December 2013 by Real Estate Magazine (REM)

Issue #294

December 2013

Real estate cop wins international award

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Page 8

How to be successful in commercial real estate Page 14

Can ethics be taught? Page 20

Laura Leyser

An interview with the CREA president Page 3

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REM DECEMBER 2013 3

A chat with the CREA president

REM asks Laura Leyser about Quebec members leaving CREA, whether the industry should encourage part-timers, organized real estate’s expenses and more. Interview by Jim Adair

Laura Leyser poses in front of the world-famous Festival Theatre in her home town of Stratford, Ontario. (Photos by Irene Miller)

REA president Laura Leyser comes from a thirdgeneration family of dairy farmers. She lives with her husband and children on a farm near Stratford, Ont. A sales rep with Re/Max a-b Realty, she has been a Realtor for more than 24 years and was previously president of the Ontario Real Estate Association and the Huron Perth Real Estate Board. “Behind every successful person is a strong supportive family, and if it weren’t for my

family I would not be able to do this for the members,” says Leyser. “Whenever I speak, I tell everyone in the room that I am like each and every one of them. I get up every day and I sell real estate. So any of the programs or tools that CREA is providing, I’m using on a daily basis….When I give a message to a room full of Realtors, I say I know exactly what you are going through because I’m going through the same thing.”

Recently REM interviewed Leyser in Ottawa, along with Gary Simonsen, CREA’s CEO. The following is an edited record of the conversation. REM: A year ago when REM interviewed immediate pastpresident Wayne Moen, many of our questions had to do with some Quebec boards leaving CREA. This year that issue is back, with Quebec City and Montreal stating they will leave CREA at the end of the year. What’s the latest with that situation?

Laura Leyser: We have been in conversation with Quebec for 2½ or three years regarding their concerns and the conversations continue. We have had ongoing dialogue trying to address their concerns, but at the same time we are keeping in mind that we have the entire membership – the entire country – to think about. When you work to address their specific concerns you have to make sure it will work for the rest of the country. So, for example, Webforms is a tool we offer at the national association but unfortunately Quebec’s regulator precludes their licensed agents from using Webforms, so we are trying to accommodate suitable arrangements that recognize that. Another area would be our national ad campaign – in the past we have worked together with Quebec so they can produce a French version. REM: What seems to be the major sticking point in your discussions? Leyser: There are certain regulatory restrictions – things that are permissible across the country through regulators in other provinces that are not permissible in Quebec. We are trying to address some of their regulatory concerns. REM: What’s your gut feeling? Will they be leaving CREA? Leyser: I feel our conversations have continued to be at a positive, higher level. We still have some time before the end of the year comes and I feel very positive that our members will remain as part of the CREA family. REM: At a recent Toronto Real Estate Board Annual General Meeting, we heard you promise that regardless of what

happens with Quebec, members’ dues will not be going up this year. Leyser: Absolutely. When any of your membership comes to you and says they may be leaving, you have to take precautionary measures – take a look at everything across the board, and pick and choose things that perhaps you won’t move forward with or perhaps will put on hold depending on if all our membership remains. So we have done that and we are in a position that we will be able to maintain our current dues structure for 2014. REM:: What’s the impact on CREA if they decide to leave? Leyser: It’s sad that some people who have been members for years will no longer have the services that CREA has produced for decades – they just won’t be part of our family. We are a national association and we are stronger together. Gary Simonsen: We have talked about the impact upon consumers. The brokers would lose access to the most popular website in the country and they would lose use of the MLS trademarks. That’s important with respect to the kinds of services being provided to the consumers. REM: One of the things the Montreal board has asked about is an expenses review. CREA is often accused of spending too much money and being overstaffed. Is CREA lean and mean or is it the bloated bureaucracy that you are often accused of being? Simonsen: It’s a fair question. Every association has to be accountable. We do a zero-based budget every year so we take a look at what are our expenses, what are the priorities. We align Continued on Page 28

4 REM DECEMBER 2013

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

oyal LePage Tendance has acquired the Royal LePage Dynastie offices in Ville Mont-Royal and Outremont, Que. The brokerage, which already has two offices in Montreal’s Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Villeray/Rosemont neighbourhoods, now has more than 150 brokers at its four offices. Royal LePage Dynastie owner Louis Cayer decided to sell his company to have more time for his family, says Royal LePage. He started out as an agent in 1974 at Trust Uni, where he was later promoted to manager of that office. He has always taken an active role in organized real estate and was involved with both the OACIQ and the Greater Montreal Real Estate Board. He will continue to work as

a Royal LePage Tendance manager in the Ville Mont-Royal office. Franca Denis, manager of the Outremont office, will also remain in her current position. Royal LePage Tendance owners Sébastien Parent and Michel Bouchard have seen tremendous growth in their firm since joining Royal LePage less than two years ago, the company says. With the acquisition, Royal LePage Tendance becomes one of the largest agencies in the Montreal area. Royal LePage Tradition has acquired the Royal LePage Dynastie office in Saint-Lambert. It’s the second acquisition for Royal LePage Tradition in two months – in September, Sylvie Blouin, owner of Royal LePage

Tradition, acquired the St-Hubert Royal LePage office. Along with its three existing offices in Montérégie, the new office gives the agency 93 sales representatives and four sales offices. ■ ■ ■

Danny Varaich recently opened independent brokerage Dominion Realty in Brampton, Ont. Varaich has been in real estate since 1973 and a broker of record since 1977. He previously owned a large franchise brokerage. “There are many challenges brokerages face and the expenses keep going up and the company dollar is shrinking all the time, and the war of agent compensation is ugly out there,” says Varaich. He says that after studying various brokerage compensation plans and the monthly fees and expenses paid by the brokers and agents, “I have started what I think is a unique and a win-win business model, where there is no monthly fee or any expense charged to the agent. Instead, the agents can create a passive and perpetual income stream over and above their actual commissions earned by them.”

Each sales rep can participate in the plan without any additional cost. If they chose not to participate, “he or she still enjoys the relatively high commission split,” says Varaich. ■ ■ ■

The Kevin@Flaherty.ca Home Selling System Team (KFHSS) of iPro Realty held the grand opening of its Orangeville, Ont. office recently. Kevin Flaherty has been iPro Realty’s No. 1 producer for the past three years. “The KFHSS team’s model differs from those of other Realtors and offices,” says the team in a news release. It consists of four real estate agents and three full-time production specialists, including a graphic designer, a professional photographer and a video producer. Flaherty and another team member are licensed pilots and the team has an aircraft for aerial photos. “With the added skill sets and resources the team is able to produce custom web pages that contain a video-narrated tour, photos, including aerial shots, floor plans, maps, surveys and more,” says the team. While the tours increase the exposure of the home, they also prevent a large portion of unnecessary showings, says Flaherty. He estimates that 96 per cent of buyers locate their next home online and shortlist the homes they are interested in online as well. He says Realtors need to stop

Coldwell Banker Canada president Andy Puthon kicks off the two-day Power Broker event.

worrying about where their next client is coming from and fully service the ones they have, and that in today’s market that means they cannot do it all themselves. “Most Realtors are a one-man show and cannot possibly have the knowledge, skill and time to do everything that should be done to ensure maximum quality exposure and service when selling a house,” he says. ■ ■ ■

Natasa Roufos, broker/owner of Royal LePage Kincardine Real Estate in Kincardine, Ont. has merged her brokerage with Royal LePage Exchange Realty, which is owned by Ted Carthy. The merged brokerages will operate under the name Royal LePage Exchange Realty and will be owned and managed by Roufos as broker of record. She began her real estate career in early 2007 and within two years she became a successful and awardwinning agent. In 2011, she acquired Royal LePage Kincardine Real Estate. A real estate veteran, Ted Carthy began his career in 1970 with Mann & Martell in Kitchener, Ont. He has contributed to organized real estate, including five years as a member of the local professional standards and ethics committees. Carthy will continue with Royal LePage Exchange Realty in a sales capacity. The brokerage has a team of 13 sales professionals who serve Kincardine and surrounding communities. ■ ■ ■

Louis Cayer

Sébastien Parent

Orangeville Deputy Mayor Warren Maycock and Kevin Flaherty cut the ribbon at the official opening of the new Kevin@Flaherty.ca Home Selling System Team office.

Broker Connie Levesque recently opened The Property Exchange Group, a new independent brokerage in the town of Oakbank, Man., just outside of Winnipeg. “I have been selling real estate since 2007 and was a salesperson for many years before,” says Levesque. “I am constantly taking courses to upgrade my skills and services to my clients and my personal goal is to be the type of broker that people love to work for – to feel supported and strong and hopefully stay with me!” She says she is hiring sales reps at a “staggered pace to make sure everyone is trained and ready to do business at their best.” ■ ■ ■

Michel Bouchard

Sylvie Blouin

Natasa Roufos

Ted Carthy

Continued on page 6

6 REM DECEMBER 2013

Multiple Listings Continued from page 4

Gene Cheng has joined Right At Home Realty of Toronto as director of recruiting. Cheng has more than 30 years of real estate industry experience and has worked for Century 21, Coldwell Banker and Royal LePage. He has been a vice-president for a major property developer, a mortgage brokerage manager and a successful real estate broker, generating a high volume of sales, the company says. He also was a professional coach and mentor. Among his international clientele were executives from Fortune 100 companies, as well as award-winning Canadian real estate professionals at various levels. ■ ■ ■

Clarence Debelle has joined Royal Pacific Realty Group as a sales representative specializing in residential real estate on the North Shore of Vancouver. Debelle has been a licensed real estate professional since 2008. He spent a 20-

Connie Levesque

year career as an investment banker, raising capital for major corporations in a wide range of industries. Before this he was a lawyer. He was called to the Ontario Bar while at Lang Michener LLP. A Canadian and Belgium citizen raised in Mexico City, Debelle is fluent in English and Spanish. He was an expert rock climber, and has completed marathons and triathlons, including the Ironman Triathlon. Royal Pacific’s network includes more than 1,100 Realtors throughout the Lower Mainland. ■ ■ ■

Redmond Realty of Gananoque, Ont. is the newest member of the Aventure Realty Network. Broker/owner Dave Redmond and his team of Realtors offer a full suite of real estate services based on its philosophy of “service second to none,” says Aventure president Bernie Vogt. ■ ■ ■

Broker John Froese enjoyed a

proud moment in late October when the curling team his brokerage sponsors took the Canad Inns Prairie Classic for the third time in four years. Skip Mike McEwen is a former agent at Royal LePage Prime Real Estate and team member Denni Neufeld remains a top agent at the firm. Team McEwen will battle for a spot to compete in the upcoming Olympics in Sochi, Russia in February, which will be determined through a series of trials, culminating with eight teams each for men and women going to the Olympic trials, to be held Dec. 1 to 8 in Winnipeg. Team McEwen has already qualified for that event. ■ ■ ■

Sutton Connect 2013 recently brought together sales reps and brokers from across Canada to a three-day event at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. Guests enjoyed a massive pool party, ’80s-themed entertainment to celebrate Sutton’s 30th Anniversary, motivational workshops and an infor-

mative top agent panel. The inspirational keynote speech, “Never Quit”, was delivered by Robert O’Neil of SEAL Team 6. There was also musical entertainment, comedy and thousands of dollars in cash and prizes handed out. Sutton Spirit Community Achievement Awards were presented to individuals and teams who make exceptional contributions to their communities. Suzanne Carswell of Sutton Group - West Coast Realty in Langley, B.C. accepted the award on behalf of the brokerage for the work their team has done for the B.C. Professional Firefighters Burn Fund. Ann Soucie of Sutton Group 1st West Realty in Coquitlam, B.C, was recognized for her work with the Crossroads Hospice. Ahmet Ahmet from Summit Realty in Mississauga, Ont. volunteers with Million Dollar Smiles to help brighten the lives of sick children. Other recipients include Bill Kindou of Sutton Group Incentive Realty in Collingwood,

Gene Cheng

Ont., who has made significant contributions to the Royal Victoria Hospital Simcoe Regional Cancer Centre, and Izabela Wasiela of Sutton Group - Seafair Realty in Richmond, B.C. , who volunteers to help Special Olympic athletes achieve their dreams. ■ ■ ■

Coldwell Banker Canada recently held a two-day recruiting workshop for Coldwell Banker Canada brokers and managers at the national office in Burlington, Ont. The Power Broker system was developed and presented by Eb Moore, a real estate brokerage CEO who demonstrated techniques and systems for building profitable real estate businesses. “Not only is Eb very knowledgeable and entertaining, he is a practitioner and does what he teaches every day. The program is real and produces real results,” says Andrew Zsolt of Coldwell Banker Terrequity Realty. ■ ■ ■

Sally McGarr Realty is celebrating its 25th Anniversary on Dec. 1 at The Market Square, 91 King St., St. Catharines, Ont. Pink is the signature McGarr colour, so pink champagne and hors d’oeuvres with a pink theme will be served. Santa will stop by to listen to the children’s Christmas wishes. Broker of record Sally McGarr, along with 21 sales reps and nine support staff, work from two offices in St. Catharines and Niagara-on-the-Lake. REM

Mike McEwen (left) and his team of B.J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak and Denni Neufeld, hold the Dave Elias Memorial Trophy after winning the 2013 Canad Inns Prairie Classic. (Photo: John Woods/ Winnipeg Free Press)

Cover photo: IRENE MILLER

Dave Redmond

Danny Varaich

Publisher HEINO MOLLS email: heino@remonline.com

Editor in Chief JIM ADAIR email: jim@remonline.com

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Manager, French Edition MICHEL CHEVALIER michel@remenligne.com

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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 2013 REM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The opinions expressed in REM are not necessarily those of the publisher. ISSN 1201-1223

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Clarence Debelle

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8 REM DECEMBER 2013

Real estate cops thanked ‘for being fair’ By Connie Adair

eal Estate Council of Ontario investigator Dave Tredrea recently received an award from the Council of Licensure Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR) at its annual educational conference in St. Louis. CLEAR is an international resource for the regulatory community that promotes excellence through networking opportunities, publications and research services. Tredrea was presented with the Investigative Excellence Award, an individual commendation for his work on a case that resulted in several charges and significant fines for the broker who was the subject of the investigation. “Dave and our other investigators are at the front line of RECO’s efforts to protect the public interest and enhance consumer confidence in the real estate profession,” says RECO registrar Joseph Richer in a news release. The Investigations Unit has five investigators, four with law enforcement backgrounds. Tredrea was with the Toronto Police Service for 30 years, 23 of those years as a detective. He handled criminal investigations with many

squads, including drug enforcement and major crimes. When he was eligible to retire, he decided working as a RECO investigator would be the perfect fit. He started with RECO 10 years ago. The learning curve was steep but his law enforcement background was invaluable. “It was like starting a new career. You can learn real estate but you can’t teach 30 years of investigative experience,” Tredrea says. He says both complainants and accused have told him that they appreciate the investigators’ professional backgrounds and “they thank us for being fair. We’re openminded. We clear a lot of people. It’s not just prosecution and enforcement.” It’s also about making sure claims are legitimate. Investigators follow up on complaints involving alleged violations of the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002, its regulations or behaviour that could affect a real estate professional’s registration. As provincial offences officers, investigators can’t lay criminal charges but can lay charges under the Real Estate and Business Broker’s Act. Complaints come from the

public, police, corporate security from banks or “helpful persons within the industry,” Tredrea says. Investigators work hand-in-hand with the province’s law enforcement professionals and law society members, and have good relationships with bank and fraud investigators, he says. Of the approximately 1,200 to 1,500 complaints received by RECO each year, about 10 per cent are referred to the Investigations Unit, says Bruce Matthews, deputy registry, regulatory compliance at RECO. When a case is forwarded to the Investigations Unit, the assigned investigator determines who must be interviewed and which documents are required. Investigators then travel across the province to speak to witnesses and collect documents from brokerages or complainants. The respondent is notified early on in the process and advised that an investigator will contact them. Following the investigation, the case file is submitted to the unit’s manager for review. Cases are closed if there is no merit to the complaints or if not enough evi-

dence can be collected. Cases go to the registrar only if disciplinary action is required. Cases related to breaches to the Code of Ethics go to a disciplinary hearing. Other offences may go to the Provincial Offences Court. In extreme cases, a proposal is made to suspend or revoke a licence, Matthews says. RECO investigators opened 126 files during the 2012-13 fiscal year and closed 97. Twenty-nine cases are still active. Forty cases resulted in prosecutions and 57 were closed out with no action taken. The 40 prosecutions that went before the courts resulted in 38 convictions and 205 individual charges. Fines totalled almost $500,000. Approximately $425,000 in restitution payments were ordered by a provincial court. A handful of people were placed on probation. Each case is unique and involved, with numerous witnesses and untold documents. There is no set amount of time a case takes. Each one is completely and thoroughly investigated, Tredrea says. “It’s a rigorous but fair process,” says Matthews, adding that actions serve as a deterrent and protect the

Dave Tredrea

public but also works to the advantage of Realtors by protecting their professional image. Although there are numerous possible complaints under the act, many involve mortgage fraud or trading while not registered. Of the 65,000 agents in the province, the great majority are professional and abide by the rules but salespeople know when something is not right, Tredrea says. “We encourage them to take the necessary steps to allow an investigation to go forward.” Tredrea is the second RECO investigator to receive the award. Jo Ann Swain won the individual award in 2005, says Matthews. REM

Survey focuses on two generations of buyers By Jean Sorensen he millennials (known also as the children of baby boomers born between 1972-1992) and the post Second World War baby boomers (born 1946-1965) are making the greatest impact on the real estate industry today. “Both the boomers and the millennials want move-in ready homes,” says Century 21 Real Estate Canada president Don Lawby. His company, in conjunction with Rona, recently conducted a national home buyers preference survey that looked at the generations’ purchasing preferences and regional differences. “Time is very important to people…they want to spend time doing what they want to do and not the things they have to do,” says Lawby. The survey also showed that 37 per

cent of millennials planned to move within two years. “The message that it sends sellers is that if you are thinking of selling or putting your home on the market and something needs to be done, do it before you put it on the market,” Lawby says, adding it may be something as basic as painting a room. Digital images of the home showing its curb appeal are becoming more important, says Lawby. Sellers should be aware of how the home looks when presented digitally. Lawby says the company made the decision to conduct the survey to see “if it really was about location, location, location.” While the old maxim still applies, it is impacted by lifestyle choices to a greater degree than in the past, he says. There is a general shift away

from long commutes and greater focus on family time and career choices by the millennials. The survey showed a short commute was important to 46 per cent of millennials and only 25 per cent of baby boomers, the demographic group that caused bedroom communities to expand around larger cities a generation ago. Baby boomers are looking to enjoy leisure time such as pursuing travel or hobbies in their move-in ready homes as they downsize. The survey found that 28 per cent of boomers wanted funds left over when buying a house, compared to 18 per cent of millennials. Many greying boomers (8.2 million according to Statistics Canada) no longer want to maintain a single-family house or empty nest. “Baby boomers don’t need to

work,” says Lawby. “They are going into condos because they have the ability to close the door and walk away. They are cashing out to some degree in big cities and moving to the smaller communities.” That cash-out of traditional single-family homes is needed in cities to supply the base for entry-level condominium homes. “If you don’t have an entry point in the market, there is no first-time buyer. You are seeing in cities that they are wiping out whole blocks of single-family detached housing to build townhouses or row-houses as developers are optimizing the value of the land,” says Lawby. The millennial generation has a realm of other concerns. Many of the children of boomers (StatsCan figures estimate 9.1 million of them) either can’t afford single-

Don Lawby

family housing or don’t want to spend time cutting the lawn and renovating as their parents did. They are looking for ways to maximize personal time and limit time spent on traveling to work, Continued on page 29

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10 REM DECEMBER 2013

THE GUEST COLUMN

By Phil Soper

ack in 1967, when Canada was celebrating its centennial, the periodical Industrial Canada compiled a list of the 119 companies that had survived the nation’s first 100 years. While predictably many on that 1967 list have now faded away, a subset of those firms continue to this day; companies that have proven their adaptability and propensity for reinvention. Perhaps Canada’s most celebrated commercial venture, The Hudson’s Bay Co., was established in 1668 and has the distinction of being the world’s oldest retailer. Imagine if the original leadership, a group of English noblemen and merchants, were

O P I N I O N

By Vito Campanale

ntario Minister of Consumer Services Tracy MacCharles recently introduced Bill 55 to amend the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 in three basic areas. The proposed amendment will now allow commissions payable to a brokerage to be a percentage, a flat fee or a combination of both. Secondly, all offers presented by a registrant while acting for a purchaser must be in writing. Thirdly, brokerages must retain all copies of written offers on behalf of the seller whether they were accepted or not. If a buyer or registrant suspects that

Real estate in the next 100 years to see the recently rebranded Hudson’s Bay Co. today? The company was thriving before the invention of the automobile, electricity and zipper, let alone global wireless networking. Beyond Canadian borders are wonderful examples of companies that have reinvented themselves in the face of new competition and ever-evolving market conditions. General Electric, the oldest company on the Dow Jones index, has built fortunes on reinvention. My previous employer, IBM, was founded in 1911 to produce commercial weighing scales and mechanical tabulators. The firm evolved to define the information age and has for two decades running led the world in winning new patents registrations. Nokia, founded in 1865, started as a Finnish paper mill, rubber and cable works company. It evolved into the world’s largest mobile phone company, a position it held from the late 1990s until very recently. In the face of increasing competition, Nokia’s mobile phone revenue plummeted 40 per

cent in the second quarter of 2013. It must reinvent itself once more or face extinction. How will the best real estate companies in the world operate in 10 year’s time? Will the “full service” brokerage evolve with the times, or gradually fade away, like the buggy whip builders of old? Over the decades, Royal LePage has had to evolve dramatically to survive and to thrive. But at the very heart of our business are core values that remain immutable. Companies like ours offer premium advisory services to facilitate the acquisition and sale of valuable real property. As property prices have climbed, both the reward for “doing it right” and the penalty for sub-par performance have increased dramatically. Today, our services are more important than ever. In the face of tougher legislation and regulation, and the neverending churn of new and disruptive American and low fee, very limited service competitors, it boils down to our proven ability to adapt. That a 100-year-old compa-

ny like Royal LePage has faced tough times before and has emerged intact provides a good measure of perspective. For example, there was a period in August of 1981 when mortgage interest rates spiked as high as 22.75 per cent. Sales plummeted. Brokerages failed. As such, challenges are to be expected and new opportunities will present themselves. Today’s historically low mortgage rates have opened the door to home ownership for a generation of young people. The global financial crisis provided this unexpected gift and Canadians have seized the opportunity with vigour. The constant is that real estate is a complex transaction, and remains the single largest investment that most people make in their lives. While people are more informed, it comes down to bringing insight and interpretation to consumers. Emerging technologies and new competitors will shock us. We can decide to roll over and wait for life to have its way with us, or we

can reach out, embrace the change and make it work for us. Today’s consumers don’t need us to help them find a home in the way they did in the past. With the rush of mobile network enabled search technology, the average home buyer is a search expert. But that doesn’t make the real estate transaction any less complex. It doesn’t make us less relevant. But it does mean that the advice and counsel that we offer must encompass and leverage these new ways of doing the tried and true. Exceptional service provided by professional Realtors is more important than technology in and of itself. In the end, it comes back to the values inherent in our company’s long history – trust, experience, integrity and a commitment to our founder A.E. LePage’s enduring belief that our main purpose is to sell service rather than selling houses. Phil Soper is CEO of Brookfield Residential Real Estate Services, the parent company of Royal LePage. REM

Bill won’t stop phantom offers there were no competing offers – or in other words, the listing agent was not truthful – the buyer or registrant could register a complaint with the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), which could request to see those supposedly competing offers, offering protection from the dreaded “phantom offer” situation. What I find interesting is that none of these changes were actually driven by the real estate industry. Neither the Ontario Real Estate Association, who supposedly represents the Realtors in Ontario, nor RECO, who is charged to administer these provisions of the act, were consulted prior to the drafting of these amendments. So I am curious ... did Tracy MacCharles wake up one morning and decide that she was going to amend the REBBA of 2002 today? Should we not be concerned and perhaps upset that we were not even consulted on legislation that would affect us directly?

I like the changes being proposed by this amendment to the act in Section 35, but the “phantom offer” provisions do not go far enough. Currently there are several listing brokerages that post the listing on MLS and provide no other services. These are referred to as “mere postings”. Brokerages representing buyers who are interested in putting in an offer on these properties are instructed by the listing brokerage to deal directly with the seller. There may also be other brokerages that also instruct the buying agent, as part of their business model, to present offers directly to the seller, regardless of whether they provide them with more services than a mere posting. There is no responsibility upon the listing brokerage (since they choose not to be involved in the offer process), or certainly the seller, to disclose whether there are competing offers. This certainly violates the spirit of

Section 26 of the REBBA 2002 Code of Ethics. Furthermore, there is no consequence to the listing brokerage since they choose not to be involved in the offer process, if the seller tells the buying agent that the buyer is competing, when in fact they are not. Consumers and buyer brokerages representing them have no protection under the current REBBA 2002 or under the ministry’s proposed amendment to that legislation. My suggestion is to add a provision in the proposed amendment, that all offers on a property listed by a brokerage must be presented by the listing broker or they must be responsible for the co-ordination of the presentation of offers to the seller. This way, the onus is on the registrant/listing brokerage to properly inform the consumer if they are actually in a competing offer situation, as required under Section 26 of the Code of Ethics in REBA

2002. This will also make the proposed amendment for phantom offers effective, protecting both buyers and sellers throughout the offer process. Currently, even if this proposed amendment is incorporated into the existing act, the listing brokerage can opt out of the legislation by simply instructing the buying brokerage to deal directly with the seller. This bill is in its second reading and if you agree with my position you should contact your provincial representative and speak up as soon as possible. Oh yes, and forget about OREA, as they don’t support my suggestion because it apparently adds more “regulation” to this change in regulation. Yes, I am confused too, but that’s another topic for the comment section on remonline! Vito Campanale CPA is broker of record of Century 21 First Canadian REM Corp. in London, Ont.

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14 REM DECEMBER 2013

Industrial, Commercial & Investment

By Dan Bates

couple of months ago I wrote an article entitled, So you want to become a commercial Realtor. I received many favourable and complimentary voicemails, emails and comments about the article. Its purpose was to provide those getting into commercial real estate or maybe changing companies with some assistance about the type of brokerage that would best suit their needs. So now that you’ve decided what company is best for you, the next question in the life of a commercial Realtor is, “What does it take to be successful in the com-

mercial real estate environment?” I want to demonstrate some attributes that I have seen over the past 23 years. Rule 1: Listen, speak, listen – We were given two ears and one mouth for a reason. Many salespeople, while they know they should listen, seem to just want to talk most of the time. One of the best negotiators I know once taught me the “power” of listening. It is rare for a client to actually be at the negotiating table, but in this one particular deal, he insisted on being there near the end to bring it over the goal-line. Despite my efforts to let me do my job, he insisted on being there. After several minutes of us haggling over various clauses in the agreement with the other agent and his buyer, we were down to the final item, price. At that moment, my client, the seller, gave me the pre-arranged signal (his arms folded) that meant for me to not say another word. He wrote down a price on a piece of paper and slid it across the table to the buying agent and his client, without a word; not

How to be successful in commercial real estate one word. The agent and his buyer then talked, asked questions, left the room, came back in, talked and tried negotiating and everything else. For probably 20 minutes my client and I just sat there in total silence. Those 20 minutes seemed like hours as I listened to the buyer and agent negotiate against themselves and then agree to the price written on the paper. It was the most uncomfortable 20 minutes, but it worked for my client. Rule 2: Work ethic, work smart – I have never met a successful agent who did not have a good work ethic, in conjunction with working smart. Smart in my opinion is smart management of time, our only asset as agents. Take a time management course to really find out about how you are managing your time. Most of us believe we are good time managers, but most of us are not. Remember, our business is paid strictly on commission so protect your time wisely. One of the top agents in the business, for whom I have great admiration, makes five to 10 times more than a lot of very good agents I know. As an experiment, while I was in the midst of doing a deal

with him, I tried to befriend him, hoping to engage him in a conversation (during business hours) about why he is so successful. He wanted nothing to do with any conversation outside of doing the deal. He handled me with the utmost courtesy and professionalism. Some months later we met at a social function and he was the most congenial and social person you’d ever want to meet. Rule 3: Know your product, know your market – Always be prepared to speak about your product and the market, but bear in mind that you may not know it all, all the time. At this point, never be concerned about “not” knowing. Tell your client that you do not know, but will find out and get back to them. Then get back. Trying to pretend to know something to someone who is spending millions of dollars seldom works. Rule 4: Dress for success – While this is an old saying, it especially holds true for commercial real estate professionals. Today many professions are doing business without a suit and tie. Lawyers and accountants who traditionally always wore a suit and

tie are opting more for the “smart casual” look. I personally would prefer to not wear a tie, but in my years of commercial real estate I’ve learned that when pitching for a major piece of business I need to dress for success. Will that alone get me the business? Absolutely not, but if my competitors are dressed for success and I am not, my chances of earning the assignment are greatly reduced. Rule 5: Always be on time – In the 10 1/2 years since I have owned my own firm, this is the most preached subject during our sales meetings. Your clients are business people. They have a lot more to do in a day beyond meeting with you. When a salesperson is late, the message is that they are more interested in their own “now” than the client’s “now”. If you want to improve your chances of signing a listing, a mandate or a successful showing, be on time. Actually, make this rule No. 1. Dan Bates is the president/broker of record for Binswanger Hectare Commercial Realty in Mississauga, a boutique commercial brokerage with a global platform with Binswanger REM USA, since 1978.

Coldwell Banker site ranks cities by price oldwell Banker Real Estate recently released the 2013 Home Listing Report (HLR), which ranked Malibu as North America’s most expensive place to live. Western Canada continues to command some of the nation’s highest prices, as subject homes in Vancouver and the surrounding area lead Canadian rankings. According to the annual report, an apples-to-apples comparison of four-bedroom, twobathroom homes in more than 2,000 real estate markets across the United States and Canada, a

sample-sized home in the affluent beach community of Malibu lists for $2.15 million, compared to $952,069 for the subject home in the Greater Vancouver area. “Western Canada locations continue to attract buyers from across Canada and internationally,” says Susanita De Diego, broker of Your Calgary Home Selling Team. “Energized by a thriving economy and solid employment generated by the oil and gas industries, buyers get the economic benefits, teamed with a sense of community, magnificent scenery and world-class amenities.”

“Whether moving for lifestyle or a new job, homebuyers can use the Coldwell Banker Home Listing Report to compare the average listing prices of similar homes throughout North America,” says Andy Puthon, president of Coldwell Banker Canada. “Although home prices have reached record highs in many markets across Canada, affordable options remain available to Canadian homebuyers, especially for those who are able to work from home, or who make the decision to trade location for commute. This comparison pro-

vides homebuyers with useful information about the many great opportunities that exist across Canada.” • Canada’s most expensive market, the Greater Vancouver area, far outdistanced the second most expensive market, Fort McMurray, Alta. at $630,184. • Western Canada had five spots in Canada’s top 10, all from B.C. and Alberta. • Ontario had four of Canada’s 10 most expensive markets for the subject home. • Grand Falls, N.B. was Canada’s most affordable market

studied, with an average list price of $160,171 for a four-bedroom, two-bath home. • Only Vancouver placed in the ranking of the top 25 most expensive North American markets in the study. • California holds 13 of the top 25 spots for the most expensive markets in North America. • Cleveland ranked as North America’s most affordable at $63,729. The complete list is at http://hlr.coldwellbanker.com/Ful lData.html REM

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16 REM DECEMBER 2013

Embracing technology doesn’t make you a robot

By Phil Dorner

f you’ve been in the real estate business for more than 20 years, then the world in which you’re operating today must look very different from the one in which you started. Before iPads and apps, there were typewriters and fax machines. While it seems like so much of our business has changed, one thing has remained constant – our ability to connect with people. Real estate is an interpersonal business. Connecting with our clients is arguably what Realtors do

best. And while some would say that modern day tools and technology take away the human element in business, I say they enhance it. I recently attended Emerge – Moving You Forward with the Tools for Tomorrow, a six-stop travelling conference offered by the Ontario Real Estate Association. Any notion that I might be too old to embrace some of today’s modern tools was quickly quashed after a presentation by third-generation Realtor John-Ross Parks. Kicking off his speech, Parks gave a nod to his “nana”, his inspiration and a 71-year-old Realtor who’s been in the business for 35 years and hasn’t wasted any time getting to know her iPad. “If this woman has been able to mould her business in this way, you are too,” said Parks. With every presentation thereafter, I believed it more and more. “I build relationships through

Facebook,” said Amie Ferris of Erie’s Edge Real Estate. “I don’t just tell people what I’m doing, I engage with my followers by posting content that ignites conversation.” It all comes back to connecting with your clients, as her husband and fellow Realtor Ray Ferris echoed in his presentation: “Most people want to work with someone they know.” Okay, so if Facebook is the only thing I need to master, then I’m in good shape. But what about video and website creation? Where does someone with no experience in these areas begin? “Somewhere, anywhere,” encouraged Michael Krisa, known as That Interview Guy. “I want to dispel the myth that video is hard,” said Krisa. “If you can finger paint, you can edit video on the iPad. Just do that one video; it’ll change your business.” Surely my amateur videos won’t add much value to my marketing strategies, I thought. To

that Krisa says, “Think sloppy success versus imperfect inaction – just do it!” After nearly 35 years in the real estate business, Richard Silver “just did it” about a year ago when he decided to go paperless. “For starters, invest in a scanner,” said Silver. “Every document you create will be immediately accessible by everyone on your team. Sure, there may be a learning curve you’ll run into with your clients, or your lawyer and office staff, but it’ll pay off.” I don’t know a single person who wouldn’t want to improve their business if given the opportunity. With today’s tools and technologies, the opportunities for Realtors abound. All we have to do is get in front of our hurdles – ourselves – and we’ll be that much further ahead. Not one speaker suggested relying solely on technology to do the work for you. Communication,

building trust, getting to know your clients – these were the phrases of the day. In speaking about the importance of prospecting, Realtor Sally Cook “found that by doing [that] on a daily basis, we could build relationships with people, one sentence at a time.” Not even the savviest robot could do that. Emerge events have been held across Ontario, with an upcoming session on Dec. 10 in Kitchener-Waterloo. For more details on upcoming Emerge events, topics and speakers, or to register online, visit www.orea.com/emerge or send an email to emerge@orea.com. Ontario Real Estate Association president Phil Dorner has been active in the real estate profession for 32 years. He is a past president of the Windsor-Essex County Real Estate Board and has served on OREA’s board of directors since 2009. REM

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20 REM DECEMBER 2013

Can we call ourselves professionals? Part 2 Can ethics be taught?

By Lloyd R. Manning

rior to getting into real estate I worked for many years as a representative for an oil marketing company, calling on agents and dealers. Some of the agents were in dilapidated bulk oil plants in very small communities where they could never hope to make a living. I recall saying to management that we should not be recruiting people for these hopeless situations because they will eventually steal from us. Not because they were thieves – they weren’t – but because they will feed their families first and worry about the company second. We did it anyway and they did go broke and they did steal. The same holds true of so many real estate brokers. Hire as many bodies as possible. If the odd one makes it, good! For the others, too bad! As their pangs of hunger set in, scruples fall by the wayside. Ethics soon fly out the window. The ethical, competent and altruistic Realtors and our entire industry suffer by association. As brokers pre-qualify purchasers, so should they pre-qualify potential new hires. Although no system or method is infallible, there is more than adequate information available on the Internet and elsewhere about sensible hiring and better employee retention. Still, it is only when these odious hiring practices are eliminated that any measure of professionalism will be brought into our industry. Here’s a suggestion that I know in advance will not be accepted by many brokers. Guarantee each new recruit a basic salary of say $1,000 per month for the first three months. If the various organizations such as CREA made a start-up income guarantee mandatory, the criminal hiring practices of so many brokerages would end and the number of grossly incompetents would be substantially reduced.

A recent article in The Canadian Medical Association Journal asks, “Can professionalism be taught?” to which it answers, “Probably not.” The article says many things that provide advantages in life cannot be taught – competiveness, intelligence, curiosity, creativity, persistence. It wonders if medical professionalism can really be learned in a classroom. We would pose the same question to real estate educators, brokers and sales agents. Many of the consequential qualities of professionalism go far beyond practical know-how, listing, selling, leasing and all that goes with it. These are virtues that cannot be gleaned from books or attending lectures. No instructor can teach altruism. The individual must be a good person of high moral character to start with. It is given that the teaching of ethics starts in the cradle and advances with age. It is not a go from standing still to full running. The intention of the Code of Ethics, which is reproduced with minor changes in terminology by every real estate board and association in North America, is intended to ensure that Realtors are treating their clients and their colleagues with respect, fairness and honesty. The codes are enforceable and violation of any of them garners the harshest of consequences, so they say. However, the penalties, not only those levied by our own associations but by the courts of the land, are farce. The public is seldom advised about the misdeeds of the unethical. Realtors rarely, if ever, squeal on miscreants and because nothing happens, it’s just not worth the bother to report any violation. Those caught with their hands in the sugar bowl will do it again, but next time will be more careful not to get caught. Sometimes we forget that ours is a self-regulating industry that holds itself out to maintaining high standards and practices of conduct. We set our own standards and define the behaviour that constitutes our

professionalism. However, attending an ethics lecture, taking continuing education courses, keeping one’s licence current and paying dues does not make one a professional anything. What lawyers are doing: Student lawyers regard the mandatory ethics courses as the dogs of law school – hard to teach, disappointing to take and often presented to uninterested classes with vacant minds. One is quoted as saying, “Courses on professional responsibility are about as useful as a valentine is to a heart surgeon.” To make professional responsibility more prevalent and palatable, some law schools are introducing innovation in teaching. They have moved to modelling and bringing into the class real-life examples. For real estate schools, professionalism is being taught the oldfashioned way. The teacher talks and the student is supposed to listen and buoyed with this new knowledge, play by the rules. This is passive learning and it seldom works. It is a given that preaching to the masses can take one only so far. To reach higher levels of moral accountability, students must personally be engaged in the resolution of ethical dilemmas. Critics see the usual classroom teaching as too abstract, too narrow and too boring to provide much assistance. With all of this it is not too difficult to see why Realtors resent having to submit themselves to courses in professional ethics. What’s the bottom line? Most professional organizations are of the opinion that professionalism can in fact be taught. This is not in a classroom and not by role modeling alone, but both help. It should be mostly by observation and the example set by brokers and the industry as a whole following the guideline of the golden rule and the example set by their professional and ethical peers. However, the negative role models may be more potent than the positive ones. This creates the challenge to not follow the exam-

ple of the bad actors among us. Ethics will only win out when there is a transition by all Realtors to become active learners and recognize that the actions of all Realtors, both positive and negative, reflect on the public’s perception of all members of the real estate brokerage industry. It begins with the hiring practices of so many brokers, the “fill the desks with breathing bodies” syndrome. As the failures of the new recruits become more evident, professionalism does not play an important role. Where do we go from here? Where will we be in five years, 10, 20? What will it mean to be a “professional Realtor”? You tell me. I’m kinda’ retired. The failure of self regulation has contributed to many of the problems. Many brokers and agents are reluctant to identify incompetent or unethical colleagues. Such behaviour undermines the public’s confidence in the profession. Until Realtors start

trading greed for improved ethics, these problems will never be solved. We must recommit to traditional values. It will not be by having more classroom exercises or preaching the gospel of ethical behaviour, but by upholding the values of a profession and to again quote the medical doctors, “Do no harm”. This will be by not just giving lip service to professionalism but by placing the interests of our clients, and our colleagues front and centre. This involves having a genuine desire to serve others, an emphasis on values and purpose, a sense of responsibility for longterm consequences and knowledge of both the strengths and weaknesses of being regarded as a professional. Lloyd Manning, AACI, FRI, CCRA, PApp is a semi-retired commercial real estate and business appraiser and broker who now spends his time writing for professional journals and trade magazines. He resides in Lloydminster, Alta. Email lloydREM mann@shaw.ca

The elements of professionalism are: • Integrity as illustrated through ethical and professionally responsible practice and conduct, competence and expertise • Pride in your chosen profession and the contribution it makes to society • Spirit and enthusiasm • Civility to clients, prospects, colleagues, associates and competitors • The provision of service for the public good through client relationships and responsibilities • Demonstrated leadership and reliability • Commercialism balanced with a livelihood and service • Substantial training and experience buoyed by continuing education

22 REM DECEMBER 2013 ■ ■ ■

he Southern Georgian Bay Real Estate Association, based in Midland, Ont. closed on Sept. 30 and its 126 members joined forces with the 355 members of the Georgian Triangle Association of Realtors based in Collingwood. The new organization is called the Southern Georgian Bay Association of Realtors (SGBAR). It is headed up by a board of nine directors: Wayne Cornfield (president), Vicki Bell, Stephen Jupp, Tiffany McGregor, Andres Paara, Stan Reljic, Joe Rzepecki, Linda Tucker and Kevin Woolham. The association has five support staff members, led by EO Sandy Raymer. The geographical area served by SGBAR includes the Towns of Midland and Penetanguishene and the surrounding communities of Elmvale, Port McNicoll, Victoria Harbour, Coldwater, Port Severn, Honey Harbour and Tiny, Tay, Springwater, Oro-Medonte, Severn and Georgian Bay Townships, Wasaga Beach, Collingwood, Clearview Township, The Blue Mountains, Municipality of Meaford and Grey Highlands.

The association says, “By combining the assets of both associations and pooling resources, tools and expertise, we will be better able to provide improved services and support, thus elevating the value of local Realtors to and throughout the Southern Georgian Bay communities in which they serve.” ■ ■ ■

The Yorkton & District Council of Realtors recently raised $12,500 for the Yorkton Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. The money was raised at the 2013 YDCR Charity Golf Classic. In its first five years of existence, the golf tournament has raised more than $40,000 for Habitat for Humanity.

The Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board (OMREB) and the Kelowna Fire Department declared November as “Smoke Alarm Awareness Month” – a follow-up to their initial campaign in March. The purpose of the campaign is to get homeowners thinking and talking about smoke alarms with the help of Realtors to ensure they have functioning alarms in their homes. The Fire Department has supplied copies of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs brochure, How to Stay Safe at Home, for distribution to Kelowna real estate offices to be included with listing documents and left with home sellers as a community service during March and November. OMREB and the Kelowna Fire Department also ran a full-page colour ad on the back cover of the Central Okanagan editions of OMREB’s MLS Review publication to remind homeowners to make sure all smoke alarms are working properly and have fresh batteries. REM

Flanked by committee members, volunteers and a Yorkton Habitat for Humanity family, Len Wassill, chairperson of the 2013 Yorkton & District Council of Realtors Charity Golf Classic Committee, presents $12,500 to Merv Catchuk and Tom Seeley of the Yorkton Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

BCREA rewards still offered

he British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) continues to offer a reward of $10,000 for anyone providing information that leads to the apprehension and conviction of a man responsible for a May attack on a Coquitlam Realtor. “Although these incidents are rare, Realtor safety remains an important area of concern for the real estate profession,” says BCREA CEO Robert Laing. “BCREA will continue to offer $10,000 for information until July 18, 2014, in support of the Realtor, her family and the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver.” In July, Coquitlam RCMP released a composite sketch of the man accused of the assault that took place at a Port Coquitlam open house in early May. Anyone with information relevant to the case is asked to contact Coquitlam RCMP at 604945-1550 and quote file number 2013-12208. To provide information anonymously, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477 (TIPS) or visit www.solvecrime.ca. BCREA also continues to post a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads directly to the apprehension and conviction of the perpetrator in the unsolved 2008 murder of Realtor Lindsay

Busiak. Contact the Saanich Police with any information relating to the case at 250-475-4356 or tips@saanichpolice.ca, or by contacting Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). The association reminds Realtors to take precautions to help ensure their safety in their day-to-day business. When meeting clients, especially for the first time, meet in your office or a public space, have more than one person at meetings and open houses and always have a cell phone at your side, says the association. Ensure that a colleague, friend or family member knows where you are at all times and when you will be back. Don’t publicize personal information and always trust your REM instincts.

The sketch of a man accused of assaulting the Realtor at an open house in May.

REM DECEMBER 2013 23

The secret to serving your customers better By Richard Robbins

eal estate transactions are stressful. They’re a big deal. They might not seem that way to you, but for your clients, the sale of their home and the purchase of a new home is a central occurrence in their lives often fraught with moments of anxiety and angst. Thankfully, they have you to guide them through the hurdles and alleviate their fears. Each time you work with a client you are doing far more than executing a transaction; you’re being given the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. I invite you to stop seeing yourself as someone who closes deals and to begin seeing yourself as someone who makes a difference. Stop thinking about making a sale

and start thinking about making the process of buying and selling better. One of the consequences of the stress that clients feel during the process is that they stop doing what’s best. They get focused on the wrong thing. They buy the wrong home. They sell at the wrong price. They pay too much. They ask too little. They ask for too much. They sell for too little. They forget what’s important, what fits and what they truly want and need. The secret to better serve, protect and support your clients, is to take time to get to know them. Understand their needs and what it is they want to accomplish. You can make the biggest difference in their lives if you understand exactly what’s important to them, what their weaknesses are and where their strengths lie. Part of your job, strangely enough, is to protect your clients from themselves. You can only do this if you know them well.

Real Estate Technology Interactive window technology debuts Recently Live Open House LLC, a New York City-based real estate tech start-up, partnered with Keller Williams Referred Urban Realty in downtown Toronto to

The Live Open House touch screen debuted recently in Toronto.

launch the LOH Vision Realty Touch Screen. The interactive window technology transforms any real estate storefront into a 24-hour kiosk. Pedestrians are able to view videos, photos, floor plans and agent profiles, and connect on social media and much more. The real estate broker then tracks all of the client activity through customized analytic software. The LOH Vision technology is the first of its kind in Toronto, the company says. Reale Rose, COO of Live Open House and a Canadian, says, “Toronto has the most highrise buildings under construction in North America. The city is undeniably a leader in sustainable growth and penetrating this market is a

■ ■ ■

Build a reputation based on what you know, not simply on what you sell: As information shifts from scarcity to abundance, real estate professionals can no longer rely on being the gatekeeper. Most of the information buyers and sellers think they need is now just a few clicks away. It’s time to shift our focus from delivering information to delivering something new: insight. Insight is information with value added to it. That value might be your years of experience or it might be important details that only you have access to. It could be your ability to take something complex and make it more easily understood. Insight is information that they didn’t know, they didn’t know. Here are three strategies to help you shift your focus from information to insight. Add interpretation: Put the information in context for the consumer. What’s a sales-to-listmust for real estate tech start-ups like Live Open House.” An Intel-conducted study indicates that shoppers are 400 per cent more likely to view an interactive advertisement as opposed to a static sign. “We built the software for forward-thinking real estate brands who understand the value of hyperlocal branding and organic engagement,” says Vernon Jones, CEO of Live Open House. “Over 100,000 pedestrians stroll along downtown Toronto sidewalks daily. High-end brands spend top dollar to be in these areas. It just makes sense to provide them with a tool to interact with the community 24 hours a day.” For information: www.liveopenhouse.com

Networking site catalyst to women’s social health A free social networking site launched recently, SociableSisters.com hopes to foster more female connections through shared activities and interests, increase support net-

ing ratio? What does that mean to the price I put on my home? What’s happening with mortgage rates and what does that mean? What strategies do I need for a buyer’s market? How about a seller’s market? Think about what you can add to the information that will make it more useful to your clients. Bring scarce information: There’s still lots of information out there that’s hard to find, protected, not easily compiled or that requires relationships to access. This includes future development projects, economic development plans and prospects for a community, trends in school planning and school quality and upcoming changes in zoning, highways and infrastructure. What new, scarce, hidden or ‘insider’ information can you bring to the table? Add advice: Now more than ever, you’re going to have to tell clients what you think. You need to give your clients all the informaworks and improve women’s overall social health. It was launched by Maggi Olson. “I am an active Realtor in Collingwood, Ont. and have just spent the last several months working on my new social website for women,” she says. It is designed to assist women in transition (moving homes, changing jobs), in life changes (separated, divorced, widowed, empty nester, retired), in need (they find it difficult to reach out to make friends) or for the fun of it (meet new friends, enjoy new experiences). “I feel other Realtors may find it of value to put in their tool box of services and offer to all their female clients moving into an area.” “My idea was to create a site that would connect like-minded women without the barriers of judgement, finances or commitment,” says Olson. She says she knows about being the new girl on the block because she is a single parent, has had three marriages, has moved 18 times and has had 13 career changes. “It was those nurturing, fun and supportive friendships which

tion and insight possible to help them make an informed decision but when they ask your opinion, you need to put your expertise and reputation on the line. You’ve got the training, the experience and the market knowledge. Tell your clients what you’d do if it were your home. Over the coming decade, whoever has the strongest ability to create insight from information will be the dominant force in a market. They’ll make the best deals, get the most referrals and build the strongest personal brand. Master this key differentiator now. Richard Robbins is CEO/founder of Richard Robbins International (RRi), a Canadian-based organization providing world-class real estate conferences and one-on-one coaching. For information about upcoming conferences, booking Richard to speak or coaching programs, visit www.richardrobbins.com or call 1-800-298-9587. REM allowed me to heal and move forward through my struggles. This site is a gift to any other women who may be expeMaggi Olson riencing loneliness, change or transition.” Olsen says research suggests that in order to thrive in a modern society, it is vital to have a variety of connections. “We are gravitating to urban centres, living farther from family and have no time. All of a sudden one can look up and realize we are very much alone,” she says. “This site puts no pressure to form friendships beyond a leisurely activity, but offers every opportunity to build lifelong supportive relationships.” “We are interested to see the response and learn more about the needs women have,” said Olson. “The larger the membership, the more choices available for connecting and the more successful the site REM will be.”

24 REM DECEMBER 2013

AS I SEE IT FROM MY DESK

By Stan Albert

n open letter to the Minister of Industry responsible for the Competition Bureau and the Minister of Consumer Affairs: I am annoyed and perturbed that over many years your governments and the preceding ones have seemingly condoned a manner of price fixing. I’d like to know why, when I bought gas this weekend in Toronto at $1.23.4 /litre, and filled up in Bellevile, Ont., just two hours away from the GTA, I paid

It’s a gas! only $1.18.4 /litre at the same brand, Petrocan? As well, I took some photos of Canadian Tire and others that were offering gas at $1.16.4 /litre. Why is that? Do out-of-town gas stations pay less for gas to be delivered to them than their brothers in Toronto? Or for that matter in Edmonton or in Spruce Grove, Alta.? And here’s another thing that’s really bothering me. I’ve examined a chart compiled by Petrocan that lists the taxes charged by the feds and their provincial /territory partners. With all the taxes collected on each and every blessed litre of gas we pump into our cars every week, why do we not see our road structures improved or replaced? I don’t know about other big cities across Canada, but here in Toronto the road systems are crumbling and in need of major overhauls. When my wife and I visited Atlantic Canada several years back, we drove the breadth and length of Nova Scotia and Prince

Edward Island. Signs abound on Nova Scotia’s highways: “Putting Your Tax Dollars to Work.” Do any of you ever see signs like that in your province or territory? Can you tell that I’m angry and fed up? I’ve been driving all over Ontario and in recent years, mostly here in Toronto. What I see is a vast urban sprawl and the road systems are buckling under the increased burden of thousands of cars and trucks every day. When one of our previous provincial governments sold off the 407 toll road, I chuckled along with others in my group of friends – what a fiasco. I travel the toll road at least four to eight times a month and am glad for the convenience. Why not take some of those tax dollars and spread them around and give back to the public? Why did I address this letter to the above-noted ministries? Well, for starters, is there a conspiracy going on? Is the oil business not under scrutiny by these ministries?

How can the same gas from Alberta, being refined say in Hamilton, be sent to North Toronto and resold at a different price than in Belleville, Ont.? I say this to my fellow Realtors, call your MP and your MLA representatives, and get a petition up in your city, town or village and write and complain. We’re being gouged at the pumps. For an industry that depends on servicing the public, isn’t it time we rose up and spoke our minds about what I deem collusion and unfairness to the public who depends on our wheels to service our clients? I say to those individual governing bodies, go pick on the big guys for a change, not us hardworking agents who help to fuel the economy with all types of real estate sales. We’re tired as hell about being taxed to death each and every mile. Grrrr! Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking – Albert, this is the season to be jolly and giving. Well, I’m not being jolly, but I am giving all of you some food for thought as we approach 2014.

On that note, from my family to yours, I wish you all the best for whatever holiday you celebrate with family and friends. May the coming year bring you all you ever hoped for and more. And most of all, be of good cheer and be of good health. I want to thank my long-suffering editor Jim Adair for putting up with my usually late articles and with my spelling/grammar. Well, I am a septuagenarian, you know! 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 his 43rd year as an active real estate professional. REM

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Listing presentation tips

By Jerry Bresser

any agents lose listings they could have had because they do not make the distinction between a listing interview and a listing presentation. A listing interview is all the time you are with a listing prospect. A listing presentation is only that portion of time while you are explaining how the prospect will benefit by having you represent them in the sale of their home or property. A by-owner presentation tells why and how the odds are against by-owner success. A pricing presentation guides the seller to the right listing price. The more distinctions you make about the various functions during a listing interview, the more success you will have. Canned presentations have a bad rap: Truth be told, almost every salesperson who gets great results and earns great income has more of a canned presentation than they think. I once tape recorded one of the top salespeople in the United States. He adamantly insisted that “every prospect is different so you have to ad-lib”. Yet after taping his phone presentations for a week, I discovered that over 80 per cent of what he said was word-for-word in every presentation. What was different was the sequence. His “adlibbing” was really using the same exact language, the exact same questions or points, in a different sequence for different prospects. Watch a piano player for one week in an upscale bar or restaurant. Most good performers know upwards of 1,000 songs by heart and another 3,000 using cue cards or “fake books”, but in an evening performance they only play about 50. Each tune or song he plays is

canned. Think tool kit. A mechanic has 500 tools in the kit, yet needs only three for a certain job, 10 for another job and 15 for another. By having all 500 in the kit, he always can quickly find the right tool for the job. Great salespeople actually work the same way. Great salespeople have learned a great number of points to make, questions to ask, answers to questions and responses to objections or indecision. Each item is a tool. The more tools in the kit (memory part of the brain) the more solutions for different situations and challenges. Final point: memorizing exact words to make certain points or respond to certain objections gives you more flexibility. Memorizing all the points you need gives you maximum flexibility and will make you virtually unstoppable. Nice feeling, eh? Problem – solution: A great formula for structuring your presentations is to build on problem – solution. Experience shows that a prospect who does not understand the problem will not understand the solution. More specifically, a by-owner who does not understand the problems of selling privately will not understand the solution, which is to list with a qualified agent. A seller who does not understand the problems of overpricing will not understand the solution, which is to price exactly right in the first place. And a seller who does not understand the problems of discount commissions will not understand the profit of offering a full or even bonus commission. Make sure you explain the problems and your prospects will be more receptive to your solutions. Jerry Bresser has been training and coaching real estate agents how to sell homes faster and for more money for over 35 years. He recently published his second book, More Money In Your Pocket. www.jerrybresser.com or for information about the book, www.moremoneyinyourpocket.biz. REM

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26 REM DECEMBER 2013

Good Works A

t Empty Bowls 2013 in Oakville, Ont. recently, participants chose a unique, hand-crafted pottery bowl, used it to sample delicious soups from an array of local chefs and then took the bowl home as a keepsake. There was also a raffle of celebrity bowls autographed by actor Kevin Spacey and others. Sutton Group - Quantum Realty broker of record Tina Gardin and several Realtors donated their time and talent to create the bowls. They also helped to

spread the word about Home Suite Hope (HSH), a non-profit organization that specializes in housing for low-income, single-parent families. HSH provides long-term refuge (the average stay is nearly 24 months) so that parents can have the time necessary to stabilize their lives. Joanne Peters was the event co-chair with Tracy Kodama.

Posing with their pumpkins, from left: Said Warde, David Hill, Laura Davies, Charles Waterman and broker Ahmed Helmi. Sara Booth also took part in the contest.

■ ■ ■

Re/Max affiliates raised more than $23,500 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

Sutton Group – Quantum Realty broker of record Tina Gardin and sales reps Marilyn Duarte, Valerie Evans, Sandy Stout and Kim MacKay. Amanda Ross (not pictured) also participated.

The Big Bike team from Sutton Group – Organizers, volunteers and guests of the third annual Kids Heritage in Oshawa, Ont. Are Super Gala donned costumes and participated in activities to benefit their local shelter, Nelson House in Ottawa.

Century 21 B.J. Roth Realty Ltd of Barrie, Ont. won the top Century 21 Canada award for fundraising efforts for Easter Seals. The brokerage ranked No. 1 for Canada and No. 4 internationally. Above, from left, Century 21 B.J. Roth manager Bob Gayler, Bonnie Sample, Broker B.J. Roth, Century 21 Canada president Don Lawby and motivational speaker Marco Pasqua at the recent award presentation. Sales reps from Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services mug for the camera at the company’s annual charity Halloween Chili Bowl fundraising event. From left: Steve Wilkins, Rich Scott, Tracey Flanigan and Paul Busnello. Maple Ridge Community Management in Mississauga recently hosted a golf tournament to raise funds for the Salvation Army. It raised $14,000. Celebrating the donation with a giant cheque are Brampton Salvation Army community and family services supervisor Gordon Randell, Maple Ridge Community Management president and CEO Michael Le Page and Brampton Salvation Army commanding officer Major Gordon Armstrong.

REM DECEMBER 2013 27

(CBCF) at the Re/Max 28th Canadian Conference recently. Affiliates bid on a variety of silent auction items and purchased raffle tickets for a chance to win a trip for two to Maui. The winner was Ray Smiley, a sales associate with Re/Max Metro-City Realty of Ottawa. Launched in Western Canada in June 2011, the Re/Max Sold on a Cure program is the latest initiative in the Re/Max of Western Canada Community Care Program. Agents who sign up for the program pledge to donate a portion of their income for every home sold, with all proceeds going to the CBCF. ■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Network Realty Corp.’s second annual golf tournament raised $36,000 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, benefiting the Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter. The company has offices in Red Dear, Sylvan Lake and Stettler, Alta. Tournament organizers include chair Marlo Ruttan and committee members Shelly Peters, Dena Arnold, Carol Donavan, Norm Jensen, Dale Swartz and Wendi Loupelle. ■ ■ ■

Eight sales reps from Royal LePage Performance Realty in Ottawa are on a roll with an annual fundraiser, now in its third year. The Kids Are Super Gala is a Halloween-themed fundraiser organized by agents Gloria Bae, Nick Fundytus, Beverly Reid, Maureen Yates, Nancy Galusha, Eric Manherz, Steve Langlois and Tammy Charette. Children and parents dress in their favourite costumes and participate in a variety of family-friendly activities. More than $5,300 was raised for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, 100 per cent of which will be directed to local shelter Nelson House. ■ ■ ■

Seven hundred vampires, cowboys, werewolves, Miley Cyrus characters and other frightful-looking guests helped make the recent Million Dollar Smiles (MDS) Halloween Party a howling success. Proceeds

from the sold-out event will be used to purchase playground equipment, iPads, teddy bears and other gifts for sick children. Partygoers also had the opportunity to make a more personal contribution by sponsoring a teddy bear. In mid-December, they will deliver the toys during the Holiday Bear Hug event coordinated by MDS founder Anna Lopes, Sutton Group Summit Realty sales rep Ahmet Ahmet and other volunteers. ■ ■ ■

The team at Sutton Group Heritage Realty in Oshawa put their hearts into Big Bike for the fourth year in a row, raising more than $5,500 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada by riding around downtown Oshawa on a massive bicycle. Elaine Mayhew, who helped to organize her office’s entry along with assistant manager Nicole Menary, reports that Sutton Group – Heritage Realty was the only company in the region to raise enough money to equip local community centres with four automated external defibrillators to save lives in emergencies. ■ ■ ■

The Downtown Toronto branch at Royal LePage Real Estate Services invited Realtors to participate in a pumpkin carving contest. Participants got creative and produced carvings that represented Royal LePage. The pumpkin photos were posted to the company’s Facebook page and the pumpkin with the most “Likes” was by Said Warde for his depiction of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation logo. ■ ■ ■

The annual Charity Halloween Chili Bowl, now in its fourth year, serves as a major fall fundraising event for Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services in Burlington, Ont. The event was attended by 110 bowlers and supporters. Bowlers dressed in Halloween costumes and were generous in their support for Halton Women’s Place and Carpenter Hospice. During the past 10 years, the brokerage has raised more than $200,000 for these two local organizations. REM

28 REM DECEMBER 2013

A chat with the CREA president those with our strategic plan and staff accordingly. I think the Board of Directors and certainly the staff is very cognisant of how we spend the members’ money and making sure that they are focused, prioritized appropriately and that we are making best use of the money as possible. I think we have been very frugal and effective. We’re even more effective with some of the changes made under Laura’s presidency and some of the work that went on prior to Laura’s presidency. Leyser: One of the priorities is our full governance review. It wasn’t just our Quebec members that were questioning; it was other members coming forward. So we moved forward with the Board of Directors and are doing a full governance review. With the changes that have just occurred at the Special General Meeting, it allows us to change the structure, make the board leaner. It will be financially beneficial for our membership. REM: Did this come out of the Futures initiative? Leyser: Yes. That’s been going on for 6½ years now. When people ask, what’s the final outcome of the Futures – it has not only given us chance to look at the governance structure of our association but also to open up whole new lines of communication. We now communicate directly with all members. When we have our strategic planning sessions in January, we’re taking what we have coming from the Futures and weaving it into the governance. The majority of recommendations (from the Futures initiative) have already been implemented or put in place in an operational manner so they can move forward without full approval. Simonsen: One of the big changes is to ensure there is an

alignment and better connection and collaboration with the three levels of organized real estate. Each plan is not done in isolation but where they complement one another. We must make sure there isn’t duplication, or in fact very different messages being delivered to members. We’re now seeing that. Leyser: We have also seen some real estate board amalgamations, which has been very positive. Some of the boards who were having a difficult time functioning as a smaller board now have an opportunity to be part of a larger board. Simonsen: So we’re seeing more shared services. Instead of each board doing everything itself when sometimes it doesn’t have the resources, now it can make better use of members’ money and provide better service by taking advantage of scale and size. REM:: Another issue that often comes up has to do with the directors of boards and associations attending conferences and events. This fall some of them flew to the CREA meeting in Vancouver and two weeks later to the National Association of Realtors conference in San Francisco. Should directors be taking all these trips? Leyser: It’s a good question. I hear it all the time. As part of our governance review, we’re going to be looking at our representation budget. We feel that with technology, now you have the ability to sit in an office at home and watch a conference rather than attending it in person. We’ll be looking at that. REM: What’s the main message you would like to get out to Realtors? Simonsen: There is clearly a dearth of information for most members about what CREA is or does. We are trying to open up those lines of communication to make sure they are aware

Continued from page 3 of our services – so not only is there awareness but with that comes accountably, so they can hold us accountable for what we are doing. So that has been a critical point, to raise that level of awareness through direct communication. REM: At the TREB meeting we were surprised to hear that TREB now has more than 38,000 members. There has been a lot of talk on remonline recently about professionalism and training issues. Do we have too many Realtors? Is it too easy to become a Realtor? Leyser: My personal opinion – I would liken it to the medical profession. For a hospital to function you have everything from doctors to nurses to surgical staff to the people who take care of the patients afterwards and people who clean and the people in the kitchen. It takes everyone working together to make it what it is. It’s the same in our industry – whether you are full time or part time or come from a large board or a small board, we are one profession. I don’t feel that there are too many Realtors and I’m open to many different business models. It’s refreshing to work with so many people who are so diversified and come with such different backgrounds. REM: Whenever REM publishes a story about a Realtor who does something else outside of real estate, we get lots of complaints from readers, telling us not to feature part-timers. Leyser: It depends what you consider part time. There are Realtors out there who may only work 10 hours a week because they have other commitments or they have a family…but they can still be very productive and very knowledgeable and with today’s technology, we all have access to the information. I guess I just don’t see that as a problem when I’m out trading in real estate. Simonsen: This was one of

“I guess I don’t see (part-timers) as a problem when I’m out trading in real estate,” says Leyser.

the areas not done yet in the Futures project – the issue of professionalism and what are the core components of being a professional. The Ontario Real Estate Association has done some interesting work in that regard and we are looking at that, to identify what is the role of organized real estate at all levels in terms of enhancing the cultural perspective that real estate is indeed a profession. REM: Member apathy has often been an issue. At the TREB meeting, someone pointed out that of the 38,000 members, there were maybe 250 at the meeting. How do you get members out and to give a damn? Leyser: If you really want to get people out, there’s going to be a contentious issue on the agenda. If many of the members are not there, it means things are working well; they are out selling real estate. This year, however, we have had many requests from boards and associations for us to come and speak to them – more than we ever have. We have a full Board of Directors

and we delegated more this year and have attended far more functions. As president I can’t be in all places at all times so it is crucial to engage the directors and send them and have them give updates. It has proven to be very beneficial – now our membership is more engaged, they know what is going on and we are getting feedback. REM: It must take a lot away from your own business when you serve as president. Leyser: Being the president is a privilege. I don’t look at it that I’m here to make a lot of changes come to fruition or that I’m going to make the industry better – it’s made me better. It’s something that I can take back and share with my colleagues and my consumers. Often colleagues will ask, why do you do it? Don’t you want to be out there selling? I am out there selling but if it’s going to make me a better person at what I do then it’s going to let me give back. I’m here because I care about our profession and I’m looking forward to getting out there and sharing our message for the remainder of our term. REM

REM DECEMBER 2013 29

METES & BOUNDS

By Marty Douglas

erry Christmas! Or to my friends in Quebec, Merry Christmas! And to my politically correct friends, Merry Christmas! There, that should just about cover everyone. While I was in Europe in October, I noticed a number of real estate offices scattered around the several Mediterranean ports we toured. Not surprisingly, my brand, Re/Max, caught my eye because of its distinctive logo and red, white and blue sign pattern. The foreign alphabets of Italy, Greece and Turkey did not overshadow the recognition factor, but rather added to my interest. It made me think about brand and the importance of it in today’s marketplace. Annual competitions to be in the Top 500 brands, trade shows, franchise fairs, catalogues, books of lists – all are a part of the skirmish to rise to the top and be recognized. Real estate

Survey focuses Continued from page 8

services or recreational facilities, Lawby says. There’s also a concern that interest rates, which have remained low for a prolonged period, will rise, infringing upon their ability to renovate a home. The millennial generation is becoming clustered around work, often in cities, and fuelling the high-rise trend experienced as densification occurs. The big drivers in how individuals in more rural or remote areas are situating themselves are driven by climate change and geography, says Lawby. Individuals in these communities also want to be near social activities or centres. “They want access to curling or skating indoors (in areas where

The impact of branding boards used to honour achievement by membership in the Medallion Club or some other such designation until the pendulum swung away from recognizing the best to recognizing just about everyone. What was it about studying the successful that irritated the average? An early lesson for me came from an expert in counterfeit money. He was asked how many counterfeit bills he studied as a part of his routine. “None,” was the surprising answer. “The best way to catch a counterfeit bill is to study the real thing.” Brand helps us look our best. Tennis great Arthur Ashe said, “Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory.” Lee Trevino regularly attributed his success to “acting like he had the money in his pocket.” An old football saying from Joe Queenan: “When you get to the end zone, talk like you’ve been there before.” Grey Goose vodka is a topshelf brand, commanding a premium price nearly $20 a bottle more than Russian Standard. Mix you a martini from either and you’d be hard pressed to sort them out but – winters are longer).” The survey highlighted some regional differences in buyer preferences. In Atlantic Canada “they are looking for a good home in a good area. Many of the communities are smaller, so they are looking for good access to services and amenities,” Lawby says. In Ontario, homes with character features are the hot ticket. “There is some prestige in finding a character home in a nice area with trees and it feels like the kind of place that you would like to raise a family,” says Lawby. Quebec buyers place a high value on their social life and want to be involved in activities. “They want money left over after buying a home…and they want to be close to where they are working. They like the city,

given a choice to display in your liquor cabinet or receive as a gift, you likely prefer “a brand that lives up to its reputation and far beyond as rated by top consumers themselves” – a comment on Grey Goose in a 2006 consumer survey. We are all torn by two powerful images as I was told by a retail friend of mine: “One to buy cheap, the other to have the very best.” Those consumers who are devoted to the cheapest will always try to beat down the price of the very best. But their loyalty “fades as fast as Zellers aprons” in the words of Peter Newman as he at once recognized and damned a brand with faint praise. Jimmy Dean, the singer, also made sausages under his name. They were not cheap by comparison to other brands. He said, “I’d rather explain the price than apologize for the quality.” There’s nothing wrong with the cheaper brand. Timex made a watch that kept on ticking, but you weren’t expecting a Rolex. And if cheap is the only thing a brand has to offer, then as one of my old bosses used to say, “You’re on a fast track to nowhere.” But brand is not enough. In 2001, the New York Yankees defeated the Seattle Mariners in five games in the American but don’t live in high-rises but in older properties.” In the Prairies, says Lawby, there is a focus on wanting to be close to centres that can provide social or recreational activities. That is indicative of the harsh and long winters and home buyers want to be able to escape into a social atmosphere, rather than be isolated. Alberta buyers, though, want to be situated in an area that generates a sense of community and that is family oriented. They are more interested in singlefamily homes than condos. They are entertainers and want a property that allows them to entertain inside and outside. In B.C., Lawby says it’s about lifestyle. Buyers want to be close to recreational facilities, services REM and entertainment.

League NCS. Lou Piniella, asked about his team’s defeat at the hands of the pin-striped Yankees said, “Yeah you’ve got the monuments and lots of things to lean on but you’ve still got to play baseball when the umpire says ‘Play Ball!’ It’s not the uniform. You could put purple and green on that bunch over there and they are going to play well.” Actors, athletes and Realtors get paid for the preparation that leads to the results. Before every game Michael Jordan took a hundred practice shots. Actors don’t get Academy Awards for making up their lines as they go along, neither do Realtors get listings. Robert Parker wrote: “Performance is the real thing. The other stuff is getting ready.” At a live event in 2008, Brian Tracy said, “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly,” then quickly added, “At first. But you learn from your mistakes.” You are known by the company you keep. Companies are known by the people they keep. “You

only play music as well as those around you, you learn by ear, by osmosis,” said Carla Cross at an NAR conference in 1997. It behoves all of us to strive to be the best, to soar with eagles rather than be herded with turkeys, regardless of the brand under which we gather. Knowing why we are on the payroll is a key ingredient in the search for our success, our niche. Bringing value to the equation is a noble goal for which you will be well rewarded. Enjoy the season. 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

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30 REM DECEMBER 2013

Holidaying with Scrooge McDuck

Branch Manager Position We are looking for a dynamic individual to manage a Greater Toronto Area office. Key Responsibilities • Day to day management of office activities and an active sales force of 100+ agents • Supporting agents’ daily sales activities: providing general guidance, problem solving, answering technical questions in compliance with RECO Rules & Regulations and REBBA 2002 • Business development support and guidance for agents including online/ traditional marketing • Recruitment of salespeople – experienced and new • Management and continued development of the office’s online presence • Business planning, budgeting, expense control and reporting

By Dan St. Yves

ou work hard all year, or at least you try to make it appear that way for your broker/owner. You deserve to take some time off in the winter, maybe escape to some sun-soaked, exotic locale. Personally, I go through a curious bit of an iron-fisted ritual every time I’m on holiday. Whenever I take a vacation, I am possessed by the spirit of Scrooge McDuck. It’s not like I leave my home expecting to arrive back with exactly the same amount of money that I left with (hard as I might try to really make that happen), but every time I pull my wallet out on a holiday, I become painfully aware of just how much it has grown leaner, almost sickly since I last held it in my hands. I suppose there’s some logical amount of practical anxiety involved, as I often feel compelled to calculate if my wife and I have enough cash left to get us through the remaining 13 days of our vacation. I may also panic just a tad

Desired Skills & Experience This position requires an individual who is experienced in real estate sales and business management. Although this is a non-selling, dedicated management role, a personal background in real estate sales is required. A broker license would be an asset. If you have demonstrated strong business, marketing, recruiting and retention skills and experience in the position’s key responsibilities, we would like to meet you.

Please forward your resume to: Debra Harris Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage debraharris@royallepage.ca We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for interviews will be contacted. Visit www.rlpgta.ca to learn more about us.

Royal LePage Drummondville, Drummondville, Québec

Yanick Dionne

Nicole Boisvert

Muriel Mongeau

Royal LePage Drummondville has been acquired by a team of five real estate brokers, effective on Monday, October 28, 2013. Mr. Gaétan Cournoyer, former broker/owner of Royal LePage Drummondville, has made the decision to sell his company to enjoy a welldeserved retirement. The five brokers include: Yanick Dionne, who will serve as office manager; Nicole Boisvert, Muriel Mongeau, Jules Lavoie and Yves Parenteau. Collectively, the new owners have between 12 and 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, most recently working for Re/Max. Since their professionalism and values are aligned with those of Royal LePage brokers – teamwork, integrity and a desire to take on new challenges this will be a natural transition for them.

Jules Lavoie

Yves Parenteau

The new ownership team plans a future move to a new location and an expansion of their sales team to better serve their client base in the region. Mr. Yanick Dionne and the Royal LePage Drummondville team can be reached at: 1875, boul. Saint-Joseph Drummondville, Québec J2B 1R1 Tel: 819-474-3134 Fax: 819-474-3818 drummondville@royallepage.ca Please join us in welcoming the new owners and wishing everyone at Royal LePage Drummondville much 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.

over the sudden surprise of discovering that simply plunking a paper umbrella in a drink at a resort hotel makes it jump from about four bucks to the price of the average stainless steel microwave oven on The Price Is Right. I’m beginning to suspect that this habit drives my spouse nuts. She doesn’t have to say anything – I can pretty much feel her disgust as I calculate the 15 per cent gratuity for the pool boy’s cavalier delivery of a greasy tube of Coppertone. In all fairness, he could clearly use the money to buy a shirt. Throughout the holiday, and simply as a courtesy to advise her of how we are faring, I will intermittently count up our remaining cash and travelers cheques, and remark on how long it’s been since we’ve split a romantic hot dog, or just spent the day in our room, snuggling and watching some primetime cable news show. After all, once you’ve seen one volcano, are the others really all that different? Unfazed, she will cheerfully remind me that “we can’t take it with us”, and comment on the museum she has noticed in the travel brochures, just a $75 cab ride away. I can feel my wallet wince in

my pocket. The one thing that doesn’t seem to bother me so much regarding holiday spending is my own goofy souvenir choices. I’ve brought back a Donald Duck piñata from Puerto Vallarta (surprisingly, without the DEA cutting it open), a seashell statuette from Hawaii, and a fake fibreglass fish from some other hotspot that wouldn’t be mistaken for a minnow by a near-sighted cat. Because these are all irreplaceable treasures, the cost was justified. I know that we go away on holidays with a budget in place, and that each day on a vacation we are entirely capable of spending $125 on a paper-thin beef dip sandwich, but it doesn’t feel any easier for me any time we do it. I can only hope that with time, and a few more irreplaceable treasures to bring back home with me, I can finally get over my empty-wallet syndrome. 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 REM danst.yves@hotmail.com.

Keller Williams launches rebranding campaign

eller Williams Realty is launching an international rebranding campaign featuring a redesigned logo and brand identity. The launch is timed to coincide with the brand’s 30th anniversary. Ellen Curtis, executive director of marketing and communications for Keller Williams, says the new logo is “purposefully simplified to complement our agents’ brands – not compete with them. “We also believe that it’s a look that will resonate with tomorrow’s home buyers and sellers and reinforce our agents’ position as forwardthinking, sophisticated and savvy.” The company will immediately begin rolling out the new branding across its platforms, prod-

ucts and tools, including its proprietary marketing system, eEdge, and its new mobile app. Keller Williams Realty, Inc. is the largest real estate franchise company in North America, and has about 700 offices and 91,000 associates around the world. REM

From

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32 REM DECEMBER 2013

What’s Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Gino Romanese

Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Surrey, BC

Effective November 18, 2013, Royal LePage Coronation Park and Royal LePage Coronation West Realty have become a corporately owned brokerage of Royal LePage, operating under the name Royal LePage West Real Estate Services. Former owners Chris and Kristy Kayat have been franchisees of Royal LePage since 1998, when they acquired the office in Surrey and named it Royal LePage Coronation Park. In 2001, they expanded into Coquitlam when they acquired Royal LePage Coronation West Realty. Chris and Kristy launched Dominion Lending Centres in 2007, and have made the decision to focus exclusively on that business. Kristy reflects fondly on her years spent with Royal LePage. She says “we have loved owning these offices and belonging to the Royal LePage family.” Gino Romanese, Senior Vice President of Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., is

New

excited about his brokerage’s expansion into BC. There are approximately 200 REALTORS®, three offices, and two mall kiosks in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Surrey. These five Lower Mainland locations will collectively operate as Royal LePage West Real Estate Services, a newly created operating division of Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd.

Rental guarantees arrive in Canada

Gino is pleased to welcome the entire Royal LePage West Real Estate Services team to the extended corporate brokerage family. He looks forward to working together on their shared goal of continued growth in this significant marketplace. Gino Romanese can be reached at: gromanese@royallepage.ca or 416-510-5809 Congratulations to Gino and the entire team at Royal LePage West Real Estate Services. †

†Royal LePage is a trademark used under license.

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Rental guarantees and landlord legal expense protection are a successful multi-billion-dollar industry in Europe and Australia. The majority of landlords in the United Kingdom have had rental guarantees and legal expense protection for more than 20 years. It is now being offered to Canadian landlords. Investment in residential rental property ownership has increased in Toronto by an estimated 20 per cent since the 2008 global economic meltdown, says Steven Solomon, president of Rentshield Protection (Canada). “The majority of residential property owners in Canada and United States are moms and dads over the age of 48 who want financial stability and are developing a retirement financial strategy they can manage themselves,” he says. “With every investment strategy there are inherent unknown risks. Moms and dads now having to take on the role of property manager may not be prepared for the risks even seasoned landlords need to manage frequently; tenants that won’t pay rent and refuse to vacate, serial trouble tenants that tie up landlords with appeals, complex collection laws that delay enforcement and a Landlords and Tenant Tribunal favouring tenants over rental property owners because the courts perceive landlords as big business owners with deep pockets.” Solomon says landlords had to attend more than 70,000 Landlord Tenant Tribunals in Toronto last year. A recent Calgary-based bad tenant story involved a man who declared his rental home was an embassy and

refused to pay a grandmother landlord the rent. She lost more than two years of unpaid rent and suffered the stress of believing she had lost her pension income and life savings. Membership in the Rentshield program, which starts at $299 per year, guarantees payment of unpaid rent and pays all legal and court costs to collect and evict a trouble tenant who is not paying their rent or won’t vacate. Landlords can sign up using a secure on-line system. For information: www.rentshield.ca

Investor program developed for real estate agents Tahani Aburaneh recently launched the Savvy Investor Agent Certification (SIAC) program for real estate agents. “SIAC is a certification training event created solely for Canadian real estate agents on how to increase their income and grow their business by adding the investor niche to their existing business,” says Aburaneh. “The training provides proven systems, strategies, tools and many real-life examples so that agents learn how to generate a constant flow of closing deals, differentiate themselves from other agents, eliminate the seasonality of the market and ultimately enjoy more freedom in their lives.” Aburaneh wrote a book called Real Estate Riches and spoke to investors at a number of conferences and events. She says the SIAC program was developed after she realized that “no training existed for agents on how to properly tap into this rapidly growing niche of Canadian real estate investors.” For information: www.savvyinvestoragent.com.

French-speaking brokers in Miami form association An alliance of three prominent French real estate brokers in the Miami area has launched the Fédération des Professionnels de L’Immobilier de Miami (FPIM), a non-profit organization that pairs French-speaking Realtors in South Florida with French-speaking buyers from around the world who are interested in purchasing real estate in the South Florida market.

Members of the new federation speak fluent French, are accredited by Florida’s Realtor Associations and adhere to a strict code of ethical conduct, says Marie-Charlotte Piro, founder and president of the new federation. Real estate agents who join FPIM must pass a screening and vetting process and not have any formal complaints lodged against them through the Florida Real Estate Commission. There are many reasons for South Florida’s appeal among French-speaking buyers and investors, says Dossa. South Florida – especially Miami – is perceived as one of the most European-like cities in the country, so it doesn’t take very long for buyers to feel at home here, he says. For information: www.FPIMiami.org.

Petition calls for lower mortgage default insurance rates Brian Bell, president of TownHouses.ca and a former mortgage default insurance executive, has launched an initiative to petition the federal government to lower Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s mortgage default insurance premiums by 15 per cent. “With the recent tightening of the mortgage guidelines, the Department of Finance has restricted the number of consumers who now qualify to purchase a home. These new guidelines imposed by the government will help to make CMHC more profitable today and in the future. TownHouses.ca believes that given CMHC’s strong profitability and very prosperous future outlook, the government should reduce mortgage default insurance premiums,” says the company. It says CMHC should also consider offering special interest groups such as first-time home buyers and those who purchase an energy-efficient home a premium reduction of up to 25 per cent. CMHC’s current energyefficient housing rebate program of 10 per cent and complex process for obtaining the refund has resulted in a very low participation rate in this program, the company says. The petition is at http://chn.ge/17rCg9k REM

Coming June 2014:

Our Special 25th Anniversary Issue 

Since 1989, REM has been providing Canadian real estate agents and brokers with news and feature stories they won’t find anywhere else. We are excited to announce that in June 2014, REM will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a special issue that recognizes the people and events that have shaped the real estate industry over the past 25 years, and look ahead to see what’s coming in the next quarter century. If you are interested in being a part of this special anniversary issue, contact us today at advertising@remonline.com or give us a call: 416-425-3504 ext 1. Please note that deadlines are fast approaching. We need to hear from you by May 8th, 2014 to be able to include you in this special issue. Contact us today!

34 REM DECEMBER 2013

THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE

By Heino Molls

MARKETPLACE

ll of my friends will both tell you that I do not care for going to lunch with potential customers or people who wish to sell me their services and products. I do my best not to go to business lunches or dinner meetings. I am uncomfortable asking someone for business over food. I find myself trapped in my seat under bright lights trying to make a good impression so we can make a business transaction. I have long admired sales professionals who are able to sit down with customers in a restaurant and charm them with jokes and clever conversation that steers them into business commitments. I wish I could do that but I can’t. I have tried to analyze my reluctance but time and again I come up blank on why I avoid it. I think I am shy but then I think I am not shy at all, at least not compared to most people I know. I have no problem approaching people I don’t know

Breaking bread and talking to them at trade shows or in their offices and asking for their business. I will approach anyone and tell them how much I believe in REM and how passionate I feel about what we are doing, our commitment to delivering readers, telling them why they should buy advertising and suggesting outright that we do business. I pride myself with shaking someone’s hand and saying, “Here is my contract.” But at a restaurant? At a table where we are having a meal together? I am uncomfortable doing that. I know there is a psychological reason for that – I mean there must be – but after all these years, I don’t think you’re going to be able to turn me around on this one. I write all this because it is a quirk I have about breaking bread. I actually love meal times. I especially look forward to holiday gatherings with family and friends this time of year. There is nothing I enjoy more than spending time over a meal with people that I know well and love. Some folks make such a fuss over observing the correct traditions and the “real meaning” of holiday meals that the genuineness of the gathering is lost in ridiculous observances. For some, things have to be stiff and quiet, which may

ruin the boisterous fun of shouting children as well as the laughter and the tears brought on by sweet memories. There are also some who can wreck a holiday meal gathering through excess. Loud laughter can be contagious and happy but sometimes it can also be cruel and mean, especially when fuelled by intoxicants. Sweet memories that bring a few tears should not become melancholic wails of anguish. The great danger of holiday meal time is always excess. I look forward to the Christmas meal with my friends and family every year. I am often saddened by those who tell me that they will not be observing Christmas because their religion does not allow it or they are not comfortable with the people in their ken or they don’t want to be with their own family. I think to myself, come on it’s just a meal, you don’t have to participate in grace and you can pass on the toast if you want and you don’t even have to say Merry Christmas. Just sit down and let’s be family for a few hours. It won’t kill you. It’s not like we’re going to do business. Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email heino@remonline.com. REM

Trade Shows and Conferences For complete listings, visit www.remonline.com To add a listing to this calendar, email jim@remonline.com Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals 2013 Mortgage Forum Nov. 24 - 26 Metro Toronto Convention Centre Toronto www.mortgageconference.ca Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound Trade Show Tuesday, Nov. 26 Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre Owen Sound, Ont. Marilyn Newbigging – Marilynn@ragbos.com

Secrets of the Masters Real Estate Conference 2013 Nov. 27 - 28 Paramount Convention Centre, Woodbridge, Ont. www.richardrobbins.com or 1-800-298-9587 Agents of Change – CREB forecast conference and trade show Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014 BMO Centre, Stampede Park, Calgary http://www.crebforecast.com Fraser Valley Real Estate Board Conference & Trade Show Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014 Coast Hotel & Convention Centre, Langley, B.C. www.fvreb.bc.ca

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

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