Dave Friesen Realtor

08/07/2025

It's official!!
Executive order opening the $12.5 trillion 401(k) retirement market to crypto investments is here!

10/23/2024

September existing home sales fell 3.5% year-over-year to the lowest level since 2010.

Existing home sales fell to a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of 3.84 million units, the slowest pace since October 2010.

First-time buyers made up 26% of purchases, matching an all-time low.

Meanwhile, the median sales price rose 3% in September compared to last year's data, to $404,500.

At the current pace, available inventory would last 4.3 months, the longest in more than 4 years, according to Zerohedge.

The housing market is stalling.

10/10/2024

https://youtu.be/lSfqPj7PpVc?si=L-ZwDyIR6ULTbhOa

5 years after his first documentary on the topic, award-winning filmmaker Torsten Hoffmann revisits the big brains and big egos behind Bitcoin and Blockchain...

09/26/2024

How Wealthy Households Use a “Buy, Borrow, Die” Strategy to Avoid Taxes on Their Growing Fortunes
By Tazra Mitchell

The US and DC tax systems include many advantages for wealth, allowing it to concentrate in the hands of a few households. Wealthy households, for example, can use the three-step “buy, borrow, die” strategy to get massive capital gains tax advantages. This strategy protects the inheritance of wealth, especially extreme wealth, allowing the very wealthiest families to hold, live off of, and transfer that wealth without ever paying taxes on it—and it’s all legal. Racial justice requires unrigging the system that allows for tax avoidance and taxing wealth more heavily to increase our shared resources, so that all have what they need to thrive.

Step 1: Buy Assets
Wealthy family buys stocks, bonds, real estate, art, or other high-value assets. It strategically holds on to these assets and allows them to grow in value. The family won’t owe income tax on the growth in the assets’ value unless it sells them and makes a profit.

Step 2: Borrow Against Assets
Wealthy family borrows against its assets’ growing value and uses the newly available cash to live off or invest in other assets, like rental properties. The family does NOT owe taxes on its asset-leveraged loans because the government doesn’t tax borrowed money.

Wealthy family uses its untaxed wealth to access significant amounts of untaxed cash to live luxuriously while continuing to grow its wealth, untaxed, indefinitely.

Step 3: Die and Pass Assets Tax Free to Heirs
Wealthy parents or benefactors of the family keep the original appreciated assets until their death, leaving those assets to an heir. Neither the current federal or local tax code require the original asset holders or the heir to pay taxes on the growth in value up to that point. Instead, the tax code wipes out any tax liability for the capital gains by “stepping up” the baseline value of the assets from the original price to their value at the time of the benefactors’ death. This enables the wealthy family’s heirs to altogether avoid taxes on the increased value of stocks, real estate, and valuable artwork.

09/12/2024

Why is it important for a homeowner to get a preliminary report on their property?

A preliminary report is essential for a homeowner because it provides vital information about the property's title, legal status, and any potential issues that could affect ownership or future transactions. Key reasons for obtaining a preliminary report include:

1. **Identifies Liens or Encumbrances**: It reveals any liens, easements, or encumbrances that might be tied to the property, such as unpaid taxes, mortgages, or rights of others to use portions of the land.

2. **Clarifies Ownership**: It confirms who the rightful owner is, ensuring that there are no disputes or errors in the recorded ownership of the property.

3. **Highlights Legal Restrictions**: The report can show zoning laws, property restrictions, or other legal limitations that may affect how the property can be used or developed.

4. **Protects Future Transactions**: By addressing any title issues upfront, homeowners can prevent delays or legal complications when selling or refinancing their property.

5. **Informs Title Insurance**: The information in a preliminary report is used to issue title insurance, which protects the homeowner and lender from future claims or disputes over the property.

In short, a preliminary report helps homeowners safeguard their investment and avoid legal or financial surprises.

09/10/2024

Why is it important for a property owner to look at their property assessment report?

08/29/2024

WHAT THE NAR SETTLEMENT MEANS FOR HOME BUYERS AND SELLERS

On March 15, The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reached an agreement with plaintiffs that would, if approved by the court, end litigation of claims brought on behalf of home sellers related to broker commissions. The Settlement also includes some changes to real estate transactions, but importantly, consumers will continue to have choices regarding real estate services. These practice changes will go into effect on August 17, 2024:
• Real estate agents who use and list properties for sale on a Multiple Listing Service
(MLS)— a local marketplace used by real estate professionals (both buyer brokers and listing brokers) to share information about inventory in a particular area-will be required to enter into written agreements with buyers before touring a home. Those written agreements must include:
• A specific and conspicuous disclosure of the amount or rate of compensation the real estate agent will receive or how this amount will be determined.
• Compensation that is objective (eg., $0, X flat fee, X percent, X hourly rate)— and not open-ended (e.g., cannot be "buyer broker compensation shall be whatever the amount the seller is offering to the buyer").
A term that prohibits the agent from receiving compensation for brokerage services from any source that exceeds the amount or rate agreed to in the agreement with the buyer; and
A conspicuous statement that broker fees and commissions are fully negotiable and not set by law.
NAR has long encouraged its members to use written agreements with buyers because they help consumers understand exactly what services they have agreed to, the roles and responsibilities, and the amount. For this reason, several states already have laws requiring buyer agreements.
There are also changes to how and where real estate professionals may communicate with each other about offers of compensation. These offers are no longer allowed on Multiple Listing Service (MLS) platforms. Sellers can still offer compensation off an MLS.
Sellers can offer buyer concessions on an MLS (for example concessions for buyer closing costs).
Things to know as a home buyer or seller:
• If you are a buyer and your agent is using an MLS, you will need to sign a written agreement with your agent before touring a home so you understand exactly what services will be provided, and for how much.
• Written agreements are required for both in-person and live virtual home tours.
• You do not need a written agreement if you are just speaking to an agent at an open house or asking them about their services.
• Agent compensation for home buyers and sellers continues to be fully negotiable.
• When finding an agent to work with, ask questions about their services, compensation and these written agreements.
• More details about these changes and what they mean can be found at competition.realtor.
REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS®

08/27/2024

The Best Countries for Quality of Life:

1. 🇨🇭 Switzerland
2. 🇩🇰 Denmark
3. 🇸🇪 Sweden
4. 🇳🇴 Norway
5. 🇫🇮 Finland
6. 🇳🇱 Netherlands
7. 🇨🇦 Canada
8. 🇦🇺 Australia
9. 🇩🇪 Germany
10. 🇦🇹 Austria
11. 🇳🇿 New Zealand
12. 🇮🇸 Iceland
13. 🇮🇪 Ireland
14. 🇸🇬 Singapore
15. 🇯🇵 Japan
16. 🇧🇪 Belgium
17. 🇫🇷 France
18. 🇱🇺 Luxembourg
19. 🇰🇷 South Korea
20. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
21. 🇪🇸 Spain
22. 🇮🇹 Italy
23. 🇺🇸 United States
24. 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
25. 🇸🇮 Slovenia
26. 🇹🇼 Taiwan
27. 🇮🇱 Israel
28. 🇵🇹 Portugal
29. 🇪🇪 Estonia
30. 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
31. 🇨🇱 Chile
32. 🇱🇹 Lithuania
33. 🇵🇱 Poland
34. 🇸🇰 Slovakia
35. 🇭🇷 Croatia
36. 🇺🇾 Uruguay
37. 🇨🇾 Cyprus
38. 🇭🇺 Hungary
39. 🇲🇹 Malta
40. 🇷🇴 Romania
41. 🇧🇷 Brazil
42. 🇲🇽 Mexico
43. 🇨🇳 China
44. 🇲🇾 Malaysia
45. 🇹🇭 Thailand
46. 🇷🇸 Serbia
47. 🇧🇬 Bulgaria
48. 🇬🇷 Greece
49. 🇷🇺 Russia
50. 🇿🇦 South Africa

Sources:

United Nations Human Development Index (HDI)
OECD Better Life Index
World Happiness Report
Numbeo Quality of Life Index
The Economist Quality of Life Index

The ranking is based on various indicators such as economic stability, healthcare, education, income equality, safety and overall happiness.

08/18/2024

Stay aware, that way you can prepare!

Source: The Zeberg Report-
Head Macro Economist at Swissblock, Subscribe:
thezebergreport.com/HZ Updates

Replace "2007" with "2024" and "2008" with "2025" and you will get the picture.
Only this time the cutting cycle will be faster!

08/18/2024

https://www.investopedia.com/what-to-expect-in-the-markets-this-week-8696477

Coming up: Fed Chairman Powell's comments, Democratic Convention speakers, and earnings from Lowe’s, Target, and Snowflake.

08/18/2024

https://youtu.be/jHTJTum8Bfk?si=u67BJhoDxA7Xopxz

US hiring slowed sharply in July and the unemployment rate rose to the highest level in nearly three years. The data triggers a recession indicator dubbed th...

08/17/2024

This is for those that don’t believe we are heading for a massive recession. The Sham Rules current data shows a much bigger decline than all recessions back to 1960’s. Doubling the crash of 2008. No one can deny this Data! We are in a currency reset and it’s digital! I can prove that too!
Source is the Federal Reserve!
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/SAHMREALTIME #:~:text=Graph%20and%20download%20economic%20data%20for%20Real%2Dtime,1959%20to%20Jul%202024%20about%20recession%20indicators%2C