REM, August 2011 by Real Estate Magazine (REM)

Issue #266

August 2011

The firefighting sales rep Don Luckett fights fires in his real estate career and in real life Page 8

Round 2: TREB vs. Competition Bureau Page 3

Realtysellers, Property Guys merge Page 3

REM AUGUST 2011 3

It’s Round 2: TREB vs. Competition Bureau Bureau says TREB’s proposed rules will entrench “the traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ model and discriminate against member brokers wanting to innovate.” TREB says the commissioner knew her original complaint was “faulty”.

he Competition Bureau has filed an amended complaint with the Competition Tribunal, stating that TREB’s proposed VOW policy would “continue to thwart the development of new, innovative and efficient methods of providing real estate brokerage services using the Internet.” TREB’s proposed policy for Virtual Office Website (VOW) rules was released on June 23, and the members have 60 days to review it before it can be approved or rejected by the membership. The board said it had been working on the proposals for more than a year and had been meeting with the Competition Bureau during this process. The bureau filed its original complaint on May 27. But the Competition Bureau says in its amended complaint that the proposed rules would “impose obligations and restrictions on member brokers who wish to oper-

ate VOWs that are not imposed on traditional brokers. As such, TREB’s Proposed Rules entrench and perpetuate the traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ business model for providing real estate brokerage services; accordingly, TREB’s Proposed Rules are discriminatory and their enactment will constitute a further anti-competitive act.” “In addition, and significantly given the value potential customers place on this information, the data feed provided to member brokers for VOWs will not include any MLS data pertaining to sold properties, unless the data is ‘readily publicly accessible.’ This restriction does not apply in a ‘bricks and mortar’ environment; as such TREB’s Proposed Rules discriminate and are in violation of the Act.” TREB had said that it could not release this information to VOWs because that would not be in compliance with privacy laws.

“It is instructive to note that, for all the concerns now suddenly expressed by TREB about privacy laws and compliance with (the Real Estate Council of Ontario), TREB has made no attempt to enact or enforce rules to restrict traditional brokerages from providing, at their sole discretion, all information relating to historical solds, pending solds and other information that they would now propose to exclude from the data feed provided to member brokers who want to operate VOWs,” says the Competition Bureau complaint. It says, “The effect of TREB’s Proposed Rules will be merely to allow TREB’s member brokers to display current listings on their own websites using a data feed from TREB, but significantly, a data feed intentionally compromised to exclude the very information of value to consumers . . . . TREB’s Proposed Rules will continue to require customers to con-

tact a member broker personally to obtain such information, entrenching the traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ model and discriminating against member brokers wanting to innovate.” The amended complaint also alleges that the proposed rules are “vague and ambiguous, allowing TREB to frustrate or disadvantage member brokers who wish to offer VOWs, in the very same way TREB has done, to date, using the existing set of TREB MLS Restrictions…The resulting uncertainty reduces the likelihood of investment in, and thus impedes the entry of, innovative real estate business models.” TREB responded by calling the amended application “more legal and publicity manoeuvres by the Commissioner of the Competition Bureau.” “The Commissioner is pressuring TREB to make changes to TREB’s own property listing system (MLS) that TREB believes

would violate consumer privacy laws, reduce the quality of the system, and diminish protection for consumers who list their homes in the Greater Toronto real estate market,” said TREB president Richard Silver in a statement. TREB says,”The commissioner is pressuring TREB to go further to release private data about individual consumers openly on the internet. TREB believes that would be reckless and, in fact, a violation of the law.” “TREB appreciates that the commissioner has a job to do, but TREB is the wrong target,” said Silver in the statement. “The commissioner obviously has recognized that her initial application back in May was faulty. Instead of working with TREB to find a practical solution for consumers, the commissioner has today decided to pursue an additional legal process that will further delay improvements and further disadvantage consumers.” REM

Realtysellers partners with PropertyGuys.com “This is the type of deal that consumers want and traditional agents fear,” says Lawrence Dale, president and CEO of Realtysellers.

ealtysellers Real Estate in Toronto is partnering with PropertyGuys.com, a private sale franchise network, to “bring dramatic changes to Canada’s residential real estate market by together offering unprecedented choice and innovation to consumers,” the companies announced recently. “You know the list of the Top 200 brokers in Canada that you just published in REM? This makes us No. 1,” says Lawrence Dale, president and CEO of Realtysellers. “Canadians are set against paying billions of dollars annually in high commissions to traditional real estate companies. By partnering together, PropertyGuys.com and Realtysellers will be uniquely positioned to deliver the broadest range

of professional services at a more reasonable cost. This is a real game changer for how the industry will operate from now on and a huge win for consumers,” says Dale. In a news release, Ken LeBlanc, president and CEO of PropertyGuys.com says, “This partnership is possible because of recent industry changes that Lawrence pursued for years. Together we can now satisfy the underserved consumer demand for innovation, change and lower fees. This new union will give our current and future customers access to brokerage services that were previously off limits.” The original Realtysellers discount brokerage was launched by Dale in 2000, in partnership with former broker Stephan Moranis.

The firm offered discounted real estate services, including a flat fee program, but it suspended operations in 2006, stating that it could no longer do business under the MLS rules that existed at the time. Dale and Moranis subsequently filed a number of lawsuits against the Toronto Real Estate Board, real estate companies and individuals and CREA. Two of the lawsuits against TREB are still outstanding. Last November, Realtysellers re-entered the Toronto area real estate market under the name Realtysellers Real Estate Inc., without Moranis’ involvement. Dale said the Consent Agreement signed between CREA and the Competition Bureau now makes it possible for

his business model to succeed. “The Competition Bureau’s actions pave the way for PropertyGuys.com and Realtysellers to come together,” Dale says. “This is the type of deal that consumers want and traditional agents fear. We’re excited to build a real estate powerhouse with PropertyGuys.com to give Canadians a better and more cost effective way to buy and sell their homes.” The two firms will operate as partners under their own brands, pooling their resources and services for consumers. Initially Realtysellers will manage and provide the brokerage services for the PropertyGuys.com Mere Posting Program and streamline how PropertyGuys.com cus-

tomers place their property posting on Realtor.ca. “Going forward, the partnership will have a unique platform for offering a comprehensive suite of low cost and integrated brokerage and non-brokerage services and options to consumers,” the company says. Financial terms of the arrangement have not been released. Dale’s group, which includes Toronto businessman Mark Litwin, has become part of the ownership group of PropertyGuys.com and Dale has become a director of PropertyGuys.com, the companies say. PropertyGuys.com says it is Canada’s largest private sale franchise network. It has 106 locally owned franchise locations across REM Canada.

4 REM AUGUST 2011

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

Prestige Real Estate in Prince Albert. The brokerage serves a large part of the province, spanning the areas of Turtle Lake, Smeaton, Wakaw and Rosthern, North to LaRonge and beyond. “There have been positive strides forward in Prince Albert, from the re-opening of the pulp mill to the mining in the area,” says Wouters. “I think the area is on the verge of a big influx and we’ll be seeing a lot of demand in the housing market.” The company currently has 26 agents and plans are in place to build a team of 30 real estate professionals by the same time next year.

ducing agents in Nova Scotia.” The Keller Williams Realty Market Centre opened in July 2010 and has grown to 69 associates. ■ ■ ■

Michel Beauchamp and Royal LePage Plus has acquired the Les Associés des Laurentides brokerage in St. Jérôme, Que. The merger allows Royal LePage Plus to add five experienced brokers to their sales force and improve their share of the St. Jérôme market by two per cent, the company says.

onexus Credit Union of Regina has sold the real estate branch of its business, formerly known as Century 21 Conexus, to Century 21 sales representatives and managers, resulting in three new companies. One of the new brokerages is reviving a familiar name – Century 21 Dome Realty, with broker/owner Francis Bast. Bast sold Century 21 Dome, which was Saskatchewan’s largest real estate company, to Conexus in 2004. Now, “the Conexus Credit Union, although very successful in the real estate brokerage, decided to stay in their core business lines,” says Bast. Along with

agents Jonah Franklin and Brent Ackerman, Bast has purchased the two-office Regina brokerage and renamed it Century 21 Dome. “My goal as owner is for Century 21 Dome to continue the tradition of operating a dominant franchise in providing services to agents and their customers,” he says. Bast has been in the real estate industry since 1981 and joined Century 21 in 1984. In Saskatoon, the former Century Conexus office is now Century 21 Fusion. It was purchased by Gary Busch, Sharon Busch, Barry Chilliak and Sandra Chilliak and is currently operating out of two locations. The first

major goal for the owners is to unite the two locations and create one cohesive team. About 75 agents are expected to join the brokerage. “We have a great team and putting them in one location will help bring the energy back up to get rockin’ again,” says Busch. Raising money for Easter Seals will continue to be a big focus for the brokerage. The new company is planning to host its first golf tournament Aug. 18 to raise funds for Easter Seals. Last year’s tournament raised $20,000. Long-time Century 21 Conexus branch manager Kevin Wouters has taken on the role as owner of the new Century 21

Francis Bast

Michel Beauchamp

Isabelle Boivin

Randy Reimer

Sylvie Blouin

Gary Busch

Jeremy Cowan

Kester Fraser

Vince Cavaliere

Lindsay Smith

Kevin Wouters

Wayne Cochrane

Diane Ménard

David Lipton

Masood Vatandoust

■ ■ ■

Brenda Kielbratowski has joined Keller Williams Realty – Halifax Market Centre in Bedford, N.S. Valerie Folk, team leader at the brokerage, says, “Brenda comes from Coldwell Banker and is among the top pro-

■ ■ ■

Jeremy Cowan and Wayne Cochrane, franchisees of Exit Realty Metro, are now open for business in a new 16,000-squarefoot office building in Dartmouth, N.S. Their real estate office will occupy the entire second floor with 8,000 square feet of high-end finished space driven by cutting edge technology, the company says. The office boasts a roof top Continued on page 6

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6 REM AUGUST 2011

Continued from page 4

outdoor lounge area for entertaining that is already a huge hit with their agents. “We designed this new office to be the most dynamic in the city incorporating a polished, professional atmosphere with many upgrades and comforts. We can accommodate 100 agents at the new location and ownership of the building allows for future expansion on the main floor,” says Cochrane. “Jeremy and Wayne have made a statement with this office that reflects their commitment to their real estate business. Everything has been done firstclass and without doubt, their new location is the talk of the city,” says Joyce Paron, president – Canada for Exit Realty Corp. International. ■ ■ ■

A successful independent brokerage in Gatineau, Que. has joined Century 21 and will operate as Century 21 Maison3D.com. Owner Isabelle Boivin has been in the business for 14 years. Her team of 14 sales professionals serves the market in Gatineau and the region of Outaouais. Boivin is president of the Walk for Autism in Quebec, an organizer for la Collecte de sang Maison3d.com and a volunteer for Moisson Outaouais among other activities. ■ ■ ■

Kester Fraser, one of Toronto’s top-producing real estate professionals, recently joined Keller Williams Advantage Realty in the Beach/Riverdale area. Fraser has more than 21 years of service with Re/Max, where he was a recipient of the Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement and Platinum Awards. The Keller Williams Advantage Realty Market Centre opened in December 2007 and has 97 associates.

Cover photo: JENNIFER ARMSTRONG

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Privilege, a brokerage in St-Bruno-deMontarville, Que. has expanded into Beloeil. A key real estate market, brokerages located in Beloeil generated more than $225,000,000 in sales volume in 2010. Diane Ménard will act as director for the two locations and is already in recruiting mode for the new location, the company says. ■ ■ ■

Crocus Real Estate of Winkler, Man. has joined the Aventure Realty Network. Broker/owner Randy Reimer brings 10 years of successful independent operation and a strong market presence to the network. “With an outstanding team of Realtors, Crocus Real Estate brings a full suite of brokerage services to their communities including sales of residential, commercial and farm properties as well as property management. Expansion into the retail and industrial hub of southern Manitoba is an important step for Aventure members,” the company says. Also new to the network is River City Realty of Kamloops, B.C. “Broker/owner Vince Cavaliere has established a history of success over 18 years in real estate; receiving awards ranging from Canada’s Top 100 and Chairman’s Club to operating a highly productive brokerage,” the company says. The brokerage serves B.C. interior communities Merrit, Barriere, Wells Gray and Logan Lake. ■ ■ ■

Exit Realty PEI recently appointed David Lipton as the director of growth and development for the office. “Together we have a vision for PEI and have created a three-year business plan to become the largest and most productively successful real estate company on the island.” says bro-

ker Danny Moase. Lipton had a 35-year career as a senior director with Parks Canada. His experience spans the fields of property management and development, corporate financing, vision building, business planning and consulting, team development/training and real estate growth and development.

15 years. He is the recipient of The Business Person of the Year from The Clarington Board of Trade (2002) and was a Diamond Award winner with Royal LePage for the last five consecutive years. He is a member of The Lions Club and has served on the boards of

Big Brothers and Sisters, Clarington Board of Trade and Newcastle Chamber of Commerce. The Keller Williams Energy Realty Market Centre opened in April 2009 and now has two offices with 125 associates. REM

■ ■ ■

Sylvie Blouin and her partner Philippe Lemieux recently acquired Royal LePage Tradition, which has offices in Boucherville and Varennes, Que. Blouin, who will act as director for the business, started her real estate career in 1998. In 2009, she decided to refocus her career on management and became director of Groupe Sutton Harmonie in Boucherville and Ste. Julie. Serge Hamelin, the former owner, will remain with the company as a real estate broker. Royal LePage Tradition currently has 33 real estate brokers in the Boucherville and Varennes offices. ■ ■ ■

In Whitby, Ont., Lindsay Smith and Masood Vatandoust and his team have joined Keller Williams Energy Realty Market Centre. Smith has been recognized as one of the top 100 agents in Canada and obtained hall of fame and lifetime achievement awards with his former company. He has been a speaker both internationally and in Canada, and was recently a panellist on a TV special with Howard Brinton, a trainer in the United States. In addition to raising money for worthy causes, Smith is a member of the Board of Directors of the Oshawa Community Health Centre, which provides a variety of clinical, health and health-related services. Vatandoust has an extensive background in marketing and has been in the real estate industry for

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Editor JIM ADAIR email: jim@remonline.com

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Director, Sales & Marketing DENNIS ROCK email: dennis@remonline.com Brand Design SANDRA GOODER

Art Director LIZ MACKIN Graphic Design SHAWN KELLY

ruce Sworik, past-president of the London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors and current chair of its Regional Commercial Council, was awarded CREA’s 2011 Pierre Beauchamps PAC Achievement Award at the national association’s Political Action Days recently. The award recognizes Sworik’s achievements during his twoyear stint (2009 and 2010) as LSTAR’s Government Relations chair. “The work of individual PAC

Reps is the foundation of CREA’s federal government relations program,” says LSTAR president Jack Lane, who accepted the award on Sworik’s behalf along with LSTAR’s current Government Relations chair Richard Thyssen. “That’s what makes this award so significant. The fact that it’s only given in years where CREA’s Federal Affairs Committee deems that an individual deserves special recognition because of their initiative or effectiveness makes it that much more impressive.” REM

Bruce Sworik (left) receives the award from LSTAR president Jack Lane.

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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. Subscriptions are $40.95 per year (including $1.95 GST), payable by personal cheque. Entire contents copyright 2011 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. ISSN 1201-1223

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8 REM AUGUST 2011

Full-time agent, volunteer fire chief

Don Luckett fights fires in his real estate career and as a B.C. volunteer fire chief on Luckett is a real estate agent and a volunteer firefighter, two professions that seem worlds apart, but really aren’t that different.

fragile ecologically sensitive areas with a slower-paced approach to living and a strong sense of community, Luckett’s website says.

“There are a lot of similarities,” says Luckett, who is managing broker for Coast Realty Group’s Denman and Hornby islands real estate offices in B.C., and the Denman Island Volunteer Fire Department’s chief. “Firefighters deal with people who may be anxious and under tremendous anxiety but when they see our equipment and uniform, they know we know what we’re doing and it relieves some of their stress. In real estate, we’re helping people buy their single largest asset and that’s bound to cause anxiety. When we act in a professional manner, we relieve stress.”

Real estate on Denman appeals to second-time buyers and retirees, for residential and recreational purposes. “It’s an island for retirees. We have the infrastructure, a medical clinic with three doctors and a large arts community. You can get a physician here. And you can’t beat the fire department,” he laughs.

Although one career is business and the other volunteer, they share a similar aspect. They appeal to those who have a sincere desire to help people, he says. “I like people, I like helping people and our company slogan for Coast Realty Group – ‘People. Above all’ – expresses that sentiment perfectly.” Luckett and his wife, Chris, have visited the island since the early 1980s. “Her parents had a property that we used for recreational purposes. We always knew that someday we would make the move and in September 1991, we sold our house in Vancouver and moved to Denman Island,” he says. Denman Island is about an hour north of Nanaimo and has a year-round population of about 1,200. Denman and Hornby are

The Lucketts bought an approximately 4,000-squarefoot home on 11 acres with a four-stall barn and a riding ring. For several years, the couple concentrated on the horse farm. About 17 years ago Luckett joined the fire department as a firefighter. He was initially drawn by the promise of an adrenaline rush, something he missed after 15 years as a stock broker. However that soon changed to a love for a volunteer career that would give him a chance to help people. In 1994 he got his real estate license, again drawn by a chance to help people. Luckett shares the Denman Island office with partner Sylvie Schroeder, each covering for the other so clients are never without a real estate professional. Educating the urban buyer to new systems in rural areas, such as wells and residential septic systems, has been his biggest challenge, says Luckett. “We tend to double-end a lot of sales, so limited dual agency is always a challenge.” Coast Realty Group’s two offices (two agents

By Connie Adair

“It’s a long drive to the office – it takes me about three minutes,” jokes Don Luckett. His 14-year-old rescue dog, a 70-pound greyhound named Chess, makes the trek with him and is an office fixture. In a previous life, Chess was a race dog named High Noon Heat. He is now a real estate dog. (Photo by Jennifer Armstrong)

on Denman and one on Hornby) racked up sales of approximately $11-million in 2010. Prices range from $250,000 to $2-million, with an average range of $300,000 to $600,000, he says.

gallons. A tanker holds between 12,000 and 17,000 gallons, with water fetched from “known water supplies such as nearby ponds and tanks,” he says. The station has a 10,000 gallon tank.

If being a full-time Realtor and a fire chief isn’t enough, he is also a local assistant for the fire commissioner’s office, and fire warden. “During the summer months I have the powers of a forestry official.”

In his role as fire chief, he works with local developments to ensure water supply is a consideration. A new development on the north side will include 5,000 and 10,000 gallon tanks.

The fire department and real estate have evolved since he joined. “They’re both more professional now.” Volunteer firefighters undergo the same training as paid personnel. Denman Island’s department has 24 firefighter volunteers and nine auxiliaries – older volunteers who don’t want full duty yet still want to contribute. Auxiliary members are responsible for transporting water to a fire, not a small task when you consider a structure fire can use more than 30,000

Ten of the volunteer firefighters are licensed first responders. Of the 80 plus calls per year, about 60 per cent are medical. The island has about two structure fires a year. Many of the other calls are motor vehicle accidents. Volunteers train one night a week for two hours and carry radios 24/7 so they can respond when needed. Calls can take from a half hour to eight hours for a major structure fire. Being a first responder in a small community poses additional problems because

there is a good chance firefighters will know the victims. “We have great debriefing and 24-hour counselling,” he says. They also look after each other to ensure there are no lasting effects from critical incidents. Luckett plans to continue his work as a Realtor, but in three years wants to get his 20-year pin and join the fire department’s auxiliary. “It’s stressful being responsible for the safety of a large number of individuals.” But in the meantime, he works like wildfire. It has taken 10 years, but his plan to bring a new ambulance station to the island will soon be a reality. Using his real estate skills, he arranged for the purchase of a half-lot beside the fire station and used his negotiating skills to fight an uphill battle. His persistence has paid off and the new ambulance station, adding to the benefits of life on the island, was finished in June. REM

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ituations often arise where an initial action between, for example, a vendor and purchaser is before the courts and must be decided in order to determine if specific performance should be granted and if the party seeking relief was “ready, willing and able to close”. For many reasons and usually to meet a limitation period, one of the parties to that action will also sue the solicitor who acted in the real estate transaction. The dilemma: Usually solicitor-client privilege cannot be waived by the solicitor – only by the client. However, if the solicitor is sued by the client, the information between the solicitor and client is no longer privileged. This is only proper so that the solicitor can fully defend himself in the negligence action. The obvious tactic for the lawyer is to add the action against him to the first action, to be tried together subject to the discretion of the trial judge. This leads to the dilemma of what the solicitor can disclose (even in a statement of defence to the former client’s allegations), which will then become a public record and open to the opposite side in the main action involving the aborted purchase agreement. Often that privileged information may be very detrimental to the former client and particularly to the former client’s position in the initial action.

The situation often arises where for some reason a barrister on behalf of a former lawyer’s client not only sues an alleged tort feasor (a person who commits a tort or civil wrong) but also their prior lawyer, alleging negligence. Production of documents is an essential ingredient in these actions, but should the lawyer be producing the same affidavit affecting the former client to the co-defendant, alleged tort feasor? This would involve a waiver of a solicitor-client privilege, which is permitted to the solicitor where the former client sues them. If disclosed to the “co-defendant”, the results may be very prejudicial to the former client. These types of actions involve dangers and pitfalls for the lawyer acting for the solicitor as he deals with the issue of solicitor-client privilege and proper or improper waiver to a third party. ■ ■ ■

It is a well-known concept that if foreign defendants attorn to the Ontario Court (such as entering a Notice of Intent to Defend), the Ontario Court can and normally will take jurisdiction against the out-of-province defendants. Despite this rule of thumb, the Ontario Court declined to exercise its jurisdiction over the parties in a recent case because they had signed a contract and agreed all disputes were to be arbitrated in North Carolina Courts. The lesson is to make sure that if you sign a contract, read all the clauses and especially where any dispute resolution will take place. Such a term usually involves exclusivity, which a court will enforce. Donald Lapowich, Q.C. is a partner at the law firm of Koskie, Minsky in Toronto, where he practices civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on real estate litigation and mediation, acting for builders, real estate agents and lawyers. REM

REM AUGUST 2011 11

REM FOLLOWUP:

Realtor capitalizes on Olympics experience By Katherine Fawcett ooking back, Lisa Ames would say almost all her Olympic dreams came true. All but staying in her hometown. “The games were a once-in-alifetime experience that I wouldn’t have traded for anything,” says the 40-something Realtor who was based in Pemberton, about 25 minutes north of Whistler, but now lives in Squamish, to the south of the ski resort. Ames, who was profiled in a pre-Olympics article in REM, dove into the excitement of the Olympics head-first. She spent 14 days and 14 nights joyfully immersed in the sports and culture festival that shone a global spotlight on Vancouver and Whistler. “To be so close to the action was incredible. I think it changed our community and province. The sense of pride was amazing.” During the games, a translator for an Eastern European team was billeted at her house. She volunteered in the press centre. She celebrated alongside Olympic cham-

THE UN-COMFORT ZONE

By Robert Wilson

ntil I was 30-years-old, I wasn’t much of a fisherman. I’d take a rod and reel along on a camping trip, but I never expected to catch much of anything. In my mind, fishing was a relaxing past time you enjoyed with friends and beer. Then my buddy Brian asked me to go fishing. I took him to a lake I knew that was hid-

pions, cheered her friends as they carried the torch into Whistler, watched Canada win a gold medal in hockey, stood at the sidelines of thrilling events and met athletes, fans and volunteers from around the world. Many Pemberton businesses shut down for that two-week period. Schools closed and people partied in Whistler. Ames figured she wouldn’t be doing any real estate deals, and she was right. “Business in general during the games was very slow. However, the exposure and long-term marketing value was immeasurable,” she says. Even for Pemberton? “What’s good for Whistler is good for Pemberton,” she says with a smile. Ames worked hard to capitalize on the Olympic experience for the entire region. Among other things, she helped organize an event that saw 300 dignitaries and business leaders rubbing elbows with representatives from Pemberton and Squamish at Canada House in Whistler, in an attempt to draw attention to what the surrounding

communities have to offer. However, direct positive economic benefits from the games are more difficult to find in Pemberton than elsewhere in the Sea-to-Sky corridor, and part of Ames’ personal legacy from 2010 was a relocation to Squamish. Situated smack dab between Whistler and Vancouver meant Squamish was able to reap much greater benefits from the Olympics. “Squamish was more involved with the actual operations of the games (than Pemberton). It was a base for many of the workers before and during the games and was also a hub for the bus network,” says Ames. She sees the Squamish real estate market growing and strengthening. “The legacy of the new Sea-to-Sky highway has had the biggest impact on Squamish. People can be in downtown Vancouver in 40 minutes and have one of the most scenic and tranquil drives in North America…People are realizing this, and we are seeing more and

more buyers from the Lower Mainland.” Although there is much she misses about “Pemby,” Ames loves her new home. She appreciates the diversity of business opportunities and the wider range of amenities that a larger town (over 20,000, compared to Pemberton’s 5,000) offers her and her family. She still maintains strong ties with Pemberton. The drive north through Whistler to Pemberton is a regular part of her life, as she Lisa Ames was on the cover of REM in August remains an active mem- 2009. ber of Pemberton’s town council. In Squamish, her community activism has found a new think so,” she says. “The games place to take root. She is still a had so many other positive Rotary member and was integral in effects, I can’t be disappointed. If a major fundraising campaign for the games had been a total disasthe Squamish hospital. ter…I think I might have a different opinion. The games expeWas Ames disappointed that rience was so good, it’s all okay.” Pemberton didn’t see more of a REM post-Olympic boom? “I don’t

The first million is hardest den in the woods and he taught me how to fish for bass. He showed me how to cast my lure along the edge of the lake; how to give the line a couple of tugs to “jig” the lure and attract the fish; then to reel it back in quickly. I accepted his instructions affably, but with little faith, then popped open a bottle of beer and started to get into the rhythm of relaxation. Cast, tug, reel. Swig. Cast, tug, reel. Swig. Cast, tug, reel... Whoa! Something hit my line. Hard. Really hard! I’d never felt anything like that before. My line started spinning out of the reel with a high-pitched whining sound. I cranked it back in as fast I as could, but the drag was set too low and the fish was pulling it back out faster than I could turn the handle. Suddenly, 100 feet in front of

me, a bright green monster burst out of the lake. It was a largemouth bass that came full length out of the water. Shimmering in the sunlight, he shook his head back and forth in an attempt to break free from my hook, and then splashed back beneath the surface. I couldn’t believe it. It was just like I’d seen on television – and it was happening to me. Afraid that I’d lose the fish, I yelled at the top of my lungs, “Brian, help!” He was nearly halfway around the lake, but he dropped his own rod and charged toward me, yelling instructions all the way. I tightened the drag and reeled the fish in a little, then let him pull the line back out to tire him. It felt like an hour, but was probably less than 10 minutes before I finally got him in. He was 18 inches long and weighed eight

pounds. The bass wasn’t the only one to get hooked that day; I was too – I couldn’t wait to go fishing again! For the first time in my life, I had experienced fishing success. Success in anything is very motivating. It builds confidence and encourages you to keep pursuing that particular endeavour. In sales, getting to that first closed deal is critical for getting people to stay in that profession. When I started out in my first sales job, I recall becoming deeply discouraged by hearing “No,” over and over again. I mistakenly took the rejection personally and wanted to give up too soon. I recall the old timers advising me, “It’s just a numbers game – you have to get a certain number of rejections before you’ll get a sale.” Over time, I realized that was

not really accurate. It is only a numbers game in that every single sales attempt is a baby step up the learning curve. You learn how to read body language and how to listen carefully to what your prospect is telling you about his or her needs. Then from these things you gain clues in how to share your expertise so that your customer has enough confidence to buy from you. Eventually, you go from baby steps to giant steps. Wealthy, successful people have always said, “The first million is the hardest to make.” Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. is a motivational speaker and humorist. He works with companies that want to be more competitive and with people who want to think like innovators. www.jumpstartyourmeeting.com. REM

12 REM AUGUST 2011

THE SENIOR AGENT

By Barry Lebow

he recent court case Krawchuk vs. Scherbak should make all Realtors stop and think carefully about the use of the disclosure forms that many advocate should be used in every deal. No matter where you are in Canada, if you are selling real estate you must get a good grasp of this recent case. In a nutshell, the agent was held partially responsible for not verifying the seller’s representations and for not urging the buyers to retain a qualified home

Disclosure, absolutely. Forms, no! inspector. Justice Gloria Epstein stated that using the Seller Property Information Statement (SPIS) in Ontario “seems to present a ground ripe for litigation.” For more information, search for Ruling highlights danger of disclosure forms by Bob Aaron at www.remonline.com. In my professional practice today I specialize in two areas of real estate litigation as an expert witness – real estate agency and real estate stigma. In my experience about one in 10 files that I start will eventually get to court. There have been just over 200 cases against real estate professionals over the use of disclosure forms in Canada. Given my own experience of how many cases actually go the distance, I believe that at least 2,000 actions have been commenced against Canadian agents and that probably is conservative. I have my own observations based on the litigation files I have

worked on. Disclosures are absolute. Simple rule: if you know it, you disclose it. If you have to ask if you should disclose, then absolutely you must. I don’t like the current disclosure forms because they are restrictive and obviously put together by well-meaning committees, but they are limited in their scope. I would never sign the Ontario SPIS form in its present state. There are many questions asked, but not enough and no form could ever encompass all of the potential problems that one could find in a property. Here are the questions I would ask and have signed: 1) Is there anything within your structure that could negatively impact the market value for a buyer? 2) Is there anything upon or beneath your site that could negatively impact the market value for a buyer? 3) Is there anything either in

place or pending in your immediate neighbourhood that could negatively impact the market value for a buyer? 4) Have you ever had your property insurance refused, rated or reduced during your ownership? 5) Is there anything notorious about the history of the property that you are aware of that could negatively impact the market value for a buyer? For example, your client lives in an area and is happy. A buddy who is in the know tips them off that due to heavier air traffic, planes will start using a particular runway on weekends. That will bring plane traffic directly over their home and create a constant disturbance. Before anyone gets wind of this, they list their home with you. Find that on your present disclosure form. How about a small-town property where a notorious murder took place some years ago?

Your buyer is from a big city, knows nothing of local lore and buys not knowing that the locals consider the house tainted and possibly haunted. Find that on an SPIS form. Is there anything in your disclosure form about proximity to the clubhouse of a well-known motorcycle gang or maybe a convicted sex offender next door? I can give many examples of what is missing on the forms, as can you. The fact is, you must disclose what you know but you must also sit down with your sellers and explain the facts to them. You must explain that recent court cases clearly set out that they can be sued and they cannot mask problems. Get them to understand that and get them to outline any problems. Do not forget about the land and out-buildings as well. Sellers do not have to cooperate and a smart sales rep will Continued on page 14

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ong-time real estate professional Walter Michael Hayes died peacefully with his family by his side on June 22, 2011 at the age of 71. Mr. Hayes is survived by his wife Suzanne (Neubauer); children Patrick, Lynda (Carman) Apreda and Jennifer (Kevin) McKinnon; grandchildren Julia, Marcus, Grace and Brenden; and brothers Peter (Susan) and Paul (Teresa). He was predeceased by his brother Austin (Ana). Mr. Hayes was brother-in-law of Lynda Tyler (the late Christopher) and Paul (Mary) Neubauer. From 1975 to 1982, Walter and his brothers operated Realty World Hayes & Associates, with offices in Maple Ridge, Coquitlam and Parksville, B.C. “The four brothers – Peter, Paul, Austin and Walter – were partners and an unstoppable team, leading the Maple Ridge and Coquitlam offices to become the top two offices in the Realty World North American franchise system from 1977 to 1979,” says Brian Walker, broker of record for NRS Select in Richmond Hill, Ont., a family friend. “The brothers said this was not only a result of determination to succeed, but also to Walter’s ideas and creative approach to the industry. The brothers said Walter simply made the business fun.” In the mid 1980s he was hired by Karl Nielson to grow the National Real Estate (NRS) Brand in Ontario. Mr. Hayes bought a Sutton Group franchise in 1897 and helped build Sutton Group Ontario along with Rick Hamilton. From 1991 to 1993 he returned to NRS as regional Director for Ontario and Atlantic Canada. Mr. Hayes finished his career selling real estate in Niagara-on-theLake, Ont. with Royal LePage. The family has asked that for those who wish, memorial donations may be made to the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation or REM Canadian Blood Services.

Disclosure... Continued from page 12

insist that the buyer obtains the services of a qualified home inspector. If they decline, get that in writing. Diarize your actions and theirs. It is apparent from the files crossing my desk, the inquiries I get and from the many Canadian court decisions that Realtors are targets for litigation. Full disclosure and use of a home inspector may not spare you from being named in a lawsuit but it can protect you from being found guilty and having to pay for a mistake.

For more information, go to www.youtube.com and type in Barry Lebow. Barry Lebow is a long-time columnist for REM. He started as a Realtor in 1968. He is an appraiser, arbitrator and educator. He specializes in being an expert witness in stigma and agency matters but is most active as founder & CEO of the Accredited Senior Agent professional designation program for Realtors that now has 800 members and continues to grow. A long-time writer, author and speaker Barry is considered one of Canada’s most dynamic real estate facilitators. 416-784-9806 or email barry@thesenioragent.com REM

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16 REM AUGUST 2011

SALES COACH

By Bruce Keith

very time one of your customers is preparing to give you some bad news, they always start with the disclaimer, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take it personallyâ&#x20AC;?. They tell us that â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not about youâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not your faultâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;we just decided on someone/something else.â&#x20AC;? As recently shared by author Seth Godin, there is a paradox here. First of all, how else do they think we would we take it? They are rejecting us! They are telling us NO. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard not to take it personally. On the other hand, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never personal, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not about us... itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about them! After all, they are the customer.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take it personally, butâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; It really boils down to staying mentally tough enough to handle the rejection and move on. Here are some ideas on how to do that: 1. Be sure that they really are saying no. Often a good question to ask is, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What do you need to see/hear/feel to help you choose my solution to meet your needs?â&#x20AC;? Maybe they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t as sure about saying no as they sound. 2. If it is a definite no, then take a deep breath and get over it. Rejection is never easy and at the same time, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of the process of commissioned sales. Surely you did not expect everyone to say yes. 3. What would you normally do next if it was just another sales call or phone call? Go back to your daily routine. The faster you â&#x20AC;&#x153;get back on the horseâ&#x20AC;?, the quicker the pain goes away. Next. 4. If you are still having trouble getting over it, there is one more solution. Decide on a specific length of time and date that you are going to be frustrated, disappointed, in mourning. When the time is up, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business as usual.

Make it a short cycle and get back to your life. No drama allowed. The next time someone starts off a sentence by saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take it personallyâ&#x20AC;? make sure you pay attention to what they said. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not about you! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always about them because thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who they are looking after. Great salespeople work on their mental toughness every day. Focus on your victories, not your losses. Besides... your victories are a lot more fun to remember anyway. No excuses. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

People do strange things. People do things that from the outside appear extremely irrational. Often they make fools of themselves. There is no doubt that some people are addicted to approval. When little children want approval, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to identify. They are very transparent in how they look for praise and acceptance. When it comes to adults it is not nearly as easy to spot. Some celebrities fall into this trap... people like Charlie Sheen, Sarah

Ferguson and Lindsay Lohan come to mind. We would be hardpressed to argue against the theory that they are merely addicted to approval. Some salespeople also fall into this trap, looking for a YES at any cost. The job of salespeople is to seek and gain approval. The danger comes when you make irrational decisions in order to get that approval. Here are some signs: 1. Cutting your commission. 2. Not closing five to seven times. 3. Not following up in a timely fashion. Usually our justification comes from, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like to be pushyâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to chase them away.â&#x20AC;? How to deal with this? Great salespeople deal with these limiting beliefs by staying focused on their priorities. Your priorities should always be to: 1. Help those who need you. 2. Move past those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need you (keep checking on

their motivation). 3. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to focus on your motivation too. What are you trying to achieve? What is your goal? Like many things in our business, it sounds simple enough but it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. This takes practice, discipline, support and accountability. Make sure these items are part of who you are and who you are becoming. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking for approval, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay. Just focus first on getting the approval of those in your personal life by being successful in your business life. One begets the other. Bruce Keith, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sales Coachâ&#x20AC;?, began his sales career at IBM and 15 years later used his marketing and sales expertise to develop a highly successful real estate business. He is a master of teaching â&#x20AC;&#x153;what to say and how to say itâ&#x20AC;?. His high energy and entertaining training style has allowed him to create a popular coaching and seminar business for numerous sales organizations during the last 12 years. www.brucekeithresults.com REM

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Sales rep has unique hockey hobby ll full-time real estate agents feel their career can be an arena threering circus juggling act, but Mark Schadenberg of Royal LePage Triland Realty in Woodstock, Ont. says the juggle for time really does take place in an arena. Schadenberg works with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League on the Rogers TV broadcasts. He conducts intermission interviews and hosts the pregame and post-games of the broadcasts of all Knights home games. “At the end of the day, I’m certainly a full-time Realtor, but I’ve also worked very hard over the years in the media as a hobby,” says Schadenberg, who is the longest-serving continuous sales rep for Royal LePage in Woodstock. Schadenberg’s first profession was in the media, working in the radio industry for five years – both on air and selling advertising. In 1992, he then switched gears to seven years in newspaper as sports writer/editor of the daily Woodstock Sentinel-Review. After accumulating a lot of contacts, real estate just seemed like a natural transition, he says. “The one part of real estate that I find to be extremely enjoyable is that it provides for some flexibility in hours,” says Schadenberg. “I joke with friends,

saying I work seven days a week from 9 am to 10 pm, but certainly not all those hours.” If broadcasting and real estate occupy two of the three rings at a circus, Schadenberg says the third ring is obvious: wife Nicole and children Maeghan and Spencer. “With the London Knights playing at home almost every Friday night through the fall and winter, it’s quite a sacrifice for me to be away from family, but it’s certainly an additional sacrifice and a lot of love from my wife to manage two young children when I’m away for my hobby.” Schadenberg says that Rogers TV is first and foremost community-access television, so the compensation isn’t the main reason for his favourite past-time. “Like all Canadians, I love the game of hockey, and in particular junior hockey. I’ve had to climb the ladder like all broadcasters. I spent five or six years doing play-by-play for Junior C hockey in Woodstock and those games for Rogers were produced often with a crew of six people in total.” Schadenberg has been on the Knights broadcast team (play-byplay is Greg Sloan, while Rick Doyle is colour analyst) for five seasons. In his first year, current NHLers Patrick Kane, Sam Gagner and Sergei Kostitsyn were all Knights. Since then, that list

has grown to include Steve Mason, Nazem Kadri and John Carlson donning Knights jerseys before earning jobs in the big leagues. Also, London is owned and coached by former NHL players Dale and Mark Hunter. Last September, London’s John Labatt Centre hosted a fourteam NHL prospects tournament, and at that event Schadenberg did a live TV interview with Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke. Among his other broadcast credits are six years commentating/interviewing at the Ontario men’s curling championships, plus Western Mustangs football, London Majors baseball and Delaware Speedway racing. “To this day I’m still not sure what the function of a carburettor is, but as play-by-play my role would be to know the drivers, car makes and models, and focusing on the events on the track and pits with the obvious importance of knowing at all times which cars were leading and on the lead lap.” As for real estate, Schadenberg says he likes to concentrate on resale homes – both buyers and sellers. He adds that the Woodstock market has been an anomaly when compared to others in southern Ontario and outside of the influences of Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe area. In 2005, it was announced that Toyota

Mark Schadenberg interviews Boston Bruins’ prospect Jarod Knight.

would be building a full-size manufacturing facility in Woodstock to produce the RAV4 sports utility vehicle and employ well over 2,000 people. “While many markets were stagnant, Woodstock and Oxford County did witness a huge increase in interest and sales then. Six years later when I look back and present my comprehensive CMA to prospect listing clients, depicting charts of the sales numbers for 2005 and 2006 it’s still staggering to realize our recent market trends when compared to the past three years.” Attractive interest rates will continue to assist in finding more buyers, while the aging demo-

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graphics will continue to produce home sellers, he says. “It’s a lot like junior hockey. This past season the Knights became an average club in the standings after contending for the most part for the past eight years. In real estate, you hope it’s always a consistent good market, but you also must get used to the ebbs and flows just like the cycles of a junior hockey team,” says Schadenberg. “I hope I have many more good years in both real estate and broadcasting.” Schadenberg’s marketing efforts include social media, including @markroyallepage on Twitter, along with www.markroyREM allepage.blogspot.com

REM AUGUST 2011 19

$1.4 million separates Canada’s markets A

report by Coldwell Banker says Vancouver is Canada’s most expensive housing market, with an average listing price of $1.5 million for a four-bedroom, two-bath home, while Windsor, Ont. is the most affordable market with a similar home priced at $144,456. The Canadian study was part of the expansive Coldwell Banker Home Listings Report (HLR) that rated more than 2,300 North American communities. Vancouver ranked as the third most expensive market in North America, behind California’s Newport Beach ($2.5 million US) and Pacific Palisades ($1.6 million US). Windsor has been impacted by auto industry woes, and is now promoting its great value housing to the retirement market. The report provides the average home listing price of four-bedroom, two-bathroom properties on coldwellbanker.com that were listed between September 2010 and March 2011.

While CREA reports the national average for all types of homes was $372,544, the Coldwell Banker HLR showed that 41 Canadian markets were below that price for this type of aspirational home. “The Canadian market continues to experience record or nearrecord housing prices in major markets across the country, with Western Canada posting some of the nation’s highest prices,” says Jim Gillespie, CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “But the HLR indicates that home ownership is still within reach for many. Those living around Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe are benefiting from some of the nation’s most affordable prices.” Gillespie says that six of the eight most affordable Canadian markets in the HLR are situated in that region, including Windsor, Welland ($196,321), Fort Erie ($215,236), St. Catharines ($220,883) London ($223,882) and Brantford ($226,700).

Vancouver is joined on Canada’s most expensive list by Kelowna ($1.1 million), Burnaby ($797,455), Fort McMurray ($652,382) and West Kelowna ($640,055). Ontario reflected one of the largest disparities in average home listing prices for the subject home with a $480,454 difference between Windsor and the province’s most expensive market, Oakville ($624,914). Markets included in the Canadian report were required to have a minimum of five properties fitting the criteria within the relevant timeframe. Some highlights from the report: • The most affordable U.S. market is Niagara Falls, N.Y., which has an average home listing price of approximately $61,000 US. In Niagara Falls, Ont. subject homes were listed at more than four times that price at $272,769 CDN.

• Today’s low interest rates are helping to keep the dream of home ownership within reach for many Canadians. Put in perspective, with a 20 per cent down payment, a mortgage on a $200,000 property at a five per cent interest rate with 30-year amortization period could translate to a relatively low monthly mortgage payment of less than $854. Using the same parameters, the average $144,460 four-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Windsor could translate to a monthly mortgage payment of approximately $617. • Out of the 10 most expensive North American real estate markets, seven come from the Pacific side of the continent. Vancouver was the only Canadian market among North America’s top-10 most expensive markets, placing third overall. Five of the top seven were from California: Newport Beach, Pacific Palisades, Rancho Palos Verdes, Saratoga and Los Gatos, with Mercer Island, Wash.

also making the top 10. • Only two Canadian markets, Vancouver ($1.55 million) and Kelowna, B.C., ($1.1 million) topped the million-dollar mark for a four-bedroom, two-bath home. Burnaby, B.C. ($797,455) was the only other Canadian market in the study with an average listing price above $750,000. • Canadians thinking of buying property in the United States will be pleased to find a large number of markets where homeownership is at affordable levels. There are 1,545 markets with average listing prices less than $300,000 US for a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home. These markets include many ‘sunshine state’ destinations typically sought after by Canadian “snowbirds”. To compare average listing prices for any of the 2,300 studied markets using an interactive online tool, visit coldwellbanker.com. REM

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20 REM AUGUST 2011

Hey Canada, c’mon down!

By Frank Kirschner implosion similar to that which occurred in 1929. At that time, a stock market crash and a lack of jobs most affected the anaemic economy that was sandwiched between two world wars. The current U.S. economy is also suffering lacklustre GDP and extremely high unemployment figures. As they say in the south, “If people don’t have jobs, they ain’t buyin’ nothin.”

cores of economic prognosticators are continually trying to determine when the U.S market will level off. Many investors are asking, will there ever be a better time to buy? No doubt about it, there’s never been a better time to buy a U.S. investment or vacation property. There are fantastic opportunities south of the border and inventory is solid. The market has provided some great investment opportunities for our Canadian neighbours, particularly in Florida, Georgia,

Arizona and Nevada, but you’ll find deals at 25 to 40 per cent below previous sale prices in virtually every state in the union. Prices have never been cheaper and mortgage rates never lower. How long is this bear market expected to last, and why is Canada’s economy gloating in such stark contrast? Some analysts expect the current U.S. market to last eight to 10 years. Canada has been a shining example to the world through the melt-down for two

reasons: fiscal responsibility and job creation – neither of which the U.S. has experienced in many years. The graph from Clear Capital, above right, gives a shocking picture of U.S. real estate trends. However, the real indicator of future trends lurking in the wings is succinctly identified by industry educator KCM Blog. They explain it this way: “The inventory of future short sales and foreclosures that will be coming to the market is known as ‘shadow inventory’. Future real

estate pricing will be determined by the number of these distressed properties that eventually reach the market.” “These properties sell at major discounts: * short sales at a 10 per cent discount * foreclosures at a 35 per cent discount “CoreLogic just reported this inventory is declining as more Americans are staying current on their mortgage obligations. See the graph from its report above left. “There still are a substantial number of distressed properties that must be cleared. They will cause prices to soften in many markets. However, it is comforting that this number is finally beginning to decline.” It is estimated that more than one in four U.S. homeowners are currently upside down (owing more than their home is worth). Average home prices are down eight per cent from a year ago, three per cent over the quarter, and are currently falling at about one per cent every month, according to Zillow.

A farm foreclosure sale in Iowa. Circa 1933. (Photo from the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration).

That’s why Canada stands tall and proud. You’ve been a shining star amidst gloomy skies. How so? You’ve kept your national debt in

If the banks were to unleash all these shadow foreclosures on the market too quickly, or all at once, it would devastate an industry already on life-support, bringing the U.S. to its knees, creating a further foreclosure

Frank Kirschner

check; and as a country, you’ve lived within your means. You’ve also realized everyone should put money down on a house, and have ‘skin in the game’. You have stuck to recommended Gross Debt Service Ratios when approving your mortgages. Hats off to you. So Canada, what’s next? I recommend you check your funds, pick a favourite vacation or investment spot, sharpen your pencils and take action. The U.S. market is “ripe for the pickens.” Frank Kirschner is a veteran U.S. and Canadian industry veteran based in Atlanta. Visit his Facebook blog: Atlanta Real Estate Cyber Café, click Like; or connect at Linkedin. com/in/frankkirschner or email FrankKirschner@comcast.net. REM

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22 REM AUGUST 2011

STOP SELLING HOUSES & START MAKING MONEY

By Debbie Hanlon

once knew an agent who used to call summer “simmer” because sales were definitely not hot for him. People are on holidays, he’d tell me. They’re enjoying the summer so selling their home or buying one isn’t their top priority. As the temperature goes up, listings tend to go down – or so I was lead to believe by him and other veteran agents. Summertime was down time. I didn’t believe that and I took to working summer hours. I saw it as another under-used opportunity to sell myself.

Summertime isn’t down time When you think of summertime, it conjures up images of picnics, parks and family fun. That’s just what I worked at during those warm months. I wanted to do something that was pretty much a customer appreciation party without seeming like one. With that in mind I started thinking of possible things I could do to not only say thank you to my clients, but also raise my profile in the community. What could I do that hadn’t already been done a thousand times by a thousand other agents? One night while I was putting my daughter to bed, the answer hit me. Actually it didn’t hit me as much as it cuddled me. It was her favourite teddy bear. There was a children’s entertainer in our town who held teddy bear picnics. Children would bring their teddy bears to his show, where he entertained them with stories and songs. This was a case where I didn’t have to reinvent the wheel; I just had to hook my wagon to his star as it were. So I called him up and

told him I’d like to sponsor a teddy bear picnic to be held at the park in town and he was more than happy to do it. I sent out invitations to all my clients, telling them that they and their children would have a wonderful day in the park. I also invited the public at large to come along if they wanted to. If your message contains children and teddy bears, it’s easy to get on the open line shows and promote it and yourself. Plus it creates a buzz as people tell other people about it. In no time I had strangers calling me and asking for the details. Their contact info was added to my data base and they were calling me instead of the other way around. It was all good. Once the big day came, I had my signs peppering the park and a large banner over the stage welcoming people to the Debbie Hanlon Teddy Bear Picnic. Everyone who walked through the park that day saw my signs and heard the children laughing and singing along to the enter-

tainer. What’s not to like about that kind of publicity? All in all, it was a great success and quickly became an annual event that clients, as well as possible future clients looked forward to. It gave them a chance to meet me as a person, not as a real estate agent, and it gave them a day to enjoy with their children. I would walk around the crowd introducing myself and making small talk about anything but real estate. That gave me a human face, not just the one they saw in the paper or on my signs. So if there’s something happening in your town this summer that you can become a part of, do it. Most of these events are looking

for sponsors and the cost is far outweighed by the positive exposure you get and the chance to meet so many future clients. Take a look at what’s on the go and attach yourself to the one you like best. You’ll find out in a hurry that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel to get on a roll. Debbie Hanlon is the founder of Hanlon Realty and CEO of All Knight Inc. She is a three-time top 50 CEO winner and was named one of the top 100 female entrepreneurs in Canada. She is currently an elected city official in St. John’s, Nfld. and is available for motivational and training seminars. Email debbie@allknight.ca. REM

CORRECTION The story Industry’s ‘best-kept secret’ is No. 1 in the July issue of REM incorrectly stated Josh Heppner’s title. He is the chief operating officer of Sutton Group West Coast Realty.

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24 REM AUGUST 2011

GREEN REAL ESTATE

By Elden Freeman

ou only need to be mildly aware of life outside of real estate to realize that a fiery battle may be heating up over the importance of the sun in how we heat, cool and light our homes and buildings. In an effort to promote the benefits of solar energy, the Canadian Solar Industry Association is trying to raise $2 million from its members to build a media campaign in Ontario. The association believes there’s a vast misunderstanding about solar power and that it is wrongly gaining momentum as a political hot

Harnessing the power of the sun potato in the lead up to the Oct. 6 provincial election. Given Ontario’s troubles with the issue, could this also play itself out in other provinces? We certainly hope not. As Realtors representing home and commercial buyers and sellers, it’s good business form to be wellversed in innovative strategies that will invariably alter how we live and do business. That includes how we consume energy. Being knowledgeable about how solar power can benefit your clients gives you a far-reaching upper hand. Solar power is a 10 on the scale of environmental friendliness. Unlike fossil fuels, which produce carcinogens, greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide, solar cells are clean, quiet and highly dependable. Passive solar technology relies on the sun’s rays and doesn’t require mechanical or electrical devices. A good example of passive solar is using sunlight to light a room during the daytime or design-

ing a home or building so that it captures the sun’s energy to keep it warm in winter and cool in summer. Active solar technology uses equipment such as pumps and fans to transfer the sun’s power to where it is needed. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems consist of solar panels that collect and convert sunlight into electricity to power your home. While this does require an initial investment, there are a number of programs that can help reduce the cost of the system. Depending on where you live, solar PV systems allow you to reduce the amount of electricity you need to purchase from the energy grid, and you can send any surplus electricity back to the grid for credit. While many think solar panels are an unattractive feature of a home, according to a 2010 study by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, homes with solar panels are gaining ground in the real estate market. Solar-powered homes sell faster, the study

shows, and they get nearly 20 per cent more in asking price. The efficiency of solar PV increases in colder temperatures and the technology is particularly well suited for Canada’s climate. The size of the solar array, battery bank and AC inverter required for a typical solar PV application depends on a number of factors, such as the amount of electricity you use, the amount of sunlight at the site, the number of days without backup that you require and the peak electricity demand at any given time. Sufficient battery storage can easily allow a solar PV system to operate fully independently. PV modules should be oriented between southeast and southwest (due south is best). Modules generally need a year-round, unobstructed view of the sun. Systems can be sized to provide 100 per cent of your electricity consumption at a cottage or campsite, or as a supplement to conventional utility electricity. A tracking system can orient the

solar array to maximize its electricity production throughout the day and the year by tracking the movement of the sun, though this is typically not practical for most applications. For the sake of your clients, become a sun worshipper or, at the very least, a trusted professional who knows a thing or two about solar energy. Your clients will appreciate your solar smarts and who knows how much more business you might soak up thanks to that lucky old sun? For information on consumer incentives in your province visit www.cansia.ca/government-regulatory-issues/provincial/consumerincentives. Elden Freeman B.A., M.E.S, broker is the founder and executive director of the non-profit National Association of Green Agents and Brokers (NAGAB). 416-5367325; elden@nagab.org. For more information about NAGAB and what it can do for your business, visit www.NAGAB.org . REM

Insurance Renewal 2011 RECO is pleased to announce that, through the program’s insurance broker Alternative Risk Services Inc., insurance coverage has been renewed with Lloyd’s for the policy period from Sept. 1, 2011 to Sept. 1, 2012. The insurance program is managed by Dion, Durrell + Associates Inc. Coverage includes Errors and Omissions, Commission Protection and Consumer Deposit insurance. Insurance renewal packages were mailed in early July to all registrants. A copy of the renewal package is available for registrants on RECO’s website at www.reco.on.ca.

How tto How op pay ay yyou ourr insu insura ranc ncee pr prem emiiium um Use yo y ur MasterCard or Visa to make you y r insurance pay p yment online througgh MyWe y b,, RECO’s exclusive webb po p rtall for f reggistrants. If yo y u don’t ’ allready dy hhave a MyWe yW b account,, creating i g one is easyy andd free,, sim i ply ply visitit https://myweb.reco.on.ca to sign vis sign g up up. p Once Once you y ’re re logge logge gg d in in to to MyWe MyWe y b, cli click ck on the Insur Insuranc ancee tab tab locate loc atedd on on the the lef leftt side side of the the scre screen en to mak makee your pa p yme y nt. Pl Pleas easee make make yo y ur pay p ymen mentt as as soon soon as po p ssi ssible ble.. Paymen Pay ments ts can cannot not be ma made de by pho phone. ne.

Insurance payments are due by August 12, 2011. The total cost of insurance, including taxes and expenses, for the 2011 - 2012 policy period is $345.

NEW – Suspension process change Registrants who fail to make their insurance payment by the due date of Aug. 12, 2011 become part of the suspension process. These registrants are required to pay an additional $35 towards the program expenses of the suspension process authorized under the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002. The total cost of insurance, including taxes and expenses after the due date is $380. Nonpayment results in suspension of registration effective Sept. 1, 2011.

Policy change

Retiring or leaving the business

Starting Sept. 1, 2011, the Extended Reporting Period – Insured Member, will increase from two years to ﬁve years. The Errors and Omissions insurance continues to cover registrants that have retired or left the business, at no additional cost, for a period of ﬁve years from the date of leaving the business for claims resulting from activities while registered, subject to the terms of the policy.

If you are planning on retiring or leaving the business you may wish to have your completed “Notice of Change: Termination” form and a copy of your resignation letter submitted to the Registration Department by Aug. 2, 2011 to avoid becoming involved in the suspension process.

Additional insurance program details and FAQ sheets are available on MyWeb. Contact RECO’s Insurance Department Directly At:

Online (MyWeb): https://myweb.reco.on.ca | Phone: 416-207-4841 | Toll Free: 1-866-757-7772 | Fax: 416-207-9020 or 416-207-4820 | E-mail: insurance@reco.on.ca

26 REM AUGUST 2011

Do you need to be lucky to succeed?

By Dr. Maya Bailey

hile working with one of my clients today, she brought up the old belief that she had been carrying for decades. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have to be lucky to succeed.â&#x20AC;? I asked her how she would benefit from releasing and reprogramming that belief and she answered, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would be more motivated to take action.â&#x20AC;? During the reprogramming process, I asked her to go back to the origin of this belief, and she vividly recalled sitting in the living room with her parents and watching TV. When shows would come up that would showcase a successful person, her parents would

always say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;look at them, they are so lucky.â&#x20AC;? She realized that even at a young age her parents used this statement as an excuse for why they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have more material possessions. She realized that whenever her parents would say that, they would deflect the responsibility for success on to something beside themselves. She had the further insight that by telling themselves success depended on luck, they could more easily accept the scarcity in their lives. I asked her to tell me how she benefited from believing as her parents did. She answered, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It gave me a feeling of belongingness with the family to believe the same way they did.â&#x20AC;? I asked my client to tell me what would be the negative consequences of continuing to hold on to the belief that her success depended on luck. She was surprised to realize that as long as she held on to that belief, she wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really work her hardest to succeed.

She would never give 100 per cent as long as she thought her success depended on luck. With that insight, it was easy for her to choose to install some updated empowered beliefs. 1. Now I know that my income is a direct result of my efforts. 2. My vision takes me to my goals. 3. I always get what I focus on. 4. I am a magnet for my ideal clients. 5. As I project confidence, I become a magnet for an abundance of my ideal clients. Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever believed that something outside yourself is responsible for your success or lack of success? Have you ever attributed your lack of success to a lack of luck or to the belief that the economy is responsible for your lack of success? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like a victim, rather than realizing that you are the deliberate creator of your life.

She would never give 100 per cent as long as she thought her success depended on luck. Remind yourself of these quotes: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to be, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to me.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whether you believe you can or you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, either way youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re right.â&#x20AC;? Gary Keller states in his book Shift, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not about the market; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about what you do.â&#x20AC;? I have been telling my clients for years, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your success depends on your mindset, not on the marketplace.â&#x20AC;? Knowing this, I see my clients make tremendous strides in doubling and tripling their incomes and in many cases creating a multiple six-figure income once they have â&#x20AC;&#x153;unwa-

vering faithâ&#x20AC;? in themselves. I highly recommend that you release any self-limiting beliefs that put power outside of your control and install empowered beliefs so that you too can be one of the top real estate agents. Dr. Maya Bailey integrates her 20 years of experience as a psychologist with 14 years of expertise in marketing. Her powerful transformational work creates a success formula for real estate professionals. To get your free report, â&#x20AC;&#x153;7 Simple Strategies to More Clients in 90 Daysâ&#x20AC;? and to apply for an initial complimentary consultation, visit www.90daystomoreclients.com. REM

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28 REM AUGUST 2011

HOUSE WORKS

By Steve Maxwell

f you’re building a new home, addition or major renovation, there are five construction strategies that will make your project last longer, perform better and cost less to maintain. These features aren’t common in the building business, but they still make great sense. I always recommend them to the homeowners I consult with as I review their plans and make recommendations before construction. In January 2012, building code

Five great building tips changes in Ontario will require new homes to be constructed with higher insulation levels. This follows the lead already set by British Columbia, and it’s good news. Dubbed E80 – in reference to a minimum required Energuide rating of 80 – the enhancements involve more than just improved wall and attic insulation. They also include a handful of different homebuilding strategies that all work together to achieve the same goal: homes that are easier to heat and cool. E80 houses consume 30 per cent to 35 per cent less energy than new houses built to code standards today. You shouldn’t have to live in British Columbia or Ontario to enjoy these benefits, especially since contractors are quite capable of delivering them regardless of where you live. Google “Energuide 80” for more details. House frame strength is another area where improvements are

easily achieved during construction. Violent weather events are on the rise world-wide, and that’s why I recommend the use of metal hardware for fastening roof trusses. In many areas trusses are just nailed to the top of the wall, but this is a weak approach. For a few hundred dollars of extra hardware and labour, hurricane ties could save enormous heartache when the next big storm rolls through. Google “hurricane ties” for diagrams and explanations of how these simple pieces of hardware work. There’s no valid reason not to install them. Basements are another area where a little bit of extra diligence and materials make a huge difference. Before back filling, fasten a dimpled vertical drainage membrane to the outside of the basement walls. This sheet creates a small space between the soil and the walls for water to drain downwards, instead of being forced side-

ways through the wall and into your basement. Google “vertical drainage membrane” for details and suppliers. If you’re planning to install hardwood flooring, take a look at a product called Elastilon. It’s a peel and stick foam underlay that allows any kind of wood flooring or engineered flooring (either prefinished or site-finished) to be installed at least as easily as click flooring – all without nails. Roll the Elastilon out on the floor, and then peel off the top layer as you lay down pieces of flooring. The adhesive surface on top holds the flooring secure, without the need for any nails. The product comes in different types, for everything from permanent flooring installations to temporary ones where you might want to remove the flooring at some point in the future. This is the fastest, easiest and safest way I know of to install non-click wood flooring on concrete or any other

non-nailable surface. You can learn more at www.elastilon.ca. If you’re having any kind of heated concrete floor installed as part of your project, make sure there’s sufficient insulation applied underneath. This detail is often overlooked and it’s responsible for lots of wasted heat. Aim to have a minimum of R-12 worth of rigid foam insulation installed before the concrete goes down. The building business in Canada isn’t as highly regulated as you might think. That’s why it pays to learn what’s important in good construction and to ensure it makes it into your project. Steve Maxwell is Canada’s award-winning home improvement expert, technical editor of Canadian Home Workshop magazine and coauthor of The Complete Root Cellar Book. Sign up for his free homeowner newsletter at www.stevemaxwell.ca REM

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30 REM AUGUST 2011

The case for water meters By Dianne Saxe and Jackie Campbell

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ay-for-use or flat rates? Flat rates are often popular, but they are very poor public policy. Flat rates encourage waste. Flat rates discourage conservation of water and energy, and devalue their importance. Flat rates make conscientious citizens pay for the bad habits of wasteful neighbours. And flat rates are generally too low to pay for the full cost of the resources consumed. So flat water rates are on their way out in Canada. One of the key recommendations of the Walkerton water inquiry was for full-cost pricing of water. In 2009, the C.D. Howe Institute also called for reform of municipal water pricing, including the expanded use of water meters. Municipal water agencies need billions of dollars in repairs to their infrastructure. Worse, they severely underestimate how much it costs to provide water services, earning only 70 per cent of what they spend. Full cost pricing should ensure that sufficient resources are available for good facilities for water treatment and distribution, and for source water protection. Full-cost pricing is also indispensable to reduce pressure on water resources, so that we do not take, and spoil, what we do not need. And water meters are an essential element in making full-cost pricing fair. More than 10 years after the Walkerton tragedy, Canadians remain among the most wasteful water users in the world. Few of us even know how much water our households or businesses use. Environment Canada exhorts consumers to keep a log of their water use, and provides average volumes used for common activities. For example: 18 litres per toilet flush, 100 litres for a shower, 225 litres for a washing machine load and around 400 litres to wash the car. Unfortunately, this type of pious exhortation has almost no impact on behaviour, because our water is incredibly cheap: an average of 86 cents per thousand litres. An astounding volume of water can be saved through use of water meters. Fort St. John, B.C. introduced water meters in 2006 and reported a decrease in water usage of nearly 826.5 million cubic

metres for 2010 as compared with 2006. In 1994, Canadian households paying a flat rate for water used 450 litres per person per day, while those paying by volume used only 263 litres – more than 40 per cent less. Those living in homes with water meters have an incentive to use water-saving devices such as low-flow showerheads and toilets and front-loading washing machines. Thus, water meters are spreading across the country. In 1991, about half of Canadian households

Toronto Water is the largest energy user of any city operation. Treating less water also allows Toronto Water to use and transport fewer chemicals and to reduce the wear and tear on water and sewer pipes. Together, these help to reduce both the financial and the environmental footprint of water treatment and distribution. Despite the many benefits, water meters can be unpopular. Dryden, Ont. – population 8,200 – had to promise to install water meters in order to receive a $30

More than 10 years after the Walkerton tragedy, Canadians remain among the most wasteful water users in the world. had water meters; this increased to 63 per cent by 2004 and is steadily rising, though it remains relatively low in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. In 2009, the C.D. Howe Institute estimated that only 25 per cent of residential customers remain unmetered. The City of Toronto is now rolling out a mandatory water metering program. Under the new system, all customers will pay for the water they actually use. The city will provide meters to those who were previously on a flat-rate system and replace existing meters with new, automated ones. The new meters will send their serial number and consumption information data regularly to collection units, then to a central server. The new system will help to keep better track of water consumption across the city, detect water loss more quickly and eliminate the need for city staff to go to homes to obtain water meter readings. It will also provide environmental benefits. Accurate data on base and peak use should help focus conservation and peak saving strategies. Treating and pumping drinking water to Toronto customers uses a lot of energy – in fact,

million grant for its new sewage treatment plant. Water metering (at a cost of $1.8 million) was far cheaper than building new infrastructure to meet “business as usual” demand, because it would decrease water consumption by 30 per cent. However, 400 people signed a petition against the initiative. Some argue that not much money will be saved, that bills will be inaccurate and will skyrocket. Dryden passed its water meters bylaw anyway in November 2010. To assuage public opposition, Dryden continued to send its flatrate invoices for a few months, accompanied by a shadow invoice that permits the homeowner to get used to the new system; usage billing will kick in after a few months. Let’s hope Dryden gets the 30 per cent reduction that they’re counting on. Dianne Saxe was named one of the world’s top 25 environmental lawyers by Euromoney Institutional Investor. Jackie Campbell is Canada’s only environmental lawyer who is also a practicing health professional: a pharmacist. (416) 9625882 or admin@envirolaw.com. For more information, visit http://envirolaw.com. REM

32 REM AUGUST 2011

THE DIGITAL BROKER

By George Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill ou have most likely heard of cloud computing, one of the latest tech buzzwords. Although buzzwords come and go, when it comes to technology, often new advancements end up becoming part of the fabric of the way things get done in the future, and I believe cloud computing will be one of those. I predict three or four years from now it will not be newsworthy anymore since it will just be the way most smallto-medium sized businesses operate their information technology infrastructure. Real estate brokerages can lower costs associated with acquiring, operating and upgrading software needed to run their busi-

Cloud computing is here to stay ness and to help sales representatives be as productive as possible with the latest tools. Staying technologically current is always a challenge and cloud computing promises to help our brokerages do that. Cloud computing encompasses the use and storage of files and applications accessible via the Internet. Nothing needs to be stored locally in your office, unless you wish to make a copy of your files. Storage occurs â&#x20AC;&#x153;in the cloudâ&#x20AC;?, meaning somewhere on the Internet, at the facilities of those companies from which you get the software service. Where the storage actually occurs doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really matter, except perhaps for the USA Patriot Act that gives the government south of our border the ability to read data stored within the USA upon demand. What is most likely paramount to you is that data and applications are stored in a reliable, secure facility that gets regularly backed up so you never have to worry about not being able to retrieve your files. Access to data can be achieved

anywhere there is an Internet connection, from any device, whether that is a desktop or laptop in the office, a tablet like an iPad in a coffee shop, or via a smartphone like a Blackberry wherever there is cell phone coverage or WiFi access. Total mobility and information access for you and your sales team is a key feature and you never have to worry about trying to remember to bring all your electronic files with you when away from your office. Traditionally applications had to be purchased, installed and maintained on your own computers, and you had to ensure the appropriate levels of virtual security for login IDs and password management, and also physical security to ensure the data was, ideally, stored in a locked, water and fire protected room. Backup procedures had to be put in place and periodically tested to ensure they work. Whenever a software vendor released a new version of their application, it had to be purchased, installed and tested to ensure it did not interfere with other applica-

tions you were running. If problems were found, the application would have to be uninstalled and discussions would ensue with the vendor to obtain fixes. Existing data would have to be migrated to the new application so it could be made available to all users. This was the norm for years, which was essentially the traditional mainframe computer model, the first generation of computing. Any company with significant requirements for computing resources would have had their own mainframe computer. Today only governments, universities and the largest companies still have mainframes. Most real estate brokerages didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have this generation of systems since the costs involved were too prohibitive. The next evolution of software and computing included the ability to install applications on servers and have the applications automatically available to all computers on the same network. This was known as the client-server model of computing, which was very pop-

ular and still is in many companies since the cost of ownership is lower and applications can be written for PCs instead of large computers. Servers are often stored under desks (not recommended as the best location, but this is often the case) with data and applications on them. A twist on this arrangement is the PC centric model, where applications are installed individually on each PC in your office and users are responsible to manage their own files. This requires lots of technical support and the user files are most likely rarely, if ever, backed up. There are few economies of scale and often PCs and applications are just sitting there not being used, since software licenses cannot be shared. Luckily today we have a much better choice with the ability to obtain and use software from online sources, on-demand, where the software is kept up to date by the vendor. Since applications are shared across the companies the vendor has signed up as customers, Continued on page 34

Toronto Real Estate Board

Richard Silver President

Ann Hannah President-Elect

Bill Johnston Past President

John (Jerry) England Director-at-Large

Paul Etherington Director-at-Large

Lydia Ingles Director-at-Large

Dianne Usher Director-at-Large

Heather Fuller Central Brokerage Director

Larry Cerqua Central Non-Brokerage Director

Shelley Porritt West Brokerage Director

Stuart Braund West Non-Brokerage Director

Rosalind Menary East Brokerage Director

Anne Briscoe East Non-Brokerage Director

Joseph Shum North Brokerage Director

Karen Gerrard North Non-Brokerage Director

Larry Purchase Commercial Division Chair

I NSTANTPRODUCTI VI TY… JUMPSTARTYOURCAREER Nowi st h ec h a n c eo fal i f e t i met ol e a r na n di mp l e me n tTh eMi k eFe r r yOr g a n i z a t i o ns y s t e msa n d

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•Ac o mp l e t eCOI / PCs y s t e mt oc o n v e r t 1 0 %i n t oc l o s et r a n s a c t i o n s •Pr o v e nt e c h n i q u e st oc o n v e r t amo t i v a t e dl e a di n t oab u y e rs h o wi n go ral i s t i n gp r e s e n t a t i o nb e f o r et h e c l a s si so v e r •FSBO’ sa n dL e a dGe n e r a t i n gSy s t e m •Te nc r i t i c a l s t e p st od e v e l o p i n ga nu n s t o p p a b l eMI NDSET •L i s t i n gPr e s e n t a t i o nAc t i o nPl a n

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eginning Sept. 1, all Alberta mortgage brokerages will be required to have insurance against liability for errors and omissions, and additional coverage for loss resulting from fraudulent acts in the carrying on of the business of a mortgage broker. “Real estate professionals in Alberta have always been required to carry errors and omissions insurance with fraud coverage and now that this coverage has been extended to mortgage professionals, consumers will enjoy an enhanced level of protection,” says Robert Telford, chair of the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA). The council is responsible for the regulation of Alberta mortgage brokerage professionals. Real estate appraisers in Alberta are also required to carry errors and omissions insurance. Alberta mortgage brokerages will be required to have a minimum coverage of $500,000 for a single occurrence and $1 million for all occurrences in a 365-day period for both the liability insurance and the fraud coverage. RECA will not authorize an entity as an Alberta mortgage broker-

Cloud computing Continued from page 32

the cost to provide the service is also shared by those companies, making it cheaper for everyone. Often we pay a small monthly subscription fee, with no upfront purchase required. This approach can also be a timesaver since we do not have to manage resources to install and maintain the applications on our sites, and we have the flexibility to change the number of subscriptions to match the needs of our brokerages. The vendor looks after backups and often guarantees a high level of system availability. This cloud computing model is quickly overtaking the other, older, more costly approaches. Also known as Software as a Service (SaaS), cloud computing applications and data storage are in some

age without proof of E&O insurance, and an additional fraud endorsement from an approved insurer. RECA says the program is the result of extensive industry consultation. Seventy-four per cent of mortgage broker respondents to a RECA survey indicated support for mandatory E & O insurance for Alberta mortgage brokerages, and both the Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association and the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals indicated their support for the E&O requirements, it says. “The harmonization of mortgage brokerage requirements across Canada is a huge step forward for our industry,” says Telford. “The implementation of mandatory E&O insurance in Alberta will facilitate interprovincial free trade agreements and assist brokerages with operations in multiple jurisdictions.” All insurers wishing to be approved as providers must enter into an agreement with RECA through which they agree to abide by RECA’s Errors and Omissions Insurance Guidelines. REM

cases available for free. Examples of software “in the cloud” include Salesforce CRM, Google Apps, Facebook and YouTube. Cloud computing is here to stay. You should seriously take a look since there are many advantages, not only from a business process point of view but also from a cost perspective. George O’Neill is CEO and broker of record at O’Neill Real Estate Limited, a boutique full-service digital brokerage based in The Beach, Toronto. He is also the founder of remarkto, the largest Ontario marketing discussion group for real estate with meetings every two months to share information freely. See www.ONeillRealEstate.ca and www.remarkto.ca. Email George@ONeillRealEstate.ca; Phone 416-946-1300. REM

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36 REM AUGUST 2011

Vancouverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s riots and discovering a poet

METES & BOUNDS

their joint before asking them politely to go home and burn no more. As an aside, we were in Vancouver on the weekend following the riot and only the boarded up windows and a few scorch marks evidenced the embarrassment of the post game shame. The clean-up volunteers had done a great job, the plywood covering the windows was literally full of sentiment and the sidewalks were jammed with curiosity seekers, reading, composing and writing. We were in town for a matinee performance of the Tony Award winning musical Wicked and it was ironic the patrons and performers for that fateful Wednesday nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre were held in the building while the rioters surged to and fro outside on Georgia Street. Sort of a show within a show â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with wine spritzers.

By Marty Douglas

suppose I should begin my 200th column with an apology. Not for the previous 199 although I know one or two were clangors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; okay, okay, maybe five. In my last column I made a rash prediction involving the NHL team from Vancouver and the piece of tin symbolic of the ultimate championship thereof. I am now firmly in the camp of the Winnipeg team, giving Canadians one more crack at the title in a city that hangs its trouble makers or forces them to the outskirts of town in mid-winter, rather than waiting until they have finished

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While the rest of the world has forgotten the 2011 edition of the Stanley Cup riots, Vancouver talk radio continues to navel gaze while the left of centre city council exchanges blame with the chief of police. The spokesperson for the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, an NDP challenger in our new premierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recent by-election, is worried the use of CCTV, public and media images cross-pollinated with B.C. drivers license photos will somehow threaten the rights of the rioters. Meanwhile, the police are asking for legislation making it a criminal act to wear a facial covering to a public disturbance. Such is life on the wet coast. On the left coast. Here â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in paradise. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

That out of the way, I want to introduce you to a couple of associates I have worked with for some time, only to discover recently they have talents beyond real estate. Perhaps Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m watching too many reality shows. The problem is you see someone in a familiar daily routine of real estate sales or property management and assume that at 5 pm they fold into a corner filing cabinet and wait until morning to begin again. These are the delightful discoveries you make when you play together as a team, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a beer and pizza in the office after work, a volunteer commitment in support of a community project or a bit of travel. Roland Wickett â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by day the managing broker of Coast Realty Groups offices in Parksville, Qualicum and Port Alberni; by night â&#x20AC;&#x201C; (actually probably in his senior moments during the day too) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a poet. A month or so ago a modest volume arrived in my office mail entitled Burp, Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s old in here â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a collection of poetry for seniors. The flyleaf was inscribed to me with the kind words, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Takes one to know one.â&#x20AC;? Within are 32 cleverly structured word plays on topics as far reaching as handicapped parking spaces and the perils of home hair dye. Two are reprinted to the right.

The cover of the Rolandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book contained another pleasant surprise. A painting by Chris Dahl entitled Garbage Day, Qualicum Beach (www.chrisdahlcreative.com). Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great bio at www.qualicumframeworks.ca/chris-dahl and we discoveed that in addition to painting and recording music, Chrisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; blues band opened for some big names in the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;60s including The Doors and Bo Didley. Chrisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recent career change to property management with Coast Realty Group has been well served by his ability to detect a variety of controlled substances. While Chris worked in my office, I discovered he is the brother of Stevie Cameron, a favourite author of mine, one not usually the subject of Conservative Party of Canada Book Clubs. Her books (http://steviecameron.com/about) are a must-read for a grasp of insider politics and power in Ottawa. Her recent book On the Farm thoroughly and graphically describes the Pickton murders and the case of the Vancouver missing women. Roland and Chris are two of the 250 or so Realtors working with Coast Realty Group around Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. Hockey players, pilots, veterans of wars, teachers, policemen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we come to this career usually late, with backgrounds that have shaped the men and women we are today. When you get a chance to lift your nose from the grind stone, check around. Today could be the day you find your poet. You can follow Marty Douglas on Twitter 40yrsrealestate or on LinkedIn and on Facebook. He is a managing broker for Coast Realty Group (Comox Valley) Ltd., with offices on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast of B.C. Marty is a past chair of the Real Estate Errors and Omissions Corporation of B.C., the Real Estate Council of B.C. and the B.C. Real Estate Association. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a current director of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. mdouglas@island.net; 1-800-7153999. REM

Home Free Oh boy I love retirement After forty years In the saddle Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m finally My own man No getting up early No jacket and tie No rush-hour traffic No office politics No manager Telling me What I should Be doing Eight hours A bloody day OK dear Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take it out Right away

It Takes a Village (s, Beaujolais) Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s make wine Together I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know Gallons I guess Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s start With concentrate And work up To grapes Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll share the cost And use Our basement Hmmm Gee For three bucks A bottle I thought it might be Better By Roland Wickett, reprinted with permission

REM AUGUST 2011 37

Fun with the barbecue By Dan St. Yves

s summer winds down and you find yourself with a cherished weekend off from working with buyers or sellers, a great way to unwind is with a backyard cookout. Ever since the day I bought my first cast-iron Hibachi, on up to my latest gas grill, I’ve always enjoyed a tasty bit of summer barbecuing. Nothing tastes quite the same as food that has been generously seared over an open flame. I’ve cooked kebobs, burnished burgers and flambéed fish on any given summer day. Granted, I have exploded the odd European wiener or two into unidentifiable smithereens and more than once I’ve had a flaming chicken breast cry “uncle” as it desperately hobbled away from the fire. Of course, along with any personal endeavour like cooking, you will have lawn-chair critics. Many a friend or family member has clucked at my methods, even though I’ve learned from many years of trial and error on the old BBQ. One or two errors in gauging lighter fluid on briquettes doesn’t necessarily count against your permanent record, does it? I remain eternally optimistic that my eyebrows will grow back someday. There are some gifted backyard chefs that can determine how a steak is cooking by simply observing the moisture beads on the surface of the barbecue sauce. Not me. I have to repeatedly cut open the poor slab of meat, until it starts to look like it has grown an uneven set of fish gills. As many meals as I have cooked outdoors over the years, there is one little thing I can confess to never seeming to consistently master. That is the simultaneous timing of the various foods on a barbecue. Often my wellspaced five-course meals are com-

pletely unintended. Summer Cooking Tip #1: Dessert can nicely fill in the space between the barbecued ribs and whenever the baked potato decides to finally arrive from the rack. Potatoes often give my skills the slip on a grill. Some days they cook without incident, beckoning for melted butter and other tasty toppings. Other times, the blackened asphalt exterior breaks open to reveal a primarily raw vegetable in need of immediate microwave attention. Summer Cooking Tip #2: Sell overdone baked potatoes to your local historical society. They can make very authentic-looking cannonballs. Part of the problem with most of my outdoor cooking may be the longstanding tradition of backyard beverages one can choose to consume while barbecuing. Certainly soda pop or water would be appropriate on a hot, sunny day, but most backyard chefs will tend to enjoy a glass or two of wine, or maybe a small sleeve of Pilsner while heating up a prefab hamburger patty. This can (on occasion) impair a bit of judgment in gauging the readiness of meat for a plate. Especially if the call of nature is hastening the cook in his duties, after said sleeve of Pilsner. Summer Cooking Tip #3: Check hamburgers carefully for signs of pinkness before serving. If there is only one on the grill, yet you are seeing several doing the Hokey Pokey, be man enough to rely on the second opinion of your partner. 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 ThatDanGuy@shaw.ca. REM

38 REM AUGUST 2011

Good Works R

oyal LePage Progressive Realty in Slave Lake, Alta. held one of the most successful Royal LePage National Garage Sale for Shelter events in the country on May 14. Little did they know that their community would be profoundly affected the next day by massive wildfires, forcing an evacuation of its 7,000 residents and ultimately destroying about 40 per cent of the town. During the afternoon of the 14th, word of the nearby wildfires began to reach Garage Sale for Shelter organizers and volunteers. High winds were the primary concern, contributing to the speed at which the fires could encroach on the Town of Slave Lake.

By evening, some areas surrounding the town received evacuation orders. By Sunday morning, the evacuation orders continued and by evening a full evacuation of the town was ordered. “The smoke was so thick, we couldn’t see across the street,” says Royal LePage Progressive Realty broker Julie Brandle. “Power was lost and the local radio station was burning so there was very little communication within the community. It was quite tense.” The aftermath of the fires left 432 people without homes in Slave Lake and an additional 70 people lost their homes in the surrounding areas. Three staff members from Royal LePage Progressive

Realty lost their homes completely or were unable to return due to severe damage. The spirit of the Garage Sale for Shelter continued at the curling rink, where the sale had taken place. The original plan was to remove items early the next week. Instead, Brandle contacted the Red Cross and suggested that further donations could be made to assist those affected by the fires, using the curling rink as a drop-off centre for the entire community. As a result, not only did the original donations to the Garage Sale benefit woman and children in a local shelter – the remaining items were donated to help those in need following the crisis. Royal LePage Progressive Realty raised $6,300 during the sale. ■ ■ ■

Richard Whittaker, a sales rep at Sutton Group - Associates Realty in Toronto, is taking part in his fifth Friends for Life Bike Rally. The 600-km rally will depart Toronto on July 24 and arrive in Montreal on July 29. Several hundred participants are expected to

Wildfires engulf the southeastern area of Slave Lake on May 15, leaving 40 per cent of the town in ruins. (Photo courtesy of CTV Edmonton)

make the journey, cycling 100 km each day for six days. Whittaker is leading a team of 25 people and most of them are participating for the first time. He provides mentorship, coaching and gives them the sense that they are “part of a family,” he says. He held two fund-raising events prior to the rally and expects that he will collect more than $3,000 for the cause this year, bringing his five-year fundraising total to $15,000. All proceeds will benefit the People with AIDS Foundation. ■ ■ ■

Melody May of Royal LePage Village in Pointe-Claire, Que. is training to do the half marathon in the Oasis de Montreal on Sept. 11. Her campaign, called “9/11, One Significant Day, One Incredible Charity, One Common Goal” is in memory of her friend Debbie who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center. May has set out to raise $9,111 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation and is well on her way. She recently held a yoga fundraiser called “108 sun saluta-

Joseph T-Giorgis

tions”. To support May, visit: http://bit.ly/mhedsv. ■ ■ ■

Joseph T-Giorgis, a sales rep with Sutton Group - Medallion Realty, was a Gold sponsor of the second annual Ethiopian Summer Festival recently in Burnaby, B.C. The event featured a Wubit cultural show and numerous other dance and musical performances, a soccer tournament, arts and crafts vendors and a children’s activity area. T-Giorgis says he is pleased to lend his time and financial support to this unique cultural festival. “Building a sense of community is easy but maintaining that sense of community is difficult in a fastpaced society like ours. These kinds of events reflect and create the atmosphere to come together and become one, based on something we share. The food, the music, meeting new friends and finding long lost friends is a bonus. That is why I want to be part of this event.” In addition to donating $500 to help bring the festival to an estimated 3,000 attendees, he has vol-

Rob Lussier

Richard Whittaker

Trish Reid Melody May and her long-time yoga instructor.

George Grdic

From left: David Burgess, chairperson of the Charity Golf Tournament Committee; Catherine Garbe, president, Barrie & District Association of Realtors; Stephen Stables, committee member; Bonnie Seymour, staff liaison for the association; Dorothy Archer, representative from the Women & Children’s Shelter of Barrie; and committee member Ray Lalande.

REM AUGUST 2011 39

unteered on a scholarship committee. “The committee is working hard to raise funds to promote and support academic interests. Our goal is to award scholarships to postsecondary students in the community.” ■ ■ ■

Running in high heeled shoes and red feather boas, the men of Royal LePage Kelowna participated in the Red Shoe Shuffle for Shelter recently. The organizers and supporters of this hilarious event and the Garage Sale for Shelter raised over $25,000 for the Shelter Foundation and local women’s shelters in Kelowna, B.C. ■ ■ ■

Sales rep Rob Lussier of Sutton - Harrison Realty in Brandon, Man. was recently promoted to the rank of captain and commanding officer of 2520 Royal Canadian Army Cadets. Lussier re-enlisted in the military two years ago when he heard that the cadets needed a training officer. Working with youth between the ages of 12 and 18 is far different

from his prior quarter-century of military service as a weapons technician repairing tanks, howitzers and machine guns. As captain, he takes on the responsibility of overseeing 30 cadets and four staff. Despite a busy real estate and volunteer schedule, he says he is pleased to devote much of his spare time to the Cadet Program. “I joined the cadets when I was 14 and living in Nanaimo, B.C., so I know the value of the program,” says Lussier. “We’re training young people to be leaders. The emphasis is on citizenship, leadership and skills that the kids don’t learn in school. It’s an outstanding program sponsored by the Department of National Defence. It gives kids a lot of opportunities.” With drugs, gangs and other bad influences available to youth, Lussier jokes that the cadets can also offer a certain gang experience. “We’re a really big gang – we’re right across Canada! But with the cadets, there’s an opposite outcome. Kids can often find a sense of direction and see possibilities for their future.”

Lussier also donates his time to the Kiwanis Club. Two years ago he was appointed lieutenant governor for the province of Manitoba and became responsible for eight Kiwanis clubs. These clubs have been involved in valuable projects such as supporting the Special Olympics, funding pools and playgrounds, awarding academic scholarships, contributing to social housing and providing CPR mannequins. ■ ■ ■

Trish Reid of Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty in Cobourg, Ont. recently trained for a 100 km walk. A knee injury right before the event kept her from completing the walk, but she still managed to do a challenging 50 km distance during her training. Over the past year, Reid’s fundraising efforts have led to almost $10,000 in support of her shelter partner, Northumberland Services for Women. ■ ■ ■

George Grdic of Royal LePage Real Estate Services in

Mississauga, Ont. built on the excitement of this year’s NHL season and organized a hockey pool that raised $1,400 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. The top prize was shared by Mary Elaine Muszynski from Mississauga Plantation and Glen MacAngus from RLP Winnipeg. Third prize went to Pat Belsito from Mississauga Plantation. Grdic is already encouraging supporters to plan their picks for next year. ■ ■ ■

Royal LePage ProAlliance in Belleville, Ont. organized the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Quinte event on May 14, in addition to hosting a Garage Sale for Shelter. Eighty-seven courageous men (including Royal LePagers, local fire fighters, the mayor and other prominent citizens) and generous garage sale shoppers wore high heels for the walk and helped raise over $16,000 for the Shelter Foundation and their local shelter, Three Oaks.

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Peifer Realty participated in the Big Bike for Heart and Stroke recently in downtown Chatham, Ont. Twenty-six riders took part in the event and raised $2,115 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The ride has been an annual event for Royal LePage Peifer Realty for the past eight years. ■ ■ ■

Sixty-two golfers enjoyed beautiful weather for a great day of golfing and the opportunity to raise funds for the Women & Children’s Shelter of Barrie recently, when the Barrie & District Association of Realtors held its 8th Annual Charity Golf Tournament. More than $3,500 was raised. The 27-bed shelter provides a safe place for women and children who have left abusive relationships. Counselling, safety planning, legal and court support, referrals and education about violence against women are all part of the services provided by staff at the facility.

Royal LePage Peifer Realty’s Big Bike team.

Behind the firefighters at the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event are Royal LePage ProAlliance sales reps Bob O’Brien and Kevin Wells, along with Mark Rashotte, broker of record.

From left: Mark Hetherington of Royal LePage Kelowna, Rob Becker of Okanagan Inspection Services and Wade Webb, broker/owner of Royal LePage Kelowna.

Recently Re/Max Premier in Vaughan, Ont. took part in the Yard Sale for The Cure, a staple in the Re/Max network for seven years. The sale, along with other fund-raising events held by the brokerage, raised almost $13,000 this year. Overall the Re/Max Yard Sale for the Cure has raised more than over $725,000 to date for breast cancer research, awareness and education.

REM

40 REM AUGUST 2011

AS I SEE IT FROM MY DESK

By Stan Albert

y now most REM readers will have read about the merger of Realtysellers and PropertyGuys.com (see page 3). Are those of us who are the “other” brokerages now supposed to fold our tents and go and sell Amway products and forget why we went into the real estate business?

Competing with commission cutters Most agents in Canada as well as our neighbours to the south still believe if we give good value to our clients and to our referral-based clients, we certainly work hard for our commissions. Whatever you as an agent decide is a fair fee/commission for your services, you justly deserve. The selling of a piece of real estate takes a great deal of skill, patience and knowledge of the market place. Most of us in the “other” category of brokerages recognize this to be a truism. To just offer to consumers a low fee or mere fee commission structure is okay, I guess, for some segments of the population. What does the average home seller or home seeker want? From my many years of experience in

this industry, I know sellers want us to provide the skill to get the most money for his investment and for buyers, the best buy possible. It takes education, professionalism and commitment to protect the public by strictly adhering to all the codes we’re governed under. It’s not just take a listing, put a sign on the lawn and maybe do an open house. The consumer expects due diligence and guidance right up to and after closing – not just a saving on the commissions. A low fee commission does not ensure that the consumer will get more money for his home. Not at all. Most low-fee brokerages or agents usually (not always) rely on the MLS buyer’s agent to bring the offer and in many cases negotiate the offer.

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lousy economies, consumer protection people assaulting us, all the various rules and regulations we are now subjected to, public access to our MLS and more to come, I can tell you that we will survive and thrive through all of this. It’s all between your ears. Don’t give away your hardearned commissions just to compete. Compete as though you’re the very best. Keep raising the bar, don’t lower it. Less is always not more in the long run of things. Stan Albert, broker/manager, ABR, ASA at Re/Max Premier in Vaughan, Ont. can be reached for consultation at stanalb@rogers.com. Stan is now celebrating 40 years as an active real estate professional. REM

Analyze this: Using email analytics

B R O K E R A G E

The Accredited Senior Agent Designation

When the market place is good, as it has been for several years, most of us will be successful in our dealings in real estate. But what you take home at the end of the day is what really counts, and if low-fee agents pay the same as I do for gas today, they will have to do a lot more sales to stay in business. I know from experience that there’s always a new kid on the block to threaten our industry or what we feel is the norm in commission sales. How can you fight the discounters? Establish your uniqueness. Show your prospects letters of reference. Be persistent in setting new standards of performance and be prepared to deliver more than you ever did. Having been through maybe four recessions, high interest rates,

By Mark Brodsky

nce you’ve done all the work on your email newsletter and sent it off, it’s easy to move onto the next project and forget about it. However, you could be missing out on valuable information that can make your future emails much more effective. Every time you send out an email with a service such as MailChimp or iContact and likely even some CRM programs, the system generates a report with statistics: who opened your email, when they opened the email and most importantly, what they clicked on. The majority of your results will come in within the first 72 hours. This report should also give you information about what email addresses are no longer in use so you can remove them from your list. You should also be able to see who forwarded your email to a

friend or colleague, which gives insight into who’s really paying attention. Why is this information valuable? It’s as good as people telling you directly about what they are interested in. The two categories you should be paying attention to are open rates (the percentage of people who open your email) and clickthroughs (the number of times people click on a link). Open rate: Knowing this figure is important because it helps you gauge whether you’re generating more interest, less interest or remaining consistent. The average open rate is 20 to 22 per cent. If you’re getting less than this, it’s time to take a look at your subject line, content and timing. All can be adjusted to increase the number of eyeballs seeing your emails. If you’re around there or above, great. Now the important thing is to maintain it. The systems make it easy to compare from month to month where your readership is. However, this statistic isn’t absolute – it’s tracked based on a small graphic in the email. If peo-

ple have images turned off, it won’t register as an open. Click-throughs: This is where you’ll get the most valuable information. Each time someone clicks through to an article you’ve linked to, they’re giving you specific information about what they’re looking for. You can use the statistics to switch up the types of articles you’re featuring in your newsletter. Keep what works and lose what doesn’t. Knowing these numbers allows you to refine the content of your emails to increase your open rates and provide people with information they want. Mark Brodsky runs Mark Brodsky Digital Communications, a company that specializes in email marketing and social media. In addition to email newsletters and targeted campaigns, MBDC co-ordinates the setup for major social networking sites and ensures that they’re co-ordinated, so one piece of content gets shared many ways. www.mbdigitalcommunications.com; Email mark@mbdigitalcommunications.com. REM

REM AUGUST 2011 41

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

New Royal LePage launches RLP Mobile Keyword Royal LePage Real Estate Services recently launched the RLP Mobile Keyword, which directs users to a mobile search tool where they can access information on the brokerageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s listings in the Greater Toronto Area through their mobile phone. Consumers text â&#x20AC;&#x153;RLPâ&#x20AC;? to 65656 using any SMS text message-enabled device, including all cell phones and smartphones, to

access a search tool. Users can then instantly search properties by street number, property features or by location using GPS. Smartphone users will access listings information through a mobile application while non web-enabled cell phone users will receive listings information via SMS text message. Smartphone users can also access the mobile listings search tool by scanning QR (or Quick Response) codes found on select Royal LePage For Sale signs. Smartphones would require a QR code scanning application in order to access the mobile search tool via QR code. For information: www.rlpgta.ca.

Environics Analytics launches SiteReports.ca Environics Analytics has launched a new service that helps real estate departments and marketers analyze Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s markets and customers. Called SiteReports.ca, the online service allows users to order and receive overnight detailed reports, maps and profiles for any location in Canada using variables they speci-

ÂŽ

Aboutowne

welcomes new ownership

fy. The new service lets marketers analyze areas using data on demographic trends, spending profiles, market potential, lifestyle profiles, drive time analysis, competitive presence and other key analytics. The company says Site Reports.ca provides executivefriendly reports without requiring upfront fees or a long-term subscription. A user simply identifies an address, defines an area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with rings, drive-time boundaries or postal or census areas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and then selects from among 25 pre-formatted reports, maps and profiles. Environics Analytics delivers the analysis by email the next day and charges a pay-as-you-go fee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We wanted to offer a fast and easy way to provide accurate and reliable market and customer insights,â&#x20AC;? says Jan Kestle, president of Environics Analytics. â&#x20AC;&#x153;SiteReports.ca lets users analyze markets, select site locations for expansion and target customers. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect for retailers, restaurateurs, Realtors and anyone who needs the latest data to guide their business or marketing strategy.â&#x20AC;? For information: www.environicsanalytics.ca.

Terrizona fund offers â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;safe and easyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; access to U.S. real estate As U.S. housing prices continue to drop or flat-line, a Canadian partnership has formed to help investors capitalize on the real estate market south of the border. Through the American Homes Fund, Terrizona says it offers â&#x20AC;&#x153;safe and easy access to real estate opportunities, starting in Arizona.â&#x20AC;? With the economic fallout from the sub-prime mortgage crisis, a worldwide economic slowdown and a strong Canadian dollar, American real estate is a promising and potentially lucrative investment for Canadians, the company

says. But it says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many experts now say U.S. housing prices have hit bottom. Anthony Miachika, Terrizonaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s U.S. managing director, agrees: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;In September, 2006 the average home price in Arizona was $276,000. Now, that same home is worth $115,000 and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been that low for the last six months.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? The American Homes Fund is a way for individual investors to take advantage of these real estate deals with the safety and security that comes from investing in a group, the company says. The fund launched on July 6 and will limit subscriptions (investments) to $10 million in the first round. For information: www.Terrizona.com. REM

E/MAX would like to thank Augy Carnovale for his incredibly invaluable contribution the RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada brand throughout his more than 23 years as Broker Owner at RE/MAX Aboutowne in Oakville, Ontario. The reins of RE/MAX Aboutowne have been passed to long-time Oakville resident Claudia DiPaola, a consummate real estate professional who possesses a reputation both within the Canadian Real Estate industry and throughout the Oakville community.

RE/MAX Aboutowne was recently ranked among the Top 100 real estate brokerages in Canada in 2010 by Real Trends Inc.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;an accomplishment that speaks volumes of Augyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s achievements. Last year, 137 of the Top 200 Canadian real estate brokerages carried the RE/MAX bannerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a testament to the exceptional people of RE/MAX. Their efforts are responsible for the success of RE/MAX both locally and regionallyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a prime example that our people truly are the heart of the RE/MAX organization. To that end, we extend a sincere welcome to Claudia DiPaola as the newest member of the RE/MAX family as she takes on this new role of Broker Owner of RE/MAX Aboutowne. Claudia is an esteemed and accomplished professional with tremendous experience including leadership real estate operations with several highSURĂ&#x20AC;OH Ă&#x20AC;UPV WKURXJKRXW KHU FDUHHU 6KH KHOG WKH SRVLWLRQ RI %URNHU RI 5HFRUG DQG 0DQDJLQJ %URNHU IRU 2QWDULR ZLWK 6RWKHE\ÂˇV ,QWHUQDWLRQDO 5HDOW\ &DQDGD 3UHYLRXVO\ VKH VHUYHG DV 6DOHV 0DQDJHU IRU 5R\DO /H3DJH 5HDO (VWDWH 6HUYLFHV LQ 2DNYLOOH ,Q KHU PRVW UHFHQW UROH DV %UDQFK 0DQDJHU 5R\DO /H3DJH 5HDO (VWDWH 6HUYLFHV LQ 7RURQWR VKH ZDV UHVSRQVLEOH IRU PDQDJHPHQW WUDLQLQJ DQG UHFUXLWPHQW +HU YDVW experiences will serve her well, as she continues to expand RE/MAX Aboutowne and grow the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LPSUHVVLYH PDUNHW VKDUH :H DUH FRQĂ&#x20AC;GHQW LQ KHU DELOLWLHV DQG VXSSRUW KHU OHDGHUVKLS Augy Carnovale

Claudia DiPaola

Congratulations!

42 REM AUGUST 2011

THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE

By Heino Molls

hen the MLS System was first introduced in Toronto over 50 years ago it was called the Photo Co-op system. When it started there were many board members who scoffed at the idea of sharing information with fellow Realtors in the city. Some brokers felt it was unfair to provide valuable listing information to other offices because they were the ones who had gone out, knocked on doors and worked hard to solicit the business in the first place. The idea of co-operating listings wouldn’t go away and eventually it became established. It grew to become the largest

The foundation and future of MLS Trade Shows and Conferences MLS in the country. While the brokers involved in the listing and selling of a property would have to share the commission, the big winner would always be the customer. That was why the idea did not go away and was eventually accepted by all board members. The customer benefitted not only because TREB members were able to market the property all across the city but also because the brokers who belonged to the board operated under a strict code of ethics ensuring the same honourable conduct of the person representing their property all across the city. These two principals were the pillars of reason on which the foundation of MLS was built. Other licensed Realtors who did not belong to TREB were envious of the huge base of listings that TREB’s “club” of brokers was able to provide to members. They did

not have access to those listings and the valued information they formed collectively. If they wanted that, they had to apply to join TREB. If they were accepted, agreed to pay the fees promptly and pledged to conduct their business under the code of ethics and strict guidelines of business conduct then, too could participate in MLS and gain access to all those listings. Many of them joined. But others did not. Some complained bitterly to government officials and the press that TREB members had formed a monopoly and controlled all the real estate listings in the city. They angrily pointed out that real estate brokers were being pressured into paying member fees in order to make a living because they had to join TREB if they wanted to be in business and they had to conduct themselves the way TREB dictated, in particular the way the MLS rules dictated. If any member declined to conduct their business in a manner outside of those rules, their membership was terminated and their access to MLS was cut off. TREB prevailed because it was always able to show that its system ensured that the customers of its members received the best service possible, delivered with exemplary business ethics. No one was being forced to join the board. From its development as a simple process of picture sharing through all technological changes over decades, the foundation of MLS has never changed. However the charges of exclusion from those who want information provided in a manner different than the way TREB makes it available have never ceased throughout the years. Today the Competition Bureau is acting for complainants in a dispute with TREB over this issue. My fear is that they may lose sight of the fact that the winner of this dispute should always be the customer. If that fact is lost, then so is MLS.

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

For complete listings, visit www.remonline.com To add a listing to this calendar, email jim@remonline.com Agent Reboot Wednesday, Aug. 3 The Toronto Congress Centre Toronto http://www.agentreboot.com/city/ Agent-Reboot-2011-Toronto/

Georgian Triangle Real Estate Board Technology & Trade Show Wednesday, Oct. 19 Blue Mountain Conference Centre Collingwood, Ont. exhibitor@gtrebTNT.com

Realtors Association of Edmonton Suites and Homes Trade Show Tuesday, Sept. 20 Mayfield Inn Suites and Trade Centre, Edmonton www.ereb.com

CREA MTC Technology Forum Monday, Oct. 24 Hilton Toronto, Toronto Anik Aube - aaube@crea.ca

Century 21 Canadian Conference 2011 Sept. 23 – 25 Shaw Conference Centre Edmonton Garlice Mak garlice.mak@century21.ca 2011 Sutton National Conference Sept. 26 – 28 The Mirage Resort and Casino Las Vegas www.conference.sutton.com conference@sutton.com WinnipegRealtors Technology Conference and Trade Show Thursday, Oct. 13 Victoria Inn, Winnipeg www.wrexpo.ca Lucy Hajkowski – 204-786-8854 lhajkowski@winnipegrealtors.ca Niagara Association of Realtors Harvesting Your Business Trade Show Thursday, Oct. 13 Niagara Falls, Ont. Crystal Henderson - 905-684-9459 27th Re/Max Canadian Conference Hosted by Re/Max of Western Canada Oct. 13 - 15 Quebec City Conference Centre Quebec City kwoodliffe@remax.net

Ottawa Real Estate Board Annual Trade show Thursday, Oct. 27 Ottawa Wilda Brown The Professional Home and Property Inspectors of Canada Inspection Connection 2011 Oct. 28 - 30 Four Points by Sheraton Kingston, Ont. www.phpic.ca Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound Trade Show Wednesday, Nov. 2 Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre, Owen Sound Marilyn Newbigging – MarilynN@ragbos.com NAR Realtors Conference and Expo Nov. 11 – 14 Anaheim, Calif. www.realtor.org/convention.nsf Mississauga Real Estate Board 2011 Annual Election meeting and Trade Show Wednesday, Nov. 23 Mississauga Convention Centre Mississauga, Ont. Gay Napper – 905-608-6732

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

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