Some Photos of Houses

Here are some funny pictures of peoples homes

Do you like these pictures?

Some people live in some amazing wierd homes don't you think?

Property for rent

fast house sales





In the last century there has been a significant shift in focus in the equine health industry from treatment to prevention. One of the most important advancements in prevention of infectious disease, and one of the most widely known, is the Coggins Test. The Coggins Test can detect equine infectious anemia (EIA) in horses, and by locating and isolating carriers, has prevented the spread of the disease.

The first documented case of EIA was in France in 1843. (Sellon) The disease was first reported in the United States in Wisconsin in 1988. At that time it was known as Equine Relapsing Fever, and it has also been called Swamp Fever and Horse Malaria. (Pavord) There were epidemics in the Wyoming in 1901 and at a New Hampshire racetrack 1947. (sportpolo.com) By 1967 scientists were finally able to propagate field strains which led to better research on the disease.(Sellon)

Researchers discovered that EIA belongs to the same family of virus as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV.) (Higgins) Like HIV in humans, EIA cannot be eliminated from an infected horse. Even though the horse may show no symptoms, he is still a carrier of the virus and can infect other animals. EIA is transmitted primarily through biting insects such as the horsefly, deerfly, and mosquito. It can also be transmitted by contaminated veterinary equipment and needles, from mare to foal before birth, or from mare to foal via contaminated milk.(Higgins)

Along with these important discoveries, in 1970 Dr. Leroy Coggins of Cornell University developed an agar gel immunodeficiency (AGID) test that can detect antibodies for EIA. (sportpolo.com) Based on the Coggins Test, the United States Department of Agriculture implemented a control program for EIA in 1972, and the Coggins became the official test for EIA. This program dictated that all horses that changed ownership, entered exhibition or competition, were imported, or entered an auction or sale market test negative for EIA. Since then, many states require the test to cross state lines, and many stables require it for permission to bring a horse onto the property. Additionally, most states and veterinarians recommend annual testing for any horse.

According to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), about 25% of horses in the U.S. are tested annually based on the above criteria. The remaining 75% are wild herds or "backyard" horses that do not come into contact with others equids. Because of these statistics, the true prevalence of EIA is unknown, but it is estimated to have declined from as high as 11.08% on the Gulf Coast in 1972 to .01% in 2003.(Sellon)

Other tests have been developed to detect EIA. ELISA-type tests, or rapid-ELISA tests, can give results in one hour as opposed to the 24-hour requirement for Coggins. However, the Coggins Test is more accurate and the only federally-approved test. ELISA tests are best used to reach a consensus between contradictory test results.(Sellon)

Once a horse tests positive for EIA, he is known as a "reactor." The reactor must be isolated 200 yards away from other equids and retested. All other horses that lived within 200 yards of the reactor are also tested. If the reactor retests positive for EIA, it must be euthanized, shipped in a sealed trailer to an approved slaughter or research facility, or maintain a lifelong quarantine.

As a result of the development of the Coggins Test and the USDA control program, EIA infected horses have been identified and isolated from the population. This has prevented the uncontrolled spread of the disease, and the devastating effects of epidemics on large show or race grounds. While researchers continue to search for a vaccine, we can still rest assured that our horses are safer from this virus than they were 40 years ago.

REFERENCES

Higgins, Andrew J., and Jack R. Snyder. The Equine Manual 2nd Edition. Edinburgh: Elsevier Saunders, 2006.

Thehorse.com, Issel, Charles, April 01 2000, "Coggins Test", October 21 2008, http://www.thehorse.com/viewarticle.aspx?ID=679,

Pavord, Tony, and Marcy Pavord. The Complete Equine Veterinary Manual. Cincinatti: David & Charles, 2004.

Sellon, Debra C., and Maureen T. Long. Equine Infectious Diseases. St. Louis: Saunders Elsevier, 2007.

Sportpolo.com, October 21, 2008, http://www.sportpolo.com/barn/Coggins_Test.htm

Beware of sell and rent back rogues

 

after a long time of picking up no press coverage companies that offer sell and rent back schemes are now under the spotlight.   Lately there has been lots of activity in the media focusing on landlords who offer to buy house's and rent them back to the owners.|}

 

Sell and rent back schemes do offer an important service to those people who want to release equity, escape repossession, or sell quickly to emigrate or move. Consumer groups are however concerned that bad sell and rent back operators wish to get the tenants out as fast as possible to sell the property to make quick profits.. Most Sell and rent back companies take a long term view and do not intend to sell. For these operators having a tenant who treat the house like they did when they owned who intends to stay for a long time sell and rent back tenants are ideal as they mean few rental voids and maintenance issues. These landlords see their properties as an asset that will go up in value over the long term and as such are happy to commit to tenants who wish to stay.

 

Homeowners who are thinking of entering a sale and rent back scheme should be aware of the pitfalls and talk in detail with the person who is buying their property. Homeowners should ask for references from previous clients who have sold and rented back their homes.

 

One company with good ethical standards and solid references is RentBack Direct.Contact them regarding sell and rent back and you will not be dissapointed.

 

 

How can I sell my house quickly soon ??

If you are thinking of selling your house faster, it's only common to have a few worries bearing in mind the current economy. Despite this, there are ways and means of making it happen, and it will need you to put in some time and hard work if you want to rent back my house.

 

As obvious as it sounds, correctly valuing your house is pretty important. So if your house is just sitting on the real estate market then the price isn't really right. It is usually advised to hire a Competent surveyor to determine the price range of your home. They will help you get that rent back my house

Making use of an competent Agent will support you look for a new buyer for the home in the smallest quantity of time and one that will offer the most sum of cash.Often not working with an Estate Agent to cut back on fees, or employing a less expensive Estate Agent, could possibly be a untrue saving as the cheaper Agents may not be able to secure you the best value and the faster sales.

A property that is all set for fresh buyers to move in faster and very easily will attract them to make an offer to buy it. That is if you make some effort to make some cosmetic changes and minor maintenance, such as changing worn carpets, repairing broken window blinds and having some plants. It need not be something major or too costly, only adequate to provide an overall neat and tidy feeling. If the home is alright for brand new purchasers to relocate from the first day it will be a whole lot more alluring. You may need to make some effort with cleanup and the removal of your mess, but it will be worthy of the hardship if you can rent back my house for more money.

 

The outside appearance of the property, is pretty essential not just when it comes to selling but also, to realize a sale at the best feasible price.Your front door must look at its greatest, as front door is the very first thing a person might look. Most of the potential buyers of house give special attention to the bathroom and kitchen, so make it a point of keep them clean and consider any repairs on the priority basis.

 

The internal parts can easily be just as significant as the exterior appearance of a home. If the property looks presentable internally, i.E. Sparkling and nice looking with a fairly neutral palette, then it is much more likely to sell quickly.

Another option could be to hire someone to redecorate it to increase chances of selling. If you think about it; if your taste was crazy vibrant colours with an African style, what are the probabilities the purchaser will just like it as well? If they really don't, think about the expense/time of renovating it to their taste. A neutral canvas is a lot more appealing especially when purchasers can imagine a property as their own house.

 

An alternative option you can go for a home purchasing business if you want to sell the house as soon as possible, and are not able to manage to refurbish it to help to make it more tempting to buyers. A organization that will help rent back my house, by purchasing it from you. They will in most cases make you a below market offer for your home.

 

Do you know anyone from Nottingham city

Nottingham was granted its city status by Queen Victoria in 1897 and has since been officially titled the City of Nottingham. Nottingham is famed for its association with the Robin Hood legend and, during the Industrial Revolution, obtained worldwide recognition for its lace making and bicycles .

The central focal point of the City is old Market Square which is the largest in the UK and is dominated by the Council House. This was built in the 1920s to display civic pride, with stone statues of two lions at the front to stand watch over the square.

Nottingham Population Estimates for 2009 are as:
292,400 for the City of Nottingham
656,900 for Greater Nottingham
786,600 for the Nottingham Travel to Work Area

A nottingham letting agents will be able to help you find the ideal place to rent. The rental market is very busy and good homes will not stay empty for long if at all. Accomodation in nottingham can be found in many of the cities new luxury apartments if you have the money. For those wanting a bit more space and less of the city life there are planety of houses in nottingham to take care of your needs.

Property list, you want one??

sell my home














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- >For the past year, I have run a one-man web site design business from my home. My setup was based upon the Windows XP operating system along with Dreamweaver, FrontPage and host of other application software. This setup served me well, but as time went on, I began noticed a steady erosion of performance and a gradual decrease in the stability of my computer. I regularly scanned my system for viruses and spy ware. I suspected that the many security and DRM patches automatically downloaded and installed by Windows were slowly strangling the life out of my machine. I longed to have a stable, secure, flexible, and reliable desktop platform with which to create and maintain web sites. In addition, I wanted to spend as little money as possible, since, I had already made a significant investment in Windows software.

There were two realistic alternatives to Windows operating system: Macintosh OSX, and Gnu/Linux. Macs have a reputation for high quality, ease of use, usability, and aesthetics. However, I could not really justify the added expense for the new hardware and software I would need, so I eliminated the Mac as a potential web development platform. Macs are less expensive and more powerful today than ever before, but my Dell Optiplex PIII still had some life in it.

This left me with Gnu/Linux, a powerful UNIX-like multi-user, multitasking, network-centric operating system and user environment. Linux is an operating system kernel: the software which manipulates the computer hardware at the bequest of the software and ultimately the user. The Gnu part of Gnu/Linux represents the user-land or system of applications through which a user actually accomplishes work or play with a computer.

While Linux has its roots in Bell Labs Unix which was invented over 30 years ago, It is a thoroughly modern operating system capable of powering everything from trade show kiosks, cell phones and PDAs to mainframes and massive data farms.

Linux is one of the crowns of the Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) movement. Linux is available free ( or for the cost of media and shipping) on the Internet. The source code for the Linux kernel and much of the Linux user-land is freely available. Anyone who is willing and able can download, study, and modify the source code to correct bugs or to add functionality. Linux benefits from the contributions of developers from around the world. While many contributors are volunteers, a significant number of Linux developers are employed by companies such as IBM, Novell, SGI, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, and others.

After the decision was made to go with Linux, the next step was to select distribution or brand of Linux. I would compare this to buying a car from General Motors. Many GM cars share a common chassis and drive train. This is analogous to the role of the Linux kernel. The same chassis can be the base for a sedan, a convertible, two-door or four-door, sporty, luxurious or economy vehicle. Likewise, Linux distributions are tailored to the needs and expectations of different types of users. Some distributions are geared as server: some distributions are optimized for gaming, software development, multimedia or document production. Some distros are designed to be easy to install and to support a wide range of hardware. Some distros are geared toward knowledgeable geeks who want a powerful but flexible base for their special needs.

The web site Distrowatch (http://distrowatch.com/) has useful information and links for over one hundred distributions or distros . I chose the current number one distribution, Ubuntu. I figured it had to be the most popular distro for a reason. Distrowatch provided me with the link to download the latest Ubuntu Linux iso, 6.06 LTS (Long-Term Support), which I then burned it to a CD and began the installation process.

The first decision you must make when installing any Linux distro is whether or not to devote your entire hard drive to Linux or choose to create a dual boot setup which preserves your existing Windows environment. Of course if you choose the former, you will lose Windows system, applications, and all your data. Due to a recent virus scare, I had already been forced to reformat my my drive and reinstall windows. In the process, I created two partitions, one for applications and system software, the other for data. I decided to install Linux on the data partition which was contained only a few gigabytes of data. The data is still safe and accessible since Ubuntu Linux is able to read and copy data stored on Windows partitions.

I decided to install Ubuntu using a dual booting configuration. Next, I turned my attention to the software I would need in order to create and maintain my websites- the whole point of my endeavor. Straight out the box, Ubuntu has FireFox 1.5 browser, GIMP Image manipulator, and Gedit, a simple text editor. This is a start, but in order to replace my windows setup, I would need much more.

Here is the list of software I needed to accomplish my goals.

• An HTML and Programmers editor
  


• A WYSIWYG Web Page editor
  


• An FTP Client
  


• A PIM/Contact/Calendar Program
  


• A working LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) environment
  

The biggest hurdle to jump was finding a Dreamweaver replacement. Not to give a free plug, but there is no single Web Development package available which can match Dreamweaver. Dreamweaver gives you What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) web page developing in addition to excellent HTML coding capability and site/project management. There is no Linux version of Dreamweaver.

Since there is no single Linux program comparable to Dreamweaver, I set about collecting a bundle of Free and Open-Source programs which would give me the same functionality as Dreamweaver. For free WYSIWYG web page editing, there are Mozilla/Seamonkey Composer and NVU. NVU is a fork of Mozilla Composer which includes additional editing and site management features. NVU allows me to quickly create prototypes or edit existing web pages. While in no way a complete substitute for Dreamweaver or even FrontPage, NVU is a very useful program.

In addition to humility and a WYSIWYG editor, a great web site designer needs a good HTML/Programmer's editor. Bluefish is a powerful free, open-source HTML editor. Bluefish also is an excellent programming editor with support for PHP, JavaScript, Python, CSS, and more. In addition, Bluefish has a simple site management system, a help and reference system, and built-in hooks to TIDY, Javac, various other external local and network utilities.

Next, I have to have a way to upload my finished work to the web server. There are many FTP clients available for Linux, ranging from terse command line bash shell scripts, to easy to use GUI-based file transfer programs. I chose gFTP which most closely resembled Filezilla, the client I used with Windows. gFTP is simple, lightweight, robust, and just works.

Email communication is an essential tool if the web site developer. Ubuntu Linux installs Evolution as the default email client application. There are many other good email clients available: Mozilla Thunderbird is one of the more popular ones. My needs go beyond a simple email client. I also need the additional functionality of a Personal Information Manger (PIM). Evolution is the Gnu/Linux answer to Windows Outlook. Evolution includes a contact manager, a task manager, and calendar. Evolution is a highly refined program which is easy to setup and and administer.

It is crucial to my web design business that I be able to rapidly and easily test my PHP/MySQL web pages. To accomplish this, I need a LAMP (Linux Apache MySQL and PHP) environment set up on my local development machine. Though there are many Howtos on the Internet which provide instructions on how to set up LAMP, I have personally never been able to create a stable and reliable system. Fortunately, there is XAMPP, a suite of programs which creates a turnkey LAMP environment. Now I can test my scripts thoroughly on my own machine before placing them on the server.

Finally, I need a good image editor. Ubuntu comes with the premiere FOSS image editor, Gimp, already installed. With some technical limitations - which are important mainly to printer projects - the Gimp is an able PhotoShop replacement. Gimp allows me to edit clip art and photos, create banners, and even GIF animations.

In the early days of the World Wide Web, nearly all web pages were static and contained mostly text and a few graphics. Times have changed. Multimedia – sound, video, Flash - is considered essential to attracting and keeping surfers at a web site. A complete web site development environment must have the tools necessary to create, test, and incorporate multimedia objects into web pages. In the past, this was been the weak point for Gnu/Linux. Apart from the technical challenge developers have of creating multimedia players and developing applications, Gnu/Linux is also encumbered by Digital Rights Management (DRM/Intellectual property) legal obstacles.

The technical problem of Gnu/Linux multimedia capability has been solved – at least for Ubuntu – with the availability of a script called Automatix (www.getautomatix.com/) . Automatix “automates” the installation of multimedia applications and codecs and allows Ubuntu users to have a world wide web media experience comparable to that enjoyed by Windows users. The legal issues - especially for U.S. citizens - pose a dilemma yet to be resolved.

In conclusion, with a little time, research, and some trial and error, it is possible to create a low or no cost, a powerful, virus/spyware-free, secure, and efficient web site design and production environment using the Gnu/Linux operating system and free and open-source software. Besides cost or lack there of, an advantage to free and open-source software, is that it is in constant state of refinement. Many users world-wide are reporting bugs or suggesting new features for the software the use. Programmers from around the world are volunteering fixes and enhancements which raise the level of quality, functionality, usability, and security for the applications I have come to depend upon. And as a welcome bonus, both Ubuntu and the development software runs quite well on older hardware, such as my Dell Optiplex GX1 PIII. Now if I could just find a replacement for Adobe/Macromedia Flash.....

How to sell property fast in the current climate

Have you ever wondered how to sell a house quickly? Why some houses on your street sell as soon as an estate agent board goes up and how other houses are on sale for months or even years? This is not a riddle, but has more to do with knowing some of the basics which could help you to sell your home quick. People’s confidence in the housing market fell rapidly, and to its lowest in the past 30 years.

If there aren’t enough things to think about when you want to sell your house, for the past year we have also had to put the credit crunch and its effects into the equation an its effect on buy my house

Most people can only buy a house with a mortgage from a bank or similar. At the moment this has become difficult unless you have a large deposit or even a flawless credit history. Some reports say that home re-possessions by banks are gradually increasing. This could be avoided if one is able to quickly sell their home. One avenue to buy my house is through an auction, and possibly even from a list of properties that have been re-possessed. Some buyers are investors, and might offer cash in order to gain a fast, thus avoiding eviction. The balance goes to the seller, and so the bank would receive the money for the mortgage as they would have first charge. It helps if your home is in a top condition too. This is one of the tips to help your property sell faster.

There are some things that some companies may offer to you so you would choose them when deciding to sell quickly; no chain or viewings, no valuation fees, the solicitor fees are paid, all debts may be cleared and no HIPS or estate agent fees.

Property in leeds for rent

sellrent back

Moishe Alexander's Review

New Home Market

Single starts slip in 2008 but maintain historically high levels

Moishe Alexander says Saskatoon single-detached housing starts will see a slight decline in 2008, slipping to 1,250 starts, 16 per cent less than the 1,485 starts seen in the market of 2007. In 2009, our forecast calls for 1,000 single-detached starts as the market responds to reduced demand, rising inventories, and competition from the resale market. Price escalation from previous years will be a dominant factor leading demand lower. Notwithstanding the expectation of a reduction in starts, this outlook is above the average number of starts seen in the 10 years prior to 2007. The momentum in single starts which built up in 2007 continued into the first five months of 2008 and is slowly abating in the fall. Investor money has now evaporated.

Wide choice on the resale side is diverting demand from new construction. Builders are turning to the task of completing and selling the homes presently under construction. Job growth, wage gains and positive net migration will continue to support new housing and ensure a gradual cooling of the market. In August, year-to-date single starts are close to even with last year at this time but monthly starts have been lower than last year for the past three months.

Bedroom communities attracting home buyers

Moishe Alexander says to the end of August, areas surrounding the city of Saskatoon have captured just over 30 per cent of the total housing starts compared to a 26 per cent share at the end of August 2007. The bulk of these starts have occurred in the town of Warman with 247 starts. Total housing starts in Warman include 111 apartment units. Looking at only single-detached units, Warman again captured the bulk of the starts with a 12 per cent share of the total single housing starts in the CMA. Warman is a popular choice for homebuyers because of its close proximity to employment opportunities offered in the north end of Saskatoon.

Single-detached absorptions are climbing as builders complete units and homebuyers occupy these new homes. To the end August, absorptions of units started in 2007 are up 37 per cent compared to this time in 2007. Average absorptions have topped 100 units monthly compared to an average of 84 units monthly throughout 2007.

At the present rate of absorption, the supply of single units at various stages of construction as well as complete and unoccupied is sufficient to last about 12 months. This is down slightly from the August 2007 figure of 13 months. The combined effect of slower starts and increased absorptions has reduced the total supply on a month over month basis over the last three months.

Average price to reach $380,000 in 2008 and $415,000 in 2009

Moishe Alexander says at the end of 2008, we forecast the average price of a new single-detached home will be $380,000 followed by a nine per cent increase to $415,000 in 2009. Expect price increases to moderate in 2009 as increased competition from resale housing takes hold and construction moderates. Labour costs combined with higher land development costs are the primary contributors to the upswing in average price thus far. In recent months, however, labour shortages have tapered off with the recent decline in single-detached starts. The continued moderation in starts in 2009 will result in a weaker pace of price growth moving forward.

Currently, the year-to-date average price of a new single-detached home is over $350,000, up close to 33 per cent over the average price recorded in the first eight months of 2007. There is a shift upwards into higher price ranges. All price ranges above $250,000 have seen an increase in the number of absorptions while lower price ranges have seen declines. So far, in 2008, the $300,000 to $349,999 range has captured most of the absorptions, reaching 24 per cent of the market. In the $300,000 to $349,999 price range, year-to-date absorptions of 195 units are 150 per cent over last year at this time.
Saskatoon New House Price Index decelerates in 2008 and 2009

Moishe Alexander says Statistics Canada's New House Price Index (NHPI) measures the increase in the price of a house where the detailed specifications pertaining to each house remain the same between two consecutive periods. We expect gains will be more subdued than 2007 as we move forward. Our forecast calls for a 22 per cent increase in the total NHPI in 2008 followed by a modest 1.5 per cent rise in 2009.

According to homebuilders, the 2007 increases were a reaction to the rapid escalation of existing home prices. Demand had shifted from resale housing and builders raised their prices as supply dwindled. These market conditions have now reversed course and our forecast anticipates a reduction in price gains as the market softens. A 22 per cent increase in 2008, with a further slowdown in price gains to 1.5 per cent in 2009, reflects these changes in the market.

Multi starts slow in 2009

Moishe Alexander says Momentum will carry multiple starts (including semi-detached, row, and apartment units) to 1,150 units in 2008 as builders exceed the pace recorded in 2007. A rising inventory will force developers to slow production to 800 units in 2009.

To the end of August, multiple starts are up 45 per cent compared to this time in 2007. Apartments have dominated production in 2008 with 589 units started; more than double the 2007 starts level seen at this time last year. Most of these apartments are condominiums designed for seniors and offer such features as elevators and underground parking. However, new markets have opened for homebuilders involved in row housing condominium development. Due to the rising price of singledetached housing, some first-time homebuyers have turned to the row and semi-detached dwelling style as a more affordable homeownership alternative. Expect row housing to be the second most popular form of new multiple housing, after apartments in 2009.

Supply of multiple units reaches historically high levels

Moishe Alexander says as of August this year, total supplies of multiples were in excess of 1,400 units at various stages of construction or completed and unoccupied. This figure is more than 55 per cent higher than last year at this time. As multiple starts will remain at an elevated level in 2008, we expect the supply of multiples to remain in the 1,000-unit range throughout this year with an eventual decline in 2009 as starts fall off and units are completed and absorbed. At current rates of absorption, the supply of all types of multiple units is sufficient to last almost 29 months, close to the 28-month supply seen in August 2007.

Most of the multi supply is in the construction stage with apartment style units dominating the mix. The number of apartments under construction is now almost double the number seen at this time in 2007. There are just over 360 row units in the construction stage.

Industry reports abundant supply of land

Moishe Alexander says Saskatoon land developers have reported there are 1,850 lots at various stages of development within city limits and an additional 1,200 lots in communities surrounding the city. According to developer's estimates of land absorption rates, this represents a three-year supply. Given the length of time required to plan and develop raw land, this suggests a balanced market situation. However, shortages may develop for lots in more desirable subdivisions or price ranges.

RESALE MARKET

Resale market sales fall off in 2008 and 2009

Moishe Alexander says Saskatoon resales will decline almost 20 per cent by the end of 2008 with a further 11 per cent reduction occurring in 2009. Notwithstanding 2008's forecast decline, resales will still be in excess of the ten-year average of 3,170 sales. Saskatoon's resale market is coming off a surge of activity in 2007 that saw sales increase almost 30 per cent over 2006 and resulted in the highest number of resales ever recorded. By the end of August 2008, year-todate sales were down 18 per cent, while seasonally adjusted monthly sales were down 33 per cent compared to the same month in 2007.

Investor demand played an important role in the 2007 upswing but the bulk of this money is now absent. The industry reports that sellers are holding firm at prices that were common in 2007. Buyers, on the other hand, have adopted a wait and see approach, hoping for a price adjustment following the steep price gains of the last two years. In-migration, rising weekly earnings and other favourable labour market conditions will support demand for resale housing but the sales trend is clearly slowing.

Saskatoon will see 8,500 listings processed in 2008 followed by 7,000 new listings throughout 2009. In August, year-to-date new listings were up 41 per cent compared to last year at that time. New listings are on the rise as seniors move into newly constructed condominiums and others take possession of their new single-detached units. In addition, some investors are now liquidating their holdings in the resale market. Some of these newly listed properties are recently completed new homes. Thus, builders are finding they are competing against their own product. Faced with this challenge, builders will limit price increases on future building contracts.
The combination of the escalation in new listings and slow sales has led to high active listing inventories. Active listings have more than doubled over the August 2007. Although new listing activity will slow in 2009, we expect active listings will remain elevated moving forward.

A further result of record listings and slow sales is a decline in the sales-to-active listing ratio to 8.3 per cent. The seasonally adjusted trend is down more than 30 percentage points on a year-over-year basis and down close to three percentage points on a month-over-month basis. These low ratios mean that relatively few buyers face a large number of homes available for purchase. The result is a market that favours the homebuyer.

Average resale price to increase 23 per cent in 2008 and 1.9 per cent in 2009

Moishe Alexander says our forecast calls for average price to reach $287,000 in 2008 and approach the $300,000 mark in 2009 as price gains cool from the 2007 pace. Higher listings and buyer resistance to higher prices will result in the relatively weaker price gains compared with 2007 for the balance of 2008 and 2009. The forecasted increase of 23 per cent in 2008 will be modest by comparison with the 45 per cent jump in 2007 but will still be one of the highest gains on record.

At the end of August, year-to-date average price is still on the rise with a year-to-date increase of 27 per cent.
Seasonally adjusted average price is up 15 per cent compared to the August 2007 figure but down slightly from the July 2008 seasonally adjusted average price.
RENTAL MARKET

Vacant apartments scarce in 2008 and 2009

Moishe Alexander says after falling to a low of 0.6 per cent in 2007, CMHC is forecasting an increase in the average vacancy rate in 2008 to two per cent followed by two per cent in October 2009. The average vacancy rate will vary widely across the city but all areas will see a tight rental market. The April rental market survey found there was an average vacancy rate of less than one per cent in the Saskatoon Census Metropolitan Area. Our forecast of two per cent average vacancy in October 2008 assumes there will be a decline in demand due to tenants moving to home ownership, lower in-migration and tenant households "doubling-up" in the face of mounting rents. In 2009, these conditions will persist, resulting in two per cent average vacancy rate in that year also.

Rents continue to rise in 2008 and 2009

Moishe Alexander says strong rental demand has given property owners and managers an opportunity to maximize rental income. Following an $85 increase to the monthly two-bedroom rent in 2007, our forecast calls for an increase of $167 in the two-bedroom monthly average rent in 2008 and a modest increase of $15 in 2009 bringing the average rent for a twobedroom suite to $860 by October 2008 and $875 in October 2009. The re-introduction of renovated suites will contribute to the rental hikes. We expect the increase in average rent to slow in 2009 as household income begins to limit further rent hikes.

Both the City of Saskatoon and the Province of Saskatchewan have programs in place to encourage the building of market rental and affordable rental housing.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

Employment growth restricted by scarcity of workers

Moishe Alexander says CMHC is forecasting employment gains of 2,300 jobs in 2008 followed by 1,800 in 2009. These increases are considerably more subdued than the surge in employment seen in 2007, which saw 7,500 jobs created. The escalation in housing prices relative to other western cities will slow in-migration and restrict labour force gains thus limiting employment growth. Unemployment will see a slight increase in 2008, yet remain low by historical and national standards. Expect the unemployment rate to slip back to four per cent in 2009. At the end of August, Saskatoon's goods sector has dominated employment growth. Mining as well as oil and gas extraction have done the heavy lifting. Manufacturing and construction have also contributed. Service sector employment has fallen off compared to the hectic pace of hiring seen in 2007. Retail trade and education employment numbers have been slipping since the beginning of 2008. Full-time employment has seen an increase so far in 2008 while parttime employment has been sliding. Both younger and older age groups have benefitted from employment gains so far in 2008. There are early indications that the youngest age group may be seeing declines later in the year as this is the group most commonly associated with part-time work and the service sector.

Building permits show residential construction cooling

Moishe Alexander says the July year-to-date dollar volume of all types of building permits has seen a 51 per cent increase in 2008 compared to this time in 2007. The largest increases have occurred in the industrial sector followed by growth in the commercial sector. The institutional and governmental permit volume saw the third highest increase. Although residential permits dollars have seen an increase of close to 13 per cent this year, the gains are far behind the 133 per cent increase recorded at this time in 2007. Considering the unit count of building permits issued to July, there has been a 5.8 per cent decline in total residential permits issued so far in 2008. Single-detached permits are up 2.2 per cent but multiple unit permits are down 1.3 per cent. Conversion permits are also down.

You can find the entire report in PDF format through the following link:

http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/esub/64351/64351_2008_B02.pdf

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Many home sellers today find themselves as new landlords in the "wait and see" game. If you are in that category, you may wake up one day as a reluctant landlord. You have your reasons for not selling your home today. Perhaps you decide to "wait and see" if real estate market prices go up next year. Perhaps you are unable to sell your real estate and you decide to rent it out to at least bring in some money while you play the "wait and see" game. Whatever your reason for becoming a landlord, this guide will give you some steps for dealing with a renter that has abandoned your property. The steps and tips below address Minnesota landlords, but can be used as general guidelines. Please check with your attorney and your state laws. Know your state landlord and tenant laws regarding abandoned property. Minnesota is known as a tenant- friendly state and thus has laws in place to protect tenants rights. In Minnesota, get a copy of Landlords and Tenants: Rights and Responsibilities, written and published by the Minnesota Attorney General's Office.

1. Use a well-crafted lease that addresses potential property abandonment. Warning - the landlord tenant abandonment laws will take precedent over any lease.

2. Has the tenant abandoned the property? If the tenant abandons your rental property for 30 consecutive days, you should obtain a form called NOTICE BELIEVE ABANDONMENT and complete it, serve it, mail it, and attach it to the door.

3. Allow time for the renter to respond. You will be losing rent, but the time elapsed will be important if the matter ends up in court.

4. Start the eviction process. Mail, and post on the door a NOTICE TO PAY RENT OR QUIT form.

5. Wait for 60 days. You may now enter the unit to assess the amount of property left in the unit. You can change the locks. You will need to figure out if you should hold a sale, move the property to a storage unit, or rent a dumpster. You will usually need to do a combination of these things. What looks like a collection of "junk" to you will become "valuable heirlooms" if it goes to court.

6. Two weeks before your sale, you must give the tenant written notice of the sale date. Send the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested to the tenant's last known address or living quarters if known. Post the notice on the premises. You might also want to post a notice in the newspaper for two weeks. If the tenant requests their property back before the 60 day waiting period ends, you have to give it back. You cannot withhold their belongings even if they owe rent. It is best to let them clear out their belongings and continue with your eviction process. In my experience, the tenants did come to collect their things, and ended up paying nothing.

8. If you decide to move the abandoned property to a storage unit, you can collect all moving and storage costs from the tenant. If the tenant refuses to pay the moving and storage costs, they can still collect their belongings. You can sue them later for those costs if you choose to. If the tenant gives you notice that they want to collect their belongings, you have 24 hours to return it. You have 48 hours to return it if you have moved the items to a storage facility. This period does not include weekends or holidays.

9. List an inventory of the items and take photographs.

10. In cases where you believe the property is worth more, you should arrange to have a police officer come to the premises and make a written, dated inventory including all items, condition of items, badge number of the police officer, and your telephone number. The inventory list must be sent via registered mail to the tenant's last known address.

11. After the sale, if the tenant sends you written notice that they would like the money from the sale of their belongings, you must send any excess to them. You can deduct the costs of removal, care, storage costs, expenses of the sale, and back rent.

Follow the statutes conservatively. Allow more time than called for in any action, in case it does go to court. As a landlord in a tenant-friendly state, you must be able to show that you gave more than enough time and notice. You know that you are most likely not going to recover any costs from this nightmare, but you also would rather not get sued by the tenant. In Minnesota, the statutes allow the tenant to sue for their property plus damages and the courts often allow the tenant to sue long after the period of so-called Notice has expired.

The judge will be sympathetic to any hardship stories told by the tenant. This will buy them more time if it goes to court. You have your own hardship story, but the court won't care. Chalk it up to experience, and move on.