Archive for May 2010
Net Worth Update May 2010 (+2.67) – Sell in May and Go Away?
Welcome to the Million Dollar Journey May 2010 Net Worth Update – Summer Correction Edition. For those of you who believe in seasonality, there is a recognizable historic pattern of market performance between the months of October and May, and bearish the remaining months. That’s where the saying “sell in May and go away” comes…
Read MoreResidential vs. Commercial Real Estate Investment Comparison
This is a column by our resident real estate expert Rachelle. I actually live and work in the Toronto area, in Ontario and this post is about different kinds of properties you can invest in and the benefits and pitfalls of developing a portfolio of properties that is not residential. Law Residential Property The law…
Read MoreBest of Money Blogs 2010: Vote for Million Dollar Journey!
Over the past few years, The Globe and Mail has held a voting event for the coveted title of the Best of Money Blogs. This year, Million Dollar Journey again has the honour of being nominated. The competition has been kind to us as we’ve reached the top 3 in all years that we’ve been…
Read MoreThe Basics of Credit Reports
This is a column by regular contributor Clark. What is a credit report and credit score? A credit report is the record of a consumer or organization’s borrowing and repaying history including applications to open an account (bank, credit card, mortgage, etc.), late payments and bankruptcy. It contains details about the institutions that have inquired…
Read MoreOld Age Security and the OAS Clawback
A reader asked me to write about retirement benefits so instead of writing a huge article, I thought I would split it up into separate topics. Lets start with Old Age Security as it’s perhaps one of the more popular seniors benefits for Canadians. As the information is spread across numerous government websites, I’ll attempt…
Read MoreMortgages that are Not Being Renewed
This is a column by our resident real estate expert Rachelle. I just recently found out about a problem in the mortgage market. It appears that some of the mortgage lenders that came to Canada have decided not to do business here any more. Some others are only renewing mortgages that can be insured by…
Read MoreThe Cost of Maintaining the Perfect Lawn
One thing I’ve noticed since we’ve built a house in suburbia is that everyone strives to have a perfect lawn. It’s quite the sight to drive through a subdivision, and all you see is perfect golf grass. Some of these lawns are managed by professionals, but others are cared for by enthusiastic home owners. I’ve…
Read MoreThe Art of Tenant Selection
This is a column by our resident real estate expert Rachelle. I have been renting properties in the GTA since about 1997. Here are my hints and tips for selecting the best tenants. In our current market, if your place isn’t priced properly or is in bad condition you can look forward to bad tenants…
Read More