December 2012

Issue #282

December 2012

Judy Marsales Broker, business woman, politician, musician

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Page 16

No decision yet on CREA tech company Page 3

A few of our favourite apps Page 8

The cheapest houses in the U.K. Page 26

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REM DECEMBER 2012 3

No decision yet on CREA tech company

By Tony Palermo

T

he CREA Futures Implementation Team (FIT) proposal to create an independent technology organization has been deferred until March 2013.

At CREA’s Special General Meeting in Winnipeg on Oct. 30, “there was a lot of support for (the proposal) in the room but there were some people who weren’t satisfied with a couple of the aspects in the proposal,” says immediate past president of CREA and FIT chair Gary Morse.

“Some people opposed aspects (of the proposal) and others had questions, so FIT will do more work and come back with a full package (at the spring AGM) next March.”

The meeting was the first opportunity for FIT to report back on the work it has been doing on the Map to the Future plan approved earlier in March.

The most controversial issue dealt with the motion to create a share capital independent technology corporation to run Realtor.ca and CREA’s technology services.

Morse says that a couple of the spe-

cific concerns were how the company would work and the company’s potential income-earning opportunities.

Burlington-based sales rep Ross Kay is one who has several concerns with the proposal and is happy to see the motion deferred.

“I’m glad a sober second thought can now take place on the privatization of Realtor.ca,” says Kay. “When you review the financial projections, this was a $15 million per year expense for CREA members to be legally committed to. The financials lacked a total understanding of the online technology sector as it exists today and a total misrepresentation of the current online advertising opportunities.”

Kay also says the financials included no preparation for the potential of a massive reduction in membership numbers, as happened from 1990 to 1995, and provided no safe guards to prevent the remaining CREA members from becoming liable for operational expenses.

How the motion to create a separate technology company was

communicated to the membership is another concern Kay shares with other Realtors.

“I think, universally, the vast majority of CREA members didn’t know this vote was taking place,” says Kay. “CREA did not communicate directly to its members that a vote to make Realtor.ca a private company was taking place. Instead, it was hidden in an agenda and buried in correspondence that never told the members what was being voted on.”

But Morse disagrees. He says the whole project was communicated to the membership, explaining that CREA received permission from the majority of the real estate boards and associations early in 2012 to communicate directly to their members.

“We’ve been communicating directly to members once a month with an email product called News2Me, which is sent to every member whose board agreed we could communicate directly to their members,” says Morse. “I think the newsletter is going out to about 96,000 out of 106,000 Realtors, and I don’t think there

Gary Morse

Ross Kay

was a newsletter this year where the Futures project wasn’t mentioned.”

Morse also says people were encouraged to go to the Futures site on RealtorLink to read the background information and watch informational videos.

Furthermore, during August and September, Morse says CREA sent out six different emails, one per week, encouraging the membership to watch a short video that addressed a specific action in the plan and answered related questions.

“We understand people are saying, ‘CREA didn’t tell us anything’ but it’s not for lack of trying,” says

Morse. “There has never been a bigger communication effort on a project than there has been on this Futures project.”

Morse also disagrees with those who have been saying CREA is looking to privatize Realtor.ca and its technology services, indicating that the word privatize is a bit of a misnomer. He says the share capital corporation FIT is proposing would be independent from CREA, but still controlled and owned by CREA. “We’re not talking about making it private where the company can go off and do whatever it wants,” says Morse. “There would be very strict operating guidelines for the company in terms of what they can and can’t do.”

And, he says, it would operate with a mandate to provide technology business services in the best interests of its Realtors.

CREA spokesperson Pierre Leduc says that one of the things the Futures project is looking at is correcting the perception from front-line Realtors that CREA is not communicating with them effectively or to the depth they would expect.

Another motion brought forward by FIT and passed at the Special General Meeting was that CREA no longer pursue the proposal to make FSBO and non-MLS data available on Realtor.ca. FIT determined there were no practical options for making FSBO and nonMLS data available that didn’t involve significant risks to the Realtor and MLS trademarks. The team also reported that no business case was identified that would be sufficiently compelling to justify taking on these risks. REM

Prudential’s Canadian offices not affected by U.S. deal Brookfield names Lisa da Rocha VP and general manager of Prudential Canada

T

he sale of Prudential real estate offices in the United States will have no affect on Canadian Prudential franchise offices, which are still owned by Brookfield Residential Real Estate Services. And company president and CEO Phil Soper announced this week that Lisa da Rocha has been appointed vice-president and general manager of Prudential Canada Real Estate.

Soper says da Rocha will lead a management team to deliver “a high standard of service to Prudential Canada affiliates and their agents.”

There are currently 48 Prudential Real Estate franchise

offices across Canada. During the last year, Soper says 11 Prudential offices have switched to the Royal LePage network, and while he hopes more will join Royal LePage, he expects some of the current Prudential offices will continue under that banner “to the end of the decade.”

Most recently, da Rocha was vice-president, Brookfield Real Estate Services, and was responsible for key initiatives including the development of Brookfield Mortgage Services, the company says. She has been with Brookfield for more than 10 years, including in leadership roles in Brookfield Global Relocation Services,

HomeServe Online Lead Generation Services and as VP marketing for Royal LePage.

Brookfield announced this week that it has sold its majority interest in the Prudential Real Estate and Real Living Real Estate brands in the United States to HomeServices of America.

“Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a new franchise brand built upon the financial strength and leadership of Brookfield and HomeServices,” said Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, in a statement. The company says the combined networks of more than 53,000 Prudential Real Estate and

Lisa da Rocha

Real Living Real Estate agents generated more than $72 billion in residential real estate sales volume in 2011 and operate across more than 1,700 U.S. locations.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices will be led by Earl Lee, CEO; Stephen Phillips, COO; Brian Peterson, chief financial officer; and Aleya Chattopadhyay, chief marketing officer. REM

4 REM DECEMBER 2012

Multiple Listings

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

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

B

rokers Michel Friedman and Eva Liu have formed a new independent real estate brokerage in Toronto called Orange Square Realty.

Friedman is a 22-year industry veteran, and has been vice-president of a large independent brokerage, general manager of an international franchise, broker of record of his own multi-branch company, manager of various real estate offices and a freelance real estate trainer. He takes on the role of broker of record, recruiter and trainer at Orange Square Realty.

Liu has been a director of financing for a large independent brokerage for the past eight years and previously served in the same role at an international real estate franchise, as well as various brokerages. She takes on the roles of office manager and accounting.

The owners say the company will operate on the principals they believe in: “Putting the agents’ interests first by giving them maximum support and intensive training for a very reasonable fixed fee.”

“We offer options that are new to our industry, both to agents as well as the consumer,” says

Long-time Vancouver Island broker and REM columnist Marty Douglas has joined Re/Max Ocean Pacific Realty as managing broker for both of the brokerage’s Comox Valley locations.

Douglas was first licensed in real estate in B.C. in 1970 and has led award-winning real estate teams for national franchises and independent real estate companies, all in the Comox Valley. He has served the real estate industry at the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB), the British Columbia Real Estate Association,

Royal LePage Your Community Realty has acquired two Prudential Renascent Realty offices in Keswick and Sutton, Ont. owned by Jackie McEachern.

McEachern earned her real estate license in 1971 and purchased the former Family Trust offices in Keswick and Sutton after earning her broker license. She is a hands-on broker who built her offices to a current sales force of 28 sales representatives, says Royal LePage.

Vivian Risi, broker/owner of Royal LePage Your Community Realty, began her real estate career in 1974. She eventually bought the company where she began working and in 15 years she turned

Michel Friedman

Marty Douglas

Karrie-Ann Sheppard

Eva Liu

Jackie McEachern

Vivian Risi

Friedman. It offers agents an option of residuals or fixed-dollar bonuses paid monthly, training courses and a company telephone for agents’ home offices.

“The office, which will be located in central Toronto, will feature free parking, private and semi-private offices and state-ofthe-art computer and telephone systems,” says Liu. The owners say their goal is to become the largest independent brokerage in Ontario within five years.

■ ■ ■

the Real Estate Council of B.C. and the Real Estate Errors and Omissions Insurance Corporation, all as chairperson. In 2010 he was recognized as an Honorary Member of VIREB. “In today’s marketplace, technology allows the real estate business to be in the hands of amateurs.

It deserves to be in the hands of professionals,” says Douglas.

■ ■ ■

a sales office of 18 people into a network of 10 offices and 850 Realtors. For 10 consecutive years, Risi’s company has owned the top share of the markets in their local communities, the company says.

■ ■ ■

For the second consecutive year, more than 100 Realtors from six provinces gathered for the Network Blue networking event, organized by two Ontario Realtors.

Georgiana Woods, sales rep at Coldwell Banker Case Realty in Toronto and Nancie Mleczko, broker of Coldwell Banker Pinnacle Real Estate in Hamilton, organized the event in Niagara Falls and extended it to two days so participants could enjoy a social networking day in the Niagara Region, making new friends and building their referral network.

“These relationships have enhanced our business opportunities through referrals and sharing of knowledge,” says Mleczko. “With two guest speakers and a panel of five sales reps or brokers from different markets, there was plenty to share and learn,” she says. Last year’s event was held in Mississauga.

■ ■ ■

Karrie-Ann Sheppard has joined Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Canada as its new director of client services.

Sheppard’s duties will include “guiding and directing the implementation of new franchisees into the BHGREC network and (she) will lead the client services team in the delivery of resources and operational support, and talent attraction,” the company says in a statement.

Sheppard has more than 17 years of sales and customer service experience. She was previously with Richard Robbins International.

■ ■ ■

Recently Apex Results Realty opened its doors in Burlington, Ont. Bob Van de Vrande, previously broker of record with Sutton Group Results Realty, says he has converted the company “to adapt to the changing real estate business with the motto ‘Real Estate is Changing….And So Are We’”.

He says that in the past couple of years there has been “a move away from large corporate franchises that charge salespeople high costs plus recurring fees, towards more flexible independent companies.” These companies “with a local presence allow Realtors to brand themselves in the marketplace,” says Van de Vrande, “This enables them to offer a personalized service that is directly tied to their own reputation – rather than Continued on page 6

Participants at the Network Blue event held in Niagara Falls recently.

Apex Results Realty officially launched on Oct. 19.

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6 REM DECEMBER 2012

Continued from page 4

to a company name.”

Apex Results Realty offers salespeople a full-service office, exclusive professional development and in-house training, he says. “We consider ourselves the real estate company for grownups.

We are there to support them and to provide the services, office location and administrative help they need to succeed.”

The brokerage has 40 salespeople, and Van de Vrande says he is already looking at the possibility of additional offices in surrounding areas.

■ ■ ■

Century 21 Shackleton Realty is open for business in Edmonton, offering property management and residential and commercial real estate investment services. Owner John D. Stobbe says, “I see good employment growth in Edmonton, and that will drive the demand for properties in the area. Since we already had a successful property management business it was only natural for us to expand into real estate as well.”

Stobbe became involved with real estate by making small investments in walk-up apartment buildings. As his industry involvement grew, he got his real estate license and has been doing business in the Edmonton region ever since. Prior to joining Century21, Stobbe’s property management business oversaw over 500 units.

■ ■ ■

Joe Morriello, broker/owner of Prudential Grange Hall Realty, with two offices in the Greater Toronto Area, has joined the Royal LePage franchise network.

Morriello’s company will now operate under the name Royal LePage Grange Hall Realty.

Morriello obtained his real estate license in 1988 and his broker’s license in 2006. He honed his

Cover photo: MARKO SHARK

trade at HomeLife and Re/Max before opening his Prudential office in 2007.

Morriello specializes in commercial, residential and investment properties. The brokerage services the areas of Vaughan, King, Toronto, Richmond Hill, Markham and Aurora.

■ ■ ■

People’s Choice Realty of Greenwood, N.S. has joined the Aventure Realty Network.

Broker/owner Darrell Rozee, together with partners Brian Morse, Pat Cogswell and Bill LeDrew, deliver a full suite of real estate services throughout the Annapolis Valley. Aventure, a network of independent brokerages, now has more than 50 member companies.

Valley sales force totals 170, serving the Toronto, Brampton, Milton, Georgetown, Caledon, Mississauga and Orangeville communities.

■ ■ ■

Rav Toor has joined Right At Home Realty in Toronto. Toor is host of the Rogers TV show In Tune With Real Estate, which is devoted to answering questions about mortgages, property values, legal issues and everything consumers need to know about buying and selling a home.

Re/Max Select Properties in Vancouver recently moved from its location in Arbutus Shopping Centre to the high-visibility corner of West Boulevard and 39th Street in the Kerrisdale Neighbourhood.

The brokerage completed a $1million-plus renovation of a former BlockBuster site, with the final touches of a new awning and special window illustrations on its exterior windows. The new office features a bright and inviting layout with modular offices and high-

tech touches such as a searchable window monitor, which allows the public to scroll through the categories of listings currently available.

Managing broker Ari Lahdekorpi says the new office is Re/Max’s Vancouver flagship office due to the accessible location and innovative design. After more than 18 years of operation on Vancouver’s West Side, Re/Max Select Properties has the highest per agent sales volume for a large office, Lahdekorpi says. REM

Joe Morriello

Darrell Rozee

■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Sutton Group - Admiral Real Estate recently opened a second office on Centre Street in Thornhill, Ont. A grand opening party was attended by hundreds of agents. Broker of record Murray Goldkind’s office in Toronto has almost 300 agents. Sutton Group Realty director of business development Richard Brinkley says the new 9,000-sq.-ft., state-of-the-art office will provide for continued growth.

John D. Stobbe At the opening of Sutton Group Admiral Real Estate’s second office, from left: Sol Goldkind, sales rep; Richard Brinkley, director of business development, Sutton Group Realty; and Murray Goldkind, broker of record.

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Credit Valley Real Estate has acquired Royal LePage Innovators Realty of Brampton, Ont. Ron Rouse, broker/owner of Royal LePage Credit Valley Real Estate, earned his real estate license in 1969 and broker’s license in 1972. He joined Royal LePage in 1998 as a manager of the corporately owned Meadowvale office.

In 2003, he launched Royal LePage Credit Valley Real Estate when he acquired the Royal LePage Real Estate Services’ Brampton office.

Now the Royal LePage Credit

Rav Toor

The new offices of Re/Max Select Properties in Vancouver.

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Phone: 416.425.3504 www.remonline.com www.remenligne.com REM complies fully with the Canadian Real Estate Association's Rules for Trademarks (CREA Rule 16.5.3.1) REALTOR® and REALTORS® are trademarks controlled in Canada by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify licensed real estate practitioners who are members of CREA. MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned by CREA and identify the services rendered by members of CREA. REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. For subscription information, email distribution@remonline.com. Entire contents copyright 2012 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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Multiple Listings

8 REM DECEMBER 2012

A few of our favourite apps iGadget apps help streamline business for real estate sales reps

i

Pads and iPhones are rapidly becoming a staple in sales reps’ lives. On the devices, you can find an application to assist you with every aspect of your real estate career. Most iGadgetusing Realtors have an app or two that they can’t imagine living without.

Michelle Hawco, a sales rep with Re/Max Real Estate Central in Georgetown, Ont., considers herself a “very heavy user” of iGadgets. She regularly uses the 6 in 1 Real Estate Calculator application, a QR code reader app, GoodReader, WordPress for blogging and a TomTom GPS app, which allows her to carry one less device. Hawco is also a fan of the Realtor.ca app by the Canadian Real Estate Association. It is geared for consumers but she says she finds it extremely useful for tracking down property information.

Richard Killeen-Payne, a sales

Open House Manager on the iPad collects the details of buyers coming to open houses. KilleenPayne says: “Open House helps you keep track of the possible buyers and also emails them details and thank yous after the open house. It’s all about the contact touches and the follow-up from the app is great.”

Evernote is the most popular app among all the sales reps that REM contacted for this article.

Michael Thorne, a sales rep with Re/Max Little Oak Realty in Fort Langley, B.C., says: “There are so many amazing apps that are perfect for our industry. However, the one that has the biggest impact on my day-to-day business is Evernote. Having a single place where I can find everything, anytime, anyplace and lets me be mobile is irreplaceable... and it allows me to spend more time with my clients. I’m able to add documents, audio and photos and then

Evernote is the most popular app among all the sales reps that REM contacted for this article.

rep with Century 21 Team One Realty in Dartmouth, N.S., has two favourite apps – Prezi and Open House Manager. KilleenPayne uses Prezi to create listing presentations. “I’ve used Prezi on a laptop but when you use it on the iPad for presentations, it’s amazing; a very different, more creative view than paper or PowerPoint.”

share that with my clients. An example would be the MLS details of the properties seen that day. I can add audio notes and photos of each home’s pros and cons at any time during the viewing. These are all created in one shareable note.”

Jean Richer, a salesperson with Keller Williams - Ottawa Realty in Ottawa, is also a fan of Evernote.

“It can be used on the iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Android (I think), and it can also be used on your desktop (PC or Mac). It is a web-based application but it can do so much. The nice thing about this app is that I can share everything with my assistant even when I am on the road. If you need more of the features they have, you can upgrade to the paid version. Most Realtors will never need to upgrade although the price is very affordable.”

For keeping track of open house information, Richer swears

by Open Home Pro. “It is a great way to greet people at open houses and get their real contact information. It is also linked to an online version where you can upload your listings and they automatically show up in your application. When people visit your open house, they register and then the application sends them a ‘thank you for visiting my open house.’ It is a great conversation piece as well.”

Diane Richardson, a Realtor with Re/Max Real Estate (Central) in Calgary, regularly uses Dropbox, ScannerPro and Keynote but the one app she likes best is PDF Expert (by Readdle).

“PDF Expert lets me do everything I need with PDF files. Calgary Real Estate Board contracts are all in editable PDF format. I can create new contracts and have my client sign them all within PDF Expert. I can also email a flattened copy of any contracts directly from the app. Being able to flatten the document is important as it makes it uneditable when received on the other end. PDF Expert also has a decent file organizing function.”

Tim Harris, broker/owner of Tradewinds Realty in Chester, N.S., is a huge fan of technology; he had an app created for Tradewinds Realty more than two years ago. It has had more than 6,000 downloads since then, an average of over seven per day.

Harris has more than 200 apps on his iPad and finds it tough to

By Toby Welch

Michelle Hawco

Diane Richardson

Jean Richer

Michael Thorne

pinpoint which one is his favourite. He regularly uses iCamera HDR, which takes two images and blends them together for significantly richer colour; he acknowledges that not everyone appreciates the app, though.

Harris uses Cue for a social organizer so he can see at a glance what he has going on during his day. The Facebook app helps Harris maintain his personal page as well as the two Tradewinds Realty pages. eSign allows for paperless document signing and Dropbox is ideal for photo storage and file exchanges.

Harris speaks highly of Realty Juggler; the app not only helps with his contact management but he likes using it more than the MLS website.

An assortment of other apps received a thumbs up from sales reps: • Tips & Tricks – handy for iGadget newbies as it helps familiarize you with what iPads and iPhones can do.

• Documents To Go – Microsoft Office users appreciate the organization this app provides.

• Google Maps – while GPS

Tim Harris

apps abound, this one keeps getting kudos.

• Pad Folio – useful for displaying and managing PDF documents or photos.

• Dragon Dictation – this app makes notes from your spoken words.

• SugarSync – syncs your documents together from multiple computers and gadgets.

• Angry Birds – for when you’re looking for a game to play to help you unwind after a long day.

Many sales reps find an iPad or iPhone is an indispensable tool to have in their arsenal; having the right apps makes all the difference.

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10 REM DECEMBER 2012

360 VOX to acquire Sotheby’s Canada 3 Thank You for your continued business as we look forward to working with you in 2013!

Happy Holidays, from everyone at Colour Tech Marketing Inc.

60 VOX Corporation has entered into an agreement to acquire luxury real estate firm Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, Sotheby’s International Realty Quebec and Blueprint Global Marketing.

The company says it will acquire all of the shares of Mt. Ventoux Holdings Inc., which owns Max Wright Real Estate Corporation and 75.5 per cent of Gestram Real Estate Services Inc., which do business as Sotheby’s International Realty Canada and Sotheby’s International Realty Quebec, under direct franchise agreements with Realogy Group. 360 VOX says it will retain the relationship with Realogy.

Blueprint Global Marketing markets real estate internationally, working with the Sotheby’s International Realty network to

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the group of businesses. He will become chief operating officer of 360 VOX and is to be appointed to the board of directors of the company.

360 VOX is a publicly traded company in the business of managing and developing international hotel, resort, residential and commercial real estate projects through its wholly owned subsidiaries, 360 VOX Asset Management Inc., 360 VOX Development Inc., and in Cuba through its wholly owned subsidiary, Wilton Properties Ltd., in joint venture with Grupo Hotelero Gran Caribe S.A. Sotheby’s International Realty Canada launched in 2005 with six offices and currently has more than 20 offices across the country.

REM

Canada’s smallest condo units planned S

CUSTOMER SERVICE. GRAPHIC DESIGN. PRINT.

assist in the listing and selling of international developments.

The company says, “Pursuant to the terms of the Share Purchase Agreement, the sellers will receive as consideration up to $3,650,000 in cash and 54.25 million common shares of 360 VOX (or approximately 27 per cent of the issued and outstanding common shares of 360 VOX prior to giving effect to the transaction).”

The transaction was subject to closing conditions, including approval by the TSX Venture Exchange, satisfaction of regulatory requirements and other closing conditions, and was expected to close in early November, the company says.

360 VOX will enter into employment and non-competition agreements with Ross McCredie, the founder, president and CEO for

urrey, B.C. may soon be home to the country’s smallest condominium units.

Developer Tien Sher’s latest project, Balance, is a four-storey building with 56 micro suites, with the smallest to be just 290 square feet.

“We wanted to build suites that renters could afford to purchase today,” says Charan Sethi, president of Tien Sher. “With suites starting at $109,900, if you can afford the $6,000 down payment, and you make a salary of $17 per hour, we have a home for you.”

Sixty per cent of the Balance suites are 305 square feet or smaller. All micro suites will contain five stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors and a balcony.

The largest suite in the complex is a one-bedroom at 653 square feet.

While prices are not finalized, Sethi says the profit margin is “very tight” on the project to keep the homes affordable. These

homes will be the best prices in the Lower Mainland, the company says.

“With mortgage-amortization periods capped at 25 years, coupled with the high cost of developable land in the Lower Mainland, micro suites are a sensible Tien Sher hopes to build Canada’s smallest condo and cost-effective units. option for single people looking to single parents are among the purchase their first home,” says anticipated buyers.

Peter Simpson, president and “No suite comes with a parkCEO of the Greater Vancouver ing stall, but they are available for Home Builders’ Association. purchase,” says Sethi. “A 2012 “This is an idea I expect to see parking study we commissioned emulated throughout the region showed most purchasers will in the years ahead.” forego car ownership and its assoSurrey City Council must pass ciated costs in favour of an affordthe project through three reviews able home purchase…Who needs and Tien Sher says it expects to a car with such a short walk to begin sales in January. Young pro- municipal amenities, shopping fessionals, retail employees and and services?” REM

12 REM DECEMBER 2012

Canadians woo buyers to L.A.

S

unny, vibrant Los Angeles.

It’s a great place to visit but real estate agents Ryan Davis and Ben Bacal want Canadians to know they can live there too.

“For some reason, people think of California as unattainable.

Florida has been handed down as the place to buy a vacation property or a second home,” says Davis.

However that’s a misconception the partners intend to right by showing Canadian snowbirds that they can own a piece of the Hollywood dream.

Canadians Davis and Bacal, based in their Sotheby’s Sunset Strip brokerage in West Hollywood, recently opened a branch office on Queen Street East in Toronto. Davis travels to Canada one week a month.

Agents who have clients who are interested in finding out more about California real estate are invited to refer them to Davis and Bacal and receive a 25-per-cent referral fee.

“California offers great weather, direct flights and you can ski, surf and golf in the same day,” Davis says. “Many people think the market is out of their league, but it offers so many cities that there is something to suit any income bracket. You may not be able to buy into Beverly Hills or Bellaire for the same money as (you would spend in) Florida, but you can look 15 minutes away in Studio City or the San Fernando

Ryan Davis (left) and Ben Bacal

Valley.”

The partners aim to develop L.A. as a vacation/second-home hot spot, calling L.A. a refined Florida. “There’s more here – theatre, opera and more cultural activity. We want to expose that opportunity to Canadians. We’re Canadians at heart and want Canadians to know this is the best place to live,” Davis says.

The current economy has resulted in deals on properties, with prices down 30 to 50 per cent in some neighbourhoods. As well, the economic downturn means that some unique properties that wouldn’t be on the market otherwise are being listed because the owners have been forced to sell.

Another bonus is that interest rates in Los Angeles are currently at their lowest in history, offering Canadians about 3.5 per cent on a 30-year mortgage.

Calgary-born, Toronto-raised Davis left Canada three years ago to live in L.A. He got his real estate licence about 18 months ago. Prior to that, he worked for a decade in the insurance business.

Toronto-born Bacal has lived in L.A. for 16 years and has been a real estate agent for just over a decade. When he was 24 and in his first year in real estate, Bacal sold more than $17-million in real estate.

Together, the real estate partners have sold $92-million in Los Angeles real estate in the last year.

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14 REM DECEMBER 2012

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Conquering distractions SALES COACH

By Bruce Keith

L

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eadership trainer Tim Milburn works with students to help them move into life purposefully and effectively. He recently published a blog identifying 10 common distractions that get in the way of productivity and efficiency.

It is a good list. By my definition, a distraction is anything that gets in the way of what you initially intended to accomplish. I have taken his top 10 and added some thoughts on how to overcome these as they apply to the business of sales. Here are some ideas to help you make that journey profitable: 1. Unstructured time. For the important tasks, “make an appointment” in your day to ensure they get done. Set yourself up for success.

2. Lack of deadlines. Put a deadline on each task. When do you intend to have it completed?

3. Lack of a plan. Don’t play “whack-a-mole”. Stop reacting to everything that pops up. Stick to doing what you said you were going to do.

4. Doing it all yourself. Get your ego out of the way and get help for the things that others can do. No need to be all things to all people.

5. Perfectionism. Remember that “progress, not perfection” is the goal. Keep moving forward.

6. Pinball urgency. Avoid answering every single telephone call, email and third-party request as soon as they arrive. Take control and push back sometimes.

7. Open door policy.

Sometimes you need to lock yourself away. Don’t let people get in your space. What’s urgent for them doesn’t necessarily have to be urgent for you.

8. Always in touch. Set aside times to check phone messages and emails during your day. It may seem too structured but it sure beats the alternative.

9. Too much technology. In this world of “instant gratification” it’s often best to literally turn off your cell phone and your computer. Stop resisting this idea – it wasn’t even an issue 20 years ago.

10. Too many meetings.

Avoid the unnecessary. If it doesn’t get you where you want to go for your personal and business goals, question whether you should even bother getting involved. Diminish the social aspect of your day.

Salespeople have a tough job staying on task. One of the main reasons for that dilemma is because you really don’t have anyone looking over your shoulder telling you what to do. By definition, commissioned sales is a very unstructured profession. You decide who you’re going to call on, you decide when you’re going to do it and you decide what you’re going to let interrupt you in the midst of all that planning. The key is to stay focused on your priorities, not someone else’s. Sometimes you just need to step back, take a deep breath and ask yourself, “What is it I wanted to accomplish today?” If what you’re doing right now is not serving that purpose, it is a distraction. Eliminate the distractions and increase your results. They definitely go hand-in-hand. No excuses.

Bruce Keith, the “Results Coach” has over 23 years of experience. He is a sales and marketing coach and seminar leader in the real estate business, teaching what to say and how to say it. His high-energy, high-impact training style is sought after and acclaimed across North America.

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16 REM DECEMBER 2012

‘She’s just Judy from the block’

Judy Marsales runs three independent real estate offices, hosts weekly sing-alongs, has her own radio program and is a former provincial member of parliament. But a friend says, “She’s just Judy from the block.” By Kelly Putter

S

he can sing, smile and gladhand with the best of them – and the thing about Judy Marsales is you’re never aware that she’s selling herself.

She’s not overly smooth or suave, but her warmth and obvious love of people radiate from those bright eyes and that hearty, engaging laugh. Is she selling herself? You bet: through a thriving Hamilton real estate business, through sing-a-long nights she hosts, through a fouryear stint in provincial politics and as a long-time community booster.

But her causes, callings and pastimes are bona fide. She L-OV-Es them in capital letters.

That they happen to put her in the public eye is part of the fun. She’s the real deal, or as one friend describes her talkto-anyone-and-everyone nature, “She’s just Judy from the block.”

A dynamo in Hamilton real estate since the early 1980s, Marsales entered the industry when men ruled the market.

In fact, when she went for her interview at Lounsbury Realty they told her she was too young and the wrong gender.

“But I talked them into it,” says Marsales. “That was my first sales job – talking them into it.” Within a few years, she was hitting marks as one of the top sales reps in Hamilton.

“I loved real estate from the minute I walked into it,” says Marsales, who is now in her late 50s. “I was like a duck to water with it. I love the people aspect.

I could work as hard or as long as I wanted and my remuneration would follow that. It was almost as if I was being rewarded for my hard work finally.”

She managed to build a

healthy clientele and by 1988 decided it was time to strike out on her own. Marsales would eventually become the first woman president of the Metropolitan Hamilton Real Estate Board and hold leadership positions within various business and community organizations.

Today, 52 salespeople work out of Marsales’ three offices in Ancaster, Westdale and on Locke Street.

A former part-time adult education teacher for the Hamilton school board, Marsales taught business courses such as typing, resume writing and bookkeeping before having two daughters in the 1970s. But something about real estate kept pulling her in. Marsales opened her first office on Westdale with the help of Linda Bryant, “an amazing organizer” and within a week the office grew to 10 staffers. In 1995, she opened her second office and her third in 2007.

“As much as I appreciate the exposure, I want the world to know how much I value the people I work with,” Marsales says. “I’m not an island. The secret of my success is the people I work with, without a doubt. I may have the passion and the energy but they have talent and they’re good, good people. We have the same view in terms of integrity, hard work and determination.”

The grandmother of three kids under five has been an outspoken champion for the city of Hamilton as the president of the Hamilton and District Chamber of Commerce in 1996 and as past president of the Business Executives Organization, and has served on a long list of community boards and associations. Once a

Judy & the Noteworthies – from left behind Judy Marsales: Bob Doidge, Mike McCurlie, Steve Ruddick, Vince Rinaldo.

month, Marsales hosts her own radio show, Sold on Hamilton, which highlights some of the city’s community supporters, musicians and innovations.

A native of Winnipeg, her passion for Hamilton led her to Queen’s Park, where the cardcarrying Liberal decided to put her “time where her mouth is.”

In 2003, she became an MPP representing the former riding of Hamilton West.

“My chief focus was to have Hamilton recognized as a potential economic engine of this province and I think some of my hard work is coming to fruition now,” says Marsales. “I hope I contributed to some small degree to opening up a new view of Hamilton.”

Despite her love of public life, Marsales opted not to seek re-election in 2007 because her involvement had come at a high cost both professionally and personally, the details of which Marsales prefers not to disclose.

A lifelong musical activist – with a penchant for rock and classical opera – Marsales has

been hosting interactive singa-longs in clubs and bars and at fundraisers in and around Hamilton for 20 years. These Wednesday night sing-a-longs at the Coach & Lantern in Ancaster now include Grant Avenue studio owner Bob Doidge, who plays bass. Mike McCurlie is normally on guitar although this night multiple Canadian Country Music Award winner Wendall Ferguson is filling in, former Powerhouse member Vince Rinaldo is on keyboards and CHCH weatherman Steve Ruddick plays drums. The group is known as Judy and the Noteworthies.

Marsales admits that growing up in a house with little money limited her musical aspirations, but in typical form she managed to rise to the challenge regardless.

“At an early age I decided I had to figure this out so I went to the library and got a book on pianos and I made myself a paper piano. And then I would sneak into the YMCA and they had a piano in the basement and no one ever kicked me out and

I used to practice my fingering from my book on the piano.”

The pub is generally packed during the sing-a-longs. Marsales always opens the show by singing, appropriately, Cabaret.

The music runs the gamut and it’s clear the audience of mainly baby boomers and seniors is charged as they beat the dollarstore tambourines they’ve been loaned for the evening. One vocalist, a long-haired rockerlooking dude, gets up and kills with his rendition of These Boots Are Made for Walking. Hamilton broadcaster Mark Hebscher starts off the night with a lively rendition of Elvis Presley’s Little Sister. When Marsales gets up to sing When I Saw Her Standing There, the crowd erupts and people jump to their feet to dance wherever they can find some space.

“I try to make it non-threatening,” Marsales says a few days later. “Singing at a mic is one of the most unnerving experiences you can have. My tagline is, it’s a party you don’t have to clean up from.” REM

18 REM DECEMBER 2012

Do we need mandatory ethics courses?

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ust this week, my colleagues and I were mulling over the discussions on LinkedIn regarding a mandatory ethics course here in Ontario for all registrants. I was pondering what my comment would be when the following appeared my desk courtesy of a long-time friend, Alberto Pintos. It truly hit home on the subject of ethics and life lessons.

Bob Proctor is a world traveler and a professional motivational speaker. Bob and I go back to 1972, when he settled in Belleville, my hometown, along with his then-partner, John Kanary. I became a fan of his seminars. One day in the fall of 1989 I took one of his courses and I handed him the following excerpt from the Writings of Rabbi in 12th Century Spain, for him to use in one of his broadcasts.

My hope is that you will pass this on to your registrants, clients, family and friends.

“My son, ability is of no avail without inclination. Exert yourself while young.

Devote yourself to science and religion, accustom yourself to social living.

Take good care of your health, do not be your own destroyer.

Let not prospect of great gain blind you to risk your life. Be not like a bird that sees the grain and not the net. Respect your family by providing decent clothes according to

your means.

My son, show kindness to all human beings. Tend those who are sick and heal the poor gratuitously.

All I ask of you is to attain a higher degree of status, to behave in a friendly spirit towards all; to gain a good name; to deserve praise for all your dealings with your fellow man; to revere God and follow his commandments.

Honour your wife to your utmost capacity.

Devote yourself to your children; be tender to them; be not indifferent to any ailment in them or yourself.

Arrange your library in fair order, so as not to weary yourself in your search for the book you need.

Never refuse to lend books to anyone who can be trusted to return them.

Honour your teachers and attach yourself to your friends.

Treat them with respect in all places and in all circumstances.”

This is not the first article I’ve commented on regarding the growing lack of ethics in our profession. Frankly, I doubt whether Ontario’s education facilitator, OREA, will be able to mandate this necessary part of our education requirements.

I know that fellow managers and registrants alike would welcome such a course.

However, having said that, I wonder what good it would do.

Especially in light of the awesome lack of true results from the current Real Estate Council of Ontario’s mandatory Update Course.

The practice of being ethical is not just an occurrence that you can easily ignore and throw it away. One must practice it every day in every way.

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.

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20 REM DECEMBER 2012

THE GUEST COLUMN

By Ari Lahdekorpi

I

n my role as a managing broker, it is not unusual to hear complaints from agents about other agents acting “unethically”. On occasion I have to deal with members of the public expressing concerns about one of our associates acting in a manner that was considered unethical in their eyes.

These allegations tend to stem from the complainant imputing motives on the actions of the agent. They interpret what they have experienced as unethical when the results of a transaction or negotiation do not conform to

Understanding what sets us apart their expectations nor provide for their well-being. The insinuation is that the agent manipulated circumstances into their own interest, rather than the interest of the client or customer. What comes into play is the subjective nature of our understanding of the ethical boundaries of our business.

Ethical behaviour is described in the dictionary as follows: eth·ics 1. (used with a singular or plural verb) a system of moral principles: the ethics of a culture.

2. the rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.: medical ethics; Christian ethics. 3. moral principles, as of an individual: His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence. 4. (usually used with a singular verb ) that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives

and ends of such actions.

Ethics are, in a nutshell, the often unwritten but internalized rules of conduct that allow for the well-being of others. While many maintain that it is the religious imprint of our current or past affiliations of faith that give us a moral compass, there is a growing understanding that we all have an innate sense of fairness and communal responsibility. This inborn awareness of what is fair has even been demonstrated in studies with primates that associate in groups.

We all have slightly different points of reference when it comes to acting fairly. Although the “golden rule” is a universal axiom, we are also influenced in what our ethical boundaries are through our upbringing, (including where we are in birth order comparative to our siblings), our cultural background and our religious influences. Due to these variants in one’s personal experience, it is important to set an objective

guideline to overcome the elastic nature of moral and ethical boundaries. The statement that there is “honour among thieves” suggests that even within groups that might be seen as lacking in moral fibre, a certain ethical standard is upheld.

One might be tempted to respond to an accusation of unethical behaviour with a question of which standard is being referred to!

CREA developed a code of ethics in 1913 for the real estate industry to ensure a standard of conduct. It created 28 guiding principals to help to determine when someone is acting unethically. This code has a higher standard than the existing legal requirements in many cases. The local real estate boards have taken these guiding principles and applied them to their professional standards doctrines. Boards also appoint professional standards committees to police the actions of agents based on the rules of con-

duct built around the code of ethics.

CREA describes the code this way: “CREA’s REALTOR® Code has been the measure of professionalism in organized real estate for over 40 years. A REALTOR’s® ethical obligations are based on moral integrity, competent service to clients and customers, and dedication to the interest and welfare of the public. The REALTOR® Code, by setting high standards of professional conduct for REALTORS®, helps to protect Canadians’ rights and interests. It also creates a level of trust between REALTORS® and their clients.”

There have been instances where a member of the public contacts me with a complaint, and it becomes evident that the designated agent they were dealing with did not instill a level of trust in their relationship with their client. As a result, as soon as something did not go as planned, the agent was seen as acting outside of the standards and values of the client. Even if nothing was done wrong in a technical sense, the client is left with a bad taste regarding their dealings with the agent.

When someone complains about unethical behaviour to me, I step back and picture the scenario from every angle possible. In most cases, after getting the details, it becomes clear that the agent was not acting unethically but rather, outside circumstances conspired to create that impression to someone who didn’t have the full details. As the saying goes, “There are always at least two sides to every story”.

It is a rare occasion that I have found a Realtor acting intentionally against the well-being of others. It is for those occasions that the Code of Ethics becomes a valuable tool in organized real estate.

Understanding the 28 articles in the CREA Code of Ethics is invaluable toward building a solid reputation as a Realtor. It is the ethical standard that sets us apart.

Ari Lahdekorpi is managing broker at Re/Max Select Properties in Vancouver. REM

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24 REM DECEMBER 2012

Why we won’t crash like the USA

By David Larock

S

tatistics Canada recently changed the way it calculates key economic data to bring its methods into line with agreed-upon international accounting standards. As a result, the debt-to-income ratio for the average Canadian household shot up 11 per cent, literally overnight, to 163 per cent (a record high).

This has inspired lots of foreboding talk about how our “soaring” household debt-to-income levels are now higher than U.S. debt-to-income ratios were at the peak of their housing bubble. That may be technically true, but it is also totally misleading.

That’s because the standard method for calculating this ratio

uses after-tax income, which isn’t a fair comparison because Canadian personal income taxes cover health care costs and American personal income taxes don’t. (To put this difference in perspective, according to my initial research the average American spends anywhere from 10 per cent to 20 per cent of their after-tax income on health-care related costs.)

While it has become fashionable to predict that Canada is headed for a U.S.-style housing crash, most economists still think that is unlikely and they use plenty of data to support their position.

To be clear, I readily agree that our household debt levels are too high and that’s why I have consistently supported the federal government’s attempts to reign in borrowing by changing the lending policies and regulations used by CMHC and OSFI. But that’s a far cry from believing that our debt levels are about to cause our houses to start spontaneously combusting. (Did I just give Maclean’s an

20

idea for their next apocalyptic magazine cover … or have they used that one already?)

Before you start loading up on canned soup and fire extinguishers, consider this sampling of recent comments from the experts I read: • A report by BMO economists in January 2012 first pointed out the flaw in using after-tax income to compare Canadian and U.S. debt-to-income ratio levels.

Instead, they argued that using a debt-to-gross income ratio would provide a better apples-to-apples comparison. Using this revised methodology, BMO economist Sal Guatieri reported recently that Canada’s debt-to-gross income ratio (121 per cent) is still well below both the current (146 per cent) and peak (166 per cent) U.S. levels. That presents a very different comparison from the popular one being bandied about in much of the mainstream media.

• David Rosenberg, a wellknown Canadian economist, wrote recently that our ratio of

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“Eradicate subprime from the U.S. housing market and, instead of the most severe house price meltdown since the Great Depression, you get a soft landing.” By comparison, Canadian subprime loans account for about seven per cent of our total mortgage debt outstanding while U.S. subprime loans peaked at a little under 25 per cent of their total mortgage debt outstanding before their housing crash.

The bottom line: I am concerned about how ultra-low interest rates have pushed our household debt levels to record highs.

But I reject the implication that we have driven over the debt cliff to financial ruin and are now in free fall just waiting to hit the ground.

David Larock is an independent mortgage planner and industry insider specializing in helping clients purchase, refinance or renew their mortgages. His posts appear weekly on his blog, www.integratedmortgageplanners.com/blog. REM

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housing starts to the civilian population is “not far off the average of the last 10 years, whereas as in the U.S. back in the 2006-07 peak, that ratio was 25 per cent above the long-run norm.” In other words, Canada has not seen the kind of short-term spike in speculative real-estate investing/ borrowing that we saw in the U.S. during the latter stages of their housing bubble.

• Benjamin Tal, an economist with CIBC, recently noted in a video interview with Rob Carrick that overall Canadian household debt is now rising at its slowest pace in 10 years, while consumer debt levels are actually falling for the first time in 20 years.

• In a separate report, Tal notes that the crash in U.S. house prices was far more extreme in cities with above-average levels of sub-prime lending, where prices corrected by an average of 40 per cent. This is more than double the average decline seen in U.S. cities with below-average levels of subprime loans.

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26 REM DECEMBER 2012

The cheapest houses in the U.K. Estate agents are falling over themselves to advertise ‘Britain’s cheapest house’

W

ith the U.K. economy in the middle of a worsening double-dip recession, the housing market across the pond is in free-fall. British estate agents must be more imaginative in their desperation to sell.

At the bottom end of the market, this is producing some incredible bargains for homehunters – albeit in run-down, crime-ridden areas – with agents falling over themselves to advertise “Britain’s cheapest house” and many houses selling for considerably less than a London garage would attract.

In Stoke, Staffordshire, for example, you could buy a house on Bond Street for just £1. It’s likely to be run-down, if not derelict, and being sold for a nominal fee in a bid to reinvigorate the area.

With thousands of empty buildings in the city, living standards are at rock bottom and crime rates are up – and a £30-million scheme funded by the Stoke-onTrent Council and the government hopes to get things moving.

The only catch is that the owner must renovate the house and live there five years before it can be sold.

Stoke-on-Trent councillor Janine Bridges, cabinet member for housing, neighbourhoods and community safety, says: “This is a daring and innovative scheme which we are developing to bring empty properties back into use and improve the living standards of homes within Stoke-on-Trent. We are keen to make Stoke a great place to live, work and visit.

“The scheme means that the council will sell empty properties acquired with a Housing Market Renewal Grant for a nominal fee and provide new homeowners with a loan of up to £30,000 to implement a series of improvement works that the council deems necessary to bring the property back to a decent home standard.”

If things in Stoke are bad, the situation is not much better in many other U.K. property black spots.

On Teesside, Northeast England, homes are on sale for less than £1,000.

A house to be auctioned in

By Nigel Burnham

Middlesbrough shortly could sold this property for the lowest In Wales, yet another house was the cheapest house he had sold become Britain’s cheapest ever amount I can remember. It could advertised as “the cheapest in the for many years but thought it could with a starting price of just £750. be a lovely family home for a firstU.K.” – a terraced house in be a shrewd investment.

Number 12 Limetrees Close in the time buyer, but it needs a lot of Tonypandy with a guide price of “The property, dubbed the Port Clarence district of the town work and the price reflected that. £4,000 – sold at auction for cheapest house in the U.K., creatis a three-bedroom semi-detached £16,500 in August.

“As far as I am aware it is the ed a huge amount of interest home with a lounge, entrance hall, cheapest house in Britain. We had One local estate agent estimatthroughout the country,” he says. family bathroom and a front and ed the buyers would need to spend predicted that it would sell for “Many thousands of pounds will rear garden. Although situated in a around £20,000 to bring it up to between £6,000 and £12,000. So need to be invested in the renovatroubled area, it is being described date, but said that the house, in the end it went for around what tion of the property but the new by agents as an “ideal investment”. which is currently unmortgagewe thought it would. owner could still stand to make a able, could eventually be worth Number 42, on the same street, profit if he subsequently decides to “The vendor is very happy with between £55,000 and £75,000. also a three-bedroom property, is sell, having bought at such a keen the sale. The house was a bargain being sold with a starting price of price.”

The traditional “two-up, twoand attracted a lot of bids. A wide £1,000. With no reserve on either, down” property has two reception range of people attended from To put all this in perspective, in the estate agents will entertain the rooms, a kitchen, two bedrooms many different walks of life. There central London, the top price for idea of a “buy one get one free” upstairs, a forecourt and an were young first-time buyers as well garages (for parking cars rather offer. enclosed rear garden. as property owners planning for than repairing them) has now Agent Richard Watson says: their next home.” reached £300,000. REM Auctioneer Paul Fosh said it “We are looking for a quick sale at auction on these two threebedroom properties. We are still in talks with the auctioneer and the owner about making them a job lot, buy one get one free, but at the moment we are hoping that when they go up for sale bidders will bring the owner a decent price.

“Number 12 is needing a bit of work so the price reflects that, but the other house could take a tenant almost straight away.”

Britain’s largest properThe house in Stoke was being sold for just £1. ty website, www.rightmove.co.uk , which lists 90 per cent of the nation’s houses for sale, is convinced this must be the cheapest house in the U.K. This house in Ferryhill attracted only one bid, for Earlier this year, anoth- £501. er worn-out end-of-terrace house claiming to be Britain’s cheapest home went on the market in the former mining village of Ferryhill, Co Durham.

The two-bedroom terrace, needing a “desperate” makeover, attracted only one bid of £501 online but eventually sold for £8,250 by traditional auction in a crowded hotel lounge in Sedgefield, the constituency of the former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Jamie Cook, director of iam-sold, which managed Number 12 Limetrees Close in Middlesbrough was to have a starting bid This house in Tonypandy, Wales, had a guide price of £4,000. the sale, says: “We have of £1,000.

28 REM DECEMBER 2012

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he Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) announced the selection of Bill Buterman as chair of council and Kevin Clark as chair-elect.

Buterman is a founding partner of Axcess Capital Advisors and a mortgage broker with Axcess Capital Partners in Calgary. He has been a member of the council since November 2009. He represents industry professionals who are not members of the Alberta Real Estate Association.

Buterman has been directly involved in Alberta’s real estate industry since 1980, and is a past lecturer and course developer in finance, real estate finance and credit at the several universities.

Clark is a real estate associate

with Re/Max House of Real Estate in Calgary. He has been a member of council since November 2009 and serves as an appointee of the Alberta Real Estate Association, representing industry professionals trading in residential real estate.

■ ■ ■

For several years, The Barrie & District Association of Realtors has been supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Barrie and District as the title sponsor of the Showcase of Homes Tour. Many Realtors volunteer in the homes on the tour day. The self-guided tour originated in 1991 and is a popular community event. This year it showcased eight homes, featuring a wide variety of home styles from

century homes to newly built houses. Over 400 visitors attended the tour this year, raising $22,000.

“The Barrie & District Association of Realtors has helped us provide caring adult mentors to hundreds of children ages 6-18 in our community, for over 21 years,” says Marianne Arbour of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Barrie & District. “Many of the Realtors participate every March in our Bowl for Kids Sake Campaign.

Over 100 came out to bowl in the Realtor’s Challenge and helped raise approximately $10,000 at this event for our organization.”

An identical endowment has also been established at Vancouver Island University. The three students are using their funds to continue their education and to work toward their degrees. The

endowment was created to fund bursaries on an ongoing basis for outstanding students enrolled in business administration, construction-related trades or apprenticeship programs. REM VIREB director Corey Zaal (right) and Darrell Paysen, manager of member services, present endowments to local students at North Island College’s Courtenay campus.

■ ■ ■

Thanks to a $60,000 endowment created jointly by the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) and the Real Estate Foundation of B.C., three North Island College students will find it a little easier going this year.

Nicholas Lade, Candace Pisto and Lane Pearson were all recipients of $860 bursaries, created from the endowment established in 2011 as part of VIREB’s 60th Anniversary celebrations.

The Lethbridge and District Association of Realtors (LDAR) annual golf tournament in August raised $14,500 for Crimestoppers. From left: Karl Kloepper of Southern Alberta Crimestoppers; John Bekkering, president of LDAR; Jason Shriner, LDAR director; Cathy Maxwell, LDAR EO; and Stan Mills, LDAR director. To date, $264,144 has been raised by LDAR.

Bill Buterman

Canada for 10 years since 2001 and again in 2011.

Thomas Neal

EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENT Lisa da Rocha Vice President & General Manager Prudential Canada Real Estate

I am delighted to announce Lisa da Rocha as the new leader of our Prudential Canada Real Estate business. In this role, Lisa will have overall responsibility for delivering a high standard of service to the Prudential Canada team from coast to coast.

Most recently, as Vice President, Brookfield Real Estate Services, Lisa was responsible for the development of Brookfield Mortgage Services and for Consumer Research. She brings to her new role more than a decade of management experience within the company, including leadership roles in Brookfield Global Relocation Services, HomeServe Technologies, and as VP Marketing for Royal LePage.

Lisa da Rocha can be reached at ldarocha@prucanada.ca.

Phil Soper President & CEO Brookfield Real Estate Services

Realty in Oakville, Ont. won the award for Best Print Marketing At a ceremony during the 2012. The conference was orga17th Annual Luxury Real Estate nized by the Who’s Who In Fall Conference, The Invidiata Luxury Real Estate at a conferTeam at Re/Max Aboutowne ence that brought together global luxury Realtors to discuss current real estate trends.

The fall conference was attended by approximately 200 Who’s Who In Luxury Real Estate members, as well as 40 members of The Board of Regents, “a network of the world’s most elite luxury real estate brokers,” says the team in a news release.

John Brian Losh, publisher, Who’s Christopher Invidiata Who in Luxury Real Estate (left) pre- began his real estate career sents Shae and Christopher Invidiata in 1985. His specialization in with the Best Print Marketing 2012 luxury real estate made his award for The Invidiata Team, team No. 1 for Re/Max in

The Invidiata Team

Re/Max Aboutowne Realty.

Thomas Neal of Royal LePage Estate Realty in Toronto has been named Beach Citizen of the Year.

A committee of past Citizens of the Year and representatives belonging to Community Centre 55, the Toronto Beaches Lions Club and the Beach Metro News made the selection.

A Beach resident for 26 years, Neal has been active in the community as a sponsor of the Glen Stewart Ravine ice skating rink and sponsor and coach of the Victoria Village Hockey League and the Beaches Lacrosse League.

He has held board positions at Community Centre 55 and Friends of Maple Cottage, and is a founding member of Balmy Beach Residents’ Association. REM

Thomas Neal

REM DECEMBER 2012 29

Toronto development will house Athlete’s Village he busiest place in Toronto these days is a construction site on the east side of downtown, on lands that were largely ignored or used to store heavy equipment for years. Now it’s being developed into the future home of The Canary District, which will include 805 market condominiums, 28 townhomes and 12 loft units; top-tier retail space; 253 units of affordable housing with a broad range of housing types, including twostorey maisonettes and one- and two-storey apartments; George Brown College’s first student residence; and a YMCA complex housing a pool, gym, fitness centre and community facilities.

Before all that is complete, it will first be used temporarily as the Athletes’ Village for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games. During the games, the Athletes’ Village will host approximately 10,000 athletes and officials from 41 countries.

Recently REM took part in a media tour to see how construction is progressing. Officials say that with the mild conditions last winter and favourable weather this summer, considerable construction progress has been made and the project is ahead of schedule. It includes road infrastructure work, redeveloping Cherry Street and

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Old Eastern Avenue. The YMCA and George Brown College buildings are the furthest along in their construction and are on track for topping off in spring 2013. The first market building, now on sale, is scheduled to have a crane erected onsite in December and another in January. Construction on the second market condominium building is also underway.

The project is being developed

by Dundee Kilmer Developments and built by EllisDon Ledcor. To ensure esthetic diversity, teams from four architecture firms – architectsAlliance, KPMB, Daoust Lestage and MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller – were commissioned.

The new neighbourhood occupies 35 acres of land adjacent to the new 18-acre Don River Park.

The Canary District name comes from the Canary Restaurant, which was on the corner of Front Street East and Cherry Street from the mid-1960s to 2007. The building itself dates back to 1859 and took on several forms over the years, starting as the Palace Street School. It later took on a new life as the Cherry Street Hotel, before eventually becoming the Canary Restaurant.

The building is being preserved but its end-use has not yet been determined.

Planning for the area’s redevelopment began in 2001. REM

A rendering of the neighbourhood park view. (Dundee Kilmer Integrated Design Team)

Toronto leads in high-rise construction oronto is North America’s new high-rise boomtown.

Nowhere else in North America are more high-rises and skyscrapers under construction, according to the latest figures from Emporis, a buildings database based in Germany. It says that Toronto currently has 147 such construction sites, more than twice as many as New York City, the centre of high-rise architecture in North America.

No other major city in the U.S. or Canada comes even close to Toronto’s – or even New York City’s – high-rise construction activity. Third place in the ranking is occupied by Vancouver, with 21 high-rises under construction; Montreal follows close behind with just one site fewer. Boston, Ottawa and Richmond (B.C.), the three cities in joint eighth place, have only 12 high-rises each being built.

Toronto’s construction industry has seen a continuous upward trend over recent years. October 2012 saw 15 more high-rise building sites in Toronto than in November 2011. In New York City in the same period, construction of high-rises decreased by just under a fifth, from 86 in September 2011 to 72 in October 2012.

Despite the current construction boom, Toronto will be unable to compete with New York City in terms of the total number of completed high-rises – even over the course of decades to come.

There are currently 6,009 completed high-rises in New York; Toronto, by contrast, has 2,501, more than 3,500 fewer. Hong Kong, with 7,829, is the city with the most high-rises and skyscrapers in the world.

Emporis defines high-rises as multi-storey buildings of at least 35 meters, or of 12 to 39 storeys if the height is not known. Those at least 100 meters tall, or 40 storeys and more, are classed as skyscrapers. REM

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30 REM DECEMBER 2012

METES & BOUNDS

Royal LePage Grange Hall Realty Toronto, Ontario Joe Morriello

By Marty Douglas

George Heos, Senior Vice President, Network Development is pleased to announce that Joe Morriello, broker/owner of Prudential Grange Hall Realty has joined the Royal LePage franchise network. Joe’s company will now operate under the name Royal LePage Grange Hall Realty, effective November 1.

Joe has a wealth of real estate experience, having obtained his real estate license in 1988 and his broker’s license in 2006. He honed his trade at Homelife and Re/Max before opening his Prudential office in 2007.

Joe specializes in commercial, residential and investment properties. He looks forward to growing his business with the Royal LePage Brand name behind him, one that he feels carries significant weight within the industry.

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Joe’s two offices service the areas of Vaughan, King, Toronto, Richmond Hill, Markham and Aurora.

Joe and his team can be reached at: 10933 Jane Street Vaughan, ON L6A 1S1 Phone (905) 303-4633 Fax (905) 832-7698 JoeMorriello@royallepage.ca

304-1415 Bathurst Street Toronto, ON M5R 3H8 Phone (416) 588-2200 Fax (416) 588-0865 JoeMorriello@royallepage.ca

Please join us in congratulating Joe and his team, and wishing everyone at Royal LePage Grange Hall Realty continued success.

For more information on the Royal LePage franchise program, please call: (416) 510-5827 or email: franchise@royallepage.ca

† †Royal LePage is a trademark used under license.

Royal LePage Your Community Realty Vivian Risi

Jackie McEachern

Keswick and Sutton, Ontario

George Heos, Senior Vice President, Network Development is pleased to announce that Royal LePage Your Community Realty has acquired Prudential Renascent Realty in Keswick and Sutton Ontario. The two Prudential Renascent Realty offices, owned by Jackie McEachern, have now joined the Royal LePage Your Community Realty family, effective Oct. 22, 2012.

local communities. In 2009, Vivian was the recipient of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation’s Philanthropist of the Year Award.

Most recently, the Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce awarded her with the prestigious Mayor’s Award for Business Excellence. The Vaughan Chamber of Commerce also honoured Vivian with the Philanthropic Business Person of the Year Award.

Jackie McEachern earned her REALTOR® license in 1971 and purchased the former Family Trust offices in Keswick and Sutton after earning her broker license. Jackie is a hands-on broker who built her offices to a current sales force of 28 sales representatives.

The new Royal LePage Your Community offices are located at: 461 The Queensway South 165 High Street Keswick, Ontario Sutton, Ontario L4P 2C9 L0E 1R0 Phone: (905) 476-4337 Phone: (905) 722-3211 Fax: (905) 535-3091 Fax: (905) 722-9846

Vivian Risi, broker/owner of Royal LePage Your Community Realty began her real estate career in 1974. She eventually bought the company where she began and, in just 15 years, Vivian has turned a sales office of 18 people into a network of 10 offices and 850 REALTORS® under the brand Royal LePage Your Community Realty. For ten consecutive years, Vivian’s company has owned top share of market in their

Please join us in congratulating Jackie and Vivian and their newly-expanded sales force and wishing the entire Royal LePage Your Community Realty team continued success.

For information on the Royal LePage franchise program, please call: (416) 510-5827 or email: franchise@royallepage.ca †

†Royal LePage is a trademark used under license.

ood grief, where did 2012 go? I bet you forgot it’s only a couple of days until we discover whether the Mayans were right about the end of days. If so, there will be a lot of angry 2013 calendar buyers, Jehovah’s Witnesses or for that matter, any group sitting around expecting the rapture. But just in case, Merry Christmas. And Happy New Year.

I don’t know how I feel about the year 2013. Even the sound of “2013,” the way it sort of catches between tongue and teeth in one of those alveolar/dental sound descriptions I learned about in Anthropology 200. It doesn’t have the comfort of “12” or the maturity of “14” – very important in a single malt scotch so who’s to say it’s not critical in how we feel about the new year or our assessment of the year past?

I do know 2012 was a relentless tease in my real estate market, improving only marginally on 2011, and yet, like a rising hemline, leading us on with hints of greater things to come. Part of the problem was the endless parsing of the data by our real estate economists, creating semi-good news headlines out of old cloth in order to earn their bread and butter, while we in the trenches observed that we continued to be in a pattern of below-average sales numbers. What good are rising prices if the number of sales remains below the 25-year average?

Another issue: distractions from the daily grind. Consider the U.S. presidential election, the quarterly fixing of the Bank of Canada interest rate, provincial elections or threat thereof, and in B.C., the numbing argument over the PST versus the HST, concluding with the electorally correct but economically wrong decision of

Surviving in a slower market the referendum, proof yet again that benign dictatorships have their virtues.

And yet, some people had very good years. (By the way, if your market is Toronto or Vancouver and you are wondering why all the talk about a “slow market”, stop reading, save this column and read it next year.

October would be about right.)

Where was I? Oh yes, some people had very good years. The philosophy of the ant – “Think winter all summer. Think summer all winter.” The top earners in companies didn’t change, maybe a reshuffle of the ranking order, nor did their unit sales – they just had to kiss more frogs, make more calls – and they did.

You know what that means.

Well, some of you do. I’ve been watching this sequence for 42 years and with time off for good behaviour, I expect to be paroled about 2020. The hurt locker is going to be at the bottom end of the performance curve. For an industry with an average age up there with Heinz’s varieties, we can’t afford to lose those weak stragglers at the tail end of the herd at the same time as more of the elders seek retirement.

The biggest threat to organized real estate and its under-pinning budgets is declining membership. (The departure from CREA of several real estate boards in Quebec probably had more to do with parsimony than lack of value for membership.)

And when the membership numbers fall, real estate board directors with budgets based on fixed-fee dues tend to spread the debt among the survivors before they look for cost-cutting measures.

The survivors are top earners who, resenting the subsidy of the lower producer, suddenly come out in droves to special meetings and all hell breaks loose.

We can’t stop retirement. We must concentrate on the newer member and those with fewer than say, five years in the trenches. So – how to help the weakest?

First, stop the B.S. The market isn’t slower because Ottawa changed the mortgage rules. The lower producer probably didn’t have a buyer, let alone one with marginal financial qualifications.

And the other thing the low producer didn’t have was a listing.

Re/Max icon Dave Liniger once said of the latest technology: “Eighty per cent of the people in this business don’t need technology, they need a customer!” Most police work in solving crimes involves canvassing neighbourhoods and knocking on doors.

Coincidence? I think not.

Top producers know you can’t sell from an empty shelf. They also know things like list/sell ratios and if the sell side declines, then the only way to meet the monthly nut is to have more – pop quiz – listings!

Here’s all you need to know to survive the slower market – “List!

List! List! Or you’ll be missed!

Missed! Missed!” I don’t care how you do it – drip marketing, door knocking, cold calling, farming, opens, floor duty – just do something that gets you out to meet the customer, belly to belly. Here’s another motivator – timid salespeople have skinny kids.

My resolve for 2013 is to work more with people who want to succeed the old-fashioned way, by earning success. One of my old friends in real estate, Barry Watchorn said, “We spend too much time in this business as managers herding turkeys up and down the runways, hoping they will fly.”

No more turkeys.

Contact Marty Douglas by email at mgdouglas247@gmail.com .

Follow or connect with Marty on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. He is a managing broker for Re/Max Ocean Pacific Realty in Comox and Courtenay, B.C. He is a past chair of the Real Estate Errors and Omissions Insurance Corporation of B.C., the Real Estate Council of B.C., the B.C. Real Estate Association and the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board.

REM

REM DECEMBER 2012 31

How to get your first clients

By J.F. Ratthé

I

know a lot of real estate agents just starting out in the business have this burning question when they finally get their license: Where and how do I get my first client? The stress of studying and passing the exam is gone but now a new type of stress creeps in and trust me, you are not the only one feeling this way.

In this post, I’ve outlined three strategies that I used to get my first few clients.

1) Start a blog about your niche market before you have your license. I started mine months

prior to receiving my license. I was still living in Quebec (I now live and work in Winnipeg). I wrote about several different condo buildings in my niche market. Took pictures, did videos and learned everything there was to know about them. I also interviewed architects, business owners and local residents via email and provided information about the neighbourhood. The result: I got my first sale on the day I got my license and it was from someone who had been reading my blog and found the information extremely helpful. Today my website and blog provide me with several solid leads every month.

2) Host other agent open houses. A lot of the busy agents in your office will probably have two or more open houses set up for the same day. Some just prefer to go to the lake on the weekend. My advice: Send an email to all the agents in your office, letting them

know that you would be happy to host one of their open houses. Two benefits to doing that are: • You get to create a relationship with one of the successful agents in the office. If you do a good job, they will give you more business.

• You will have the opportunity to get your own clients at the actual open house. Several buyers will not have any representation when coming by, which means you can ask them specifically what they are looking for and advise them that you’d be happy to work with them to find their next home (that is if they decide not to buy the one you are hosting the open house in). You will more than likely have to provide a share of your commission to the listing agent you were doing the open house for, but I prefer a part of something than 100 per cent of nothing.

3) This one is simply common

sense but is also something that many agents just don’t do right away or are not willing to do for fear of alienating their friends and family. But the best way to get the word out when starting out in the business is by telling your friends and family that you are now a real estate agent. Send them your business card. Call them and ask if they know someone who might be interested in selling or buying a home. Don’t be afraid to ask. If they are really your friends, they won’t mind. And keep reminding them on a regular basis. You need to stay top of mind all the time.

Bonus: One of the most important things that I’ve learned since becoming a real estate agent is that creating long-term relationships is a sure way to have a long successful career. One of the best resources for acquiring new clients is by working with rentals. Depending on your market, if you are able to

help out prospects looking to rent for a year or two, you will have the opportunity to earn some extra income every month and establish a long-term relationship based on trust with them. They might not be able to buy right now because of different reasons (bad credit, no down payment) but if you help them find a great rental and assist them in re-establishing their credit or save for a down payment, they will definitely want to deal with you when they are ready to buy and will more than likely refer you to friends and family.

J.F. Ratthé has been in sales and marketing for over 12 years. He found his passion a few years ago and decided to focus his real estate business in downtown Winnipeg. He has since become one of the busiest Realtors in his niche market and is now helping new real estate agents becoming successful. www.jfratthe.com. REM

Understanding income property values More than just a ‘cap’ rate

By Chad Griffiths roperly assessing a commercial investment property’s value is a complex and lengthy activity.

Due to the time-consuming nature of the process, the temptation is to simply apply the prevailing cap rate in the market to the potential net operating income.

The problem with this basic calculation is that it undermines a few fundamental assumptions in the Yield Approach to Value.

First, the approach implicitly assumes that the income is sustainable in perpetuity, meaning that the current level of income will remain as it is for the foreseeable future.

This assumption is based on the sound mathematical principle that

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all of the future income is ultimately discounted to a present value. If the property has expected vacancy forthcoming, it is reasonable to expect that the income will be unstable. While one might argue that a property can be leased at market rates, the simplified yield calculation does not inherently include the loss of revenue through the down time or the costs involved in securing a new tenancy (such as tenant improvements, inducements, commissions).

This leads into the second issue, which is neglecting to recognize an allowance for any potential credit loss or vacancy. Aside from a building leased entirely to Triple A tenants, virtually every building will have an expense of this nature by way of a current lease expiring or through the unpredictability of short-term tenants in general. It is reasonable to suggest that even a Triple A tenant may be prone to default. The net operating income should account for this expense before it is ultimately capitalized

into an expression of value.

The third mistake occurs when the net operating income is not a true reflection of what income is actually remaining after all property expenses have been paid. A considerable amount of confusion lies in this area as the terminology often has different meanings for different investors. Leases might be referred to as single net, double net, triple net, net net, fully net, absolute net and even modified net.

Regardless of what it is called, it is imperative the income that is ultimately capitalized is completely net of all expenses in addition to a vacancy and credit loss allowance.

The last consideration is to ensure the subject property is being compared to other similar properties. If the prevailing cap rates for a particular asset class show a hypothetical range between 6.5 per cent and 8.5 per cent, more thorough analysis will be required to determine what rate should be applied to the subject property. Using an arbitrary number of $250,000 in net

operating income, the range just discussed would produce a rounded estimate of value between $2,940,000 and $3,846,000. Using a low cap rate, which may be intended to represent regional shopping centres, and applying it to a small community retail plaza will considerably distort an estimated property value.

There are limitations to the approach as it does not take into account financing or tax considerations. Accordingly, many investors might endeavour to construct more detailed calculations, either by way of a Normalized Net Operating Income or through Discounted Cash Flow Analysis. However, that is not to discount the value of the Yield Approach. The term “cap rate” is fairly ubiquitous in commercial real estate and is often discussed by investors, appraisers, bankers and agents. Calculating the value via a cap rate is typically the starting point for virtually every investor, and this extends to include the largest institutional

pension funds and REITS. Although incorporating cap rates is a very valuable tool, it does run the risk of being misleading and unreliable if it is done incorrectly.

The selected cap rate needs to be commensurate with similar properties, the income that is capitalized should be clear of all expenses and net of a vacancy and credit loss allowance, and the income should have stability into the future. It is pertinent to emphasize that the Yield Approach to Value is only capable of computing a reliable indication of value if all of these factors are accounted for.

Chad Griffiths has completed more than 200 commercial transactions, ranging from 1,000 sq. ft. to 80,000 sq. ft. He holds the CCIM designation, awarded to brokers who have completed an advanced curriculum and demonstrated a high level of commercial real estate experience. He is an associate broker at NAI Commercial Real Estate in Edmonton. (780) 4367410. REM

32 REM DECEMBER 2012

LEGAL ISSUES

By Donald H. Lapowich

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ocal residents in B.C. incorporated a society in anticipation of buying land from the CPR. The land was subdivided into six lots, one of which was to be kept by the society as a park.

When the plaintiffs showed an interest in the property, the president and founder of the society

Watch what you say “advised” the plaintiffs that all lots would have a right to “common moorage”. The plaintiffs went ahead and purchased a lot.

Later, the society “opposed moorage” and any dock being constructed. The court held that the plaintiffs “relied” on the society’s representations and it was the basis for their purchase. It was unjust for the society to now rely on alleged legal rights, and the plaintiffs were granted an easement. (Sykes v.

Rosebery Parklands Development Society, 2011) ■ ■ ■

Attacking the regulator: A lawyer brought an action against the Barreau du Québec, which controls the conduct of professional

ATTENTION ALL REAL ESTATE SALESPEOPLE !!!

A N N O U N C E M E N T

lawyers in Quebec. He complained that his Notice of Disbarment was published, notwithstanding that he had appealed. He claimed compensatory damages and exemplary damages.

The trial court dismissed the lawyer’s action, reasoning that the publication had been an error but was made in good faith by the council while performing its duties.

Once the council learned of the error, it was immediately corrected.

The trial court also found that the lawyer could show no causal connection to any damages, which had not been proven.

The lawyer appealed the trial judgment but defaulted in proceeding, and an abandonment of the appeal was issued. The Quebec Court of Appeal dismissed a motion to extend the time for the appeal. The Court of Appeal reasoned that there was “no reasonable chance of success.” The lawyer then moved to file an Application for Leave to Appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. That appeal was also dismissed. (Goldman c. Barreau du Québec, 2011) ■ ■ ■

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Two at fault: The plaintiff purchased the defendant’s mobile home in 2008. The purchaser (plaintiff) then discovered the ten-

ancy of the vendor was month to month, and there were rumours that the park was to be redeveloped. The vendor did not disclose this.

In 2009, the purchaser received notice to vacate tenancy in one year, and the purchaser relocated.

The court held that the purchaser was entitled to damages for lack of disclosure (concealment of facts).

However, the purchaser’s losses were cut in half for contributory negligence in not taking reasonable care to determine whether the tenancy would span a period of years.

■ ■ ■

Resulting trust: The plaintiff and defendant had a warm and friendly relationship for several years. When the defendant said she was not happy with her rental accommodation, the plaintiff indicated they would buy an apartment “as an investment” in which the defendant could live. The plaintiff and defendant discovered a suitable condominium. Because the defendant was the only one who satisfied the age requirement (bylaws) the title was placed in the defendant’s name.

The plaintiff provided the funds required to purchase the condominium. The defendant paid

Mortgage Business CMLS Financial

Verico Canada

CMLS Financial has appointed Jill Porter as director of residential underwriting for its newly formed residential mortgage business.

Reporting directly to Kevin Fettig, vice-president of residential risk, Porter has spent her professional career in various senior credit oriented roles with two of the largest residential lenders in Canada.

Porter also sits on the Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals Professional Standards Committee.

Verico Canada has struck an alliance with Brian Tracy’s FocalPoint to launch Verico Scalable Success – an education program to help originators refocus on growth and strategy for their business, the company says.

The webinar series was custom-built for the Verico network and is part of the Scalable Success program, which aims to help Verico originators build a business with prime clients, create an interested engaged data-

the rent of $650 per month.

When a dispute arose, a court found this was a “true resulting trust” and that the plaintiff was entitled to a declaration that they were the sole legal and beneficial owners of the property.

However, the defendant was entitled to continue occupation until she chose to vacate or until the end of her life.

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Restraint of trade: In a Quebec Court decision, a bookstore leased a spot in a shopping centre with a clause inserted in the lease that the owner of centre would not lease any space to any tenant whose principal use would be the sale of books.

When the shopping centre owner began to negotiate for rental space to a competitor, the bookstore sought an injunction to prohibit any such further lease.

The Court of Appeal upheld the trial judge, who ordered the owner of the centre not to lease space to the competitor. It ruled the trial judge could decide if the lease clause for exclusive rental was clear or ambiguous.

Donald Lapowich, Q.C. is a partner at the law firm of Koskie, Minsky in Toronto, where he practices civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on real estate litigation and mediation, acting for builders, real estate agents and lawyers. REM base and develop social media channels.

The company also announced that Verico Premiere Mortgage Centre’s Scott Bentley recently danced the Argentine Tango to raise more than $40,000 for children with learning disabilities in Halifax.

Dancing for Our Stars, a ballroom dancing competition, raised over $465,000 for Bridgeway Academy. Nearly 800 people attended the dinner gala, which featured eight Halifax local celebrity dancers. For his fancy footsteps, Bentley was awarded with the Judges Choice Award for best dancer.

“Having to overcome a hearing impairment myself has allowed me to appreciate the extra care that many require in the learning environment,” says Bentley. REM

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34 REM DECEMBER 2012

Industrial, Commercial & Investment Taxes squeeze urban centres Downtown Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal continue to share the dubious reputation for having Canada’s highest commercial-to-residential tax ratios, all in excess of 4:1, according to a 2012 survey of property tax rates of major urban centres produced by the Altus Group for the Real Property Association of Canada (REALpac). The report found the gap narrowed slightly for the fifth consecutive year, moving in a more favourable direction for the business environment in Vancouver and Toronto.

Montreal is heading in the opposite direction, the report says.

Its downtown commercial taxes will likely vault past Toronto’s by next year and are rapidly approaching Vancouver’s high levels, it says.

“Even though the survey uncovered some improvement this year, with the exception of Montreal, we remain deeply concerned about the damaging impact that inequitable commercial-residential taxes have on city growth and its ability to attract business

and jobs,” says Paul Morse, CEO of REALpac.

“Our urban centres are vitally important and at the moment are expanding due to tenant demand and relatively low interest rates.

High realty taxes are a barrier to business growth and in the long run put a choke hold on investment in downtown office, hotel, apartment and retail property development,” says Morse.

REALpac has long contended that a commercial-to-residential ratio of about 2:1 would support healthy growth, and could be achieved through gradual reductions in the commercial rate.

In other findings, the annual survey showed that even though Winnipeg and Edmonton raised their ratio slightly, they still maintained the lowest ranking among municipalities surveyed. Calgary and Ottawa made significant improvements to their ratios, while Halifax, falling closer to the average, published subtle reductions to its ratio as well.

On an absolute tax basis, Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton and Winnipeg have the lowest estimated property taxes per $1,000 of commercial assessment,

while Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax have the highest. On the residential assessment side, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto have the lowest property taxes per $1,000 of residential assessment, while Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax have the highest.

REALpac says that while most cities in Canada have moved to decrease commercial tax rates in the last 10 years, residential tax rates have declined at an even faster rate.

who regularly receive leads from clients interested in selling or purchasing commercial properties,” says Peter Hoffman, broker and owner, Royal LePage Triland Realty in London, Ont. “Our agents can also work with local commercial representatives elsewhere to find properties for buyers interested in purchasing commercial real estate in other provinces.”

Royal LePage Commercial grows 50 per cent

Jones Lang LaSalle has hired Scott Speirs, a 12-year real estate veteran with extensive investment and brokerage experience, as vice-president in the firm’s National Investment practice in Montreal. Speirs will provide strategic planning, deal execution and negotiation expertise to the firm’s Canadian and international investors.

Based in Paris from 2008-2012, Speirs managed more than $1 billion in real estate on behalf of some of the world’s largest real estate investors, the company says.

Speirs joins Jones Lang LaSalle from Standard Life Investments, where he was a European Portfolio Manager responsible for a diversified, $400-million commercial real estate portfolio of office, retail, industrial/logistics and hotel assets. From 2008-2011, he was a portfolio manager for LaSalle Investment Management.

Royal LePage Commercial says that since its launch in April, it has grown by 50 per cent.

Barbara Gibson, manager, Royal LePage Foothills Commercial in Calgary, says, “There was a lot of excitement around the launch since there wasn’t a national brand dedicated to meeting the needs of the under $20-million market. Since April, Royal LePage has attracted a number of internal agents and external recruits from competitor real estate firms.” The firm now has more than 240 sales reps across Canada.

“Our commercial agents are spread out across the country from urban areas to smaller markets where larger commercial brokerages don’t have a presence.

Commercial agents have the opportunity to network with one another including Royal LePage’s residential brokers and agents,

Scott Speirs joins Jones Lang LaSalle in Montreal

Scott Speirs

Prior to this, Speirs played a major role in building the industrial/investment team in Jones Lang LaSalle’s Montreal office, the company says.

RGD Commercial Realty Advisors joins NAI Commercial RGD Commercial Realty Advisors is merging its real estate brokerage with NAI Commercial in Vancouver. RGD Commercial is a boutique leasing specialist owned by Rob DesBrisay, providing advice and transaction solutions to landlords, as well as complete tenant representation.

“This is a great opportunity for my team to provide our clients with a deeper and broader service offering that only a global platform can provide,” says DesBrisay. “It comes down to enhancing the value proposition for our clients.

The melding of both companies’ service package will achieve this goal.”

Also making the move to NAI commercial from RGD Commercial are Andrew Astles, leasing and sales representative; Deborah Astles, real estate consultant; and Irene Yung, executive assistant.

After the merger NAI Commercial will have about 50 professionals serving the commercial real estate needs of clients throughout British Columbia.

REM

Rob DesBrisay

Andrew Astles

Why does the Peak Real Estate Network keep growing?

Why not check it out? www.peakrealestate.com Deborah Astles

Irene Yung

HOME DELIVERY

Since 1989, REM has been offered free to every real estate board and association in Canada to distribute to their members. That’s not about to change, but as we approach a quarter century of publishing we recognize that many aspects of the industry have.

Responding to environmental concerns, REM is now “green” – printed on paper certified by FSC, an international system for forests and forest products supported by WWF Canada, Greenpeace and the David Suzuki Foundation.

Many real estate professionals now work out of their home offices. We’d like to give those who prefer to receive delivery at home the option of receiving REM directly. Home delivery of REM is now available for $19.89 (including tax) per year.

We ask only that you cover the cost of postage. We’ll take care of the rest.

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36 REM DECEMBER 2012

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By Dan St. Yves northern *E xpansive property with several

iconic features now available – first time on market!

Exclusive listing, sure to appeal to your most discerning buyers.

This large and (frankly, wellbeyond) secluded property is offered for the first time to clients seeking acute privacy, nightly front row seat views of the Aurora Borealis and an endless supply of ice cubes.

Beyond the main home (description to follow), this property boasts perhaps the only active reindeer enclosure in the area.

While the stables are roomy and well-lit, I must be honest here – you will never, ever grow hay in this climate. Please factor in the cost of importing feed. To be noted, with many resident reindeer included, you may want to consider trading substantial piles of...fertilizer...to easily offset the cost of bringing in your feed.

Full disclosure: one reindeer in particular exhibits signs of extreme nasal brightness, likely due to the extremely low temperatures yearround. Disposition seemingly unaffected, constantly wanting to lead sleighs.

In addition to the well-maintained reindeer environment, there is a substantial factory on the property as well. While traditionally this multi-level building has been used for toy manufacturing, it could easily be converted to warehousing for upcoming new Apple merchandise, stockpiling leftover 2012 Mayan calendars or even filming James Bond movies. Trust me, no one will complain about a few explosions, if faulty manufacturing equipment and history is any indicator.

Adjacent to the factory is attached multi-family housing, suitable for a family of about 2,000.

Included: 2,000 size small beds, 2,000 size small kitchens and 20 shared washrooms – go ahead, figure out the math on that one!

Gingerbread walls and frosted roof tiles have just been covered in modern stucco and frost-repellent wood shingles. The subsequent insulation factor has greatly quieted the nightly collective chattering of the teeth.

On truly chilling evenings, it sounded like a convention of beavers hopped up on Red Bull, trying to consume the Enchanted Forest. With loose dentures...

Finally, the jewel of the property – the opulent 5,000-sq.-ft. mansion inhabited by just two elderly individuals, and even at that, for only about two weeks out of the entire year. Equipped with every

modern amenity, many manufactured in the aforementioned factory, located just outside the locked gate to the residence. Heli-pad doubles as landing strip for flying sleigh – don’t ask.

This desirable property MUST BE SOLD and every reasonable offer will be considered. Open to trades, specifically to tropical climates, presuming that camels or plus-sized lizards do not make the kind of mess that well-fed reindeer do.

Supplementary notes: • Some title issues to be resolved and preference will be given to closing dates prior to midDecember. No worries, the client is totally the registered owner of said property.

• No showings allowed between Dec. 17 and Dec. 26! Or when “Ho Ho Ho” can be heard coming from the factory.

• Velvet red suits trimmed with fur will be donated to Lady Gaga, prior to possession day.

Please respond in confidence to our solicitor, D. Elf at your earliest convenience.

Humour columnist and author Dan St. Yves was licensed with Royal LePage Kelowna for 11 years. Check out his website at www.nonsenseandstuff.com, or contact him at danst.yves@hotmail.com. REM

Survey shows how people save for a home

R

ecently the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) commissioned a survey to explore the financial sacrifices that Ontarians make when saving towards the purchase of a home. It found that nearly twothirds (65 per cent) of respondents have at one point saved for a home.

Among Ontarians aged 18-35, 38 per cent are currently saving towards the purchase of a home. In comparison, eight per cent of those aged 35-54 and only four per cent of those aged 55+ are saving.

The survey also found that

Ontarians are willing to cut back on indulgences to make home ownership a reality.

Non-essential spending like entertainment (70 per cent), vacations (69 per cent) and electronics (51 per cent) are most likely to see cut backs when saving towards a home purchase.

Ontarians aged 35-54 are more likely to cut back on vacation spending (76 per cent) than younger Ontarians aged 18-34 (53 per cent).

Women trim their clothing budget more than men when sav-

ing for a home. Fifty-five per cent of women cut back on clothing spending compared to 43 per cent of men.

Men are more likely than women to say that they did not make any reductions in spending when saving for a home. Twentytwo per cent of men did not cut back on spending, compared to 14 per cent of women.

Many of the written responses in the ‘other’ option centred around cutting back on food, dining out and a combination of all REM the options.

REM DECEMBER 2012 37

Real Estate Technology Exit unveils Technically Real Estate tutorials

Training for digital, paperless and social media

The official launch of Exit Realty’s Total Office Resource Center (TORC) was celebrated at the company’s 14th Annual Convention at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville recently.

TORC is an office intranet comprising a core suite of applications and tools that will “systemize, streamline and synergize” Exit Realty associates, the company says. In addition, it’s a transaction management system that seamlessly integrates with MEMO, Exit’s proprietary back-office software, creating an interactive conduit for offices and agents.

The company has also integrated its Technically Real Estate video technology tutorials with TORC. Technically Real Estate, developed and implemented a year ago as a stand-alone real estate and technology training and coaching system by Jeff Lobb, Exit Realty’s vice-president of technology and innovation, is one of the first of its kind in the real estate industry, the company says. Lobb takes the user through the setup and execution of social media strategies, mobile/tablets and apps, lead generation tools, digital marketing strategies and more.

“One of the biggest challenges in real estate and technology is execution. Technology changes every day and agents need to know the how-to part but until now there hasn’t been a resource where they could learn the technology in a way that would benefit their business.

Technically Real Estate fills this huge void,” says Lobb. “Exit is known for its outstanding training and technology and marrying the two together in TORC at no additional cost to our agents gives them something they can’t get anywhere else.”

The Sociable Agent is a new resource for digital, paperless and social media training for real estate sales reps. The company says it is the first web-based training program of its kind in Canada.

The company co-founders are Melanie Piché and Brendan Powell, real estate agents in Toronto operating as The BREL Team (www.getwhatyouwant.ca).

Piché says: “We started using the web and mobile technology early in our careers. Social media, blogging, online advertising and a paperless office philosophy have all helped us become successful in

our real estate business. But we realized there is a huge training gap. Realtors who really want to increase the value they bring to clients have nowhere to turn to get basic skills and implementation strategies specific to our industry.”

Powell says: “At first, we were a bit nervous about giving up all our trade secrets, but in the end, when real estate agents and brokerages get better, our whole industry gets better. And that’s a win for us, and for buyers and sellers across the country.”

Using video tutorials, blog posts, webinars and e-books, The Sociable Agent allows agents to learn at their own pace, when and how they want, the company says. Training is offered in going paperless, using Facebook to get results and building an online real estate brand. A daily blog for subscribers helps agents know what proven tactics to focus on and how to implement them. Support is provided through virtual training, coaching, tools and a private Facebook group.

For information: www.thesociableagent.com

Free RBC web portal for real estate professionals RBC has developed RBC Inside Access, an online portal dedicated to real estate professionals .

RBC says the free website is the first of its kind among financial institutions, featuring exclusive benefits for real estate professionals who sign up.

“Our tools and resources profiled on RBC Inside Access – and often, sales leads – help our real estate professionals raise their profile, compete effectively and build their business. For example, last year we identified more than 50,000 clients who were looking to buy a home and were not actively working with a real estate professional,” says Mike Linehan, national head, RBC Royal Bank mortgage specialist sales force.

The site showcases co-branded marketing materials for financing sheets, rate sheets or direct mail advertisements. Members have access to market information, including articles on regulatory changes, industry and consumer behaviour studies and eco-

nomic and market research from RBC economists.

For information: www.rbcinsideaccess.com.

Lone Wolf invests in CityBlast Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies has invested in Toronto-based CityBlast, billed as “the world’s first and largest social media listing service”. Lone Wolf says its investment in CityBlast provides value pricing for CityBlast services to the Lone Wolf client base of over 9,000 offices throughout North America, reaching more than 250,000 agents.

“CityBlast solves the challenge many agents face today, being stretched on time to make the efforts required for an effective inbound marketing strategy. Lone Wolf supports CityBlast as it helps agents engage clients from across different platforms,” says Lorne C. Wallace, CEO of Lone Wolf.

“We look forward to sharing our social media real estate tools via (Lone Wolf’s) already stellar platforms,” says Shaun Nilsson, cofounder and CEO of CityBlast.

REM

38 REM DECEMBER 2012

Good Works

T

he 7th Annual Mississauga Youth (MY) Games, held recently in Mississauga, Ont., provided an opportunity for young leaders to compete in a free youth sports tournament. Four Royal LePage Real Estate Services offices in Mississauga served as the presenting sponsors. The event, which is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and local sponsors, saw area youth compete for gold in eight competitive sports and at the same time discover the value of teamwork, leadership and confidence building.

This year also served as a pilot for the addition of the Culture Day, where young people and seniors had an opportunity to participate in workshops relating to the arts.

Royal LePage broker Anastasia Tolias led The Art of Handwriting segment, which was a huge success with participants looking to enjoy the program on a more frequent basis.

■ ■ ■

The 3rd Annual Seemore Results Charity Salmon BBQ in Surrey, B.C. raised $5,130 for the Veronika Children Leukemia Foundation, which provides assistance to children with leukemia who desperately need bone marrow transplants. The foundation was originally created to assist children from the former USSR whose families cannot afford live-saving medical treatments such as those available in Canada.

The event was hosted by Glen

Seymour, a sales rep with Sutton Group - Medallion Realty.

Seemore and more than a dozen friends grilled and served salmon, hotdogs and hamburgers to customers from 11 am to 7 pm.

In 2010, the event raised $3,500 for the B.C. Children’s Hospital and in 2011 it raised $3,005 for the Canadian Cancer Society.

■ ■ ■

Re/Max of Lloydminster in Lloydminster, Alta. signed an agreement with the Handivan Society, a non-profit transportation service for people with mobility challenges, in which the brokerage will donate funds during the next two years in exchange for advertising on the society’s new bus.

“We need to do advertising, but at the same time we felt we needed to put the money where it would help someone as well,” says Re/Max of Lloydminster broker/owner Connie Kempton.

“It’s a joint Re/Max venture.

Everyone in the office is contributing each month.” Since the beginning of 2011, Handivan has made

more than 13,000 trips to help people in the community.

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Burloak held its 3rd Annual Charity Halloween Chili Bowl recently to raise money for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation and two local shelters, Halton Women’s Place and The Carpenter Hospice in Burlington.

Almost 125 sales reps, administrative employees and community partners attended the event to bowl, enjoy a chili dinner and participate in the Halloween costume contest. In nine years, Royal LePage Burloak has raised over $196,000 in support of Halton Women’s Place and the Carpenter Hospice. This year’s event raised $2,000.

■ ■ ■

When 21-year-old Daniel McCarthy returned from playing hockey with friends, he had a sore knee. Doctors originally told him he had pulled a tendon and that it would heal. After weeks of pain, he had an x-ray, which revealed a nine-cm tumour in his knee extending into his thigh bone. The

diagnosis was osteosarcoma. During the past several months, Daniel has undergone chemotherapy and surgery to replace his knee and remove a portion of his thigh bone.

Although he has lost more than 50 pounds and most of his hair, his mother, Charmaine McCarthy, a sales rep Sutton Group - Seafair Realty in Richmond, B.C., describes him as an extremely upbeat person. He has dealt well with the physical and emotional challenges but the cost of the medications, some of which are $800 per prescription, is a serious financial strain.

Recently the team at Sutton Group - Seafair Realty dedicated its annual golf tournament to Daniel.

The event raised over $7,300 and attracted many sponsors and approximately 50 golfers, swelling to 120 for the dinner/fundraiser.

Charmaine says Daniel’s prognosis is good. “The treatments are going well. He was at the top of his game physically before the cancer and he’s handling the chemotherapy as well as possible. The cure rate for osteosarcoma is about 80 per cent.”

Howard Drukarsh David Kittner, a youth fitness instructor and advocate, leads 200 young people in stretches before the games begin at MY Games. The event was sponsored by four Royal LePage offices in Mississauga.

Sharon Good with members of the Fort Langley Canoe Club.

Glen Seemore and friends raised $5,130 for the Veronika Children Leukemia Foundation.

Royal LePage Burloak sales reps Cynthia Pennett and Bill Tompkins wear some terrifying costumes at the Halloween Chili Bowl.

Pictured at the Sutton Group - Seafair Realty golf tournament, dedicated this year to Daniel McCarthy, from left: Realtors Daniel John, Susan Green, Sharon Reimer and Trisha Murphy, and supplier Peter Palmer.

Jill Sutherland

Posing in a Station 34 fire truck are Royal LePage Performance Realty agents (from left) Eric Manherz, Nick Fundytus and Gloria Bae.

REM DECEMBER 2012 39 ■ ■ ■

Sharon Good of Royal LePage Northstar Realty in Surrey, B.C. took on a personal challenge recently to raise funds for the charity. A lifelong paddler, Good organized a group from the Fort Langley Canoe Club to paddle two voyageur canoes, relay style.

Thirty-one paddlers participated, with four paddling the entire day alongside Good. The group paddled for 5.5 hours and covered 32 km, and raised $3,000 to be donated to the Ishtar Transition Housing Society in Langley and to Options Services to Community Society (Evergreen Transition House and Virginia Sam Transition House) in Surrey.

money contributed to a home that was recently built in the west end of the city. In 2002, Habitat for Humanity Toronto formed an Advisory Council with representatives from the financial, real estate and arts communities.

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage South Country Real Estate, a long-time supporter of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, held its 14th Annual Royal Gala and Silent Auction recently, raising $43,000. The brokerage has raised close to $450,000 at this annual fundraiser, with 100 per cent of the proceeds supporting the YWCA Harbour House, a local women’s shelter.

■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Howard Drukarsh, vice-president and founder of Right At Home Realty, has been nominated to sit on the Chairman’s Advisory Committee for Habitat for Humanity Toronto. Right At Home Realty has been a sponsor and contributor to Habitat for Humanity since 2005 and has raised more than $100,000 in donations for these programs. This

The second annual Kids are Super Gala, held recently in Ottawa and hosted by Gloria Bae from Royal LePage Performance Realty’s Pretoria office, raised $7,000 for two local shelters. The Halloween themed event featured a visit from a local fire truck, craft and cupcake decorating stations, make your own witches brew and duelling with Star Wars villains.

At the 14th Annual Royal Gala and Silent Auction in Lethbridge, Alta, from left: Brent Oleksy, broker/owner, Royal LePage South Country Real Estate Services; Shanan Spencer-Brown, Royal LePage Shelter Foundation; and Leslie Hatfield, agent and gala chair for the brokerage.

Sales reps from Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate participate in the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event.

Donations collected at the event in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation will be divided between Lanark County Interval House and Maison d’amitie.

■ ■ ■

Although the battle with leukemia has claimed much of his hair and energy, six-year-old Collin was ecstatic to see several Realtors and staff from Sutton Harrison Realty in Brandon, Man. arrive at his door one morning to decorate for Halloween.

The visit on Oct. 13 was a surprise for the boy and his little sister, Emily, who delighted in the spooky decorations and sweet treats. Sales rep Tammy Waterfield came up with the idea after meeting the boy’s father and speaking with her brokers, Kit and Sue Harrison.

“Our office moved to a new location this year, which involved changes to our phone lines, IT, etc.

One of the people involved in making it happen had to take time off when his son was diagnosed with leukemia…I asked if we could do something special just for this family…Decorating the boy’s

home for Halloween seemed ideal.

What could be more fun for a child?”

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate Centre recently participated in the 7th annual Gillian’s Place Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event at The Pen Centre in St. Catharines. The Royal Pumps raised $11,655 this year, which contributed to the grand total of over $81,000 at the event. “We’ve been participating for a few years now and our guys always step up and raise funds needed to help protect abused women and children in Niagara,” says broker/manager Ryan Johnstone.

■ ■ ■

Sales rep Jill Sutherland of Re/Max Nova in Halifax recently took part in the Canadian Death Race in Grand Cache, Alta, where elite racers brave extreme adversity. Set in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, the Canadian Death Race is one of the world’s most challenging adventure races.

According to the race’s official website, “The 125-km course

Lorraine O’Quinn (left) and her assistant Tracey Roberts are “shedding for shelter”.

From left: Gus Monteleone, manager, Royal LePage Real Estate Services; Michelle Martin, administrator, Royal LePage; Nira Elgueta and Emma Lewzey from The Redwood; Shanan Spencer-Brown, Royal LePage Shelter Foundation; and Al Orlando, manager, Royal LePage Real Estate Services.

begins and ends on a 4,200-foot plateau, passes over three mountain summits and includes 17,000 feet of elevation change, as well as a major river crossing at the spectacular Hell’s Gate canyon, where the Smoky and Sulphur rivers converge.” The race is 25 hours of gruelling intensity.

Sutherland is founder and pastpresident of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Atlantic Provinces.

She plans to institute a permanent fundraising component to her competitive running events, to support vital health-based causes in her local community.

“Everyone has their own reason for running – their own motivations,” says Sutherland. “The ability to make a difference in the lives of others will certainly raise the stakes.”

■ ■ ■

Lorraine O’Quinn is shedding for shelter. After hearing one battered woman’s story at the Royal LePage National Conference in Vancouver, the sales rep with Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty in Trenton, Ont. says she was determined to do something extra for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, which supports Three Oaks Shelter in her local community.

“To help promote participation, I have committed to a much healthier, fitness-orientated lifestyle and plan on shedding 30 pounds by Jan. 31, 2013. Hence the name for my conquest; Shedding for Shelter. I hope to raise $10,000 by my target date, which will go towards Second Stage Housing.”

For information, visit her Facebook page link “SheddingFor-Shelter-The O’Quinn Team” or www.theoquinnteam.com.

■ ■ ■

From left: Michael Clark with his children Collin and Emily; brokers Sue and Kit Harrison; Danielle and Tammy Waterfield; Jennifer and Jade Penman; Aubrey Andrey; and Pat McKenzie and grandson.

Recently representatives of Royal LePage Real Estate Services’ Bloor West Village, Kingsway and South Etobicoke branches in Toronto and the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation presented donations to The Redwood and Women’s Habitat, two local women’s shelters. The proceeds were raised at the Royal LePage GTA golf tournament. Each shelter received a donation of $5,000 in support of their efforts to help women and children escape family violence.

REM

40 REM DECEMBER 2012

ECOHOME NEWS

By Chris Chopik

R

ealtors seek autonomy, mastery and purpose.

According to Dan Pink’s bestselling book Drive, people at work increase performance when they have autonomy and the opportunity to achieve mastery in their work. That is why we spend hours of our lives mastering music and take up hobbies, and why we strive to hone and get recognized for our professional achievements.

So how does Dan Pink’s work apply to real estate? Satisfied Realtors, those with autonomy, striving for mastery (getting better at stuff) and driven by purpose, may also attract more clients.

I believe the role of designations in the real estate industry is to

GREEN REAL ESTATE

By Elden Freeman s I write this, superstorm Sandy has just blasted the northeastern U.S. and parts of Canada, leaving death and largescale destruction in its wake. While the storm’s memory doesn’t lend feelings of warmth for the holiday season, it certainly shows us how an act of nature can abruptly halt life as we know it.

If any good comes from such a catastrophe, it’s that it reminds us of what’s really important: family, friends, sustainable food, clean

A

Why you need a ‘green’ designation provide Realtors with a vehicle for achieving mastery. The designations we choose offer us a path to purpose, and we enhance our personal brand in two ways. First, we can tell others about our credentials to differentiate our value proposition. Second, and more importantly, the passion we feel when we achieve mastery is palpable when we speak to our clients.

Passion for energy efficiency and quality of life for homeowners has driven my real estate business and I think the time is ripe for the mainstreaming of this once niche marketplace.

The green housing marketplace has emerged and some of your clients are passionate about it.

Your clients are insulating their homes, they are buying high-efficiency furnaces and some are installing solar panels or geo-thermal heating systems. According to the TD Canada Trust Green Home Poll 2011, 29 per cent of Ontarians have done a green home reno, 32 per cent would like to and don’t know where to start and 72 per cent of Canadians say they are willing to pay more for environ-

mentally friendly features. Green is the new normal and your opportunity to differentiate your brand with green is now. The time to get a green designation and achieve greater mastery and purpose in your business is now. Even if you don’t have a specific interest in the environment or energy efficiency, your mastery of the real estate business will increasingly be entwined with your integrated value proposition around green.

A Canadian version of the NAR Green Designation is being taught for the first time in Toronto at the Evergreen Brickworks on Dec. 4. It has been offered previously by the Calgary Real Estate Board (www.greenresourcecouncil.org).

The first to market a green designation in North America was ecoBroker (www.ecobroker.com).

This 10-year-old designation is a comprehensive (if American centric) designation that is respected for its academic rigour. ecoBroker boasts members in Canada, Mexico, South America and Europe. Both ecoBroker and the NAR Green designation are avail-

able online and in person. Each offers the potential of 18 hours of continuing education courses based on confirmation of understanding and attendance. The inclass ecoBroker designation classes are currently only held in the United States.

The made-in-Canada National Association of Green Agents and Brokers (NAGAB) designation (www.nagab.org) is one I have not personally sought, but it boasts significant membership numbers and requires the successful completion of just eight CE courses.

Toronto Realtor Bill Johnston, who has taken both the ecoBroker and NAR training, says, “Most designations are unrecognizable by the general public. The benefit of the NAR Green designation is that anyone can instantly see what it’s all about. Beyond the added credibility that a recognizable designation can bring, the added knowledge that is acquired in the process of gaining the designation is valuable.”

I believe the energy-efficient housing market has moved through the early-adopter phase.

Taking the time to grow your knowledge in this area may provide your brand with a lift in the minds of consumers. For me, the passion that I bring to my work stems from the autonomy, mastery and purpose that being a bona fide green professional gives me. This passion is reflected in my brand image and leads customers to choose to work with me. I think you will find that as you increase your energy and environmental literacy, you will discover marketplace resonance with your decision to add a green designation to your list of professional accomplishments.

Chris Chopik is a sales rep with Bosley Real Estate in Toronto, an instructor of Green Real Estate Courses, a member of the TREB Green Committee, president of the Board of LEAF (www.yourleaf.org), co-chair of the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association Conservation Committee (www.ontario-sea.org), volunteer with the NRCan Energy Rating Secretariat and program manager at www.knowyourenREM ergyscore.ca.

The gift of slow consumption water. As we enter the season of giving, it’s these basics of life that should be upheld and honoured.

Appreciating family and friends or the air we breathe shouldn’t inflict havoc on our world or our wallets.

Why not consider a streamlined, minimalist approach to the holidays instead of the usual fanfare?

Whether you’re celebrating Chanukkah or Christmas this December, draw on Sandy as a reminder of how the stuff we accumulate and define ourselves by disappears in a flash. How important, really, is that collection of mid-century modern ceramics? How much room, time, money and energy does collecting take?

Perhaps we’d be better off if we rethought our approach to buying.

When purchasing gifts, do we buy things that will last? Do we consider well-designed, timeless items that are worth repairing as opposed to faddish, here-today, gone-tomorrow things that end up in the trash? It’s

frightening to think of the toll this takes on our environment. Think about the energy it takes to make and distribute all this disposable stuff. We need to give more priority to well-made products that are durable and worth repairing.

While it’s important to examine our approach to the holidays and consumerism, there are times when your heart really wants to give.

Perhaps an old client has recommended you to a new one. Or maybe you really appreciate the clockwork delivery service of your neighbourhood newspaper girl. Yes, there are times when only a present will do.

Try to green up your gift buying this season. Make sure you read labels, look for organic or fair-trade certification, ask where the item came from and where it was made.

If no source is given, it’s probably best to pass on it.

While a home-made sock puppet may not appeal to the 16-year-

old on your list, there are green gift options that teens and adult recipients will enjoy.

Environmental, wildlife and conservation organizations offer memberships that, in some instances, allow entry to nature reserves, so this is a great idea for the bird lover or wildlife enthusiast on your list. Memberships may also come with a magazine subscription packed with environmental info.

There are numerous websites where you can buy great green gifts. Try www.etsy.com for handmade, vintage items or visit www.wwf.org and click on the WWF store for unique, animalthemed gift ideas. At www.planetfriendly.net/gifts.html you’ll get good recommendations for ecofriendly gifts that you can purchase online and in person.

Consider making a donation in the gift receiver’s name to a cause that’s near and dear to their heart.

Your time is a profound gift.

Offer to baby sit, pet sit or house sit.

Draw up a certificate that promises something to which you can lend your expertise. Help someone create a pot of soup, plan a garden or assist with financial planning.

As you rejoice with family and friends this holiday season, be grateful for the company of people you care about. That message is simple and sparing, I know. Remember, it’s often less that is so much more.

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukkah!

The National Association of Green Agents and Brokers (NAGAB) provide a Greenbroker and Greenagent certification program to Realtors across Canada. To get more information or to sign up for a course, visit www.nagab.org. Elden Freeman M.E.S., AGS, broker is the founder and executive director of the non-profit organization. 1-877-5249494 Email elden@nagab.org.

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42 REM DECEMBER 2012

THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE

By Heino Molls

T

MARKETPLACE

here’s been a lot of ballyhoo and hoopla down at the bottom of my street.

It’s all about the airport across the water from me on the tip of the Toronto Island. They are going to build a tunnel underneath the water to join the Island Airport with the mainland and the people who are building it are outright giddy with the prospect of having this connection to their airport and the amount of money it is going to generate for them.

As far as the folks in my community are concerned, most of them are fuming over the whole idea because it is going to make things even more crowded for those who live here and their kids who go to school and play in the residential area that is becoming more dangerous for them every day.

The airport has been down here for over 60 years. It had been described as a “sleepy little community airport.” It was used by hobbyists and a few private airplane owners who chartered flights now and again. For decades it was a quaint part of the community along with the

Toronto Island Airport sailboats, charter fishing boats and ferry boats that took riders to the island to enjoy a day in the park away from the city, separated by the Toronto Harbour.

Everybody in the area got along very well.

Then in 1999, the Government of Canada set up the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) to take charge of the activities of the Toronto Harbour. That initiative could have been good for everyone; however, this move ended up being catastrophic because the government went the extra step of wanting money out of it all. It deemed that this organization was to be self-sufficient – it had to make its own money and in fact they wanted it to turn a profit. This was awkward because the TPA had no real products or services to sell.

But they did have the idea that they could make money by encouraging businesses to come down and use the port lands that they controlled for a fee. There were some failures like a ferry that crossed Lake Ontario to the United States, but there were also some successes like turning the “sleepy island airport” into a major international airport. The airport idea took off, no pun intended, at the expense of the community, which endured all manner of trouble with extra traffic and abuse by airport related noise, pollution and congestion.

As the Island Airport grew in huge proportion, plans were underway to build a bridge connecting the mainland with the airport. In 2003 the issue of the bridge to the island was a major element of the election for Toronto mayor. In some ways it was representative of a referendum on the bridge itself. The winner, David Miller, cancelled bridge construction and subsequently the Government of Canada paid an out-of-court settlement to the companies involved in the island airport of $35 million. The settlement apparently stated that there would be no fixed link to the island.

Some are arguing today that the tunnel violates the agreement because it is a fixed link.

I declare my bias on this matter because I live down here but I have come to know my neighbours and I can tell you that they are not shrill or falsely indignant.

They have been lied to and tricked many times by the authorities. Even the major expansion of the airport was announced in a news release late on Christmas Eve to avoid media scrutiny.

The people who live in the immediate vicinity are for the most part poor people. They are new immigrants in metro housing who are often afraid to question authority. Most properties are co-operative housing units

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Compiled with the assistance of Bob Campbell at Colour Tech Marketing, www.colourtech.com and many are subsidized by the government for those who are disabled or the working poor.

There are hundreds of children down here and two schools right beside the airport. These are not the sort of people who are quick to call lawyers; they don’t have the money to do anything like that. Many of them don’t have the time, let alone the bus fare to

get to meetings and city hall to discuss their own fate.

Watching the TPA step on these people and their children while claiming that they are working closely with the community is tragic.

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

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