January 2011 by Real Estate Magazine (REM)

Issue #259

January 2011

Laura Fernandez

Singer, songwriter, illustrator and award-winning sales rep Page 12

Make 2011 your best year ever Page 3

Canadian developer makes good in Grand Cayman Page 26

Beware of homes with secondary suites Page 40

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REM JANUARY 2011 3

Making 2011 your best year ever

Brokers and sales reps from across the country share their plans and goals for the coming year. By Toby Welch

here’s no better time to ensure that 2011 is your best year ever. Brian Wilson, the broker of record at GlobeCorp Realty in London, Ont., says, “I am expecting that 2011 will pose some unique challenges for mainstream professional Realtors. Faced with challenges of a slower

the changes reflected with competition law and the access of MLS (means) that Realtors will need to embrace the evolution of our industry and accept private sellers as an opportunity rather than a threat. The Realtors who make gains in 2011 will be the ones who direct their energies into tapping this new market opportunity rather than trying to fight it or continuing to practice real estate using the old model.” To make 2011 a more successful real estate year than 2010, Uta Marshall of Team Powerhouse Realty in Prince George, B.C., has established a few goals:

Brian Wilson

market, coupled with the revised CREA rules, Realtors will be forced back into working for their business and not just waiting for it to fall in their laps. I will be getting back to the basics of networking and prospecting. I am also continually looking into new technologies to engage potential clients, including Microsoft Tags, texting and social networking, to name but a few. As a broker/ owner, I will also be renewing my recruiting drive.” How will the changes to the MLS rules affect Realtors’ game plans? Anne Ireland, broker at Century 21 Market Realty in Truro, N.S., says, “I believe

Anne Ireland

“I recently read somewhere that 80 per cent of business comes from following up, so I will be diligently following up on every lead and inquiry that I receive. I have just begun implementing the Exclusive Buyer’s Agency into my business and will continue to do so in 2011 to make sure that buyer leads are serious. To strike a good balance between home and business life (as we all know this business can be all-consuming), I will schedule clients into my calendar around my other appointments, be it business or personal.” Linda Loftus, broker of Sutton Group Incentive Realty (Squarefoot.ca Team) in Barrie, Ont., shares her plan: “We are and continue to be more than an MLS service provider. We investigate market statistics and governmental roles and how they contribute to development costs/ delays/savings. We evaluate the time and space versus cost or savings and what that means to a particular client and then based on our investigations/evaluations, we recommend a series of five choices to a client. The model works well for clients because we look well beyond the immediate real estate requirement. The real estate deal is only 10 per cent

approach in doing business the new way.” Janet Bossert of Re/Max Real Estate in Edmonton sees the bigger picture for 2011. “When the market slows down, rather than panicking or getting down in the dumps, look at the big picture.

in the sales cycle. Real estate is no longer simply a transactional business. In 2011, it’s all about demonstrating value.”

Linda Loftus

of what we do and it comes at the end of the 90 per cent time invested to get to know the client and their business requirements.” Shirley Powell, the owner and manager of Let’s Deal Real Estate Ltd. in Moncton, N.B., has been in real estate for 27 years and plans to have her best year ever in 2011. “Recently I hired a young, smart multi-media tech who will revamp my web presence and deliver better advertising to the

Shirley Powell

public, reaching a target audience. I will take the time to really pay attention to all the opportunities in marketing being offered to the private sale sellers by unlicensed ‘wanna be’ Realtors because this kind of marketing will become more aggressive in 2011. I am ready for a change in how I will do business and welcome it with open arms. The time is right and it is the consumers and the competitors that lead me to this

Chris and Terra Suffel

Janet Bossert

Look at real estate history; ups and downs – but in the end, the straight line is UP. Take advantage of the extra time you have. Look at it as a gift you rarely give yourself: time. Use a lull or downward shift in the market to do all the things you were too busy to do before, such as spending real time with your friends and family, reading or viewing inspirational material, catching up with the less exciting aspects of our business (paperwork, checking out new ideas for marketing), and doing whatever you have been neglecting – you know, the things that are always sent to the bottom of your to-do list.” Will 2011 be more evenkeeled? “After a tumultuous 2010, we’re anticipating a more stable marketplace in 2011. Our approach in this more traditional market is actually to maintain the status quo,” says Chris Suffel, sales rep for Re/Max Hallmark Realty in Toronto. “My partner Terra and I plan to continue what our clients say sets us apart – providing exceptional service at every step

Dan Keeley, a Realtor with Re/Max Little Oak Realty in Abbotsford, B.C., says he’ll have a year of positive changes. “2010 was the first year that I had an unlicensed assistant so learning how to utilize that in my business was a great thing for me. Looking

Dan Keeley

forward to 2011, I plan to continue to change how I do things so that I am more organized and more effective with my time. I will be bringing another associate or two alongside this year so it will be another year of change, but am totally looking forward to it. You can’t be waiting for the phone to ring like it did in 2006 or 2007, you have to get out there and make it ring.” Do what it takes to make 2011 your best year ever in real estate. REM

4 REM JANUARY 2011

Multiple Listings By Jim Adair

Do you have news to share with Canada’s real estate community? Let REM know about it! Email: jim@remonline.com

a Capitale Real Estate Network has won the contract to sell Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) residential mortgage foreclosures for all regions of Quebec, following a call for proposals. The contract calls for La Capitale to market and sell the portfolio of foreclosures of one to 50 units. The residential properties are subject to mortgage foreclosure by various financial institutions as part of the CMHC’s mortgage loan insurance program. La Capitale Real Estate Network has joined with Services immobiliers Truscan to manage the real

estate portfolio. The contract is for three years with two one-year renewal options. Nicolas Ayotte, La Capitale’s president and CEO says, “Given the number of mortgage foreclosures in the last few years, there has been stiff competition between the various agency networks and certain independent agencies. Obviously the fact that we have real estate agencies in every corner of Quebec played in our favour, as did the sales performance of our brokers and the visibility of our agencies in their respective markets.” ■ ■ ■

A new branch of Sutton Group - Heritage Realty opened in Ajax, Ont. in December. The 10,000-square-foot building accommodates 120 sales reps with

room for an additional 30 people. The team previously worked from an office at a mall in Pickering. Broker of record Rosalind Menary says, “We are occupying approximately 7,500 square feet and the plan is to rent the additional space out to someone who would provide services that are beneficial to our clients. We have a boardroom where we can meet with groups of 10 to 12 people and a training facility upstairs that can seat approximately 50 people. Continuing education courses are offered to our own agents and we welcome those from other companies to participate as well.” The brokerage is co-owned by Rosalind and her husband Ron Menary. “Some of our salespeople have been with us since we opened our doors 18 years ago,” says Rosalind. ■ ■ ■

Century 21 Canada recently created a new Marketing and Communications Department, which will provide communications and marketing support to its 7,700 system members. “Created to help generate improved competitive analysis, information gathering, proactive communication and social media initiatives, the department will increase marketing research, strengthen brand strategy and increase the level of brand visibility,” says the company in a news release. The new department is headed by Nadège Parent. She is joined by Aliza Fung, the new social media and communications co-ordinator, who was formerly employed by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. Graphics and web designer Darcy Paterson is also a new addition to the department. He is also a part-time design instructor with the Art Institute of Vancouver. ■ ■ ■

Re/Max Finest Realty Inc. has opened it doors for business in Napanee, Ont. The office will be home to four full-time Realtors, led by industry veteran and former

Kingston & Area Real Estate Association president (2005) Cindy Haggerty. Haggerty plans to expand the sales force to 12 within two years. “Napanee and its surrounding communities continue to benefit tremendously from the expansion of nearby major centres,” says Haggerty, broker/owner of Re/Max Finest Realty. “Affordability is a significant draw for purchasers, and that’s best illustrated by the fact that nearly half of all sales occur between $100,000 and $200,000. Average price hovers just under the $200,000 mark, and buyers benefit from excellent access to the 401, with Kingston located within a short 15-minute commute.” While the office is a newcomer to the marketplace, its goal is to eventually capture 40 per cent market share in Napanee and surrounding areas, including Loyalist Townships, Stone Mills Townships and the Town of Deseronto, Re/Max says. ■ ■ ■

Century 21 Panorama in Knowlton, Que. recently announced that David Barakett Continued on page 6

Cindy Haggerty

Chris Brothers

Melvin Gee

Laverne and Candace Link

David Barakett

Stella Price

The new offices of Sutton Group – Heritage Realty in Ajax, Ont.

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will join its management team as owner. Born and raised in the area, Barakett made the transition to real estate sales in 2006 after being a professional builder. ■ ■ ■

Stella Price has moved to Re/Max Sabre Realty Group in Port Coquitlam, B.C. Price was Prudential Real Estate’s No. 1 producer in North America in 2007 and 2008. Her team of one licensed agent and a licensed assistant, along with 61 listings, came with her to the Re/Max brokerage. Price credits her success to focusing on a specific area. “Don’t try to be everywhere. Choose a subdivision or neighbourhood you want to dominate and market like crazy,” she advises new sales reps. “Start with smaller properties like condos and work your way up. If you’re new to the business, you have to sell yourself because you don’t have listings to work with yet. “Don’t let people see you sweat or tell prospects that you’re new. They won’t work with you.” ■ ■ ■

Claude Gagnon, Gaston Allard and Carole Strasbourg, brokers/owners of Royal LePage La Renaissance in Outaouais, Que., along with brokerage manager Jean-Guy Savoie, have acquired Jean Cadieux Immobilier, a small independent real estate brokerage in Gatineau. The acquisition will further solidify the company’s strong position in the Outaouais market, says Royal LePage. ■ ■ ■

Simcoe County, Ont. Realtor Mike Montague is lending voice to local real estate in a new weekly TV show called Eye on Real Estate, hosted on Rogers TV. Montague is with Sutton Group Incentive Realty, which has offices in Barrie, Innisfil, Orillia and

Cover photo: MARKO SHARK

Alliston. He will be visiting a different Simcoe County community each week, talking with municipal leaders and people on the street about their personal passions, concerns and anticipations for the place they call home. The show gives people an up close look at the real estate market and the purchase and sales process with insights provided by the people who work within the industry and various related products and services. In the premier episode airing in January, Montague takes a look back to Barrie’s humble beginnings summing up more than two centuries of population growth history and bringing the viewers up to date on what has been one of Canada’s fastest growing cities over the past two decades. He spends some time with Barrie’s new mayor, Jeff Lehman, then discusses the mortgage process and financial preparations necessary for the first step into home ownership. The 30-minute show wraps up with a “mailbag” question from viewers, which in this episode sheds some light on the best times to buy property. Montague has been a Realtor in the Simcoe County area for 10 years. Previously he worked in the residential and commercial construction industry for 18 years. ■ ■ ■

Century 21 Island Realty, which has a main office in Corner Brook, Nfld., recently opened a satellite office in Stephenville, Nfld. Chris Brothers, owner of the brokerage, says, “This expansion will enable us to better serve the areas in Western Newfoundland and I look forward to the continued growth of our business.” The office has been serving local homebuyers and sellers since 2005. ■ ■ ■

Candace and Laverne Link have joined the Royal LePage

franchise network in Steinbach, Man. Their company will operate under the name Royal LePage Link Realty. They say they are looking forward to “offering a unique and competitive suite of services to the residents of Steinbach.” ■ ■ ■

Melvin Gee recently opened Century 21 Ferrari Realty in Edmonton. Gee has been a Realtor since 2004. His prior real estate experience came from investing in commercial and residential properties. “Our goal at Century 21 Ferrari Realty is to create a hub for real estate activities and provide value-added products that set us apart from the competition,” Gee says. ■ ■ ■

Cathy Travis Personal Real Estate Corporation in Victoria is now affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. Travis’ new office is in downtown Victoria at the Conference Centre. ■ ■ ■

Dan Grantham, a sales rep with Sutton Group Preferred Realty in London, Ont., has been named to the Board of Directors of Tourism London, a public-private sector partnership with the City of London that is responsible for the promotion of leisure travel, conventions and sports tourism to the city. The board is made up of hospitality sector officials representing tourism businesses in London, elected by Tourism London members or appointed by the board. Tourism in London is a $456.8 million industry that supports 6,170 jobs. ■ ■ ■

Re/Max International has expanded by adding the Caribbean country of Dominica to the organization. New broker/owners Alistair

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and Ann Grell opened Re/Max Millenia Realty in Roseau, Dominica’s capital city. The new office is part of the Millenia Group – an architectural, engineering and environmental services firm that has been serving Dominica since 2004. “Our office is the only one-stop real estate and development firm in the country,” Alistair Grell says, adding that Dominica is a growing market that’s quickly becoming a haven for second homes. Dominica, located in the Lesser Antilles between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by Europeans. France ceded possession of the island to Great Britain in 1763, which made the island a colony in 1805. Dominica gained its independence in 1978. ■ ■ ■

Face paint, wild wigs and crazy costumes were part of the fun at the first annual Sutton Spooky Bowl hosted by Sutton Group Lakefront Realty in Vernon, B.C.. Nearly 200 clients, friends and family joined broker Tamara Cinnamon, her partner Ken Robb and the whole Lakefront team for bowling, pizza and snacks at Lincoln Lanes. This Halloweenthemed, client appreciation event

was so successful that the office has already booked the venue for next year. “It’s hard to imagine a more effective, well-received client appreciation event,” says Realtor Beth Marks. “It is beautifully simple to do and relatively inexpensive. Most importantly, it allowed us not just to give something to clients, but to be with our clients playing and laughing.” ■ ■ ■

Sotheby’s International Realty now has an office in Istanbul, Turkey. The firm, owned by Emin Hitay, will first serve the Istanbul market. Hitay’s firm has an exclusive 25-year master franchise agreement with the Sotheby’s International Realty brand for Turkey and plans to open additional offices in key markets across that country over the next several years. “Turkey is a critical part of our growth plan as it represents an important gateway between Europe and the Middle East,” says Michael R. Good, CEO, Sotheby’s International Realty. “Istanbul is a melting pot of cultures that continues to expand dramatically, with a population of more than 13 million spread over the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus.” REM

Husband convicted of killing Mississauga broker

arry Ryan has been convicted of killing his wife Susan Ryan, a well-known Mississauga real estate broker and past-president of the Mississauga Real Estate Board. Court heard that Ryan shot his wife at close range with a .22 calibre rifle while she was making breakfast on Nov. 9, 2008. Ryan’s lawyer said his client admitted he was guilty of manslaughter, but was too drunk to know what he was doing when he killed his wife. But the Crown said Ryan, a retired Toronto police officer, knew exactly what he was doing when he snuck up behind her and fired four bullets at her head. He was sentenced to the mandatory life sentence. Susan Ryan owned Susan A. Ryan Real Estate in Mississauga and was active in the community and at the real estate board. REM

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Phone: 416.425.3504 www.remonline.com REM complies fully with the Canadian Real Estate Association's Rules for Trademarks (CREA Rule 16.5.3.1) REALTOR® and REALTORS® are trademarks controlled in Canada by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify licensed real estate practitioners who are members of CREA. MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned by CREA and identify the services rendered by members of CREA. REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. Subscriptions are $40.95 per year (including $1.95 GST), payable by personal cheque. Entire contents copyright 2010 REM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The opinions expressed in REM are not necessarily those of the publisher. ISSN 1201-1223

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hree high-profile members of the British Columbia real estate profession are the newly elected executive of the Canadian Chapter of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI), which held its Annual General Meeting in Oakridge, Vancouver recently. Joining North Vancouver Realtor Dean Lapointe as 2011 chapter president is West Vancouver’s Calvin Lindberg as vice-president and Ursula Morel from Whistler as immediate pastpresident. Lapointe is currently the FIABCI president of the Americas and as such serves on the FIABCI international directorship. He is also a director of the Vancouver Division of the Real Estate Institute of Canada and has served at numerous levels of organized real estate in British Columbia. Lindberg is a past-president of both CREA and the Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board. Morel specializes in luxury resort and second home property marketing and is a member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. Elected as directors were Peter Dagg (Whistler, B.C.), Li Read (Salt Spring Island, B.C.), Nora Valdez (West Vancouver), Jamie Edwards (Burlington, Ont.), Margaret Liu (Toronto), Gino Matrundola (Richmond Hill, Ont.), Randi Emmott (Woodbridge, Ont.), Betty Fitzpatrick (Fredericton) and Carlos Sousa (Toronto). Lapointe says the chapter has a new dynamic and his leadership team will focus on bringing real estate professionals from around the world to B.C. and Canada by means of trade missions and holding the Americas Regional Real Estate Congress in 2013. With its headquarters in Paris, The International Real Estate Federation (IREF) or Fédération Internationale des Professions Immobilièrs (FIABCI) is a world-

wide network operating in over 60 countries, representing 1.5 million real estate professionals. ■ ■ ■

Realtors from across Ontario attended the annual Political Affairs Conference of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) recently. In meetings with MPPs, Realtors lobbied to allow real estate salespeople to incorporate. This is not currently allowed under the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act (REBBA), 2002. “Allowing real estate salespeople to incorporate is ultimately about fairness,” says OREA in a news release, stating it “would align their rights with other regulated professions, lower taxes on Ontario businesses and help members of the real estate profession cope with the introduction of the HST. “Allowing personal real estate corporations will not affect consumer protection and has limited implications for provincial revenue,” says OREA. Realtors also discussed a proposal to create a new property assessment class for brownfields under remediation. It says this new assessment class would reduce the financial burden of redevelopment on brownfield property owners by applying a lower property tax rate to brownfields under remediation. Conference keynote speakers included Tim Hudak, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, Andrea Horwath, leader of the New Democratic Party of Ontario and John Gerretsen, Minister of Consumer Services responsible for REBBA, 2002. OREA has about 49,000 members.

brated at TREB’s annual Gathering for Giving reception on Nov. 29, a date that also marked the board’s 90th anniversary. For a number of years, TREB has committed to supporting the Realtors Care Foundation, which makes annual grants to shelterbased organizations throughout the province. This year TREB donated more than $357,000 to the foundation, $178,000 of which was channelled directly into GTA communities. TREB contributes to a number of other causes throughout the year as well, including sponsoring one of 29 Habitat for Humanity townhomes under construction; providing nutritious breakfasts and snacks to 28,000 children in 16 different schools each month; and an annual scholarship program. “Ninety years ago a group of real estate practitioners came together to establish standards in our profession,” says Bill Johnston,

■ ■ ■

Basil Pappas, a board member with the Association of Regina Realtors (ARR), recently made a special presentation to an outstanding University of Regina Rams player, during the Rams’ 2010 Awards Ceremony. Adrian Charles was awarded the Les Ludwig Memorial Award, as the Rams’ most Outstanding Offensive Back for the 2010 season. Charles was the second leading rusher in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) regular season, with 972 yards gained on 139 carries for an average of seven yards per carry and an aver-

Newly elected FIABCI-Canada executive, from left: Dean Lapointe, Ursula Morel, Calvin Lindberg

At TREB’s Gathering for Giving event, from left: Bill Johnston (president); past-presidents Maureen O’Neill and Carl Fox; CEO Don Richardson; and past-presidents John Hutton, Dorothy Mason and Tom Lebour.

■ ■ ■

Members of the Toronto Real Estate board have donated more than $178,000 to 35 shelter-related organizations throughout the city. The organizations were cele-

TREB president. “Today, we regard it as our responsibility to expand on their spirit of co-operation by working together to build strong communities in our great city.” TREB currently has more than 31,000 members.

George Patton

age 122 yards gained per game. “We are very pleased to be able to sponsor this award. The Rams play an important role in our community. It’s exciting to be able to help the team honour one of their outstanding young players,” says Pappas. Les Ludwig was an offensive back with the Rams in the 1970s. In 1975 he set a 170-yard record for Most Attempts – Rushing. Sadly his career was cut short when he died in a car accident during the off-season in the mid1970s. The ARR has sponsored the Les Ludwig award for more than 25 years. ■ ■ ■

A new board of directors has been appointed to govern the Kitchener-Waterloo Real Estate (KWREB) board and George Patton, a broker with Royal LePage Wolle Realty, will serve as Continued on page 10

The Mississauga Real Estate Board 2011 Board of Directors – from left: John Kaunds, Linda Pinizzotto, Jerry England, Allan Todd, Asha Singh, Michael Mills, Walter Hayde (president), David Cobban, (past-president), Nigel Purai, Carmela Kapeleris, Fawzi Mattar (president-elect) and Garry Klassen (vice-president).

Among those taking part in the OREA PAC were, from left: Durham Region Association of Realtors president Dierdre Mullen; Debbie Dawson, chair of the DRAR Political Affairs Committee; Wayne Arthurs, MPP for Pickering-Scarborough East; Ann Briscoe, past DRAR president and TREB director; and Cail Maclean, DRAR EO. ARR director Bail Pappas, Adrian Charles.

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president. A Realtor since 1985 and broker since 1987, Patton has served as a KWREB director since 2005. During that time he has chaired the MLS Services Committee, Education Committee, Bylaw Committee and Finance Committee. Joining Patton George as officers of the association are 1st vicepresident Sara Hill of Re/Max Twin City Realty, 2nd vice-president Dietmar Sommerfeld of CB Richard Ellis, past-president Ted Scharf of Royal LePage Scharf Realty and EO Bill Duce. New to the directors this year is Roy Singh, broker of record with Century 21 Home Realty. Returning as directors are Lynn Bebenek of Team Realty K.W. Inc., Horace Coelho of Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty, Karen Shartun, Royal LePage Scharf Realty, Brian Spall of Re/Max Twin City Realty and Neil Strickler of Royal LePage Wolle Realty. ■ ■ ■

The Mississauga Real Estate Board (MREB) held its Annual Election Meeting and Trade Show recently, with a new approach to the event. The trade show was at a new and larger venue, featuring 53 exhibitors. The board opened its Election Meeting to non-members, and more than 350 people attended. President David Cobban spoke about expanded communications and upgraded marketing strategies that have provided increased board visibility throughout Mississauga and the GTA. Industry challenges such as the HST and the CREACompetition Bureau agreement and the commitment to member education and consumer awareness was a focus in 2010. Finally, the board’s development of new policies and procedures regarding new business partnerships and sponsorships are designed to increase member services and benefits. President-elect Walter Hayde said he is looking forward to continuing MREB’s evolution through good leadership and an increase in member involvement both in the industry and the board.

■ ■ ■

The Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington’s 2010 Annual Charity Auction in support of the CHML/Y108 Children’s Fund – Christmas Tree of Hope was held recently. Now in its 35th year, the Christmas Tree of Hope has channelled more than $4 million to children’s causes. Rachelle Aurini, chair of RAHB’s Charity Auction Task Force, says, “We have seen a couple of especially hard years, and the need in our communities has grown accordingly.” RAHB has been the charity’s single largest contributor. This year’s donations for the auction included offerings ranging from coffee makers and gift baskets to the more unusual, including a pinball machine and a Victory motorcycle. There were also trips to Las Vegas and Cuba, sports tickets, getaways, electronics, personal services, dance lessons, a handmade quilt, a gas barbecue and a bicycle up for bids. ■ ■ ■

OREA is throwing its support behind a private member’s bill that would establish a marijuana grow operations and clandestine drug laboratory registry. Bill 139, Clandestine Drug Operation Prevention Act, 2010, was introduced by MPP Lisa MacLeod. “Grow-ops are a major problem for homebuyers in the province and we have been urging the Ontario government to establish a registry to protect consumers for almost 10 years,” says Dorothy Mason, OREA president. “We urge the government to pass this bill in order to protect homebuyers.” Realtors are obligated by law to disclose to potential homebuyers if a home has been used as a marijuana grow-operation or a drug lab, but OREA says Ontario Realtors are hindered by the lack of a central registry, which is crucial to protecting homebuyers from the potential health and safety hazards of properties formerly used to manufacturer clandestine drugs. Bill 139 defines a clandestine drug operation to be an illegal operation where any substance listed in the schedules I through IV in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of Canada can be obtained by any method or process. REM

12 REM JANUARY 2011

Life’s an adventure for multi-tasking Laura Fernandez A successful full-time real estate sales rep, an accomplished illustrator, a radio host….Laura Fernandez says she’s always working, but “none of it feels like work”. By Susan Doran inger/songwriter/illustrator/ radio host Laura Fernandez admits she is so creatively driven that she’s “almost afraid not to live life to the fullest.”

to writing and singing in Spanish has been her role as producer and host of Café Latino, a weekly radio showcase of Latin music on Toronto’s JazzFM.91.

What she clearly isn’t afraid of is change – she’s re-invented herself more times than Madonna. Her most recent incarnation is as a Realtor. She has been with the same office, Royal LePage Johnston and Daniel division in Toronto, since she started in the business three years ago.

“You could say I’ve rediscovered my roots,” she says, adding, “I don’t stick to convention in life, so why should I in music?”

A sales award is in the offing for her this year, which she considers a “huge deal.” It has helped boost her confidence … not that that appears to be a quality Fernandez lacks. She describes her life as “an adventure” and notes that she makes an effort to say yes to new experiences wherever possible. Born in Spain, she was seven when she came to Canada and remembers how hard she worked to learn English and to lose her accent. Before long, frustration was replaced with “love of the versatility of English, the economy of words, the wacky pronunciations,” she says. The experience of trying to fit in to a new culture pointed Fernandez in a direction actually, several. “I think my desperate need to express myself and to be accepted led me to turn to art, drawing, painting and later music,” she says. Today she still has a foot in both cultures, as her recently released second solo album, Un Solo Beso, performed entirely in Spanish, attests. Her debut album, The Other Side, was pop/ folk and had only one Spanish track. The catalyst for the transition

The contacts she’s made through the show haven’t hurt either. To make the new record (which she describes as Latin/ jazz/pop), Fernandez says she found a musical soul mate in Juno-award-winning producer Billy Bryans, who many years ago enjoyed Canadian pop fame as a key member of the Parachute Club and is now a leading Latin music promoter and DJ. “When we met we knew it would be the right combination,” Fernandez says. Her past included art college, and then a highly successful career as an illustrator, teamed with her then-husband Rick Jacobson. Illustrating children’s books and working on international ads, billboards and magazines, they won heaps of prestigious awards. You’ve seen their work – they illustrated Air Canada’s well-known leaf logo, and the trillium on Ontario drivers’ licenses. “We had the big house” and all the rest of it, says Fernandez. But then the illustration industry went digital and the work for traditional painters/artists like her and her husband dried up. Their marriage followed suit, although they remained close. The upside was that, even with three children, Fernandez had time to concentrate on making it as a musician. Having had quite a bit of training when she was a a teenager, she bought

a piano. It was “a life-changing experience,” she says. “The flood gates opened and songs poured out. I started performing on open stages and was asked to do an album by musicians I’d met at the Free Times Café (where she hosted an open mic night for five years).” Released in 2003, The Other Side was themed around the changes she was navigating with the break-up of her marriage. It was well received on the Toronto club circuit and was the key to Fernandez playing such legendary venues as Madison Square Garden, being asked to perform at the New York Independent Music Festival (where she was a winner in the soft rock category), and being the only North American artist at the World Music Festival in Varadero, Cuba, performing in front of 20,000 people. “There were all these microphones in my face when I came off stage – lots of international press,” she says. “It was like being a rock star.” But with music there’s always been one major drawback. Says Fernandez, “I loved the immediate feedback of music, the spiritual bond with the audience, creation for the love of it … but I had to make a living and music wasn’t bringing in enough.” She turned to real estate on the advice of her sister, Montana, then a Realtor in the U.S. Real estate appealed to Fernandez, who has an interest in houses and design thanks to her late, beloved architect father. She thought the challenges of real estate could focus her creative energies and fill a social need that she didn’t get working alone.

Laura Fernandez. (Photo by Marko Shark)

And sure enough, “I fell in love with it,” she says.

Currently Montana is her assistant.

“My first clients became the people I’d been working with in music. I was finding them homes when I had to sell mine and find a new life, so I knew the stress of moving first-hand.

A full-time Realtor, she still leaves plenty of room for artistic accomplishments, the most recent being the new album. Its name means “a single kiss” in English.

“The first year was tough. I did a bunch of leases … I was terrified – I was the novice where I used to be (in illustration) the expert.”

So far the reaction to the album has been great, she says, adding that there’s been a good amount of airplay and “a ton” of downloads.

She has her sea legs now, and as soon as her sister gets her license here they look forward to working together as a team.

“I’m working on all my passions simultaneously!” she says. “I’m always working, but none of it feels like work.” REM

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14 REM JANUARY 2011

hree brokers/owners were recently recognized by Re/Max Ontario-Atlantic Canada for their outstanding contribution to the Re/Max network. John and Ray Jarvis, Re/Max North Country; David Pearce, Re/Max Rouge River; and Tariq Khursheed, Re/Max Legacy, all received honours for exponential growth, commitment to technology and exceptional leadership at a retreat held in late November. John and Ray Jarvis purchased Re/Max New Lifestyles and Re/Max Lake Country in the Muskoka region in early 2010. “In just 11 months, they’ve doubled their market share under the Re/Max North Country banner and are ideally positioned for future expansion,” says Re/Max in a news release. Tariq Khursheed, brokerowner of Re/Max Legacy in Mississauga, opened a state-of-theart office in February 2010 “that has attracted some of the brightest and best Realtors in the area. In only nine months, he’s exceeded his one-year growth target by 20 per cent,” says Re/Max. David Pearce, broker/owner, Re/Max Rouge River in Scarborough – a former TREB

David Pearce

Tariq Khursheed

president and current director at RECO and TREB – has consistently contributed to the advancement of the real estate industry, the company says. “His outstanding leadership has fostered the career development of countless top-tier Realtors over the years and has established his own company, Re/Max Rouge River – which just celebrated its 25th year in the business – as a market frontrunner.” I I I

Exit Realty Corp. International recognized the best in North America at its gala Annual Convention held recently in Dallas, Texas. Steve Morris, Exit Realty Founder and CEO, was on hand to present the Leader’s Leader Award to Joyce Paron, president of Exit’s Canadian Organization. “This award is given for leadership above and beyond the call of duty,” said Morris. “Joyce commands the absolute respect and appreciation of everyone in our Canadian Organization. She builds and stabilizes with deliberate intention, consistency and personality. She is most definitely a leader’s leader.” REM

Tami Bonnell, Exit’s U.S. president (left) and Exit Realty founder and CEO Steve Morris present the Leader’s Leader Award to Canadian president Joyce Paron.

John and Ray Jarvis

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16 REM JANUARY 2011

You get what you pay for

By Mary LaMeres & Lyle Martin

n a recent guest column in REM (November 2010), broker Ari Lahdekorpi wrote in praise of commission-based compensation. The author commented that “any flat fee or a la carte type of formula removes some aspect of motivation or creative thinking on the part of the agent.” We are in favour of commission-based compensation models. We disagree that the commission must be percentage based. We believe the author’s opinion portrays real estate professionals unfairly. Most successful agents care more about bringing about a successful transaction where everyone

wins, than the compensation. Successful agents are motivated by much more than compensation. As co-founders of the largest “discount” real estate company in North America, we’ve heard numerous attacks on compensation models that challenge the typical percentage commission model in use by most brokerages. None are particularly convincing and most are simply untrue. For example: “You wouldn’t go to a discount doctor or attorney, would you?” Really? While we have tremendous respect for our fellow real estate professionals, we hardly think a comparison to professions that require years of education, testing and experience is a fair comparison. Let’s face it, this is not brain surgery! The requirements to obtain a real estate license pale by comparison. “You get what you pay for.” Do you? A prospective home seller calls a local brokerage to see about listing their home. Which agent do they get, and how much of a commission do they pay? Is it a

top producing agent in the office who has sold lots of homes, is a skilled negotiator, knows the market and is working with active buyers? Or is it the brand new agent who just passed the exam and has no experience, no buyers and not a clue on how to value or market a home? Truth is, it could be either one or most likely someone inbetween and the commission is the same regardless of which agent they end up with. However, when it comes to the commission charged it is usually the same. Do sellers get what they pay for? Maybe, maybe not. “If you don’t pay a ‘full commission,’ agents won’t sell your home.” There is no direct correlation to the amount of commission paid and the results in selling price. In their book Freakonomics, authors Levitt and Dubner conclude that having a real estate agent sell your home won’t necessarily result in a higher sale price. Flat fee versus percentages. Whether a seller pays a flat fee or

Ontario Real Estate Agents

percentage fee makes no difference. If we charge a flat fee of $12,000 to sell a $200,000 home, it is the same as charging a six per cent fee. How is it that simply charging a flat rate fee, as the author says, “removes some aspect of motivation or creative thinking on the part of the agent?” We understand the argument that making more money is motivating. We just don’t agree that one needs to make all of it from one seller. We know that by charging a competitive low flat fee we attract more sellers. More sellers, combined with effective marketing, skilled caring agents and a well-run business, will result not in less compensation, but greater overall compensation. Our experience over the past 23 years with hundreds of offices throughout North America and thousands of home sales is that our agents typically sell more homes and make more money that the average agent. Yes they work hard and make less per sale, but they handle more business in one year than most agents get to

do over a three-year period. You’ve heard the adage “if you want to get something done, give it to a busy person.” Who would you want performing your brain surgery? The doctor who does it once in awhile or frequently? We are in favour of commission-based compensation models. We disagree that the commission must be percentage-based. It is unfortunate that some real estate professionals attempt to discredit “non traditional” brokerages merely because of the lower fees they charge. Competition is good! Sellers are entitled to choices. Limited choices may have worked for Henry Ford in the early 1900s (“People can have the Model T in any colour – so long as it’s black.”), but that’s not true today. There is room for other business models in the real estate industry to help home buyers and sellers. Consumers will vote with their pocket books and may the best solutions win. Mary LaMeres and Lyle Martin are the co-founders of the real estate franchise Assist2Sell. www.Assist2Sell.ca REM

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18 REM JANUARY 2011

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hile systems and techniques were crucial to kick starting my real estate career, it might not have happened if I had only sold myself to the public. There was another group much closer to home that I had to have on side to make that climb a lot easier. I’m talking about a group of people with whom it is vital to have a good relationship if you want to succeed. It’s a group of people who can make your life a lot easier or a lot more difficult. That group is your fellow real estate agents. In this business we all compete for the listing, but we all co-operate for the closing. Once you list a house you’re going to need your fellow agent’s help to sell it. Let’s face it, we’re in a very tight-knit industry and your reputation, good or bad, is out there for everyone to see. That means if agent A has a client looking for a house in the price range of one you have listed, they can push their client towards you or towards another agent with a similar property. Which direction they go depends on their knowledge of you and the other agent – how you’ve done business with them in the past, how you’ve treated them and how you’ve dealt with them as a fellow professional will determine how, and if, they deal with you. Over the course of my career I’ve dealt with hundreds of multiple offers situations for properties I had listed. Many times the offers were identical. I would make my decision the same way I made every real estate decision, what was in the best interest of my client. I would guide them towards the agent who would get the deal closed in the fastest time with the least amount

of headaches. That meant an agent who replied promptly to emails, would have the paperwork completed correctly and who had done their homework on their clients so no nasty surprises popped up. In short, I always chose the agent who was the most professional. Who wouldn’t? So, how do you make choosing you the easy choice? You treat all your fellow Realtors with the respect, courtesy and professionalism that you want them to treat you with. It really is that simple. Now there are other things I did that you can do as well that will help stack the deck in your favour. Anytime you do business with another agent, send them a handwritten thank-you note after. Anytime you learn something from another agent, be sure to let them know and thank them. Whenever they contact you, get back to them immediately. If they’re asking for information you don’t have, don’t wait until you do, send them a quick reply saying you’re on it. If you show a client a competing Realtor’s listing, let the Realtor know how that showing went as soon as you can. We all know what its like to have anxious vendors – they want to know how the showing went. Wouldn’t you? Yet many times I’d find myself contacting the Realtor time and time again to get an update! Be ahead of the game, inform the listing Realtor immediately. It’s the respectful thing to do. These are simple, easy courtesies we can all extend to each other. Most of it has to do with basic communications. You should treat the agents you deal with as another opportunity to sell yourself and set yourself apart. Just imagine what an amazing industry we’d have if we all treated each other like the professionals we are. That’s something for which we can all be agents of change. Debbie Hanlon is the president and founder of Hanlon Realty. She is a three-time top 50 CEO winner and was named one of the top 100 female entrepreneurs in Canada. She is currently an elected city official in St. John’s, Nfld. and is available for motivational and training seminars. Email debbie@hanlonrealtynl.com. REM

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20 REM JANUARY 2011

METES & BOUNDS

By Marty Douglas

appy New Year! I recently asked our sales team, “What question do you get asked the most?” They all knew the answer, as do you. The question most often asked, by the public and other sales reps, is “What’s the market going to do?” The trouble started when I asked them, “What was your answer?” Got some traditional answers, some innovative ones, some long silences. The reality is – it doesn’t matter. The market is what it is. What matters is – what are you going to do? To help you get to a conclusion, here are some folks’ thoughts

Market conditions don’t matter on the topic. George Bernard Shaw in 1893: “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I do not believe in circumstance. The people who get on in the world are the people who get up and go and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.” Bruce Lee: “Circumstances hell! I make circumstances.” Amy Tan: “In America, nobody says you have to keep the circumstances somebody else gave you.” Ralph Waldo Emerson: “No change of circumstances can repair a defect of character.” Yogi Berra: “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up there.” Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back: “Do or do not. There is no try.” Some attitudes for the new year stolen, er, gathered from intensive research at the recent NAR Conference in New Orleans, mostly from Mike Aubrey, Realtor star of HGTV. (He’s worth a Google,

really!): “No one gets in my car until I know they can get money.” To market fence-sitters, ask this: “How do you feel about inflation? Do you think it might go up? Shouldn’t you buy now?” And to the techno cave dweller client: “Give me your phone. I’m going to program it so I can text you daily.” They don’t have a cell phone? Then they’re aging baby boomers – make sure they have money and be patient. To the buyers who calculate everything: “Should you buy now? Well, if rates go up two per cent in the next three years on your $300,000 mortgage, you’ll save about $4,000 per year over the term of your mortgage. Five-year term times $4,000, let’s see, that’s – holy crap, that’s a lot of money. And if you locked in for 10 years – well you do the math. And we haven’t talked about the great deal you made on the price because of the market.” To the market timers who are renting: “So let me get this straight. You’re going to rent until

the market hits bottom and then you’ll buy. How will you know? Do you think they ring a bell? And let me ask you this – when was the last time your rent went down? Buy now and you can lock in your rent for the next five to 10 years. But – it’s up to you.” For some Canadian content, former CREA president Allan Tennant: “In any market, even a slow one, some numbers of houses are going to sell. Yours could be one of them.” Of course, in any challenging market there are those who refuse to identify the suspect staring back at them from the mirror every morning and insist that a change of company or the application of anything other than elbow grease will polish the turd that is their career. For those so tempted, consider this – three of the biggest names in Victoria real estate escaped the chains of ownership of their own real estate brokerage and with their manager joined one of the larger independent firms about a year ago. They are there still.

As we grow longer in the tooth in this business and take more time for ourselves and families, the attraction of a well-managed brokerage is far greater than the lure of being your own boss. The ability to “stick to your knitting” and to rely on a framework of competency is an asset frequently undervalued and under appreciated. There’s an appropriate Scottish proverb: “No matter where you go, there you are.” See you in Banff at the end of January for the best little conference in North America. Have a look at www.banffwesternconnection.com You can follow Marty Douglas on Twitter 40yrsrealestate or on LinkedIn and on Facebook. He is a managing broker for Coast Realty Group (Comox Valley) Ltd., with offices on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast of B.C. He’s a current director of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. mdouglas@island.net; 1-800-715-3999. REM

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22 REM JANUARY 2011

I see the possibilities AS I SEE IT FROM MY DESK

By Stan Albert “I was able to see what I wanted to do. I could see the opportunity even when others could not, and I stayed committed to doing it and doing it well, no matter what.” – Magic Johnson, ate last month, after going through the car wash, I entered the 407 toll road that I sometimes take to the office when in a hurry. A fraction of a minute later, I hear a thud. Looking around quickly, I discovered my right-hand rear-view mirror was missing. Perhaps the brushes at the wash were misaligned and jarred it loose. You know how hard it is to pass another car without a right-hand mirror? Let me tell you, in case you have never lost one. It is a crazy feeling. It is one of extreme anxiety when you cannot view the vehicle in the lane you just passed, or what is coming up from behind you on that side. How long, I wonder, have the right-hand mirrors been around? Asking at the office, nobody could tell me and for the life of me, I could not remember ever driving without one. And I have been driving since I was 16! During the few days that I was inconvenienced, I started to think about what was in our “rear view mirrors”. My thinking evolved to this: what did we do this past year? Are we about to repeat the same this year? Can we improve on what we did? Would we be able to say, I gave back to my community? Did I help my fellow colleague in a time of need? Did I devote myself to my

family when they needed me most? These are all tangible and valid questions that only you, my dear readers can answer. When we come to the end of the year, are you able to see in your personal “rear-view mirror” and see some possibilities for 2011? Are you going to make that extra effort to ensure you complete each and every detail so that your client and your brokerage are well served? By making just a little extra effort to achieve your goals/business plan, will you make a difference in your life and your lifestyle? Or are you just going to look in that rearview mirror next year and say, “I wish I did, I wish I could have”. Or will you make a difference in someone’s life by doing a better job? Take a moment in this month to reflect, to review and to think about the many wonderful opportunities available to help you to succeed. Our business has indeed evolved from the stereotypical vision of the back slapping and “pushy” salesperson that we were perceived to be in the past. Today, the modern and up-tothe-minute agent has all the tools necessary to be on top of the latest technology at hand. The agent of the future will be better equipped and more skilled as more and more brokerages segue into providing the education and teaching of skills that are necessary to compete in the changing world. Those who do not choose to be up-to-date will not be as successful as those who do. I leave you with this quote from one of the best trainers in the industry: “A clear vision, backed by definite plans, gives you a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power” – Brian Tracey. May I wish you and your families the very best of 2011 and may the coming year bring you only good health, happiness and prosperity. Stan Albert, broker/manager, ABR, ASA at Re/Max Premier in Vaughan, Ont. can be reached for consultation at stanalb@rogers.com. Stan is now celebrating 40 years as an active real estate professional. REM

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