May 2020

Issue #371

May 2020

Joyce Paron

Exit Realty’s empathy-oriented approach Page 10

COVID-19: How companies are coping Page 3

How to stand out and get noticed Page 18

Get ready for net zero homes Page 20

Your business is At Canada’s leading Brokerage we understand we have an important role to play in supporting the real estate community.

Since 2004 thousands of Realtors® have put their faith in us to provide them with the systems, services, education and support they need to flourish in Canada’s largest market. As a truly agent centric brokerage, our members keep 100% of their hard-earned commissions. The Right at Home Realty business model is the best option offering the most value for Realtors®. Contact us now and discover why your business is #SaferRightatHome

12 BRANCHES ACROSS ONTARIO

INTERNATIONAL LISTING DISTRIBUTION AND LEAD GENERATION

OVER 5000 REALTORS® CALL RIGHT AT HOME THEIR HOME

SHOWINGTIME APPOINTMENT DESK WITH MASTER LOCK INTEGRATION

COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING, SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND COACHING

NO FRANCHISE FEES, NO DESK FEES, NO HIDDEN FEES

© 2020 Right at Home Realty Inc. Not intended to solicit individuals under contract with a real estate brokerage.

REM MAY 2020 3

From fee suspension to virtual parties How real estate companies are helping their agents and brokers through the coronavirus crisis

By Connie Adair

W

hile everyone stays in their box, real estate companies are thinking outside the box to provide their Realtors with special initiatives during the COVID-19 crisis.

Creative ideas range from virtual cocktail parties complete with virtual valets and taxi chits to regular weekday webinars open to all.

“One would have thought that working from home would have meant time passing slowly with the days dragging on, but it seems we are all working longer days: the volume of texts, emails and phone calls has increased dramatically and Skype, Zoom and Facebook have taken over our lives,” says Sotheby’s International Realty Canada president and CEO Don Kottick.

The company has increased the number of Zoom office meetings it holds and started a personal and caring initiative that includes phone calls to each member of the Realtor team to ensure they are well and are weathering the storm, he says.

Training topics include social media, sales techniques, marketing seminars, value proposition semi-

agents informed about regulatory and legislative changes and has also increased the number of managerial meetings to keep the corporate team up to speed on initiatives and changes. More public relations content will ensure a consistent message to the public and the media.

And just for fun, virtual cocktail parties are being held across the country. Guests are offered a virtual valet and virtual taxi chits to ensure they arrive home safely.

Re/Max Quebec supported its 4,107 agents by suspending royalty fee payments for April.

“We wanted to provide tangible support and some relief to all of our members, who work hard to offer clients exceptional service and expertise. Although these are difficult circumstances, our agents remain available to serve their clients, many of whom have sold their property and must find new housing,” says Pierre Titley, president of Re/Max Quebec.

The company encourages the public to follow government guidelines and keep house hunting by visiting its website. Re/Max Quebec is also offering tools, such

“One would have thought that working from home would have meant time passing slowly with the days dragging on, but it seems we are all working longer days.” nars and technology sessions.

National Zoom events include real estate speakers such as Larry Kendall, creator of Ninja Selling, master ninja instructor Ryan Secrist and other motivational speakers. Professional and content experts, such as lawyers, mortgage specialists and industry experts will also be featured.

The company is keeping its

as webinars and training videos, and has a special section with a lot of content about the situation on its intranet.

Century 21 Canada launched a webinar series on March 24 to help its agents navigate this unprecedented time and to offer suggestions about what they can and should be doing, says Chiyoko Kakino, vice president of market-

Photo by Edwin Hooper on Unsplash

ing. “We’re streaming it live on our C21 Canada Facebook page, so anyone can watch. We think this is a time for the industry to rally together. We are all in the same boat and we want to make the training/information available to anyone who might need or want it.

Our presentations are done by people who are well known and respected in the industry. They aren’t C21 specific. When we set out to do this, we decided to create a community where people could come every day at the same time to build their business.”

The webinar series, which launched with coach Richard Robbins, will run weekdays until May 21.

Kakino says a number of resources for best practices as determined by CREA, provincial health recommendations and more are in the lineup. “We’ve provided documents about online open houses, Facebook Lives and going paperless. We’re adding things regularly as we get feedback from our network.”

Re/Max of Western Canada is offering its membership Re/Max Hustle podcasts that focus on sales associates who are having success in the current environment using virtual tools. Facebook Live inter-

views feature sales associates who focus on specific COVID-19 challenges and how to overcome them.

Weekly educational sessions are being held to cover everything from business planning to marketing. Weekly Zoom calls with broker/owner groups by zone and region-wide meetings provide an opportunity to discuss mutual challenges and to share ideas, the company says.

Agents are being offered resources to help consumers source government financial and other aid packages, it says, and promotional messages are being realigned to support and thank health care workers.

And something to be enjoyed and appreciated by all: Re/Max is sharing positive stories about agents, brokers and owners who are helping out and supporting their communities.

Since the onset of COVID-19, Coldwell Banker Canada’s Canadian team in Burlington, Ont., has been making ongoing one-on-one calls to every broker in its network. It proved to be an important source of information as the company developed new resources during the first critical weeks.

“We heard great ideas and

strategies utilized by local brokerage leaders as they navigated through the unique and rapidly changing challenges presented by this new business reality,” says Andy Puthon, president of Coldwell Banker Canada.

“As we drew upon the considerable resources of our parent company, Realogy and the global Coldwell Banker brand, we also incorporated these uniquely Canadian insights as we developed new initiatives for our Canadian affiliates. We’ve shared best business practices for operating virtually, keeping agents engaged during time of isolation, managing a strong social media presence and critical operational steps brokers can take to meet the challenges and prepare their business for the future.”

The list of resources for Coldwell Banker brokers and managers is long, including a national leadership webinar, broker surveys, a COVID-19 resource hub for brokers and a series of idea-sharing broker videos with topics ranging from operating costs to agent engagement to consumer marketing. A new robust learning calendar includes online courses delivContinued on page 4

4 REM MAY 2020

From fee suspensions. . .

Continued from page 3

ered by Canadian team members throughout Q2.

A consumer campaign, Guiding You Home…virtually, launched April 15 and talks about how to promote virtual open house and remote home showings. New social images for all major platforms have been launched featuring the consumer campaign Guiding You Home, the highestrated real estate ad of the year to date, the company says.

Other offerings include coping strategies, making walk-through videos and how to look and sound your best on webcam.

A social media campaign called, Home. It’s Everything, helps agents stay in touch with their consumer base with positive messages. Digital images were formatted for Facebook and Instagram to showcase the emotional value of owning a home.

A series of business-related video sessions was launched internally on April 20.

“The Educational Expo videos provide us with the opportunity to share our expertise with colleagues throughout the industry, to help everyone during these difficult times,” Puthon says.

Exit Realty Corp.

International is offering a corporate stimulus package to bolster broker/owners and agents. The Take Action Stimulus Package, the company says, represents over $50 million in value and is a coordinated effort providing business tools, enhanced technology and exclusive training at no charge.

Some highlights include personally branded lead generation technology to provide every agent’s clients the ability to text for information on any listing for sale on the MLS. Free training and coaching is being provided by the company’s exclusive international Mind-Set trainers. Topics include sales and marketing, leadership, growth strategies during changing marketing conditions and learning to let go and be present.

The company’s focus is on providing support to its brokerages and agents, and to provide additional tools and training to fortify their business right now and in the future, the company says.

“We recognize that this is a unique window of opportunity for

Photo by Raymond Zhu on Unsplash

Photo by Adam Niescioruk on Unsplash

everyone at Exit to work on their business,” says Tami Bonnell, CEO. Exit has launched new premier partner EasyKnock, which offers sales-leaseback programs so buyers can rent-to-own their new home.

“Adversity doesn’t create character, it amplifies it, and the same can be said for a company’s culture,” Bonnell says. “If a company is focused on answering to shareholders and investors, it’s more likely to lay off staff by email at the first hint of disruption, whereas if a

company is privately owned, nimble and focused on people first, it will act quickly to increased opportunities and services during turbulent times.”

At Royal LePage Canada, the Royal LePage Pandemic Fee Relief Plan provides its network with downside protection. “If an agent makes zero, he/she pays zero (fees),” says a company spokesperson. “If an agent makes a little, the agent pays a little. Royal LePage subsidizes their fees.”

The plan moves financial risk

from brokers and agents to the company, providing a safety net and some peace of mind at a time when it is needed most, the company says. It also provides flexibility, allowing brokers to implement it in a manner that makes sense for their business.

“If this crisis ends quickly and we somehow make up for the lost months with a market that comes roaring back to life with agents making lots of money, they keep it. They will not pay more than the standard fees,” says the spokesperson.

Brokers and sales reps are continuing to receive a suite of virtual products and services. The company is also working to launch rlpSHPERE, “an end-to-end digital ecosystem that is expected to be a differentiator to the network in 2020 and beyond.”

Royal LePage has a COVID-19 resource centre to help its agents offer essential real estate services (excluding Quebec) and best practices; a Daily Digital email that provides a province-by-province look at news and initiatives and provides resources and interesting activities to help people cope while at home; and specific communications for the Quebec market, where real estate is not on the government list of essential services.

Maintaining Momentum, a weekly live webinar series, was designed to help agents stay focused, positive and productive.

Social media covers (for Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) have been developed to thank frontline workers and remind clients to be safe during the pandemic.

The company is also providing Royal LePage documents, such as seller consent, release and indemnity, a property showing health disclosure declaration and an overview of government relief programs related to COVID-19.

“The Business Continuity Response Team continually monitors and meets daily to assess the rapidly changing landscape. Team initiatives include best practices, an upgraded online training platform and company email accounts to Google Suite for Business accounts and a financial webinar on cash management. Brokers who want additional assistance or guidance are being offered a oneon-one consultation,” the company says.

Engel & Völkers is offering two months of brokerage financial

relief options, as well as a weekly live stream series hosted by Anthony Hitt, president and CEO of Engel & Völkers Americas. Hitt guides advisors through a personal conversation on self-wellness topics related to staying positive, strong and healthy during challenging times. Special guests are featured on each live stream for added perspectives and valuable lessons.

Advisors can tune in every Wednesday at 8 p.m. or watch episodes on Engel & Völkers’ YouTube channel. During the live stream, advisors can engage via Google Chat @anthonyhitt and send in questions, comments and stories in real time for discussion.

Other initiatives include weekly executive updates. Coffee Time Google Hangouts are offered three times a week. The video conferencing hangouts feature network license partners and advisors who come together to share their best practices.

Network-wide chat channels in the existing Google Suite have been boosted, and training teaches how to leverage all aspects of the Google Suite platform.

The company says it is building on its existing virtual offerings (tours, open houses) by expediting its rollout of Matterport as its strategic partner. Matterport provides an all-in-one 3D data platform that turns a space into an accurate and immerse digital twin (360-degree 3D rendering).

At HomeLife, education is the focus. Before the pandemic, HomeLife was planning a significant upgrade to its online education offerings. Last month, the company launched an all-new virtual learning experience for members via HomeLife University, an education arm led by Gabrielle Jeans, director of education and dean. The combination of live meetings and recorded lessons allow members to build on their careers and gives them a chance to earn their HomeLife Five Star Higher Standards Service Certification while working from home.

The company has also developed a 10-Point Work Plan, an ongoing thought leadership series.

The latest video address is by Andy Cimerman, founder and CEO, who uses the tool himself. The plan helps members across the country to adjust to the shifting work schedules caused by COVID19. REM

BE RELENTLESS

More Webinars.

More Experts.

More Support.

Our “Be Relentless” webinar series continues in May with the goal of helping our REALTORS® and industry adapt and thrive during these challenging times.

All REALTORS® are welcome to attend—no registration required.

Join our online community weekdays at 1pm ET/10am PT

c21.ca/BeRelentlessWebinars

Join the gold standard in real estate.

1.800.446.8737 | Century21franchise.ca | Century21careers.ca | C21tech.ca Independently Owned and Operated. ®†TM† trademarks owned by Century 21 Real Estate used under license or authorized sub-license. © 2020 Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership. Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership currently has franchise opportunities available in select markets across Canada. The intent of this communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a solicitation to anyone under contract with another real estate brokerage organization. CENTURY 21® is a registered trademark owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC, used under license. The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.

6 REM MAY 2020

Here’s how Realtors will survive these challenging times ithout question, we have entered one of the most precarious and dark times in both world history and our profession. Where do we go from here? When the dust settles, how do we restart our businesses?

Realtors who were around during 9/11 and the 2008 global financial meltdown will recall that the taps shut off for inbound leads overnight. This time around, it seems even more personal, even more dire.

In many markets across the country, we have seen strong seller market conditions. The tide will turn though. We will see worried sellers and unmotivated buyers nationwide. This environment is where we, as true professionals, will earn our salt. Unfortunately, many markets in Canada, particularly in the West, have experienced such challenges for some time.

We will survive this. The taps will re-open and we will get through this difficult period.

However, to succeed, each of us needs to create an action plan focused on getting back to basics, trimming expenses and staying positively focused. Shrink your budget, but not your time nor your effort.

The best salespeople in our industry don’t just sell houses and condos. That is only one aspect of

W

Cover photo: ELIJAH SHARK

This leads me to our action plan.

Step one: Getting back to basics • Start by buying 100 (or 500) non-branded thank you cards. No one gets handwritten notes anymore. They are truly very special.

All of our communications tend to be so impersonal. Start by handwriting notes (yes… handwriting) to your recent past clients (beginning with the most recent transactions and working backwards).

Thank them for doing business

We will survive this.

The taps will re-open and we will get through this difficult period. well-priced listings still sell.

Listings will in turn generate buyers and the cycle of our business will restart.

The COVID-19 crisis has created inertia in our business. Let’s get the ball rolling again. When buyers fear missing out on a good deal, they’ll jump in. When sellers fear losing more capital, some will start to price ahead of the market.

Where buyers’ and sellers’ fears of missing out intersect is where we will be able to put transactions together.

with you and add a warm thought you have about the client, their family or their life. Include your business card because, after all, we are businesspeople.

Start by writing 20 to 25 notes of appreciation a day. If your budget doesn’t allow for card purchases, create your own personalized letterhead on Word, print off the sheets, and then hand write the note. Or try to find a local purveyor of handmade greeting cards.

Every city has one. I found Inkwell while visiting Halifax a few years

President & CEO WILLIAM MOLLS will@remonline.com

Editor JIM ADAIR jim@remonline.com

Director, Sales & Marketing AMANDA ROCK amanda@remonline.com

Production Coordinator JUDY CUPSKEY judy@remonline.com

Brand Design SANDRA GOODER

Art Director LIZ MACKIN

Graphic Design SHAWN KELLY

Questions or comments? info@remonline.com

ago. Let’s support Canadian small businesses like our own.

• Dig up all of your past opinions of value. Reach out to those people. Are they contemplating a move in 2020? This can be done through your contact management system, in bulk. Better yet, pick up the phone and call them.

Step two: Trimming expenses • Analyze your business. Speak with your accountant and your managing broker. Where can you cut unnecessary costs? Where can you best focus your efforts? You probably now have more time than money. Pick up the phone and make some calls, simply to touch base.

• Social media engagement. I mentioned the support of small businesses and taking a positive approach to your own business.

Social media is the least costly method for building visibility.

Here’s a thought: Write down the names of 10 small businesses that you have supported over the years. Call each owner or manager to say that you would like to highlight their business. When it’s safe to do so, maybe you can shoot a brief amateur video of yourself baking bread with the baker in your favourite bakery; donning an apron and making a cappuccino in your favourite coffee house; interviewing the organic greengrocer.

Or arrange a group of friends to clean up a park or public space and post your achievement. You can be the voice of your local neighbourhood. YouTube features countless

2255B Queen Street East, Suite #1178 Toronto, ON M4E 1G3

Phone: 416.425.3504 www.remonline.com REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. For subscription information, email distribution@remonline.com. Entire contents copyright 2020 REM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The opinions expressed in REM are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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

ISSN 1201-1223

videos to teach you how to ramp up your social media presence.

Step three: Stay positively focused • Change your attitude. Be positive. Present market facts (dispassionately). Present your best advice and strategy to your sellers.

Pricing is more important than ever. Be positive in your social media posts, advertising and newsletters.

• Expect traditional public open houses to bring poor results.

Yes, this is the new world order.

Will buyers fear congregating in groups? Will they shift their consumption patterns online in even greater numbers? Will sellers continue to have reservations about public open houses? You will need to find new ways to connect with people. This further emphasizes the need to connect with past clients on a highly personalized level.

There will be business this year.

Simplify your business structure and get back to basics. Devote more effort and more of your time on it. Together, we can get through this challenging period: we will survive this.

Paul Maranger, B.Com., MBA is a broker in the Toronto office of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada. He and his business partner, Christian Vermast, lead one of the country’s most productive teams for the firm, as the co-founders of Paul and Christian Associates. Follow them on Instagram @paulandchristian www.PaulandChristianAssociates .com REM

Printed by Metroland Media Group, Ltd. A certified FSC® Printer

By Paul Maranger

their work. The top salespeople are also the best communicators and have an incredible ability to connect with prospective buyers and sellers. More than ever, we must communicate clearly, confidently and dispassionately. Although our communications must show empathy, they may also include “tough love”: giving sellers information that may be hard for them to swallow but will ultimately help them make decisions that will be in their best interests (although they may not see it that way at the time). In difficult markets, compelling and

ADVERTISEMENT

FREE WEBINAR TRAINING FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS

How Millionaire Agents are Selling Real Estate During COVID-19 PROVEN STRATEGIES TO KEEP YOUR BUSINESS STRONG UNTIL THINGS GET BACK TO NORMAL % 5 6 7

) ! $ $

4 ! $ 4

! !

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN INSIDE THIS TRAINING

SECRET #1

SECRET #2

SECRET #3

H O W T O I M M E D I AT E LY I M P L E M E N T T H E O N LY 3 S T R AT E G I E S T H AT M AT T E R R I G H T N O W

HOW TO COPY THE SPECIFIC ACTION PLAN OUR MILLIONAIRE AGENTS ARE USING DURING COVID-19

H O W T O E T H I C A L LY S T E A L THE SYSTEMS USED BY OUR MILLIONAIRE AGENTS

Your focus needs to stay on expansion - NEVER contraction. There are 3

! "$% & ' ($%

)

*

!

+ ' ,

/04000

ABOUT YOUR PRESENTER: CRAIG PROCTOR - MILLIONAIRE AGENT-MAKER 8 9 : + ; ;

< ,

! =0> ? @00> A BD ! :+A <F G 8 9 ! H

4 8:<IJ I; < KI;ILM<:* 5L :+IMK+M6+O 65+ PLQ 8<,,+O :+<, +;6<6+ <MO ;L +LM+ 5L 6+<85+; <J+M6; <QLU6 %:++OL :<65+: 65<M <QLU6 L:W

REGISTER TO SAVE YOUR SPOT ON THIS LIVE TRAINING Webinar capacity is strictly limited to 200... Once weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re full, the doors close.

(CLICK THROUGH TO FIND AVAILABLE DATES AND TIMES)

$ J ? !

6 +$ G

6 < I ! 8 9 ; I LK+: X&00 L D00 + LK+: XD I,,ILM I <

J8I <M* + < J8I ! X= I,,ILM ; + Q XD0 I,,ILM , *

REGISTER HERE

8 REM MAY 2020

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

E

ngel & Völkers Halifax has acquired Tradewinds Realty.

The brokerages will merge this summer under the Engel & Völkers brand. It will be the largest boutique real estate brokerage in Atlantic Canada.

Led by license partners Donna

Harding and Sebastien Latulippe, Engel & Völkers Halifax grew from four to 26 advisors in 18 months. Following the acquisition, the brokerage now has 58 advisors and eight staff.

Tradewinds was founded in 1989 by broker/owner Tim

Donna Harding and Sebastien Latulippe

John Lusink

Sheila Botting

Harris and business partner Barbie Nunn-Porter. It has offices in Chester, Lunenburg and Annapolis Royal in the Annapolis Valley. Tradewinds also serves Digby Shore, Yarmouth, Shelburne, the South Shore, St. Margaret’s Bay, Halifax (HRM), Eastern Shore, Northumberland Shore and Cape Breton.

The brokerage will deal with residential, commercial and land transactions, including urban and rural real estate including lakefront and oceanfront.

“We believe the real estate market is well-positioned to come back strong post-COVID-19 and are optimistic market activity will resume at its regular pace. Interest rates are historically low and strong

Brian Murphy

demand for housing remains,” says Harding.

■ ■ ■

Right At Home Realty has hired Kaiser Lachance Communications (KLC) as its communications agency of record.

John Lusink, president and broker of record, says, “KLC’s proven success in a wide range of communications services for the real estate sector will support our corporate strategies to keep providing bestin-class services to our agent network and the thousands of Canadian families we serve.”

KLC says in 2019, it secured over four billion media impressions for its real estate clients.

Right At Home Realty is Canada’s largest independent real estate brokerage. It has more than 5,200 Realtors working out of 12 regions in Ontario.

■ ■ ■

Sheila Botting is joining Avison Young in Toronto as principal and president, professional services, Americas. The company says Botting will build a professional services practice across the Americas as the firm invests in expanding its integrated services offerings.

“We are delivering an interdisciplinary service offering closely aligned with our transaction teams and our investments in technology and innovation that is unique in our industry,” says Mark Rose, chair and CEO of Avison Young.

“Sheila is a dynamic leader with tremendous experience in growing

teams who will enable us to deploy deeper insight into real estate decision making to serve clients.”

She joins Avison Young from Deloitte LLP, where she has been senior partner and Canadian real estate leader and a member of its global real estate executive team.

She also previously held executive positions with Cushman & Wakefield Americas. She has been involved in significant real estate advisory services, providing expertise to corporations, government, real estate companies, investors, pension funds and others, the company says.

■ ■ ■

Toronto real estate veteran Brian Murphy has joined Paul and Christian Associates at Sotheby’s International Realty in Toronto.

Murphy worked in the commercial real estate field for about 30 years and in the luxury residential market for three years.

“Luxury residential and commercial real estate may be different assets, but success in putting the transaction together remains the same: providing advice backed by rock-solid market intelligence,” says Murphy.

The team is led by Christian Vermast, sales rep and senior VP, sales and Paul Maranger, broker and senior VP, sales.

“Brian’s roster of clients is impressive” says Maranger. “What brings clients back is the ability to combine his opinion on the market with facts, independent research and analysis.” REM

Radio-Canada catches brokers in money laundering sting

T

he Organisme d’autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec (OACIQ) says it is “extremely concerned” about the content of the March 19 edition of RadioCanada’s Enquête, about money laundering through real estate transactions.

In a hidden camera investigation, the program sent an employee to visit five randomly selected real estate brokers. He pretended to be a client wishing to acquire a luxury residence in Montreal and told the brokers that he intended to pay with money from drug trafficking and that he would never give his ID. After a meeting, all five brokers

agreed to work with the false client, including his condition for using a nominee. Three of them sent a draft pre-filled offer to purchase.

“The OACIQ takes the situation very seriously. In light of the report that was broadcast, it appears that the brokers’ ethical obligations were breached. The OACIQ’s syndic is, of course, aware of this and will take all appropriate measures,” says Caroline Champagne, vicepresident, enforcement of practices at the OACIQ. Under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, real estate brokers and agencies are required to report suspicious transactions and

attempted suspicious transactions to the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) when they have reasonable grounds to suspect a money laundering offence.

When the brokers were contacted after the “sting” operation, Radio-Canada reporter Julie Dufresne wrote that they all “vigorously denied having breached their legal obligations.

“Several said they did not think it was money laundering. Others believe that they did not have to worry about identifying the toxic customer since the transaction would have been in the name of his girlfriend,” says Dufresne. “Finally,

some say that they wanted to report the questionable customer, but only after the promise to purchase was signed. The law allows brokers to make a suspicious transaction report after having completed the transaction. However, they would not have had any identification from the client.”

Champagne says, “We invite the public and real estate brokers to contact our public assistance department if they witness or are aware of a suspicious transaction or attempted transaction, such as the use of funds from the proceeds of crime in real estate transactions.

Rest assured that all information received will be treated confiden-

tially.”

The OACIQ says it will “take all appropriate measures to ensure that all behaviours that do not comply with the law are investigated and that action is taken as quickly as possible.”

It says it has implemented the following means to counter money laundering: • Close collaboration between the OACIQ and FINTRAC over the past 10 years to promote rapid and efficient sharing of information for the purposes of their respective investigations and inspections; • Over 2,300 inspections of real Continued on page 12

Have Questions About COVID-19?

We’ve curated the resources REALTORS® need to get READY and SET to GO in this ever-changing new normal.

Visit crea.ca/coronavirus REALTOR®. Member of The Canadian Real Estate Association and more.

10 REM MAY 2020

Exit Realty’s empathy-oriented approach

Joyce Paron says the Exit Formula “changed real estate into an empathy-oriented profession where agents have a vested interest in each other.” By Sohini Bhattacharya

W

hen Joyce Paron, Canadian president of Exit Realty Corp.

International, joined the company 23 years ago, the real estate market was coming off a recession. Exit Realty was a year into its Canadian operations when founder Steve Morris invited Paron to join the company.

commission of the transactions John closes, up to a maximum of $10,000 per year. This continues for every year they remain with the company and John closes deals. For Mary, this is a singlelevel residual income over and above the commission she earns.

It is not subtracted from John’s commission.

“I was an entrepreneur at the time,” she says, so she welcomed Morris’ invitation to purchase a “district” or a geographical area in Southern Ontario with the goal to sell franchises and manage the area.

If Mary decides to take a break from selling real estate or retires, her 10-per-cent sponsoring bonuses convert to seven-per-cent retirement residuals. Even though retired, Mary can continue to sponsor people anywhere there is an Exit office in the U.S. and Canada. If Mary passes away, her 10-per-cent sponsoring bonuses or seven-per-cent retirement residuals convert to five-per-cent beneficiary benefits, providing added security for her loved ones who are left behind.

“Working in a head office wasn’t really on my radar,” she says. Yet within three years, Paron accepted Morris’ second offer to serve as vice president of the company. The hook for her was the Exit Formula which, she says, has “changed real estate into an empathy-oriented profession where agents have a vested interest in each other.”

Exit Realty is a company that agents join by invitation only. Its formula is based on the foundation of “a financial remuneration system that flows through head office to pay out single-level residuals that make it legal across North America,” says Paron. The formula functions much like a referral system where an Exit agent can financially benefit by introducing other agents to the company. To see the Exit Formula at work, consider the following example: Mary is a salesperson with Exit Realty. She introduces John, a salesperson with another company, to her broker and he is hired. This is a process known as “sponsoring” at Exit.

As a thank you for helping to grow the company, Exit Realty pays Mary a bonus equivalent to 10 per cent of the gross

“Traditional real estate has always been ego oriented. It’s all about me. Don’t look at what I’m doing and don’t look at my customers and who I’m dealing with. Whereas now we have people working arm in arm to help each other and lift each other up,” says Paron.

In an industry where real estate professionals cannot rely on pensions, the Exit Formula solved three problems: that of agents being only as good as their last transaction, that of recruiting and retention and that of mentoring – a practice that Paron says has been lost in the business.

Since its inception, Exit Realty has paid its agents almost half a billion dollars in single-level residuals, she says.

With No. 1 market share in the Atlantic Provinces, the company has now set its sights squarely on solidifying their position in Ontario. So far, they have sold license rights for the territories of

Northern Ontario, Southwestern Ontario and Eastern Ontario to what the company calls “regional owners”. The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is the last piece of the puzzle. In December, the company appointed Marie Kozak as regional director for GTA in December 2019. Kozak will be spearheading the sale of 25 franchises in the GTA, thus completing the puzzle. Last year also saw the company close 15.2 transactions per agent, on average.

“Our goal is to have 340 franchises in prosperity across Canada and 18,000 real estate professionals,” says Paron.

During its growth spurt, it is imperative for the company, says Paron, to seek out the best leadership for their franchises.

“Everything rises and falls on leadership,” she philosophises while quoting author John Maxwell. Exit’s focus is to arm its selection criteria with rigour – those invited to head operations in the GTA would have demonstrable skills in leadership and mentoring.

Exit Realty seems to have set the bar in mindfully seeking parity within their leadership ranks. The company’s executive team consists of women in both CEO and COO positions. “That’s just the kind of person Steve Morris is. We attract who we are,” says Paron.

When she joined Exit Realty, it was just as challenging for women to be in leadership roles in real estate as it was in any other industry. Since then, while the needle has moved slowly but surely for female agents in North American real estate, the leadership glass ceiling is yet to be broken in brokerages.

But the biggest challenge, she says, was within herself.

Marie Kozak, regional director for GTA, left; Joyce Paron, president – Canada; and Mike McCarron, supervisor of growth and development. (Photo: Elijah Shark)

Knowing what she wanted and staying focussed on it to the exclusion of everything else was the biggest challenge for her as a female leader in the late ’90s. It helped that she came from a family where her father encouraged her and her sisters to pursue their dreams.

“We point to the outside world and we say, well, it’s male dominated and we put labels on it of why it’s harder,” she says. But

the key is “to know what we want to do with our lives.”

For Paron, the passion for leadership was ignited when she saw Morris’ vision at work and how it benefitted Exit agents and their families. “And the more you get into what you want, how it looks and how it feels in that vision, you start imagining yourself going there.

The vision percolates your creativity,” she says. REM

12 REM MAY 2020

Getting buyers into the market sooner “By bringing consumers and institutional investors together, we’ve created a truly unique model,” says Key Living vice president Mark McLean. By Connie Adair

W

ho doesn’t love a new idea, especially when it creates an additional income stream for agents and lets them help people, primarily millennials, build equity so they can get into the housing market sooner.

A new model, created by Key Living, promises to do just that.

Company vice president Mark McLean says Key Living has built a co-equity financial model to help consumers buy shares in a condominium for a minimum of $25,000 and build equity while paying a monthly all-inclusive payment to live in a suite of their choice as long as they want. The payments are linked to (but less than) market rents.

“Our job as Realtors is to help solve people’s No. 1 crisis: needing a place to live,” says McLean, a 30year industry veteran. He started Sotheby’s International Realty Canada in Ontario, was on the management team at Bosley Real Estate and was president and broker of record for Property.ca Realty.

He is also a past president of the Toronto Real Estate Board and director-at-large at the Ontario Real Estate Association.

Until now there have been two options: buy or rent, and with the upward pressure on house prices in many cities, affordability is an issue. What do you do when you can’t qualify for a mortgage? And how do you break out of the cycle of renting (high rents make it a challenge to save enough for a

down payment)?

These are problems many millennials face. Agents are now able to help these individuals by referring them to Key (and receiving a referral fee). “We believe enabling more people to own in downtown Toronto years earlier is good for consumers as well as our society,” McLean says. “By bringing consumers and institutional investors together, we’ve created a truly unique model.”

Key Living has raised hundreds of millions of dollars from the likes of pension funds, insurance companies and banks looking to park their money for the long term, he says.

The company says, “Unlike traditional models, in which condo owners take title to individual units, Key buys whole projects and blocks of units. Key is the owner and property manager, retaining title and operational control.

Would-be owner/residents can purchase shares in the corporation, with an entry point for ownership of just $25,000 in digital shares (keys). These shares are pledged to Key to get occupancy and lower monthly carrying costs...Owners/ residents benefit from lifetime tenancy and investment appreciation.”

The concept means there’s no mortgage or title transfer, and land transfer tax doesn’t apply because buyers own a share (although they may have to pay capital gains on any profit).

Consumers (be they those who

want to buy for themselves or for parents who want to help their children) can buy a “keychain” for $1,000. That holds their position on a waiting list. When suites become available, they are offered to keychain holders in order of priority. If they like the suite, they pay $25,000 for a share, become an owner and move in. McLean says key owners have full ownership rights and investment appreciation. A bonus is that 100 per cent of occupants are owners, who will have pride of ownership and take care of their unit and building.

McLean offers a couple of examples of people who have ready bought in. One moved from Dubai to Toronto and had a good job but didn’t qualify for a mortgage. Another person was looking at condos and kept losing out on multiple offers. He had given into thinking he’d be “renting forever,” McLean says. However, an agent referred him to Key Living and he immediately bought a keychain.

To date, more than 60 keychains of 150 currently available have been sold.

Key Living is investing in a number of prime downtown locations where millennials want to live. These sites range from the company’s smallest building (15 storeys at Spadina and Queen) to two 40- to 50-storey towers at King and Spadina. Blocks of units are also being purchased in newer buildings on Queen West and in the Entertainment District. They are being upgrad-

Realtor Quest postponed; ULI Spring Meeting cancelled

R

ealtor Quest, the annual conference and trade show hosted by the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, will not take place in late May as originally scheduled. The board announced that a new “late fall” date is being considered.

“Following the increased and overwhelming concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, TRREB believes this is the right decision based on the information we have today and is proceeding

with caution during such an unprecedented global situation,” says the board on the Realtor Quest website.

“We appreciate the importance of Realtor Quest to our members and our sponsor, exhibitor and vendor partners.

TRREB remains committed to hosting Realtor Quest, and if conditions are appropriate in late fall 2020, we will host the event at that time and hope you are able to join us then.”

Another major show, the Urban Land Institute’s Spring Meeting, also scheduled for May in Toronto, has been cancelled.

That show was to bring 3,800 real estate professionals, developers, investors, architects, planners and academics, mostly from the United States. The Spring Meeting had only been held in Canada once before, in Vancouver in 2014. Now Toronto will have to wait until 2023 until it can host the event. REM

The Key Living team, from left: Yash Mody, director of product; Craig Shannon, CFO; Alex Tang, finance; Daniel Dubois, co-founder and president; Louisa Clements, marketing; Vithushan Namasivayasivam, technical lead; Rob Richards, co-founder and CEO; Mark Petrov, finance; Mark McLean, VP sales and business development; Derek Manuge, finance; Alison Simpson, CMO; Russell Kim, marketing and sales. Not present when the photo was taken: Mark Vandenbosch, community and government relations.

ed, then offered to shareholders.

Plans are to offer amenities in new community/tech-oriented buildings that will be second to none. Apps will offer residents everything from dog walking to meal delivery services. Community managers will bring people together, McLean says. The pay-as-youplay offerings will include everything from lunch and learn, to yoga on the roof to co-working spaces.

Another plus is liquidity. The shares offer instant redemption. If owners want to move, the corpora-

Radio Canada catches. . .

Continued from page 8

estate brokers and agencies are conducted every year to verify compliance with ethical and legal obligations regarding identity verification, cash transactions and FINTRAC standards; • 27 training courses on money laundering, fraudulent practices and the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act are offered to real estate brokers under their Mandatory Continuing

tion buys the shares back and deposits the funds into the seller’s bank account in 30 days.

Some units may be available in three to six months, while the new buildings are expected to come on stream in three to five years.

It creates another income stream for agents and gives them a chance to unlock people they weren’t able to help before, McLean says.

For information contact Key Living at contact@keyliving.com.

Phone 416-258-4485. Website www.keyliving.com. REM Education Program; • Exchanges on best practices for preventing money laundering between members of the Real Estate Regulators of Canada, of which the OACIQ is a member; • Investigations by the syndic into any allegation of money laundering and non-compliance with the ethical rules surrounding the laundering of the proceeds of crime; • Frequent reminders of broker ethical obligations by various means of communication. REM

14 REM MAY 2020

Woodstock’s C21 Heritage House celebrates 40 years of growth Adopting a non-traditional ownership structure, Century 21 Heritage House went from recording just one sale in its first month to becoming a dominant western Ontario brokerage. By Susan Doran

C

entury 21 Heritage House has had a 40-year run to date, but former general manager/partner Michael Slager says the brokerage almost got stuck at the starting line.

“Interest rates were 18 per cent in 1980 when the company started,” he says. “We had only one sale in our first month. It was an “OhMy-God moment. It took us a year and a half to get back on track.”

Century 21 itself was relatively new on the scene in Canada at that time, and its goal was growth.

In keeping with that mission, Heritage House, headquartered in Woodstock, Ont. (an hour-and-ahalf drive from Toronto, between Kitchener and London), has gone through a series of mergers, expanding its footprint over southwestern Ontario.

The brokerage currently has 150 agents across four main offices and several satellite branches and is consistently a member of Century’s 21’s chairman’s circle.

Translation – it’s among the franchise’s top 30 offices in Canada (No. 10 in units sold in 2019), which on occasion means there are opportunities to help shape national brand policy.

Slager, now “pushing 73,” has been doing a fair bit of reflecting himself. He continues to sell. But he stepped down from overseeing day-to-day operations when he turned 65, taking advantage of Heritage House’s non-traditional ownership structure, which allows approved top sales reps and brokers to hold shares as partners and then, when they retire, to sell their shares to others.

“Shared ownership has been in place since day one,” says Slager.

“It’s unique.”

And indeed, although not unheard of, it is uncommon in real estate brokerages. An investment opportunity that provides a way for younger agents to have a stake in the company and older agents to have an exit strategy/succession plan, this business model means that the success of the operation is not in jeopardy when a partner moves on or falls on hard times, says Slager.

“Here, we have people in line to buy shares…And we don’t end up with a lot of 85-year-olds who can’t leave.”

There are currently 13 shareholders involved (which may explain why Slager jokingly

From left: Anthony Montanaro, Nick Lalli and Michael Slager.

broker of record Nick Lalli was well aware of the brokerage’s reputation before he joined. (“Big presence. Small town,” is how he puts it). But he’d been unaware, he says, of how highly the brokerage is regarded “by national standards by the Century 21 organization.”

He credits Slager for much of that. “He always put the agents first,” says Lalli. “The office is suc-

Teamwork at the brokerage level is gone in many brokerages. We are trying to hold onto that and foster it.

This level of success calls for celebration. Heritage House’s 40th anniversary festivities are on the back burner until the fall, when there will be a cake-cutting ceremony at the brokerage’s annual picnic. According to the management team, the theme will be something along the lines of, “reflecting on where we came from.”

replies, “There are more titles than before,” when asked to describe changes he has witnessed at Heritage House over the years).

All in all he likes what he’s seeing in the industry. “New agents coming in are more educated, better trained and full of energy.”

His tips for them? “Repeat business is where it’s at.”

Heritage House’s long-time

cessful because we’ve focused on making the agents successful.”

Lalli continues: “We draw agents in to be part of a team. They are not just working alone in a basement. We provide tools, and teaching and knowledge – we promote working in the bullpen.

Having a professional manager is also a plus… I think it’s not great that the industry is moving away

from centralized benefits provided by the brokerage…Teamwork at the brokerage level is gone in many brokerages. We are trying to hold onto that and foster it. And that ties in with our ownership strategy, another opportunity for agents, providing security.”

Agents need to be the right fit to become shareholders though.

High production is an asset but other criteria, including being a team player, may be deemed equally or more important.

But knowing all the words to Are You Lonesome Tonight? is not a point of comparison, which may come as a relief to some, seeing as Lalli and a broker who preceded him both enjoy dressing up as Elvis for charity events and the like.

“There’s a joke that to become a broker in our office, you have to be an Elvis impersonator,” Lalli reluctantly admits. Apparently he has yet to perform at the brokerage’s signature charity event, the Heritage House Golden Gala.

There’s no word on whether that’s in the cards.

When Lalli first became a Realtor he’d had concerns that he’d be “lost in the shuffle” at Heritage House. “It’s by far the biggest brokerage in the

Woodstock-Ingersoll District Real Estate Board,” he says. For that reason, he initially started out with a smaller Century 21 operation, only to find that company absorbed by Heritage House within a month.

“So I ended up here anyway,” he says. “I came with fear. My fears were unfounded.”

The local market in the socalled “dairy capital of Canada” has changed, increasingly attracting commuters from the Greater Toronto Area seeking more affordable prices. Lalli says this is known in the office as “drive west until you qualify.”

“We are seeing more buyers being represented by reps from other boards,” Lalli says. “But we still have a large market share.”

So all appears to be well in the Heritage House world of market dominance. Several years back, the brokerage experienced its biggest growth to date with a merger that opened up the KitchenerWaterloo market and beyond.

Is there more to come?

“We have more irons in the fire. We’re just waiting for them to get hotter,” says the company’s COO, Anthony Montanaro.

REM

REM MAY 2020 15

Leadership during hardship

By Aiman Attar e are headed into a crucial economic abyss where most people are filled with fear and uncertainty.

No doubt this will have an impact on your clientele, but it also has an impact on the morale and stress of your administrative and sales team.

As the industry leaders, now is the time for you to support your clients, each other and more importantly, those who trust your leadership.

1. It is important to remain honest with your team without making decisions out of fear. If your business has slowed down and your cashflow means you might run out of money, you cannot continue using the employee’s time without the ability to compensate him/her.

2. How you handle your emotions, your stresses and your own financial uncertainty will have a long-term impact on your relationship with your employees and salespeople. Tread carefully

W

as you can lose amazing people from your team who may face their own fears about the stability of your business. As leaders, expect to take a hit in profits – however, you cannot expect your employees not to make a basic living.

3. Trust your employees while they work from home. It only adds fuel to fire if you begin micromanaging a long-term employee just because she is now working from home.

4. Speak to one another – not just about work but allow yourself, your colleagues and your employees to share their fears and concerns during this global economic storm. This requires emotional intelligence and empathy, all the while sending out virtual hugs of support.

5. Check in on your buyer agents/real estate sales partners on your team. Not everyone has the financial means to ride it out for the next four to eight weeks if there is no income. As a team

leader, it is when the going gets tough that you will be needed the most. Likewise, if sales are dipping and your sales team won’t make enough to “ride it out”, don’t hold them back with false promises when you cannot guarantee future sales in unprecedented times.

Things will return to normal, but how we care for those we lead during hardship will last longer than the fears and uncertainty we are all currently experiencing.

Consider the following as we head into summer 2020: Before you can care and lead others, you need to be in a positive, healthy state: • Check your mental health.

How are you feeling? How are you managing stress?

• Check your spiritual health. This may require you to take some time away to speak to a higher power so that you can adjust according to what is being sent your way.

• Check your physical health. Keep your immune system on guard by not only feeding yourself but nourishing yourself.

A change of scenery like a walk in the park while keeping distance from others helps.

Your immediate surrounding or circle of influence: • Check on your clients.

This isn’t about trying to buy or sell their next home; this is a genuine concern for how they are weathering through this global crisis.

• Check on your immediate neighbours, especially the elderly.

• Check in on your vendors who have tirelessly supplied you in times of prosperity – the small mom and pop shops and selfemployed service providers will likely be hit the hardest.

You are your business: • Invest in yourself, your brand, tying up loose ends, fixing that database. This is the time to do it. Remember that book you wanted to read or that course

you wanted to take that was on Audible? Now is the time.

Proactively working towards success, even if the sales are not coming in at the moment, will prepare you for a faster recovery when the market bounces back.

• Be the voice of hope to whomever you speak with.

What are you doing to help support your administrative and sales staff? Share your stories, successes and ideas – it will help others in similar situations. We’d love to hear from you.

The former owner of Imaginahome Inc. and former Realtor at Re/Max, Aiman Attar is the managing partner of AGENTC: The Real Estate Recruiter. She has worked in the real estate industry for over 10 years with Toronto’s finest, most accomplished Realtors. She decided to dedicate her talent and experience to helping you hire the best candidates to build your business. Email REM Aiman@agentc.com

Royal LePage forecasts ‘remarkably stable’ prices oyal LePage is forecasting that if COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions are eased during the second quarter, house prices will finish the year up by one per cent year-over-year, to an aggregate value of $653,800. If the restrictions continue through the summer, the negative economic impact is expected to drive home prices down by three per cent to $627,900, the company says.

“The impact of COVID-19 on the Canadian economy has been swift and violent, with layoffs driving high levels of unemployment across the

R

country,” says Royal LePage president and CEO Phil Soper.

“While is it sad that these people skewed strongly to young and to part-time workers, for the housing industry, the impact of these presumably temporary job losses will be limited as these groups are much less likely to buy and sell real estate.”

In explaining why the company doesn’t foresee a large price drop, Soper says, “Home price declines occur when the market experiences sustained low sales volume while inventory builds. Currently, the inventory of homes for sale in

this country is very low, matching low sales volumes as people respect government mandates to stay at home.

“It is easy to mistakenly equate a handful of transactions at lower prices to a reset in the value of the nation’s housing stock. Distressed sales that occur during an economic crisis are a poor proxy for real estate value,” says Soper.

“As we ease out of strict stay-at-home regimens, sales volumes will return; traditional home sales practices will not,” he says. “The popular open house gathering of buyers on a spring afternoon is gone, and it

won’t be coming back any time soon. The industry is leveraging technologies that allow a home to be shown remotely and social distancing protocols, where we restrict client interaction with our Realtors to limited one-on-one or two meetings, will continue for months and months. This process is inherently safer than a trip to the grocery store.”

Looking ahead, “If the fight against the coronavirus requires today’s tight stay-at-home mandates to remain in place for several months more, with no semblance of normal business activity allowed, temporary job losses

will become permanent and consumer confidence will be harder to repair,” says Soper.

“This would place downward pressure on both home sales volumes and prices.

“Equally, if the collective efforts of Canadians slow the spread of the disease to manageable levels, and if promising science and therapeutic drugs are announced, people will return to their jobs, market confidence will bounce back quickly, and we could see Canada’s real markets roar back to life, with 2020 transactions delayed but not eliminated.”

REM

16 REM MAY 2020

Faisal Susiwala named Re/Max No. 1 agent in Canada Re/Max has named Faisal Susiwala of Re/Max Twin City Realty in Cambridge, Ont. as the company’s No. 1 Individual Agent in Canada. He was also named the brand’s No. 5 worldwide agent for closing more than 400 transactions in 2019.

Susiwala obtained his real estate licence when he was 18 and was originally turned down by several real estate firms, he says in a news release. But he says his perseverance and passion for excellence has allowed him to deliver outstanding results consistently for over 32 years.

Susiwala recently donated $130,000, or $1 on behalf of every Cambridge resident, to Cambridge Memorial Hospital to contribute to its expansion. In 2019 he donated $25,000 to five other local charities that were in need.

Asked for his keys to success, Susiwala says, “The key is knowing your client and being able to help them meet their goals. Being consistent in everything from strategy to marketing. We outspend other agents on marketing and I’m able to achieve great results for my clients. Billboards, bus ads, social media, sports teams and print ads.

My campaigns always run without any interruption.”

Susiwala has also written a book, The Real Deal, which is scheduled to be released later this year.

Coldwell Banker Canada unveils award winners The Coldwell Banker Canada network recently announced its top Canadian award recipients for sales production. Top performances in company, agent, team and office categories during 2019 received national recognition from among hundreds of Canadian

award winners.

The No. 1 Affiliate Company for Sales Volume in Canada was Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty, in Kelowna, B.C. The brokerage also was named to the International Chairman’s Circle, along with Coldwell Banker First Ottawa Realty in Ottawa.

Taking the award for No. 1 Affiliate Company for Unit Sales in Canada was Coldwell Banker Preferred Real Estate in Winnipeg.

The Canadian Ambassador Award, honouring the individuals who best exemplify Coldwell Banker brand values in Canada, went to Jennifer Gilbert, Coldwell Banker City Side Realty in Lloydminster, Alta. and Marc Ronan, Coldwell Banker Ronan Realty in Tottenham, Ont. Ronan also took top honours for total sales volume by an individual.

Drew Johnson, Coldwell Banker Power Realty in London, Ont. sold the most units.

In the team category, one to three agents, the total sales volume champs were Rhodes & Barker (Tony Rhodes and Christopher Barker), Coldwell Banker Rhodes & Company in Ottawa. The total units award went to the My Home in KW Group, (Megan Bell and Tracey Appleton), Coldwell Banker Peter Benninger Realty in Kitchener, Ont. For teams with four-plus agents, the leader in both sales and units was the Kayley Spalding team, Coldwell Banker Thompson Real Estate, Huntsville, Ont. The Canadian Rookie of the Year in sales volume was Jeff Gaudet, Coldwell Banker Parker Realty in Charlottetown. The Rookie of the Year in Unit Sales was Benjamin Tetzlaw, Coldwell Banker Preferred Real Estate, Steinbach, Man.

Engel & Völkers Montreal wins company’s highest award Engel & Völkers Montreal has

been awarded the company’s highest honor, The Engel & Völkers Cup. The award is given each year to the shop that successfully demonstrates a clear commitment to the systems, tools, marketing programs and shop concept associated with Engel & Völkers, while being a leader in the local marketplace and brand network.

When Engel & Völkers Americas recently announced the recipients of the company’s top awards for 2019, several Canadian individuals and brokerages received recognition.

Diane Allingham, Engel & Völkers Ottawa Central and Félix Jasmin, Engel & Völkers Montreal Outremont, were named Private Office Advisor inductees. To achieve this honour, advisors undergo a qualification process that considers an advisor’s personal

network, past client satisfaction, community standing, market knowledge, average price point, significant transactions and “passion for continually learning and evolving their business within their local and global sphere of influence,” the company says.

The top-producing shops in North America by both sides and GCI were led by Engel & Völkers Montreal and Engel & Völkers Vancouver. The shop in Victoria finished in fifth place by number of sides.

The Vancity Living Team at Engel & Völkers Vancouver was the third best team by GCI and ranked fifth by sides.

Debby Doktorczyk at Engel & Völkers Montreal was the fifthranked top producer by GCI and finished second by sides. Cédrick Benoit of Engel & Völkers

Montreal was ranked fifth by sides.

Cobourg community honours Garry Liboiron Garry Liboiron, broker/owner of Century 21 All-Pro Realty in Coburg, Ont., was this year’s recipient of the James Crossen Lifetime Achievement Award. Named after one of Cobourg’s earliest and most successful entrepreneurs, it recognizes outstanding lifetime achievement and contribution to the Cobourg business community.

“I proudly share this award with my business partner and wife, Liz, who has been instrumental in our fundraising and charitable endeavours. Our daughters are also a huge part of our success and have become a large asset to our business and our sales representatives,” says Liboiron. REM

Faisal Susiwala

Jennifer Gilbert

Marc Ronan

Drew Johnson

Megan Bell

Kayley Spalding

Tony Rhodes

Christopher Barker

Engel & Völkers Montreal won The Engel & Völkers Cup. Tracey Appleton

Garry Liboiron

The shop in Victoria finished in fifth place by number of sides.

Anthony Hitt, president and CEO of Engel & Völkers Americas, presents the Vancity Living Team at Engel & Völkers Vancouver with their award.

REAL ESTATE

MAGAZINE REM’s May issue was our first ever digital only edition.

It was not printed or distributed to thousands of real estate offices across Canada, as we have done with our previous 370 issues, but instead distributed exclusively via our email mailing list and REMonline.com.

We made this difficult decision because many of our readers will not be going into the office, where they would normally find and read a copy of REM. They are doing so in an incredible act of social solidarity. By working from home and physically distancing themselves from others, Canada’s real estate professionals are doing their part to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

We have all had to make sacrifices because of this new reality, and the Canadian real estate professionals who read REM are no exception.

Not being able to physically meet with clients or do in-person showings has no doubt been an incredible challenge, and the uncertainty of not knowing what will come next for Canada’s real estate market is troubling for everyone.

That is why our role as an independent source of news for real estate industry professionals is so important.

In these troubling times, now more than ever we all need a reliable and objective source of information we can trust. Our readers want to stay informed on what is coming next, and how they can best prepare for it. That is what we do.

At REM, we depend on the revenue generated from advertising in this publication to be able to carry on producing the quality content you value.

While we of course have our e-newsletter and REMonline.com, they produce only a fraction of the advertising revenue our magazine can. That’s what makes producing this publication so important.

While, like everyone else, we have had to adapt to the new reality, we have no intention of stopping now. We look forward to returning to business as usual and getting back to printing and distributing REM. The times ahead may be troubling, but we look forward to doing our part so that we can all get through them, together.

William Molls, Publisher & CEO

18 REM MAY 2020

How to stand out and get noticed

With more than 130,000 real estate agents and brokers in Canada, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. So how do you stand out? By Toby Welsh

Tom Storey

blended them together with my own style and that is how I present myself in this business.

Even today, my work ethic is still continuing to evolve as there is always something to learn from very successful people.”

W

ith more than 130,000 real estate agents and brokers in Canada, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. So how do you stand out?

Tom Storey, a sales representative with Royal LePage Signature Realty in Toronto, shares how he differentiates himself: “I’ve always loved the saying ‘visibility beats ability’, which basically means it doesn’t matter how great you are at what you do if no one knows. I spend a lot of time focusing on how I can be more visible in my business.

That includes everything from social media, to monthly market updates, flyers and staying top of mind. The average person only needs Realtor services about one per cent of their life (maybe two per cent if they move a lot). So ask yourself this question: What are you doing to stay top of mind when that opportunity presents itself?”

Blazing your own path and not imitating others is key to standing out. Avoid doing the same things as the other agents in your area.

Spend time delving into what their unique selling proposition is and do the opposite. Pinpoint where the other agents are weak and make that one of your selling points. Constantly look at what is working and not working and build from there. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Innovate constantly.

Brian Vidas, a real estate agent with Sutton Centre Realty in Burnaby, B.C., and a top one per cent agent believes his appearance is a key factor in standing out. “When I am working, presentation is everything so you will always find me very well dressed in traditional business attire. I feel that this is one of the key ingredients to be recognized as a true professional in my trade.”

Vidas continues, “There are so many different personalities and style types in the real estate world. When I first started in real estate, I researched very successful Realtors and watched many real estate tutorials. I implemented a lot of these observations and

For agents who stand out, the online world often plays a pivotal role. Having a kick-ass website is just the start. Think of your website as your digital storefront; give it the same importance as a physical shop. Even if you get a free website with your agency’s domain, consider getting your own website to use as a springboard for building your brand and presence. Offer a wealth of information for free with no expectation for anything in return. Create a dynamic blog.

Make sure you have an active Google business listing – that is where the majority of people will find you. Ask clients to leave you a Google review, because reviews are another lure to potential clients.

Continuing with the online world, a social media presence is vital. Post and share all of your successes. Put pictures out into the world of buyers in front of their new homes. Be available on Facebook messenger and the like. Using videos will up your game and help with brand building. They also humanize you and build trust with clients.

The stronger your brand, the

Brian Vidas

Jessica Stoner

more you will stand out from the others.

out far above your competitors.”

Jessica Stoner, an associate broker with Re/Max Alpine Realty in Canmore, Alta. and a real estate professional for 16 years, is a huge proponent of video communication. “This advice is useful and practical even in the best of times and with the current state of the world, it is more important than ever. Use video to communicate often with both leads and clients.

Often, when I have an inquiry by email, I will immediately respond with a video email. Even if it is just to say, ‘Thanks, Janice, for your email and I will respond with more details this afternoon.’

It is personal and the client knows they were paid attention to. People don’t feel listened to as much when communication is only by text on a screen, time and time again.”

Stoner continues, “Video calling or chat is the best way to ensure a stronger bond with your clients when you can’t be face to face. The clients appreciate it and feel that you have spent more time with them, more than they would feel if the same conversation was by phone, email or text. These video options often take approximately the same or just a bit more time.

They are worth any extra time required to ensure clients feel valued and you as an agent stand

Ideas for how to stand out are endless. Sponsor events in your community. Network every time you leave the house. Attend events. Consider aligning with a non-profit organization.

Contribute to local publications, even a homeowner’s association newsletter or the local freebie paper. When the coronavirus crisis has ended, host community soirees, such as a movie night or a yoga gathering. It’s all about getting your name out there and being seen as much as possible.

One Ontario real estate agent has a cooking show that has racked up tens of thousands of views of his one- to two-minute cooking videos on Facebook; talk about a powerful tool for keeping in touch with contacts and generating buzz.

With no shortage of real estate agents in this country, it is essential you showcase your strengths and broadcast your value. Storey leaves us with a final thought: “Patience, consistency and execution are the three things that separate the top Realtors from the ones just getting by. The core fundamentals of real estate have not changed in 30 years. You have to connect with people, know your market/ stats better than anyone else and you have to treat this like a business owner, not just a salesperson.” REM

20 REM MAY 2020

Get ready for net zero homes Tech costs for net zero homes have come down, builder capabilities have deepened and pricing is becoming more attractive to consumers. For interested Realtors, here are five aspects of this emerging sector to explore.

By Connie Jeske Crane

A

t this disorienting moment in 2020, as our industry grapples with fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s hard to believe the dust will settle. But it will. For usually busy Realtors who are looking to fill the disquieting pause, there’s an unusual opportunity right now to get up to speed on emerging aspects of the market.

Take net zero homes for example. A decidedly niche category, when normal life resumes and fuelled by legislative change and changing consumer preferences, this is a space to watch, say industry observers.

“It’s coming. I have no doubt about that,” says Sonja Winkelmann, director of net zero energy housing for the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA). “PV (photovoltaic solar panel) technology has improved so much and we’re getting so good at building these net zero homes,” she says.

Winkelmann says the Canadian home building industry is in a kind of sweet spot – tech costs have come down, builder capabilities have deepened and pricing will in turn become more attractive to consumers. For interested Realtors, here are five aspects of this emerging sector to explore:

1. The basics: So what exactly qualifies as a net zero home?

While they are sometimes equated with being “off the grid”, that’s actually not the case. Not all net zero homes are the same, but they do have basic commonalities.

According to the CHBA’s definition, “Net zero homes produce as much clean energy as they consume. They are up to 80 per cent more energy efficient than typical new homes and use renewable energy systems to produce the remaining energy they need.”

You may also hear references to “net zero ready” homes. These are homes built to comply with net zero standards, but that don’t yet have renewable energy systems installed.

2. Pending regulatory changes: Announced changes to government legislation and Canada’s building code are a key reason why net zero and net zero ready homes are expected to

Sonja Winkelmann

The Northgate by Doug Tarry Homes in St. Thomas, Ont. was a Net Zero Home Award Winner in 2017.

Synergy by Falcon Heights Contracting in Victoria, B.C. was the 2018 Net Zero Home Award Winner.

Dale Rott

surge. “We’re going to see things on the legislative front that are changing, so there will be more stock available and it will be more of a common item,” says Dale Rott, a co-founder of Edmonton-based Effect Home Builders, and also a member of the CHBA’s Net Zero Energy Housing Council.

Specifically, Canada’s federal government has indicated it is working with provinces and territories to develop net zero energy ready (NZER) building codes by 2030.

“They’re developing what’s called a tiered or stepped build-

ing code,” says Winkelmann.

While the building code typically gets an update every five years, this time around, she says, “they’re telling builders they’re going to be developing tiers that go all the way out to 2030 and they’re progressively going to continue to specify more and more higher energy-efficiency targets.”

3. The value proposition: On the real estate side, in terms of marketing net zero homes, getting familiar with the full range of benefits is a great start, says Rott.

Beyond sustainability, Rott says, there are multiple other benefits for homeowners. “One is you’re saving money from a home operating costs perspective.

Secondly, your indoor environment is more comfortable. It’s hard to quantify, but it’s a ‘feel good’ thing, it literally is. It’s quieter, the heat is distributed much more evenly so you don’t have cold spots.” Add to that superior indoor air filtering and, says Rott,

“If you’re concerned about climate change, then you have an environmentally responsible building as well.”

Built to higher standards than conventional new builds, “This boils down to just a better quality product,” says Winkelmann.

When a house is built with better insulation, windows and mechanical systems, she says, “your utility bills will be lower and stay lower all year round.

The more that energy prices go up, the more this house can buffer you from those prices.”

Finally, she says the house will be more durable than conventional homes.

4. Shifting consumer preferences: Increasingly, says Winkelmann, today’s home buyers value sustainability features.

The CHBA’s annual consumer survey has been confirming the shift. In 2018, for example, Winkelmann says the CHBA’s Home Buyer Preference Study saw “certified by an energy program” make the top 10 list of

REM MAY 2020 21

consumer preferences, along with four other energy-efficient features (including appliances and windows).

When working with buyers, Rott says it’s important not to make assumptions but to really listen for their priorities.

At Effect Home Builders, one of several progressive Edmonton builders who’ve made that city a hotbed for net zero construction, Rott says buyers of net zero homes come with all sorts of motivations. They might have deep environmental concerns, geekiness about mechanical performance and solar panels, or be

seeking fine details and luxury construction. “We get the broad spectrum of people.”

5. Industry changes: Finally, for Realtors, a couple of additional things are set to make serving clients a little easier. First, there’s more net zero housing stock coming. Beyond the luxury sector where larger budgets have typically made it easier to wrap in energyefficient materials and mechanical systems, Winkelmann says increasing affordability is pushing net-zero towards the mainstream. More builders, she says, are becoming trained and certified. And as a result, more houses today are being

More homes today are being renovated to net-zero compliance and more affordable condos and townhome communities are sprouting up.

renovated to net-zero compliance and more affordable condos and townhome communities are sprouting up.

Winkelmann says CHBA’s Net Zero labelling program – which builds on existing federal programs like R-2000, EnerGuide and ENERGY STAR – supports broader adoption. “A lot of the builders in our industry were familiar with their programs,” she says, noting that through the program, CHBA provides not just building science training, but also sales training so they can articulate the unique features of net-zero homes. This is something she’d like to extend to the real estate industry too.

Speaking to the CHBA’s labelling program, Rott says clear standards make things easier for Realtors too. “The more this is taken on, it should help Realtors and the housing market to be able to know that a house is qualified.

And so it would help on the marketing end, from a Realtor perspective, to know that they don’t have to do all the research.”

A net zero townhome by Sifton Properties in London, Ont.

F U RT H E R R E A D I N G • CHBA – Net Zero Homes, www.netzerohome.com • CHBA labelling program, https://bit.ly/2xMJXAt • Effect Home Builders, https://effecthomes.ca/build-itbetter/net-zero-energy-homes/ • Natural Research Council Canada - Laying the foundation for Net-Zero Energy Ready building codes by 2030, https://bit.ly/3czoxFK

REM

Think, See and Do rule for success

By Michelle Risi oing from employee to entrepreneur takes more than just a dream and hard work. It takes discipline and persistence and the willingness to see, think and do what is necessary to succeed.

The transition may not be easy, but it doesn’t have to be difficult either. Whether you are new to the business or have been working at it for years, getting into the entrepreneurial mindset is critical for your success.

Chances are you have spent years working as an employee under someone else’s vision, guidance and rule book. Whatever the industry and whatever your role, you likely had no say in how the business

G

operated. Your only job was to work hard, prove your value and stay employed.

As an entrepreneur, working to build your own real estate business, you hold the rule book. You still have to work hard and prove your value, but you get to decide how that looks. The challenge is, most people don’t know what that is.

What I believe is the key to transitioning into becoming a successful real estate entrepreneur is the Think, See and Do rule.

1. Think like an entrepreneur.

The mindset you choose is pivotal in ensuring the success of your business. Are you operating from a growth mindset or a fear mindset?

Are you flexible or fixed?

There will be times in your journey where you are called upon to do things that may seem above or beneath you. After all, you own your own business now. Why should you have to worry about the little things that don’t directly generate your business, right?

Wrong. While an employee’s

mindset is typically very fixed in a role, an entrepreneur’s is not.

Successful real estate professionals look at everything that impacts their business, not just the things that directly make money. Working on thinking like an entrepreneur is one of the most important things you can do to help establish a foundation for success.

2. See like an entrepreneur.

Your clients come first. Whenever you are in negotiations or servicing your clients, you are doing so with their best interest at heart. But what happens when there is conflict? What happens when you don’t see eye to eye?

In an employment setting, you have protocols in place to help manage conflict. Maybe it’s a manager or an HR department that can assist by helping you see situations differently. One of the greatest things about running your own business is that you are the business.

That means you are likely the manager and the HR department and every other role in between. When

conflicts arise (and they will), you need to be prepared to see things from all perspectives – that client who may be coming across as demanding and giving you a hard time might just be having a hard time.

The decision to buy and sell real estate is not always a positive one.

Maybe it’s financial distress, a change of employment or a divorce.

It’s essential to look at all situations from different perspectives.

Seeing like an entrepreneur means not taking things personally and understanding that when conflict surfaces, there could be something going on beneath that is contributing to the cause, and it’s your job to find out what.

3. Do like an entrepreneur.

“Fake it till you make it.” How many times have you heard that before?

While it may sound scripted, there is some truth to it. Imposter syndrome is real, and you are certainly not alone if you have ever felt like you were walking around trying

to be someone you aren’t. It’s not easy to exude confidence and success when you feel like a fish out of water.

If real estate and entrepreneurship are new for you, start looking at what the experienced agents are doing. Are they up at the crack of dawn working on themselves and their businesses? Are they taking courses and continuously upgrading their skills? Are they looking for ways to expand their sphere of influence by becoming networking pros? If you want to be like the successful ones, then you have to do like the successful ones.

Learn to make the transition from an employee to entrepreneur easier by using the Think, See and Do rule and enjoy the rewards that come with a career in real estate.

Michelle Risi is broker/owner of Royal LePage Connect Realty, member of Forbes Real Estate Council, and host of The Lifestyle Entrepreneur Podcast. www.michellerisi.com REM

22 REM MAY 2020

Winning the listing: Arrange a range

By Ross Wilson “I’m not upset that you lied to me; I’m upset that from now on, I can’t believe you.”

– Friedrich Nietzsche n this continuing series of articles, which are abridged excerpts from my book, The Happy Agent, I address the workhorse and often underutilized Comparative Market Analysis, commonly referred to as a CMA. You can derive a fair estimate of market value from a thorough one, but there’s much more to be had by carefully analysing it.

As an active trader who’s familiar with the local market and prevailing economic conditions, you have a fair idea of the approximate value of a prospective new listing before even starting the work or entering the foyer. However, it’s important to polish your opinion

I

by carefully analyzing the neighbourhood sales history.

You begin by checking the active, sold and expired listings of properties most closely resembling the subject in building and lot size, architectural style, age, features, upgrades, physical condition and most importantly, location. Keep in mind that a comparable property, virtually identical to the subject but backing onto railway tracks or edging a busy corner or poorly maintained, could have a lesser value.

Although CMA reports can vary in scope, from brief summaries to multi-page tomes, on paper or in pixels, a typical report will contain the following: Actives: Listings currently for sale in the same or similar area.

Resist drawing direct conclusions solely from these because competing sellers can subjectively set their own list prices, which are often unrealistically high. A competitive listing can, nevertheless, help determine an asking price for your new listing. Take advantage of the other agent’s experience with their listing. If it’s been exposed for a protracted period with no sale, it’s

likely overpriced. Don’t duplicate their mistake.

Conditionally sold: A property is reported conditionally sold when a seller accepts an offer wherein the buyer needs time to fulfill a specific requirement before committing. Terms of the APS are kept confidential until conditions are fulfilled, but such sales can denote market trend. Since an offer was generated, you can safely assume that the asking price was fair.

Therefore, it may still serve as a comparable.

Sold firm: The best comparables, however, are recently sold listings in the same or comparable locale. Adjust your estimate to reflect improvements or deficiencies relative to the subject.

Consider the days on market before selling. If long, they may have initially been over-priced.

When checking its listing history, if they had to reduce, avoid the same mistake. Create an average sale price report and compare your new listing to the average.

Superior subject? Expect more money. Inferior? Less.

Unsold: Expired, cancelled and suspended listings are proper-

ties that failed to sell. Usually, it’s for one reason – they’re overpriced.

However, listings are withdrawn for various secondary reasons such as change of seller plans. But normally, the market disagreed with the seller’s opinion of value and buyers saw insufficient value to justify the list price.

Conclusion: After reviewing the data, making the necessary calculations with adjustments, finalizing a statistical analysis and applying market savvy, you arrive at an estimated market value range.

After your diligent deliberations, to further enhance your opinion, prior to your consultation appointment, consider scoping out the exterior and streetscape. Is the front garden neatly manicured? Is the garage door updated or the original rustscalloped door? How’s the general neighbourhood? Are the adjacent properties well maintained or dishevelled? Any dump trucks parked next door? Depending on the severity of the symptoms, your preconceived opinion might migrate in a southerly direction.

After you’ve researched and

Properly launches home price predictor in Calgary algary-based Properly, a real estate technology company and one of the first Canadian ibuyer firms, recently launched ProperPrice, a free online tool that provides homebuyers in Calgary with an on-demand prediction of a home’s selling price. The company says it is “the most accurate home price prediction tool in Canada,” using machine learning to look at hundreds of influencing factors, including historical sold data, property details and proximity to services such as schools, hospitals and other facilities. The company says the tool predicts selling price with 99-percent accuracy.

C

“We believe the real estate process should be empowering and predictable, not stressful,” says Anshul Ruparell, CEO of Properly. He says the tool ensures that consumers “can negotiate with confidence and never overpay for real estate. Access to this kind of information used to be restricted to industry professionals, but we’re pulling back the curtain on true selling prices.”

Properly, which also has an office in Ottawa, enables homebuyers to tour homes on demand with a dedicated client advisor, who is a full-service Realtor, and to make competitive offers based on the home’s ProperPrice. For existing home-

owners, Properly offers to buy their home on a closing date of their choosing.

The company says it plans to bring its search and price prediction

tools to cities across the country.

“We believe the real estate process should be empowering and predictable, not stressful,” says Ruparell. REM

refined your preliminary opinion of value, resist the urge to narrow it to a specific amount. Such pinpointing may open the door to future seller disappointment, bad feelings – and no sale – because homeowners often tend to cling to that original promised amount, or they base their moving plans on it. As bearer of bad tidings, if you later have to inform them their house is worth less than you thought, they may feel they’re losing money, which actually never existed. Of course, it was just an opinion, not a guarantee, but they might not understand.

Instead, offer a market value range, the breadth of which is determined by the relative uniqueness of the home. Is it a typical production-builder house on a postage stamp lot, not unlike all the others in the row? Or is it a custom-built or heritage home on a leafy lot? Or maybe it’s a distinctive country property. Or is it a fully renovated condo apartment?

The price spread will also depend on how active your local market is at the moment. Slow market or custom or country home? Broad spread. Busy market or “cookie cutter” home? Narrow spread.

By avoiding specificity, if a price reduction becomes necessary, it can still be within or close to that spread. And when deemed necessary, a reduction within a previously discussed range is often more easily obtained. In any event, forewarn them of the possibility (or inevitability) of one or more price adjustments.

In the next column we’ll discuss how, with your homework completed, including the establishment of a market value range, you’re ready for the actual consultation with the homeowners.

Ross Wilson is a retired real estate broker with extensive experience as a brokerage owner, manager, trainer and mentor over a highly successful 44-year career. His book, The Happy Agent – Finding Harmony with a Thriving Realty Career and an Enriched Personal Life is available where print and e-books are sold, including the TRREB, MREB, RAHB and OMDREB stores. For more details, visit Realty-Voice.com.

REM

Free Online Real Estate Marketing Training for Real Estate Agents Simple Facebook & Google Real Estate Marketing Ads You Can Run Immediately to Ensure Your Business Remains Strong Until Things Get Back to Normal COPY These Proven Facebook & Google Ads to Fill Your Pipeline with

What Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Get: l

Dozens of Successful Ads to Copy - This is like hiring an expert marketing team to write your ads for you

l

Performance Stats - Know what to expect so you can set realistic goals based on actual results

l

Step-by-Step Strategic Guide Learning why these ads work so well (and why most ads donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t) gives you the power to transfer this strategy to all parts of your marketing plan

! " #$

$

! % '

"

! ! %

( ) * + , $

( $ ! *

+

- $$

.

/

" $ +

! $

0 12

3 %

Get your FREE Copy of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;SUCCESSFUL ONLINE REAL ESTATE ADS SWIPE FILEâ&#x20AC;? >> HERE

24 REM MAY 2020

other three Re/Mask DIY projects in the works are surgical-styled masks, cover gowns and headbands with buttons for the elastics from face masks.

■ ■ ■

Good Works A

sales rep in Belleville, Ont. is putting his real estate career on hold to help fight the COVID-19 virus on the front lines.

Ben Goheen, a sales rep with The Royle Group at Century Lanthorn Real Estate in Belleville, Ont. is helping his community by re-certifying as a respiratory therapist – a specialized healthcare practitioner that is in high demand during the COVID-19 crisis.

Prior to entering the real estate industry last year, Goheen was a certified respiratory therapist.

He was recently placed in a local hospital.

■ ■ ■

Re/Max of Wasaga Beach has purchased 40,000 pairs of hospital

Ben Goheen is taking time away from real estate to help sick members of his community.

gloves and four large cases of sanitizer/disinfectant (worth $5,000) for the Collingwood Hospital in Collingwood, Ont. The office also donated $1,000 worth of food to the local food bank. The smalltown brokerage did a flash donation drive among its sales reps and brokers raising just over $6,000 for the cause in a few hours.

The brokerage team also kicked off a “DIY Re/Mask” initiative, sewing masks and creating slides/instruction on how to do it yourself. They also spoke to their local quilters’ club to help.

Marilyn Ruttan, broker at Re/Max of Wasaga Beach, is sewing these masks and she created a slide presentation to share a pattern and instructions for making your own N95-style mask. The

The window at Coldwell Banker R.M.R.’s Bobcaygeon office.

Since the beginning of March, Brad Nelson and Kelli Lovell of Coldwell Banker R.M.R. Real Estate in Bobcaygeon have been volunteering to help with deliveries to keep people in their homes.

They have former clients who are residents or staff at the Pinecrest Nursing Home, where the coronavirus outbreak has killed 29 residents and the wife of a resident.

“Community transmission in a village of 3,000 is a fact of life. All of the volunteers are doing their best to stay healthy and hope they can avoid becoming ill to keep doing deliveries,” says sales rep Shawn Lackie of the brokerage’s Lindsay office. He collected stories of what agents were doing in Coldwell Banker R.M.R.’s 10 offices.

The Mash Team (Linda, John and Corinne) from Coldwell Banker R.M.R.’s Whitby office has made and given away more than 50 hand sanitizers in the

Kathryn Johnson

The team at Re/Max of Wasaga Beach is making facemasks and donating needed supplies to the local hospital.

The Mash Team at Coldwell Banker R.M.R. made and distributed hand sanitizer.

last few weeks.

Deborah Glover from the Brooklin office delivered 50 Easter bunnies with personalized letters to each client. “I sanitized the bunny prior to putting it and the letter in a sealed clear bag,” she says. “The bag was placed on the front step, the doorbell was rung and I retreated to the driveway or sidewalk.

When the doors opened, the look of joy was evident on every person’s face. With most people being home all the time, with little or no connection to the outside world, the opportunity to see a familiar face was often overwhelming.

There were tears, distance hugs and in all cases, a deep sense of gratitude. I have never had this type of reception from any other pop-by campaign and it’s hard to say who was more touched by the meeting, the client or me.”

Kathryn Johnson from the Lindsay office told Lackie she was somehow able to find three large boxes of toilet paper (each containing 48 rolls), which she donated to women’s shelters in Lindsay.

“It was a small gesture of an everyday essential item that I for one have never thought to donate

A thank-you note received by Max Hahne and Tammy Abbotts from a local family.

Anna Soriana, right, and her daughter show off their masks.

before,” she says. “It’s usually toys, clothing or food, the more common items.

“But I realized it is an item most certainly overlooked and taken for granted in our regular everyday lives. We realize in times like these when our worlds are turned upside down what an enormous effect on how low and desperate one can feel without having such a basic essential.”

■ ■ ■

Michelle Perrault and her husband Cody Lew have set up a food shelter on the lawn of their property in Langley to provide perishable and non-perishable food, as well as toiletries and books, to people in need due to COVID-19. Michelle, a sales rep with Sutton Group – West Coast Realty and Cody, an associate broker with Re/Max Treeland Realty, say they will do their best to keep it stocked.

The couple is also inviting people with special requests to drop a note in their mailbox and they say they will do their best to accommodate requests, even offering to make deliveries. She also invites people in the community to add essentials to the food shelter and

Monty Laskin, CEO of Caledon Community Services, with Rayissa Palmer.

Taking part in the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser, from left: Ashley Cathrall, office administrator; sales reps Nikki Mullin and Karen Maguire; broker Sharon Busse; and Karen Docherty, spouse of broker of record/owner Trevor Docherty.

REM MAY 2020 25

leave words of encouragement and caring. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Initially, Cody and I had wanted to offer a free community library, since we have many books to share, but we watched the pandemic worsen day after day for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems and now people are losing their jobs. We wanted to do something to help,â&#x20AC;?

Perrault says. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

Engel & VĂślkers Collingwood Muskoka license partners Max Hahne and Tammy Abbotts offered Hahneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commission from a timely real estate transaction to families and seniors in his community. Through a call out to those in need on his social media and through word of mouth, along with support from clients and friends who found out about his initiatives, Hahne helped 15 families and seven seniors during these turbulent times. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

Anna Soriano, a sales rep with Sutton - Premier Realty in Surrey, B.C. recently purchased elastic and bolts of fabric and then sewed

dozens of face masks for the nurses, kitchen workers, care aides, dietary staff and the housekeeping team at a long-term care home. It recently reported a COVID-19 contamination. Her masks are made with fine weave fabric and offer some protection.

Soriano says when she delivered her gifts to the care home, â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were so happy with the masks and I committed to making 100 more. Their thank you from the bottom of their hearts is more than enough to make me want to sew more.â&#x20AC;?

One metre of fabric plus elastic costs $7, which makes approximately 10 masks. Paper and fabric masks may help to reduce the spread of droplets that carry the coronavirus.

Since the initial batch, Soriano has made dozens more masks, with the help of her family. Check out her Facebook page. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

Carol Chen and Shawn Fang of Sutton Group Realty Services in Oakville, Ont. are supporters of their local hospital. When the COVID-19 crisis escalated in Canada, Chen and Fang, along

with four other team volunteers, launched the Oakville Chinese Community Response Fund, raising $30,000 within just two days for the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. The total has since passed $35,000. The team has promoted the GoFundMe campaign on Twitter, Facebook, WeChat and through direct connections.

Fang discovered that it takes a few weeks for a GoFundMe campaign to get up and running and then deliver funds to the hospital.

Knowing time was of the essence, many of the volunteers made significant personal donations to purchase PPE. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

License partners Scott Piercy and James LeBlanc of Engel & VĂślkers Vancouver Island launched a small business grant program to help local businesses in Victoria fight through the impacts of COVID-19 on business operations.

Each month the shop is giving away one $500 grant to a local business owner. A call out was made on social media for participants to nominate business owners

in need. The recipient will be picked at the end of every month.

This program is a recurring giveaway that will continue until the times of uncertainty are over, say Piercy and LeBlanc.

The first grant recipient was Third Space Movement, a local fitness studio that received over 45 nominations from the community. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

Among the rolling hills, charming cottages and pastures of horses grazing in the picturesque countryside of the Caledon, Ont. area, many are surprised to discover that there are single mothers and underemployed people struggling to feed and clothe themselves and their families. Broker Rayissa Palmer of Sutton Group - Old Mill Realty in Toronto was one of five members of the Terra Cotta Professional Women in Business group to participate in the Coldest Night of the Year on Feb. 22. This nation-wide event funds programs to help lift people out of poverty so that families may thrive. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Terra Cotta Women Rock team was number one in local fundraising for Caledonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first ever Coldest Night of the Year

walk in support of Caledon Community Services,â&#x20AC;? says Palmer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We raised $4,370 achieving 145 per cent of our original goal of $3,000. For the event in Caledon, there were 143 walkers and collectively we raised more than $23,050.â&#x20AC;?

In addition to mentorship, philanthropy is the key focus of the group. They regularly support local charities by fundraising, gift giving and volunteering. Their contributions will benefit Caledon Community Services, which strives to provide food, clothing, transportation and job search assistance. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

With the goal of helping the hungry, hurting and homeless, six representatives of Sutton Group Muskoka Realty of Huntsville, Ont., including broker Sharon Busse, also walked in the Coldest Night of the Year fundraiser.

Through personal donations and a Facebook campaign, they raised awareness of the issues and $1,185 for the Table Soup Kitchen. This local, non-profit, non-denominaContinued on page 26

Nick Fundytus, sales rep with Royal LePage Performance Realty and marketing administrator Stephanie Ross celebrate thousands of dollars raised for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

From left: Oakville Chinese Community Response Fund members Suzanne Hallsworth, Carol Chen, Shawn Fang and Joyce Dong.

Darren Balaberda RE/MAX Blue Chip Realty, Yorkton, SK

Why RE/MAX? â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I entered into the Real Estate Industry, RE/MAX was there to provide me the education and support to become successful. The high standards and professionalism set by RE/MAX creates the separation required to be different from my competitors. For many new agents starting out itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like walking into the thick jungle. When I started, RE/MAX already cleared a path for me to walk through it. To be the best, join the best.â&#x20AC;?

Scott Piercy and James LeBlanc of Engel & VĂślkers Vancouver Island launched a small business grant program.

Dean Michel and Jennifer Bacon

Stephanie Winger

joinremax.ca

26 REM MAY 2020

Good Works Continued from page 25

tional, Christian organization operates a soup kitchen, food bank and men’s shelter.

Considering that the event took place in mid-February – a time of year when Canadians can expect wild winter weather – they were fortunate, Busse says. “The sidewalks were a bit icy, but it really wasn’t the coldest night. We had a lot of fun for a great cause and we have already marked our calendars for next year.”

■ ■ ■

Nick Fundytus, a sales rep with Royal LePage Performance Realty in Ottawa raised $3,500 at a charity bonspiel held on Feb. 29 in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. The proceeds were directed to Nelson House, an Ottawa women’s shelter.

Sixty curlers on 12 teams participated in the fun and friendly tournament and raised additional funds through a silent auction, 50/50 draw and donations.

“Our women’s shelter is such an important part of our community, and I’m proud to support them through this tournament and regu-

lar donations from my commissions,” says Fundytus.”

■ ■ ■

Dean Michel and Jennifer Bacon of Century 21 Granite Realty Group in Haliburton Village, Ont. hosted their firstannual Family Day Skate party on Balsam Lake in early February. The event raised more than $750 and a large collection of food for the Coboconk Food Bank. Attendees spent the day skating and playing hockey on the nature-made rink, then enjoyed s’mores and hot cocoa by a bonfire.

The Coboconk food bank works with community members, local businesses and organizations to gather, store and distribute food and personal items to those in need.

■ ■ ■

Sutton Group Showplace Realty in Chilliwack, B.C. participated in its fourth Bowl for Kids’ Sake event on March 2 to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Fraser Valley. Eight Chilliwack businesses bowled and together they raised $7,000 through entry fees and donations. It was a playful event with wacky outfits and “crazy

bowl” rules that had players lobbing bowling balls through teammates’ legs, while holding hands, with their eyes closed and more.

“The highlight was the ‘crazy bowl’ round because we had to work together,” says Amber Siemens, office administrator.

“Some of us even got strikes doing those crazy stunts. It just made us all laugh so hard. It was a lot of fun.”

The Sutton Stars team included Kim Parley, Tibor Bogdan, Billie-Jo Thiessen, Crystal De Jager, Amber Siemens and Shane Chisholm.

■ ■ ■

When Jerry Aulenbach from Royal LePage Noralta Real Estate in Edmonton set out on his fifth annual Beards on Ice skating tour, he was determined to make this year’s event his most successful to date. Over nine weeks, beginning in December 2019, Aulenbach achieved his goal, travelling to 20 Canadian cities to host skating parties and collecting more than $15,000 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. In five years, the event has raised over $42,000 to fund domestic violence prevention programs in communities Perfecting their technique at Beards on Ice in Kelowna, B.C. are, from left: Crista MacDermott, Kim Holmes, Jerry Aulenbach and Heather Lee.

From left, Crystal De Jager, Billie-Jo Thiessen and Amber Siemens at the bowling fundraiser.

Members of the Niagara Falls Fire Department perform a Backstreet Boys medley at the annual Lip Sync Battle. Photo courtesy of Electric Dreams Video.

Beards on Ice skaters are welcomed to Kingston, Ont. by a world champion town crier. From left: Elizabeth Stewart, town crier Chris Whyman, Jerry Aulenbach, Kellianne Gray and Jane Furter.

Renee Oake, left, and Vanessa Oake Hogan

across Canada.

Aulenbach is already planning his sixth annual event.

■ ■ ■

On Feb. 28, 20 teams braved the cold for the 34th annual Carl Oake Swimathon in Peterborough, Ont. With the help of almost 100 swimmers, volunteers and Century 21 United Realty staff, the event raised over $45,000 for Easter Seals and the Rotary Club of Peterborough. Since 1987, this event has raised over $1.2 million to help Canadians living with disabilities and to support local initiatives such as the school breakfast programs, the YMCA and the Rotary Greenway Trail.

Vanessa Oake Hogan of Century 21 United Realty cochaired the event, while her father Carl Oake was out of town. Carl started the Swimathon 34 years ago by getting his friends and family to donate 10 cents for every lap he swam. This year, his daughter Renee Oake took her father’s place and completed 136 lengths.

“I am so grateful for the people of Peterborough coming together to give back to this community.

With them braving the cold in their swimsuits and wacky outfits, we were able to raise over $45,000 to help our neighbours and Easter Seals participants,” says Oake Hogan.

■ ■ ■

Sales rep Amy Layton hosted the fourth annual Lip Sync Battle in November, raising $13,000 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. Layton is a sales rep with Royal LePage NRC Realty in Niagara Falls, Ont. More than 200 attendees of all ages filled the Greg Frewin Theatre to cheer on contestants from the community who battled against one another in two rounds of lip syncing performances.

Brandon Stafford, a local actor, was crowned the winner – the first man to do so in four years – after performing as C+C Music Factory and Shania Twain. Another fan favorite performance was a crew from the Niagara Falls Fire Department lip syncing to a Backstreet Boys medley.

Funds were raised by ticket sales, a 50/50 draw and a designer bag draw courtesy of The Purse Project Niagara. The proceeds were directed to Women’s Place of South Niagara, an organization

providing safe shelter and counselling to women and children experiencing domestic violence.

Since 2016, the event has raised more than $26,000. This year’s battle is scheduled to take place on Thursday, Nov. 5.

■ ■ ■

By building philanthropy into her business model, WindsorEssex, Ont. sales rep Stephanie Winger of Vision Realty Local is turning her real estate sales into homes for families made homeless in disaster or crisis situations around the world.

Winger partners with ShelterBox, a global disaster relief organization. She donates a portion of her commission towards providing shelter and household supplies to displaced families around the world.

Items often included are an emergency tent to live in, solar lights, a water purifier, cooking equipment, blankets, a mosquito net and a toolset. ShelterBox also deploys shelter kits, which repair damaged homes or can transform into single shelter for a family in need.

“I am always looking for a way to give back, and it seemed like a natural connection,” says Winger.

“I find a home for a client here; I then am able to provide a home for a family who is displaced somewhere else in the world.”

ShelterBox’s Buy a Home, Give a Home program was launched in the U.S. by Realtor Brian Fox. It is designed for real estate professionals who wish to build philanthropy into their business model. For each home sold, the Realtor commits to providing a shelter kit or shelter box for a family after a disaster, ensuring a family has the ability to recover.

“I have already received a great response from clients. They are excited to see that I support ShelterBox. They are glad that, through me, they are able to be a part of giving a home to a family. It was really a way for me to combine my passion for ShelterBox with my clients’ desire to also give back,” says Winger.

For information about Buy a Home, Give a Home, visit https://www.shelterboxcanada.org/ giveahome/ or email community fundraising co-ordinator Allison Kingston at allisonkingston@shelterboxcanada.org. REM

REM MAY 2020 27

This is your wake-up call After this storm has blown through, we can have a better quality of life and provide better client services. But only if we choose to.

By Kathleen Black

I

n these trying times, concentrate on what you can do to optimize your business and life to stay focused on the things you can control.

You need to be proactive in keeping your business going and still provide a high level of service to buyers and sellers. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how to keep your business thriving while optimizing the time youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been gifted by COVID-19.

Mentality: A leadership mentality is what we all need right now. We need to be strategic, proactive and responsive.

Everybodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a different place. Some have a positive outlook about getting through this

The power of this equation is that the outcome is what we focus on. If weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re responsive, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re focusing on the outcome we want.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not in an optimal mindset, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not responsive, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re reactive. This means your decisions will be based on fear, stress and negativity rather than the ease and calmness youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find when your decisions are based on being responsive.

If you lose your power to impact an outcome in your life, you lose all power you have in the situation.

Adaptability: Realize that you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t change everything, but you can change some things.

Spending this time, whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two weeks or 12 months waiting around for the market to get back to normal, for our lives to get back to normal, is not ideal.

You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fight what is. The

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay to realize that your strategy from yesterday doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work today, and you need to update it. trying time, while others are stuck with a negative outlook that is burdening them. No matter what you are feeling right now, if you develop a responsive mindset, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be stronger, more positive and able to help others. It is absolutely vital for leaders to be responsive to whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on around us. When people are experiencing fear, or stress, you must adjust to an optimal mindset as soon as possible.

The formula for an optimal mindset is E+R = O. That stands for an Event that occurs, your Response to it and the Outcome you want to come from it.

world has changed, our circumstances have changed. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you can adjust.

People are pivoting fast, using their adaptability skills. If you sit around and wait for change, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re losing the momentum you can build now, and you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be prepared for the potential market change once this is all over.

You make do with what you have, to create more.

Your goal is to make sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re coming from positive energy. If the highest energy wins, you want it to be because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready.

You have educated yourself and

you are a consultant and want to serve.

Sometimes when something is causing anxiety, you have to think how youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be feeling after this is over and how it will be a memory in your past. Right now it feels like itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never going to end but it will, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to focus on the small things you can do to put your future self in the best position.

We all have the ability to change and develop right now.

After this storm has blown through, we can have a better quality of life, we can have better client services, we can absorb this tension to persevere. But only if we choose to.

Communication: There are concerns when it comes to communicating with clients right now. There are a lot of different ideas and guidance surrounding this issue. The danger is that all of these are getting put into the same pot.

You want to send communication that shows empathy, You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t under-communicate with your client, you want to make sure theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hearing your perspective and you are proactive with their immediate concerns. You want to bring care and concern for the market, to bring goodwill.

Teams and businesses are still getting leads and it is still necessary to respond to these leads.

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re calling a follow-up from before the outbreak, build a stronger rapport. Have a softer call, ask how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing, if they need anything. Only then should you feel out talking about real estate. It would be very insensitive and tone deaf to call and only talk about real estate as if nothing in our world has happened or changed.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to stay organized and write detailed notes in your CRM. Active buyers and sellers need to hear from you. They need to hear your new reformatted protocol for how youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re supporting buyers and sellers safely, and what

requests youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making for outside agents showing the property.

Sending out emails is a wonderful way to keep your clients connected, talking about the updates on tax deadlines, mortgage rates and emergency government programs, keeping them in the loop.

With so much happening, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to keep your circle informed and proactive.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice to want to wait until we have all the information, but things are changing daily, sometimes hourly. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s okay to realize that your strategy from yesterday doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work today, and you need to update it.

Using these three categories will allow you to become more proactive and productive with your business, brokerage or team.

Remember, there are no hard stops with fast starts. We are cre-

ating our future outcomes now.

Set your routine, focus on top priorities first and spend this time or â&#x20AC;&#x153;pauseâ&#x20AC;? creating the life and business you want in the future.

Only you can decide if this time will be an investment in your business or a cost. What if you woke up 12 to 18 months from now grateful for this wake-up call?

What if you looked back and saw these moments as integral to a better quality of life and improved business?

Keep your hands on the wheel, look where you want to go and stay focused in that direction.

Stay safe and stay strategic.

Kathleen Black is one of North Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading real estate team coaches, delivering her proven success techniques to agents and teams across North America. www.ittakeREM sa.team

Keith Roy RE/MAX Select Realty, Vancouver, BC

Why RE/MAX? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I used to work for a great independent brand, but nothing compares to being part of a global network of professionals.

RE/MAX has the critical mass to provide me the tools to grow my business, the network to learn from others, and the contacts to grow my referral business.

gives me the opportunity to be around so many agents who are more successful than myself which helps me grow and be a better agent.â&#x20AC;?

!

joinremax.ca

28 REM MAY 2020

Should a deposit be part of the damages award?

By Shaneka Shaw Taylor & Eugenia Bashura

W

hen a buyer fails to close a real estate transaction and the seller is awarded damages, should the seller credit the deposit to the damages award or should the seller be allowed to keep it in addition to the award?

The Court of Appeal dealt with this question in the Azzarello v.

Shawqi decision.

The sellers, Mark and Eliza Azzarello, listed their home for sale in March 2017 for $1,398,000 during a very “hot” real estate market in the Greater Toronto Area.

Ahmed Sabri Shawqi, the buyer, offered them $1,555,000. The Azzarellos accepted this offer and Shawqi paid a $75,000 deposit.

Afterwards, the Azzarellos agreed to buy a new home near Hamilton.

They took out a bridge loan to

complete that purchase as well as to conduct some renovations on the new home.

On the date set for closing, after receiving several extensions, Shawqi failed to close. The Azzarellos relisted the property and ultimately sold it for $1,280,000.

The Azzarellos commenced an action against Shawqi for breach of the Agreement of Purchase and Sale (APS). This action was decided summarily (without a full trial) on a summary judgment motion.

The motion judge awarded the Azzarellos $308,688.31 in damages, which consisted of the difference in price ($275,000) and the consequential losses incurred by the Azzarellos (cost of the staging, legal fees, carrying costs of the property and interest on the line of credit).

Importantly, the motion judge also allowed the Azzarellos to keep the deposit and not credit it to the damages award. In other words, the Azzarellos were awarded the total damages of $308,688.31 plus they

kept the $75,000 deposit. Shawqi appealed.

The Court of Appeal found that the motion judge erred by holding that the deposit be forfeited and not credited to the Azzarellos’ damages.

The Court of Appeal started the discussion by outlining settled law on what happened to deposits under various circumstances: • If a real estate transaction was completed according to the terms of the APS, unless the parties contracted otherwise in the APS, the deposit would be credited to the purchase price; • If the sellers breached the APS, the deposit would be returned to the buyers; and • If the buyers beached the APS but the sellers suffered no loss, the buyers would forfeit the deposit, without proof of any damage suffered. If the buyers wanted to, they could ask a court for relief against the forfeiture of the deposit.

The circumstances of this case

were that the buyer, Shawqi, breached the APS and the sellers, the Azzarellos, suffered a loss entitling them to damages. The law on this issue was not well settled.

The Court of Appeal held that the purpose of the deposit was to compensate the Azzarellos for the lost opportunity in having taken the property off the market as well as the loss in bargaining power resulting from the Azzarellos having revealed to the market the price at which they had been willing to sell. Thus, the Azzarellos were entitled to keep the deposit.

The question was whether they were entitled to keep the deposit in addition to their damages award.

The Court of Appeal reviewed the standard terms of the APS signed by the parties and found that the only term mentioning the deposit was the provision stating that the deposit would be credited to the purchase price on completion of the transaction. From this, it could be inferred that the parties intended the deposit would be

applied as a credit to the payment obligation owed by Shawqi to the Azzarellos, whether the transaction failed or not. Since Shawqi had already paid the Azzarellos $75,000 as the deposit, the Azzarellos had to credit this amount towards their total damages award of $308,688.31 so that in the end Shawqi owed the Azzarellos a total of $233,688.31.

Due to the standard wording used in the APS, the Azzarellos were not entitled to “double recover” by keeping the deposit in addition to their damages award.

Eugenia Bashura joined Boghosian + Allen LLP in 2019 to complete her articles. She is a graduate of the University of Windsor.

Shaneka Shaw Taylor is a partner at Boghosian + Allen LLP where she practices municipal, commercial and real property litigation. She is also a licensed real estate salesperson with Forest Hill Real Estate. She has authored several articles and speaks regularly on topical municipal ligation and civil litigation matters. She recently authored The Annotated Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 and Regulations (LexisNexis Canada). Phone 416-367-5558 ext. 214; email staylor@boglaw.ca REM

Nova Scotia home made of 612,000 recycled bottles A

home recently listed by Engel & Völkers Halifax is made from 612,000 recycled PET bottles, says builder JD Composites.

Listed by James Dwyer, the home at 39 Sunset Lane in Meteghan River, N.S. is priced at $490,000. The builder says the 2,000-sq.-ft. openconcept home outperforms traditional construction with its patented structural panels providing unrivaled insulation, low-maintenance living and a life expectancy of over 250 years. The home is wind and fire-resistant.

Element Materials Technologies performed an analysis using wind tunnel speeds up to 326 mph, twice the strength of a Category 5 hurricane, the company says.

“It’s both exciting and rewarding to represent a home that puts green

efficiency first. It’s not just a house, it’s an entire concept,” says Dwyer. “The biggest selling points are its functionality and durability. It’s fire, hurricane, mould and mildew resistant, as well as energy efficient. This type of home is a rarity in Halifax, especially at this price point.”

Joel German and David Saulnier of JD Composites created, designed and built the home in about a year.

The company plans to use its patented technology to develop flood-proof housing for flood zones.

“Plastic waste in landfills and oceans is a major issue we’re tackling with this technology. We intend to make a real impact in the industry, not just a one-off project,” says German.

“We are the first to use PET to build an entire home, and plan to

continue advancing this technology as we lead the industry in this new frontier for both residential and commercial development,” says Saulnier.

REM

Joel German and David Saulnier of JD Composites created, designed and built the home in about a year.

The builder says the 2,000sq.-ft. open-concept home outperforms traditional construction.

REM MAY 2020 29

O

kanagan Realtor Anthony Bastiaanssen has been elected 2020-2021 president of the British Columbia Real Estate Association. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now more than ever, Realtors need the support of a strong provincial association working cohesively with local real estate boards,â&#x20AC;? says Bastiaanssen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I look forward to serving the profession as BCREAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new president and helping to provide stability and support so Realtors can continue to meet the challenges of a changing sector.â&#x20AC;?

Bastiaanssen has been a Realtor with Re/Max Kelowna Westside since 2006 and received his managing brokersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; license in 2013. He previously served as a director and president of the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board.

Joining Bastiaanssen as officers of the association are presidentelect Dan Morrison of Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Realty Canada, who served as president of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver in 2016; past president Michael Trites of Royal LePage Northstar Realty; and BCREA CEO Darlene Hyde.

BCREA welcomes new Realtor directors Tim Ayres (Sooke) and Darren Close (Kimberley). Returning Realtor directors include Gianpiero Furfaro (Sun Peaks), Ray Harris (Port Coquitlam), Cory Raven (Vancouver) and Janice Stromar (Nanaimo). Public directors Kam Raman and Mark Sakai are also returning. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

The London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR) has named association veteran Bill Madder as CEO for the organization. â&#x20AC;&#x153;LSTAR is excited to welcome Bill to the association, during a pivotal time for the real estate profession and housing industry,â&#x20AC;? says

Blair Campbell, 2020 LSTAR president. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bill brings an extensive background in all facets of real estate and is one of the most respected leaders across Canada.â&#x20AC;?

Madder served as CEO of the Association of Saskatchewan Realtors (ASR) for the last 19 years. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been in the real estate industry since 1979, working as a salesperson and broker/sales manager, then serving on association boards and committees. He began his association career as EO of the Brandon Real Estate Board. In 2016, CREA awarded Madder with the AE (Association Executive) Network Award of Excellence.

Under his leadership, ASR achieved major wins for the profession, including the reduction of education property taxes and legislation changes to allow Realtors to incorporate their business, says LSTAR. He also solidified key government and business relationships, paving the way for ASR and its Realtor members to sit at the table with decision makers on issues impacting the profession, such as housing affordability, LSTAR says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As one of the leading real estate associations in Canada, I am looking forward to the opportunity of collaborating closely with members, as we work together to lead LSTAR into the future,â&#x20AC;? says Madder. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The industry continues to evolve. The highest priority is supporting the membership, who passionately serve people in communities from Strathroy, London, Middlesex County, St. Thomas and Elgin County.â&#x20AC;?

Madder succeeds John Geha, who served as CEO from 2016 to 2019. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

The Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) elected Doug Leighton to serve as the 17th chair of the Board of Governors. He has served on the board since 2015 as a

public member appointment, representing Alberta businesses. He will serve a two-year term. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our province, the real estate industry and Albertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s communities were already facing significant economic challenges, which have resulted in reduced community investment by corporations, other foundations and philanthropists,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In contrast, the foundation has stepped up our investments and collaboration with others to leverage economic, environmental and social benefits for Albertans.â&#x20AC;?

Leighton says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The situation has since escalated into a critical public health and economic emergency with the unfolding COVID19 pandemic that affects all Albertans. In response, the foundation is adding greater flexibility for our grantees and exploring opportunities to respond nimbly and collaboratively to the needs of our stakeholders.â&#x20AC;?

Leighton says his priority as chair is to continue delivering on the purpose and mandate of the foundation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The foundation was established almost 30 years ago through far-sighted provincial legislation. Since that time, the foundation has received the interest from the many small trust accounts of individual real estate brokers.

These public funds are then aggregated and re-invested into research, education, innovation and projects for the benefit of both the real estate industry and all Albertans. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a great board and team, all focused on improving and building on our successful track record of the past 30 years,â&#x20AC;? he says.

Leighton is currently principal of EDG (Environmental Design Group) specializing in planning, urban design and sustainable development. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

The Manitoba Real Estate Association (MREA) says it is the first real estate association in Canada to implement an external education advisory board. The purpose of the board is â&#x20AC;&#x153;to support the enhancement of real estate education development and delivery in Manitoba, for the benefit of Manitoba real estate registrants, and ultimately for the benefit of the Manitoba public,â&#x20AC;? says MREA.

The group will provide advice to MREAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Education on both systemic matters relating to the development and delivery of real estate education, as well as on specific matters that are a priority for review. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are excited about working with this group of highly educated and respected academic advisors.

The board membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; collective education and experience will help MREA drive continuous improvement to our professional education to enhance the quality, validity and verification of our course offerings,â&#x20AC;? says Glen Tosh, MREA 2020 president.

Board members include Chris Bell, educational technology spe-

Anthony Bastiaanssen

cialist for the Centre for Learning and Innovation at Assiniboine Community College; Joan Holmstrom, director of competence at the Manitoba Canadian Centre for Legal Education for the Law Society of Manitoba; Kenneth Molloy, academic program manager in the Professional and Applied Continuing Education (PACE) office at the University of Winnipeg; Rosemary Vogt, an assistant professor in the Redekop School of Business (RSB) at the Canadian Mennonite University (CMU); and Lori Wallace, senior scholar at the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning at the University of Manitoba. REM

Bill Madder

Doug Leighton

LĂŠo Bruneau RE/MAX All Points Realty, Coquitlam, BC

Why RE/MAX? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been over 20 years Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been blessed with the support and networking of RE/MAX. An absolutely incredible ride growing my business, meeting and learning from RE/MAX agents across the country, and meeting my beautiful wife and in-laws who are also part of the RE/MAX family.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proud to be a community-minded RE/MAX agent, supporting Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Miracle Network!â&#x20AC;?

joinremax.ca

30 REM MAY 2020

What’s

New BrokerBay system now used by more than 25,000 agents When you work in business and a system doesn’t work, what do you do? If you’re Costa Ntoukas or Pavel Choulguine, you create something better.

BrokerBay co-founders Ntoukas, the CEO, and Choulguine, the CTO, designed a modern front desk software/brokerage ecosystem designed to reduce call volume by 43 per cent and make confirmations three times faster.

In about six months, 300 to 500 agents were using their BrokerBay technology. Now 18 months later, the Ontario-wide system is being used by over 25,000 agents in the GTA alone, says Michael Gruenstein,

director of sales.

The all-encompassing system integrates real estate functions and streamlines the day for agents, front desk administrators, buyers and sellers, says Gruenstein. “It’s the most modern and intelligent platform capturing, accessing, booking, centralizing, notifying and messaging, sharing, tracking, recruiting, auditing trails, communicating and guaranteeing 100per-cent safe delivery of all appointments to wow administration, agents and customers.”

The current inefficient process for appointments goes something like this, Gruenstein says. “Co-op calls listing broker. Listing broker calls seller. Listing broker calls cooperating broker. Co-operating broker pages agent. Repeat. Hold times. Missed appointments.

Missed feedback. Missed confirmations. Paging. Angry sellers.

This process is way too cumbersome and it’s a source of too many mistakes, frustrations and costs” for brokerages. He says 4.5 million calls are made each year in Ontario to request and confirm appointments.

BrokerBay eliminates the need for IT people at the brokerage (servers are cloud-based) and reduces the amount of work for front desk staff by 40 to 50 per cent so they’re free to do more important tasks, the company says. The system also acts as a recruitment tool because

“younger, newer agents love technology,” he says.

Messaging and notifications are tracked, and an automated algorithm triggers notifications if messages are not picked up. It tracks engagement of buyers, sellers and agents.

“Clients are also telling us that due to BrokerBay in these times of more remote workers, they’re really loving the chat and modern communication tools we provided, as opposed to the one-way paging they’ve been using,” Gruenstein says.

In a nutshell, it consolidates functions in one seamless cloudbased system that was designed to be accessible to all ages and interests. Agents who don’t want to be engaged don’t have to be.

Those who want to take advantage of the system but aren’t comfortable with technology will find the system easy to use because it’s intuitive, Gruenstein says. BrokerBay ran a test with two 60-year-old individuals, who had worked as administrators for 20 years. They tried BrokerBay and another system without instruction. It took them four minutes to book an appointment on one system and 35 seconds on BrokerBay. Gruenstein says administrators won’t lose their jobs to the technology. “It frees up more time to do important tasks and offers

ILS.REALESTATE

500 BROKERS NETWORKING EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE PUBLIC

Leader’s Edge Training gives free access to Agent Success app

416-214-4875 / 1-877-272-1721

Paralegal for the Real Estate Industry

AVI ROSEN

FRI. SCMF. AMB

Real Estate Broker (Nearly 50 Years) • Paralegal Direct: (416) 818-6130 • www.rosen.ca

Costa Ntoukas

Legal Focus on the Real Estate Industry

Collective brainpower team of analysts in the Real Estate Industry with decades of experience and know how • BREACH OF BUYERS REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT • LANDLORD/TENANT DISPUTES • RECO AND TREB COMPLAINTS, REPLY LETTERS, APPEALS AND REPRESENTATION BEFORE THE BOARD • ABOVE GUIDELINES RENT INCREASE REPRESENTATION AND PROPERTY TAX APPEALS • SMALL CLAIMS COURT

That is who I am

them a better view of the organization.”

Sellers have options for how to communicate. If they’re old school, notes will tell everyone on the system they need a phone call.

Otherwise they can opt for text or email correspondence.

Broker Bay also has the largest verified network of “off market” properties across Ontario, Gruenstein says. That provides a tool so agents can write more business and trade sensitive listings (assignment sales, coming soons, exclusives).

Showings are down dramatically due to COVID-19. “We’ve seen a sizable growth in the number of listings being added to our exclusive network. Sellers and agents are leveraging the network to premarket properties now more than ever,” Gruenstein says.

“I built the system I wanted to use as an agent,” says Ntoukas, a licensed broker for 14 years. He no longer sells real estate, instead running his company full time for the past two years.

Before BrokerBay, the systems in use were built in the late 1980s and early 1990s and had not evolved with the times, he says. In 80 per cent of offices, systems were hosted locally. The brokerage had a server beside the reception desk, but that has been replaced by the BrokerBay system.

“We’ve had nothing but positive feedback,” Gruenstein says.

The premium service costs $10 to $15 per user per month.

Visit BrokerBay.ca for more information. – Connie Adair

Pavel Choulguine

Leader’s Edge Training, based in Barrie, Ont., is now offering its Agent Success app to all brokerages and agents for free.

“As the impact of the coronavirus spreads, we wanted to do something to bolster the industry,” says Chris Leader, founder of Leader’s Edge Training. “We realize that as agents are forced to work remotely and they’re isolated from their colleagues and managers, it becomes harder to keep a consistent workflow. Because the Agent Success App is an accountability tool, it has huge value

today. And rather than only making it available to our clients, we want to give everyone the opportunity to use it at no cost.”

The Agent Success App works like a fitness app for an agent’s real estate business, the company says.

It takes the agent’s income goal

The Agent Success App works like a fitness app for an agent’s real estate business, the company says. and turns it into activity targets for the year, month and day.

Agents keep track of their key business activities – prospecting, appointments, contracts and sales – and the app shows them their progress.

“It’s really about focusing on the fundamental activities and reminding agents that they need to keep filling their pipeline, no matter what else is going on,” says Tina Leader, the company’s COO. “We really believe agents have to treat real estate like a business, and that ethos is baked into the app.”

Download it on the App Store or Google Play.

Leader’s Edge Training has an online Virtual Training program with more than 16 hours of video tutorials covering 14 different aspects of the real estate industry.

The company has a staff of 15 trainers and coaches.

“When we created our online learning platform 10 years ago, we did it as a resource for smaller brokerages who weren’t able to host outside trainers to do on-site work,” Leader says. “Because the online pieces, which are delivered in shorter segments, have the same content as our six-week onsite training, we found that many of our clients often used the videos as a refresher. Now, because of the pandemic, so many brokerages and individual agents have adjusted and are taking advantage REM of our online platform.”

REM MAY 2020 31

For the moment, a change of pace

By Dan St. Yves t’s a pretty sure bet that as I sit down to write this month’s column, the COVID-19 pandemic will still be affecting our daily lives by the time this feature is shared with you. It seemed insensitive or somewhat tone-deaf to simply put forward the usual submission I provide and ignore that reality.

So I will take a break from humour right now, and hopefully as we turn the corner in the months ahead there will be a time and a place for that once again.

I thought I might rather highlight some of the other features that have occasionally crept into these columns over the years that

I

you may not be aware of, in the hopes you may enjoy some of those writings and recordings while you are practicing social distancing or isolation. I’ll provide some online links to those features in a moment.

In addition to writing humour columns for newspapers and magazines over the past couple of decades, that work expanded in recent times to a focus on a specific genre of music artists. While I’ve long been an ardent fan of music, and especially Canadian music, over the past few years I’ve had the good fortune of interviewing and reviewing folk, roots, blues and Americana/Canadiana artists from coast to coast here, and even across the globe. Many of those reviews and interviews are still online in the Calgary Herald, but they’re also complemented by a series of podcasts that I put together as a companion feature for those columns.

As popular as many of these singer/songwriters are here at

home, just as many are in extremely high demand around the world. Time and time again during my interviews these artists shared stories of recurring trips they embark upon year after year to other countries with a deep appreciation for their work.

You can find the interviews on my podcast site (http://thatdanguy.libsyn.com/) or you can download them/listen for free in iTunes (thatdanguy’s Podcast), as well as from iHeart radio.

Over the course of the folk and roots music focus, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with David Francey, Don Amero, Belle Plaine, Shari Ulrich, Rawlins Cross, Red Moon Road, John Wort Hannam, Jeffery Straker, Mary Gauthier, Mitch Dorge (Crash Test Dummies), the late Laura Smith, Séan McCann (Great Big Sea), Tom Wilson (Junkhouse, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings) and Barney Bentall – to name just a handful.

Each and every artist was gracious and earnestly shared nuggets from

their careers and their work. You’ll discover a lot about our country by listening to these broadcasts.

Every home has a library of some sort, be that virtual or digital. Many of you may be listening to music day and night to get through this crisis. You can learn more about these musicians and maybe even discover a new favourite artist through these downloads.

Maybe your library leans more towards books, TV or movies. I’ve also had a chance to chat with some authors and actors over the years – for which you can visit my YouTube channel to catch some of those.

You can view videos there with W. Bruce Cameron (8 Simple Rules, A Dog’s Purpose) and watch my own very Canadian deference when asking a question of the legendary comedian Jerry Lewis. Plus there are loads of video interviews with more of those aforementioned recording artists, and

actors including George Wendt from Cheers and Richard Karn from Home Improvement.

Another common theme in many of these interviews is about the selfless campaigns many of these public figures do annually in their communities or across Canada, raising funds for those less fortunate. Quite a sense of pride in how these artists give back and try to make Canada a better place.

Hopefully my next column can get back to making you laugh, but in the meantime, you may get a few laughs from some of these features. I’m hoping you can also discover musicians you may not be aware of – our wealth of talent here in Canada relies on us discovering and supporting them.

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

Time management = better balance

By Sue Styles rett Wilson is one of Canada’s favourite dragons from the CBC show Dragon’s Den. He wrote a book called Redefining Success after he lost his family in the pursuit of business and riches. I have it here on my shelf. One excerpt says, “Along the path to business success, he tripped over a multitude of misguided priorities. For many years, Wilson pursued business with uncompromising focus, working long hours, seven days a week. In the process his marriage and his health suffered greatly …”

It is true, we get what we focus on.

B

Starting a new career and business is often thrilling and (nerveracking) to begin with, but the excitement of hustling and doing another deal can often merge into and replace other priorities if we are not careful.

In the first few years, you may excuse the constant distractions, but many solopreneurs recognize that long term they may be sacrificing the very things that they are working for.

If balance is something you only dream about, then these tips are for you!

Here are three ways to make the most of your time and guard your priorities: Annually: Look ahead over the whole year in your calendar and block off weekends away, holidays and special evenings like birthdays and anniversaries. If you don’t schedule them in, chances are they will not happen. Sure, you may stumble upon a nice long weekend by chance, but don’t leave it up to

chance. Prioritize it at the beginning of the year when you create your business plan.

Every expert will tell you that marriage and relationships “take work”. My question to you is.

“When are you doing the work?”

Daily: During the hours from 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., engage and be present. Look at your family, not at your phone. The truth is, 75 per cent of your phone activity is not the highest priority.

This is a habit you can control.

Choose to guard your family time like Bobby Orr – nothing is getting through when he’s on defense! Getting your children up and out the door on the right foot and getting your day started by being pro-active rather than reactive can make all the difference in the world.

I also highly recommend that children under 12 can greatly benefit from bedtime stories. A simple night-time routine with attention from you will cover a

multitude of daily interruptions.

And if you have teens (So sorry!

I had four of them at one time, thought my head was going to explode!) even the coolest teen will feel special if dates are blocked off for them once a month. Take a simple Sunday each month, or a night after their sports practice when you give them your focus and just listen to them. Priceless.

Moment by moment: Oprah had a guest on her television show one time who I will never forget, Toni Morrison. She said, “When someone you love comes into the room, see them!” Does your face light-up? A simple habit that takes less than one minute can reap a lifetime of love.

Consider reacting to your family when they enter your space as a privilege and joy rather than an intrusion.

What are the simple, regular moments that you can turn into memories that will last a lifetime?

Just think about it. Cooking in the

kitchen could become a relationship-building tradition. Just as simple as that.

I want your business to soar, but I don’t want you to be the next Brett Wilson, with regrets and severed family relationships. The great thing is that it is never too late!

Brett has exemplified this as he repaired the damage and re-established relationships with all of his children.

Take to heart some simple time management strategies and create the balance that you need, and your family wants.

Sue Styles has been in the real estate industry for more than a decade.

She has managed a brokerage, teaches at the Calgary Real Estate Board and is a certified business coach, professional speaker and author. Her book, The Little Red Stick - What Gets Measured Gets Done reveals all the secrets of high producing agents. Email sue@maximizedresults.com; phone 403-805-7710. REM

Supercharge your business A powerful tech ecosystem

designed to fuel your business today and in the future

“I am new to the business and want to supplement my in-person relationships by building my online presence to grow my database.”

“I have a solid client base and I’m looking for easier ways to stay in touch and generate more repeat and referral business.”

SOLUTION

SOLUTION

Free and Organic Lead Generation Tools

Drive Repeat and Referral Business

• Customizable website and Open House app

• AI-powered Smart CRM

• Unlimited Landing and Squeeze pages

• Behavioural automation for past client nurturing

• Social media promotion

• Automated listings marketing for digital, social and print

Nathan Newcomer

Valerie Veteran

“I want to generate leads for my team and provide them with the best tools to boost conversion rates.”

SOLUTION

Team Branding, Lead Generation and Smart CRM • Team website and targeted lead routing • Integrated Google and Facebook paid advertising and retargeting campaigns • Robust reporting, business analytics and performance tracking

Randy Rainmaker

Ready to take your business to the next level? Contact your local Royal LePage office. rlp.ca/officesearch

This is not intended as a solicitation of any sales representatives or brokers that are currently under contract. All offices are independently owned and operated, except those marked as “Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd.”, “Royal LePage West Real Estate Services” and “Royal LePage Sussex”. Any copying, reproduction, distribution or other use of these materials is prohibited. ©2020 Bridgemarq Real Estate Services Manager Limited. All rights reserved.