PAGE 12, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1986 WHITBY FREE PRESS BNeware of get rich real estate, schemes wealth by marketing programs on how to make fast money in the real estate miarket, says AI Coleclough of the On- tario Ministry of Con- sumer and Commercial Relations <MCCR). "Unfortunately, a lot of people are falling for WALLPAFER SALE ""AL500K ORDERS" SAVE .a on Suggeted Book Prices Not Vour Regulor sale Choose from our great collection of WALLPAPER BOOKS Don't be re8tricted to chain stor- in-stock selections Cho» te suit your personul faste & decor Corne where thé selection lu greuteri PERKINS PAINT à WALLCOVERINGS LTD. 148 HAAWOOD AVE. 107 BYRON ST. S. AJAX PLAZA FIrat West of Four Corners AJAà X turn south) 683-1860 WHITBY 6-85862 I In the past year, On- tario residents may have wasted thousands of dollars on get-rich schemes involving real estate. Promoters - mainly from the United States - have been preying on people's dreams of these sehemes, spen- ding hundreds of dollars eacb to get into courses or buy instructional packages, " says Coleclough, Registrar of Real Estate and Business Brokers for MCCR. "They aren't likely to get any return on the money they in- vest." The programs have been widely advertised through fast-paced, slick television cam- paigns which tantalize viewers with testimonials from people who dlaim to have made fortunes in real estate. The lengthy television comnmercials are set up to look like feature programs. Their main purpose is to get people to attend free seminars held around the province. The evangelist-style salesmanship, typical of the TV spots, continues at the seminars. Par- ticipants are urged to sign up for courses or buy tapes, books and other materials. The audience is repeatedly told they could ail get rich if they follow the advice contained in the promoters' material. "The astute ones drop out at that point," says Coleclough. "The less astute believe they only Aquaties workshop for The Durham Region Red Cross Society and Aquatic Programmers will be held on Sunday, is presenting an exciting Feb. 2 at the -Ajax and enlightening Community Centre, 65 workshop on aquatics Harwood Ave. S., Ajax. and the older aduit. This The workshop will workshop is sponsored focus on understanding by the Durham Region have to buy ail the material the pitch man is offerlng and they'll make a fortune." Most of the schemes are based on buying real estate dirt cheap and selling it for huge profits.* Some programs suggest ways to find "distress sales" - houses that have to be sold quickly for various reasons. The courses teach how to take ad- vantage of the desperate homeowner. The registrar points out that many of the American concepts taught don't work in Canada. Many plans also promote the purchase of property with no cash down payment, a prac- tice Coleclough calls "highly risky at best. " "In most cases you can't buy a house without a cash down- payment," he says. "The other advice these promoters give is just as impractical. Houses aren't often sold cheaply in Ontario. Sure, maybe there are one or two great legitimate deais out there, but now there are hundreds of seminar gradjmtes after those few rare deals." According to Coleclough, the Seniors the needs of seniors, programs for seniors, seniors as volunteers, fitness for seniors, and commun health problems and benefits. of activity. For more information and to register, please telephone the Oshawa Community Services Department, Recrea- tion Division at 725-1111 or the Town of Ajax at 683-3740. schemes don't appear to be illegal, they may simply be a "waste of money" and they teach Iargely "immoral" practices. "Somne of these people are saying, 'Go out and find the little old widower who doesn't know the value of his property, then take ad- vantage of hlm.' They're teaching hun- dreds of people to be immoral, if not downright dishonest. But even if you're willing to take advah- tage of desperate people, there still aren't many opportunities for making a fast buck in real'estate." Although the promoters are experts at rousing greed in a crowd and are smooth talking sellers for their courses and books, there is one glaring flaw in the sales pitch, Coleclough says. "If it's s0 easy to get rich in real estate with no money to invest and no risk involved, ask yourself why these people are standing on soap boxes throughout the province instead of relaxing on their yachts," he says. "Then put your money back in your pocket and walk away." Vear Round Vacation at home, in a Spa of your own. D E NO epeclal Plumbing or Wlring noeosery S M p SR E E T N E -T i A A L L S s Ph oenix: 6'h'x6'h 'square, 5-7 people ,.. 3,Sale $3,395 Malibut: .r.$359 Sale $2e995 F iji: reg.12f Sale $2,549 THIE SPA SHOPPE a division of SS Swim Pools 22 Iitson Rd.N, Oshawa 579-2623 Speaking to You By SCOTT' FENNELL, MP- >.. (PC - Ontario) The Prime Minister of Japan, His Excellency Mr. Yasuhiro Nakasone, was in Ottawa last week to ad- dress the Members of the House of Senate. Mr. Nakasone began his address with a warm salute to ail Canadians and he stated his deep respect for the courageous generations that toiled to build our nation into what it is today. He acknowledged with great admiration, that the peoples of the world view Canada with respect, af- fection, and gratitude, for our compassion and sup- port for the handicapped, and our tolerance and un- derstanding toward multiculturalism. The Prime Minister of Japan then turned to a discussion of Japan's position and the basic elemen- ts of its policies toward the world, and his views on how Japan and Canada can co-operate for their own progress and that of the world as we move on to the 21st century. Mr. Nakasone explained that the basis of Japan's world policy is to seek its peace and prosperity in the attainment of world peace and prosperity. To achieve this, Japan will work for: 1. the promotion of peace and disarmament; 2. political and economnic co-operation and solidarity among the countries 0f North America, Western Europe. and Japan, which account for haif of the world's economic production, and form the backbone of the Free World; 3. greater free trade, as this is necessary to consolidate and further develop economic progress which is germane to meeting the growing needs of both the advanced industrial coun- tries and the developing countries of the world. On the subject of future- co-operation between Japan and Canada, Mr. Nakasone stated that each of us is indispensable to the other. He said, however, that we should not be content with a relationship based merely on economic complementarity, but that we should " ...consult and co-operate even more seriously on such problems as world peace and disarmament and on our policies to achieve prosperity in the developing countries." Mr. Nakasone closed by saying: 'lit is my fervant hope that the everlasting friendship and co- operation between Japan and Canada wiII bear abundant fruit for the future of our planet Earth. "