As Warren Buffet say, “I would rather be approximately right, than precisely wrong.”

As Warren Buffet say, “I would rather be approximately right, than precisely wrong.” This simply means that its rather difficult to find a bottom of a market. What we always advise our clients is that they are buying a deal, not the market. As real estate investors, when you purchase a deal, you must follow the principles of positive cashflow, low vacancy rates and a reasonable price. In essence, as investors, match these criteria together, and you will wake up 20-25 years later with a stream of rental income far greater than any RRSPs could ever provide for you. Be Approximately Right rather than Precisely Wrong.

Between these 20-25 years, the markets will go up and they will go down. However, the important thing is that your tenants are paying for your investment. It is also important to note is that after every crisis, there has been a recovery: Black Monday 1987, The Asian financial crisis 1997, The Russian Financial crisis 1998, 911, and many more. These crisis have always occurred throughout many centuries but a snapshot of real estate values in Greater Vancouver through 1977-2009 would reveal that had you bought at the time of any crisis during 1987, 1997, 1998, or September 11, 2001, you would have been far ahead, because long term, you would have made tremendous gains. Even if the market hadn’t’t moved upwards, your tenants would have been providing you with retirement income for years to come!

The number 1 consideration as a long term investor of real estate or ANY hard asset is Inflation. With the billions of dollars of money literally being printed to bail economies out, we will go through a period of inflation in the near future. Remember that stimulus packages lag about 1 year until they take effect.

Inflation lags even a little longer. Warren Buffet has mentioned that inflation will be the number 1 consequence of the actions we are taking today (bailouts and stimulus packages). Hard assets rise in periods of inflation as there is more money in circulation.

Therefore, in a nutshell, we are advising our clients that we would rather be approximately right than precisely wrong. Lots of my clients ask me the same question: would the housing market prices drop or rise right after the Olympic game 2010? My answer is ” don’t dwell on the up and down issues, these are all relative , focus on your NEEDS to either buying or selling, live in the MOMENT and act NOW! Contact Maria Mak at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368 for all your real estate services, You’ll be smiling too!

Maria Mak – Sutton Centre Realty – Housing Price Index – Greater Vancouver 5 year Trend

For all your real estate services, please contact Maria Mak and her team at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368 or visit her websites www.mariamak.com, www.marimak.ca , You’ll be smiling too!

A poem for my mom-written by Maria Mak – artsy real estate agent in Burnaby

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

If turnips were watches, I would wear one by my side.

If men were innate heart-breakers, I would just take them in stride.

If mom were one of those heaven-shareholders, it would then be our forever sense of pride.

If I were the dragon of the century, I would fly over your hobbit hut and ask you for a dance!

A poem for my mom -written by Maria Mak.

Nov 11 2009.

Maria Mak – Latest Housing Market Outlook – Burnaby Real Estate Agents

C a n a d a M o r t g a g e a n d H o u s i n g C o r p o r a t i o n

A stronger domestic economy will add jobs, and lead to more housing starts and increased renovation activity. Most sectors will experience employment gains. A global recovery is lifting energy prices, which will create jobs in resource-rich parts of the province.

The recovery of the export sector, however, will be tempered by a high Canadian dollar. British Columbia’s 2010 Winter Olympics will boost tourism and retail spending. Employment in the service sector will increase to meet demand from a growing population.

The numbers of new single-detached homes, row and townhouses available for occupancy will trend lower. Fewer housing starts so far in 2009 have held inventories of newly completed and unoccupied homes in check.

As 2010 approaches, builders will respond to fi rmer home prices brought about by the lower levels of supply in both the resale and new home markets. A strong resale market will also lift residential construction in 2010.

Resale market conditions tightened during the second half of 2009, when lower home prices and low mortgage rates drew buyers back to the housing market. Builders will start more homes next year as job and income growth boost demand and move home prices higher.

For 2009, total housing starts will be in the 15,000 unit range while 2010 will see starts of about 23,400 units. A rebound in single-detached and multi-family housing starts will bring the level of residential construction closer to, but still below, the ten-year average.

In Detail Single-Detached Starts: Detached home starts will continue to trend higher next year as home buyers fi nd fewer homes available in the resale market to satisfy their housing needs. Approximately 6,700 units will be produced in 2009 while 2010 will see 8,400 units constructed.

Multiple Starts: Apartment condominium starts will increase next year. Developers will build smaller, phased projects. Some larger towers will get underway and fi ll a growing consumer demand for denser, less expensive housing forms. As a result, 8,500 units will be started in 2009 while 2010 will see 15,000 units.

Resales: Low mortgage rates and lower home prices began to draw home buyers back into the resale market in mid-2009. The number of MLS® resale home transactions will increase next year alongside with jobs and a growing population.

As a result, nearly 77,400 unit resales will occur in 2009 and 83,000 units in 2010. Prices: The sales-to-new listings ratio, a measure of supply relative to demand for existing homes, will stabilize next year as sales pick up and higher home prices draw more listings into the housing market. Sellers’ or balanced market conditions will prevail. The average MLS® home price will increase modestly from $452,000 in 2009 to $460,000 in 2010.

For all your real estate services, please contact Maria Mak at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368 , or visit her websites www.mariamak.com, www.mariamak.ca, You’ll be smiling too!

Maria Mak – Sutton Centre Realty – Sutton President Award Winner

Maria Mak – Sutton Centre Realty – Sutton President Award Winner

Maria Mak has been serving her clients in Greater Vancouver for over 20 years with a big heart and with a big smile, most importantly with passion.

Maria Mak can leverage the latest technology and marketing systems to maximize profitability for her clients, for all your real estate services, please contact Maria Mak and her team at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368 or visit her websites at www.mariamak.com, www.mariamak.ca, You’ll be smiling too!

Maria Mak – Sutton Centre Realty- When it comes to purchasing a home…

When it comes to purchasing a home, to a large extent, buyers make their decision based on their emotional feeling for the home. So, as a seller, you want them to fall in love with the dream of living in your home.

 In addition to keeping your home clean and clutter free to appeal to buyers’ aesthetic pleasures, stimulating their sense of smell is also important – a sensory aspect of home staging. Don’t ignore the power of fragrance when showing your home.

This includes: Removal of cigarette smoke. Don’t let anyone smoke in your home for at least a couple of weeks before you begin to show it. Removal of pet odours. If possible, take your dog, cat or other pets out of the house for a few days (find a pet sitter), and clean everything your pet has been in contact with.

Avoiding unpleasant cooking smells. In particular, eliminate strong odours such as fish, spices and eggs. Now that your home is clean and free of unpleasant aromas, consider adding a scent to seal that “emotional connection” buyers associate with Home Sweet Home.

The smell of familiar and beloved food works well. Bake a fresh apple pie, muffins or cookies minutes before an open house. Too busy? Put a mixture of vanilla extract, brown sugar and water in the oven on low heat to simulate the smell of fresh baking.

Scented candles can also work wonders to add a pleasant scent to the air as well as make for a warm, cozy environment. Stick to scents that are natural and do not smell like strong perfume, since people’s scent preferences vary. You can even purchase candles that smell like something’s baking in the oven such as vanilla, apple pie or banana bread. But, as always, make sure the candles are located in safe containers and areas of your home.

The use of essential oils is another popular means to ensure your home is welcoming to potential buyers. Reed diffusers are a low-cost way for your scent of choice to be consistently released throughout your home. All you have to do is turn the reeds over once every few days, and the oil lasts for months.

 If you have any questions in real estate, please give Maria Mak and my team at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368  and I can offer more helpful tips on how to sell your home more quickly, Call Maria Mak now, you’ll be smiling too!

Maria Mak likes the old fashioned way of celebrating thanksgiving because…

The Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving (Edgar Albert Guest, 1881-1959)

“It may be I am getting old and like too much to dwell upon the days of bygone years, the days I loved so well;

But thinking of them now I wish somehow that I could know

A simple old Thanksgiving Day, like those of long ago,

When all the family gathered round a table richly spread,

With little Jamie at the foot and grandpa at the head,

The youngest of us all to greet the oldest with a smile,

With mother running in and out and laughing all the while…”

I like the old fashioned way of celebrating thanksgiving day because of the fond memories I held close to my heart over the years..I roasted my bird and I ate it with my old man – my beloved DAD  …I  like that warm cosy  feeling….still !

I am thankful to be a realtor at Sutton Centre Realty, I have the honour to keep on serving my clients in Greater Vancouver for over 20 years.

Contact Maria Mak for all your real estate services, You’ll be smiling too! Wishing all my clients and good friends a wonderful thanksgiving day!

Maria Mak-Sutton Centre Realty-Your Artsy Real Estate Asian

Maria Mak – Sutton Centre Realty

Some people seem to walk through life charmed, with a lucky turn waiting around every corner. Most of us, however, tend to find our luck in little ways throughout the days by capturing the moments that mean the most to us and keeping those memories close at heart.

I feel extremely lucky each and every day… lucky to be able to count my blessings… lucky to be able to care for my family and friends… and lucky to be able to truly do my best for those around me. How fortunate we are to have new chances, new challenges and new discoveries waiting for us. No need for lucky charms or four-leaf clovers, not when we have the opportunity to continuously learn, grow, give back and contribute to this wonderful world we live in.

I am blessed to work in an industry that allows me to do just that. As a REALTOR®, I have the opportunity to serve my community by sharing my real estate knowledge and experience with people who are very important in my life: my customers. I will always be here for you, with undeniable passion and unwavering commitment. The way I see it, the best part is the fun I have making good friends and lasting memories along the way! How lucky is that?

For all your real estate services, please contact Maria Mak and my team at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368. Maria has been serving my clients in Greater Vancouver for over 20 years, I have the confidence and capabilities to make you smile in all aspects of your real estate business. Give me a call Now, and You”ll be smiling too!

For all your real estate services…

For all your real estate services and creative lowest mortgage rates, please contact Maria Mak at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368, or visit my website at http://www.mariamak.com, or http://www.mariamak.ca , You’ll be smiling too!

Maria Mak at Sutton Centre Realty has been serving all my clients in Greater Vancouver over 20 years, when you are thinking of buying and selling, contact Maria Mak First for all your real estate needs.

Maria Mak – Sutton Centre Realty

Move in to this 3 year old lovely and chic 1 bedroom + open den townhome this Fall, relax and entertain on the front and back patios for the mid-Autumn nights’ parties and gatherings. Start your day by sitting on the bay windows seats, sipping your morning coffee and greeting the warm morning sun, or snuggling in front of the cosy fireplace in the living room at night. Other features include laminate flooring plus plush carpet through out,9 ft high ceiling with large picture windows, european open solid maple kitchen with granite countertop and stainless steel appliances.The unit comes with one parking and one storage lokcer and it is still under National New Home Warrenty. Close to Highgate Mall and all amenities.Vacant and easy to show. Contact Maria Mak at Sutton Centre Realty at 604-839-6368 for viewings.