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        <title>Calgary Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/</link>
        <description>This blog is an online resource for Calgary real estate buyers, sellers, and Realtors to find information about mls listings, neighborhoods serachs, and anything real estate. We also have a tonne of informative posts on social media, etc.</description>
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            <guid>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/leasing-vs-purchasing-for-small-business.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/leasing-vs-purchasing-for-small-business.html</link>
            <author>brent@lanehomes.ca (Brent Lane)</author>
            <title>Leasing Vs. Purchasing for Small Business</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
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Leasing An Automobile


The maximum tax deductible amount for an automobile lease is $800 / month + taxes.&nbsp; While this sounds like a very generous limit, theres a catch.&nbsp; The $800 limit is reduced (through a complex formula) if the manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) for the automobile is in excess of $40,000 (approximately).


Lets assume that you have entered into a five year lease for an automobile having a MSRP of $30,000 with a monthly lease amount of $350, including taxes.&nbsp; Therefore, each year you would be entitled to a deduction of $4,200 (i.e. $350 x 12).


Purchasing An Automobile


When purchasing an automobile, the deductible amount (a.k.a. capital cost allowance or CCA) is computed as 30% of the cost of the automobile, on a declining balance scale.&nbsp; In the year of acquisition, only half of the CCA can be claimed.&nbsp;


The cost of the automobile on which CCA is claimed is limited to $30,000 + taxes.&nbsp; Therefore, if you purchase a luxury automobile, for example for $50,000, only $30,000 can be depreciated for tax purposes.


Now, lets assume you purchase an automobile having a MSRP of $30,000.&nbsp; The CCA (tax deduction) allowed in each years is as follows:


Year 1&nbsp;&nbsp; $4,500


Year 2&nbsp;&nbsp; $7,650


Year 3&nbsp;&nbsp; $5,355


Year 4&nbsp;&nbsp; $3,749


Year 5&nbsp;&nbsp; $2,624


Leasing Vs. Purchasing


In the first few years, the tax deductions are greater for purchasing an automobile as compared to leasing an automobile.&nbsp; However, in the later years leasing an automobile is more advantageous.&nbsp; This is clearly illustrated in the examples provided above.


As such, the answer as to whether buying or leasing an automobile is better must be determined on a case-by-case basis, and cannot be generalized.&nbsp;


To assist in your decision process, I recommend that you compute the total tax deduction over the term of the lease and compare that to the total CCA deductions over the same time period.&nbsp; This direct comparison will allow you to assess whether leasing or buying is more advantageous.


As an&nbsp;Accountant Toronto, I can tell you that non-tax factors that should also be considered when comparing buying vs. leasing an automobile:


1.&nbsp; The residual value expected on the sale of a purchased automobile


2.&nbsp; The maximum number of KM allowed per year under the lease contract and any surcharges for exceeding the maximum.


3.&nbsp; The interest rate implicit in the lease and the interest rate when financing a vehicle purchase


&nbsp;
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            <pubDate>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:57:52 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/new-wing-joint-in-lower-mount-royal.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/new-wing-joint-in-lower-mount-royal.html</link>
            <author>brent@lanehomes.ca (Brent Lane)</author>
            <title>New wing joint in Lower Mount Royal</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
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It's no secret Canadians love their hockey and beer. But did you know Canadians also really dig Chicken? According to Agriculture Canada, Canadians eat over 1 Billion kilograms of it each year.&nbsp;


It's because of this these facts a savvy casul-dining chain has expanded here, and in Calgary's case, it's awesome timing. Buffalo Wild Wings has opened its doors in Lower Mount Royal, targeting the roughly 3500 younger, mostly condo-dwelling residents of that community and into urban Calgary beyond. &nbsp;


But with the World Junior Hockey Championships in Calgary this year, the sports-bar atmosphere and wide variety of beer and wing flavours will no doubt attract an equally wide variety of people through its doors over the next several weeks... especially since the restaurant is family-friendly.&nbsp;


The chain caters to wing enthusiasts with 18 signature sauces and seasonings, caters to families with several kids' meals, and caters to sports enthusiasts with televisions and a wide variety of draught beer. With this creative mix, the resaurant is sure to become a neighborhood hot-spot in no time.&nbsp;


The American chain is also bringing a good number of jobs to Calgary - 3500 across Canada by 2014 according to economic predictions. If the company is as successful here as it is in the U.S., it may just become one of the most popular places in town.&nbsp;Though the franchise has been around since 1982, it took off in 2009, becoming one of the top 10 fastest growing businesses in the U.S. and named by Fortune Magazine as one of the 100 fastest growing businesses worldwide.&nbsp;


No doubt the Lower Mount Royal community will be happy to see another succesful company add to the local economy, as well as another tasty hang out to watch the game.&nbsp;
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            <pubDate>Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:28:44 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/professional-video-of-brent-lane-realtor.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/professional-video-of-brent-lane-realtor.html</link>
            <author>brent@lanehomes.ca (Brent Lane)</author>
            <title>Professional Video of  Brent Lane REALTOR</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
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An Introduction to Brent Lane. A Calgary real estate specialist. See what Brent's &amp; Century 21 Bamber Realty can offer to your condo or home buying needs. Great customer service and loyalty to you make the Lane Homes Marketing team not to be beat.



 

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            <pubDate>Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:52:04 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/move-over-movember.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/move-over-movember.html</link>
            <author>brent@lanehomes.ca (Brent Lane)</author>
            <title>Move over Movember</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
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Move over Movember 



The razors have been donned, and with one fell swoop, everything from the subtle 
stubble to the flamboyant freestyles have been whisked away. But what now? Sure the 
holidays are upon us, but who wants to think about shopping now, when it can clearly 
wait until December 24th? And really, who wants to go to all the ugly-sweater bashes or 
overdressed stuffy corporate &ldquo;holiday networking&rdquo; parties anyway? If you are one of 
those people not exactly super excited about the Christmas season, you may be 
wondering &ldquo;what else?&rdquo;



  
Ill let you in on a little secret that real estate investors have known about for years. Its 
one of the best times of year to find a new home or investment property. Why? There are 
much fewer buyers hitting the market right now. From there, its simple economics: the 
less demand, the lower the price. Its because if theyre not seeing much interest, sellers 
can sometimes be extra motivated to agree to an offer. This means you could afford 
things within your budget that you may not be able to at other times of the year. That 
extra bedroom&hellip; an attached garage&hellip; a more central location&hellip; whatever fits you best. 


 
On the flip side, if youre one of those people who IS super excited about the Christmas 
season, this could apply to you too. If you want to do something really special, and top 
absolutely any other gift, think about buying a new home as the ultimate gift to your 
partner, family, pet&hellip;. Heck, even yourself!



 
So&hellip; if youve been thinking about buying a new condo, townhouse or house but have 
been putting it off until its the &ldquo;right time&rdquo;&hellip; open up your calendar and see if you have 
a few minutes to meet with us. Well take it from there, and find the absolute best home 
for you within your budget. You might be pleasantly surprised at the deals that are to be 
had this time of year&hellip; and you wont even have to take one step inside a mall.
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:21:21 -0600</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/calgary-homebuyers-confidence-holds-steady-despite-global-turmoil.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/calgary-homebuyers-confidence-holds-steady-despite-global-turmoil.html</link>
            <author>brent@lanehomes.ca (Brent Lane)</author>
            <title>CALGARY HOMEBUYERS CONFIDENCE HOLDS STEADY DESPITE GLOBAL TURMOIL</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
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Calgary, October
3, 2011&nbsp; According to
figures released today by CREB (Calgary Real Estate Board), residential sales
continued to gain momentum in Calgary this year, totaling 14,832 after the
first three quarters, a seven per cent per cent rise over last year.


&ldquo;Despite recent
turmoil in the global economy, Calgarians are showing confidence in the long
term prospects for the city and are taking advantage of affordable and stable
home prices,&rdquo; says Bob Jablonski, president-elect of CREB.


&ldquo;Undoubtedly,
there are a lot of unknowns in the worlds current financial situation, but Calgary and Alberta
may be relatively safe havens amidst this uncertainty.&nbsp;&nbsp; Granted,
gains in the housing market have been very gradual&mdash;but we are seeing signs of
improvement.&nbsp;Our provinces growth is expected to outperform the national
average, and this will help buoy consumer confidence in Calgary
and Alberta.&rdquo;


Single family
home sales totaled 1,036 for the month of September, 2011, an eight per cent
increase over last September.&nbsp;Year-to-date sales totaled 10,518 units a 10
per cent increase over last year.&nbsp;Monthly gains in listings brings
inventory to 4,753 units, a level still lower than the previous year.


&ldquo;Clearly there is
a market for well priced listings.&nbsp;In particular, we are seeing strength
in detached single family home sales.&nbsp;Relative affordability in this
market has meant these homes are selling faster than condominiums and
townhouses,&rdquo; says Jablonski.&nbsp;


&ldquo;And single
family homes are selling closer to asking price&mdash;suggesting that homes will move
in this market, when priced right,&rdquo; added Jablonski.


The average price
of single family homes for the month of September, 2011 was $466,167, while the
median price was $400,000.&nbsp;Jablonski indicated that while prices have
marginally improved compared to September 2010 figures, on a year-to-date bases
both the average price and median price have remained relatively stable.


After the first
three quarters of this year, condominium sales totaled 4,314, a two per cent
rise over the same period last year. &ldquo;While the increase is modest, it is a
move in the right direction,&rdquo; noted Jablonski, adding that a boost in condominium
sales, along with a lower number of listings is helping to tighten this
market.&nbsp;At the end of September, 2011, condominium inventories totaled
2,008 units compared to 2,204 units recorded in September 2010.


Average
condominium prices reached $299,508 in September, 2011, appearing to record a
significant increase.&nbsp;However, the increase in price is not caused by a
general price rise, but has been pushed up by a $4 million plus sale.&nbsp;In
fact, both the median price of $260,000 and the year-to-date figures continue
to trend lower than figures recorded last year.


&ldquo;The recent news
of financial turmoil may be a shot across the bow for the world economy, but Calgary and Alberta
are relatively safe harbours in the storm,&rdquo; concludes Jablonski.&nbsp;


&ldquo;Calgary continues to add full-time jobs to
the economy, and migration is moving in the right direction.&nbsp;These are
positive factors that will give momentum to our housing market and give wind to
the sails of Calgarys
economy.&rdquo;


&nbsp;
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            <pubDate>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 14:07:10 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/make-30000-buy-a-home-in-calgary-in-september.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/make-30000-buy-a-home-in-calgary-in-september.html</link>
            <author>brent@lanehomes.ca (Brent Lane)</author>
            <title>Make $30,000 - Buy a home in Calgary in September</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
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Hi, It's Brent Lane with Century 21 Bamber Realty here in Calgary.


Give me 30 seconds of your day and I'll show you why I believe there is $30,000 to be made in your home over the next 8 months.&nbsp;Let me show you the facts (*Calgary real estate board statistics):- May 2010 average sales price of single family homes were: $483,239- May 2011 average sales price of single family homes were: $489,482


- August. 2010 average sales price of single family homes were: $445,616- August. 2011 average sales price of single family homes were: $453,969- September. 2009 average sales price of single family homes were: $459,085- September. 2010 average sales price of single family homes were: $460,277What do these figures mean to you?&nbsp;First,&nbsp;These figures represent a year over year comparison of how the market has been reacting in Calgary. The summers have been slow and the leading into the fall/spring have been better markets. The average sales price of a property purchased in September of the 2009 and 2010 were on average $25,000-$30,000 (approx.) lower. Purchasing at the end of August and early September seems to be the sweet spot to get the greatest value. The entire September, October, November markets are a great time to be buying in Calgary.&nbsp;Secondly,&nbsp;8 months later in both cases the average sale prices were at there absolute highest of the year.&nbsp;Thirdly,&nbsp;by August (including this past month), only 3 months later, the average sales prices for single family in Calgary in both both cases had slid back down.What this should mean to a savvy home buyer or savvy investor, is " BUY NOW!!". Yes this is a bit of a sales pitch, but it is one that comes with factual information and a justification to help my clients out with the big decision of buying a new home.&nbsp;Are you looking for a renovation project? (8 months to sell at peak market)&nbsp;Are you looking to add up to $30,000 in equity by next spring? Who wouldn't want that.None of us know for afact if the market will keep retracing each summer. If Calgary and Alberta for that matter continue to be the North American leader (of all provinces and U.S states) for new job growth and lowest unemployment rates it may be a $50,000 increase by next May in the average home prices.Call me today 403-607-4575 or&nbsp;submit online&nbsp;to start that search off with a&nbsp;REALTOR&nbsp;who knows how to make his clients money.



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            <pubDate>Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:02:31 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/open-houses-may21-and-may-22.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/open-houses-may21-and-may-22.html</link>
            <author>brent@lanehomes.ca (Brent Lane)</author>
            <title>Open Houses May.21 and May. 22</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
OPEN HOUSES IN MACEWAN GLEN AND COUGAR RIDGE


Looking for something for a nice drive and some open houses this May Long weekend. Look no further. We have open houses available in Macewan Glen and Cougar Ridge. Click these links to get directions.



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            <pubDate>Tue, 17 May 2011 18:24:48 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/macewan-glen-calgary-home-for-sale-under-350000.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/macewan-glen-calgary-home-for-sale-under-350000.html</link>
            <author>brent@lanehomes.ca (Brent Lane)</author>
            <title>Macewan Glen Calgary Home for Sale Under $350,000</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
11 Macewan Glen Road


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Don't miss this one! Pride of ownership shows throughout. From the moment you walk in the door it feels like home. This 2000+sq foot developed layout is perfect for a growing family. The 3 bedrooms upstairs make it ideal for taking care of young ones and with an additional 2 bedrooms downstairs there is room to expand. If your family enjoys catching up over a cozy family dinner and then relaxing for a movie on a warm Saturday night then this is the home for you. With a warm beautiful summer just around the corner, what better way to enjoy it then on your large West facing back deck. This home is ready for a new family to move in and enjoy. Are you that family? If so do not hesitate to call your favourite REALTOR to schedule your showing.





&nbsp;


Virtual Tour


Additional Photos


Macewan Glen Community Information


11 Macewan Glen Road Featured Listing


5 bedroom Macewan Glen Home
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            <pubDate>Fri, 13 May 2011 17:23:20 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/executive-calgary-condo-living-in-spruce-cliff.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/executive-calgary-condo-living-in-spruce-cliff.html</link>
            <author>brent@lanehomes.ca (Brent Lane)</author>
            <title>Executive Calgary Condo Living in Spruce Cliff</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
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VIEWS, NATURAL RAVINE, DOWNTOWN SKYLINE and you can call this
condo HOME! This Copperwood condominium layout, design, finishing give this
executive condo views that are hard to believe. Say good bye to the confining
condominium concept as this is wide open. A Calgary condo this great in Spruce Cliff will
make your 2 bedroom condo living experience fantastic. Stunning layout, design, finishing
and views. Step out your door to a huge curved terrace and walk yourself and/or
your pet into the ravine leading to the Bow Valley
river walk. This home allows the outside in&nbsp; - feeling as though you live
in nature.The interior design and finishing is superb. A refreshing neutral
palette to let your imagination go wild. Sheer elegance is displayed. The
principle living areas are open with curved windows to absorb the complete
views. The master bedroom is huge with a lavish ensuite/spa and walk in closet.
Storage is over the top, additional storage in the laundry room, on the balcony
plus the lower parkade level. On site work out facility, meeting rooms and
more. Located at the 2nd stop of the approved LRT extension to be completed by
the end of this year. Just in time to park the car and become green you are
DOWNTOWN NOW. MLS Calgary Condos


&nbsp;





http://www.ca.open2view.com/Property/1138http://www.brentlane.com/105_4_Hemlock_Crescent_Calgary_Spruce_Cliff_Condo.phphttp://www.brentlane.com/idx/cms/11/details.htmlhttp://www.ca.open2view.com/tour/walkthrough/1138?num=0
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            <pubDate>Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:03:08 -0500</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/709-grand-beach-bay-chestermere-homes.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.brentlane.com/blog/709-grand-beach-bay-chestermere-homes.html</link>
            <author>brent@lanehomes.ca (Brent Lane)</author>
            <title>709 Grand Beach Bay Chestermere Homes</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
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709 Grand Beach Bay Chestermere Homes


Welcome home to your new Oasis only steps from Chestermer Lake. An urban 
treasure on this expansive 10,000+ square foot lot. Beautifully landscaped with 
gazebo, greenhouse, deck, and hot tub. Perfect for those summer B.B.Q's or 
entertaining friends. This home suits all of your families needs. Jack n' Jill 
bathroom ensuite with 2 large bedrooms combined with a spacious master retreat 
complete the upstairs of this home beautifully. The open concept main floor, 3 
sided fireplace, and large windows complete this warm and an inviting home. Call 
for your private showing today to see what else this home has to offer.



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            <pubDate>Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:55:25 -0500</pubDate>
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