Archive for March, 2009

If you have a substantial number of clients, suppliers and contacts, one of the best ways to stay in touch with them is by publishing a regular email newsletter. A newsletter will educate them, entertain them and establish you as the expert in your field, and by using this free on line service called MadMimi it’s really easy — so you have no more excuses!

1. MadMimi allows you to import your contacts without forcing you to “confirm” each and every subscriber. This means if you import 100 contacts, you can send email to 100 contacts.
2. MadMimi’s simple-yet-sophisticated email editor is so easy to use, you don’t have to hire an email marketing expert like me to manage it for you
3. The best feature of all: it’s free, for lists of up to 100 email addresses. Once you out grow this, paid  plans starts at a very reasonable US$8 for up to 500 contacts, no long-term contracts.

Sign up with MadMimi today even if you’re not ready to start using email for marketing — their free account offer may not last for long.

Boris Mahovac – Email Marketing Coach

Remember, as a member of Oakville Networking I can set up your MadMimi account for you free of charge – this is a value of US$125! Takes 2 minutes to sign up, so do it now!

Networking in person is a good way to stay in touch with business developments on a local level. If your business allows it, you should also be networking online for greater exposure to both partners and potential clients.

Are you looking to grow your business? Business networking site Linkedin.com has over 36 million users world-wide. Join Linkedin and start building you virtual business team and start generating leads.

• Manage the information that’s publicly available about you as professional
• Find and be introduced to potential clients, service providers, and subject experts who come recommended
• You can use it to build your reputation by asking your clients to endorse you.
• Be found for business opportunities and find potential partners
• Discover inside connections that can help you land jobs and close deals

Check out my latest blog post on how I use Linkedin to grow my list of qualified prospects!

As home buyers keep hearing about the “credit crunch” and doom and gloom, they wonder if they will ever be able to realize their dream of home ownership.

I guess it depends how you look at life, is the glass half empty or half full. I personally believe there is a wonderful opportunity, right now. Interest rates are at an all time low, plus there are tremendous “bargains” in the real estate market.

A little over a year ago we were paying 5.79% for a 5 year fixed rate. Today at a rate of 5.79% some financial institutions will give you 5% cash back that can be used as your down payment.

If you would like to find out about this program and many others please feel free to post a question or contact us www.designermortgages.ca

Whether you intend to finance your renovation yourself or borrow money, you should talk to a financial adviser and to your lender before you make firm plans. They can help you understand your options and advise on how much you can borrow. This information will help you plan realistically.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS

• Your own resources: For smaller renovation projects, you may consider self-funding material costs, especially if you plan to do the work yourself.
• Credit card: Likewise, you can use your credit card to pay for materials for smaller renovations. But be careful not to carry the balance for too long as credit card interest rates can exceed 18%.
• Personal loan: With a personal loan, you pay regular payments of principal and interest for a set period, typically one to five years. You also have the option of a fixed or variable interest rate for the term of the loan. The interest rate on a personal loan is typically less than that of a credit card. Unlike a line of credit, once you pay off your loan you will have to reapply to borrow any new funds needed.
• Personal line of credit: It is ideal for ongoing or long-term renovations since it lets you access your funds at any time and provides a monthly statement to help track expenses. A line of credit offers lower interest rates than credit cards, and charges interest only on funds used each month. And, as you pay off your balance, you can access remaining funds, up to the line of credit’s limit, without having to reapply.
• Secured lines of credit and home equity loans: These options offer all the advantages of regular lines of credits or loans, but are secured by your home’s equity.
• Mortgage refinancing: When funding major renovations, refinancing your mortgage lets you spread repayment over a long period at mortgage interest rates, which are usually much lower than credit card or personal loan rates. This type of financing can allow you to borrow up to 80% of your home’s appraised value (less any outstanding mortgage balance).

This provides an overview of financing options available to you. But also make sure to research grants and rebates offered by the federal and provincial governments and local utilities to help fund your next renovation project.
(Source: CMHC)

Whether you intend to finance your renovation yourself or borrow money, talk to your Verico designer mortgage broker and to your lender before you make firm plans.

Charmaine Idzerda (AMP)
Mortgage Broker (FSCO Lic#: M08000747)
VERICO Designer Mortgages Inc. (FSCO#: 10194)
Office: (905) 336-5997