April 2016

Issue #322

April 2016

Mark Faris Leads Royal LePage’s No. 1 team Page 12

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 42218523 - Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to 2255B Queen St. E., #1178, Toronto ON M4E 1G3

Protecting sales reps’ commissions Page 3

A black eye for the real estate industry Page 8

Leasing: Get your priorities straight Page 14

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2015 TOP ACHIEVERS! AS AWARDED IN LAS VEGAS, FEBRUARY 28, 2016.

EDITH CHAN RE/MAX Masters Realty, West Vancouver, BC

RAYMOND LEUNG RE/MAX Real Estate Services, Vancouver, BC

• Western Canada & *Canada wide – Top Individual – Residential • *Network wide – Top Individual – Residential & Commercial combined

RE/MAX BLUE CHIP REALTY YORKTON, SK Jack Wruth, Doris Shank, Broker Owners

• Western Canada – Top Office, Low Density Overall – Transactions • *Canada wide – Top Office, Small Market – Transactions

JUSTIN HAVRE RE/MAX First, Calgary, AB

JOYCE TOURNEY RE/MAX Crown Real Estate – North, Regina, SK

• Western Canada – Top Individual – Commercial (Team & Individual combined) • *Canada wide – Fifth place, Individual – Commercial

• Western Canada – Top Team – Residential • *Canada wide – Sixth place – Team – Residential • Western Canada – Top Team, Alberta – Transactions • Western Canada & *Canada wide – Top Team – Transactions

• Western Canada – Top Team, Saskatchewan – Transactions • *Canada wide – Fifth place – Team – Commercial • *Canada wide – Tenth place – Team – Residential

JOHN LICHTENWALD RE/MAX Crest Realty, North Vancouver, BC

JUDY GRAY, CARL SCOTT RE/MAX offices in Ucluelet, Tofino & Port Alberni, BC

MIKE HEINRICH, CHARLIE PARKER & GRAEME PARKER

• Robert H. Cherot Award • *Distinguished Service Award

• Western Canada – Broker Owner(s) of the Year – Small Market • *Canada wide – Largest Net Gain in Associates – Small Market

KEVIN MOIST RE/MAX Performance Realty, Winnipeg, MB

• Western Canada – Top Individual, Manitoba – Transactions

(Pictured: Mike Heinrich & Charlie Parker) RE/MAX of Nanaimo &

CARL BRETZLAFF RE/MAX Real Estate (Edmonton) - North, Edmonton, AB

• Western Canada & *World wide – Broker Owner of the Year – Single RE/MAX Camosun offices, BC Office • Western Canada & *World wide – Broker Owner(s) of the Year – Multi-Office

RE/MAX KELOWNA, KELOWNA, BC Cliff Shillington, Jerry Redman, Peter Kirk, Broker Owners

(Pictured: Cliff Shillington) • Western Canada – Top Office, British Columbia – Transactions

CATHERINE SCHELLENBERG RE/MAX Professionals, Winnipeg, MB

• Western Canada – Manager of the Year

CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK AWARDS TOP OFFICE DONATIONS TO EACH FOUNDATION:

JAKE MOLDOWAN RE/MAX Westcoast, Richmond, BC

• Western Canada – Spirit of the West Award

• Western Canada – Special Services Award

SUSAN MCGOUGAN RE/MAX First Realty, Parksville, BC

• Western Canada – Special Services Award

ALBERTA CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION RE/MAX First, Calgary, AB Broker Owner: Rick Campos

THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION OF MANITOBA RE/MAX Professionals, Winnipeg, MB Broker Owner: Stan Newman

BC CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION RE/MAX Kelowna, Kelowna, BC Broker Owners: Cliff Shillington, Jerry Redman and Peter Kirk

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION OF SASKATCHEWAN RE/MAX Crown Real Estate North, Regina, SK Broker Owners: Gary Cossette, Rob Nisbett

STOLLERY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION RE/MAX River City, Edmonton, AB Broker Owner: Shami Sandhu

TOP OFFICE OVERALL: RE/MAX FIRST, Calgary, AB Broker Owner: Rick Campos

WINNERS NOT PRESENT: RON ANTALEK

RE/MAX Lifestyles Realty, Maple Ridge, BC • Western Canada – Top Team, British Columbia – Transactions

KEITH UNGER

RE/MAX Performance Realty, Steinbach, MB • Western Canada – Top Team, Manitoba – Transactions

TREVOR BOLIN

RE/MAX Action Realty, Fort St. John, BC • Western Canada – Top Individual, British Columbia – Transactions

BRYAN LOGEL

RE/MAX Real Estate (Central), Calgary, AB • Western Canada – Top Individual, Alberta – Transactions • Western Canada – Top Individual, Overall – Transactions

GLADYS SECONDIAK

RE/MAX Blue Chip Realty, Yorkton, SK • Western Canada – Top Individual, Saskatchewan – Transactions

(Pictured: Nick Profeta, Manager)

• Western Canada – Top Office, Alberta – Transactions • Western Canada – Top Office, Overall – Transactions • *Canada wide & *World wide – Metro Market - Transactions • *Canada wide & *World wide – Total Sales Volume – Single Office • *Canada wide & *World wide – Largest Single Office

MARCIA WILLIAMS RE/MAX Elite, Edmonton, AB

• Western Canada – Administrator of the Year

* AWARDED BY RE/MAX, LLC ON MARCH 2, 2016.

PETE VANDERHAM, RE/MAX Medalta Real Estate, Medicine Hat, AB

ALSO AWARDED

JONATHAN GELDERMAN RE/MAX Aldercenter Realty, Aldergrove, BC

RE/MAX REAL ESTATE CENTRAL, CALGARY, AB Pat Hare, Broker Owner

RE/MAX SASKATOON (EAST), SASKATOON, SK Larry Stewart, Broker Owner • Western Canada – Top Office, Saskatchewan – Transactions

• *Canada wide – Top Team – Commercial

JOHN LICHTENWALD, ELAINE LICHTENWALD & DEBORAH UPTON, Broker Owners, RE/MAX Crest Realty, Vancouver, BC • *Canada wide & *World wide – Total Sales Volume – Multi-office • *Canada wide – Largest Net Gain in Associates – Multi-office

RE/MAX OF WESTERN CANADA • *Canada wide – Top donations to Children’s Miracle Network.

• *Canada wide – Top average donations per Agent to Children’s Miracle Network

RE/MAX PERFORMANCE REALTY, WINNIPEG, MB Tom Fulton & Eric Joseph, Broker Owners • Western Canada – Top Office, Manitoba – Transactions

PATSY HUI

RE/MAX Westcoast, Richmond, BC • Western Canada – Community Care Award

For the complete list of winners, please visit the remax.ca media newsroom.

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS: TAKE YOUR CAREER TO THE NEXT LEVEL! Each RE/MAX office 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 affiliated with another organization, this advertisement is not intended to offer a RE/MAX franchise or to solicit a change in your affiliation.

joinremax.ca

REM APRIL 2016 3

Protecting sales reps’ commissions “There are lessons to be learned” from the recent closure of a brokerage in St. John’s, Nfld.

By Tony Palermo

T

he suspension of Exit Realty on the Rock’s real estate licence on Feb. 4, which forced the St. John’s, Nfld. company into receivership, and the ensuing investigation by both the provincial Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, highlights the vulnerability of sales reps’ commissions.

Fortunately for the former Exit Realty on the Rock agents, it’s going to work out well for them. The receiver, PricewaterhouseCoopers, deemed that the commissions owed would be treated as trust money, so the salespeople will eventually be paid.

“Many times agents find themselves on the losing end in a situation like this,” says Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Realtors (NLAR) CEO Bill Stirling. “I’m pleased the receiver is treating the commissions as trust money and I’m hopeful we’ll start seeing the payment of these commissions around the middle of March.”

Stirling says there are lessons to be learned as a result of this recent situation and that NLAR is looking at different options to help protect its members’ commissions in the future. This includes adding commission protection insurance, which is not part of their current insurance package, and on closing, having the real estate lawyer prepare separate cheques for the buying and selling brokerages.

Another option being considered is mandating that brokers put commission funds into a trust account as opposed to a general business account, which currently isn’t a requirement.

“Having the money in a trust account offers a better layer of protection so we’ll be looking to the regulators for some reference on this,” says Stirling.

Tom Curran, a real estate lawyer and small business advisor based in Ottawa, agrees that placing commission funds into a mixed trust account – the same type of account lawyers use when handling money on behalf of their clients – offers better protection.

“If the (commission) money isn’t in a trust account, then not only can there be long, drawn-out battles over whether the money was taken out properly or not, but now you also have fights over priorities and which creditors come first,” says Curran. “But if the money is in a mixed trust account, then there is no question about whose money it is. If at least some money is recovered, then the trust funds will go directly to the Realtors and not to the other general creditors, which would otherwise be the case.”

Curran adds that having the money in a trust account also acts as a deterrent for people who think of misappropriating those funds, noting that breach of trust is treated as a very serious offence – more so than a simple theft.

“The bottom line is fraud happens,” says Curran. “But if you take trust monies, you’re likely off to jail, (whereas) if you take general revenues, you probably aren’t.”

Curran agrees that issuing a cheque to each of the buying and selling brokers is a safer approach,

Winnipeg broker permanently banned

A

suspended Winnipeg real estate broker/owner has been permanently barred from obtaining a real estate or mortgage broker licence and has been fined $60,000.

David Douglas, who is still facing criminal charges, was found guilty of fraud under the Real Estate Brokers Act and the Mortgage Brokers Act. He was the broker/owner of HomeLife Village Realty and Abacus Mortgage Group, as well as some renovation companies. His real estate licence was suspended in March 2014.

“Douglas’ conduct was egregious. He clearly was guilty of fraudulent conduct under both REBA and the MBA,” says the Manitoba Securities Commission decision. “This is serious in itself,

but factors exacerbating these wrongs are evident in the deceitful and manipulative course of conduct he engaged in and the devastating financial results it brought upon innocent people who relied upon him for guidance and fair dealing.”

The decision says Douglas “purported to sell and build on one property for two different buyers at the same (time) and took money from each of them, which was never accounted for.”

The decision says that “perhaps most shameful” was Douglas’ mistreatment of some clients “who were neophytes in his world and who were manipulated into mortgaging their home to the hilt and losing their life savings as a result of their dealings with him.”

The couple “dealt with and

trusted Douglas and their money was used for a risky third mortgage on a property they didn’t know and which was owned legally by a person they didn’t know who held it as a trustee.”

The decision says the couple, who took cash out of their RRSPs at Douglas’ urging, “lost over $150,000 in these transactions, have a large mortgage obligation outstanding and lost their retirement savings. They are close to financial ruin.”

Geraldine Douglas, David’s mother, was the authorized official of HomeLife Village and Abacus.

Her suspensions under REBA and the MBA will continue indefinitely, but the panel ruled that her actions were “primarily a question of ability as opposed to proven misconduct.” REM

but cautions that there are some law firms that refuse to issue more than one cheque, other than for registered mortgages, to help cut down on their workload.

Brian Schlotzhauer, deputy registrar, industry standards, with the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) says one of the easiest ways salespeople can protect themselves is to do their homework and ask a lot of questions about the brokerage they’re looking to work with. He suggests talking to other agents who work there and asking them directly if there have been any issues or delays with commission payments.

Schlotzhauer says that while there is no requirement with RECO’s insurance provider or the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act that brokers put commission monies into a trust account, he agrees that it’s something salespeople – both those who are working with an existing brokerage and those looking to move to a new one – want to make sure is happening if they want to better protect their commissions.

If an agent finds themselves in a situation where there is a problem with their commissions being paid as agreed, Schlotzhauer suggests talking to the broker of record first. If they’re not satisfied with the broker’s response, they should contact RECO (or their provincial regulator).

“If there are problems with commission payments, we can begin a review of the brokerage,” says Schlotzhauer. “We can’t get the payment but we can inspect the broker to see if they have been meeting their obligations.”

In Ontario, Realtors can also file a claim through their commission protection insurance, but Schlotzhauer cautions that the insurance only accepts claims where commissions are owed but the broker is either unable or unwilling to pay. It doesn’t cover disputes over commission amounts.

If an agent wants to file a claim, Schlotzhauer suggests they contact RECO’s insurance office, which will help guide them through the claims process. REM

RECO warns public about former broker

T

he Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) is warning people not to engage in real estate transactions with Baljit Singh Dhaliwal. Neither he nor his company, Global West Real Estate Developments Limited, are registered to trade in real estate.

RECO revoked the registration of Dhaliwal on Jan. 16. RECO says the proposal to revoke, which was not appealed by Dhaliwal, alleged that he was improperly handling trust funds.

RECO says it received new information on Feb. 4 about a trust deposit on a real estate transaction where Dhaliwal was the listing and selling representative. Following further investigation, RECO located an account containing consumer funds.

It says that based on suspicions of ongoing illegal activity, RECO issued a freeze order on a bank account of Global West Real Estate Developments Limited that was being operated by Dhaliwal.

RECO says it is continuing its investigation and “taking appropriate action under the law. Anyone who has a complaint regarding their real estate transaction with Baljit Singh Dhaliwal should contact RECO.” Dhaliwal was previously registered with Global West Realty Limited and Century 21 New Stars Realty. Both of these brokerages remain registered, says RECO. REM

4 REM APRIL 2016

Multiple Listings

By Jim Adair, REM Editor Do you have news to share with Canada’s real estate community?

Let REM know about it! Email: jim@remonline.com

D

undee Corporation has appointed Brad J. Henderson as president and CEO of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. He replaces Sotheby’s founder and former CEO Ross McCredie, who left the firm last July.

Henderson was senior managing regional director for CBRE in Canada and the North Central United States, where he oversaw a team of more than 1,200 people, the company says. Previously he held senior executive roles at Colliers International and Royal LePage. He has also worked in the

Brad J. Henderson

Harbinder Brar

telecom and technology sectors, with executive roles at Telus and Gibraltar Solutions.

■ ■ ■

Tamer and Janet Fahmi and their team at Hearth & Home Realty in Burlington, Ont. have joined Keller Williams Edge Realty. The team will operate under the trade name of Keller Williams Edge Hearth & Home Realty, Brokerage.

“For a number of years, we have entertained various other franchise and merger opportunities,” says Janet Fahmi. “This merger is most

appealing as it allows us to continue operating under our established independent corporate identity, with the benefit of sharing the advanced resources and success driven infrastructure that has been developed by Keller Williams Edge Realty since 2012.”

Keller Williams Edge Realty’s Burlington Market Centre opened its offices in January 2012 and has grown to 140 associates.

■ ■ ■

HomeLife Realty Guelph has acquired Kitchener’s HomeLife Power Realty. The offices were amalgamated under the banner of HomeLife Power Realty earlier this year.

Gasper Russo, broker of record at HomeLife Realty Guelph, is now the broker of record for the merged brokerage. Russo has more than 30 years of real estate experience with a proven record of sales achievements and management

experience, the company says.

The existing Guelph office at 1027 Gordon St. S. serves as the brokerage’s main site while the Kitchener office at 914 King St. W. is a branch office. The brokerage has more than 50 sales reps and brokers.

■ ■ ■

Independent brokerage Choice Real Estate has joined the Coldwell Banker network. The new affiliate will service the Estevan, Sask. market and will operate as Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate.

The brokerage’s leadership team includes broker of record Diane Jocelyn, Josh LeBlanc, Kresten Heier, Meigan Wilhelm and Lisa Monteyne.

Jocelyn has more than 25 years of experience, while the leadership group has more than 60 years of experience combined. All five leadership team members will be active in personal selling along with three additional sales reps.

■ ■ ■

Sutton Sadie Moranis Realty in Toronto has filed for bankruptcy “leaving a trail of unpaid debts and lawsuits,” says The Toronto Star.

The report says Sutton Group filed a suit claiming that the bro-

Gasper Russo

Rick Brar

kerage owed it more than $753,000 in unpaid franchise fees.

A counterclaim filed by Sutton Sadie Moranis says that Sutton Group breached its franchise agreement, which is why it failed to pay its fees.

The brokerage was founded in 1977 by Sadie Moranis and her son Stephen Moranis, who was still running the company when it declared bankruptcy. It was affiliated with Prudential Real Estate Affiliates for 18 years and moved to the Sutton banner in 2012.

Sadie Moranis died in 2009.

She was the first female president of the Toronto Real Estate Board and the matriarch of a well-known family of real estate professionals that also included her late daughter Terry. She was predeceased by her husband Jules.

Stephen Moranis was also cofounder of the controversial Realtysellers franchise in 2000, with his cousin Lawrence Dale.

■ ■ ■

Broker Harbinder Brar and sales rep Rick Brar recently joined Re/Max Realty Services in Brampton, Ont. Combined, they have nearly 15 years of experience in the real estate industry.

The company says the “two high level producers” come to their new brokerage “with energy and enthusiasm.”

■ ■ ■

Hamish Redpath, co-owner of Royal LePage Prince Edward Realty, and Daniel Rashed.

Daniel Rashed, founder and broker of Panda Realty in Charlottetown, PEI, has joined Royal LePage Prince Edward Realty.

“Mr. Rashed is an accomplished entrepreneur who started Panda Realty several years ago and who now joins forces with Canada’s largest national real estate company,” says Rudy Chong, broker/owner at Royal LePage Prince Edward Realty.

Chong says he welcomes Rashed’s “experience, energy and passion for the business”.

■ ■ ■

Penny MacKenzie, operating partner at Keller Williams Edge Realty, left, welcomes Tamer and Janet Fahmi to the firm.

The team at Coldwell Banker Choice Real Estate, from left: Meigan Wilhelm, Joan Selk, Lesley Schmidt, Diane Jocelyn, Kresten Heier, Lisa Monteyne, Melanie Peters and Josh LeBlanc.

HomeLife Yorkland Real Estate in Toronto is under new ownership and has moved its office to a new location. The brokerage’s new owners are husband and wife Rubina and Zully Jamal. They are actively recruiting new sales reps to add to their team of 13.

Carmel Marino continues as Continued on page 6

6 REM APRIL 2016

Continued from page 4

broker of record. The new office is at 160 Wynford Dr., Unit 107A, Toronto.

■ ■ ■

Only one year after opening, Century 21 New Age Realty, owners Ajay and Roopa Sharma and their team of 30 salespeople are opening a second location in Hamilton, Ont. Ajay Sharma began his Century 21 career as an awardwinning sales rep in 2004, earning several notable awards including the Century 21 Masters Emerald award in 2014. He has been a Century 21 broker since December 2008 and launched Century 21 New Age Realty in January 2015.

■ ■ ■

Randy and Sherri Singler of the ESYXE Real Estate Group recently acquired the ownership of Saskatoon’s Coldwell Banker ResCom Realty. The brokerage’s previous owners were Rich and Lisa Jeanneau and Henry Moulin.

Rich Jeanneau and Moulin will remain with the company in a sales capacity.

The sales force of the ESYXE Real Estate Group made the move along with the Singlers. “Our goal is to support our sales force with a focus on honesty, integrity, unique marketing techniques and strategies. We’re here to make a difference,” says Sherri Singler. During his former affiliation with a nation-

Baljit Garcha

Cover photo: MIKE GUILBAULT

al real estate brand, Randy Singler formed the ESYXE Real Estate Group in 2008.

■ ■ ■

John Redvers has been named commercial manager, Royal LePage Real Estate Services in Toronto. Redvers was licensed in 1983 and joined Royal LePage in 1997 as a sales representative. In a news release, the company says, “John’s comprehensive knowledge of the commercial real estate industry and firsthand experience in all aspects of the market including land development, retail, industrial and institutional sales and leasing, affords him solid, mutually beneficial relationships with clients, associates and colleagues. His perception of the intricacies of the due diligence process required for commercial transactions adds integrity and value as commercial manager of the corporate brokerage.”

Zully and Rubina Jamal

John Redvers

Alexandre Desrochers

Andrea Thievin

Alan Johnson

Mark Lester

■ ■ ■

Brothers Baljit and Ajit Continued on page 24

Century 21 New Age Realty’s new Hamilton office.

Randy and Sherri Singler

Dan Flomen

Ajit Garcha

Jeff Nethercott, left, and Peter Meyer.

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Phone: 416.425.3504 www.remonline.com REM complies fully with the Canadian Real Estate Association's Rules for Trademarks (CREA Rule 16.5.3.1) REALTOR® and REALTORS® are trademarks controlled in Canada by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify licensed real estate practitioners who are members of CREA. MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned by CREA and identify the services rendered by members of CREA. REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. For subscription information, email distribution@remonline.com. Entire contents copyright 2016 REM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The opinions expressed in REM are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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pillartopost.com Each office independently owned and operated.

8 REM APRIL 2016

Vancouver stories give industry a black eye Realtors scramble to deal with the fallout from reports of unethical and possibly fraudulent real estate deals

By Danny Kucharsky

T

he self-regulating body that oversees the real estate business in British Columbia has to get tougher on Realtors who contravene regulations, says Tony Joe, president of the Vancouver chapter of the Asian Real Estate Association of America.

“It takes a lot for someone to lose their real estate license in the province of B.C. I can’t help but wonder if that needs to shift somewhat,” says Joe, who in addition to leading the 100-member association, runs Tony Joe and Associates, a Re/Max brokerage in the Victoria area.

He was one of the Realtors interviewed by REM about the media storm unleashed in February

by The Globe and Mail about unethical and possibly fraudulent real estate dealings in Vancouver.

The Globe stories alleged real estate agents and speculators are making millions of dollars in extra fees and profits by assigning contracts before closing, for prices that are higher than what the original seller receives in the end. The practice, also known as shadow flipping, is legal but controversial.

“I guess one of the questions is: Are we hard enough on licensees who contravene our laws? Personally, I don’t think so,” Joe says.

The Real Estate Council of B.C. with oversight from the Superintendent of Real Estate has been tasked with striking an advisory committee to investigate allegations of fraud and insider trading in the Vancouver real estate market.

Asks Joe: “Will it result in anything? I don’t know. I for one, and others I’m sure too, would hope that anything they do would improve the standards.”

He notes that there’s a feeling from people in the industry who conduct themselves on a professional basis that “people who contravene rules get off far too easily.”

Joe says a media revelation about an agent who allegedly did a flip and ended up becoming party to a second flip brings up a number of questions, including whether proper disclosure was made. Such agents may “profit for a moment” but are committing “career suicide,” Joe says.

Jonathan Cooper, vice-president, operations of Macdonald Realty in Vancouver, says the issue is really one of a lack of professionalism. “In this case, if someone’s acting for the buyer and then turns around and is assigning it and then reassigning it several times, that’s where it’s a legal grey area.”

As a result of the controversy, if the question of an assignment now

arises, even for perfectly valid reasons, “it’s going to raise question marks in the mind of the client, even if everything is completely above board,” says Cooper.

“What you see here, in some of these examples, (is that) the interests of the clients are secondary to the Realtor and/or co-operating parties trying to line their own pockets.”

two years, his advice would be to find a good Realtor. “Values have moved so significantly that even sophisticated members of the public may not know exactly what their home’s worth. If you’re properly represented, you get market value for your home (and) then the possibility for these shadow assignments is greatly diminished.”

Until the recent spate of news

Cooper says the industry has “definitely been tainted by this ongoing media storm. In Vancouver, it has almost become like seller beware.”

Cooper says the industry has “definitely been tainted by this ongoing media storm. In Vancouver, it has almost become like seller beware.”

He notes that if a buyer knocks on a homeowner’s door and offers a cash offer, some people might be tempted to accept the offer and avoid Realtor fees. But with prices having risen so much in the last

stories, the public was generally unfamiliar with assignments and unaware that they’re legal, says Polly Cordwell, Vancouver managing broker of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada.

Because of the media coverage, the perception of the practice has been negative, Cordwell says.

Last year, when Sotheby’s started to see assignments were taking

B.C. Advisory Group gets to work A

n independent advisory group that will look into the Real Estate Council of B.C.’s handling of licensee misconduct has been named.

“The advisory group will examine the ways the council identifies and responds to licensee conduct that could pose a risk to consumers or that fails to meet the standards expected by the public,” says the council in a news release.

“As part of its work, the group will review the licensee conduct requirements that are in

place, whether those requirements are adequate and whether they are being effectively enforced.”

Carolyn Rogers, superintendent of real estate and CEO of the Financial Institutions Commission in B.C., will chair the group. The other members are lawyer Howard Kushner, Kushner Law Group; Don Wright, president and CEO, Central 1 Credit Union; Audrey T. Ho, commissioner, British Columbia Securities Commission; lawyer Bruce D.

Woolley, Stikeman Elliott; Carol Geurts, associate broker, Century 21 Veitch Realty, Creston, B.C.; Tony Gioventu, executive director, Condominium Home Owners’ Association of B.C; and Ron Usher, general counsel, Society of Notaries Public of British Columbia.

“I believe we have a highly qualified team with the expertise to undertake this important work. These are independent thinkers from across a broad range of public and private organizations, with a clear

understanding of good governance and the public interest,” says Rogers.

The group held its first meeting on Feb. 19 and is now finalizing comprehensive terms of reference, which will be made available to the public.

They will provide an interim report to the RECBC by April 8 and a full report and recommendations to the council by the end of May. Key documents will be posted to: www.advisorygroupbc.ca.

REM

place in Vancouver, it made sure agents understood what they were about and passed on the information to clients about how they work and the potential risks associated with them, she says.

“We’ve taken to communicating further with our agents in light of all the media to ensure that they are doing that.”

She notes assignments become popular when the market rises rapidly, as has been the case in Vancouver since 2015, and were last used regularly in 2006 and 2007. If the closing on a property is a week away it can potentially be assigned to someone else prior to completion for an increased price if the market has gone up. But “the market has to be going up pretty rapidly to be able to justify doing that.”

Cordwell notes that inventory has been very low in the city of late – Sotheby’s had just 87 active listings in Vancouver in late February – which has pushed up demand and prices.

She says Sotheby’s has been contacted by concerned clients who read the articles, “but once they spoke to our Realtors and had them walk through the process, they’ve been okay and they’ve felt comfortable with the situation.”

Kevin Lynch, CEO of Metro Edge Realty, says his firm has adopted a policy that does not allow shadow flipping.

“We can’t control what others do, but we can always do the right thing,” he says. “Every company should ensure their agents are always well educated so they can and will do the very best for their clients.”

Joe adds that none of the agents he’s spoken to have had first-hand dealings with irate consumers about the news stories.

The good news is the issue has been in the news so much “that it should really cause someone to think twice if they’re thinking of doing this.”

However, the situation has been bad for the industry, he says.

“When the general public and consumers have this feeling of us, it’s never good.” REM

10 REM APRIL 2016

Repairing the real estate industry’s reputation The force of reputation swings both ways: bad reputations can lead to poor performance and poor performance can lead to bad reputations.

By Penn Javdan

I

n a Canadian market with more than 100,000 Realtors, competition is fierce. And it’s no secret that real estate salespeople have less than stellar reputations. Despite that fact that business is proceeding as usual in the relatively strong 2016 real estate market, ignoring the importance of reputation has consequences that can be fatal to a sales rep’s career.

The temptation to cut corners in real estate representation can be overwhelming. In addition to the recent stories coming from Vancouver about shady assignment deals, we’ve all heard horror stories about phantom offers, manipulating clients in bidding wars and the practice of poaching clients. Where there’s big competition, the threat to quality rises.

According to a recent survey, trustworthiness and reputation are important factors for clients when choosing a salesperson, along with knowledge, management, sales and marketing skills, and finally, ability to deliver results.

Real estate salespeople come in many stripes. According to Statistics Canada, the average annual income is $52,800. Only 41 per cent of salespeople earn $50,000 and over, while 25 per cent earn less than $20,000.

Whether Realtors want to improve their performance or protect it, they must put a good reputation at the top of their list. The challenge is to make them understand why they should when so much money is still trading hands.

Many professionals take the “what-

10 ways to build a good reputation 1) Be honest with yourself. What kind of agent do you want to be? The kind that looks over his shoulder, or a proud qualified member of a community of professionals?

2) Educate yourself: A license is never enough. Update yourself continuously on ways to improve your service and qualifications.

3) Create a personal brand.

4) Hire a reputation management service.

5) Create a network of professionals like yourself. Attract the kind of people you want to work with and foster a referral network with builders, mortgage and insurance brokers. This is a support system that counteracts the competition from the lesser reputable agents.

6) Do what’s right for the client. Otherwise, what’s done in the darkness shall come to the light.

7) Monitor your reputation: Survey and follow up. Don’t be reactionary.

8) Avoid short sighted decisions.

9) Get involved. Participate actively in professional boards and associations to maintain standards. Your job doesn’t end with the sale.

10) Speak out. If something’s wrong, be the example. Represent the profession the way it deserves to be represented.

ever it takes, ends justify all” attitude. While this may sometimes secure a commission or get a client the home they want, it often ends up hurting both salesperson and client.

The Harvard Business Review validates the view that reputations matter greatly. “Firms with strong positive reputations attract better people. They are perceived as providing more value, which often allows them to charge a premium.

Their customers are more loyal and buy broader ranges of products and services. Because the market believes that such companies will deliver sustained earnings and future growth, they have higher price-earnings multiples and market values and lower costs of capital. Moreover, in an economy where 70 per cent to 80 per cent of market value comes from hard-toassess intangible assets such as brand equity, intellectual capital and goodwill, organizations are especially vulnerable to anything that damages their reputations,” says the Review.

Yet the perception that real estate salespeople and brokers have bad reputations lingers. One common reason is that when the cat’s away, the mice will play. Some people will get away with what we let them get away with.

Another is well intentioned: Many salespeople, through no fault of their own, fail to understand the real value that quality brings to the profession: they’re too busy being lured by the cash from a deal, money in the pocket, food on the table. While this is understandable, the situation is a bit like people voting for a candidate whose policies will actually hurt them in the long run.

The Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) says the No. 1 cause of complaints is miscommunication and non disclosure. Only 46 per cent of complaints to RECO resulted in regulatory action, which makes working with a less-than-reputable salesperson all the more dangerous. What must be done?

Building a good reputation requires effort, patience and time. Destroying a good reputation takes just a single misstep.

Builders know the value of reputation, because they’re in it for the long haul. Ramtin Sotoadeh of RS Homes highlights the connection between longevity and reputation for agents: “Any business including RSH couldn’t have survived for 32 years if it didn’t have a long standing reputation.”

Transparency is the information age’s benchmark for success: “Honest agents may not be able to compete in the short term, but…in the long term, they will prevail.”

Why is it counter productive to have a bad reputation? And why is it productive to have a good one?

1. A bad reputation will alienate you from clients and other professionals.

2. A bad reputation will cause others to malign you. Nobody wants enemies.

3. A good reputation represents a great marketing strategy.

4. A good reputation inspires others to perform better and creates loyalty.

How does building a good reputation make you more money?

1. It will reflect the real skills you need: knowledge, service and client demand.

2. The wrong agent gets dumped by a client after one deal.

The right agent works with the client for a lifetime.

3. Investors will invest with you because their money is safe.

When you say you’re going to do something, they’ll believe you.

4. Top brokers will want you at top brokerages.

5. You will stand out.

Psychology Today magazine rightly claims that “we only ever have influence over our reputation – never (complete) control.” In all things, it’s harder to build than to destroy. Building a good reputation requires effort, patience and time.

Destroying a good reputation takes just a single misstep.

We tread with caution. There are many highly educated, well qualified, professional salespeople who deserve our respect and justly earn their livings and their reputations. So even if bad reputations were the exception and not the rule, this is all the more reason to protect the real estate profession, not less. It is all the more crucial for talented and qualified salespeople to maintain their profession as a profession.

The force of reputation swings both ways: bad reputations can lead to poor performance and poor performance can lead to bad reputations.

Wherever Realtors fall on the spectrum – from seasoned veteran to hungry new professional, clients are savvy nowadays and perform their due diligence to verify the standing of agents.

A good reputation will go a REM long way in the long run.

“With the high degree of quality in their marketing and technology, and their strong international presence, Engel & Völkers will allow me to do more for the sellers and buyers I represent.”

Melissa Bradbury, Advisor & Broker, Engel & Völkers Muskoka

Only the best in the business join our brand.

With years of experience as a marketer and graphic designer, Melissa Bradbury possesses a sharp eye for quality when it comes to brands. As a real estate professional, she has always applied her specialized knowledge to bring a fresh and innovative approach to the way she marketed Muskoka properties. It was the distinct style and international appeal that drew her to Engel & Völkers as a compatible brand. Today, as the first Engel & Völkers advisor in Muskoka, she has the experience, skills

and tools to meet the demands of the growing international clientele to the market.

Engel & Völkers Canada 2 Bloor Street West, Suite 700 · Toronto · ON M4W 3RI · Phone +1 416-323-1100 evcanada.com · info@evcanada.com

©2016 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. This advertisement is not an offering of a franchise, and where required by law, an offering can only be made 14 days after delivery of the applicable franchise disclosure document.

12 REM APRIL 2016

Royal LePage’s 33-year-old top team leader Former pro hockey player Mark Faris brings the game’s work ethic, discipline and dedication to his job as CEO of Royal LePage’s No. 1 team. By Dennis McCloskey

W

hen Mark Faris was playing semi-professional hockey in Sweden and the U.S. he was ever-mindful of popular Wayne “Gretzkyisms,” such as, “You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take.”

Faris first strapped on a pair of skates at age 5 and at 23 he was playing in Texas in the Central Hockey League. While hockey served as the cornerstone of his life, he soon came to the realization that his heart wasn’t in it anymore.

He did a lot of soul-searching and in consultation with his wife, Joanna, he decided to redirect his energy and pursue a career in real estate in 2006.

Just as he had gone “full out” as a hockey player, in his new career Faris continued to be influenced by hockey’s work ethic, discipline, dedication and mottos, such as this quote, also by The Great One, Wayne Gretzky: “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck isn’t.”

Mark Faris was a good hockey player. Today, at age 33 and broker and CEO of The Faris Team Brokerage at Royal LePage First Contact Realty, his sales statistics show he is great at real estate sales too.

The Faris Team was ranked the No. 1 Royal LePage team in Canada in 2015; the No. 1 team in Simcoe County, Ont. out of all brokerages from 2011 to 2015; and a top five team on the Toronto Real Estate Board in 2015.

Faris was honoured with the Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2015 from The Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce and he has received several other team and leader awards for corporate and community

achievements. And that’s just in 2015!

Faris grew up on a farm in the Barrie area. One of nine children, he is the oldest boy and has six brothers. He credits a competitive spirit along with Christian values, a strong work ethic, integrity and knowledge of the area for his success to date.

When he started in the business, it was a team effort with Joanna as she took care of staging, photography, marketing and design. Soon they created a brand and a company motto: “Full out for you!”

In the first year they missed their goal of 40 sales by just two, even though they were “run off our feet.” When they realized they could not do it all themselves, they hired Sabrina Staunton. “With the extra help we went from 38 sales to 100 in the next year,” Faris says. “It was a good investment.”

Staunton is currently their sales rep in Southern Georgian Bay, one of 17 cities, towns and townships served by The Faris Team in the Barrie area.

The current team includes more than a dozen sales reps, an administrative department and a marketing department.

Mark is CEO and Joanna is chief marketing officer. There is a general manager and a sales manager who is their broker of record. “Together, we oversee things with a bird’s eye perspective,” says Faris. “It’s not always about numbers. We’re not going to go on a hiring spree to get more agents to do more deals. It’s about hiring the right people and training them properly.”

Faris calls his sales reps “sales partners” and he says they are his “super agents.” Several

members of the team belong to the immediate or extended family. “We are very careful who we bring in because it is important to have the right people working for us,” says Faris. “In hockey, the best player on the team could be a disruptive influence on the team and that affects everyone.”

When asked his feelings on setting an all-time sales record in Royal LePage’s 100+ year history, Faris says, “We are humbled and proud but we don’t focus on looking over our shoulder and trying to stay No. 1. Instead, we ask ourselves, ‘What is our next goal?’”

He adds that they are constantly setting new goals and improving service. “Growth without sustaining or improving service is not good for anyone because that is short term. We take a long-term perspective.

Yes, growth is happening organically but not at the cost of quality of service.”

He emphasizes to his people that they are working in such a competitive market, they must continue to be better “or else your house of cards will come falling down.”

A member of the Connexus Community Church in Barrie and the father of three boys ages 4 to 8, Faris credits Jesus Christ for having the biggest influence on his life and for being blessed “for His unmerited love and favour.” He adds that the principles that guide his life and business come from his favourite book, the Bible.

The word “love” comes up a lot in a conversation with the award-winning broker. “I truly love the culture of the Faris Team and our ability to serve people,” he says. “Joanna and I met in church, so we have a

Mark Faris (Photo by Mike Guilbault)

solid foundation. Out of that grew a love for our clients. If you love your client, you will do the right thing and go the extra mile.”

Faris believes real estate agents should spend 80 per cent of their time prospecting because “drumming up business doesn’t cost anything.” When asked what advice he would give to young people entering the business, Faris says it is important to stay focused on your goals and keep your eye on the tiger. (On his way to a listing appointment he will often listen to the Rocky movie theme: “It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight. Risin’ up to the challenge of our rivals.”)

He admits things were tight in the beginning and he almost

gave up, but he says he had the motivation and strong desire to succeed. “Don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done.”

Faris says he enjoys the real estate business because of its challenges and “nothing is the same every day.” He adds that he is always learning because the business is always changing. “If you want to stay in this business, and continue to improve and get better, you must accept change.”

His comments are mindful of an observation once made by Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who said: “Whether I’m trying to learn in hockey or in life, I’ve always tried to be observant and tried to learn more; tried to evolve, whether it’s as a hockey player or as a person.” REM

14 REM APRIL 2016

Leasing: Get your priorities straight

Industrial, Commercial & Investment I

magine this: you find your business client a great place, at a great location, at a below market rate. Your client poured money into tenant improvements because they plan to stay there forever. And why wouldn’t they? The rent is so cheap and the location is great!

But, we all know that if it’s too good to be true….

Just after your client does a full launch of his business, the landlord’s lender tells him that his lease is terminated and he is evicted.

Do they have the right? Does your client have to leave?

If he signed a lease with a subordination clause and didn’t ask for a non-disturbance clause, then yes and yes.

Commercial real estate landlords are not the driving force behind this clause. It’s the lenders.

Banks or other lenders typically demand that landlords include a subordination clause in their leases.

The clause is very important to lenders because it states that any leases signed by the landlord will always be lower in priority to any existing or future mortgages on the property. In other words, if the landlord defaults on its

What real estate agents need to know about the subordination clause

mortgage and the lender forecloses, the lender has the right to terminate the lease and evict the tenant. Under most circumstances, this is perfectly legal – even if the tenant pays its rent and has fulfilled all of its responsibilities under the lease.

What are the benefits of a subordination clause to the lender?

In the event of foreclosure, this clause gives the lender the ability to get rid of tenants that are paying below-market rent or are otherwise “undesirable”.

This clause is used with little regard for the tenant’s investment into the premises, leasehold improvements or its dependency on the location for customer attraction.

So what happened?

You failed to request a nondisturbance agreement in exchange for the subordination clause. This failure occurred because you didn’t understand the general lease priority rules.

Lease priority rules A new lease is automatically subordinate to any existing mortgage on the property. This rule is

By Natalka Falcomer true unless any of the following apply: 1) there’s a provision in the lease stating otherwise; 2) the tenant has notice of the mortgage; and/or 3) the lender properly records the mortgage.

Conversely, any mortgages recorded after a lease is signed will be subordinate or “secondary” to the tenant’s rights in the leased premises. This rule is generally true, unless the tenant agrees to a subordination clause.

In light of the second scenario – where the mortgage is recorded after the lease – subordination clauses are critical to protect the lender’s rights and interests. The lender needs the flexibility to make the changes necessary to make the property cash flow positive; this means getting new tenants, breaking unprofitable agreements and refinancing the property.

Although it’s difficult to argue against the lender’s need to make its business cash flow positive, the repercussions of the subordination clause is still very onesided and unfair for the tenant.

So, lawyers have devised a few

ways to protect the tenant in the event of a foreclosure.

What you can do about it Solution 1: Use a non-disturbance agreement: Ask the lender to enter into a non-disturbance agreement (NDA) with the tenant. An NDA bans the lender from interfering with the tenant’s use of the premises, unless the tenant doesn’t pay rent and fails to comply with the terms and conditions of the lease agreement.

New tenants put an NDA requirement from any existing mortgage lender holding a mortgage on the property into the offer to lease or lease. If your client is a tenant with strong negotiating power, request an NDA immediately or upon the next renewal of the lease.

Warning! The lender will ask for certain conditions in exchange for an NDA. For example, the tenant may be prohibited from modifying the lease without the lender’s approval.

The more problematic condi-

tions are those that permit the lender to avoid any responsibility for the bankrupt landlord’s unpaid prepaid rent, security deposits or unperformed landlord obligations.

Lenders may also request that the NDA include a condition that the lender has the right to obtain certification by a qualified, independent appraiser that lease payments reflect the property’s fair market rental value.

Solution 2: Avoid automatic subordination: Keep an eye out for “automatic subordination” clauses and avoid them! This clause undercuts the tenant’s priority vis-à-vis a subsequent mortgage lender and doesn’t give the tenant an automatic right to another NDA with the subsequent lender.

Solution 3: Walk away. In certain scenarios, a tenant can literally walk away from its lease and the obligations if the landlord goes bankrupt and the lender enforces its security. This is because the tenant has no agreement with the lender to recognize Continued on page 16

CARES RE/MAX Agents are leaders in their community, their time and raising dollars for countless charities.

Thank you to these TOP RE/MAX donors: Top CMN Contributor in Ontario: Barry Cohen, RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Top CMN Contributor in Atlantic Canada: Gordon Breau, RE/MAX Professionals Saint John Inc. Top CBCF Contributor in Ontario: Heather Skuce, RE/MAX Metro-City Realty Ltd. Top CBCF Contributor in Atlantic Canada: David Norris, RE/MAX United Inc.

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As Liniger and other real estate industry leaders will tell you, in today’s real estate market, it’s imperative for agents to have a leverageable “system� that will produce reliable and consistent results. Failure to systemize the way you work, how you generate leads, close appointments and service your clients results in some appalling industry stats: t 70% of agents sell 6 or less homes a year t 1 in 5 agents sell zero homes in a year. Zero! t The average agent earns less than a school teacher (Statistics Canada) t With the lure of supposedly “fast, easy money�, Jo average is flocking to our industry to the point where there is approximately one realtor for every 245 Canadians (and in the GTA, there’s one realtor for every 140 people) t 80% of agents quit the business within a few years of getting into it t 95% of agents make under $100,000 a year in income Why some agents prosper while others struggle 7 out of 10 Canadian agents is barely surviving. At the

same time, in the very same market, the top 1% of agents are prospering, and a handful have become multimillionaires while working less hours than the average agent.

So what do you know about these super successful Canadian agents -- those netting (after expenses) $500,000, $1 Million, $3 Million or more a year selling real estate? What do you really know about how they think, what they do, and how they approach the business, most often rejecting the industry norms that enslave the typical agent?

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16 REM APRIL 2016

Trust and commitment “Commitment is an act, not a word.” – Jean-Paul Sartre

By Ross Wilson

L

ast month, I addressed what I feel is a misnomer with respect to your official designation as a salesperson.

Regardless, you know instinctively what makes a good salesperson and it’s not pressure tactics. To build a solid, sustainable career, a good agent doesn’t resort to the more ignoble characteristics as depicted in the current definition described in my last column.

So, how do you develop a lasting business consisting of loyal returning and referring clients? By setting out on the path to be the best you can be, by mastering the skills necessary to assertively and ethically assist consumers to achieve their goals and by making yourself indispensable. A major part of that path is the ability to inspire trust in and win commitment from your prospects. You want to be “The One”.

Many people distrust any and all salespeople because they fear being coerced into committing to

do something they’d prefer not to do. Their defences are often immediately raised and sometimes indefinitely remain there.

How do you respond when approached by a sales clerk in a home electronics store? Just looking, you say, because you automatically distrust anything they offer in their sometimes poorly veiled attempt to sell you something. They’re definitely salespeople loyal to the seller – or to themselves – and not agent intermediaries.

Unlike an electronics salesman, your mission is not to pressure someone into a decision.

Your task is to determine your client’s needs, establish their realistic affordability and patiently and persistently endeavour to fulfill them. The best way to accomplish that mission, as I continue to say, is to gain their trust.

It’s wonderful when you can enjoy the benefits of having your professional advice not fall upon deaf ears or stone-cold hearts.

People traditionally and automatically trust their doctor, lawyer or pharmacist (not always justifiably), but you must earn your client’s trust. Do you not dream about having unquestioned client loyalty? Not to take

advantage of them, but for the comfort in knowing that not only will you satisfy them, but when all is said and done, you’ll be compensated for your efforts.

After all, you often invest considerable resources and don’t always receive a return on that investment. People stray.

Circumstances change. Loyalties shift.

But think about it. If you were always guaranteed complete loyalty and compensation, the lower risk could conceivably translate into lower income, and our industry would significantly morph. Having said this, it’s up to you whether you choose to accept a prospect as a client in the first place. You must trust them too. Normally, to a point, you do because the potential substantial remuneration is worth the risk; that’s why you earn the big bucks. If you’re not being appropriately compensated for that risk, you may want to address the issues by changing your method of operation.

I propose that most consumers would prefer to place their faith and trust in just one realty agent. After all, they traditionally trust one doctor, lawyer or religious leader. Why? Aside from being socially programmed,

it’s easier than assuming personal responsibility for their medical, legal or spiritual health. By trusting one honest agent, the home relocation process can be much simpler and more agreeable for everyone involved.

“A man who trusts nobody is apt to be the kind of man nobody trusts.” – Harold MacMillan.

Ross Wilson, broker with iPro Realty, has extensive experience as a brokerage owner, manager, trainer and mentor. His new book, The Happy Agent – Finding Harmony with a Thriving Realty Career and an Enriched Personal Life is available where print and e-books are sold, including the TREB, BREB, RAHB and OMDREB stores.

Visit Realty-Voice.com. REM

Leasing Continued from page 14

the lender as its new landlord. This is true, however, only if the tenant’s lease is subsequent in priority to a mortgage and if the tenant hasn’t agreed to an attornment clause.

An attornment clause forces the tenant to “attorn” to the lender, which means that the tenant promises to recognize the lender as its landlord if the landlord defaults. Attornment protects lenders and will even require the tenant to attorn to any successor in title, including any purchaser to whom the lender might sell the property during the loan enforcement process.

The best advice: prepare for the worst by knowing what you’re getting your client to sign, but hope for the best when entering into the relationship with the landlord.

Natalka Falcomer is a lawyer and licensed real estate sales agent who has a passion to make the law accessible and affordable. She founded, hosts and coproduces a popular legal call-in show on Rogers TV, Toronto Speaks Legal Advice. She founded Groundworks, a firm connected to a team of vetted legal professionals who specialize in commercial real estate leasing services. www.groundworksfirm.com REM

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18 REM APRIL 2016

SALES COACH

By Bruce Keith

F

requently salespeople are in what I call “react mode.”

You start the day with all the best intentions and you do something because that’s what you planned on doing. Then something else comes up and you start doing that. And then you end up here, here, here, here, there, there.

You’re all over the place and this isn’t because you’re out of control. It’s because you don’t have a plan in place. Bottom line, you’re in react mode because things come up and you move from one task to another with no control.

Of course things are going to come up, that’s the nature of the

Your big picture planning time business. The key is how to deal with it.

Let me show you a solution to working on your business and in your business. It’s called Big Picture Planning Time. This is something I used for years as a real estate agent and I still use it now in my business.

Big Picture Planning Time is where you schedule 30 minutes near the end of every day. In that time period, you work on the projects that you have coming up. It’s a project based activity.

So here’s what you would do.

Let’s say you said, “My time slot, Bruce, is going to be 4:30 until 5 pm every single day.” Now let’s face it, if you schedule something that’s really important, you’ll end up doing it, right? Well, this IS important.

Think of it this way: You have to spend some time working ON your business, not just IN your business. What are some of the things you would do in that 30minute period that I’m recom-

mending you schedule? Well, things like this.

Let’s say it was a project and you said, “I want to improve the quality of my listing presentation.”

So you would spend that half an hour working on it. So you aren’t going to be rushing around saying, “I just set a listing appointment, I better change my presentation for tomorrow.” Not at all. Make it a planned activity.

What else would you put in that time slot? Things like revising your daily schedule – what adjustments might you have to make? Or for example, looking at your personal goals. Let’s say you wanted to plan something special in the summer for your family. That’s when you work on it, because it’s a project based activity. It’s BPPT. There are all kinds of projects in your business you have to constantly look at. Let’s say, for example, you wanted to readjust the way you were going to be doing your farm program or the way you were going to stay in touch with your

past clients and sphere of influence. Or, let’s say you wanted to get some new role-play partners.

That’s what you do in this 30minute period.

In project based activity, nothing else comes in, just things that you know if you don’t do it, you’re going to be a slave to react mode all the time. That’s not a good approach. You aren’t going to be building anything, you’re just going to be trying to keep up.

So do yourself a favour, set aside 30 minutes every day for Big Picture Planning Time. Typically it’s best near the end of the day when your mind is a bit tired and you need a break. Some people do it after dinner. It doesn’t matter when you do it, but just do it so that you’re planning for the future.

Now one more quick suggestion. On Fridays when you’ve scheduled your BPPT, here’s the best thing you can possibly do. Set it up so that you are actually planning some of the big things that are coming up next week. Look ahead

and get everything in place for next week.

For example, even if you were just making sure you had your lead generation, your follow-up and your prospecting in order for the next five mornings, it’s worthwhile. Get it all ready in advance, because here’s what it does for you.

BPPT gives you a break mentally so that you’re not fussing all the time, thinking, “I must get this ready for next week…but I don’t know when I’ll get around to it.”

Big Picture Planning Time is one of the best things you can do to manage your business and your life. Start spending 30 minutes every day working ON your business, not just IN your business. No excuses.

Bruce Keith is a leading real estate coach/author/speaker (http://www.brucekeithresults.com).

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THE 2015

TOP AGENTS 2015

Circle of Legends Award Lino Arci

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Toronto

Jerry Hendriks

Gary Betts

Cynthia Avis

Ray Cochrane

RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp. RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc. Mississauga Oakville

Liam Kealey

RE/MAX Garden City Realty Inc. RE/MAX Metro-City Realty Ltd. Ottawa St. Catharines

Robert Kroll

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

Jan Oystrick

Edward Placzek

Rob Sanderson

Maurice De Laere

RE/MAX Tri-County Realty Inc. Tillsonburg

Samuel Shing

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. RE/MAX Crown Realty (1989) Inc. RE/MAX Centre City Realty Inc. RE/MAX Advantage Sanderson RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Toronto Sudbury London Toronto Realty Brokerage, Arva #2

#1

Frank Leo

RE/MAX West Realty Inc. Toronto #5

#3

Bill Thom

#6

Peter Kwan

Shahid Khawaja

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Toronto #7

#8

#9

Cheri McCann

Peter Hogeterp

RE/MAX All-Stars Realty Inc. Stouffville

#4

Bijan Barati

RE/MAX Realtron Bill Thom Realty Inc., Toronto

Lee Weldon

Vesna Kolenc

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Woodbridge #10

Faisal Susiwala

Gary Betts

RE/MAX Performance Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. RE/MAX Twin City Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc. Cambridge Markham Toronto Stoney Creek Mississauga Mississauga #1

#2

Pam DeCourcey

#3

Sarah Justason

#5

Daniel Cyr

RE/MAX NOVA Dartmouth

RE/MAX Hartford Realty Woodstock #7

#6

Philip Stone

RE/MAX Infinity Realty Inc. Conception Bay South

#4

Brian Hayden

RE/MAX Professionals Saint John Inc. RE/MAX Group Four Realty Ltd. Saint John Fredericton #8

Nassim Klayme RE/MAX Nova Dartmouth

#9

Rebecca Steeves

ONTARIO - ATLANTIC

Bill Sheppard

RE/MAX Realty Specialists Ltd. St. Johnʼs #10

Craig Piercey

RE/MAX Group Four Realty Ltd. RE/MAX Infinity Realty Inc. Fredericton Conception Bay South

Randi Emmott

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Woodbridge

Dawna Feser RE/MAX Nova Dartmouth

Andrew Williams

RE/MAX Realty Services Inc. Brampton

THE 2015

TOP AGENTS

2015

Diamond Club Award Mark Amador

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Toronto

David Bailey

RE/MAX West Realty Inc. Toronto

Lisa Fayle

Steve Bailey

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Cambridge

Rod Frank

Eli Bakhtiari

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

Michelle Fraser

Bijan Barati

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Toronto

Douglas Gillis

RE/MAX Rouge River Realty Ltd. RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. RE/MAX Four Seasons Realty Ltd. Whitby Hamilton Toronto Collingwood

Shahid Khawaja

RE/MAX Performance Realty Inc. Mississauga

Robert Nardi

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Toronto

Vesna Kolenc

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Woodbridge

Levon Nazarian

RE/MAX Infinite Inc. Richmond Hill

Mike Krause

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Georgetown

Marian Neal

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

David Batori

RE/MAX Hallmark Batori Group Inc., Toronto

Robert Golfi

RE/MAX Escarpment Golfi Realty Inc., Hamilton

Peter Kwan

Roger LeBlanc

Paul Oulahen

Peter Papousek

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Markham

RE/MAX Avante Moncton

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realty Enterprises Inc. Mississauga Toronto

Leslie Benczik

RE/MAX All-Stars Realty Inc. Markham

Joanne Goneau

Lino Arci

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Toronto

Gary Betts

Parveen Arora

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Brampton

Brad Bondy

RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc. Mississauga

RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. Amherstburg

Jerry Gould

Jerry Hendriks

RE/MAX Absolute Realty Inc. RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. RE/MAX Garden City Realty Inc. St. Catharines Ottawa Orangeville

Bella Lee

Frank Leo

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

RE/MAX West Realty Inc. Toronto

Manjit Pawar

Isabel Pinheiro

RE/MAX Dynasty Hospitality RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Markham Cambridge

Stephen Leung

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Richmond Hill

Frank Polsinello

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Newmarket

Cynthia Avis

Audrey Azad

RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp. RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto Oakville

Dawna Borg

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Vaughan

Jainarine Brijpaul

RE/MAX West Realty Inc .

Toronto

Sundeep Bahl

RE/MAX Plus-City Team Inc. Toronto

Claudio Cerrito

Peter Hogeterp

Julia Hu

Sammy Hui

Kevin Lin

Lenard Lind

Sarah Logue

RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. RE/MAX Masterʼs Choice Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Richmond Hill Stoney Creek Markham

RE/MAX Imperial Realty Inc. RE/MAX Hallmark Lind Group RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. Burlington Markham Realty Ltd., Aurora

Tony Pulla

RE/MAX Lakeshore Realty Inc. Cobourg

Rocco Racioppo

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Newmarket

Tony Chan

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. RE/MAX RE/MAX Realtron TNS Realty Inc., Markham Toronto

Geeta Rajpal

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Markham

Stuart Hyman

Anne Chilton

RE/MAX Chay Realty Inc. Barrie

Barry Cohen

Ray Cochrane

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Toronto

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

Christopher Invidiata

Alex Irish

Domenic Manchisi

Dianna Mandzuk

RE/MAX Ultimate Realty Inc. RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp. RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp.

Oakville Toronto Oakville

Bashar Mahfooth

RE/MAX Realty One Inc. Mississauga

Mark Richards

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

RE/MAX Escarpment Manchisi Realty Inc., Burlington

Chris Richie

RE/MAX In The Hills Inc. Caledon East

RE/MAX Jazz Inc. Oshawa

Mary Roy

RE/MAX First Realty Ltd. Ajax

Jeff Jaffari

RE/MAX Vision Realty Inc. Toronto

Cheri McCann

Cintia De Aguiar

RE/MAX Ultimate Realty Inc. Toronto

Peyvand Jalali Moghadam RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Thornhill

Geoff McGowan

Richard Duggal

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Toronto

Beverly Jones

RE/MAX Professionals Inc. Toronto

Marg Morren

RE/MAX Affiliates Geoff And RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Bobbie McGowan Realty Ltd., Ottawa Toronto Burlington

Reinhold Schickedanz

Samuel Shing

Leo Shiu

RE/MAX All-Stars Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realtron Superstars Realty Inc. Toronto Markham Ballantrae

No Photo Provided: Tony Anduono Locilento, RE/MAX Premier Inc., Woodbridge Julie Seo, RE/MAX Ultimate Realty Inc., Toronto

Al Sinclair

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

Faisal Susiwala

RE/MAX Twin City Realty Inc. Cambridge

Monica Thapar

RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc. Toronto

Bill Thom

RE/MAX Realtron Bill Thom Realty Inc., Toronto

Katy Torabi

RE/MAX Realtron Katy Torabi Realty Inc. Toronto

Angelo Toscano

Joy Verde

Drew Woolcott

RE/MAX Metro-City Realty Ltd. RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. RE/MAX Escarpment Woolcott Ottawa Toronto Realty Inc., Dundas

Lindsay Wright

RE/MAX Hallmark Wright Group Realty Ltd., Toronto

ONTARIO - ATLANTIC

Melanie Wright

RE/MAX Hallmark Wright Group Realty Ltd., Toronto

Mary Wylde

Shirley Ye

Alaa Yousif

Jason Yu

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. RE/MAX Realtron Tns Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc . RE/MAX Partners Realty Inc. Guelph Markham Richmond Hill Mississauga

Mustafa Zia

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Mississauga

THE 2015

TOP AGENTS

2015

Diamond Club Award Mark Amador

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Toronto

David Bailey

RE/MAX West Realty Inc. Toronto

Lisa Fayle

Steve Bailey

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Cambridge

Rod Frank

Eli Bakhtiari

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

Michelle Fraser

Bijan Barati

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Toronto

Douglas Gillis

RE/MAX Rouge River Realty Ltd. RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. RE/MAX Four Seasons Realty Ltd. Whitby Hamilton Toronto Collingwood

Shahid Khawaja

RE/MAX Performance Realty Inc. Mississauga

Robert Nardi

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Toronto

Vesna Kolenc

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Woodbridge

Levon Nazarian

RE/MAX Infinite Inc. Richmond Hill

Mike Krause

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Georgetown

Marian Neal

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

David Batori

RE/MAX Hallmark Batori Group Inc., Toronto

Robert Golfi

RE/MAX Escarpment Golfi Realty Inc., Hamilton

Peter Kwan

Roger LeBlanc

Paul Oulahen

Peter Papousek

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Markham

RE/MAX Avante Moncton

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realty Enterprises Inc. Mississauga Toronto

Leslie Benczik

RE/MAX All-Stars Realty Inc. Markham

Joanne Goneau

Lino Arci

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Toronto

Gary Betts

Parveen Arora

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Brampton

Brad Bondy

RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc. Mississauga

RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. Amherstburg

Jerry Gould

Jerry Hendriks

RE/MAX Absolute Realty Inc. RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. RE/MAX Garden City Realty Inc. St. Catharines Ottawa Orangeville

Bella Lee

Frank Leo

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

RE/MAX West Realty Inc. Toronto

Manjit Pawar

Isabel Pinheiro

RE/MAX Dynasty Hospitality RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Markham Cambridge

Stephen Leung

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Richmond Hill

Frank Polsinello

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Newmarket

Cynthia Avis

Audrey Azad

RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp. RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto Oakville

Dawna Borg

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Vaughan

Jainarine Brijpaul

RE/MAX West Realty Inc .

Toronto

Sundeep Bahl

RE/MAX Plus-City Team Inc. Toronto

Claudio Cerrito

Peter Hogeterp

Julia Hu

Sammy Hui

Kevin Lin

Lenard Lind

Sarah Logue

RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. RE/MAX Masterʼs Choice Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Richmond Hill Stoney Creek Markham

RE/MAX Imperial Realty Inc. RE/MAX Hallmark Lind Group RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. Burlington Markham Realty Ltd., Aurora

Tony Pulla

RE/MAX Lakeshore Realty Inc. Cobourg

Rocco Racioppo

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Newmarket

Tony Chan

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. RE/MAX RE/MAX Realtron TNS Realty Inc., Markham Toronto

Geeta Rajpal

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Markham

Stuart Hyman

Anne Chilton

RE/MAX Chay Realty Inc. Barrie

Barry Cohen

Ray Cochrane

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Toronto

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

Christopher Invidiata

Alex Irish

Domenic Manchisi

Dianna Mandzuk

RE/MAX Ultimate Realty Inc. RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp. RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp.

Oakville Toronto Oakville

Bashar Mahfooth

RE/MAX Realty One Inc. Mississauga

Mark Richards

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

RE/MAX Escarpment Manchisi Realty Inc., Burlington

Chris Richie

RE/MAX In The Hills Inc. Caledon East

RE/MAX Jazz Inc. Oshawa

Mary Roy

RE/MAX First Realty Ltd. Ajax

Jeff Jaffari

RE/MAX Vision Realty Inc. Toronto

Cheri McCann

Cintia De Aguiar

RE/MAX Ultimate Realty Inc. Toronto

Peyvand Jalali Moghadam RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Thornhill

Geoff McGowan

Richard Duggal

RE/MAX Premier Inc. Toronto

Beverly Jones

RE/MAX Professionals Inc. Toronto

Marg Morren

RE/MAX Affiliates Geoff And RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Bobbie McGowan Realty Ltd., Ottawa Toronto Burlington

Reinhold Schickedanz

Samuel Shing

Leo Shiu

RE/MAX All-Stars Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realtron Superstars Realty Inc. Toronto Markham Ballantrae

No Photo Provided: Tony Anduono Locilento, RE/MAX Premier Inc., Woodbridge Julie Seo, RE/MAX Ultimate Realty Inc., Toronto

Al Sinclair

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

Faisal Susiwala

RE/MAX Twin City Realty Inc. Cambridge

Monica Thapar

RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc. Toronto

Bill Thom

RE/MAX Realtron Bill Thom Realty Inc., Toronto

Katy Torabi

RE/MAX Realtron Katy Torabi Realty Inc. Toronto

Angelo Toscano

Joy Verde

Drew Woolcott

RE/MAX Metro-City Realty Ltd. RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. RE/MAX Escarpment Woolcott Ottawa Toronto Realty Inc., Dundas

Lindsay Wright

RE/MAX Hallmark Wright Group Realty Ltd., Toronto

ONTARIO - ATLANTIC

Melanie Wright

RE/MAX Hallmark Wright Group Realty Ltd., Toronto

Mary Wylde

Shirley Ye

Alaa Yousif

Jason Yu

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. RE/MAX Realtron Tns Realty Inc. RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc . RE/MAX Partners Realty Inc. Guelph Markham Richmond Hill Mississauga

Mustafa Zia

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Mississauga

THE 2015 #1

TOP AGENTS

#2

Barry Cohen

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Toronto

Robert Golfi The Golfi Team

RE/MAX Escarpment Golfi Realty Inc., Hamilton #1

Jim Burton Team Burton

RE/MAX Infinity Realty Inc., Conception Bay South

#5

Janice Grandy Team Grandy RE/MAX United Inc. Mount Pearl

Cynthia Avis Avis & Irish

Christopher Invidiata The Invidiata Team RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp., Oakville

#6

#5

#4

#3

#7

Melanie Wright The Wright Sisters Team RE/MAX Hallmark Wright Group Realty Ltd., Toronto

#8

Bella Lee Eli & Bella Group

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp., Oakville

RE/MAX Escarpment Woolcott Realty Inc., Dundas

#9

#10

David Batori

Rod Frank The Rod Frank Team

RE/MAX Hallmark Batori Group Inc. Toronto

RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc., Hamilton

#2

#3

Thomas Bagogloo The Bagogloo Team

Andy Sawler The Sawler Group

#6

#7

Lisa MacIntosh

RE/MAX Group Four Realty Ltd. Fredericton

Gilbert Smith Team Smith

RE/MAX Realty Specialists Ltd. St. Johnʼs

Justin Spurrell

Keith Bradbury

RE/MAX United Inc. Mount Pearl

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd., Toronto

David Norris The David Norris Real Estate Team

RE/MAX United Inc., Mount Pearl

#10

#9

#8

Audrey Azad Brent & Audrey Real Estate

#4

RE/MAX NOVA Dartmouth

RE/MAX Nova Halifax

Drew Woolcott The Woolcott Team

RE/MAX United Inc. Mount Pearl

Carol Anstey Deer Lake - RE/MAX Team RE/MAX Realty Professionals Ltd. Deer Lake

2015

Top

Commercial Agent

– Atlantic Canada

Award

Levon Nazarian

RE/MAX Infinite Inc. Richmond Hill

Manjit Pawar

RE/MAX Dynasty Hospitality Brampton

Craig Snow

RE/MAX Nova Dartmouth

ONTARIO - ATLANTIC

No Photo Provided: Top 3 ICI by Commission Julie Seo, RE/MAX Ultimate Realty Inc., Toronto *Based on 2015 total commissions, RE/MAX Integra Ontario-Atlantic Canada.

THE 2015

#1

#2

Mustafa Zia

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Mississauga

#7

#3

Stephen Leung

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Richmond Hill #8

Shawn Tahririha

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty Ltd. Toronto

#13

Andy Zheng

#14

Stephanie Pilarski

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Thornhill

#20

Wilson Chen

RE/MAX Masterʼs Choice Realty Inc., Markham

Jeff Kitchen

Penny H. Pei

#27

Sahil Jaggi

Zach Bayley-Hay

RE/MAX Chay Realty Inc. Barrie

Kevin Gibson

RE/MAX Niagara Realty Ltd. Niagara Falls

#22

RE/MAX Professionals Saint John Inc. RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Saint John Toronto

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Toronto

Evan Tang

RE/MAX Crossroads Realty Inc. Markham

#15

#21

#26

#4

#9

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Markham

Heather Reid

#5

Chuck Hogeterp

Chris Costabile

RE/MAX Twin City Realty Inc. Brantford

Peter Kostecki

Brady Thrasher

RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. Amherstburg

#10

#11

Emily Rawson

Hao Yu

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Inc. Richmond Hill

#17

#18

Jennifer Ziegler

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Kitchener

Eugene Kaplun

RE/MAX Infinite Inc. Richmond Hill

#24

Kyle Landry

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Milton

Mani Batoo

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Mississauga

#12

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc. Fergus

#29

RE/MAX Twin City Realty Inc. Waterloo

#6

RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. Stoney Creek

#23

#28

RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc. Stoney Creek

TOP AGENTS

Christopher Schelck

RE/MAX Professionals Inc. Toronto

Muhammad Khan

RE/MAX Rouge River Realty Ltd. Ajax

#19

Olivia Torun

RE/MAX Realty Enterprises Inc. Mississauga

#25

Karly Moore

RE/MAX Realty Specialists Inc. Mississauga

#30

Brandon Williams

RE/MAX Community Realty Inc. Toronto

ONTARIO - ATLANTIC

Travis Langeraap

RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc Stoney Creek

No Photo Provided: #16 Weiqiang Zhan, RE/MAX Masterʼs Choice Realty Inc., Markham

24 REM APRIL 2016

Multiple Listings Continued from page 6

Garcha are the owners of the new HomeLife Silvercity Realty in Brampton, Ont. Opening its doors in January, the brokerage already has more than 95 sales reps and brokers on the team.

Baljit Garcha is the broker of record. The office is at 50 Cottrell Blvd., Unit 29 in Brampton.

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Alexandre Desrochers has acquired Royal LePage St-Jean, a brokerage in St-Jean-surRichelieu, Que. with a team of 25 brokers. At the age of 30, Desrochers is the youngest owner within the Quebec Royal LePage network.

Before joining Royal LePage, he worked for seven years as real estate broker with another brand.

The company says his goal is to position his brokerage as the number one real estate brand in the region.

■ ■ ■

Century 21 Foothills Real Estate has opened a ninth location in Medicine Hat, Alta. offering property management expertise.

Since 1979, the company has offered real estate services to clients in Southern Alberta.

In 2015, owner Blair Gordon was honoured with the Calgary Real Estate Board’s Membership Recognition Award for serving the area for 35 years. He has also earned several top Century 21 awards.

■ ■ ■

Peter Meyer and Peter Hoffman of Royal LePage Triland Realty in London and St. Thomas, Ont. recently expanded their operations to merge with Royal LePage Landco Realty. The salespeople from Royal LePage Landco will relocate to the Royal LePage Triland offices in their respective cities. Former Royal LePage Landco broker/owner Jeff Nethercott stays on in London in a sales capacity.

Triland Realty was established in 1989 by Peter Hoffman and Robert Breuer. The brokerage joined the Royal LePage network in 1997. Meyer joined in ownership with Hoffman in 2010 when Breuer retired from the business.

The brokerage has 235 agents on the roster with offices in London, St. Thomas, Woodstock and Ingersoll.

■ ■ ■

In October, a team of Re/Max brokers and sales reps and a few friends toured and played hockey together in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Since 2000, the team has toured and played, in order, in Czech Republic, Hungary, Sweden, Poland/Czech Republic, Slovakia/Hungary, Latvia/Russia, Germany, Poland, Austria/ Slovakia/Czech Republic/Hungary.

In 2014 the team toured Japan.

While in London this year, the team visited Buckingham Palace and Canada House. It saw the White Cliffs of Dover, as well as the mighty walls in the City of York, Edinburgh Castle in Scotland and Belfast in Northern Ireland.

This fall the team will play in Italy, Slovenia and Austria.

■ ■ ■

Colliers International in Vancouver recently announced that the Unique Properties Practice Group has rejoined the firm. Mark Lester, Alan Johnson and Andrea Thievin specialize in the marketing and sale of real estate assets such as resorts, private islands, waterfront and coastal estates, ranches, agricultural portfolios, golf courses, ski resorts, marinas, comprehensive development properties and forestry, rural and corporate resource properties.

Lester, founder of Unique Properties, and Johnson started working in partnership in 1997.

The Unique Properties Practice Group was formalized in 1998. The team left Colliers in 2011 to pursue alternative approaches to their business. In January 2013, Thieven joined the team as a licensed assistant.

■ ■ ■

Empire Communities, one of Canada’s largest homebuilders, has appointed Dan Flomen as executive vice president, sales.

Flomen has provided real estate brokerage services to builders in Ontario, Alberta and select U.S. and international markets including the Middle East during the past 25 years. He has worked with Empire Communities since 2004 overseeing all aspects of their sales division while continuing to oversee TFN Realty in Vaughan, Ont. and its clients in the building industry and resale community.

REM

26 REM APRIL 2016

The intricacies of selling a celebrity’s home

Privacy and security are critical elements when selling a celebrity’s home

the owner is. I don’t personally know of any properties that sold for more money because the owner was famous.”

Not everyone gets to see a celebrity listing. Ideally, prospective buyers are screened and pre-approved before they are shown the property and confidentially agreements may be signed.

C

elebrity home sellers fall into two categories: those who expect discretion and sellers who are happy to have their name publicly attached to the home that’s for sale.

Mark Lester, the founder and group leader of the Unique Properties Group at Colliers International in Vancouver, says, “I have a conversation with the client about how they want us to handle inquiries about the identity of the seller and the

Mark Lester

reason for selling. Some ultra high-net-worth individuals (UHNWs) don’t mind having their names used and recognize that their name can actually assist in the sale process. In such cases, the sale of a property

owned by a well-known seller can facilitate media attention that will help to sell the property.”

But Lester adds, “Others do not want their identity to sidetrack the sale process and will have their reasons for keeping it quiet (privacy and security being two primary reasons). I advise them of the advantages and disadvantages of either approach and let them make the decision.”

Unless you are able to keep the sale hush-hush, the notoriety of your sellers will bring added attention whether you want it or not. Unfortunately not all of it will be wanted attention as the public’s curiosity for all things celebrity is at an all-time high.

Robin McInnis, an awardwinning sales rep with Sutton Group - West Coast Realty in Vancouver, says the most challenging thing about selling a celebrity home is “keeping the identity of the homeowner private and the looky-loos away from the property. Usually, it’s the neighbours who tip off potential buyers. The properties are typically more expensive,

which naturally thins the potential buyer pool.”

While some agents believe celebrity notoriety can increase the price by up to 30 per cent more than a comparable nonceleb property, others claim celebrity status adds nothing to the monetary value. The trick is finding that one buyer who is willing to pay a premium for the celebrity home. As we all know, asking price and market value don’t matter nearly as much as what someone is willing to pay for a property.

After Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died, her apartment – which was in need of a total renovation – sold for US $9.5 million. A similar, recently renovated apartment in the same building that was only slightly smaller sold at the same time for US $3.7 million. “It depends on who the seller is and how famous they are,” says McInnis. “Obviously Neverland and Graceland are going to sell for more money simply because of who owned them previously.

For the most part, I’d say no, but if you get a real fan of a particular person, it could be worth more if they know who

“I pre-qualify all buyers of properties being sold by UHNWs or any property that requires privacy and financial qualification,” says Lester.

“Properties being sold by UHNW individuals tend to be in the upper spectrum of the value range. We don’t want to waste our time or our client’s time by introducing a purchaser that is not qualified and we do not want an unqualified buyer to get on a property that they should not otherwise have

By Toby Welch shares the information about his listing. Only when speaking to top agents does he disclose the identity of the property’s owner, ensuring he targets agents who will be more apt to know the right buyer.

When asked if she markets the price of a celebrity home different than a non-celeb home, McInnis says, “Not if they’re of equal value but if the celebrity’s home is worth more, then yes, because it’ll appeal to a different crowd. It’s not uncommon to buy ads in major international magazines and foreign newspapers. This fall, I’ll be selling a $12 million home and intend to spend seven to eight times more on marketing than I would on a typical home. This one will feature an invitation-only catered cocktail party with valet and luxury cars filling the driveway. It will be listed exclusively so will not be on MLS.”

access to. Again, privacy and security are critical, but there are a lot of people out there who want to pretend that they have the ability to financially perform when, in fact, they cannot. Part of our job is to be a screening agent for our sellers and their properties.”

Distinctive possessions and personal memorabilia belonging to the sellers can often detract from the property. A basketball star’s trophies, strings of jerseys and life-sized portraits can make it challenging for a buyer to see himself living there. An actor’s unique decorating choices may make it impossible for a buyer to see beyond the exorbitant price tag of not only the property but also the cost to undo the funky decorating. Such situations make it easy for a potential buyer to move onto other properties. Convincing your famous seller to depersonalize their home may pay off with a faster, higher-priced sale.

How do you market a celebrity property? One real estate broker who demanded anonymity for fear of upsetting clients says he doesn’t put celebrity listings online. He calls every agency in the area and

While selling a house that belongs to Madonna or Drake might seem like a no-brainer, celebrity homes fall into such a specialized category that they can challenge even the most seasoned sales agent. REM

Robin McInnis

28 REM APRIL 2016

In search of a great real estate brokerage Selecting a brokerage should not be taken lightly and your due diligence should be a well thought-out process.

By Don Kottick

W

hen you are serious about a career in real estate and want to find a brokerage that aligns with your career aspirations, selecting the “right” brokerage is critical to your success. A fallacy exists that higher commissions should be your ultimate goal, but agent productivity statistics repeatedly reveal that this is not case. If you receive 100 per cent of the commission, you have to ask yourself what kind of support and services you can expect from the brokerage. The answer should be obvious: you get what you pay for, but this is fine for some.

John Lusink, vice-president at Chestnut Park Real Estate in Toronto, says, “A brokerage’s financial stability question only seems to surface when the economy starts to weaken, but realistically you should always be thinking about this. I also see a shift occurring in the industry back to the ‘truly’ full service, responsive brokerage models, especially as the public and our provincial regulatory bodies focus more on professionalism and competency.”

Bill Phillips, CEO of CoPilot Business Coaching in Vancouver says, “According to the National Association of Realtors, the primary reason that agents leave a brokerage is due to the manager.

It is important that you are culturally and ethically aligned with your manager. A good manager is objective, knowledgeable, responsive and available either on the phone or via text during ‘extended’ real estate business hours. Before you join a brokerage, run a simple test. Place a call to the manager and count the minutes until they respond.

This should be your first and most telling test.”

Richmond Hill, Ont.’s Daryl

King, president of the Daryl King Team at Royal LePage Your Community, says, “As a team leader, I looked for a brokerage that understood the needs of a large successful team and supported our efforts by maintaining a strong public relations presence, and maintained very active involvement in the community and local charities.

Vivian Risi, owner of Your Community, excels at brand promotion and community activism, which perfectly supple-

failure – of a brokerage.”

Louise Remillard, president of Profusion Immobilier in Montreal says, “Training and development is very important when choosing a brokerage and it does not matter if you are new to the business or experienced.

You should ask the brokerage to provide you with their monthly training schedule to ensure they are delivering all that is communicated during the interview. I would look for the depth and breadth of the courses, along

pany as this will reveal some important information. I always tell people, you get what you pay for, so do your homework.”

At Zolo Realty in Toronto, president Mustafa Abbasi says, “When conducting your due diligence on a brokerage, find out what kind of lead generation the company is providing to their salespeople. Are the leads scrubbed and vetted or are they transferred as raw data? Are the leads generated from their main site, a third-party site or from an

Left to right: Bill Johnston, Jonathan Cooper, Daryl King, Louise Remillard and John Lusink

ments my team’s efforts. I wanted a brokerage that also invested in marketing and delivered a culture of success.”

In Vancouver, “A great culture is absolutely paramount to operate a successful brokerage,” says Jonathan Cooper, vice president of operations at Macdonald Real Estate Group.

“Culture radiates from the firm’s leadership to all members of team. A strong, vibrant culture will be evident whether you are talking with the managing broker, the receptionist or someone in the marketing department,” he says. “Culture plays a major role in the long-term success – or

with receiving information on their mentoring and coaching programs.”

Bill Johnston, manager and general counsel at Bosley Real Estate in Toronto, says, “You need to look at the suite of support services that are offered from a brokerage during your due diligence process. Does the company have legal support services?

Does it have a marketing department? Does it have a responsive administrative and accounting department? Ask for an office tour so you can feel the energy and vibrancy of the office environment. Ask other Realtors about the reputation of the com-

affiliate web site?” He adds, “Lead generation can be an important ingredient to your success, especially when your traditional sales channels run dry.”

In a previous REM article, In search of a great real estate manager, some other research indicators were disclosed, such as the “agent to manager ratio” and “average productivity per agent”.

These results reveal how many salespeople and brokers a manager must support, which is usually a good indicator of responsiveness; and the average salesperson production levels in the firm.

In summary, the key elements

you need to research when looking for a new brokerage are: • Objective, knowledgeable, responsive management • Strong brokerage leadership • Strong, inclusive and supportive culture • Strong training, mentoring and coaching programs • Varied support services • Financial viability of the brokerage • Strong marketing and branding, and community involvement • A good agent/manager ratio • A good average productivity per agent • Lead generation • Reasonable commission splits, fees and expenses Many salespeople fail to remember that it costs money to run and operate a brokerage and you want to ensure it is a winwin situation for both the salesperson and the broker/owner.

Selecting a brokerage should not be taken lightly and your due diligence should be a well thought-out process. Create your list of questions prior to the interview and you will get much more out of the experience.

Selecting a good brokerage can be the difference between being a mediocre salesperson and a superstar.

Don Kottick, FRI, is executive vice president, corporate development for Peerage Realty Partners, which is the partner company for Chestnut Park Real Estate, Baker Real Estate, and Fifth Avenue Real Estate Marketing in Toronto.

Kottick is currently director at large for the Toronto Real Estate Board; director for FIABCI and national director for the Real Estate Institute of Canada. REM

30 REM APRIL 2016

Your clients’ pet needs

By Gilleen Witkowski

Y

ou’re juggling phone calls, emails, coffee meetings, showings and a long list of requirements and preferences for a client who’s itching to move. Then you find out that their family includes a dog, or they are thinking of getting one sometime soon. This is a major factor for you to consider – looking out for the family dog will help them (the client and the dog) stick by your side.

Whether your animal-loving client is buying or selling, their

responsibilities as a pet owner are an opportunity to retain contact with them for now and for the long haul. You can develop an ongoing relationship as a resource for good local services. If you have information on hand about great veterinary, dog-walking, grooming and boarding services, you’ll show your client that you care about the whole family’s comfort and wellbeing.

And if you have perks for your clients such as a special deal at a local dog business for your welcome packages or just a small gift, even better.

We see it every day at my company, Walk My Dog Toronto.

People who have just moved haven’t even had time to unpack or get organized in their own lives before they must find a vet and a

dog-walker. They need to make sure their pet has the best care while they are at work or otherwise busy settling in. Anyone who can help them find new services without having to do all the research themselves is definitely appreciated for helping with their transition.

Realty romance

By Dan St. Yves ardon my nostalgic turn this month. I recently came across some old video footage of myself at a reading of an old REM column. I thought I would do my part to reduce, re-use and recycle the column.

Ironically, there is some current relevance as I mentioned Donald Trump, currently making a run of the U.S. presidential nomination.

This was a particularly special column, first appearing in REM back in July 2002. It appeared in several other publications as well after that, and was featured in my 2003 book Nonsense and Stuff. It really broke my fledgling writing career back then into larger markets and opened doors that have led to my most current writing efforts.

It had several different names provided by various editors, but here it was called What if real estate ad-writers penned a romance novel?

Have you ever noticed how

P

Realtors take more than just a little bit of artistic license in describing the homes they’re trying to sell?

Some of these budding Shakespeares are amazingly competent at transforming a humble little bungalow into one of Donald Trump’s 5-star resorts. Imagine what might happen if one of these individuals tried their hand at more creative endeavours. It might look something like this: Victor glanced at Nikki, from across the 12 x 30-foot screened veranda. Nikki smiled, recognizing that special gleam in her husband’s eyes. She rose from the matching thatched-fabric patio chair and pushed open the embossed firerated door, leading to the formal living room (boasting 10-foot ceilings).

The room was warm and inviting, with the deluxe gas fireplace crackling in the corner. Antique leaded-glass windows reflected the flames of passion in their eyes.

Victor followed her, pausing just long enough to admire the crown moulding installed earlier in the week. It was the perfect complement to the Norwegian Pine hardwood flooring, he thought to himself.

Nikki started to walk coyly up the curved mahogany staircase,

returning the animal-like stare of the man she just couldn’t bear to live without. The neutral tones of the berber carpeting caressed her slippered feet.

Raul, the faithful man-servant, recognized the need to discreetly depart and slipped into the spacious 6 x 8-ft. butler’s pantry, featuring floor-to-ceiling shelves, a surround-sound stereo and wet-bar.

Nikki had now made it to the second floor of the spacious, southfacing Cape Cod manor, and was vixenly removing her knitted ecru bathing robe, hand-crafted by Tibetan monks to match the surround-tub enclosure in the master ensuite.

Victor’s smile widened with each heaving inch of bare flesh exposed. He flung his tuxedo jacket onto the window seat, beside the double-door exit to the private deck, overlooking the 14 varieties of fruit and nut trees.

Meanwhile, down in the butler’s pantry, Isabella, the weekend chambermaid with an unrequited crush on Raul, discovered to her delight the locking mechanism on the reinforced ornamental door. Raul felt a cold shiver run down his spine as the young woman opened a can of South

A dog in the household certainly means tailoring a home search to be pet appropriate – in size, style, look, feel and location.

How will the dog manage in the house as he or she ages? Is there natural light and cosy space for them to enjoy? Are there dog parks American pecan oil.

Next door, Betti and Jeorge Felizidad peered over the pond that separated their estate from their neighbour’s fully fenced yard (complemented with perfectly trimmed cedar hedges). They had seen this played out so many times before: the heat, the passion, the afterglow.

But enough about the Allen’s cocker spaniel and shih tzu. Back to the owners of this glorious home, located close to the ocean, mere moments from shopping and recreation and just 90 minutes from the U.S./Canada border.

A full three minutes had passed since Victor and Nikki had entered nirvana (the emotional state, not the group) and Victor was snoring contentedly. Strange muffled sounds were coming from downstairs, in what seemed to be a panicked, Venezuelan voice. Nikki ignored it as she surveyed the wall unit that surrounded their sunken, king-sized bed.

Life was good.

All descriptions are approximate, please verify if important.

Catch the video here: https://youtu.be/jLhA3a2jzBo Humour columnist and author Dan St. Yves was licensed with Royal LePage Kelowna for 11 years. Check out his website at www.nonsenseandstuff.com, or contact him at danst.yves@hotmail.com.

REM

or nature trails nearby?

But the relationship doesn’t end there. It’s commonly said that dogs become people’s children, and it’s true. There is a lot of trust involved for people looking to invest in services to help them take care of their cherished pets, just as there is a lot of trust involved in a relationship involving the buying and selling of property. Once that trust is built, it can be maintained.

People pay for services to make their lives easier because they value their time and they want to fully enjoy the (usually sparse) leisure time available to them.

They often have most use for services during times of unpredictability, stress and pressure. In order to best serve them during those times, we must think creatively.

That’s why you’re always thinking about the added benefits you can offer clients to help them out while they are working with you, and why we prioritize simplicity and transparency when it comes to spending important socializing and exercise time with their dogs.

Our walk tracker goes a long way toward providing clients with the knowledge they need and deserve when it comes to the security of their home and the trust they place in us to take care of their dogs. We use a mobile app to track our walks, so when their dog is back at home, feeling calm and happily exhausted, clients immediately receive an email that details our activities with a map, photos and a note.

This way clients have the security of knowing that all went as planned, and they feel as though they are taking part in their pet’s experience away from home. It removes a lot of stress from their life and puts a smile on their face.

It is important to refer clients to services that you trust to be professional, transparent and safe.

Good, straightforward pet care is an investment for your clients and becoming a resource for those services is a way for you to demonstrate that you understand your clients’ needs at home, both for now and in the future.

Gilleen Witkowski is the owner of Walk My Dog Toronto. She says, “With easy online booking, we walk your dog while you are busy or at work. We give your dog love, socialization and exercise and we keep in touch with you every step of the way with our walk tracker. Contact us for client perks. www.walkmydog.to REM

Real Estate Council of Ontario’s Board of Directors election is just around the corner…

YOUR VOTE IS YOUR VOICE: 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.

SPEAK UP! Your

VOTE MATTERS. Voting will open on

April 13.

Check out the candidates in your region by visiting

www.reco.on.ca.

Voting instructions will be sent on April 13. If you have trouble finding the email or logging in to vote on or after that date, please contact Computershare toll free at 1-866-593-4637, mentioning that you are a voter in the Real Estate Council of Ontario election. This will be a dedicated line for the RECO election.

32 REM APRIL 2016

T

he Quebec Federation of Real Estate Boards (QFREB) recently submitted four proposed tax measures to the province’s Minister of Finance as part of Quebec’s pre-budget consultations. The measures include introducing a tax credit for the purchase of a first home, maintaining and improving the LogiRénov tax credit, adjusting transfer taxes in order to reflect the significant increase in property prices and expanding the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP).

“Given the importance that real estate has on Quebec’s economy, the QFREB believes it is essential that the Quebec government implements measures that will improve access to homeownership,” says Patrick Juanéda, president of the QFREB Board of Directors. “They would also allow Quebecers to catch up in their homeownership rate, as they have historically lagged behind the rest of Canada (61 per cent in Quebec

versus 72 per cent in the rest of Canada).”

The QFREB says the creation of a tax credit for the purchase of a first home would be like the tax measure implemented by the federal government as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan of 2009. This credit would address the costs associated with the purchase of a home such as notary fees, sales taxes, mortgage insurance and transfer taxes.

The federation supports maintaining and improving the LogiRénov tax credit by extending it for two years and by lowering the minimum eligibility amount to $2,000.

The third proposal suggests adjusting transfer taxes “in order to reflect the significant increase in property prices that have taken place since transfer taxes were introduced in 1992, given that the average property price has more than doubled during this period,” says the federation.

“The levels of transfer taxes should reflect this price growth in a similar proportion. In addition, exemption from the payment of transfer taxes, currently limited to vertical family relationships (parent, child), should be adjusted to include spouses, especially in cases of separation or divorce.”

Finally, the QFREB wants the Quebec Finance Department to work with the federal government to update the HBP and make major changes. “This program should allow taxpayers to use the HBP once again during a period of considerable change in their lives.

In particular, the QFREB wants the HBP to be expanded to second homes and income properties,” says the federation.

■ ■ ■

The Real Estate Council of British Columbia (RECBC) has appointed Marshall Cowe to serve for a three-year term on the Errors and Omissions Insurance Corporation of British Columbia.

Cowe was first licensed in real estate in 1972 with Block Bros.

Realty in Burnaby. In 1979 he went on to be a managing broker and in July 1989 became a founding shareholder of National Real Estate Service. In 1999 he became a managing broker with Royal LePage Real Estate

Marshall Cowe

Robert Gentile

Services in Burnaby and Coquitlam where he works today.

Marshall was elected to the Board of Directors of the Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board (GVREB) in 1989 and served on many committees. He also served at the British Columbia Real Estate Association where he chaired Finance, Standard Forms and Arbitration Mediation and was on the Management Board.

He has served the RECBC since 2003 and is currently the past chair.

The mission of the Errors and Omissions Corporation is to provide adequate cost effective professional liability insurance for the protection of real estate licensees and the public.

toughest rental regulations in the country, says Paul Gentile, who was recently elected president of the Quinte Landlord’s Association.

“Being an Ontario landlord is fraught with challenges, risks and pitfalls. Newbie landlords and even experienced ones who let down their guard can be eaten alive by fraudulent tenants, strict regulations and the broken rental tribunal system,” says Gentile. “It can mean the difference between solvency and bankruptcy in many cases.”

Gentile says his organization has “flown under the radar for many years” but he aims to raise its profile. “We educate and empower landlords through regular expert speakers, meetings, networking email updates, and sharing valuable information between members,” he says. REM

■ ■ ■

Landlords and property managers in Ontario face some of the

Navigating the turbulent team environment

By Ken Goodfellow

L

ook at any superstar agent and you will find a competitive spirit flowing through their veins. They strive to be No. 1 and shatter sales records; it’s in the DNA of top achievers. As an entrepreneur, you naturally want to stack your team with as many of them as you can, but careful what you wish for. Competition is the fuel that drives top producers, but unhealthy competition can lead to a hostile workplace. Finding the right balance between competition and cooperation in your team’s dynamic

will add excitement and motivation without creating a toxic environment.

The team leader should always be on the lookout for new strategies to accelerate growth and improve productivity, and competition is a tried-and-true approach going all the way back to primary school.

Competition promotes creativity, inspires motivation and stimulates growth as team members learn how to be better. It may sound ideal, but competition can get out of hand so it’s critical that you create a culture of healthy competition moderated by an overall sense of collaboration.

Real estate salespeople make their living by selling. Their satisfaction and success depends on it.

Over the course of my career we have coached and assisted in the growth of more than 600 real estate teams, and I have seen this singular

issue wreak havoc with teams at every level of the spectrum. In my experience there are three major factors critical to fostering healthy competition that is tempered by a strong sense of co-operation.

Team first: It is critical that every team member prioritizes the collective goals of the team ahead of their own personal success. The achievement of individual goals is important but those accomplishments should be celebrated as a beneficial addition to the overall success of the team. Team collaboration must be reiterated on a regular basis, by constantly reminding the group of the bigger picture and the shared vision of the company.

Constant improvement: Industry leading companies are never satisfied with the status quo; they are always striving to be better.

They perpetuate a culture where

overachievement is used as the motivator for more over-achievement and breaking a sales record translates into a new record to break. Competitive individuals need a challenging environment that inspires growth, continual improvement and self-awareness. A key asset to inspiring this culture is ongoing sales coaching through team meetings and one-on-one discussions.

Don’t forget the fun: Healthy competition should have an element of fun and no team member should feel threatened or intimidated. Like any competition there should be rewards. Performance metrics are a clear-cut method of determining success, but you want to celebrate other types of victories as well. Traditional logic may say that a contest only has one winner, but savvy team leaders realize that

businesses sink or swim together and therefore constantly reinforce the importance of the team accomplishments, and how each individual contributed to the overall success.

Sales competitions have been proven effective over the years because they harness the natural ambition and incentive-driven nature of sales-oriented individuals.

While you want every team member to possess individual competitive drive, you want that strengthened by an overriding sense of team collaboration.

Ken Goodfellow, “Coach Ken”, has been a real estate coach to North America’s real estate elite for more than 20 years and was recently named one of the Top 25 Coaches by Inman. www.goodfellowcoaching.com REM

REM APRIL 2016 33

Success comes from ‘passion for learning’ “The second you think you have it figured out, you are done,” says 30-year-old top producer Ryan Jones.

“There is always something new to learn.” By Susan Doran

R

yan Jones admits that he has been known to grow a beard in order to look

older.

A young guy who is a top producer in a business brimming over with those in the 50-plus group, Jones is barely 30, having reached that milestone so recently the candles on his birthday cake are still warm.

Snapped up by Coldwell Banker First Ottawa Realty at a recruiting luncheon four years ago while taking his real estate courses, Jones says he was keen “to hit the ground running.”

Before long he was the brokerage’s rookie of the year, and is described by broker/owner Ross Webley as “a shining star.”

Considering that he grew up in a customer service environment, selling on the floor of his family’s Radio Shack franchise from the age of 12 and then going on to obtain three degrees from the University of Ottawa, Jones figured he might have an advantage.

Although Jones’ wife has a running joke that he spent all that time in school and then chose a career for which school is not really needed, the knowledge he gained in university actually “feeds my business daily,” Jones says.

“My Master’s degree (in human kinetics – that’s sport psychology to the layperson) was focused on consultation and intervention, working with individuals one-on-one or in a team setting to help them perform at their best, including mental coaching, consulting with athletes on how to perform at peak levels and deal with emotions,” he says.

This skill-set enhances his work as an agent, particularly when “helping people through the emotional roller coaster of buying and selling,” he says.

His two other degrees – a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Science – have

Ryan Jones

proven useful for cultivating qualities such as patience, he says. The sense of teamwork and forward momentum gained through five years of playing rugby at university are integral to the mix and to his success too, he adds.

Jones is consistently one of Coldwell Banker First Ottawa Realty’s top 10 producers. Last year, after being nominated by his broker, he won a spot on Coldwell Banker’s international “30 Under 30” list, an honour given to the Coldwell Banker network’s top young real estate professionals world-wide. It celebrates the heritage of founders Colbert Coldwell and Arthur Banker, who started their company at 24 and 28-years-old, respectively.

Jones was the only Canadian honouree on the list in 2015.

Among other attributes, the letter of recommendation his broker sent to the 30 Under 30 panel described Jones’ “passion for learning,” and his “humble, generous and smiling approach with everyone.”

Says Jones: “Our company has the same philosophy as I do, to continually learn and grow.”

To this end, he recently got his broker’s license.

“The second you think you have it figured out, you are done,” he says. “There is always something new to learn.”

Not surprisingly considering his age and philosophy, Jones embraces technology, including

Coldwell Banker’s online tools.

“I like to be very hands on. I control the message I send out,” he says.

Jones does a lot of work with first-time buyers and military relocations. He has many ways of conveying his message and prospecting, including social media, his monthly e-newsletter, his website and quarterly mailouts, as well as taking advantage of opportunities to develop relationships within his company network at conferences and elsewhere.

“My methods are very focused on growing the business organically, by referral,” he says.

“I do open houses to meet new people and I keep in contact with past clients....Cold calling never appealed to me. It doesn’t align with my values.”

He works hard, is organized and makes a big effort to remain “totally invested.”

“To set yourself apart and make the process smooth you have to have your ducks lined up, to trust in the process and be consistent,” he says. “Have a process to make sure you are guiding clients to an informed decision and not wasting time. . .

Qualifying, pre-approvals, knowing that listening is more important than telling. You want to show your clients things that actually appeal to them . . . I am very budget conscious. It’s important to set clients up so they are not house poor.”

He’s also aware of how crucial it is not to be afraid of stating the facts.

“It’s hard to have the ‘tough conversations,’ for instance, where you tell a buyer that what they want does not exist,” he says. “But you are the professional and you need to tell them what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear. There’s a quote – something along the lines of the difference between professionals and amateurs is that professionals regularly do

what they don’t want to do.”

Having a mentor is also key, particularly for new agents, he believes. His mentor saved him repeatedly, he says.

“You get a sense of the mentor’s process,” he says. “It’s one thing to get your license, but then how do you sell? When I was negotiating my first purchase, I must have called my mentor after each phone call with the listing agent to bounce

ideas. It was almost like my mentor was in the room – she might as well have been. It’s awesome to have that support in the process.”

Despite his education, his youth and everything else he has going for him, “I had times in my first year when I thought I would not make a go of it,” Jones admits. “Anyone who says they haven’t is kidding themselves.”

REM

Demographics drive housing demand

By Linda Nazareth

C

anada’s millennial population is reaching the prime age to become first-time homebuyers, which will provide strong support to the housing market over the medium term.

The millennial generation is large. In 2014, for the first time, there were more millenials in North America than baby boomers, buoyed in part by immigration. As the boomer population continues to age and trade less frequently in the housing market, we simultaneously have a large cohort of millennials, born since the 1980s, reaching their late 20s and early 30s and looking to enter the market.

Studies have suggested that the typical first-time buyer is 29-yearsold, so let’s take a deeper look at that segment specifically. For about a decade, as millennials started to reach that age, the number of 29-yearolds among the country’s population has been steadily increasing.

After falling in number in the early 1990s, 2004 saw 428,000 29-yearolds in Canada. In contrast, that figure grew to 495,000 by 2014 – an increase of 16 per cent.

The impact of millennials does much to dispute any suggestion that Canada has a housing bubble that will burst anytime soon.

“Our research into generational home purchase intent in Canada, echoed by studies done in the U.S. by the National Association of Realtors, shows the dream of homeownership is very much alive in the hearts and minds of millennials,” says Phil Soper, Royal LePage president and CEO. “The current state of demographics bodes well for the housing market for years to come.”

What we have seen in recent years is demographically driven demand, which boosted home sales and prices. Looking to the future, population projections suggest that the first-time buyer age segment will continue to grow for at least another decade, which means housing demand will grow along with it.

Linda Nazareth is a consulting economist for Royal LePage and principal of Relentless Economics. www.relentlesseconomics.com/ REM

34 REM APRIL 2016

AS I SEE IT FROM MY DESK Announcement Congratulations On Your Recognition!

RE/MAX INTEGRA is proud to acknowledge and recognize Mary Jane Webster as a top leader in PEI, in conjunction with her recognition from the PEI Business Women’s Association.

In the summer of 2015, Mary Jane joined the RE/MAX team as Broker/Owner and has been having significant impact on the economic environment since.

Mary Jane’s belief in staying on the cutting edge of technology, her passion for customer service and her flair for innovative marketing has positioned RE/MAX above the crowd.

By Stan Albert his business is always changing, but as I think about my long career, some things never change.

For instance, many professionals in this industry will pass on any training sessions offered by their brokers and managers. “I’ve heard all this stuff before. What, I have to pay for it on top of what I give you brokers? I don’t need it, I’m too busy...”’

Can anyone really say there are no new strategies or techniques to canvassing, or to do presentations for offers or for listings? It’s just as foolhardy as when you first learned to ride a bike and fell off so many times that you wished your dad never bought you the darned thing. But guess what, you learned by sheer determination. You

T

RE/MAX Charlottetown’s Associates also have a deep commitment to the community and a strong belief in giving back. They continue to support the Miracle Home Program and be charitable in many ways.

Please join us in congratulating Mary Jane for this achievement, we are certainly excited to watch you take your business to new heights!

Mary Jane Webster Broker/Owner

Charlottetown Realty 268 Grafton St., Charlottetown, PEI

If you are interested in ownership opportunities with RE/MAX, the largest most productive real estate brand, contact Christopher Alexander at 1-416-786-5552 to arrange your confidential meeting, or visit remaxintegra.com.

When do the training wheels come off? learned balancing and steering and by golly, you even got so you could ride the bike with no hands.

You felt extremely proud of your accomplishments once the training wheels came off.

Everyone I knew as a kid had those training wheels. They gave us confidence and safety. Just as those first real estate sales training sessions did.

Somewhere along the line, many of us forgot some of those skills we received in those early years. We started to rely on referrals. Such sweet deals they were!

We didn’t need training wheels any longer.

But some of us forgot to be in touch. We forgot to be in touch with those who gave us referrals and forgot to stay in touch with those buyers who were happy with our services and would have been more than happy to refer us to others.

Congratulations RE/MAX Legend!

Please join us in congratulating Shannon Unger, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Legend Real Estate Inc., and her amazing team on their new office location in Sundridge!

With plenty of experience, namely 16 years as a Real Estate Sales Associate, and two years as a Broker of Record, Shannon will incorporate up-to-date technology, a friendly atmosphere and modern design to help the Sundridge location succeed and excel.

Congratulations Shannon and team, we look forward to watching you grow!

Legend Real Estate Inc. 90 Main Street, Box 269 Sundridge, Ontario

Appearing from L-R: Mike Czura (Broker), Tom Freer (Sales Representative), Beth Robson (Broker/Manager), Shannon Unger (Broker of Record/Owner), Louise Dawney (Sales Representative), Rick White (Sales Representative)

If you are interested in ownership opportunities with RE/MAX, the largest most productive real estate brand, contact Christopher Alexander at 1-416-786-5552 to arrange your confidential meeting, or visit remaxintegra.com.

Stan Albert, ABR, ASA is a consultant with Re/Max Premier in Vaughan, Ont. He can be reached for consultation at stanalb@rogers.com.

Stan is now celebrating his 45th year as an active real estate professional.

REM

Diane Lajoie honoured by Sutton Group – Select Realty

Announcement

Shannon has been confidently growing her existing brokerage in North Bay, and has a strong understanding of franchise and brand. Her top of the line ethics and management policies continue to play a role in being a service provider in the area.

There may have been a course that would have been particularly useful to help set up a system. “I don’t need that stuff. That’s for other guys….always taking courses.”

We got too busy. We had to move on to search for the next commission instead of nurturing our past clients.

Here’s what I see and what I’ve learned: agents who continue to take courses and use the information offered will excel. Those who don’t will eventually wonder what happened to their share of the market. Maybe it’s time to put those training wheels back on for awhile.

Nancie Mleczko twice honoured for outstanding community service Hamilton, Ont. broker Nancie Mleczko of Coldwell Banker Community Real Estate has been doubly honoured for her commitment to community service.

Mleczko, who has 25 years of real estate, mortgage and related experience, was presented with the 2015 Outstanding Community Service Award by the Realtors Association of HamiltonBurlington (RAHB). In addition, Mleczko’s commitment to community service was recognized by the City of Hamilton with a plaque presented by Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger.

The RAHB award was presented to Mleczko at an awards gala held in late January and attended by her peers from throughout the Greater Hamilton area. The awards presentation acknowledged she is highly respected by others in the profession and cited several reasons why Mleczko was singled out for this honour, including her current involvement with nine community or charitable organizations, as well as being an active committee member who has served on numerous RAHB committees and task forces. Her recent activities include serving as a volunteer supervisor of event services for the recent Pan Am Games and she has received the Hometown Hero award for volunteerism and dedication to the community.

Sutton Group – Select Realty in London, Ont. annually awards the Michele Montour Award for Excellence in Real Estate to honour the spirit of the late Michele Montour, a sales rep at the company who died of cancer.

This year Diane Lajoie was presented with the 16th Michele Montour Award.

“Diane certainly possesses all of the attributes that were loved and admired in Michele,” says broker of record Bruce Sworik.

“A Realtor with Sutton - Select since 1994, Diane is a supportive mentor, a true team player who embodies integrity and professionalism in all her endeavours…She believes strongly in networking with her fellow agents and her regular presence in the office as a resource and sounding board is highly valued.”

REM

36 REM APRIL 2016

Good Works C

anadian Century 21 members donated their highest ever amount to Easter Seals in 2015 – contributing $682,335 – and represented nearly half of the top Century 21 fundraising offices in North America. Century 21 Canada founder U. Gary Charlwood presented the donation to Easter Seals National Ambassador 16-year-old Brandon Liston at the company’s recent awards event in Moncton.

Nine of the Top 21 Century 21 fundraising offices in North America were Canadian. They include, listed by ranking: 3 - Century 21 B.J. Roth Realty, Barrie, Ont. 4 - Century 21 Dome Realty,

Send Kids to Camp Bonspiel, Century 21 Westman.com in Brandon, Man. has donated $17,000 to Easter Seals.

The annual bonspiel fundraiser has been held in Brandon for the past six years. Organized by Cam Toews with the help of many volunteers, the event has raised more than $62,500.

■ ■ ■

Winn Adair, a sales rep with Sutton Group - Kilkenny Real Estate in Winnipeg, is hosting seminars aimed at encouraging youth to build a more positive future free of drug and alcohol abuse. One of the schools they visited was north of Saskatoon on a First Nations reserve.

“Apparently our ‘say no to drugs’ and human rights programs were working. The students were adopting new ethics. Some students were also helping to spread the ‘say no to drugs’ message among their peers.”

Adair’s involvement in the project began in 2008 when she met a group of people who were

Regina 6 - Century 21 Fusion, Saskatoon, Sask.

11 - Century 21 Bamber Realty, Calgary 12 - Century 21 Leading Edge Realty, Toronto 15 - Century 21 Heritage House, Woodstock, Ont. 17 - Century 21 Westman.com, Brandon, Man. 20 - Century 21 Assurance Realty, Kelowna, B.C, 21 - Century 21 Miller Real Estate, Oakville, Ont. ■ ■ ■

Thanks to generous support from local businesses and participants at the annual Easter Seals

Century 21 founder U. Gary Charlwood presents the cheque to Easter Seals National Ambassador Brandon Liston.

Beards on Ice skaters in Ottawa.

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From left: Michael Barrett, event volunteer; Cindy Stumme, supervisor, SMD Rural Services; and Cam Toews of Century 21 Westman.com, event organizer of the Easter Seals Send Kids to Camp Bonspiel in Brandon, Man.

Re/Max Masters Choice Realty raised $3,300 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Royal LePage Lakes of Muskoka Booster Night committee members, from left: Rachelle Walker, executive director of Muskoka Women’s Advocacy Group; Michelle Chesseman, client care, Royal LePage Lakes of Muskoka; Wendy Webb, chair of the Booster Committee and Phil Hemens, Boston Pizza. Missing from the photo are Shelley Reville, Sherry Rondeau, Val Schrauwen and Joan Ricard from Royal LePage Lakes of Muskoka; Jenny Cressman of MWAG; and Stephanie Foulkes, Metroland Media.

Sharon Lanser

REM APRIL 2016 37

coaching for a drug-free lifestyle.

Her motivation to volunteer stems from the significant need she sees with First Nations youth.

company events. They raised $3,300 to donate to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The broker of record is Bin Ji.

■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Jerry Aulenbach of Royal LePage Noralta Real Estate in Edmonton found a unique way to align his new beard-focused branding with a great cause. Modeled after the popular professional skating tour Stars on Ice, Aulenbach travelled to nine cities in six provinces to host his Beards on Ice: Skating for Shelter tour.

“We skated on some of the country’s most beautiful and iconic skating venues, including the Rideau Canal, the Red River, Grouse Mountain, Nathan Phillips Square and Long Pond, the birthplace of hockey,” says Aulenbach.

“Everywhere I went, I was greeted by enthusiastic skaters in high spirits, including several who hadn’t laced up in over a decade. It was an excellent way to get together while raising funds for a cause close to many of our hearts.”

To attend their nearest skate, participants were asked to make a donation to the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. The events raised $11,000.

When 59 puppies and adult dogs were rescued by the B.C. SPCA from a disreputable breeding operation last August, animal lovers stepped up with funding and opened their homes. Among the many dog lovers were Sharon Lanser and the team at Sutton Group - Seafair Realty in Richmond, B.C. Working with the local parks department, Lanser organized a barbecue and silent auction in Richmond and the whole team pitched in. The event raised $1,600 to help nurse the neglected animals back to health.

Most are now cherished pets but Sharon knows that there is always more to do.

“I get involved in a few pet projects each year and plan to hold another Dog Fun Day with an auction,” says Lanser. “Helping out makes me feel whole. I organize and sponsor the event and gather auction items because I know the need continues.”

■ ■ ■

Re/Max Masters Choice Realty in Markham, Ont. recently set up a donation counter at one of their

What’s

New Exit Realty introduces Smart Signs Exit Realty Corp.

International is providing geolocation Smart Sign technology to every agent in the Exit system free of charge. When an interested buyer sees an Exit Realty lawn sign

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Lakes of Muskoka Realty in Bracebridge, Ont. recently hosted its 4th Annual Booster Night in support of the Royal LePage Shelter and texts EXIT to 85377, the system uses the geolocation positioning of the buyer’s mobile phone to determine which listing it is, and then instantly returns information about the listing to the smartphone.

“Consumers are used to using geolocation every day in tools like digital maps,” says Tami Bonnell, CEO, Exit Realty Corp.

International. “Buyers want property information when they see the house and they don’t necessarily want to talk to an agent right away. With Exit’s Smart Signs they can instantly receive property information as easily as sending a text.”

Royal LePage to deliver workshop across Canada Twice each year, the Learning Services team heads out across Canada to bring Royal LePage

Foundation. There were 140 people at this year’s function for a prix fixe dinner, dessert mixer and silent auction. The event raised $4,525 for the Muskoka Women’s Advocacy Group, which supports Interval House in Bracebridge and Chrysalis House in Huntsville.

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■ ■ ■

Robin Evans, a sales rep with Sutton Group - Future Realty in Newmarket, Ont. is looking for sponsors for the 7th annual golf tournament benefiting War Amps and other charities. It will take place on Friday, June 3 at the Harbour View Golf & Country Club in Gilford.

The tournament has raised more than $100,000 for charity including $33,000 for War Amps.

The 2015 event raised money for War Amps, the Bradford Food Bank and three local families with young children undergoing cancer treatments.

The event has typically had a $10,000 hole-in-one prize and some other large surprises. Robin personally donated a barbecue for the raffle at the 2015 tournament.

The fee for golf and dinner is $175 and a foursome is $700.

Sponsorship opportunities begin at $250.

To become a tournament sponsor, contact Robin Evans at 905953-6200. REM Realtors practical, interactive workshops designed to enhance marketing and technology skills.

Last year the team travelled more than 124,000 km to deliver these workshops from coast to coast.

With a new curriculum, the focus for spring 2016 is on “Listings that sell.” This in-person marketing workshop is curated specifically around tactics to move listings and exceed client expectations, the company says.

“Our spring workshop is focussed on how to design and fine-tune a multi-faceted marketing strategy that our people can use for any listing, anytime,” says Learning Services manager Mike Wrobel. “How and where a property is marketed is crucial to success, so we’ll be tightly focussed on those aspects during the workshops.”

For information: www.royREM allepage.ca/training.

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“Your Toronto Source”

38 REM APRIL 2016

THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE

By Heino Molls

A

MARKETPLACE

s I look back on over 30 years of watching the real estate industry develop in Canada, I can tell you that it has been a remarkable journey in communications and information technology. The memory of watching it all unfold will always be a great treasure for me. I was there for all of it.

It started with photographers taking pictures of houses and developing film, others gathering information, putting it all together and printing listings on paper and then delivering the packages of new listings and listing catalogues to the front doors of real estate offices across hundreds of miles. All in a two-day turnaround.

Technology has made the process much more efficient today, but what is the most important element of all the technology that has been harnessed for the real estate business over the years?

What has been the key element in gathering and delivering all the news and information over the years? My answer would be the same, from the start of it all to today. It is the people.

None of the technology, information systems or communication

Sharing the information developments would have happened had it not all been driven by the people. The people in this business striving to get better, trying to deliver more and grasp all of the technology faster than any other business community.

All this information is shared with the public by real estate brokers and sales reps. Some people who are not in the business grab the fruits of all this work and demand that they be recognized as the experts in real estate, property sales and management, by using all the information that was painstakingly gathered and organized by the people who really are in the real estate business.

We get the frustration. We are there too. As a newspaper, REM has been the source of news that is used by other real estate news websites and newsletters (there are no other magazines near REM’s size) without acknowledgement, let alone payment. According to PEW Research Center, North Americans turn to newspapers, both in print and online more often for information than any other news source. That includes REM. So hey, we get it.

My main job these days is to show companies that REM is the very best place to put advertising directed to over 100,000 real estate professionals across Canada. I am not the only one here at REM who brings the history of this industry and the knowledge of this business

to every page we produce. We know how this whole thing works and we know the people who make it work.

We deliver the REM print magazine to over 25,000 recipients across Canada and more than double that online every month.

The bottom line for all of us, in any business, is the people.

Regardless of the differences in our business we must deliver our services to the people and we must do it better than others if we want to excel in our business. Yes, it is frustrating to see others horn in, take our information and use what we have worked hard to collect without paying us for all the work we put into it, but we must believe that the people we serve will recognize what’s most important about serving our customers: integrity and honesty. If we keep these elements close we will win.

Much of the most beautiful real estate in the world today is in countries like Afghanistan, Syria and all across the Middle East and Asia. Yet people are pouring out of these places due to the stupid actions of a few who are bent on destruction and war, most of it under some false pretence of religion.

Maybe the best place to start is our own backyard. I wish you all a time of happiness and thoughtfulness during this Easter period.

Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email heino@remonline.com REM

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Trade Shows and Conferences To add a listing to this calendar, email jim@remonline.com Realtors Association of HamiltonBurlington Realtor Connections 2016 AGM, Conference and Trade Show Wednesday, March 23 Hamilton Convention Centre Hamilton Sheila Sferrazza sheilas@rahb.ca or 905-529-8101 x234 Coldwell Banker Canada Broker Meetings and Sales Rallies April 5 - The Ancaster Inn, Ancaster, Ont. April 7- The Prince George Hotel, Halifax April 12 - The Anvil Centre, New Westminster, B.C. April 14 - The Radisson Red Deer, Red Deer, Alta.

April 19 - The Canadian War Museum, Ottawa April 21 - The Doctor’s House, Kleinburg, Ont. London St. Thomas Association of Realtors 9th Annual Realtor Trade Show Tuesday, April 19 London Convention Centre London Tracy Marino - tracy@lstar.ca

C21 Insiders Conferences May 3 - 4 - Sheraton Parkway Toronto North, Richmond Hill, Ont. May 5 - 6 - Sheraton Cavalier Calgary, Calgary Carla Ty – supplier.expo@century21.ca Toronto Real Estate Board’s Realtor Quest May 4 - 5 Toronto Congress Centre Toronto www.realtorquest.ca HomeLife Annual International Conference May 16 - 17 Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel and Casino, Gatineau, Que. Lori Cimerman – 416-733-9966 Atlantic Connection July 26 - 29 Delta Prince Edward & P.E.I. Convention Centre Charlottetown www.atlanticconnection.ca/ 2016 Coldwell Banker Gen Blue Experience Miami Beach, Fla. Oct. 18 - 20

Compiled with the assistance of Bob Campbell at Colour Tech Marketing, www.colourtech.com

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