January 2018 by Real Estate Magazine (REM)

Issue #343

January 2018

The state of the real estate industry REMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interview with CREA president Andrew Peck Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 42218523 - Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to 2255B Queen St. E., #1178, Toronto ON M4E 1G3

Page 8

Self defence: Being aware is the first step Page 10

How to keep your mojo working Page 18

Online auction platform launches Page 20

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REM JANUARY 2018 3

TREB loses Competition Tribunal appeal A

fter almost a year of deliberations, the Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed the Toronto Real Estate Board’s appeal in its long-running legal battle with the Competition Bureau. In a June 2016 ruling, the Competition Tribunal found that TREB, by not including sold and other data in its virtual office website (VOW) feed, had engaged in anti-competitive acts that had “a considerable adverse impact on innovation, quality and the range of residential real estate brokerage services that likely would be

offered in the GTA” without TREB’s restrictive rules. In its 75-page judgement, the appeal court says it considered three major issues: “1. Did the Tribunal err in finding that TREB had substantially reduced competition within the meaning of subsection 79(1) of the Competition Act? “2. Did the Tribunal err in failing to conclude that TREB’s privacy concerns or statutory obligations constituted a business justification… (to withhold the data)? “3. Does subsection 79(5) of

the Competition Act preclude TREB and CREA from advancing a claim in copyright in the MLS database? If not, did the Tribunal err in its consideration of TREB’s claim of copyright?” The appeal court confirmed the Tribunal’s findings and dismissed TREB’s appeal with costs. TREB CEO John DiMichele said in a statement: “TREB disagrees with the decision of the Federal Court of Appeal and will be seeking leave to appeal the decision together as well as an order staying the decision pending the outcome of that appeal, if granted.

B.C. bans dual agency ritish Columbia has become the first province to ban dual agency, with new rules set to come into force on March 15, 2018. “These rules will significantly change the way that real estate services are provided in British Columbia,” said Micheal Noseworthy, B.C.’s superintendent of real estate. “The changes will empower consumers and provide clarity around the role of an agent. Ending dual agency removes the potential for conflict and serious problems. We want to create transparency for both consumers and licensees to ensure everyone understands in whose interest licensees must be working.” The Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate (OSRE) says the new rules originate from the recommendations made in the final report of the Independent Advisory Group on Real Estate Regulation in B.C. in June 2016. It says the new rules will also: • Require enhanced disclosure of real estate licensee remuneration that will inform consumers about how remuneration is to be divided between a listing brokerage and co-operating brokerage. • Ensure licensees inform consumers of the duties and responsibilities owed to both clients and unrepresented parties

before working with consumers. • Warn consumers of the risks of relying on a licensee to provide limited assistance if the licensee already represents another party to the transaction. The rules will also provide for a small exemption to the dual agency prohibition in situations where a property is so remote as to make finding another agent extremely difficult. Strict reporting requirements will apply in these circumstances, says OSRE. A consultation on the rules was completed on Oct. 6 after OSRE posted a draft version of the proposed rules for a 30-day public comment. The dual agency ban was supported by 62.6 per cent of the public but just 34.7 per cent of licensees. Among the objections to the rule was that a restriction on dual agency would limit a consumer’s choice to work with their preferred licensee, with whom they may have developed trusting, long-standing relationships, and that consumers may prefer to work with the listing agent, whom they believe has the most information about the property and may be able to save on commission. In response, the OSRE says that “acting as a dual agent may impede the ability of licensees to fulfil the fiduciary duties owed to both of their clients. While regu-

lation, by its nature, limits consumer choice, the restriction on dual agency is a reasonable limitation in order to ensure consumers are protected. Further, the results of the consultation do not demonstrate that the public is concerned with the limitations the rule would place on consumer choice as the majority of public respondents were in favour of the restriction on dual agency.” A proposal that OSRE adopt transaction brokerage so that consumer choice is not limited was rejected. “Transaction brokerage provides no agency to both parties. While transaction brokerage addresses some of the conflicts of interest associated with dual agency, it reduces the range of services that licensees can provide and results in lesser consumer protections for all parties to a transaction,” says OSRE. “The feedback received from licensees indicated a strong desire for education on the new rules, something strongly supported by both OSRE and the Real Estate Council of B.C. The superintendent will require licensees to complete education relating to the new rules and intends to publish a rule for feedback in the coming weeks to support this requirement,” says OSRE. REM

TREB believes strongly that personal financial information of home buyers and sellers must continue to be safely used and disclosed.” As soon as the decision was delivered, several online real estate sites began publishing sold information. “Today’s decision is an important win for competition and for consumers – it paves the way for much needed innovation in the real estate industry,” said John Pecman, commissioner of competition, in a statement. “Anticompetitive activity that hinders

innovation in the Canadian economy will continue to be a top priority for the bureau.” The bureau says, “This will allow home buyers and sellers to take advantage of a greater range of service options when making one of the most significant financial transactions of their lives. Opening up access to real estate data will allow member agents to offer consumers the convenience of data-driven insights into home sales prices and trends via the web, and to improve the efficiency and quality of their services.” REM

Canadians don’t know or not worried about mortgage changes ore than a third of Canadians aren’t aware of the upcoming changes to mortgage regulations or how they will affect their ability to purchase a property in the future, says a recent survey conducted by Leger on behalf of Re/Max. Fifty-eight per cent are aware of the new OSFI stress test regulations, the survey says. Of the group that is aware of the changes, 27 per cent don’t believe it will impact the type of property they purchase in the future; 18 per cent believe it will impact the type of property they purchase in the future and 13 per cent are unsure. The survey also found that nearly half (48 per cent) of Canadians are considering purchasing a home in the next five years. “Since the OSFI regulation changes were announced, we have seen a number of markets across the country receive an influx of buyers looking to purchase a home before the rules take effect, says Elton Ash, regional EVP, Re/Max of Western Canada. “Based on conversations with brokers, we also anticipate seeing some markets, such as Greater Vancouver and the Greater Toronto Area, seeing slower activity in the first part of the year as the market adjusts to the new regulations.” Christopher Alexander, regional director, Re/Max Integra Ontario-Atlantic Canada Region, says the survey demonstrates that “there remains a gap in awareness and understanding amongst Canadians of how the new OSFI stress test regulation changes may impact them moving forward. For the nearly half of Canadians that plan to buy a home in the next five years, it’s important that they take the time to learn about the new rules and make an informed decision before looking to enter the market.” The new stress test will require Canadians making down payments of more than 20 per cent of a home’s value – who do not need mortgage insurance – to prove they can afford their mortgage payments based on the greater of the Bank of Canada’s five-year benchmark rate (currently 4.99 per cent) or their contract mortgage rate plus two percentage points. REM

4 REM JANUARY 2018

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

algary-based Redline Canada has opened an office in Brantford, Ont. “We are very excited to take the full-service brokerage model to a different part of the country where we can expose the consumer to an amazing buying or selling experience,” says Redline CEO Darren Langille. The owners of the new office, Redline Properties, are Jeff Thibodeau and Mike Brown. They were both born and raised in Brantford and Brant County. Redline says its brokerage model takes a “concierge approach to ensure the consumer is well serviced” and makes sure their salespeople “have more time to dedicate to those clients by streamlining their businesses through technology, systems and processes.” It was founded in 2009. ■ ■ ■

Several Ontario Re/Max franchise owners recently took part in a conference in Vienna, which hosted the top 100 offices from the Re/Max Europe network. It has

more than 2,000 offices in 32 countries. The Elite Broker Summit was created for top Re/Max offices in Europe. It provided an intense agenda of workshops and keynote speakers. Re/Max Europe CEO Michael Polzler, formerly of Re/Max Ontario-Atlantic Canada, opened the event by introducing the vision of Re/Max Europe. The company plans to grow to 30,000 agents over the next 18 months. Sales rep Richard Duggal of Re/Max Premier in Toronto was a keynote speaker at the event. Duggal has been in the real estate industry for several years and has made presentations at many international conventions. Other speakers included Conrad Zurini, broker/owner of eight Re/Max offices in Hamilton-Burlington, as well as the master franchise owner of Re/Max London. David Brown, VP of marketing, brand and special projects of Re/Max Integra, spoke about Out of the Box Thinking from social media.

Vancouver-based real estate services company McNeill Lalonde & Associates is rebranding its brokerage, TAC Real Estate Corp., to MLA Realty. The brokerage’s property services include resale, new developments and land assembly, and the firm is licensed for rental property management. Since its inception in 2009, the boutique brokerage has also managed the sales of many pre-sale developments. The brokerage has offices in Vancouver’s Westside and Coquitlam communities with over 40 salespeople servicing Greater Vancouver, Squamish and the Fraser Valley Regional Districts. ■ ■ ■

Century 21 Trinity is now open in Simcoe, Ont. Owner Kevin Allen says he is looking forward to building an office with a group of people with similar values and creating success in the Simcoe mar-

ket. He says he has a history of recruiting different personalities that work well with each other and create a successful environment. Allen has created a lounge area rather than several small defined offices. The space is complete with four working desks and a nine-foot island, where sales reps can congregate to exchange tips and best practices. ■ ■ ■

Broker/owner Verona Teskey of Select Real Estate in Bolton, Ont. has affiliated with the Coldwell Banker network. The company will now operate as Coldwell Banker Select Real Estate. The firm’s leadership team also includes managing broker Bryan Gnida, who oversees day-to-day operations, and marketing director Bret Teskey. The brokerage has 21 sales reps. Teskey entered the real estate industry in 1989. In 1994, she and a partner bought Family Realty in Bolton, which was originally Family Trust. In 1996, they converted to Prudential Select Real Estate (Bolton). Teskey became sole owner of the brokerage in 2003. To establish a firm presence in her community, she purchased a building in the heart of Bolton and

■ ■ ■

transformed it into a contemporary office. In 2010, she purchased and renovated a second location in neighbouring Caledon East. ■ ■ ■

Three successful real estate professionals pooled their resources and opened Century 21 Alpha in Toronto recently. The team, Tracy Chen, Bill Yang and Gary Lam, plans to continue their success as a team and help new agents grow their own business. “Between the three of us, we have more than 50 years experience,” says Yang. “We’ve worked together for so long at Century 21 King’s Quay that we thought it was a natural next step to open our own franchise and to stay with the Century 21 brand. We hope our combined experience and considerable success will also help us build a big team in the area.” Century 21 Alpha opened with three agents. By the end of the year, they hope to expand to 10, and are planning to expand significantly in 2018. They plan to offer their expertise to new agents through mentorship. ■ ■ ■

Johnston & Daniel was the Gold Sponsor of the Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate Conference held in Toronto recently. Attendees from across the globe met at the Fairmont Royal York for a program of speakers and events, including the welcome reception hosted by Johnston & Daniel, feaContinued on page 6

Redline Canada’s management group, from left: Kelley Skar, Jeff Thibodeau, Brett Turner and Darren Langille.

Richard Duggal

Kevin Allen

Celebrating the rebranding of MLA Realty, from left: Cameron McNeill, executive director; Carson Green, sales rep; Peter Talbot, managing broker; and Ryan Lalonde, president.

Verona Teskey

Tracy Chen

Bill Yang

Gary Lam

Unlock your success in 2018. World-class marketing. Industry leading technology. State-of-the-art training programs. A global support system. Put the power of CENTURY 21® to work for you!

Independently Owned and Operated. ®†TM† trademarks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC used under license or authorized sub-license. © 2018 Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership. Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership currently has franchise opportunities available in select markets across Canada. The intent of this communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a solicitation to anyone under contract with another real estate brokerage organization. CENTURY 21® is a registered trademark owner by Century 21 Real Estate LLC, used under license.

6 REM JANUARY 2018

Continued from page 6

turing the brand’s signature cocktail, the J&Dini. ■ ■ ■

Marcus & Millichap, a commercial real estate investment services firm with offices throughout the United States and Canada,

announced that Emily Masuda has joined the firm’s Toronto office as a senior associate - director, National Retail Group specializing in retail investment sales throughout Canada and the United States. Coming from Cushman & Wakefield Toronto, Masuda brings 10 years of investment sales experience in commercial real estate brokerage. She has worked with developers, retailers, architecture and interior design firms, where she secured projects and managed teams in the mixed-use, retail, entertainment and hospitality sectors worldwide.

growth of their independent brand and delivering a full suite of services to the Prince Edward County, Belleville and Lennox Addington markets, the company says. “With their 27 years of successful practice and commitment to giving back to the community, James and Lynn have developed a strong team of sales professionals, and market presence,” says Aventure president Bernie Vogt. “Participation in the Aventure Network will connect Hartford and Stein to Canada’s leading

independent brokerages from coast to coast and widen their reach to over 50 member companies in 1,200 markets.” ■ ■ ■

Re/Max Legacy recently opened in Merritt, B.C., lead by broker/owner Brad Marsh and manager Ken Magel. They also have brokerages in Vernon, Salmon Arm, Lumby, Armstrong, Mara Lake and Kamloops. The new brokerage has four sales reps and one administrator.

■ ■ ■

Emily Masuda

Hartford and Stein Group Real Estate in Picton, Ont. has joined the Aventure Realty Network. James Hartford and Lynn Stein, broker/owners, are focused on the

The team at Re/Max Legacy, from left: Melody Simon, sales rep; Brad Marsh, owner; Karen Bonneteau, sales rep; Taylor Finnigan, admin; Janis Post, sales rep; Don Ward, sales rep; and Ken Magel, broker.

ntario Realtors gathered for their annual conference in November, hosted by the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA). The conference was renamed to reflect OREA’s latest initiative, the Ontario Realtor Party, created to advance OREA’s advocacy efforts. “While the name sounds political, it isn’t,” says Ettore Cardarelli, OREA’s 2017 president. “The Ontario Realtor Party is a nonpartisan program that will support all political parties and politicians that support the Canadian dream of home ownership.” The party focuses on recruiting and offering training to Realtors who are interested in being more engaged in politics and their local communities. So far, more than 2,000 Realtors have been recruited and agreed to participate in advocacy efforts. ■ ■ ■

James Hartford and Lynn Stein

Cover photo: DARLA FURLANI

Publisher HEINO MOLLS heino@remonline.com

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WinnipegRealtors was presented with CREA’s Outstanding PAC Team Award at PAC Days in Ottawa recently. The board has embraced a team concept to reach out to their nine assigned MPs to advocate issues of importance to Realtors. The local PAC (political

The office in Central Merritt was recently renovated and has the first option to expand into the space next door, should more agents come on board. Merritt is a city in the Nicola Valley of the South Central Interior of B.C. The city of Merritt, known as the Country Music Capital of Canada, hosts the annual Merritt Mountain Music Festival. It has a display of dozens of bronzed hand prints of country music stars who have visited the city for the festival. REM

affairs committee) team has also been growing its Realtor Action Network so when a call to action is initiated by CREA, they can deliver a strong and unified voice to its MPs on the issue of the day. For example, they have been building on a meme campaign the London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors originally created and using social media platforms to communicate the message. WinnipegRealtors also worked with Winnipeg North MP Kevin Lamoureux to introduce a petition in support of CREA’s 2016 Home Buyers Plan recommendations in the House of Commons. REM

WinnipegRealtors was presented with the Outstanding PAC Team Award at PAC Days in Ottawa.

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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). ISSN 1201-1223

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Multiple Listings

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8 REM JANUARY 2018

The state of the real estate industry

Andrew Peck talks about the future of organized real estate, the B.C. ban on dual agency, dealing with the government and more in REM’s annual interview with the CREA president. By Jim Adair

n addition to his duties criss-crossing the country as president of CREA this year, Andrew Peck found time to get married – twice. “To the same partner,” he says quickly. The couple was going to have a third ceremony at their vacation home in Florida, but after Hurricane Irma hit, they decided to redirect the money from the wedding party to hurricane settlement charities. But most of Peck’s year has been spent talking to Realtors across the country. “You can’t be good governors of an association unless you are out there listening to the membership, and when I say the membership, I mean the Realtor on the street, not the leadership of the real estate boards,” says Peck. A few years ago, the threeway agreement under which organized real estate operates in Canada was altered so that CREA could reach out directly to members, rather than conveying all messages through the local boards and provincial associations. CREA shifted its focus from dealing exclusively with leadership of the boards to meeting Realtors through a series of Open House events. Peck, who is the broker/owner of Royal Pacific Realty Group in Vancouver, says he’s proud the lines of communication have seen much improvement in the seven years he’s been on CREA’s Board of Directors. The structure of ORE The structure of organized real estate continues to be a major topic of discussion. Efforts to merge real estate boards and provincial associations failed in B.C. in 2016, and this year in

Saskatchewan. As a member of the Vancouver board, Peck says he supported “right-sizing” through the amalgamation plan. Recently “I was in Mississauga and one fellow told me he has to belong to four real estate boards to be able to provide services and connect his customers. I was shocked. That is not serving the Realtor and it certainly is not serving the consumer…I think local real estate boards have to figure it out. This is not about turf, it’s about doing the best thing for Realtors in general…” He says real estate boards who worry about losing local control should realize “they are not going to lose anything. Is it about the building that houses the (board) or about the Realtors themselves who serve the community? If the real estate board is called something else, it doesn’t matter, the Realtor is still the same Realtor, the brokerage is still the same brokerage, working in that community. Nothing changes.” A working group discussed the three-way agreement as recently as November at the National Association of Realtors conference. Peck says, “The conversation is always about efficiencies and doing more with less, but that conversation started a couple of years ago. A working group came forward with a summary paper in February this year, which said the agreement needed to have language in it to deal with disputes.” Noting that PEI, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia are already operating with just two levels of governance, he says, “there are some boards that would like to modify the

agreement and look at some creative ways of how to deal with it if there’s a disagreement, and not be locked into this three-way marriage if you don’t need to be. Should we be afraid of that? Some people might be, but I don’t think we should be. Some things might change but I think the provincial associations still have tremendous value and I think CREA has a leadership role to play in this and always will.” Dual agency Peck’s home province recently announced that dual agency would no longer be allowed. Peck says he thinks it’s a “moderate solution that is not killing the industry. “I think Realtors believed that doing away with dual agency was doing away with double-ending and that’s not what they have done,” he says. “What (the government) said is, ‘We want enhanced disclosure to buyers who are not going to be represented. We want them to understand that if they were to have an agent working for them, an independent agent who was not working for the seller, that they would be afforded better help.’ Explain that to the buyer, that if they want to go with me and I’m working for the seller, that’s what it’s going to look like. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. “There are a few (Realtors) who will chirp and say this is terrible and I don’t think they understand that this is not going to do away with your ability to work on both sides of the transaction.” Government relations Booming housing markets in Toronto and Vancouver put

Andrew Peck (Photo: Darla Furlani)

pressure on the governments to address debt and affordability issues, resulting in a host of government initiatives to slow down those markets. “I don’t think governments generally should intervene much in markets. I think when they do, it has unintended consequences,” says Peck. “The more intervention there is, the more the markets work around them.”

He adds, “There were others in the country who were lighting their hair on fire. Governments have big ears and it’s not helpful for Realtors in one part of the country to scream and say that they are setting up class warfare, or this is unfair to people who are generating income to the economy. That’s a stupid way to play politics. It is way more helpful to have the door open to you to be in the conversation.”

He says CREA had a major win when the federal government amended its tax proposals for personal incorporation.

For example, he says the legalization of marijuana and the ability to grow it in your own home is a huge issue.

“CREA approached it the right way…not to scream at government and say they were idiots but to work with them, provide them with insight and some research and say we understand what you are trying to do, but let’s look at the ways we can all achieve the same thing. What has come down from this, we are really pleased and I think the government is really pleased.”

“What are we going to disclose going forward? In the past, we have said that Realtors must disclose if a property has been used as a grow op. How do we evaluate as a Realtor what’s a grow op and what isn’t? Stealing power and putting a factory inside the house, that’s pretty easy to understand. But when you’ve got four plants in your home, is that a grow op? Are the police going to tell us

Marijuana

continued on page 10

10 REM JANUARY 2018

Self defence: Being aware is the first step ones by taking a self-defence course. None of us needs to be reminded how violence in our society has escalated.

Brian McCracken

f you take a self-defence course, will you suddenly be transformed into a lean, mean, fighting machine ready to take on any situation? Are you now able to diffuse any situation and walk out with your head held high, leaving the bad guy lying in a heap on the ground as you smirk and carry on your way? That’s wishful thinking. Self defence is messy. You might be injured in an altercation and you might be the one in need of medical care, But, and this is a big but, you just may save your life or the life of one of your loved

Several months ago, Kelly Herron was attacked while jogging in Seattle. “My biggest running nightmare became reality,” she says. “Four miles into my long run Sunday afternoon, I stopped to use the restroom and was assaulted by a man hiding in a stall. I fought for my life, screaming, clawing his face, punching back and desperately trying to escape his grip – never giving up. I was able to lock him in the bathroom until police arrived. Thankfully I just took a self-defence class offered at my work and used all of it. My face is stitched, my body is bruised, but my spirit is intact.” A good self-defence course helps you understand yourself better. It helps you recognize how situations develop around you and perhaps how you can be more aware of how an altercation can develop before it takes place. Self defence is not going toe-to-toe and fighting. It is using whatever is available and whatever skills you have, and creating an

opening to escape. Violence unfortunately is messy, scary and unfair but we can all try to equalize the situation enough to escape. Let’s discuss awareness and how this may be a life saver. I live in what I feel is a safe city north of Toronto. We have amazing jogging trails by the lake, trails through the forest, private parks and a very busy downtown and waterfront. It’s a safe place but when a client asked me if it was safe to jog alone late at night in these different areas, I said no. I do not believe in fear mongering, but I know that if my daughter was about to go out jogging by herself at 1 a.m., I would have a huge issue with it. She grew up in my world and has seen enough martial arts to keep herself safe, but you must use common sense to avoid getting into a bad position. I see far too many people walking at night totally oblivious to their surroundings as they are chatting on their phones, texting or lost in their music and not understanding that the first level of self defence comes down to personal awareness. Your awareness needs to reflect the situation you are in. If it is 3 p.m. and you are walking to

your car from the grocery store and someone says hello, you take it in the context it is in. But if it’s the same scene at midnight and someone is hanging around your car as you are approaching, it requires a different thought process. Now imagine the same scene where you were busy texting, talking on your phone or preoccupied with other distractions. If aware, your choices are endless. You could walk back into the store, you could make sure your keys are in your hand, you could make sure one hand was free and not burdened down with all the bags. Maybe you could activate the alarm by your car. You could make eye contact with the person so they know you are aware. You could stay on the opposite side of the vehicle or keep other obstacles or vehicles between you and them. You could use your voice, asking them loudly why they are by your car. If it was innocent on their part they will move away – if not so innocent, they may also move away because they would rather deal with an easier target. Showing

homes

The state of the real estate industry that? We have to come up with some solutions for that.” CREA also continues to press the government to make changes to the Home Buyer’s Plan, including a provision that would allow parents to take money out of their RRSPs to help their children buy a home. However, the government is reluctant to provide any stimulus to the housing market at the same time

it’s introducing measures like the new mortgage stress-test rules to slow down consumer debt. New CEO Peck says the biggest item on CREA’s agenda this year was finding a replacement for CEO Gary Simonsen, who is retiring at the end of the year. Michael Bourque, currently the CEO at the Railway Association of Canada, was named to fill the

role after a long search. “Unlike most associations, CREA is also a technology provider and that has a completely different skillset than association management,” says Peck. “We hired an expert to assist us and let them do their job. We don’t FSBO the experts. We let them do what they do and I think that was really helpful for us.”

and

By Brian McCracken

meeting strangers requires the same awareness. I tend to follow the clients instead of opening the basement door and being the first one down. Paranoid? Absolutely not, just a choice to always watch and control my environment. Late night meeting? Bring another agent, your spouse or a friend. Why would you allow one deal to possibly take you away from your family when a little precaution makes so much difference? Do obvious things like meeting new clients in the office instead of somewhere isolated. Let people know where you are and if you are uncomfortable, have back up plans. Trust your gut feelings with people. When a person is attacked and victimized, the real attack usually happened long before the first blow. You can win the fight during the awareness phase. Brian McCracken is a sales rep with Royal LePage First Contact Realty in Barrie, Ont. He also has more than 25 years of martial arts expertise, including a Tae Kwon Do Blackbelt and experience in Krav Maga, kickboxing, boxing, Mauy Thai and ju-jitsu. www.barrierealty.com REM

continued from page 8.

Youth and diversity As for other issues in the industry, he says, “I was pleasantly surprised to see the number of younger people getting in the business. For a number of years, we were looking at how the Realtor population was aging. Now we are seeing a lot more new blood coming in.” But he says the leadership roles in boards and associations

“are not reflective of the youth and they are not reflective of the ethnic diversity” of the population. “They are also not reflective of gender balance. That’s one of the things we have to pay more attention to because that’s the consumer out there. Their diversity is very different from what I see sitting on our boards of directors.” REM

Thousands of Real Estate Agents g to be Wiped Out & Erased from the Business as Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Housing Market Falters. I recently got a letter from a top agent who earned nearly a million dollars last year, who wrote: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iff I had h d known k then h what I know now about HOW HARD IT IS AND STAYS AND WILL ALWAYS BE to earn a top income in real estate â&#x20AC;Ś I would never have gotten in this business to start with. I regret it. I have trouble at home and am constantly disappointing everybody. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trapped. pp And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m worried â&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;? Little does he know, as bad as that is, he may well be one of the thousands of agents soon to be WIPED OUT & ERASED FROM THE BUSINESS in the next, coming crash. Put out of his misery, maybe. But when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all said and done, he probably wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be any happier broke. And everything he hates about the way he is earning his income CAN BE REPLACED with an entirely different approach unknown to him and to most. But for starters, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to survive â&#x20AC;Ś and to do that, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to STOP making the five mistakes that threaten the future of so many Canadian real estate agents. Now this next part will sound egotistical, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just simple fact: Only someone with MY experience can actually â&#x20AC;&#x153;doomproofâ&#x20AC;? your real estate career and business. I can (and will) save the guy who wrote that letter to me. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to save him from himself. Stop his divorce-in-themaking. Save him from being eaten alive by his own success. AND save him from the coming Wave Of Destruction threatening to ruin agentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; incomes and lives. Maybe you experienced the last crash, and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;twiddling your thumbs timeâ&#x20AC;? that followed, and breathed a sigh of relief at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;loosening upâ&#x20AC;? of the market that finally followed. Unfortunately, that was only the pause between storms. Very dangerous economic and market forces are converging. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;herdsâ&#x20AC;? of ordinary insurance agents, mortgage brokers, and oth-

I have been a highly ers have already been decimated successful AGENT for more and are dying out. In one than 20 years. No one can even â&#x20AC;&#x153;brandâ&#x20AC;?, there are about 30% come close to matching my track fewer agents than there were 5 record â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially the â&#x20AC;&#x153;coachesâ&#x20AC;? years ago. Some of the death whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve (incredibly) never sold causes in those industries are real estate!!! OR the ones whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve moving to real estate, now and raced into â&#x20AC;&#x153;coachingâ&#x20AC;? after a soon. What you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know good year or two (many as my about this COULD KILL YOU. students). They all make a lot of Another fact â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that the big noise. But do any of them have real estate associations, top frana real, legitimate, doable system chise brands, and most â&#x20AC;&#x153;coachesâ&#x20AC;? YOU can count on? No. THIS donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want you to understand: INVITATION IS ONLY FOR YOU IF there are fewer home buyers YOU PLACE A HIGH VALUE ON now than at anytime in the past SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE. 20 years, and the available buyer On SYSTEMS that are working counts in 90% of the markets are now but have also proven themshrinking, shrinking, shrinking. selves in every kind of market Agents who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t yet realize over time and can be counted on. this are in combat with powerful I know from trends that that experience threaten inâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Cracks in the foundation that this market come is good enough, destruction of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s housing just about everyunseen markets are starting to where, to reward since an agent â&#x20AC;&#x153;with the the 1930â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. show [with] some right stuffâ&#x20AC;? with Too many agents doing worrisome signs emerging a solid 6-figure to a 7-figure too many Buyers have turned income right of the same cautious, properties are now, and going things are Of gathered sitting longer and looming forward. course, a lot of around people would regulations promise to watering rather have a holes that make mortgages harder to good excuse are drying than a good up. get for many.â&#x20AC;? plan or have the These -- Globe & Mail â&#x20AC;&#x153;loveâ&#x20AC;? of their are Darwinian forces. (Report on Business 17-11-25) misery-enveloped, negative, comThat kill the plaining buddies than a big income weak. And there are FIVE and their jealousy. If thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s you, mistakes most agents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including turn the page and forget I came successful, 6-figure income around. But Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll tell you: there is no agents â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are making (and are legitimate excuse for not having encouraged to make) that set all the good prospects and clients them up for the coming slaughter. coming to you right now, for you This coming herd-thinning will to have a $200,000 or $300,000 make the most recent one look or $500,000+ income you want â&#x20AC;&#x201C; like a brief Florida drizzle comand still work sane hours, have a pared to one of the all-time, most real personal or family life, and devastating hurricanes or tsunamis. be able to â&#x20AC;&#x153;enforceâ&#x20AC;? your time off Let me tell you why you with your cell-phone off without should bother to keep reading, the desperate fear of loss that and to ultimately attend one of comes with poor positioning and my free upcoming Craig Proctor utterly unpredictable income and Discovery Days, and why virtually a sense of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;bad market.â&#x20AC;? every real estate â&#x20AC;&#x153;guruâ&#x20AC;?, trainer, I am not denying â&#x20AC;&#x153;bad â&#x20AC;&#x153;coachâ&#x20AC;?, etc. hopes you never do.

market.â&#x20AC;? In fact, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m telling you that it is WORSE THAN YOU THINK and worse than youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re being told and that a lot of pain is soon to be inflicted on the ignorant and unsuspecting â&#x20AC;&#x153;positive whistlersâ&#x20AC;?. But none of that has to affect you. Because it affects the others, the majority around you, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really astute, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see that as a mandate to STOP doing everything theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; because it is NOT working for them and is setting them up for slaughter -- and to look elsewhere for a different â&#x20AC;&#x153;secret passageâ&#x20AC;? to success as a new-type agent in a new-type market. I literally re-invented real estate once, and made myself a multi-millionaire agent by doing so. Now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing it again. And my upcoming free Discovery Day (visit w w w. C a n a d i a n S u m m i t . c o m for the current schedule) will fill you in on my â&#x20AC;&#x153;back storyâ&#x20AC;? but more importantly, share with you how Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m reinventing the real estate business -- basically putting my very, very, very proven system on steroids, and show you how you can be a part of it. At Discovery Day, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll reveal the five fatal mistakes and three â&#x20AC;&#x201C; just three â&#x20AC;&#x201C; simple actions you must take, to separate yourself from the confused, whining, suffering crowd of agents AND from the normal ills and evils of being an agent, so that, bluntly, as they starve out, you prosper. You may be tempted to ignore this. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your prerogative. But cynicism can only lead to resignation. Here is the dictionary definition of a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cynicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: cynic people are motivated purely by self-interest rather than acting for honourable or unselfish reasons : E.g. some cynics thought that the offer of help to the community concealed a secret agenda.

Billionaire Agent and Millionaire Agent-Maker, Craig Proctor at a recent Discovery Day More info at: www.CanadianSummit.com whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile : E.g. the cynics were silenced when the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;crazyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; invention actually worked. First, I really DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T need your money. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m NOT out to get you, and unlike some charlatans I expose, I am NOT peddling the newest, shiniest, social media-est promises that sounds so magnificent in a seminar room but evaporate into dust in the real world. You have nothing to fear from me. And Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll give you overwhelming proof that you can trust me as a truth-teller in a land of gypsies, tramps and thieves. Truthfully, I am motivated by a sincere empathy for the honest, hard-working, successoriented agent (Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been where you are) and a desire to help such a person. I am honestly appalled by the ways in which the â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;hotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; guru-coachesâ&#x20AC;? are misleading and confusing agents, even dooming agents, themselves cynics, and I want to create a â&#x20AC;&#x153;truth and sense zoneâ&#x20AC;?. You can learn all about my system and how it can help you at my free upcoming Discovery Day. Or you can turn the page and do nothing. The first choice has possibilities. The second does not. Go to www.CanadianSummit.com now to learn how to attend.

Learn How to Survive the Coming Crash at My Upcoming Free Craig Proctor Discovery Day More Mo M re IInf nfor forma matition io or R Regiister t r aat: t:

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12 REM JANUARY 2018

An easy way to avoid a lawsuit

By Natalka Falcomer

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s a lawyer, manager of a brokerage and a member of the Real Estate Institute of Canada (REIC), I’m surrounded by rules of professional conduct and codes of ethics. All my actions – whether they’re related to my work or not – are filtered through not only the Law Society’s Rules of Professional Conduct but also the Real Estate and Business Broker’s Act and REIC’s Code of Ethics. While this seems like quite

By answering these five questions, you can access a “built-in mini lawyer”. the process, I discovered that being ethical is just as good as having a lawyer on demand. If you practice ethical behavior consistently – from how you act with your family members to how you treat your clients and other real estate professionals – you’ll become “lawsuit-proof”. This is because you develop a very strong intuition around what is ethical and what is legal. Intuition, as it turns out, isn’t magic. Rather, it’s our brain quick-

ly spitting out a mass amount of information we’ve gathered and analyzed through years of repeated actions. An example of this is when you “just knew” that the deal was going to fall apart or that the buyer wasn’t serious. Your gut instinct is not magic. It’s your unconscious brain picking up on numerous cues, which trigger a “gut reaction” you’ve had in the past to those very same cues. Given how intuition works, it follows that developing a “legal mind” and lawsuit radar can be done through memorizing the code and practicing ethical behaviour. The problem in doing this, however, is that ethical behaviour isn’t clear cut and memorizing the code is not an easy or immediate solution. Given these obstacles, I use Institute of Real Estate Management’s “Five Question Method”. By consistent application of these five questions, I am not only able to clarify and examine ethical issues, but I’m also able to access a “built-in mini lawyer”. The questions are: 1. Is it illegal? 2. Who is affected by your decision? And how? 3. What are the consequences of the decision? 4. How do you feel about the situation? 5. Have you examined all the alternatives? If this is too difficult, then an even simpler question to guide you is: “Would you like to see your action talked about on the front page of your local newspaper?” If the answer is “no”, it is likely unethical and possibly a breach of the law. Natalka Falcomer is a lawyer, real estate sales agent and Certified Leasing Officer who has a passion to make the law accessible and affordable. She founded, hosts and coproduces a popular legal call-in show on Rogers TV, Toronto Speaks Legal Advice. She founded Groundworks, the only firm specializing in commercial real estate law that offers flat fee rates, online delivery of legal work and a guaranteed turnaround time. www.groundworksfirm.com REM

14 REM JANUARY 2018

From conned to confident By Debbie Hanlon

Realtor I know told me last week she was on Facebook and an ad popped up telling her that her resolution was wrong and if she wanted to reach more people, she should give them a call and they would assist her. It all sounded legit and above-board, so she decided to try their services. One hundred dollars later, she had nothing to show for it, except to find out that the real Facebook doesn’t even have a phone number. It was a lesson learned the hard way. The Realtor told me she felt ever so violated and, well, a little stunned. That was heightened

when she had to call and cancel her credit cards and close and reopen her PayPal accounts... what a drag! Like we are not busy enough as it is! Anyhow, that agent need never feel lonely, because millions of users are scammed daily on Facebook. Some just want your contact list so they can send out their spam to more people, and for every friend who opens it, their contacts get it too. Other scams cost you more than just embarrassment, they cost you your hard-earned dollars. Anyone who has been in this business for any length of time, anybody who’s been playing this crazy wonderful game of real estate knows how precarious our careers can be. We have no guaranteed income. If we don’t sell we don’t make money. Unfortunately, that kind of uncertainty in our career makes us an easy target for scammers like those who duped that agent. There can be a certain despera-

tion about our normal working day that nobody outside of commissioned sales can even begin to understand. We want an easier way and we’re willing to believe people when they tell us they can sell us one. So, what do we do? We can’t change the many demands this industry puts on us. We can’t stop deals from falling apart at the last minute like they sometimes do. There are a million and one things we have no control over in our working lives and we cannot change them. Not one. So, what we do is, we change our reaction to them. Before you start thinking that you can’t change how things affect you, don’t for one second allow that thought inside your head. Start thinking you can and just like that, you have taken the first step. So, when a deal that looked like gold this morning turns to lead after dinner, tell yourself you can control how you react. Simply by saying,

“I can control how I react to this” you’ve given yourself time to exhale and put up a verbal wall against the dark thoughts that want to flood in. Don’t let them. This may seem like the end of the world but if you think about it you’ve probably gotten through way worst things than this before. When you have a challenging client, and we have all have them, think about an even more challenging client you’ve had. Just that little act will immediately make you feel better. Freeing your mind that way and choosing how you react to the daily obstacles and disappointments we sometimes encounter will allow you to concentrate on what matters, improving your quality of life and making money. Tackling the things that could knock you over before lunch gives you a certain confidence. That confidence grows every time you take control of the only thing you can at times and that’s turning your

reaction into an action and moving on from it. As your confidence grows, so will your bank account because people are attracted to confident people. If I’m having a doubtful moment I often remember my past successes and bang, I immediately become 10-feet tall and bulletproof. This all happens simply by allowing yourself a couple of seconds of peace as you recite, “I can control how I react to this.” Try it! It’s not a scam, trust me. Debbie Hanlon is a real estate broker who has helped train hundreds of sales reps and brokered and managed a national real estate franchise. She also founded an independent real estate firm. Currently she coaches sales reps all over the world. She is the CEO of All Knight Inc, a global educational mobile company, as well as a published children’s author and the creator of the national I’m No Bully Show. www.facebook.com/missdebREM bieandfriends

“In a year, Your Perfect Life has become a go-to resource for Canadian house-hunters.” — Phil Soper President & CEO, Royal LePage

Your Per fect Life Our award-winning neighbourhood matching tool

We’re excited to announce that Royal LePage, in partnership with Environics Analytics, has been awarded two prestigious awards by the Canadian Marketing Association. The awards recognize innovative, creative and exemplary applications of data and analytics used in our Your Perfect Life feature on royallepage.ca. A first in Canadian real estate, the tool helps homebuyers discover more about where they live or about the communities in which they may wish to live. GOLD AWARD

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“In a year, Your Perfect Life has become a go-to resource for Canadian house-hunters.” — Phil Soper President & CEO, Royal LePage

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18 REM JANUARY 2018

How to keep your mojo working

Staying motivated when working in the real estate industry can be a struggle. Slumping sales, unrealistic clients and other sources of negativity can wear you down. Here are some tips to help keep motivated. By Toby Welch enni Bast, an agent with Century 21 Dome Realty in Regina, shares what gets her motivated every morning after seven years in the industry: “It’s a known fact that real estate agents wake up unemployed every morning. It’s the • thrill of the chase for the next prospect • smiling faces of my colleagues when I walk into the office every day • excitement you see from a first-time homebuyer when they move into a home and into the next chapter of their life • a hug you receive from a seller when you’re putting up the sold sign in their yard • fist bump or high five that you receive from your co-workers or broker after you just negotiated a deal. You have to celebrate the successes in life.” Celebrating even the smallest accomplishments can keep you motivated to continue crushing the roadblocks. All successes should be recognized. Giving yourself a mental pat on the back for a

job well done will go a long way in keeping you moving forward. Richelle Plumstead, a sales rep with Re/Max Group Four Realty Ltd. in Fredericton, finds motivation by living in a state of gratitude. “I know that might sound cliché or that I am saying this in attempt to impress someone but it’s the truth. In 17 years I’ve experienced some incredible highs and some desperate lows, with each experience bringing new insights and knowledge. It can be very easy to allow negative situations to consume you and monopolize your thoughts. Waking up in the morning with six accepted offers and having those six offers fall apart is an awful lot for any one person to absorb and overcome. This is where I dig deep and find things to be grateful for! I truly believe that you attract what you think about and that one small mental shift can drastically change the way your day will go.” Plumstead adds, “You will have an epiphany at some point during your career and you will decide to either suck it up and work through

those challenging times or you will decide that your sacrifices just simply aren’t worth it. Either way, you’re absolutely right! Make your decision based on what you want and find a balance between your personal life and your work life.” Dave Philps, a sales rep with DFH Real Estate Ltd. in Victoria, is motivated by the same thing that motivated him 30 years ago when he started in real estate. “I get immense satisfaction from assisting clients through the intricacies of what will be, for most of them, the largest financial transaction they will ever make. At the end of the process there is nothing better or more satisfying than a happy client who says, ‘I had no idea how to accomplish this move, but you made it seem very easy.’” Philps keeps motivated with actions. “If I have some extra time in the day I will try to do ‘value added’ things for my clients: send them a market update for their residential area, forward them a topical news item regarding interest rates, changing mortgage rules. I also try to remember that the things I do today, which may not seem to be accomplishing any-

Cobourg sales rep headlines in Vegas – for a day

Canadian sales rep recently achieved a dream that most real estate agents can only imagine. Al McLellan of Coldwell Banker RMR Real Estate in Cobourg, Ont. was a Las Vegas headliner for a day. He performed his magic act during the closing night celebrations at the Coldwell Banker #Gen Blue global conference at the MGM Grand. McLellan was one of three Coldwell Banker entertainers chosen from a network of 91,000 sales professionals in 3,000 residential offices worldwide, and was the only Canadian selected. The 2017 Gen Blue Experience was Coldwell Banker’s biggest international conference in more than a decade, attracting more than 6,000 delegates. “I’ve performed for our company before, but never imagined I’d be doing magic for a crowd of thousands on the main stage at the MGM Grand,” says McLellan, who has previously entertained

friends and colleagues from Coldwell Banker RMR’s 10-office operation. His performance has been postREM ed to the brokerage’s Facebook page.

Al McLellan of Coldwell Banker RMR Real Estate with entertainers Penn & Teller.

thing in the way of an immediate sale, will likely pay off in an ‘easy’ sale in six months or a year, and the only reason that sale seemed ‘easy’ was because of the client service that I provide today.” Doing what needs to be done, especially when you don’t want to do it, can have tremendous motivational side effects. Action is often a huge first step in the right direction. A side benefit to keeping your motivation level high is momentum; that tends to increase your career satisfaction and keep your knowledge base growing. Finding motivation by constantly learning something new is what Jean Richer, a salesperson with Keller Williams Integrity Realty in Ottawa, recommends for agents who are struggling. For him, the routine of the day keeps him motivated. Richer works from home and while he acknowledges that might be challenging for others, knowing what he has to do is the ticket for him. “Preparing my calendar the night before makes a huge difference in my motivation during the day. I work seven days a week. I love what I do but it is also essential to put time aside for friends, family, health and entertainment.” It’s been proven that when people feel their work is contributing to a goal, they are more motivated to do their job. And the work they do tends to be a higher calibre. Try keeping your goal for working in real estate in the forefront of your mind. Seeing yourself move toward that goal can be massively motivating. For some agents, using affirmations and/or uplifting messages helps keep motivation levels high. By keeping negative thoughts at bay and focusing on positive ideas, you can affect your motivation level with your thoughts. Bast offers some final tidbits, “Keep your chin up! Keep on truckin’! Attend all the meetings and training that your company runs. You can never stop learning.

Jenni Bast

Richelle Plumstead

Dave Philps

Jean Richer

A piece of advice I learned from my dad/associate broker, Brian Bast, is to attend all the social events that you can. Be seen out in public. Never be afraid to initiate conversation with strangers to tell them who you are and what you do. You can’t always hide in the office and cold call all day. You have to find a way to drive up business that works well with your personality.” What motivates you will be different from what motivates the agent in the office next to you. Take the time to figure out what you need to keep moving forward. REM

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20 REM JANUARY 2018

Toronto firm launches online auction platform “Our experiences with clients going through the frustration of bidding wars brought us to the idea of auction,” says Katie Steinfeld of On the Block Realty. By Susan Doran

ith the official launch of On The Block Realty, there’s a new kid in town challenging traditional ways of buying and selling real estate. Founded by husband and wife Daniel and Katie Steinfeld, the full-service brokerage, based in the Greater Toronto Area, offers clients a choice between conventional real estate sales methods or opting instead for a “‘sale by online auction” platform. The company’s first auction took place in November and was deemed a success. The property for sale was a mid-town pre-construction condo that attracted 17 registered bidders. After the dust settled, two wound up actually bidding; the others said their maximum price had been surpassed. The countdown clock had to be extended a couple of times to give

is separate from their brokerage; between the two companies they are able to operate the online real estate platform, with the hope of positioning themselves in a way that brings “change and unprecedented transparency” to the real estate industry. “Our experiences with clients going through the frustration of bidding wars brought us to the idea of auction,” says Katie. She and Daniel believe that with Canada’s real estate market becoming increasingly competitive and complex, the industry needs to evolve. In their opinion, online auctions are an exciting new avenue. They feel that the main benefit of auctions is the transparency of the process, information and costs. All competing potential buyers know what the others are willing to pay.

“Our goal is to prove that the auction concept works,” says Daniel Steinfeld. “We don’t need it to be a trend. If it’s just a viable option, we’re happy.” potential buyers the chance to consider upping their price after a registrant tried to snag the property by sneaking in a bid at the last moment. The bidding eventually closed at $415,000 – which was $16,000 above the opening gambit. “The process worked as we had hoped and we got a price that made our seller happy,” says Daniel. “It was great to see that people are willing to spend that much money at the push of a button. Since the property wasn’t built yet, we actually made it harder on ourselves. It was more of a risk – it was selling paper essentially. But it worked out.” The Steinfeld’s auction house

Sellers know that they got the best possible price. And an online platform allows the auctions to be secure, convenient and accessible, the Steinfelds say. “Our mission is to put the power back in the hands of buyers and sellers,” says Daniel. “Our goal is to move the needle a bit. Our hope is that as we grow, at least 50 per cent of our sales will be on the auction side eventually. Our job is to educate our market that this is something that will work well with regular resale homes.” Auction sales are a proven method in Australia, New Zealand and the U.K., but the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) seems sceptical about the concept, while

acknowledging that auctions are an option. OREA president Ettore Cardarelli told REM that while “there is a new, small market of home buyers and sellers who might choose this method, we haven’t seen it becoming a trend.” He says that the traditional offer process is designed to give buyers and sellers “more space to make informed decisions.” Tim Hudak, CEO of OREA, was quoted in the Toronto Sun saying that “auctions are not the answer to Ontario’s home affordability challenge.” Says Daniel: “Our model was created to address transparency and uncertainly, not affordability. Our goal is to prove that the auction concept works. We don’t need it to be a trend. If it’s just a viable option, we’re happy.” He adds that online auction offers consumers at least as much opportunity to evaluate and adapt as does the traditional offer system, if not more. The Steinfelds stress that they are on the same team as OREA, and that they “continue to listen to the real estate community to determine the objectives that our model must meet and exceed” as acceptance and understanding of the auction concept grows. On The Block’s process is relatively straightforward. When a seller lists a home using the online platform, it will appear on MLS for about a week and on the brokerage’s website, allowing potential buyers to view the property and get all pertinent information, including terms of sale and an attached home inspection (or for condos, the status certificate). Sellers have the option of setting a “buy it now” price (basically a fully transparent bully offer) that would complete the sale immediately. Potential buyers are registered and verified, and maintain anonymity from each other. On The Block reserves the right to charge a pre-authorized penalty amount on registered bidders’ credit cards to help weed out delinquent bids.

Daniel and Katie Steinfeld

Once the online auction goes live, the property will go to the highest bidder after a few days. A reserve price is set by sellers beforehand (the lowest price they’ll accept). The seller can’t back out of the deal once that price is reached... but if it isn’t, there is no obligation to sell. However, any bid placed by a potential buyer is binding, even if it’s below the reserve price. Regarding sales commissions, the Steinfelds note: “On The Block fully co-operates with Realtors, offering the same commissions as any other brokerage. To be specific, generally our sellers will offer 2.5 per cent to buyer representatives...In cases where buyers may have different agreements in place with their Realtors, it is important for them to be clear on exactly what the seller is offering their representative as it relates to

their own buyer representation agreement.... We ensure all stakeholders are fully aware of the variables and terms of the deal. This is not just the transparency of documentation and process, but the costs and commissions as well.” Bidding is open to potential buyers with or without a real estate sales rep. And On The Block has a strict “no double-ending” policy in place. Sellers don’t pay for a bidder who doesn’t have an agent; in those situations, sellers only pay a commission to On The Block for the home sale. The Steinfelds say that sale by auction has been attempted in a limited way in various parts of Canada, although not generally with traditional resale properties. It appears that Ontario and the rest of the country will have to wait to see what impact it will have on the status quo. REM

Today’s homebuyers want to experience the world. We have a world of experience to share. Today’s consumers know no limits to the world around them. Neither do we. We are the expert guides for those who aspire to love where they live in places near and far. With our collaborative global network, bold technology integrations, and a passion for real estate worldwide, we are doing more for those who expect more. We don’t simply say we are international, we are. While the world seems to be getting smaller our network continues to grow.

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22 REM JANUARY 2018

WiredScore comes to Toronto market By Yvonne Dick

iredScore CEO Arie Barendrecht says that it was through his own observations in his home city of New York that he realized a few years ago how important a reliable network connection is for businesses. A survey by his company found that commercial tenants will pay more for an office with superior connectivity. He created WiredScore to provide Wired Certification for commercial buildings to show prospective tenants and buyers the level of internet stability and speed in the building. With co-founder and majority stakeholder Jared Kushner (who was reported to have sold his shares in October 2017), Barendrecht set out to put his ideas into action. He says most new connections (wires, cables) are hidden behind the walls of commercial buildings. This can make it tricky to know which lines are active and which are not. Additionally, internet connectivity and speeds can vary greatly from one building to the next. With no uniform standards for builders to follow regarding what sort of internet connection to install in a new property, there are discrepancies from one building to the next, even on the same street. An older building may have superior stability and speed in its connection compared to its new neighbour, depending on how it is wired. The WiredScore company developed a manual of suggestions and solutions for new and existing buildings to offer a unified system of certification for network connectivity. Customers of the business can have their building evaluated based on specific criteria and suggestions outlined in the manual. They will then receive a WiredScore Certification or be given suggestions as to how they can improve their own network structure within the building. Four levels of Wired Certification are offered: WiredCertification, Silver,

Arie Barendrecht

Gold and Platinum levels. Evaluations range between $5,000 and $30,000 per building and upon completion, the certification is good for two years. WiredScore hopes that by offering their certification product they can create a system like those for energy-efficient and eco-friendly projects known as LEED and BREEAM certifications. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating system developed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). BREEAM originates from a former U.K. government program that was privatized in 1997 and known as The Building Research Establishment Ltd. All three certification programs contain an advisory committee. WiredScore Certification is available in the U.K., the U.S. and Canada. According to company literature, it has Wired Certification in over 400 properties worldwide including The Trump Building at 40 Wall St. in New York, The George V Building in Paris, The Caledonian Exchange in Edinburgh and CIBC Square in Toronto. For property owners or building and development planners, alternatives to a WiredScore assessment and certification might include Intertek Canada, which offers testing and certification of specific electrical and wireless products and buildings worldwide, or Industry Canada Certification. REM

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SHOW THEM THEY CAN The journey to Homeownership is filled with excitement, challenges and choices. Homeownership.ca has expert resources, tools and fresh content for each step of that journey, for you to use, download and share.

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24 REM JANUARY 2018

Esa Para honoured with Mississauga award Broker Esa Para of HomeLife Superstars Real Estate in Toronto was recently honoured with the Sam McCallion Community Award at the Mississauga Board of Trade – 2017 Awards of Excellence event. This annual award, named after the late husband of former Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, recognizes an outstanding volunteer in Mississauga who personifies Sam McCallion’s philosophy of community service, humility, compassion, dedication and persistence. The awards ceremony was a sold out event attended by Mississauga’s business community and dignitaries. In Para’s emotional acceptance speech, he thanked various organizations for giving him the opportunity to serve the community at large. Para has been a resident of Mississauga for more than 20 years. He says he is humbled and honored to be recognized. “Like any volunteer, you do it out of passion,” he says, adding that he particularly enjoys being a

health-care ambassador of Trillium Health Partners Foundation. He had quadruple beating-heart bypass surgery in the Trillium Hospital in November 2014.

Exit Realty names top award winners Exit Realty Corp. International recently announced the recipients of several top awards for the most recent production year. They were honoured at the company’s annual convention in Grapevine, Texas, by Steve Morris, founder and chairman. Kristen Trembinski, Rob Trembinski and Jamie Coccimiglio, franchisees of Exit Realty Lake Superior in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., won the Broker Owner of the Year Award for Canada. Philip Duplisea and David Sawler, franchisees of Exit Realty Advantage in Fredericton, received the Largest Grossing Office (Single) in North America Award. Parise Cormier, franchisee of Exit Realty Associates in Moncton, was named the fourth Largest Grossing Office (Single) in North America. The Top Lister in North

America went to Pam Norman, sales rep with Exit Oceans Edge Realty in Bay Roberts, Nfld. The Messecar Team, headed by Chris Messecar, franchisee of Exit Lifestyle Realty in Midhurst, Ont. was the No. 4 Top Team in North America and The Tessier Team headed by Maggie Tessier, franchisee of Exit Realty Matrix in Embrun and Orleans, Ont. was the recipient of the No. 9 Top Team in North America. Exit’s Esprit de Corps award, honouring enthusiasm and spirit within Exit’s culture, was awarded to Henrietta Duvall, franchisee of Exit Realty Seaway in Cornwall, Ont.

Kim Mullan receives national Sutton award Sales rep Kim Mullan of Sutton Group - Select Realty in London, Ont. was recently honoured with a Sutton National Award of Excellence. She is one of 20 recipients in Canada this year, in recognition of individuals who demonstrate the characteristics of Sutton’s “Best-in-Class” Realtors, the company says. Recipients act as ambassadors for the Sutton brand. Among the attributes of those who receive the award are that they are exceptional team players who mentor and support others in their offices; and are consistently strong producers who demonstrate unparalleled work ethic, provide customer service excellence and find ways to give back to their local communities.

Royal LePage wins two marketing awards Royal LePage’s Your Perfect Life, a neighbourhood matching tool, was honoured with two awards from the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) at the 50th annual CMA Awards Gala held recently in Toronto. The company, its analytics partner Environics Analytics and design agency Alaia Technologies received a gold in the Data Marketing category, recognizing innovative, creative and exemplary applications of data and analytics in the development of marketing programs. The application also earned a bronze award in the Experiential and Innovative

Kristen Trembinski and Rob Trembinski, who along with Jamie Coccimiglio, were named Exit Realty Broker Owners of the Year for Canada.

Esa Para with former Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion. Kim Mullan

RE/MAX INTEGRA’s Walter Schneider receives David Foster Foundation Visionary Award Walter J. Schneider, President and Co-Founder of RE/MAX INTEGRA, has been recognized with a prestigious David Foster Foundation Visionary Award as National Business Leader of the Year, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to local, regional, national and international business and humanitarian efforts. The award was handed out at the David Foster Foundation Miracle Gala and Concert at Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on October 21, 2017. “One of my life-long passions has been bringing people together for a common cause,” said David Foster, Chairman of The David Foster Foundation. “Anything is possible when we pull our talents together in the spirit of accomplishment, and of love, and of giving back. That is

Schneider continued, “Perhaps that unselﬁsh act of donation will save the life of someone destined to be a great researcher, perhaps a great writer, perhaps a surgeon who saves lives, or perhaps the next generation’s David Foster.”

“I’ve always felt that life is about choices, not chances, and every day we make choices.”

Please join us in congratulating Walter on this prestigious award!

Walter Schneider, President and Co-Founder, RE/MAX INTEGRA

truly what the National Business Leader of the Year award is all about,” said Foster, who referred to Schneider as “an absolute visionary” with unparalleled accomplishments as an entrepreneur.

remaxintegra.com

Media category. The Your Perfect Life feature allows consumers to discover homes in communities that fit their current or desired lifestyles, the company says. The tool uses Environics Analytics demographic data to help home buyers pinpoint places where like-minded people live. This interactive website feature on Royal LePage’s national website highlights neighbourhoods that consumers may not have otherwise considered and helps people relocate to unfamiliar areas of the country, the company says. Its company website experienced a 73-per-cent year-over-year jump in traffic, exceeding expectations, says the company. REM

How Agent Jumped from Under $100k to Over $1 Million in GCI in 36 Months Real success in any business means not only healthy earnings, but also time off to enjoy life. The fact is, however, that most Canadian real estate agents sacrifice their entire lifestyle in pursuit of success and, ironically, instead of gaining more freedom, they become slaves to their real estate business. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a real business system, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really have a business at all. What you have instead is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;jobâ&#x20AC;?, and for many, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a really bad job: one that consumes your time, keeps you away from friends and family, and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay enough. Even though you work so hard, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just so random. Some days you win. Some days you lose. The fact is that agents leave our industry in droves, not because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not great at working with clients, but rather because they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough clients to work with. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough leads, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find enough time to properly follow up and thus convert their leads, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know exactly why they win or lose a listing. Even though they work very hard, too much is left to chance. Trying to â&#x20AC;&#x153;do it allâ&#x20AC;? without a clear understanding of what works and what doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ultimately sows the seeds of failure for many. A profitable and â&#x20AC;&#x153;realâ&#x20AC;? business MUST be based on solid systems. In real estate, that means a system to generate leads, a system to convert those leads, and a system to convert qualified prospects into paying clients. Every successful business in the world, from McDonalds to Amazon to FedEx, is based on proven and duplicatable â&#x20AC;&#x153;systemsâ&#x20AC;?, and the agents who achieve mega success in our industry have done so on the strength of solid, proven, efficient business systems.

As revealed in the profile of Kitchener, Ontario agent Tony Johal, below, and of multiple other agents you can read about at MoreMillionaireAgents.com, creating a highly profitable real estate business is certainly possible, regardless of whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a brand new agent or have been in real estate for years, whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 Coach Craig Proctor. Not only is Craig Proctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real estate system responsible for more Millionaire Agents than any other coach or trainer, but Proctor was a highly successful AGENT himself for more than 20 years 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. In fact, for 6 years straight, no one listed or sold more homes in the Greater Toronto Area than Proctor did. (Source: TREB Statistics). No one in Canada

has sold more homes than Proctor has, and by sharing the system he used to achieve his own success, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been able to help over 30,000 agents worldwide to transform their real estate jobs into highly lucrative real estate businesses that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come at the expense of high lifestyle costs. If you do not have a clear, detailed business system (key word, system) that you are using to move methodically to your goalsâ&#x20AC;Śa plan you could show a banker or investor or new partner or key associateâ&#x20AC;Ś a plan you have reasoned, complete confidence in, then

why wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you examine Proctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ultimate Real Estate Success System â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for free? For a limited time, you can have a â&#x20AC;&#x153;sneak peekâ&#x20AC;? at what your real estate business could look like by attending Proctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upcoming Free Discovery Day (see MoreMillionaireAgents.com for details). Yes, Craig Proctor will openly share with you how he became Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top agent. Learn from a real doer, not a talker. Craig will share â&#x20AC;&#x153;real Canadian real estate strategiesâ&#x20AC;? 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. For more information, visit: MoreMillionaireAgents.com

Read More About Millionaire Agents Like Tony at MoreMillionaireAgents.com ! " " # $ % & $ " '

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26 REM JANUARY 2018

Good Works A

vison Young’s Vancouver staff participated in the firm’s fourth annual Global Day of Giving recently by painting, landscaping and building a shed at YWCA Semlin Gardens. Materials, supplies and food were donated by several local building materials and service providers. The 80 offices participating this year was a 25-per-cent increase from 2014, the inaugural Global Day of Giving. Each Avison Young office chose its own community

volunteer project in consultation with the charity that received the assistance. ■ ■ ■

Surrey, B.C. real estate team Chris Whitehead and Associates took their love of food and philanthropy to new heights with their inaugural Battle for the Bank competition recently. Benefitting the Surrey Food Bank, the gathering was a unique spin on the traditional food drive, raising more than $8,000 and 115 lbs.

of food for the local charity. The event featured three competing kitchens, each manned by local businesses and sponsors, who each provided a meal and wine pairing to the attending audience of 150 clients, friends and family. Once the meal was complete the attendees cast their vote for which kitchen would earn the privilege of having the evening’s donation made in their name. ■ ■ ■

More than $40,000 was raised at the 10th annual Shelter Gala: Black Tie Trivia event to support the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. With 170 guests from coast-to-coast in attendance, the event featured a team trivia tournament and auction. Foundation executive director Shanan Spencer-Brown says, “For 10 years, our Shelter Gala and its Continued on page 28

Avison Young’s Vancouver staff helped by painting, landscaping and building a shed at YWCA Semlin Gardens.

GET

AT HOME

From left at the Battle for the Bank event: Ravi Munday, PHL Capital Corp.; Chris Whitehead and Steve Karrasch, Chris Whitehead and Associates; and Steve Ponte, PHL Capital Corp.

The team at Sutton Group Select Realty in London, Ont. gathered for a soup lunch to kick off its annual Christmas food and toy drives. The brokerage’s agents and staff donated items to overflow the bins and several hundred dollars were donated. From left: sales reps Natalie French and Carla Di Pietro.

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Cliff Barron and friends pose with the cheque for the United Way.

Colliers International employees hosted a halfday workshop for Scarborough’s Buchanan Public School middle school students, teaching them about the importance of setting career goals. (Photo: Geoff Fitzgerald) Paulo Zulian

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12/12/2017 2:30:08 PM

28 REM JANUARY 2018

Good Works Continued from page 26

supporters have raised critical funds to help build safer communities, happier homes and healthier relationships.” ■ ■ ■

Pictured here (R-L): Ori Grad - Broker, Ryan Earl - Sales Representative, Bobby Sharpe - Sales Representative Absent: Jason Kleyn - Sales Representative

Welcome CHI Real Estate Group! Please join us in welcoming Ori Grad and the CHI Real Estate Group to RE/MAX! Ori has been a registered real estate professional for 12 years. He has worked in real estate management, is a Certiﬁed Negotiation Expert (CNE) and a Broker. Ori and his team work collaboratively to support and elevate one another. By doing so, they create an enjoyable work environment and most importantly, make their clients’ dreams of owning a commercial property or restaurant come true. Their primary areas of focus are commercial, hospitality and investment real estate. They have certainly proven themselves in all areas! That’s

why when Tim Syrianos, Broker of Record for RE/MAX Ultimate Realty, heard of their success, he took action to scoop them up! Tim showed them that partnering with the RE/MAX Commercial Division brings their already successful team undeniable exposure, powerful advertising with a power brand, and plenty of networking opportunities to further their vision and growth. Ori’s vision is to be your trusted source for commercial, hospitality and investment real estate. With RE/MAX there’s no doubt about the team’s future success! Congratulations on this smart move! Wishing you all the best! The CHI Real Estate Group will be operating from RE/MAX Ultimate Realty Inc, 1272 Dundas St West.

If you are interested in ownership opportunities with RE/MAX, the largest most productive real estate brand, contact Jennifer Dominey at 1.647.519.7735 to arrange your conﬁdential meeting, or visit remaxintegra.com.

remaxintegra.com

Sales rep Cliff Barron of Sutton Group - Signature in Mississauga, Ont. held his second Great Pumpkin Giveaway to raise funds for the United Way. He purchased a load of more than 250 pumpkins (nearly 2,000 lbs.) from local farmers and just before Halloween, he and some volunteers gave them away by donation at a Milton park. The event raised more than $500 for the United Way of Halton and Hamilton. ■ ■ ■

Colliers International recently hosted 55 grade 8 students from Buchanan Public School in Scarborough, Ont. as a part of a field trip with Junior Achievement Ontario. The students participated in a career planning and financial skills seminar intended to help them prepare for the transition into high school. With an emphasis on mentorship, Colliers employees from different departments were on hand to share their own experiences. The intent was to show that a career path is not a straight line, especially in real estate, the company says. ■ ■ ■

Re/Max Real Estate (Central) affiliates in Calgary have donated more than $1 million to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation to help fund innovative research, lifesaving equipment and family-centred care programs. It’s the first Western Canadian

Re/Max office to give more than $1 million to a Children’s Miracle Network member hospital. The brokerage has been a supporter of Children’s Miracle Network since 1992. In 2007, it surpassed $500,000 in total funds raised for CMN. The office is owned by Patrick Hare and managed by Nick Profeta. It has 286 salespeople, says the company website. ■ ■ ■

Injured, sick and orphaned birds in the Kingston, Ont. area will have a second chance at life thanks to the 4th Annual Charity Tournament benefiting the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre, which raised $7,474 to build an aviary. Since 2014, the tournament has generated $26,403 to fund specialized equipment and shelters, veterinary care and more. Rhonda and Brandon Grant, also known as Your Grant Team, organized the event. “The main event at our tournament is when the golfers get to listen to Sue Meech,” says Rhonda Grant. “She presents a slideshow of animals being rescued, rehabilitated and released. Sue lets the golfers know how the funds from the golf tournaments will be used to help.” ■ ■ ■

As he has since 2004, Baljit Singh Sandhu of Sutton Group West Coast Realty served as an area co-ordinator for the annual Realtors Care Blanket Drive in the Lower Mainland, B.C. In addition to gathering contributions from four realty offices, Sandhu sorts and delivers items to the Surrey Memorial Hospital and the Surrey Urban Mission. This year the team at his brokerage office in Surrey collected 30

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Congratulations, Christopher Alexander! Just over one year ago, RE/MAX INTEGRA, Ontario-Atlantic Canada announced that Christopher Alexander would be transitioning into the position of Regional Director. When he stepped into this role, he quickly excelled and became a leader for both the region and the RE/MAX network.

versatile. Due to his success, Christopher now assumes the title of Executive Vice President & Regional Director of RE/MAX INTEGRA, Ontario-Atlantic Canada. We are positive that he will continue to lead the region with the same passion, dedication and professionalism that we have seen over the past year.

Christopher has done a fantastic job representing the RE/MAX INTEGRA core values, internally and externally. He is caring, attentive, conﬁdent and

Please join us in congratulating him on this accomplishment! The best is yet to come!

An analyst with decades of experience and know-how in the Real Estate Industry • BREACH OF BUYERS REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT • LANDLORD/TENANT DISPUTES • RECO AND TREB COMPLAINTS, REPLY LETTERS, APPEALS AND REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE BOARD • OWNER CONFLICTS WITH NEIGHBOURS OR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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• SMALL CLAIMS COURT

bags of used clothing and raised $2,090 in cash. Since 2003, Baljit has also volunteered at the hospital. His multilingual and people skills make him valuable to staff and visitors, says Rhonda L’Abbé, manager, volunteer resources at the hospital. ■ ■ ■

Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty has donated a custom-made Fire & Life Inflatable Safety House to the Kitchener and Waterloo fire departments. The 29x17-foot interactive educational tool includes a kitchen, living area and bedroom with escape window. It will be used by the Kitchener Fire Department and Waterloo Fire Rescue to educate children on how to respond in emergency situations as part of the elementary school fire safety curriculum. The presentation of the house was also the official launch for the Coldwell Banker 10th Edition Street Map & Service Guide, an up-to-date local map that includes the local transit route. The inflatable house was supported by businesses that advertised on the map and other sponsors. The guide was first initiated by Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty president Peter Benninger in 1993. ■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Lannon Realty of Thunder Bay, Ont., recently partnered with AMJ Campbell Van Lines to support local women’s shelters with the eighth annual Baskets of Hope campaign. Baskets of housewares, linens, personal care items and comforting gifts were filled by brokerage management, agents and staff, as well as generous community supporters and business partners. A goal to collect 150 baskets was surpassed when 166 baskets were donated. During the past eight years, the campaign has collected 660 baskets with an estimated value of more than $138,000 for the shelters. ■ ■ ■

Coldwell Banker affiliates across Canada participated in the international Homes for Dogs program this year. Winnipeg’s Coldwell Banker Preferred and Coldwell Banker Ronan Realty, with offices throughout Southcentral Ontario, teamed

REM JANUARY 2018 29

with local animal shelters to hold Pet Adoption Week events. By all accounts the events were big hits with their local communities and many furry friends in need of a home. Sales rep Jackie Eagles of Coldwell Banker Fieldstone Realty in Georgetown, Ont. devotes a page of her personal website to support the Homes for Dogs Project, including links to Adopt-a-Pet and a Find a Veterinarian. Coldwell Banker Burnhill Realty in Burlington, Ont. posted the Coldwell Banker “Somebody to Love” ad on their company website and tweeted Homes for Dogs and Pet Adoption Weekend messages. Coldwell Banker Performance Realty in Amherst, N.S. teamed with their local animal shelter’s calendar drive and was designated a “dog friendly” business in coverage from the Cumberland News. ■ ■ ■

Re/Max Quinte in Prince Edward County, Ont. was named Outstanding Corporation recently by the local Association of Fundraising Professionals. The award was for a corporation of 99 employees or fewer. Nominated by the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital

Foundation, the brokerage holds an annual golf tournament that has raised more than $160,000 towards a commitment of $250,000 to medical needs at the hospital. ■ ■ ■

Exit Realty Corp. International announced that its pledges to charity to-date have reached $4 million and it has expanded its charitable initiative, now called The Spirit of Exit Dollar-for-Dollar Matching Program. A portion of every transaction fee received by Exit is pledged to charity. In 2016, Exit introduced a program to match funds raised by its brokerages and agents to benefit Habitat for Humanity initiatives in their local communities. The new initiative makes it possible for Exit associates to raise funds for other approved, registered charities and submit a proposal to Exit to match those funds dollar-for-dollar. ■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services sales rep Paolo Zulian recently completed a million-mile rowing challenge in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

At the ribbon cutting for the Fire & Life Inflatable Safety House, from left: John Percy, public education officer, Waterloo Fire Rescue; Steve LaRochelle, Kitchener fire manager, emergency management and business continuity; Geoff Lorentz, regional councillor; Peter Benninger, president, Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty; Waterloo Mayor Dave Jaworsky; Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic; Waterloo Fire Rescue fire chief Richard Hepditch; and Kevin Schmalz, public education officer, Kitchener Fire Department.

Oakville-based Zulian rowed for more than 80 hours from January to November and collected nearly $2,000 in pledges along the way. His efforts support the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation and local women’s shelter, Halton Women’s Place. ■ ■ ■

Living Realty is conducting a Toy Drive for the festive season, in support of the Salvation Army’s 22nd annual Toy Mountain campaign. Donation bins have been placed at each of Living Realty’s GTA branches to collect donations of new, unwrapped toys and gifts. Once received by the Salvation Army, the toys will be sorted by age group and gender then donated to qualifying families throughout the GTA. In recent years, the Salvation Army has fallen short of their goals for toys for babies, tweens and teens, so they ask people to keep these age groups in mind when donating toys. For children aged 10 and up, they suggest digital music players, hair accessories like curling irons and hair dryers, makeup kits, electronics, books, school supplies, hats, scarves and gift cards.

Re/Max Real Estate (Central) staff, brokers and sales reps proudly display their cheque to the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Royal LePage Powell River sales rep Brandy Peterson poses with Rocko, the Powell River Kings mascot. Richard and Marilyn Pilarski hand out the tablets.

■ ■ ■

Recently Richard Pilarski, broker/owner of Re/Max Realtron Realty in Toronto, along with his wife Marilyn, visited Hillaby/ Turner’s Hall Primary School in Barbados to donate tablets. The class three students of the school were joined by class three students from St Silas Primary School to receive their tablets. St Silas is a rural primary school and was recently added into the Aron & Christina Foundation. This initiative started in 2009 to allow primary school students the chance to own technology that can help them achieve success in their studies. The goal for this year is to donate 700 tablets. The Pilarskis donated 66 tablets. ■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Powell River in Powell River, B.C. recently hosted a community tailgate party in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. It took place before a local Junior A hockey team game with the Powell River Kings. The brokerage’s agents, staff and business partners sold draw tickets and organized a barbecue meal, raising $2,750. The funds were directed to the Powell River

Rhonda and Brandon Grant present the cheque to Sue Meech of the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre.

Shown with 166 Baskets of Hope, from left: Jaime Roach, Royal LePage Lannon Realty marketing co-ordinator; Andrew Lawrence, broker/manager; Christine Moore, sales rep; Julie Leblanc of Beendigen; and Kathy Barton of Faye Peterson Transition House.

Transition House, an organization that provides safety to women and their children fleeing violence as well as counselling, helpline support and community referrals. ■ ■ ■

A major snowstorm couldn’t stop more than 100 guests from showing up to the Bowling for Shelter fundraiser in Sturgeon Falls, Ont. hosted by Shari Bratt with Royal LePage North Bay Real Estate Services. In what is planned to be an annual event, Bowling for Shelter raised more than $4,200 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. Funds raised benefit Horizon Women’s Centre, an organization offering services and support to victims of domestic violence. “We had huge support from the community, with our local radio station getting the word out and businesses generously donating nearly $2,000 in prizes,” says Bratt. “Not only did we have a great night despite the weather, we also made a difference for our local women’s shelter, which is unfortunately full or near capacity all the time.” REM

Greeting guests at the Bowling for Shelter fundraiser, from left: Mona Noel, Melanie Noel, Linda LaFantaisie Renaud and Josée Parr.

The team at Sutton Group - West Coast Realty in Surrey collected 30 bags of clothing and raised $2,090 in cash. Royal LePage Real Estate Services sales rep Rina DiRisio and Royal LePage Realty Plus broker/owner Carlo Racioppo walk the red carpet at the Shelter Gala.

30 REM JANUARY 2018

THE PUBLISHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PAGE

By Heino Molls

MARKETPLACE

homas Edison is acknowledged to be the inventor of the light bulb. The truth is that there were about a dozen or more scientists who invented various versions of the light bulb before him. Edison was a brilliant and clever fellow, but his real genius was to pull together all the fundamentals that had been developed previously and come up with a good light bulb that could function the most reliably and be mass produced for the time. His genius further included the ability to secure financing for the entire project and, critically, file all the documents and papers necessary to secure the patents and legal

Success is how, not what protection for his light bulb. At the end of the day, it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t what Edison invented, it was how he carried it through that counted. When I was a kid, I went to a public school in Scarborough that had the motto, â&#x20AC;&#x153;How you play the gameâ&#x20AC;?. I remember thinking at the time we should have a motto like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Champions of the worldâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Number one school in all of Scarboroughâ&#x20AC;?, not something timid like â&#x20AC;&#x153;How you play the gameâ&#x20AC;?. That motto was meant to make us understand that the way we treated our fellow competitors was more important than winning. I know now it was brilliant. When I look back on the school and subsequent work experiences I have been through, I wish that more adults would have conducted themselves with that spirit. I think maybe I should have been more conscious of that as well. We should know in our hearts that if we gain success honestly without cheating or manipulating, we will enjoy the greatest feeling of achievement. But it seems we have

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lost the idea that how we achieve success is more important than just success. One of the greatest players in the history of baseball, Cy Young, won more games than any other pitcher in the history of the game. What is not so well known is that he also lost the most games of any other pitcher in the history of the game. All his winning games came about because he was a good pitcher and he pitched for so many years. But what made Cy Young

We should know in our hearts that if we gain success honestly without cheating or manipulating, we will enjoy the greatest feeling of achievement.

stand out the most was that he was a true gentleman who worked hard at his craft and went about it honestly. Turns out it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t about how many games he won. It was how he played the game. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why he is so revered. For the past 30-odd years that I have spent in the real estate industry, I have frequently heard people talk about how overly competitive things are in this business, but I can tell you one thing for certain: selling real estate is no more and no less competitive than any other business or profession. If you consider successful real estate agents today, those who are the most successful do the work with consideration, not competition, for others. They do not rush the paperwork but rather make sure all the iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are dotted and tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are crossed, show up every day and most importantly do this job sincerely with empathy for each and every customer. It is not what you do in this business. It is how you do it. When itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all said and done, the people you will remember the most

in any business and any relationship in your life will be in the following order: No. 1, unfortunately, will be the most difficult and hurtful people you ever dealt with and No. 2 will be the most pleasant people you have ever dealt with. It is the No. 2 people who will mean the most to you throughout your life, and it is the No. 1 people who you will wish to never meet again. As for the supposedly most successful people you ever met or did business withâ&#x20AC;Śyou wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember them. They wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even cross your mind. It wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter what they achieved, just like it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter what you achieved. It will be how you achieved it that will be most important. If anyone thinks my take on what to do in the year ahead might be of value, I would say donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry about becoming successful. Just show up every day and always do the right thing. If you do that, you will achieve what everyone wants to be. A winner! I wish you every success in the New Year. Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email heino@remonline.com.

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RE/MAX WINS THE 2017 BRANDSPARK MOST TRUSTED AWARD IN THE REAL ESTATE CATEGORY

Thank You for Voting Us Your Most Trusted Real Estate Brand More than 5,000 respondents surveyed in 2017 determined the 2017 BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards retail winners through their â&#x20AC;&#x153;top of mindâ&#x20AC;? responses for retail and services categories in which they shop. BrandSpark researchers analyzed the unaided responses and the reasons for trusting the retailer or service. Results were ranked based on the greatest volume of mentions, and if the difference between retailers or services nationally was less than three percent, ties were declared. Canada-wide study. Results posted October 30, 2017. Visit www.brandsparkmosttrusted.com for more details.

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