February 2017

Issue #332

February 2017

FINTRAC steps up examinations Page 3

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REM FEBRUARY 2017 3

FINTRAC steps up examinations Officials from FINTRAC say sales reps and brokers need to understand that every FINTRAC obligation – and every transaction – comes together to form a bigger picture. By Tony Palermo

I

n spring 2016, a spokesperson for the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC), Canada’s financial intelligence unit, told REM that significant deficiencies in how some real estate salespeople and brokerages in the Vancouver area were handling their obligations under Canada’s anti-money laundering laws prompted them to increase the number of examinations they perform in the real estate sector right across the country.

REM has learned that since spring 2016, FINTRAC stepped up its examinations of salespeople and brokerages by more than 33 per cent from coast-to-coast, and actually quadrupled them in British Columbia. The majority of those examinations occurred in the Greater Vancouver Area.

The increased scrutiny revealed even more of what the financial watchdog calls “significant” and “very significant” noncompliance across all areas of the sector’s obligations under Canada’s Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA), including with overall compliance regimes, policies and procedures (or lack thereof), training, recordkeeping and reporting.

“The three levels of non-compliance are limited, significant and very significant,” says Renée

Bercier, senior communications officer with FINTRAC, adding that the overall degree of noncompliance is measured based on the severity and number of deficiencies found during an examination.

Bercier says that significant non-compliance “may include the presence of an excessive number of minor deficiencies, the presence of some serious deficiencies, or a combination of factors that places the entity within the threshold for significant noncompliance.”

Very significant non-compliance can include an unacceptable number of minor and serious deficiencies; or deficiencies of a very serious nature.

Michael Boole, manager, Regional Support Unit with FINTRAC’s Compliance Sector, says criminals who want to launder funds generally look towards industries that aren’t taking their obligations as seriously as others.

He says money laundering is a huge problem, but it’s difficult to pinpoint how much money is laundered each year.

Still, Boole says it would be safe to estimate it is billions annually.

“And, when you have an industry that’s operating where even a minority, but a loud minority, are saying that money laundering isn’t occurring in their sec-

tor, it almost makes it worse for that sector,” he says.

Boole says sales reps and brokers need to understand that every FINTRAC obligation – and every transaction – comes together to form a bigger picture. Frontline salespeople and brokers, he adds, are absolutely key to fighting money laundering, which is why it’s really important they understand every aspect of the transaction and embrace the idea that one obligation isn’t necessarily more important than another.

“It’s important for Realtors, and all reporting entities for that matter, whether they’re major franchises or independents, to meet their obligations in all areas (in order) to fight money laundering because every area really is intertwined,” says Boole.

Under Section 7 of the PCMLTFA, salespeople must report suspicious transactions to FINTRAC when there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a transaction (or an attempted transaction) is related to the attempted commission of a money laundering or terrorist activity offence.

“The ‘reasonable grounds to suspect’ part, that’s key,” says Boole, adding that people are sometimes hesitant to report on others if they aren’t positive the individual is a criminal or that money laundering is definitely

“Sometimes, I’ll personally hear from the real estate sector that they don’t feel like they belong to the regime because all of the transactions go through the financial system and banks, but the banks don’t have the same face-to-face-dealings like the agent.”

occurring. But as he says, it comes down to suspicion.

“Sometimes reporting entities look for a higher threshold – they feel there is higher burden of proof where they have to prove their suspicions,” says Boole. “But that’s not the case. If you have reasonable grounds to suspect the individual is involved in criminal activity, at that point you’ve met your threshold to report it to FINTRAC.” Behind the scenes, tactical analysts take all of the Suspicious Transaction Reports from across the different sectors and reporting entities and combine them together to produce a disclosure for law enforcement. As Boole says, it’s like piecing together a complex puzzle. The more pieces you have to work with, the better the picture becomes.

“So, certainly, the message is, if your part of the puzzle is missing or deficient in some way, it can really have a domino effect on the rest of our disclosure products and the intelligence that’s going out to law enforcement,” he says.

Boudreault agrees. “The role of the real estate agent is really important in the regime because they’re the ones with the face-toface relationship with the client,” he says. “Sometimes, I’ll personally hear from the real estate sector that they don’t feel like they belong to the regime because all of the transactions go through the financial system and banks, but the banks don’t have the same face-to-face-dealings

like the agent. The agent (is the one who) can help raise those flags to FINTRAC.” It’s a message FINTRAC is trying hard to get across. So, in addition to increasing its examinations and enforcement within the real estate sector, FINTRAC also launched an education campaign, working closely with real estate associations and boards to educate all levels of the industry about its obligations under the act, and to better show how money laundering is occurring.

“What we’ve done since April 2016 is a lot of outreach,” says acting manager Alain Boudreault with FINTRAC’s Relationship Management Unit, Compliance Sector. “Something that had been brought up in the discussions last year with CREA and other Realtors was that they needed more specific information about how money was being laundered in real estate.”

This resulted in FINTRAC developing the recently released 12-page operation brief titled Indicators of Money Laundering in Financial Transactions Related to Real Estate (www.fintrac.gc.ca/publications/operation/r eal-eng.asp), which details 39 indicators that may indicate suspicious activity.

Last August, FINTRAC also released a risk-based approach workbook for the real estate sector (www.fintrac-canafe.gc.ca/publications/rba/rba-res-eng.pdf), Continued on page 4

4 REM FEBRUARY 2017

THE GUEST COLUMN

By Vito Campanale urrently most conditional offers are written such that if the condition is not met, the offer becomes null and void and the buyer’s deposit shall be returned to the buyer in full, without interest or deduction. But what happens when the seller, after they have been properly informed in writing by the buyer that a condition has not been met, refuses to release the deposit?

In Ontario if the buyer and seller don’t come to an agreement within two years, the deposit holder, usually the listing brokerage, must forward the deposit in question to the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) along with copies of the file, in the event the matter is resolved sometime after the two-year period. The seller, since they have been notified that the condition in the agreement has not been met, is therefore free to continue to market their property for sale. However, where does that leave the buyer? How often does the buying Realtor explain to the buyer when the offer is being prepared that in the event the condition is not met, the release of the deposit is not automatic and that the seller will actually have to agree to such a release?

If the seller refuses to release the deposit, the only recourse the buyer has is to sue the seller and the deposit holder in small claims court. In those situations, buyers are rightfully upset. Even if the buying Realtor has explained to the buyer that this possibility exists, it will still be upsetting when and if it actually occurs.

They will also be upset because they now have to incur the cost and the time of retrieving that deposit through the court system.

Many of them will have to spend even more money for legal advice.

Sadly, if the deposit is large enough, many buyers will not be in a position to purchase another property until they retrieve these funds.

In these situations, buyers also

C

When sellers refuse to release the deposit get upset at their Realtors and usually the listing brokerage. It’s a poor reflection on our industry.

My suggestion is to use a clause for conditional sales that protect your buyer from this unpleasant situation, such as this: “The Seller agrees in the event that the Buyer does not waive the conditions within the dates and times as set out in this agreement and its amendments, the Seller gives the Deposit Holder, the Brokerage or other Party holding the deposit an irrevocable direction to release the deposit to the Buyer without the necessity of a Mutual Release signed

by either Party.”

RECO’s basic position is that as long as it has been explained to both parties what this clause means, it has no problem with the clause. The use of the clause in conditional agreements provides several benefits. First, the deposit no longer becomes an issue between the buyer and seller and their respective salespeople.

Understand that if the deposit is released by the deposit holder to the buyer, this does not negate the seller’s right to sue the buyer for damages in the event the seller feels the buyer did not act in good

faith with respect to the conditions that were used in the agreement.

Secondly, the deposit can now actually be given back to the buyer as the conditional clause states in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale. The buyer will have his deposit and is free to purchase another property.

Thirdly, brokerages and their Realtors are no longer stuck in the middle of this dispute.

Brokerages should seek their own legal opinion if they plan on using this clause. It should be said that this is not a huge problem in our industry and more often than

Here’s RECO’s position

By Joseph Richer When an agreement of purchase and sale falls through, RECO’s position is that the deposit should be disbursed only if the parties have agreed in writing that the money be released, or by court order. This is reflected in our Registrar’s Bulletin on the topic. Registrant questions primarily revolve around how they establish the parties’ written agreement to the release of the deposit monies.

There are different ways to get written approval to release deposits. In fact, before writing his article, Mr. Campanale contacted RECO to confirm that his process would not violate the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 (REBBA 2002) and the Code of Ethics.

At the basic level, Mr. Campanale proposes including the following clause in an Agreement of Purchase and Sale, which must be understood and agreed to by the parties to the agreement: The Seller agrees in the event that the Buyer does not waive the conditions within the dates and times as set out in this agreement and its amendments, the Seller gives the Deposit Holder, the Brokerage or other Party holding the deposit an irrevocable direction to release the deposit to the Buyer without the necessity of a Mutual Release signed by either Party.

There is nothing in REBBA 2002 that would prohibit the use of this clause to satisfy the requirement of written direction.

That said, it’s important to emphasize that the buyer – and more importantly, the seller – must clearly understand what this clause means, and agree to it. In addition, both the buyer’s brokerage and the seller’s brokerage should acknowledge their agreement with the direction, by initialling it, for example.

RECO also strongly recommends that both parties get inde-

pendent legal advice before they proceed.

In general, RECO encourages buyers and sellers to make decisions only when they have all the information, which usually is when the deal has failed. Mr. Campanale’s clause commits sellers to releasing the deposit when the conditions are not met – before they know the specific circumstances that caused the deal to fall through.

As such, RECO continues to recommend the leading practice of only disbursing deposits by mutual agreement in writing or court order, after the deal has failed. However, provided that proper informed agreement is obtained, along with independent legal advice, using Mr. Campanale’s proposed clause would not violate REBBA 2002 or the Code of Ethics.

Before recommending the use of such contractual terms, you should always consider whether it is in your client’s best interests.

As a real estate professional, that’s your duty to your client.

Joseph Richer is registrar of the Real Estate Council of Ontario. REM

not all parties sign a mutual release and the buyer and seller are free to pursue their real estate needs.

However, I believe buying Realtors should protect their buying clients from unco-operative and/or obstinate sellers who have been properly served in writing to the fact that the condition(s) in the agreement have not been met, but refuse to release the deposit simply because they can.

Most large brokerages in Ontario send files to RECO every year with deposits for deals where sellers have refused to release the deposit. It’s time we do something about it.

Vito Campanale is a chartered professional accountant and has been a broker of record for 32 years at Century 21 First Canadian Corp. in London, Ont. REM

FINTRAC steps Continued from page 3

which Boudreault says will go a long way towards helping salespeople and brokers understand their obligations and help them design an effective regime.

“We’ve also conducted two webinars and we continue to meet with the industry,” says Boudreault. “We were told that Realtors needed more information about how the real estate sector is vulnerable to money laundering so we’ve been really getting that information out over the summer and fall.”

This year FINTRAC will revamp the wording of its guidelines to make them more understandable. Boudreault says this is also in response to feedback from smaller reporting entities saying that the guidelines, as they’re currently presented on the website, are too long and quite difficult to read. The new guidelines, he says, will be presented in a different format and will be better linked to FINTRAC’s enforcement strategy – something Boudreault anticipates will give real estate professionals a better idea of what FINTRAC expects and is looking for during an inspection. REM

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6 REM FEBRUARY 2017

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

C

arl Oake, who founded Century 21 United Realty in 1978 and grew it into one of the largest Century 21 brokerages in Canada with six offices, is turning the business over to his daughter, Vanessa Oake Hogan.

While Vanessa was studying commerce in university, she worked summers at her father’s company as a receptionist. She got her own real estate license in 1994, but moved to Toronto to start a

family and explore career opportunities. The love of her hometown and the industry brought Vanessa back and she recently spent three years selling real estate alongside her father.

The brokerage is known for its community service. Over 30 years, the annual Carl Oake Swimathon has raised more than $1 million for local children’s charities, including Easter Seals. In addition, the company is the main sponsor of the Peterborough Lakers Lacrosse team.

Carl says he is now happy to relax while his daughter carries on his legacy. He will continue to assist at the office over the next three years, while spending more time working on his golf game.

Kirady and Westmacott have been in real estate services in Winnipeg for over 10 years. They say they hope the new office will “appeal to a more youthful, energetic and professional real estate community.”

Kirady says the new office “will start from day one as a small family with one administrative staff, two brokers and four Realtors, with the vision and desire to grow it into a larger family while maintaining the fresh appeal that is key to its success.”

It’s located in the

Crescentwood/Osborne section of Winnipeg.

■ ■ ■

More than 450 people gathered in a banquet hall in Surrey, B.C. to celebrate the grand opening of Century 21 AAA Realty. The team of 30 salespeople is led by owner/president Kevin Khan and managing director Shabnam Narayan.

Khan brings more than 15 years of real estate and mortgage brokerage experience. He specialContinued on page 8

■ ■ ■

Sean Kirady and Heather Westmacott recently opened Re/Max One Group in Winnipeg.

“It’s the first of the ‘big three’ to open a new franchise since the ’80s, and it’s also the first that is jointly led by a woman,” says Kirady.

At the opening of Century 21 AAA Realty, from left: Brian Rushton, EVP, Century 21 Canada; Sukh Dhaliwal, MP for Surrey - Newton; Shabnam Narayan, the brokerage’s managing director; Faiyaz (Kevin) Khan, owner/president; and Randeep Sarai, MP for Surrey - Centre.

Ermidio Alves

Heather Westmacott

Cover photo: JENN SCHOFIELD / CATSMAC PHOTOGRAPHY

Max Hahne

Evan J. Wright

Publisher HEINO MOLLS heino@remonline.com

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Sean Kirady, centre, with his 204Homes.ca team members Jeff DeBrincat, left, and Ryan Jones. They have joined him at Re/Max One Group.

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Phone: 416.425.3504 www.remonline.com REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. For subscription information, email distribution@remonline.com. Entire contents copyright 2017 REM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The opinions expressed in REM are not necessarily those of the publisher.

REALTOR® and REALTORS® are trademarks controlled in Canada by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify licensed real estate practitioners who are members of CREA. MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned by CREA and identify the services rendered by members of CREA. REM complies fully with the CREA’s Trademark Policy (section 5.3.2.6.1).

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Carl Oake and Vanessa Oake Hogan

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8 REM FEBRUARY 2017

Multiple Listings Continued from page 6

izes in land development. Khan’s leadership style fosters a family-like atmosphere and encourages growth for all his agents, the company says.

Biweekly open-table conversations, agent mentorship, office committees and Mix-n-Mingle events allow salespeople to take leadership roles within the company, says Century 21.

Narayan has spent more than 15 years in the real estate industry with various companies including Keller Williams Black Diamond Realty and Coldwell Banker Universe Realty.

140 agents working out of two fullservice offices in Pickering and Oshawa.

O B I T U A R I E S

■ ■ ■

Donna Tilley

Century 21 BJ Roth Realty in Barrie, Ont. has expanded to Orillia with the purchase of Century 21 Don Campbell Realty.

The Orillia location and its current salespeople will continue under the support of the Century 21 BJ Roth Realty banner.

Continued on page 10

■ ■ ■

Maurice and Eleanor King, known as The King Team, have joined Royal Heritage Realty. The King Team has been a top producing team in Whitby and Brooklin, Ont. for more than a decade, says Royal Heritage Realty co-owner Paul Etherington.

The brokerage, formed two years ago, is owned and operated

by Etherington, Michelle Makos and Joe Pitino. It has more than

Donna Bernice Tilley (nee White), a co-owner of Royal LePage Generation Realty in Grand Falls - Windsor, Nfld., died on Jan. 7. She was 68.

A well-known member of the Grand Falls - Windsor business community, Donna served for many years in the financial services industry with ScotiaBank.

She entered the real estate field 20 years ago and was one of three broker/owners of Owen Grimes Realty (2000), which joined the Royal LePage Franchise Network in 2006 and became Royal LePage Generation Realty.

A note on the brokerage’s website says: “Donna will be deeply missed here not only by her co-workers but by a large circle of clientele. Donna was such an extraordinary person. This is truly a great loss to our company and to our community Donna Tilley as a whole. She will be profoundly missed by everyone whose lives she touched.

Nevertheless, we will remember such a hardworking, kind, generous lady who was a pleasure to work with.”

She leaves her husband of 48 years, Ed Tilley, her daughters Carla Roberts (Terry) and Amanda Hunt (John), grandsons Benjamin and Alex Roberts, granddaughter Ella Hunt and many other family members.

Donations can be made to the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, www.royallepage.ca/shelter or call 416-510-5750.

Joseph “Joe” Rzepecki

Brian Rushton , EVP of Century 21 Canada, with Virendra Srivastava, owner of Century 21 People’s Choice Realty.

Joe Rzepecki, a Realtor for more than 30 years, died on Dec. 10. While a member of the Southern Georgian Bay Real Estate Association (SGBREA), he sat on the Board of Directors many times, including six years as president.

“When SGBREA amalgamated with the former Georgian Triangle Association of Realtors (GTAR) in 2013, Joe once again stepped up and volunteered his time and expertise to the Board of Directors as well as multiple committees and task forces,” says a statement by the Southern Georgian Bay Association of Realtors. “He treated all his colleagues with kindness and respect and represented the membership exceptionally well.”

His volunteer efforts extended beyond real estate into the community includJoe Rzepecki ing working with FACE (Forum of Accountability in a Circle Experience) – a restorative criminal justice program dedicated to working with young offenders in the Midland/Penetanguishene area.

“Joe’s dedication and commitment to the real estate profession was remarkable and his fellow Realtors in Southern Georgian Bay are all grateful to have benefitted from his wisdom and knowledge during his many years of service. He will be sadly missed but remembered very fondly by many,” says the association.

“To quote one of our members upon hearing of his retirement in June, ‘Joe was one of the greats!’”

Peter King Minogue Attendees at the Century 21 Canadian Management Academy.

Eleanor and Maurice King

Peter Minogue, the founder of Coldwell Banker Peter Minogue Real Estate and the owner of Morland Appraisals in North Bay, Ont. died suddenly on Dec. 18 at the age of 72.

Throughout his career he played a leadership role in real estate and economic development in the region. He served as president of the North Bay Real Estate Board and on the board of the Ontario Real Estate Association.

From 1996 to 2003 Peter was the chair of the City of North Bay Economic Development Commission. In 2001 the CNIB honoured him as their celebrity roaster. Peter was the president of Callander Bay Developments and Osprey Links Golf Course.

Peter Minogue A multi-talented athlete, he was inducted into the North Bay Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. He was a member of the Garland Pepsis winning provincial basketball team. In curling he skipped a number of winning teams, nearly making it to the briar on more than one occasion. The Algonquin Trojans won the NDA Triple Crown in 1963-64 with Peter starring in both senior football and basketball teams. He quarterbacked local teams in the Canadian touch football finals twice.

Peter’s son Brad Minogue is the broker of record at Coldwell Banker Peter Minogue Real Estate. A celebration of Peter’s life will be held at Osprey Links club house on May 20. The family says donations in Peter’s memory to the North Bay Regional Health Centre will be gratefully acknowledged. REM

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10 REM FEBRUARY 2017

Multiple Listings Continued from page 8

The company previously had seven offices and nearly 250 sales reps serving the Barrie, Midland, Angus, Innisfil and Washago areas. Forty salespeople are now part of the Orillia team and the company expects that office to grow to 50 sales reps during the next 18 months. To support this rapid expansion, the company is looking to move into a new building in the area.

Brokerage owner Bernard (Bernie) Roth has been in real estate for 41 years, starting at the age of 18.

■ ■ ■

Engel & Völkers North America recently announced the opening of a shop in Muskoka, Ont. It is led by license partners Max Hahne and Tammy Abbotts, who also own Engel & Völkers Collingwood.

The new shop is at 102 Manitoba St. in Bracebridge. It is one of the largest four-season towns in Muskoka and central to all waterfront cottages in the area.

“Engel & Völkers Muskoka

will be among the first to provide premium level real estate services to the residents of Bracebridge,” says Hahne. “We expect to shine a greater spotlight on the area to a wider audience both within the region and around the world.”

Engel & Völkers Muskoka will provide services in Huntsville, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Port Carling and Georgian Bay, as well as Lake Of Bays, Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau and Lake Joseph.

■ ■ ■

A contemporary real estate office with state-of-the-art technology is now home to the growing team at Century 21 People’s Choice Realty in Brampton, Ont. The company first opened in 2004 with only four agents, but now has three offices and more than 500 Realtors serving Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton.

“To meet the increasing needs of our company and clients, we decided to move from Brampton East to the Brampton West Area,” says Sweta Persaud, manager of the brokerage. “We selected a larger sophisticated space so when agents bring clients into the office it speaks to the cutting-edge,

quality service that we deliver.”

■ ■ ■

ELFA Realty has become Coldwell Banker’s newest commercial affiliate. The Brampton, Ont. company is now Coldwell Banker Commercial ELFA Realty.

Founded in 1977, ELFA Realty built its reputation in real estate investment and property management, the company says. It specializes in commercial brokerage, including the marketing of apartment buildings and business franchises, as well as retail, office and industrial space.

President and broker of record Ermidio Alves has been in the commercial real estate and property management business for over 40 years. He was formerly affiliated with Prudential. The brokerage will include a property management division that will operate as Coldwell Banker Real Estate Management Leaders.

■ ■ ■

After substantial growth during the last five years, Century 21 Leading Edge Realty out grew its previous Stouffville, Ont. location and now has moved

to a new space downtown.

To accommodate the expansion, owners Paul Baron, Tasis Giannoukakis and Anthony Bungaro renovated an old bank on the south-east corner of Main and Market, transforming the 3,000square -foot main floor into a modern welcoming open concept space for clients, with common work areas for agents. They focused on keeping the heritage feel of the building, including high ceilings with wood beams, and by adding a large wooden harvest table to create the desired inclusive atmosphere.

The Stouffville location is one of nine Century 21 Leading Edge Realty offices. It will be managed

by Bungaro.

■ ■ ■

Paul Anand, broker/owner of Plex Realty Corp. in Toronto, recently announced that Evan J. Wright has joined the Plex sales team. “Evan is a seasoned entrepreneur with multiple past business successes who will help develop the Hamilton and Niagara region investment market,” says Anand.

Plex Realty Corp. is an independent brokerage with 15 years

of experience servicing the GTA duplex, triplex and multiplex markets.

■ ■ ■

Brokers and managers from Century 21 offices across the country gathered in Toronto in December to learn how to build and maintain productive, profitable real estate businesses at the annual Century 21 Canadian Management Academy (CMA).

The week-long, intensive program provides personalized guidance to help attendees build their market share.

The sessions are led by Chris Leader of Leader’s Edge Training, applying his over 30 years of real estate experience as a brokerage owner, manager and trainer.

Members of the Century 21 Canada leadership team also lead discussions on corporate direction, online marketing, public relations and social media strategy. This year, Chiyoko Kakino, vice president of marketing, Todd Shyiak, vice president of operations and Gary Zalepa, director of strategic growth and franchise development held sessions with attendees.

REM

CENTUR CEN T Y 21 1 PRUD RUDENT EN IAL ESTATES S (RM R D) LTD., RICHMOND D, BC

RECIPIENT

OF THE

C H A R LW WOOD

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

AWARD

I often get asked why I ha have v staye ed wi w th CENTURY 21 for 40 years, and d the h answerr is really quite simple: wo orld--cla ass supportt.”

- Bill Blackall, owner, CENTURY 21 Prudential Estates (RMD) LTD.

21 Prudential Estates (RMD) LTD. receives the Charlwood all, owner, CENTURY 2 lackall, Bill Blacka

Lifetime Achievement Award.

Real success shows.

We see it every day. Ask us why.

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The fact is that agents leave our industry in droves, not because they’re not great at working with clients, but because they simply can’t make the business work. They don’t have enough leads, they don’t find enough time to properly follow

up and thus convert their leads, they don’t know exactly why they win or lose a listing. Even though they work very hard, too much is left to chance. Trying to “do it all� without a clear understanding of what works and what doesn’t ultimately sows the seeds of failure for many agents.

A profitable and “real� business MUST be based on a solid system. In real estate, that means a system to automatically and inexpensively generate leads, a system to convert those leads, and a system to convert the buyers and sellers you meet with into paying clients. Every successful business in the world, from Macdonalds to Google, is based on proven and duplicatable “systems�, and the agents who achieve mega success in our industry (defined as both high earnings and high quality of life -- i.e. making boatloads of money without killing them-

selves to do it) have done so on the strength of solid, proven, eff ficient business systems.

As revealed in the profile of Ottawa agent, Marnie Bennett, below, and on multiple other agents you can read about at www.MoreMillionaireAgents.com, creating a highly profitable real estate business is certainly possible, regardless of whether you’re a brand new agent or have been in real estate for years, whether you’re a man or a woman, a solo agent or team, whether you live in the U.S. or Canada, and regardless of which franchise you’re with. Each of the agents profiled credits the same real estate system as being responsible for their success: The Ultimate Real Estate Success System pioneered by Canadian Real Estate Guru Craig Proctor.

Craig Proctor’s Real Estate System has created more Millionaire Agents than any other real estate system in the

world. Craig Proctor was a highly successful AGENT himself, right here in Canada, for more than 20 years. In fact, no agent in Canada has sold more homes than Proctor has, and by sharing the system he used to achieve his own success, he’s been able to help over 30,000 agents worldwide to transform their real estate jobs into highly lucrative real estate businesses that don’t come at the expense of high lifestyle costs.

This is the same system Proctor used himself in his own highly successful real estate career right here in Canada. As you may know, he was twice named the #1 RE/MAX Agent in the world and was in the top 10 for RE/MAX International for 15 years.

If you do not have a clear, detailed business system (key word, system) that you are using to move methodically to your goals‌a plan you could

show a banker or investor or new partner or key associate‌a plan you have reasoned, complete confidence in, then why wouldn’t you examine Proctor’s Ultimate Real Estate Success System - free?

For a limited time, you can have a “sneak peek� at what your real estate business could look like by attending Proctor’s upcoming Free Discovery Day, details of which you’ll find on this page. Yes, Craig Proctor will openly share with you how he became Canada’s top agent. Learn from a real doer, not a talker. Unlike most real estate trainers that have never successfully sold real estate and have zero practical experience doing what they teach you, Craig Proctor is a doer, not a pretender, fake or fraud. Craig will share “real Canadian real estate strategies� with you that actually work. No theory, ideas or motivational hype. At this 3 hour meeting Craig Proctor will spill the beans and share with you exactly what to do and what it takes to be a Super-Successful Real Estate agent in Canada.

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Marnie Bennett was the inaugural winner of the Craig Proctor Legend Award.

While already successful prior to implementing The Craig Proctor Real Estate Success System, Marnie had virtually zero in resale transactions and was seeking a system that would enable her to move beyond old-school traditional real estate and leverage her talent in a much bigger way.

Marnie did her research and found that the most successful agents in her marketplace were all Craig Proctor System users.

Since then, as a result of full-on implementation of the Craig Proctor System, Marnie has sold literally thousands of resale transactions to the point where she is consistently earning over $5 Million GCI annually.

12 REM FEBRUARY 2017

The power of one change

Brokers and sales reps share the one thing they are going to do different to ensure 2017 is an even better year than 2016. By Toby Welch

S

ometimes all it takes is one change to make a huge difference in your productivity and success. Brokers and sales reps share the one thing they are going to do different to ensure 2017 is an even better year than 2016: “I will continue to work hard with vendors in establishing accurate listing prices. I feel that one of the hardest things within our job is determining not just the best possible price but a price that can be obtained in the shortest amount of time.” – James Lopushinsky, sales associate with Coldwell Banker Redwood Realty in Whitehorse.

Rolf Hitzer

“The one thing I will be changing for my business in 2017 is to have more respect for the social media platforms.

I have done brand-building activities on various social media platforms, but not by design and without consistency.

In 2017, I will have disciplined strategies and also a systematic approach to help build my brand, where I can track and measure the results and hopefully see a return on investment with the

money and time spent.

marketing strategy in 2017. As with all areas of marketing, optimization is key as trends and consumer preferences are always changing.

“I don’t know if this strategy will work. What I do know is the traditional strategies aren’t working like they did once upon a time. And if I wish to grow my business I will need to adjust what I am currently doing to achieve my brand awareness in order to get that call/text/email opportunity.” – Rolf Hitzer, broker with Royal LePage Top Producers in Winnipeg.

“I will also be updating my sphere of contacts (e-mails, social media) in order to be more productive and streamlined.

“I will be outlining my business plan to optimize my goals that I want to achieve in 2017. I will read, read, read (absorb what is going on with the latest trends and technologies as well as what other brokers are doing.)

“Focus on goals, profit and growth.” – Melissa Wu, sales associate with Keller Williams Black Diamond Realty in Burnaby, B.C. “Our brokerage has experienced an increase in agents in the past few years, over double since 2013. With most of these agents has come a wealth of experience and knowledge of the real estate industry in our province that spans many decades. It is priceless.

“The experience and knowledge they possess, they spontaneously started to share throughout our office and not just with our ‘newer to the industry’ agents but with everyone, even the ones who have been in the industry for over 20-30 years and may need an infusion of motivation.

Seeing the positive results from these moments of sharing, we decided this will continue but will become a more structured in-office training for 2017.

“This training will include everything from complete listing/buyer presentations, understanding contracts, especially when they change, to understanding the language of real estate. We know the importance of how to effectively communicate with clients, prospective clients and the

Marg Bowlen

agent on the other side of the transaction to ensure quality closings... and sometimes we require some role-playing to get comfortable with that language and conversations.

“This training will be incorporated with an already open communication system between broker and agent as well. Growing so quickly, it would be easy to lose touch trying to keep up with daily brokerage responsibilities, and losing touch with my staff and agents. That is something we strive not ever to do.

“By increasing both of these areas and being aware of when complacency starts to settle in and then help motive us out of complacency, we cannot help but be more productive and more successful.” – Marg Bowlen, broker/owner of Century 21 Trident Realty in Dartmouth, N.S. “2016 for me was a very successful year in real estate.

However, real estate is always changing. So should the broker.

“More than ever, I would try to be more effective in my

Here are some other changes that sales reps and brokers told REM they plan to implement: * I am going to follow up on every home showing to get feedback. * Every client is going to be made to feel like their buying or selling transaction is the most important thing in my life. * I will work hard to make a sense of community with other agents that I work with.

“Spending time in late 2016 preparing for a busy 2017 will hopefully allow me to have a more successful and productive 2017 real estate year!” – Michael Witt, broker with Witt Realty in Montreal.

“I am going to take full advantage of the Coldwell Banker CB EXCHANGE marketing platform. I am marketing to my local market and across Canada for referrals.

More live streaming, boosting videos to Facebook, eCards and more. Always looking to exceed expectations to build my business.” – Della Fraser, owner and sales associate with Coldwell Banker Northern Bestsellers in Yellowknife.

“The addition of support staff and new technology will enable me to increase customer service in 2017. Two full-time assistants and an in-house drone operator/videographer allow me to focus my energy on building relationships while continuing to provide leading edge products and services to my buyers and sellers.” – Ted Cawkwell, agriculture specialist agent with Re/Max Saskatoon in Saskatoon.

Michael Witt

* Instead of bobbing along without a real destination in mind, I am going to make a plan. A concrete plan. * I’ve resisted it until now but 2017 is going to be the year that I embrace technology. I keep hearing it can help me in business and I haven’t given it a fair shot. * My negotiation skills aren’t as good as they could be. I am going to change that.

Before you get too far into 2017, ponder what one change you can make that will have the greatest impact on your real estate career. REM

14 REM FEBRUARY 2017

Deadlines matter in real estate agreements

By Mark Weisleder

T

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ime deadlines in real estate deals have never been more important than today. I experienced two deals just before the holidays that confirmed what happens or can happen when you miss a deadline.

In the first case, the buyers signed a deal with a builder several years ago and the home was ready to close. The home was worth over $200,000 more than what the buyers paid for it. As financing was left late, the buyers had concerns that they would not be ready to close in time and asked if I could request a short extension.

The builder’s lawyer replied that if I was not ready to close on the closing date and asked for even a one-day extension, the builder was going to cancel the deal, forfeit the deposits and re-sell the property for more money. I explained everything to my buyer clients and worked with them and their lender to make sure we had the funds in plenty of time for closing. I also made arrangements to wire the closing funds to the builder lawyer’s trust account, to avoid any situation of a courier with certified cheques being delayed on route.

The deal closed on time.

In the second transaction, the buyer had 24 hours after acceptance to come up with the deposit.

They only delivered part of the deposit, stating they needed an extra day because the funds were tied up. In the meantime, the seller received a higher offer from a second buyer and asked me if they could cancel the first agreement.

My answer was yes and that is what was done. The first buyer was devastated with the results.

Here are the lessons to be learned: 1. Time is of the essence.

Deadlines matter. Courts have held that time deadlines, whether for delivery of deposits or waiving conditions, matter. If they are missed, even by a few minutes, it could result in the cancellation of the deal. Deadlines can be changed by an amendment signed by the buyer and the seller or their lawyers. Remember to diarize all deadlines so you don’t miss anything.

2. Do not leave anything to the last minute. Even in an age of instant communication, emails are returned as unsent and faxes are returned as busy. If you cannot deliver the proper notice in person, make sure you send it and confirm it was received by the other side in advance of any deadline date.

3. Make sure deposit funds are available before you present any offer. Speak to your buyers to make sure they can obtain a bank draft for any deposit within 24 hours of any offer being accepted.

If your buyer says they will need more time, then just add in a clause that the deposit will be paid within 48-72 hours after acceptance.

4. Make sure all your financing conditions are satisfied well in advance. Just because a buyer is approved for a mortgage does not mean that funds will arrive in time on the closing date. Make sure the buyer is working with their lender or mortgage broker to make sure that all lender conditions, whether it is employment income, payment of credit cards or obtaining a gift letter, have all been satisfied well in advance of the closing date, to avoid any last minute delays.

Be properly prepared so you and your clients do not lose any deals this year because of time deadlines.

Mark Weisleder is a partner, author and speaker at the law firm Real Estate Lawyers.ca LLP. Contact him at mark@realestatelawyers.ca or toll free at 1-888-876-5529. REM

Stunning Growth from Engel & Völkers North America since 2014 383%

Increase in Number of Shops

398%

Increase in Number of Agents

285%

Increase in Sales Volume

42

New Markets Entered

236%

Increase in Gross Commission Income

50%

Increase in Average Sales Price

As a unique global real estate brand, Engel & Völkers has an unmatched international reach, world-class marketing and technology platforms, an unparalleled senior leadership team and consistent quality of support delivered to our advisors. We’ve been expanding rapidly throughout North America. And we’re not slowing down.

Learn more at www.evcanada.com.

Engel & Völkers Canada 2 Bloor Street West · Suite 700 · Toronto · ON N4W 3RI · Phone +1 416-323-1100 info@evcanada.com · evcanada.com

©2017 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. This advertisement is not an offering of a franchise, and where required by law, an offering can only be made 14 days after delivery of the applicable franchise disclosure document. All numbers, figures, statements, and presented information in this document reflect the total system growth and not individual shop performance or increases and are based on data collected by Engel & Völkers between January, 2014 and September 2016. No claims in this advertisement are intended as a promise or guarantee of profitability or any particular income level or particular licensee experience.

16 REM FEBRUARY 2017

Home inspector ordered to pay $18,645

By Martin Rumack

A

n Ontario case, Rimmer v.

Building Insights Inc., may give some comfort to potential buyers – but it probably keeps home inspectors awake at night. It features a home inspector who was ordered to pay almost $19,000 to a buyer who hired him, all because he reported on a significant defect verbally, rather than in writing.

Randy was thinking of buying a home for sale in Cambridge, Ont. He made the seller an offer that was conditional on obtaining a satisfactory home inspection. Randy then hired a home inspector, who was duly registered with the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors, to obtain an inspection report on the various systems and components in the home.

The inspection took about an hour to complete, with Randy accompanying the inspector as he toured the home. During this process, they carried on a conversation about the various concerns that the inspector could observe.

These included cracks in the brick masonry and concrete driveway in

one area and other seemingly minor problem areas. The inspector provided a written report, which Randy later admitted that he merely “skimmed”.

Apparently relying on that report, the next day Randy waived the home inspection condition in the Agreement of Purchase and Sale and proceeded to buy the house.

After the deal closed and Randy moved in, he noticed for the first time that the kitchen floor was not level. When he put a tennis ball in the centre of the kitchen, it rolled to the south.

After consulting with an engineer, he learned that the western foundation wall was sinking, and had been for some time. He lived with it for a while, but later obtained a second report from a structural engineer that confirmed the same results. He was advised that to keep it from sinking further, parts of the home needed either a reinforced foundation or the addition of secondary supports.

Randy sued virtually everyone who was involved in the deal (including the seller, the real estate salesperson and the home inspector), but he eventually consented to dismiss his lawsuit against all but one of them: the home inspector.

At trial the judge ruled that although the inspector had conducted the inspection in a professional, thorough and conscientious manner, he had still fallen short of

meeting the standard of care that was expected of him – that of an ordinary, reasonable and prudent home inspector in the same circumstances. This breach in his duty made him negligent, making him legally liable to Randy for damages.

While the inspector observed during the inspection that the kitchen floor had a noticeable

problem was sufficiently important to be worthy of bringing to Randy’s attention.

Secondly, the court concluded that while the inspector was aware of its significance and mentioned it verbally, it was unfortunately not communicated to Randy effectively – it was not “‘brought home” to him.

Especially in light of the specific

The inspector told the buyer verbally about the kitchen floor, but the court found this was simply not enough. downward slope, and although he mentioned it to Randy verbally, the court found this was simply not enough.

The sloping floor pointed to a foundation defect, and therefore amounted to a “‘significant deficiency for the proper functioning of the dwelling, for its safe and comfortable use as a residence, and for its value, the court ruled. This was true notwithstanding a lack of expert testimony to indicate that the sloping would certainly get worse in the future.

The court determined that the

wording of the home inspection agreement (which obliged the inspector to make a visual inspection only, but to report any “‘significant”’ items as well as “seriously deficient systems and components or those nearing the end of their useful life”), it was the inspector’s duty to include the observation in his written report.

This was the level of notice that was required under the Standards of Practice imposed on home inspectors by the professional association.

The fact that Randy merely

skimmed the report (such as it was) was immaterial since it did not affect the inspector’s own level of duty.

Finally, Randy had clearly relied on the home inspector’s assessment when making the decision on whether to purchase the home. The court was satisfied that had he been meaningfully alerted to the existence and extent of the sloping kitchen floor in advance, Randy would not have waived the home inspection condition in the agreement, at least not without an adjustment to the purchase price to reflect the cost to rectify the problem.

Since the inspector had fallen short on his obligations to Randy, he was liable for the specific damages that Randy incurred as a result of the shoddy inspection – the cost to shore up the foundation and relevel the kitchen floor. The court ordered the inspector to pay Randy $18,645 to cover those costs.

For the full decision, see http://canlii.ca/t/g0jc1 Toronto lawyer Martin Rumack’s practice areas include real estate law, corporate and commercial law, wills, estates, powers of attorney, family law and civil litigation.

He is co-author of Legal Responsibilities of Real Estate Agents, 4th Edition, available at the TREB bookstore. Visit Martin Rumack’s website at www.martinrumack.com. REM

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Chris Harper from AmeriSpec quite a few times with different clients of mine. His service and knowledge of what he does is impeccable! He never fails to deliver a great home inspection and always gives my clients the best peace of mind when it is all said and done. AmeriSpec is a forward-thinking business and, as such, will give you all the tools you need as an agent or as a homebuyer to set you up for home ownership! Keep up the great work and service!

Matthew Obal, Sales Representative, Royal LePage Wolle Realty, Brokerage DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT! READ MORE THAN 7,000 REVIEWS FROM REALTORS® AND CLIENTS AT AMERISPEC.CA.

2016 Royal LePage National Chairman’s Club

1. Mark Faris° Royal LePage First Contact Realty The Faris Team‡ Barrie, ON (705) 797-8485

2. Daryl King* Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡ Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

3. Loretta Phinney* Royal LePage Real Estate Services Loretta Phinney‡

12. Rina DiRisio*† Oakville, ON (800) 514-4094

13. Sue Mills Royal LePage Signature Realty‡ Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

14. Eugen Klein§ Royal LePage Sussex Vancouver, BC (604) 408-9311

4. Dan Cooper*†° Oakville, ON (800) 514-4094

Mississauga, ON (877) 822-6900

6. Cathy Rocca* Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services‡ Burlington, ON (800) 290-0163

7. Amir Hamzehali§ Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

8. Jason Soprovich§ Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

9. Marie-Yvonne Paint*∞ Royal LePage Heritage Real Estate Agency Westmount, QC (514) 934-1818

10. Matthew Regan† Royal LePage Real Estate Services Regan Real Estate Mississauga, ON (877) 822-6900

11. Simon Giannini ° Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

15. Leo L. Ronse*° Royal LePage Wolstencroft Realty Langley, BC (877) 611-5241

16. Shaheen Zareh Royal LePage Regina Realty Regina, SK (877) 359-1900

17. Brock Smeaton§ Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

18. Kirby Cox*• Royal LePage Benchmark Calgary, AB (800) 387-4011

19. Amir Ghaffari§ Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

20. Susan Forrest§ Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty Parksville, BC (800) 224-5838

21. Paul Nusca*† Toronto, ON (888) 336-1871

5. Cailey Heaps Estrin* Royal LePage Real Estate Services Heaps Estrin Team‡ Toronto, ON (416) 424-4910

Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

22. Tracey Bosch*§ Royal LePage Wolstencroft Realty Langley, BC (877) 611-5241

23. Michael O’Sullivan* Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services‡ Burlington, ON (800) 290-0163

24. Brent Roberts* Royal LePage Brent Roberts Realty Surrey, BC (888) 649-4299

25. Theodore Babiak*†° Toronto, ON (866) 335-1900

26. Jackie Jiang †° Mississauga, ON (888) 828-0422

27. Sheldon Froese Royal LePage Riverbend Realty Steinbach, MB (888) 411-9311

28. E. Martin Mazza Royal LePage State Realty‡ Stoney Creek, ON (877) 574-7441

29. Barbara Beers*° Royal LePage Burloak Barbara Beers‡ Burlington, ON (800) 290-0163

30. Amy Flowers° Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡ Milton, ON (800) 514-3316

31. Amy Assaad∞ Royal LePage Heritage Real Estate Agency Westmount, QC (514) 934-1818

32. Marc Lefrançois^ Royal LePage Tendance Real Estate Agency Mont-Royal, QC (514) 735-2281

33. Leigh Sugar° Royal LePage RCR Realty‡ Newmarket, ON (866) 773-9595

34. Joel O’Reilly§ Royal LePage Sussex Sechelt, BC (604) 885-3295

35. Kelly McKelvie* Royal LePage Benchmark Calgary, AB (800) 387-4011

36. Bill Schiavone †° Oakville, ON (905) 338-3737

37. Tom Pobojewski Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

38. Jila Rezai§ Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

39. Anthony Fata*° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

40. Sandy Smallbone† Oakville, ON (888) 645-4267

41. Karen Millar*° Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

42. Charles Sezlik Royal LePage Team Realty‡

Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

Ottawa, ON (613) 744-6697

43. Danny Gerbrandt§ Royal LePage Brookside Realty Maple Ridge, BC (888) 467-5131

44. Bob Clarke Royal LePage Lakes of Muskoka Realty‡ Port Carling, ON (800) 763-3398

45. John Jennings§ Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

46. Elli Davis*† Toronto, ON (800) 622-9536

47. Robert Raham † Oakville, ON (800) 514-4094

48. Rob Ohs§ Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty Qualicum Beach, BC (800) 224-5906

50. Andrea Morrison*† Toronto, ON (866) 335-1900

51. Peter Brown † Oakville, ON (800) 514-4094

53. Kate Vanderburgh*† Oakville, ON (800) 514-4094

54. Jean-François Bérubé*∞ Royal LePage Evolution Real Estate Agency Sherbrooke, QC (888) 820-8363

55. Steven Friendly Royal LePage Signature Realty‡ Mississauga, ON (866) 754-2121

56. Patrick Morris*° Royal LePage Performance Realty‡ Ottawa, ON (877) 757-7386

57. Blair Mackey † Oakville, ON (888) 645-4267

Mississauga, ON (866) 754-2121

49. Tom Hassan§ Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

royallepage.ca/joinus

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

52. Jeff Ham Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡ Mississauga, ON (866) 821-3200

2016 Royal LePage National Chairman’s Club 58. Mark Jontz* Royal LePage Kelowna Kelowna, BC (800) 421-3214

59. Clinton Miller§ Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty Parksville, BC (800) 224-5838

60. Drew McGinnis• Royal LePage Network Realty Corp.

Red Deer, AB (403) 346-8900

61. Karen Kenyon Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty Parksville, BC (800) 224-5838

62. Melissa Charlton° Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡

63. Chris Keleher° Royal LePage Locations North‡

64. David Weir*° Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty‡

Milton, ON (800) 514-3316

Collingwood, ON (877) 445-5520

Trenton, ON (800) 263-2177

82. John Hripko*• Royal LePage Benchmark Calgary, AB (800) 387-4011

83. Eugenio Sturino Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

84. John Gerber*° Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

Vaughan, ON (905) 832-6656

Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

85. Zuo Xing Ye∞ Royal LePage du Quartier H.Y., Real Estage Agency St-Laurent, QC (514) 419-9888

86. Patrick O’Donnell§ Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

87. Chris Pennycook* Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate Winnipeg, MB (877) 800-5066

106. Shawn Zigelstein Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

108. Carolyn Davis Stewart Royal LePage Atlantic Halifax, NS (902) 453-1700

109. Kerry Millican Royal LePage Team Realty‡

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

107. Katie Redekopp° Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate Centre‡ St. Catharines, ON (800) 771-4913

110. Jonathan Doucet∞ Royal LePage Vallées de L’Outaouais Real Estate Agency Gatineau, QC (819) 561-0223

111. Suzan Trottier* Royal LePage Atlantic Moncton, NB (888) 444-7572

130. Bashar Hadi° Royal LePage Realty Plus‡ Mississauga, ON (877) 828-6550

131. Cindy Gering§ Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

132. Christine Simpson*† Toronto, ON (888) 336-1871

133. Dave Grime Royal LePage RCR Realty‡ Orangeville, ON (800) 268-2455

134. Rob Kelly° Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡ Mississauga, ON (866) 821-3200

154. Rosemary Ferroni Royal LePage State Realty‡

155. Bill Parnaby Royal LePage RCR Realty‡

156. Joseph Brazeau* Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡

157. Susan Gucci° Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

158. Lilit Hakobayan Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

Stoney Creek, ON (877) 574-7441

Bolton, ON (800) 748-6789

Milton, ON (800) 514-3316

Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

Ottawa, ON (613) 729-9090

69. John McKenzie§ Royal LePage Sussex Sechelt, BC (888) 385-3295

70. Jared Chamberlain• Royal LePage Solutions Calgary, AB (403) 252-5900

71. Christine Hauschild* Royal LePage Team Realty‡

92. Aaron Nicklen§ Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty Qualicum Beach, BC (800) 224-5906

93. Michael Brierley° Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services Burlington. ON (800) 290-0163

94. Caroline Baile° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

95. Roman Grocholsky Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate Centre‡

Aurora, ON (905) 727-3154

Welland, ON (866) 771-7764

115. Jennifer Stewart° Royal LePage Team Realty‡

116. Brandon Wasser Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

Ottawa, ON (800) 307-1545

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

117. Gord Axford Royal LePage Sterling Realty Port Moody, BC (778) 355-0116

118. Libby Broady∞ Royal LePage Elite Real Estate Agency Beaconsfield, QC (514) 697-9181

119. Elaine Andrews Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

138. Jeremy McCarthy§ Royal LePage Brookside Realty Maple Ridge, BC (888) 467-5131

139. Kristina Tardif Royal LePage Locations North‡ Wasaga Beach, ON (705) 617-9969

140. Thul Miles Royal LePage Realty Centre‡ Mississauga, ON (800) 277-0205

141. Stephen Grant§ Royal LePage Advance Realty Campbell River, BC (888) 286-1932

142. Lesley Kennedy † Oakville, ON (888) 645-4267

143. Nevin Hollett Royal LePage Atlantic Homestead St. John’s, NL (709) 579-8106

144. Clayton Oldford° Royal LePage Team Realty‡ Winchester, ON (613) 774-4253

161. Silvana Bezina° Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡

161. Shawn Murray Royal LePage State Realty‡

162. Anthony Barone Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

Georgetown, ON (866) 865-8262

Ancaster, ON (877) 648-4451

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

163. Adil Dinani§ Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

164. Ralph Tedford§ Royal LePage Brookside Realty Maple Ridge, BC (888) 467-5131

165. Tammi Dimock§ Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty Sooke, BC (250) 642-6361

166. Ben Gauer*° Royal LePage Ben Gauer & Asssociates Surrey, BC (604) 581-3838

65. David Dunn Royal LePage Atlantic Halifax, NS (902) 453-1700

66. Lance E. Phillips§ Royal LePage Sussex North Vancouver, BC (604) 984-9711

67. Steve Thompson§ Royal LePage Locations West Realty Penticton, BC (800) 734-0457

88. Ravi Munday Royal LePage Global Force Realty Surrey, BC (855) 596-1800

89. Stuart Bell Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

90. Nutan Brown Royal LePage West Realty Group‡ Toronto, ON (800) 515-9783

91. Béatrice Baudinet^ Royal LePage Heritage Real Estate Agency Westmount, QC (514) 934-1818

112. Cass MacLeod Royal LePage Brookside Realty Maple Ridge, BC (888) 467-5131

113. Howard Goldman† Toronto, ON (416) 487-4311

114. Susan Froese McHardy†

135. Sébastien Parent^ Royal LePage Haut-Richelieu St-Jean-SurRichelieu, QC (450) 349-5883

136. Jeff Golding§ Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

137. Robert Porteous Royal LePage RCR Realty‡ Flesherton, ON (800) 370-2644

159. Renato Viele° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡ Vaughan, ON (905) 832-6656

159. Sheila Barry Royal LePage Realty Plus Oakville‡ Oakville, ON (905) 825-7777

160. Jim Doty Royal LePage Signature Realty‡ Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

Toronto, ON (800) 622-9536

68. Luigi Aiello Royal LePage Team Realty‡ Ottawa, ON (613) 723-5300

Ottawa, ON (888) 757-7155

72. Rob Marland* Royal LePage Performance Realty‡ Ottawa, ON (877) 757-7386

73. Joe Rea° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡ Vaughan, ON (905) 832-6656

74. Glen R. Bohnet Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

75. Michael Wilcox§ Royal LePage Sussex Vancouver, BC (604) 408-9311

76. Grace Lin Huang° Royal LePage Peaceland Realty‡

96. Manon Sénéchal^ Royal LePage Heritage Real Estate Agency Westmount, QC (514) 934-1818

97. Jay Burton Royal LePage Frank Real Estate‡

98. Lorraine O’Quinn Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty‡

99. Stan Bernardo° Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

100. Betty D’Oliveira Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡

101. James Roy Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

Lakefield, ON (877) 652-1598

Trenton, ON (800) 263-2177

Mississauga, ON (866) 754-2121

Georgetown, ON (866) 865-8262

Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

120. Joe Cartaginese° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

121. Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos Royal LePage Team Realty‡

122. Miles Zhang Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

123. Fernande Sirois*∞ Royal LePage Vallées de L’Outaouais Real Estate Agency Gatineau, QC (819) 561-0223

124. Jason Clermont Royal LePage Regina Realty Regina, SK (877) 359-1900

125. Mike Scrannage* Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty‡

145. Michael Heddle° Royal LePage State Realty‡ Stoney Creek, ON (877) 574-7441

146. Joan M. Smith*° Royal LePage Team Realty‡ Kanata, ON (888) 757-7155

147. Rina Trepanier Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate Centre‡ Fonthill, ON (888) 799-6400

148. Raymond Tsim*∞ Royal LePage Champlain Real Estate Agency Brossard, QC (450) 672-6450

167. JoAnne Gludish*† Toronto, ON (888) 336-1871

168. Rebecca Permack§ Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

169. Lyle Larson Royal LePage In the Comox Valley Courtenay, BC (800) 638-4226

170. Doug Haayer Royal LePage Locations West Realty Princeton, BC (800) 734-0457

Vaughan, ON (905) 832-6656

Nepean, ON (888) 780-7747

80. Wilma Fournier Royal LePage Realty Plus Oakville‡

Manotick, ON (800) 490-8130

79. Foad Deljou° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡ Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

102. Dario Mattei*° Royal LePage Porritt Real Estate‡ Toronto, ON (866) 753-7243

103. Kevin Lapp• Royal LePage Network Realty Corp.

Sylvan Lake, AB (403) 887-2286

104. Brian Lamb§ Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

105. Cheryl Bejcar*§ Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty Victoria, BC (800) 263-4753

126. Marc Bonenfant^ Royal LePage Inter-Québec Real Estate Agency Quebec (SainteFoy-Sillery), QC (418) 653-0488

127. Mourad Hanna Royal LePage Realty Plus‡

128. Steve Simon Royal LePage Locations North‡

Mississauga, ON (877) 828-6550

Thornbury, ON (519) 599-2136

129. Sylvia Smith• Royal LePage Solutions Calgary, AB (403) 252-5900

149. Linda Vadala Royal LePage Royal City Realty‡ Guelph, ON (800) 475-2251

150. Jamie Edwards§ Royal LePage In the Comox Valley Courtenay, BC (800) 638-4226

151. Mike Mullin Royal LePage RCR Realty‡ Orangeville, ON (800) 268-2455

152. Jean Dunn* Royal LePage By The Sea Sidney, BC (800) 326-8856

153. Eleanor Wrigley§ Royal LePage Wolstencroft Realty Langley, BC (877) 611-5241

171. Ross Hughes Royal LePage RCR Realty‡

172. Steven Green Royal LePage Partners Realty‡

173. George Niblock † Oakville, ON (888) 645-4267

Orangeville, ON (800) 268-2455

Toronto, ON (416) 229-4454

174. Jason Wheeldon§ Royal LePage East Kootenay Realty Cranbrook, BC (866) 426-8211

Maxime Tardif^ Designate Royal LePage Altitude Montreal, QC (514) 846-0909

77. Jackie Peifer*† Oakville, ON (888) 999-3084

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 707-0188

Kingston, ON (800) 247-6311

78. Jessica Wright Royal LePage Team Realty‡

81. George Grdic † Mississauga, ON (888) 828-0422

Oakville, ON (905) 825-7777

royallepage.ca/joinus †Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage. ‡Denotes firms are Real Estate Brokerages. *Denotes Lifetime National Chairman’s Club Members. ° Denotes Broker, all other members are considered licensed Sales Representatives and/or Realtors®. § Denotes PREC. ∞ Denotes Certified Real Estate Broker. ^ Denotes Real Estate Broker. • Denotes Associate. Designate: A sales professional who has joined Royal LePage after February 1 of the previous year. Royal LePage is a registered trade-mark used under license. This is not intended as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, including a solicitation of any sales representatives or broker that is currently under contract. All offices are independently owned and operated, except those marked as “Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage”, “Royal LePage West Real Estate Services” and “Royal LePage Sussex.” Any copying, reproduction, distribution or other use of these materials is prohibited. ©2017 Brookfield Real Estate Services Manager Limited. All rights reserved.

2016 Royal LePage National Chairman’s Club 58. Mark Jontz* Royal LePage Kelowna Kelowna, BC (800) 421-3214

59. Clinton Miller§ Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty Parksville, BC (800) 224-5838

60. Drew McGinnis• Royal LePage Network Realty Corp.

Red Deer, AB (403) 346-8900

61. Karen Kenyon Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty Parksville, BC (800) 224-5838

62. Melissa Charlton° Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡

63. Chris Keleher° Royal LePage Locations North‡

64. David Weir*° Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty‡

Milton, ON (800) 514-3316

Collingwood, ON (877) 445-5520

Trenton, ON (800) 263-2177

82. John Hripko*• Royal LePage Benchmark Calgary, AB (800) 387-4011

83. Eugenio Sturino Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

84. John Gerber*° Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

Vaughan, ON (905) 832-6656

Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

85. Zuo Xing Ye∞ Royal LePage du Quartier H.Y., Real Estage Agency St-Laurent, QC (514) 419-9888

86. Patrick O’Donnell§ Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

87. Chris Pennycook* Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate Winnipeg, MB (877) 800-5066

106. Shawn Zigelstein Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

108. Carolyn Davis Stewart Royal LePage Atlantic Halifax, NS (902) 453-1700

109. Kerry Millican Royal LePage Team Realty‡

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

107. Katie Redekopp° Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate Centre‡ St. Catharines, ON (800) 771-4913

110. Jonathan Doucet∞ Royal LePage Vallées de L’Outaouais Real Estate Agency Gatineau, QC (819) 561-0223

111. Suzan Trottier* Royal LePage Atlantic Moncton, NB (888) 444-7572

130. Bashar Hadi° Royal LePage Realty Plus‡ Mississauga, ON (877) 828-6550

131. Cindy Gering§ Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

132. Christine Simpson*† Toronto, ON (888) 336-1871

133. Dave Grime Royal LePage RCR Realty‡ Orangeville, ON (800) 268-2455

134. Rob Kelly° Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡ Mississauga, ON (866) 821-3200

154. Rosemary Ferroni Royal LePage State Realty‡

155. Bill Parnaby Royal LePage RCR Realty‡

156. Joseph Brazeau* Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡

157. Susan Gucci° Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

158. Lilit Hakobayan Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

Stoney Creek, ON (877) 574-7441

Bolton, ON (800) 748-6789

Milton, ON (800) 514-3316

Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

Ottawa, ON (613) 729-9090

69. John McKenzie§ Royal LePage Sussex Sechelt, BC (888) 385-3295

70. Jared Chamberlain• Royal LePage Solutions Calgary, AB (403) 252-5900

71. Christine Hauschild* Royal LePage Team Realty‡

92. Aaron Nicklen§ Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty Qualicum Beach, BC (800) 224-5906

93. Michael Brierley° Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services Burlington. ON (800) 290-0163

94. Caroline Baile° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

95. Roman Grocholsky Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate Centre‡

Aurora, ON (905) 727-3154

Welland, ON (866) 771-7764

115. Jennifer Stewart° Royal LePage Team Realty‡

116. Brandon Wasser Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

Ottawa, ON (800) 307-1545

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

117. Gord Axford Royal LePage Sterling Realty Port Moody, BC (778) 355-0116

118. Libby Broady∞ Royal LePage Elite Real Estate Agency Beaconsfield, QC (514) 697-9181

119. Elaine Andrews Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

138. Jeremy McCarthy§ Royal LePage Brookside Realty Maple Ridge, BC (888) 467-5131

139. Kristina Tardif Royal LePage Locations North‡ Wasaga Beach, ON (705) 617-9969

140. Thul Miles Royal LePage Realty Centre‡ Mississauga, ON (800) 277-0205

141. Stephen Grant§ Royal LePage Advance Realty Campbell River, BC (888) 286-1932

142. Lesley Kennedy † Oakville, ON (888) 645-4267

143. Nevin Hollett Royal LePage Atlantic Homestead St. John’s, NL (709) 579-8106

144. Clayton Oldford° Royal LePage Team Realty‡ Winchester, ON (613) 774-4253

161. Silvana Bezina° Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡

161. Shawn Murray Royal LePage State Realty‡

162. Anthony Barone Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

Georgetown, ON (866) 865-8262

Ancaster, ON (877) 648-4451

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

163. Adil Dinani§ Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

164. Ralph Tedford§ Royal LePage Brookside Realty Maple Ridge, BC (888) 467-5131

165. Tammi Dimock§ Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty Sooke, BC (250) 642-6361

166. Ben Gauer*° Royal LePage Ben Gauer & Asssociates Surrey, BC (604) 581-3838

65. David Dunn Royal LePage Atlantic Halifax, NS (902) 453-1700

66. Lance E. Phillips§ Royal LePage Sussex North Vancouver, BC (604) 984-9711

67. Steve Thompson§ Royal LePage Locations West Realty Penticton, BC (800) 734-0457

88. Ravi Munday Royal LePage Global Force Realty Surrey, BC (855) 596-1800

89. Stuart Bell Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

90. Nutan Brown Royal LePage West Realty Group‡ Toronto, ON (800) 515-9783

91. Béatrice Baudinet^ Royal LePage Heritage Real Estate Agency Westmount, QC (514) 934-1818

112. Cass MacLeod Royal LePage Brookside Realty Maple Ridge, BC (888) 467-5131

113. Howard Goldman† Toronto, ON (416) 487-4311

114. Susan Froese McHardy†

135. Sébastien Parent^ Royal LePage Haut-Richelieu St-Jean-SurRichelieu, QC (450) 349-5883

136. Jeff Golding§ Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

137. Robert Porteous Royal LePage RCR Realty‡ Flesherton, ON (800) 370-2644

159. Renato Viele° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡ Vaughan, ON (905) 832-6656

159. Sheila Barry Royal LePage Realty Plus Oakville‡ Oakville, ON (905) 825-7777

160. Jim Doty Royal LePage Signature Realty‡ Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

Toronto, ON (800) 622-9536

68. Luigi Aiello Royal LePage Team Realty‡ Ottawa, ON (613) 723-5300

Ottawa, ON (888) 757-7155

72. Rob Marland* Royal LePage Performance Realty‡ Ottawa, ON (877) 757-7386

73. Joe Rea° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡ Vaughan, ON (905) 832-6656

74. Glen R. Bohnet Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

75. Michael Wilcox§ Royal LePage Sussex Vancouver, BC (604) 408-9311

76. Grace Lin Huang° Royal LePage Peaceland Realty‡

96. Manon Sénéchal^ Royal LePage Heritage Real Estate Agency Westmount, QC (514) 934-1818

97. Jay Burton Royal LePage Frank Real Estate‡

98. Lorraine O’Quinn Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty‡

99. Stan Bernardo° Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

100. Betty D’Oliveira Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡

101. James Roy Royal LePage Signature Realty‡

Lakefield, ON (877) 652-1598

Trenton, ON (800) 263-2177

Mississauga, ON (866) 754-2121

Georgetown, ON (866) 865-8262

Toronto, ON (888) 954-4100

120. Joe Cartaginese° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡

121. Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos Royal LePage Team Realty‡

122. Miles Zhang Royal LePage Sussex West Vancouver, BC (604) 925-2911

123. Fernande Sirois*∞ Royal LePage Vallées de L’Outaouais Real Estate Agency Gatineau, QC (819) 561-0223

124. Jason Clermont Royal LePage Regina Realty Regina, SK (877) 359-1900

125. Mike Scrannage* Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty‡

145. Michael Heddle° Royal LePage State Realty‡ Stoney Creek, ON (877) 574-7441

146. Joan M. Smith*° Royal LePage Team Realty‡ Kanata, ON (888) 757-7155

147. Rina Trepanier Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate Centre‡ Fonthill, ON (888) 799-6400

148. Raymond Tsim*∞ Royal LePage Champlain Real Estate Agency Brossard, QC (450) 672-6450

167. JoAnne Gludish*† Toronto, ON (888) 336-1871

168. Rebecca Permack§ Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

169. Lyle Larson Royal LePage In the Comox Valley Courtenay, BC (800) 638-4226

170. Doug Haayer Royal LePage Locations West Realty Princeton, BC (800) 734-0457

Vaughan, ON (905) 832-6656

Nepean, ON (888) 780-7747

80. Wilma Fournier Royal LePage Realty Plus Oakville‡

Manotick, ON (800) 490-8130

79. Foad Deljou° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡ Richmond Hill, ON (905) 731-2000

102. Dario Mattei*° Royal LePage Porritt Real Estate‡ Toronto, ON (866) 753-7243

103. Kevin Lapp• Royal LePage Network Realty Corp.

Sylvan Lake, AB (403) 887-2286

104. Brian Lamb§ Royal LePage West Real Estate Services Coquitlam, BC (604) 939-6666

105. Cheryl Bejcar*§ Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty Victoria, BC (800) 263-4753

126. Marc Bonenfant^ Royal LePage Inter-Québec Real Estate Agency Quebec (SainteFoy-Sillery), QC (418) 653-0488

127. Mourad Hanna Royal LePage Realty Plus‡

128. Steve Simon Royal LePage Locations North‡

Mississauga, ON (877) 828-6550

Thornbury, ON (519) 599-2136

129. Sylvia Smith• Royal LePage Solutions Calgary, AB (403) 252-5900

149. Linda Vadala Royal LePage Royal City Realty‡ Guelph, ON (800) 475-2251

150. Jamie Edwards§ Royal LePage In the Comox Valley Courtenay, BC (800) 638-4226

151. Mike Mullin Royal LePage RCR Realty‡ Orangeville, ON (800) 268-2455

152. Jean Dunn* Royal LePage By The Sea Sidney, BC (800) 326-8856

153. Eleanor Wrigley§ Royal LePage Wolstencroft Realty Langley, BC (877) 611-5241

171. Ross Hughes Royal LePage RCR Realty‡

172. Steven Green Royal LePage Partners Realty‡

173. George Niblock † Oakville, ON (888) 645-4267

Orangeville, ON (800) 268-2455

Toronto, ON (416) 229-4454

174. Jason Wheeldon§ Royal LePage East Kootenay Realty Cranbrook, BC (866) 426-8211

Maxime Tardif^ Designate Royal LePage Altitude Montreal, QC (514) 846-0909

77. Jackie Peifer*† Oakville, ON (888) 999-3084

Richmond Hill, ON (905) 707-0188

Kingston, ON (800) 247-6311

78. Jessica Wright Royal LePage Team Realty‡

81. George Grdic † Mississauga, ON (888) 828-0422

Oakville, ON (905) 825-7777

royallepage.ca/joinus †Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage. ‡Denotes firms are Real Estate Brokerages. *Denotes Lifetime National Chairman’s Club Members. ° Denotes Broker, all other members are considered licensed Sales Representatives and/or Realtors®. § Denotes PREC. ∞ Denotes Certified Real Estate Broker. ^ Denotes Real Estate Broker. • Denotes Associate. Designate: A sales professional who has joined Royal LePage after February 1 of the previous year. Royal LePage is a registered trade-mark used under license. This is not intended as an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, including a solicitation of any sales representatives or broker that is currently under contract. All offices are independently owned and operated, except those marked as “Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage”, “Royal LePage West Real Estate Services” and “Royal LePage Sussex.” Any copying, reproduction, distribution or other use of these materials is prohibited. ©2017 Brookfield Real Estate Services Manager Limited. All rights reserved.

2016 Royal LePage National Chairman’s Club

Jennifer Greenberg†° Designate Toronto, ON (800) 622-9536

Dione Irwin• Designate Royal LePage Innovate Airdrie, AB (403) 483-9208

Leslie Battle*† Toronto, ON (888) 336-1871

Mary T. Cardamone*† Oakville, ON (888) 645-4267

Maureen Chan* Royal LePage Westside Vancouver, BC (604) 263-8800

Norm Cholak*• Royal LePage Noralta Edmonton, AB (780) 431-5600

Yves de Niverville* Royal LePage Performance Realty Ottawa, ON (888) 830-8757

Paul Delaney*° Royal LePage Your Community Realty‡ Toronto, ON (416) 938-0058

Jacques Doucet*∞ Royal LePage Vallées de L’Outaouais Real Estate Agency Gatineau, QC (819) 561-0223

Jacinthe Dubé*∞ Royal LePage Jacinthe Dube Real Estate Agency Sherbrooke, QC (819) 564-5000

Morley Forsyth*†° Toronto, ON (800) 622-9536

Evelyn Froese* Royal LePage Westside Vancouver, BC (604) 263-8800

Serge Gabriel* ^ Royal LePage Heritage Real Estate Agency Westmount, QC (514) 934-1818

Jeff Greenberg* Royal LePage Team Realty‡ Ottawa, ON (800) 307-1545

Margorie Grime*° Royal LePage RCR Realty‡ Orangeville, ON (800) 268-2455

Todd Guergis* Royal LePage First Contact Realty Barrie, ON (877) 728-4067

Suzanne Havard Grisé*∞ Royal LePage Privilege SHG Saint-Bruno, QC (450) 441-1576

Heather Heaps*† Toronto, ON (416) 424-4910

Robert Johnston* Royal LePage First Contact Realty‡ Barrie, ON (877) 728-4067

Doreen Kirkwood*^ Royal LePage Champlain D.K. INC., Real Estate Agency Brossard, QC (450) 672-6450

Philip LeMay*∞ Royal LePage Vallées de L’Outaouais Real Estate Agency Gatineau, QC (819) 684-2000

Paula Mitchell* Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty‡ Georgetown, ON (866) 865-8262

Glen MacAngus* Royal LePage Top Producers Real Estate Winnipeg, MB (866) 989-6900

Don McKay* Royal LePage Noralta Real Estate Sherwood Park, AB (888) 797-7653

Mary Montgomery* Royal LePage Realty Plus‡ Mississauga, ON (877) 828-6550

Tod Niblock* Royal LePage Top Producers Real Estate Winnipeg, MB (866) 989-6900

Yoki Nichol* Royal LePage Solutions Calgary, AB (403) 252-5900

Isaac Phillips* Royal LePage State Realty‡ Hamilton, ON (877) 574-4601

Barbara Polson*† Toronto, ON (888) 336-1871

Michael Regan*†° Royal LePage Real Estate Services Regan Real Estate Mississauga, ON (877) 822-6900

Karen P. Scott* Royal LePage Team Realty‡ Ottawa, ON (800) 307-1545

Frances Wedlake*† Oakville, ON (888) 645-4267

James Wright* Royal LePage Team Realty‡ Manotick, ON (800) 490-8130

It is with great personal pride that I present our 2016 National Chairman’s Club. In a firm built upon a promise of excellence from every one of our more than 17,000 Realtors®, these exceptional people stand out. They represent the top 1% of our storied firm’s real estate advisors. They excel by living up to the core values of Royal LePage and our brand promise — Helping you is what we do™. Congratulations to the best of the best!

Phil Soper President & CEO, Royal LePage

royallepage.ca/joinus

REM FEBRUARY 2017 21

Bee Commercial offers ICI site to boards

By Danny Kucharsky

A

new Canadian commercial real estate listing service aims to become the go-to site for commercial real estate in Canada.

Scheduled for an end of January launch, Bee Commercial is the brainchild of Montreal-based JLR, a reference for land registry data in Quebec that is similar to Ontario’s Teranet.

Founded in 1986, 50-employee JLR has more than 15,000 users, including real estate professionals, financial institutions, insurers and government agencies. It compiles and analyzes real estate transactions in Quebec, municipal assessment rolls, construction permits and census data. JLR also regularly publishes statistics on bad debt trends in Quebec.

Bee Commercial is being launched to meet industry demand, says JLR president and CEO Félix Laroche, who is the son of JLR founder Jacques Laroche.

“We saw that various real estate boards in Canada had a need

and that there was no Canadian product that provided this type of research.”

The commercial listing service will be offered to real estate boards across Canada.

Bee Commercial is a word play on the term “busy bee.” It will contain public access for investors looking to buy or lease commercial properties in Canada and a number of search filters. For brokers, the service will offer listing data input, advanced search with personalized fields, a micro-website for listings, the ability to create and print flyers and more.

“You can add photos, documents, information about the seller – all the information you can find on the MLS system,” Laroche says. “We did not reinvent the wheel with this.”

Real estate boards will also be able to integrate and personalize the search engine tools within their own sites. “There are features we’ll be able to make for one board that may not be useful to another,”

Laroche says, noting that each market is different. Allowing boards to personalize the product will be one of Bee Commercial’s strengths, he says.

In addition, there will be extensive interaction with social media and it will be possible to add commercial listings to sites outside Canada.

The price real estate boards pay to be part of Bee Commercial will vary depending on the number of commercial brokers in each board.

Laroche says the site will complement the industrial, commercial and investment listing service that CREA operates at Realtor.ca/commercial. “We don’t want to compete with CREA,” he says. “We want to specialize in commercial.”

Laroche says there is lots of interest in Bee Commercial and that the company is currently in discussions with seven or eight major real estate boards in Western Canada.

Interest should pick up when

the product launches, says Monick Bergeron, account manager – real estate professionals at JLR. Bee Commercial is aimed as a Canadian alternative to the U.S. service Catylist, which “doesn’t really exist in Canada,” Bergeron says.

“The commercial field is often ignored,” she says. “There aren’t an enormous number of commercial brokers across Canada and when new products are developed they’re often for residential (brokers) because there’s more volume and more money to be made.

Commercial is often cast aside.”

The company would also like to do things in the rest of Canada that it already does in Quebec, such as visiting, analyzing and compiling information for sites involved in commercial transactions.

In late 2016, the capital development fund Fonds de solidarité FTQ, private investment company ECLO Capital and private investment firm W3 Investments

announced an investment of $4.2 million in JLR. The investment will allow JLR to accelerate its growth in North America, Laroche says.

JLR has invested around $200,000 in Bee Commercial to date and the goal is to be profitable after the second year of operation.

Bee Commercial is initially being launched in English Canada.

Once the service picks up steam in English Canada, it will be launched in Quebec, where JLR already has a strong presence, Laroche says.

While the goal is to reach agreements with real estate boards, Bee Commercial may eventually open the door to membership by individual brokers if agreements have been made with their boards, he says.

Laroche says that Bee Commercial will not create valueadded products with the information that brokers supply and that the service will contain no advertising. REM

22 REM FEBRUARY 2017

Trudy Wilson’s swim of a lifetime

Last year the 46-year-old real estate broker and mother of five swam the entire 386-km Trent-Severn Waterway. The voyage was anything but smooth sailing. By Dennis McCloskey

T

rudy Wilson works and lives 10 km north of Peterborough, Ont. in Bridgenorth (pop. 2,200), which is situated on Chemong Lake, part of the cottage-country Kawartha Lakes District. When the Re/Max Eastern Realty broker decided to create a charity event to raise money for SickKids Hospital in memory of her late daughter, you just knew she’d take to the water.

And she did. But not in a boat.

Last year the 46-year-old mother of five swam the entire 386-km Trent-Severn Waterway, completing it via dozens of nineto 12-hour laps, from July to September.

Born and raised in the Toronto suburb of Agincourt, Wilson moved with her husband, Harvey, and their children to Bridgenorth in 2008 in search of a quieter lifestyle. Ten years previous, the couple’s daughter, Lauren Taylor Wilson, died two days after she was born due to birth injuries. The Wilsons’ remaining children range in age from four to 17.

Ever since her daughter’s death, Trudy Wilson had wanted to create a pledge in Lauren’s memory. By 2016, the 13-year real estate industry professional had decided to swim the TrentSevern Waterway and raise funds to support high-priority needs at SickKids Hospital in medical research, education and patient care through the Possibilities Fund.

Although she was a competitive swimmer in high school, Wilson was now a recreational swimmer who’d be facing the biggest challenge of her life. She had done some endurance training with a personal trainer and swam in a pool, but she admits she underestimated how challenging

the swim through the various rivers, lakes and canals would be.

“If I had planned the minutiae of the entire trip, I probably would not have started,” she says.

“And I could not have done it without the incredible support of my family and colleagues.”

The voyage was anything but smooth sailing.

After securing permission from Parks Canada, including a stipulation to canoe through the lift lock system, Wilson wanted to start her swim on June 20. Sadly, her mother, Betty, died on June 17. When asked if she thought of cancelling the project, Wilson said her mother would not want to be the cause of that. With encouragement from family members, Wilson began her swim at Port Severn on Georgian Bay on June 20, the day after her mother’s funeral.

However, the loss of her mother took a mental toll. On the first day of swimming against the current, and wearing an uncomfortable neoprene suit, she completed only four km as tears welled up in her goggles.

“I can’t do it,” she cried to her supporters, as she panicked and struggled to breathe. “I’ve made a big mistake.”

“Yes you can do it!” encouraged Elizabeth Stokes Weber, of Re/ Max Hallmark Realty in Port Carling, who was following in a kayak. “You will do it even if you have to doggy paddle all the way.” Wilson later credited Weber for being “a tough coach.”

When she realized she could not swim through the emotional grief and the physical pain (she hurt an ankle at the funeral) Wilson decided to take some time off “to heal.”

By July 19, Wilson was determined to start the swim and complete it. She credits a number

of people for giving her renewed confidence and determination to tackle it again. One was Bruce Johnson, a salesperson with Re/ Max of Wasaga Beach, who had travelled 9,400 km on a motorcycle across Canada with his daughter, Holly, in a 2016 initiative called Motorcycles for Miracles. Johnson and his wife, Mary, also lost a daughter, Alyssa, who lived only 20 days after birth. “Bruce was instrumental in my re-start,” Wilson says. “He breathed life into my plans for a miracle swim.”

The venture began in earnest once again and Wilson’s mantra became “Suck it up, buttercup.”

She had a lot to suck up.

Besides enduring cold water and high waves on some lakes and rivers, the intrepid swimmer fought other elements, such as water soldiers (spear-shaped, sawedged water plants that rise to the surface to flower), and large concentrations of algae bloom that can sometimes be toxic.

“I just made up my mind to swim through the slime,” says Wilson. Following her daily swim of seven to nine hours, in which she’d put 10 to 14 km behind her, she would emerge from the water with scrapes and bruises, often suffering even more cuts on her feet as she climbed the rocky shores over a sea of tiny zebra mussels. It’s as though she were invoking Winston Churchill’s sage advice, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”

Wilson, who is a member of a dozen associations and civic organizations, from Women’s Business Network of Peterborough to Children’s Miracle Network, stayed in a variety of places following her voyage through the TrentSevern navigational channels.

Sometimes she took a few days off to rest at a colleague’s home

Trudy Wilson (Photo by Jenn Schofield of CatsMac Photography)

or cottage or her own home in Bridgenorth and once in a hotel. She avoided swimming on weekends when the waterways were busiest.

Many business competitors helped out in many ways, from providing water taxis to serving as “water chaperones.” She describes Bill Wolff, her colleague at Re/ Max in Bridgenorth as “awesome and a great encourager” who often followed her in his big boat. She said Wolff took care of her existing clients, asking nothing in return. One day he was accompanying her in his boat and talking on his phone with one of Wilson’s clients as he discussed “a challenging deal,” and consulted with Wilson in the water.

Pat Mahoney of Re/Max Peterborough Eastern Realty,

who donated a kidney to a stranger last year, bought a kayak so he could “help out.”

On Sept. 18, Wilson climbed out of the waters of Lake Ontario at Trenton. “It was a perfect day,” she says. “About 80 supporters were there to greet me.”

She has raised about $33,000 for SickKids Hospital.

While Wilson is grateful for the support of many people who helped her create a legacy for her late daughter, she was also buoyed by inspiring people in all walks of life. Long after the swim, when Wilson realized she is far tougher than she thought, she “got chills” when she heard the words of Eleanor Roosevelt who said, “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” REM

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24 REM FEBRUARY 2017

Evicted tenant lives rent We can help free for 18 months with bad tenants

By Matt Maurer n what very well might be a record for living rent free, a recent case (Nwabue v Rojas, 2016 ONSC 7754 [CanLII]) illustrates how a tenant was able to freeload for over 18 months despite agreeing to an order requiring him to vacate the unit.

The tenant stopped paying rent as of April 1, 2015. The landlord took steps to evict and on June 25, 2015, the landlord agreed to waive all rent arrears and fees owing by the tenant up to June 30, 2015 in exchange for the tenant agreeing to an order ending his tenancy and evicting him for non-payment of rent as of July 31, 2015.

I

The tenant refused to move out despite agreeing to do so. He then asked the Landlord and Tenant Board to review the order.

The board declined to do so.

The tenant then filed for an appeal with the Divisional Court in September 2015. Despite repeated prodding by the landlord, the tenant failed to set his appeal down for a hearing.

In September 2016, the landlord booked a motion to quash the appeal. That motion was heard on Nov. 22. The tenant, who had not responded to any of the landlord’s correspondence for more than a year, did not show up at the motion. Nevertheless, instead of dismissing the appeal the motion judge ordered that the appeal be heard on Dec. 6.

On Nov. 23, the landlord served the motion judge’s endorsement and notice of the hearing date (Dec. 6).

On Dec. 5 the tenant finally sprang into action. The tenant sent a fax to the landlord’s counsel objecting to the Dec. 6 hearing date on the basis that it conflicted with a graduate program exam he

was taking at a university “almost a thousand km from Toronto” and also that he would have otherwise been unable to prepare for the appeal and travel to Toronto on such short notice.

The tenant did not attend on Dec. 6 and did not provide proof of his purported conflicting appointment, as directed by the court. The court proceeded in the tenant’s absence and dismissed the appeal for lack of merit; about 18 months after the tenant’s last rent payment was made.

The Sheriff was “directed to give vacant possession of the unit to the landlord immediately, or as soon as practicable.”

Matt Maurer is an accomplished trial and appellate lawyer with nearly a decade of experience advocating on behalf of his clients. He is a regular contributor to print and online media publications on issues pertaining to real estate disputes and issues affecting the practice of law and access to justice. He is with Minden Gross LLP in Toronto. www.mindengross.com/ourpeople/details/matt-maurer REM

Mortgage fraud on the rise, says Equifax new report from Equifax Canada says high-risk and suspected fraudulent mortgage activity is on the rise, citing a 52 per cent increase in suspected fraudulent mortgage applications since 2013.

A recent Equifax survey showed: • 13 per cent of Canadians indicated they felt it was okay to tell “a little white lie” when applying for a mortgage to get the house they want.

• 16 per cent said they believe mortgage fraud is a victimless crime.

• Eight per cent admitted to misrepresenting the facts on a credit or loan application.

“We’re certainly seeing more mortgage applications being flagged as suspicious by our reporting institutions,” says Tara Zecevic, vice president, customer insight at Equifax Canada. “While we cannot entirely attribute these

A

increases to consumers overstating personal income or falsifying applications, we do want to remind people that there are serious consequences for making false or inaccurate claims on any loan or mortgage applications. Not only will it stretch your finances, it is in breach of your contractual obligations with the lender, and simply put, it’s against the law.”

When asked about who they trust in the home-buying experience: • 44 per cent of Canadians trust real estate agents the least during the home-buying experience.

• About one-in-four also distrust homeowners (27 per cent) and home inspectors (26 per cent).

• 20 per cent distrust mortgage brokers, another 16 per cent don’t trust their bank and equally 16 per cent have little trust in their insurance agent.

• Only nine per cent said they

trust all professionals involved in the home-buying experience.

When asked about housing prices: • 84 per cent believe that the cost of home ownership is too high for first-home buyers today.

• Nearly three-in-10 Canadians cite “more demand than supply” (29 per cent) and “foreign buyers” (27 per cent) as the main factors driving up home prices.

• B.C. residents (compared to other provinces) were significantly more likely to cite foreign buyers as the top reason for home prices being driven up (75 per cent versus 42 per cent for all other provinces).

The survey was conducted online capturing a representative sample of 1,547 Canadians from across the country. A sample of this size would yield a margin of error of +/- 2.5% 19 times out of REM 20, says the company.

O P I N I O N

By Doug MacCallum

I

t would be a win, win, win if we could just clean out all the bad tenants for the landlords across our country. We all know bad tenants can bring down neighbouring property values.

You may be a landlord yourself and have clients who are landlords, or you may have wannabe landlords who have been frightened off because they heard too many bad stories about tenants. As a landlord and former tenant myself, I have come up with a new concept that should be explored by Realtors and our boards. It’s a good cause for our PAC groups across Canada to sink their teeth in.

The story in this issue of REM about the tenant who stiffed the landlord for 18 months of rents compelled me to write this. Time and time again we see that the judicial system and landlord tenancy acts are broken.

We need a bond (like a surety bond) in place by tenants. Where a tenant goes to a third party and pays an amount to get a triple AAA rating that he can take to a prospective landlord to show that they are in good standing. The tenant may pay a one-time fee to set up the initial bond and a small annual fee to the bond company to keep their records up to date.

The purpose of the bond is to keep track of tenants, good or bad.

To provide a fund where landlords can apply for any outstanding money due, over and above damages from bad tenants. It could replace or supplement the damage/security deposit needed up front by most landlords. Instead the tenant could pay in smaller

instalments, the last month’s rent.

So you get the drift of where I am going with this idea. A tenant must keep the property in the same state of repair that would be expected when the lease or term of rental runs out and if there are any issues the co-operating landlord will inform the bond company.

The landlord may seek compensation from a fund that would make repairs on behalf of the tenant. The tenant in the future would lose their triple AAA rating and would have to pay more to get another bond at a lower level, which would be disclosed to future landlords. There would be educational access for landlords and tenants about how to properly assess normal wear and tear and how to rate tenants and how tenants may rate their landlords.

Landlords could also be bonded and rated based on their contractual promises to tenants.

This would help tenants, landlords and politicians, along with Realtors, establish accountability in this small business venture that up to now has been exploited time and time again by bad apples. But to get a bond business like this up and going one would need the ears of the local, provincial and possibly federal level politicians. We need politicians to get on board to make the necessary legal changes to current acts about landlord tenancy.

If organized real estate could get the ball rolling on this through their PAC, it would help everyone in the end. It would be an incentive for landlords to keep their units in good shape. Help increase property values. Help minimize habitual legal issues by bad apples.

This is just an idea, a concept, something to bite into. I planted the seed, now you or some enterprising group can make it grow!

Doug MacCallum is an associate broker with Re/Max Mountain View in Calgary, where he sells city wide and rural acreages. He’s a 30-year member of CREB and served 25 years on Professional Standards. He was awarded the T.W. Saunders Realtor of the Year in 2010. Phone 403-969-3583. REM

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26 REM FEBRUARY 2017

Co-housing for seniors gains acceptance Shelley Raymond says the concept of shared home ownership is “on the cusp of becoming the next new exciting venture” in Canadian real estate. By Susan Doran

B

aby boomers definitely won’t be sticking to the script where seniors’ housing is concerned, says Shelley Raymond, broker of record with Solterra Realty and president of Solterra Co-Housing in Port Carling, Ont. It’s been widely reported that due to boomer numbers, a whopping increase in the senior population looms. Some estimates indicate that the number of seniors in Canada could almost double in 20 years. We are at the front edge of the baby boom bulge, which is bringing with it massive social impact, including a growing need for seniors’ housing.

Seniors are keen to take this opportunity to change the status quo and to ensure they remain independent as long as possible.

We’re beginning to see seniors’ housing being reinvented, with an increasing percentage of seniors giving the thumbs down to con-

ventional and costly options such as retirement residences, says Raymond.

One of the first proponents of co-housing in Ontario, she has implemented a model that allows a group of seniors to age in place in the comfort of a single residential dwelling, sharing ongoing household expenses and the cost of support services, while each owning an undivided interest in the whole property (not just their exclusive private area) that can be sold on the open market.

With a handful of new co-ownership projects in the works locally and across Ontario along with a couple of existing projects, Solterra Co-Housing has won awards for social innovation. The company can do “project development, conversion and new build,” Raymond says.

There is no government ownership or involvement.

Raymond is convinced it’s a

concept that’s about to erupt big time – so much so that she’s repeatedly turned down interview requests from national news networks, deciding instead to wait until she expands her business and “has the ability to handle the calls” she expects to result.

“I would be overloaded,” she says.

Her co-housing model has potential applications for various other groups besides seniors, including students, singles, cottagers, millennials and people with disabilities, Raymond says.

In her opinion, the concept of shared home ownership is “on the cusp of becoming the next new exciting venture” in Canadian real estate.

“I totally believe it’s the way of the future. I am passionate about this,” she says.

Raymond was drawn to the idea because it offered a solution to her elderly father’s predicament. It

The secret to success?

Two words.

By George E. Zanette ast year I interviewed a number of managers and salespeople, asking them for the most common reasons why real estate salespeople fail. I listed the top 10 reasons.

Item 2 was lack of good coaching and training. Many real estate salespeople fail to see that the greatest investment they can make is for their own training and coaching. There seems to be great

L

reluctance to pay for good training, and worse, a lack of engagement when their brokerage offers speakers and sessions about specific topics.

Item 3 was lack of consistent prospecting. This is probably the No. 1 difference between successful salespeople and unsuccessful salespeople. You don’t have to be the smartest, best looking or drive the nicest car. However it is essential to have a system that you work every day to add new prospects to your database. Many people ask me what’s the best system…it’s the one you use, Charlie Brown!

I want to make it simpler for our complicated minds with a few examples.

“What will make me a successful Realtor?” is the question I get asked most often. I can answer that in one word. I say, “Consistency.”

Then I see a frown on the face of

the questioner. It seems too simple.

But it is the one action that will pay off more than anything else.

Remember the movie City Slickers, when Curly holds up his finger and says to Billy Crystal, “You know what the secret to life is? This.” And Billy asks, “What, your finger?”

And Curly says, “One thing, just one thing, you stick to that and (I’m paraphrasing here) everything else takes care of itself.” Billy asks, “What’s the one thing?” And Curly says, “That’s what you gotta figure out!”

Well, for Realtors, I can say without a doubt it’s consistency.

No matter how you feel, what other complications in life you have, get up, dress up and show up, following the system you have chosen. It isn’t fancy and a speaker Continued on page 29

was an idea born out of necessity. “I was a desperate caregiver,” she says.

Her father had congestive heart failure, could no longer live alone and was burning through the reverse mortgage on his home.

Raymond was afraid he would outlive his nest egg. But he refused to move in with Raymond or go into a retirement residence.

Overwhelmed, Raymond “did a lot of research, went all over the world on the Internet” looking for answers.

She soon realized that shared home ownership, which is on the rise both abroad and in North America, could result in substantial savings and also address a host of social and emotional housing challenges for seniors, including isolation and loneliness.

There are many co-housing models. Raymond eventually came up with one that’s a variation of a traditional tenancy-in-common agreement, as she felt it would work well for her father. With that in mind she founded Solterra CoHousing in 2009, partnering with a local developer to retrofit an older home into a four-suite shared complex for seniors.

It worked.

“My father loved it,” Raymond says. “He felt he still had control over his life.”

He reaped the benefits of a built-in social network and the savings from sharing the costs of utilities, upkeep, taxes, home insurance and housekeeping/personal assistance (including laundry, shopping, cooking, and medication reminders).

Raymond is grateful that when her father’s time came, she was able “to say good-bye as a daughter, not a caregiver.”

In 2011 Raymond – who has been working in real estate since 2007 – started Solterra Realty, (“currently a one-woman show”) under the Solterra Co-Housing umbrella. Her niche market is coownership and she also handles regular transactions.

Getting things rolling in cohousing has “not been easy,” she says. “We started off with five years

Shelley Raymond

of legal battles.”

These included struggles around zoning, planning, legalities, ageism and building code regulations.

Those battles have been won, at least for now, Raymond says. But there is a lot of confusion in the marketplace about co-housing. It seems clear that the job of educating bureaucrats, lenders, consumers, lawyers and real estate practitioners has just begun.

“With Solterra Co-Housing, each co-owner is registered as tenant in common on the title/deed…

It is one home with multiple coowners,” Raymond says.

Owners have their own private accessible suite, with access to common areas such as living, dining and kitchen space. Together the owners control and share in decisions and costs, including those around housekeeping and care support services.

There is a screening process to match co-owners based on their “support needs and lifestyle choices,” says Raymond.

At all levels, the resident “does need a certain level of independence,” she says, although the goal is for residents to age in place for as long as possible.

As for demand for co-housing, demographics are on Raymond’s side, seeming to promise a built-in customer base sooner rather than later.

“It’s still very early in the process,” she says. “Look at how condos took off, and no one initially thought they would. Realtors can’t sell what they don’t understand. It’s a learning curve.” REM

THE POWER OF BLUE

OWNER PROFI LE NAME:

Colin Sarazen

OCCUPATION

Owner, Coldwell Ban ker Sarazen Realty OUR COMMUN ITY: Greater Ottawa Area, Ontari o WHY I DO WHA T I DO: Becau se after 40 years, it ’s still fun!

YEAR I ENTERE D REAL ESTATE : 1976 :

YEAR I BECAM

E A COLDWEL

L BANKER® FR

ANCHISE OWN

ER: 1994 To equip our skilled professionals with progressive brokerag e support and technol ogy, empowering them provide clients with to the ultimate buying an d se ll in g experience.

HOW WE PREP ARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERSH IP: My daug Sarazen just complet hter Leah ed the year-long Asc en d L ea dership Program, deve and delivered by Real loped ogy, the Coldwell Ban ke r br an d’ s pa rent company.

WHY I CHOSE THE COLDWEL L BANKER® SY STEM: For it s innovative tools an programs and access d to best-in-class bu siness solutions.

MY COMPANY’

S MISSION STAT

EMENT:

Ready for the Next Generation

My father Roger Sarazen and I founded Sarazen Realty in 1977. We joined the Coldwell Banker system in 1994, and this helped us to grow from 6 to 170 representatives by attracting productive salespeople and through mergers and acquisitions. Our growth as a Coldwell Banker affiliate reflects our ability to embrace change and innovation. Now, I’m working with my daughter, Leah Sarazen, the third generation of leadership, to continue to grow our company.

This year, we remain technology-focused with the launch of a new website and new platforms for lead generation. Moving into the future, we will continue to position ourselves for growth, fostering an environment of successful, engaged and dedicated specialists.

Colin Sarazen Coldwell Banker Sarazen Realty, Brokerage Ottawa, Ontario © 2016 Coldwell Banker LLC. All rights reserved. Each office is independently owned and operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker LLC. Each sales representative and broker is responsible for complying with any consumer disclosure laws or regulations, as well as applicable Real Estate Association rules and codes of conduct. The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA.

To discuss franchising opportunities, contact: Andy Puthon President Mark Lindsey Regional VP Franchise Sales John Alexander Director, Franchise Sales coldwellbanker.ca/franchising 800-268-9599

28 REM FEBRUARY 2017

An easy way to create your best 2017

By Dan LeFave

D

id you hit your sales and income targets for 2016?

Have you set goals or planned for your successes in 2017? Are you good at taking inventory of your successes and failures and converting them into a new focused plan moving into 2017?

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a myth that organizing and prioritizing involves spending a lot of time creating a laundry list of goals and a well-defined plan. I am going to dispel that myth for you in this article.

There are many things in our lives that we do that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t of significant value and there are things we do that are significant, yet we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do them consistently and

with priority. In fact, there are things that we should â&#x20AC;&#x153;procrastinate on purposeâ&#x20AC;? and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll share more about that below.

I have a model that I call Productivity Mountain that works for your personal as well as your business priorities.

The first section at the base of the mountain is no-value activities and the second section from the base includes low-value activities; these are low-income potential activities. The third section from the bottom includes highvalue activities or high-income potential activities and the peak or the pinnacle of the mountain is for high lifetime value activities.

Recently I climbed a small range called Blue Mountain, which is 1,476 feet tall, with my young son. When we started at the bottom it seemed very doable and straightforward. The first quarter was consistent as we marched up the mountain with little or no change to the incline.

As we started on the second half, the terrain started to turn

upwards a little more and the incline steepened. By now, sweat was pouring off my head and my legs were burning a little bit. At times, the slope was so steep that the ground was slippery under our feet. As we approached the top part, the mountain levelled off just a little bit and then got steep once again, right to the top.

I share this story with you so that you can grasp the different levels of a mountain and how your priorities and actions matter, because if this were Mount Everest, the stakes would have been a lot higher, the challenges a lot more significant and the risks tremendously higher.

When we go through a quick exercise below, see yourself on the various levels of the mountain and recognize that it takes being organized and prioritized to reach the pinnacle. The higher you go up the mountain, the more youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to be proactive and design your action and activities, like adding new rituals and habits.

On the lower sections of the

â&#x20AC;&#x153;PRODUCTIVITY MOUNTAINâ&#x20AC;?

đ&#x;?´

(ESCAPE VELOCITY)

" $ # " %%%& " $ & #!

productivity mountain, the lowvalue activities will be pulling at your attention and fighting you.

At the top of the mountain, you must seek out and take actions to create high-value results.

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s focus on the first section at the base of the mountain, which is the no-value activities part. These are actions like dropping off the dry cleaning, washing the car, organizing files and booking flights. They arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t significant in terms of the value you see in

& '

'

&

your life and your business, but they are essential to the operation of your business. But they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be done immediately, or by you.

Then there is the low-value section where, again, the activities may be essential but better done by someone else so that it frees up your time to do the highvalue and the high-lifetime-value activities that pay dividends over and over again.

The high-value activities are

REM FEBRUARY 2017 29

actions like marketing and selling one-on-one, where you see the results relatively soon when done consistently.

The last section is reserved for the high-lifetime-value activities and this is where you focus your attention on actions that provide you with long-term satisfaction and success. These are activities like setting goals, visualizing your highest and best goals being achieved, assessing your progress and fine-tuning your thoughts, feelings and actions to re-align with what matters to you most.

In Rory Vaden’s book Procrastinate on Purpose, he explains that there are things that aren’t significant yet we’re doing them daily and sometimes at a time when it’s not even a priority.

The better way is to procrastinate on things that can wait instead of getting them out of the way. Instead of doing them immediately, like a professional multi-tasker, put them in your calendar for a later date and time. What we’re doing here is putting the most significant actions at the peak of your mountain first and giving everything else a lesser priority, even though it would seem simple to do the low-priority task because it’s quick and easy.

All right, so let’s do a quick exercise and pause for five to 10 minutes to take note of no more than five items per section where you have no- and low-value activities that can be procrastinated, delegated or outsourced.

Do the same for your high-value and high-lifetime-value activities.

Do a brain dump of the things that you do in each section, from lowest to highest value that provide you with low-dollar results to high-dollar results. The things you call high-lifetime-value activities could be related to your health and fitness, money and success, relationships and family. These are the things that, at the end of the day, you will value the most in your life.

Act now and put your productivity mountain to work for 2017.

Dan LeFave is the “Prepare for anything” coach, author, speaker, habit-changer and the creator of the online program Waking Up Productive - 12 Strategic Ways to Multiply Your Productivity While Working Fewer Hours. He has been profiled on radio shows, in magazines, articles and podcasts, from Manhattan to Vancouver. He says, “The thoughts you habitually think have the tendency to actualize themselves in physical conditions.” www.danlefave.com REM

The secret to success?

Continued from page 26

I have heard often says success looks a lot like work. There is no easier, softer way, no magic bullet, just the daily work of doing the things that count with great consistency.

Most of us need accountability to achieve this. Otherwise we put off until tomorrow what we should do today and tomorrow takes to long to come!

This is where coaching, mentoring and training come in. It’s the best investment you can make, because it’s in yourself. It’s way too easy to get distracted and not focus, without help.

When asked for another way to be successful, I say the one word, “discipline.” I get that same blank stare. But as a wise monk once said to me about his life, the discipline is the freedom. Most real estate

salespeople get into the business for the opposite reason – the freedom, which usually means I don’t want a schedule, accountability or have to work when I don’t feel like it. The road to real estate sales success is littered with the shattered dreams of would-be salespeople because they fail to see these two words as the secret to success: consistency and discipline.

George E. Zanette is a trainer and manager at Royal LePage Your Community Realty in Toronto. He says he has a passion to lead, teach and inspire others to be their best in all areas of life. His goal is to help people new to the real estate profession have an easier and more successful transition than he did. Visit www.geozan.com or email him: george@geozan.com REM

30 REM FEBRUARY 2017

Good Works F

or more than 20 years, Ken Welte, a sales rep with Sutton Group - West Coast Realty, has volunteered as an instructor at the Air Cadet squadron in Nanaimo, B.C. and he frequently takes students flying for free in his Cessna 172 so that they can gain practical experience.

Welte is also active with the Duke of Edinburgh Awards program, which encourages 14- to 24-yearolds to develop their potential, explore the outdoors and improve their communities.

Duke of Edinburgh participants earn awards for volunteer work, physical fitness and adventurous journeys. Welte volunteered to

take the Nanaimo Air Cadets 205 Squadron on a hike in October to help qualify them for a Duke of Edinburgh silver award. The group traversed 30 km over three days on the rugged Elk River Trail in Strathcona Provincial Park. A highlight of the trip was ascending to the glacier that sits in the shadow of Colonel Foster Mountain.

At the camp, participants explored LEAD (leadership, experience, adventure, development) through team-building games, swimming, kayaking, archery and biking.

Looking back on a year of great experiences, another favourite was taking a toddler on a flight for his

third birthday. “His mom had emailed the Nanaimo Flying Club asking if he could see the planes close up. I couldn’t resist taking him and his mom up for a quick fight in my plane. I have completed hundreds of introductory flights through cadets and I always do the same flight – it’s long enough to feel like you went flying, but short enough to make sure no one gets air sick,” says Welte.

face painting and pony rides.

Participants are encouraged to donate toys that will be distributed to local children.

A highlight of the event was the presence of the local fire departments, which conducted a presentation on tree safety that included a live demonstration of how quickly a tree can ignite and burn if not watered and cared for appropriately.

■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty of Kitchener/Waterloo, Ont. celebrated its 10th annual Trees for Toys event recently, collecting more than 420 toys for the Waterloo Knights of Columbus New Toys for Needy Kids Toy Drive.

The festive customer appreciation event has raised approximately 4,000 toys. Realtors participating in Trees for Toys purchase trees, wreaths or poinsettias for their clients and invite them to come and pick up their gifts and enjoy refreshments, pictures with Santa,

This year marked the 23rd year that Royal LePage Wolle Realty in Kitchener, Ont. supported the Food Bank of Waterloo Region and Woolwich Community Services. More than 80 sales reps weighed in with contributions of 2,745 lb. of food and $24,165 in cash to help the food bank with its Christmas Drive.

During the past 23 years the brokerage has raised over $125,000 and 27,700 lb. of food.

That amounts to approximately 372,000 meals.

More than 1,200 of the brokerage’s customers, families and

Again this year, sales reps at Century 21 Infinity in Oshawa, Ont. stepped up to support Hearth Place, a local cancer support centre. The sales reps make a contribution from each completed transaction and at the brokerage’s 2016 Christmas Luncheon, $9,270 was donated to Shirley Whitters, a sales rep at the cause.

Sutton - Premier Realty in Surrey, B.C. shops for families who have registered with the Surrey Christmas Bureau.

At the Dinner for Friends event, Gail Power holds Filemon (a child in the refugee family). Also shown, from left: volunteers Cara, Stephanie, Jonathan, Karlee and Chad.

Re/Max Unique staff and sales reps took part in an annual toy drive co-ordinated by the brokerage’s Kelly Gouveia, above, to raise 201 donations for the CHUM Christmas Wish.

Ken Welte (leaning on the plane, right) and friends.

friends filled the eight theatres at Landmark Gateway Cinema to view the movie Trolls. The price of admission was at least one nonperishable food item per family member and cash donations were made by appeal to local businesses.

■ ■ ■

On Christmas morning, 32 seniors in long-term care in Newmarket, Ont. opened gifts courtesy of sales rep Michelle Haick of Sutton Group - Future Realty and her generous guests. For the past eight years, Haick has hosted a Ladies Appreciation Night with a charitable theme.

This year she invited 24 women to enjoy wine and pizza at Mamma Mia Trattoria in Newmarket.

“I connected with A Senior Wish charity after reading an article that reminded me that those in long-term care facilities are often forgotten about at Christmas,” says Haick. “I work a lot in the senior community and this just seemed like a perfect fit for my annual Christmas gathering.”

A care facility in Newmarket

Michelle Haick

Sales rep Dave Tidd and broker Tracey Appleton of Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty pose with over 420 toys donated by the brokerage’s clients during their 10th annual Trees for Toys event.

REM FEBRUARY 2017 31

provided her with the names of 32 residents along with their Christmas wish lists. Each of the 24 women who attended the recent Ladies Appreciation Night brought a gift that was wrapped and labelled for the intended recipient. Haick purchased gifts for the eight remaining people on the list.

■ ■ ■

The team at Sutton - Premier Realty in Surrey, B.C. sponsored 15 families, including 25 children, to provide personalized gifts to put under the tree and enough food for three meals on Christmas Day. Assisting local families in need has become a holiday tradition at the office.

The team raised $5,300 through poker nights, lottery ticket sales at a baseball tournament and other fundraisers. Over the past six years, they have raised more than $30,000. Each of the 15 families received about $350 each worth of gifts and food.

Hundreds of local, low-income families register with the Surrey

Christmas Bureau. In the weeks before Christmas, they are assigned to sponsors. The sponsors, including Sutton - Premier Realty staff and salespeople, then contact the parents about their food preferences and the children’s wish lists.

The volunteers donate their time to plan, shop and deliver hampers.

■ ■ ■

The second annual North Okanagan First Responders Tribute Night in Vernon, B.C. attracted 2,600 people, including more than 500 first responders and their families, for a B.C. Hockey League game between the Vernon Vipers and the Penticton Vees.

The event was free for first responders. Sutton Group - Lakefront Realty provided meeting space for planners and volunteers for the event.

“The Sutton Realtors were the backbone of the organizing committee,” says Beth Marks, who served as chairperson. The team also sold 50/50 draw tickets during

the game so that the firefighters, who usually sell tickets, could enjoy the game.

■ ■ ■

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation hosted its 9th Annual Shelter Gala recently at a black tie fundraiser in Toronto.

Dr. Angelique Jenney provided a keynote address about the impact of domestic violence on children.

Later in the evening, singer-songwriter Joanna Chapman-Smith and the Classical String Quartet provided musical entertainment.

Through the generosity of guests, sponsors and supporters, the event raised $48,000 to fund violence prevention and education programs for youth, helping boys and girls learn how to develop healthy relationships and build lives free from abuse.

■ ■ ■

Coldwell Banker 2M Realty in Oshawa, Ont. has been honoured by the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce for its community involvement. Named the Greater

Oshawa Business of the Month for January 2017, the brokerage raises funds through a weekly 50-50 draw, with proceeds donated to a number of charities. It supports the Children’s Aid Society and has donated gifts to select children in need. It has also placed annual donations with the PFLAG nonprofit organization since 2015.

In recognition of their efforts, the company received a commemorative banner to display at their office, and was profiled in Business Matters magazine.

■ ■ ■

Ryan and Gail Power, sales reps with Sutton Group - Masters Realty in Kingston, Ont., were among the many volunteers ringing the bells for the Salvation Army kettles during the holiday season. For the past three years, the couple has sponsored team jerseys for the St. Paul’s Pride Midget Hockey team. They are also dedicated to helping refugees.

“In 2016, we completed our journey of helping a refugee family settle into Canadian life,” says

Gail. “With the assistance of the Westside Fellowship Christian Reformed Church, a family of three arrived in October 2015 fleeing from Eritrea through a refugee camp in Sudan. The Power Team assisted in raising nearly $50,000 through events such as a movie night, golf tournament, gala dinner, bake sale, bike-a-thon, garage sale and barbecue.”

■ ■ ■

For the third year in a row, Matthew Fernandes, a sales rep with Sutton Group - Realty Systems in Toronto, made a big contribution to the CP24 CHUM Christmas Wish toy drive.

Fernandes set up donation boxes at the office and a local bakery, then promoted his toy drive by mailing out postcards, creating social media posts and directly contacting clients.

On Dec. 23 he delivered the toys to the charity’s head office.

From there, items were given to various organizations and churches in Toronto for distribution directly to families in need. REM Coldwell Banker 2M Realty broker/owner Vince Montagano, left, and managing broker Erin Johnston display the recognition banner awarded by the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce.

Re/Max Blue Chip Realty in Estevan, Sask. sponsored the Estevan Bruins SJHL game versus the Notre Dame Hounds on Dec 16. They asked fans to bring items for the Estevan Humane Society. Pictured from left: Linda Mack and Rhonda Blanchette of Re/Max Blue Chip Realty and Chris Lewgood, head coach and general manager of the Estevan Bruins.

Vivian Risi, broker/owner of Royal LePage Your Community Realty and Shelter Gala committee member with Caroline Baile, a broker with the company, at the 9th annual Shelter Gala.

Royal LePage Wolle Realty hosted more than 1,200 clients, friends and family at a local theatre.

Matthew Fernandes

Royal LePage CEO Phil Soper, with Shelter Gala guests and Royal LePage sales reps Ara Yeremian, Tracey Flanigan, Colby Bayne, Joanne Tibbles and Steve Kotan.

32 REM FEBRUARY 2017

Blair Sonnichsen “extended deep gratitude and appreciation to former CEO Geoff McCullough for his long standing service to the association,” says the board.

■ ■ ■

J

ames Mabey has assumed the role of chair of the Realtors Association of Edmonton. He is the broker/owner of Realty Executives Masters. He joined the real estate industry in 2005 and was licensed as a broker in 2007.

In 2013, Mabey was the recipient of the first ever Broker/Manager Leadership Award from the Realtors Association of Edmonton.

Mabey also served as a director and past chair of HIV Edmonton from 2008 to 2014, and was the recipient of the Bob Mills Leadership Award for his work there. He was also a top fundraiser for the AIDS Walk for Life Edmonton.

The other members of the association’s Board of Directors include chair elect Darcy

James Mabey

Torhjelm; past chair Steve Sedgwick; vice chair Lindsay Carlson; and John Carle, Michael Brodrick, Brad Woodward, Kathy Schmidt and Tom Shearer.

■ ■ ■

Marina R. James is the new CEO of WinnipegRealtors.

James was president and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg for seven years, where she directed all aspects of Yes! Winnipeg and Tourism Winnipeg activities, says the board. She has more than 22 years of executive management experience in real estate development and asset management, community economic development, business investment attraction, Indigenous relations and tourism development.

WinnipegRealtors president

Marina R. James

Azizali Kanjee The Jam With a Past President event raised more than $8,000.

LSTAR CEO John Geha and 2016 president Stacey Evoy present a cheque for $25,000 to Julie McKenzie, development officer, London Health Sciences Foundation, and Julie Gerber, adult mental health eating disorders social worker.

Mississauga-based real estate broker Azizali Kanjee has been elected secretary-general of the Americas Division of FIABCI, the International Real Estate Federation. The appointment is effective in May for a two-year term.

Active in the real estate profession for 40 years, Kanjee is broker of record with IPB Realty & Finance in Mississauga and a director-at-large of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA).

He also currently serves on the International Committee of CREA. Kanjee is an instructor for the OREA Real Estate College and a Certified International Property Specialist instructor for the National Association of Realtors.

FIABCI, the International Real Estate Federation, helps members acquire knowledge, develop networks and optimise business opportunities all over the world. It is represented by chap-

ters in nearly 50 countries. It has five official languages: English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish. The World Congress in 2017 is to be held in Andorra and in 2018 in Bangalore, India.

■ ■ ■

In December the Durham Region Association of Realtors (DRAR) hosted its annual Christmas Dinner and Charity Auction in support of three local Durham Region charities: Resources for Exceptional Children and Youth, St. Vincent Pallotti’s Kitchen operated by Durham Outlook and WindReach Farm.

The event included special guests, the 2016 CMHC Award of Distinction announcement and installation of the 2017 Board of Directors. Throughout the evening, 248 silent auction items were bid on for the charity auction and a cabaret show entertained the guests, raisng $14,000.

The recipient of the 2016 CMHC Award of Distinction was Dena Sicard, sales representative at Royal LePage Frank Real Estate in Whitby. “For the last 26 years, the CMHC Award of Distinction has been recognizing active mem-

The 2017 DRAR Board of Directors from left: Keeley Ward, Dennis Roberts, Sandra O’Donohue, Roger Bouma, Vicki Sweeney and Tina Sorichetti.

(Absent: Sue Duchesnay and Lorrie Lynn Roberts)

Kingston and area Realtors delivered more than 200 turkeys to the local food bank. From left: Tony Mader of the Partners in Mission Food Bank; and KAREA members Lisa Salamone, Kim Donaldson, Colleen Emmerson, Ted Lewis, Steve van Wynsberghe, Liza Tallen, John MacIntyre and Randy Gill.

bers of DRAR who have direct or indirect association involvement, community involvement, commitment and service to the industry, and who promote the industry and is a goodwill person,” says DRAR. DRAR’s 2017 Board of Directors are: Roger Bouma (president), Sandra O’Donohue (immediate past-president), Dennis Roberts (director-atlarge), Vicki Sweeney (Durham East director), Sue Duchesnay (Durham West director), Lorrie Lynn Roberts (Durham Centre director), Tina Sorichetti (Durham North director) and Keeley Ward (director-at-large).

■ ■ ■

The Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) and the Ontario Real Estate Association are fighting a City of Toronto proposal that would increase land transfer taxes on homebuyers.

TREB launched a website (www.anotherobstacle.ca) to shed light on the proposed changes, which it says could add thousands of dollars in upfront tax for some home buyers. TREB also released the results of a survey conducted by Ipsos Public

The Sarnia Lambton Real Estate Board recently raised $2,000 for the Inn of the Good Shepherd. The money was raised at the board’s annual charity golf tournament. From left: Kathy Murphy and Melanie Kelders of the board’s Communications and Public Relations Committee; Inn of the Good Shepherd’s Myles Vanni; and board president Jane Baker. The board also donated $2,000 to Habitat for Humanity.

From left: DRAR 2017 president Roger Bouma, DRAR 2016 president Sandra O’Donohue and John Henry, mayor of the City of Oshawa.

RAHB Charity Auction Task Force chair Marlene Vieira Leslie, right, vice chair Deborah Coles, second from left, and 2017 RAHB president Lou Piriano, left, present a cheque to The Children’s Fund president Jeff Storey, second from right, and vice president Olivia McKay, centre.

REM FEBRUARY 2017 33

Affairs. It found that: â&#x20AC;˘ 59 per cent of Torontonians oppose including Land Transfer Tax increases in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategy to balance its budget. â&#x20AC;˘ 67 per cent of Torontonians support increasing the Land Transfer Tax rebate for first-time buyers to reduce the amount of tax that first-time buyers are required to pay. â&#x20AC;˘ 58 per cent of Torontonians oppose changing the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Land Transfer Tax policy to add an additional 0.5 per cent to the value of a home between $250,000 and $400,000. â&#x20AC;&#x153;City Council should be trying to make home ownership more attainable, not less. These poll results show that the last thing Torontonians want is for City Hall to put up another obstacle to achieving their dream of home ownership, especially in a city where we should be trying to make housing more affordable,â&#x20AC;? says Larry Cerqua, TREB president.

TREB says the proposed changes being discussed would add an additional 0.5 per cent of tax on all buyers. For repeat home buyers purchasing an average priced home, this would mean a seven per cent increase of $750 on top of the $11,000 that they already pay to the city. For firsttime buyers, it would mean a 6.5 per cent increase of $475, â&#x20AC;&#x153;or, at best, the status quo, if the current rebate is not adjusted higher than what is currently being proposed,â&#x20AC;? says TREB. OREA CEO Tim Hudak says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ultimately, Toronto needs to roll back the LTT or, at the very least, not make this punishing tax even worse. Voting down the proposal to increase the LTT is a good first step but I encourage council to go even further. To start, Toronto should follow Ontarioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lead and double the city land transfer tax rebate for first-time home buyers.â&#x20AC;?

As of Jan.1, 2017, Premier Wynne doubled the provincial land transfer tax rebate program, so first-time home buyers receive up to $4,000 in land transfer tax relief. If the city matched the provincial relief, first-time buyers in Toronto would see up to $12,000 in tax savings, Hudak says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unfortunately, Toronto is proposing to swipe up to 25 per cent of the provincial savings out of the pockets of young couples

and put it into city coffers instead.â&#x20AC;?

Toronto City Council will set its final budget in February. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

The London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR) and London Firefighters engaged in some friendly competition, with the associations challenging each other on who could raise the most money for The Salvation Armyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Centre of Hope London.

Together, the two associations raised more than $33,000.

LSTAR raised $22,600 during the challenge, which is a 49 per cent increase from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drive. About 100 Realtors turned out to volunteer at about 40 kettle locations, while London Firefighters volunteered at 12 kettle locations. The firefighters raised more than $11,000. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It shows what great things can happen when we collaborate with each other,â&#x20AC;? says Stacey Evoy, LSTAR 2016 president. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We enjoyed turning up the heat through the challenge and applaud London Firefighters for their incredible support and enthusiasm to help The Salvation Army and our entire community.â&#x20AC;?

LSTAR also pledged to donate $50,000 over a two-year period to the Adult Eating Disorder Clinic.

Recently $25,000 was presented to fulfill LSTARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment for 2016.

event where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve raised over $50,000 thanks to the participation of perennial performances by John DiMichele (CEO of the Toronto Real Estate Board) and Phil Soper (CEO of Royal LePage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Brookfield Real Estate Services).â&#x20AC;?

Other performers this year included Darrin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien of Century 21 Granite Properties Parry Sound; Ken Blyth of Royal LePage RCR Realty in Holland Landing; Jin Jiang of HomeLife Landmark Realty in Markham; Michael Gibbons of Royal LePage Peifer Realty in Chatham-Kent; and Valerie Miles of Re/Max Country Classics in Bancroft.

They were accompanied by Walkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s backing band, Shakey and the Bluenotes.

As part of the 10th Annual Food Drive and Turkey Fundraiser, members of the Kingston and Area Real Estate Association worked together this holiday season to raise money for area food banks.

Kingston and Napanee area Realtors donated $3,595, which purchased 245 turkeys that were distributed to the Partners in Mission Food Bank and local charities, along with a $500 cash donation.

Gananoque area Realtors raised an additional $3,400 for the Food Bank. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

Directors of the Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound recently presented Habitat for Humanity Grey Bruce representatives with a $5,270 grant cheque from the Ontario Realtors Care Foundation. The donation was in addition to the $23,500 raised earlier this year at the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual golf tournament.

Since 2000, local Realtors in cooperation with the Realtorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Care Foundation have donated more than $204,000 to Habitat.

Members, sponsors and friends of the Realtors Association of HamiltonBurlington (RAHB) showed their generosity and community spirit by raising $74,116 for the 900CHML/Y108/Fresh Radio 953 Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fund. The funds were raised at the recent Realtors 4 Kids Charity Auction, held annually to support The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fund.

Proceeds from the partnership between RAHB and the Corus radio stations support many childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charities throughout the Hamilton and Burlington areas year round. Over the 28 years of the partnership, RAHBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual auction has raised more than $1,014,000 for the charity, making RAHB its single largest contributor.

The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fund offers assistance to over 40 different charities each year. REM

The annual Jam With a Past President event, organized by former OREA president Brian Walker, was held recently at Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Palace in Toronto. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We raised over $8,000 with the help of about 10 different Realtor performers and a variety of sponsors,â&#x20AC;? says Walker. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was the 10th anniversary of this

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By Jim Reid

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f you have already completed the customer, product or market marketing research functions that we discussed in our last column, then you’re likely full of valuable insights for designing your product development functions.

Few real estate salespeople seem to clearly understand the “products” people buy through them. There is a chain of products that clients expect to obtain when they use you to change their real estate portfolio. Not the least of these is your skill and expertise in all aspects of this business. These are products you sell in your personal marketing mix. They are just as important as the marketing mix you use to buy and sell properties or businesses for them.

In short, the product development marketing function is an analytical precursor to our more commonly understood marketing functions like distribution, advertising and selling. Through strategic planning you create or enhance the products/services you provide to clients. It is a time when you must ask yourself, your friends and your clients how you may serve each other’s needs. You have products that market yourself and products that market your client’s products and products you use to help purchase properties.

The deliverables from these

sub-functions could be an array of marketing materials (resumes, pamphlets, charts and information, personal statistics), or courses and training goals, or custom client property marketing programs, or a marketing binder, or a personal real estate website. Your business plan objective should be to design projects for each product you market. Remember, you must market yourself before you market your client’s property.

Developing yourself as a product should never be thought of as building a “warrior-for-sale”, although some warrior qualities are sometimes needed in our business.

Realtors who last and prosper in this industry understand the true meaning of terms like integrity, truthfulness, honesty, trustworthy, respectful, caring, humility and generosity. These spiritual qualities resonate from those who are valuable servants to their clients. These people are our vine and you should all seek these qualities to develop your product.

Similarly, your product expertise should not be haphazard from deals in different types of real estate. For example, your business plan should include a disciplinary approach to attending open houses and staying current on all activity in the realty products you will be buying and selling over the next five years. You must allocate the time to become

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the most experienced in your target markets’ products.

With new technologies there are all sorts of innovative products available to you and your clients.

You need to identify these and determine their costs so that you can budget them into your customized marketing programs.

(After building my real estate farm website, and being the first in my market with a virtual tour, and the first in my market to stage a house, I created a few new real estate sales representative products that added to the value of my commissions, which my clients valued.)

By the way, there is no such thing as a “static plan”. Plans are meant to change as quickly as new information or situations occur. But those who at least create an initial macro-vision on paper are those who are never off-balance due to a bad business experience or regulatory change.

An important element of product development is the packaging.

Too many of us are packaged like potato chips – a half-empty huge colourful bag of pressurized air. You should be shrink-wrapped in a transparent persona with only a warm aftertaste of richness and quality. Sort of like Tim Hortons to a coffee addict.

By the way, if your legal name is unpronounceable or hard to spell or unmemorable to your target customers, you are permitted to register an easily recognized trading name in your industry.

Next column, we will examine the marketing communications and technology functions you’ll need for your real estate strategic business plan.

Jim Reid is a strategic planning consultant and has been a corporate executive, university and college lecturer, business owner, real estate broker and wilderness canoeist. “Your average Canadian failed entrepreneur, wage slave, divorced former Realtor,” he says. Visit www.lifestylepropertysearches.com or email jimreidcanada@gmail.com. REM

REM FEBRUARY 2017 35

THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE

By Heino Molls

A

person who is 16-yearsold can decide for themselves where they want to live. They can rent an apartment. They can get a job and pay taxes. At 16, a person can drive a car. They can also buy a car and take on all the responsibilities that come with that such as insurance and liability. If driving that car results in criminal activity, that 16year-old can be sentenced as an adult. A person can, at 16, join Canada’s armed forces as a cadet and then at 17, they can be sent overseas and carry a weapon for their country in war.

But they can’t buy a house.

If it was possible for a 16-yearold to buy a house today, I doubt that it would be unusual. When was the last time that you looked at or thought about the average 16year-old? They have changed from

Not for 16-year-olds what they were in my time.

In general, a 16-year-old today is far more mature than our lot was.

Okay, for me, that was a long, long time ago, maybe not so much for you. I think things have changed dramatically in the last 10 years alone.

We live in a sobering world. At 16, young people are thinking about university marks, careers and choosing their profession. They are exposed to world affairs like never before. Many of them believe they are the ones who will be saddled with the task of cleaning up the pollution and the debt of our shameless and selfish society, morally and financially. And you know what? They are getting ready for the task.

When I was 16, I am ashamed to say, I did not know much about the government or the cost of living. I had worked on a paper route but I did not know what a mortgage was. I had no concept of taxes. I had no idea what a real estate agent did or why anyone should consider buying a house.

A 16-year-old today attends civics classes and learns about the government. Many know more about our government than the

Should 16-year-olds be allowed to buy a house?

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average 40-year-old. It is likely that most 16-year-olds can name our prime minister, their provincial premier and the mayor of their municipality. It is not likely that most 40-year-olds in Canada can name all three heads of state, let alone know that there are three levels of government.

Many 16-year-olds today will create a mock stock market portfolio as part of their school curriculum. It will be based on real stocks in the market. They will be guided by an instructor who will explain the fundamentals of financial investments including risk factors and theories used by financial consultants and experts.

These are things that I did not come close to learning about. Now, young people learn these things and embrace them with enthusiasm. Apathy and indifference to education, which ruled the day in my time, are no longer qualities that a high school peer group considers to be cool. High marks and academic achievements used to be the realm of people we called nerds. Not anymore. Striving for good marks is considered normal and getting them is applauded by everyone.

Should 16-year-olds be allowed to buy a house? You bet they should. They know more and they are wiser, more disciplined and more considerate of financial commitments than my generation ever was, probably more than yours as well. Canadian law states that you must be 18 to sign a contract, so a 16-year-old cannot enter into an agreement to buy a house. It is time to revisit this law and make some exceptions, just like the laws to drive a car. Is it a not a kind of con-

tract to get a driver’s license?

Wouldn’t you call serving your country in the military a legal agreement? All of that takes maturity.

We live in a regulated world today. If you want to drive a car you need to take a course to get your licence. If you want to work in a reputable restaurant, you need to get your “food handlers” certificate

before you are hired. If you want to be in the real estate business you have to take a course to get your licence. And on it goes; teachers, lawyers, butchers, bakers and candle stick makers.

So how about a course on buying a house? If you graduate and you have the resources, you get to buy a house. Even if you are 16years-old.

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

REM

Trade Shows and Conferences For complete listings, see www.remonline.com To add a listing to the calendar, email jim@remonline.com

Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington Realtor Connections Thursday, March 9 Grand Olympia Convention Centre Stoney Creek, Ont. www.rahb.ca/eventssponsors/r ealtor-connections/ New Brunswick Real Estate Association 2017 Education Day and AGM April 11 - 12 Fredericton, N.B. http://nbrea.ca/nbrea-2017agm-sponsorship/

HomeLife International Conference and Awards Gala 2017 Friday, April 28 Fallsview Casino Resort Niagara Falls, Ont. Toronto Real Estate Board’s Realtor Quest May 10 – 11 Toronto Congress Centre Toronto www.realtor-quest.ca

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

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This is what a smart lead from REALTOR.ca looks like.

Your leads now include: • Persona and location information • Number of listing views • Are they working with a REALTOR®

REALTOR®. Member of The Canadian Real Estate Association and more