June 2014 by Real Estate Magazine (REM)

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Issue #300 June 2014

Our 25th Anniversary Issue Who had the biggest impact on the industry during the last 25 years?

We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just make the list. We dominated it! 158

27 Royal Le Page

Coldwell Banker

Keller Williams

Canadian Top 250 Real Estate Brokerages based on total transactions.*

* Real Trends Canadian Top 250 Real Estate Brokerages Report based on 2013 closed residential transactions for participating brokerages. Real Trends is an unbiased, independent third party.

8 Century 21

6 Sutton Group

REM JUNE 2014 3

Sutton Group-West Coast Realty still Canada’s top brokerage Re/Max has 158 offices on Real Trends Canadian 250 list

or the fourth year in a row, Sutton Group-West Coast Realty in Burnaby, B.C. is Canada’s largest brokerage, ranked by transaction “ends” by Real Trends. Second place on the list goes to the 20 corporately owned Royal LePage Real Estate Services offices in Toronto, moving up a spot from last year. Third place goes to Royal LePage Your Community Realty in Richmond Hill, Ont., which finished fifth on last year’s list. Re/Max brokerages grabbed 158 of the top 250 spots. Sutton Group-West Coast Realty, with 22 offices in the Lower Mainland of B.C., had 13,871 residential ends in 2013. That was down from 14,489 in

2012, reflecting the area’s changing market conditions. Toronto’s Right At Home Realty was the largest independent brokerage, ranking sixth on the list, followed by Calgarybased CIR Realty, which was seventh overall. Royal Pacific Realty Group in Vancouver had the top 2014 average sale price, at $1,071,407. The biggest increase in transaction ends went to Royal LePage Your Community Realty, while the largest percentage increase in ends was recorded by Harvey Kalles Real Estate in Toronto. The complete Real Trends Canadian 250 report is available for purchase at www.realtrends.com/ products/rt250. REM

Real Trends Canadian 250 Top 10 1. Sutton Group - West Coast Realty, Burnaby, B.C., 13,871 ends 2. Royal LePage Real Estate Services, Toronto, 11,287 ends 3. Royal LePage Your Community Realty, Richmond Hill, Ont., 10,740 ends 4. Re/Max Realtron Realty, Markham, Ont. 9,263 ends 5. Re/Max Real Estate (Edmonton), Edmonton 9,166 ends 6. Right At Home Realty, Toronto, 8,161 ends 7. CIR Realty, Calgary, 7,356 ends 8. Re/Max Twin City Realty, Kitchener, 7,295 ends 9. Royal LePage Team Realty & Royal LePage Gale Real Estate, Ottawa, 7,012 ends 10. Re/Max Real Estate Centre, Cambridge, Ont., 6,971 ends

Tax causes ‘massive’ loss, says OREA ew research released by the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) says the city’s Municipal Land Transfer Tax is causing “a massive loss of economic activity in the City of Toronto and a corresponding loss of thousands of jobs.” The report, conducted by Altus Group Economic Consulting, says the economic losses incurred by the City of Toronto between 2008 and 2013 include a loss of 38,278 resale home transactions, a loss of $2.3 billion in economic activity, a reduction of $1.2 billion in GDP, a loss of 14,934 full-time jobs and a loss of $772 million in wages and salaries. “The MLTT is bad for our economy,” says Costa Poulopoulos, OREA president.

“For one, it kills jobs. With an unemployment rate worse than the national rate and even that of the province as a whole, the City of Toronto could have used those jobs. It also adds to household debt and pushes the dream of home ownership even further away.” The MLTT is applied to purchases on all properties in the City of Toronto over and above the existing provincial Land Transfer Tax. By increasing the total expense associated with housing transactions in Toronto, the tax makes buying a home in Toronto more costly. As a result, a significant number of housing transactions within the City of Toronto did not take place, which has, in turn, affected several aspects of Toronto’s economy, says the report.

The report reflects the fact that resale housing transactions generate significant economic activity. “This research proves that the MLTT is doing more harm than good where our economy is concerned,” says Poulopoulos. “It gets in the way of the economic spin-off that occurs when homes are purchased and sold. It should be repealed in Toronto and it should never be endorsed by the provincial government for any other municipality in this province.” By repealing the MLTT, the City of Toronto could effectively increase the number of housing sales and purchases by an estimated 32,216 units over the next five years, says the report. It would result in an additional $1.9 billion in economic activity, an increase of $990 million in GDP,

the creation of 12,570 new fulltime jobs and the addition of $650 million in wages and salaries, says the report. The study was released in conjunction with new research from Ipsos Reid that says: • 85 per cent of Toronto residents agree that the MLTT makes home ownership more difficult to achieve • 70 per cent of 416-ers say that the MLTT would make them incur more debt in order to pay the tax • 72 per cent say that the MLTT would make them spend less on renovations, furniture or appliances for the home they would purchase. The full Altus report and Ipsos Reid factum are available at w w w. d o n t t a x m y d r e a m . c a . REM

CMHC drops some mortgage insurance products Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. is discontinuing its Second Home and Self-Employed Without 3rd Party Income Validation mortgage insurance products effective May 30. Selfemployed Canadians can still qualify for CMHCinsured financing through CMHC homeowner products with a validation of their income using traditional methods. The federal housing agency says the two programs combined account for less than three per cent of CMHC’s insured business volumes in units. “Given the limited use of these products, their discontinuation is not expected to have a material impact on the housing market,” says the agency. CMHC introduced its Self Employed Without Traditional 3rd Party Validation of Income product in 2007. The product allowed self-employed borrowers who were unable to provide traditional sources of income validation to access CMHC-insured financing for a one- or twounit owner-occupied property. CMHC introduced the Second Home product in 2005. It offered borrowers more financing options when purchasing an owneroccupied second home in Canada. CMHC says it will limit the availability of homeowner mortgage loan insurance to only one property (one to four units) per borrower/co-borrower at any given time. REM

4 REM JUNE 2014

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

awrence Dale has been appointed president of Zolo Realty. Dale will also be appointed to the Board of Directors of Zolo Ventures, the parent company of Zolo Realty and Zolo Mortgages. Dale is moving to Zolo from Rogers Communications Partnership after overseeing the build out of Rogers’ real estate brokerage platform Zoocasa. Zolo co-founder and CEO Barry Allan says: “We targeted Lawrence because of his unequalled expertise in the real estate industry and commitment to innovation.” Zolo.ca was launched in 2012 and is now Canada’s largest real estate brokerage-operated search website, the company says, with over 600,000 mobile and desktop visitors each month. “I am confident that Zolo.ca will quickly become Canada’s leading end-to-end digital real estate platform,” Dale says. “On Zolo.ca, consumers can start their initial home search from any device and finish buying or selling their home with a select top-producing agent. They can also seamlessly finance their purchase through Zolo Mortgages.”

HomeLife Realty Services welcomed David Thompson to its leadership team as the international sales trainer, reporting to director of international business development Ed Pupulin. Based at the firm’s corporate headquarters in Toronto, Thompson is responsible for the international training needs of the brokers, managers and sales reps across the HomeLife international network. He has been involved in many aspects of the real estate business for over 30 years, serving as a sales rep and office manager for a number of Ontario brokerages. He was also director of marketing and communication for the Real Estate Institute of Canada and director of education for two other national Canadian real estate franchises. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Quinte & District Real Estate Board.

David Thompson

Donald Hewie

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Eric Bilodeau

Zolo Realty is a registered real estate brokerage with offices, agents and partner agents in Ontario, B.C. and Alberta. Zolo Mortgages is a licensed mortgage brokerage in Ontario with agents and partners in Ontario, B.C. and Alberta. ■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Century 21 Canada has appointed Stephane St-Pierre to the role of franchise sales director, Quebec. “St-Pierre will offer a tech-savvy marketing perspective to potential franchisees through his background in Internet and social media promotion,” the company says in a news release. “Stephane understands both consumer and business audiences, which allows him to demonstrate each way that Century 21 marketing tools and systems can be used to drive growth,” says Brian Rushton, EVP, Century 21 Canada. “He will work with our franchise sales team to launch outreach initiatives and directly support our offices in Quebec.” St-Pierre held the same position at the company in 2010 and 2011. He sold franchises across Canada in the technology industry as well as launching online and home businesses.

Manitoba to Alberta to work with Sutton Group Grande Prairie Professionals,” she says. “I partnered with my son Brock and learned a tremendous amount about the real estate industry and what creates success.” But Tokar says by 2013 her heart was pulling her back to Winnipeg, her home for 21 years previously. “After studying various real estate business models, I quickly became convinced that 3 Percent Realty offered everything that I wanted to see in the industry. I see the three-per-cent model as simple and fair.” She works as a salesperson and owner at the brokerage, with 3 Percent Realty founder Roy Almog currently serving as broker. ■ ■ ■

Raneen Dhadli and her brother Jag Dhadli Jr. are the broker/ owners of Re/Max Edge Realty, an urban boutique-style brokerage in New Toronto. With an extensive background in real estate sales and brokerage management, the Dhadli family says it recognized the

huge opportunity and potential that exists in South Etobicoke, one of Toronto’s hottest up-and-coming areas. In April they completed a floor-to-ceiling renovation of their new office space. The company says they have built a “state-of-the art office that has a strong emphasis on technology-based systems and marketing in hopes to provide their salespeople and clients with an unparalleled experience.” ■ ■ ■

Ottawa real estate broker Donald Hewie has changed the name of his brokerage to Commission Wise. “I am test marketing a one-of-a-kind ‘agentassisted’ For Sale By Owner service,” he says. “This new service has no upfront fees and if the seller doesn’t sell they owe us nothing. If the seller is successful in selling privately ‘by owner’ with our assistance, they don’t have to pay anything until closing. This service is designed to go head-to-head with those FSBO marketing companies Continued on page 6

■ ■ ■

Kathy Tokar recently opened 3 Percent Realty Advantage in Winnipeg. “In 2009 I moved from

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Continued from page 4

that charge upfront fees. These companies also collect these upfront fees whether or not the property ever sells. My independent research shows that these FSBO real estate marketing companies’ success ratio is extremely low but their incomes are in the millions of dollars.” Hewie has previously experimented with a flat-fee model and with offering a menu of services to clients. ■ ■ ■

Eric Bilodeau, owner of Royal LePage Des Moulins, with offices in Blainville and Mascouche, Que., recently acquired Abitations Services Immobiliers, owned by Jean-Guy Ayotte. The company will now operate under the new name Royal LePage Habitations. Bilodeau, who joined the Royal LePage network in 1999, says the move is perfectly in line with his company’s growth objectives. He will focus on increasing his presence in the Mascouche and Blainville areas. Ayotte will continue as a real estate broker with Royal LePage Habitations. The acquisition adds 18 brokers, specializing in both commercial and residential real estate, increasing the brokerage’s sales force to 69. ■ ■ ■

Recently Re/Max Ultimate Realty of Toronto announced the acquisition of Re/Max 2000 Realty, a brokerage in the heart of the city’s Corso Italia neighbourhood. “This new branch office is fully renovated with the latest and best technology, which will provide our entire team of agents with greater business opportunity, more reach and a stronger presence,” says broker of record Tim Syrianos. With manager Mark Ianni, the support staff and more than 60 sales reps from the brokerage, Re/Max Ultimate now has three Toronto locations and more than 250 agents.

■ ■ ■

Century 21 Harbour Realty in Nanimo, B.C. has acquired Century 21 Icarus Realty to serve central island residents, after the 2014 Vancouver Island real estate market launched with its best start since 2009. The office will also offer property management expertise. “The market has been incredibly busy, especially when it comes to new homes. We wanted to ensure that strong real estate knowledge and service was readily available to clients all around the mid-island,” says Dan Grondin, broker of Century 21 Harbour Realty Ltd. He says the centralized location was key to serving clients in Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Parksville/Qualicum and Duncan/Mid Island. ■ ■ ■

The Pearce Family (David, Dolores, Jennifer and Melody) at Re/Max Rouge River Realty in Durham Region in Ontario recently purchased Re/Max Ability Real Estate from Ian Smith and Patricia Begley. “Ian Smith made countless contributions to both the Re/Max network and the real estate industry, as broker/owner, during the past 22 years,” the company says in a news release. “Ian and Patricia will both continue their affiliation with Re/Max.” Re/Max Rouge River Realty now has seven locations with more than 230 sales associates from East Toronto through the Durham Region including Scarborough, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Courtice and Bowmanville. ■ ■ ■

Dale Nolin, a long-time broker in Brandon, Man., and his son Nigel Nolin recently partnered to open 3% Realty Solution, serving Western Manitoba. Dale has been a top-producing sales rep for over nine years and Nigel has a sales and marketing background. Father and son say they are “excited to offer consumers in Western Publisher HEINO MOLLS email: heino@remonline.com Director, Sales & Marketing DENNIS ROCK email: dennis@remonline.com Digital Media Manager WILLIAM MOLLS web@remonline.com

Manitoba full (real estate) services at a fair rate of commission.” ■ ■ ■

In March and April, Re/Max of Western Canada encouraged their clients, friends and Western Hockey League fans to enter the Re/Max Home Team Contest for the chance to win over $5,000 in weekly prizes, as well as a grand prize valued at over $15,000, for a total prize pool value worth over $20,000. The contest received over 194,000 entries, with Doris Herle of Edmonton, walking away as the lucky grand prize winner. She was awarded the $15,744 grand prize, of which Re/Max contributed $5,000 cash. “I am very excited and happy to win this contest,” says Herle. “My husband and I will use the money for travelling to Ontario to visit two of our children who live there.” Re/Max is an official partner of the WHL.

Re/Max Blue Chip Realty, headquartered in Yorkton, Sask., held a draw for a Bullfrog hot tub valued at $16,000. Clients who listed or sold with the brokerage from Oct. 30 to April 11 were entered for a chance to win and 20 qualifiers were invited to the company’s booth at the Yorkton Spring Expo. The last name left in the draw drum was the winner. Norene and Ken Olson of Yorkton pose with their prize. Doris Herle, winner of the 2014 Re/Max Home Team Contest, along with Doug McRae, right, of Re/Max Real Estate (Edmonton) and Vern Nelson of Arctic Spas.

■ ■ ■

Martin Leblanc, broker of Royal LePage Mauricie in TroisRivières and Shawinigan, Que. has acquired the business from Louis Marcoux, who will remain with the company in a sales capacity. Leblanc began his real estate career in 1991 with Groupe Immobilier S.D.G. Inc. and obtained his real estate agent’s certificate in 1994. In 1996, he joined Trans-Action Royale, which now operates as Royal LePage Mauricie. ■ ■ ■

460 Realty of Nanaimo, B.C. has joined the Aventure Realty Network. Under the leadership of Randy Forbes and David Robinson, the brokerage was founded on the principles of trust, relationships and community, the company says. The brokerage is coowned by its sales reps and employees and has a profit-sharing plan. With more than 37 years of

Editor in Chief JIM ADAIR email: jim@remonline.com Distribution & Production MILA PURCELL distribution@remonline.com Art Director LIZ MACKIN Graphic Design SHAWN KELLY Brand Design SANDRA GOODER

David Robinson

Tim Syrianos

experience, Randy Forbes has held director positions at the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board, the British Columbia Real Estate Association and the British Columbia Real Estate Errors and Omissions Insurance Corporation.

International, where he specialized in office leasing and sales. He has more than a decade of experience in commercial real estate. In Montreal, JLL Canada’s Capital Markets group has adding Mark Sinnett to the team. Specializing in the sale of investment properties, he joins as EVP and will lead the Capital Markets business in the Greater Montreal Area. The team advises investors on the acquisition and disposition of commercial investment property.

■ ■ ■

JLL’s Tenant Representation group has hired Chad Boddez as senior VP. Boddez will serve as copractice lead, along-side Chad Brennand. Boddez joins from Colliers

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Phone: 416.425.3504 www.remonline.com www.remenligne.com REM complies fully with the Canadian Real Estate Association's Rules for Trademarks (CREA Rule 16.5.3.1) REALTOR® and REALTORS® are trademarks controlled in Canada by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify licensed real estate practitioners who are members of CREA. MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned by CREA and identify the services rendered by members of CREA. REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. For subscription information, email distribution@remonline.com. Entire contents copyright 2014 REM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The opinions expressed in REM are not necessarily those of the publisher. ISSN 1201-1223

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The difference makers

Who had the biggest impact on the industry during the last 25 years?

To celebrate 25 years of serving Canada’s real estate community, REM asked a small group of real estate leaders this question: “Who had the biggest impact – good or bad – on Canadian real estate in the last 25 years? “This is not a popularity contest or a marketing exercise. We want to know who you think had the biggest impact on the industry in the last 25 years – even if it was, in your opinion, a negative impact. Your choices could include Realtors, company executives, association executive officers, regulators, service company executives….even politicians! Who has had the most impact during the last 25 years in making the industry what it is today?” REM took those consensus picks and added our own and the results are below and on the following pages. Take a look and see if you agree with these choices, and then let us know who we missed. Add your comments to the stories on REMonline or drop an email to jim@remonline.com. mls.ca and then realtor.ca; and the transformation it’s of PAC Days and CREA’s lobbying efforts into a well-oiled machine that is known and respected on the Hill.” Beauchamp “navigated CREA through the transformation of its management structure first in a move to Ottawa and later through a dramatic reduction in the size of the Board of Directors,” says Alan Tennant, CEO of CREB and a former CREA president. “Along the way he led us through the delicate and emotional evolution with the Competition Bureau, the transformation of Realtor Link to the national stage and the ensuing creation of the MLS and Technology Council. Finally, in his last months before he retired, he had the foresight to facilitate the launch of the Futures Project.”

Pierre Beauchamp, June 2009

Pierre Beauchamp Pierre Beauchamp, the former CEO of CREA who retired in 2011, received the most mentions in the REM poll.

Lawrence Dale, who as president of RealtySellers launched several lawsuits against CREA, says: “Pierre’s vision transformed CREA from a somewhat peripheral player in the real estate industry into Canada’s most powerful organization in the residential real estate industry. Pierre had the insight before others recognized that those who control property information data will be the power brokers in the real estate industry. However, Pierre also fought to maintain CREA’s position at all costs; a cost that many feel was not worth it.”

“As CEO of CREA for over a quarter of a century, Pierre successfully shepherded the national association through an era of enormous change, helping both to transform the way Realtors do business and to maintain the Realtor’s position at the centre of the real estate transaction – no easy feat in an age when disintermediation has laid waste to so many other professions,” says Betty Dore of the London St. Thomas Association of Realtors. “Pierre guided CREA through some very choppy waters over his time at the helm and always kept the interests of the members at the forefront,” says Bill Madder, CEO of the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors. Madder says Beauchamp “was also involved in some of the major decisions that changed our industry for the better, including the transition from a private to Realtor-owned

“Through his fiscally responsible policies, he led Canada through the recent global economic crisis and in doing so protected our economy, which in turn protected our real estate property values,” says Andy Cimerman, CEO of HomeLife. “If it weren’t for his skill, knowledge and commitment to the Canadian people, our real estate market would no doubt have suffered to the same degree as the U.S. housing market suffered for the past several years. His influence on real estate is immeasurable and our debt to him immense.” “Often times it takes strong leaders to make bold decisions and whether right or wrong, to stand behind their decisions,” says CREA past-president Laura Leyser. “And in my opinion (Flaherty) led the way.” On page 61, REM columnist Marty Douglas explains why former Liberal Finance Minister Paul Martin gets his vote.

Melanie Aitken (Photo: Couvrette/Ottawa)

Melanie Aitken Jim Flaherty

Paul Martin with a copy of REM in 1997

The Finance Ministers The late Jim Flaherty, former federal Minister of Finance, received several mentions from REM’s expert panel.

“Without a doubt, the person who had the single most important impact on Canadian real estate over the last 25 years is Melanie Aitken, former commissioner of the federal Competition Bureau,” says Brian Martindale, a retired sales rep and prolific commenter on REMonline stories.

Continued on page 10

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Aitken was appointed Commissioner of Competition in 2009. She filed an application with the Competition Tribunal alleging that CREA’s rules regarding MLS access “deny consumer choice and stifle competition” and block real estate agents “from offering innovative services and pricing options to consumers.” In October 2010, CREA signed a controversial 10-year consent agreement with the bureau.

flat fee program access to the MLS, and Realtysellers withdrew its complaints to the Competition Bureau, which closed its investigation into the matter.

Michel Friedman, president of Orange Square Realty in Toronto, says: “She set out to eliminate what she said were anti-competitive practices in the real estate industry’s listing practices.” He says that in his opinion, the consent agreement led to “a rift between CREA and the real estate boards; undue hardships on real estate sales associates, a change in commission structures that reduced or eliminated what I perceive as essential services to clients; the appearance of ‘mere listing’ options where the buyer’s agents now have to take an extra step and negotiate their own commissions with a seller prior to presenting the offer; and last but not least, the ‘opening’ of the MLS information, which Realtors pay for, making it fully available to the public.”

CREA implemented new offer negotiation rules in 2007. The Competition Bureau subsequently filed its complaint that ultimately was settled with the 2010 consent agreement.

Aitken subsequently filed a complaint against the Toronto Real Estate Board, claiming that it has rules that “denied real estate agents the ability to introduce innovative Internet-based real estate brokerage services, such as Virtual Office Websites (VOWs).” The final outcome of that application is still pending. Aitken resigned as commissioner in September 2012.

But Dale and Moranis allege that in 2006, TREB and CREA conspired to force them to close down Realtysellers. Dale filed a $540 million statement of claim, naming CREA, TREB and 49 directors and officers of the organizations.

“No single person will have more impact (on the industry) since Dave Liniger started Re/Max,” says Barry Lebow, a veteran broker, professional land economist, mediator and REM columnist. “He will change the way real estate is done in future and not for the good of the industry or the public.” While operating Realtysellers, Dale also partnered with for-sale-by-owner company PropertyGuys.com, but in May 2013 he moved to Rogers Communications as group head, real estate business, operating Zoocasa.ca. In early May of this year, Dale was named president of Zolo Realty, which the company says is Canada’s largest real estate brokerage-operated search website.

Frank Polzler & Walter Schneider

Dave Liniger with Walter Schneider in 1989.

the last 25 years,” says Schneider. “We revolutionized commission structures, opened doors to women – who are a significant force in the sector today and were among the first to embrace the notion of teams…Our focus on the agent has led us to continually innovate, and that is something we are very proud of.” Pamela Alexander, CEO and managing director of Re/Max Integra (the parent company that includes the Ontario, U.S., European and Middle East regions) says: “It is no secret that Frank Polzler and Walter Schneider are considered to be trailblazers within the real estate industry. They are active leaders, with open minds, who continue to embrace the unknown and drive the industry forward.”

Re/Max founder and chairman Dave Liniger has often said that if it wasn’t for Re/Max Ontario-Atlantic Canada founders Frank Polzler and Walter Schneider, the entire Re/Max organization might have collapsed in its early days. After launching their company in 1980, they became critical to the future success of the organization, eventually expanding to own several U.S. master franchises and leading Re/Max expansion into Europe.

Betty Doré

Lawrence Dale

“Betty Doré has carved out a niche as the go-to executive officer for tough committee work within the executive officer ranks as well as on member-centric issues,” says Alan Tennant, CREB CEO. “Her greatest impact over the years has simply been in being the voice of reason, a tireless innovator and keeper of our institutional compass. Whenever we’ve veered off track, Betty has not only raised the flag but taken impactful steps to get us back on course.”

Lawrence Dale Along with Melanie Aitken, Lawrence Dale was instrumental in launching the Competition Tribunal challenges against CREA and TREB, opening the door to alternative real estate brokerage models. Dale and his cousin Stephen Moranis, a former TREB president, have filed several legal claims against TREB and CREA over the years relating to Realtysellers, the real estate company they formed in November 2000. The company offered discounted flat fee services. In 2002, TREB enacted new rules that required listing brokers to be involved in the offer negotiation process. Realtysellers sued TREB and filed a complaint with the Competition Bureau.

Frank Polzler, April 2013

In January 2004, TREB and Realtysellers reached a settlement in which Realtysellers received $700,000 in compensation. TREB changed its rules to allow the

“Regardless of the brand we choose to associate with, it is hard to dispute that Re/Max led the way through several paradigm shifts seen in the industry over

Doré, the long-time EO of the London St. Thomas Association of Realtors, was chair of the Association Executives Council of CREA and served as an advisor to CREA and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to develop a designation for Canadian association staff. She spearheaded Project Connect, which allows participating associations in Ontario to access each

Continued on page 12

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the deadbeats and scum, because RECA had the teeth to bite. The man leading the council has not changed – Bob Myroniuk is the executive director.”

other’s MLS systems. She was the first and only association executive to serve as governor and then president of the Realtors Care Foundation in Ontario.

The Real Estate Council of B.C. (RECBC) was founded in 1958 and became self-regulating in 2005. Robert Fawcett has been the EO there since 1995 and serves as a mentor for volunteer leaders in the province. In Ontario, the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) was established in 2007.

The Consumer “I think the consumer has had the largest impact,” says Richard Silver, senior VP-sales for Sotheby’s International Realty Canada in Toronto. “Technology has allowed the consumer access to more information than ever and it has changed Realtor’s relationships to a more consultative one. Realtors have had to react to this change to survive and new models have opened to reflect that changed relationship.” Laura Leyser, past-president of CREA and sales rep with Re/Max A-B Realty in Stratford, Ont., says, “The consumer, without knowing it, has rounded the sales reps in ways no one 25 years ago would have imagined” because they have become more educated about the real estate market. Penny Dutkowski, a sales rep with HomeLife Bayview Realty in Toronto, says her vote goes to “all the buyers and judges of the ‘90s who challenged the status quo that all Realtors were considered sub-agents of the seller and therefore acting only in the best interests of the seller.” This resulted in organized real estate adopting buyer representation, she says. “There’s still much to be done on that front, since many consumers today don’t understand the concept or appreciate that it was buyers before them who demanded equal protection to sellers.”

In December 2004, Myroniuk and Larry Buttress, deputy EO of RECBC, were interviewed by REM about their Agency Task Force findings. It’s the only time a non-Realtor or real estate company CEO has appeared on REM’s cover in the last decade.

Don Lawby July 2010

and competing with their own members and providing services to consumers. “Don Lawby solidified his presence in the industry over almost 40 years,” says Martin Charlwood, CEO of Century 21. “He made major advances for organized real estate as a founding member of the Industry Leaders’ Group, bringing the major brands together to reduce real estate board costs and increase efficiencies. I admire his leadership that bridged brands to benefit the industry itself.”

Ontario’s Tom Wright, who is retiring as president/ CEO after 17 years at RECO, told REM last month that some measures that regulators provide, such as a code of ethics for the profession, mandatory errors and omissions insurance and consumer deposit protection “provides the ability for consumers to feel they can work with a real estate professional and do so with confidence. Trust is the essential part of any professional relationship.”

Lorne Wallace & Des O’Kelly “As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of REM, few realize that there was another start-up in 1989 that would have a significant impact on the growth of the real estate

The Regulators “The biggest impact on how real estate is practiced in Alberta would be the creation of the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA),” says Dick Oakes, owner of MaxWell West and MaxWell Canyon Creek in Calgary. “Since its inception on July 1, 1996, the conduct of the Realtors took a giant leap upwards. Expectations of professional Realtors were finally realized in getting rid of Lorne Wallace

Don Lawby Don Lawby retired early this year after serving as Century 21’s president and CEO for more than three decades.

“The support they offered was personal and timely. Over the years they successfully navigated on behalf of their clients the migration from DOS to Windows without any loss of data, the advent of independent contractor status, the introduction and changes in GST/HST, the requirements of commission trust and numerous other changes in the industry.

“Don Lawby as the face and mind of Century 21 Canada developed an enduring place as the voice of reason on behalf of franchisor and franchisees,” says CREB CEO Alan Tennant. “His thoughtful and welltimed critique of the issues of the day vexing organized real estate rarely missed the mark but if they did, he woke the right people up.” Lawby was never shy about going on the record to address controversial issues in the real estate industry. He was critical of organized real estate when he thought the boards and associations were overstepping their mandate

Des O’Kelly

industry in Canada,” says Bob Campbell, president and CEO of Colour Tech Marketing. “Two entrepreneurs, Lorne Wallace and Des O’Kelly, partnered to launch Lone Wolf, a company that introduced a financial software program to support real estate brokers in managing the office finances.

Bob Myroniuk and Larry Buttress, December 2004

“Lone Wolf is now a company with over 200 employees that services nearly 10,000 offices in North America,” says Campbell. “The bottom line is that they have brought stability to the back office part of the real estate industry, which is something that Canadian brokerage firms have not had to worry about for the past 25 years.” Continued on page 14

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LeadingRE.com | sbarr@LeadingRE.com | 312.361.8632

14 REM JUNE 2014 Continued from page 12

development, construction employment and demand in residential, recreational, investment and commercial real estate. The demand has created liquidity and sustained a generally robust market, benefitting all and making Canada one of the most open and diverse societies in the world.” Puthon says that Canada is expected to welcome a near record number of immigrants this year. “From less than 162,000 at the start of 1989, we’re now expecting a net migration of close to 263,000 people this year. It’s a number that has only been surpassed twice, and then just by a small margin, in the last 25 years. Just like us, they all need housing.”

CREB CEO Alan Tennant says Richardson was “seen by many of us outside of Ontario as the savior who could calm the TREB waters…and he was. One of the most thoughtful and articulate leaders I’ve ever come across.”

Phil Soper “Phil Soper is real estate’s most influential leader,” says real estate consultant Michael Krisa of YLE Consulting Group. “His people would take a bullet and walk through fire if he asked!”

Don Richardson

Scott Shaw, November 2009

Scott Shaw

Don Richardson, CEO of the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) is retiring this month after 14 years at the board and 20 years before that at the Ontario Real Estate Association. He entered the industry as a sales rep in 1971.

The first Sutton Group office in Canada – Sutton Group West Coast Realty in North Vancouver, B.C. – has evolved to become the largest real estate brokerage in Canada as ranked in the annual Real Trends Canadian 250 report. Sutton says it was the first real estate company in Canada to have a website – in 1995 – and the first to provide each agent with their own website and email address. Sutton president and CEO Scott Shaw oversees the company’s 8,700 sales reps in more than 200 offices across the country. He told REM in a November 2009 interview that although the use of technology has made it easier for agents to connect with clients, “what social media tools are doing is not new – they’re just using certain technology to do what Realtors have been doing for a very long time. That’s because basically, the real estate business is a networking business. “It doesn’t really matter if you’re using technology to meet up with your client, or using the good oldfashioned method of driving up to the community centre or to the church to meet them. The end result is exactly the same.”

The Immigrant “The Canadian immigrant continues to have the greatest impact on our industry,” says Andy Puthon, president of Coldwell Banker Canada. “Canada has the highest per capita immigration rate in the world. Our progressive immigration policy attracts new Canadians who embrace home ownership and have driven

Phil Soper, March 2008

Soper has been president of Royal LePage Real Estate Services since 2002. Through organic growth and acquisitions, the company has grown significantly since Soper became CEO.

Don Richardson, March 2002

“The tireless, behind-the-scenes work of this quiet, unassuming leader has resulted in countless advancements that will benefit Canadian real estate professionals for many years to come,” says Hugh Foy, TREB’s director of commercial and members development.

Soper wrote about the company’s commitment to a premium, full-service model in an article in REM last year. “In the face of tougher legislation and regulation, and the never-ending churn of new and disruptive American and low-fee, very limited service competitors, it boils down to our proven ability to adapt. That a 100-year-old company like Royal LePage has faced tough times before and has emerged intact provides a good measure of perspective.”

“As director of education for OREA during the ‘70s and ‘80s, Don was instrumental in enhancing the courses required to become a salesperson in Ontario,” says Foy. When Richardson came to the Toronto Real Estate Board it was in turmoil, as REM reported in September 2000. The immediate past-president was “removed from his position as a director and had his board membership revoked, following revelations of expense account overexpenditures, police investigations and infighting on TREB’s Board of Directors that spilled over into the local media,” REM reported. Foy says Richardson’s leadership “helped to re-focus TREB, resulting in a thriving, progressive organization that has offered its insight and experience to other boards throughout Canada.

Brian Collie

Brian Collie Manitoba Real Estate Association CEO Brian Collie’s “persona of a quiet guy from a small association in the wilderness belies his true power in the industry and his

Continued on page 18

Coldwell Banker Canada congratulates our industry leaders ®

Real estate professionals afﬁliated with Coldwell Banker Canada have a proud history of giving back to our industry. We salute those Brokers, Managers and sales professionals who have dedicated their time and effort to support organized real estate in Canada.

A welcome addition to our national team As part of Coldwell Banker® Canada’s commitment to growing our national network, we welcome Rene Girard to our Canadian leadership team as Director of Franchise Development for Western Canada. Rene has a proven track record for growth. His previous experience includes management roles for major ﬁnancial institutions, a Securities company and subsidiaries of national real estate brands. In addition to his professional credentials, he has lived in communities throughout British Columbia and Alberta affording him an intimate familiarity with markets throughout Western Canada. Please call to discuss how the Coldwell Banker system can help.

DEAN LAPOINTE Coldwell Banker Legend Real Estate Group Vancouver, BC FIABCI Canada, President-Elect (2014)

BETH CROSBIE Coldwell Banker ProCo St.John’s, Newfoundland CREA, President (2014)

TINA MAK Coldwell Banker Westburn Realty Vancouver, BC AREAA Vancouver, President & Founder (2013, 2014)

BRAD ANGEL Coldwell Banker The Property Shoppe Real Estate, Kincardine, ON - Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound, Director (2014) • GARY BOWKER Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty, Kelowna, BC - British Columbia Commercial Council, Upcoming Chair (April 2014) • ANN COSENS Coldwell Banker Pinnacle Real Estate, Hamilton, ON - CREA, Director at Large (2009-2013) • OWEN CRAMPSIE Coldwell Banker Essential Real Estate, Windsor, ON - Windsor/Essex County Board, Director (2005-2010) • TIM CROSBIE Coldwell Banker ProCo, St. John’s, NL - FIABCI Canada, Director (2013-2014); Newfoundland Real Estate Association, Past President (2004), Honorary Life Member (2012), Broker Director (2014); St. John’s Real Estate Board, Past President (1997-1998); CREA, Atlantic Regional Director (2000-2001), Canadian Commercial Council Director (2006-2009), National Ad Committee (2014) • CHRIS DUDECK Coldwell Banker Preferred Real Estate, Winnipeg, MB - Winnipeg REALTORS Association Board of Directors, Director (2013-2015) • LYNNE FAUCON Coldwell Banker First Ottawa Realty, Ottawa, ON - Guelph & District Association of REALTORS, Board Member (2008-2014), Vice-Chair (2010) • CORIE FISHER Coldwell Banker Neumann Real Estate, Guelph, ON - Guelph & District Association of REALTORS, President (1989), Nomination Committee Member (2014) • JACKIE GARTNER Coldwell Banker City Side Realty, Lloydminster, AB - Realtors Association of Lloydminster & District, Director (2013-2014) • BRAD GILBERT Coldwell Banker City Side Realty, Lloydminster, AB - Alberta Real Estate Association, Past President (1999), Director (1993-2000), Honorary Lifetime Member (2000); Saskatchewan Real Estate Association, Past Director (2001); CREA, Past Director (2001-2004); Lloydminster Real Estate Board, Past President (1992), Director (1987-1993) • JENNIFER GILBERT Coldwell Banker City Side Realty, Lloydminster, AB - Realtors Association of Lloydminster & District, President (2012-2014), Vice-President/Treasurer (2010-2011), Director (2009) • RACHEL HAMMER Coldwell Banker First Ottawa Realty, Ottawa, ON - Young Professionals Network Group of Realtors, Chairman of the Discipline Committee and Committee Member (2013, 2014) • SANDY HARDY Coldwell Banker City Side Realty, Lloydminster, AB - Realtors Association of Lloydminster & District, Past President (1994), Director (1995); Saskatchewan Real Estate Association, Director (1999) • KATHY HARVEY Coldwell Banker City Side Realty, Lloydminster, AB - Lloydminster Real Estate Board, Past President (1983-1984, 1987-1989, 2006, 2007, 2008); Saskatchewan Real Estate Association, Past Director (1990-1992); Canadian Real Estate Association, Honorary Life Membership (1995); Saskatchewan Real Estate Commission, Chair (1986-1990) • GARY HERRON Coldwell Banker Pinnacle Real Estate, Hamilton, ON - REALTORS ® Association of Hamilton-Burlington, Board of Directors, Past President • JESSE HONCH Coldwell Banker ResCom Realty PA, Prince Albert, SK - Prince Albert & District Association of Realtors, President Elect (2014) • JANE HURST Coldwell Banker 2M Realty, Oshawa, ON - Durham Region Association of Realtors, President (2014) • KYLE KERR Coldwell Banker Slegg Realty, Victoria, BC - Victoria Real Estate Board, Director-Chair Finance and Audit, MLS (2013-2014) • PAUL MARTIN Coldwell Banker Settlement Realty, Perth, ON - Rideau St. Lawrence Real Estate Board, President (2002, 2003, 2014) • LINDA MASH Coldwell Banker R.M.R. Real Estate, Whitby, ON - Durham Region Association of Realtors, Director at Larg e (2014-2016) • JUDITH MATHESON Coldwell Banker Premier Realty, Vancouver, BC - British Columbia Law Institute, Project Committee on Strata Property Law (2013-2014) • ROMA NIESSEN Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty, Kelowna, BC - Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board, Professional Standards and Ethics Committee (3 Years) • LEENA RAY Coldwell Banker First Ottawa Realty, Ottawa, ON - Ottawa Real Estate Board, Commercial Services Division Executive Committee (2011-2014) • TANIS READ Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty, Kelowna, BC - Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board, Director MLS & Technology (2011-Present) • PETER REDEKOPP Coldwell Banker Preferred Real Estate, Winnipeg, MN - Winnipeg Realtor Association, Past Treasurer, Chair of Finance, Executive Committee, Board of Directors, Chair of MLS Committee, Member of Tech Committee (20132014), Chair of Newspaper PR Committee (2012), Member MLS/PR Committee (2004-2013) • EARL TAYLOR Coldwell Banker at Success Realty, St. Thomas, ON - St. Thomas Association of Realtors and Chair of the Area Outreach Committee, Director (2010-2014) • MIKE TAYLOR Coldwell Banker Thompson Real Estate, Huntsville, ON - Muskoka, Haliburton, Orillia, The Lakelands Association of Realtors, Director (2013-2014) • PATRICIA TODD Coldwell Banker City Side Realty, Lloydminster, AB - Realtors Association of Lloydminster & District, Director (2012-2014) • SUSAN TOUGH Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty, Kelowna, BC - Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board, Member of Professional Standards Committee (2011-2014) • JAMIE TROKE Coldwell Banker Ekort Realty, Belleville, ON - Quinte & District Association of Realtors, President Elect (2014) • ALAN VOGT Coldwell Banker ResCom Realty PA, Prince Albert, SK - Prince Albert & District Association of Realtors, President (2013, 2014) • DARRYL WATTY Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty, Kitchener-Waterloo, ON - KitchenerWaterloo Association of Realtors, Director, Risk Assessment Committees (2014) • ALVIN WIEGERS Coldwell Banker ResCom Realty PA, Prince Albert, SK - Prince Albert & District Association of Realtors, Director (2014) For more information on the Coldwell Banker Canada network, please visit our website at http://www.coldwellbanker.ca/ © 2014 Coldwell Banker LLC. All Rights Reserved. Each Ofﬁce is Independently Owned and Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker LLC. Each sales representative and broker is responsible for complying with any consumer disclosure laws or regulations. Any use of the term “sales associate” or “agent” shall be replaced with the term “sales representative” in Canada.

Mark Lindsey, VP Franchise Development 1 (800) 268-9599 ext. 402 mark.lindsey@coldwellbanker.ca Rene Girard, Director of Franchise Sales, Western Canada 1 (800) 268-9599 ext. 604 rene.girard@coldwellbanker.ca

Coldwell Banker Canada congratulates REM Magazine on 25 years as Canada’s premier Real Estate trade publication

On behalf of all the Coldwell Banker Brokers, Managers, sales representatives and staff across Canada, thank you for your tireless efforts to educate, inform and inspire our industry for the last quarter century. We look forward to the next 25 years. Coldwell Banker Canada Operations ULC is owned by Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), a global leader in real estate franchising. Collectively, Realogy’s franchise system members operate approximately 13,600 ofﬁces with 247,000 independent sales associates doing business in 104 countries around the world.

Afﬁliates of Canada © 2014 Coldwell Banker LLC. All Rights Reserved. Each Ofﬁce is Independently Owned and Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker LLC. Each sales representative and broker is responsible for complying with any consumer disclosure laws or regulations. Any use of the term “sales associate” or “agent” shall be replaced with the term “sales representative” in Canada.

Coldwell Banker Canada congratulates our industry leaders ®

DEAN LAPOINTE Coldwell Banker Legend Real Estate Group Vancouver, BC FIABCI Canada, President-Elect (2014)

BETH CROSBIE Coldwell Banker ProCo St.John’s, Newfoundland CREA, President (2014)

TINA MAK Coldwell Banker Westburn Realty Vancouver, BC AREAA Vancouver, President & Founder (2013, 2014)

Coldwell Banker Canada congratulates REM Magazine on 25 years as Canada’s premier Real Estate trade publication

18 REM JUNE 2014 Continued from page 14

Craig Proctor

ability to get things done,” says Bill Madder, CEO of the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors. “Brian always knows what is going on in the business from coast to coast and does a great job of working with all the right people to get the right things done for the betterment of our profession. From education to federal affairs to MLS to ethics, Brian has had a hand (sometimes invisible but always there) in most of the major changes in the real estate world over the past 25+ years.”

Craig Proctor joined the real estate profession in 1988 at the age of 26. Before he was 30 he was named the top Re/Max agent in the world, the youngest to achieve that feat.

Bernie Vogt Bernie Vogt has appeared on REM’s cover more than any other Canadian real estate executive. He was Ontario general manager for the former A.E. LePage, general manager for Royal LePage, a member of the real estate transition team during the Coldwell Banker/ Canada Trust merger, president of Countrywide Realty and then president and CEO of Prudential’s Canadian operations.

Harry DeLeeuw

largest independent real estate company in Winnipeg, Delbro Real Estate, and a founding member of the International Consortium of Real Estate Associations (ICREA), which has members in 26 countries. He is currently an associate broker with Shindico Realty in Winnipeg.

Michel Beauséjour Michel Beauséjour, the CEO for both the Greater Montreal Real Estate Board and the Quebec Federation of Real Estate Boards, was the “glue” that held the industry together during his tenure, says Andrew Peck, vice-president and general manager of Royal Pacific Realty Group in Vancouver.

Pierre Titley

He is now president of the Aventure Realty Network, a network of independent real estate brokerages that he launched after announcing his “retirement” from real estate in 2008.

In the early 1980s, Pierre Titley heard about a new real estate brokerage called Re/Max that would give agents a larger share of commissions. At the time,

Harry DeLeeuw

DeLeeuw was co-founder and managing partner of the

As REM’s writer Dennis McCloskey reported in February 2005, “By creating a team of professionals to look after the 101 things a one-person operation must do, he freed himself to concentrate on the bigger picture of getting the listings and closing the sale. His revolutionary (at the time) system was so successful, he earned $1 million in commissions by the end of 1991 while still living in the basement of his parents’ home.” He took his team selling approach and created the Quantum Leap system, which has been embraced by more than 30,000 agents worldwide. Proctor now devotes all of his time to teaching and training other agents via his company, Craig Proctor Coaching.

Bernie Vogt, June 2011

“Over the past 30-plus years, Harry DeLeeuw has been at the forefront of organized real estate – serving as president of the Winnipeg Real Estate Board, Manitoba Real Estate Association (MREA) and CREA,” says Bill Madder, CEO of the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors. “Harry also served as a special liaison to CREA for the NAR president for several years and worked hard to establish and maintain strong ties between the two organizations. One of Harry’s proudest achievements is the establishment of the MREA’s Shelter Foundation Manitoba Tipi Mitawa – a program that provides down payment assistance as well as support information to help First Nations families purchase their first homes.”

Craig Proctor, February 2005

Michel Beauséjour receives the AEC award from CREA EO Pierre Beauchamp (left) in April 2007.

Beauséjour stepped down in 2010 after almost 11 years at the helm of the GMREB. “Beauséjour brought forward the agreement known as the ‘four-point accord’ that brought large board listings on to mls.ca and defined the role of large boards on CREA’s MLS & Technology Council for the next decade,” says Gord Archibald, EO of the Association of Regina Realtors. Beauséjour was the recipient of the AEC Award of Excellence in 2007, honouring the country’s top association executive.

Pierre Titley

Continued on page 20

RE/MAX AGENTS SELL MORE PROPERTIES THAN OTHER AGENTS.

16.1 RE/MAX

14.7 Coldwell Banker

13.6 Sutton Group

12.0

Royal LePage

11.4 Century 21

Canadian Top 250 Real Estate Brokerages ranked by average transaction per agent.*

* Real Trends Canadian Top 250 Real Estate Brokerages Report based on 2013 closed residential transactions for participating brokerages. Real Trends is an unbiased, independent third party.

10.4 Keller Williams

6.1 Homelife

20 REM JUNE 2014 Continued from page 18

“We are all going to have to make adjustments to help educate clients that hiring a Realtor is the best thing to do,” he said. “We need to engage the entire business to show consumers that we provide value.”

as Titley recalled in a radio interview, most of the brokerage business in Canada was controlled by large trust companies “and they were very hard to compete against as an independent broker.”

Steve Morris

After meeting with Re/Max co-founder David Liniger, Titley became founding president of Re/Max Quebec in 1982. Flash forward 32 years and Titley presides over more than 3,500 real estate brokers and 136 agencies in the province as well as Re/Max New York. According to Re/Max, while its brokers represent only 19 per cent of brokers in Quebec, almost 50 per cent of the properties sold annually in the province involve Re/ Max brokers. Re/Max Quebec has also pioneered exclusive programs, such as Tranquilli-T, which protects sellers in certain situations, such as the death of the buyer or his or her spouse, and offers legal assistance after the signing of the deed of sale. Re/Max chairman and co-founder Dave Liniger told REM in 2005 that Titley and two other Canadian ownership groups represented “three of the most successful partners we’ve had.” – Danny Kucharsky

U. Gary Charlwood “U. Gary Charlwood brought big business to Canadian real estate, introducing the Century 21 brand in 1976,” says Brian Rushton, EVP of Century 21 Canada. “It was the first franchise in the industry to span coast-tocoast. Charlwood was inducted into the International Franchise Association Hall of Fame for his ability to adapt to international consumers and the ever-changing industry. He’s an inspiration to entrepreneurs.”

Bob Wallace

Brad Scott

Tennant. “Bob’s fingerprints were on every important file of regional and national significance during his career and he never once pushed his way into a group photo or press release. He was unselfish to a fault.” When Wallace retired late last year, his replacement, Brad Scott, wasn’t exactly a rookie. “Brad started 35 years ago in the mailroom!” says Andrew Peck, VP and general manager, Royal Pacific Realty Group. The REBGV’s chief operating officer since 1991, Scott “pushed forward thinking governance in associations, to have directors focus on organizational outcomes and not on the staff tactics to achieve them.”

Steve Morris launched Exit Realty in Canada in the fall of 1996, introducing the concept of single-level residuals. Exit sales reps can earn 10 per cent of the broker’s portion of the commissions earned by a sales rep they sponsored into the system, for as long as the sponsored rep works at Exit. The company also offers seven-per-cent retirement residuals and five-per-cent beneficiary residuals. The Canadian company has grown to more than 1,600 franchises and 53,000 sales reps across North America. When REM interviewed Morris in April 2007, Morris said: “Our competition to this day is still looking at

Andrew Cimerman HomeLife Realty Services will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year, led by CEO and founder Andrew Cimerman. He’s also the CEO of Red Carpet and Realty World in the U.S. While describing the company’s international growth plans during a REM interview in April 2010, Cimerman said: “We are equally interested in growth in small-town Canada. Our product has been designed in a way that is very community oriented.”

Steve Morris, April 2005

the name, because they don’t see it with the eyes of an advertiser. Exit means ‘safe passage’ – when you sell your house and you leave, you’re making an exit. It’s the perfect use of a four-letter word! Our name has acted like a smokescreen for us. It has stymied the competition – they are still looking up at that sign, while we’re sneaking under the bridge.”

Cliff Palmer U. Gary Charlwood, February 1995

Through his Charlwood Pacific Group, he founded the Uniglobe Travel franchise and Centum Financial Group, a mortgage brokerage. Charlwood was described by the National Post as “quite possibly Canada’s most successful franchisor.”

Bob Wallace & Brad Scott “Bob Wallace, as CEO of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV), pushed staff and volunteer leaders to be more critical and progressive in their thinking and actions,” says CREB CEO Alan

Andrew Cimermant, April 2005

In May Cimerman appeared on a panel of industry CEOs at the Toronto Real Estate Board’s Realtor Quest event. He said there is increasing pressure on commissions and made a passionate plea for attendees to help educate the public about the importance of hiring a real estate professional to guide them through their transactions.

The late Cliff Palmer was the 1995 president of WinnipegRealtors and one of the partners in the first Re/Max office in Winnipeg. “He showed through his vision and entrepreneurial spirit what Realtors can do to revitalize a Cliff Palmer neighbourhood on the cusp of serious decline and promote homeownership at the same time,” says Peter Squire, director of communications at WinnipegRealtors. Continued on page 52

How a High School Teacher Created a Million Dollarr Real Estate Empire

By Aaron Kinn â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was a high school art teacher for four years before I got into real estate. I met this real estate agent when I was buying my first house. She showed up in a shiny Lexus -- and I wanted one! Well, at my current salary this wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t about to happen, even though I was working really, really hard. I was spending 80, 90 hours a week between teaching and coaching basketball, making not very much an hour once all was said and done. I was also about $50k in debt, so I knew I needed to find something better. I liked the idea of being my own boss and making lots of money. I figured if my agent could do it, so could I. So I went ahead and got my real estate licence. About six months later, I quit teaching and went into real estate full time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the biggest surprise when I first got into real estate was how much harder it was than I thought. I was 25 at the time with no business experience. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any credibility and it was very

hard to get clients. My broker told me to follow around the experienced agents and do what they were doing. Well, mostly what they were doing was contacting their sphere of influence and working past clients, and I had none of those. So they told me to jump on phone calls, answer the up-time phone, sit at open houses . . . things they no longer needed to do and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to do, so they had somebody do it for them -- i.e â&#x20AC;&#x153;meâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was really tough. I worked at it for about 8 months and only sold 6 homes even though I was working 60-80 hours a week. That doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really equal a whole lot of income. I was actually making less as a real estate agent than as a teacher. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I saw a big full-page ad talking about how successful this young agent from Oklahoma had become after he started using Craig Proctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s system and I thought, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If this guy can do it, why canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I got Craigâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s system and was blown away by how simple everything sounded and how easily you could create leads without having to do the hard things in real estate like doing open houses and cold calling. It got me really charged and I think I only

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slept an hour or two hours a night over a three-day period because this stuff was running through my head the whole time. It was amazing actually. I started bringing in contracts consistently on a monthly basis. I closed 26 homes in the next six months and that was just off one little ad Craig gave me that only cost about $25 to run. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My career has really taken off. My second year in real estate I did 53 transactions and I increased that by almost 70% the next year to 89 transactions. The year after that we did 113 and every single month I made more money than what I used to make in a whole year of teaching. Craig showed me how to easily make more money per transaction too. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A year and a half ago (with still two months of the year to go), I crossed the 1 Million mark in annual commissions! I was so excited that I reached this milestone. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m still only in my mid 30s. and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe how far Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come in such short time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The best part is that I only work about 40 hours a week and can take a lot of vacation time â&#x20AC;Ś 4-6 weeks a year. My wife and I have since started a family, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect to have that family time, and because we now have great money rolling in, she was able to quit her job and stay home with our children. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell you how important this is.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A few years ago my sister was very ill with only a 50% www. . These FREE events are presented courtesy of Pillar To Post chance of surviving. She was actually in a coma for two weeks, and I was there for the entire six weeks she was in the hospital.

The doctors now say it was a miracle that she survived, and the most rewarding part for me was when she was asked after the fact if she was conscious of anything while in the coma. She said to me â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The only thing I remember was you. Hearing you and seeing you.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The amazing thing is that during that whole process, my business still ran. We still closed transactions. We still listed homes. That is the ultimate business dream and I just thank Craig and his system for allowing me that opportunity to do that. One of the biggest benefits of building my business the way Craig has shown me to is that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s allowed me opportunities to do things I could never have done previously. I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do those things and still make money. I would have lost my job. We just copy everything Craig does and it works exactly the way he says it will.â&#x20AC;? n

Hi, my name is Craig Proctor, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had the privilege of sharing my proven real estate system with over 30,000 agents from all over the world. This is the same system I used myself in my own highly successful real estate career right here in Canada. (As you may know, I was twice named the #1 RE/MAX agent in the world and was in the top 10 for RE/ MAX International for 15 years.) You may have seen my information in this publication before and wondered if it was for real. Well, Aaronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience is NOT unique. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s indicative of what happens when you send

for my free Book & CD as Aaron did, and follow my system. hand from other agents like yourself who are successfully using my system, you can call my toll free eavesdrop line at 1-800-700-0958. everything you want to know about my Quantum Leap Real Estate Success System in detail and it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cost you a penny.

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22 REM JUNE 2014

Protecting your hard-earned commission By Martin Rumack

ast year I wrote an article on the essentials of agreements for commission (Commission agreement basics, REM, July 2013) that outlines the fundamental points all agents need to know about legislative requirements, format, payment structure and entitlement, amongst others. Even though those basics are relatively straightforward, a commission agreement (as with all contracts) can be subject to interpretation, can be inadvertently vague in key respects or can be breached by any one of the parties to it. All of this gives rise to dis-

putes over commission entitlements, which unfortunately can end up in court. No one wants to have to litigate. This is why it’s important that as an agent you learn as much possible from the experiences of those who wind up there. Viewed from the outside, these court cases indeed provide you with a convenient opportunity to learn – and avoid – the common pitfalls that surround the use of commission agreements in real estate transactions. Here are some key points and examples taken from a handful of court decisions decided in the last few months alone: 1. Disclose and explain any dual agency. In Partners Realty Ltd. v. Morrow, 2014 ONSC 124 (CanLII), the agent, unbeknownst to the seller, was already

committed under a buyer agency agreement to represent certain interested buyers. However, she pressed the seller to sign a listing agreement and did not introduce the parties until that agreement was in place. The seller – who happened to be a corporate lawyer – claimed that she was “stunned” to learn that the agent was representing both the buyer and seller, and claimed this amounted to a breach of fiduciary duty for the agent’s failure to disclose her dual agency arrangement. The seller claimed she would not have listed with the agent had she known the complete situation. The deal did not close because the seller changed her mind. The agent claimed her commission, nonetheless. The court found that the agent did not review the dual

agency provision with the seller and had not informed her in writing and prior to the offer being presented, as the commission agreement specifically required her to do. The seller, regardless of her level of legal sophistication, was entitled to full disclosure in writing of the dual agency arrangement; the agent’s failure to reveal that material fact disentitled her to the commission she would otherwise have been owed. 2. Make sure the holdover clause is clear. The recent case in Sutton Group v. Kim, 2014 ONSC 891 (CanLII) is just one of many examples of commission agreements in which the terms are needlessly vague, or where the seller has not been made aware of his or her obligations, to the point where it becomes a dispute. The seller refused to pay the

agent’s $50,000 in commission on the basis that he was unaware of the 90-day holdover clause in the listing agreement and that it was never explained to him. The seller also claimed that he secured the deal himself, because the buyers agreed to purchase the home two days after the six-month listing period expired. In reviewing the facts, the court examined the evidence of both agent and seller as to the discussions leading up to the signing of the listing agreement and also parsed the meaning of the terms “shown” and “introduced” as they were used in that document. Ultimately, the court concluded that the seller was at least somewhat aware of the holdover clause and that the agent’s right to commission had been triggered Continued on page 24

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24 REM JUNE 2014

Protecting Continued from page 22

when he took the buyers around the property during that initial six months. He was therefore entitled to his full commission on the sale, but it was a close call. 3. Paper your trail. It is a fact of life that some sellers will be unexpectedly difficult to deal with, no matter what the circumstances are. When dealing with such clients, it is important for you as an agent to pay scrupulous attention to detail, to fulfil your side of the commission agreement to the letter, and to document in detail those steps you have taken and your efforts to fulfil your obligations and duties. This is precisely what saved the day for the agent in T. L. Willaert Realty Ltd. v. Fody, 2013 ONSC 7533 (CanLII). The agreement provided that commission was payable by the seller to the agent in any event, even if the agreement did not close, provided the non-completion was “owing or attributable to the sell-

er’s default or neglect.” The agent delivered an offer for the full asking price; the seller then stopped responding to texts from the agent and disappeared for several days; subsequently the seller started getting nasty with the agent when he persisted in trying to reach him in order to deal with the offer. The deal did not close, with the seller claiming that the offer was not presented during the listing period. The court disagreed and pointed out that it was difficult to imagine what more the agent could have done to present the offer. The steps he took that day included: 1) notifying the sellers’ common-law spouse of the existence of the offer; 2) faxing a copy of the offer to the seller’s lawyer; 3) texting the seller on several occasions; and 4) dropping off a copy in the seller’s mailbox at night. The truth was that the seller had simply changed his mind about selling and had not acted in good faith. The court concluded that the seller was not relieved of having to pay the agent’s commission.

Sellers should not be taken by surprise at the fact that they are paying commission regardless of whether the deal goes through and it’s up to you to explain this thoroughly. 4. Explain that deals that fall through may nonetheless result in commission being payable. If the agreement provides that commission is payable even if the potential sale gets aborted, make sure the seller understands that. This issue was discussed in both the Partners Realty and T. L. Willaert Realty cases, and it comes up more often than it should. Sellers should not be taken by surprise at the fact that they are paying commission regardless of whether the deal

goes through and it’s up to you to explain this thoroughly. This is just a small sampling of recent cases that show the various pitfalls that can arise in connection with a client’s appreciation and understanding of their rights and obligations under a listing agreement. As an agent, you owe it to your clients and to yourself to make sure there are no misunderstandings, nor any basis on which a client can claim they were not aware of their obligations. After all of your work, you do not want

your commission to be at stake! Remember: The commission you save may be your own. Toronto lawyer Martin Rumack’s practice areas include real estate law, corporate and commercial law, wills, estates, powers of attorney, family law and civil litigation. He is co-author of Legal Responsibilities of Real Estate Agents, 3rd Edition, available at www.lexisnexis.ca/bookstore. Visit Martin Rumack’s website at www.martinrumack.com. REM

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Celebrating 10 Years of Success! On behalf of Right At Home Realty, I would like to personally congratulate all of our 2,800 Brokers and Salespeople. I would like to congratulate our sales team on attaining the number one Brokerage position* in the Greater Toronto real estate market for the first time in our history. In just under 10 years, we have achieved the milestone of selling more units* than any other Brokerage in the Greater Toronto market for 2013. As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we have become a great Canadian business success story. Thanks again to all our loyal Brokers and Salespeople who have supported us and allowed us to become one of the strongest real estate brands in the Greater Toronto market. Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention our great management team and administrative staff, who have been there all along to support our sales force. We are looking forward to even greater accomplishments, growth and milestones in the years ahead.

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28 REM JUNE 2014

STOP SELLING HOUSES & START MAKING MONEY

By Debbie Hanlon

e’ve all been there. Every real estate agent at some point in their career has to try and move inventory that simply does not have a unique selling point (USP). You get a listing in a subdivision and that house looks suspiciously like the house up the street and the one just down the street. Same age. Same price range. Often originally built by the same builder. McMansions, the cool kids call them. So how do you market one of

Stop and sell the roses these so people are more inclined to purchase yours? How do you make your McMansion stand out in that subdivision sea of sameness? I found myself in that situation early in my career. The lesson I learned that day has stayed with me throughout the years and pretty much defined my real estate career. I remember standing outside the house, looking up and down the street and wondering why anyone would choose my listing over the others available in the neighbourhood. I tried to think of a difference, any difference I could hang my hat on and gain an advantage. As I always did, I’d gone through the competition’s houses before I held my own open house. Those trips only reinforced my suspicion that, other than paint colours and furniture, there really wasn’t a difference between them all. Just as I was coming to grips with this, my first

couple walked in through the door. Outside I could see their car. It had been parked up the street a few minutes earlier. They, like everyone that day, were checking out all three McMansions that were for sale on the street. After a quick walkthrough they were gone again. Sitting at the kitchen table staring at the printed material from my Open House System, I felt almost defeated and that was when it hit me; the only difference between the three houses was the real estate agents. I was the USP for that house. I realized I wasn’t selling that particular house as much as I was selling the experience the purchaser would have buying it. That’s what would be different, that’s what I would make sure would be better. My service. Me. That’s what I was selling on that day. When the next couple walked in I was a changed agent. The first thing I did was ask them if they

enjoyed gardening. When they said they did, I told them they were going to love what was in the back garden. I took them out through the patio door and watched the surprised looks come over their faces. There was nothing in the garden but a lawn. Now, I said to them, just close your eyes and smell that beautiful garden you’re going to plant here. Imagine what the rows of colours will look like when you come out here for your morning coffee. Imagine the fresh-cut flowers in the vases in the rooms of your new home. They smiled and she said, well that’s different. Before they left I assured them that not only did that particular house come with an imaginary garden, but it also came with a free supply of Tylenol. Tylenol? Yes, because I would make 100 per cent sure that any possible headaches that buying the house might produce would be taken care of by me. I’ll take care of all

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the headaches so you can plan your garden, I told them. They left with smiles on their faces and a pleasant memory of me. Later, after they had become repeat clients, they told me how they used to tell the story of my open house to their friends. It’s still one of my fondest real estate memories. So, next time you do an open house, don’t try and sell the house, sell the person in it, you. No matter how much alike everything can seem at times, from houses to ads, always remember that you’re what’s unique and special. Debbie Hanlon is the founder of Hanlon Realty and CEO of All Knight Inc. She is a three-time top 50 CEO winner and was named one of the top 100 female entrepreneurs in Canada. She is currently an elected city official in St. John’s, Nfld. and is available for motivational and training seminars. Email debbie@allknight.ca REM

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30 REM JUNE 2014

Building core competency By Ari Lahdekorpi

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omÂˇpeÂˇtence [kom-pi-tuhns] noun 1. The quality of being competent; adequacy; possession of required skill, knowledge, qualification capacity: He hired her because of her competence as a real estate agent. 2. sufficiency; a sufficient quantity: He had the financial competence to complete the deal. 3. an income sufficient to furnish the necessities and modest comforts of life. 4. law (of a witness, a party to a contract, etc.) legal capacity or qualification based on the meeting of certain minimum requirements of age, soundness of mind, citizenship or the like. While watching the Cirque Du Soleil performance of Love in Las Vegas recently, the thought occurred to me that the simple ease in which the performers glided along the free-hanging ropes hid the pain, struggle and dedication it took to reach such a level of competence. All of the years of effort and dedication paid off, providing the wonderful audience experience of seeing these masters of their craft defy gravity and float to the music of the Beatles. These performers made it all look so easyâ&#x20AC;Śbut anyone who has tried to climb a single strand of rope hanging from a school gym ceiling understands how difficult it truly is. Such is the case in any area of the arts, sports and business. The incredible musician flows freely with his instrument, seemingly able to pull beautiful music out of it on a whim. Yet the hours of tedious and demanding work required are not seen in the final result. The world-class athlete performs superhuman feats like it is second nature. It looks so easy. I have had the privilege of working with some of the best real estate professionals in North

America. These individuals also imbue that core competency that makes it look like business falls from the sky and into their laps each day. However, the years of struggle, risk, investment, education, practice and training are not seen in their steady handshake or easy manner. Make no mistakeâ&#x20AC;Śto be truly competent is to make it look like you are not even breaking a sweat while leaping tall buildings in a single bound. Real estate trainer Brian Tracy

ing added value within the organization as well as for the consumer. Developing a core competency can be part of a specific office culture and can be developed over time as long as the intent of subject matter know-how, reliable processes, dedication and commitment are set as the guide posts. It must contribute to the end consumerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience and benefits as well as the value of the products and service to the client. Every study of high-achieving

Every study of high-achieving professionals proves that success in life is only possible when you become fully competent at your chosen field. once said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The future belongs to the competent. It belongs to those who are very, very good at what they do. It does not belong to the well meaning.â&#x20AC;? So then, what is competence, core competence and how do we achieve that pinnacle in our own business? Competence is not something one can imitate. It can only be developed through time and effort. While it is true that some will have natural gifts that give an edge in certain disciplines, (a good musical ear or natural athleticism, for example), to develop a true core competency takes work. In real estate some have a natural ability to instil trust in others through superior listening or emotive skills, but that will not remove the need to build good marketing programs or follow statistical trends in their local marketplace. The business authors C.K. Prahalad and Gary Hamel have researched and explored the notion of core competency within organizations on a larger scale. They state that core competency includes communication, involvement and a deep commitment to working across organizational boundaries to overcome them. It is a fundamental provision for creat-

professionals proves that success in life is only possible when you become fully competent at your chosen field. One of the best uses of your time is to identify your key result areas and work on competence in them. For example, if understanding trends in market values in your area will result in a higher listing percentage, concentration on statistics and appraisal reports will help you develop competency as a whole. You may find yourself having difficulty making connections with customers at open houses. Focusing on your social skills will help you build your core competency. Remember that concentration on the little things makes a big difference when you are working toward reaching the level of core competence. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the small incremental steps that you commit to doing that will set you apart and build true competence. Block out time on your calendar every week to commit to your personal training and education. That one small step will make a big difference in your career. Ari Lahdekorpi is managing broker with Re/Max Select Properties in REM Vancouver.

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34 REM JUNE 2014

Affordable communities offer the good life By Yvonne Dick

any Canadians in expensive urban areas dream of moving to a quieter, more rural area to enjoy nature and embrace a small-town atmosphere. The amount left over after selling an urban property and buying in a more rural area can be substantial if buyers and sellers get savvy. The ‘impossible dream’ of a nice, safe place to raise a family or retire while enjoying nature is very much alive and well in southern Canada. From Keremeos in British Columbia’s wine country, to Estivan, Sask., the sunniest town in Canada, to the nearwater properties of St. Thomas, Ont., to swimming with the seals in the bay by the strait in Belfast, P.E.I., there are lots of really great places buyers can call home. Using the same search criteria for each area (two bedroom, detached house) here are some of the little-known places that capture their local’s hearts. Keremeos is tucked alongside Similkameen Valley in Southeastern British Columbia, an area that produces many varieties of fruit and vegetables during its long growing season. Located 50 km south of Penticton, it was recently named British Columbia’s fastest growing village

though the population is a comfortable 1,330 people. Older homes sell for $50,000 and newer houses for up to $240,000 with an excellent mountain view throughout Keremeos. The same type of properties in Vancouver would sell for $628,000 to $1.35 million. At the Sunniest Place in Canada, Estevan Sask., $89,000 will buy a 10-acre parcel of land with all utilities close by. You can then build a home on-site or move a modular home on to it for $40,000 and up, custom-made to your specifications. In Regina, a two-bedroom newer house starts at $500,000 and up. The draw in Estevan is the summers, which tend to be dry and warm, and the staggering hours of sunlight per year that this town has to offer – 2,540 hours per year. The maximum heat wave temperature was 40.2 C in July 2007. The coldest winter temperature was hit in 2009 at 43.4. Jamie Dyer of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Signature Service says, “It’s a great place to live and raise a family. It’s a safe community with a friendly atmosphere.” In Estevan the main industries are coal, farming, oil and power.

There’s a local hockey team, the CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins, two lakes within 10 miles and a renovated concert venue called Affinity Place where Mötley Crüe and Backstreet Boys have taken their turn on stage. “There are around 12,000 people here in Estevan but every aspect of the real estate market is strong, from commercial projects to first-time condo owners,” says Dyer. Checking in from the London, Ont. real estate market is Dan Salhani of Century 21 First Canadian Corp. He says, “In a resort town like Port Stanley you have a range for a three-bedroom house of $200,000 to $700,000.” St. Thomas is one of the areas Salhani suggested taking a look at. A commutable distance to London (30 km), St. Thomas offers value for the area at about 25 per cent less than you would pay in London. For $385,000 you can have a custom-built home of 1,500 square feet alongside St. Thomas’ tiny Lake Elgin. If you like the resort town feel on a Saturday afternoon, Port Stanley is only 13 minutes away by car. On Prince Edward Island, bays along the Northumberland Strait

make for warm water and easy living. Protected from the ocean by the bays and the straits, Belfast and area sits in the southeastern part of the province and has much to offer, says Hamish Redpath of Re/Max Charlottetown Realty. “It’s a warm-hearted community. People leave the keys in their ignitions,” says Redpath. “The beaches are warm because of the Northumberland Strait, which also makes the winters more mild than some parts of Canada.” In Charlottetown a two-bedroom newer home costs between $180,000 and $500,000 while in Belfast and area, prices range from $60,000 (non-waterfront, older home) to $270,000 for a brandnew waterfront property. An extended fall and an early growing season are said to make up for any bad winter weather. “There is a soaring number of rural young couples/first-time home buyers,” says Redpath. “It is affordable for retirees. The deals are still here and those who discover it cannot believe it.” Security is knowing that whichever part of the country they favour, if your buyers are willing to move a little way or a long way, they can find their own justright home, right here in Canada. REM

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36 REM JUNE 2014

Coldwell Banker Top Ultimate Service Award Kelowna’s Jane Hoffman is this year’s Coldwell Banker Canada Top Ultimate Service representative. The national award is given to the one sales professional in Canada who returned the highest number of positive customer satisfaction surveys. Hoffman has been rated the best by her own buyers and sellers. “Jane Hoffman earned the Top Ultimate Service award based on her proven track record of exceptional service ratings from her customers, which is truly the highest praise for any real estate professional,” says Andy Puthon, president of Coldwell Banker Canada. “This recognition is all the more noteworthy, since in addition to being named Canada’s top Ultimate Service Provider, Jane’s team The Hoffman Group has also been named the Top Team in Canada in both the number of transactions,

and in sales volume. This is proof positive that providing outstanding service to the consumer goes hand-in-hand with achieving outstanding results.” Puthon announced that the company achieved a 98-per-cent overall customer satisfaction rating for the 18th consecutive year. “This achievement is unparalleled in our industry,” says Puthon. Hoffman has been an international spokesperson on the luxury market to media across North America. The Hoffman Group currently has 60 properties on its website with list prices between $2 million and $20 million.

ASR Distinguished Realtor Award The Association of Saskatchewan Realtors (ASR), in conjunction with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. announced that Alexander (Al) White of Re/Max of the

Battlefords is the recipient of the 2014 Distinguished Realtor Award. The award recognizes an active member of the association who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and dedication to the real estate industry through involvement in the provincial association, local board and the community. White retired from a 35-year career with the RCMP in 1999 and joined Re/Max of the Battlefords, where he is currently an associate broker and branch manager. He served as president of the Council of Battlefords Realtors three times and was a director with the ASR for eight years, serving as ASR president in 2012. White was also awarded Honorary Life Membership in the ASR.

LSTAR Outstanding Service Award The London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors recently presented the Lyn Coupland Outstanding Service Award, which recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in the service of the association, to 2013 LSTAR president Doug Pedlar “for his ongoing efforts to educate and inform Realtors and the public regarding industrial wind turbines.”

LSTAR’s Quality of Life Award, intended to recognize and honour an individual’s outstanding contributions to the community in accordance with one or more of the five Quality of Life Principles, was presented to Paula Hodgson for her organization of a Realtor Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Day during the past four years, and to Murray Mugford “for prompt and courageous action in alerting first responders to a house fire and then assisting in the evacuation of the premises,” says the association.

throughout North America. “As one of the founding franchises of our global brand in Canada, Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty has long been a cornerstone brokerage in our national network,” says Andy Puthon, president of Coldwell Banker Canada. “They continue to set the bar high, offering a standard of excellence to inspire others and benefit all.”

Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty

Claudia DiPaola, broker/owner of Re/Max Aboutowne in Oakville, recently was presented with the Toronto Real Estate Board’s Community Service Award. The honour recognizes members who make a difference in their communities by holding local fundraisers, volunteering in the community or contributing in other ways to charitable causes. DiPaola has an extensive history of volunteer work within her community. She has volunteered her time in support of many charitable events including the Breast Cancer Walk, Heart and Stroke Hike, Halton Women’s Shelter, Shoebox Drive, Parkinson’s Superwalk and Juvenile Diabetes Ride. She also supports community events such as the Oakville Waterfront Festival, Ribfest Oakville and the Oakville Golf Tournament in support of health services.

Coldwell Banker Commercial Peter Benninger Realty was the No. 1 Coldwell Banker Commercial office in Canada for 2013 and earned the 2013 Commercial Elite award, which is given to the top 15 Coldwell Banker Commercial offices globally. This is the fifth consecutive year the brokerage has achieved these prestigious standings. Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty was also named the brand’s No. 1 residential office in Ontario out of 134 offices. The brokerage’s production last year earned it a Coldwell Banker President’s Award of Honour, a distinction achieved by only six per cent of the company’s brokerages

TREB Community Service Award

Royal LePage Performance Realty

The Commercial Division at Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty. From left: Andy Puthon, president, Coldwell Banker Canada; Jane Hoffman, Top Ultimate Service Award winner; and Al Kleinfelder and Susan Tough, Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty in Kelowna.

Al White, left, receives his award from Bill Madder, CEO of ASR.

Claudia DiPaola

Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty’s Residential Division.

For the 7th year in a row, Royal LePage Performance Realty in Ottawa has ranked in the Top Best Workplaces in Canada and is the only real estate firm to have ranked in the top spot. With more than 400 sales reps and support staff, the company ranked seventh in the mediumsized companies category and first in the Best Workplaces in Canada for Women for the second year in a row. The competition process is based on an in-depth survey completed by staff and agents and a rigorous in-depth review of the organization’s culture, including an evaluation of HR policies and proREM cedures.

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38 REM JUNE 2014

Elements of negotiation By Gian-Piero Furfaro

ost of you have heard the phrase, “The one who speaks first loses.” Does this mean an equally matched negotiation results in two salespeople locked in a room staring at each other for hours on end? There is truth to silence as an ally but there is more to consider than this alone. So, what is the most important factor in negotiations? Communication can either be verbal or non verbal. There has to be a statement of terms in any negotiation. Choice of words, pace, tone, medium and non-verbal clues such as body language all help deliver those terms. It’s important to focus on what you want to

communicate and stay focused on objectives. Start by discovering, understanding and differentiating between your client’s needs versus their wants. If you are going to use technology to communicate, you must understand how to use it. Can the receiving party accommodate your method of delivery? Are there technical guidelines to adhere to? Does the other party have access to a printer? Be concise and remember that there is always a barrier of noise between yourself and the receiving party. This noise can be cultural differences, improper use of language, environmental noise, first impressions and the type of medium used. For example, one may prefer a telephone discussion to negotiate, because it prevents negative body language from being perceived while maintaining a level of closeness not achieved with email. That being said, a warm smile and a friendly handshake can also go a long way! The choice is not always yours but you

can choose how to use communication effectively to your benefit. Time management: Every listing representative should want more time and every co-operating representative should want as little time as possible to consider an offer. What about the timing of documents? A buyer representative would want an amendment to adjust price prior to firming a condition. Can a four-hour heated negotiation be completed in one hour with the same outcome? What effect does each scenario have on the quality of your client’s experience with you? You can’t always pick your time but you can navigate time to strengthen your client’s position. For example, you may notice on a listing, “Seller requests 48 hours irrevocable.” There could be 100 reasons as to why this is valid. Do buyer representatives need to accommodate this request? No. This is a request adopted by listing representatives to put time on their side. As a buyer representative, one

strategy would be to advise the listing representative, “I may have an offer in the works. What time will your client(s) be available for presentation?” My strategy is simple. If the sellers are going to be in a place to receive offers at 7 pm, I give them until 8 pm to review the offer. The sellers do not have a fax machine or access to a printer? I’ll present in person. Multiple offers are a different story. It’s much harder to negotiate with time in this scenario but time can be used differently. Your clients do not need to endure a long multiple-offer scenario. I have always prepped my clients to give their best offer out of the gate. This saves them time and money and improves their experience. Understanding strengths and weakness: This element equally applies to the terms of the negotiations and your own personal abilities. By constructively understanding both you can find yourself with a successful deal. A truly successful negotiation involves both parties feeling they got what they set out

to obtain. This is often referred to as the win/win negotiation. Be flexible on the weaker terms and focus on your primary objective. The point is your clients have to set goals early and decide what they can ultimately live with or without. Keep your course and know when to walk away. Your clients will stand a better chance getting what they set out to do and lessen their chances of experiencing remorse. What is the most important factor in negotiations? It is control. Negotiations can be unpredictable like the weather. You can’t stop the rain from falling but a rain coat can stop the rain from getting you wet. Gian-Piero Furfaro is the area manager/broker for Richmond Hill and Vaughan for Right At Home Realty. The brokerage employs more than 2,700 sales reps and has offices in Toronto, Oakville, Burlington/ Hamilton, Mississauga, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, and Durham. www.rightathomerealty.com.

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40 REM JUNE 2014

LEGAL ISSUES

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n application was made by an elderly mother and grandmother. The grandmother, her son and her grandson were co-tenants of a 23-unit residential apartment building and owned one-third “undivided interest” in that property. The grandmother was concerned that her son (supported by her grandson) had complete control and administration and did not properly account to her for the rents and laundry machine collections. She sought a sale of the property and the appointment of a receiver/manager. She asked that the sale proceeds then be divided equally. The Ontario Court held that the mother had a prima facie right to the sale of the property and she was not being oppressive or moving with malice or vexatious intent. If there was hardship, it was

■ ■ ■

Definition of damages: A contractor was found negligent in the construction of a building. The building contained defects leading to real and substantial danger (structural defects) to occupants. The reasonable costs of repairing the defects and putting the building back into a non-dangerous position were recoverable by the purchasers. The interesting part of this case is the Alberta Court of Appeal’s statement that harm need not be “imminent”. There was reasonable likelihood the construction defects posed a real and substantial danger. (Vargo v. Hughes, 2013 ABCA 96) ■ ■ ■

Partnership agreements – particularity: In a recent decision of the Superior Court of Ontario, a Toronto lawyer entered an agree-

ment when becoming a partner to make annual goodwill payments of $25,000 for five years. However, two years later the partner left the firm. The partnership attempted to enforce the five-year obligation. The Superior Court held that a law firm had the obligation to particularize what would happen if the five years did not expire whether by death, leaving the law firm or otherwise. Here, the partnership agreement did not cover this situation and therefore the courts held that the partnership itself was responsible for the ambiguity and lack of guidelines. The partner was relieved of any further payments once he left the partnership. This is a good case to emphasize that any agreement, but particularly in a partnership agreement, one must specify the particulars of alternative positions to the rule that they incorporate into their partnership agreement. (Djurdjevac v. Deacon, Spears, 2013 ONSC 7052) Donald Lapowich, Q.C. is a partner at the law firm of Koskie, Minsky in Toronto, where he practices civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on real estate litigation and mediation, acting for builders, real estate agents REM and lawyers.

Happy Canada Day! From Market Connections Vivian Giraldi Lorraine Rodgers 1-800-387-6058 ext. 246 1-800-387-6058 ext. 227 facebook.com/realtyreport

that of the mother who never received a proper accounting of her interest. Because of the mother’s age (93) it was important that the sale take place and that the issues be tried. The court found that the son would not accept that all three co-owners had equal rights. (Settecase v. Settecase, 2013 ONSC 6580)

ipe

Rec

How to clean up a warehouse

Call today for more information!

vivian@marketconnections.com

A family dispute

lorraine@marketconnections.com

1-800-387-6058 www.realtyreport.org

By Chad Griffiths ere are a few quick and inexpensive tips on how to clean up a warehouse: 1. Rent a professional-grade floor scrubber or power sweeper: Industrial floor scrubbers are designed to remove stains and heavy contaminants while power sweepers are helpful in removing dirt and plant debris that might get missed by ordinary brooms. 2. Pressure wash interior and exterior walls: A decent pressure washer can be purchased for under $500. Stick with a gas pressure

washer because the unit will not need to be tethered to an electrical outlet. Alternatively, there are a number of mobile pressure washing companies that offer their services for reasonable prices. A drain nearby is helpful or use a wet vac to clean up the water. 3. Rent a dumpster: A large bin can be rented for under $500. This is typically for a two to threeday rental and includes delivery, pick up and dumping fees. 4. Change and clean lighting: Renting a scissor-lift will allow for quickly changing burned-out lights and general cleaning. Scissor-lifts reach between 20 and 40 feet and can be rented for around $200 per day. 5. Clean the yard area: A couple of hours of manual labour

focused on the exterior can make a big difference. It’s important not to neglect the cleanliness of a warehouse. Although it doesn’t have the same visual impact as an office or showroom space, the warehouse is still an extension of the overall business. Investing some time, money and elbow grease will not only maintain a company’s image, it will also serve to extend the lifecycle of the building. Chad Griffiths is an associate broker with NAI Commercial Real Estate in Edmonton. He has completed over 300 transactions with a value in excess of $100 million. Phone 780-436-7410; or visit www.EdmontonCommercial.com. REM

42 REM JUNE 2014

Good Works R

ichard Whittaker, a sales rep at Sutton Group Associates Realty in Toronto, is volunteering as a team leader at the 16th Annual Friends for Life Bike Rally Spin Event, a six-day, 600-km cycling event. He has completed the bike rally six times and raised more than $17,000. Participants will depart from Toronto on July 27, arriving in Montreal six days later. The event is non-competitive and open to riders of all ages and levels of experience. Team leaders such as Whittaker can assist with training. There will also be a road crew supporting a variety of activities along the route. The annual event is the sustaining fundraiser of the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation, which provides support to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS. “This ride is the most fabulous way to see southern Ontario,” says Whittaker. “You get to see small-town Canada. As we ride, people come out to the road to wave and smile and

cheer us on. It’s very inspiring.” ■ ■ ■

Sales rep Madat Kara of Royal LePage Team Realty in Ottawa, working with key business partners, has been providing financial support for Meals on Wheels since 1998. By organizing several charity events and connecting with donor organizations, he has raised $200,000 in support of the organization.

Richard Whittaker

Celebrating Madat Kara’s contributions to Meals on Wheels, from left: Shamez Charania and Brian Sukkau, Royal LePage Team Realty office managers; Kara; Randy Oickle, broker/owner, Royal LePage Gale Real Estate; Mary Kent, VP and owner, Royal LePage Team Realty and Royal LePage Gale Real Estate; and Robert Horlick, representing the Kiwanis Club of Ottawa. Left: Cathy and Tanya Rocca of The Rocca Sisters and Associates, Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate in Oakville, Ont. were primary sponsors of the Mercedes-Benz Oakville 10K. A lucky runner won a Mercedes-Benz 2014 CLA. Funds raised will be used to buy essential medical equipment at the new Oakville Hospital.

■ ■ ■

Sutton Group - Fort McMurray was the title sponsor for the 3rd Annual Dancing with the Stars Wood Buffalo in Fort McMurray, Alta. recently. Community leaders spent months preparing to dazzle more than 400 audience members with their fancy footwork. Winners were selected by a panel of judges as well as by votes from the audience and online viewers during a live webcast. Votes cost $20 each and contributed more than $65,000 to this year’s grand total of $92,000. All proceeds benefit the Fort McMurray SPCA. REM

Participants at the 3rd Annual Dancing with the Starts Wood Buffalo event.

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WE’RE CELEBRATING 25 YEARS! REM Ad May 2014.indd 2

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A huge Thank You to our clients! One of our founding principles here at Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies is that we sell a relationship, not a product. Now in our 25th year, we reflect back with pride in the relationships we’ve built and extend a very sincere and grateful THANK YOU to all of our loyal clients and partners. A quarter century of bridging the gaps in real estate offices across North America. We couldn’t have done it without you. REM Ad May 2014.indd 3

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46 REM JUNE 2014

Virtual assistants save time and money By Andy Herrington

here are so many new and innovative ideas for sales reps to navigate through – and all of them take a whole lot of time. I hear the same thing all the time: how can I have a social media presence, a quality website, design my flyers, write ads, enhance my SEO and ensure my CRM is up-to-date, all while trying to buy and sell homes? Finding focus can be tough. Many sales reps are trapped by an “I can do it all myself” mindset. You do not have to do this business all on your own even if you do not want to build or be on a team. An average sales rep earns $100+ per hour. So spending your time on tasks that can be easily delegated is harming your bottom

line. Spend your time on the higher dollar-producing activities and the tasks you most enjoy. The simple solution is to hire an assistant, but assistants (either full- or parttime) are a costly solution. “What will I have them do? Who will train them? Must I pay taxes and benefits?” So many questions and without good answers, the position is never filled. The solution is hiring a virtual assistant (VA). This is a person who is somewhere else in the world (no office space needed), who contracts themselves out to one or more companies to fill a role via the Internet. A few of the benefits to hiring a VA include: • They are contractors, not staff. The government is not involved, costs are determined up front and are billed accordingly. • You can have a bunch of VA experts working for you for less cost than one on-site staff member. • VAs cost-effectively free up

your time so you can focus on the activities you love. I’m sure you are asking, how do I find one and keep track of what they are doing? There are numerous companies that will help you find a VA and they all have daily logs so you can see what they were working on all day. There are companies who find and train VAs specifically for real estate. These are the best because they understand the industry and they prepare the VA for the tasks you require help with. Some even provide coaching for both you and the VA to help make the initial transition smooth and seamless. If you have never had a VA before, this is the best plan for you. According to Kei San Paolo, the founder of Virtual Workforce Solutions, the best tasks to initially assign to virtual assistants are “routine work that already have a system in place that you can easily

check if they are done correctly. As you gain confidence with your virtual assistant, you can start delegating more challenging tasks.” While some companies think that VAs cannot build systems, San Paolo says the very best ones can and do all the time. Some areas you might consider using a VA for: • Administrative support. Use VAs to help with inputting and enhancing leads, running your CRM and ensuring that your preand post-listing and deal processes all happen properly. • Marketing support. Use VAs to help with updating your social media, design and create flyers, post your listings to Kijiji / Craigslist, SEO, PPC, Local Google traffic and so much more. • Sales support. Some VA services offer highly trained phone specialists. Use a phone specialist to help you stay caught up with new leads, follow-up calls and past client calls.

For all of these options, it is best to already have a CRM solution in place for the VA to work from, as well as having an instant messaging service like MSN or Google to aid in instant communication. If you feel that too much of your time is being spent on the tasks that you hate, the solution is to recruit the services of a VA. You will see the benefits quickly in your pocket and in the smile on your face! Virtual Workforce Solutions (www.virtualworkforcesolutions.co m) is one of the only companies to offer all of the above services. I don’t work for this company, but I use their services and refer business to them. Additional virtual assistant companies include Odesk.com, Fiverr.com, Elance.com and Guru.com. Andy Herrington is a real estate salesperson who was a high producing phone specialist prior to becoming a real estate coach and inspirational speaker. He is the founder of Powerhouse Coaching Inc. and the author of the book Powerhouse Dialing. www.powerREM housecoaching.ca

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48 REM JUNE 2014

Why Twitter should be part of your marketing plan All members of Colour Tech extend their thanks and appreciation for the wonderful coverage REM has provided the Real Estate community over the past 25 years.

1.800.410.4510 • print@colourtech.com

www.colourtech.com

“Clients and potential clients get to see a side of us that we sometimes forget to show – our ‘real’ side. Consumers want someone who’s not fake or putting on a front for the public and has an opinion and a personality. Twitter can accommodate this.” – Ryan Topley By Toby Welch

ob McKichan, a broker and senior agent with Royal LePage Real Estate Services in Oakville, Ont., has been on Twitter for so many years that he can’t remember when he first joined. “I was invited in real life to a Tweet-up at the coffee shop near my office and I met some great people I still network with today,” says McKichan. “I tweet when I have something to say. I re-tweet when I have a few seconds of ‘gap time’ throughout my day. It’s fun to tweet during shared events like the Olympics. It is also the best and fastest source for instant news during a tragedy like Boston’s marathon. I tweet information I hope people will find valuable, interesting or funny; mortgage rate updates, breaking news, insights and occasionally a hot new listing.” Marketing yourself on Twitter has numerous advantages: • The price is right – free! • It helps you stay in touch with past clients. • It establishes authority in your area. • It’s a handy way to get your name known. • It’s a valuable networking tool. • It increases your referral network. • With the 140-character limit, you can do it in time snippets. A Twitter app on your cell phone makes tweeting even handier. • It can be a powerful promotional tool. • Many sales reps aren’t on

Twitter yet, making it less competitive than other real estate marketing avenues. Almost a billion people are on Twitter. Of those, 250 million are active tweeters that send over 500 million tweets a day. Most use the website as a communication tool and as a source for news and information. Many sales reps and brokers avoid Twitter because they don’t know what to tweet in the 140character space. McKichan nailed a pet peeve of many people who follow real estate professionals on Twitter: “Don’t just tweet listings or open houses.” It’s a safe bet that the people that follow you don’t want to see posts about every new house that hits the market. Carefully consider who your followers are and tweet and re-tweet information that offers value to them. Asked what advice McKichan (@RobMcKichanRLP) offers people considering joining Twitter, he suggested they “just do it. Think of Twitter as a physical location. Think of Facebook as a family reunion or your local pub

and LinkedIn as a trade show. Then think of Twitter as an awards gala. You should go, but you can’t spend all day there. You want to build your brand; not just tell everyone about your upcoming open house. You wouldn’t be successful as a person at the pub pushing business cards at people, so don’t do it on Twitter. Follow people you know – other agents, local influencers. Follow people you like. “I have had real-time conversations with celebrities and my favourite speakers. I went to a book signing and the author smiled saying, ‘I know you,’ and gave me a heartfelt handshake. Local mayors and politicians follow me and re-tweet what I have to say. “When I attend sales conferences, agents from across the country already know who I am and come and introduce themselves. This can only happen on Twitter! It is a fun way to prepare the stage for when you meet people. Just remember; we are in a contact sport and nothing happens until we get out there and

Carefully consider who your followers are and tweet and re-tweet information that offers value to them.

REM JUNE 2014 49

Rob McKichan

Ryan Topley

Scott Stratten

actually talk to people face to face.” Kashlee Parmiter, a Reginabased agent, has perfected the art of tweeting. @KashleeDoll downplays her real estate world in favour of demonstrating her personality. Coming off as a person and not a real estate robot is vital on Twitter. Once you’ve made the leap on to Twitter, promote your account. Add your @____ username to your correspondence, emails and website. Add your

handle to your business cards. Add Twitter links to your website and blog. Ryan Topley, broker/owner of Creative Realty in Lloydminster, Alta., says he joined Twitter in 2010. “While many platforms are available for us to get our message out, Twitter seemed the best fit. The best thing about Twitter is the ability to show your personality. Clients and potential clients get to see a side of us that we sometimes forget to show – our ‘real’ side. Consumers want someone who’s not fake or putting on a front for the public and has an opinion and a personality. Twitter can accommodate this.” Topley at @creative_realty continues, “I have had several situations where clients or sales reps have told me they saw me on Twitter. I try to re-tweet good articles or advice I think adds value to people’s lives. That’s a key – sales reps need to realize no one cares that you won another trophy or were in the top x percentile for your office / brokerage. The best advice I ever heard about Twitter is it should be a conversation, not a dictation. Post and re-tweet information of value and you will increase followers, and business.” Ranked one of the top influencers in the world on Twitter, Scott Stratten is an expert in social media and marketing. Forbes.com named Stratten one of the top five social media influencers in the world and over 165,000 people follow his daily rantings on Twitter. He shared his thoughts on when to get off Twitter: “If you don’t monitor your page regularly, delete it. If you are only able to monitor your pages monthly or even weekly, that is simply not enough. If an account has been created and you don’t use it, that is worse than not having one at all. Social media is very much about connecting and engaging with people. If you don’t like to interact and are not a people person, social media is not for you.” While Twitter certainly isn’t for everyone, users who embrace the website’s full potential tweet that it is a boon to their real estate business. REM

50 REM JUNE 2014

Saying goodbye to the clutter A Natural Approach to Real Estate Sales

(Except my motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wing back chair) By Vicky Riley Keyes

Professional & Impactful One-on-One Coaching High Integrity Sales Training Exclusive Negotiation Designation Dear Zuessâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;an Entertaining Blog! â&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;Ś. Proven Results | Real Experience | Natural Approach 1-604-962-4333 | www.thenatureofrealestate.com &HUWLÂżHG 1HJRWLDWLRQ ([SHUWÂ&#x160; Designation Programs *HW WKH 6NLOOV *HW WKH 'HVLJQDWLRQ %H 5HFRJQL]HG DPRQJ WKH EHVW

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Happy 25th Anniversary to REM from your friends at Genworth Canada.

s a downsizing specialist, you would think that with my knowledge and experience of helping people clear out their homes, I would have the perfectly decluttered home. Well, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a funny story. When the last of my three daughters finally left home and moved into a home of her own I thought that she would want to take some of our furniture. However, she has her own style and she kindly declined any of the furniture I had saved all these years for just such a moment. Yes, as a child of the post-war generation I had learned to hold on to things, keeping them in case they were needed. Imagine, my Nanna even showed me how to iron gift wrapping paper so that it could be re-used. My own house has been the recipient of many generations of furniture; my motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wing back chair from England; my Nannaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Victorian day-bed; the furniture my parents sent me 35 years ago from England and 15 years ago from Floridaâ&#x20AC;Śyou get the picture. I finally looked at all our old furniture, and thought I should follow my own advice. It was finally time to let go of my own things. This spring, we said goodbye to a sofa-bed and two reclining chairs from Florida, a large 25year-old three-seater, another sofa from England, two comfy chairs, a double bed, old china with chips and cracks, odd glassware, sheets and towels, my daughtersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; books from university, their test cards from school, their sticker albums and stamp books. And yes, I did check with them first about the sticker albums and test cards. I feel empowered and unburdened now that I have let go, which is funny because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve said to my clients all these years.

In my line of work, I come across baby boomers holding on to things for their children in case they need it or for the emotional attachment they have with them. I have learned that it is okay to say no, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want this in my life anymore and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay to keep some things that matter. Sometimes, we need a catalyst to get us going (my daughter moving out) or deciding that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to move to a new, smaller place. Whatever it is, it does feel good to get rid of some of those things I have been holding on to for years. I realize with them gone, I can move forward without the burden of being the care-

taker for things that once belonged to my grandparents, parents and children. By the way, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get rid of everything. I tell my clients to always hang on to something that is most important to them, like a special chair, painting or collectible. For me, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wing back chair. I just recovered it. Some things you just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t part with. Vicky Riley Keyes is president of Red Coats Moving Solutions. Since 2004, Red Coats has helped over 1,000 families downsize, declutter, stage their home for sale and move. 416-920-1317; www.redcoatsmovREM ing.com.

REM JUNE 2014 51

25 years of technology in real estate By Maggie Hall

uring the past 25 years, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen technology grow from typewriters and pagers to tablets and smartphones. We pick up the phone or meet friends for coffee far less often now that we text, tweet or message through Facebook. Technology has connected the world, not just socially but for everything from business to travel to real estate. The availability of information has changed the way society functions. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen there truly is no limit to technology. The question is, where will it lead us in the next 25 years? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Technology was very much in its infancy in 1989,â&#x20AC;? says

Lorne Wallace, CEO of Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;An IBM Selectric typewriter was the state-of-the-art technology at that point. Very few people had PCs or anything like that.â&#x20AC;? Des Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kelly, president of Lone Wolf, says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Agents had just started dabbling in computers. Maybe two per cent of them had PCs. Now, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find a real estate agent without at least a laptop, let alone a smartphone and a tablet too.â&#x20AC;? At the time, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kelly was running his own brokerage and was one of Lone Wolfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first clients. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The software developed for my office was way ahead of its time. Every agent had a computer on their desk, every agent had access to look up listings from their computer and they could print offers. Back then this was unheard of.â&#x20AC;? Fast forward to 2014 and the real estate industry has com-

pletely changed again. Agents once had to go into the office just to see which listings were new to the market and which were sold. Now they can go weeks without stepping foot inside their office doors. Though agents spend less time in the office, tools such as virtual office programs are reinforcing the value of the broker by keeping the brokerage connected and information flowing 24/7. The Internet and technology has played a huge role in the availability of information to home buyers and sellers as well. A study by the National Association of Realtors found that 90 per cent of consumers search for their dream home online. Twenty five years ago, listing information was only available if you called an agent and asked how much the property down the street was selling for. Another study by Abacus

LEADING INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT BROKERAGES BROKERA

Data, a public opinion and marketing research firm, found that in the last year only 28 per cent of Canadians attended open houses. This proves that consumers now spend more time searching online before making any commitment to viewing a property or working with an agent. Consumers want more information at the tip of their fingers. They now have access to listing information on the spot through mobile websites and applications like mobile keywords. Not only are consumers more equipped but these tools are also enabling real estate agents to be more connected and provide immediate service to clients not available online, further increasing the value of the agent in a competitive marketplace. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Voice technology is going to change everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world entirely,â&#x20AC;? says Wallace. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Smart technology and smart systems will

enable us to be more in control of our lives.â&#x20AC;? It is the role of the real estate agent to stay one step ahead. Be aware of what is to come in the industry, continue to learn and implement tools and technology to provide clients with even more information to help in their decision-making process. This will truly differentiate the good from the great in a highly competitive industry, leading to further success in the next 25 years. Maggie Hall is the client development manager at Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies. With a background in public relations, Maggie has worked in the real estate industry for nearly seven years, including roles with the Realtors Association of Edmonton and the REB4 Group. For information about Lone Wolf Real Estate Technologies visit www.lwolf.com or call 1.866.279.9653. REM

ANNOUNCEMENT

members demonstrate proven performance, strong reputations, market presence and local expertise.

OUTSTANDING SALES PROFESSIONALS associated REALTORSÂŽ are committed to premier customer service, the highest standards and professional integrity.

UNIQUE APART â&#x20AC;Ś POWERFUL TOGETHER Our members have deep local roots with solid community identities that are strengthened by a national vision and far reaching collective abilities.

Randy Forbes

David Robinson

460 REALTY INC., of Nanaimo, B.C. has joined the network. Led by Randy Forbes and David Robinson 460 Realty creates a rewarding environment through co-ownership and profit sharing with REALTORSÂŽ and employees.

Bernie Vogt s s BVOGT AVENTUREREALTY CA s WWW AVENTUREREALTY CA

52 REM JUNE 2014 Continued from page 20

“He is the founder of the Housing Opportunity Partnership (HOP), a non-profit housing revitalization initiative dedicated to community revitalization and strengthening home ownership opportunities for low- to moderate-income buyers. “His legacy for Canada’s real estate community is he ably demonstrated through HOP’s success (since acquiring and completely refurbishing existing homes or building new infills in Winnipeg’s West End, the average price of homes has gone up over five-fold) what Realtors can do to positively impact a community.”

Ken MacKenzie Ken MacKenzie, former EO for the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board “was instrumental in the development of the mls.ca (now realtor.ca) website. He was often referred to as the father of mls.ca,” says Gord Archibald, EO of the Association of Regina Realtors.

Richard Robbins Sales trainer Richard Robbins started selling real estate at the age of 24 in Peterborough, Ont., and reached a six-figure income in his first year in the business. In 1989, the year REM started, Robbins opened his own brokerage and in a tough market ranked among the top Richard Robbins one per cent of agents in his marketplace. Robbins and his wife Sue co-founded Richard Robbins International in 1998, and since then they have been recognized as one of the leading sales training organizations in Canada. Robbins’ association with REM goes back to December 1999, when he began writing columns for the magazine. He continues to contribute videos for remonline.com.

Bob Cherot

Ken MacKenzie, September 2009

MacKenzie retired after a 30-year career at the FVREB in 2009. Under his leadership, the board joined with neighbouring boards in Vancouver and Chilliwack to create a single Lower Mainland MLS system in 2002. Two years later, along with the Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton Boards, the cross-border MLXchange, a single commercial MLS system, linked Realtors across the B.C./ Alberta border.

“Tom Bosley is the uber-volunteer leader, having chaired every organization within his local, provincial and national orbit,” says Alan Tennant, CEO of CREB. “As the president of CREA, Tom played a pivotal role

Arthur Bartram and Howard Drukarsh, September 2010

The late Arthur Bartram and Howard Drukarsh founded Right At Home Realty in 2004. In 10 years it has grown to become the largest independent real estate brokerage in Canada, and the No. 1 brokerage in the Toronto Real Estate Board for combined units sold. The business model was based on U.S. brokerage Charles Rutenberg Realty, which offered agents low per transaction and monthly fees. Bartram first heard of the U.S. firm while in the process of selling his Florida condo in 2004. His Florida sales rep was just about to move over to Charles Rutenberg and he gave Bartram a promotional flyer about his new firm. When Bartram returned to Toronto, he showed the flyer to his friend and colleague Drukarsh.

Bob Cherot

“He had been in the grocery business and he understood what it took to build a western organization,” Re/Max International founder Dave Liniger told REM for the June 2005 issue. “He was an absolute prince of a man.” Elton Ash, regional EVP of Re/Max of Western Canada, says that among other accomplishments, “In 1989 Revenue Canada determined that Re/Max sales associates were truly self-employed, not employees, therefore realizing significant tax advantages for sales associates. This has become the norm in the real estate industry. Agent self-incorporation was introduced in Western Canada in 1990, which then went on to develop into personal real estate incorporations in British Columbia.”

Bosley is the third-generation owner of W.H. Bosley & Co. in Toronto, which was founded in 1928. The management team includes his wife Ann, who also has a history volunteering for organized real estate and is also a CREA past-president. Daughter Christan is continuing the family business as a broker at the company and is already sitting on some industry committees.

Arthur Bartram and Howard Drukarsh

Tom Bosley

The first Re/Max office in Canada was opened by Don Fernie in Calgary, but it was the late Bob Cherot who bought the regional rights and opened Re/ Max of Western Canada in 1980.

in bringing sanity to the size of the CREA Board of Directors and initiating the debate that lives on today on who CREA’s member is. He’s a brilliant role player who understood the difference between being the chair and when he wasn’t the chair, being an effective committee member. Tom is the role model volunteer.”

“I remember going into his office and he said, ‘What do you think of this?’ ” says Drukarsh. “I was an agent and I reacted as an agent. I thought this was a really good way to create a business model that doesn’t exist in Toronto.” Tom and Ann Bosley, March 1998

Today Right At Home Realty has more than 2,400 agents in six offices. REM

REM JUNE 2014 53

Childproofing your home By Jay Gregg

ach year about 2.5 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home. These terrible accidents can be prevented by using simple child-safety devices available on the market and by hiring an experienced home inspector to ensure your home is safe. One of the most common hazards children are exposed to this season is drowning in the family pool. More than 1,000 children drown in the U.S. each year according to The National Safe Kids Campaign. A secured fence around the pool and hard covers on hot tubs are necessary items if you ever have small children in the

home. Doors leading outside should have locks that are placed high enough to be out of reach for young children. It only takes as little as one inch of water for a child to drown. Be sure to keep toilet lids shut or even attach a child lock on your toilet so that there is no chance of them accidentally falling in headfirst. Carbon monoxide is invisible, odourless and tasteless and most tragedies involving CO occur while occupants are sleeping. Both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors outside of bedrooms and sleeping areas are imperative. They can now be purchased as one device. Homes with gas stoves or ranges, oil heating systems or even attached garages are prone to carbon monoxide poisoning and homeowners should be extra weary of this potential hazard. The CO from the fumes can build up in places that don’t have a good flow

of fresh air and simply breathing in CO can cause death. Check detectors monthly to ensure proper function. If detectors are battery-operated, change batteries at least once a year or consider using 10-year batteries. If you live in a two-storey home, staircases and railings can also be hazardous. By placing safety gates at both ends of a staircase, you can prevent a small child from falling down the stairs or slipping through the railings. Stairways with four or more risers should have a continuous handrail not lower than 34 inches or taller than 38 inches on at least one side, with

balustrades not more than four inches apart from each other. Spaces between vertical rails any larger than four inches can be extremely hazardous and cause a child’s head to wedge between them or allow a smaller child to slip through the space. Once children are old enough to stand on their own or wander around the house, be sure to cut window blind cords to help prevent them from strangling on blind-cord loops. Safety tassels on mini-blinds and tension devices on vertical blinds can help prevent deaths and injuries. Although most young children are supervised

It only takes as little as one inch of water for a child to drown.

by an adult when in the bathroom, anti-scald devices on faucets and showerheads help prevent burns from hot water. Making sure your water heater temperature is set to 120 F is another way to prevent child burns. By having a home inspector check your home for potential hazards this summer, you’ll be sure to breathe a sigh of relief knowing your child and the rest of your family is that much safer in your home. From edge bumpers on furniture to door stops and safety latches on cabinets, you can turn your home into a safe zone from top to bottom. Jay Gregg is Pillar To Post’s director of marketing as well as a certified home inspector based in Orangeville, Ont. Founded in 1994, Pillar To Post is now the largest home inspection company in North America with over 400 franchisees in 47 states and eight Canadian provinces. www.pillartopostfranchise.com. REM

Celebrating 25 25 years in Print (JQJGWFYNSL ^JFWX NS 5WNSY Metroland Media Group is the 2JYWTQFSI 2JINF ,WTZU NX YMJ proud Printer of rem! UWTZI 5WNSYJW TK reM Contact Steve Renaud for your printing requirements: Steve Renaud srenaud@metroland.com orContact 416-493-1300, ext:204for your printing requirements: srenaud@metroland.com or 416-493-1300, ext:204 ® “We are FSC certified by the Rainforest Alliance” FSC certified products available upon request

54 REM JUNE 2014

Planning an exit strategy Announcement RE/MAX Citywide Realty Expands! RE/MAX INTEGRA Ontario-Atlantic Region would like to congratulate Ian Charlebois, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Citywide Realty as they merge with RE/MAX Riviera 2000 Realty Inc, which now operates under the RE/MAX Citywide Realty name. RE/MAX Citywide has continuously expanded their footprint in the Ottawa area market to better serve their clients. We are proud to have such an accomplished member of the RE/MAX family. Ian brings youth, new technology and fresh ideas to the RE/MAX brand. Please join us in congratulating Ian and RE/MAX Citywide Realty.

Ian Charlebois Broker/Owner RE/MAX Citywide

Announcement RE/MAX Ultimate expands to St. Clair Ave. West! Three, power houses within the RE/MAX INTEGRA organization have come together to join forces. Ralph Nardi, who has owned and operated RE/MAX 2000 since 1995, sold his long-standing brokerage to both Gabe Bianchi and Tim Syrianos. The St. Clair Ave. West office will be combined with RE/MAX Ultimate. Broker/Owner Tim Syrianos says, “The decision to purchase these additional offices was a strategic play to further RE/MAX Ultimate’s company footprint and trading area.” Please join us in congratulating Ralph on his succession and Tim in his new venture!

Tim Syrianos Broker/Owner RE/MAX Ultimate

By Lloyd R. Manning

any real estate brokers are greying and the enthusiasm that propelled them for many years is disappearing. For some, retirement is not that far away. Others think they are going to live forever and can continue indefinitely until one day they will sell the brokerage and gallop off into the sunset. A worthwhile goal but seldom attainable! Perhaps this is the principal reason why after many successful years, many brokerages and their brokers just disappear. For midlife real estate brokers the time to start thinking about the future is now. It’s time to commence planning, if not for retirement, then certainly for winding down and passing the management responsibility to someone younger. This brings up a host of challenges for which there are seldom simple answers, but it is never too soon to start the planning process. A transition and successful divestment is perplexing and time consuming. There are many ways this can be accomplished. Resolving the personal and business issues can be difficult at the best of times and will be more onerous if you are uncertain about your longer-term objectives. The germane issues revolve around the age at which you wish to step out, personal health in the event you will not be able to carry on until then, family considerations, financial concerns, retirement needs, procedural matters and whether you wish to remain where you are or relocate. You can never start planning your exit strategy too early. Many experts suggest that five years prior to retirement is the optimum time but others think it should be sooner than this. Many otherwise astute business persons postpone making these plans because they cannot accept the fact that some day it will be necessary to move on. They unwisely put off important decisions until another day. Delaying

the planning process could bring about unintended consequences and probably reduce your brokerage’s value. It is wise to develop a written exit plan, one that sets out your objectives, details your constraints and documents how you plan to achieve these goals. The initial steps include: • Creating an exit plan that includes a divestment strategy. • Identifying your most important objectives. • Formulating a critical path timetable. This is deciding what comes first, second, third and so on. • Determining your anticipated retirement needs and the best way to maximize your retirement savings. • Documenting your goals. Establishing the best way for you to attain these goals and proceeding from that perspective. • Addressing the potential legal problems and tax consequences. If selling the brokerage on a given future date is the objective, give yourself a one- to two- year head start to accomplish this goal. Before offering it on the market, ensure that you have a clear understanding of all of your options. There are several paths you could take, each depending on how you want to get out and the length of the transitioning period. Make your plan flexible in case you change your mind about the timing or if circumstances over which you have no control change. Always have your draft plan examined by legal and accounting experts. There is little point in going through all of this only to find that at end of the road, your gains are frittered away to the Canada Revenue Agency or you could potentially have unworkable covenants in your divestment action plan. The process of phasing out of full-time management and gradually moving into a lesser position, or taking more time off, is a popular method of retirement planning and execution. One of the better methods is to arrange buy-in/buyout. The term “buy-in” refers to the purchaser and buy-out refers to

the seller. With this procedure an orderly transfer of your real estate brokerage is made bit by bit over a pre-stated number of years – never less than two and seldom more than 10, with five to seven years the most common. The selling/purchase price is agreed to at the time the contract is signed. With the buy-in/buy-out, although you could bring in an outsider and sell to him the usual practice is to sell your interest to an employee or to a partner. The difference between this and an outright sale is that although it is a form of seller financing, you remain active and in control of the brokerage as a transitioning seller or partner until the full debt owing to you is retired. However, there is no typical template that fits all situations. You require the best legal and accounting advice. Even with the best structured buy-in/buy-out there should be a down payment of sufficient size to ensure that the buyer/partner does not walk. It cannot be said too often. Phasing out – winding down – transitioning from active business management to a comfortable lifestyle in retirement must be a planned exercise. It can never be a case where on an appointed day somewhere in the future you will gather up your personal possessions, put your hat on your head and with a wad of money in your jeans, walk out the door. An exit whereby you depart with your health, your wealth, and yes, your reputation for running a good real estate brokerage intact will take meticulous planning and methodical execution. Start now, not someday when it becomes a do or die situation or when for some reason you must get out. Consider all you options. Select the one that works best for you, get the best legal and tax advice and do it. Lloyd Manning, AACI, FRI, CCRA, PApp is a semi-retired commercial real estate and business appraiser and broker who now spends his time writing for professional journals and trade magazines. He resides in Lloydminster, Alta. Email lloydmann@shaw.ca REM

REM JUNE 2014 55

SALES COACH

By Bruce Keith ore money, please” is a common refrain from home sellers. It is understandable and needs to be handled properly if they are to get the most money in the end. In handling objections, great salespeople use logic, not emotion. Here is a logical (and effective) solution to the challenge of sellers who want to overprice their homes.

“M

The ‘stale’ house Seller: “The price we want is $325,000.” Response: “Well you can price it at $325,000 but experience has taught us that that’s going to hurt you in the long run. May I explain? Right now, similar homes are available for less. When a home is overpriced it sits on the market and doesn’t sell. Mr./Mrs. Seller, you’ve seen homes like that before, haven’t you? “Buyers do not want to look at homes that have been sitting on the market for a long time... and when they do, these buyers don’t take them seriously. I have had lots of buyers in my car and they always say the same thing. They say, ‘I wonder what’s wrong with that house – it’s been for sale forever.’ We sure don’t want people

saying that about your home, do we?” The seller will say, “No way, we’ve got a nice place here!” “Exactly. There is nothing wrong with your house... there is just something wrong with the price! You have a terrific home here. It deserves to be respected by serious buyers. “The market is saying your home should be priced at $299,900. Let’s follow that direction and list your home with me for $299,900 tonight. That way we will get you more money in the long run. Sign the agreement, please.” The core for this objection handler focuses on the stigma attached to a stale listing (“What’s wrong with that house?”). Remember this credo: “If you

Transition Squad helps clients downsize

f you’ve ever helped a client downsize or deal with an estate, you know how stressful it can be for all involved. It’s also a lot of work. To make life easier for everyone, sales reps in the Greater Toronto Area can refer their clients to Transition Squad, a one-stop downsizing service that does everything from prepare and hold contents sales to clearing out junk to hosting online house auctions. After having to deal with his father’s estate and seeing friends go through the same process with their families, Viraf Baliwalla decided there must be an easier way. He started Transition Squad six years ago. Transition Squad recently announced its affiliation with The Society of Accredited Senior Agents, a national network of 2,500 Realtors trained to work with seniors. Together the companies aim to simplify, speed up and lower the cost of the home buying and selling process, something appreciated by sellers, their families and agents alike. Sellers choose from a menu of Transition Squad services and decide on the minimum offer they will accept for their home based on a market value assessment or fair market value. If a bid is received for

that amount or more, the homeowner sells. If an acceptable offer is not received, the seller still has the option to list on MLS later, Baliwalla says. The listing is exclusive with the listing agent for the auction duration, which is about two weeks, the company says. Sellers receive a one-per-cent discount on commission while still getting the services of a full-service agent. The agent wins because there’s no need to split the commission with a buyer’s agent. If a buyer’s agent is involved, the listing agent pays a referral fee. The home is put up for auction while the contents sale is being prepared. The viewing day for the home sale coincides with the contents sale date. Potential buyers are preapproved and offers are presented by the listing agent to the seller for acceptance, the company says. Homes are advertised through the listing agents and their networks, Transition Squad’s preferred customers’ club (which has 1,000 agent members), local papers, signage and sometimes on radio and television. Sellers are happy with the process because it is fast. They don’t have to wait until a house has been cleared out and staged before

it goes on the market. It’s ideal for seniors who want to sell quickly and family members handling estates who don’t want the process to drag on for months, Baliwalla says. “The process ensures a rapid close and eliminates the time and costs of staging, repairing and renovating the home.” Agents also like the service because they have to do little hand holding, he adds. “It’s a turnkey approach and agents love it.” The agent pays 0.5 per cent or $1,000, whichever is higher, to Transition Squad to list and conduct the auction. Transition Squad also has a 2,000-square-foot consignment store to help sellers “maximize the value of what they have accumulated over the years” rather than coming in and throwing contents sale leftovers in the garbage, he says. “We take away the burden, know how to help and maximize returns.” Last year, Transition Squad hosted 42 estate sales in the GTA. “It’s not for everyone, but for downsizers it’s the ideal solution,” says Baliwalla. Franchise plans are in the works, he says. For information: www.transitionsquad.com. – Connie Adair REM

believe it, they will believe it.” Practice this objection handler, become confident in your delivery and help them get the best price possible. No excuses. ■ ■ ■

Here’s an obvious “must do.” Before you spend much time with any buyer, it is critical that you make sure they can get the money/financing to make the purchase. Think about it this way...if you were absolutely sure that they couldn’t get the money, would you put them in your car? Of course not! So right up front, be sure to ask them, “Have you been approved for financing? Do you have that in writing?” What if the answer they give you doesn’t really answer your question? What if their answer is vague or evasive? What if they say, “Oh that’s no problem, we’re okay”? This could mean anything, including: “We haven’t done anything about that yet, we will worry about that later.” Now what? Here is a great solution that will plug this hole most of the time. Your response is, “Oh, you already have your financing, that’s

great. I guess that means when we put in an offer, we won’t need the conditional on financing clause... you will be buying firm, is that correct?” This is where your listening skills will serve you especially well. Watch the body language when they answer. It will give you all the clues you need to evaluate this particular buyer. Don’t forget, you are the professional and your time is valuable. Don’t let anybody waste it. There is always somebody out there who really needs you! No excuses. Bruce Keith is a leading trainer for sales organizations in North America. He was-trained in the corporate world as a marketing and sales manager for 15 years. His education then moved to 25 years in the real estate industry, 10 years as a successful sales rep followed by the last 15 years as a keynote speaker, seminar leader, author and one-on-one coach. His high energy coupled with a “No Excuses Accountability” approach has helped thousands increase their production significantly. He says, “It’s all about results”. BruceKeithresults.com REM

Announcement RE/MAX Premiere expands to Downsview! Three, power houses within the RE/MAX INTEGRA organization have come together to join forces. Ralph Nardi, who has owned and operated RE/MAX 2000 since 1995, sold his long-standing brokerage to both Gabe Bianchi and Tim Syrianos. The Flagship Wilson Avenue office will now operate under RE/MAX Premier. Broker/Owner Gabe Bianchi says, “We’re confident the new changes will support our ongoing commitment to business growth, high-level service to our team and expanded choice for their clients in Vaughan and the surrounding markets.” Please join us in congratulating Ralph on his succession and Gabe in his new venture.

Gabe Bianchi

Broker/Owner RE/MAX Premier Inc.

56 REM JUNE 2014

Tickled to be part of 25-year journey

Announcement RE/MAX Edge opens in South Etobicoke! RE/MAX INTEGRA Ontario-Atlantic Region would like to congratulate entrepreneurs Raneen Dhadli and her brother Jag Dhadli Jr. as Broker/Owners of the new RE/MAX Edge Realty Inc. in opening their doors! This hip urban-boutique-style brokerage is located at 2977 Lake Shore Blvd. W. in Etobicoke. Raneen and Jag Dhadli have an extensive background in real estate sales and brokerage management having both been members of the RE/MAX family for over a decade having worked previously for RE/MAX Realty Specialists and RE/MAX Realty Enterprises. Please join us in congratulating both Raneen and Jag as we wish them tremendous success with their new venture!

Raneen Dhadli – Jag Dhadli Broker/Owners RE/MAX Edge

Announcement Claudia DiPaola wins TREB Community Service Award! RE/MAX INTEGRA Ontario-Atlantic Region would like to congratulate Claudia DiPaola, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Aboutowne for receiving the TREB Community Service Award at REALTOR® Quest. Claudia DiPaola has an extensive history of volunteer work within her community. She has volunteered her time in support of many charitable events including the Breast Cancer Walk, Heart and Stroke Hike, Halton Women’s Shelter, Shoebox Drive, Parkinson’s Superwalk and Juvenile Diabetes Ride to name just a few. She has also supported community events such as the Oakville Waterfront Festival, Ribfest Oakville and the Oakville Golf Tournament in support of health services. Please join us in congratulating Claudia DiPaola on this award.

Claudia DiPaola Broker/Owner RE/MAX Aboutowne

By Dan St. Yves

his month, REM celebrates 25 years of providing timely information of value to real estate professionals across Canada, plus what I submit every month. When I first started writing my column, it was part of a recurring humour feature called A Funny Thing Happened. My first column appeared in October 2000. That initial foray was entitled Top 10 closes for indecisive buyers/reluctant listers. At the time, I was a fairly new sales rep, just discovering that geographical farming wasn’t something you learned from Old MacDonald. Since then I’ve poked fun at cold-calling, open houses and the nagging pagers we used to carry on our belts to find out we had forgotten our clients back at the office before we went to show homes. I have provided a variety of quizzes to test your readiness for a career in real estate. For all you top producers out there, thank the heavens you didn’t read or follow any of those particular suggestions. For all you readers who have read my column over the years and responded either via email, letter

What’s New Summit to discuss Canadian investment in Mexico Mexico is the third-largest real estate market in the world and Canadian investors are flocking there to buy retirement and invest-

or the comments feature on remonline.com, it has been a tremendous pleasure to provide you with a few laughs about the business we have all been part of. I congratulate the staff of REM on this quarter-century achievement and hope that I can make that milestone somewhere along the way myself in these pages (only 11.5 more years to go!). It is remarkable how much has changed over the years, but how much has stayed the same. Customer service remains a critical element of success, while that luxurious 60-foot-long 1976 Lincoln Mark IV you used to drive now somehow seems more like a motor home than a real estate vehicle. With distracted driving laws becoming more common across Canada, it is harder than it used to be to respond to clients or colleagues while in transit, but hopefully you take the time to pull over before you look at your smartphone. You don’t want to become the unlucky recipient of a ticket like I was when a traffic officer with a sense of humour used our own catchphrase against me in reference to his radar trap: “location, location, location”. While I rarely sit down and try to be timely, there have been occasions over the years where I have been almost psychic in submitting ment properties, says Mexi-Go!, a Canadian-Mexican partnership that promotes Mexican real estate, travel and culture to Canadian consumers. The company says an “informal survey” of real estate offices across Mexico shows that Canadian buyers make up as much as 70 per cent of all purchasers of vacation products in some destinations in Mexico. Vallarta-Nayarit agents estimate 50 per cent of buyers are from Canada while Mazatlan sees closer to 70 per cent and Los Cabos 30 per cent, says the company. Canadians are the secondlargest nationality of travelers to Mexico making up nearly 20 per cent of all visitors. (Americans are first with about 60 per cent.) Mexi-Go! CEO Madeline Milne

columns that unknowingly touched on hot button topics. In August 2001 I decided to turn the ongoing labour unrest in B.C. at the time into a fanciful column called Why we should go on strike. That was the exact month and year a seed of unionization was being planted out east. Funny, “out east” should probably refer to the Maritimes, but like most Westerners, I’ve always presumed that to mean Ontario. In March 2008, I wrote a piece about legendary comedian Bob Newhart (Professor Proton on The Big Bang Theory, in addition to a few other notable career achievements) on a hypothetical floor duty shift. In 2010, I not only met him, I presented him with a copy of that REM column. He genuinely is as nice in person as he is on a screen or stage. As I said earlier, it has been a tremendous pleasure to provide you all with this column every month. Congratulations REM on 25 years and thanks so much for allowing me to be a part of your journey! Humour columnist and author Dan St. Yves was licensed with Royal LePage Kelowna for 11 years. Check out his website at www.nonsenseandstuff.com, or contact him at danst.yves@hotmail.com. REM will be discussing the Canadian market at the Association of Professional Real Estate Agents of Mexico (AMPI) Summit in Riviera Maya from June 12-15. Attending the AMPI Summit is an opportunity for Realtors, developers and brokers to network, create referrals and learn more about the influence of the foreign buyer in Mexico, says the company. For information: www.ampisummit.com.

Lava Rates promises no ‘teaser’ rates Lava Rates, a Vancouver-based mortgage rate comparison site, says it has entered into a competitive industry with one promise – what Continued on page 57

REM JUNE 2014 57

AS I SEE IT FROM MY DESK

By Stan Albert

ere are my votes for the people who had the greatest impact on the real estate industry during the past 25 years: • Toronto real estate lawyer and columnist Bob Aaron for his insightful articles relating to the real estate industry. He hits the mark on a lot of contentious issues in our industry, commenting on real estate professionals, mortgage brokers and real estate lawyers. His recounting of cases makes us more aware of our obligations and duties. • Lou Radomsky, the Ontario Real Estate Association’s legal counsel, for his efforts to improve the courses at OREA and his ability to relate to our profession in the days past when we had actual classes on ethics. • OREA’s Ozzie Logozzo and his staff for continuing efforts to improve the educational system in Ontario. OREA is to be commended for not standing still in an era that demands more education and more skills training. • CREA for its efforts to lobby the various legislative assemblies to make our voices heard and for their

What’s New Continued from page 56

you see is always what you get. “Online comparison sites force banks and brokers to compete for your business – this empowers the buyer to find the best rate possible,” says the company in a news release. “Lava Rates works with several different lenders and honest brokers so that clients always get the best rate.” It says some existing online mortgage comparison programs rely on overly aggressive rates to attract customers, but that it never uses these “teaser” rates and is “strictly

What it means to be a Realtor efforts to battle the Competition Bureau. • The Competition Bureau, for taking action regarding access to the MLS system. This legal battle continues and only the lawyers will benefit. The bureau doesn’t care. They have access to free legal advice. • Virtual tours and YouTube, which have made live video streaming available to the world. This has had a tremendous impact on direct mail programs of all types. ■ ■ ■

I’ve been thinking about what it’s meant to me to have been a member of the select group of people who call ourselves Realtors. Sure, we are all members of a national association that has rules and regulations to abide by, but what does it really mean to you and me as members? It’s become crystal clear to me that in spite of all those media types who will hurl slings and arrows against us whenever the public decides that they’ve been wronged, we are truly an honourable profession. Our professionals don’t only sell real estate – we help buyers find homes, land, cottages and so forth, but we also give a great deal back to the communities in which we live. Many brokers and their agents excel in donating to worthy causes. Some of us volunteer to assist those in need…and we do it unselfishly. regulated by a registered mortgage broker. If a rate doesn’t exist, it is not permitted on the site.” Company founder Atrina Kouroshnia says she created Lava Rates because she saw the need for greater transparency in online mortgage rates. For information: www.lavarates.ca.

CREA teams with Plastic Mobile to launch new app CREA has partnered with mobile agency Plastic Mobile to launch “a completely redesigned mobile experience in the iPhone

A Realtor’s lapel pin should be worn with pride and we should not take lightly the mantle of responsibility that it implies. Sure, the public calls us their “agent,”’ but we are really bearers of service and integrity. As Realtors, we are constantly improving our education and our skills to ensure the public is well and honourably served. It’s a never-ending process. Many of us complain about the hours that are imposed on us to ensure the public is well served, but earning your license is not just a means to an end. It’s not about commissions. It’s about serving our community as a representative of the best association in Canada. As I approach my 44th year in this business, I am extremely proud to have been a member of this association. The friends and colleagues I have met over the years will forever be etched in my memories. I thank all of you who have taken the time to read my articles in REM and send me emails, pro and con, about my stand on certain issues or topics. It’s you, the readers, who will help to sustain REM, Canada’s national trade magazine. Stan Albert, broker/manager, ABR, ASA at Re/Max Crossroads’ iRealty office in Toronto can be reached for consultation at stanalb@rogers.com. Stan is now celebrating his 44th year as an active real estate professional. REM app version 2.0.0,” says Plastic Mobile. Realtor.ca’s mobile app has Canada’s largest collection of property listings. In a news release, Plastic Mobile says the app’s “new sleek design, optimized for iOS7, provides seamless navigation for property search and intuitive access to all features from almost any screen in the app. Since launch, the Realtor.ca mobile app has experienced rapid growth with over 1.2 million users to date.” For more information, watch the video and download the Realtor.ca iPhone App in the App Store. REM

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58 REM JUNE 2014

The power of the mind By Karen Donaldson “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill ook around. Surrounding you is a mixed bag of great feats of heroism and success, and defeat and misery. Business moguls and superstars know the secrets to glorious success. However, success is not a destination. It is a path poked with wins and losses. At best, it can be the culmination of learned lessons. At worst, a beat-down mired in disgrace. The path to success lies in positive thinking.

Positive thinking is not something magical that just happens to you. It is not something inherent to certain people’s genetic makeup. A good friend cannot give you positive thinking to cheer you up. Ultimately, you have to make the decision for yourself. Positive thinking is a choice. It is a locked door. You cannot discover it hidden under the welcome mat at your feet, in the smile of a superstar or in the bottom of the newest fad of energy drink. The key is already there, shoved into its cradle, forced sideways into the locked position. Turn the key. Yes, it takes an effort and a shift in perceptions. For success to come, you must turn the key and abandon the casual chance flip of the coin. Positive thinking is the one true great enabler. It allows one to learn from mistakes that the negative thinker is doomed to repeat in an endless black cycle.

Positive thinking removes the veil of doubts and preconceptions. It allows you to take chances by looking at all sides of the imperfect diamond, instead of throwing it over your shoulder for its one imperfect facet. Negative thinking, on its face, is easier. It shackles the mind and shields it from all the possibilities of success you can achieve. This thief robs us of the successes that would have been just a handsbreadth out of reach. Try this exercise. Think about a bad situation in the past that happened to you. Write a few paragraphs down describing the negative atmosphere. Go into detail about how it affected you spiritual-

ever look at being a real estate professional as a job; always as a business. You wear three hats: Your investor hat, your management hat and your agent/employee hat. Put on your investor hat for the moment. “I, the investor, am going to invest one year of my time. What can I expect as a return on investment?” How big is your opportunity and how much of it do you want? In other words, how much do you want to earn … by the end of the year … by the end of each quarter? Now put on your management hat. “The goal is $____. How are we going to achieve that? How many transactions will we need to reach the income goal? How many transactions will come from buyers … from listings sold? What is our listings-taken-tolistings-sold ratio? How many listings do we need to take to reach the list-

1989

2014

on their 25th Anniversary. “A must-read for real estate professionals.” www.BoselyRealEstate.com

Only then will you be able to move forward with your plans to become successful in your personal and professional life. Karen Donaldson, president of Karen Donaldson Inc. A.K.A “Your Next Level Coach”, is a selfleadership and success coach, communication coach and international keynote speaker. Karen shows clients and audiences how to re-shift and strengthen their mindset and take committed and intentional action leading to increased sales, business and leadership success. For information: Karen@karendonaldsoninc.com, (416) 414-2082, www.karendonaldsoninc.com. REM

It’s not a job, it’s a business By Jerry Bresser

Heino and his entire team at

ly, financially, physically and emotionally. Then, go back and write about the situation again. This time instead of focusing on all of the negative aspects, write about what the experience taught you. Write in detail about the opportunities that appeared to you because of what happened. Perhaps you learned to avoid similar bad situations or problems. Perhaps you gained a skill you did not have before the incident happened. I believe you will find that you gained just as much, if not more, than you thought you lost. In order to see this, you need to make positive thinking a part of your life. Apply this way of thinking until it becomes second nature.

ings-sold target? What is our conversion rate of listing appointments-to-listings taken? So how many listing appointments will we need each week to reach the listings taken goals? What is our calls-to-appointments ratio? How many calls and contacts do we need to reach the listing appointment goals? Now, put on your agent/employee hat. Okay, I have to make ___ calls every day. I have to get face to face with ___ potential sellers every day/week. How do I do that? How do I structure my time and effort to make all that come together? Activity v. results: There is no reward for activity, only for results. How many poorly performing agents have you seen who spend their days organizing their desks and their data bases, or perfecting their personal websites instead of calling listing prospects by phone or in person? You can change things if you have developed some of those habits of being active but not getting results. For one week, ask

yourself this question every 15 minutes: What have I done in the last 15 minutes that will lead to a new listing within the next 24 hours? Be brutally honest. How many of those 15-minute segments were a total waste and not leading to a listing or sale? There’s an old cowboy saying: “Fall off a horse seven times and you’re a real cowboy.” If you fall off a horse, get right back on. If you fall off track, get right back on. If you fall away from your disciplines, get right back to them. If you fall out of habit, get back into the habit. Stop! Right now, think of a good habit you had or should have to get more and better listings. Write it down. Draw a box around it. Then write, ‘I WILL do this.” Initial or sign. Jerry Bresser has been training and coaching real estate agents about how to sell homes faster and for more money for over 35 years. He recently published his second book, More Money In Your Pocket. www.jerrybresser.com or for information about the book, www.moremoneyinyourREM pocket.biz.

REM JUNE 2014 59

GREEN REAL ESTATE

By Elden Freeman

emember the good old days when people used to slather their bodies with suntan lotion and sit out in the sun? While a tan was at one time a symbol of health and beauty, the residual effects turned out to be not so good for us after all. Translate that thought to your home. While asphalt shingles, bricks and siding can’t contract lifethreatening sun-related diseases like skin, they can suffer a good deal of wear and tear due to the sun’s damaging ultra-violet rays. Think about how hard your home has to work to keep its internal temperature at a comfortable level come the heat of summer. Protecting your home with shade trees is one of the cheapest, most natural and esthetically pleasing improvements you can make. Not only will your house look and feel cooler, you’ll be saving on your energy bills and sparing the environment while you’re at it. Deciduous or leaf-shedding trees planted on the south and west sides of your home reduce your dependence on air conditioning. Large leafy trees that shade your roof from the hot afternoon sun can cut temperatures by as much as four or five degrees, reducing cooling costs by up to 40 per cent. Trees also provide environmental benefits such as reducing air pollution, providing a natural habitat for wildlife, sequestering carbon dioxide from the air and mitigating storm water runoff. While getting a tree to grow large enough to take advantage of its shade can take patience and a good many years, there are options that require less time. Here is a look at some fast-growing trees that will shade your home in no time. The Hybrid Poplar is a fastgrower at five to eight feet of new growth per year. It is also the most

Trees provide the coolest sun block disease resistant and longest lived of all the poplars with a life expectancy that exceeds 40 years. It grows in a wide variety of soils and climates. It matures to 60-feet tall and 30-feet wide and could provide cooling shade for your home or yard in as little as three years. The Autumn Blaze is an extremely fast-growing maple with brilliant red fall colour. Under good conditions it can grow three feet or more per year. It is tolerant of clay soils and drought and has a dense, oval head with strong branching. This tree grows in a wide range of climates as high as 50 feet. The silver maple and the red maple are very common in eastern North America and are pretty quick growers. The silver grows to 100 feet. The Canada Red Chokecherry

beautiful yellow-orange spring flowers and unusual leaves shaped like tulip silhouettes. They grow 15 to 18 inches per year and can reach up to 100 feet. They are good for Zones 5 to 9. Last year, Ryerson University professor Andrew Millward published a study that showed the environmental benefits of planting trees. Millward and his research team used an online tool to measure the energy savings generated by 577 trees planted by Torontonians on their property between 1997 and 2000. The tool allowed homeowners to select their city, tree species and location to plant. The tool – known as the Ontario Residential Tree Benefits Estimator – provides an estimate of the energy savings, reduction in air pollution and

Protecting your home with shade trees is one of the cheapest, most natural and esthetically pleasing improvements you can make. is a small ornamental deciduous tree that has a beautiful spring floral display with clusters of dainty white flowers, followed by purple fruit. The foliage emerges as bright green, turning to a maroon-red in early summer. It keeps this colour through fall. The tree grows one to two feet per year to a mature height of 20 to 30 feet. The Weeping Willow is a fast grower with growth rates of three to eight feet per year. While these are known to grow especially well near water there are a variety of hybrids available that are better suited to drier conditions. The Tulip Tree is known for its

other conservation benefits. Visit http://www.yourleaf.org/estimator to check it out and then head on down to your nearest garden centre. The National Association of Green Agents and Brokers (NAGAB) provide a Greenbroker and Greenagent certification program to sales reps across Canada. To get more information or to sign up for a course, visit www.nagab.org. Elden Freeman M.E.S., AGB, broker is the founder and executive director of the non-profit organization. 1-877-5249494 Email elden@nagab.org. REM

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60 REM JUNE 2014

has been donated to two women who are clients at the Denise House, a local shelter. “You have made two women very happy with your generosity. I cannot believe that a $20 challenge raised almost $1,800 in less than 24 hours,” says Deb Koeper, program manager at the Denise House.

he Oakville, Milton and District Real Estate Board and The Mississauga Real Estate Board have formed a partnership to collaborate on the delivery of professional development courses to their memberships. As the GTA continues to grow, boards have seen an increase in overlapping trading areas as well as members living outside their working areas, say the boards, which want to continue to deliver a wide range of quality continuing education offerings in convenient locations to their respective memberships. They say the partnership will allow them to do so at a lower cost and a greater convenience to their members. Through the reciprocal promotion of seminars and events, the boards say they hope to increase awareness of the value of professional development, provide increased course availability and locations, and give members an opportunity to network outside their home boards. ■ ■ ■

The Nova Scotia Association of Realtors (NSAR) president for the 2014-15 term is David Uloth, a Realtor in the County of Colchester. Uloth has been an active volunteer for the association. He has nearly 20 years of industry experience. The association has launched an awareness campaign for buyers and sellers produced by National Public Relations. “This educational marketing campaign highlights the expertise and services that Realtors offer in Nova Scotia,” says Uloth. Other members of NSAR’s Executive Committee include immediate past-president Gary Mailman (South Shore Region); president-elect Gordon Burns (Halifax-Dartmouth Region); and VP Roger Sanford (Northern Nova Scotia). ■ ■ ■

Susan Pond recently retired as EO of The Lakelands Association

of Realtors in Huntsville, Ont., after 22 years of service. Crystal Henderson is the association’s new EO. She was previously with the Niagara Association of Realtors, where she was manager, executive office. She is a graduate of Brock University’s Political Science program and also worked at Century 21 Today Realty. ■ ■ ■

Since being granted charitable status in 2007, the Manitoba Real Estate Association Shelter Foundation has improved daily life for many of Manitoba’s citizens. The foundation raises money through organized events, projects and donations from individuals and corporations and distributes these funds to shelter-related charities in Manitoba. More than $450,000 has been raised so far and in late 2013 the foundation granted $49,067 to eight Manitoba shelter-related charities: The Salvation Army Booth Centre Ministries, Siloam Mission, Habitat for Humanity Winnipeg, Esther House, Alpha House, House of Hesed, The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba and New Directions.

■ ■ ■

At its recent Annual General Meeting, London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR) Bonspiel Committee chair Glen Gordon presented Mission Services of London’s director of fundraising, Erika Ayala Ronson, with $11,826. The funds were raised at this year’s bonspiel and by LSTAR’s Home for Hope pins. This donation raises the total that LSTAR has donated to Mission Services since 1992 to $295,512. The 2013 Christmas Gala cochair Andrew Wilkie presented Shelley Baker, president of the board of Merrymount Family Crisis and Support Centre, and Ailene Wittstein, its executive director, with $24,646. It is enough to fund one crisis bed for one child for a year.

■ ■ ■

Recently during Pitch-In Canada Week, members of the Young Professionals Network of the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors (ASR), together with long-time local Realtors, pitched in to clean up Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Park on McAra Street and 18th Avenue in Regina. Pitch-In Canada Week originated in 1967 when a group of citizens decided to hold a weeklong event in Victoria. There was concern over increasing litter in the area so local residents gathered together to clean up the shoreline. Since then, the events have grown to involve more than 500,000 volunteers across the country. “We are always very impressed by new members in the real estate community and the passion they bring to their communities,” says ASR CEO Bill Madder. “These are individuals who not only care about the success of their business but the success of their community… and us older guys are already looking up to them!” ■ ■ ■

What does it take for more

Winnipeg sales rep Leora Almstrom and her daughter Madison Harvey (left) serve at the Realtors Care Easter Dinner.

From left: Marlene Grass from The Charles H. Best Diabetes Centre; Janelle Dayman and Cindy Waugh from Precious Minds; Jane Hurst, 2014 DRAR president; and Clarence Kessman from The Refuge.

■ ■ ■

The Durham Region Association of Realtors (DRAR) presented three local charities with the proceeds of its Annual Charity Auction that was held in December. Precious Minds, the Charles H. Best Diabetes Centre and The Refuge were selected as the 2013 Charity Auction recipients. DRAR president Jane Hurst presented $14,663, which was evenly distributed between the three charities. At DRAR’s recent Annual General Meeting, speaker Dan Carter approached a member of DRAR and gave him $20, then challenged him to get his fellow members to match that $20 and give the money to someone within the community who was in need. In 24 hours, that $20 turned into almost $1,800. The money

than 50 Realtor volunteers to serve Easter dinner in Winnipeg to over 850 hungry folks on a chilly Good Friday? About 125 roasted turkeys, 120 litres of gravy, 450 pounds of mashed potatoes, 150 litres of creamy coleslaw, 1,000 buns and loads of lattice-top apple pie. This was the eighth consecutive year for the Realtors Care Easter Dinner at Siloam Mission. Volunteers in white aprons prepared, served and cleaned up after delivering platefuls of turkey and all the trimmings to guests at the inner-city mission. Some of the mission’s guests face chronic homelessness, disability, poverty and other complex challenges to independence and upward mobility. Many guests represent the working poor and some came for dinner in the midst of major life traumas or transitions. Before dinner was served, tables for eight were set with flowers as volunteer fiddlers filled the air with joyful music. Children attending with parents or caregivers received Easter baskets with treats and colouring books. REM

David Uloth

At the MREA cheque presentation to the Salvation Army Booth Centre Ministries, from left: Major Wayne Bungay; Hannon Bell, chair, MREA Shelter Foundation; and Ruthe Penner, vice-chair, MREA Shelter Foundation.

Susan Pond

Crystal Henderson

Participating in the Pitch-In Canada event in Regina, from left: Ian Johnston, Trevor Bashnick, Lane Boghean, Sheri Hill, Gord Archibald and Noel Geremia.

REM JUNE 2014 61

METES & BOUNDS

By Marty Douglas

appy 25th birthday REM! Elsewhere in this edition, the powers that decide these things have selected the most influential people in real estate in the past 25 years. At the time of this writing, I have no idea of the final choice but I was honoured to be asked for my input, presumably because of my columns in REM over nearly 20 years and being in the business for 44. My initial choice was the baby boomer generation, who by sheer size has dominated every market for the past 25 years. Ever wonder why you’re still listening to rock and roll or why there’s a market for aging rocker concerts? Then I considered politicians and bureaucrats who drafted “no-fault” or at

Real estate before REM began rate dropped from around 13 per cent in 1989 to the present-day five per cent; fuelling the expansion of the secondary and investment housing market and the creation of new lending vehicles, especially the principal residence mortgage and line of credit, much maligned as an ATM but nonetheless a creative tool unimagined 25 years ago. If you force me to choose between the two ministers, my reluctant vote would go to Mr. Martin, the longer-serving minister with the largest drop in interest rates in his term. Reluctant, due to the untimely death of Mr. Flaherty, whose eulogies revealed a worldwide influence, placing Canadian banking as a role model during the financial crisis of 2008-2009. Finally an honourable mention to Michael Wilson, who served seven years until 1991 (beginning his service outside REM’s time frame in 1984). Mr. Wilson (Conservative) had to wrestle the monster rates (18 per cent) he inherited from the Trudeau era. He rode to victory with Brian Mulroney, beneficiary of the public’s wrath at Pierre

mentioned a condo for sale in her building, a timely bit of gossip because of a recent visit from a friend of ours escaping the cruel Toronto winter. At the same time, her daughter called from Invermere, B.C. to say she had seen a chaise lounge for sale on Craigslist in a community near us. Could we check it out? An afternoon drive was in the works so while I drove, my wife took a smartphone photo of the outside of the condo building and sent it to her friend, together with the link to realtor.ca. We checked out the furniture, took a picture, sent it to Invermere for approval, got it and paid the seller. In the meantime, our Toronto friend had stopped over and immediately ruled out a snowbound Edmonton for retirement. She texted her spouse, who was ice fishing in Ontario, to tempt him with the warmer climes of Vancouver Island. His text reply was succinct. “You can buy it with your half of the divorce settlement.” No sale but it least both transactions were concluded within a couple of hours.

It was a more serene time, despite high inflation and wage and price controls. From 1980 to 1990 house prices in my community rocketed up 45 per cent, from $55,000 to $80,000. least simplified divorce legislation in Canadian jurisdictions. Divorce is cross-generational and a huge driver of new household formation and the demand for accommodation, whether it is owned or rented. I finally settled on two Ministers of Finance; one Liberal, Paul Martin, and one Conservative, the late Jim Flaherty, who between them presided over 17 of the 25 years in question. The five-year posted

Trudeau’s national energy policy and overall weariness with that aging flower child’s ego and economics. Let me share with you a comparison I made recently to a Chamber of Commerce annual general meeting. (Apparently their meetings to elect new directors and amend their constitution lacked a little in the entertainment segment.) On Good Friday 2014, my wife went to her hair stylist, who

Now – flash back to 1980. My wife couldn’t have gone to a hair stylist for two reasons – they were called hair dressers and the Blue Laws of the day would not permit a business to be open or any contracts to be written. There were no condos to gossip about and certainly no Craiglist to hawk second-hand furniture. Had there been a house for sale for a friend in Toronto, I probably would have discovered it when I sorted out the daily pages

printed and mailed from the MLS service of the real estate board. I would have taken a picture of the home with a black-and-white Polaroid Land camera. Because it was cool, 55 F, I would have developed the picture in a cold clip held under my arm while I wondered what to do with the gooey piece of film emulsion paper. Results would be modest. The photo would join a bundle of local papers – shopping flyers for the little woman, a golf club brochure for her hubby – and the whole package would be entrusted to Canada Post. Postal service, by the way was several times daily, six days a week. In the fullness of time, the house would be sold to another, the weather in Toronto would improve and the result for our friend would be the same – no sale. It was a more serene time, despite high inflation and wage and price controls. From 1980 to 1990 house prices in my commu-

nity rocketed up 45 per cent, from $55,000 to $80,000. Mortgage rates were 14 per cent in 1980, 13 per cent in 1990, with a foreclosure epidemic along the way caused by the 18 per cent to 21 per cent peaks in 1981. In 1980, a tattoo meant you had lived outside the law. In Penn Jillette’s view, today it means you’ve been to the mall. Change and choice are hard. Irrelevance is even harder. Brace yourself. Contact Marty Douglas by email at mgdouglas247@gmail.com . Follow or connect with Marty on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. He is a managing broker for Re/Max Ocean Pacific Realty in Comox and Courtenay, B.C. He is a past chair of the Real Estate Errors and Omissions Insurance Corporation of B.C., the Real Estate Council of B.C., the B.C. Real Estate Association and the Vancouver REM Island Real Estate Board.

Royal LePage Habitations Blainville, Quebec Mascouche, Quebec Eric Bilodeau

Jean-Guy Ayotte

We are pleased to announce, Mr. Eric Bilodeau, agency owner of Royal LePage Des Moulins, with offices in Blainville and Mascouche, has acquired the brokerage firm Abitations Services Immobiliers Inc., owned by Mr. Jean-Guy Ayotte. The company will now operate under the new name Royal LePage Habitations. The changes are effective April 14, 2014. Mr. Bilodeau, who joined the Royal LePage network in 1999, states that the announcement is perfectly in line with his company’s growth objectives. As such, he will focus on increasing his presence in the Mascouche and Blainville areas. Mr. Ayotte will now concentrate on his customers, as a Real Estate Broker with Royal LePage Habitations. Mr. Bilodeau’s acquisition adds 18 brokers, specializing in both commercial and residential real estate, increasing the brokerage’s sales force to 69.

Aside from serving the Mascouche and Blainville areas, the team also covers the Lorraine, Rosemère, Terrebonne, Lachenaie, Repentigny, and surrounding areas. You can reach the Royal LePage Habitations team in either Mascouche: 272 Montée Masson Mascouche (Quebec) J7K 3B5 Phone: 450.474.4005 Fax: 450.474.2243 or at their new Blainville location located at: 305 de la Seigneurie Blvd. West, suite 100 Blainville (Quebec) J7C 0E6 Phone: 450.419.7777 Fax: 450.419.7877 Please join us in congratulating Mr. Bilodeau, and wishing everyone Royal LePage Habitations continued success.

† †Royal LePage is a trademark used under license.

62 REM JUNE 2014

5 things we lost – and need to get back By Amanda Ross

hose of you who know me are aware that I grew up in this business. My dad was licensed in 1971 and opened his own brokerage in the ’80s. He and I talk about the business all the time and especially about the differences between then and now. Here are five things we’ve lost along the way and why it would be great to bring them back into the game. 1. The telephone: Before email and text messages, people actually picked up the phone and talked to each other – crazy, right? That’s the only way they could connect quickly back then.

Why should it brought back? Mostly because email and text messages make people “not real.” It makes us just words on a screen with no life, personality, loves, feelings or professionalism. People read things the way they see them. So, while you may have been trying to show your witty side, to them it may have come across as rude, when that was never your intention. Also, when using the phone, things got done WAY faster. You would think that email and text messages are fast, but that’s not always the case. Ever send a message only to wait? Waiting sucks! If you had picked up the phone, you might already have your answer. 2. Loyal buyers. Yep, I said it – loyal buyers! Back in the day, people were far more trusting and

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a handshake agreement was real. They believed you and you believed them. What happened? We became a commodity; the world sped up and no trusts anyone anymore. This one is definitely trickier to get back, but I think with some serious industry cleanup it could be done or at least improved. The biggest issue here is that we don’t treat buyers with the same seriousness as we treat sellers. This is our problem, not the buyers’. Agents are always so angry with the buyer, but we’ve taught them how to behave. Would you start marketing a listing without a signed contract? Then, why are you showing homes to buyers without an agreement in place? So many agents still meet random people at properties without qualifying, without meeting them first, without a contract. Treat buyers like they are not serious and they’ll treat you just the same. For change to take place in this area, it needs to come from the top down and it must be sternly enforced. Otherwise, it will stay the same where, as hard as you try to be a professional, the buyer will know that they can just call another agent to taxi them around without a contract. 3. Weekly sales meetings and caravans: How many of you have weekly sales meetings and then head out to view properties together? Not many, I bet! In the ’70s and ’80s this was mandatory – no excuses (unless you’re doing a deal)! How can you possibly sell any homes without knowing exactly what’s going on at your office, with the industry and your market/farm area? Brokerages didn’t have to “bribe” their agents to come to the meetings. It was a not-to-bemissed event. There was no “free pizza” dangling like a carrot. How many of you even go to the office at all? It’s unfortunate that we’ve lost this. There is something about the buzz of the office that can be highly motivating. 4. Fashion mattered: Jeans

and a t-shirt? That was not going to fly back then! Although I love my jeans and I kind of dig that this is a bit more relaxed, I can’t help but agree that a well-dressed professional is quite impressive. To see what I mean, let’s change the perspective…You have a meeting with two lawyers. One is dressed in jeans and a golf shirt, the other in a well-fitted suit

Today we struggle to prove our worth, to prove that the payment meets the demand of the job. Why? Because access to information is a split-second away, newspaper is becoming extinct, no one “talks” anymore and on and on. But don’t forget, the value is still there; it’s just that the stage has changed. Your true value is in the

The biggest issue here is that we don’t treat buyers with the same seriousness as we treat sellers. This is our problem, not the buyers’. and tie. Who do you immediately feel is more knowledgeable and suitable for the job (even if they’re not)? Silly as it sounds, fashion matters. 5. Boy, did they work: No email, no text, no lockboxes, no Internet, no Facebook, no Twitter, no Realtor.ca. Everything was manual. You needed the keys to a home. You were driving to the brokerage to sign them out and right back after the showing to sign them back in. You needed to reach a large audience? Ads in magazines and newspapers, mass postal mail, flyers and door knocking were it. You wanted to get a quick answer from someone? You picked up the phone. You wanted to find a home for your buyers? You scoured through piles of MLS sheets that showed one photo of the home with a quick overview in a 4x3 inch space. Have an offer? No other choice but to present it in person. All of this allowed the client to see the value in the payment. It was obvious; there was no hiding all the grunt work that went into the business on a daily basis.

knowledge you have. Training, reading, coaching, pulling your hot-sheets, analyzing your market areas, previewing homes, community involvement – all of this stuff is where your worth really is. It can still be proven, but it’s less “in-your-face” and more in the information you bring to the table during discussions, the confidence you have in your pricing strategy, your negotiation skills, your marketing plan and the knowledge you have around the market. Hone your skills, perfect your craft and be part of the industry you’re in. What do you think about getting back to the future…even a little? Amanda Ross is the owner and CES (Creator, Educator, and Strategist) of RealtyBoost (www.RealtyBoost.ca), where she helps brokerages and sales reps build strong brands, smart strategies, and more knowledge that brings value to their clients. Follow Amanda on Twitter, @ImAmandaR and/or RealtyBoost at @RealtyBoostCA. REM

REM JUNE 2014 63

THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE

By Heino Molls

MARKETPLACE

e asked readers from across the country to give us their choices of influential industry people for our 25th Anniversary edition. I know most of the people whose names were submitted and I agree with the composition of that list but there are so many more. Maureen O’Neill. The first person I ever knew to promote real estate as a profession – not simply as a company recruiter but a paladin for those who made their living as professionals marketing property. She single-handedly raised the bar of dignity for real estate sales representatives to a higher level than was ever imagined before. There is no medal for this service to the community but there should be. Barry Lebow. A great gentleman of the trade who has spent years in our community, always bringing new ideas to the table and not just with talk. Barry committed sweat, tears and money. Barry is a natural-born teacher and is currently pioneering the critical need for professional real estate services to seniors. Bob and Margaret Campbell are responsible for putting a face to

Eight influential people from my list Trade Shows and Conferences the name of thousands of real estate agents across Canada and the United States by introducing quality picture business cards at reasonable prices more than 20 years ago. Back then, many said it could not be done. Since that time Bob and Margaret have rolled out many innovative products and services to the industry. They have been a mainstay at conferences and Bob has often been referred to as the mayor of the trade show floor. Terry Martel left the Canadian real estate industry a number of years ago but his candour, his integrity and his great style are still remembered to this day. We often hear a term used in the movies that describes someone who speaks for principal as a “stand up guy”. Terry is just such a fellow. I wish he would come back to the business. I miss him. Jerry England, a great English gentleman. Jerry represents our industry overseas at FIABCI (the international trade association for real estate) with aplomb and confidence. Jerry can arrive in any place and in any situation with tremendous class and still make everyone at ease with a gentle humour often directed at himself that puts all around him at ease. Richard Silver. Open your real estate dictionary and look up class. You will see Richard’s picture, the man who should be the yardstick for professionalism in real estate. Art Jones from Edmonton.

Probably the greatest ambassador the Canadian real estate industry has ever had. There are many people that I believe have been influential in our national business community but I can’t name them all because REM editor Jim Adair, who should be on the list as well, isn’t able to give me the space to write everyone’s name. There just aren’t enough pages to work with. It isn’t fair. And that brings me to my point. Every time someone tells you that the people in this business are special, don’t roll your eyes or feign disinterest as if you have heard that line hundreds of times. The real estate business is filled with extraordinary people like no other. It must be the nature of how things work in the industry. People work in environments where their own emotions are at times shredded and then in the same instance applauded. Real estate professionals are dealing with the potentially outrageous side of people almost every day. These clients are in transition with the most important thing they will ever own, their home. A millionaire agent arrives in a Rolls Royce for a meeting with a poor agent who arrives by bus. Yet they speak as equals to facilitate a property transaction with the highest integrity. It is this kind of excitement and passion that makes the industry attract the most

For complete listings, visit www.remonline.com To add a listing to this calendar, email jim@remonline.com Asian Real Estate Association of America Connect: Real Estate Technology & The Luxury Market Tuesday, June 17 Fairmont Pacific Rim Vancouver www.areaavancouver.com

Realtors Association of Edmonton Conference and Tradeshow Wednesday, Oct. 22 Ramada Edmonton at Kingsway Lixmila Serrano specialevents@ereb.com Text: 780-868-4978

ORCF Motorcycle Ride for Charity Wednesday, July 9 Kick off at the Realtors Association of HamiltonBurlington https://realtorscareontario.ca/ride

National Association of Realtors Conference & Expo Nov. 7 – 10 New Orleans www.realtor.org/convention.nsf/

Compiled with the assistance of Bob Campbell at Colour Tech Marketing, www.colourtech.com exceptional people in our society. I have seen the real estate community bring success to other industries and businesses such as Blackberry, yet they receive no acknowledgement at all. These are the kind of people who come forward naturally to better themselves, better their environment and along the way make things better for those around

them. This business is like a magnet to those who have natural abilities to lead and who set examples of excellence for others. I am privileged to know so many but I only get to name a few. Who is on your list? Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email heino@remonline.com.

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