Benjamin

I'd like to meet:

KW Market Watch
Re/Max recently came out with thier annual forecast of local real estate markets across Canada. The entire report can be found here , and is a very interesting read.Here is what they have to say about our local market in Kitchener Waterloo: After an unusually strong start to the year, Kitchener-Waterloo's residential real estate market has stabilized at more sustainable levels of activity. Balanced market conditions now prevail, with multiple offers the exception, rather than the rule. By year-end 2006, sales are forecast to experience a slight decline of about six per cent to 5,800 units, down from 6,147 one year ago. Prices are expected to climb close to nine per cent to $240,000, up from $220,511 in 2005.Vendors who list their homes at fair market value are generally selling within 55 days, up from 47 one year ago. Purchasers are taking their time in selecting properties, thanks to a good supply of inventory currently listed for sale. Move-up buyers are a force in today's marketplace, fueling demand for product priced from $300,000 to $350,000, while first-time buyers are largely satisfied.Bungalows on 50 ft. lot sizes are particularly coveted by retirees in the area, prompting more building out of town in areas like New Hamburg and Baden. Although sales of executive homes have tapered, the number of homes sold at $1 million plus has risen 165 per cent (three sales to eight).Small-to-mid size investors are also active in the market, driving demand for higher-density product. Many are tearing down existing properties, rezoning for multi-unit residential, and constructing apartments with 16 to 20 units, particularly in areas in close proximity to the university. Kitchener-Waterloo has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the province, as well as one of the highest population growth rates in the country – growing more than twice the national rate. Known as Canada's technology triangle, Waterloo is home to 224 technology companies and another 404 companies providing related services. The diverse mix of manufacturing and service companies, a well-educated population and effective economic development collaboration among academia, business and government has made the area a success. However, layoffs at BF Goodrich earlier this year had an impact on the local economy, despite its diversity. Jobs created at the new Toyota plant in Woodstock may help to offset the full effect of the closure.Incremental interest rate hikes throughout the year had little impact on residential real estate activity during 2006 and 2007 is expected to be no different. Concerns over the higher Canadian dollar and its effect on manufacturing are weighing heavily in the marketplace. Increasing inventory levels – about 10 per cent – will hold price appreciation in check in Kitchener-Waterloo. New construction is forecast to slow next year, especially in areas like Elmira, Heidelberg and St. Agagtha where local townships are struggling with subdivision expansion and preserving valuable farmland. In 2007, the number of homes sold in Kitchener-Waterloo is predicted to dip to 5,500 units, an eight per cent decline from 2006 levels, while average price is expected to hold the line at $240,000. There are a couple of graphs embedded in the pdf file, which I'll try to get on the blog later tonight. Benjamin Bach is a Real Estate Consultant with Keller Williams Golden Triangle Realty in Kitchener Waterloo dedicated to building wealth for his clients through smart Real Emy other myspace
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Music:

KW Market Watch

This is the notice that went out today to some friends and business people I have relationships with. A condensed version of this will appear in this weekend's KW Record with a lovely picture of me. Look for it, and I'll post a scan as soon as it comes out

For Immediate Release

Benjamin Bach Keller Williams Golden Triangle Realty Inc., direct 519 772 4376 fax 519 772 4377 benjamin AT benjaminbach.com http://www.benjaminbach.com BENJAMIN BACH JOINS

KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY

Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario - October, 2006 - Benjamin Bach is proud to announce that he has joined the Keller Williams Family. The decision was simple; Keller Williams offers a completely different business model than a traditional brokerage house, and it is one that is focused on helping Realtors provide world class service to their clients, rather than the broker-centric 'sales' mentality found at the older brokerages. Through the daily education and training provided by Keller Williams University, and the mentoring and coaching within the office, Benjamin is continuously improving his skills to ensure he always provides World Class Service to all of his clients. It's no wonder Keller Williams attracts over 2,000 agents a month, and is the 4th largest and fastest growing real estate company in North America.Keller Williams Golden Triangle Realty Inc. has over 80 agents, which makes it the second largest independent brokerage in the Waterloo Region. Since Keller Williams is a profit sharing company, everyone in the company has a financial interest in your success. As you would expect, education, mentoring, and coaching are all big parts of the office. It's an exciting place to build a business.Moving his business to Keller Williams has been an empowering decision for Benjamin and his clients. As an open book, profit sharing company with strong beliefs and values, the entire organization and all 70,000+ associates across North America are dedicated to ensuring every Realtor succeeds through providing the highest level of service to clients. Now that Benjamin has access to the best systems and technology in the industry, he can spend more time helping clients build their wealth with smart real estate investments.CORPORATE SNAPSHOT - Year Franchised: 1991; Open Offices: 591; Active Agents: 70444; Profit Share to date: $148,714,708.07; Profit Share previous month: $5,611,136.69; Avg. Annual Agent Growth: 49% gain; WI4C2TS: Our Belief System In Action - Win-Win. . . Or no deal; Integrity. . . Do the right thing; Commitment. . . In all things; Communication. . . Seek first to understand; Creativity. . . Ideas before results; Customers. . . Always come first; Teamwork. . . Together Everyone Achieves More; Trust. . . Starts with honesty; Success. . . Results through people;

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Benjamin Bach is a Real Estate Consultant with Keller Williams Golden Triangle Realty in Kitchener Waterloo dedicated to building wealth for his clients through smart Real Estate investmenmy other myspace
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Movies:

KW Market WatchBob Bruss, as usual, has some great advice for home buyers in today's Inman Real Estae News . I thought I'd share the highlights with you:

Home buyers: 5 costly mistakes to avoid

Satisfaction ensured with own agent, key contingencies 1. FAILURE TO GET PRE-APPROVED IN WRITING FOR A HOME MORTGAGE. Most home buyers need to obtain a home loan to purchase their house or condo. Smart buyers shop for a mortgage before searching for a home.Although it's fun to "shop" for a house or condo on the Internet -- where more than 70 percent of today's home buyers begin their quest (according to the National Association of Realtors) -- the smartest home buyers get pre-approved in writing by an actual lender so they know the maximum mortgage amount available.2. FORGET TO WORK WITH YOUR OWN BUYER'S AGENT. The second major mistake some home buyers make is they forget they need their own buyer's agent. It's very easy for prospective buyers visiting weekend open houses to let the listing agent they meet prepare the purchase offer.Whether that listing agent acts as a "dual agent" representing both the home seller and buyer (an inherent conflict of interest) or the listing agent represents only the seller (and nobody represents the buyer), such a situation is not in the home buyer's best interest.It costs home buyers nothing extra to have their own buyer's agent. If the home is listed for sale, the listing agent will split the sales commission with the buyer's agent. In the rare situation of a "for sale by owner" home, most FSBO (fizz-bo) sellers are only too happy to pay the buyer's agent half of a customary sales commission, usually 3 percent.3. BUY A HOME WITH AN INCURABLE DEFECT. In the current buyer's market in most communities, where there are more home sellers than qualified buyers, house and condo buyers can afford to take their time and be "picky."No home is perfect. Even brand-new houses and condos have their defects. Thankfully, most homes don't have major defects, such as being located next to a noisy railroad track or a freeway. Smart buyers think into the future and ask, "Will I have any trouble selling this home because of its problems?"Serious incurable defects are called "economic obsolescence" by appraisers. Examples include a bad floor plan, poor location (such as adjacent to high-voltage power lines or the city dump), noisy street traffic, or lack of onsite parking.4. FAIL TO INSIST ON A COMPARATIVE MARKET ANALYSIS (CMA) BEFORE MAKING A PURCHASE OFFER. Amazingly, many home buyers still follow the old rule: "Offer 5 percent below the asking price." That makes no sense.Instead, smart home buyers ask their buyer's agent to prepare a written comparative market analysis (CMA) before making a purchase offer. This CMA is the same form the listing agent prepared for the home seller.It shows recent sales prices of comparable nearby homes, asking prices of similar neighborhood listed residences, and the asking prices of recently expired competitive listings (usually overpriced)5. NEGLECT TO INCLUDE TWO KEY CONTINGENCY CLAUSES. Way back in the hot home seller's markets of 2005 and 2004, it was common for home buyers to make "all cash, no contingency" purchase offers. The current buyer's market in most cities has changed that foolishness.Today's smart home buyers include at least two purchase-offer contingencies: (a) a satisfactory lender's professional appraisal of the home for at least the purchase price, and (b) the buyer's approval of a professional inspection report to be obtained at the buyer's expense. Benjamin Bach is a Real Estate Consultant w

Television:

KW Market Watch

(click graph to enlarge)

The KW Housing Index measures the level of buyer intensity for single family residential homes listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in Kitchener-Waterloo. The Index is compiled using raw data directly from the MLS, and buyer intensity is measured by tracking the ratio between the number of firm and conditional sales in a rolling thirty day period, and the number of available homes listed for sale. A higher number (above 1.20) indicates more buyer competition for each home on the market; a lower number (under .80) indicates less buyer competition for each home.The local markets ended September with an Index of 0.34, which means that the ‘buyers market’ we’ve been hearing about is now here. It must be noted that around 500 homes are selling each month, which means the low Index rating is a reflection of the swelling number of listings, not a major slowdown in sales. September sales of single detached homes were up 1.0% over the same time last year; the total dollar volume of all residential property sales was up 3.4% to $111 million; and the median sale price of all residential sales last month was $219,000, up 9.5%.Waterloo East saw an increase of nearly 21% in sales over September 2006, and sales in Kitchener East are up 13.6%. Price appreciation for residential properties year to date in 2006 is 7.4%, although September prices are down slightly from August. Average days on market was up slighlty, 56 days vs. 52 days this time last year. Sellers are, on average, receiving 97.6% of their list price in the sale (this isn't necessarily the original list price though, as we've seen a record number of price reductions in the past month).The graph above shows the movement the local market has taken over the summer months, measured in different price ranges: $0-300K, $300K-600K, over $600K and the entire market (in blue). We are now clearly in a ‘buyers market,’ which means that clients looking to buy property may be able to secure very favourable terms, conditions and pricing on properties they are interested in. Sellers can stand out from the crowded marketplace by pricing their property correctly, selecting a Real Estate team with a proven systems based approach to marketing and selling properties, and utilizing the services of a Home Staging Professional to prepare the home for sale.-- Benjamin Bach is a Real Estate Consultant with Keller Williams Golden Triangle Realty in Kitchener Waterloo dedicated to building wealth for his clients through smart Real Estate investments, and helping people achieve success. If you are interested in how you can start your Real Estate portfolio, or have any questions and buying or selling a home, you can email Benjamin (benjamin AT benjaminbach.com) or reach him at 519 772 4376.

Books:

KW Market Watch"March 1992. I thought I had landed in the middle of the Wild, Wild West, but it was actually the former Yugoslavia. Crazy looking soldiers were everywhere. I say crazy because these guys had mismatched uniforms, and unrecognizable or 'missing' rank insignia...What did missing rank on an AK-47 gun-wielding soldier mean? My gut was telling me that this might not be a good thing!"

Right from the opening paragraph, I knew that Angela Mondou's new book Hit the Ground Leading was not your typical business book, and that's because Angela Mondou is not your typical businessperson. After school, Angela joined the Canadian Air Force, obtaining the rank of Captain before leaving for lucrative private industry jobs at Nortel and RIM (the Canadian company that brought you the Blackberry). Angela's unique mix of real life experience in all sorts of situations (from the corporate boardroom to European war zones) makes this book stand out in the crowded genre of Business Leadership. Her greatest achievement to date may be that she successfully published and designed the book entirely on her own (with her team at Ice Leadership ), no small feat.

Hit The Ground Leading!: Seize Your Leadership Potential And Do Incredible Things is a practical guide for entrepreneurs and people in business (at all levels) to take control of their future and start providing the leadership to themselves and others that is necessary to reach the echelons of success.

The book is particularly refreshing because Angela is only a couple of years removed from the corporate boardroom, and her combat days are still fresh in her mind. It is filled with real stories about how she put the Blackberry in the hands of everyone in the NFL (from players to coaches to scouts), or landed it on the Oprah show as one of her 'favorite things.' Angela's practical business advice is summed up into Action Items after each chapter, which help the reader take concrete steps to developing great leadership.

I highly reccomend this book! It is a fantastic addition to every business and development library, and will stand out from the rest of your collection. You can order your copy online at her website .

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Angela Mondou is a former Air Force captain and marketing executive whose unique and unconventional career has taken her from worldwide military operations to top-ranked high-tech companies, most recently Research in Motion, the creators of BlackBerryâ„¢.

As a military officer, while working for NATO in West Germany, Angela successfully developed the strategy to deploy the largest United Nations Peacekeeping contingent in history in 1992 into former Yugoslavia. While under fire and in just 10 days! She was also responsible for the rapid mobility planning and global logistics for the Canadian Forces Fighter squadrons during Operation Desert Storm.

After nine years in the Air Force, Angela moved on to the high-tech industry where she worked in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As a global team leader she was responsible for numerous 'rapid results' initiatives including: dynamic marketing programs,my other myspace
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Heroes:

KW Market WatchI send out thank you notes. I have ever since my mother sat me down after my bar mitzvah and explained what a kerfufle it would be if I didn't send cards to all of our family and friends who gave me presents.This habit has served me well in business, and I've come to discover what I call the Card Effect. The card I send out now has been adapted from Bob Burg's (www.burg.com) classic card template found in Endless Referrals , and features a picture of me, my company's logo, and my Enduring Purpose (found on the left sidebar of this site). I write in the right hand half with a fountain pen, and send it off in a plain white envelope, hand addressed of course.I can attribute several business relationships, and one or two referrals, directly to the cards I send out. After I meet someone for the first time, I'll send them a note explaining how nice it was to meet them, and letting them know that they can always look to me for help and whatnot. I then try to send a card every few months, and after each time I see them. Including a relevant article or something useful is an added bonus.This afternoon was a prime example of the card effect in action. I had the pleasure of hearing Angela Mondou speak (more on her in a later post tonight) at the Launchpad 50K Kick Off party. I ran into several people I knew, including one venture capitalist who I had met a few months back at a chamber of commerce event. We met again last week at a breakfast talk, and later that morning I sent him a card saying I wish we could have spoken more. Well, what do you know, he came up to me this afternoon, apologized for not spending more time with me last week, and said 'it would seem unlikely that we won't be doing business in the future.' He thanked me for the nice note I sent him. Boom.The reason the Card Effect works so well is because no one takes the time to write a note anymore. We get so many emails and text messages (which by the way is my most common form of communication), that when someone takes the time to hand write a note, we really appreciate it.Last week I ran into someone I met six months ago at a Chamber event (my new member orientation actually), and haven't seen since. I went to shake my hand, and introduced myself again since I wasn't sure if he'd remember my name. Of course, he did "Ben, of course I remember you. Your card is sitting on my desk!" Benjamin Bach is an Investment Real Estate Consultant with Keller Williams Golden Triangle Realty in Kitchener Waterloo dedicated to building wealth for his clients through smart Real Estate investments, and helping people achieve success. If you are interested in how you can start your Real Estate portfolio, or have any questions and buying or selling a home, you can email Benjamin or reach him through his office at 519 570 4447.