client came to me with a matter to appeal on. My discussions with him made me realize the need to share my experiences with people in this regard.
Many individuals sponsor new spouses or other family members to come to Canada without understanding the process clearly. The result is rejection of many applications. Understand that the sponsorship process is complicated. Know if your sponsorship application is rejected you must file an Appeal within a time limit or you will lose your appeal rights. It is a lengthy process.
First and foremost, you must have a valid case for appeal. Sometimes, a couple even though validly and genuinely married, do not produce adequate proof to satisfy the concerned authorities. This could have caused the necessity for appeals.
The immigration officer is looking for evidence of a legally valid, genuine marriage. You can satisfy this requirement through marriage photos and other documents including communications exchanged.
Even in arranged marriages, though you have not met your spouse prior to getting married, at least you must satisfy the authorities that you know certain important basic facts about your respective families.
The authorities also need to satisfy themselves that you were properly introduced, that you were in constant touch, and you went on a proper honeymoon.
You should therefore keep all copies of phone records, letters and e mails received, hotel bills for trips together either whilst courting or after marrying.
There was a case where a couple was refused because their marriage, in the home country was not consummated, (i.e. they did not live as man and wife) before the husband left for Canada to sponsor the wife.
The reason was that their respective parents did not want them to live as man and wife until she arrived in Canada. We had to prepare several statutory declarations to show it was only because of cultural sensitivities, that their marriage was not consummated. I was happy to note that they now live happily as man and wife in Toronto.
In the case of sponsorship of parents, sometimes there can be problems with income of the sponsor which has to be at a minimum, failing which the application can fail.
There is a case where the husband did not have enough of an income. The good news is that during appeal he succeeded because by then he had the requisite income. This is the exception, rather than the rule.
The moral behind this is that make sure all your ‘ducks are in a row” as the saying goes before sponsoring your spouse or other family member.
The appeal process can be very stressful, and in the event that a professional is hired, make sure he or she is licensed. It is often a good idea to request a retainer agreement. It is also a good idea to request a partial “refund” clause in the retainer agreement, in the event the application fails
Sadick Keshavjee is a licensed immigration counsel, and also does appeals in the Immigration Appeal Division, as well as IAD’s there
He can be contacted at 416 422 3313 or email : skeshavjee786@yahoo.com www.cometcommercialservices.com

INTERVIEW WITH JAYME TURNEY

Perrii — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:07:43 +0000

Jayme, Dreams & Money appreciates your public initiatives. Whether it is TTC or any other corporation, at the end of the day, surplus money is needed to run the business successfully. In this instance, raising the fare beyond a point is ruled out. So, in your opinion, what is the option for the Mayor, who is elected on the promise of not taxing the people?
I value efficiency and sound management as much as much as the Mayor. Nor do I want to see the average person pay more than their fair share of taxes. Over the last 30 years or so we’ve burdened the poor and middle class with regressive taxes and with wage stagnation. This has helped corporate profits but it’s not fair, and it’s bad for our economic fundamentals.
The best solutions for Toronto’s troubles call for strong leadership, effort and creativity. For example, many have pointed out that we don’t need to hire highly paid police to guard constructions sites in this city. It’s estimated that taxpayers paid $7.8 million in 2009 for ‘guard duty’. I think this alone is a lot more than what we’ll get from selling off naming rights and from selling more ad space on our streets, subways and in our parks under the new policy proposals.
We can even fundraise in the community. The fantastic Museum station re-design was partly paid for by partnering with the Toronto Community Foundation.
Selling out our public spaces is negative and makes no financial sense if you look at the big picture.

How do you manage funding for your public initiatives?

We rely on donations, volunteers, and efficiency and are thankful for all of the support we have.
What is the reward for you for spending your time and energy for a public cause?
It’s personally fulfilling and enjoyable. I think the issues we deal with in public space relate to broader concerns around democracy and community building and I’m happy to do it for its own sake.

Finally, what is your message for our readers?

Our organization has a stake on the issue and whether majority people agree with us or not I think we can all agree that local communities should have a say in what their parks, streets, community centres, and subway stations are named. This is about our civic identity. This is even about home values, which can be affected by a street name and presumably a nearby park name if it sucks badly. Even our medical associations raise concerns about too much advertising and the effect on children. Meaningful public consultations are necessary to debate all of these issues but our politicians don’t seem to want to hear your voice, they just want to sell and do it quickly before you can say no. Make your voice heard and contact your local councillor now.

Beauty and value of public place

Perrii — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:04:25 +0000

The TTC could be facing a $100-million budget hole next year and is scouring for new ways to fill the gap.
The cash-strapped TTC has increased the amount of space available for advertising on its subway trains, buses and streetcars. It has awarded advertising rights throughout its system to Pattison Outdoor, with a new contract for 12 years effective January 1, 2012. The new contract covers all advertising opportunities on and in subway stations, trains, buses and streetcars. The stations will be updated with new poster frames featuring local business improvement area (BIA) names. Pattison will also be able to wrap more buses and trains than were previously permitted. The minimum guaranteed payment to the TTC over the first 12 years is $324 million.
The Toronto Public Space Initiative has raised voice against this contract. According to TPSI Project Manager Rami Tabello, “a large increase in high-tech, flashy, all pervasive, and intrusive ads will make the TTC less enjoyable to use. It could even irritate customers. Toronto’s identity and public spaces have a value. We should manage them more like the Swiss bank and less like the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.”
Jayme Turney, Executive Director of TPSI opines that our public spaces reflect the vibrant history and diversity of the City and they should not be for sale.
“How are these buses going to fit in with the city’s street beautification program?” enquires a concerned citizen. “The city has spent many millions of dollars putting in flower boxes, shrubbery, and trees on some streets. All the plants have been colour coordinated and placed into a pattern designed by some landscape architect. Now into this harmonious picture we see twenty colour clashing billboards on a moving bus. Does the left hand know what the right hand is doing?”
“If the money can actually be directed towards improvements and expansions, I don’t mind. I think the TTC is in a desperate state, which calls for this desperate measure.” Another Torontonian reflects perhaps the majority view.
Corporate sponsorship is also in the cards – and companies could re-name entire lines as well as individual stations. Dundas would be used as a pilot project that other stations could copy; Ryerson University president Sheldon Levy confirmed the university’s interest in attaching its name to Dundas Station in order to help pay for station improvements.
TTC assured critics the commission will have the final say on any serious sponsorship proposal, and the public will have an opportunity to express its views.
The terms of the contract stipulate that the TTC has “sole discretion” over the sale of naming rights on its property. However, Councillor Janet Davis raised concerns about a clause that says proposals “may” come back to the commission for approval. Councilors Davis (Beaches-East York) and Augimeri (York Centre) unsuccessfully tried to stop this deal from going through.
The new advertising contract increases the number of buses or streetcars that can be “wrapped” in ads from 35 to 50 (out of about 1,800 buses and 245 streetcars) and doubles the number of subway cars to 24 (out of about 700 cars).
Station domination — an advertiser covering a station from top to bottom in a single theme — remains limited to four stations: Finch, Union, Eglinton and St. George, but an unlimited number of bus backs are available for ads, up from 50 now.
What are your thoughts? It is your city. Voice your opinion. Selected opinions will be published in the next issue.

Modern research discovers what Grandma knows

Perrii — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:02:38 +0000

Ginger has been used as a natural remedy for many ailments for centuries. Now, science is catching up and researchers around the world are finding that ginger works wonders in the treatment of everything from cancer to migraines. Here are ten health benefits of this powerful herb.
1. Ovarian Cancer Treatment
Ginger may be powerful weapon in the treatment of ovarian cancer. A study conducted at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that ginger powder induces cell death in all ovarian cancer cells to which it was applied.
2. Colon Cancer Prevention
A study at the University of Minnesota found that ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells.
3. Morning Sickness
A review of several studies has concluded that ginger is just as effective as vitamin B6 in the treatment of morning sickness.
4. Motion Sickness Remedy
Ginger has been shown to be an effective remedy for the nausea associated with motion sickness.
5. Reduces Pain and Inflammation
One study showed that ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and is a powerful natural painkiller.
6. Heartburn Relief
Ginger has long been used as a natural heartburn remedy. It is most often taken in the form of tea for this purpose.
7. Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment
Ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu. Many people also find ginger to be helpful in the case of stomach flush or food poisoning, which is not surprising given the positive effects ginger has upon the digestive tract.
8. Migraine Relief
Research has shown that ginger may provide migraine relief due to its ability to stop prostaglandin from causing pain and inflammation in blood vessels.
9. Menstrual Cramp Relief
In Chinese medicine, ginger tea with brown sugar is used in the treatment of menstrual cramps.
10. Prevention of Diabetic Nephropathy
A study done on diabetic rats found that those rats given ginger had a reduced incidence of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage).
(Source : healthdiaries.com)

Mindful eating for better health

Uma Palaniappan — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:00:24 +0000

This joke reminds me how people devote time to eating.
Adults in the United States and Canada devote an average of 1 hour and 12 minutes per day to eating, yet spend between 2½ and 3 hours per day watching television.
The speed at which you eat isn’t the only problem. As multi-taskers, you often pair eating with other activities, such as driving or working at your desks. It is rare that you’re simply eating when you’re eating. If the mind is multi-tasking, critical signals that regulate food intake may not be received by the brain, when eating. If the brain does not receive certain messages that occur during eating, such as sensation of taste and satisfaction, it may fail to register the event as “eating”. This scenario can lead to the brains continuing to send out additional signals of hunger, increasing the risk of overeating. The other major problem caused by mindless eating is obesity. If the mind is tuned out during mealtime, the digestive process may be 30% to 40% less effective. This can contribute to digestive distress, such as gas, bloating and bowel irregularities.
So, what is required? My answer is mindful eating. Eating mindfully means eating with awareness. Mindful eating is being present, moment by moment, for each sensation that happens during eating, such as chewing, tasting and swallowing. If you’ve ever practiced mindfulness in any way, (such as meditation, relaxation or breathing exercises) you are familiar with how easily your minds wander. The same happens when you eat. If your mind is drifting off the experience of eating, gently bring it back to the awareness of that taste, chew, bite or swallow.
How to master the art of
mindful eating:
1. Start small. Like all new habits, it’s best to set realistic expectations. Choose one meal or snack each day and commit to focusing on mindful eating at that time.
2. Stop multitasking at meal times. It’s really difficult to focus on eating if you’re doing other things. Set aside time for eating without other entertainment.
3. Only eat at the table. Another way to minimize mindless munching is to get into the habit of only eating when you are sitting down and able to give the food your full attention. No more snacking on the run.
4. Appreciate the appearance. Taking the time to notice sets the scene for mindful eating.
5. Focus on each mouthful. Think about the flavor, texture and even the sound of the food in your mouth. Focus on how much you like, or dislike these sensations.
6. Chew. Make sure you chew your food enough around 15-20times per bite so that it is well broken down before you swallow.
7. Use cutlery and put it down between mouthfuls. It’s much easier to take smaller portions when using a knife and fork
8. Talk and share. One of the joys of eating is sharing a meal with loved ones. It can be challenging to incorporate mindfulness in a social situation but not impossible. Turn the focus of the conversation onto the meal like sharing the experience in terms of flavors and textures, likes and dislikes.
9. Go for quality not quantity. By choosing smaller amounts of the best food you can afford, you will not only enjoy it more, you’re far more likely to be satisfied without having to over eat.
10. Make time to prepare your own meals, preferably from fresh ingredients. The cooking process can be as relaxing and enjoyable as eating if you let it. Think also about the places and people associated with the food to be processed.
This is the conclusion. Mindful eating is a kind of meditation. Enjoy and practice it .In turn, it will reward you with better health, image and self-esteem.
Uma Palaniappan MS.RD is a registered dietitian at Kaiser Permanente San Jose CA

WHERE THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IS HEADING?

Perrii — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:55:23 +0000

Are you planning to buy or sell homes? Looking for some advice? Listen to Canadian Banks before you make up your mind. Here are selected portions and main points from Banks’ reports on housing (real estate) trends and forecast in Canada.
CIBC
CIBC Economist, Benjamin Tal recently released an interesting report examining the possibility of a housing bubble in Canada. Some quotes from the report.
“So is it a bubble? Glancing at popular metrics such as the price-to-income ratio or the price-to-rent ratio, it is tempting to conclude that the housing market is already in clear bubble territory and a huge crash is inevitable. Tempting, but probably wrong. When it comes to the Canadian real estate market at this stage of the cycle, any statement based on average numbers can be hugely misleading. The truth is buried in the details—and there the picture is still not pretty, but much less alarming ”
“Take Vancouver out of the picture and this rate slows to 5.6%. Exclude both Vancouver and Toronto and the price increase is only 3.7% ”
“Zooming in on the high profile Vancouver market, we see that the gap between average and median prices is approaching an all-time high—indicating a highly skewed market. In fact, removing properties that are above the $1 million mark reveals a much more moderate price appreciation and reduces the average sale price by $220,000 to just over $590,000. So what makes Vancouver abnormal is the high end of its property market.
And in this context many, including Governor Carney, point the finger at foreign—mainly Asian wealth—as the main driver here. Data on the extent of that role is quite limited. Our analysis of data obtained from Landcor Data Corporation suggests that only 10% of the close to 4,500 transactions involving foreign money over the past five years were above the $1 million mark, with an average purchasing price of just under $600,000. In fact, foreign money accounted for only 2.6% of all sales (mostly condominiums) during the same period—hardly a dominant force. However, that could be a serious underestimate, as it is based on where property tax assessments are mailed, and would exclude offshore buying on behalf of children or other local proxies. Moreover, foreign buying is probably much more dominant in specific parts of the city, such as the west side.”

RBC

Canada’s housing market is “in transition” and resale and pricing will cool over the next year in a significant slowing from the boom years in the previous decade.
Resales in Canada would rise just 0.9 percent in 2011 to 451,200 homes, and remain unchanged in 2012.
Flat resales trends would contrast starkly with average annual increases of 6.6 percent in the seven years that preceded the 2008 market downturn and recession.
We’re more likely to see at least over the next couple of years, very flat activity and fairly subdued growth
Higher mortgage rates in April and May also pushed some home buyers to the sidelines, while expectations of higher rates to come have also cooled the market.

Canada’s housing market is poised for a “moderate correction” over the next two years, with prices and resales due to slow because of subdued household income growth and rising interest rates.
Fewer first-time home buyers are expected to enter the market. Stiffer rules for insured mortgages were implemented earlier this year. Still, the key drivers of housing demand will remain supportive over the rest of the year, but will become less favorable over 2012-13.
The booming market, which had raised fears about growing household debt levels, is now widely expected to cool gradually.
Resale activity is expected to decline 15.2 percent, while prices are estimated to fall 10.2 percent, over the next two years. Vancouver and Toronto, the country’s priciest markets, are forecast to have larger than average declines.
No market is likely to experience a housing boom over the medium term.
Scotia Bank
Canadian real estate, though it has retreated from its highs of 2005 through 2007, is still supported by steady job creation and still attractive borrowing costs. But a tightening of mortgage rules, coupled by higher interest rates expected to come, are keeping first time buyers out of the market now.
It is anticipated relatively flat sales volumes and average prices through the latter half of the year.
BMO
Canada’s housing market appears well balanced, with sales running in-line with the average of the past decade, and certainly no abundance of new listings. Stricter mortgage rules and
declining affordability appear to be taking at least some momentum out of prices, a trend that could continue if the Bank of Canada resumes its tightening campaign in the fall.
Regionally, the vast majority of cities saw sales increase in June, with two notable exceptions: Pricey Vancouver (-1.7%) and heated Toronto (-0.4%). Both of these cities also saw new listings rise about 2.5%, which, at least in Toronto, took some momentum out of prices—average Toronto prices fell a seasonally-adjusted 1.1% in June, but are still up nearly 10% y/y as the local market appears to be one of the tightest in Canada. In Vancouver, prices (+22.9% y/y) continue to be skewed by sales at the very high end of the market, though CREA notes that activity in areas like West Vancouver and Richmond has eased since February, somewhat reducing the impact on average prices.
Conclusion: Maximum fall in prices is predicted by TD only.TD expects prices to fall 10.2 percent, over the next two years. Vancouver and Toronto, the country’s priciest markets, are forecast to have larger than average declines. Time will tell which prediction is true. In the meanwhile exercise caution; buy or sell if you need it. Don’t speculate.
Perrii Muthuraman is a realtor with HomeLife/GTA Realty Inc.,Brokerage. He helps clients to take informed decisions. If you are planning to sell or buy, you can contact him at 416 473 6100.

Sales success for Business Owners!

Barath Surendran — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:37:41 +0000

Every business owner wants to increase his sales for the months to come and most don’t even have a clue what to do. Here are some Tips and suggestions that you can put into practice.
What to do to increase sales?
First understand that all businesses need products and services to market and as a business owner you need to understand the difference between selling a service and a product.
Find your target audience for your product. The best way is to first understand your target group before you narrow down to your product.
First don’t try selling your product rather try understanding your customers.
Customers demand = opportunity.
Which stage of the Market
are you in?
You need to understand your market. Given below is the general cycle for your understanding.
In which stage your market is? Innovators stage? early adaptors stage? or is it a mature market? Different strategies are required for different stages.
You cannot sell a regular product to the innovators and an innovative product to a general audience.
Understand whether the product – market fit happens. When it happens, think of the ways to expand it to the next level, if you are in the innovators or early adopters stage in particular.
Product is part of Marketing
The general assumption is that most sales guys think that marketing is separate from the product. But in reality, product is part of marketing.
Continuous refinement of product should go hand in hand along with marketing efforts.
Remember that, there is a marketing component to every product.
Try Creating a Purple Cow!
Be Creative, be realistic!
Be creative when you create offers and marketing campaigns, but at the same time be realistic.
Study competitors and your industry benchmarks, as external sources add more information to your creativity.
Customers come first
Understand that customers come first. Creativity comes second.
Lead Generation is the life
blood of all sales.
Lead generation is the key to sales success. Without proper leads there can not be good number of sales.
The time spent for Lead generation should be more than the sales presentations that you do, because without proper leads there would be no sale.
Use all kinds of methods
When it comes to delivery mechanism – Use all kinds of methods from direct marketing to web marketing for lead generation.
Go Long term!
You cannot expect miraculous results within a short duration, always marketing activities fetch you results only in long term.
It takes more than 27 times to see an advertisement before a customer decides to enquire about the product.
So, sales guys should do lots of repeated sales calls to prospective leads.
Understanding the market
is the key!
More than the ability to sell / persuade, one should understand the market. Should understand what customers buy? And why they buy?
If you know the market, you can easily narrow down target groups and strategize your approach to fit to your target groups.
Is your business seasonal?
Understand that most of the businesses are seasonal and few months of the year the business would be up and in few months it will be down.
Investigate the previous
years trends
Take time to investigate the previous year’s trends and understand facts, market realities.
Plan your marketing efforts
Strategize and plan your marketing efforts earlier. Plan it for all quarters.
Execute it as per Plan!
About the Author:
Barath Surendran lives in India. Currently Heads a Training company Techemate Leadership Academy. Contact for consulting and training: +91 9444063345, +91 8122219316 barath.surendran@gmail.com

Better Business Bureau warns of credit card phishing scam

Perrii — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:33:06 +0000

If you’re planning to stay in a hotel sometime soon, keep an ear out for fishy phone calls in the early morning.
The Better Business Bureau issued a nationwide alert due to an increase in hotel phishing scams involving credit cards.
According to reports from several victims from a hotel in Dallas, someone called their hotel room late at night or early in the morning posing as a front desk employee. They’d say that the computer system in the hotel had crashed or glitched, and they needed credit card and personal information in order to charge for their room.
The victims, often half-asleep and groggy, gave the credit card info without knowing what was going on.
Tom Stevens, president of the Better Business Bureau of Northeast Florida, says as a rule of thumb you shouldn’t be giving out that kind of information over the phone anyway.
“You don’t give out the credit card number to someone over the phone unless you initiated the call and you know who you’re calling.”
The BBB says most hotel employees won’t call your room after 9 pm. Stevens says if you get a call asking for card information, tell them you’ll meet them in person.
“The first thing you do in the event you get that phone call, you say ‘Ok, I’ll be right down to the front desk,’ and you hang up the phone and go down to the front desk…and the front desk will look at you and say ‘What are you talking about? We didn’t just call you,’ and you’ll know it was a scam.”
If you do fall victim to one of these scams, it’s important to cancel your credit card right away, as well as calling to report fraud and identity theft.
(source : http://www.wokv.com/)