Climate Change Is Killing You Too

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Those still unconvinced of the potential detriment we are about to bring upon ourselves by forcing hands to participate in an economic structure that will eventually dissipate is damning not only society’s financial structure, but the future of employment, and most importantly, the health of those involved, and those who aren’t.

Economics aside, the risk that the fossil fuel industry poses for employment is quite great, with seemingly little regard for the future of the industry and its employees. Currently, a monolithic number of citizens are employed across the globe (for very appealing wages) because of the oil industry, creating an influx of employees and industry -a ‘bubble’, if you will. When we look at the future complications of said system, it screams disaster. Not only will the entire industry collapse once the Earth meets its end for oil output, but in one foul swoop, we will single-handedly cripple a global workforce leaving them with no future employment or direction. Furthering the exploration of clean-tech could provide an employable future workforce (one that has no literal end in sight), while bettering the conditions of the planet, progressing industry, expanding economic paradigms…Sound like a no-brainer?!

Renewable and sustainable methods are the way of the future, not only for environmental reasons, but social ones. Through the progression of sustainable methods and technologies, we can provide a potentially infinite supply of employment, while contributing to the well-needed recovery of Earth; not to mention we can cease to emit chemicals in the air that are harming individuals worldwide, whether it be through water pollution, contamination of clean air, or various other atrocities derived through the process of fossil fuel extraction.

 

image courtesy of Valerie Everett

 

 

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Christmas Came Early

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Well, not fully, but let us at least give you something to get excited about heading into the New Year. We will be re-branding our Real E.Net document, transaction and business management software for real estate, and releasing the anticipated version 2.0 under its new name: Deal Manager.

The new Deal Manager is designed to boost your productivity to a whole new level with unparalleled features in real estate technology like instant updates throughout the transaction process, which will be available in the New Year thanks to our new Deal Tracker; one of the many 2.0 software feature upgrades. Stay tuned everybody, this will be coming your way very soon.

To tease you a bit more about why to get excited about the Deal Manager, allow us to present some of our latest features:

Single Deal Payout

  • Streamlines the payout of commission on a single deal. We’ve merged the batch processing power to a single deal, allowing for quick payouts, calculating agents’ commission and deductions, as well as cheque printing.

Agent Commission Cheque

  • We’ve revamped the cheque creation and presentation of the agent’s stub to include detailed information on the current commission payment. An Agent Revenue Summary is now included on the stub to provide your agents with a compressed and easy to read update of their current year’s progress.

Not enough? Wait until your agents sink their teeth into the Deal Manager to Go, our web app to trump all real estate web apps. Here are some (we can’t give it all away just yet) features of this revolutionary technology.

Commission Deal Calculator

  • Deals entered by agents now have a new powerful commission calculator that takes advantage of Brokerage defaults while allowing custom changes.

New Calendar

  • When entering dates, users now have the option of selecting from a popup calendar for improved efficiency and convenience.

Want more EnviroMint? Check out on Twitter for our latest and greatest in real estate and environmental news @enviromint

 

image courtesy of paparutzi

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Market Slump Contributes to Recovery

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You’d think that the market being down in the dumps would be something to worry about, but according to new theories put forth by several economists this could be somewhat of a God-send for real estate recovery.

Like we were saying in our post ‘Collaborative Recovery’, in order for the real estate market to recover, we need to see participation from all areas of society rather than the elite. Well, prices being as low as they currently are could in fact be what we’re looking for to jump-start the climb out of the market’s shriveled state. Couples, young families, or whomever else, have now been granted the opportunity of a low-cost housing index (for the most part) which is exactly the type of stimulus the market needs to recover. The low prices could very well be the icing on the cake for a lot of potential young buyers, who may otherwise not have been able to afford a home. Now that mortgage rates are so low and housing prices having practically never been lower (at least for quite some time), we may finally start to see the collaborative initiative required for a wholesome market recovery.

Through this, theories are also being put forth suggesting that the Canadian market won’t take a second dive like our neighbours to the South as statistics put forth suggesting a second crash were in fact misconstrued and did not account all factors, especially when compared to the US market. For example, the debt-to-income ratio, when compared to the US, didn’t take into account the amount of extra benefits Canadians receive through their debt such as healthcare and other subsidized services that the US doesn’t provide, therefore weighting economic predictions in a direction that may not be entirely comparable after all.

The only way to tell if any of these theories come true, is of course time. However, the prospects being put forth don’t seem shy of being on the right track…we hope.

For more real estate and environmental news, follow us on Twitter @enviromint.

 

image courtesy of USACE-Sacramento District

 

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Laying the Foundation for Cleantech

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Cleantech is a blanket term used by many to describe technologies related to furthering the sustainability of industry while preserving Earth’s life span. A recent Gigaom interview with a panel of cleantech investors unveiled a unique concept.

A comparison between the internet in it’s early days and cleantech in the sense that, much how the foundation for the internet was laid out by year 2000, the foundation for cleantech has been laid. The road has essentially been paved to allow cleantech to transition from a new technological concept, and into its potential to become an expansive industry – much like the internet.

Cleantech companies are emerging more and more, with innovative ideas, and brilliant advancements, which will not only benefit the planet, but its inhabitants. Now, the question is whether or not cleantech, now that it’s grasped its bearings, will be permitted the opportunity to expand in the same way the internet did. Unfortunately, the comparison with the internet is lackluster in this sense, as the internet did not suffer from massive inhibitions like cleantech does, such as the colossal oil and gas industry.

The foundation has most certainly been laid, however with restrictive paradigms surrounding this regime, there’s no real way to tell whether or not its implementation to society will go over successfully on the scale required to make a quantifiable change in the environmental crisis we are experiencing; the same crisis that has been caused by the very inhibition placed on cleantech expansion. Ironic, isn’t it?

For more real estate and environmental news, follow us on Twitter @enviromint.

 

image courtesy of Ruben Holthuijsen

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Sustainable Construction – A Future Necessity

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Before it’s too late, many areas in the United States are making serious revisions to their infrastructure’s ability to withstand the augmenting rate of natural disasters, which are presumably directly related to issues of climate change.

Not only are new developments being re-assessed in this light, but current developments as well, such as bridges and highways. This is presumably leading into a new realm of developmental concepts across the board – buildings, bridges, highways, dams, and much more. Given the current nature of climate disasters, we aren’t in the clear, and need to make preparations for when the worst shows up; and at this point, the latter seems inevitable.

The way of the future lies in developing structures designed not only to withstand time, but the elements as well, to prevent the need for re-construction in the event of a natural disaster. This style of construction is a perfect example of sustainable design in both these aspects. Development must achieve levels of sustainability in order to avoid reconstruction after X amount of years, while being developed stronger than ever before. The challenge bar has been set…so now we wait.

For more environmental and real estate news, follow us on Twitter @enviromint.

 

image courtesy of TANAKA Juuyoh

 

 

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Collaborative Recovery

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A short while ago we talked about how the real estate’s market recovery will more likely than not depend on full societal collaboration and participation within the market, in a post called ‘To Stabilize We Must Equalize’. If only those who are in good shape participate, then top-end properties circulate freely while mid-level properties stay put and depreciate.

Looking into the future, this concept is seemingly being applied to various markets already, which is a huge step in the right direction. Participation is going to be the key to market re-stabilization.  In the US, it’s showing that dual-income households are helping largely in this aspect. Therein lies the example that multiple participants working towards a common goal within their own households are improving the market in its entirety. An annual study by NAR showed that about 65% of all buyers are married couples, as opposed to 58% the year before. This increase in efforts is exactly what we need to see.

According to a recent Scotiabank poll, an impressive 77% of Canadians view home purchasing as an investment as opposed to an expense. With this mentality, Canada will hopefully follow-suit with our neighbours to the South in investigating the proper investment methods that will not only benefit the buyers and sellers, but the market itself. Recovery is close, now it’s just a matter of harnessing interests and investment strategies to collaboratively force a market recovery.

For more real estate and environmental news, follow on Twitter @enviromint.

 

image courtesy of Ken Jarvis Photography

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Prepare for the Worst

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If Hurricane Sandy has taught us anything, it’s that disaster can strike at any moment in the most unforeseeable and traumatic ways imaginable. Perspective is always provided in moments of crisis; it makes us realize how temperamental our habitation of Earth can be, and that we are always at the mercy of the elements. We seem to lose touch with this concept after being securely located in specific areas for a long time without experiencing any disasters. The ‘It won’t happen to me’ factor is most certainly a prominent one. But if there’s anything we can take away from this experience, it’s that disaster can strike anywhere, at any time, no matter how many times you tell yourself it won’t happen to you specifically. So where do we go from here? Back to the drawing board to assess our ‘worst-case-scenario’ options and plans – the likes of which are probably limited for many of us.

A recent Zillow article highlights the importance of having a ‘backup plan’ or ’emergency fund’ but providing readers with two unique stories from Hurricane Sandy survivors who discuss their experiences during the disaster, and their new-found appreciation for planning for the worst.

The biggest theme derived from this article was the importance of having a savings account or ’emergency fund’ at the ready. No. Matter. What. Whether you’re living inland or coastal, bad things happen to good people. That’s the reality of the climate-disaster we call a planet. We’ve been pushing our limits with nature for quite some time now, and it’s starting to push back.

Be prepared. Nobody likes getting caught up creek without a paddle, or in a storm without a backup plan. As we mentioned in our post ‘Hate To Say We Told You So…‘ climate disasters are increasing at an alarming rate with no signs of relenting the onslaught. To avoid disaster, implement prevention tactics. You just might need them one day.

For more environmental and real estate news, follow us on Twitter @enviromint.

 

image courtesy of 401(K) 2012

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To Stabilize We Must Equalize

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Speculations around market recovery are many. The desolate state in which the property market resides is remaining stagnant, with fragments of measurable recovery being made. Therein lies the question of how to inject some life into the current market; enough to drive a full recovery.

A recent Vancouver Sun article highlighted a very interesting and probable theory put forth by Vancouver’s Mayor Gregor Robertson. The concept he proposes is that more low to middle-income housing must be implemented in order to develop an efficient housing market recovery. Reason being is similar to a concept we covered in a previous blog post – Here We Go Again – that covered the principle of a market recovery being impossible wherein the lower-income citizens couldn’t participate in the market themselves. If only the wealthy are purchasing and rotating properties, then the market only fluctuates above a particular income bracket, as opposed to that of a fluid recovery that encompasses the efforts of all classes within a particular society.

The concept of introducing affordable housing for the lower and middle-class is quite ideal. In order to stabilize the property market, we must first even the playing field. If implemented successfully, this methodology could quickly yield beneficial results, as a rounded market recovery rather than a weighted one would increase and stabilize real estate across the board instead of augmenting the values of high-value properties for relatively elite citizens to exchange amongst themselves like poker chips.

For more real estate and environmental news, follow us on Twitter @enviromint

 

image courtesy of Antanith

 

 

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One Page At A Time

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Real estate, according to a recent article, is responsible for the fall of one tree per 17 transactions completed. This may seem like a lot, and it may appear as an overzealous assumption, but rest assured that this is most certainly no exaggeration. Real estate, while putting roofs over peoples’ heads, rapidly destroys potential wildlife habitats and is responsible for a vast amount of paper waste.

Technology’s progressions over the past decade are now sophisticated enough to allow for the replacement of paper resources entirely – so that’s exactly what we did. Digitization of documents has never been easier, so why not take a page out of our book and go paperless? Not only is this an efficient way to refine your business’ efficiency, but to make a conscious social decision to take a stand against the waste created by paper in our industry. With the elimination of paper documents, no longer are the days where sheets and forms go missing, become inaccessible, or need to be mailed. By switching to a digital business model you can refine your business process, access documents from virtually anywhere, distribute and share information instantaneously, while having a rested conscience from taking a personal stand against environmental destruction and paper waste.

For more environmental and real estate news, check us out on Twitter @enviromint.

 

image courtesy of Horia Varlan

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New York Dodged a Bullet…Financially

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Though it may be bitter-sweet, New Yorkers will fortunately not be subject to an even further ‘worst-case-scenario’ in terms of dealing with the aftermath of the notorious Frankenstorm, better known as Hurricane Sandy. According to a recent CNN article insurance claims for hurricane Sandy actually have an up-side…sort of.

Let’s face it, nobody likes paying insurance deductibles, but in this case the deductibles due by New York residents could be far worse, whether you can believe that or not. Typically, hurricane insurance deductibles are weighted as an amount variant between 1% and 5% of your entire property’s value. So, if you had a residence worth $300,000, and you had to pay a %5 deductible, there goes $15,000 of your hard-earned dollars just to get the insurance company involved. However, since Hurricane Sandy did not sustain 74mph winds long enough to be considered a Class 1 hurricane, the above framework doesn’t apply, and instead regular deductibles (generally between $500-$1,000) are all that will be required of New Yorkers.

The situation isn’t great, but (despite the obvious damages and destruction) the outcome, in this sense, could be even worse.

Our thoughts and hearts go out to the Hurricane Sandy victims.

 

image courtesy of david_shankbone

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