Matthew Slutsky BuzzBuzzHome December 31, 2009 We found this awesome video floating around Twitter a month ago, and thought it would be perfect to post it on the last day of the year… As the video shows, many companies are embracing social-media, including the real-estate industry. Slowly, but surely, this year has started to see a few residential land-developers start to embrace different social media techniques. Do you have your 2010 social-media strategy in place? According to a study by … Read More

Cliff Peskin BuzzBuzzHome Dec 31, 2009 Tonight we say goodbye to 2009. Wow. We’re already into the second decade of the twenty first century. How did the last ten years go so fast! Well, as fast as the last decade past us by there is something moving even faster… Technology. Technology is picking up speed. It’s getting faster and faster. If you thought 2009 was dizzying with Twitter, Google Chrome, Iphone 3Gs and the Amazon Kindle then fasten your seatbelt. … Read More

Kiyoko Fujimura BuzzBuzzHome December 31, 2009 As we enter the New Year, Dubai’s resolution seems to be to avoid the real estate bubble that has left them teetering on collapse. Dubai has said ‘no’ to ridiculous rent increases by introducing new regulations. “The decree is aimed at ensuring stability in Dubai’s property market and creating legislation that promotes landlord-tenant relationships” The Khaleej Times International speculators beware! Government bureaucracy is further slowing the seemingly endless stream of cash that was equity … Read More

Canadians bullish on economy…confidence strongest in Ontario and western Canada…results of report consistent with other recent data suggesting economy has emerged from recession… (Source: The Toronto Star) Canadians are the most optimistic about the country’s economic prospects since 2007, according to a poll by Nanos Research, adding to evidence the economy is rebounding from its first recession since 1992. The proportion of Canadians who predict the economy will strengthen in the next six months rose to 49 per cent, according … Read More

(Source: Winnipeg Free Press) Brookfield Properties Corp. (TSX:BPO) has sold interests in two office and commercial properties in the Washington, D.C., area for net proceeds of $103 million, the Toronto headquartered company said Wednesday. In one deal, Brookfield said it had sold a 90 per cent interest in an office property in Washington, D.C., to a group of investors represented by Edge Fund Advisors for $203.4 million. Brookfield retains a 10 per cent interest in the joint venture with Edge … Read More

(Source: PR Newswire) Despite the disturbing ski industry news last week that resort operator Intrawest ULC had missed a debt payment on a $1.4 billion loan, the ski business is holding its own in the midst of nationwide travel revenue declines. All signs point toward a modest 3% to 5% revenue drop for mountain resorts nationally, which compares favorably with travel industry trends. The bad news on Intrawest, operator of venues for the 2010 Winter Olympics, was particularly alarming because … Read More

(Source: 660 News) The local real estate market has enjoyed a big turnaround this year. Sales and prices nose-dived at the start of 2009, as the impact of the recession was being felt around the world. Fred Ketchen with Scotia Capital tells 660News when spring arrived, many people realized the economic downturn in Canada was not nearly as bad as the one south of the border. Ketchen says people started to take advantage of both reduced house prices and low … Read More

(Source: The Canadian Press) Canadian Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX:REF.UN) has acquired a 50 per cent stake in a set of Edmonton retail properties for $39.2 million, the property company announced Wednesday. CREIT said it will assume a $5.7 million first mortgage, carrying an interest rate of 5.9 per cent and a term to maturity of 8.2 years for properties that form part of the South Edmonton Common shopping centre. The centre is currently made up of 2.1 million square … Read More

Matthew SlutskyBuzzBuzzHomeDecember 30, 2009 Once a year bloggers are allowed to chill out, and re-post old stories… What is this vacation time called? “The Year in Review”… all I have to do is look at our analytics for the past year, and post links to old-articles… What were people reading about in 2009? According to BuzzBuzzHome Analytics, the most read stories of the year touched on techno-real-estate and new-residential-developments coming to market. Below are the Top Ten most popular stories … Read More

BuzzBuzzHome says: While the size of condominium units are decreasing, new suite layouts coupled with new technologies and great amenities make such small suites liveable for families… check out “The Small Suite – A review of shrinking residential condominium suites, and their liveability“. (Source: National Post) It is the dominant form of housing under construction in urban centres across the country. But smart design and effective use of space cannot compensate for the fact that the condominium is simply too … Read More