A New Direction..Moving on.

The song that Kenny Rogers made famous has a line in it that often I sing to myself when it is time to decide to move on. Just to juggle you're memory it is the verse in Kenny's song that sings"know when to hold them and know when to fold them". You can hear the music in the background  even when you say these words.

Well, I am moving on from Real Estate to follow my total bliss of being immersed in the creative world that has been a part of me since I can remember.

I am truly an Artist. A business type one at that. Aside from taking art classes since I was five years old, I became a professional model and actress at 15 years old and by the time I turned 16 years of age  my gross income as my father said was more than my high school teachers. This was only part -time! I went on to finish two Art Diplomas and went to work at JCPenny in their Art Department in New York and the rest is history.

My LinkedIn profile tells my story. I have to update once again but heh that is what Artists do, constantly update and reinvent themselves, its part of the package. 

The creative world is an ongoing work in progress. Mistakes are looked upon as opportunities and everything is possible with  unlimited potential. The creating part is the fun.Teaching the world of art is a passion in my soul. I wanted to be an Art teacher when I graduated from Art School, but life had other plans. Taking nothing and making it into something for me is an absolute blast. I see the universe in an individuals eyes when I work with people in the art groove.

 No matter what medium I have to work with it -text,video,voice, paint,steel,wood,you name it, nothing seems impossible to me to create a work of art for a worthy purpose.

So what the hec are you doing Kim as an Artist?

I will take it from the top...

• I am a Freelance Media Consultant for Trinity Today.ca, and Saint John Radio 103.5 FM and 95.1FMKV.
• I am a Communality Art Teacher for the City of Saint John, The Police Association and Community Togetherness Association, and The Saint Joseph's Community Health Centre.
• I do Silly Portrait Characters during the Cruise Ship Season (May to September) and Special Events such as Weddings, Port Days, and Birthdays throughout the year.
• I do commission work- (which keeps me really busy almost every weekend)
• And soon to your local PC a weekly  Art Program called YOUR ART MAMMA. This is a weekly online/video of a classic art program from five years old to 50+ and its  FREE for THEE!
• I will convert the blog Cabins to Castles into my satirical  Real Estate Cartoon which I was going to call  Rhonda Realtor (started another blog with this title) but now she will be the character and the title of the cartoon will be Cabins to Castles. This is a fun thing which will stimulate a chuckle as Real Estate touches many aspects of people's daily lives and emotions.

So there you have it. I have landed finally at my blissful spot on  the planet. Took me awhile to get here but I believe in the philosophy that its not how we start the race, but  how we finish.

Stay tuned, remember Artists are a work in progress.

Yours

Kim

A New Kind of House!

Hi Everyone:History books are chalk full of the little guy who takes on the big guys and wins. The story below is an example. Misinformation is out there and I don't believe our Champions of Change, Bobby Hayes is being treated the way he should be treated by our Government officials.
The new home which was selected  by respected business leaders in the community for the Joshua Group is sound, a Civil Engineer looked at it, many trades looked at it and the Provincial Government originally promised it to Bobby for $1. What happened? Don't know but its time we make history once again and speak up, pitch in and make this happen. Remember the Save the Saint Josephs Hospital march or the public rally to poo poo the Poly tech idea for UNB? Well guess what folks this is another big guy blunder of an idea that doesn't consider the social net benefit to the community.
Lets get behind this movement to obtain this building for the Joshua Group- Call your MLA, call your Council do something to help, I understand doing the right thing isn't always easy, but its worth it for Bobby's children.

Bobby’s House

How would I describe Bobby Hayes? He’s a down to earth, gritty, modern day Joshua leading his kids to a brighter future. He’s unorthodox and certainly not politically correct. Bobby Hayes is long on passion and purpose but short on patience for any who fail to see the need to support and invest in his kids and their future. Bobby has been and continues to be a one-man, unofficial, non-certified emotional emergency department for Saint John’s less fortunate kids. If they need clothes he finds them, if they need food he feeds them, if they need glasses or a haircut he makes it happen, but most importantly they get the caring and love that they need.

He has become Saint John’s Pied Piper for the young and the vulnerable. Those who shouldn’t but do fall through the cracks in our social system.

This is no well paying 9 to 5 job, it’s a non-compensated totally dedicated 24/7, 365 day commitment.

As if that isn’t enough I personally witnessed him feeding the homeless a turkey dinner last Christmas Day.  Could you measure up to these standards, could you do it?

The old church on Waterloo Street that had been Joshua Group’s home for the past three years was sold and for the past year and several months Bobby and the kids have gone as the expression goes “from pillar to post” Admittedly the old church on Waterloo was nothing to write home about, the roof leaked but the kids had come to accept it as their home, it was theirs. Many of these kids have spent their lives a few months here and a few months there, with little opportunity for a sense of stability and belonging.

Joshua Group and these kids need a permanent home, a place that nobody can take away from them.

We learned recently that a building on Paradise Row belonging to the N.B. government was surplus and was for sale by tender. Bobby and friends of Joshua Group had looked at the building last year and had concluded because of location and configuration the building would make an ideal home away from home for his kids.

Most folk in the city know Danny Joyce, as Saint John’s most honest mechanic. Well it seems that after the Ultramar Station closed he expressed an interest in buying the property should it become available to open a garage. Ultramar decided to sell the property and offered it to John Irving. So how successful do you suppose Danny Joyce would be in a bidding war against John Irving for the coveted property? Mr. Irving gracefully declined to bid. Do you suppose he backed away because he couldn’t use the property for expanded parking or because he couldn’t meet the asking price? Or because he realized the “net benefit” to the community and Saint John would be better served by having Danny and family open a business.

Perhaps Mr. John Irving chose “the right thing” to do over a decision that would have served business interests?

Joshua Group intends to bid on the Paradise Row property. It’s entirely possible, in fact likely, that the Joshua Group will be outbid by some business or commercial interests.

When the tenders are opened the right thing to do would be to award the building to the Joshua Group based on the long term “net benefit” to the community and the future of Bobby’s kids over a decision for a relative few dollars and cents.

The once vacant building on Paradise Row should become the future home of the Joshua Group and be known hereafter and securely known as “Bobby’s House”

“Mom's dead, I got lice, I got no friends, and life isn’t very good." These words spoken by a tearful little girl started Bobby Hayes on what has been an 18 year journey. As he repeated those very words during the CBC Champions of Change interview 18 years later the emotional impact of the memory still brings him to tears. For those who are not aware Bobby Hayes was ultimately selected as the “Champions of Change” from almost 2000 national submissions.  www.cbc.ca/change/bobbyhayes.html

How would I describe Bobby Hayes? He’s a down to earth, gritty, modern day Joshua leading his kids to a brighter future. He’s unorthodox and certainly not politically correct. Bobby Hayes is long on passion and purpose but short on patience for any who fail to see the need to support and invest in his kids and their future. Bobby has been and continues to be a one-man, unofficial, non-certified emotional emergency department for Saint John’s less fortunate kids. If they need clothes he finds them, if they need food he feeds them, if they need glasses or a haircut he makes it happen, but most importantly they get the caring and love that they need.

He has become Saint John’s Pied Piper for the young and the vulnerable. Those who shouldn’t but do fall through the cracks in our social system.

This is no well paying 9 to 5 job, it’s a non-compensated totally dedicated 24/7, 365 day commitment.

As if that isn’t enough I personally witnessed him feeding the homeless a turkey dinner last Christmas Day.  Could you measure up to these standards, could you do it?

The old church on Waterloo Street that had been Joshua Group’s home for the past three years was sold and for the past year and several months Bobby and the kids have gone as the expression goes “from pillar to post” Admittedly the old church on Waterloo was nothing to write home about, the roof leaked but the kids had come to accept it as their home, it was theirs. Many of these kids have spent their lives a few months here and a few months there, with little opportunity for a sense of stability and belonging.

Joshua Group and these kids need a permanent home, a place that nobody can take away from them.

We learned recently that a building on Paradise Row belonging to the N.B. government was surplus and was for sale by tender. Bobby and friends of Joshua Group had looked at the building last year and had concluded because of location and configuration the building would make an ideal home away from home for his kids.

Most folk in the city know Danny Joyce, as Saint John’s most honest mechanic. Well it seems that after the Ultramar Station closed he expressed an interest in buying the property should it become available to open a garage. Ultramar decided to sell the property and offered it to John Irving. So how successful do you suppose Danny Joyce would be in a bidding war against John Irving for the coveted property? Mr. Irving gracefully declined to bid. Do you suppose he backed away because he couldn’t use the property for expanded parking or because he couldn’t meet the asking price? Or because he realized the “net benefit” to the community and Saint John would be better served by having Danny and family open a business.

Perhaps Mr. John Irving chose “the right thing” to do over a decision that would have served business interests?

Joshua Group intends to bid on the Paradise Row property. It’s entirely possible, in fact likely, that the Joshua Group will be outbid by some business or commercial interests.

When the tenders are opened the right thing to do would be to award the building to the Joshua Group based on the long term “net benefit” to the community and the future of Bobby’s kids over a decision for a relative few dollars and cents.

The once vacant building on Paradise Row should become the future home of the Joshua Group and be known hereafter and securely known as “Bobby’s House” 

Herb Duncan is a Saint John business man and a social advocate for change in Saint John. Herb can be reached at duncan.herb747@gmail.com

The Romans have a saying...

The Romans say "Rus in Urbe" which means  City in the Country. Saint John New Brunswick is really just that a city but in a country setting within minutes or it is just a view away. Our location geographically is superior because we are close to the USA border, accessible by boat along a long beautiful shoreline called the Bay of Fundy, and our scenery is bar none spectacular with vistas of beautiful countryside and beaches for FREE just about any direction you travel.

So as a REALTOR educating individuals about  Real Estate in the Greater Saint John area is a joy as there is potential in just about every property I see, because as my  backdrop, which is my canvas is County in the City called Saint John New Brunswick. We naturally have it, without even trying.

According to the experts who are  experts in why people purchase goods and services I have been validated with my opinion that people will purchase what they want to purchase when they feel like purchasing anything based on a number of factors in their life. Needs and wants are the motivators period and telling them your best pitch just doesn't work. We really don't need to live and be happy by owning a home. An apartment, works just dandy to keep your family safe and warm.

However if one wants to obtain an investment and build equity, owning a home is still the best asset on the planet for the majority of Canadians and in Saint John New Brunswick it is still great value.Educating people about owning a home is my forte especially when it comes to Saint John, and its surrounding communities.

Are you a first time home buyer? Are you transitioning to another type of home accommodations because the family has grown, or just plain old life is changing course?Here is my 7 point short list as to how to go about the home ownership transaction. Maybe this will be a refresher tip for some people but if not, my simple formula is worth the read:

1. Create a budget and start to save for a home. Reduce credit card debt, reduce the wants and save for the needs. Tough love is needed here but it is the only way to go for the long haul.Get help if needed to figure a budget out. Credit Counseling Services of Atlantic Canada are superb for dealing with debt issues.Visit them at www.solveyourdebts.com
2. Be practical and think about what you need in a home and where do you want to live.
3. Visit every bank in town and speak to their mortgage brokers. They are there to help you and not judge, remember you are the customer. This exercise is about relationship building and most banks offer similar products with small twists of accountability and repayment  built in the mortgage document. Finding the right bank is essential to the long term of a home investment, especially if life takes a turn for the worse, you want someone you can relate to and understands your financial picture.
4. Once that portion of the house phase is complete then interview REALTORS to assist you in the house buying process. Its ok to do that as it will build your knowledge and confidence with this new journey of home buying or update you on the latest in the industry.www.solveyourdebts.ca
5. Be upfront with them and ask them all the questions you can think of. Not all the answers will be known but once again look for the relationship qualities that you like in this person because if you are going to be viewing lots of homes and spending lots of time with a REALTOR it is very nice if you can get along and be on the same page  and laugh along the way.
6. Let the REALTOR be your educator, not your decision maker or the influencer of purchasing a home whether it is your first or fifth. To me being a REALTOR is equivalent to having a  personal legal council on call 24/7 for consultation. REALTORS are trained to know the industry just like any other professional. We are trained to dig to obtain the information you request of us to the best of our knowledge. We must divulge the good and the bad, and be totally transparent when representing your interests within the transaction.
7. Once you decide on the home, with the banking in place, let the REALTOR guide you through the transaction to completion. As a REALTOR I offer a complete end to end service and I see it through until you move in and are at your new digs drinking a cup of coffee, of course with a smile.

Kim Cookson is the preferred REALTOR for UK 2 New Brunswick and is the preferred REALTOR for the National Bank of Canada in Saint John, New Brunswick Kim has been in the business for 36 years.
Kim can be reached at 866 693 2259 or kim@cabinstocastles.ca and kimmy.cookson@gmail.com

A Welcome Retreat: Home as a Haven in a Hectic World

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote:
Every spirit builds itself a house, and beyond its house a world, and beyond its world a heaven. Know then that world exists for you.
Does your world feel like this at least within your brick and mortar home? Well it should! No matter how small or large if the home doesn't speak to you, then what is it missing? Sometimes it just as plain as your nose on your face.
Some homes speak to me when I walk through the door and some don't. Its a personal thing however if a Realtor could qualify that certain something and package it in a bottle we all would be in heaven because I would share it with everyone. Happiness would be ours, always!

Here are a few suggestions to help create a home that enhances your brick and mortar spirit, and it has little to do with money.

-Try to  de-clutter and keep only the things that really mean something to you and are useful to your lifestyle.

-Keep your home neat and everything in its place. There is lots of data to support the notion that a sense of organization reflects the overall peace of a human being and their efficiency  within that place.

-No matter what if you own/rent, keeping a home clean is paramount. Money doesn't buy taste or does it buy health. A clean home that shows pride stands out no matter where it is located.

- This is my personal favourite and it is my  Zen suggestion. Create a favourite place for you to sit, drink a cup of  tea, coffee or a glass of wine, read a book, listen to music and enjoy your home to refresh your inner home. This place will be the best place in the home not only to relax but to view the world you have created, inside and out.

By the way, the picture is a listing I have on Bonney Road just outside of Saint John close to what I call Happening Hampton. It has many spots to call home. It's calling you.

All the best, Kim

eBook from Cabins to Castles

Hi everyone:

 Just picked up today's Globe & Mail and there was an entire insert supplement about the how and why you should purchase a home. Great piece of literature regarding information to help you navigate the home buying experience sponsored by the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals www.caamp.org.

Pick up the Globe today especially if you are in the lending industry as it has lots of tips from these folks, as the lenders are the holy grail to the entire home buying equation. The deal doesn't go through without financing, the rest of us in the industry just dance the deal along to fruition.

Well if this has ever happened to you I know you can relate when a light bulb moment happens when your skills all come together but you have never thought about them in a certain way. Well guess what? I had one of those moments today. Yup I am thick but when I get it I get it.

Guess what it is?

You guessed it, an eBook. After all I do own an electronic publishing distribution business.I have published two books by other authors on the subject. How to Buy a Great House by Kelly Vanbuskirk, and My First House by Dawn McInnis.

Therefore since I have been in the Real Estate industry on and off for exactly 30 years, why not and why not write a book with some humour too.

Did I mention I also do a cartoon called Curb- Appeal with Rhonda Realtor & Friends. Thought I would include my Rhonda because in my heart and hers, the greatest success of all ambition is to be happy at home, inside and out.

Stay tuned, I start writing with gusto this weekend with a launch date the end of June.

Happy Easter,

Kim

Don't just stand there, do something!

Hi there:

Been sick with the cold and missed the last couple of weeks.I'm back and better.

It doesn't matter what you plan to do in life, doing nothing and waiting too long can sometimes back fire. I remember my Mom saying "do something but just don't stand there, something is better than nothing."One could apply that logic to home purchasing.

First-time buyers in major Canadian markets

move to get in ahead of higher interest rates, says RE/MAX

Driven by the threat of higher interest rates down the road, first-time buyers are contributing to strong upward momentum in residential housing markets across the country, according to a report released by RE/MAX.

The RE/MAX First-Time Buyers Report, highlighting trends and developments in nineteen major Canadian centres, found that low interest rates and balanced market conditions have provided significant impetus in 2011, particularly at lower price points.  Just over 30 per cent of markets are reporting sales in excess of 2010 levels as a result, while almost 70 per cent have experienced an upswing in average price.  Leading the country in terms of percentage increases in the number of homes sold are Western Canadian markets, including Saskatoon (up close to 15 per cent), Greater Vancouver (up close to 12 per cent), and Winnipeg (up just over 11 per cent).  With an average price hike of close to 20 per cent year-to-date (February), Greater Vancouver continues to show unprecedented strength, followed by Hamilton-Burlington (eight per cent), Quebec City (seven per cent), Winnipeg (close to seven per cent), Greater Toronto (five per cent), and Greater Montreal (five per cent). 

Despite home-ownership rates approaching 70 per cent, there is clearly room for growth as entry-level buyers make their moves from coast-to-coast, undeterred by higher housing values and changes to lending criteria.  Many purchasers intent on realizing home ownership are scaling back on expectations or are willing to sacrifice location, quality and/or size to make their dream a reality – not unlike generations before them.

Inventory levels, while tight in several larger centres, are more balanced overall, giving first-time buyers a good selection of housing product from which to choose.  Not surprisingly, condominium apartments and town homes have become the first step for many entry-level purchasers, especially in Greater Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, London-St. Thomas, Hamilton-Burlington, Greater Toronto, the Island of Montreal, and Halifax-Dartmouth where average prices have risen unabated in recent years.

With the Canadian economy on firmer footing overall, residential real estate is well-positioned moving into the traditionally busy spring market.  Consumer confidence is climbing in conjunction with economic performance, and concerns over a secondary recession fade with each passing day.  The mood is cautiously optimistic, as first-time buyers enter the market.

Changes to recent financing criteria have not created the anticipated run up in activity in most markets.  From a financial standpoint, most rookie home buyers remain quite prudent.  Those making the leap are not doing it lightly, buying within their means.  While this most recent round of policy tightening will likely have a negligible effect on demand, the message is getting across. 

Affordability remains a growing concern in most markets, and—aside from first-time purchasers—no one is more in tune with that than housing planners and developers.  In fact, the growing demand for reasonably-priced product is creating a shift in the country’s housing mix.  That trend is expected to gain traction in coming years, as builders look to create greater options for those seeking to realize home-ownership.    In recent years, builders have helped ease the move to home-ownership by concentrating on intensification—condominium buildings with smaller suites and small-lot subdivisions offering detached, compact homes at a fraction of the cost of a traditional single-family home.   On the flip side, the affordability factor is also breathing new life into tired older neighbourhoods, and that, in turn, is contributing to rising values. 

-more-

RE/MAX First-time Buyers Report 2011.....2

As prices escalate, first-time buyers are indeed spending more—some out of necessity, but others are simply in a position to do so.  Unlike in years past—a greater percentage of today’s first-time buyer pool is comprised of dual-income, college or university-educated couples with solid earnings.  They’re spending close to average price or slightly more to secure—in most cases—a better location or a home that will grow with them.   Yet, the fact remains that those on a tighter budget can get in for considerably less, with reasonable choices in every major market across the country.   While some may feel discouraged by eroding affordability levels, the underlying confidence in the concept of home ownership is rising.

While market conditions are one thing that influences first-time buyers, few things trump the fundamental belief in home-ownership.  Today’s entry-level buyers are steadfast in their mindset.  They know they have to live somewhere, but they simply don’t want to pay someone else’s mortgage.  Savvy or practical, they remain a driving force.  The bottom line is that the demand for entry-level product will remain steady.  The role of starter homes in the marketplace is becoming ever more vital.

 

A DRAGON LESSON

What does this have to do with Real Estate and us! Really nothing in terms of facts, figures and the "how to things" during a Real Estate transaction however it is a lesson on how life comes around and opportunity can knock more than once if you miss out on a home that you really wanted.

The philosophy as to how I see and  approach my clients is there isn't a scarcity of inventory, the markets are cyclical and there is a reason if all due diligence was taken by your REALTOR and the home deal didn't go through then it simple wasn't meant to be. Its no one fault, there is another home and better around the corner, literally.

So what does is this DRAGON LESSON story all about?

Last year my company was selected as a candidate to face the DRAGONS on DRAGONS DEN. You know that CBC National hit TV Show. They liked us,said some nice things but declined the opportunity, as all five DRAGONS knew little about the industry we represented which isn't Real Estate but the distribution of electronic, art, music and books.

My life partner Herb Duncan who is also an investor in the company was with me, that is why we are both in the picture. Recently I was going through an old box of Herb's doing our "lets clean our office day thing"and I came across a 1992 Profit Magazine where Herb's company was listed as one of the fastest rising ICT companies in Canada. Guess who was featured on the cover as one of those people- DRAGON Kevin O'Leary from DRAGONS DEN. Kevin was young and just sold his start up for an obscene amount of money. Herb at the time had 65 Employees and was building a company to provide economic opportunity for his family and individuals in the Maritime Provinces. It would be interesting to note how many companies who are part of that 1992 Profit Magazine's Alumni t are still in business. Herb's Fundy Computer Services  www.fcs.ca still is.

Life lesson for me, I already was in the company of a DRAGON, a better one and we didn't need to prove it that day in Studio 1 at CBC. Opportunity to find the right home is there just like my DRAGON was in my own backyard, I just had to look in the right direction.