September 2020 Ezine
News from Craig and Amber
Happy September!!
And we all know what that means … Back to school! Granted, it is significantly different from years prior, but the nerves and excitement are still similar. Back to school outfits included hand sanitizer and masks this year. We encouraged the kids to personalize their masks to help make them their own. This way, it would feel as more of an extension of their personality than a school board requirement. Ocean is in grade 10 this year, Roman is in grade 8 and Memphis is in grade 6. We’re hoping to enroll Cali in preschool this year, she is really feeling left out when the other kids leave in the morning. We bought her a new backpack so she would feel like one of the group.
On the real estate front, we updated one of our suites with some gorgeous barn wood wallpaper and a fresh coat of paint. REALLY brightened up the space and our new tenant loves it! We have been working hard with rent-to-own applications and agreements for sale. With mortgage interest rates this low- it’s a great time to be an investor!
Speaking of interest rates, Amber is now fully licensed and part of the Dominion Lending team! She hit the ground running the day after she received her license number and has been busy crunching numbers ever since. It’s a brand new field for her, but she is more than capable and is absolutely loving this new challenge. She is offering applications online. You can check out the link here:
Wishing everyone a great first day back at school!
Stay safe and talk soon!
Craig and Amber
Quote of the Month
A Laugh or Two for Good Measure
Helpful Life Hacks & Cartoon of the Month
Why Invest in Real Estate
Real Estate Leverage
Investing in real estate has become a popular way to diversify your investment portfolio. Everywhere we look, we’re constantly reminded of the benefits of buying property, from the many infomercials about real estate seminars, or the home shows that tote the incredible value of managing or flipping rental properties.
But it isn’t that easy. After all, buying a rental property isn’t like investing in stocks—you can’t just put down a little here and there and become a property owner. You need capital to make that purchase. And the process can often be long and drawn out. Not to mention all the risks involved, especially if you don’t do your research. But is there a way to get into the market by increasing your net worth? Try using leverage to your advantage. By doing this, you can put little to no money down, and use debt to help you realize a return.
Source: Investopedia
About Craig and Amber DeMaere:
Craig and Amber are real estate investors. They have been actively involved in real estate investing for a number of years in Medicine Hat and Calgary. Their mission is to provide quality housing for quality tenants, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for their investor partners and themselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!
Craig and Amber offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without a hassle of being a landlord, please contact Craig and Amber.
For more information about Craig and Amber and their investment program, please call 403-466-5227. or visit craigandamber.com
August 2020 Ezine
News from Craig and Amber
Happy August!
The last month has been ground-breaking! Quite literally.
We purchased our first new build in SE Calgary. Seeing stage one in full swing is extremely exciting! It will have a 3 bedroom suite up, a one bedroom suite down and a double detached garage. This beauty is set to be completed by December 2020. We will be sure to have an open house so everyone can enjoy that “new car smell”!
Our second new beginning is Amber passing her mortgage broker licensing exam! Woohoo!! Her hard work and dedication is beyond admirable. She is simply ecstatic to begin her new career with Dominion Lending.
As if that was not action packed enough, we also expanded our real estate business by starting an active company! After many meetings on our back deck, we finally agreed on the name “Equity Empire”.
As per the Cramber motto- work hard, play hard! So we decided to take the family to enjoy the beautiful lakes of British Columbia.
Weather has been great, everyone is getting nicely bronzed up and the little people are sleeping like logs from all the fresh air. Nothing like 5 kids running on the beach and enjoying the crystal clear lakes to motivate us to continue working hard when we get back.
Hope you get a hardy dose of Vitamin D this month!
Craig and Amber
Quote of the Month
A Laugh or Two for Good Measure
Helpful Life Hacks & Cartoon of the Month
Why Invest in Real Estate
Real Estate vs. Stocks
Investing in real estate or stocks is a personal choice that depends on your pocketbook, risk tolerance, goals, and investment style. It’s safe to assume that more people invest in the stock market, perhaps because it doesn’t take as much time or money to buy stocks. If you’re buying real estate, you’re going to have to save and put down a substantial amount of money.
When you buy stocks, you buy a tiny piece of that company. In general, you make money two ways: As the value of the company’s stock increases, the value of your investment goes up, too. And, depending on the company, you may receive regular dividends, which you can reinvest to grow your investment.
When you buy real estate, you acquire physical land or property. Most real estate investors make money by collecting rents (which can provide a steady income stream) and through appreciation, as the property’s value goes up. Also, since real estate can be leveraged, it’s possible to expand your holdings even if you can’t afford to pay cash outright.
For many prospective investors, real estate is appealing because it is a tangible asset that can be controlled, with the added benefit of diversification. Real estate investors who buy property own something concrete for which they can be accountable. Note that this article does not focus on real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are a way to invest in real estate through financial products that are bought and sold like stocks.
There are a number of considerations for investors when choosing between investing in stocks or buying real estate as an investment.
About Craig and Amber DeMaere:
Craig and Amber are real estate investors. They have been actively involved in real estate investing for a number of years in Medicine Hat and Calgary. Their mission is to provide quality housing for quality tenants, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for their investor partners and themselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!
Craig and Amber offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without a hassle of being a landlord, please contact Craig and Amber.
For more information about Craig and Amber and their investment program, please call 403-466-5227. or visit craigandamber.com
July 2020 Ezine
News from Craig and Amber
Happy July!
We wrapped up June with a renovation to a property in Calgary. We updated the basement last year with new flooring, trendy grey paint and some shiny new shiplap! We knocked out a wall to open the suite up and added bigger windows for more natural light. We were thrilled with the finished product but it made the upstairs feel very lackluster.
We took full advantage of having 6 days of vacancy in our main floor suite and changed that by adding the same shiny new shiplap to the bar, painted the trim and ceiling, added new LED pot lights and topped it off by adding some gorgeous new curtains to the bedrooms.
Instead of using the traditional shiplap, we used wood paneling. This saved us time AND money AND it looks amazing! We also decided to add a third bedroom to the main floor suite. By doing the minor renos/updating and adding the 3rd bedroom we were able to increase rent by $275 per month!
This month we are very excited to celebrate Cali’s 3rd birthday! Be sure to look for pictures from her party. It’s going to be so much fun!
We hope you’re able to get some summer traveling and family time in during these sunny days. Please email us your vacation destination plans! We are always on the lookout for new places to enjoy with our family.
And remember, always wear sunscreen!
Craig and Amber
Quote of the Month
A Laugh or Two for Good Measure
Helpful Life Hacks & Cartoon of the Month
Why Invest in Real Estate
Passive Real Estate Income
Passive income real estate is a strategy through which an investor can create earnings without having to be actively involved. The term “passive income” is used loosely, as the level of required activity and involvement varies based on the investment type. Some common examples include rental properties, or earnings made from investment portfolios.
One of the keys to building a successful passive income real estate investment involves planning and creating a sound business strategy. This includes versing yourself in your target market, whether it be the same neighborhood as your primary residence or even out-of-state, so that you are aware of local real estate trends and values. The information you glean from the real estate market will help you pick out the best possible market to hold a passive income property, as well as identify property listings that promise good cash flow. After the research phase transitions into the execution phase, you will also need to have a strategy in place on how you will manage tenants, finances and paperwork, as well as the property itself. As you can see, passive income real estate is quite a complex process, and perhaps the term “passive” is a little deceiving. However, with plenty of planning, research, as well as knowing the right questions to ask or common mistakes to avoid, you will be well on your way to a sound strategy that can make your life much easier in the long-run.
About Craig and Amber DeMaere:
Craig and Amber are real estate investors. They have been actively involved in real estate investing for a number of years in Medicine Hat and Calgary. Their mission is to provide quality housing for quality tenants, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for their investor partners and themselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!
Craig and Amber offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without a hassle of being a landlord, please contact Craig and Amber.
For more information about Craig and Amber and their investment program, please call 403-466-5227. or visit craigandamber.com
June 2020 Ezine
News from Craig and Amber
Spring has sprung! You know what that means!!! It’s time for GOLF!
Well, and yard work. We have been tackling our own yard as well as our rental properties. It’s been a great learning opportunity because we are inexperienced in the area of botany. Luckily, we have amazing neighbors who are very knowledgeable green thumbs. They have been great helping us choose what to plant, where to plant it and getting our grass looking more green than brown. Lol! In our own backyard, we decided to plant Clematis, Honeysuckle, a crab apple tree and a plum tree in the areas that receive tons of sunshine. In the shady areas, we played it safe and went with the tried and true Hostas! They flourish with very little attention, so it ensures that we have some color in those dark corners of the yard.
For our rentals, we like to give our tenants the opportunity to be involved in the gardening- if they so choose. Some tenants love having a space for their vegetable growing. Other tenants like to have some color, but not a lot of fuss. We are extremely grateful to have a tenant who has landscaping and irrigation experience. He has been clearing out gardens, dead grass and trees and grinding old tree stumps. He has gotten our under-ground sprinklers up and running at both of our rentals in Medicine Hat. So, he has made thick green grass and full leafy trees possible with no effort!
Between getting some earth underneath our fingernails, we have been able to fit in some time reading The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. HIGHLY recommend! It is a great combination of entertaining and informative. We have found that audio-books are a great option to learn while we multitask. Amber has also been busy studying for the RECA mortgage broker exam. She is scheduled to write it next week, so wish her luck!
And yes, we have been able to fit in some golf when the weather allows. For the first time in history, Amber beat Craig by one stroke! Not bragging or anything, just figured I would share with ALL of you.
We hope you are well and can get out to enjoy the sunshine!
Take care, Craig and Amber
Quote of the Month
A Laugh or Two for Good Measure
Helpful Life Hacks
Why Invest in Real Estate
Real Estate Leverage
Leverage is the use of various financial instruments or borrowed capital (e.g., debt) to increase an investment’s potential return. A 20% down payment on a mortgage, for example, gets you 100% of the house you want to buy—that’s leverage. Because real estate is a tangible asset and one that can serve as collateral, financing is readily available.
Competitive Risk-Adjusted Returns
Real estate returns vary, depending on factors such as location, asset class, and management. Still, a number that many investors aim for is to beat the average returns of the S&P 500—what many people refer to when they say, “the market.” The average annual return over the past 50 years is about 11%.
About Craig and Amber DeMaere:
Craig and Amber are real estate investors. They have been actively involved in real estate investing for a number of years in Medicine Hat and Calgary. Their mission is to provide quality housing for quality tenants, while at the same time providing an above-average return on investment (R.O.I) for their investor partners and themselves. It is truly a win-win-win way of investing!
Craig and Amber offer their investor partners hands-free investment opportunities. If you are interested to learn how to earn an above-average return on your investment, backed by a solid asset, and without a hassle of being a landlord, please contact Craig and Amber.
For more information about Craig and Amber and their investment program, please call 403-466-5227. or visit craigandamber.com