may 2016
DESCRIPTION
May issue of REM for 2016.TRANSCRIPT
Report identifies 36 dangers to the industry
Page 3
FINTRAC steps up brokerage audits
Page 3
Working in real estate rocks!
Page 10
Report identifies 36 dangers to the industry
Page 3
FINTRAC steps up brokerage audits
Page 3
Working in real estate rocks!
Page 10
Issue #323 May 2016
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Wasim ElafechTop Century 21 salesperson in the world Page 18
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St. E
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78, T
oron
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4E 1G
3Ca
nada
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2185
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1178
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ON
M4E
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Wasim Elafech
To investigate a career with us, visit joinremax.ca
Each RE/MAX offi ce is independently owned and operated. This advertisement is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. It is for informational purposes only. If you own a franchise affi liated with another organization, this advertisement is not intended to offer a RE/MAX franchise or to solicit a change in your affi liation.
THERE’S ROOM FOR YOU AT THE TOP
report commissioned byCREA tells Canadianreal estate professionals
not to be paranoid and then iden-tifies 36 potential threats to realestate salespeople, brokers, boardsand associations and the MLSSystem.
Presented at CREA’s AGM inMarch, the D.A.N.G.E.R. Report(Canada Edition) was written byU.S.-based Stefan Swanepoel,CEO of consulting firm SwanepoelT3 Group. His firm interviewed30 executives from Canada’slargest real estate companies,boards and associations to identifythe biggest threats facing theindustry.
“It is said that ‘Black Swans’ areunpredictable future events, someof which may never occur. So donot become paranoid, but at thesame time be alert to the potentialrisks so that you may be better pre-pared for the Black Swans that dooccur,” writes Swanepoel.
“While this report seeks toidentify the most significant dan-gers, it deliberately avoids provid-ing solutions,” he says. “It wasdecided at the outset that identify-ing the solutions is the responsibil-ity of each respective organization
REM MAY 2016 3
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ignificant deficiencies inhow some salespeople andbrokerages in the
Vancouver area are handling theirobligations under Canada’s anti-money laundering law has prompt-ed Canada’s financial intelligenceunit to increase the number ofexaminations it performs in thereal estate sector right across thecountry.
“I don’t want to identify specif-ic areas but I think it’s safe toassume FINTRAC is targetinglarger markets where concernshave been raised,” says DarrenGibb, communications managerwith The Financial Transactionsand Reports Analysis Centre
(FINTRAC).In early to mid 2015, Gibb says
FINTRAC received intelligencethat prompted it to significantlyincrease its scrutiny of Vancouverreal estate brokerages. Federalexaminers looked at approximately80 firms and discovered 55instances of “significant and verysignificant deficiencies” in howsome salespeople were fulfillingtheir obligations under theProceeds of Crime (MoneyLaundering) and TerroristFinancing Act. In order of impor-tance, Gibb says deficiencies wererelated to policies and procedures,risk assessment, recordkeeping andclient identification.
Taking identification as anexample, Gibb says all real estatesalespeople have a responsibility toidentify their clients, determinewhether third parties are involvedin transactions and keep accuraterecords. Verifying a client’s identi-ty, he says, is as simple as checkingand recording their government-issued identification.
“The international communityand Government of Canada haveacknowledged the real estateindustry is vulnerable to moneylaundering,” says Gibb. “Moneylaundering is like the flow of water;it takes the path of least resistance.And, quite frankly, we’re seeinghow real estate is being used to
launder money.”CREA vice president of gov-
ernment and public relationsRandall McCauley says in this dayand age, there is absolutely noexcuse for Realtors not to ascertaintheir client’s ID during a transac-tion.
“Look, I’m on the road rightnow and I have to show my ID atleast four times,” says McCauley. “Ishow it when I check in to the air-port, again when I get to the air-port gate, when I rent my car andwhen I check in to the hotel. So, Ithink it’s fair to say we need to doa better job collectively – orga-nized real estate and Realtors – atrespecting the rules, which are
pretty clear and simple to under-stand.”
Still, McCauley also believesFINTRAC needs to do a better jobat understanding the real estatebusiness in its risk-based guidanceapproach to ensuring compliance.As an example, he points to a situ-ation where a transaction is con-sidered riskier and subject toenhanced due diligence if it’s theclient’s second transaction withina five-year period with the samebroker. This, says McCauley, fun-damentally misunderstands thenature of the real estate businessand helping families.
Report identifies 36 dangers to the industryFrom brokers going broke to the Competition Bureau forcing the MLS System to become a public utility, a report commissioned by CREA identifies dangers that could impact Canada’s residential real estateindustry. By Jim Adair
and its leader. How each leaderstrategically interprets andresponds to the dangers will ulti-mately determine the unique com-petitive advantages or disadvan-tages that set them apart from theircompetitors.”
Nine dangers impacting sales-people range from commissionsspiralling downward to havingFSBOs evolve into a do-it-yourselfmodel. It also identified “currentbaby boom salespeople beingpushed out” as a danger, suggestingthat “after two decades of theInternet, online marketing andmobile technologies, the averagesalesperson still lags behind wherethey should be.”
“Marginal salespeople damageRealtor reputation” is another dan-ger, says the report. “Most profes-sionals….require thousands ofhours of study… Residential realestate is not a profession andobtaining a real estate license hasalways been relatively easy….Thetime has come for the real estatesalesperson to be held to the levelof a professional,” says the report.
Other dangers to salespeopleinclude “market share concen-trates into even fewer hands” as asmall group of salespeople “secure a
disproportionately large marketshare of all home sales.”
“The decline in the relevancyof salespeople” is listed as anotherthreat.
For brokers, the report lists thetop danger as “real estate brokerssimply go broke.”
Swanepoel writes, “A growingnumber of brokerages are notfinancially sound and, as a result,are reducing the products and theservices they provide to their sales-people dramatically…An econom-ic downturn in big cities, such asToronto and Vancouver that haveexperienced almost two decades ofcontinuous growth, could result ina large decline in the number ofviable real estate brokerages.”
Another danger to brokers isthat “technology becomes a run-away train” in which the resourcesnecessary to keep up with changesexceed the average brokerage’sability to remain competitive.
Other dangers: “The expansionof teams strangle brokerages”,“mere posters and FSBOs createunwanted liability”, “an industry-wide race to the bottom” and “bigcompanies increase dominance.”
For organized real estate, thereport says that “growing mission
creep” among local, provincial andnational associations has resultedin “channel conflict and a duplica-tion of services,” leaving associa-tions fighting for economic viabili-ty.
The unwieldy governancestructure of boards and associa-tions, opposition to consolidation,huge declines in membership, con-flicts with regulators and a tenden-cy for boards to cater to the “lowestcommon denominator” of theassociation’s membership are citedas other dangers.
Finally the report looks at dan-gers impacting the MLS System,including the danger that a newnationwide system would margin-alize the value of existing local sys-tems. Entry by a powerful portalfrom outside the country is anoth-er danger, as well as the possibilitythat “someone builds a bettermousetrap” or “major security
breaches occur.”Another danger is that the fed-
eral Competition Bureau couldforce the MLS System to become apublic utility.
The final danger cited is, “Arapidly changing marketplace andbattles over market share and lead-erships create antagonism betweenbrokerage operations, the Realtorcommunity, MLS systems, portalsand regulators.”
Swanepoel says, “It is incum-bent upon every real estate profes-sional who reads this report toensure that we are leaving ahealthy and thriving industry tothe next generation. To that end,read this report with the intent ofnot only becoming informed, butwith a commitment in becoming aproactive part of find the solutionsfor the future.”
To read the full report, visitdangerreport.com/canada/ REM
FINTRAC steps up brokerage audits By Tony Palermo
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Continued on page 6
Multiple ListingsDo you have news to share with Canada’s real estate community?Let REM know about it! Email: [email protected]
By Jim Adair, REM Editor
market growth in the area. Withseveral residential housing devel-opments underway, as well as anew hospital and subway to sup-port and attract future residents,the area isn’t slowing down.
Since day one as a Realtor, DiTommaso says that opening hisown real estate office was hisdream. “It feels good to help busi-ness owners, investors and familiesin the areas I grew up in.”
■ ■ ■
Two high profile salespeoplehave left competing firms andjoined the Keller Williams BlackDiamond Realty team in
entury 21 BenchmarkRealty recently opened aboutique office that spe-
cializes in residential, commercialand development-focused realestate in the North York commu-nity of Toronto. Owner John DiTommaso grew up in the area andbrings extensive real estate experi-ence to foster the growth of thenew office, the company says.
Broker of record RobertPrincipe offers eight years of expe-rience in the banking industry and20 years in real estate.
Di Tommaso says he spottedthe opportunity to open an officeafter witnessing huge real estate
C
team of more than 80 salespeopleand has built strong relationshipswith home builders, the companysays.
“Our strength over the past 13years is rooted in technology andhow innovation translates toexceptional service,” says managerDaljinder Gill.
The goal of the brokerage is togrow to 150 agents by year end, thecompany says.
■ ■ ■
HomeLife/United Realty inBrampton, Ont. has been termi-nated as a HomeLife franchisee forfailing to meet its contractualfinancial obligations under its cur-rent ownership, the company says.
“Although we pursued everyavenue to avoid this conclusion,we were unable to reach a satisfac-tory resolution,” says Ed Pupulin,director of international businessdevelopment at HomeLife RealtyServices. “HomeLife/United’s salesrepresentatives are encouraged toremain within the HomeLife fami-ly by joining another HomeLifebrokerage in their area.”
HomeLife/United Realty hadmore than 200 salespeople.
The brokerage was founded in1989. Parvinder Singh took solepossession of the multi-branch bro-kerage in 2008, says HomeLife. InFebruary, the Real Estate Councilof Ontario issued a proposal torevoke registration for Singh. Thatcase is still pending.
■ ■ ■
The longest operating realestate office in the Moncton Metroand surrounding area, Century 21Countryside Realty, has new own-ers and a new name.
Burnaby, B.C. Melissa Wu is leaving Sutton
and Roland Kym is moving from aRe/Max brokerage.
Wu is a member of the RealEstate Board of GreaterVancouver’s President’ Club, thetop one per cent of all real estateagents in the Greater Vancouverarea. She sells more houses than 99per cent of the 13,000 real estateagents on the board.
During the past six years, Kymhas also made the top one per centof Vancouver Realtors based onsales volume.
The Black Diamond MarketCentre, owned by Juliana Vallee,was established in 2013 and ishome to 90 associates. In 2015,Keller Williams Black DiamondRealty shared more than $100,000with its associates in profit share,the brokerage says.
■ ■ ■
The Toronto brokerage former-ly operating as Re/Max VisionRealty has joined the RoyalLePage network.
Established in 2003, the bro-kerage is active in Toronto’s down-town condo market and the north-eastern resale market in the GTA.Asgher Naqvi is the broker ofrecord.
Now named Royal LePageVision Realty, the brokerage has a
Tim Beaulieu and AudrieElderkin-Beaulieu are the newowners of the renamed Century 21A & T Countryside Realty.
The brokerage has been inbusiness since 1981. In 2014 and2015, the company earned theCentury 21 Centurion Officeaward for top sales results. In 2015,the team achieved the Century 21Per Person Productivity award forthe individual sales successes oftheir Realtors.
The brokerage has two loca-tions, in Moncton and Sackville,and this summer the owners planto open a new office in Moncton.
■ ■ ■
MAC Marketing Solutionsand BLVD Marketing Group, twoVancouver-based real estate pro-ject marketing companies, havemerged to form Western Canada’slargest real estate marketing orga-nization, McNeill Lalonde &Associates.
“By coming together andadding resources, we are nowpoised to provide clients with anadded suite of services and a morecomprehensive offering,” saysRyan Lalonde, founder of BLVD.The company says its goal is tobuild on the foundations of bothbrands, and provide analytics, mar-keting, sales and advisory servicesto major metropolitan centresacross Canada.
“We determined quickly thatour business goals aligned. Whatwe spent far more time discussingwas our respective company cul-tures,” says Cameron McNeill,founder of MAC marketing solu-tions. “This merger would not betaking place if we didn’t feel thatwe could not just maintain, but infact enhance our cultural spirit,”McNeill says.
The combined organizationincludes 110 employees and salesand leasing staff working on more than 80 projects in various stages of development throughoutGreater Vancouver, Fraser Valley,Victoria, Edmonton and Calgary.
■ ■ ■
Laurie Pelletier is now bro-ker/owner of Century 21 Impact inMont Saint-Hilaire, Que. Pelletierjoined the office in 2009.
Pelletier has won nationalawards for her sales success, earn-ing the 2015 Century 21 MastersEmerald award, the Century 21Masters Silver award in both 2014
4 REM MAY 2016
Continued on page 6
Roland Kym Laurie Pelletier
Cameron McNeill Melissa Wu
Royal LePage CEO Phil Soper (centre) with the Royal LePage VisionRealty team.
At the grand opening of Engel & Völkers Tremblant, from left: AnthonyHitt, CEO of Engel & Völkers North America; Steven Lafave, managingdirector, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; and Richard Brinkley, senior VPmarket development, Engel & Völkers Canada.
Partner with Innovation.
6 REM MAY 2016
and 2013 and the 2012 Century 21Masters Ruby award.
Century 21 Impact offers resi-dential, commercial and recreationproperty real estate services.
■ ■ ■
Engel & Völkers officiallylaunched its brokerage in Mont-Tremblant, Que. at a grand open-ing celebration in the heart of thepedestrian village recently. Theevent was attended by more than200 guests.
The grand opening began witha ribbon cutting ceremony led byAnthony Hitt, CEO of Engel &Völkers North America, who wasjoined by Patrice Malo, presidentand CEO of Station MontTremblant and Steven Lafave, aPlayground Tremblant veteran andnow the managing director of thenew Engel & Völkers Tremblant.
“The grand opening of Engel &Völkers Tremblant celebrates avaluable addition to our NorthAmerican network, as the newshop is situated in an ideal locationto expand our footprint in theregion and to meet the needs of ourclients who enjoy the active out-door living the market has tooffer,” says Hitt.
The brokerage is an alliancebetween Engel & Völkers andPlayground Tremblant, a resort realestate brokerage firm and sub-sidiary of Intrawest, a resort andadventure company and owner ofStation Mont-Tremblant Resort.
■ ■ ■
Century 21 WestcountryRealty is celebrating 25 years serv-ing the Rocky Mountain House,Alta. community and so is newowner Larrissa Kalyn. Kalyn tookover the locally owned family busi-ness from her mother Terri Kalynin 2015.
The brokerage has also mergedwith Century 21 Alta West Realty,rebranding their Sundre locationto the Westcountry banner.
Multiple ListingsContinued from page 4
Kalyn celebrates her 25thanniversary with the office thisyear working in a variety of roles.As owner, she will build on her 16years of experience managing theoffice, the company says.
■ ■ ■
John Stewart has beenappointed Colliers InternationalCanada’s senior vice president,capital markets. He is responsiblefor the origination and executionof institutional investment proper-ty brokerage transactions acrossCanada and is based in Toronto.
Stewart most recently served asvice president of BMO CapitalMarkets Real Estate Group wherehe was involved in more than $2billion of transaction volume rep-resenting many large public, insti-tutional and private investors.
He joins Colliers with 10 yearsof experience, having completedmore than $3 billion in investmentbrokerage transactions in the
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REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with anyreal estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by directdelivery in selected areas. For subscription information, email [email protected]. Entire contents copyright2016 REM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is pro-hibited. The opinions expressed in REM are not necessarily those of the publisher.
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office, industrial and retail assetclasses, the company says.
■ ■ ■
Avison Young has acquiredCalgary-based property appraisalcompany Linnell Taylor Lipmanand Associates. Terms of the acqui-sition were not disclosed.
Established in 1987, LinnellTaylor Lipman & Associates (LTL)is a professional real estateappraisal and consulting corpora-tion.
The change in ownership adds14 employees to Avison Young’soperations. Terry Taylor, RobertLipman and Patrick James becomeprincipals of Avison Young. Tayloralso becomes director, valuationand appraisal services in Calgary.
Also joining from LTL are:Aaron Nelson, Suzanne Clarke,Abhishek Paul, Ehren Schroeder,Max Findlay, Dave Durant, KiraPenner, Kimberly Parker, BrettDombrova, Liam Fast and MarciaLawrence-Francis. REM
John Stewart Terry Taylor
“Maybe the family hasbecome larger and needs morespace or is downsizing becausethe kids are off to a differentschool,” says McCauley. “I can’tgive you any hard numbers but Ican tell you this is very commonand happens all of the time.”
As McCauley says, in thiscontext, “there is no way thatfamily should fit any definitionof greater risk.”
Both sides agree there ismore work to do to ensure com-pliance. Gibb says although therules don’t change very oftenand are well-documented withplenty of support, FINTRAC isputting more attention on edu-cating Realtors about why therules are in place. He points to arecent webinar as early signs ofsuccess where the feedbackreceived from Realtors was posi-tive.
“The first half of the webinarwent through the requirementsunder the act, but in the secondhalf we had one of our intelli-gence officers explain and showhow FINTRAC is seeing moneylaundering in the real estate sec-tor,” says Gibb. “We’re trying toeducate and break the denial(by Realtors) that money laun-dering doesn’t happen or that ‘itreally doesn’t apply to me.’”
Although Gibb would notrelease any specific details aboutthe Vancouver cases, he sayswhere FINTRAC determinesthere are significant deficien-cies, “enforcement action” istaken. Where “very significantdeficiencies” are discovered asfound in Vancouver, monetarypenalties are levied. And thosepenalties can be high.
On Jan. 14, FINTRACimposed an administrativepenalty of $34,175 againstGroupe Mackay, a real estatebrokerage in Lachine, Que. forfour identified deficiencies, oneof which was “incomplete andinaccurate record keeping ofclient information, includingthose related to ascertainingclient identity.”
The Real Estate Council ofBritish Columbia responded toREM’s request for an interviewby pointing to a press releasedated March 18, which says thecouncil supports FINTRAC intaking appropriate actionagainst brokerages that do notcomply with federal law, andanother dated Apr. 1, whichannounces the hiring of a stafflawyer who will assist in thecouncil’s investigations ofpotential licensee misconduct.
REM
FINTRAC steps upContinued from page 3
It’s called home for a reason. It’s the place where your clients feel secure,
happy, and at peace. We understand this. Through expertise and insight, our
job is to help make the wonderful idea of home a beautiful reality. For every
client, for every home.
This is home.It’s a place called comfort.
pillartopost.comEach office independently owned and operated.
omeLife Realty Services,headquartered in Toronto,is offering territory fran-
chises in foreign countries in a bidto take its brand deeper into theinternational market.
The decision to push his fran-chise brand into the internationalmarket has been a long-standinggoal for HomeLife CEO and com-pany founder Andrew Cimerman.He is also the head of two otherreal estate brands, Realty Worldand Red Carpet, which alreadyhave an international presence.
He says queries both from with-in and outside the company hasspurred the offering. It was initiallymade to HomeLife broker/ownersand agents, says Cimerman, but it’salso available to other individualswho have not have had the oppor-tunity to pick up territorial fran-chises or are bound by differentrestrictions in Canada. “We haveno problem saying to these peopleif you want to go into business
(outside Canada), we are willing totalk,” says Cimerman.
Cimerman is no stranger to theinternational market. More than30 years ago when he started hisown company, he realized thepotential of franchising both inCanada and in other countries. Hehas had international master fran-chise agreements and sales repre-sentative offices in place in severalcountries, mainly for Realty Worldand Red Carpet. They are bothactive in the U.S. and Realty
8 REM MAY 2016
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HomeLife wades into international market “Our own brokers and agents and some of our competitors…may want to get involved not just here in Canadabut in the country of their origin,” says HomeLife CEO Andrew Cimerman By Jean Sorensen
World also has internationaloffices. It has sold master franchiseagreements in Bulgaria, Serbia,Turkey and Mexico, and the brandhas a single franchise in Panama(but no master agreement).
The HomeLife brand is lessdeveloped. It has a multi-officefranchisee in Portugal but no mas-ter franchise, a Romania masterfranchise that was sold earlier anda representative office in Slovenia(with no intent to sell a masterfranchise). There’s an office inChina but no master franchisethere, and Cimerman says he isopen to selling the whole countryor any of the 50 regions.
Armenia’s rights were sold toHomeLife Vision Realty broker ofrecord Ken Kakoullis.
Cimerman is now talking torepresentatives of an investmentfund in India about the rights tothat country. In mid-March, aninquiry came in regarding Moscow.
The price that Cimerman
wants for the master franchiserights varies and is based on thepotential to open franchiseeoffices. “A smaller country thatmay only be able to support 20 to50 (franchise) agencies might cost$50,000,” he says, adding that inlarger countries such as India,which can sustain 5,000 agencies,the price could rise to $2 million.
Acquiring international rightsby master franchisees is a multi-phase process, he says. Initially,there is an inquiry relating to an
interest, followed by exploratorysessions and then a face-to-facemeeting with the principals. Theyare brought to the Toronto headoffice of HomeLife.
“We want them to see what wehave available, to look at our sys-tems and tools, to see our technol-ogy and model operation,” he says.“We want them to have a goodidea of what we do and ensure thatthey will fit into our style.” In somecountries, modifications to theHomeLife system may be requiredand such aspects are consideredand discussed.
“We let them do their due dili-gence on us and we are also doingour due diligence on them,” hesays.
Once an investor or a group ofinvestors has acquired the rights toa territory or master franchise, theycan sell franchises within that ter-ritory. The master franchiseereceives 100 per cent of those salesproceeds.
When the HomeLife Canadacorporate, foreign master fran-chisee and franchisee offices are inplace, there is a sharing of revenueson real estate sales. Cimermangives the example of a MunichHomeLife office (a franchiseeagency) selling a home for 500,000Euros and earning a five per centcommission of 25,000 Euros. TheGerman master franchise ownerwould be entitled to five per centof that 25,000 Euro commission, or1,250 Euros. HomeLife in Canadawould be entitled to 15 per cent ofthe German master franchisee’s1,250 Euros or 187.50 Euros.However, if there is a need for themaster franchisee to serve in a con-sulting capacity (because of lan-guage or other related issues), thenthe 15 per cent commission is split50-50 between the two entities.
Cimerman is not waiting fordeals to fall into his lap, but has asales strategy in place that offerswealth-building opportunities forindividuals who broker deals for abuyer or group of buyers.
“We pay 50 per cent to the bro-ker who sold those rights,” he says,adding that if rights to India areestimated at $2 million, the broker
gets a $1 million commission. Hesaid the broker can be anyone whosees an opportunity, or an individ-ual who is only working part-timebut has the potential to findinvestors.
Selling internationally is prov-ing a positive fit for Cimerman’sfranchise business, as he has beenfast to adapt computer andInternet technology that reachesaround the world. Once a fran-chise is established, the agency ormaster franchisee has access toHomeLife’s online resource centre.
“We have more than 100courses on the website and theyonly have to click to get the edu-cation they need,” he says, addingcourses relate to all aspect of thebusiness from selling to operating amaster franchise.
Cimerman is also not unawareof the business synergies that canbe created through an internation-al network and agencies in theU.S. and Canada. HomeLife has
programs in place to capture thosebenefits. There is the opportunityto assist with international movesas agents have access to both rentaland home sales in all internationalmarkets. He also has programs inplace that can determine the costof moving items from country tocountry.
Ever the entrepreneur,Cimerman, who began in realestate with one suit and few dollarsin his pocket, wants his interna-tional venture to create opportuni-ties for new entrepreneurs; thoseindividuals who may not havefinancial resources but are willingto work at a master franchise.
“We are really open to helpingthe world; it is not just aboutmoney but helping people reach alevel they have dreamed of. I havea special place in my heart for peo-ple who are not financially strongbut are entrepreneurial. We arewelcoming these people even ifthey can’t pay upfront.” REM
Andrew Cimerman (Photo by Marko Shark)“I have a special place inmy heart for people whoare not financially strongbut are entrepreneurial,”says Andrew Cimerman.
Jasmine is an AIC-designated appraiser, a Canadian real estate
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Working in real estate rocks! We’ve all heard the comparisons to used car dealerships and sleazy salesmen. Let’s counteract the negativity and celebrate the best things about working in the real estate industry today. By Toby Welch
10 REM MAY 2016
James Buonassisi, a salesperson with Re/Max Select Realty in
Vancouver, never wavers as to what he loves most about this industry.
“What I like about working in real estate has always been the same. I truly enjoy making my clients happy and getting to work with great people. Not everyone appreciates the hard work but most do. I also really like the challenge of putting a difficult deal together, whether it’s a different kind of property or the price is difficult to establish.”
Stéphane Caron, a salesperson with Royal LePage Inter-Quebec in Quebec City, appreciates the benefits of technology. “The use of technology these days helps a lot in managing our time, being more efficient and connecting with clients without meeting in person. For example, the use
of FaceTime with my phone to show a house located in Quebec City when the client is working in Vancouver. Another example – I was on vacation in the Philippines for five weeks and got three offers. I could sign the documents electronically from overseas. This would have not been possible a few years ago.”
Working with fellow agents is important to Caron. “We are
matchmakers and our goal is to make clients happy. Yes, we are competing to get clients but we all have different personalities and ways to approach clients. I will never get mad if someone got a client that I was hoping to get. It just means the other agent had a better presentation and connection with the client.”
Andrew Ipekian, a broker with Keller Williams Referred Urban Realty in Toronto, finds the unknown thrilling. “The market in Toronto is hot and with a constant flow of buyers, our listings sell quickly as they appeal to many different walks of life. You never know what the buyers’ motivations are as they could be looking for a primary residence, home for their children, investment rental income, renovate and flip or even a second home. This is what makes the job so exciting!”
Lethbridge, Alta., broker Robert W May thrives on the economic rollercoaster. “As a broker who has been involved in the industry since 1993, I have worked through the ever-changing and evolving economic tides.” He says the best thing about being involved in the
profession in 2016 is the pride that he takes “in knowing that the national real estate industry has been instrumental in providing enduring stability in the Canadian economy and is the key source of financial wealth for most families.”
Carol Burke, the broker/owner of Burke Realty in St. John’s, Nfld. appreciates the diversity of the clients she works with and the types of properties involved. “A typical work week at my office would be meeting with a young couple who are new to Canada and are looking to rent an apartment for a year, and then to purchase their first home the following year. On another day I would meet with a long-time client who is an investor looking to sell several of his condominium rental units to help finance the purchase of a commercial building.”
Burke continues, “I work with clients from the very young to the very mature; from diverse cultural backgrounds; varying levels of financial ability; some who have lived in the same town all of their lives and in the same house in which they were born, and whose first and only real estate transaction is to sell their lifelong home to move to a retirement community.” Others, she says, “are transferred every several years to a different city or country and have real estate investments here at home to deal with from afar. There is rarely a dull day at my office.”
In Canmore, Alta., Jessica Stoner, an associate broker with Re/Max Alpine Realty values the relative strictness in Canadian real estate.
“As Re/Max is an international corporation, I often get the opportunity to chat with agents around the world at
our conferences, and it is easy to pinpoint what I like best about our real estate industry… I am so grateful to work in real estate in Canada as we have some of the strictest laws governing agents and protecting the public. These are rigidly enforced and in turn have made Canadian real estate one of the most secure investment vehicles in the world. Canadians and want-to-be Canadians buy and own with confidence and our market has remained relatively stable compared to the rest of the worlds’ housing markets in turbulent times. I am very happy that I can work in a controlled industry and that it isn’t the Wild West like in some countries!”
Like Caron, Rick Dubord, the president of HomeLife Realty Service in Surrey, B.C., appreciates technology. “One of
the major benefits of working real estate in Canada has to be Realtor.ca,” he says. “It’s the most visited site in the country for real estate information. In the U.S. where they have multiple different portals for information on home and property listings, that can be overwhelming for potential clients. Not to mention billion-dollar companies like Zillow that are now taking part of
the commission dollar. Realtor.ca is non-profit and allows us to connect with the client in a convenient, more efficient way.”
John Knox, the president of Fair Realty in Nelson, B.C., values the professional standards of agents. “Real estate has changed a lot in the last years – and certainly since I started back in 1988,” Knox says. “The best thing for me is how well-informed buyers and sellers are now as a result of the Internet and free access to information and, as a result, how they value the professional advice of their agent as opposed to seeing us as just a salesperson.”
Knox says, “There is a definite shift to valuing agent expertise and advice in the presence of all the information available. It’s also very clear that the level of education, professionalism and expertise amongst agents has never been better and just keeps improving every year. I’m very proud and honoured to be part of this industry and look forward to the future and the continuing evolution that will bring.” REM
Jessica Stoner
Stéphane Caron
Andrew Ipekian
Carol Burke
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he Canadian economymay be a tad lacklustre atthe moment, but a recent
report from Sotheby’sInternational Realty Canada sug-gests that the luxury real estatemarket is on fire, particularly inVancouver and Toronto.
Many people believe that theastronomical price gains seen intop-tier housing markets are ahouse of cards, poised for a spec-tacular tumble. That’s clearly notthe opinion of Brad Henderson,the newly appointed presidentand CEO of Sotheby’sInternational Realty Canada.One of the leading luxury realestate companies in the world,Sotheby’s is a rarefied brand,catering to high net worth indi-viduals, including luminaries suchas Celine Dion (whose stonemansion complete with helipadon a private island near Laval,Que. – asking price $25.5 million– was recently sold throughSotheby’s).
Following the company’srecent spring outlook report,Henderson confirmed that thecompany is continuing to seesteep price increases in the luxurymarkets in Toronto andVancouver, where the strongestvolume increases last year were inreal estate sales over $4 million.Montreal saw modest gains in itstop tier market. But in Calgarythe market is slowing due to theimpact of declining oil prices.
In response to ongoing specu-lation about whether prices in theluxury market can continue torise, Henderson says thatSotheby’s Canada, which current-ly has 400 agents and offices inover 30 residential and resort mar-kets across the country, “has expe-rienced year-over-year growthsince coming into the market in2005” and is not expecting that toslow down any time soon.
Henderson says he does notthink an interest rate increasewould have much of an impact onthe real estate market, particularlythe small bump-up that is antici-pated in Canada. Not that that’ssomething a Sotheby’s client –many of whom own multiple
12 REM MAY 2016
T
New Sotheby’s CEO sees no slowdownBrad Henderson says although foreign investment is blamed for driving up house prices, limited inventory,strong consumer confidence and low interest rates are also important factors. By Susan Doran
properties and buy them outrightwith cash – would necessarilyhave to worry about.
“I’m delighted to be withSotheby’s International RealtyCanada. I’m more excited thanI’ve been in my life about a job,”says Henderson. “Sotheby’s is oneof the best known brands in theworld and has attracted top realestate advisors as well as buyersand sellers of some of Canada’smost prestigious properties.”
He says he has been broughton board to help “expand thecompany’s footprint” in both newand existing Canadian markets.But for now, the specifics of theexpansion plans are “a corporatesecret,” he says.
Anecdotes about Sotheby’sinternationally famous clientspast and present are also a topicHenderson keeps close to hischest. You aren’t likely, forinstance, to pry any informationout of him about notorious U.S.presidential hopeful DonaldTrump.
“We deal with celebrities,sports figures, business personali-ties. They all have one thing incommon and that is that theydon’t like publicity,” Hendersonsays.
With more than 30 years ofdiverse business experience,Henderson has undoubtedly kepthis share of corporate secrets.Before joining Sotheby’s he wassenior managing regional directorfor CBRE Limited in Canada andthe North Central United States,where he oversaw a team of 1,200.He has also held senior executiveroles at Colliers International andRoyal LePage and has worked inthe telecom and technology sec-tors, with executive roles at Telusand Gibraltar Solutions.
Born and raised in Toronto,Henderson has a degree in eco-nomics from York University.Upon graduation he was unsurewhat to do next. He’d enjoyedworking as a summer student withRoyal LePage and so accepted thecompany’s offer of a full-time posi-tion. Eventually he became oper-ations manager and then vicepresident and general manager of
the Greater Toronto Area, whichis how he got his start along theexecutive path.
When offered the positionwith Sotheby’s Canada, one of thebiggest lures for Henderson wasthe fact that Dundee Corporation– a public Canadian independentholding company – owns the fran-chise rights for Canada.
This sweetened the job offerfor him, as he views Dundee as “aunique entrepreneurial company”and “a significant player in wealthmanagement.” He liked the ideaof Sotheby’s Canada being “anintegral part of it” rather thanbeing run as a collection of indi-vidual businesses.
“It’s unique in the real estateworld in that all the offices areowned by one entity, so it acts likea unified corporation instead ofhaving all offices owned by differ-ent people,” Henderson says. Inhis opinion, this sets Sotheby’sInternational Realty Canadaapart from more mainstream realestate companies.
So do its agents, he adds. Although rising prices in
Toronto and Vancouver may befuelling opportunities for a grow-ing number of sales reps specializ-ing in the luxury market, appar-ently not just anyone can be aSotheby’s agent.
“It’s a select group,” saysHenderson. “They have to becomfortable selling a luxurybrand...It’s much more of a ‘whiteglove’ service...We want to attractand retain some of the most qual-ified, successful agents in the mar-ketplace and take them to thenext level.”
The brand itself is a huge drawto consumers, he says, beingimmensely recognizable and asso-ciated with quality and prestige.
“That’s a powerful marketingtool our agents are bringing to theclient. It differentiates a property,”he says.
“Sotheby’s Canada is affiliatedwith Sotheby’s International,which has 18,000 agents in 825offices in over 60 countries. Sowhilst a lot of real estate is local,increasingly more and more isglobal. When looking at homes,particularly at the high end of the
market, there’s a good opportuni-ty we’ll attract interest from fur-ther afield,” Henderson says.
People blame foreign invest-ment for driving up housingprices, but Henderson is con-vinced that it’s only one of manyfactors, which include limitedinventory, strong consumer confi-dence and low interest rates.
“Saying that the market can’tsustain price increases is not look-ing at the fundamentals,” he says.“Our view is that the Canadianmarket will continue to behealthy and to see price increasesin many areas, with a few excep-tions in regions dependant on oilor natural resources, such asCalgary.”
With the company’s recentreport indicating that the luxurymarkets in Vancouver andToronto are continuing to reflectexceptional demand through thefirst part of 2016, Henderson ishappy to have made the move tohis new position.
“Other organizations are cre-ating luxury brands,” he says, “butwe are the ambassador.” REM
t’s important to understandthe rules regarding real estatecommissions so that you and
your clients are protected. Here areanswers to some common ques-tions I receive related to commis-sions:
1. Can I get paid commissionwithout a signed BuyerRepresentation Agreement orListing Agreement?
Without a signed agreement, itis very difficult to claim commis-sion. This includes situationswhere you may have had a signedagreement but the buyer or sellerdid the deal after expiry of theholdover clause.
14 REM MAY 2016
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How to protect your commission: Part 1
By Mark Weisleder
In most cases, in order to col-lect commission you will have toprove that you did more than justintroduce the buyer to the seller.You will have to demonstrate thatyou assisted in the preparation anddelivery of the offers and that therewas a verbal commitment to paycommission.
Make sure you keep a copy ofany email or text message that mayhave been sent relating to commis-sion. At the very least, have theparties sign the confirmation of co-operation and representation atthe time you present the first offer,which also confirms that you areacting for them. This has beenheld to be enough to later supporta claim for commission. Better still,don’t work with anyone until youhave something signed in writing.
2. Can a buyer avoid payingcommission even with a signedBRA?
There have been cases wherebuyers have tried to avoid payingcommission by saying that theBRA was not properly explained,and that they thought commission
would only be paid on the oneproperty where an offer was sub-mitted, but later rejected. The buy-ers claim that they had no ideathat the agreement lasted for sixmonths and they were not given acopy for their records.
To succeed, develop goodhabits right now. Always get thebuyers to initial the term, even if itis six months or less, and then givethem a copy. If you do it the sameway every time, it becomes easierto defend against this later.
Some buyers also try to sign theBRA in a corporate name andthen buy under a different corpora-tion. Make sure you get the presi-dent or other authorized signingofficer for the corporation to per-sonally sign your BRA as well, toprevent this from happening.Similarly, get both spouses to signyour BRA, to avoid a situationwhere the spouse who does notsign with you ends up buying thehome later and refuses to pay com-mission.
3. Can I collect commission ifI am a listing agent, the seller
accepts the offer but the buyercannot close?
The answer is no. The sellerwill not have to pay commission.Even if the seller ends up keepingpart of the deposit as compensa-tion from the buyer, they do nothave to pay commission.
It is important to make surethat all buyers are properly quali-fied. Do not be afraid to ask thebuyer salesperson if that is the case,or whether these buyers are justpaying five per cent down. If youhave serious buyers, your deals willclose. If you were representing thebuyer and the buyer could notclose, you could sue the buyer forcommission. However, if the buyercan’t close, it is also likely they donot have the money to pay youeither.
4. Can I collect commission ifthe buyer wants to close but theseller refuses to close?
In this case the listing broker-age can collect commission fromthe seller, as it is provided for in thelisting agreement.
5. Do I have to sign the
mutual release?A brokerage does not have to
agree to sign a mutual release, butmust follow any direction to payover a deposit to either a seller orbuyer, if it is signed by both theseller and the buyer. By signing amutual release, you will forfeit anyright you may have to claim com-mission later.
6. Can a seller change theirmind about paying the balance ofcommission just before final clos-ing?
The answer is no. The sellerhas irrevocably directed theirlawyer in the agreement of pur-chase and sale to pay any balanceof commission before any money ispaid to the seller. If the lawyer paysthe money to the seller, then thelawyer can be sued personally forthe money.
Mark Weisleder is a partner,author and speaker at the law firm Real Estate Lawyers.ca LLP. Contact him [email protected] or toll freeat 1-888-876-5529. REM
16 REM MAY 2016
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he Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS)and the Accounts
Chamber (the parliamentary bodyof financial control in Russia) isdesigning a new legislative base forthe Russian real estate industry.
According to a recent report ofFAS, the absence of legislativeframework regulating the activitiesof real estate brokers in Russia doesnot guarantee the rights of con-sumers. A new package of laws isneeded to better regulate activitiesand provide transparency to theindustry in Russia, says the report.
The same position is shared by the Russian Federal Financial Monitoring Service(Rosfinmonitoring), a service thatwas established to fight moneylaundering.
The Accounts Chamber saysthe lack of proper regulation alsogives poor protection to the rightsof domestic real estate brokers,who are often victimized by“criminalized elements,” includ-ing crimes organized by corruptstate officials and municipalemployees.
The proposed laws will returnthe practice licensing real estatebrokers. It was abolished in 2002and replaced by a certificationscheme.
According to Rosfinmonitor-ing, the total number of real estatebrokers in Russia, including indi-vidual entrepreneurs, is estimatedat more than 11,000, and despitethe current crisis in the countrycaused by Western sanctions, itcontinues to grow.
Constantine Aprelev, vicepresident of the Russian Guild ofRealtors, says the activities ofmost Russian brokers are self-reg-ulated. In order to become a realestate broker, each applicant mustpass an exam. Passing these examshas become a formality in Russiain recent years, as long as the rightbureaucrats were paid.
The situation is aggravated by
Russia moves toimprove realestate regulationBy Evgeniy Vorotnikov
T the ever growing share of theshadow market, which is com-prised of so-called “black brokers”that have no legal obligations totheir clients and do not pay taxes.
The return of licensing of realestate activities in Russia was pro-posed by President Vladimir Putinin April 2015, but a final decisionregarding this issue has not yetbeen made.
Leading Russian real estateagencies support the FAS propos-al. Elena Velizhanskay, head ofBerdsk real estate agency, one ofRussia’s largest real estate agen-cies, says Russia needs more strictlegislation.
“Brokerage activities in thefield of real estate is a relativelyyoung type of business in Russia,which was permitted only afterthe collapse of the USSR in1991,” says Velizhanskay. “Suchbusiness often involves theturnover of large amounts ofmoney. Therefore, brokers mustbe kept under close surveillance ofthe national legislation.”
The draft of the federal lawwas tabled in the RussianParliament (State Duma) in 2011,but it has not yet been adopted,says Velizhanskay. “The adoptionof the law is very important, as itwill establish uniform regulationson the activities of real estateagents throughout the RussianFederation and will contribute tothe further development of thisbusiness in the country,” she says.
The new law will ensure thataccurate information about prop-erties and their owners is providedto real estate brokers by theRussian government and regionalauthorities, who have been reluc-tant to release this information inthe past. Russian brokers andnotaries have been granted directaccess to the Russian UnifiedState Register of Rights toImmovable Property andTransactions, a state database forreal estate in Russia. REM
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18 REM MAY 2016
Calgary sales rep is C-21’s worldwide No. 1 Wasim Elafech was once told he wouldn’t survive in this business because he’s too honest. “The person in question just called to congratulate me and apologize for what he said,” says Elafech. By Neil Sharma
If you have a dream, call Wasim. That would be Century 21
Bravo Realty’s Wasim Elafech, the franchiser’s No. 1 worldwide salesperson in 2015, whose slogan couldn’t be any more appropriate. The Calgary-based sales rep beat out 100,000 other agents around the world to earn the mantle, with 270 transactions.
“I didn’t expect it. It’s a career changer,” says the 36-year-old married father of two, adding he initially received a phone call on his daughter’s birthday telling him he was the top national agent, before a subsequent call a week later revealed even better news.
“I was in shock. This is the highest peak you can get in the company. It took a while to sink in.”
While Elafech credits part of his success to the vast resources a major brokerage provides, he doggedly pursues each and every lead and he’s always working the phone to keep the pulse of the Calgary market.
“It’s important to meet with other Realtors and clients,” he says. “I’ll always be calling or taking them out for coffee. I go to everything to make sure my face is there. I don’t do a ton of social media but I do some of it. I got people who I went to high school with who are clients because of Facebook.”
Elafech praises his mentor, Graham Wilson, Century 21 Bravo Realty’s broker, whom he says is always available, day or night, to answer queries, whether professional or personal.
“You need a great broker,” says Elafech. “Graham is a really good guy, and Century 21 is a big support. They have
great resources. It definitely helps to be with one of larger brokerages.”
Elafech advises young sales reps to find mentors, even if it means ceding part of their commissions, because the long-term benefit is invaluable.
“Follow around the top agents in your office and ask them what they’re doing, how they did it, and take them out for lunch and shadow them,” he says. “Sometimes you have to spend some money to make some money, so bring a senior agent on…give them a portion of your listing because they’ll show you certain things.”
An attribute Elafech prides himself on is honesty; he eschews sideways deals and is transparent with all pertinent information, whether it means advising clients to list lower, or it discomfits a successful transaction.
“There are lot of Realtors who want 50 to 100 listings and they’ll take any of them, but I don’t believe in that. I’d rather take 10 quality listings than 50 non-sellable ones,” says Elafech. “I tell clients, ‘I won’t list your home, I’ll sell your home.’ Some Realtors tell them to list higher. I’m honest and will tell them to list lower if they have to. Anybody can list the house, but you have to know what you’re doing to actually sell the house.”
Elafech was once told he wouldn’t survive in this business because he’s too honest.
After he was named the No. 1 agent, “The person in question just called to congratulate me and apologize for what he said.”
Alberta’s economy has been the subject of headlines lately for all the wrong reasons. With the
oil industry hitting a nadir and the loonie performing poorly against the American dollar, Alberta is reportedly reeling.
That’s not entirely accurate, says Elafech. While he concedes the year started slowly, he says the situation in Alberta is far from doom and gloom as reported in the media. People are more conservative with their money than they were before the downturn, he says, but investors are still looking for new – even different – opportunities.
“It’s definitely a buyer’s market,” said Elafech. “Anything under $400,000 is going like hotcakes. We can’t keep them on the market.
“There are still investors out there because people held onto their money and now is the time to invest. I’m getting a lot of calls from investors asking me, ‘If oil is low, where and what should I invest in?’”
Elafech adds that the luxury home market took a major hit, but that most other forms of
residential and commercial real estate haven’t much faltered – and won’t, provided people don’t try keeping up with the Joneses.
“The Alberta market isn’t as bad as it’s being made out to be, but, that said, it isn’t as hot. However, if my phone didn’t ring, I’d be worried,” he says. “I got another buyer who wants to open a restaurant. There’s always somebody looking for something.
“Be smarter with money and financing. Just because you’re making good money, don’t max yourself out. Don’t be mortgage poor. You need money left over at the end of the month for a rainy day.”
That said, Elafech predicts the market will rebound nicely this year. For starters, American investors, buoyed by a favourable currency exchange, have their sights set on Calgary. Additionally, many moneyed immigrants are still moving to Calgary in droves.
“Not all immigrants come with no money,” he says. “They come with money and want to open up businesses. From the middle of 2016 to the end of the year, the market is going to be strong.”
A culmination of Elafech’s hard work was being the sole agent responsible for selling all 500 merchant-owned commercial units at New Horizon Mall, located about 20 minutes out of downtown Calgary. His opinion is so sacrosanct that when he suggested that commodious underground parking be added to the project – given Calgary’s winter temperature can drop to -40 C – nobody bemoaned the suggestion.
“It took up a lot of time,” says Elafech. “I’d be at the office until 2 am some nights and back at the office a few hours later at 7:30. While my sleep got sacrificed, my family didn’t get sacrificed. I take my family on vacation every year, recharge, come back and hit it even harder.” REM
Wasim Elafech (Photo by Bryce Meyer)
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20 REM MAY 2016
first picked up the guitar inthe mid-’60s. It was the eraof the British Invasion, a
time when the guitar was king. Iwasn’t interested in learning howto play the clarinet or the accor-dion like many of my friends werebeing forced to by their parents. Itwas the guitar that caught myimagination and stimulated mymusical heart.
The guitar has been very goodto me over these years. When Ireflect back, I recall the relation-ships and opportunities given tome that connect directly back tothose steel strings. Working as asession player and back-up musi-cian in the past, I have had theopportunity to work with somewell-known artists, as well as meetmany of my generation’s leadingmusical personalities. Over theyears my guitar has been heard onhundreds of records, radio jinglesand TV and film soundtracks. Ishare this all to reflect on what 45years of playing guitar has taughtme as I relate to the world of realestate.
Stay in tune – A lot has beenwritten about the “frequencies” ofpositive thought and how focus-ing on the vibrations of energycan result in the secret of success.Whether that is true is subject todebate, but one thing I am sure ofis that in order to make a positiveconnection with people, you needto be in tune with them. Just as aguitar that is out of tune will notresonate with a listener, if you arenot in tune with your seller orbuyer, it will feel uncomfortablefor both you and the client. Takesome time to tweak your under-standing of their background, cur-rent situation and future goals.When you are in tune with yourclients, you will be able to performbetter and feel more satisfied withthe results. Everything needs tovibrate in harmony to have a suc-cessful relationship.
Practice – There are no short-
By Ari Lahdekorpi
What my guitar taught me aboutreal estatecuts to competence in any field.This applies to guitar as well asreal estate. I spent endless hoursplaying scales and working onsongs that I wanted to understandmusically. When I did a gig withpop star Bobby Vinton, I learnedall of his songs before we had ourfirst rehearsal. Later, he expressedamazement that I knew all of histunes inside and out without theaid of sheet music.
In real estate, rehearsing dia-logues to answer common objec-tions and working on your listingor buyer presentations pay offwith the air of confidence you willhave when you meet yourprospective clients. First impres-sions can’t be erased, so makingsure that you are ready and capa-ble is of the utmost importance.Use your phone or a mirror topractice. Write mock contracts sothat you will be able to deal withissues without hesitation. The oldadage, “Practice makes perfect”,holds true in real estate as much asin music.
Have the right tools – Thefirst guitar I was given as a youngmusician was a Simpson SearsSilvertone from the catalogue. Itwas a pretty thing, made of ply-wood, but it was almostunplayable. When I got my handson a decent guitar some yearslater, I found myself improvingvery quickly as a guitarist andmusician. The difference was inthe tool that I had in my hands.
That first guitar only took meso far….I needed a proper instru-ment to move into the next phaseof musical growth. Later in life, Ifound that having the right ampli-fier, or effect pedal, helped makethe difference of whether I got thegig or not. It is the same in realestate. In order to move upward inyour career, the proper tools willmake all the difference. Having agood smartphone and tablet, andusing a solid data managementsystem will make life and yourcareer function so much better.Don’t be afraid to try new tech-nology. The winning horse mightonly win by a hair…and thatwhisker might be the tool youhave that your competition doesn’t.
Find the harmony even indiscord – The interesting thingabout music is that seemingly dis-cordant notes can be blendedtogether to create a really beauti-ful sound if the surrounding envi-ronment of harmony is attendedto. For example, a minor secondinterval will sound unpleasant tothe ear, but only until a third noteis introduced.
In real estate there might be aconflict between the seller andbuyer – and often is – but as theagent, when you add that thirdpart to the equation it will makethe difference. Sometimes the dis-cord only needs the right contextto smooth out the apparent con-flict. Look for solutions, ways toblend the opposing interests oftwo different parties. Even themost outrageous discord can find asweetener if you are creativeenough to look for it.
Passion will carry youthrough the trials – When I wasfirst learning to play the guitar, myfingers would get sore to the pointof blisters. Anyone who has triedto learn the guitar will testify tothe pain that results from trying to
press down on the strings in orderto make a sound. I was able towork through the blisters untilthey became calloused because ofthe driving passion I had to learnhow to play the instrument. Oncemy fingertips hardened it becameeasier to finger those cheese slicergrade strings. It was only the pas-sion to learn how to play thatmade it possible to get to thepoint, past the pain and frustra-tion, into making music.
In real estate, we find our-selves at points where the goinggets tough. We may be out of list-ings or we can’t find buyers….orclients are indecisive. Whateverthe problem, the passion for whatwe do will carry us through thesetough times. Sales reps need to usetheir passion for the work in orderto deal with the inevitable toughmoments. It gets easier when youhave your heart in your work.
Find your personal style – Inthe world of guitar music there area lot of directions that one cantake. There is the classical disci-pline, popular music, world, or fla-menco music. You can decide toplay with a pick or with your fin-
gers…or even both. Some havechosen to follow the style of theDelta Blues, using a slide on thefinger. Then there is the decisionon going electric vs. acoustic. BobDylan made big waves with thatdecision at the Newport FolkFestival in the ’60s. The bottomline is that focusing on the style ofmusic that speaks to your heartwill give you the best results.
In real estate, the options aremany. One can specialize in agiven type of home, specificneighbourhood, residential, newconstruction or the variousoptions in commercial real estate.Focus on a specialty that speaks toyour passion and you will reachyour best potential in the busi-ness. Don’t be a jack of all trades,because that will make you a mas-ter of none. Seek your heart andfollow it in this business. Thebeauty of real estate is that youcan find so many different optionsto build your career that it is lim-itless. The key is to find your per-sonal style. What works for youand what you love to do will makeall the difference in your career.
REM
Ari Lahdekorpi is an associate broker with Re/Max Performance Realty in Vancouver.
I
here is a “honeymoon”period in the real estatesales business that starts
the first week of every year. Allsalespeople are pumped up andready to go. It’s a new year! Thereare new mountains to climb – newgoals to be accomplished! It feelslike a honeymoon for three mainreasons:
• January 1 brings opportunityfor a new start
• The past is behind you andany regrets can be forgotten
• You feel invigorated andfilled with hope for what lies ahead
When you are in a honeymoonmindset it’s an exhilarating time.You feel inspired, your energy ishigh and the periodic setbacksdon’t bother you. You start yourday with enthusiasm. You jump outof bed every morning and youtackle everything with a vigourthat says, “Bring it on – I’m ready!”Life is good and you love who youare being.
Then reality arrives on thescene. It usually happens by theend of the first quarter of the year –usually at the end of March. Youare then confronted with this neg-ative thought…
Wake up! Ninety days havepassed and the honeymoon is over.Stop dreaming.
At some point, the euphoria ofthe honeymoon starts to diminish.That’s just a normal part of life andyou are being challenged. Thereare going to be ups and downs.Your earlier excitement is oftenreplaced by thoughts from the past.Those self-doubts and self-limitingbeliefs that got in the way last yearstart gaining power again.
Does this mean your honey-moon is over? No! Are you not theperson you were being for the last90 days after all? Yes you are!
You can make that honeymoonmentality be who you are all the
22 REM MAY 2016
T
Is your real estate honeymoon over?Here are five ways to stay enthusiastic and motivated to keep your business on track.
S A L E S C O A C H
By Bruce Keith
time. How do you keep that initialfirst 90-day euphoria going and bethat way every day for the wholeyear?
Here are five “honeymoonsavers” that you can take on rightaway.
1. Know where you are rightnow: Draw a line in the sand andlook at your current position afterthe first 90 days of the year. Drawup a simple chart to help youachieve that clarity. It’s called,“How Am I Doing So Far?” Thereare four simple steps to evaluatingyour current position:
a) Enter your results for Marchb) Total up your overall results
for the first 90 daysc) Enter your targets so far this
year from your original businessplan (25 per cent)
d) Compare your actual resultsto these targets (+ or -) so youknow where you are right now
No matter how these numbersturn out, you are still in a positionto stay strong and keep your hon-eymoon alive. If you are ahead ofthe game, keep it up. If you are notwhere you want to be, you’ll needto step it up.
2. Refresh your memory –why do I want to pay the price?Time to go back to when the hon-eymoon period started. What wereyour dreams then? What were thevisions and goals that you had inmind that you knew you couldachieve?
Pull out your personal goals listfrom the first of the year. Have alook and make sure these items arestill at the top of your list. If youhave to do some revisions, that’squite all right. The whole point ofhaving personal goals is to keepyou inspired.
By being excited about what ispossible you will always be con-scious of why you are prepared to“pay the price” and keep the dreamalive.
If your goals list is not current,it’s important to get it up to dateright now. Here is a simple formatto help you complete this impor-tant step. Write out two “mustmake happen” items for each ofthese three main categories: My
Health; My Family and MyFinancial Future.
3. The power of baby steps:Often the honeymoon mentalitystarts to fade when you look downthe road to the distant target youare trying to accomplish. It seemsso far away. It becomes intimidat-ing and almost impossible to reach.The thought that “I’ll never getthere” starts to creep in.
As the metaphor says, “Don’ttry to eat the whole elephant inone bite.”
Stay true to the day-to-daysteps built into your initial plan.Don’t falter.
Keep it simple – remember thebasics that are going to add up to asuccessful year:
• Prospect every day. Do it inthe morning (otherwise it won’tget done consistently).
• The mornings are for leadgeneration, the afternoons are forlead servicing.
• Set a minimum standard fordaily lead generation (such as twohours and 20 contacts).Remember, it’s a minimum, not atarget.
• Your principal aim is to set anappointment every day.
These baby steps createmomentum. You can’t afford tohave gaps in your conveyor belt.Make sure you are being true toyour word every day. The honey-moon doesn’t work if you are instart/stop/start/stop mode. Trackyour results on the wall of youroffice on a Year at a GlanceCalendar. Follow this routine fivedays a week. This is not optional.
4. Are you still in a honey-moon mindset? When you startedoff the year you began with a cleanslate. You cleaned up your office,you got rid of the old cobwebs inyour mind and you began withrenewed enthusiasm. Have youslipped back into the old mindsetfrom last year?
To find out the answer, here arethree pitfalls you must avoid:
a) Following a daily schedulethat looks more like last year’s thanthe one you started out with inJanuary
b) Falling back into the routine
of saying yes to everyone aroundyou and not putting yourself first(this includes customers with ques-tionable motivation or no respectfor your time)
c) Revisit your overall habits.Are you acting differently than youdid last year? What new approach-es did you take on in January? Arethey still alive or have they fadedand been replaced by the “sameold/same old” habits?
It doesn’t hurt to periodicallylook in the mirror to evaluate whoyou are being and how you are per-forming. If it’s not the “new you”then fix this immediately! Yourhabits are shaping your destinyevery day.
5. Make sure you’re not flyingsolo: To stay in the honeymoonmode you cannot do it on yourown. There’s no prize for doing itsolo. Trying to do so is foolish. Itmay be “lonely at the top” but thatdoesn’t mean you have to get thereon your own. There are twoapproaches to making sure youhave great support:
a) External – Get a coach. Hiresomeone who has already accom-plished what you want to achieve.Someone who really understandsthe business of finding and con-verting leads efficiently and focus-es on your strengths. Hire someonewho is skilled at holding you tight-ly accountable. No excuses.
• Surround yourself with posi-tive people. Have you upgradedthe people who influence you per-sonally and in business? Part ofdoing so is to get rid of the negative
influencers that were in your lifelast year. Don’t forget, your incomeis the average of the five peopleyou spend the most time with.
b) Internal – Stay healthy. Eathealthy, get lots of sleep, limit youralcohol consumption and most ofall, exercise! One of the best waysto keep your honeymoon alive is tofeel good about yourself. By doingso, you will attract others to you.It’s a great way to make sure youdon’t fly solo.
• Stay motivated. Continue tovisit your personal goals regularly.It only takes five minutes everymorning to write the same goalsout in a journal. This is an impor-tant part of reminding yourself ofwhat maintaining the honeymoonwill make possible. Keep the hopealive!
• Stay focused. What are yourtop three things for the day? Everymorning (or the night before)write down the three top prioritiesyou must accomplish in the com-ing day – no matter what. This isnot a to do list, it is a reminder ofwhat is important. RememberWarren Buffett’s great admonition,“If you have more than three prior-ities, you don’t have any.”
Stay in the race and keep yourpace consistent. Think about theway the Boston Marathon race isrun. At the start of the race every-body is enjoying their own person-al “honeymoon mode”. There arehundreds of contestants jostling forposition. Everyone’s energy is high
Continued on page 24
©2016 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage is independently owned and operated.
Congratulations to our Canadian Award Winners.
European-based premium real estate brand Engel & Völkers honored its top-performing individuals and shops that exemplify the core values of the brand through its 2015 North America Awards Program. Award recipients were announced during the annual Exchange event, hosted at the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas.
Engel & Völkers Canada2 Bloor Street West, Suite 700 · Toronto · ON M4W 3RI · Phone +1 416-323-1100
evcanada.com · [email protected]
Chairman’s Circle (Team Distinction) – Binab Group, Engel & Völkers Victoria; Piercy-LeBlanc Team, Engel & Völkers Victoria
President’s Circle (Team Distinction)–Rachelle Starnes Team, Engel & Völkers Calgary
Diamond Level – Gregg Baker, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Brian Danyliw, En-gel & Völkers Vancouver Island; Mark Evernden, Engel & Völkers Calgary; Jeff Fitzpatrick, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Jean Parisien, Engel & Völkers Tremblant
Ruby Level – Stacy Bouchard-Burns, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Melissa Brad-bury, Engel & Völkers Collingwood; Chris Burns, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Andrew Carros, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Marie Champagne, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Max Hahne, Engel & Völkers Collingwood; Sean Hummell, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; David Hung, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Felix Jasmin, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Stefani Konidis, Engel & Völkers York; Steven Lafave, En-gel & Völkers Tremblant; Nina Margiottiello, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Khalen Meredith, Engel & Völkers York; Andrew Moresi, Engel & Völkers Toronto Up-town; Michel Naud, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Kim Nichols, Engel & Völkers York; André Parisien, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Richard Rutkowski, Engel & Völkers Toronto Uptown; Tudor Tomovici, Engel & Völkers Toronto Uptown; Neal Vinet, Engel & Völkers Tremblant
Emerald Level – Ania Boddy, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Katie Burkard, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Maria Carros, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Glenn Feldstein, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Sabine Karsenti, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Gaëtan Kill, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Minnie King, Engel & Völkers York; Yslane M’Sahi, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Melissa MacKenzie, Engel & Völkers York; Sheila Morrison, Engel & Völkers Calgary; David Palmer, Engel & Völkers Van-couver; Scott Regamble, Engel & Völkers Vancouver
Engel & Völkers Elite Club Engel & Völkers Top Producer Awards
Top Producing Shops (Canada)–Closed Sides and Closed Gross Commission Income – Engel & Völkers Victoria
Top Producing Advisors (Canada)–Closed Sides – Mark Evernden, Engel & Völkers Calgary; André Parisien, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Michel Naud, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Melissa Bradbury, Engel & Völkers Collingwood; Marie Champagne, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Sean Hummell, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Neal Vinet, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Stacy Bouchard-Burns, Engel & Völkers Montréal; Richard Rutkowski, Engel & Völkers Toronto Uptown; Deborah Clarke, Engel & Völkers Calgary
Top Producing Advisors (Canada)–Closed Gross Commission Income – Mark Evernden, Engel & Völkers Calgary; Jeff Fitzpatrick, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Jean Parisien, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Brian Danyliw, Engel & Völkers Vancouver Island; Gregg Baker, Engel & Völkers Vancouver; Michel Naud, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Khalen Meredith, Engel & Völkers York; André Parisien, Engel & Völkers Tremblant; Max Hahne, Engel & Völkers Collingwood; Steve Lafave, Engel & Völkers Tremblant
Top Producing Teams (North America)–Closed Closed Gross Commission In-come – Piercy-LeBlanc Team, Engel & Völkers Victoria; Binab Group, Engel & Völkers Victoria
Engel & Völkers Brand Advancement Award
Brand Advancement Award (Shop-Level) – Engel & Völkers Calgary
24 REM MAY 2016
RECBC sayslicensees mustreport misconduct
nder fire from politiciansand the news media, TheReal Estate Council of
B.C. (RECBC) is reminding realestate licensees of their legal respon-sibility to report misconduct. Thecouncil has also published an FAQand step-by-step guide to communi-cating any concerns about theactions of other licensees on itswebsite at www.recbc.ca/com-plaints/duty-to-report.html.
“Licensees are trained in thelegislated standards of conduct forreal estate professionals and areuniquely positioned to identifyinstances when other licensees maybe violating those standards or fail-ing to act in the best interests oftheir clients,” says RECBC in anews release. “By reporting miscon-duct and providing evidence whenthey observe wrongdoing, licenseescan help to protect the public inter-est and prevent significant financialloss to consumers. As members of aself-regulated profession, reportingmisconduct is not only a public ser-vice, it is a duty.”
Robert Fawcett, EO RECBCsays, “Over the past several weeks,we’ve heard from many licenseeswho are dismayed by the reports ofmisconduct that have been
described in the media. We knowthat the vast majority of licenseeswork diligently to provide theirclients with a professional level ofservice, and they want to see mis-conduct investigated and disci-plined. Our message to them todayis that they have a crucial role inprotecting the public. With thisFAQ on how to report their con-cerns, we’re giving them additionaltools to do their part.”
RECBC created a professionalstandards advisor position toanswer questions and concernsfrom licensees and members of thepublic. The council says in justthree months it has responded tomore than 1,200 licensee questions.
The council also formed anindependent advisory group toexamine whether the current regu-latory regime adequately protectsconsumers and the wider publicinterest. The group’s report isexpected at the end of May.
The council also hasannounced enhancements to itsinvestigative and enforcementcapacities and it plans to initiate apublic education campaign to pro-vide the public with practical infor-mation about real estate transac-tions. REM
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U
and everyone is determined to succeed.As the race progresses, all contestants are challenged by the pos-
sibility that their honeymoon might be over. Fatigue and lack ofcommitment creeps in. The vision of winning the race starts to fadeand doubt starts to gain power.
Inevitably the pack thins out. Slowly but surely most of the run-ners slip back to their original performance levels and do no betterthan they’ve done in the past. This doesn’t have to have to happento you.
Keep your honeymoon alive, be one of those who rigidly adheresto your plan for reaching exciting new heights of achievement. Re-energize your earlier commitment. Start with the above five stepsand you will win your race! No excuses.
Bruce Keith is a leading real estate coach/author/speaker(http://www.brucekeithresults.com). Like Bruce Keith Results onFacebook (http://www.facebook.com/brucekeithresults) or connect withBruce on Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucekeith1) REM
Honeymoon over?Continued from page 22
26 REM MAY 2016
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n my 26 year career in realestate I have often ponderedthe issue of branding.
I have worked for internationalbrands, Canadian brands and local(Greater Toronto Area) broker-ages that you might call “no-name”companies.
All were successful businessesin their own way. However, whenswitching from one to another, thequestion of how important thebrand is always came up.
I separate branding as it relatesto our real estate industry into two.One is your individual branding asa Realtor. Second is the brand ornon-brand of the brokerage.
In a GTA market of 42,000+licensed Realtors and 200,000transactions per year, it is impera-
How important is your brand?
By Michel Friedman
tive that individual salespeople dis-tinguish themselves from the rest.The best way of doing that is bycreating a distinct logo, title, nick-name, icon or image.
I have seen many Realtors callthemselves “Kings” or “Queens”.This title became so cliché that itis not a brand any longer (unlessthis is your real name). I also saw a“magician” and a “captain”, whichwhen used persistently for years,created distinct recognition of theperson.
A slogan can also make oneunique, but only if used consistent-ly and not changed for a long time.
Your own name associatedwith marketing materials in anarea or in certain print mediawhere readers come to “expect”to find you is good brand mar-keting. A slogan used consis-tently will also be rememberedand associated with the individ-ual. (“Sell or buy, I’m your guy.”)
When I was acting as arecruiter for different offices, Iheard both sides of the argument
about national franchise brands.On one hand I heard theowner/broker telling me, “I amswitching to your company to savemoney, because I believe that I amthe one solely responsible for get-ting the business, not the brandthat I belong to.” These brokersusually leave a more expensivebranded brokerage for a less expen-sive one.
I also heard the other side ofthe argument, of brokers leavingthe less expensive independentbrokerage to go to a brand broker-age, and willing to pay more tocash in on the brand recognitionby the public.
I believe both are right.However, switching from one tothe other will not necessarily helpone get more business or savemoney. The individual brokershave to make personal adjustmentsto the change in brokerage.
Switching from a brand namecompany to a non-brand, theRealtor may have to increase hispersonal marketing budget to com-
pensate for marketing done by thebranded brokerage. This individualmay end up paying more per trans-action and do fewer transactionsbecause of the switch to non-brand. There may also be a loss ofpreferred marketing rates that havebeen negotiated by brands takingadvantage of their “brand power”.
Switching from a non-brand tobrand brokerage does not automat-ically increase one’s business.
Here are my conclusions.Branding oneself as an individual isabsolutely necessary in our indus-try. Be consistent and show yourlogo, slogan and icon everywhere.Once you’ve decided on yourbrand, don’t change it.
A Realtor’s ability to procurethe business and charge a decentcommission may depend on whichbrand they have associated them-selves with. Public perception ofthe brand plays an important rolein our business.
If the public believes it’s a dis-count brand or a low expectationbrand, whether it’s true or not, it
may be harder to get a high-pricedlisting or get any listing withouthaving to deeply discount thecommission. If the brand is associ-ated with luxury, the Realtor willhave an easier time procuring thathigh price listing at a reasonablecommission rate.
To illustrate how importantpublic perception of a brand is, didyou know that the Chevy Novawas manufactured by Toyota andwas sold in the U.S. for less thanthe Corolla? Look at whereCorolla is today and where ChevyNova is. I guess once you put onthe Chevy sticker, you have imme-diately formed a perception. Itdoesn’t matter that it is really aToyota.
Broker Michel Friedman is busi-ness development and special projectsmanager at Forest Hill Real Estate(Signature Branch) in Toronto,where branding is one subject coveredin the brokerage’s Star Agent pro-gram. 416-929-4343; [email protected] REM
I
n the Uros Islands ofPeru, home maintenancetakes on a whole new
meaning. Forget replacing the roofor the furnace. The indigenousinhabitants of these islands face amuch more drastic task – that ofrebuilding their entire homes everyfew years! That’s because thedwellings and the foundation onwhich they are built are made ofreeds – totora reeds, to be precise.
The indigenous people – a mixof Quechua and Aymara – havelived on their floating islands forcenturies, having moved here toescape attacks from Inca and Collacultures. Here they found relativepeace and survived by fishing andhunting. Today about 800 peopleinhabit roughly 50 artificial islandsthat extend out from the city ofPuno.
Without the reeds, life in theUros islands would not exist. Thetall grass-like plants, which grow inabundance in the shallows of LakeTiticaca, are collected, then bun-dled and dried to build the homes.To create the islands, the reeds arelayered more than a metre deep.Not surprisingly, the plants are sub-ject to decay over time and so mustconstantly be replaced. New layersof matting are often added abovefor stability.
The average island measuresabout five square metres. It takes
28 REM MAY 2016
O
what would they say about the condition of your client’s home?(we’ll fi nd out. let us do the talking.)
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1-866-284-6010
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BOOTH 1601if thesewallsCOULD TALK
Peru’s floating homesStory and photos by Diane Slawych
about two months to build andlasts a dozen years. Islanders rely onsolar power, while eco toiletsreplace the need for plumbing.Some of the islands also have achurch, school, post office andshops.
Aside from building homes,reeds are also used to make some ofthe furnishings such as beds andmats, and the beautiful sea-worthygondolas. The reeds are burned forwarmth and the green roots areeven eaten.
It wasn’t until the mid 1960sthat the islands came into contactwith the modern world and todaymany inhabitants earn moneyfrom tourism. Tour boats take visi-tors from the mainland to theislands, stopping for an hour or so,enough time to take pictures andget a glimpse of this unusual way oflife and purchase colourful hand-made textiles and reed crafted sou-venirs.
As you might expect, steppingon the reeds is a soft and sometimessquishy affair, a bit like walking ona giant sponge. Though life herecan be precarious at times, especial-ly in stormy weather, living on anisland of reeds also has its advan-tages. If you ever want to get awayfrom your neighbours or retreat to aplace of total seclusion, simply pickanother spot in the lake and build anew island. REM
Reed houses on one ofthe Uros Islands in
Lake Titicaca.
Houses and a boat made ofreeds. The reeds grow in
abundance in the shallowsof Lake Titicaca.
Reed houses and reeds dryingin the sun as seen on approachto one of the floating UrosIslands in Peru.
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Lynda Reeves presents Live Big! The New Meaning of Home.
HIGHLIGHTS• Daily Draw for a Free TREB Membership • Health Quest• Grand Prize Giveaway• New Lunch Options
Fab Dolan, Head of Marketing, Google Canada, addresses rapidly changing tech.
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And much more!
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MAKE THE CONNECTION 2016 NETWORKING EVENT | MAY 4 | 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM | HALL BEnjoy the sounds of Shakey & the Blue Notes and the Augusta Ray Band while you connect with colleagues during an evening of fun conversation and professional growth!
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royallepage.ca
This is not intended as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, including a solicitation of any sales representatives or broker that is currently under contract. All offi ces are independently owned and operated, except those marked as “Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage”, “Royal LePage West Real Estate Services” and “Royal LePage Sussex”. Any copying, reproduction, distribution or other use of these materials is prohibited. ©2016 Brookfi eld Real Estate Services Manager Limited. All rights reserved.
“ Within six days of receiving a lead from Royal LePage’s national website, I had a fi rm offer and a deal sealed. The lesson learned is to act quickly when receiving an online lead and to know that leads coming from Royal LePage are indeed of top quality.”
— BRYAN WATKINS Royal LePage Advance Realty
royallepage.caRated the #1 tool by Royal LePage Realtors®
3 million visitors/month
100,000 leads generated/year
royallepage.ca
This is not intended as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, including a solicitation of any sales representatives or broker that is currently under contract. All offi ces are independently owned and operated, except those marked as “Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage”, “Royal LePage West Real Estate Services” and “Royal LePage Sussex”. Any copying, reproduction, distribution or other use of these materials is prohibited. ©2016 Brookfi eld Real Estate Services Manager Limited. All rights reserved.
“ Within six days of receiving a lead from Royal LePage’s national website, I had a fi rm offer and a deal sealed. The lesson learned is to act quickly when receiving an online lead and to know that leads coming from Royal LePage are indeed of top quality.”
— BRYAN WATKINS Royal LePage Advance Realty
royallepage.caRated the #1 tool by Royal LePage Realtors®
3 million visitors/month
100,000 leads generated/year
32 REM MAY 2016
Avoid Costly Mistakes and LiabilityFilled with practical, useful information, insights and expert advice that real estate agents, brokers, owners and other stakeholders needto know, in dealing with their legal duties and responsibilities.
Learn how to avoid common and potentially costly mistakes relating to:
• Dual agency — be aware of all disclosure requirements and fiduciary obligations• Gratuitous agency — how to avoid this highly-risky association• Failure to protect clients’ rights — prepare and explain purchase/sale agreements thoroughly• Misrepresentation — know exactly what information you must provide to clients
$55 + tax | Approx. 350 Pages | SoftcoverApril 2016 | ISBN: 9780433490340
† Pre-payment required for first-time purchasers.
Price and other details are subject to change without notice.
LexisNexis and the Knowledge Burst logo are registered trademarks of RELX Group plc, used under licence. Butterworths is a registered trademark of RELX Group plc and its affiliated companies. Other products or services may be trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective companies. © 2016 LexisNexis Canada Inc. All rights reserved.
Take advantage of the 30-Day Risk-Free† Examination. Order Today at lexisnexis.ca/REM or call 1-800-387-0899.
New Edition
ack in the mid-1960s, peo-ple imagined that homesof the future would be
much different by 2016. Thingshome buyers thought would bestandard by now included thingslike dishwashing robots, a floormopping machine, automated dis-pensers of synthetic yet nutritionalfood, waterless baths and showersand a way to get from home towork without driving, via telepor-tation. Although the sales reps in1966 couldn’t find homes with allof these luxuries, today at least afew of them are considered necessi-ties by home buyers.
Dishwashers have foregone therobotic arm device in favour ofclosed boxes that do most of thework. You have to rinse your platesometimes and place it inside themachine, but no more scrubbingby hand and when you open thatdoor again, your dishes are cleanand dry. Sometimes they are evenstill warm, and you can have anice hand warmer as you put themin the cupboard. Although it tooka while for them to become popu-lar, dishwashers were inventedback in 1887 by Josephine
They promised us homerobotsIn the 1960s, we thought robots would soon be mopping floorsand doing the dishes. Now we’re more focused on smart homefeatures, including security and energy efficiency.By Yvonne Dick
B Cochrane and George Butters.The reality of floor cleaning
machines in 2016 comes in theform of a small square or disk thatglides across the floor scrubbing orsweeping. It can also be used as avacuum for light-duty traffic.
Using a system of bumpers andsensors, the floor sweeping robotsare still in their infancy. They aremuch louder than a broom and cantake up to 45 minutes to sweep orvacuum a room. Advanced modelscan be set to work and will go backto its charging base upon comple-tion of the work. Not everyonelikes these floor robots, so thebroom and vacuum are here tostay, at least for now.
The idea of meals made bymachines dates as far back as theChicago World’s Fair of 1893. Itand was meant to liberate womenfrom domestic duties. Modern-dayvariants on the theme include aliquid that provides a full andnutritional meal in a swallow.Synthetic food makers for homeuse are still a thing of the future,and with the way the human sens-es work, that’s probably a goodthing. In a study, only 18 per cent
of people were ready to eat syn-thetically grown meat or liveexclusively on meals you candrink.
Waterless bath and showeroptions abound if you don’t mindusing powders or gels. New modi-fications on the theme include abody gel, and a true cleaning jobstill requires soap and water andyour favourite scrubbing brush.For the foreseeable future, homebuyers will probably still be in themarket for a nicely shaped jet orsoaker tub.
Although teleportation hasn’tbeen cracked yet, soon we will beable to have our own self-drivingcar. It won’t mean instant travellike the transporter beams in StarTrek, but these cars will take ushome from work. Self-driving carsstill need to be configured to parkin a garage; however, which is onereason this is yet a work inprogress.
In 2016, what do people expectin the home of the future?
Aside from a chauffeur or robotdriven car ride, and a dishwasherthat would load and put away dish-es, three features remain popular to
the modern-day home buyer. Topof the list are smart home featuressuch as voice activation, integratedappliances and security systems.
Energy efficiency is also impor-tant to home buyers. Windowsthat adjust to the levels of sunlight,solar heating systems and geother-mal heating and cooling are someemerging technologies.
Architecturally different hous-es are popular too, from NaomiCampbell’s Spaceship House of
2013 to dome-shaped designs,stacking boxes and more.Sometimes a modern design canhide a modern innovation, such asa series of solar panels that areincorporated into a structure toappear as extra windows or builtinto the roof.
In spite of the trend towardstreamlined technology, in 50 yearsit’s likely that our most fundamen-tal home chores will remain thesame. REM
The city, Ruttan says, is for-tunate to have good infrastruc-ture such as a water system, widestreets and health care facilities.
“There is a reason for that,”he says, alluding to the tax dol-lars that were brought into thecity coffers by the forest industry.While it has declined from themajor force it once was, forestindustry dollars still help easethe tax burden on residents. The
town is now attempting to fur-ther diversify its tax base, includ-ing serving as a base for a new airambulance service.
Because of the slimmed downforest industry, there is goodhousing stock for buyers movingto the area from throughoutB.C., the Prairie provinces andother parts of Canada.
oneySense, a personalfinance magazine,recently ranked
Vancouver Island’s Port Albernias the worst place to live inCanada. The magazine rankedthe town last or near-last forliveability out of more than 200communities. But that hasn’tstopped buyers from moving tothe city and local Realtorsbelieve that shrewd shoppers arediscovering the town makes a lotof money sense.
Re/Max Mid-Island Realtysales rep Lance Engstrom, whogrew up in Port Alberni, says“We are the best-kept secret onthe Island.”
The town once had a bad rapbecause it, like other forestindustry towns with a pulp mill,had a lingering rotten egg smell.That ended years ago, saysEngstrom, who left to go to uni-versity and work in Victoria butthen returned 22 years ago. Hefelt that no other place couldoffer what Port Alberni could – acomfortable and affordablehome, infrastructure for family, asense of community and greatrecreational facilities. Sincethen, he has helped more than1,100 buyers find homes in PortAlberni.
Retirees and families aresnapping up deals like familyhomes for $225,000, downtownbuilding lots for $50,000 andthree-bedroom houses on one totwo acre lots outside town for$250,000 to $350,000, Engstromsays. The area enjoys a load ofamenities the forest industry dol-lars have brought to the city overdecades of taxation.
“I don’t think you can findanother city that is our size thathas the facilities that we do,”says broker and manager GaryGray of Royal LePage PortAlberni – Pacific Rim Realty.“We have first-class recreationalfacilities, a new hospital, NorthIsland College and great out-doors activities.”
34 REM MAY 2016
M
‘Worst place to live’ is best-kept secret Realtors in Port Alberni, B.C. says the town didn’t get a fair shake when it was ranked last in a list ofCanadian communitiesBy Jean Sorensen
Facilities in town include anaquatic centre (a new one isbeing planned), a dedicatedseniors activity centre, a library,a museum, a youth soccer club-house, a gymnastics club house, acurling facility, an athletics hall,an ice arena, an all-weathertrack, numerous playing fieldsand a stadium, a live theatrebuilding and a casino.
The town has banks and acredit union, five major foodstores including a Walmart,
brand name outlets such asCanadian Tire, assorted fast foodoutlets and a barrage of bou-tiques, seafood restaurants andcraft stores.
Port Alberni has a number offestivals such as a regatta at near-by Sproat Lake (where homescan hit the $1 million to $2 mil-lion mark), the Black Powdershooting club, a Jane Austin fes-tival, a Salmon Festival and theThunder in the Valley drag racethat occurs in the summer. Thetown also has a steam locomo-tive; a tourism attraction thatruns to McLean Mill, Canada’sonly operating steam-poweredmill and a national historic site.
“We think there is someinformation they (MoneySense)may have gotten wrong,” saysMike Ruttan, mayor of PortAlberni and retired high schoolprincipal who helped with facili-tation of the town’s new $58 mil-lion Alberni District SeniorSecondary School. The school –capable of handling 1,300 stu-dents – features a 500-seat the-atre, two gymnasiums, a fitnessroom, a dance studio, artificialturf field and a First Nations
gathering space plus a youthhealth clinic. It offers academicas well as skills training optionsand is located next door to theNorth Island College for easytransfer for students.
Ruttan is puzzled by how themagazine reported the town hasonly 56 days of weather over 24degrees C.
“People who live here knowwe can be one of the warmestplaces in Canada in summer,” hesays. The temperatures are warmenough to support two vineyardsand wineries and the area’s agri-culture community, where threefarmers’ markets contribute tothe city’s low cost of living.
The Alberni Pacific Railway provides a local tourist attraction. Seenhere departing the fully restored train station (vintage 1912), the 1929Baldwin steam engine carries passengers from the waterfront to theMcLean Mill National Historic Site, Canada’s only remaining opera-tional steam-powered sawmill. (Photo: Province of British Columbia)
Families are snapping up deals like family homes for $225,000, down-town building lots for $50,000 and three-bedroom houses on one totwo acre lots outside town for $250,000 to $350,000. (Photo: JeanSorensen)
A rendering of the new $58 million high school opened in Port Alberni,the town that MoneySense Magazine rates as the worst place to live inCanada. (Photo: Province of British Columbia)
Continued on page 36
Royal LePage Vision Realty, Brokerage is a real estate firm in Ontario. This is not intended as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, including a solicitation of any sales representatives or broker that is currently under contract. All offices are independently owned and operated, except those marked as “Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage”, “Royal LePage West Real Estate Services” and “Royal LePage Sussex”. Any copying, reproduction, distribution or other use of these materials is prohibited. ©2016 Brookfield Real Estate Services Manager Limited. All rights reserved.
royallepage.ca/franchising
Welcome Royal LePage Vision Realty!Re/Max Vision Realty joins the Royal LePage family
We are thrilled to welcome this dynamic team of more than 80 Realtors® to the Royal LePage family. Royal LePage Vision Realty have built strong relationships with home builders and homeowners alike, bringing a wealth of sales experience in new and resale homes within the Greater Toronto Area.
Its Realtors® will enjoy a new level of service, together with the 2,000 other high-performing agents who have recently joined Royal LePage’s national network of over 16,000 sales professionals.
Congratulations to the entire team at Royal LePage Vision Realty!
Partner with a leader. Join Royal LePage.
We are pleased to join a great Canadian company with a proven track record of providing exceptional value in the services they provide.”
– Asgher Naqvi, Broker of RecordRoyal LePage Vision Realty, Brokerage
We see our new affiliation with Royal LePage as a means to take our innovative approach to real estate one step further.”
– Daljinder Gill, ManagerRoyal LePage Vision Realty, Brokerage
36 REM MAY 2016
Ruttan says the town haslaunched an active campaign todraw seniors. Retirees arrivingfrom throughout B.C. and out-side the province find they cansell the family home, find a com-parable home in Port Alberniand have funds left over to bankand enjoy. New retirement con-dos are going up in town.
Carolyn Sheare, managingbroker at Re/Max Mid-IslandRealty, moved from Ucluelet onthe west coast to Port Albernibecause the educational facilitiesbetter suited her family. Sheagrees that retirees are drawn toPort Alberni because of lowhouse prices and lifestyle oppor-tunities.
“There is a huge variety of(single family) homes availableand you can get into a nice homein the low $200,000s – lowerthan that if you are willing to putin some sweat equity.”
Two towns were joinedtogether in 1967, with the oldersection of Port Alberni contain-
ing areas such as China Creek,which has traditional housesreflecting its early 20th centuryroots. The newer portion iswhere subdivisions co-exist withmalls. The surrounding areaoffers acreage homes, and 10 kmfrom town is Sproat Lake, a lakemuch like those in B.C.’sOkanagan, which has drawnprofessionals building multi-mil-lion homes. Less expensivebuilding lots also exist.
Gray, who was born andraised in Port Alberni and is apast president of the VancouverIsland Real Estate Board, saysone trend he sees is that trades-persons who work out of town innorthern B.C. or in Alberta’s oil
field are leaving their families inan affordable town with a fullrange of amenities and commuteback and forth to work. Condoscan start at as low as $127,000and smaller homes as low as$155,000.
Port Alberni has a small aircommuter service to Vancouver,but nearby airports such asNanaimo have larger airports.BC Ferries also provides servicebetween Nanaimo andVancouver. There is also theadvantage of living a short com-mute to two nearby beach com-munities without paying thehigher priced housing.
“The retirees are reallyattracted to the environment,”
Gray says. Not only is housingaffordable, but Port Alberni’splethora of established recre-ational facilities are a boon. Thetown also features a deep sea port(Alberni Inlet) and marina foravid boaters and anglers. It’sclose to three provincial parksand offers more than 100 milesof hiking trails.
Denis Sauve, councillor anda retired career RCMP officer,disputes figures that Port Albernihas a high crime rate. Sauve,who policed in the city beforeretiring, says, “My experience isthat we are no different from anyother community. Everyone hasissues with drugs and issues withalcohol – that is part of life.”
‘Worst place to live’Continued from page 34
He is sceptical of crime statis-tics as it is widely recognized thatpolice forces may report statisticson crime differently, he says.
Port Alberni has a strongsense of volunteerism and anumber of community crimeprevention programs such as acitizen’s patrols. “’I don’t thinkanyone feels unsafe on thestreet here,” he says, adding thatthe crime statistics “do notpaint the right picture of thecommunity.”
Sauve has extensive experi-ence in risk assessment. He led ayear-long project with a specialtask force assembled in the wakeof the 9/11 terrorist attacks toassess potential threats toCanada and was selected as thenon-commissioned officer incharge of the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s Analytical Teambased in Ottawa.
When the RCMP asked himwhere he wanted his last posting,Sauve opted to stay in PortAlberni. He hasn’t changed hismind since that day.
“We are really a hidden gem,”he says. REM
Retirees arriving from throughout B.C.and outside the province find they cansell the family home, find a comparablehome in Port Alberni and have funds
left over to bank and enjoy.
M O S T PRODUCTIVE
REAL ESTATE NETWORK • MOST RECOGNIZED
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PRESENCE IN ALMOST 100 COUN-TRIES WORLDWIDE • ENGAGINGCONSUMERS WITH NEARLY 4000 SOCIAL MEDIA MENTIONS • RE/MAX CARES, DONATING ALMOST $200 MILLION TO CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK & CANADIAN BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION • MOBILE MINDED: INCREASED TRAFFIC 50X IN PAST 5 YEARS • DOMINATING MEDIA WITH OVER 1 BILLION IM-PRESSIONS • MORE OFFICES WORLDWIDE THAN ANY OTHER BRAND • REMAX.CA IS HOME TO 27M UNIQUE VISITORS• MOST PROFESSIONAL DESIGNA-TIONS • MOST COUNTRIES SERVED • CREATING GLOBAL CONVERSA-TIONS IN 40+ LANGUAGES• CANADA’S REAL ESTATE BRAND WITH 97% UNAIDED BRAND AWARENESS • DRIVING CHANGE THROUGH $25M ANNUAL BRAND INVESTMENT • MOST VISITED REAL ESTATE FRANCHISE WEBSITE • OVER 35 YEARS OF SHAPING THE CANADI-AN REAL ESTATE LANDSCAPE • LEAD BY SWANEPOEL POWER 200’S AND TOP CANADIAN WOMEN • 16.1 AVERAGE ENDS PER AGENT • RE/MAX AGENTS SELL MORE REAL ESTATE THAN ANY OTHER CANADIAN BRAND.
GROW WITH THOSE WHO KNOW
1. remax.net - internal data 2015, 2. remax.net - MMR Strategy Group study of unaided awareness, 3. remax.net - ACNeilsen 2014, 4. Past 4 Years, ranked number 1 in 13 of the past 17 years, 5. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 6. RE/MAX network as of January 31, 2016, 7. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 8. comscore+googleanalytics+sysomos Nov 2015, 9. As of December 31 2015, 10. ComScore (data sourced from 2010-2015), 11. Combining out of home, radio, digital, social and niche advertising impressions, as measured December 31 2015, 12. Internal data as of 1. remax.net - internal data 2015, 2. remax.net - MMR Strategy Group study of unaided awareness, 3. remax.net - ACNeilsen 2014, 4. Past 4 Years, ranked number 1 in 13 of the past 17 years, 5. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 6. RE/MAX network as of January 31, 2016, 7. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 8. comscore+googleanalytics+sysomos Nov 2015, 9. As of December 31 2015, 10. ComScore (data sourced from 2010-2015), 11. Combining out of home, radio, digital, social and niche advertising impressions, as measured December 31 2015, 12. Internal data as of 1. remax.net - internal data 2015, 2. remax.net - MMR Strategy Group study of unaided awareness, 3. remax.net - ACNeilsen 2014, 4. Past 4 Years, ranked number 1 in 13 of the past 17 years, 5. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 6. RE/MAX network as of January 31, 2016, 7. Internal data January 31 2016, 13. Google Analytics, ComScore - 2015, 14. remax.net - internal data 2015, 15. remax.net - internal data 2015, 16. remax.ca/global.remax.ca, 17. MMR Strategy Group - aided awareness study - remax.net, 18. ACNielsen 2014 data, 19. remax.net - comscore data, 20. Internal as of January 31 2016, 8. comscore+googleanalytics+sysomos Nov 2015, 9. As of December 31 2015, 10. ComScore (data sourced from 2010-2015), 11. Combining out of home, radio, digital, social and niche advertising impressions, as measured December 31 2015, 12. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 13. Google Analytics, ComScore - 2015, 14. remax.net - internal data 2015, 15. remax.net - internal data 2015, 16. remax.ca/global.remax.ca, 17. MMR Strategy Group - aided awareness study - remax.net, 18. ACNielsen 2014 data, 19. remax.net - comscore data, 20. Internal as of January 31 2016, 8. comscore+googleanalytics+sysomos Nov 2015, 9. As of December 31 2015, 10. ComScore (data sourced from 2010-2015), 11. Combining out of home, radio, digital, social and niche advertising impressions, as measured December 31 2015, 12. Internal data as of data as of January 31 2016, 21. Pamela is ranked 12th, but is the top Canadian on the list, 22. Report based on closed MLS transactions in 2013. Real Trends is an unbiased, independent third party, 23. remax.net - MMR Strategy Group study of real estate buyers and sellersJanuary 31 2016, 13. Google Analytics, ComScore - 2015, 14. remax.net - internal data 2015, 15. remax.net - internal data 2015, 16. remax.ca/global.remax.ca, 17. MMR Strategy Group - aided awareness study - remax.net, 18. ACNielsen 2014 data, 19. remax.net - comscore data, 20. Internal data as of January 31 2016, 21. Pamela is ranked 12th, but is the top Canadian on the list, 22. Report based on closed MLS transactions in 2013. Real Trends is an unbiased, independent third party, 23. remax.net - MMR Strategy Group study of real estate buyers and sellersJanuary 31 2016, 13. Google Analytics, ComScore - 2015, 14. remax.net - internal data 2015, 15. remax.net - internal data 2015, 16. remax.ca/global.remax.ca, 17. MMR Strategy Group - aided awareness study - remax.net, 18. ACNielsen 2014 data, 19. remax.net - comscore data, 20. Internal
38 REM MAY 2016
y definition, real estateprofessionals are on thefront line of the home-
buying process with their clients.They are called upon to explainthe process, to find them the righthome and then – alongside theinvolved lawyers – to help shep-herd them through the actual legalhome-buying process.
These roles are generally gov-erned by the written contractbetween the agent and his or herclient. However, real estate agentsmay also be an informal source ofinformation and guidance to theirclients on related topics as well.
Advising on mortgages is onecommon example. A client maydepend on his or her agent to assistwith finding the right mortgage.This is an important role, becausethe client’s commitment to theright (or wrong) mortgage is onethat can last for years and can havea serious impact on his or herfinances – and by extension ontheir ability to meet their otherobligations and to maintain a suit-able quality of life.
For most buyers, the mortgagetakes up a huge portion of theirfinancial “‘landscape”’.
This is why it’s important forsalespeople to understand the com-plexities of mortgages and to havea good grasp of the factors andnuances that they may be askedabout by clients. (And sometimesthe worst scenario is to have aclient who doesn’t even know theright questions to ask.)
Whether it’s for a new purchaseor re-financing – and whether thehome is new, old, residential, recre-ational, investment, retail, com-mercial or industrial – there are
By Martin Rumack
Help your clients with mortgage shoppingIf your clients are relying on you, even just informally, to help them with their mortgage decisions,
make sure you completely understand the advice you are giving.various issues that home-buyingclients need to reflect on whendeciding between financial institu-tions and private lenders.
What are some of the key fac-tors that your clients should belooking for?
• the type of mortgage (closed,fully open or partially open)
• the interest rate (fixed orvariable)
• the term of the mortgage • the mortgage’s amortization
period. As a quick aside, it should be
noted that the distinction betweenthe mortgage’s term and its amorti-zation period can be difficult forconsumers to grasp.
Simply put: The mortgage termis the period of time that a borrow-er is committed to a specific lender,under the particular provisions ofthe mortgage that have beenagreed to (the document sets outthe agreed interest rate and termsfor that period). Usually the termof a typical residential mortgage issomewhere between one and fiveyears.
In contrast, the mortgageamortization period is the lengthi-er period of time it will take theborrower to pay off the mortgageentirely, calculated using the entireamount borrowed, applying a fixedinterest rate and allowing for onlythe minimum required payments.
Note that to be eligible forCanada Mortgage and Housing
Corp. (CMHC) insurance, themortgage amortization period mustnot exceed the current maximumof 25 years. If no CMHC insuranceis required, the amortization mightbe as long as 40 years.
Prepayment penalties: One ofthe other factors to consider wheninformally advising clients on theirmortgage shopping relates topenalties. There will likely be apenalty for paying off the mortgageearlier than at the end of the origi-nal term (unless the mortgage isfully open). The borrower needs toask the lender to show how muchit will cost to pay off the mortgagebefore the maturity date. The stan-dard penalty is usually based on thegreater of a sum equivalent to threemonths’ interest on the balancebeing paid out before maturity, orthe interest rate differential.
The interest rate differential iscalculated on the differencebetween the interest rate the bor-rower is paying for their existingmortgage and the then-currentrate being charged for this type ofmortgage product at the time theborrower wishes to make either apartial pre-payment or else dis-charge the mortgage completely.
Ideally the mortgage willinclude a provision for some pre-payment that does not incur apenalty. This type of mortgageclause allows the borrower to pre-pay a certain percentage of theoriginal principal annually. The
mortgage may also be assumable orportable, which gives the borrowerthe most flexibility.
Renewal: Another key consid-eration relates to the nature of theterms and conditions that may beoffered by the lender upon mort-gage renewal or when re-negotiat-ing during the current term (forexample, if after some period of liv-ing in the home the borrowerneeds to increase the principalamount borrowed).
This should involve the bor-rower re-evaluating his or herneeds and capacities, including: -the ease or difficulty with whichexisting mortgage payments havebeen made, in the context of theborrowers’ overall household bud-get and other financial obligations;
• whether the borrower hasother, higher-interest debts to con-solidate into the mortgage agree-ment;
• whether the borrower wouldprefer to change the paymentamount or frequency on anynew/renewed mortgage; and
• whether the borrower wouldlike the flexibility of added pre-payments as an option.
Upon renewal or renegotia-tion, the borrower should also askthe lender whether, as an existing
client, they qualify for any specialor discounted rates.
Remember: Mortgage renewalis only an option; the borrower isnot obliged to stick with the samelender after the initial mortgageterm ends. You can always shoparound for a better rate or a betterterm with a different lender.
Mortgage shopping has itscomplexities. If you are a realestate professional who is beingasked for information and advicefrom a home-buying client,beware! It’s important that theclient gets the proper information– ideally from an independent pro-fessional advisor – because thedecision to commit to a mortgageis financially profound and long-lasting. So if your clients are rely-ing on you, even just informally, tohelp them make this decision,make sure you completely under-stand the advice you are giving.
Toronto lawyer Martin Rumack’spractice areas include real estate law,corporate and commercial law, wills,estates, powers of attorney and familylaw. He is co-author of LegalResponsibilities of Real Estate Agents,3rd Edition, available at the TREBbookstore. www.martinrumack.com
REM
B
If you are a real estate
professional who is being
asked for information and
advice from a home-buying
client, beware!
My family’s been in the real estate business since the time of Napoleon.I’m Evan DeBrincat and my family founded the fi rst real estate company in my native Malta many generations ago. So you could say real estate is in my blood.I was the fi rst to open a Coldwell Banker franchise in the Georgetown market.I chose to affi liate with the Coldwell Banker system because of the resources they provide —resources designed to help us grow our business. I’m proud to be a Coldwell Banker Broker/Owner.
Evan DeBrincat, Broker/OwnerColdwell Banker Fieldstone RealtyGeorgetown, ON
THE POWEROF BLUE
OWNER PROFILENAME: Evan DeBrincatOCCUPATION: Founding Owner, Coldwell Banker Fieldstone RealtyMY COMMUNITY: Georgetown, Ontario
WHY I DO WHAT I DO: I have always had a passion for real estateYEAR I ENTERED REAL ESTATE: 1989 YEAR I AFFILIATED WITH THE COLDWELL BANKER® NETWORK: 2013MY LIFE’S FONDEST MEMORY: Building things on the family farmMY BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Steadily growing my full service real estatebusiness by attracting high performing peopleWHY I AFFILIATED WITH THE COLDWELL BANKER SYSTEM: The supportI received—from both fellow brokers and the Coldwell Banker system—made all the difference to me
© 2016 Coldwell Banker LLC. All rights reserved. Each offi ce is independently owned and operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker LLC. Each sales representative and broker is responsible for complying with any consumer disclosure laws or regulations, as well as applicable Real Estate Association rules and codes of conduct.
To discuss franchising opportunities, contact:Andy Puthon PresidentMark Lindsey Regional VP Franchise [email protected] | 800.268.9599coldwellbanker.ca/franchising
40 REM MAY 2016
What’s
New
What’s
NewNew ‘landlording’in-class courseoffered
Toronto real estate brokerChristopher Seepe has createdLandlording in Ontario, a 42-hour in-class course for would-beand first-time investors, Realtorswho are unfamiliar with com-mercial investment properties,and existing small portfolio realestate investors looking toincrease their property value andmaximize their return on invest-ment.
“‘Landlording’ isn’t a verb butit ought to be,” says Seepe. “It’severything from finding anincome-generating property andmanaging its financial viabilityto protecting the landlordagainst tenant abuse and govern-ment bias, setting up legal andaccounting structures, embrac-ing the power of digital manage-ment and extracting value tofinance the next property acqui-sition.”
The course includes morethan 20 digital tools to manageand make better-informedinvestment and property man-agement decisions including ahighly refined, proprietaryinvestment analysis spreadsheet;a robust rental application formand agreement; Seepe’s list ofimportant commercial invest-ment APS clauses; and more, hesays.
The class, limited to 18 stu-dents, features “significant indi-vidual hands-on personal com-puter time working with thespreadsheet, analyzing many cur-rent real-life “what-if” scenariosto determine financial viability(money in your pocket),
prospects of financing an acqui-sition with today’s very toughlenders and implications whenrefinancing later at a higherinterest rate,” Seepe says.
Other topics include whetherto be a landlord, understandingwhat capitalization (cap) rate isand isn’t, getting past the financ-ing clause, avoiding the eminentdanger of over-leveraged proper-ties, empowering technology tomaintain a fully functioningone-person operation, under-standing MPAC’s new multi-res-idential tax assessment method-ology, structuring thousands ofproperty-related digital andpaper file folders, dealing withtroublesome tenants and theLandlord-Tenant Board, collect-ing rents fast with no NSFs, cre-ative alternatives when obstaclesarise in traditional financing,uncommon methods to increaseequity and value and extractingvalue to finance the next property.
Seepe is a commercial realestate broker of record and waspresident of the LandlordsAssociation of Durham for years.He is also an author and speakerand has written many articles forREM. He owns several multi-unit rental properties.
For information: www.land-lordingcourse.ca
National conferenceseries heads toVancouver
During the last six years,NEXTGENre - A Bar CampExperience has brought togethermore than 2,500 real estate pro-fessionals and more than 150facilitators and speakers.
“This is the only nationalreal estate conference of its kindthat is ‘brand agnostic’, meaningthat there is no single real estatebrand that is sponsoring thisevent,” says co-founder KellySkar.
The first of this year’s eventsrecently took place in Calgary.The next one will be in Burnaby,B.C. on May 31 and two morewill follow later in the year inOntario.
“We care for the success ofthe industry and its agents firstand foremost and we believe wehave something truly authenticand relevant to offer,” says
Virginia Munden, co-founder.“Our goal is to make youresilient in any marketplace andthrive with success. Our net-working encourages collabora-tion and co-operation in a forumthrough peer-sharing.”
The event offers 31 “thinktank sessions” throughout theday with topics including tech-nology, social media, business,mobile, digital, brand, leader-ship, content marketing, leadgeneration, communication andphilanthropy.
“We are currently selectingcorporate and independent bou-tique brands to be a part of thisauthentic un-conference,” saysMunden. For information:http://tinyurl.com/hpcbv7m
Managing the movingprocess in a singleapp
A new startup is aiming tohelp people manage the movingprocess in a single app.
MoveSnap acts like a person-al moving concierge, guiding youstep-by-step through everythingthat needs to be done, the com-pany says. It covers everythingfrom transferring home servicessuch as hydro, gas, cable andInternet, to getting a new dri-ver’s license, to connectingclients with local charities thatwill pick up items clients mightnot want to move to the newhome. For each task, the apptells the user how to best getthings done quickly and savetime.
The service also makes lifeeasier for real estate salespeopleby helping them address theoften neglected post-deal experi-ence, the company says. Itreplaces checklists or movingpackages that agents might beusing now, while allowing theagent and their brand to stay vir-tually engaged with the clientwell after the deal is signed.
Toronto-based Re/MaxUltimate recently partneredwith MoveSnap to help theirclients avoid moving-relatedheadaches. Tim Syrianos, bro-ker/owner of Re/Max Ultimate,says he saw an opportunity toadd value for his agents with theapp. Syrianos also sees automat-ing the moving process with
MoveSnap as a way to increasethe productivity of his agentsand reduce the time they spendresearching and answering mov-ing-related questions, the com-pany says.
“Our business partners areour Realtors. Embracing the besttechnology to assist them to bestrepresent their clients and bemore efficient and productive isalways our focus,” says Syrianos.
Reuven Gorsht says he co-founded MoveSnap after havinga nightmarish moving experi-ence himself.
“Buying a home is reallyexciting, but once reality sets inthat you’ll have to move in a fewweeks, that joy quickly turns intostress and frustration,” he says.“Moving is the worst part of thereal estate transaction and is thelast impression the client has.”
He says for agents who addthe app to their arsenal of tools,the outcomes can mean happierclients, who in turn, are happy torecommend the agent to theirfriends and family. For informa-tion: movesnap.com/realtor
Equifax Canada andTeranet announcestrategic partnership
Equifax Canada and TeranetEnterprises have entered into astrategic partnership in order todeliver property and real estatesecured lending insights onCanadian consumers.
Bill Johnston, vice president,data and analytics at EquifaxCanada says, “Partnering withTeranet enables us to shape datainto solutions to help meet thatneed. Providing deeper insights
can help our customers make moreinformed decisions, which ulti-mately benefits Canadian con-sumers seeking credit.”
Drew Doherty, director of mar-keting and product developmentat Teranet, adds: “These data-richsolutions can be used by financialinstitutions to inform and adjusttheir strategies and underwritingguidelines while aligning solutionsto meet the evolving needs of theCanadian consumer.”
Equifax says it “organizes, assim-ilates and analyzes data on morethan 800 million consumers andmore than 88 million businessesworldwide, and its databasesinclude employee data contributedfrom more than 5,000 employers.”Its headquarters are in Atlanta, Ga.
In Ontario, Teranet is theexclusive provider of online prop-erty search and registration.Teranet developed, owns and oper-ates the Ontario Electronic LandRegistration System.
In Manitoba, it owns and oper-ates The Property Registry (TPR),offering land and personal propertysecurity registration and search ser-vices.
For more information:www.teranet.ca
Century 21 givingaway 40,000 AirMiles
Century 21 Canada is celebrat-ing its 40th anniversary by holdinga contest. Consumers can enter towin one of four prizes of 10,000 AirMiles. To enter and for completecontest details, terms and condi-tions, visit c21.ca/celebrate beforeApril 29. REM
MoveSnap acts like a personal moving concierge, the company says.
2016 AE Network Award of Excellence
Canadian Commercial Network of REALTORS® Merit Award
CREA congratulates this year’s award winners
Left to right: Gary Simonsen, CEO, CREA; Bill Madder, CEO, ASR;Lynette Keyowski, Chair AE Committee, CREA (Executive Director,
Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board)
Trademarks are owned or controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA (REALTOR®) and/or the quality of services they provide (MLS®).
These awards are in recognition of dedicated leadership, professionalism, commitment and contribution to the REALTOR® community and association management.
March 19, 2016
Left to right: Don Patterson, Chair, CREA Commercial Committee;
Stewart Elston, Winnipeg REALTORS® Association; Stephen Sherlock, Winnipeg REALTORS® Association
42 REM MAY 2016
We can help you market your company’s brand to Canadian real estate professionals
Find out how we can deliver your message to anaudience of Canadian real estate professionals in
print and online. Just ask us how.
Amanda Rock, Director of Sales and [email protected] | 416-425-3504 xx1
here is a single movethat, if you do it consis-tently, can multiply your
productivity by 10 and allow youto reclaim the free time you oncehad. Productivity isn’t a result ofhard work, it’s a consequence ofdoing certain things consistently.What could you possibly do thatwould multiply your productivityby 10?
Studies have shown that themost valuable and rarest form of
Achieve productivity without burning outHere’s a single move that, if you do it consistently, can multiply your productivity by 10
energy is our willpower. We havethe choice to exert ourselvesmore or less to achieve some-thing we want. Willpower is theinner mind game. But what’s theouter action that causes the ideayou imagined to become reality?It is constant, spaced repetitionwith intention.
Repetition is the master!So the rarest and most valu-
able form of action is constant,spaced repetition with intention.This is something that humanscan do but other animals can’t.Our most valuable state of mindis that of awareness. When weare more aware, we can broadenour perspective and see our livesthrough a different lens and per-ceive more than just what’sgoing on in the present. As wedevelop greater understanding ofourselves, our awareness willgenerate its own momentum.
My research has proven thata person who has great success
has great psychological and spir-itual understanding.
We’ve discovered that mostof our decisions are unconsciousand automatic. They are basedon thought patterns that werecreated at a young age that wecrystallized over time with ourhabits. We have the ability tochange our habits by using ourwillpower and practicing inten-tions with constant, spaced repe-tition.
Now, you can either practicerepetition physically in yourenvironment or you can do it inyour mind. The impact is thesame! Surprised?
You can visualize somethingyou want over and over againand over time it will come intoyour life. The greatest thinkersand leaders of our time agreedthat we become what we thinkabout the most. Therefore, visu-alizing consistently is one of theeasiest ways to bring somethinginto your life rapidly and accu-rately. The other way is throughlots of struggle and toil.
Now back to my point at thebeginning about the single bestaction you could take on a con-sistent basis that will positivelychange your productivity andyour business for the long-term.The practice that is consistentand notable amongst leaderssuch as Tony Robbins, OprahWinfrey and Richard Branson, isto establish a physical and men-tal ritual that you can practice inorder to crystallize patterns forsuccess and establish “musclememory” over time. You must“have it in habit in order to haveit,” because habits shape yourcharacter and your charactershapes your destiny. If you’re notdoing something in your lifeevery day or at least on a consis-tent basis, then you don’t have ithabitually in your mental musclememory. If you do it habitually,you “own it” and then it’s yoursto expand and grow.
So the big secret that’s a com-mon thread amongst all great lead-ers is a morning success ritual. Ifyou do it consistently, you willhave more time, more energy andmore money than ever before.
When you create a consistentdaily pattern of energizing yourbody, your mind and your poten-tial, you will possess theendurance and the willpower toovercome any challenge and per-form better than anyone elsewho regularly hits the snoozebutton.
Once you have a morningsuccess ritual under your belt, itwill crystallize into a long-termhabit and eventually your des-tiny will be brighter and morecontrollable. Better still, you willsay yes to your day and never hitsnooze again. The way we areapproaching this new pattern isto create a system with the endin mind, so that down the roadyou will realize all of your efforts.
The first 60-90 minutes ofyour day sets you up for successor failure throughout your day. Ifyou want great success, you’llwant to create a personal successritual that will allow for yourcenteredness, optimal healthand strength.
You want to be able to wilful-ly direct your attention anywhich way you want it to go. Youwant to be able to sustain a highlevel of energy throughout yourday and particularly into themid-afternoon where coffee andchocolate is the “go-to” sourcefor a spike of energy that endsbeing a sugar or adrenaline crash.It’s not sustainable.
Put your focus on only doingthings that you really like andthat add value for you. You need
to take care of yourself firstbefore doing anything for any-one else, so that you’re mentallyand physically prepared for thechallenges you’ll come upagainst throughout your day.
Start your day with a relaxingand rejuvenating meditation,some exercise and choosing howyou would like your day tounfold with powerful intentions.Your morning ritual will ensurethat you will be super productivein all areas of your life. Nurturingyourself makes you feel morepowerful, attractive, magnetic,self-confident and proactive.
After many years of researchand testing, I’ve put together afive-minute video on the way tocreate and plan your own morn-ing success ritual. Watch it atwww.danlefave.com/productivityso you too can have more moneyand more energy and reclaim thefree time you once had to do thethings you love the most.
Dan LeFave is the co-author ofStepping Stones to Success and thefounder of a Waking Up Productive— 12 Proven Steps to MultiplyYour Productivity Without CostingYou More Time and Energy. Withover 17 years of experience in tele-com and commercial real estate, heteaches seasoned entrepreneurs howto cultivate accurate thinking sothat their success inevitable. He says, “You can have excuses or results, but you can’t have bothat the same time.” www.danle-fave.com REM
T
The first 60-90 minutes
of your day sets you up
for success or failure
throughout your day. By Dan LeFave
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f you are currently sufferingfrom procrastination, let’sexplore why and what you can
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you’re not excited about it. If youare not eager to work, it can bebecause you’re thinking about themoney you don’t have and themoney that you need to make. Theneed to make money only appealsto your prefrontal cortex, not yourheart. This does not give you astrong enough motivation to getyou to do the things you need to do
44 REM MAY 2016
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From procrastination to productivityDeal with self-limiting beliefs that stifle your confidence, that make you afraid of success, that make you believe there is never enough money and that make youbelieve that prospecting is begging.
By Maya Bailey
in a timely manner.In addition, when you’re des-
perate to make money, you’re send-ing out a negative vibration ofscarcity. What you get back is whatyou send out – more scarcity. Thenyou’re in a vicious circle.
You need to do whatever youcan to love your business, to getexcited about helping people andrelease any mental blocks that getin the way. The sooner you do thatthe sooner your business will grow.
If you’re asking yourself, “Whyam I not excited about my busi-ness,” the answer is simple.
You have self-limiting beliefsthat stifle your confidence, thatmake you afraid of success, that
make you believe there is neverenough money and that make youbelieve that prospecting is begging.Here are the most common self-limiting beliefs that people have.Look at these and ask yourself ifany of these ring true.
• I’m not good enough• I need to be perfect to be
okay• I’m not worthy• I need to push myself to suc-
ceed• I don’t have what it takes to
succeedRemember: these are not facts,
they are just beliefs and beliefs canbe changed. Also remember thatyou may not feel these 100 per centof the time, you may only feelthem one per cent of the time, butnevertheless they need to bechecked.
Here’s the good news. It doesn’tmatter how many self-limitingbeliefs you have. They wereinstalled in your subconsciousmind when you were growing upand they are not the truth aboutwho you are. Therefore they can bechanged. It’s not your fault the self-limiting beliefs are in there in thefirst place, but it is your responsi-bility to release them and repro-gram them instead of carryingthem around as extra baggage asyou go through your life.
Here are the most commonself-limiting beliefs about success:
• Being successful means work-ing long hard hours, struggling andsacrifice
• Being successful means Iwon’t have balance in my life
• Being successful means thatpeople will be jealous of me
• If I am successful, I’ll lose mycore identity
• If I am successful, I will beoverwhelmed
Can you understand how thisconnects to procrastination?Obviously, if you are afraid of suc-cess and you have these beliefsabout what success does to you,then doesn’t it make sense to pro-crastinate?
When you procrastinate, you
are sabotaging your success.Consciously, you want to over-come your procrastination, butsubconsciously, these beliefs arereally running the show.
Here are some common self-limiting beliefs about money:
• There is never enoughmoney
• I don’t deserve to havemoney
• Rich people are greedy• Money is the root of all evilThe problem is they’re not
true. We don’t live in the universeof scarcity; we live in a universe ofabundance. If you believe thatthere is never enough money, thenyou will create a life in which thereis never enough money. Is thatwhat you want to do or would yourather believe in abundance andthereby attract abundance to you?
Let’s take the belief that richpeople are greedy. If you reallybelieve that, then your subcon-scious mind would be workingagainst you because it does notwant you to become a wealthyperson. From the subconsciousmind’s perspective, you being awealthy person would make you abad person.
Here are some self-limitingbeliefs about prospecting.
• I’m bothering people• I will be rejected• People will think that I’m a
“pushy salesperson”• Prospecting is begging.If your old belief is “I’m bother-
ing people”, then your empoweredbelief would be, “I am helping peo-ple.” If your old belief is, “If I’m suc-cessful, I’ll be overwhelmed,” thenyour empowered belief would be, “Icreate success by working smarter,not harder.”
What is the way out? Get somehelp to reprogram your subcon-scious mind. You won’t believehow good you feel when yourelease these old outdated beliefs.
In mindset coaching, we go farbeyond that. We not only find outwhat self-limiting beliefs you have,but we find out about the origin ofthem in your childhood. Then we
question whether those beliefs arecurrently helping you or hurtingyou and most of time you’ll findout that they’re hurting you.
I was working with a clientrecently, let me call her Nancy. Inone of our coaching sessions, sheadmitted to me that she felt verycomplacent about her business.When I asked her to tell me more,she said that she really wants toenjoy her life and not work verymuch.
She went on to say that her realgoal is to make $100,000 each year,but that she’s been struggling to tryto make $250,000 a year. I askedher, “Why the difference”? She washonest with me in explaining thatother people expected her to make$250,000 a year like her broker, hermentor and her friends. They alltold her that she needed to “live upto her full potential.”
The truth of the situation wasthat she really just wanted to havebalance in her life and not have towork very hard. I assured her that ifshe kept struggling to earn incomethat wasn’t really her ideal, thenshe wouldn’t be able to succeed.
Your goal and your definition ofsuccess need to be uniquely yourown. If you are doing it for any rea-son other than because you wantto, it won’t work and you will cre-ate complacency, struggle and pro-crastination.
You could have the right mind-set, and the right action steps, butstill be sabotaging yourself by notattending to your physical, mental,emotional and spiritual needs. Thetrick is to find the balance in yourlife that works for you. Here’s a tip:if you have moments of joythroughout your day, then you’reprobably on the right track.
Maya Bailey, Ph.D. is a masterbusiness coach who specializes inteaching her clients how to double andtriple their incomes by creating theirown success blueprint. She workswith coaches, consultants, real estateagents and success minded profession-als who want to increase their clientsin 90 days or less. www.90daysto-moreclients.com REM
Tuesday, May 17, 2016Celebrate With Us!
Facebook.com/TorontoRealEstateBoard @TREBhome #iheartrealestateTREBhome.com/NRED
A Day for All Canadians to Celebrate the Benefits of Home Ownership
National Real Estate Day
46 REM MAY 2016
Trust That Your TorontoReferrals will be
Treated Like Gold!We want your Toronto referrals. Astrusted advisors and top real estate professionals, you can trust that wewill treat your referral clients as oneof our own.
Full service, OBEO tours, website,YouTube - all it takes to turn your referral into a sold. Here is the bestpart, our program gives you referralsfor life!
Barry Lebow, FRI, Master ASA, SRES, ABR, IFAS
Professional Land Economist, Arbitrator & MediatorBroker
RE/MAX Ultimate Realty Inc.Brokerage
Barry Lebow: Cell Phone: [email protected]
Lisa Ursini, Salesperson Cell Phone: [email protected]
“Your Toronto Source”
othing sells like a greatslogan, or at least that’swhat marketing and
branding professionals suggest.But what if you’re just not all
that prolific with verse, or you’renon-creative when it comes tocrafty comments? How will youstand out in your field without awitty slogan to call your own?
Happily, I’m here to help. Or atleast offer suggestions you may justwant to slowly back away from.Whatever, they’re here for the tak-ing. And they’re conveniently bro-ken down into categories, wherev-er you fit into the real estate salesspectrum.
For individual agents (it helpsif you happen to have the samename that is in the slogan, but howmuch could it cost to change yours,if you like one of these?):
“Get Packin’ With Mackin!”(Also handy if you happen to owna gun and tackle store.)
“I Can Sell, Like A Gazelle!”(Wow. This rhyming thing is hard-er than I thought it would be.)
“I’ll Sell Your Home, Call‘Quick-Sale Jerome’!” (Hey, thatone isn’t half bad!)
“I’ve Got Buyers For YourCastle, Call Me, Basil Jastle!”(That guy sounds like a lesser-known member of the extendedroyal family.)
For commercial Realtors:“If You Need Space For
Leasing, Our Services Are NeverCeasing!” (tireless – who doesn’tlike that in their agent/client rela-tionship?)
“Want Office Space To Rent?Call Bent & Dent!” (also handyfor a damaged goods liquidatorbusiness.)
Real estate teams:“We Want Your Business, Call
Marty & Luke, For Shizness!”(artistic license with the street creduse.)
“Need More Space For YourCotton Batting? We’re TheKnights, In White Satin!” (Okay,I’ll admit the first half is a stretch,
By Dan St. Yves
Real estate slogansyou never asked forbut that last half could be a songtitle!)
“Upgrade Your Dwelling, WithHeath, Hart & Schmelling!”(Man, all kidding aside, some ofthese are really gold.)
“We’ll Sell Your Pad, Call Pel,Mel, & Brad!” (Yowza! I shouldhave trademarked that one!)
“When You Gotta Leave YourCave, Hire Wally, Ringo & Dave!”
Real estate agencies:“If A Relocation Has You At
That Stage, Use Our Agents AtLoyal RePage!”
“Mansions or Shacks, CallReLax, and Packs!” (Grammarwas never really my strong suit.)
“If Your Domicile Is GettingDanker, Call WoldCell Kanber!”(If you just move a few lettersaround, it may look more familiar.)
“Marital Split Or Just Got
Married? We’re Your Pick – Splits& Joiners!” (That was also thename of Abraham Lincoln’s sidegig when he did woodwork.)
Well, there you have it. Uponcloser observation, none of thosemay be suitable for use, unless youdid a quick Google search aheadof trying one on for size andensured that no one else wasalready using one of these sugges-tions.
Or, if you’re level-headed andfar more competent at coming upwith slogans than I apparentlyever was.
Humour columnist and authorDan St. Yves was licensed with RoyalLePage Kelowna for 11 years. Checkout his website at www.nonsenseand-stuff.com, or contact him [email protected]. REM
N
Millennials say owninga home is attainable
anadian millennials areoptimistic about thefuture, including their
homeownership prospects, accord-ing to a new poll by Re/Max. Thesurvey, conducted by Leger, foundthat 78.5 per cent of Canadians 18-34 agree that owning a home theylove is attainable. In all provinces,they agree that homeownership isattainable, despite price apprecia-tion in cities like Toronto andVancouver, says Re/Max.
The survey also found that 81.6per cent of Canadians 18-34 agreethat finding a good job in their fieldis attainable, demonstrating overalloptimism about their future.
While millennials are opti-mistic about homeownership,many expect help in order to maketheir dreams a reality. OfCanadians 18-34 who are consid-ering buying a home, 37 per centexpect help with their down pay-ment from a family member orfriend. Of those who are expectinghelp, 60 per cent anticipate that itwill come from their parents.
“The older generation has seensignificant appreciation in thevalue of their homes, while theyounger generation is entering the
market at a higher price point,”says Gurinder Sandhu, EVP,Re/Max Integra Ontario-AtlanticCanada Region. “This means first-time buyers in Canada’s higher-priced markets often need a littlehelp, which many parents are in aposition to offer.”
Unsurprisingly given the high-er home prices in these regions,prospective buyers in all age demo-graphics in British Columbia aremost likely to expect help, fol-lowed by those in Ontario.
The survey also found thatwhen asked about their financialpriorities, 68.2 per cent ofCanadians 18-34 agree that savingfor a down payment is a priorityand 78.4 per cent agree that savingfor retirement is a priority.
“We’ve found that for manyyoung Canadians, homeownershipis an important milestone that theyare actively working toward,” saysElton Ash, regional EVP, Re/Maxof Western Canada. “Furthermore,while Canadians continue to valueand aspire to homeownership, theyare not doing so at the expense ofother financial considerations,such as retirement savings.”
REM
C
Due to our fantastic growth and our new
facility and training program at the
Central Office, we welcome new
and seasoned Agents to meet
with Jeffrey Wagman to hear
about our exciting programs.
Forest Hill Real Estate, a name for ALL of Toronto.
416-785-1500
� 416-785-1500 � [email protected]
Voting instructions were emailed by Computershare on April 13. If you have trouble finding the email containing your control number or logging in to vote, please contact Computershare toll free at 1-866-593-4637, mentioning that you are a voter in the Real Estate Council of Ontario election. Dedicated call centre staff at Computershare are available to assist you. Voting closes at 4:30 p.m. on May 5.
VOTE ONLINE.No line-ups.
No excuses. Do your part as a proud real estate
professional by voting and having your say on
RECO’s leadership.
Real Estate Council of Ontario’s Board of Directors election is happening now!
YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE:SPEAK UP!
Your VOTE MATTERS. Voting opened on
April 13. Check out the candidates in your region by visiting
www.reco.on.ca.
48 REM MAY 2016
he had bought and soldseveral properties in her lifetime. This time, it was
different.Perhaps the biggest move was
coming from overseas toManitoba, Canada. She recallsthe move up to Thompson andback – that sale was a nightmare.
Then there was the time shemoved alone from the countryinto town, where she had feltvery pressured by her agent. Shewould choose an agent carefullythis time.
This was the last time.The Realtor arrived on time
at the assisted living facility thatwas now her home. This particu-lar morning however, as a resultof pain and stiffness, it was tak-ing awhile for the health care aidto get her dressed.
As a child, she had beentaught to be a gracious hostess.She had entertained many peo-ple in her own home. Proper eti-quette was something sheexpected of herself.
This day, she wasn’t able togreet the Realtor at the door.She wouldn’t even be able tooffer her a cup of tea.
As she made her way fromthe bedroom to the living room,she looked up from the wheel-chair to meet her Realtor for thefirst time. She felt like shealready knew her through herwritings. They had enjoyed sev-eral telephone conversationsover the past few weeks.
“You are a beautiful woman,”she said as her hands went up tosweep the fly-away hair from herface. Her ponytail was loose andshe had not been able to groom
The last-time sellerYou’ve heard of first-time buyers. Let me tell you about alast-time seller.
By Tina Plett
her hair in a while.She was self-conscious about
her dishevelled appearance. Thewoman she saw in the mirrorthat morning was quite differentfrom the impeccably groomedstyle she had once presented.
Gone were the days of elabo-rate gowns and fancy hats. Shehad a large collection of dramat-ic hats. Those hats displayed herpride in her English heritage.This day her gown was a robe.
This aging lady was clearly awoman of class and elegance.The robe and wheelchair did notdisguise her beauty.
In her distinct Englishaccent, she asked the agent a lotof questions. They viewed prop-erties on the laptop together andshe became well informed of themarket value of the home thatshe had been forced to leave. Itwas not as high as she hadhoped, but she made the choiceto list her property.
She was not at home to wit-ness the for sale sign go up on herproperty.
Some of her belongings werebeing packed and moved intothe garage. There were familyheirlooms and antiques thatwould not be following her intoher next home. She had anappreciation for beautiful things.What would become of all thesethings, she wondered.
The month that followed waschallenging. Since the death ofher husband she had been a veryindependent woman. She didn’tlike to ask for help. Now thisunrelenting pain had her at themercy of others. She said good-bye to the small room in the villaand was transported back to thehospital.
She worried about how herdaughters would handle all thearrangements of the move.These beautiful women had busylives and she was feeling like aburden to them. That was theworst part.
Then came the offer. If shesigned those papers she would befaced with the brutal realizationthat she was never going to goback home. She would never
again play in the gardens thatshe had planted. She wouldnever sit on that deck to watchthe sunset over the view of thepark.
The buyer had allowed for aday’s wait before she needed torespond to the offer. She neededthat time. She needed to bealone with her thoughts.
She gathered up somestrength overnight. Perhaps theRealtor’s silent prayer had seenher through the anguish of emo-tions that came from letting go.She signed the contract. Thehouse was sold.
With a worried look on herface she clasped her daughter’shand and asked, “How are yougoing to manage getting every-thing moved so quickly?”
“Don’t worry about it Mom,I’ll take care of it,” her baby said asshe leaned toward her on the hos-pital bed. They were comforting,reassuring words. At least, that’show they were delivered.
She bit her tongue and tried tokeep her lips from trembling. As athird person in the room, theRealtor observed a million wordsbetween mother and daughterthat were never spoken.
As she awaits being trans-ferred to a nursing home, shespends her time thinking aboutthe life she has lived, the memo-ries she has made and theinevitable truth that like 100 percent of others, one day this lifewill end.
Perhaps she will make newfriends in the nursing home andhave much laughter over thenext season of her life. Perhapsthe pain will subside and she willgo for walks this summer. Fornow, let her grieve a little. She issaying good-bye to more thanjust a house.
Attentive from sign up until signdown, rural agent Tina Plett wins theaffections of people near Steinbach,MB. with her unique blend of for-ward-thinking business savvy anddown-home, countrified lifestyle.Sutton Group-Kilkenny proudly callsher their own. www.tinaplett.com
REM
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REM MAY 2016 49
By Matt Maurer
panel of three OntarioDivisional Court Judgeshave held that residential
landlords are not permitted to pho-tograph a property while it is occu-pied by a tenant unless the leaseexplicitly permits such photographsto be taken, or the landlord obtainsthe express consent of the tenant.
The Ontario Landlord andTenant Board ordered a tenant tobe evicted when she refused toallow the landlord access to theproperty for the purpose of pho-tographing it so that it could belisted for sale. The tenant refusedon the basis that her privacy wouldbe invaded if photographs of herand her children’s personal posses-
No photos! Court rules against landlordAre landlords entitled to take photos for the purpose of listing or sale without the consent of the current tenant?sions would be disseminated to thepublic via the Internet to advancethe sale of the property.
The Landlord and TenantBoard held, erroneously, that thelease in question provided thelandlord with entry “in any cir-cumstances” and that the landlordwas therefore permitted to enterand take pictures. On appeal, theDivisional Court judges noted thatthe lease did not contain any suchprovision.
The Divisional Court reviewedthe relevant sections of theResidential Tenancies Act, 2006that pertain to a landlord’s right toenter the rental premises and foundthat none of the statutory provi-sions permitted entry for the pur-pose of taking photographs to mar-ket the property for sale or lease.
Sections 26 and 27 of theResidential Tenancies Act, 2006
provide that a landlord may enter arental unit for, among other rea-sons:
1. in cases of emergency;2. to clean the unit if the lease
requires the landlord to do so;3. to show the unit to prospec-
tive tenants (if notice has beengiven to end the tenancy);
4. to carry out a repair, replace-ment or to do work;
5. to allow a potential mort-gagee or insurer to view the prop-erty; and
6. to carry out an inspection ofthe unit.
A landlord is also permitted toenter a property if they have theconsent of the tenant or “for anyother reasonable reason for entryspecified in the tenancy agree-ment.”
The Divisional Court notedthat the lease in question allowed
the landlord to enter on notice “forshowing the premises to prospec-tive tenants or purchasers,” butalso pointed out that “there is noclause permitted entry by an agentto take photographs in furtheranceof a sale.”
The Divisional Court held thatthe landlord had no right to enterto take photographs without thetenant’s consent (although theycould take measurements) andoverturned the eviction order thatwas made on the basis of the ten-ant’s refusal to allow entry.
Interestingly, the DivisionalCourt distinguished the currentcase from a past case where a land-lord took photographs of a proper-ty in connection with a damageinspection. In that case, the pho-tographs were permitted due to thefact that they were taken in con-nection with an inspection, which
is expressly allowed by the legisla-tion and presumably also due tothe fact that the photographswould not impact the tenant’s pri-vacy rights given that they wouldnot be published on the Internet.
This recent decision is anotherreminder of how a little fore-thought when drafting a lease canavoid complications down theroad.
Matt Maurer is an accomplishedtrial and appellate lawyer with nearly adecade of experience advocating onbehalf of his clients. He is a regularcontributor to print and online mediapublications on issues pertaining to realestate disputes and issues affecting thepractice of law and access to justice.He is with Minden Gross LLP inToronto. www.mindengross.com/our-people/details/matt-maurer
REM
A
he spring home buyingseason is in full bloom.The good news is that
intent to buy has increased acrossCanada, with 29 per cent ofCanadians planning to purchase ahome in the next two years, accord-ing to the 2016 Annual RBCHousing Poll. Younger Canadiansbetween the ages of 18-24 areshowing a marked increase inintent to buy a home compared toprevious years (43 versus 34 percent).
Whether it’s wanting a changein lifestyle, pride of ownership orlooking to build equity, there aremany reasons why younger peopleare looking to buy a home. For mostof them, they will be first-time
homebuyers and the process can bethat much more daunting withoutthe proper advice and preparation.
Here are some tips to keep inmind when working with this seg-ment of clients:
Know your client. When youmeet with a potential first-timehome buyer, get an appreciation forhow much they understand aboutthe home buying experience; butalso keep in mind that today’s buy-ers are much more knowledgeable.Now many buyers have alreadydone a lot of research online andare familiar with mortgages, marketconditions and advertised rates.Assume some level of knowledgeon the part of your client, while stillacknowledging that they are new tothe home buying experience andneed additional guidance through-out the process.
Ask the right questions to helpthem find the ‘right home’.Because they are younger buyers,they have specific needs thatshould be addressed from the get go.For example, ask your client aboutthe neighbourhood they want tolive in. Are good schools and com-munity centres important? Whatabout parks or amenities? Ask thequestions that will help uncoverwhat their future needs might be. Alot of younger buyers don’t thinkabout those things. In fact, onlythree per cent of 18 to 24-year-oldsconsider good schools a must havewhen purchasing a home.
Help clients think short andlong term. When determiningwhat kind of house your clientwants, help them understand theirneeds in the next five to 10 yearstoo. Just asking the questions help
home buyers understand if theywant a home they can grow with, orwhether they will treat this as astarter home. Have them thinkabout whether they will need anoffice or nursery or if they will havean older relative come to live withthem. Take the time to help yourclient paint a clear picture of theirneeds today as well as their possiblefuture needs.
Ensure they create a properbudget. Have an honest discussionaround what they can comfortablyafford today and in the future.Find out how familiar your clientsare with the costs associated withpurchasing a home – includinglawyer fees, moving costs andproperty taxes. Have a conversa-tion around ongoing monthlyhome ownership costs. Helpingfirst-time home buyers understand
this impact to their personalfinances could be beneficial.
Understand the role of emo-tion. My last piece of advice for realestate salespeople working withyounger buyers – although thisapplies for all potential home own-ers – is to always remember thatbuying a home is emotional.Despite all of the technology avail-able these days and all of the listingsand homes for sale, buying a homeis still full of emotion – good andbad. Listen to your clients’ wantsand needs and try to be truly help-ful. You’re an unbiased advisor andyoung buyers will appreciate yoursincerity and support.
Erica Nielsen is vice-president ofProducts and Segments with HomeEquity Financing, for the Royal Bankof Canada. REM
By Erica Nielsen
Help young Canadians get intothe housing marketHere are some tips to keep in mind when working with first-time buyers.
T
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DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO IF THIS HAPPENS:
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By Ken Goodfellow
Streamline hiring for your teamthat ensues. In the end a wrongdecision ends up wasting time andmoney and risks going through theprocess a second time around. Andmaybe a third. Or fourth.
What teams need is a stream-lined hiring process that savesthem time and increases the oddsof finding the right person for theirteam. The following eight pointsare the foundation of that process.
Develop a proper checklist:Take the time to prepare a descrip-tion of what the job entails and thequalifications you are looking for.You will also need a list of attribut-es you value, such as a sense ofhumour and time management.This will make it easier to visualizethe person you are looking for andhelp you imagine candidates actu-ally doing the job.
Use your network: Moreoften than not, the ideal candidateis hidden in plain sight. Theymight be part of your network ofcontacts – clients, colleagues,friends and even someone familymembers might know. This is a
good place to start because some-one you trust has recommendedthese people. If you advertise, besure to put a time limit on respons-es and be specific about what youare looking for to avoid getting 200resumes to read through.
Perform an applicant evalua-tion: Once you have decidedwhich candidates to interview(keep it under 10) check out asmany details from their resumes asyou possibly can before you meetthem, including academic creden-tials and references.
Be a sceptic: Prepare for and gointo the interview skeptical andmake the candidate prove youwrong. Most people go into inter-views wanting to like the personand have them be a perfect fit. Goin planning to be disappointed andhopefully you’ll be pleasantly sur-prised.
Interview the right way: Havepreset questions to ask each candi-date, but don’t be afraid to veer offcourse if it feels right. You want toknow more than qualifications andexperience. Let the applicant do90 per cent of the talking andmake sure you are listening careful-ly for discrepancies or areas where
the qualifications may be inflated.You are going to be working withand relying on this person.Attitude is important. Look forsomeone who not only wants towork, but wants to work with youand your company. Listen to yourgut.
Seek a second opinion: Onceyou get down to one or two possi-ble candidates, have them comeback in for a second interview.This time introduce them to otherteam members and give them atour of the office. Have someonewho will be working directly withthem or their potential supervisormeet them and ask a few questions.Feedback from another source willhopefully confirm your decision, orin some cases make you aware ofsomething you missed.
Establish your core values:Hire according to your core values.If you know what attitudes andbehaviours are important to you,it’s easier to filter candidatesaccordingly. Attitude and workethic trump experience and skills.Technical abilities can be learned.Basic personality traits are difficultto change, so hire a candidate thatis a good fit with your core values.
Hire someone who fits: Thismight sound like a no-brainer, butI’ve seen it happen where an entre-preneur hired a person who was atthe top of their field, a genius withstellar abilities. This person wasalso an intolerant egomaniac andquickly talked down to the otherteam members and treated themrudely. Picture yourself beingtrapped in an elevator for threehours with this person – wouldthey drive you crazy? If so, don’thire them.
In a perfect world you wouldhave an ideal team and no onewould ever leave, but barring thatyou should proactively keep yourhand in the talent pool, to offsetattrition and accommodategrowth. Successful entrepreneursare always hiring.
Ken Goodfellow is the CEO,chairman of Goodfellow Coaching,which coaches North America’s topagents, brokers and teams. CoachKen will be the keynote speaker atChicago’s Millionaire Team Summit(http://millionaireteamsummit.com/)July 12 – 13, as well as October’sMastery Summit in Scottsdale, Ariz.
REM
gents are always on thelookout for tools thatwill give them a leg upon the competition, and
what could be better to keepbuyers and sellers happy than ahome warranty, asks MarioSchaumer, senior consultant atHome Warranty Canada.
“One of the largest concernsof prospective purchasers is hav-ing to budget for unexpectedrepairs to the household appli-ances and major systems includ-ed with the house,” he says,adding that having a home war-ranty provides agents and theirclients with peace of mind.Home Warranty Canada’s newplatinum and gold warranty
plans cover major systems andappliances when they breakdown.
It covers everything fromplumbing and heating to air con-ditioning, electrical systems andbuilt-in dishwashers. The plat-inum plan includes such extrasas garage door openers, sumppumps and even wine chillers.Optional riders are available fora second set of appliances, roofleak repairs and swimming poolhot tubs. Plans are also availablefor multi-unit properties.
Home Warranty Canada’sparent company, A-ProtectWarranty Corporation, has beenproviding warranties for cars for17 years and has an AAA rating
with the Better Business Bureau,Schaumer says.
The company also has ahome club membership programfor agents and homeowners thatoffers discounted prices on ser-vices and products.
Agents can purchase thefive-year warranties at a dis-counted price of $495 per yearfor homes with 4,000 square feetor less. The warranty can be usedas a selling technique and acti-vated once the house sells sothere are no upfront costs. Thewarranty is transferred to thebuyer upon closing. Coverage isa maximum of $2,500 per appli-ance.
Home warranty programoffers discounts for sales repsA
single agent can only do somuch. The success of areal estate team dependson the quality of your tal-
ent. One bad hire can ruin theentire team’s productivity, motiva-tion and morale. There are somany things to consider, and thereis no magic formula, but there are anumber of key issues to considerbefore you start the hiring process.
Most real estate teams andbusinesses do not have the luxuryof a dedicated HR department,can’t afford a head hunter anddon’t believe they have a lot oftime to devote to the hiringprocess, so they look for a shortcutand end up hiring the wrong per-son and witnessing the disaster
A
Continued on page 57
52 REM MAY 2016
Re/Max of WesternCanada recognizes topachievers
Re/Max of Western Canadaannounced its list of top affiliatesin 2015 at the annual WesternCanada Awards event in Las Vegasrecently.
“Overall, our Western Canadaregion experienced a very success-ful year, with tremendous growthin overall membership,” saysregional executive vice presidentElton Ash.
Top 5 Individuals – Residential 1. Edith Chan, Re/Max
Masters Realty, West Vancouver2. Shahin Behroyan, Re/Max
Masters Realty, West Vancouver3. Victor Kwan, Re/Max Select
Properties, Vancouver4. Danny Deng, Re/Max Select
Properties, Vancouver5. Simon Hunt, Re/Max House
of Real Estate, Calgary
Top 5 Teams – Residential1. Justin Havre, Re/Max First,
Calgary2. Michelle Yu, Re/Max Real
Estate Services, Vancouver3. Joyce Tourney, Re/Max
Crown Real Estate, North, Regina4. Laura Clarke, Re/Max Crest
Realty, North Vancouver5. Ron Antalek, Re/Max
LifeStyles Realty, Maple Ridge
Top 5 Associates – Commercial1. Raymond Leung, Re/Max
Real Estate Services, Vancouver2. Pete Vanderham, Re/Max
Medalta Real Estate, MedicineHat, Alta.
3. Peter Hall, Re/Max Central,Burnaby, B.C.
4. Noel Llewellyn, Re/MaxCommercial Advantage,Vancouver
5. Scott Predenchuk, Re/MaxCrown Real Estate, North, Regina
Transaction Awards: ManitobaTeam: Keith Unger, Re/Max
Performance Realty, SteinbachIndividual: Kevin Moist,
Re/Max Performance Realty,Winnipeg
Office: Re/Max PerformanceRealty, Winnipeg
Broker/owner: Tom Fulton,Eric Joseph
SaskatchewanTeam: Joyce Tourney, Re/Max
Crown Real Estate, North, ReginaIndividual: Gladys Secondiak,
Re/Max Blue Chip Realty, YorktonOffice: Re/Max Saskatoon
(East), SaskatoonBroker/owner: Larry Stewart
AlbertaTeam: Justin Havre, Re/Max
First, CalgaryIndividual: Bryan Logel,
Re/Max Real Estate (Central),Calgary
Office: Re/Max Real Estate(Central), Calgary
Broker/owner: Pat Hare
British ColumbiaTeam: Ron Antalek, Re/Max
LifeStyles Realty, Maple RidgeIndividual: Trevor Bolin,
Re/Max Action Realty, Fort St.John
Office: Re/Max Kelowna,Kelowna
Broker/owners: CliffShillington, Jerry Redman, PeterKirk
Western Canada OverallTeam – Justin Havre, Re/Max
First, CalgaryIndividual – Bryan Logel,
Re/Max Real Estate (Central),Calgary
Top Office Small Market –Re/Max Blue Chip Realty, Yorkton
Broker/owners: Jack Wruth,Doris Shank
Top Office Overall – Re/MaxReal Estate (Central), Calgary
Broker/owner: Pat HareBroker/owner of the Year:
Small Market – Judy Gray, Carl
Diamond Club Award Winners are celebrated onstage at the Re/Max of Western Canada 2016Awards Celebration.
From left: Gary Simonsen, CEO ofCREA; Bill Madder; and LynetteKeyowski, chair of the AE Committee.
Doug Slinn, left, receives hisaward from Derek Ramage ofCMHC. (Photo: Calvin Fehr)
NSAR past-president Gord Burns,left, presents the RealtorVolunteer of the Year award toNeil Black.
Bob Buttar, broker/owner,Coldwell Banker Haida Realty,left, accepts the award fromNick Goetz, regional director,The Leduc Rep newspaper,which sponsored the awardsgala.
From left: Steve Sedgwick,Realtors Association ofEdmonton chair; Realtor of theYear Charlie Ponde; andMichael Thompson, presidentand CEO.
From left: David Armstrong, Coast CapitalSavings; Nancy Allwarden; Ian Mackay; JillianDashwood; and Shannon Wright, Coast CapitalSavings. Dawn Walton was not available whenthe photo was taken. (Photo: ArtezPhotography)
Ruth Ferguson-Shaw Sandra Wyant Chris Chan Jimi Brockett
Re/Max ofWesternCanada execu-tive directorRoy Andersonannounces thewinners at theRe/Max ofWesternCanada 2016AwardsCelebration inLas Vegas.
REM MAY 2016 53
Scott, Re/Max Mid-Island Realty,Ucluelet, B.C.
Multi-Office – Mike Heinrich,Charlie Parker, Graeme Parker,Re/Max Camosun, Victoria
Single Office – Carl Bretzlaff,Re/Max Real Estate (Edmonton) –North, Edmonton
Robert H. Cherot Award: JohnLichtenwald, Re/Max MetroGroup, Vancouver
Manager of the Year:Catherine Schellenberg, Re/MaxProfessionals, Winnipeg
Administrator of the Year:Marcia Williams, Re/Max Elite,Edmonton
Spirit of the West: JonathanGelderman, Re/Max AldercenterRealty, Aldergrove, B.C.
Special Services: SusanMcGougan, Re/Max First Realty,Parksville, B.C.
Special Services: JakeMoldowan, Re/Max Westcoast,Richmond, B.C.
Community Care: Patsy Hui,Re/Max Westcoast, Richmond,B.C.
Bill Madder presentedwith AE Award
Bill Madder, CEO of theAssociation of SaskatchewanRealtors, was presented with theAssociation Executives NetworkAward of Excellence at the CREAAGM in March.
“We in Saskatchewan havealways known that Bill is excep-tional in what he does, and now ithas been recognized nationally,”says ASR president Kevin Woutersin the association’s newsletter.
Madder has been CEO withthe ASR for 15 years.
Doug Slinn namedRegina Realtor of theYear
“It doesn’t matter if he’s coach-ing teens on the basketball court orfootball field, teaching courses fornew Realtors or finding a familythe home of their dreams, DougSlinn loves helping people,” saysthe Association of Regina Realtors(ARR). The association has select-ed Slinn as 2015 ARR Realtor ofthe Year.
Sponsored by CanadaMortgage and Housing Corp., theaward recognizes an ARR memberwho has demonstrated outstandingleadership and dedication to boththe real estate industry and thecommunity at large.
Regina-born Slinn got his realestate license in 1972, working insales for homebuilders. He thenexplored other careers, includingair traffic control, before returningto real estate in 1986 as a Realtorand appraiser. Over the years, he’smade time to coach several minorsports teams, volunteer with theschool community council and theKinsmen, as well as serve on theAppraisal Institute of Canada andthe ARR’s Professional StandardsCommittee.
“My dad set the example. Hehelped anybody he could,” saysSlinn, a Realtor with Century 21Dome Realty. “This industry hasgiven me friends for life. I’vealways believed in giving back.”
Woodstock, N.B.Realtor wins DaveHawkins Award
The New Brunswick RealEstate Association (NBREA)recently presented this year’s DaveHawkins Award to Ruth Ferguson-Shaw, a Woodstock Realtor withmore than 28 years in the realestate industry.
The Dave Hawkins Award ispresented annually to an individ-ual who has made an outstandingcontribution to the real estateindustry in New Brunswick.
Ferguson-Shaw has been aleader in organized real estate atmany levels, the association says.She has been a licensed Realtorsince 1988 and has taught pre-licensing courses for the province.
In 2014 Ferguson-Shaw wasthe recipient of the first Volunteerof the Year Award presented by theFredericton Real Estate Board forcommunity service and volun-teerism. She has served as presi-dent of the local Chamber ofCommerce, Florenceville RotaryClub, the local school board andmany other endeavours.
Ferguson-Shaw’s motto is:“Treat every customer and clientlike family.”
She has a family farm upbring-ing and for many years owned andoperated quarter horse boarding,lessons and show stables inFlorenceville.
Four VIREBmembers honoured
Four members of theVancouver Island Real EstateBoard (VIREB) received RealtorsCare Awards at a special awards
luncheon recently in Nanaimo,B.C.
VIREB hosted the event inconjunction with its annual gener-al meeting to recognize memberswho give back to their communi-ties. Coast Capital Savings spon-sored the event for the ninth yearin a row.
Nancy Allwarden, JillianDashwood, Ian Mackay and DawnWalton received the awards.
VIREB will donate $500 toeach recipient’s chosen charity.
Allwarden, a Realtor withDiscovery Islands Realty onQuadra Island, has worked onmany volunteer boards and organi-zations. An alternate director ofQuadra Island Emergency SupportServices, Allwarden is also a dis-patcher and member of the QuadraIsland Fire Department, recentlypassing her First Responder course.
For Dashwood, a Realtor withRoyal LePage Nanaimo Realty inLadysmith, volunteering is a way oflife. Playschool and parentinggroups, community theatre, emer-gency preparedness initiatives andmunicipal politics have all benefit-ed from Dashwood’s involvement,says the board.
Mackay, who is with RoyalLePage Parksville-QualicumBeach Realty, has used his realestate knowledge and businessexperience to help several localorganizations with business initia-tives. As board chair of OceansideHospice Society, he helped securemulti-year provincial funding andinitiated a capital improvementfund that has seen significantgrowth.
Walton, a Realtor withRe/Max Nanaimo, is an executivemember of the Children’s MiracleNetwork Board of Directors.Walton has helped his brokeragebecome the Re/Max office inWestern Canada with the highestdonations.
OREA awards presented to volunteers, YPN leaders
Several members of theOntario Real Estate Associationwere recognized during OREA’s2016 Leadership Conference inToronto recently.
Jeff Mahannah of the Oakville,Milton and District Real EstateBoard won the OREA VolunteerLeader Award, which recognizes
members for their outstanding vol-unteer contribution.
The Spirit Award recognizescontributions to the success of theOntario Realtors Care Foundationand/or to the advancement of itsgoal to assist members in support-ing shelter-related charities in theircommunities. Recipients for 2016in the individual category wereBetty Doré, CEO of the London &St. Thomas Association ofRealtors (LSTAR); PaulaHodgson, LSTAR; Mike Stahls,The Lakelands Association ofRealtors; and Dana Yonemitsu,Bancroft & Area Association ofRealtors.
OREA Young ProfessionalsNetwork (YPN) Leadership Awardwinners were Bradley Mayer-Harman, Brampton; John-RossParks, Belleville; Peter Butler,Oshawa; Lindsay Reid, London;and Einas Makki, TemiskamingShores.
Charlie Ponde isEdmonton’s Realtorof the Year
The Realtors Association ofEdmonton presented its highesthonour, the Realtor of the YearAward, to Charlie Ponde, an asso-ciate at Realty Executives NorthStar.
Ponde has been a Realtor since1992. He was a member of theassociation’s Board of Directorsfrom 2004-2010, serving as thepresident in 2009. Ponde has alsoheld seats on numerous commit-tees.
He currently serves as a direc-tor for the Alberta Real EstateAssociation (AREA) and as thechair of the Alberta Real EstateFoundation.
Throughout his career, Pondehas been dedicated to not only hisprofessional career, but also tobeing actively involved in thecommunity, says the association.He held a seat on the RealtorsCommunity Foundation for sever-al years, serving as the foundation’spresident in 2000.
In addition, life membershipsto the association were awarded tothree active Realtors for their com-mitment to the real estate industry.They are:
• Sheldon Johnston. A mem-ber since 1988, he has served onthe association’s Board ofDirectors, the Real Estate Councilof Alberta and the Real EstateInsurance Exchange. Johnston is
the broker/owner of Liv RealEstate in Edmonton.
• Bill Tarrabain. A membersince 1990, he has sat on numerouscommittees and focus groupsthroughout western Canada.Tarrabain currently serves as thepresident of Realty ExecutivesWestern Canada.
• Past president Greg Steele.While serving his time as presi-dent, in 2014, he served as chair ofthe Audit Committee. Steele is anassociate with Re/Max Excellencein Edmonton.
Other awards presented:Rookie of the Year – BrittanyCollard, Realty Executives -Devonshire
Young Professional – TravisHawryluk, Re/Max Real Estate
Broker/manager Leadership:Sheldon Johnston, Liv Real Estate
Volunteer of Distinction: Sidvan der Meulen, retired
Vancouver board presents top honour toSandra Wyant
The Real Estate Board ofGreater Vancouver (REBGV)recently presented Sandra Wyantwith the Professional ExcellenceAward. Wyant is with Re/MaxLifeStyles Realty in Maple Ridge.
The award is REBGV’s highesthonour. Wyant was nominated byher peers and chosen by a panel ofjudges. The winner must meetstrict requirements of professional-ism, ethics and communityinvolvement.
The board says Wyant “hasspent several years helping to leadand shape the real estate profes-sion.” She was one of the firstinstructors in the profession’sEthical Leadership Program. Shehas volunteered as a director of theB.C. Real Estate Association andthe REBGV and served as REBGVpresident for the 2013-2014 term.
Beyond real estate, Wyant isalso known as a communitybuilder, the board says. She volun-teers as a member of theCommunity Advisory Council atthe Salvation Army RidgeMeadows Ministries. She was alsoinstrumental in forming the CostaRica Kids School SponsorshipProgram that supports underprivi-leged children in Costa Rica.Wyant has made several trips toCosta Rica to lend a helping hand.
Continued on page 54
54 REM MAY 2016
ince Mirabelli of ThunderBay, Ont. has been hon-oured with the first nation-
al Canadian Realtors Care Award.Mirabelli, of Re/Max First
Choice Realty, was selected from alist of 18 philanthropic Realtorsfrom across Canada who werenominated for the award.
At 36-years-old, Mirabelli hasestablished a successful real estatecareer and has helped raise hun-dreds of thousands of dollars for anarray of local charities, says theCanadian Realtors CareFoundation. He started volunteer-ing as a teen.
In 2005, he personally kick-started a gala fundraiser for theNorthern Cardiac Fund of theThunder Bay Regional Health
Sciences Foundation, in honourof his father. This annual event isnow in its 11th year and hasraised approximately $500,000,which has been instrumental tothe growth of the local hospital’scardiology program. In 2009,with an initial donation of$25,000, he established the VinceMirabelli Paediatric EndowmentFund in support of the hospital’slittlest patients. He aims to growthe fund to $1 million in his life-time.
“Vince is a true pillar of hiscommunity of Thunder Bay. He isinvolved in virtually every charita-ble event in town. He has becomepart of the heart and soul of anumber of local charities,” saysRalph Fyfe, chair of the Canadian
Realtors Care Foundation. “Thefull list of charities he has support-ed over the years is too long torecount. His impact cannot beoverstated.”
In recognition of the award,the foundation will donate $5,000to one of Mirabelli’s favouritecharities, Our Kids Count, a com-munity development program thatworks to build stronger familiesand inclusive communities inThunder Bay.
“I think we were all put on thisEarth for something greater thanjust ourselves,” Mirabelli says. “Wewere all put on this Earth to helpour fellow human being.”
The award is sponsored byScotiabank Home FinancingSolutions. REM
Vince Mirabelli first recipient of national Realtors Care Award
Vince Mirabelli (Photo: Colin Rowe Photography)
V
Halifax broker namedRealtor Volunteerof the Year
Neil Black has been namedthe 2015 Volunteer of the Year bythe Nova Scotia Association ofRealtors (NSAR). As the thirdrecipient of this honour, Blackhas been acknowledged for“unparalleled dedication to boththe real estate industry and hisprovince of Nova Scotia,” saysthe association.
“Neil has always been a com-mitted, hard worker for his com-munity and for so many organiza-tions,” says Realtor Jacob Risk,who nominated Black for theaward. “Neil is always kind, consid-erate and friendly and leads byexample.”
Black says he was raised in afamily of “do-gooders” and wastaught that to have a good placeto live, one must put back intothe community. He began hisvolunteering early as he grew upon the Saint John River, carry-ing food supplies to the very poorfor the St. Vincent De PaulSociety. Since then, he’s helped
the Kidney Foundation, theHeart and Stroke Foundation ofNova Scotia and fundraising fornumerous community projectssuch as the DartmouthSportsplex. Black has also partic-ipated in many varied volunteerboards, ranging from the localresidents association to theEconomic Renewal Agency forthe Province of Nova Scotia.
Black now serves as a directorof NSAR. He is with Century 21A.B.C. Realty.
“Neil represents a true com-munity volunteer and feels that wemust share our time and experi-ence to continue to raise the stan-dard of our industry,” says RealtorGord Burns, NSAR past president,who presented the award at a spe-cial celebration recently.
Coldwell Banker HaidaRealty named Leduc Business of the Year
Coldwell Banker Haida Realtyhas been honoured as the 2015Business of the Year by the Leduc& District Chamber of Commercein Leduc, Alta. The honour comesas the company marks its 40thanniversary.
The Leduc Business of TheYear Award for 2015 was presented
to broker/owner Bob Buttar at theChamber of Commerce’s annualawards gala in February.
The brokerage has a sales andservice team of 23 professionalswith more than 300 years of com-bined service to the community. Ithas been affiliated with ColdwellBanker for 20 years.
The company’s public serviceactivities include an annualCanada Day flag planting that hasbeen a community favourite forthe past 20 years and has recentlybeen combined with a CanadaDay Food Bank Drive. The com-pany’s other charitable activitiesinclude a Christmas Pajamas Drivefor children in need and participat-ing in the “Revving Up for Kids”fundraiser for the Kids with Cancerorganization.
OREA’s Centre for LeadershipDevelopment winsaward
The Ontario Real EstateAssociation Centre for LeadershipDevelopment (OCLD) has wonan award for its unique program,Building Leadership ThroughCommunication, the courseoffered to the incoming presidentsof Ontario’s real estate boards. The
award was from LeadershipExcellence and Development, aU.S.-based international organiza-tion.
“It is our goal to develop highquality, experienced and trainedleaders at the 40 real estate boardsand associations in Ontario,” saysBill Shepherd, executive director,OCLD.
Over 90 per cent of the selec-tion criteria was based on partici-pant feedback. The three-day lead-ership-training program was devel-oped with Ottawa-based KenAnderson & Associates andranked among the top 10 in NorthAmerica for best use of classroomand traditional training. The work-shops were recognized for buildingleadership skills and driving busi-ness results.
Vancouver boardhonours membersfor charitable work
The Real Estate Board ofGreater Vancouver (REBGV)recently recognised two membersfor their commitment to charityand community causes.
Realtors Chris Chan and JimiBrockett were honoured withthe Realtors Care Award atREBGV’s annual Medallion
Club Awards gala.Chan, of Regent Park Realty
in Vancouver, founded theYoung Ambassadors Program,which creates projects for youthacross the Lower Mainland tovolunteer and fundraise for B.C.Children’s Hospital. Chan’s sonwas diagnosed with leukemia atthree years old. SeeingChildren’s Hospital at workthrough his son’s recovery gaveChan an appreciation for thehospital’s need for help andfunding. The charity has raised$700,000 in the past five years.
Brockett, of DexterAssociates Realty in Vancouver,lost his son Ryder to brain can-cer. During the treatmentprocess, Brockett saw his com-munity come to his aid and sup-port his family through thistough time. As soon as he was inthe position to give back hejumped at the opportunity.
Brockett is the captain of oneof the largest teams in the Rideto Conquer Cancer – Riders forRyders. The team has raisedmore than $2 million since2009. Brockett also foundedFoundation 33, a non-profitthat’s dedicated to helping fami-lies affected by cancer by justmaking them smile. REM
And the honour goes to...Continued from page 53
REM MAY 2016 55
alespeople from OntarioRe/Max offices set a recordfor fund raising in 2015 for
The Hospital for Sick Children(SickKids) through the signatureRe/Max Miracle Home Program.Together they raised $730,000.This brings Re/Max Integra’s life-time donation to more than $4.3million.
The top 10 fundraising broker-ages were:
1. Re/Max Realtron Realty,$130,004
2. Re/Max Hallmark Realtyand Hallmark York, $116,357
3. Re/Max West Realty,$44,220
4. Re/Max Real Estate Centre,$36,549
5. Re/Max Rouge River Realty,$33,619
6. Re/Max All-Stars Realty,$25,250
7. Re/Max Ultimate Realty,$24,175
8. Re/Max Professionals,$23,241
9. Re/Max Realty Specialists,$22,917
10. Re/Max Premier, $18,635Top 10 sales rep donors:
1. Barry Cohen, Re/MaxRealtron
Good WorksGood Works2. Brigitte Obregon, Re/Max
Ultimate Realty3. Ralph Ciancio, Re/Max All-
Stars4. Anonymous donor5. Mark Richards, Re/Max
Hallmark6. Wayne Kahn, Re/Max
Realtron7. Cintia De Souza, Re/Max
Ultimate Realty8. Frank Leo, Re/Max West9. Leilani Evans, Re/Max
Professionals10. Rajiv Rajpal, Re/Max
Realtron
■ ■ ■
Whitby, Ont. sales repsChantail Guest and KellyLumsden of Sutton Group -Heritage Realty are sponsoring afree car seat clinic on Saturday,June 4 at 3455 Garrard Rd. from 11am to 4 pm. It’s the third year in arow they have sponsored theevent, along with Kiddie Proofers’owner Sandie Massie. There willalso be a raffle with a top prize of aDiono Radian RXT car seat, withall proceeds benefiting the GillieBeans FUNd.
This charitable fund was estab-lished by a local family who losttheir daughter Gillian to a rare
form of childhood cancer. At last year’s clinic, more than
50 car seats were installed for freeand they raised a few hundred dol-lars for the fund.
■ ■ ■
Exit Realty Corp. Internationalhas pledged to donate $500,000 to Habitat for HumanityInternational, bringing the compa-ny’s pledges to $3 million to date.
The company’s affiliation withHabitat for Humanity began in2004 when the company spon-sored its first home build in WestPalm Beach, Fla. Since then it hassponsored 18 additional homebuilds in Canada and the U.S., andhas participated in a communityrevitalization project and theJimmy and Rosalynn Carter WorkProject.
“A portion of every transactionfee collected by Exit Realty Corp.International is pledged to Habitatfor Humanity and many of ourassociates, including myself, havevolunteered for our various pro-jects,” says Tami Bonnell, ExitRealty’s CEO.
■ ■ ■
Once a year the Boys and GirlsClub of Kelowna, B. C. holds acharity auction to help raise fundsfor the local facility. This year TheBergg Homes Team of Re/MaxKelowna and Beets and BoosBistro combined to donate an in-home dining experience. Thehighest bidders online were Bartand Ingrid Dilschneider, whoinvited four friends to their hometo enjoy the prize.
Lynn Miller, the owner of Beetsand Boos, came to their home to
cook a meal. Steven and AnnetteBergg of the Bergg Homes Teambrought a large selection of winesfrom Urban Liquor to sample.
The Boys and Girls Club is alocal charity with a downtownfacility that helps children incrisis.
■ ■ ■
Sutton Group - HeritageRealty in Ajax, Ont. is offering tohelp four students with a total of$5,000 through the new SuttonHeritage Scholarship Fund. Therewill be one $2,000 and three$1,000 scholarships.
“Our broker of record, RosalindMenary and her husband Ron,wanted to find a way to give backto our community and also thankour support staff and sales team fortheir loyalty and service,” saysLindsay Barlow, assistant manager.“With their own granddaughterheading to university in the fall,they’ve seen firsthand the cost ofpost-secondary education andthought a scholarship fund wouldbe a great way to help the nextgeneration.”
The fund is made possible bypersonal contributions of RosalindMenary and her husband, as well assalespeople from the brokeragewho donate a portion of their com-missions.
■ ■ ■
Each month, approximately 30families rely on the Dorchester(Ont.) Food Bank and keeping theshelves stocked is always a chal-lenge. Wayne Jewell, broker ofrecord at Sutton - Diamond Realty,knows firsthand the struggles of hisneighbours, having spent much of
his life in the Aylmer andDorchester region. He recentlydonated his entire $4,200 commis-sion from a real estate transactionto the Dorchester Food Bank. Hegave another $4,000 commissionto charity in 2014.
His contribution of more than$4,200 will help to provide healthychoices such as canned tuna, soupand fruit as well as diapers andother infant essentials.
■ ■ ■
The NEXTGENre Bar CampConference that was held inCalgary in March raised more than$4,500 for the local charity Heartsand Hammers.
The sold-out conference hadmore than 300 attendees who sup-ported the charity by purchasingtickets for a home listing donatedby sponsor TD Canada Trust. Thewinner of the draw, Joe Viani,pledged to donate to the cause per-sonally.
In addition, Margaret Neff, asales rep with CIR Realty and RickCampos, broker at Re/Max First,each made a personal donation of$1,000.
Hearts and Hammers is a localnon-profit run by Dave C. Bonk,an associate at Urban Real EstateServices. The organization pro-vides renovations for locals in needwith mobility challenges.
The Calgary organizing com-mittee for the event was spear-headed by Virginia Munden ofOakville Ont. and locally orga-nized by individuals representingvarious real estate brokerages,including Kelley Skar, KirstenFaverin, Nick Profeta and KellyKimber. REM
S
SickKidsHospitalpatientGeorgia’s veryfirst day athome inBurlington,Ont. was onMarch 26 aftershe spent 5 1/2months in thehospital.Vanessa and
Gord’s first child was diagnosed, in utero, with hypoplasticleft heart syndrome at 18 weeks. Her journey has includedthree cardiac arrests, open-heart surgery performed on dayfive of her life and a second open-heart surgery in February.The funds raised by Re/Max help support the hospital’s high-est priority needs, says SickKids.
Chantail Guest and KellyLumsden
Above: Bart and IngridDilschneider and friendsenjoy their meal, whichwas served by Stevenand Annette Bergg ofthe Bergg Homes Teamin Kelowna.
Right: Kirsten Faverin, organizer of thefundraising initiative and David Bonk.
Above from left: WayneJewell, Jean and BobDavis of the DorchesterFood Bank, and vendorsMichelle and Jamie Ricein front of their QueenStreet home.
56 REM MAY 2016
egina’s Cliff Iverson ofRe/Max Crown RealEstate in Regina is the
2016/17 president of CREA.Iverson has been a Realtor
since 1978 and is a past presidentof the Association of ReginaRealtors (ARR) and theAssociation of SaskatchewanRealtors (ASR). He has alsoreceived top honours from bothorganizations. He was namedCMHC Realtor of the Year by theARR in 2000 and received theASR Distinguished Realtor Awardin 2011. He’s also an honorary lifemember of the ASR.
■ ■ ■
The British Columbia RealEstate Association (BCREA) haselected Langley Realtor DeannaHorn as its 2016-2017 president.
“As BCREA president, I lookforward to helping communicatethe value of working with aRealtor,” says Horn, who is anassociate broker at Re/Max
R Treeland Realty. She has been an active Realtor
for more than 30 years. She waspresident of the Fraser Valley RealEstate Board (FVREB) in 2010and has served on numerous com-mittees at both BCREA andFVREB.
Joining her as officers of theassociation are president elect JimStewart of 460 Realty in Nanaimo,past president Scott Russell ofSutton Group – Seafair Realty inRichmond and CEO RobertLaing.
BCREA also welcomed newdirectors Brenda Jackman(Victoria) and Gisela Janzen (100Mile House), as well as a new pub-lic director, Diane Dou. Returningdirectors include David Kearney(Port Coquitlam), Gary McInnis(Victoria), James Palanio(Penticton) and Dick Pemberton(Kamloops). The returning publicdirector is Anthony Ariganello.
■ ■ ■
Port Rowan-based real estatebroker Ray Ferris has assumed therole of president of the OntarioReal Estate Association.
Active in the real estate profes-sion for 20 years, Ferris is broker ofrecord with Erie’s Edge Real Estatein Port Rowan. He is past presidentof the Simcoe & District RealEstate Board. At OREA, Ferris hasserved several committees and hasbeen on the OREA board of direc-tors since 2012.
Ettore Cardarelli of Mississaugawill serve as president-elect.OREA directors-at-large are:Azizali Kanjee of Mississauga; JohnOddi of Brantford; Anna Vozza ofWindsor; and Valerie Miles ofBancroft. Eavan Travers of Londonwill serve as commercial directorand Costa Poulopoulos of Londoncurrently serves as the director rep-resenting the provincial associa-tion to CREA.
Mark McLean of the TorontoReal Estate Board has beenappointed substantial membershipdirector. Pat Verge remains on theboard as past-president. Provincialdirectors representing different geo-graphic areas are: Eastern Ontario,Linda McCallum; Central Ontario,John Meehan and EttoreCardarelli; Northern Ontario,David Kurt; Southern Ontario,Sean Morrison; NortheasternOntario, David Reid; and WesternOntario, Karen Cox.
■ ■ ■
The Real Estate Board ofGreater Vancouver (REBGV)recently introduced Dan Morrisonas its 2016/2017 president.Morrison replaces outgoing presi-dent Darcy McLeod.
Morrison has served on theREBGV Board of Directors for thelast four years and has worked onnumerous committees and groupswithin the real estate profession.He began his real estate career 24years ago. He is an associate brokerwith Re/Max Crest Realty inNorth Vancouver.
In 1999, he was one of thefirst Realtors to receive REBGV’sRealtor’s Care Award for out-standing contributions to thecommunity.
Supporting the president in2016 is president-elect Jill Oudil ofColdwell Banker Westburn Realtyand vice president Phil Moore ofRe/Max Central.
Other members of the boardare McLeod, Re/Max ResultsRealty; Taylor Biggar, Re/MaxWestcoast; Barb Burrows,Macdonald Commercial RealEstate Services; Doug Dang, AmexBroadway West Realty; LynnDequanne, Re/Max Central;Colette Gerber, Sutton Group -West Coast Realty; DannyGerbrandt, Royal LePageBrookside Realty; Wendy Hunter,Sutton Group - West Coast Realty;
Keith Liedtke, Re/Max Westcoast;Lisa Morris, Re/Max MastersRealty; Ashley Smith, RoyalLePage Sussex - Klein Group;Deborah Spicer, Sutton Group -West Coast Realty; and DavidYang, Royal Pacific Realty Corp.
Advisors to the Board ofDirectors are Catherine Boivie andBrian Friedrich.
■ ■ ■
The Okanagan Mainline RealEstate Board (OMREB) has elect-ed Anthony Bastiaanssen as presi-dent for the 2016 - 2017 term.Bastiaanssen was installed atOMREB’s Annual GeneralMeeting recently, along with 10directors representing the Realtorsof Central Okanagan, NorthOkanagan and the Shuswap.
Bastiaanssen, a managing bro-ker for Re/Max Kelowna in WestKelowna, has been an OMREBmember for 10 years and a directoron the board since 2014. He suc-ceeds Christopher Miller, who willcontinue in the role of past presi-dent.
Other members of the Board ofDirectors: Tanis Read (vice presi-dent), Marv Beer, Dave Favell,Kim Heizmann, Bill Hubbard,Derryanne Hubbard, MichaelLoewen and Brent Pay.
■ ■ ■
Trent Wilkins, the new presi-
Cliff Iverson Ray Ferris Anthony Bastiaanssen Barb Whitney
The 2016 VIREBBoard of Directors.From left, backrow: Bill Benoit,Sandy Rantz,Cholene Begin,Kaye Broens, NeilWoodrow, MartyDouglas, DonMcClintock andMark Clark.
Front row: Janice Stromar, Margo Hoffman and Jason Finlayson. (Photo: Artez Photography)
Deanna Horn Dan Morrison Trent Wilkins Robert Stewart
From left: Iris Gillies, RealtorsCommunity Foundation president;Caitlin Fleming, Edmonton Meals onWheels; and Jill Didow, executivedirector of the foundation.
The NBREA presented a chequeto the Sussex Sharing Club.
REM MAY 2016 57
Compiled with the assistance of Bob Campbell at Colour Tech Marketing,www.colourtech.com
C21 Insiders Conferences May 3 - 4 - Sheraton ParkwayToronto NorthRichmond Hill, Ont.May 5 - 6 - Sheraton CavalierCalgary, CalgaryCarla Ty – [email protected]
Toronto Real Estate Board’sRealtor QuestMay 4 - 5Toronto Congress CentreTorontowww.realtorquest.ca
HomeLife Annual International ConferenceMay 16 - 17Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel andCasino, Gatineau, Que.Lori Cimerman – 416-733-9966
NEXTGENre – A Bar CampExperienceTuesday, May 31Hilton Vancouver MetrotownVancouverfacebook.com/events/1498640933763668/
Atlantic ConnectionJuly 26 - 29Delta Prince Edward & P.E.I.Convention CentreCharlottetownwww.atlanticconnection.ca/
Activate 2016Hosted by Re/Max of WesternCanadaOct. 18 - 20Fairmont Chateau WhistlerWhistler, B.C.
2016 Coldwell Banker GenBlue ExperienceOct. 18 - 20Miami Beach, Fla.http://genblue.coldwellbanker.com/
Realtors Association of GreyBruce Owen SoundAGM & TradeshowWednesday, Oct. 26Bayshore Community CentreOwen [email protected]
Century 21 Canada Conference Supplier ExpoOct. 28 - 29Westin Bayshore, VancouverCarla Ty – [email protected]
National Association of RealtorsRealtors Conference & ExpoNov. 13 – 16San Diego, Calif.www.realtor.org/convention.nsf/
Trade Showsand ConferencesTrade Showsand Conferences
To add a listing to this calendar, email [email protected]
dent of Greater Moncton Realtorsdu Grand Moncton, brings almost10 years of real estate experience tothe position. Wilkins has served fora number of years as a director andin 2015 became first vice presidentof the board in preparation to takeon the president’s role from AndréMalenfant.
“We are committed to uphold-ing our mission and for the past fewyears we have been rapidly advanc-ing technology services to ourmembers for this reason,” saysWilkins. He says one of these pro-jects is the development of a newwebsite, which will “support con-sumers when seeking out realestate services and provide an addi-tional advertising tool for sellersand our members.”
The new Board of Directorsalso includes first vice presidentJosette LeBlanc; second vice presi-dent Jesus Machado; secretary trea-surer Kathy Guitard; directorsMiranda Burnett, MarcoDibonaventura and JoanneCaissie; past president AndréMalenfant; and EO KerryRakuson.
■ ■ ■
London, Ont. Realtor BarbWhitney has been named presi-dent of the Ontario Realtors CareFoundation. Since its inception,the foundation has granted morethan $3 million to shelter-basedorganizations across the province.
“Barb believes passionately incommunity service and is a greatproponent for the role organizedreal estate has to play in improvingthe quality of life in communitiesacross the province,” says StaceyEvoy, president of the London andSt. Thomas Association ofRealtors (LSTAR).
Whitney was LSTAR presi-dent in 2012. She served previous-ly as a director on the foundation’sboard.
■ ■ ■
Cambellton’s Robert Stewartwill lead the New Brunswick RealEstate Association (NBREA) aspresident for a two-year term from2016 to 2018. Stewart succeedsFredericton Realtor Kari McBride.
Stewart, a sales rep withRe/Max Prestige Realty, served onthe Board of Directors of theNBREA for six years, two of thoseas a director for the Northernregion, two as secretary-treasurerand two as first vice president. Heis also currently president of the
Dalhousie Downtown BusinessImprovement Area Corporation.
The NBREA also named a newBoard of Directors made up ofRealtors and two governmentappointees.
The executive consists ofStewart, first vice president SheilaHenry, Saint John; second vicepresident Linda Vautour,Miramichi; secretary-treasurerGordon Breau, Saint John; andpast president McBride,Fredericton.
The directors are AndréMalenfant, Moncton; BradThomas, Fredericton; MichaelLang, Valley; and Rejean Boucher,Northern. The governmentappointees are Erin Hardy,Fredericton and Andrew McLeod,Fredericton.
■ ■ ■
Nearly 120 Realtors and guestsgathered recently to watch as theVancouver Island Real EstateBoard (VIREB) installed its 2016board at the organization’s annualgeneral meeting.
VIREB president JasonFinlayson passed the gavel toParksville Realtor Margo Hoffman,who will serve as president in2016. Finlayson takes on the roleof past-president this year, withJanice Stromar serving as presi-dent-elect.
Returning to the board thisyear are Cholene Begin, KayeBroens, Don McClintock, SandyRantz and Neil Woodrow.
New to the VIREB board areMarty Douglas of Re/Max Ocean
Pacific Realty in Comox and MarkClark from Royal LePageNanaimo Realty. Douglas is aVIREB veteran, having spent sev-eral years as a director and servingas president in 1981.
Departing board membersFrank Fairley and past presidentBlair Herbert were recognized fortheir dedication and service toVIREB and its members.
■ ■ ■
From guide dogs to counsellingprograms, shelter assistance andmental health awareness, 59 localgrassroots community agenciesbenefited from donations made bythe Realtors CommunityFoundation’s Big Give inEdmonton. Celebrating its 30thanniversary this year, the founda-tion has been giving out similargrants since 1986 and has con-tributed more than $4 million.
The foundation supports pro-jects involving shelter, homeless-ness, hunger, crime prevention andspecial projects.
The funds are raised through-out the year at a number of Realtorevents such as the Santa’sChristmas Auction, annual golftournaments or business meetings.Individual Realtors also donate aportion of their commission fromeach sale.
■ ■ ■
The New Brunswick RealEstate Association (NBREA) helda charity fundraiser during itsAnnual General Meeting andConference for the RealtorCare
foundation with donations goingto the Sussex Sharing Club.
NBREA and the members inattendance at the conference inone day raised $3,200. The day’sevents included a 50/50 drawand silent auction at the DaveHawkins Award dinner anddance.
A cheque presentation was
later held at the Sussex SharingClub. Attending were NBREApast president Kari McBride, SaintJohn Real Estate Board presidentSheila Henry and representativesfrom the Sussex Sharing Club –Alfie Smith, president; Lois King,administrator; Shirley Adair, sec-retary; and Ann Leland, a boardmember. REM
If the agent doesn’t wishto cover the cost, they canoffer the discounted price totheir clients. The retail valueof the plan is $995, Schaumersays.
If there is a claim, the newowners contact HomeWarranty Canada directly. Aservice provider is sent to fixthe problem and collects a $75service fee from the homeown-er and then bills HomeWarranty Canada for the bal-ance. The warranty plan offersreplacements as well as repairs.“We fix until it can’t be fixed,
then replace,” he says.The warranty eliminates
after market issues for agents andalso offers them a commission.
The Canada-wide warrantyprogram has been available forabout six months, with manydifferent companies and agentsalready on board, Schaumersays. Company representativesare visiting real estate officesacross the country to introducethe warranty plans.
To book a presentation or formore information, email MarioSchaumer at [email protected] REM
Home warranty programContinued from page 50
58 REM MAY 2016
t occurred to me the otherday that I have done a lot ofbusiness with The Toronto
Star or Torstar through its divi-sion Metroland Printing. Theyhave helped by providing mewith forest management certifiedpaper and environmentallyfriendly inks because REM read-ers (the real estate industry) areespecially demanding to have apublication that does not harmthe earth.
They have also helped byextending their time and espe-cially their trust to pay my bills tothem. I confess that I have beenin their offices more than oncewith my hat in hand, asking fortime to pay. Each time they havebeen kind to me and believed inme enough to give me that time.It is true that big corporations likeRogers, for example, are ruthless.I can say that some, like Torstar
THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE
By Heino Molls
I
Show any listings in Canada with Agent iFrame. $4.95/mo.
realtywebsites.ca
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do have hearts. REM is proof thatthey do.
I have had this arrangementwith Metroland for about 27years now. It has been so longthat the people I made the origi-nal deal with to get REM printedare long retired or have left thecompany.
What is important for me isthat over all these years, right tothis day, every part of our busi-ness is done on a handshake. Nocontract and no big long legalagreement. After all these yearsMetroland honours our originalarrangement. I applaud themand thank them.
There are more scam artistsin business today than everbefore. It is not unusual to hearabout folks who run up a bill andwalk away from payment inten-tionally. It has happened to memore than once. I could tell yousome names but I won’t.
But it hurts. I am sure it hashappened to Metroland. I do notknow of any other business thatextends the trust that Metrolandgives to REM. Except one – thereal estate business.
It is still common for a sales-
person to work with someonebuying or selling a home or com-mercial property for months andthen get stiffed for all the timeand work they put in to it. I donot just mean a situation where asalesperson shows a home andthen the customer walks awaywithout making a deal. Thesalesperson may spend days andeven months explaining themarket, talking about neigh-bourhoods, discussing the pur-chase of a fixer upper and goingto great expense to find potentialproperties to show the client –only to have that customer go
Old dog. No tricks.MA
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around them and do a deal with-out them.
On the selling side, a sales-person may get a well-priced list-ing agreement with a client, onlyto have that client demur onshowings. After months of workmarketing the home, the clientdecides not to sell the propertyand pulls out of the listing alltogether.
I speak to Realtors every day.I know the industry has done itsbest to install new ideas such asbuyer representation agree-ments, but at the end of the dayit remains the nature of the busi-
ness that there will be peoplewho use salespeople as a hobbyor recreational activity. I alsoknow that it is part of the skillset of a good Realtor to recognizeand grasp these situations forwhat they are.
With all that said, it still hap-pens a lot. This is still a businessof dreams from the side of thecustomer and also on the side ofthe agent. Even the most sea-soned and clever salesperson canstill end up chasing a dream witha conniving client.
However, at the end of theday I think we should be grateful.The bottom line is that we areall still in business and no matterhow bleak things may looksometimes, no matter how frus-trating it may be for us that oth-ers take such advantage of us, westill have the opportunity to doour best and do well. It’s great tomake money. I want very muchto be a rich man. But doing wellis so much more than riches inmoney. So I wish you well.
Heino Molls is publisher of REMEmail [email protected].
REM
Even the most seasonedand clever salesperson
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