August 2019

Issue #362

August 2019

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

Page 10

Steering clients through a divorce Page 6

Linda Murphy hikes 4,270 km – alone Page 3

Debi Pearce gives client’s son a kidney Page 20

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REM AUGUST 2019 3

Hiking home for shelter

Battling illness, injury, snakes and lightning, Collingwood sales rep Linda Murphy is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail alone and unsupported. By Myles Shane

T

he Pacific Crest Trail is a thru-hiker’s ultimate dream and worst nightmare all rolled into one. It’s 4,270 km long and ranges in elevation from just above sea level to 13,153 feet. The PCT passes among the world’s largest trees, some of the most fantastic rock formations and one of the driest deserts. It crosses one of North America’s largest rivers, and traverses a wide range of climates and landscapes, from low-

appearances and unyielding bikers have almost run her over. Murphy is walking alone.

At one point a blizzard closed down a section of the trail, forcing all of the thru-hikers to immediately find shelter elsewhere. It seems like the trail is trying to weaken her, to defeat her, to stop her, perhaps even kill her, but Linda Murphy is a battler. She is a true warrior who doesn’t know what the word quit means. A woman on

Murphy has battled injury and illness on her trek.

Between 500 and 800 individuals attempt the journey each year. Fewer than half of them finish. lying to deserts to craggy high country to well-watered, mossy forests.

Since March, Linda Murphy, 57, a top-performing real estate agent at Royal LePage Relocations North in Collingwood, Ont. has been braving the PCT. She’s walked in 44 C weather and trekked through snow in temperatures of -6 C. Lightning strikes have forced her to run for cover and bees have tried to sting her.

Rattlesnakes have made frequent

a quest who won’t be denied.

Her goal keeps her on the road.

Why hasn’t she given up yet? “I’m raising funds and awareness for Canadian women and children who have experienced violence and are living in shelters,” Murphy says. “Every penny contributed will be divided between my hometown shelter in Collingwood (My Friend’s House) and others all across Canada, where women and children arrive every day – from their own homes, weakened from

emotional abuse, injured from physical abuse, and in many cases, in fear for their lives and in search of a safe haven.”

At press time, Murphy had raised $22,000 and expects to take in close to $50,000 before her sixmonth journey is complete.

Between 500 and 800 individuals attempt the journey each year.

Fewer than half of them finish.

The average thru-hiker will take about five months to walk the entire trail, averaging 20-plus miles a day after factoring in rest days.

For Murphy, this has been the toughest physical and mental challenge of her life.

“The first few weeks on the hike, you speak to no one. It could make some people go mad. You’re alone for hundreds of miles. I was in my head the entire time, singing songs from drama classes I taught when I was a teacher.”

After the first week she developed a tooth infection, which needed to be tended to by a dentist who prescribed her antibiotics.

Down for the count, Murphy was back on her feet in a few days, only to start feeling incredibly sick once she started hiking again.

“I was having stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, itchy skin, hives and my eyes and joints were all swollen.” Hitching a ride back to a small town, a doctor diagnosed her with giardiasis, the most frequently diagnosed intestinal parasitic disease in the United States for travelers. Giardia is found on surfaces or in soil, food or water that has been contaminated with feces from infected humans or animals.

“The doctor told me I contracted the disease from drinking ground water,” says Murphy.

This time she was on the sidelines for two weeks and prescribed more antibiotics. After some well-deserved rest, she continued to push herself through the unknown radical conditions of the desert until she tore all the tendons in her back. By then she’d befriended many thru-hikers and they’d formed their own little hiking family. Worried about Linda’s health, they carried her until they arrived at a small

Linda Murphy on the trail.

town where a spine specialist massaged and manipulated her back until she was ready to continue her journey.

Today while talking to her on Skype at the base of Mt. Larssen, she seems to have come down with a terrible cold. “I’ve had to hitchhike into small towns to get supplies. The stories I’ve heard from these people are so inspiring.

When I tell them I’m hiking for woman’s shelters, some have revealed their own traumatic stories of enduring and escaping abuse, while others are still involved in horrible relationships.”

Before taking on the PCT, Murphy was at best a casual hiker.

She and her husband might spend the day hiking trails or climbing a mountain, building a fire and

enjoying some cocktails before sleeping in the car or on an air mattress. Six months prior to facing the PCT she trained for the event but the trail is also won in the heart and mind.

Murphy has several websites set up to encourage people to donate to her cause. To direct 100 per cent of your donation towards shelters and domestic violence-prevention programs, visit https://tinyurl.com/ HikingHomeForShelter.

To help Murphy pay for her hiking expenses, which are approximately $15,000, visit https://www.gofundme.com/hikinghomeforshelter.

To get a glimpse of the trail and see what Murphy has been up against, check out her Youtube videos: https://www.youtube.com/ REM c/lindamurphy.

4 REM AUGUST 2019

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 otheby’s International Realty Canada has named Kevin O’Toole as managing broker for the company’s Metro Vancouver operations and Polly Cordwell as managing broker for Victoria and Vancouver Island.

O’Toole has more than 15 years of real estate experience in Metro

S

Vancouver. He has 20 years of experience in international sales and has provided real estate marketing for one of the world’s leading property consultancies, Savills of Britain.

“Kevin O’Toole’s extensive industry experience, as well as his business expertise in local and

international markets, offers unique competitive advantages to our company,” says company president and CEO Don Kottick.

“Polly Cordwell has a dynamic entrepreneurial spirit and the focused leadership skills, experience and passion necessary to take Victoria to the next level,” says Kottick.

Cordwell has 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, including an extensive background in project marketing in the Vancouver real estate market, brokerage management, residential development and property management.

■ ■ ■

Kevin O’Toole

Matt Dusenbury

Polly Cordwell

Mark McVey

Former Wetaskiwin Realty Executives franchise owners Dale

Unland and Christopher Hardy, along with managing broker Kathie Taylor, have opened Re/Max Discover in Wetaskiwin, Alta.

“Chris and I are so excited about having the opportunity to represent the Re/Max brand for the Wetaskiwin area,” says Unland. “Our goal is to grow from 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the local market share.”

■ ■ ■

HomeLife Realty Services recently announced the appointment of Matt Dusenbury as its new head of brand marketing, communications and social media.

“This is an incredible time to be a part of HomeLife,” says Andrew Cimerman, founder and CEO. “We recently celebrated the achievements of our agents and brokers at our International Conference in Gatineau, Que. and launched our Five Star Higher Standards Certification program to take their business to the next level. With so much more on the way, we are delighted that Matt is joining HomeLife to further this success.”

Dusenbury brings a deep background of marketing and media to the role, the company says. A graduate of the University of Western Ontario with a Master of Arts in Journalism, he has spent his career building teams and technology across a variety of industries.

■ ■ ■

Team Powerhouse Realty of Prince George, B.C. has joined the Aventure Realty Network.

Broker/owner Mark McVey and partners Cameron McLeod and Brian Steinhauser operate with a staff of 26 and have established themselves as the largest independent in the market. In addition to a strong residential group, the team also delivers a full suite of commercial services.

■ ■ ■

Broker/owner Saravpreet Minhas has chosen to affiliate with the Coldwell Banker network and is now operating Coldwell Banker Dream City Realty in Mississauga, Ont. Formerly associated with a national brand, Minhas and his sales team work extensively with new home builders in addition to residential resale business.

The company has purchased new premises in a large commercial plaza in the Airport Road and Drew Road area, where they are now building a contemporary office space. A grand opening celebration will be held when the new offices are completed in August.

■ ■ ■

Correction: In the story Looking ahead to the next 30 years, the captions on the photos of Jason A. Stephen and Andy Puthon were transposed. REM regrets the error. REM

Saravpreet Minhas

Engel & Völkers held a grand opening event recently in Halifax. Led by franchise partners Donna Harding and Sebastien Latulippe, Engel & Völkers Halifax opened last July. Since then the shop has tripled in size.

The owners plan to expand to other locations in the coming years.

From left: Dale Unland, Kathie Taylor and Christopher Hardy

LEADERSHIP

When I started working with CENTURY 21 Canada, it was clear that their offering is unparalleled by any other company. CENTURY 21 defines and delivers the Gold Standard in Canadian real estate.”

—

Garry Bhaura, Owner CENTURY 21 President Realty Inc. Brokerage Brampton, Ontario

“Garry made us proud as President of the Toronto Real Estate Board. As he transitions to the Past Presidents role for TREB, we’re equally as proud that he and his brother, Sukh Bhaura, have renewed their commitment to the C21 network for an additional franchise term.”

— Martin Charlwood CEO CENTURY 21 Canada

Be part of the Gold Standard: 1.800.446.8737 Century21franchise.ca | Century21careers.ca | C21tech.ca

Independently Owned and Operated. ®†TM† trademarks owned by Century 21 Real Estate used under license or authorized sub-license. © 2019 Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership. Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership currently has franchise opportunities available in select markets across Canada. The intent of this communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a solicitation to anyone under contract with another real estate brokerage organization. CENTURY 21® is a registered trademark owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC, used under license. The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.

6 REM AUGUST 2019

Steering clients though a divorce

Collaborative Practice seeks to help divorcing couples reach mutually acceptable settlements without going to court. By Danny Kucharsky

Cover photo: DARLA FURLANI

and to create customized solutions that consider the priorities of both spouses,” Sachs says.

The out-of-court resolution process for separating and divorcing couples puts an emphasis on full disclosure and open communication and helps avoid costly and potentially lengthy and nasty court cases. Clients make their own agreements rather than giving control to a court. And since settlements occur out of court, personal information and the settlements remain private.

Collaborative Practice seeks to create solutions for couples that are better than the court process.

“People are surprised there is so much room for negotiating and for creating customized divorce solutions,” she says.

Professional practitioners in Collaborative Practice Toronto include family law lawyers, financial professionals and family professionals who typically have social work backgrounds.

“It’s a grass-roots approach to separation and divorce that is growing,” she says. There are similar collaborative practice associations for divorce across Canada and in several other countries.

According to Statistics Canada data from 2018, about 38 per cent of all marriages end in divorce.

Sachs says those statistics don’t include common law couples who have comparable rates of breakups.

If the spouses agree that collaborative is the approach they want to take toward divorce settlement, they each hire their own collaborative lawyer and a team develops around the lawyers, typically consisting of a neutral financial profes-

sional and a neutral family professional.

Collaborative Practice professionals have received specialized training to become familiar with the collaborative approach.

Realtors play an important part in the divorce process because the matrimonial house is frequently the largest asset people own, Sachs says. Realtors’ opinions of estimated house sale prices are valuable and can be used instead of or in addition to formal appraisals “because Realtors may have a better sense of what current market conditions are,” Sachs says.

When it comes to hiring a Realtor, the Collaborative Practice team leaves the decision to clients who may have real estate agents that they already know. But she suggests getting two or three opinions from Realtors when it comes to evaluating house values, especially when the Toronto housing market is buoyant.

In recent years, it was tough to ascertain house values in the city.

The challenge “has been even with good Realtors providing the best range of possible listing prices, clients are saying, ‘That’s great but I don’t accept that because my neighbour’s house just sold for $100,000, $200,000 over list, so those numbers are meaningless.’

The market’s cooled off a little bit now but we were hearing that when the market was really hot.”

In many cases divorcing couples choose to continue owning the home jointly and a formula is devised to handle how they will pay for household expenses and share in the sale price when they eventually sell. That scenario often

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Eva Sachs

comes to the fore when parents have children and want to stay in the same neighbourhood or school catchment area.

“They look at it and say, ‘Maybe for the sake of the family, it makes sense to keep the house until schooling is finished.’ That’s something that we’re hearing about more than we did years ago.”

In other cases, people go through their budgets and believe they can manage monthly mortgage payments to refinance their homes. However, “they don’t go far enough to find out if they would qualify for the kind of mortgage that they need. And that’s where the stumbling block comes in.”

While they can make it from a cash-flow basis, “they’re more challenged in terms of qualifying for the additional mortgage amount

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Phone: 416.425.3504 www.remonline.com

REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. For subscription information, email distribution@remonline.com. Entire contents copyright 2019 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.

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 complies fully with the CREA’s Trademark Policy (section 5.3.2.6.1).

ISSN 1201-1223

they need” especially under today’s stricter mortgage regulations.

Divorcing couples may also face a challenge when it comes to choosing a Realtor, she says. While they may want to use someone they’ve worked with previously, “they may have to choose somebody else in a clearer sense of neutrality and they may feel uncomfortable doing that.”

In 2014, Sachs co-wrote the appropriately named, self-published book When Harry Left Sally, which helps couples in their 50s, 60s and beyond find their way through grey divorce.

She says people in grey divorces often end up downsizing their homes. However, they may have ended up downsizing even if their marriages had not ended.

REM

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W

hen Realtors saw the Collaborative Practice Toronto booth at the recent Realtor Quest trade show in Toronto, many “were surprised we were there,” says Eva Sachs, a member of the team of divorce professionals.

Collaborative Practice Toronto seeks to help divorcing couples reach mutually acceptable settlements without going to court.

A number of sales reps and brokers who visited the booth were not familiar with Collaborative Practice and some thought it was seeking potential business from Realtors who are going through their own divorces, Sachs says.

But the presence at Realtor Quest made sense because Realtors are often the first professionals to discover that a couple is divorcing and play a pivotal role in the divorce process, says Sachs, a divorce financial consultant.

This includes not just home buying and selling, but relocations and valuations.

The appearance at Realtor Quest in May aimed in part to get the word out to Realtors that their clients have choices when it comes to how they approach the divorce process, she says.

Clients going through a divorce often seek names of divorce lawyers from their Realtors, she says, and usually get referred to traditional rather than collaborative lawyers. “The word we wanted to get out was to really explain to people that they have choices.”

The collaborative divorce approach aims “to negotiate an acceptable settlement for families

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We believe businesses should work without constraints.

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10 REM AUGUST 2019

Juliana Vallée’s inspirational comeback

For many people, an inoperable benign brain tumour would be a showstopper, but not for Juliana Vallée, who has partnered with eXp Realty in Burnaby. By Susan Doran

W

hen Juliana Vallée’s vision first began to deteriorate, she didn’t realize she was setting off down the road to living with an inoperable brain tumour.

She was referred from specialist to specialist, each more alarming than the last, from optometrist to ophthalmologist to neurosurgeon. After undergoing various scans and then a biopsy, it was determined that a tumour was pressing on the optic nerve behind her left eye.

It turned out to be benign, “a huge relief,” says Vallée.

But the tumour’s location near an artery made removal too risky. A gruelling round of radiation followed (it was only minimally effective), after which she says her “memory was not so great” for awhile. This led to much good-natured teasing by her four children.

Her memory has since improved but the teasing continues and includes jokes about her poor vision. “My sons wrap pink tape around their hockey sticks so I can pick them out at games,” Vallée laughs.

Now, about a year after treatment, she is doing well. “I choose not to be a victim. What has happened to me has made me who I am and motivates me to go where I need to go,” she says. “I could have hidden under the covers in bed, but I chose to push through.”

The tumour is still there, along with some nerve damage on the left side of her face, severely compromised vision and headaches to boot. And here’s the topper – there’s apparently no way of knowing if the tumour will continue to grow.

Where work is concerned, this would be a showstopper for some

people. Before diagnosis Vallée – who lives in Burnaby, B.C. – was the owner of a successful Keller Williams franchise with more than 100 agents. When the tumour was identified she took a hiatus from her real estate career to spend more time with her children.

But now she’s back at the wheel, albeit in a different lane.

She’s made the switch to a cloud brokerage. A couple of months ago she decided to become a sales rep with eXp Realty. She liked their business model and had “noticed a lot of mega agents moving over,” which helped convince her to do the same.

“It seems like the new way of doing business – the way of the future,” says Vallée. “I like that it’s virtual. I am very technology based.”

While technology adoption in the real estate industry has historically been slow, Vallée says cloud brokerage platforms are quietly gaining ground. eXp is growing fast. It has operations in four Canadian provinces – British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and (most recently) Saskatchewan, with plans to expand soon into Quebec, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, along with other parts of the world.

Working with a cloud brokerage where there is no need for an actual bricks and mortar office can help with time management, Vallée says. The brokerage’s virtual campus is an example. “Now I can attend training from anywhere. I don’t have to drive somewhere.”

To date she has recruited a handful of agents for her new team, the Juliana Vallée Realty Group. As the vision in her left

Juliana Vallée (Photo: Darla Furlani)

eye is almost non-existent, her daughter helps with admin work and reads documents for her.

“I still have the other eye,” says Vallée, ever the optimist.

Committed to personal growth, she maintains that a positive mindset is crucial.

“I’ve always had a positive attitude and been a fitness buff,” she says. “I believe that mindset is everything. I look for the positive in every situation.

How you talk, the people you surround yourself with, impacts how you feel. It comes down to self awareness and emotional intelligence.”

Telling her story has helped her process her feelings. “When people hold things in, that’s when depression happens,” she says.

Exercise is another of her coping tools. A fitness competitor

who trains rigorously, she has received a “most inspirational” award from Status Fitness Magazine. She even continued to train throughout the time period when she was undergoing radiation treatments. This raised a few official eyebrows at the medical facility.

estate business for nearly a decade. Almost right out of the gate she was named rookie of the year at her then-brokerage.

A business coach herself, she is passionate about the importance of coaching, and says she has coaches for all areas of her life.

“I was asked for ID a couple of times,” she says. “Due to my training, I did not look sick.”

She views educating her clients as one of her key roles as an agent – helping them “to bypass their blind spots,” giving them advice from a perspective they may not have seen themselves.

Vallée is currently taking no medication, although doctors have proposed steroids and possible surgical options.

“I’m avoiding that,” she says.

She’s taken healing into her own hands for the time being, with the purchase of a pulsed electromagnetic field therapy machine for her home.

“I haven’t told my doctors yet!” she confesses.

Vallée has been in the real

Still learning the ropes at eXp Realty, Vallée hopes to be back at the top of her game before too long.

“What’s happened to me with the tumour I view as a gift,” she says. “I see life in a different way now. I am a different person than before. I believe in living a limitless life.” REM

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12 REM AUGUST 2019

Industrial, Commercial & Investment T

he fact that tourism in Canada has reached record-breaking numbers has not gone unnoticed by the world’s leading hotel brands, including Hilton.

Tourism here generates a whopping $102 billion in annual economic activity. This spring, the federal government unveiled its new tourism growth strategy to help push that number even higher going forward.

REM recently attended a media briefing hosted by Hilton to discuss its role in this country’s economic, business and tourism growth. The focus was on the allsuites brands by Hilton. The hospitality giant is investing heavily in this model, particularly in Canada, where the all suites format made significant headway last year and is slated to be a growing presence. The event was held at the newly opened Home2 Suites by Hilton Toronto

hotel option, Home2 Suites was identified at the media event as one of Hilton’s fastest-growing brands ever.)

Bill Duncan, global head of Hilton’s all suites and focused service categories, said in a news release that the GTA was selected for this particular hotel launch because its “diverse culture and rapidly expanding tourism industry” make it a perfect location to further expand Hilton’s brand footprint in the Canadian market.

The stage has already been set for future growth, with over 20 per cent of planned Hilton properties in Canada being in the all-suites category. The strongest markets for Hilton here are Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, says Alan Roberts, global head of Embassy Suites by Hilton.

There are 17 brands under the Hilton umbrella, offering tiers of rates, services and amenities, ranging from Waldorf Astoria at

“We noticed customers asking for microwaves and fridges even back 25 years ago.”

Brampton, which is paired with a Hilton Garden Inn. It’s a double first for Hilton in the Toronto region – both the company’s initial dual-branded property in the area (the premise being that dual-branded hotels provide more versatile options for both business and leisure travelers), as well as the first Home2 Suites by Hilton there. (An all suites, affordable, extended-stay

the high end, to more affordable choices including Tru and Hampton by Hilton.

The all-suites brands are Embassy Suites by Hilton; Homewood Suites by Hilton; and Home2 Suites by Hilton. The allsuites hotel concept (wherein all guest accommodations are suites, incorporating a separate living space and kitchen facilities) lends itself to international and domes-

Hilton plans future Canadian expansion More than 20 per cent of planned Hilton properties in Canada are in the all-suites category. The strongest markets for Hilton are Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, says Alan Roberts, global head of Embassy Suites by Hilton. By Susan Doran tic business and leisure travelers alike, who enjoy the added space and amenities.

“We noticed customers asking for microwaves and fridges even back 25 years ago,” says Chuck Lodhia, vice president of JM Hospitality, which developed and manages the Brampton dualbranded hotel and various other Hilton properties. So, when allsuites hotels came along, it was a “no brainer” for his company, he says.

It’s an under-developed segment here, making Canada a prime market, says Jeff Cury, senior director of development for Hilton, Canada. The lower dollar compared to the U.S. doesn’t hurt either. Cury says that suite hotels are an area that is “showing tremendous growth and real opportunity” for the hotel industry.

Extended-stay, all-suite hotels are more established in the U.S. In Canada they are still somewhat misunderstood, with growing demand and plenty of opportunity for catch-up, Hilton officials say. Despite the name and the fact that they tend to be targeted to travelers staying five to 15 days, any stay length is acceptable, extended or otherwise.

It’s a concept that could be regarded as in some ways sharing market space with Airbnb.

Certainly, a quick Google search indicates that competition between hotels and Airbnb is intensifying. Despite new stricter regulations, as Airbnb extends its reach and increasingly begins to target business travelers, hotels are more likely to be affected.

It’s not a simple equation though. It can be a bit like comparing apples or oranges.

“It’s two different businesses.

They are rooms and we are hospi-

All suites hotels are an underdeveloped market in Canada, says Hilton’s Jeff Cury.

tality,” says Adrian Kurre, global head of Home2 Suites by Hilton.

“We think a big part of the hospitality experience is people connecting with people.... We stay focused on connection and creating memorable experiences. We need to make sure we deliver that light and warmth of hospitality, which was the position Conrad Hilton came up with when he formed the company – his vision.”

Canada has no shortage of suburban markets, which traditionally have been viewed as the extended stay bailiwick, although that has now evolved.

Also evolving are the building methods being used. Hilton opened its first modular-built hotel last year and expects modular construction to increasingly gain ground. In this process, modules are built off-site and then shipped and assembled on location. This greatly speeds up building time.

“I think it’s the future of construction,” says Kurre. “I believe that in 15 years modular rooms will be the standard.”

Another milestone project for Hilton is its waste reduction ini-

tiative (in conjunction with the non-profit Clean the World), wherein used bars of soap from its hotels are collected and recycled into new bars. “Hilton is recycling used bars of hotel soap to save the planet,” CNN Business reported. It was apparently among the first hotel chains to recycle soap, helping to keep it out of landfills.

Sustainability efforts are evident in other areas as well, including Home2 Suites by Hilton, the company’s “greenest” brand, with a commitment to the use of environmentally friendly products and operations, including low-flow toilets and landscaping featuring indigenous plants to minimize water usage.

Hilton prides itself on innovative development strategies that will meet the varied needs of its diverse clientele and aid in the continued growth of its international footprint, which prominently features Canada.

“The law of individual differences states that each person has different needs,” says Kurre. “It’s the same in this industry – every market is different.” REM

Imagine being able to start dreaming up, building collaboratively and daring to be more than just another broker.

Imagine being part of something different.

Some of the best in the business, like you, represent our network and can tell you what it means to be part of

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

©2019 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. This advertisement is not an offering of a franchise, and where required by law, an offering can only be made 14 days after delivery of the applicable franchise disclosure document.

14 REM AUGUST 2019

Commission advances help maintain cash flow For 30 years, Agent’s Equity has been helping make agents’ income more predictable and giving them peace of mind. By Sohini Bhattacharya

A

t first glance, most people outside the real estate industry will say that selling houses and finding the next client are two of the biggest challenges facing Realtors. But upon a closer look, maintaining cashflow for this solely commission-based industry is likely the biggest challenge for both new and seasoned agents.

Negative cashflow becomes a formidable reality for a lot of agents at the end of every month, especially in spring and early summer when the housing market picks up speed after emerging from its winter thaw. That’s when phones ring off the hook for Jim Trainor and his team at Agent’s Equity, a company specializing in commission advances.

In real estate, a deal can become a no deal quickly. Even when deals close, agents must

wait for weeks or sometimes even months before they can cash in on their commission. Meanwhile, they rack up monthly bills that include CREA and other provincial real estate board and membership fees, listing fees, staging costs, office rents, staff and admin salaries, insurance, marketing and business development charges and other miscellanea expenses that are integral to running a successful real estate business.

Indeed, agents have been known to fold their operations under the pressure of negative cash flow.

“Why not get hold of that commission, less our fee, today and smooth out your cash flow?” says Trainor. It’s at times like these, he says, that a commission advance helps to generate cash flow and peace of mind.

“Real estate income is extremely unpredictable but

when times are slow, you have to keep investing in your marketing efforts,” says Martin MacFarlane, a sales rep from Sutton Group Heritage Realty.

“Agent’s Equity’s commission advance service has allowed me to stabilize my marketing efforts and thus made my income more predictable. It has allowed me to focus more on selling and acquiring new leads without worrying about all the expenses involved.”

In any given year, Agent’s Equity’s family-run business advances commissions to upwards of 5,000 agents. And yet, their service is one of the industry’s biggest secrets. After crunching the numbers, Mike Trainor, vice president and general manager at Agent’s Equity and Jim’s son, believes that “only about two per cent of Realtors actually utilize the service. As we find out at

Jim and Mike Trainor

many of the trade shows that we attend, many are unaware the service even exists.”

When agents think commission advances, some may think they are like payday loans. But

unlike payday loans, a commission advance doesn’t incur heavy interest fees and unsecured debts.

It’s the sale of an asset, says Jim. Continued on page 18

“You’ll never be alone in your real estate career.”

Costa Poulopoulos

President and Broker of Record

Be a better REALTOR®* Find out how at BetterREALTOR.me *The term REALTOR is a trademark of the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).

Toronto shoppers search on mobile. Are your listings in front of them on Zillow — the mobile-first real estate site? It’s free and available now.

Get started at zillow.com/marketing/canada

RE/MAX AGENTS IN CANADA HAVE DONATED MORE THAN

$70

MILLION SINCE 1992.

RE/MAX reaches $70M+ raised for CMN

RE/MAX proudly supports the Children’s Miracle Network, helping sick and injured children where they live through the Miracle Home Program. Contact your local RE/MAX agent to learn more.

Celebrating 25 years of Miracles with RE/MAX 2017

RE/MAX launches Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day cards

#MemoriesforMiracles Facebook campaign

rem.ax/CMNCanada

2018

Each RE/MAX office is independently owned and operated.

Children's Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan is renamed Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation after a major donation supporting children's health.

Children’s Health Foundation, McMaster Children’s Hospital Foundation and SickKids form a tri-market to create a deeper connection and raise more funds with donors and families served by children’s hospitals within these areas of Ontario.

RE/MAX launches Pull Up Your Socks Campaign

RE/MAX AGENTS IN CANADA HAVE DONATED MORE THAN

$70

MILLION SINCE 1992.

RE/MAX reaches $70M+ raised for CMN

RE/MAX proudly supports the Children’s Miracle Network, helping sick and injured children where they live through the Miracle Home Program. Contact your local RE/MAX agent to learn more.

Celebrating 25 years of Miracles with RE/MAX 2017

RE/MAX launches Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day cards

#MemoriesforMiracles Facebook campaign

rem.ax/CMNCanada

2018

Each RE/MAX office is independently owned and operated.

Children's Hospital Foundation of Saskatchewan is renamed Jim Pattison Children's Hospital Foundation after a major donation supporting children's health.

Children’s Health Foundation, McMaster Children’s Hospital Foundation and SickKids form a tri-market to create a deeper connection and raise more funds with donors and families served by children’s hospitals within these areas of Ontario.

RE/MAX launches Pull Up Your Socks Campaign

18 REM AUGUST 2019

Sam Mizrahi bullish on Toronto condos The developer of what will be Canada’s second-tallest building says Toronto’s condo market is still extremely strong, despite the fact a number of projects in the city have recently been cancelled.

By Danny Kucharsky

T

he developer of what will be Canada’s second-tallest building says Toronto’s condo market is still extremely strong, despite the fact a number of projects in the city have recently been cancelled.

“I’m still very bullish on the market,” says Sam Mizrahi, president and founder of Mizrahi Developments. “The market still is extremely buoyant and it’s still very strong. I think that’s driven primarily due to the immigration.”

Mizrahi is currently developing The One, an 85-storey luxury condo, hotel and retail development at Yonge and Bloor streets that will stand at more than 1,000 feet, making it second in height only to the CN Tower.

Mizrahi says there have been more than 100,000 immigrants coming to the GTA every year since 2008, which has been fuelling Toronto’s real estate market. “It’s just been a very different market than other places in the world. We currently don’t have enough supply for the demand of 100,000 immigrants for the last decade or longer that have been immigrating to the city.”

An analysis published by The Globe and Mail found that there have been 6,350 planned condo units cancelled in the Greater Toronto Area since 2017. But Mizrahi says there has been a spate of condo cancellations for a very simple reason – there is a huge disparity in the pricing of the condo units when they presold versus where condo prices are today.

“The values are much higher today than they were in 2017 or when they did the presales,” he says, “and there were also cost escalations in terms of the cost of materials.” Hard costs have gone up about 35 per cent since the presales of the condos were conducted.

Pricing has increased more than anticipated and developers

opted to cancel the projects “based on purely economics,” he says. “But it’s not to say there’s a problem in the market in terms of demand. It actually shows how much demand there was for the product.”

Mortgage stress tests and other rules that tightened access to mortgages resulted in an initial slowdown, he says, but interest rates are still at historically low levels. “Just getting a slight 250

Sam Mizrahi

basis points increase or 300 basis points increase is not going to really make any dent on the market. A market that is really in demand can afford the new mortgage rules.”

It was thought that taxes on foreign buyers would slow down the market and that real estate in Toronto would suffer, “but it really didn’t do anything.” There was only a short-term blip because the rules didn’t apply to the people that were buying, he says.

“They weren’t really foreigners. They’re people that are having their children go to school and university here; they’re people that are immigrating here, people that are moving their families here.”

Mizrahi says The One does not have foreign buyers. “It’s unbelievable. I keep asking ‘where are they?’ because they’re not in our building.”

Buyers at The One are fami-

lies, empty nesters and divorced people. “We really have a mosaic of different age groups and diversity in the building that is hitting every age group and every type of family you can imagine,” he says.

“It goes to the diversity of Toronto and Canada, which is great.”

Mizrahi adds there is a tremendous amount of depth in Toronto’s luxury condo market. He notes The One sold more than 75 per cent of its 416 units in 12 months, which is “significant” given that the development is one of the highest priced in Canada.

“There’s a significant need for high-end luxury products that before just didn’t exist in the marketplace,” Mizrahi says.

“Everybody spoke luxury, but nobody really delivered it.”

Sophisticated immigrants who are moving to Canada are demanding “super high-end luxury” condos with high-end finishings and an eye to detail, he says.

“They’ve lived in it and seen it for years prior to moving to Canada and they’re expecting to see the same type of product in Canada as well, which is creating the demand for it where we didn’t have it before.”

The One began construction in August 2017 and will be completed in 2023. It’s located at the southwest corner of Yonge and Bloor, the former home of the more than 100-year-old clothing store Stollerys.

The tower is being designed by internationally renowned architect Norman Foster of Londonbased Foster + Partners. Among the firm’s designs are the new German parliament in Berlin, the so-called “Gherkin” tower in London, the Great Court at the British Museum and Apple Corp.’s new headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.

The One features an exoskeletal design with column-free spaces throughout the building.

Aside from condos, The One

The One will be the tallest condo building in Canada.

will feature a 160-room Hyatt Andaz hotel on floors four through 16 of the tower, with more than 15 luxury suites, more than 12,000 square feet of event and conference space, restaurants, bars and a spa. There will also be a flagship ground-level retailer.

Mizrahi founded Mizrahi Developments in 2008 and previ-

ously ran Dove Cleaners. After initially building custom houses in Forest Hill, Mizrahi moved to luxury condo development.

His first condo project was 133 Hazelton Residences in Toronto’s Yorkville in 2011. His other projects include 181 Davenport and 128 Hazelton, also in Yorkville.

REM

Commission advances Continued from page 14

“Once a deal becomes firm and binding, a Realtor would have a commission receivable to be paid out in the future, after lawyers have processed the sale. The Realtor would sell this receivable (the asset) to Agent’s Equity to tap into funds that would be paid out upon completion of the real estate transaction,” says Mike. The brokerage then repays Agent’s Equity on closing.

When used to grow an agent’s business, commission advances are tax deductible.

The process at Agent’s Equity is as straightforward as they come.

After agents submit a request for an advance, they are approved within 15 minutes, following which funds are transferred into their account the same day. Typically, the company advances commissions for transactions closing between 45-90 days but have accommodated up to 150 days in some cases. Ninety-nine per cent of their transactions deal with single-family residential resale properties.

“Someone in a pinch on a Friday afternoon can send in a request and we can have the funds in the account around 6:30 that evening. Clients of Agent’s Equity range from the top 10 per cent of earners to agents who are firming their first transaction,” says Mike.

Celebrating 30 years this year, Agent’s Equity has weathered several downturns in the market, but its well-oiled systems have not just kept them afloat but have made them one of Canada’s leading and longest-running commission advance services. REM

A culture of

A house becomes a home when the ones you love move in.

Coldwell Banker Pet Adoption Weekend September 28 & 29, 2019

The difference between a house and a home is love.

Coldwell BankerÂŽ is committed to finding people and pets their perfect home. The Homes for Dogs Project was started in 2015, in partnership with Adopt-a-Pet.com, helping animals find their loving home. It has become a powerful way for real estate professionals to connect with their communities.

Find out how you can join our culture of caring. coldwellbanker.ca/careers/culture

For a confidential conversation about franchise opportunities, contact: Mark Lindsey RVP, Franchise Sales 1-800-268-9599, ext. 402 mark.lindsey@coldwellbanker.ca

Join the blue.

Coldwellbanker.ca/careers Š2019 Coldwell Banker LLC. All Rights Reserved. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker logo, Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker LLC. Each sales representative and broker is responsible for complying with any consumer disclosure laws or regulations.

20 REM AUGUST 2019

Debi Pearce donates a kidney to client’s son The Maple Ridge, B.C. sales rep gives new meaning to going above and beyond.

O

n June 19, Debi Pearce became a live donor of her left kidney to 30-year-old Geoff Dunsire. After a four-hour surgery, she posted on Facebook from her hospital bed, “I’m all done and in my room. Feeling good. Just waiting to hear how Geoff’s doing. He’s in surgery now.”

Geoff’s mother Tracey followed it up by posting a picture of a smiling Pearce with her thumbs up, while still hooked to intravenous tubes. With a clean bill of health, Pearce was sent home two days later, while Dunsire recovered for another week in the hospital after a lifesaving and successful kidney transplant. “They (The Dunsires) call me their Angel on Earth,” says a humbled Pearce.

She has been selling real estate in Maple Ridge, B.C. for 16 years with her husband Don Pearce at Royal LePage Brookside Realty.

When they received a referral from a friend about selling a prospective client’s property in early 2018, little did they know it would be the beginning of a Realtor-client relationship unlike any other in the business.

All their friend mentioned at the time was that the Dunsire family was interested in buying an acreage for their large family, and that their son Geoff was quite ill. In June 2018, the Pearces listed the Dunsire’s home for sale.

During their visits, Pearce would often notice that Dunsire would be in a darkened room.

In July 2018, after reading a newspaper article, she learned that was because he was recovering from the dialysis treatment that he was receiving three days a week. It was only then that she realised just how sick Dunsire was and that he was facing life-threatening kidney failure.

By Sohini Bhattacharya

When he was 13, Dunsire contracted an incurable liver disease due to an adverse reaction to a hepatitis-B vaccine. Since then, for the better part of his life, he has been in and out of hospitals for a liver transplant and treatments for lost vision, paralysis from the neck down and other severe health complications.

Pearce says her first reaction to learning about Dunsire’s failing health was, “Oh, how very sad.”

But then she says she thought, “If everyone said those words and no one stepped forward, his life would continue along that path with no hope of any normal existence.” She also pondered, “What if this was me and no one stepped forward?” This spurred Pearce into investigating the process of becoming a living kidney donor.

The Organ Project, a nonprofit founded by Eugene Melnyk, the owner and chairman of the Ottawa Senators, says, “There are over 4,500 people waiting for an organ donation in Canada. Sadly, about 260 of those people waiting for a transplant will die every year. That’s about five deaths per week, or one death about every 30 hours that could be saved if they had a viable donor.”

Geoff Dunsire and Debi Pearce

16 per cent of Canadians on dialysis receiving a kidney from a deceased donor survive past 10 years, while a staggering 74 per cent of Canadians with kidneys from live donors survive past 10 years. There is no doubt that a live kidney lasts longer and works right away, as opposed to one from a deceased donor that may take a few days or weeks to start functioning.

Further research specific to kidney donation revealed that almost 77 per cent of 4,500 Canadians are on the waiting list for a kidney. Of those on dialysis, a mere 16 per cent are waiting for a transplant. The survival rate for patients receiving a kidney from a live donor is 90 per cent, as opposed to 82 per cent from deceased donors.

During the early stages of being tested as a match for Dunsire, Pearce also awakened to an ironic and shocking reality – one that significantly reduced her chances of donating to Dunsire and dashed his family’s hopes. She found out she was pre-diabetic herself and that a day might come when she could be on a waiting list to receive a kidney transplant.

In 2017, the deceased donor rate in Canada saw an increase of 51 per cent since 2008, while the living donor rate saw a decrease of 11 per cent during the same period. The Canadian Institute for Health Information says that

At first, “I was very disheartened and frustrated,” says Pearce. But she was determined to save Dunsire’s life, never once second-guessing her decision to be a live donor. She knew she had to get healthy. She started

by walking every day, graduating from 7,000 steps a day to 10,000 steps, to seven km, to her new normal of 10 km a day.

“I started that regimen after the second failed test, early in December. I got my blood sugar tested, took a diabetes management class, was sent to an endocrinologist for assessment, started tracking what I was eating and making better lifestyle choices,” she says. By March 2019, she had lost 17 lbs., lowered her daily blood sugar and blood pressure, and was ready to be tested again. This time she was greenlighted for donation. At the time of donation, Pearce ’s kidney was not perfect match, but it was as close to perfect as she could get.

A week after her donation, Pearce was back to work in her office, albeit for half a day. All the while, her 86-year-old mother, siblings, Don, the Dunsire family and friends championed her efforts and joined her in raising $7,300 towards the Kidney Foundation’s goal of raising $300,000 for awareness about the cause.

As Pearce makes steady strides towards gaining back her health and resuming her real estate career, post surgery, Dunsire is gearing to make a full recovery with her “super kidney”, as she calls it. While both their solo but healthy kidneys will gradually expand to do the work of two, their collective prognosis is a long and healthy life.

“Life will continue along as before. There will be no longterm effects on my health or my ability to work or enjoy life.

There is no risk of developing any future health complications that would be attributable to my donation,” says Pearce.

Her real estate community has celebrated her selflessness. Her advocacy for the cause led one of the agents in her office to consider donating their kidney as well. “I think if we polled all Realtors, we would find many stories of above and beyond,” says Pearce. “This is mine. We are in the business of helping people, it doesn’t necessarily stop at the front door of a new home.” REM

REM AUGUST 2019 21

Sales reps celebrate 15th anniversary of organ donation

I

n 2004, sales rep Ken Cowie of Re/Max 2000 Realty in Surrey, B.C. gave a life-saving kidney to fellow sales rep Paul Belhumeur. Recently Re/Max of Western Canada created a video (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=WOp8MeAn400&t=21s) to celebrate the 15-year anniversary of the donation.

In the September 2004 issue of REM, Laurie Dawson, communications co-ordinator for the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, wrote: It all started (in 1994) when Belhumeur, 51, was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary illness that slowly destroys the kidneys’ ability to function. When Belhumeur found out three years ago that he’d need a transplant in two years, he had to be proactive. “I had to get the word out because waiting for someone to die can take as long as seven years.” So Belhumeur, a calm, steady-as-hegoes kind of guy, started a regular and very forward e-mail campaign

appealing to every person he knew.

His colleagues, including Cowie, 44, got every one of those emails.

Cowie, in his engaging, out-going way, describes how he felt when he found out. “Bummer! My blood type is the same! What do I do now?”

What he did was start the long, extremely thorough process of being tested to find out if he could be the donor. He says there was never a specific moment when he knew, it was more like a feeling of inevitability gnawing at him as the tests moved along and he “passed” each one. He knew that he was “the one” before Belhumeur did. ‘I held

it to myself for two weeks so I could tell Paul on his birthday. He knew that I had been tested already; so, I simply told him, ‘Paul, everything’s a go, when do you want to do it?’”

Belhumeur says that he was in a little bit of shock. They were standing in a small office with a couple of cups of coffee. “What do you say when someone says I’m going to do this for you? Anything you say is inadequate. All I could do is promise him; I’ll always look after it.” When asked if there’s anything more he’d like to add, Belhumeur says, “Tell people to register to be an organ donor, please.” REM

Paul Belhumeur and Ken Cowie

REIC Pursuit of Excellence Award winners announced The Real Estate Institute of Canada (REIC) recently announced the recipients of the 2019 REIC Pursuit of Excellence Awards. The awards are presented annually to individuals and organizations that have advanced excellence in the industry.

Award recipients were formally recognized at the awards gala held in Niagara Falls, Ont. during REIC’s 2019 Annual Conference.

REIC Emeritus Award: Helen Jones, JONESco Real Estate; Saadat Keshavjee, Amhurst Property Management J. A. Weber Award: John Bowen, Markland Patrick J. Harvey Memorial Award: Dan Van Willegen, Management Professionals Realty Murray Bosley Sales & Leasing Member of the Year: Fabio Fiumana, McCOR Management Real Estate Management Member of the Year Award: Christopher Lieb, Oxford Properties Group

W.P.J. McCarthy Partner of the Year Award: Matrix360 REIC Community Services Award: Ruth Harding Bohan, Royal LePage Atlantic; Ken Finch, Royal LePage Signature Realty QuadReal Literary Award: Natalka Falcomer, Groundworks Firm Young Professional of the Year Award: Wesley Narciso, JRS Engineering Don Hill Chapter Initiative of the Year Award: REIC B. C. Chapter Chapter Administrator of the Year: Kerri Hiebert, REIM Chapter; Beth McKenzie, REIC Toronto Chapter QuadReal Excellence Award: Jessica Greenberg, Osgoode Properties Chapter of the Year Award: REIC Toronto Chapter In addition, the REIC Toronto Chapter received the IREM Outstanding Canadian Chapter Award during the awards gala.

2019 INSURANCE RENEWAL Payment is due by August 16, 2019.

The total cost of professional liability insurance, including taxes and expenses is $465 for the 2019–2020 policy period.

How do I make a payment?

Registrants make their payments online via MyWeb. If you don’t already have a MyWeb account, it’s free and easy to sign up; simply visit https://myweb.reco.on.ca. Payments can be made using Visa or Mastercard.

In the interest of information security, please do not email or fax your credit card details to RECO.

in the suspension of your registration and the right to trade in real estate effective September 1, 2019.

What if I’m leaving the business?

If you’re planning on retiring or leaving the industry in the near future, consider terminating your registration prior to renewing your insurance, as insurance payments are non-refundable.

You can ask your broker of record to terminate your registration on MyWeb before the due date of August 16, 2019.

Pay by August 12, 2019 to ensure a worry-free payment before the busiest period of the renewal collection.

What if I don’t pay on time?

For frequently asked questions about this insurance renewal or for assistance, please visit www.reco.on.ca/2019renewal

If you don’t make your insurance payment by the August 16, 2019 deadline, you will become part of the suspension process.

The total insurance payment after the due date of August 16, 2019 is $500. Failing to make an insurance payment results

Contact RECO at: https://myweb.reco.on.ca P: 416-207-4800 TF: 1-800-245-6910 F: 416-207-4820 cs@reco.on.ca

REM

22 REM AUGUST 2019

T

homas Fox of Regina was recently elected national president of the The Appraisal Institute of Canada (AIC) for 2019-2020.

Fox first joined AIC in 1996, receiving his CRA designation in 2001, followed by his AACI in 2006. He has worked for a small valuation firm in Saskatchewan for his entire career and has been an active volunteer with the institute for over 22 years. “I am honoured to be the new AIC president – especially as we move into a period of rapid and profound change in our profession,� he says. “I plan to continue to build on AIC’s proud history and reputation as the appraisal professionals of choice within Canada.

Our members face some challenges

ahead and I welcome the opportunity to help lead them to a bright future.�

Joining Fox on the AIC Executive Committee are Jan Wicherek, president-elect, P.E.I.; Peter McLean, past president, Ontario; Suzanne de Jong, vice president, Ontario; Adam Dickinson, vice president, New Brunswick; and Keith Lancastle, CEO. Other members of the board include Michael Kirkland, Newfoundland/Labrador; AndrĂŠ Pouliot, Nova Scotia; Georges Semine, Quebec; Edward Saxe, Ontario; Laura Kemp, Manitoba; Dena Knopp, Alberta; Brad Brewster, Alberta; Craig Barnsley, British Columbia; and David Aberdeen, British Columbia.

Several awards were also presented during the 2019 AIC Conference, including: Peter McLean received the AIC’s highest honour, the Fellow, which is awarded to an AIC Designated Member who has exemplified AIC’s values and integrity in every facet of his career.

The W.C. McCutcheon Award, granted to outstanding volunteers of the institute who have been long-standing committee volunteers and have demonstrated leadership and commitment to the institute and profession, was presented to Allan Beatty, Patricia Cooper and John Manning.

Top Appraiser Under 40 awards were presented to Samantha Lawrek and Nicholas Ruta.

President’s Citations were awarded to three of AIC’s longstanding volunteers: Christopher Whyte, Daniel Doucet and Dallas Maynard.

The title of Honorary AACI was bestowed upon Antoine Hacault of Winnipeg, Manitoba for more than 30 years of contributions to the AIC and to the advancement of the profession. â– â– â–

TREB IS HIRING!

The Real Estate Institute of Canada (REIC) recently installed a new president and Board of

Directors at the institute’s Annual Conference and AGM. The president is Ken Loeppky, vice president and COO, Innovation Place, Regina. The REIC vice president is Johnmark Roberts, broker of record, B&B Associates Realty, Toronto. Walter Lui, broker/manager, Century 21 Leading Edge Realty in Toronto was named secretary/treasurer. The past president is Winson Chan, vice president, sales development, Tridel in Toronto.

The 2019-2020 directors are: Natalka Falcomer, EVP, corporate development, Chestnut Park Real Estate, Toronto; Diane Glover, senior property manager, Globe Property Management, Winnipeg; Maria Jeck, principal, Citadel Building Consultants, Coquitlam, B.C.; Steve Kincade, CEO, Kincade Property Management, Saint John, N.B.; Yolanta Murphy, specialist, First Nations Housing (Alberta), CMHC, Edmonton; and Theresa Salsman, general manager, Commercial & Residential Division, Real Estate 360 Property Advisory, Dartmouth, N.S. â– â– â–

More than 10,000 real estate and industry professionals attended TREB’s 19th annual Realtor Quest, Canada’s largest real estate conference and trade show.

Guests came from across Canada, the U.S. and around the globe.

The event included a record 275 trade show exhibitors, featured presentations, a new TREB Central information area, an Innovation Hub, an RQ Pop-Up Shop featuring Realtor Store specials, plus more than 20 professional development sessions and several other attractions.

At TREB’s Spring Annual Meeting, more than 600 TREB members saw a special torch ceremony to kick off TREB’s 100th anniversary celebrations.

A real estate symposium included a discussion on “Housing as a Product� with George Carras, founder and CEO of R-Labs.

Guests also took in a panel discussion on some of the complex and controversial issues facing the industry, including the future of brokerages, the future of MLS systems and the future of associations. There was also a keynote address by Stefan Swanepoel of T3 Sixty.

Featured speakers included digital marketing expert Gary Vaynerchuk, Carl Carter Jr., Rob Andress, Rob Hahn and Marc Saltzman. A WomanUP! panel session included Tami Bonnell, Sherry Chris, Sara Sutachan and Debra Trappen.

The next Realtor Quest will be held May 27 and 28, 2020. REM

The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) is looking for a full-time Professional Development Specialist to work within a co-operative team environment to develop and deliver outreach and training programs to REALTORÂŽ Members and Brokerages. The successful candidate will provide high-quality and innovative e-learning, classroom and workshop courses on the resources and technologies available to REALTORSÂŽ, as well as deliver seminars on

REQUIREMENTS • A university degree or diploma from an accredited academic institution and/or equivalent work experience as outlined below; • Three years’ experience in adult education using various delivery methods; • Must possess excellent communication and writing skills; •

• Experience and enthusiasm for utilizing mobile and other emerging technologies as learning tools; • Knowledge of TREB MLSŽ Rules and Policies, the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 (REBBA 2002), the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) Code of Ethics, Competition Compliance, and any other legislation or industry requirements is required;

! " ! #

$%

• Real estate sales experience or equivalent is an asset.

Please email your cover letter and resume to: hr@trebnet.com

A record 275 exhibitors attended this year’s Realtor Quest.

Thomas Fox Peter McLean, left, is presented with his award by Thomas Fox.

The REIC 20192020 Board of Directors. Steve Kincade was not available when the photo was taken.

Among the presentations was a panel discussion about the future of MLS systems.

REM AUGUST 2019 23

Human Powered Technology

by John Packes, CTO, EXIT Realty Corp. International The following is paid, promotional content.

Technology tends to take the spotlight as the next shiny object. It can be ‘cutting edge’, ‘cool’, and associated with words like ‘buzz’ and ‘disruptive’ in the media. It tends to carry with it some implied guarantee: Use this product and your leads will increase by 40%! Use that service and you’ll close more deals!

Before the advent of modern real estate technology, our industry still had a proportionate number of transactions, top producers, market ups and downs, lead generation, advertising and more. The change has been not to the industry itself, but to the tools we use to get the job done.

Effective technology tools have helped agents, brokers, and offices sustain and grow regardless of industry conditions.

Ineffective technology tools have not.

So, what makes technology effective? That is a fundamental question across all industries.

Real estate is a relationship business, so let’s start there.

Regardless of era, success in real estate is about meeting people, nurturing relationships, earning their trust, and then doing business with an individual. And if you’ve done your job well, earning the opportunity to work with that individual more than once, and being referred to his or her friends and family.

Technology is a tool, nothing more. It is created and developed by people to achieve one or more goals. At EXIT Realty, we provide a lot of technology, yet we’re

completely human-focused. Our business model – indeed, our philosophy as a whole – is always centered around the person first in order to maximize human potential. As such, we build all of our technology to enhance and augment the individual’s capabilities.

Sounds simple, right? Not so much. Complexity rises to the square of the variables, and despite having targets defined, there are myriad aspects of these targets to consider when creating a suite of effective tools.

One pitfall with technology is its ability to lead to complacency.

Technology will not replace relationships, trust, or many other aspects of our innate humanness.

Technology tools done correctly keep the human at the center, but offer efficiencies, reach, multiplication of effort and higher signal-to-noise ratios. Effective technology is equivalent to a highly efficient assistant who keeps you on track, organized and makes you better, and never lets you become complacent.

The art of simplicity is an exercise in complexity. Humans dedicate a limited number of hours each day to driving their careers forward, and we technology professionals must keep that in mind as a core principle of development. We have to ask questions about learning curves, barriers to entry or usage, simplicity of interface, communication priority, accessibility, and more. We have to remember that learning and using technology tools should constitute a very small portion of the average real estate professional’s day, so that the majority of their time can be

spent doing what they do best. In short, technology should be unobtrusive but highly effective, transparent and intuitive. We have to make sure that every minute spent using technology tools creates results in orders of magnitude. Great technology lives behind the scenes. In its perfect form it’s the light switch, or your car’s ignition; one simple action, lots of complexity behind the scenes, and a big return on the seconds it took to engage.

So many technology companies I see today forget these core principles, creating solutions for problems that don’t exist and missing the mark on problems that do. Or worse, they create revenue for themselves at the cost of agent and broker effort and results. I’ve seen real estate

professionals get derailed by putting so much faith in a product or technology that they forget why they got into the business and what made them successful in the first place – their relationship with people. One new relationship personally nurtured will likely yield more results than 20 random internet leads and is a better use of your time and resources.

Here’s a real-world example.

In late 2011 I was looking to purchase a house. Being in the business I had a number of contacts in the real estate space and was committed to working with one of them. During the holidays I received the exact same email from seven different local real estate agents - exactly the same subject line, and the same senti-

ment and image within the email; the only difference being the agent’s name and headshot at the bottom. This is a perfect example of technology leading to complacency. As a consumer I felt insignificant. Not only did I not use any of those agents for my home purchase in 2012, but I promptly unsubscribed from their email lists. By contrast, the REALTOR® who got my business sent me a personal text message wishing me happy holidays and offering to meet me for lunch or coffee to answer questions or provide advice.

At EXIT Realty, we don’t create technology for awards or buzz, we create technology for results.

And the measure of our success is firmly rooted in the success of our people.

EXIT is a proven real estate business model that has to-date paid out more than a third of a billion dollars in single-level residual income to its associates across the U.S. and Canada. EXIT Realty’s Expert Marketing Suite™ including geolocation Smart Sign™ technology gives home sellers the edge in a competitive marketplace. The company’s Focus on Good Health blog promotes wellness at work and home. A portion of every transaction fee received by EXIT Realty Corp. International is applied to its charitable fund and to-date, more than $5.5 million has been pledged to charity. For more information, please visit www.joinexitrealty.com

24 REM AUGUST 2019

THE GUEST COLUMN

By Karen Cox

O

Congratulations, Cindy Haggerty!

For the past nine years, Cindy Haggerty has been leading the successful, top achieving Brokerage RE/MAX Finest as Broker/Owner in Kingston and Napanee, Ontario. Cindy opened her first office starting with just four agents and she has since grown the company to over 90 agents with five locations. Today, RE/MAX Finest continues to grow market share in the region.

RE/MAX INTEGRA would like to thank Cindy for her leadership, dedication to the RE/MAX brand, and

commitment to growing RE/MAX Fines est as its fearless leader. Cindy has been an inspiringg partner p with RE/MAX INTEGRA and we wish her er the very best as she embarks on her well-deserv rved retirement. Cindy will continue to be involved wi with RE/MAX Finest as a mentor to new Broker/Owne ners, Marco DiPietrantonio and Rob Colangeli.

Thank you for nine sho howstopping years as RE/MAX Finest’s Brok oker/Owner, Cindy!

If you are interested in ownership opportunities with RE/MAX, the largest most productive real rea estate brand, contact Jennifer Dominey at 1.647.519.773 or Simon Schneider at 1.647.951.1468 to arrange your confi nfidential meeting, or visit remaxintegra.com.

remaxintegra.com

ur mission at the Ontario Real Estate Association is to help all 78,000 members succeed in building stronger communities. We do that by providing products and services that make a difference to the business success of Ontario Realtors.

OREA’s more than 200 Standard Forms are used by Realtors every day across Ontario. And every day, OREA lobbies Queen’s Park on issues of importance to Ontario Realtors and the people you work for, such as personal real estate corporations, higher professional standards and helping create the next generation of Ontario homeowners. We also help keep the foundation of our industry strong by developing and training volunteer leaders at Ontario’s 38 real estate boards – people who help lead our profession forward in good times and in bad.

We are always looking for ways to build on that strong foundation of services. In the last two years, we doubled-down on each of our foundational products and services, added new member benefits like the REALiTY Conference, and enhanced our two marquee events, the Ontario Realtor Party Conference and Peak Leadership Summit.

Today, we are presented with an opportunity to further build on our foundation. This opportunity is a result of strong financial management, prudent cost cutting and enhanced activity at OREA’s Real Estate College, which accepted its last applicants on April 30. In the four months leading up to that day, our college experienced a sharp unanticipated and unprecedented increase in enrolments – over 45,700 students, which is a 67per-cent increase compared to the

Tell us what you need to succeed OREA is standing on solid financial ground and we are in a position to think big about how to use some of the funds from our reserves for new member programs. same period last year.

What that means is that we are standing on solid financial ground and we are in a position to think big about how to use some of the funds from our reserves for new member programs. As the College continues to wind down (the last day for all courses and exams is Dec. 31, 2020), we are approaching our future at OREA with a renewed sense of purpose.

The goal guiding our ideation and decision-making process is simple: to create products and services that will benefit our members. It only makes sense then, that we would share this opportunity with you, our members, and ask for your input on ideas we are considering but also to get fresh, new ideas.

Think of this as a massive brainstorm, where 78,000 Realtors have the opportunity to share ideas that could significantly improve how Ontario Realtors do business.

Some of the ideas we have heard so far include province-wide data sharing, a provincial professional standards tribunal, greater access to legal advice, better benefits, a dues reduction, expanding government relations programming and enhanced continuing education for Realtors.

Other professional associations, like the Virginia and Arizona Realtors, provide a tech helpline to members, offering support for hardware, software, networking and digital devices. In Florida, Realtors have access to extensive market research that includes monthly, quarterly and annual statewide reports to help them master the housing market.

Right now, these are simply ideas. You may have your own. If so, we encourage you to share them with us. We will evaluate all of

these ideas on clear criteria and then put them out for broader consultation in the fall. From there, we will determine where these ideas rank with our membership.

If you would like to submit your ideas, please send them to president@orea.com. All ideas will be evaluated based on the following criteria: Impact: offering provides clear substantial net benefit to a critical mass of members with consideration to measures that serve to help under-represented segments feel the full value of OREA membership Industry: offering is in the long-term interests of the industry and the profession Sustainability: the offering is financially sustainable over the long term Partner support: member boards and other key partners align on the value of the offering Core business and competencies: the offering is aligned with OREA’s core business and its existing (or readily accessible) competencies and capabilities This fall we will release a consultation paper that will include a short list of big ideas that we’ll be asking for your feedback on. Be sure to look out for that.

After evaluating all member feedback, and in accordance with our obligations as a not-for-profit corporation, the OREA Board of Directors will determine which ideas to pursue.

We are looking for ideas and insights with the potential to greatly enhance the real estate profession in Ontario. No idea is too big.

Karen Cox is the president of the Ontario Real Estate Association.

REM

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26 REM AUGUST 2019

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Congratulations RE/MAX Finest!

We’re always thrilled to see our offices grow and our agents succeed, reaching new heights in their careers.

Today Marco DiPietrantonio and Rob Colangeli are taking the reigns of RE/MAX Finest as new Broker/Owners.

Proudly serving Kingston and the surrounding areas and with a combined 25 years of experience in real estate, Marco and Rob are thrilled to take on the challenge of becoming Broker/Owners. The duo started out as Sales Representatives and pride themselves on being able to help people in their community make the biggest transaction of their lives.

The opportunity to become Broker/Owners and advance their real estate careers was too good to pass up for Marco and Rob. With the foundation of the brokerage already set, the transition will be a smooth one for them, thanks to the previous Broker/Owner. “Cindy built a wonderful

lmost every day in Barcelona, you can find a few people gazing up at the home on 43 Passeig de Gràcia.

The facade is a mix of colourful stone, glass and ceramics that’s been compared to a Monet painting, while the columns resemble bones and the protruding cast iron balconies are shaped like masks.

No wonder it draws a small crowd.

Casa Batlló (the Batlló House) was designed by Antoni Gaudí (of La Sagrada Familia fame) and is considered one of his masterpieces.

UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site and said that Gaudí’s work “anticipated and influenced many of the forms and techniques that were relevant to the development of modern construction in the 20th century.”

The house is open to visitors

and is a marvel to see any time of year but on April 23, which is Saint George’s day (known as Sant Jordi in Catalonia), it’s extra special. That’s when the facade of the five-storey house is decorated with hundreds of red roses, attracting more than the usual crowds of onlookers and admirers.

Why roses and why on Casa Batlló? According to legend, Saint George (the patron saint of Catalonia) slayed a dragon as it was about to attack a princess.

From the dragon’s blood, a rose bush appeared and the princess was offered one of the flowers.

For that reason, every year on April 23, roses – the real ones and artistic versions – are widely sold on the streets of towns and cities throughout Catalonia.

(Coincidentally the day also marks the anniversary of the death of two great writers – Shakespeare and Cervantes – which is why April 23 is celebrated as “the day of books and roses” and gifts of both are exchanged).

Though Gaudí didn’t divulge the meaning of the symbolism contained in Casa Batlló, some people believe the legend of Saint George is expressed in the home’s design. Consider its arch-shaped roof that is often compared to a dragon’s back, and the multicoloured ceramic tiles with a metallic sheen that could pass for the animal’s scales.

The four-armed cross could represent the handle of a sword,

team of agents and staff with an atmosphere of positiitivity and comradery,” Marco said. “We didn’t want to cha hange a thing -- this was the way to do it.” We thank Cin indy Haggerty for her commitment and dedication to growing the RE/MAX brand in Kingston for the past nin ine years and wish her the very best on her well-deserved ed retirement!

As new Broker/Owners, Marco and Robb firmly fi believe the RE/MAX brand offers more to agentss ffrom marketing tools to training opportunities than anyy other o real estate brand.

They’re also proud to continue supporting su CMN and the Boy’s and Girl’s Club of Kingston on and the surrounding area.

Please join us in congratula ulating Marco and Rob on becoming the new Broke ker/Owners of RE/MAX Finest!

With RE/MAX, your opp pportunities for success in real estate are endless.

If you are interested in ownership opportunities with RE/MAX, the largest most productive real rea estate brand, contact Jennifer Dominey at 1.647.519.773 or Simon Schneider at 1.647.951.1468 to arrange your confi nfidential meeting, or visit remaxintegra.com.

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Casa Batlló has sometimes been called the “house of the dragon” or the “house of bones.”

while the bone-shaped columns might commemorate its victims. In fact, Casa Batlló has sometimes been called the “house of the dragon” or the “house of bones.”

Of course, the home didn’t look anything like this when it was originally constructed back in 1877. That changed in 1903 when textile industrialist Josep Batlló y Casanovas bought the building and gave Gaudí full creative rein, including the option to demolish the structure and start afresh.

Gaudí opted to work with the existing building and instead changed the facade, added floors and reworked the internal partitioning. The central well, with its eye-catching tiles in varying shades of blue, was expanded, which added light to the entire building.

The well also functions as the elevator shaft for a beautiful wooden lift, which is still in use today.

Other interior features include plenty of curving lines, irregular oval windows, sculpted stonework, doorknobs and banisters with ergonomic shapes and mosaics made from broken ceramic tiles.

Frequent references to nature and animals abound from the wavy ceiling, which evokes the sea; the mushroom-shaped fireplace in the study; the skylights in the entrance hall that resemble tortoise shells; and the series of 60 catenary arches in the loft that represent the ribcage of an animal.

The roof and terrace is one of home’s focal points. Aside from the famous dragon back design and the four-armed cross oriented to the cardinal directions, there are four oddly shaped chimney stacks (designed to prevent back drafts).

By the 1990s, Casa Batlló was purchased by the Bernat family, who opened it to the public. Today, visitors can purchase an audio guide and learn more while wandering at their leisure.

Some say the structure was part of the modernism movement of the day. But in many ways, Casa Batlló is in a class all its own, which is why it remains one of the most visited sites in Barcelona, attracting one million people every year. REM

REM AUGUST 2019 27

Realtors are RECO’s eyes and ears

To be a modern regulator, RECO must keep the lines of communication open with salespeople and brokers.

By Joe Richer

T

he Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) is a modern regulator, and modern regulation is all about preventing problems from occurring in the first place. RECO can’t oversee every single transaction, so one prevention strategy is to educate consumers and real estate professionals about their rights and responsibilities.

RECO communicates with its registrants through several channels, such as the monthly For the RECOrd newsletter, Registrar’s bulletins, e-blasts, online webinar and articles in REM, to name a few. But there’s no substitute for an in-person conversation. Last fall, my colleagues and I continued the momentum of our suc-

cessful 2017 Town Hall tour by visiting seven communities for a new round of constructive Town Hall dialogues with industry leaders. RECO staff also attended six real estate industry shows and delivered 15 informative RECO Update presentations to local boards in 2018. These outreach initiatives generated over 3,200 face-to-face interactions with registrants.

RECO reaches out to registrants for three key reasons: Real estate salespeople and brokers let us know what’s happening in the marketplace.

RECO’s administrative agreement requires it to keep the Government of Ontario updated on conditions in the real estate marketplace, and as many of you know, you can learn a great deal by grabbing a coffee and really talking to people who make their living within that marketplace.

The industry leaders I’ve met are strongly committed to RECO’s consumer protection mandate, and they apprise my colleagues and me of issues and problems when they emerge.

In a sense, salespeople and brokers are RECO’s eyes and ears; on an annual basis, 25 to 30 per cent of the complaints it receives come from salespeople and brokers. These individuals contact RECO because they take pride in their profession and they care about how it is perceived by the public. In fact, many of the industry leaders who attended RECO’s 2017 and 2018 Town Hall events called for tougher standards and stricter penalties for registrants who break the rules.

Real estate salespeople and brokers understand that consumer protection is a shared responsibility between RECO and the industry.

Whenever I meet with industry leaders, we always agree that strong public trust in the profession can only be maintained by continually raising the bar on professional standards. That job starts with brokers of record making it clear to their employees that unethical and unprofessional conduct won’t be tolerated within their brokerage.

Industry self-policing is a necessary first step to maintaining strong public trust in the profession, but it can’t replace independent public oversight of the sector by RECO. Ultimately, consumer protection is a shared responsibility between RECO and the industry, which means we must talk and work together.

The industry wants RECO’s help, which is why RECO’s staff created social media infographics, videos and informational documents in an online Registrant

Toolkit that brokerages can download, customize and share with their clients to provide valuable information.

Real estate salespeople and brokers provide RECO with valuable feedback.

Communication is a two-way street. My colleagues and I regularly contact registrants in order to help them better understand their legal and ethical obligations, but we also value their feedback.

RECO’s registrants remind us that serving the public interest means listening to the industry and making sure necessary regulation to protect consumers doesn’t turn into overly burdensome or unnecessary red tape that results in minimal consumer protection.

They also provide RECO’s staff with many good ideas. The Continued on page 30

Toronto Real Estate Board 2019/2020 Board of Directors

Michael Collins President

Lisa Patel President-Elect

Gurcharan (Garry) Bhaura Past President

Ron Abraham North Brokerage Director

Paul Baron Central Brokerage Director

Peter Burdon West Non-Brokerage Director

Kevin Crigger Director-at-Large

Susan Gucci Director-at-Large

Gareth Jones Director-at-Large

Josh Klein Central Non-Brokerage Director

Keith Kwan North Non-Brokerage Director

Lori Roberts East Non-Brokerage Director

Brian Torry Director-at-Large

Kate Young Director-at-Large

28 REM AUGUST 2019

Good Works F

élice Miranda and Janet Floyd from Royal LePage Team Realty in Ottawa raised $5,380 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation at their HeeHaws for the Cause stand-up comedy fundraiser.

“The event was a wonderful success,” says Floyd. “The comics – including Félice – were terrific and our audience of 170 was so fantastic and supportive of the cause.”

Proceeds from the event were directed to Cornerstone Housing for Women, via the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

“Creating HeeHaws for the Cause to bring my stand-up comedy hobby and real estate business together in support of our community has been a win-win,” says Miranda.

■ ■ ■

Stephanie Phillips, a sales rep with Sutton Group - West Coast Realty in Nanaimo, B.C. recently volunteered at the 10th annual Gutsy Walk for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada. Organizers were originally aiming to raise $18,000

but the event netted $30,000 with more donations continuing to arrive.

“Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are diseases that inflame the lining of the gastrointestinal tract and disrupt the body’s ability to digest food, absorb nutrition and eliminate waste in a healthy manner,” says Phillips. “To date, there is no known cure. Crohn’s and colitis can be diagnosed at any age, but people are more frequently diagnosed before the age of 30. Males and females are equally affected.”

■ ■ ■

Exit Realty Corp.

International, which has brokerages across the U.S. and Canada, announced that its pledges to charity now exceed $5.5 million. A portion of every transaction fee received by Exit is applied to its charitable fund. Through the Spirit of Exit Dollar-for-Dollar Matching Program, Exit offices and associates can raise money for local, approved, registered charities and apply to Exit’s head office to have those funds matched from

the company’s pledged pool of funds.

Non-profit organizations that have benefited from the Spirit of Exit program include those supporting the victims of domestic violence, food banks, veterans’ charities and relief funds, cancer research, Habitat for Humanity, animal welfare organizations and many more.

■ ■ ■

Heather Lemieux, a sales rep with Royal LePage Connect Realty in Scarborough, reached out to her local women’s shelter, Julliette’s Place, to ask what items women staying in the shelter needed most. The answer was undergarments, which are always needed and were in short supply. Lemieux jumped into action, organizing an “uplifting party” where she encouraged all guests to bring a bra that would lift the spirits of a woman who likely had to flee with just the clothes on her back.

The event produced 335 bras in all sizes, along with 50 pajama sets and other necessities, well surpassing the original 100-bra goal.

Lemieux’s donation will be gifted to women currently staying in the shelter and to those who are rebuilding a new life without violence after leaving the shelter.

■ ■ ■

Scott & Associates, a team of Realtors at Sutton Group - Seafair Realty in Tsawwassen, B.C.,

recently invited 400 clients and their family members to join them at Diefenbaker Park in Tsawwassen for a family barbecue.

“High points of this event are connecting with clients we may not have seen in a few years, introducing the new homeowners of our community to existing owners and the smiles on the children’s faces when they are getting face painting and balloons!” says Scott Walker.

Last summer approximately 150 people attended the first client appreciation barbecue.

Scott & Associates give back throughout the year with donations to the Delta Hospital Foundation, B.C. Children’s Hospital and several other organizations.

Sonya Conn from Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty in Victoria recently recruited her husband, Michael, to help raise funds for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. The catch?

He would be playing tennis for 12 hours straight! Conn organized friends and community members to sign up for half-hour fun and friendly matches against the tennis enthusiast in exchange for a donation to the cause. Snacks and draw tickets rounded out the fundraising. In total, $2,400 was raised, which will benefit four local transition houses and domestic violence prevention and education programs across Canada.

■ ■ ■

Rob Ohs of Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty in Parksville-Qualicum, B.C. raised $6,850 at his inaugural golf tournament in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

The event welcomed 76 golfers and guests to join Ohs in raising funds for local women’s shelter Haven House.

Funds raised at this tournament will be allocated towards Oh’s participation in the Sahara Desert Challenge for Shelter. Each participant in this challenge must raise at least $5,000 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation to qualify to trek 100 km across Morocco’s Sahara Desert in REM November 2019.

Royal LePage Noralta in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. held its second fundraising Spin-a-Thon recently, earning $16,200 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

Eighty riders took turns on stationary bikes over the course of a day.

Donations came in from family, friends and colleagues eager to support services for women and children seeking safety from domestic violence.

The funds raised were donated to A Safe Place shelter in nearby Sherwood Park. The event has now raised over $36,000 in just two years.

■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Michael and Sonya Conn get ready for 12 hours of tennis in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

Heather Lemieux (front, centre) and guests celebrate the number of bras they collected at an “uplifting party” in support of a local women’s shelter Janet Floyd and Félice Miranda

Participants in the Second Annual Spin-aThon for Shelter, from left: Nancy Saruk, Alice Mcdonald, Terry Svendsen, Tara Cummings and Ramie Browatzke

Stephanie Phillips, left, and her partner Emma volunteered at the Gutsy Walk for Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.

At the 2018 Scott & Associates barbecue, kids enjoyed face painting and balloons.

Rob Ohs and brother Dan Ohs raised funds in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

2019 REALTORS CONFERENCE & EXPO SAN FRANCISCO

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CONFERENCE NOV 8-11 EXPO NOV 8-10 At the 2019 REALTORS® Conference & Expo, the endless possibilities for your career path will be totally out of sight.

Let’s start with the over 100 education sessions covering the latest trends in the real estate market and a whole lot more. Then there’s all that far out industry tech from over 400 exhibitors you’ll get to experience hands-on.

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30 REM AUGUST 2019

What’s

New Lone Wolf partners with REW Lone Wolf Technologies and Real Estate Webmasters (REW) recently partnered to integrate the REW platform and Lone Wolf’s transaction management solutions, TransactionDesk and zipForm Plus.

Brokers and agents using Lone Wolf’s website solutions can now upgrade to REW’s more advanced web solution, the companies say. “We chose to partner with Real Estate Webmasters for a number of

reasons – the quality of their product, the growth of their success, and the reputation of their company primary among them,� says Jack Blaha, CEO of Lone Wolf Technologies. “But we also chose this partnership because it furthers our mission to simplify the entire real estate transaction process. We want to build an unrivaled technology ecosystem for real estate professionals, one that integrates the solutions they use every day and simplifies their workflow from lead to contract to revenue. This partnership is the first of many that will support us in this mission.�

REW offers website, iOS and Android apps, lead generation, search engine optimization and CRM services. As part of the partnership, Lone Wolf will discontinue its current website offering and users will be offered an opportunity to transition to the REW solution. “We are extremely excited to be able to bring the best-in-class of real estate websites and CRM from Real Estate Webmasters and combine it with the amazing transaction capabilities of Lone Wolf’s products,� says Morgan Carey, CEO of REW. “When you combine where a real estate lead comes

Paralegal for the Real Estate Industry

AVI ROSEN

St. John’s Realtor writes real estate book for consumers St. John’s, Nfld. Realtor Olga Pippy recently wrote a book for consumers who are planning to buy or sell real estate. Real Estate Tips and Strategies appeared on Amazon.ca’s best seller list in May. Pippy has been working in the real estate industry for almost 20 years, and says she wanted to share her experience and expertise with others. She says the book includes her “best strategies for understanding the ever-evolving real estate landscape.�

Some of the proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to The School Lunch Association, a registered charity with a mission to operate a non-stigmatizing program that provides a hot, nutritious lunch for school children, regardless of a family’s financial situation. The program serves more than 5,800 meals each day in 34 schools across Newfoundland.

Real Estate Tips and Strategies is available at Chapters and Coles locations or on Amazon.

AvenueWest Managed Corporate Housing opens Toronto office AvenueWest Canada, a Canadian franchise business specializing in managed corporate housing, recently opened its first local office in Toronto. The company is the largest provider of managed corporate housing in the United States.

In a news release, the company says it can be difficult for business travelers to find the professional services and standards they expect in a hospitality solution.

According to PhocusWright, an international hospitality, travel and tourism research authority, more than 85 per cent of corporate travel policies prohibit their employees from staying in a simple Airbnb hosted rental. These travelers need residential accommodations that are provided through a professionally structured organization like the exclusive rentals available through AvenueWest, the company says.

Toronto native Lisa Shea is leading the new office.

AvenueWest properties feature month-to-month furnished rental options, pet-friendly properties, accommodations with one to four

Legal Focus on the Real Estate Industry

Collective brainpower team of analysts in the Real Estate Industry with decades of experience and know how • BREACH OF BUYERS REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT • LANDLORD/TENANT DISPUTES • RECO AND TREB COMPLAINTS, REPLY LETTERS, APPEALS AND REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE BOARD • ABOVE GUIDELINES RENT INCREASE REPRESENTATION AND PROPERTY TAX APPEALS

Realtors are RECO’s...

Continued from page 27

Knowledge Management System, a searchable database of checklists, guides and other resources that will be available to all registrants once the Real Estate Salesperson Program launches, was developed largely in response to registrant interest in such a resource.

If you have a great idea to

enhance consumer protection or raise the bar of professionalism in the industry, please share it with RECO. My colleagues and I would love to hear it.

In my last column, I discussed some of the highlights of RECO’s review of its Mandatory Continuing Education (MCE) program. The final report and RECO’s response to its key points are now available on the RECO

That is who I am

MARKETPLACE

bedrooms, condos, townhomes, single-family homes and serviced apartments. REM Jack Blaha

Morgan Carey

Olga Pippy’s new book.

FRI. SCMF. AMB

Real Estate Broker (Nearly 50 Years) • Paralegal Direct: (416) 818-6130 • www.rosen.ca

• SMALL CLAIMS COURT

from with how much an agent or broker makes from the close of that sale, it is truly chocolate and peanut butter.�

NATIONAL REAL ESTATE IN NFORMATION LIISTING SE ERVICE E . COM WWW. REILS.COM / 416-214-4875

website. I encourage all of you to read the highlights.

Joseph Richer is registrar of the Real Estate Council of Ontario. He is in charge of the administration and enforcement of all rules that govern real estate professionals in Ontario. You can find more tips at reco.on.ca, follow on Twitter @RECOhelps or on YouTube.

REM

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RE/MAX ‘MIRACLE AGENTS’

MAKE MIRACLES HAPPEN! RE/MAX ‘Miracle Agents’ donate a portion of their income to Children’s Miracle Network hospitals.

RE/MAX celebrates each August as the Month of Miracles to thank home buyers and sellers for choosing RE/MAX. Find out how you can help make miracles happen.

Joinremax.ca Each RE/MAX office is independently owned and operated. This advertisement is not intended as an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, a franchise. It is for informational purposes only.

If you own a franchise affiliated with another organization, this advertisement is not intended to offer a RE/MAX franchise or to solicit a change in your affiliations.