December 2009

Real Estate Marketing

Issue #246

News

Te c h n o l o g y

Opinion

December 2009

The ‘truth’ about property disclosure statements Page 8

Catching up with Sandra Rinomato Page 38

The Competition Bureau decision: - CREA seeks settlement - $100 million lawsuit filed against TREB, CREA Pages 3, 4

Mortgages

Richard Ling enjoys life at the top Page 12

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REM DECEMBER 2009 3

CREA seeks settlement over MLS policies Industry reaction is mixed as Competition Bureau demands changes

By Kathy Bevan

F

ollowing a two-year inquiry by the federal government’s Competition Bureau that concluded some of CREA’s rules governing MLS access are anticompetitive, discussions to reach a settlement agreement between CREA and the bureau are ongoing.

“At this stage, we’re trying to very clearly understand all the issues involved,” says CREA CEO Pierre Beauchamp. “We want to try to find a consensual resolution with the bureau, as that’s obviously the best for all concerned.”

The bureau also appears to be interested in coming to an agreement. “Although we will not comment on the specifics of this matter, generally when we identify a potential violation of the Act, the Competition Bureau is prepared to work with organizations to reach a voluntary resolution that will fix the competitive problem,” says Greg Scott, senior communications advisor for the bureau.

tions operated for 10 years.

As a result of the latest investigation, the Competition Bureau wants CREA to remove its “Agency Pillar” and three of its seven “Interpretations” of how existing MLS rules are applied.

The bureau’s goals: to give buyers the ability to send offers directly to sellers and to allow sellers to post their contact information on MLS listings, where that information could be directly obtained by buyers’ agents.

The bureau also wants to make it possible for Realtors to submit “mere postings” to MLS, as long as the listings comply with the remaining CREA rules and regulations. According to CREA’s current MLS “Interpretations”, mere postings occur when a listing agreement relieves the listing Realtor of any obligations under CREA’s MLS Rules and Regulations – to date, these have been deemed contrary to those Rules and Regulations.

The changes put forward by

“We want to try to find a consensual resolution with the bureau, as that’s obviously the best for all concerned.”

-- Pierre Beauchamp If a mutually agreeable resolution cannot be found, CREA has said it will go to its members to determine the next step. While the association has expressed its hope that this does not involve legal action, CREA has built up a significant Legal Defence Fund over the past seven years, in large part due to concerns that ongoing scrutiny by the Competition Bureau might lead to litigation.

Legal action instigated by the bureau in the late 1980s led to fines against several Calgary Realtors and the issuing of a Prohibition Order under which CREA and its boards and associa-

the bureau impact key aspects of CREA’s trademarked MLS system that the association has been striving to protect since 2002, when it began actively promoting the importance of what it called “the Three Pillars of MLS” – membership, agency and compensation sharing. At CREA’s AGM in the spring of 2007, members approved the “MLS Interpretations”, seven guidelines to ensure that MLS Rules and Regulations would be uniformly interpreted and enforced by all boards across Canada.

The three Interpretations and the Agency Pillar that the bureau

wants removed represent a core CREA principle – that Realtors remain central to the listing and selling of real estate carried on the MLS system and posted on Realtor.ca, CREA’s public website. CREA’s existing MLS Interpretations clearly state, for example, that listing agents must receive and present all offers and counteroffers to the seller and that only a listing agent’s contact information can appear on Realtor.ca listings – the seller’s information is not to be shown.

CREA defends its MLS Interpretations as a way to ensure consumers receive consistently high-quality listing information and service through Realtor.ca; critics accuse CREA of using these Interpretations to prevent real estate firms from offering unbundled services to consumers via the website.

In a short news release issued after media began reporting the bureau’s findings, CREA stressed that listings on MLS would still have to go through Realtors. “The media has inaccurately reported that a proposed resolution between CREA and the Competition Bureau would result in members of the public being able to access the MLS system to list their homes for sale without involvement of a Realtor member of CREA. This is incorrect,” CREA wrote in its brief statement. “The MLS system is a system for Realtor members of CREA.” The fact that issues between the bureau and CREA have raised the spectre of court action once more does not sit well with Don Lawby, one of Canada’s veteran industry leaders.

“Our industry finds itself in a complicated position largely due to the creation of a portal for the consumer – MLS.ca, now Realtor.ca. Good or bad, we went down a path, but that sure isn’t where organized real estate started from,” says Lawby, president and COO of Century 21 Canada. “If organized real estate had stayed where it originally was designed to be – providing information and

“Good or bad, we went down a path, but that sure isn’t where organized real estate started from.” -- Don Lawby data between members and not dealing directly with the consumer – we wouldn’t be in this position today.”

Lawby added, “Maybe it’s time for the industry to go back to its roots and just share data between licensed professionals, not with consumers.”

The bureau’s conclusions were welcome news to Lawrence Dale, Toronto lawyer and co-founder, with Stephen Moranis, of RealtySellers, a Toronto-based discount brokerage that offered unbundled real estate services.

RealtySellers suspended operations two years ago, stating that the company could no longer operate under CREA’s MLS rules.

Dale and Moranis have now filed a $100 million lawsuit against CREA, the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) and a number of related directors, alleging that the terms of an earlier settlement of a lawsuit by RealtySellers had been breached by CREA and TREB “by implementing new offer negotiation rules”. (See article on page 4) “We are pleased that the Competition Bureau has agreed with us that these activities were anti-competitive and must be stopped,” says Dale, going on to say that he saw this as “a wakeup call” for the industry. “Consumers should have the choice to decide which services they want to engage a real estate agent for – it shouldn’t be dictated by the boards and associations.”

The concerns the bureau communicated to CREA at the end of October were the culmination of an inquiry that began in 2007, when the bureau launched an investigation to determine if

CREA had restricted access to MLS in ways that were anti-competitive. As part of that inquiry, the Bureau had also looked at whether the way CREA was interpreting some of its rules constituted a violation of the Competition Act. CREA provided more than 77,000 pages related to its MLS operations to the investigation, in compliance with the bureau’s Section 11 requirements.

In a letter to CREA members detailing the bureau’s concerns, CREA president Dale Ripplinger says that CREA does not agree “either as a matter of fact or as a matter of law” with the bureau’s findings and conclusions, citing in particular the bureau’s concerns that CREA’s rules have restricted consumer choice and limited the scope of alternative business models.

“Unfortunately, the bureau seems to believe that CREA’s rules, namely the Agency Pillar and Interpretations 1, 3 and 6, create restrictions or barriers. CREA does not believe this is true,” Ripplinger said in a memo to all CREA members dated October 29. “Our challenge is to understand the effect of removing Interpretations 1, 3 and 6 and the Agency Pillar on the operation of a board or association’s MLS system.”

Ripplinger also said the association was faced with two immediate options after receiving the bureau’s findings and proposed remedies: to argue against the bureau’s proposals in front of the Competition Tribunal – a quasijudicial body that has the authoriContinued on page 10

4 REM DECEMBER 2009

Realtysellers has $750 million lawsuit ready Serves $100 million lawsuit on CREA, TREB

F

ollowing a $100 million lawsuit that was served in September on CREA, the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) and a number of related association and board officers, REM has learned that a second lawsuit for $750 million has been filed – but not yet served – against TREB and a number of other individuals, including senior executives from Royal LePage and Re/Max Ontario-Atlantic Canada.

As with the $100-million lawsuit, the plaintiffs are Lawrence Dale, Stephen Moranis and their now dormant discount Toronto real estate brokerage, Realtysellers. Real estate broker Fraser Beach is also a plaintiff in the second claim.

The second Statement of Claim was filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice by Dale on October 16 on behalf of his fellow plaintiffs.

The new claim, if served, would seek damages of $750 million, alleging breach of contract and actions contrary to the Competition Act. In order to proceed before the court, the new Statement of Claim must be served on defendants within six

months of the date it was filed.

The new Statement of Claim names TREB as a defendant, along with a number of TREB’s 2007 directors and officers – including TREB CEO Don Richardson – and other real estate industry individuals including Phil Soper, president and CEO of Royal LePage Real Estate Services, and David Brown, EVP of promotions at Re/Max OntarioAtlantic Canada.

Launched in 2001, Realtysellers suspended operations in 2006, saying it could no longer do business under CREA’s MLS rules.

Realtysellers had included in its services the Flat Fee Program, which allowed home sellers to purchase only the services they wanted from the brokerage, enabling “sellers to have their homes listed on MLS for only a few hundred dollars as opposed to the thousands of dollars charged by traditional brokers,” says the $100 million Statement of Claim. It also says TREB, in consultation with CREA, “introduced new rules that required the listing broker to be involved in the offer negotiation process so as to prevent the Flat

Fee Program and eliminate Realtysellers’ access to the MLS.” Realtysellers took legal action against TREB and filed a complaint with the Competition Bureau. In December 2003, a settlement agreement was reached, the claim says, which compensated Realtysellers with $700,000. One of the conditions of the agreement was that Realtysellers withdraw their complaint to the Competition Bureau, which it did, says the claim.

In September 2009, a $100 million “Breach of Settlement Action” was served on TREB and CREA by Realtysellers, Dale and Moranis. In 2007, the $100 million claim alleges that CREA approved new offer negotiation rules that “no longer permitted Flat Fee listings on the MLS as no offer process assistance was provided” in Realtysellers’ program. This was “a flagrant breach of the settlement agreements,” the claim alleges.

CREA and TREB declined comment on the claim but have filed notices with the court of Intent to Defend. Former CREA and TREB president Tom Bosley, who was also

named in the action, told REM, “I will have no comments about this pending litigation other than to tell you that I will be vigorously defending these untrue allegations about me personally.”

The potential second lawsuit deals with another venture that the Dale and Moranis tried to start in 2007. BNV, a subsidiary of Bell Canada, and real estate broker Fraser Beach launched the realestateplus.ca service. The new claim says TREB “improperly terminated Beach’s password access to the MLS system…This put Beach, BNV and Bell out of the real estate business for the time being.”

Dale and Moranis then partnered with Bell to relaunch the site, but TREB cut off their MLS access in October 2007, the new claim says.

At the time, Richardson told REM: “TREB disabled TorontoMLS access codes of Realtysellers in October as those codes were being used in a fashion contrary to the rules and user agreements which Realtysellers had entered into as a member of TREB.” A separate lawsuit by Beach was

Regina sales rep takes on FINTRAC

By Kathy Bevan

S

tew Fettes is a man on a mission. The Saskatchewan sales rep is mad as heck about having to collect additional confidential information about his clients’ transactions, in order to comply with FINTRAC requirements. Now, he’s making it clear that he’s not going to take it anymore – he’s started a petition to lobby Ottawa and, out of Regina’s 280 Realtors, he’s already garnered 70 signatures. He’s posted his petition online to gather support as well.

“You know when something’s wrong, and this legislation is very, very wrong. Everybody who comes to me with a sale or a listing, they all ask me, ‘Can I sign your petition Stew?’” says Fettes. “What’s really got me bothered and upset here is that they made it mandatory and deputized us pretty much, with ferocious fines, and that’s not right. “ FINTRAC (the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis

Centre) is the financial unit responsible for ensuring compliance to the federal Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act. Effective June 2008, Bill C-25 amended the Act to require, among other things, that real agents and brokers had to collect and verify increased personal information about their buyers and sellers, securely store it for five years, and make it accessible to FINTRAC. Failure to meet record-keeping requirements can mean fines of up to $500,000 and/or five years’ imprisonment.

CREA continues to lobby the government to ease some of the requirements; Fettes wants to go one step further. Stating that Realtors are being forced “to do police work” for the government, his petition calls for the suspension of parts of Bill C-25 and the re-opening of government negotiations with CREA, “to find a solution that is mutually beneficial

to CREA, the Minister of Finance, and the Government of Canada.”

Fettes is concerned that there is no guarantee that large amounts of confidential client information can be safeguarded by real estate salespeople. “Who’s going to protect all this information? I’m not comfortable doing that,” Fettes says. He concedes that he is complying by filling out FINTRAC reporting forms, because “I’d be fired if I didn’t.”

However, he says he’s doing so “very, very reluctantly” and adds, “When my clients are finished signing those forms, I’m asking them to sign my petition.”

When the Regina Leader-Post reported on Fettes’ concerns, the Association of Regina Realtors (ARR) responded in a Letter to the Editor. ARR executive officer Gord Archibald noted that real estate brokerages had been keeping confidential information secure under federal privacy law since 2004.

“Realtors in Saskatchewan are well versed in these requirements and take their obligations under anti-terrorist, money laundering and privacy legislation seriously,” wrote Archibald.

The provincial Association of Saskatchewan Realtors (ASR) also emphasizes that confidential consumer information is safe with Realtors and brokerages. Bill Madder, ASR executive officer, says by and large the association’s members are working well with the antimoney laundering and anti-terrorist funding regulations and understand the need for proper client identification.

“We would like to see some finetuning, but we’re certainly not opposed to the intent of the regulations,” Madder says. “Some unusual transactions that don’t occur too many times – things like when the parties are not present or out of the country – are still some finer points

heard in court earlier this year and a decision is expected soon.

“The plaintiffs have suffered economic loss as a result of the joint venture ceasing operations and Bell terminating its relationship with all of the plaintiffs, which was the consequence of TREB terminating the MLS system access of Moranis, Beach, Realtysellers and BNV to the MLS data...the plaintiffs suffered damages as a result of the tort of intentional interference with their economic relations that forced them out of the resale residential brokerage business,” says the new Statement of Claim.

The new claim also says that “several TREB members” and “coconspirators” pressured TREB to cut off the MLS access of Moranis, Beach, Realtysellers and BNV. According to the new claim, “the co-conspirators further advised TREB that they would cause their related companies to stop supplying property information to the MLS system if TREB continued to supply MLS system access to Moranis, Beach, Realtysellers and BNV.” REM

we know CREA is currently negotiating with FINTRAC.” Meanwhile, Fettes continues to steadily gather signatures on his petition, in person and via his website (www.thecanadatoday.com) and he’s prepared to keep at it for as long as it takes.

“I’ll just keep moving it forward, tightening it up and turning up the thermostat on the politicians,” says Fettes, who expects it may take a year before he can present his petition to Ottawa. “This thing is going to be a marathon, but when I start something I never quit.” REM

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6 REM DECEMBER 2009

Multiple Listings

By Jim Adair

Do you have news to share with Canada’s real estate community?

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

R

ich Rector, the owner of Realty Executives International and former CEO, is now executive chairman of the organization. He will continue to maintain oversight and a key decision-making role in the operations of the organization, the company says.

Realty Executives International’s new CEO is Glenn Melton. Formerly the chief operating officer, Melton will continue to supervise all internal corporate activities including finance, technology, marketing and human resources for the privately held Phoenix-based organization.

Melton and Rector will assume these roles within the Realty Executives Phoenix brokerage and the Realty Executives Relocation companies.

The company has nearly 700 franchises in 17 countries.

Rector was named president of Realty Executives Phoenix in

1980 and, together with his wife Robyn, purchased Realty Executives International in 1986 from his father, Dale Rector, who invented the 100 per cent commission concept and founded the original Realty Executives franchise in Scottsdale, Ariz. in 1965, the company says.

■ ■ ■

George Lavallee of Century 21 Add Vantage Realty and Roy Singh of Century 21 Home Realty, have joined forces to form a single brokerage. The merger brings together 60 real estate professionals in Waterloo and Kitchener, Ont. under one roof.

Six staff will continue to work out of the Guelph office. The new organization will be centralized in Waterloo under the name Century 21 Home Realty.

Lavallee, who has been a real estate professional for 30 years, says the merger creates new

opportunities for local home buyers and sellers, as well as sales professionals. Singh says, “We are looking forward to further expanding our sales force to more than 100 Realtors over the next two years.”

The company says it will launch a number of new programs in the coming months that are in the planning and near implementation stages. Lavallee will take a step back from the business to devote more time to his duties on the Board of Directors of the Real Estate Council of Ontario, where he will be chairman next year.

■ ■ ■

In B.C., Century 21 Executives Realty, owned by Bill Hubbard and Carla Dahlen of Vernon, has acquired Century 21 Assurance Realty in Kelowna.

Former Century 21 Assurance owner Ken Wiebe will remain in his role as managing broker of the

Team Leader Lisa McDonald of Keller Williams Real Estate Associates in Mississauga, Ont. welcomes David Morgan to the firm.

DECEMBER 2009 Cover photo: MARKO SHARK

Matt Thomas

Kelowna office. Real Rousseau is managing broker of Century 21 Executives Realty in Vernon.

The newly combined offices employ 98 sales reps. The company also has a third office serving the community of Enderby.

■ ■ ■

David Morgan, a commercial real estate sales professional in Mississauga and the Greater Toronto Area, has joined KW Commercial at Keller Williams Real Estate Associates at the Mississauga Market Centre.

Morgan has been in the commercial real estate industry for over 15 years and previously worked for several other commercial brokerages. He spent nearly 25 years with Goodyear Canada Inc., where he held a number of assignments including managing the company’s real estate portfolio though a period of significant change and restructuring. He is the current president of the Central Canada Chapter of the CCIM Institute.

■ ■ ■

Broker Matt Thomas has joined Avison Young’s Vancouver brokerage operation. The newest member of Avison Young’s industrial division, Thomas will continue to focus his efforts on the North Shore market. He was at DTZ

Barnicke in Vancouver for the last four years.

■ ■ ■

Century 21 has launched a new Facebook page (www.facebook.com/century21careers), an interactive site with job postings, video interviews with Realtors, local career events, photos and industry-related stories.

The company says about onethird of Canada’s population interacts on Facebook. The Careers page complements Century 21 Canada’s original Facebook page in harnessing social networks to connect, recruit and retain the next generation of sales associates and franchise owners, the company says.

■ ■ ■

Ken Peters, broker/owner of Royal LePage Peters & Lank Realty in Charlottetown, has moved to a new location at 177 St. Peters Rd. Peters purchased the business from Charlie Lank in 2000 and moved to a rental space. In 2002 he purchased another office and amalgamated the two in 2002. “The building at 177 St. Peters Rd came up for sale and I though it would be a good move, so we purchased and renovated it,” says Peters. “We moved in June and are very happy with the new location.” REM

The new office of Royal LePage Peters & Lank Realty in Charlottetown.

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REALTOR® and REALTORS® are trademarks controlled in Canada by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify licensed real estate practitioners who are members of CREA. MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned by CREA and identify the services rendered by members of CREA. REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. Subscriptions are $40.95 per year (including $1.95 GST), payable by personal cheque. Entire contents copyright 2009 REM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The opinions expressed in REM are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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2/11/09 2:30:40 PM

8 REM DECEMBER 2009

The “truth” about property disclosure statements

By Mark Weisleder asement flooding. Mould behind the walls. Cracks in the foundation. These are just some of the surprises that home buyers across Canada have discovered in their property after closing, which were not disclosed by the seller. I have reviewed many articles written by legal commentators who have taken the position that sellers should rarely complete a Property Condition Statement or PCS because of potential liability that may result. In Ontario, this statement is called a Seller’s Property Information Statement, or SPIS. In order to properly understand these issues, we need to first review the law as to what disclosure a seller is legally obliged to make to a buyer when selling their property.

There are two kinds of defects; patent defects and latent defects. A patent defect is a defect that is obvious when you walk into the home; for example a broken window. The buyer cannot complain about this defect because they can easily see it when viewing the home.

They are thus governed by the legal doctrine of caveat emptor or buyer beware, and have to accept these defects on closing, unless they include a clause in their agreement that the seller will repair the defect.

A latent defect is hidden and cannot be observed on a normal inspection. The law here is that if the seller knows about a latent defect that makes the home either uninhabitable by the buyer, unfit for the buyer’s intended purpose or dangerous, then the seller must disclose this defect to the buyer. In addition, the seller cannot intentionally conceal what would otherwise be

B

a patent defect. Examples of latent defects that should be disclosed include a problem with the foundation, an illegal basement apartment or a serious basement or roof water problem that has not been repaired.

The real estate industry introduced property condition statements as a means for sellers to put buyers on notice of any physical problems with the property, to alert buyers and to provide buyers with the opportunity to make further inquiries when necessary. It states right on the form that it is not intended to be a warranty and the buyer must conduct their own independent investigation or property inspection. This is why almost every home purchase includes a home inspection condition for the benefit of the buyer.

When completing the statement, the seller is asked to respond either “yes,” “no,” “unknown,” or “not applicable” to questions such as, “Are you aware of any water problems” or “Are you aware of any structural problems.”

These statements have been completed by sellers for years in hundreds of thousands of real estate transactions across Canada, without any liability, especially when they completed the statement truthfully and to the best of their knowledge. In fact, in many communities across Canada, when the statement was not provided, buyers were suspicious that sellers had something to hide, and thus offered less money than they otherwise would have.

Yet there have also been cases where sellers who signed the statement were held liable for the buyer’s damages when problems were discovered after closing. In my review of most of these decisions, the judge determined on a factual basis that the seller either knew that what they were saying was false or had deliberately concealed a defect that was found out afterwards. It

was not the PCS statement that got the seller in trouble. It was about not telling the truth when completing the statement. In other words, even if the statement was not completed, the sellers could still have been found liable as they knew of a serious latent defect that was not disclosed.

In some cases, filling out the disclosure statement can save the seller from liability. In the case of Gesner v. Ernst, which was decided in Nova Scotia in

Buyers Beware, for sellers, it is Liars Beware.

However, there are many cases when sellers cannot complete the PCS form, such as when the property is rented and they have no personal knowledge about the physical condition, the seller is infirm and cannot understand the questions on the PCS form, or if the property is being sold by an estate trustee or by a bank under power of sale.

So what should buyers, sellers and salespeople do when a seller

offer a discount, based on the probability that you will have to pay for repairs after closing? My guess is that most buyers who are asked to accept the property “as is,” will not pay top dollar for the property and will expect a discount.

Similarly, when a seller says they will not disclose anything about a property, wouldn’t most buyers have the exact same suspicions, and thus offer less for the property? In many communities across Canada, this tactic

I could sum up the discussion about property condition statements as follows: for buyers, it is Buyers Beware, for sellers, it is Liars Beware.

2007, the seller had provided a PCS form to the buyer that indicated they had experienced water problems with the roof and had installed a new roof to try and repair the problem. The buyer did not investigate this further and it turned out after closing that the water leakage problem was much more serious and the home had to be destroyed. However, the buyer could not prove that the seller knew about any of these structural problems. The judge even commented that by answering “yes” on the PCS form about the history of water problems, the sellers had made proper disclosure and the buyers should have investigated further. Since they didn’t, they could not go after the sellers unless they could prove that the seller actually knew about the foundation problems.

I could sum up the discussion about property condition statements as follows: for buyers, it is

either refuses or their lawyer tells them not to sign the disclosure statement?

I wish to face the issue from a different perspective; namely, I would ask all sellers, do you want to get the highest price that you can for your property, or not? Let us take the example of a bank that is selling a property under power of sale, when a mortgage goes into default. Since the bank knows nothing about the property, they make it very clear in any agreement of purchase and sale that the buyer will be buying the property on an “as is” basis, and the bank takes no responsibility whatsoever for any defect that may be in the home. “As is” clauses will generally protect the bank from any liability for a defect that may be discovered by a buyer after closing.

For all buyers, if you were buying a home from a bank under these circumstances, would you pay anything close to the asking price, or would you

usually creates a stigma on the property and buyers tend to offer less than for similar properties where disclosure is provided.

Some sellers also try and insert “as is” clauses to protect themselves from liability. Yet there was a case when even a bank selling under power of sale with an “as is” clause was still held liable to the buyer after closing when it turned out that they had information about an environmental problem on the property in their files and failed to disclose it.

The bottom line is that while refusing to sign an SPIS form may provide a little edge in a potential lawsuit, it does not totally prevent a seller from being sued after closing, and the seller will likely obtain less money for the property than if they had provided complete disclosure.

When a seller cannot provide Continued on page 10

Se a s o n ’ s Gr e e t i n g s f r o mAme r i Sp e c

Wi s h i n g y o ua n dy o u r s ah a p p y h o l i d a y s e a s o na n d e x t r ap r o s p e r o u s Ne wY e a r

10 REM DECEMBER 2009

CREA seeks settlement Continued from page 3

ty to issue fines and prohibition orders – or to seek a settlement with the bureau. CREA’s Board of Directors opted for the latter approach, subject to member support.

Intellectual property and Canadian competition law expert Steve Szentesi questions what the ultimate impact of restructuring CREA’s MLS rules will be for Realtors and for consumers.

“While some may take the position that CREA’s ‘three pillars’ of MLS operate as a barrier to entry for some business models, they have historically been intended to ensure that a high standard of service to consumers is provided by Canadian Realtors, and perhaps more importantly aiming to ensure that Realtors’ professional agency obligations are fulfilled,” says Szentesi, a Vancouver-based lawyer who has previously provided legal counsel for CREA. “For

The “truth” Continued from page 8

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the SPIS statement, I recommend in these cases that the seller obtain a pre-listing home inspection report from a reputable home inspection company. The seller will have the opportunity to correct any deficiencies noted on the report itself. The seller should then give the report out to any prospective buyer. This will put the buyer on notice for any potential problems and will also demonstrate a higher degree of integrity on behalf of the seller, which should give comfort to any prospective buyer. The buyer should still make the transaction conditional on being satisfied with the results of their own home inspection report before committing to the purchase.

In commercial transactions, most buyers insist on complete disclosure in advance, especially regarding the rental income and the details regarding all of the tenancies. Owners who are forthright in providing this infor-

this reason, it is not clear to me that removing or altering the ‘three pillars’ will necessarily have the intended benefit for consumers that the Competition Bureau seeks.”

Ripplinger echoed the concern about Realtors’ agency obligations in his letter to CREA members.

“Even with the removal of the Agency Pillar, Realtors may still have agency obligations as a matter of law and regulation. Realtors will still be obligated to comply with provincial and federal law and regulation.”

Ripplinger acknowledged that CREA and the Competition Bureau do share a point of view on one key concept: “The bureau’s position is that the marketplace and competition should dictate what business models exist – CREA agrees with that.”

Now CREA and the bureau have to see if they can also find enough common ground to reach a settlement agreement that all parties can accept. REM

mation typically obtain the best buyers. The same principle should apply in any residential transaction as well.

In addition, buyers and buyer salespeople should always ask sellers and the sellers’ salesperson point blank if there are any hidden defects in the property that they should know about, and make a note about anything that is said to you.

Sellers should be aware that the more complete and accurate their disclosure, especially of defects in your property, they will find that not only will their chances of being sued virtually disappear, they will also likely obtain a higher price for their home from a satisfied buyer.

Mark Weisleder is a lawyer, author and speaker to the real estate industry. He practiced law for 25 years in private law firms and as in-house counsel and has educated Realtors since 1986 as an OREA instructor. w w w. m a r k w e i s l e d e r. c o m .

REM

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12 REM DECEMBER 2009

Richard Ling enjoys life at the top

Richard Ling has listings worth $20 million to $100 million at any given time, plus a range of international clients. Here’s how he maintains the balance between his business and personal life. By Connie Adair

H

e talks about great parties and coconut squares made by a colleague’s husband in one breath, and a $148-million listing the next. He chats about real estate with a billionaire in flip-flops and shorts, and later speaks to a jet-setter in Manolo Blahniks. The self-proclaimed “news hog” reads newspapers, takes in numerous podcasts and networks by email and telephone to keep abreast of what’s happening in real estate and the world. He prepares upscale marketing materials specific to each listing, touches base with clients and still has time for charity work and relaxing with friends.

Such is the whirlwind life of Richard K.C. Ling of Harvey Kalles Real Estate in Toronto.

Ling has a portfolio that fluctuates between $20 million and $100 million in Ontario and Quebec, as well as a variety of multi-million dollar international properties. Currently, his most expensive listing is an Ontario property worth $18-million.

Internationally, he is the exclusive rep for the eastern seaboard for a development in Bora Bora worth about $200-million US. His five niches are the communities of Forest Hill, Rosedale and Central Toronto; condos; modern loft houses; international properties; and unique country estates.

Ling’s day starts at 6 am, when he heads to a home office that has 30th-floor views of Toronto and Lake Ontario. “It’s great on sunny days, but on bleak days, it can be pretty bleak. But when I’m working, I’m totally focused and sometimes I don’t notice what it’s like outside.”

A trained economist who worked in the banking industry for a decade, Ling reads three newspapers a day, plus the New York Times on the weekend.

He also likes watching CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who he says provides insight into modern culture.

He talks to friends and “humbly asks” the opinions of people who make decisions that have an impact on the economy, then processes that information to help clients make the best real estate decisions, he says.

“Last November/December it seemed like the world economy was collapsing. In January it was quiet but a lot of people took the month off and travelled,” he says.

Instead of doing the same, Ling continued to network.

“I talked to a lot of people in Vancouver and heard about houses selling in Shaughnessy (the centre of old money in Vancouver). One person bought for $2.1-million and sold for $3.1 million in one day. He bought early in ’07 and sold in early ’09.

That was a sign of something happening. I got the sense that (the trend) was going to move to Toronto. I called my clients and got them back into the market.

Some were sceptical, but now they are happy they got back into the market.”

To get these buyers to trust you, they have to “know you’re comfortable, knowledgeable and have the network to pull it off internationally,” he says.

To that end, he spends a big part of the day on networking and relationship building.

Ling began networking early in life. Born in Hong Kong, the son of a shipping magnate attended private schools in that city before being educated in California, earning an economics degree at UCLA. In his 20s, he worked for his father’s company and lived in Europe and Africa. He has also lived in Japan and Korea, all the while gathering experience and education in his travels.

In each new city, he would talk to people from all walks of life, moving out of his comfort zone to explore new neighbourhoods. He came to Toronto in the late ’70s. Why Toronto?

“It was a fluke. I was on my way to New York City but decided to visit a family friend in Toronto.

My family and friends were mostly in Vancouver.” Throughout his life and travels, “I met people on a friendship basis, but they now hold key positions around the world,” he says.

Ling worked for CIBC and Northern Telecom before making the move to real estate in late 1996. “I started with Kalles and never looked back. Kalles has a very close family atmosphere/ corporate culture. We have phenomenal parties and I just had coconut squares baked by one of our top agent’s husband, who is from the Caribbean.”

Another reason he was drawn to the boutique company was the ‘Kalles kids’. “Michael got his MBA. Corinne got her MBA. They’re high net-worth individuals, and so many people like them fall off the wagon. They don’t need to prove themselves, but these two did,” Ling says.

The company’s social network and affiliation with the Christie’s Great Estates, and The Board of Regents network were other drawing cards. Harvey Kalles Real Estate has been in business for more than 50 years and has annual sales of more than $1-billion.

Ling’s mornings are also dedicated to marketing. He says he tailors programs for a specific project, whether it’s a $20,000 lot or a $22-million home, creating a unique branding for each.

Ling’s lunches and afternoons are reserved for showings and meetings, but none he readily talks about. Discretion is another important part of high-end real estate.

Photo by Marko Shark

“Clients may have a private plane or yacht, but you don’t say this person has this or that. They may be dripping in diamonds but have a lifestyle that is low-key.

They’ve spent years living lowkey and they don’t appreciate people talking about them.”

“There are benefits of going to the office – cross traffic and interacting with colleagues. A lot gets done around a bagel and cream cheese. I like the boutique nature of Kalles. I’m pretty highmaintenance, and they keep me happy.”

Yet, it’s important to recognize people’s achievements, he says. “A lot of them are selfmade, and it’s impressive. You recognize their achievements, but don’t blab about them.”

An afternoon or lunch may be devoted to charity work. Ling has been involved in the Out of the Cold program for eight years and has been on the Mt. Sinai Hospital’s board for a decade.

Travel, education, life lessons, networking, relationship building – it all goes to helping clients build a comfort level. “They give you their trust (when) five minutes ago they didn’t know you,” he says.

Despite the harried pace, Ling remembers a high school teacher who told him not to forget to stop and smell the roses. With that in mind, he looks after himself, taking time to work out five times a week, three times with a trainer – a necessity, he says, because he loves to relax over food and wine.

Occasionally Ling goes in to the office, but prefers to work alone at home, with a wellconnected assistant off-site.

However, over the years, he has worked to get to know everyone in the company, forming teams of the most suitable sales reps for each project as it comes along.

“I love my friends. We hang out, talk about the meaning of life and gripe over good wine,” he says. After all, he has learned, “Take work seriously and take life not so seriously.” REM

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14 REM DECEMBER 2009

CREA shuts down reality TV show C

REA has been successful in its efforts to have Realtor vs. Realtor, a Canadian real estate reality TV series, pulled from the air. CREA took issue with the unauthorized use of its Realtor trademark in the series’ title and threatened legal action if the program continued to broadcast.

In October, HGTV quietly removed Realtor vs. Realtor from its Wednesday night timeslot, as well as from its website, after only a handful of the 13 planned episodes had aired. The broadcaster and its parent company, CanWest, are now negotiating a settlement with CREA.

“The series is not currently on our schedule,” says Jaclyn Atwood, senior publicist for HGTV. Stating that “until a settlement has been reached, it’s inappropriate for us to comment on any other information regarding the series,” Atwood declined to share any further details, or to confirm if the series would return to HGTV’s schedule at a later date under a new name.

HGTV had promoted the program as “the ultimate real estate challenge show, where two topnotch real estate agents face-off to find desperate home buyers the house of their dreams...They have diametrically different styles but both real estate agents share one thing in common – they’re both intensively competitive. Realtor vs. Realtor follows them as they go head to head to sell houses and earn the commission that comes with it...”

CREA was unhappy with the way ads for the series were visually

portraying Realtors – as battered combatants, complete with blackened eyes and boxing gloves.

CREA lawyer Bill Harrington, in a memo to members detailing the association’s concerns, said, “This show is intended to appeal to the basest of viewer instincts by glorifying disreputable behaviour on the part of real estate agents...conduct that violates the spirit and likely the letter of the Realtor Code.”

Harrington added, “Not only is the value of the trademark diminished by this type of broadcast, it harms the reputation and public standing, if not the livelihood, of hard-working Realtors, who pride themselves in offering professional real estate services that comply with the highest ethical and professional standards.”

CREA sent HGTV a “cease and desist” letter in September, advising the broadcaster that, if they didn’t stop airing the series, raise more than $31,000 as sponsors of the Showcase of Celebrities golf tournament. The company also ranks among the top five Century 21 fundraising offices for Easter Seals in Canada. REM

CREA intended to immediately commence legal action and seek an interim injunction. HGTV agreed to pull the program and to seek a resolution with CREA. Two of the Realtors who were featured on Realtor vs. Realtor don’t share CREA’s concerns about the series.

Chris and Les Sohar of Re/Max Realty Enterprises in Mississauga, Ont. competed for a sale on the October 14th program.

The episode began with Chris and Les making individual listing presentations to a couple who were looking to buy a home. Each of the Sohars then took the couple to a number of showings; Les ended up making the sale. Their competitive natures were the focal point of the program – in a good-natured way, they made it clear how much winning the sale meant to each of them.

When asked if the show should come back on the air if it

Homeownership dream alive and well he desire for homeownership is alive and well in Canada, with many Canadians willing to go to great lengths for it, according to the Genworth Mortgage Insurance Company Canada First-Time Homebuyer’s Monitor. In the survey, 68 per cent of renters said they would be willing to delay major purchases and more than half would give up vacations in order to own their own home.

The national opinion poll provides insight into what Canadians would do – or would not do – to fulfill their dream of homeownership or to stay in a home they have purchased when times are tough: • 82 per cent of current owners would forego vacations in order to keep up with mortgage payments.

• 65 per cent say they would take on a second job if they risked losing their home.

• 44 per cent say they would take on a renter to maintain homeownership.

However, just 16 per cent of Canadians are fully prepared for an interruption in income that puts their home in jeopardy.

“The survey findings confirm that people remain passionate about their homes,” said Peter Vukanovich, president of Genworth Financial Canada. “When faced with financial difficulties, staying in a home they own is a priority.” REM

T

C

entury 21 Canada’s 33rd Annual Convention returned to Vancouver last month for the first time in 20 years. The event showcased team achievements and presentations.

The company presented its two most prestigious annual awards to recipients from Century 21 B.J. Roth Realty in Barrie, Ont. It was the first time in the history of Century 21 Canada that both honours were awarded to individuals within a single company.

Bernie Roth, broker/owner, accepted the 2008 Century 21 Franchisee of the Year crystal trophy. Century 21 B.J. Roth Realty sales rep Bonnie Sample accepted the award for 2008 Century 21 Sales Associate of the Year.

Sample earned her 10-Year Centurion Producer award in

2006. “The recipient is chosen based on votes and I’m honoured to be recognized by my peers,” says Sample.

Roth credited his award to his entire staff, including office managers Heather O’Flynn and Patti Harper. “This award is coveted by brokers across the country and I am fortunate to be recognized,” says Roth. “However, the success of my company is due mostly to the quality of our sales representatives and support staff, their commitment to excellence and dedication to our clients and the community.”

The brokerage has five locations and more than 150 real estate professionals serving the Barrie and Lake Simcoe area. Roth and his team are involved in local charity. In 2009 alone, they helped

B. J. Roth

Bonnie Sample

keeps its same focus on competitiveness, they both responded positively, as long as that competitiveness is portrayed in a realistic way.

“If you’re looking for two Realtors to battle it out, to fight it out in a negative way, then I would say no; if you’re looking for good, competitive behaviour, which is really what we all do every single day, I’d say sure, absolutely,” says Les. “I think you can certainly show the competitiveness with agents in the real world, without making it look negative,” Chris says.

The Sohars enjoyed their experience and praised the production team. “They did a really good job representing us,” says Chris. “I really have nothing bad to say about the whole process,” adding that she would go on another episode “in a heartbeat” if the series does come back on the air.

– Kathy Bevan REM

16 REM DECEMBER 2009

Letters to the Editor

only point that we were trying to make is that clients need to be fully informed that purchasing a house on leased land is different from a freehold purchase.

A busy retirement Wieners and whiners

Realty Promoter software

Thanks for the great column on lazy Realtors (New ideas and change – The Publisher’s Page, November REM) —I call them “Wieners and Whiners”. I can’t stand FINTRAC (why should I put my life on the line for the feds? I will, if they arm me) as I am not an inspector, policeman nor an accountant or lawyer. It is worthless paper sitting in a file somewhere. I took this up with my broker, my board and the provincial board to no success.

They all said that’s the law and that’s that.

I refused to collect it from anyone and then my broker held back my cheques until I produced them.

I told her that I would fight it when the time came but she didn’t want to get mixed up in the red tape. No guts – no glory. I would love to fight this in court because by doing it I am breaking the Freedom Of Information Act, which has a stiffer jail sentence.

The other one I am fighting right now is the new (last year) decision in B.C. to have Property Disclosure Statements for all buildings and sheds on a property. If they are a structure with water and sewer, it’s three pages deep and without, two pages deep. Well, I was trying to list a ranch that had three houses (9); five barns (12 – two with water and septic); six equipment sheds (12); two guest cabins (6 – you guessed it, they had washrooms); and five horse and cow shelters (10). Have you added that up yet? It comes to 49 pages of disclosure. Now there’s three pages for the listing, two pages for Working With a Realtor, which means a grand total of 54 pages just for the listing.

Using the 49 pages plus eight pages of Contract of Purchase and Sale, two pages of Working With a Realtor, one page of Limited Duel Agency, one page of Remuneration Discloser, one page of FINTRAC and two pages of title, the grand total for this ranch would be – are you ready for it – 64 pages. Can you believe this nonsense? Those of us who are called country boys are wondering just what in the hell you city slickers are doing. The only place that I can recall 64 pages

kicking around is in the outhouse.

That’s where I am right now, because I never got the listing or the sale.

Dean Stinson, Re/Max Country Princeton, B.C.

Leased land I am disturbed by the misleading information in your recent article Financing for vacation properties

by Shirley Evans in the October REM. You state, “In British Columbia, for instance, there are aboriginal claims on a lot of land, which means your client can only lease the land, even if they own the property.”

This is incorrect. If you own the land it is not up for land claims.

Private land in B.C. is not negotiable and although private land may fall within “territorial lands” it does not give First Nations the right to obtain ANY private land.

I have dealt with a great deal of land claims issues on the West Coast of Vancouver Island and under no circumstances is private land threatened. It is mis-information like this that causes fear amongst buyers.

There are financing limitations if someone chooses to lease First Nations land.

Large corporations such as Weyerhaeuser Company Limited and Island Timberlands Ltd. have chosen to sell large tracts of land to the federal government for land claims at fair market value, but they did not have to do this. It was beneficial for them to do this.

Judy Gray, Team Leader Re/Max Mid-Island Realty Ucluelet, B.C.

I just wanted to go a step further with Lloyd Manning’s article re: Partnering with your better half (October REM). My wife, Anastasia Boyd, and I started our partnership in 1984, before we were married in 1987, and it continues today but has now proceeded through about four years after I retired from active real estate.

Anastasia is now licensed with Realty Executives - North Star Real Estate in Edmonton and I still carry my license but with an offboard company. I maintain Anastasia’s website and act as her licensed assistant and we have done this with success.

My “business” successes are a reality when we see the business that is coming directly from our website, which has been, and continues to be, very successful. I also handle any out-of-town business and commercial business, which tends to tie up her time in the residential. I also attend with her on “unknown” calls that can be very dangerous for a lady by herself.

And I do the little “errand stuff” that can take so much of her time.

She tells me I still have moments of brilliance in transactions but my day-to-day drive is nothing like it used to be.

I am enjoying my music endeavours (play drums), my Freemasonry and Shriners, and I’m now doing my annual month and a half as a “real beard” Santa working about 60 engagements between the middle of November and Christmas Eve. The attached photo is what we do each year for our Christmas mail-out and print media greeting ads.

Francis Dryden, Edmonton REM

Shirley Evans replies: I am sorry about the confusion with this recent article. Possibly we were not clear enough in our explanation.

We were making reference to if you owned the house but not land (leased land).

As with crown land here in Alberta, the client does buy the home but enters into a lease agreement with the Government of Alberta. Once the lease has expired, the government has the option to renew or not renew. The

Francis “Santa” Dryden and Anastasia Boyd

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18 REM DECEMBER 2009

Ontario’s four largest boards Connect O

ntario’s four largest real estate boards have signed an agreement to share real-time access to each others’ MLS listing information.

The Connect project is a joint venture of the Toronto Real Estate Board, the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington, the London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors and the Ottawa Real Estate Board. It offers members the ability to search and view the active listings and recent sales history of all other participating organizations in their own local MLS format, without the complexities or security risks of actual data exchange. Two years of Active, Sold, Conditional Sold and Pending Sold information is available for all listing classes through Connect. The commercial listings include four years of history.

The boards say that while it provides access to important information, Connect does not serve as a substitute for local board or association membership. It also doesn’t

offer the full functionality of an organization’s MLS system. For example, listings cannot be loaded to or through Connect, and although they can be printed, list-

The boards say other Ontario boards and associations will soon be invited to join. ings cannot be emailed through the Connect system.

The boards say other Ontario boards and associations will soon be invited to join through acceptance of terms and “a simple, costsharing formula.” REM

Signing the Connect agreement, top row from left: Don Richardson, CEO, Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB); Carol Mallett, EVP, Ottawa Real Estate Board (OREB); Ross Godsoe, EO, Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB); and Betty Doré, EVP, London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR). Bottow row, from left: Tom Lebour, president, TREB; Rick Snell, president, OREB; Bruce King, president, RAHB; and Joe Hough, president, LSTAR.

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20 REM DECEMBER 2009

ops. These include procedures for structural repairs, air scrubbing and air testing.

The report includes recommendations for education, communication and organization to help bureaucrats deal with the problem of grow-ops.

Some of the report’s suggestions for further research could be controversial. For example, it says “placing a caveat on properties previously used as illegal drug operations as they do in British Columbia should be considered.

The caveat would remain on the property’s history in the same manner as extensive damage to a car remains on its history even after it is repaired.” However, the report acknowledges that this may place a sigma on the property even if it has

■ ■ ■

Ontario’s Realtors had a chance to lobby MPPs recently at the annual Political Affairs Conference (PAC) of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA).

The conference, which includes a mix of business presentations and meetings with MPPs, allowed OREA members to discuss the negative impact of the proposed Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) on housing.

“In the last decade, Ontario’s homeowners have faced a barrage

of new costs,” says Lloyd Elliott, PAC chair of the Durham Association of Realtors. “From municipal land transfer taxes to sky-rocketing property taxes, homeowners are being pushed to the brink to accommodate increasing demands from government. A Harmonized Sales Tax will cost Ontario’s already overtaxed homeowners more.”

The Realtors also discussed the need for the creation of a marijuana grow operations registry.

OREA’s position is that the creation of a registry would help protect consumers from the health risks posed by former marijuana grow operations.

Conference keynote speakers included Tim Hudak, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Andrea Horwath, leader of the New Democratic Party of Ontario and Minister of Revenue John Wilkinson, who is responsible for the implementation of the HST. ■ ■ ■

The Canadian Commercial Council of Realtors (CCC) will place reciprocal links on ICX.ca

RM

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new study commissioned by the Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) offers guidelines for standards to clean up properties that were used for grow-ops.

“Properties used as illegal drug operations pose long-term health and safety hazards, due to the presence of contaminants such as mould and chemicals,” says Tang Lee, who led the study. Lee is a professor at the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary.

Tang says while the recommendations in the study are specific to Alberta, they could also be adapted to work in other provinces. The study includes guidelines for identifying, assessing and remediating the contaminants created by grow-

been remediated to a healthy state.

Another suggestion would “mandate building inspections by qualified building inspectors trained in recognizing previously used marijuana grow operations” to make sure that properties previously used as a grow-op don’t go undetected.

The report also says, “Property owners and real estate agents currently have a moral obligation to disclose pertinent information about a property such as past use as an illegal drug operation. Steps to make disclosure a legal obligation should be considered.”

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and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) site, CommercialSource.com.

Jim Gammer, chair of the CCC, says, “By putting reciprocal links on each of our websites, we are improving service to clients on both sides of the border. This is a win-win situation for consumers and the entire Realtor family.”

■ ■ ■

CREA says it applauds the government for taking action to address many of the inequities in the Employment Insurance (EI) program faced by self-employed Realtors. Under legislation introduced recently, the selfemployed would have the option to participate in elements of the EI program.

“This is an important step to level the benefits playing field for self-employed Canadians,” says Dale Ripplinger, CREA president. “We are thoroughly reviewing the legislation. We look forward to working with the government to ensure access to EI benefits for Realtors, which can help balance career and family life.” REM

14

REM DECEMBER 2009 21

HOUSE WORKS

By Steve Maxwell ext time you’re feeling brave, look up at your bathroom ceiling.

Chances are pretty good that you’ll find peeling paint and mould growth. Moisture is the reason why – moisture and inaccessibility.

Ceilings are up so high that nobody wipes them dry, and this means trouble that can’t be fixed in obvious ways. If you simply roll on a coat of latex, results will definitely be second-rate. The only way to restore a like-new ceiling appearance that also stays looking good long-term involves a fourstep process.

Peeling bathroom ceiling paint is common. You need to begin by scraping. I use a four-inch wide putty knife for this job. Use a cor-

N

GREEN REAL ESTATE

By Elden Freeman o be successful, a business must excel at its core competencies, but today’s consumers (and workers) expect good corporate citizenship from the companies they interact with.

They are more likely to do business with organizations that take on the responsibility of improving their business practices with not just profitability, but overall sustainability in mind.

Along with transportation

T

Fixing a bad bathroom ceiling ner of the blade to lift any loose edges and get that old paint popping off. Be ruthless. Eliminate everything that’s weak. If you accidentally damage the drywall, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll be filling the flaky area later anyway before new paint goes on.

With all loose paint removed, it’s time to do some sanding to further refine the ceiling. You could tackle this job by hand, but an electric quarter-sheet finishing sander is an inexpensive power tool that does a much more thorough job. Put a piece of 120-grit sandpaper in the machine, pull a dust mask and safety glasses over your face, then go over all regions of the ceiling that include mould or areas of damaged paint. Sanding removes roughness, though it will also highlight areas you thought were sound but actually need more scraping. Keep your drywall knife at the ready in your back pocket.

Next, you’ll need to deal with a textural problem. Any areas of peeling paint that were scraped clean will show a small ridge where the bare drywall meets areas flanked by sound paint.

This ridge might look tiny, but it’s too thick for paint to cover,

A clean, mould-free bathroom ceiling requires more than just an exhaust fan. You also need to prepare and paint the surface correctly.

This previously mouldy ceiling has been renewed with a process of scraping, filling, sanding and an application of mould-killing products.

Photo: Robert Maxwell

and needs to be filled.

Genuine drywall joint compound is the best stuff to use here, because it’s smooth and finegrained. Use your four-inch putty knife to apply a skim coat of compound over the scraped areas, extending out several inches past the point where sound paint begins. Aim to apply slightly more depth of compound than necessary, then sand the area flush with the surrounding ceiling by hand, after it’s completely dry in 12 hours

or so. An abrasive sanding sponge is the ideal tool to use for this application. You might have to patch and sand a second time to repair all damaged areas.

You’re almost ready for paint, but before you roll anything on, you must kill remaining mould spores. If you don’t, the mould could (probably will) re-emerge in short order.

You could use a solution of bleach and water for this task, but I prefer a non-toxic product

called Concrobium (www.concrobium.com). Spritz it on, then let it dry. As the liquid evaporates, it mechanically crushes all remaining mould spores, preventing regrowth by the same nasty organisms that have been staring down at you for months.

There are two other things you need to do to keep mould from coming back. The first involves coating the filled-and-killed surface with a stain-blocking primer.

My current favourite is Zinsser’s BIN. It’s especially rated to hide mould stains, as well as most everything else. The second strategy involves the kind of paint you use.

The ceiling you see here was completed with a couple of coats of Para 100 per cent acrylic latex mould-resistant kitchen and bathroom paint. It includes compounds that prevent new mould from regrowing, even in the damp and challenging conditions so common on Canadian bathroom ceilings.

Steve Maxwell is Canada’s awardwinning home improvement expert, and technical editor of Canadian Home Workshop magazine. Sign up for his free homeowner newsletter at www.stevemaxwell.ca REM

Green commercial real estate and manufacturing, the efficiency and environmental impact of the physical structures where an organization does business are key factors in its effect on the environment.

On the eve of the Copenhagen Climate Conference, environmental issues are making headlines even more than usual.

Though the exact shape of new regulatory regimes concerning business and the environment aren’t clearly outlined, with even China announcing reduced greenhouse gas emissions targets, it’s safe to say that businesses everywhere will have to factor their ecological footprint into the bottom line. Beyond the simple advantage of being ahead of regulatory change, there is also the primary benefit to business of reduced costs: green buildings are more energy efficient, so going green saves money. But another

benefit, a sort of bonus corollary to the first, is that it also increases productivity. Workers are more productive and suffer fewer health problems in green buildings.

The appeal to workers is manifold. Studies indicate that workers in more environmentally sound buildings (such as those certified to standards like LEED, Green Globes and BOMA GO Green Plus) provide a more comfortable work environment that boosts productivity. As well, workers are less likely to be absent due to illness, which has the dual benefit of reducing lost productivity and reducing costs associated with health benefits.

Some green-certified buildings have even acted like employeemagnets, with workers describing the ability to work in such a building as a reason for taking jobs in them. These workers also find more affinity and loyalty to the

company they work for when they feel it is socially responsible.

For businesses in retail, the same factors that attract employees also attract customers.

Another bonus is that a business located in a green building also burnishes its image as environmentally conscious. And the same magnet effect also affects customers – since certified green buildings are still the exception rather than the norm, being housed in a green commercial building will result in an increase in walk-in traffic.

Investors, as this column previously discussed, are keen for the competitive advantage that green buildings can bring a real estate portfolio. Commercial tenants also have good reason to seek out green locations to benefit their business. For a real estate practitioner in the commercial sector, the ability to navigate and under-

stand all of the certifications, regulations, and potential retrofits that can affect the environmental impact of commercial properties confers a great competitive edge today, and will be a necessity in the market tomorrow.

NAGAB has partnered with businesses, non-profits, and different levels of government to coordinate the delivery of environmental services and information to green real estate practitioners and, through them, commercial and residential real estate holders.

Elden Freeman B.A., M.E.S, Broker is the founder and executive director of the non-profit National Association of Green Agents and Brokers (NAGAB). For more information about the advantages of NAGAB membership and the courses and certifications it offers, visit www.nagab.org. REM

22 REM DECEMBER 2009

A FUNNY THING HAPPENED

By Dan St. Yves

D

Wishing You the Joys of the Season Kathleen, Dick, Paul, Dora, Rob and Linda (inset) wish to thank you for your patronage over the past year. We wish you and your family a healthy, happy and prosperous new year.

1-866-933-2277

www.advance-commissions.ca Commission Advances for Real Estate Agents and Mortgage Brokers

ecember 2009: Ho! Ho! Ho! – Countdown to delivery day! I only have a few frantic days left to tour the workshop and make sure the newer elves have been keeping pace with the toy construction schedule. It’s true what people say – good help is hard to find.

Maybe Mrs. Claus and I shouldn’t have instituted that rigid uniform policy all those centuries ago – nobody seems to be too excited about wearing green felt jackets, leotards and pointytoed shoes in a warehouse these days. The Workers Compensation premiums alone are killing me, with the elves not wearing steeltoed boots in the factory. I swear, there are days that I wish we could just buy out Wal-Mart and shut down this forsaken North Pole headquarters – there have to be reindeer SOMEWHERE in Hawaii!

Oh well, at least the expectation bar has been set a little lower this year, what with the current world economy. Kids shouldn’t be expecting much more than a lump of coal, or a previously tickled Elmo. Even the greediest little boys and girls have down-sized their requests this year – barely a handful of them have asked for anything too outlandish. Well, there were those two earnest young men who kept asking if they could be Prime Minister of Canada, but neither one has written in a while now, so maybe they’ll be happy with an i-Pod Shuffle.

Speaking of shuffle, I had better start addressing my To-Do List for this year: 1) Lose weight – Ho! Ho! Ho! Guess I better drop off the Santa suit for some alterations again.

Santa’s Blog Who can lose weight with all those platters of milk and cookies that the kids leave out for me every Christmas Eve? By the way, children, Santa really prefers pecan chocolate chip.

2) Convert Rudolph’s nose to LED lamp – Alright, Al Gore, even Santa can become a little greener if he makes just a few small changes.

3) Write generous bonus cheques for Santa’s Little Helpers – HEY! 4) Pick up milk and a loaf of bread before parking sleigh for the season.

5) Don’t forget to pack the holly and ivy allergy medication this time. Don’t want to look like one of Hootie’s blowfish again this year.

Looks like I’ve got most of this stuff covered – I just need to stop by the workshop, and see what the elves have cooked up for an alternate toy this year, if demand gets too high for a real popular request. Last year, everyone wanted a Wii Gaming System, but the elves substituted a wee draw poker pocket “gambling system” when supplies ran out. Not every parent was happy about that, let me tell you!

So, just about enough time to see who’s been naughty and who’s been nice before I begin to prepare the sleigh. You know, with the dwindling supplies of fossil fuels, I may have to think about replacing lumps of coal next year. I suppose I could always substitute those lumpy nuggets with vegetables – or spoonfuls of Mrs. Claus’ gravy.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Just kidding!

Better run. I have to get my beard groomed before the 24th.

Darned Health Board rules. Ho! Ho! Ho! Love, Santa Humour columnist and author Dan St. Yves was licensed with Royal LePage Kelowna for 11 years.

Check out his website at www.nonsenseandstuff.com, or contact him at ThatDanGuy@shaw.ca. REM

f

We wish all our friends, b u s i n e s s

c o l l e a g u e s ,

p r e sen t a n d f u t ur e c u s to m ers a wonderful holiday season with peace and prosperity for the new year.

W i t h o ur si nc er e be s t w i sh e s from corporate management, staff and the world wide members of H o m e L i f e R e a lt y S e r v i c e s I n c .

Higher High H her Standa Standards ards Agents...Higher Ag Results!™ Results Š2009 HomeLife Realty Services Inc. All Rights Reserved. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.

24 REM DECEMBER 2009

The evolution of social media marketing

By George O’Neill

W

e real estate professionals are a lucky bunch.

Really. We not only become proficient, but many of us over time become true experts in sales, negotiations, client management, business management, networking and marketing. We stay on top of trends, often before our clients embrace them, and appropriately integrate new techniques into our businesses to better serve those valued clients and to stay ahead of our competitors. We look “over the horizon” for opportunities to deepen client relationships and to increase sales. In our business, change is constant, and if harnessed correctly, one can leapfrog those who continue to muddle along using out-dated business practices.

Even if you are a newly minted sales representative, you can now, more than at any other time, stake out your own territory and build your own brand in a consistent manner on-line.

The application of technology and the exploding use of the Internet in real estate are the focus of much discussion and debate, and are rife with confusion. The recent ruling by the Competition Bureau to have the MLS opened up to new competition further amplifies the importance of technology in real estate. During any period of change there are informed leaders, zealous evangelists, early adopters, many laggards, a number of doubters and a few people who just stick their head in the sand, covering their eyes and ears saying things are just “fine the way they are and there is no need to change”. Yes, just fine

indeed. How many buggy whip manufacturers remained in business after the introduction of the automobile?

Today, social media marketing is changing the way most businesses engage with customers. We are well into the information revolution with the democratization of that information underway. The first wave of Internet sites included those that contained helpful information such as AltaVista and sites like Amazon.com. That was the socalled “Web 1.0” world, where websites were really just on-line brochures where information was posted by marketing people hoping consumers would read the information and be attracted enough to contact the company to discuss buying their services or products.

Some of those organizations evolved (Amazon.com now allows buyers to provide direct feedback for all the world to see on the products they sell) and some sites have disappeared or have been marginalized because they could not adapt (today do you use AltaVista or Google?).

Most sales representatives’ and brokerages’ websites are stuck in Web 1.0 brochure-ware days. Many post for-sale listings, proudly boast sold properties, and often include information about the market. But those sites are not designed to truly engage the viewer, and do not allow the consumer to provide direct input and share their voice. Many sites are designed to try to trap the viewer to fill out a “Top 10 List Of Seller or Buyer Do’s and Don’ts”.

Those sites are not really trying to engage the consumer – they are only trying to get their e-mail address and phone number.

Consumers can see through this, and move on quickly.

What we need to do is engage consumers, give them information (yes, with NO strings attached!) and demonstrate value, knowledge and our expertise, and then consumers may be willing to discuss with us how we may be able to serve Continued on page 26

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26 REM DECEMBER 2009

Prove your case

LEGAL ISSUES

By Donald H. Lapowich n a recent case, a real estate agent acted for both vendor and purchaser. The vendor entered the first agreement of sale conditional on the purchaser’s right to conduct a due diligence investigation by a certain date. Failure to waive the condition meant the agreement was null and void (and the deposit was to be returned).

The vendor then entered a “back up� second agreement to sell conditional on non-performance of the first agreement.

The Appeal Court upheld the

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dismissal of the first vendor to enforce the first agreement. The condition was not a pre-printed form but specific to the vendor/purchaser, where the waiver had to be “personally� delivered to the vendor in the first agreement.

The fact of the dual agency did not mean the real estate agent was the “conduit� to whom notice was accomplished. The vendor did not cloak the common agent with authority to receive a waiver (on the vendor’s behalf from the purchaser, number one).

The failure to personally deliver the waiver resulted in a null and void first agreement. â– â– â–

In another case, a purchaser offered to buy a unit owned by G, who counter offered. The purchaser accepted the counter offer.

However, the parties disagreed on the timing of acceptance of amendments requested

by G, and when the deposit was payable by the purchaser. G declared the contract cancelled because the deposit was not allegedly paid on time, and transferred the unit to her parents.

In an action by the purchaser for specific performance or damages against G and her parents, the purchaser’s action was successful – G was liable for breach of the original contract. This was upheld on appeal. G attempted to adduce new evidence on a further appeal, which was denied.

Donald H. Lapowich, Q.C. Hon. FRGD is a partner at the law firm of Koskie, Minsky in Toronto, where he practices civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on real estate litigation, and acts for professionals including lawyers, real estate agents, insurance brokers/agents and dentists. REM

The evolution Continued from page 24

them. This is just old-fashioned relationship building, something the best Realtors have been doing for decades. When you meet someone for the very first time, do you ask within the first couple of minutes if you can help them buy or sell a property? If so, under most circumstances you would be seen as being too pushy. Although we agree we do not want to be pushy, this is exactly what many are doing with their Web 1.0 websites. There is a real disconnect between desire and action.

Today, we are in the Web 2.0 world, which is a place where there can be a much more interesting and interactive two-way dialogue between the service provider and consumer occurring.

Interactions are based on creating conversations, sharing information, and if there is common interest by both parties, hopefully a relationship can be built to the point where business is conducted. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn,

TypePad, Blogger and Wordpress are tools that are essentially free to use (but take considerable time to add good content), and allow us to create those conversations, build trust and deepen those relationships. These tools are great to build new relationships and to stay close to existing clients as well. But, the tools do not work their magic on their own. They must be used as part of a marketing and branding strategy for your business.

Don’t be caught holding a buggy whip when you should have a blog.

George O’Neill is a full-time, second-generation Realtor with Royal LePage Estate Realty in Toronto. He is available to speak about how to appropriately integrate social media marketing into your businesses. He is organizing and speaking at a conference on November 30 in Toronto about this topic. Phone (416) 690-5100; email George@GeorgeONeill.ca; w e b s i t e www.SocialMedia REM MarketingSummit.ca

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At the stroke of midnight during EXIT Realty’s prestigious President’s Ball Gala at the fabulous Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in Washington, DC - October 3, 2009

“MIKE GRUMBLES” from Tennessee won exit’s $100,000 draw!

WHAT A FABULOUS EVENT! WHAT A FANTASTIC SURPRISE!!

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28 REM DECEMBER 2009

B.C.’s Predator Ridge golf resort targets baby boomers and young professionals

By Kathy Bevan

want to golf, but they don’t want to golf every single day necessarily. They’re looking for other outdoor things to do and trails are a big part of that.”

Wesbild added an additional 18-hole golf course to the existing resort.

T

he painted turtle lurching across the path in front of me wasn’t the main distraction as I played the back nine at Predator Ridge in B.C. in September. Nor was the trio of deer daintily grooming one of the fairways. What kept tugging at my concentration were the beautiful Okanagan Valley vistas that appeared over so many of the rises on the course, as well as the thought that nearby residents could soak up these views year-round.

Okanagan region, lakeside beaches are 10 minutes away, and in winter, you can be skiing at Silver Star or Big White within 1.5 hours. There’s a luxury spa onsite – particularly popular for soothing the aching muscles of the more athletically inclined, or for simply pampering yourself. A number of other “urban” amenities are also located at the resort, such as a convenience store, sports clothing outlet, casual eateries and a restaurant suited to formal and informal dining.

Located 30 minutes north of the Kelowna International Airport, a few kilometres south of Vernon, Predator Ridge Golf Resort sits atop 1,200 acres of rolling, straw-blonde hills bordered by two brilliant blue lakes – Kalamalka to the east and Okanagan to the west. Master planned communities of homes ranging from cottages and multifamily condos to ranchers and custom-builds surround the 18-hole golf course, the heart of Predator Ridge.

Whenever you want to sample valley cuisine a bit farther afield, an easy drive into Kelowna offers a wide variety of options. The famed Okanagan wine region, along with rich summer harvests of fruit and vegetables, continues to attract top chefs as well as homeowners to the area. The Kelowna Tourism Bureau introduced me to one small gem of a dining experience in the city’s Cultural District – the Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar, run by Chef Mark Filatow, who is now earning a name for himself in the valley.

The resort also offers homeowners a variety of sports options beyond golfing, including a fitness centre, indoor lap pool, tennis and hiking. There is a minimum of property care responsibilities – no grass to mow, leaves to rake, or snow to shovel. Wineries and vineyards abound throughout the

At Predator Ridge, homebuyers have mainly come from throughout B.C. and neighbouring Alberta. With direct flights available to Kelowna from Toronto, the resort is hoping to see additional interest from Ontario. Vacationers are also welcome to rent cottages and lodge

The Peregrine Cottage District Walking Trail winds its way through the resort.

suites at the resort. And for homeowners and vacationers alike, one of the main draws at Predator Ridge continues to be its awardwinning golf course.

For six years, Golf Digest has given this 18-hole course 4.5 stars out of 5; Score Magazine ranks it as one of Canada’s Top 100 golf courses. Twice, Predator Ridge has hosted the prestigious World Skins Game. After the 2000 event, golf pro Sergio Garcia bought two cottages at the resort.

Several NHL players, including Eric Godard of the Pittsburgh Penguins, own homes there.

For lovers of the game of golf, at Predator Ridge the best seats in the house are, literally, in the houses that overlook several holes. Each neighbourhood has its own signature look and feel, with exterior colour palettes that blend into the ridgetop setting. On a golf cart tour through the various neighbourhoods, my guide Lisa Corcoran, director of marketing and community relations for the resort, pointed out the wood detailing of the craftsman style homes and the simpler lines of the prairie-style homes.

In addition to Predator Ridge’s existing housing options, we toured past construction now underway on 1,500-square-foot townhomes, 2,300-square-foot villas, 3,300-square foot execu-

tive homes, and lots being serviced for future sales. We also drove past the newest attraction some of these homes will edge onto as of next summer – an additional 18-hole golf course, designed by course architect Doug Carrick.

Corcoran says the recent surge in construction activity began in 2007, when Wesbild Holdings acquired the development. Wesbild was keen to build new neighbourhoods adjacent to the existing golf course, but also wanted to ensure that existing homeowners were happy. The developer went directly to those homeowners to ask them what they’d like added to the resort.

Their resounding response: “More golf.” Course designer Carrick was hired and Wesbild invested $10 million into building an additional 18-hole golf course. The new layout mixes dramatic elevation changes with a narrower fairway perspective, complementing the more open, rippling hillsides and hidden greens of the existing course.

Existing homeowners also told Wesbild they wanted more walking and hiking trails. In response, the developer invested $250,000 into expanding its system of trails, which now covers over 20 km of paved and natural paths. As Corcoran observed about baby boomers in particular, “They

The resort has been consulting with an environmental steward to try to ensure its neighbourhoods and trails don’t endanger local flora and fauna. One small lake on the development – Birdie Lake – is home to nesting painted turtles, like the one I saw meandering across the golf course. The resort is building a boardwalk to help preserve this nesting ground and guide visitors to look-out points safely removed from the nests themselves.

Predator Ridge hopes that its environmentally friendly approach and emphasis on connecting its homeowners to more outdoor activities than golf alone will also attract younger homebuyers. Its multi-family townhomes are geared toward young professionals just starting out, with prices beginning around $239,000 – at the other end of the scale, it has sold custom homes for $1.5 million.

A sampling of properties listed for sale in September included vacant lots priced in the $177,000 to $459,000 range, as well as resale listings from $112,500 cottages to $879,000 executive homes.

For residents with their own private golf carts, for rolling down through those beautiful vistas to go the restaurant or to visit friends around the resort, as well as golfing, there’s the ultimate in household options: cart-sized automatic garage doors.

Transportation and onsite accommodation was provided by Predator Ridge Golf Resort, Vernon, B.C.; Kelowna dining courtesy of Tourism Kelowna and Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar, Kelowna. REM

30 REM DECEMBER 2009

Customized Client Newsletters

realtyreport

esley Carlberg of Sutton Group - Quantum Realty in Mississauga, Ont. recently took to the stage with friend Barbara Jensen to perform their personal narrative incorporating improv, stand-up, singing and dancing. The pair decided to produce and perform their own show as a way to raise money for Tour For Kids.

Tour For Kids is a bike rally event organized by the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation (CTCACF). It is dedicated to improving the quality of life and the survival rates of children and adolescents with cancer, focusing on projects that support transition and survivorship programs, research and education initiatives, and pediatric oncology camps.

“The show was a lot of fun and everybody had a wonderful time.

L

®

Market Connections Inc.®

Compliments of Danny Brown

Danny Brown

Real Estate Agent Market Connections Inc.® 4950 Yonge Street, Suite 101 Toronto, ON M2N 6K1 Bus: (800) 387-6058 Fax: (800) 800-7093 dbrown@marketconnections.com Greetings! You’re receiving this newsletter with hopes that you find it informative and entertaining.

If you’re thinking of making a move, or are just curious as to real estate trends in your area, please feel free to call at any time. It’s always good to hear from you!

All the best,

Danny Brown

Stronger Home Sales Lift National Forecast The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) increased their 2009 national home sales forecast to 432,600 units, just 0.4 percent less than levels set in 2008, and a significant upward revision from the previously forecast decline of 14.7 percent from last year. The national MLS® home sales activity is projected to continue rising, with an expected 5.3 percent increase to 455,400 units next year.

“Sales activity started off the third quarter on a strong footing,” said CREA President Dale Ripplinger. “The difference in the resale housing market now, compared to the beginning of the year, is night and day.”

Chief Economist Gregory Klump noted, “Low interest rates are boosting sales by returning homebuyers to the market who moved to the sidelines late last year.” He added, “Buyers are also shifting purchase decisions forward as they take advantage of attractive interest rates now before financing costs increase.”

CREA previously forecast a decline in the national average price of 5.2 percent for 2009, when in fact recent figures point to an increase

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of 1.5 percent this year, mostly due to the strong rebound in sales activity in some of Canada’s most expensive markets.

“The speed with which the Canadian resale housing market has rebounded is unprecedented,” said Mr. Klump.

Is 2010 the year you sell your house, and upsize, downsize or move to a more appropriate living arrangement?

If so, please remember that a qualified real estate representative can make the difference between an efficient, informed transaction and a stressful moving experience.

Take the first step toward a smooth move by calling today for the latest housing news in your area.

CNSF

Volume 5, Issue 11

We had a great turn-out considering it was at 11 pm in downtown Toronto,” says Carlberg. The duo also biked 100 km in four days as part of the Tour For Kids event and were able to personally deliver the money raised from their show to the charity.

■ ■ ■

The Lethbridge and District Association of Realtors recently held its annual charity golf tournament in support of Crimestoppers Southern Alberta. Funds raised are used for the education of volunteer board members and the operation of the program. This was the 10th anniversary of the event and to date, $206,500 has been raised.

■ ■ ■

Langley, B.C.’s George Porter of Sutton Group - West Coast

Realty, along with his wife Donna, led a team of eight at the Relay for Life recently. Starting at 7 pm, the relay went through the night and finished 12 hours later. The team’s objective was to raise funds to fight against cancer as they took turns running or walking the local community track.

The Porters got actively involved in the event after the devastating loss of their son-in-law Kelly Hall to cancer at the age of 46. “Kelly’s Team” took on the challenge encouraged by support from friends, family and colleagues.

“The night was a success; we sang, walked and drank a lot of coffee,” says George. “Even Kelly’s children at the young ages of six, eight and 16 stayed up for the night. It got pretty cool through the night but we made it.”

The team raised more than $2,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society, and has already committed to hold another event next year.

■ ■ ■

B.C. Easter Seals ambassador Natasha Kaweski assisted Century 21 Canada in recognizing top Continued on page 32

Mr. John Sample 123 Center Street, Suite 123 Your City, Your Province A1A 2A2 12345-6789

2ETAIN s 2EPEAT s Referrals DID YOU KNOW: More than 75% of real estate transactions are generated through repeat and referral business?* *NAR

Bruce Sworik (left), broker of record at Sutton Group - Select Realty in London, and Paula Hodgson, sales rep Kelly’s Team raised more than $2,000 for the Canadian Cancer and golf committee chairperson at the brokerage, present a cheque to Dan Society.

Jaremko of The Salvation Army.

For more information on realtyreport® and other products please call:

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Phil Soper, president and chief executive of Royal LePage, presents the My Great Neighbourhood $25,000 grand prize to Michelle Knoll, director at the Oak Park Moms and Tots Centre.

At the Lethbridge and District Association of Realtors (LDAR) golf tournament, from left: Karl Kloepper, president of Crimestoppers; Stan Mills, president-elect, LDAR; Margaret Van, executive officer, LDAR; Audrey King, president of LDAR; and Miles Goldonton, chairman, LDAR Golf Tournament.

32 REM DECEMBER 2009

Vancouver developers dust off shelved projects

By Jean Sorensen

C

autious Vancouver developers are starting to dust off shelved projects that were downed by a lacklustre market during the past year, and nudge them forward into the rebounding real estate market, says Cameron Neill, president of MAC Marketing Solutions, a Western Canada real estate marketing company.

But caution is still the key word.

“Generally, I am seeing the sophisticated developer who is being cautious and prudent in the market. We are not seeing everyone jump back in just because it is a good market.

That’s probably a good thing because it was getting to be an overheated market in 2006-2007 and that was not healthy,” says Neill, who serves clients in major B.C. and Alberta centres.

He says Vancouver has been the regional market first to rebound, with prices fast climbing back to pre-recession levels. “We are seeing a market that is significantly different from February and March of this year and most of the prices are back to where they were prior to the collapse,” he says. The price trend is not just for single-

family dwellings, but also in the condo market both for pre-sales and resales.

An example is The James, a condominium complex in the South East False Creek’s Olympic Village area, developed by Cressey Developments. “In September 2008, we were literally days away from opening the showroom for presales,” says Neill. But the tanking real estate market put the brakes on decision to open the sales office and the project was shelved. Looking back, Neill said he believes that Cressey and MAC made the right decision.

Now, MAC has unwrapped the showroom and is finalizing prices and moving the project forward to the marketplace on presales. It’s expected they will begin in early 2010 just as the Winter Olympics are focusing attention on the Olympic Village area. Neill says the company is taking advantage of the number of individuals who will be drawn into Vancouver for the event, and also those who will come during the months afterwards.

“We are still sorting out the pricing,” says Neill, so they can yield a “reasonable return to the

developer”. But there will be cost-savings to the buyer, he says.

“Construction costs are significantly down from what they were 18 months ago.” Savings from construction contracts that were not locked in can be passed back to the buyers. “But, prices have been reduced from the earlier highs,” he says, estimating that the buyer will see l0 to 15 per cent savings.

The James is not the only project to re-ignite after being left to smoulder. The Sage, located at the University of B.C., is another example of a mothballed project brought forward to the market by MAC. The 120-unit structure, with the average selling price at $800,000, is now 55 per cent sold after starting in the market in early October, says Neill. These are luxury units located in close proximity to the university, a major golf course and park area.

Developer Amacon, which originally slowed its timeline for the District South Main project, increased it to capture the rising market. The District is located in the Mount Pleasant area, one of the oldest in the city. It has an artsy feel to it, which is captured

Good Works

Michelle Knoll of Oakville is the winner of the My Great Neighbourhood online contest – a national campaign by Royal Lepage that asked Canadians why they love their neighbourhood.

Knoll submitted her video showcasing her community and the not-for-profit Oak Park Moms and Tots Centre. In addition to the $25,000 prize, Royal LePage will donate $5,000 to a women’s shelter nearby the Oak Park Moms and Tots centre. Royal LePage selects the winners of the contest based on how creative, original, informative, and compelling the entry is, in addition to the total number of votes.

Knoll, a director at the Oak Park Moms and Tots Centre, noted that the prize money would be used to keep programs running in the centre. With the current economic pressures, the demand on the centre has grown at the same time that fundraising has become more chal-

lenging. The centre was facing a shortfall of $26,000 needed in additional funding to keep the doors open until fall 2010.

Last year the centre provided programs, resources and community engagement for 700 children and benefited more than 500 families.

Continued from page 30

Easter Seals fundraising offices during the company’s recent annual convention. Fourteen-year-old Natasha, who has Morquio Syndrome, has been an Easter Seals Camper for seven years. In 2009, Century 21 Canada members sent more than 160 Kids to Camp.

The top five Century 21 Easter Seals fundraisers in Canada in 2008: Century 21 Conexus Realty, Regina, (first in Canada, fourth internationally); Century 21 A.L.L. Stars Realty, Edmonton (second in Canada, fifth internationally); Century 21 The Professionals, Calgary (third in Canada, 11th internationally); Century 21 United Realty, Peterborough, Ont. (fourth in Canada, 12th internationally); and B.J. Roth Realty, Barrie, Ont. (fifth in Canada, 13th internationally).

■ ■ ■

in the design and floor plans within the building. Located at 7th Ave. and Main Street and featuring 250 moderately priced units, the project sold 175 units within three weeks . The District had a lead-in price of $223,900 for a studio of 425 sq. ft., while one bedrooms (between 544 sq. ft. to 616 sq. ft.) started at $279,900. Two bedrooms (from 763 sq. ft. to 978 sq. ft.) had a price that was comparable to some downtown properties, starting at $384,900.

Neill says the revived projects represent a broad spectrum in pricing and markets. It is not only the low or high end of the market selling, but mainstream properties are moving as well in Vancouver, he says.

“We are dealing with a substantial market,” says Neill, “not just a flash in the pan.”

While luxury goods markets remain high even in a recession, affluent sophisticated buyers who have the funds to carry forward real estate transactions are still wary. They have concerns about “capital preservation” and will sit on the sidelines until sure that the market has fallen as far as it will go, says Neill. “When there

is a long-term upside, they will come back to the market based on capital appreciation and capital preservation,” he says. The ability to sell high-end properties such as the Sage is a good sign that this buyer feels the market is moving up.

Neill says he believes the Vancouver real estate market is also rebounding faster than other areas, as there is a reduced reserve of inventory. During the collapse of the market, MAC Bulk did a liquidation of units with deep discounts to encourage buyers into the market, resulting in 750 sales. “We wanted to give people the perception of a phenomenal opportunity. It worked well,” he says, adding that the liquidation was “something to light a fire” under buyers.

The real estate market is expected to stay stable in the short term in Vancouver and grow stronger in 2010, he predicts, with the Olympics bringing renewed focus on the province and an interest in real estate. “The impact of the Olympics will not be just 18 months but for three to five years afterwards,” he says. “It will have a significant long-term impact.”

REM

■ ■ ■

Each year, Sutton Group Select Realty in London, Ont. organizes an annual charity golf tournament. This year the proceeds were dedicated to The Salvation Army (Ontario Great Lakes Division). Organized by a committee chaired by Paula Hodgson, together with Bruce Sworik, broker of record, fundraising took place through silent auctions, raffle tickets and with the help of corporate sponsors. This year the tournament raised $8,046, enough to purchase approximately 8,000 hot lunches REM for those in need.

Greater Vancouver Realtors hit the links in Whistler recently for the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver’s 55th Annual Golf Classic, raising $4,700 for Covenant House Vancouver. A clothing drive at the event collected a large number of jeans and sneakers, which were also donated to Covenant House. From left: REBGV members Lionel Lorence; Mark Ballard; Scott MacDonald of Covenant House Vancouver; and Denise Salmon.

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34 REM DECEMBER 2009

7 core values will attract clients

By Larry Easto

W

hen promoting their services, agents invariably focus on their own skills and abilities. Their advertising is self-promotional, touting how good they are at what they do.

This approach is based on the assumption that with enough advertising, sooner or later prospective clients will believe these promotional messages and become clients. Unfortunately, there are two serious problems with this approach.

Most prospects and clients are driven by self-interest. Unless they see some benefit for themselves in promotional messages, they tend to ignore them.

There are also many other businesses and organizations, including competing real estate agents, seeking prospects’ time and attention.

Bombarded by too many messages, most of which offer few if any benefits, prospective clients often ignore all promotional material.

By redefining marketing to mean attracting prospective clients instead of simply promotional activities, the focus shifts from the sales representative’s skills and abilities to client’s needs, wants and expectations. The question, “What do I offer my clients?” is replaced by “How do I attract prospects?”

It seems to me that if there is in fact a secret to success in life or marketing, it is that age-old wisdom: “Know thyself and to thine own self be true.”

Applying this principle to the challenge of attracting prospects means that we must know what value we offer clients. Once we understand what value we offer, everything that we do to attract prospects must be consistent with this value.

What better place to identify the value that we offer, than our own core values – the belief system that defines who we are and how we live our lives?

There are at least seven core values that will help you attract new clients: Competence – When hiring service providers, most clients expect more than just a minimal level of competence. In fact, clients usually expect an above-average level of competence.

Competence is a combination of what you learn in formal training programs and the know-how that you develop through the experience of serving clients.

Trust – Regardless of what service you provide, few if any clients will hire you if they don’t trust you.

It really is that simple. Like competence, it is fundamental and helps define you as a person and service provider. Trust is not something you learn. It’s something you are...under all circumstances.

Efficiency – Efficiency is performing or functioning in the best

possible manner with the least waste of time and effort.

When serving your clients, you will waste as little time and effort as you do when managing your own responsibilities.

Hard work – Regardless of what you are doing for them, clients expect you to work hard at it. But remember that clients seldom expect hard work simply for its own sake. They expect the results that hard work generates.

Quality – In the simplest of terms, quality is what your clients say it is – nothing more, nothing less.

Satisfying clients – If you are not totally committed to satisfying clients, you can expect to work harder at finding new clients than serving repeat and referred clients.

Clients whom you have left less than totally satisfied are unlikely to hire you again...nor are they likely to refer prospective clients to you.

Communication – As admirable as these qualities are, it is not their noble nature that helps attract new clients. Each value

promises significant benefits to clients. It is these promised benefits that make these values so attractive to clients, and important from a marketing perspective.

As one of your seven core values, communication allows you to send messages subtly and indirectly without shameless self-promotion.

Instead of actively promoting your core values, demonstrate them. Let your seven core values speak for themselves, influencing everything from promoting your services to servicing clients.

And what better way to confirm that your actions are in fact determined by these core values than testimonials from clients and third-party endorsements?

Larry Easto is a best-selling business writer, syndicated columnist and author of four e-books about real estate marketing. He is also publisher of www.real-estate-marketinglink.info. To learn more about attracting prospects, see www.real-estatemarketing-link.info/e-zine-Oct09.html REM

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36 REM DECEMBER 2009

METES & BOUNDS

By Marty Douglas

S

ervice. Syndication. In alphabetical order, and probably in order of impor-

tance.

In October’s REM is an article

by Kathy Bevan about a link between the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors and Point2 Technologies “to establish the first national real estate listing syndication program to be set up in Canada by a regional organized real estate association.” Haven’t read it?

Well, go and get it or look it up at www.remonline.com and read it.

I’ll wait.

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

All done? Okay, we’ll move on.

The crux of the endeavour is to funnel participating MLS listings through Point2 Technologies, a Canadian developer of real estate marketing tools, to a growing list of third-party websites and search engines. You’ve heard of Google?

Craig’s List? eBay? By the time you read this, the list of the receiving sites will likely have grown from the nine noted in Ms. Bevan’s article.

Syndication and service Take a deep breath. In addition to channeling listings to Realtor.ca – and your Aunt Martha via the séance lady in your book club – members in Saskatchewan who opt into the feature will have their listings posted AT NO CHARGE on third-party sites.

To review – when you send your client’s listing to your MLS service provider (your board or association), you actually send it to Realtor.ca where it has a shot at 7 to 10 million unique visitors per month. By adding Point2 service, the access to your listing gets a whole lot bigger. How much bigger? How about the differences between that bright evening star Venus and oh, hmmm, let’s say, the Milky Way. AT NO CHARGE. Or is that too technical for you?

So this is important stuff and probably being considered by your industry leaders today. Threat or opportunity? If I go to my client’s head – where else? – I think it has to be an opportunity. From my point of view as a managing broker I believe it’s an opportunity for our company and our people. I’m rewriting the listing presentation as I type, “List with me and you’ll get Realtor.ca, the greatest real estate portal in Canada – but wait, like the Ginsu Knives, there’s more!

Mr. and Mrs. Jones, I’m sure you’ve heard of Google, perhaps even used it in your daily lives to find a new swingers connection. Now, for a limited time only, we put your

house in the centre of the digital universe.”

Perhaps I go too far.

For some troglodytes, it will always be a stretch to put the client’s interests ahead of their own. The thinking along these lines produced the sleeve listing – where I’m the only one that knows it’s for sale, I’m the only one to sell it. When they tilt their service a little in favour of the client, they create the exclusive listing, allowing access to others in the office. From there they slip into the MLS and suddenly, cooperative brokerage becomes a way of life. Then the Internet, reciprocity and Realtor.ca.

Kicking and screaming we were led into this world.

But if we are one of about half of the current members of CREA and have been in the business for six years or less, then web marketing is the norm, information sharing is natural. We’re texting, on Facebook, tweeting daily – except while driving – and wondering why the old geezers in the corner of the bullpen – the ones packing a pager and flipping through a really old catalogue – talk about the good old days, regaling all within earshot with Polaroid photo tricks and the wording for a telegram of acceptance.

The new reality, the new Realtor, is all about networking and distribution. And we have turnover to thank, rather than curse, for the

transition that is coming. No need to set your hair on fire about syndication or any other technological schism. Just lie back and enjoy.

Maybe it is just the latest version of Beta or the 8 Track. The certainty is we’ll all get to watch or participate, to embrace or discard, to add to our tool box or scoff.

Which brings me to service.

Quality Service Certification Inc. is a third-party organization that rates mortgage brokers and real estate agents. (Google them if you must.) A more familiar consumer service to Canadians is J.D. Power & Associates. The concept being lobbed to and fro at a series of national meetings facilitated through the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver is one of assessment of service; part of the process of advancing the industry to a higher level of professionalism.

The question is simple. Do we have the cojones to have a third party poll our clients after the sale to see how we did? Some individuals and brokerages now do this actively, seeking endorsements and referrals, confirming sources of business and motivation. Most are surprised when a nice email or card arrives in the office extolling their virtues. The more frequent communiqué from a client is likely one with the salutation, “Without Prejudice”.

Unfortunately, self-administered follow-up lacks credibility.

Having a third party provide the

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service isn’t the challenge. The challenge is – what to do with the information. A broker discovers one of his sales team never follows up after the sale. Another presents agency inadequately.

Sources of business are revealed accurately from the client’s point of view. Media strengths and weaknesses are confirmed.

Education topics and training needs are identified.

Every survey of CREA members results in either direction or encouragement for industry leaders to increase the level of professionalism and ethics, to raise the bar we and the public set for Realtors. Fear the change – of course – but only those who confirm Warren Buffett’s observation: “It’s only when the tide goes out that you learn who’s been swimming naked.”

Time to let someone else gaze at our navels.

Marty Douglas is a managing broker for Coast Realty Group (Comox Valley) Ltd., managing two of 15 Coast Realty Group offices on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast of B.C. He is a past chair of the Real Estate Errors and Omissions Corporation of B.C., the Real Estate Council of B.C., and the B.C. Real Estate Association, and is a current director of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. Email mdouglas@island.net; 1-800-715-3999; REM Fax (250) 897-3933.

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38 REM DECEMBER 2009

AS I SEE IT FROM MY DESK

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Catching up with Sandra Rinomato I could go an hour without my laptop during a weekday! That archaic way of thinking was the norm back then, and Andrew Zsolt was the only broker I had met who felt about technology the same way I did, which was, “Let’s embrace it and lead the pack”.

By Stan Albert

S

andra Rinomato of Coldwell Banker Terrequity Realty in Toronto is one of Canada’s best known real estate professionals. She is host of HGTV’s The Property Virgins and has written a book.

Sandra and I worked together some years ago and I recently caught up to her for a Q&A session.

Stan Albert: Why did you decide to get into real estate?

Sandra Rinomato: As I mention in my book, a friend of mine suggested it. I balked at the idea.

He asked why, and I said I didn’t like the idea of putting people in my car and driving them around with noisy ill-behaved kids in the back seat. His reply was, “Yeah, then you show them 10 houses and make $6,000. Do you know how many cappuccinos you have to sell to make six grand?” I had a little coffee kiosk at that time. So I looked into licensing, which at that time was done at Humber College, and I never looked back.

Albert: Later in your career, you changed brokerages. Why? Rinomato: I went back to Coldwell Banker in The Kingsway, where I had started. I enjoyed the boutique atmosphere there.

I was really into the technology and other brokers and agents were still wondering if they should get voice mail. One example I like to tell is when I did my first deal in real estate, I made a big commission of $18,000 and bought myself a laptop. That was back in the days when TREB was still a DOS program. One agent told me I was stupid to waste my money on that and Top Producer software, because she said I would never use it. I laughed then, and I laugh still. I don’t think

Albert: You now have a team.

Tell us about how you manage the team.

Rinomato: The team is made up of three partners (two very good and experienced Realtors and me), a buyer’s agent and an assistant.

Since I am on the road a lot, they manage themselves. As you can imagine, my partners don’t need any managing at all, and they handle the assistant and buyer’s agent.

The synergy between us is amazing. We all have our strong points and weak points and they all complement each other. I don’t think we could have been any luckier or smarter with our partnering.

Where I lack, my partners pick up, and vice versa.

Albert: Somewhere along your early days in real estate, you had a serious health issue. What was it, and are you now fully recovered?

Rinomato: I was born with a heart defect and it became a problem later on in life, causing an ongoing lung issue. I had open heart surgery in 2004 at Toronto General Hospital. It was pretty touch and go. I can tell you that the surgery was risky and there was no guarantee that it was going to work. Had I not been under the excellent care of our Canadian health care system, I may not have been able to have the surgery and I would have died. The health care practitioners at TGH are excellent and I am eternally grateful to them for saving my life. I had a hard go of it with complications that were life threatening and the superior care they gave me saved me.

Albert: When you were at our brokerage, you and your friends connected with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Are you still involved with it?

Rinomato: I used to do the

Ladies’ Lousy Golfer Tournament, which was a lot of fun, but a lot of work. When I became ill I had to stop doing the event. Now I raise money for TGH, specifically for my pulmonary specialist and my cardiac surgeons, Doctors Granton and Cusimano. More info is at www.horseandboogie.ca .

Albert: How did you get involved in The Property Virgins and HGTV? Both my wife and I have become fans! How does it feel to be a celebrity?

Rinomato: Don’t you get enough real estate in your day to day, Stan? The production company and HGTV already had the show in mind and they interviewed tons of agents in Toronto. I don’t know how they found me, but I think they were going through Realtor websites. I received a call from a guy in early fall and his message just said his name and number. I hesitated in returning the call, because I thought it was solicitation for calendars, but I thought I should call back not to be rude. When I called, the receptionist answered with “Production” and I was convinced that it was a calendar printer! I almost hung up as I didn’t need calendars, but I thought that would be rude, so I asked for the gentleman who had called and he asked if I would be interested.

My husband came from the world of acting and he told me to go for it. He was my biggest fan from the beginning. I didn’t think I had a hope in hell…..I mean, where were the cameras 20 years and 20 pounds ago? Maybe back then I would have had a chance, but now? Well, I went down and did a taped audition after an interview. They ended up hiring Tatiana Londono from Montreal, and then that went down the tube.

So they looked at all the footage they had, months and months after my first audition, and asked me to come back.

I declined. I had my dad in a nursing home, and I was tending to him many times a week. I had the Coldwell Banker 100th celebration in San Francisco to go to, and

REM DECEMBER 2009 39

I had lost interest. The producer was shocked! I mean, how many people say no to a call back for their own television show? They waited for me to get back from California and when I did I found out that my dad had taken a turn for the worse and appeared to be failing rapidly, so I called the show people back and left a “thanks but no thanks” message.

When I got to the nursing home I found my dad up and at ’em with more energy than I had (after a five-day party in San Francisco, jet lag and the whole gamut). He held on until we filmed episode two, and then passed.

I also had a hair accident. I got a brush stuck in my bangs, and had to cut it out, leaving one centimeter of hair as my bang. That was hilarious, but awful! My bangs are an integral part of my hair style and I looked like Dumb and Dumber for my second audition tape. I thought, “Oh, now they won’t want me for sure!” Stan, I’m telling you, I said no a million times but it happened anyway.

Albert: You told me that you travel constantly, how does that effect your family and business life?

Rinomato: The travel is the most difficult part of being on the show. I’m not used to it, and didn’t want it. Again, 20 years ago it would have been a blast but now I have a family, a business and I want to be home. Luckily, the production company recognizes that and lets me come home for a few days to regroup. I don’t like hotel rooms and I need to go home to cook and eat some comfort food and see my boys. The business is well run by the team of course, and that is why we came together. I didn’t want to lose a grip on my mature business.

I will come back to real estate fulltime when the show is no longer taping.

Albert: Tell me about your book.

Rinomato: It’s Realty Check: Real Estate Secrets for First-Time Canadian Homebuyers. It’s on the shelves now. It’s kind of like the show in that it delivers the info in an entertaining way. There are personal stories about me, and also real life stories of first-timers buying, so others can learn from their experiences.

Albert: What’s the best thing about being on the show?

Rinomato: I get tons of email from viewers in North America and the U.K. thanking me for giving them the confidence, or the info they needed to take the plunge. I couldn’t believe it when they first started coming in. Here were people from places I will never even visit, thanking me for touching their lives and helping them! That is a dream come true because I really love helping people and find that to be the most rewarding part of my real estate job, and now, my TV job. I had one from a woman who had stage four cancer and two little kids and was going through a very difficult time. She wasn’t interested in buying a home but loved to watch the show because it took her mind off her troubles. I cried when I read it and am tearing up now just remembering. Is there any better reason to do this show than that?

Wow, I am blown away by that.

Sandra Rinomato

Albert: Sometime down the road, do you have an exit plan for your real estate activities?

Rinomato: I thought I was going to semi-retire from TV this coming spring, but the show is going strong and the network wants more episodes. It is in the top three line-up consistently. So for now, I am going to continue being a TV presenter, and keep my foot in the door with my true love, real estate, and see where the road takes me. So far, it’s been a road full of surprises and I can’t even guess what would be ahead.

To get in touch with Sandra, visit www.rinomato.com.

Stan Albert, broker/manager, ABR, ASA at Re/Max Premier in Vaughan, Ont. can be reached for consultation at stanalb@rogers.com.

Stan is now celebrating 40 years as an active real estate professional.

REM

40 REM DECEMBER 2009

Interpreting “location location location” Only when “location location location” becomes specific and meaningful will it contribute to your expertise. Clients quickly see that you are the most informed professional they’ve met so far. It follows that when you have the facts, you get the clients, and then you get the sales.

You need not have an encyclopedic mind or be a real estate nerd.

By focusing down to a realistic neighbourhood, or smaller jurisdiction, you can see what the true value of a home in that neighbourhood is worth. And your pricing theories then become a justification rather than an aberration.

Leon d’Ancona B.T.L. M.T.L., RRESI, is president and founder of IMS Incorporated, and creator of REality, an online service used by franchises, brokers and agents to improve their bottom line. He is in demand as a speaker at real estate events continent-wide. The statistics provided in this article are the product of REality and are copyrighted. www.realestatestatistics.com Email: leon@realestatestatistics.com REM

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vid readers of this column should remember my mantra that “location location location” should be practiced by the real estate professional first before he preaches it to the client.

The Case Schiller Index, NAR, CREA and many other sources give us a total summary of housing prices, units sold, average and median prices. But ask yourself what impact influences your decision to buy a condo in Vancouver.

What is the relevance of the median-priced bungalow ($177,000) in Winnipeg to the average price of a townhouse ($621,246) in Whistler, B.C.?

I think we can all agree that unless you are a student of economics on a national scale or you have a client who wants to relocate to Winnipeg from Willowdale, Ont., home pricing data on the larger scale has limited relevancy.

The Greater Toronto Area encompasses 85 different MLS areas, where average prices ranged from as little as $217,814 all the way to $1,324,384 in the last 12 months. There are 170 different cities, towns, and hamlets.

Average prices in these went from a high of $1.395 million to a low of $45,000.

Drill down a bit more and you can find 460 Forward Sorting Areas. (An FSA is the first three digits of your postal code, like M5M) with average prices ranging from $3.65 million to as little as $25,000.

Readers in the greater Edmonton region may know that there are 967 communities to offer buyers and sellers. My readers in

CHART 3

By Leon d’Ancona

Calgary have 346 communities, with 26 styles and 18 different subtypes of homes.

Real estate is arguably the most populated profession there is. I wonder if there are 23,231 practicing waiters in the Greater Toronto Area. To make your mark, you need to stand out from the crowd.

The way to do that is by showing your clients that you have the knowledge few others have.

The randomly chosen examples in Chart 1 and Chart 2 show just a few ways of transforming incoherent, large jurisdictions into meaningful, price responsive, and understandable performance measures. These more precise measures will allow much more comprehensive price comparison, because the homes you are comparing will probably have greater similarity and therefore will indicate truer current pricing information.

After you have picked an area as your criteria, you can further segregate the performance of a particular type or style of home within your performance area (Chart 3).

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42 REM DECEMBER 2009

THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE

Aventure Realty Network ™

By Heino Molls

W

creating Canada’s network of leading independent brokers

www.aventurerealty.ca

elcome to the December issue of REM, our last one for 2009, the celebration year of our 20th anniversary of publishing. We made a deliberate decision to not mark this anniversary with balloons and hoopla but rather to work harder and make an even greater effort to be the place for the Canadian real estate community to turn to for news and information on their industry.

Heaven knows we have to work harder because new avenues of information are rolled out seemingly every week, all claiming to carry industry news, delivered in blogs, twits and websites that declare authority. Established radio, television and newspaper outlets are getting into the act by telling you they have the story, and then walking away from the same story the next day if they find it is wrong. We will stay on course by confirming our facts and checking the accuracy of the stories we follow.

So here is a truth. You’re likely not going to get instant breaking news from the print version of REM, but you will continue to get detailed news and opinion from sources that are reliable and authoritative. As we have promised from the beginning, you’ll get information that you can’t find anywhere else.

Here is a second truth. On our new website at www.remonline.com, you now have more opportunity than ever to take part in the REM community.

Now you can leave comments after every news story or column, or start your own topic in the expanded REM Forum. I invite you to give us your input and your criticism to keep us on our toes and help us discuss the wide range of concerns related to the business we all work in.

It seems to me that this is the

Moving forward single most important change in media in the last few years. It is now a two-way street.

People who write in message boards often break the news.

People who respond to stories by reporters are often those who provoke the most thought. People who participate in media news sites are the ones who challenge information. People who are online debate the facts and show the other side. People on the Internet can quell fears and generate new thoughts and ideas.

The challenge is to sift through the claims of news for the truth.

The challenge is to follow up with research and fact finding and then deliver it.

That is where we come in and that is where we will be. We pledge to provide you true information and news in all the pages preceding this one.

What’s

REMonline will also have more news about the real estate community such as upcoming events, milestones and achievements from industry members and new office openings and closings.

We are going to try harder through 2010 to maintain REM as the best place to turn for news and opinion about the real estate industry in Canada.

I thank you again for 20 years of publishing and on behalf of everyone at REM I promise you we will not waver from delivering stories to you every month in REM that are important to the industry and relevant to you.

Merry Christmas. I wish you a safe and happy holiday season with family and friends.

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

REM

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Angela Calla wins AMP of the Year

New Emphasys acquires quick!Office Commander from Leading Edge Emphasys Software has acquired quick!Office Commander and all related assets from Leading Edge Software. The software offers solutions for managing real estate listings and real estate transactions. The quick!Office Commander software is a front desk management system while quick!Office Commander Back Office handles commission and deal management.

“As Emphasys continues its ongoing effort to provide inte-

Angela Calla, a mortgage broker with Dominion Lending Centres based in Coquitlam, B.C., has won the Accredited Mortgage Professional (AMP) of the Year Award.

Each year, the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals (CAAMP) recognizes one AMP who demonstrates outstanding commitment to supporting and enhancing the designation to their peers and mortgage consumers.

A regular expert guest on Realty Television and Breakfast Television, Calla has also been a source for articles in the Globe and Mail, as well as several other publications and local radio stations. She also hosts The Mortgage Show in Vancouver on talk 1410 AM, now in its third season. REM

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