November 2011

Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 42218523 - Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to 2255B Queen St. E., #1178, Toronto ON M4E 1G3

Issue #269 November 2011

It’s back!

Better Homes and Gardens returns

Page 3

Gary Morse

In conversation with the CREA president

Page 8

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REM NOVEMBER 2011 3

They’re back:Better Homes and Gardens returns to Canada

By Kathy Bevan

B

etter Homes and Gardens Real Estate has re-established its brand in Canada – the brand’s first expansion outside of the United States. The new master franchisor – Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Canada – is under the direction of Rob Vanden Broek as president and Nelson Goulart as vicepresident of network services and broker of record.

The brokerage owned by Vanden Broek and Goulart has become the brand’s first Canadian brokerage affiliate.

With two offices and 90 agents serving the greater Toronto market, the firm now will do business as Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Signature Service.

Vanden Broek and Goulart were formerly the master franchisors for GMAC Real Estate Canada and the two are hopeful other GMAC franchises in Canada will opt to move under their new Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Canada umbrella.

“GMAC can and will continue to operate in Canada as long as it’s a value that’s aligned with an existing franchisee,” says Vanden Broek. “Our goal – and we’re excited for this – is to make a home available for any of the GMAC franchises who see fit to transition to Better Homes

and Gardens Real Estate, but it’s not a fait accompli.”

GMAC originally bought the real estate business of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate back in 1998, after the latter brand had been operating for 20 years in the U.S. and Canada.

As part of the sales agreement, GMAC had the right to use the Better Homes and Gardens trademark for 10 years, while it transitioned into its new GMAC Real Estate brand.

GMAC Real Estate has since been acquired by Brookfield Residential Property Services, the parent company of Royal LePage.

In 2008, franchising giant Realogy relaunched Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate in the U.S. The brand has since expanded to 23 states, with more than 200 offices and 7,000 sales reps, under the direction of two former Royal LePage executives – Sherry Chris, president and CEO, and Wendy Forsythe, vice-president of network services.

In Canada, Vanden Broek and Goulart appear to be following a slower growth strategy and they aren’t letting any projections of softer real estate market prices in 2012 affect their positive outlook for future opportunities for their brand.

“I don’t really know when it is the perfect time to launch a

At the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Canada launch, from left: Nelson Goulart, vice-president of network services and broker of record; Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens LLC; Wendy Forsythe, vice-president of network services; and Rob Vanden Broek, president of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Canada. (Photo by Marko Shark)

brand, if there is such a thing. I think we look to the wonderful example of what Sherry and Wendy and their team have accomplished in the U.S. in probably some of the tightest, toughest real estate markets that the U.S. has experienced and is still going through,” says Goulart. “I don’t think it is ever easy, in a good market, a slow market or a bad market. I think what it comes down to a lot is leadership. I think Sherry and Wendy have exemplified that in what they’ve achieved in the last three years and we just hope to continue that in Canada.”

Better Homes and Gardens Canada was launched in early October at an event in Mississauga’s Living Arts Centre.

Canada’s best-known mayor, Mississauga’s Hazel McCallion, spoke at the event and praised the real estate profession.

“People don’t give real estate agents the credit they deserve,” said McCallion. “Know that you are a vital part of the growth of any city. It takes organizations like yours to make a great city.”

Goulart and Vanden Broek say they believe their new organization’s focus on consumer

experience will resonate well in Canada.

“Today, more than ever, consumers are confused, they’re worried and what they need is a real estate experience that really understands that and supports them through the process,” says Vanden Broek. “They want a more hands-on experience, they want to be supported. This brand speaks to that, so we’re excited about delivering it to the marketplace now. I think the future is very bright if one looks at it through the experience of one consumer at a time.” REM

REM launches French-language website S

ince 1989, REM has been providing news and information to Canadian real estate professionals. Now we are pleased to announce that REM has launched a French-language

version of our popular www.remonline.com website.

The new French site is at www.remenligne. com. It includes many of the feature stories and articles on our English

site, with an emphasis on Quebec news and events.

Soon REM plans to launch an electronic newsletter to complement the site, and stay tuned for the

launch of REM Revue Immobilière, a print version, in 2012.

If you have news and information that should be in REM in French or English, contact Jim Adair at jim@

remonline.com.

For advertising information for www. remenligne.com or in REM Revue Immobilière, contact Michel Chevalier at michel@ remenligne.com. REM

4 REM NOVEMBER 2011

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 ore than 400 registered delegates, their guests and Sutton staff took part in the Sutton National Conference in Las Vegas recently.

Keynote speaker W. Brett Wilson from CBC television’s Dragon’s Den provided a speech about Leveraging Community Involvement For Your Business and shared his secrets to success.

The conference also featured Bill Rancic from Donald Trump’s original Apprentice, who shared his insights in a presentation called How to Succeed in Business and Life.

More than 20 speakers presented 30 seminars on specific aspects of the real estate business, with

M

new ideas and strategies to expand clientele, incorporate technology into the daily “toolbox” and find inspiration. Top Sutton agents shared their expertise and insights into what makes them successful.

In a question and answer format, delegates asked about their areas of interest and heard responses involving real-life experiences and solutions.

More than 80 exhibitors sponsored the conference and donated prizes and giveaways.

■ ■ ■

More than 450 Century 21 System members celebrated the 35th anniversary of Century 21 in Canada at its annual confer-

ence in Edmonton.

Founder, chairman and CEO U. Gary Charlwood and a business partner bought the master franchise license in 1975 and took sole ownership in the 1980s.

“Century 21 Canada was the first expansion of the brand outside the United States and we’ve since helped many international regions establish footprints in their respective countries,” says Charlwood.

“Additionally, our recent expansion into the Asia Pacific market along with a strong presence in both Japan and China will help Century 21 Canada and our associates take advantage of investment capital coming from these areas.

Karuna Gopalapillai

The future looks brilliant!”

Century 21 Canada has grown from 80 franchise offices in 1976 to over 440 franchise offices across the country in 2011.

Internationally, the brand is in 71 countries with more than 120,000 sales professionals.

■ ■ ■

Kempenfelt Kelly, an established real estate operation in Barrie, Ont., has joined the Coldwell Banker brand and merged with the multi-office company, Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Centre. The new combined operation becomes one of the largest real estate brokerages in the area, with close to 100 agents working in five office locations. It operates as Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Centre.

Tania Artenosi, broker/owner, says, “Barrie has earned a reputation as Canada’s fastest growing city and our company’s growth is a

reflection of where our housing market is heading.”

Real estate veteran Lou Kelly, former owner of Kempenfelt Kelly, is staying on with the new expanded operation as a broker at the Dunlop Street West location in Barrie. A second Barrie location will continue to operate at Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Centre’s existing premises at 49 Essa Rd. Continued on page 6

Sandra O’Donohue

The new Re/Max Professionals Saint John office.

W. Brett Wilson (second from left) from television’s Dragon’s Den with Sutton Group - Professional Realty representatives (from left) Cheryl Lynn Deschamps, Jeannine Hennigar and Alan Hennigar.

The management team at Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Centre, from left: Josh Campbell, broker; Rich DeNicola, regional VP, franchise development, Coldwell Banker Real Estate, New Jersey; John Geha, president, Coldwell Banker Canada; Tania Artenosi, broker/owner; Dean Artenosi, VP operations; Lou and Mary Kelly, formerly of Kempenfelt-Kelly Real Estate; and Bruno Artenosi, broker of record.

Dale Tkatch

Margaret Burniston

Shirley Williams

Brian Persaud

Brenda Macdonald Rowe

Wanda Feeney

6 REM NOVEMBER 2011

Continued from page 4

John Geha, president of Coldwell Banker Canada, addressed the combined sales force at a launch meeting in Barrie.

■ ■ ■

Karuna Gopalapillai, a former Re/Max broker, is now owner of the newest Century 21 office in Toronto, Century 21 Rouge Realty.

Gopalapillai earned his real estate license in 2000. He is also a licensed mortgage broker and life insurance agent. He says his immediate goal is to recruit 100 sales professionals to join his office at 1264 Morningside Ave. in Toronto.

■ ■ ■

Dale Tkatch, broker/owner of the brokerage formerly operating as Coldwell Banker Trinity in Collingwood, Stayner and Wasaga Beach, Ont., has joined the Royal LePage franchise network.

Tkatch’s company will now operate as Royal LePage Trinity Realty.

The brokerage adds 55 sales reps to the company and 17.5 per cent of the board’s unit sales year to date, the company says. Along with Royal LePage All Real Estate Services and Royal LePage Locations North Realty in Collingwood, Meaford and Thornbury, Royal LePage says it is now the local board’s market share leader with 29 per cent share.

■ ■ ■

Re/Max Professionals Saint John has expanded its sales force and reach within the Saint John, N.B. area with the addition of 12 new sales professionals and the opening of a new head office.

“We’re thrilled to bolster our organization with a top-tier group of full-time, seasoned Realtors, all of whom are respected industry professionals,” says Gordon Breau, broker/owner. “Formerly with

Cover photo: MARKO SHARK Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 42218523

Prudential Summit Realty, this astute team, including former broker/owner Brian Cullinan, fits seamlessly into the fold, having operated under similar principals and standards of excellence with exceptional success for many years.”

Cullinan, who has joined Re/Max in a sales capacity, brings to the table close to 40 years of real estate experience, including two decades of franchise ownership and tenures as a former director and president of the Saint John Real Estate Board. He has also served on the Board of Directors for the New Brunswick Real Estate Association.

The brokerage plans further expansion to accommodate future demand, which is expected to increase as a result of population growth and development.

“The timing worked out perfectly, with the deal coming together on the heels of the opening of our new facility – a modern, state-of-the-art real estate hub,” says Breau.

It now accommodates a team of 67 agents.

■ ■ ■

The Royal LePage ArTeam Realty office in St. Albert, Alta. has been acquired by Shirley Williams. Under Williams the office will be renamed Royal LePage Premier Real Estate. Art Valerio remains broker/owner for Royal LePage ArTeam Realty in Edmonton.

Williams began her career in real estate with Royal LePage ArTeam in 2007. In her first year, she was the top sales associate in her office and won a top five per cent sales award in 2010 for the Edmonton Real Estate Board.

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage says its socialmedia-enabled contest designed to raise awareness for the brand attracted hundreds of entries from

residents in communities across the country.

The My Great Neighbourhood contest ran from late June to Oct. 21. A winner had not been announced at REM press time.

Videos, photos, slide presentations and songs were posted to royallepage.ca/mygreatneighbourhood as hundreds of entrants paid tribute to the communities in which they live, while vying for $1,500, $3,500 and $20,000 in prize money.

Entrants could also name their Royal LePage agent on the site, with the top three “agent mentions” each winning an Apple iPad. Social media played a significant role in the contest, with entrants sharing their posted entries through Twitter and Facebook, encouraging “likes” from within their social media communities. In addition, Royal LePage brokers and sales reps were able to use the contest as a touchpoint with clients and prospects, encouraging entries and promoting through their social sites.

Ayn MacDonald, a sales rep with Royal LePage Team Realty in Ottawa, produced a YouTube video on how to enter the contest and became a “mention” leader throughout the contest. “I am a new agent with only 10 months into my business. This contest provided me a great opportunity to reach out to my contacts to seek their involvement ... now I have a conversation piece for future contact and it all happened at absolutely no cost to me,” she says.

■ ■ ■

Sales rep Brian Persaud has joined the Keller Williams Advantage Realty in Toronto.

Persaud is a Toronto-based real estate investor, analyst, TV show host, producer and author of the forthcoming book Profitable Investing in Condominiums: Strategies, Tips and Expert Advice for the Canadian Real Estate Investor.

From managing single-family resi-

Publisher HEINO MOLLS email: heino@remonline.com

Editor JIM ADAIR email: jim@remonline.com

General Manager JOHN COOPER email: john@remonline.com

Senior Editor KATHY BEVAN email: kathy@remonline.com

Director, Sales & Marketing DENNIS ROCK email: dennis@remonline.com Brand Design SANDRA GOODER

Art Director LIZ MACKIN Graphic Design SHAWN KELLY

dential homes to multi-unit apartment buildings, to high-rise and subdivision development, he uses a disciplined due diligence process and targets under-valued and under-performing assets in carefully selected markets across Toronto, the company says in a news release.

In London, Ont., sales rep Wanda Feeney joined Keller Williams Lifestyles Realty as the new team leader.

Starting in real estate in 1978, Feeney was drawn to commercial real estate. As the first female manger of Royal LePage Commercial Real Estate Services in London in the 1980s, she was recruited to London’s leading real estate development company as manager of the commercial and industrial portfolio.

Keller Williams Energy Real Estate in Whitby, Ont. is welcoming Sandra O’Donohue as team leader. O’Donohue built a successful real estate sales business over 30 years in Durham Region.

Throughout her career, she has been committed to continuous learning and to helping many Realtors develop their skills through her work with the Durham Region Association of Realtors, the company says.

“Throughout my real estate career, I have understood that knowledge put into action, leads to performance and results for my clients,” she says.

■ ■ ■

Century 21 Explorer Realty, co-owned by Margaret Burniston and Brenda Macdonald Rowe, has expanded its operations in Ottawa with a new satellite office at 522 Gladstone Ave. The brokerage opened its doors in 2010 and now has two locations servicing the Ottawa region. With headquarters in Carleton Place and three other satellite locations, Century 21 Explorer Realty is also providing full-service real estate assistance to residents in Arnprior, Carleton

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

Phone: 416.425.3504 www.remonline.com REM complies fully with the Canadian Real Estate Association's Rules for Trademarks (CREA Rule 16.5.3.1) REALTOR® and REALTORS® are trademarks controlled in Canada by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify licensed real estate practitioners who are members of CREA. MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned by CREA and identify the services rendered by members of CREA. REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. Subscriptions are $40.95 per year (including $1.95 GST), payable by personal cheque. Entire contents copyright 2011 REM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The opinions expressed in REM are not necessarily those of the publisher.

ISSN 1201-1223

Place, Kanata, Perth and surrounding areas.

■ ■ ■

Re/Max Kelowna sales rep Herman Neustaedter set a record for the highest sale price of a condominium sold in Peachland in the history of Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board’s MLS system.

The condominium sold for $918,000 and is located in the Gateway Complex at the corner of Beach Avenue and 13th Street in Peachland.

■ ■ ■

Stephen Dupuis, CEO and president of the Building Industry and Land Development Association in Toronto, died on Sept. 23. He had just received the first ever David Horton Lifetime Leadership Award of Excellence from the Ontario Home Builders’ Association, which he emotionally told friends was one of the proudest moments of his career. The award recognizes exceptional achievement from deserving staff through the local associations or the provincial or national level.

In 2007, he was recognized by his colleagues with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association Executive Officer’s Council Award of Honour for Leadership. In 2003, he received the Canadian Home Builders’ Association Dave Stupart Award of Honour for his leadership, dedication and contribution leading to a higher degree of professionalism and improvement of the aims and objectives of the provincial and local association.

Representing the building and land development industry, he was the highly visible face of the association and wrote hundreds of columns for Toronto newspapers and magazines on the issues impacting the industry.

He leaves his wife, Linda, and children Kendall and Carson.

REM

Printed by Metroland Media Group, Ltd. A certified SFI Printer

Multiple Listings

There's a new real estate brand in the neighbourhood -- with a name that has been central to people's lives and communities for more than 80 years.

To learn about career and franchising opportunities, visit www.bhgcanada.ca

Š2011 My Lifestyle Brand Inc. Better Homes and GardensŽ is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation licensed to Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC and used with permission. Each Franchise is Independently Owned and Operated.

8 REM NOVEMBER 2011

In conversation with Gary Morse The CREA president talks about communicating directly with members, CREA’s Futures Project, the Data Distribution Facility and the Competition Bureau.

Interview by Kathy Bevan

C

REA President Gary Morse and his leadership team are directing a number of key initiatives for 2011/2012, three of which likely will define his term in office. The first is the association’s upcoming launch of its new Data Distribution Facility (DDF) – a national, permission-based facility that will, at no charge, enable individual Realtors and brokers to post property listings information from Realtor.ca on third-party sites and to have private IDX sites.

The second is CREA’s Futures Project, which is trying to determine what the real estate landscape may look like five to 10 years from now, to ensure the right tools and processes are in place to help Realtors to succeed. The third is CREA’s latest interaction with the Competition Bureau, in the bureau’s action against the Toronto Real Estate Board and its policies regarding Virtual Office Websites (VOWs). Morse spoke with REM senior editor Kathy Bevan about these three initiatives ahead of CREA’s fall general assembly. Here is an edited version of their conversation.

REM: I understand one of your key objectives during your term as CREA president is to improve communications with Realtors, rather than relying – as CREA has in the past – on your member boards and associations to do this communications for you.

GARY MORSE: Over the last couple of years, we’ve heard lots of comments from Realtors that they don’t hear from the national association. That may have centred around the Competition Bureau issue – it’s also come up in discussions about the DDF. We’ve asked boards and associations this year to allow us to communicate directly to their members. In other words, to put the communication protocol aside and allow CREA to communicate directly to Realtors on the street.

We now have over 50 per cent of the boards who have agreed we can do that.

That’s a huge change from what has taken place in the past.

We’re hopeful that all of the boards will come onside at some point, because I can’t think of any good reason why Realtors shouldn’t hear from their national association. I think we have to be careful how we do that – I don’t think we can inundate them with messages on a very frequent basis. We haven’t implemented the communications process with those boards that have agreed yet because we want to develop a tool that gets it right before we just start sending stuff out there.

REM: Do you think talking directly to Realtors will help resolve some of the dissatisfaction we’ve been hearing lately – specifically from some brokers and real estate agents in Quebec – about lack of communication from CREA and questioning what value CREA provides?

MORSE: We’ve had issues and we’ve had discussions with pretty much all of the boards in Quebec over the last two to three months in order to satisfy questions and concerns. We could ignore them – or we could carry on discussions and that’s what we’ve been doing. Have we satisfied all of their concerns? Not necessarily.

Have we satisfied some of their concerns? I’m sure we have.

Communication always improves that kind of thing.

I really believe the fact that we’ve initiated our discussion about the future and that we’re taking that across the country, having discussions in all regions will address the concerns that you’ve mentioned come up in various parts of the country. I think it’s very timely that we’re doing this Futures Project. Through this, it will give everybody the opportunity to have input on the kinds of decisions that are made in the future.

I can understand if there are people out there who maybe question the value they are getting from CREA, because CREA has never been in a position to be able to communicate its value proposition directly to the members on the street. And if I never heard from my national association, I might wonder what they do and what I’m paying for. It’s a fair complaint when people say, “What does my national association do?”

That’s something we need to address and we are addressing it.

REM: Tell me more about your Futures Project.

MORSE: We are essentially looking at what the future is for Realtors and organized real estate, given anticipated future consumer expectations. The question we’ve been asking in our discussions is, “Given future consumer expectations, what is the role of Realtors in five to 10 years and what will be the implications for organized real estate?”

We struck a process called scenario-planning – in that process we develop scenarios of how the future might unfold. It could mean – at one extreme – doing nothing different than we do today. At another extreme, it could mean completely unzipping how we look, feel and work – reinventing organized real estate, perhaps even reinventing what Realtors do in terms of the provision of service.

We don’t know where that might take us.

It’s a very big project. We started it last fall and then really started discussions with people across the country in April. It’s our most significant project for this year.

We don’t have all the answers yet – the sessions so far have been to talk about the issues, the challenges and some possible scenarios.

The answers, hopefully, will come later. But we can’t come up with answers to issues and challenges without having a good dialogue and good understanding of what the issues and challenges are in the

Gary Morse (Photo by Lori Weir)

first place. That’s really what the Futures Project has been about so far.

REM: As much as you and your leadership team want to focus on determining the future of organized real estate, the Competition Bureau’s constant focus on this industry continues to impact CREA’s agenda – a case in point was CREA’s recent request for intervener status in the bureau’s action against the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) and its Virtual Office Website (VOW) policies. Does CREA feel it’s necessary to step in only when a board the size of TREB comes under the bureau’s microscope, or is CREA’s potential involvement weighed on a case-by-case basis?

MORSE: I think one of the primary considerations would be – for any area of the country – if there was potential impact that

would be felt by other boards and associations in the country. That’s one of the roles CREA plays – to analyze that situation and if there is something happening in one area with regard to any kind of regulation that has potential impact across the country, we would at least look at it to see if we should be involved.

We haven’t spent a lot of time trying to decide if we’re going to be under the microscope of the Competition Bureau for months and years into the future. A part of our futures planning process is to identify needs of Realtors and needs of consumers of the future and work toward making that happen. Hopefully, that will position us well, relative to all regulatory issues.

Regulation comes in many forms – it’s not just the Competition Bureau, each Continued on page 10

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province has a regulator, the federal government has requirements relative to FINTRAC and the new anti-spam legislation that is coming out. There are all kinds of regulatory issues that we need to be on the watch for, to take the most appropriate steps that are going to serve the needs of our members and serve the consumer.

REM: Can you explain how you think CREA’s Data Distribution Facility will help serve the needs of your members and consumers?

MORSE: The primary reason for developing this facility is that we already know the majority of Realtors out there are putting their listings on third-party sites, any number of them. The problem with that is, they’re doing it all individually and it can take time.

Sometimes they forget where they put them, they don’t update them when prices change, they forget to take them off systems when they sell or they expire. Having inaccurate information on sites – regardless of what sites they are – doesn’t do anything for the professional image of Realtors.

One of the things DDF will do is – provided we have agreements with those third-party sites – Realtors can determine which sites they’d like their listings to go to and the facility will automatically put them there. When those listings are updated on Realtor.ca, they would automatically be updated on the third-party sites.

When they’re sold or expire, they will automatically be removed, so that Realtors won’t have to remember to do that.

The other thing that it will do is help strengthen our trademarks, because there will be requirements in the agreements that we would have with these third parties on how the data can be used, trademark usage – all that kind of thing.

So we see this as a benefit for our industry. We also see it as a significant benefit for Realtors.

We know through a survey we’ve done that over 68 per cent of Realtors are manually distributing listing information to any number of sites. The majority of those are spending anywhere from one to three hours a week doing that.

Many of them are spending as much as six or more hours a week doing it. So from a time standpoint, from an accuracy standpoint, from a trademark protection standpoint, we see this facility as being a very significant improvement and a great service that’s going to be provided to Realtors.

There are three modules involved. Module One involves a national IDX facility – part of that facility would be to distribute it to large franchisors. The second provides for private or member-only IDX sites and the third module is the facility to distribute to third parties.

Modules One and Two will be either rolled out first, or One, Two and Three will be all rolled out at the same time. We haven’t finalized the dates yet – obviously not all the material has been developed yet, but right now that appears to be the game plan.

REM: You’re just over halfway through your term as CREA president – do you have anything in mind that you hope your name is associated with when your term ends, perhaps a perspective you’ve brought to your presidency from your Nova Scotia home base?

MORSE: I’ve seen our industry be in a reactionary mode for some time now on all kinds of fronts. I believe that we need to make a change in that regard. I believe we need to be more proactive, we have to get ahead of the curve on anything that affects our industry. In order to do that, we need change and so, again, I’m coming back to one of our primary focuses, which is the Futures Project.

I would like to be part of making sure we have a competitive and vibrant industry, that we’re able to meet the needs of consumers. And that we’re also able to meet the needs of Realtors, which most of us believe is one of the best careers in the world. We have to make sure they have the right tools so that they can be efficient in their business of helping buyers and sellers.

But in order to do that, we need an efficient and effective structure within organized real estate, where decisions can be made on a timely basis.

If I can play some small part in helping to achieve that, then I’ll be REM happy.

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Letters to the Editor I

’m writing to you in regards to a piece published in the October issue of REM (Multiple Listings item about Peggy Hill & Associates Realty).

Although Peggy has been the top selling Realtor in 2008, 2009 and 2010 based on units sold, these numbers were compiled independently from the Barrie and District Association of Realtors. The board provides no type of contest or recognition for this type of achievement and as such she has not been “recog-

nized” for this by the Barrie and District Real Estate Board.

Peggy’s story is quite remarkable, starting with nothing and working her way to the top-selling Realtor in Barrie and then moving on to open her own brokerage. It’s a testament to hard work, business savvy and determination.

Drew Hale Marketing Director Peggy Hill & Associates Realty Barrie, Ont. REM

Industrial, Commercial & Investment J

ones Lang LaSalle has hired Doug Hitchcox as senior vice-president and managing director of sustainability for Canada along with Michael Case as vice-president in its Toronto office. They will represent tenants and landlords in office leasing and sale transactions throughout the Greater Toronto Area. In addition, Hitchcox will work with the firm’s global Energy and Sustainability Services team in overseeing sustainability activities across the country.

With more than 30 years in the commercial real estate industry, Hitchcox has been involved in some of the largest transactions in Canada. He has extensive experience advising some of Canada’s largest corporations and has specialized in property portfolio consolidation and disposition. An expert in real estate sustainability, he is a frequent speaker at top real estate and green building conferences. He was previously with Cushman & Wakefield.

Case brings almost 10 years of office leasing experience representing tenant and landlord clients in space acquisition and disposition.

A LEED AP, he has worked on the design and marketing of three of Canada’s top LEED Gold office buildings. Case also joins Jones Lang LaSalle from Cushman & Wakefield.

■ ■ ■

Commercial real estate sales and leasing specialist Charlie Gobert has joined Avison Young’s brokerage operations in Guelph, Ont. He was most recently a sales representative with Colliers International in Southwestern Ontario.

“The expansion of Avison Young’s office in the Southwestern Ontario-Greater London Area is in response to growing market demand and the continued needs of our clients for Avison Young’s services in the region,” says Ray Robinson, Avison Young principal and managing director of the Southwestern Ontario office.

Prior to joining Colliers, Gobert achieved top 10 per cent in sales for Royal LePage. He is an active member of the London Chamber of Commerce and is the current president and co-founder of the London Commercial Networking Group. REM

GET IN THE GAME

You made this our best Conference yet!

Had a great first convention with Sutton & will definitely attend the next ones. I found our REALTORS® to be very professional.

- KATHY HRECHKA

Sutton Group – Kilkenny Real Estate – Winnipeg, MB

The whole conference was a great learning experience.

W. Brett Wilson has definitely influenced my future.

- JOANNE WUTZKE

Sutton Group – Lethbridge – Lethbridge, AB

Thanks for taking the risk to have the venue be in Vegas. Thanks for such high profile keynotes. Thanks for everything.

Sutton Group – Masters Realty Inc., Brokerage – Kingston, ON

- TRINA GARRISON

2011

Thanks to all our Conference delegates, exhibitors and sponsors for making the 2011 Sutton National Conference such a big success!

Join Sutton as a REALTOR® or franchisee and join a successful brand that’s committed to strengthening your local and national network.

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14 REM NOVEMBER 2011

Asia association expands to Canada John Geha serves as the first international chapter chair of the Asia Real Estate Association of America

By Susan Doran

W

ith the influx of Asian buyers into Canada, notably into British Columbia and Ontario, the impact and influence of the Asian community here grows daily.

John Geha, president of Coldwell Banker Canada, is well aware of this fact. And he’s running with it. Recently he became chair of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA)’s first international chapter, which is based in Burlington, Ont. “This new chapter of AREAA acknowledges the importance of the Asian community in Canadian real estate,” he says.

“This new trade organization – which already has deep roots in the United States – will help real estate professionals here better serve this growing market. I’m very enthusiastic.”

He’s just starting up the new Canadian chapter’s membership drive, and looks forward to building AREAA’s presence in the Canadian real estate industry and “expanding to other Canadian chapters” in due course.

With tremendous interest in Canadian real estate by Asian buyers, who represent a significant

part of the overall Canadian market, this country was the natural choice for a launching pad for AREAA’s expanded presence internationally, the organization’s spokespeople say.

“AREAA has resisted expanding internationally until now,” Geha says. “They wanted to make sure they had a foundation …that their original mission was followed.”

That mission involves promoting sustainable homeownership opportunities for Asians by creating a strong voice for housing and real estate professionals who serve the dynamic Asian market.

AREAA’s mandate is to do this by advocating to reduce homeownership barriers facing the Asian community (in the U.S., lack of mortgage financing availability has been cited as one of the biggest problems facing the multicultural real estate community), as well as by increasing business opportunities for mortgage and real estate professionals serving that market .

The long-term goals are to provide new revenue opportunities for Canadian real estate professionals; to enhance the level of service to consumers in this grow-

ing niche market; and to provide new channels for professional learning and networking.

The current group of Chinese homebuyers fuelling the Canadian market tend to be the newly wealthy mainland Chinese, a different and less experienced market than the Hong Kong Chinese who have been buying Canadian real estate since the early 1990s, says AREAA. This is just one of the multiple aspects of servicing the Asian market that real estate professionals must recognize and consider, the organization says.

“We want to be aware of what’s going on and educated and knowledgeable so as to serve the market properly,” says Geha.

What’s attractive about Canada to Asian buyers?

“Real estate in China is expensive. In Beijing, buyers can pay over $1,000 per square foot.

You can buy much more for your money here,” Geha says.

Moreover, “the Chinese government has placed curbs on mortgage lending, increased the amount of down payments and limited purchases” in that country. As the Chinese become more prosperous and diversify their

assets out of China, “Canada’s liberal immigration policy makes Canadian real estate very attractive to them,” Geha says.

Australia was also a hotbed of Chinese investment, but it has tightened its regulations to limit foreign ownership, boosting Canada’s appeal further, he adds.

AREAA offers learning resources and networking opportunities to help real estate and other professionals understand and connect with the Asian market. They include a searchable online directory and the www.areaa.org website; ongoing communications via email newsletters and an Asian real estate magazine; special reports and studies on the Asian market; and networking and professional development events such as seminars, continuing education and the annual conference.

In the U.S. the cost of membership in the organization is $99 yearly. Geha expects it to be the same or slightly higher here.

A non-profit professional trade organization, AREAA was founded in 2003 in California (where one-third of the United States’ Asian population resides).

Membership in the organization is

open to a range of real estate professionals, including real estate lawyers and mortgage specialist/ insurance companies.

“Membership in AREAA is open to all real estate brands,” Geha says. “We want to include everyone …We hope to have at least 100 to 150 members within our first year.”

Since he is not of Asian descent, Geha is sometimes asked why he was selected as chair of AREAA’s Canadian chapter. The organization’s website explains that, “Any individual with an interest in understanding and connecting with the Asian market can be a part of AREAA. It is open to professionals of every ethnicity, which can be seen from our diverse board and management team.”

Says Geha: “Real estate is still a relationship business. We’re focused on diversity, on protecting the consumer.”

He says he was excited to see that there were many non-Asians at AREAA’s recent national conference in San Francisco and that he is pleased to chair the new Canadian chapter.

“It says a lot about AREAA’s openness,” he says. REM

I

Professionals Saint John Inc.

t is with great pleasure to welcome aboard Broker Owner Brian Cullinan and the members of his dynamic real estate team. Ronalda Higgins, Diana Sedlacek, Joy Gibson, Shirley McAlary, Nora Wills, Betty Rourke, Elis Levine, Peter Pappas, Lesley Oland, Joan Mitchell and Treena Parker all formerly of Prudential Summit Real Estate to RE/MAX Professionals Saint John Inc. We’re thrilled to bolster our organization with a top-tier group of full-time seasoned realtors, all of whom are respected industry professionals. The merger fits seamlessly with our existing group of realtors who share the similar principals and standards of excellence. The merger comes on the heels of the opening of our new modern state of the art 8,400 sqft facility which now accommodates all 67 agents. The new office has enhanced our existing framework and ensures the delivery of unparalleled support and service to local consumers, as well as to the newest members of our team.

Brian Cullinan Associate Broker

Gordon Breau

Broker of Record

Welcome to RE/MAX! Each office is independently owned and operated.

John Geha, president of Coldwell Banker Canada, signs documents to create the first Canadian chapter of the Asian Real Estate Association (AREAA). From left: AREAA board member Allen Chiang, AREAA chair Kenneth Li and John Geha

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16 REM NOVEMBER 2011

SALES COACH

By Bruce Keith

S

alespeople often think about who they are competing against as they try to make a sale. Let’s turn this around for a moment. What’s it like to compete against you? How do you think your competitors feel when they find out it is you they are up against? Are they intimidated or do they not really care? What do you need to do so that you present a major challenge for your competitors?

Here is your action step: The key is for your customers to easily see your competitive advantage.

This is not something you are born

Get a leg up on your competition with. It is not inherited – you create it. By doing so, you will present a major challenge for your competitors. The best news of all is this truth – everyone can present a competitive advantage! Here are some examples of how you can get “a leg up” on the competition: 1. High energy level. People are attracted to energy. Show a sense of urgency and enthusiasm in everything you do. Be “emotionally attractive”.

2. Exude strong confidence.

Walk tall and be a leader. “A leader is someone who influences others,” said John Maxwell. Know your material and be the person your customers respect.

3. Be your word. Be who you say you are at all times. Deliver the goods, don’t overpromise, have high integrity and show up prepared.

4. Practice. Practice. Practice.

No one ever got to the top without a lot of hard work. Fully 95 per cent of all salespeople have no commitment to practicing their

craft. Allow half an hour every single day. Do not fight this – be one of the five per cent. There is no alternative. Professionals do not “wing it”.

If you find you are not competing with other salespeople very often, all this says is that you are not going after enough outside business. The only way you can grow your business is to leave your safe harbour and venture into uncharted waters. Have the courage and the determination to go beyond what is comfortable.

That’s where your real success will be found. No excuses.

Calling 911 There is no salesperson who does not need help at different stages in their career. We need help improving our sales skills, we need help in improving our time management, we help in dealing with rejection. As a wise man said to me one day, “Being comfortable asking for help is important but it’s more important to be comfortable

accepting help when it is offered.”

That’s not always easy to do.

Sometimes when we are having trouble keeping our heads above water, we foolishly resist the life preserver that is thrown our way.

Here is your action step: Some people are significantly more coachable than others. My observation is that the higher your level of self-confidence, the more coachable you are. Individuals who have low self-confidence are generally very resistant to outside advice.

Defence mechanisms kick in. Here are some ideas on accepting help.

1. Ignore the source. Just because the source isn’t at the highest level of expertise, doesn’t mean the advice isn’t worthwhile.

Be open-minded.

2. Work hard at keeping your ego out of the way. The “don’t you know who I am?” mentality doesn’t work very well here.

3. Consider what is being offered and take this approach... rather than deciding why “that won’t work”, look for ways to make

5.5x8.5 Postcard Sale!

it work.

4. If the advice offered still makes you sceptical, ask questions to get some clarity. “How did you come up with that idea?”, “Have you seen this approach work elsewhere?”, “How would you suggest I implement this?” There might be a diamond in there.

The most successful salespeople are always looking for advice and new ideas. Be open to help wherever you go. There are some great ideas out there on how to close your next sale. Ask and you shall receive. No excuses.

Bruce Keith, the “Sales Coach”, began his sales career at IBM and 15 years later used his marketing and sales expertise to develop a highly successful real estate business. He is a master of teaching “what to say and how to say it”. His high energy and entertaining training style has allowed him to create a popular coaching and seminar business for numerous sales organizations during the last 12 years. www.brucekeithresults.com REM

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18 REM NOVEMBER 2011

Setting

THE STANDARD! ®

Disclosure of sex offender LEGAL ISSUES

A’s intention at the early stage of the project was most important. A builder is one who performs all the work and supplies all the materials “for purposes” to sell the house to others. A’s original intention was not disputed nor in doubt. The Act did not apply because A’s intention changed later.

I I I

By Donald H. Lapowich

T

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he Ontario Superior Court considered an action by the purchaser of a house who had two young children. The vendor did not disclose to purchasers the fact (that was well known in the area) that a convicted sex offender lived across the street. The vendors asked the judge to throw the case out because it was “plain and obvious that the fact that the person who lives across the street was convicted of child pornography is not a latent defect because it was common knowledge in the neighbourhood, and could have been discovered on reasonable inquiry,” wrote the judge in his decision.

The court sided with the purchasers and refused to strike the action, ruling it was not certain that a seller did not have to disclose to purchasers with two young children the existence of a person living across the street who has been convicted under the Criminal Code of being a child offender. (Dennis v. Gray, 2011) I I I

A and B were married and bought a property with the intent of building their new family home.

Later, they changed their plans and the property and home were sold.

A was charged under the Ontario New Home Warranties Plan Act as a builder who did not register with Tarion Warranty Corporation. The home was not enrolled.

The Ontario Court of Appeal upheld A’s acquittal. It ruled that

In a husband and wife dispute, an arbitrator made an award that the husband was to make a payment to the wife of $264,468 out of his share of the proceeds from the sale of the matrimonial home.

The husband then made an assignment in bankruptcy and the arbitrator’s award was incorporated into a “order” of the court.

Notwithstanding this, the Ontario Court of Appeal held that the award did not mean there was an equitable trust in the proceeds effective against the trustee in bankruptcy. In other words, the award was not sufficient to elevate

The court sided with the purchasers and refused to strike the action. the wife in bankruptcy to that of a preferred or secured creditor by some form of equitable trust.

Therefore, the husband’s share of the proceeds of the sale of the house was vested in the bankrupt estate. (Thibodeau v. Thibodeau, 2011) Donald Lapowich, Q.C. is a partner at the law firm of Koskie, Minsky in Toronto, where he practices civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on real estate litigation and mediation, acting for builders, real REM estate agents and lawyers.

After 20 yrs in business, Rich and his team continue to help elevate my business to new heights. The bar has been raised! IGNITE is right -- over the top -- a must-see event for my team and I, year in and year out!

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20 REM NOVEMBER 2011

Ride with the biker sales rep A

s soon as she could sit upright, Keeley Ward was strapped to her father with bungee cords and the former motorcycle stunt driver would take his daughter for a ride. Keeley would often fall asleep on the back of his motorcycle.

When she was five, he gave Keeley her first motorcycle.

Since then, each of her motorcycles has been bigger and better than the one before. The “resident biker” at Century 21 Infinity Realty in Oshawa, Ont. now participates in several charity rides each year on her 1200cc customized Harley Davidson Sportster. The bike has an orange and multi-coloured paint job, has been widened to accommodate a 180 rear tire (bike enthusiasts will understand, she says) and is fully chromed out.

“I won the class at the Harley Davidson Nationals for Best Sportster in 2009 Canada-wide,” she says.

Keeley was one of 3,000

motorcycle riders who took part in this year’s Heroes Highway Ride, driving from Belleville to Oshawa in support of Canada’s troops. Despite the pouring rain, she says it was worth it – money was raised and for the riders, “the adrenalin pumps when 3,000 bikes rev their engines.”

She also rode in the OREA Realtors Care Foundation Motorcycle Ride for Charity in July, doing the leg from Toronto to Peterborough.

“My colleagues think it’s great. I’m the only one in the office who rides,” she says. “This year’s OREA ride stopped in Durham. It was exciting for the office. Everyone was waiting outside when I pulled in.”

Clients think it’s “pretty cool” when they find out the 5’2” blonde rides a 460-pound motorcycle. “They find out I ride in the course of us working together or when I collect for events. Or they see my photo in the office. Some are surprised, some are not,” she says. “They

think I’m confident and outgoing, the kind of person who would be brave enough to get on a motorcycle.”

Keeley has been riding for more than 40 years but her first charity ride was in 2007.

Motorcycle Ride for Dad, which raises money to fight prostate cancer, is a special charity for Keeley, who lost her father to the disease. She recently collected $585 for the cause with the help of her office and was one of 500 to 600 motorcycle riders who participated.

She enjoys the festivities that go hand in hand with the charity rides – lunches, big events at the end of the rides, draws and celebrity speakers. “It’s fun to participate in the rides. I make money for charity and I make contacts.”

Keeley, originally from Niagara, moved to Oshawa 11 years ago and got her real estate license in November 2007. Her previous careers included working at a bank, an automobile

By Connie Adair

plant and as a motorcycle training instructor.

She had flipped houses and had always wanted to work in real estate. When she was given nine months notice at the auto-

motive plant, she says it was the perfect time to take classes and become an agent. “On the day I decided I wanted to be an agent, I picked up the newspaper and an ad that said, ‘Have you ever thought about a career in real estate?’ dropped out. I took it as a sign, and the rest is history.

Real estate is the hardest job I’ve ever had, but the best job I’ve ever had.”

Keeley sells mostly residential properties anywhere from Bowmanville to Whitby. “I have worked my butt off and have done well for a newer agent.

I’ve won a sales award every year and am on track for another this year.

I attribute some of (my success) to the charity events. I meet people and (because she rides for charity) they know it’s not all about me.” REM

A sticker on Keeley Ward’s helmet tells it like it is: “Badass toys are not just for boys.”

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With offices in the US, Canada, the UK, Brazil, India, China, Singapore and Australia, Brookfield is one of the largest real estate and relocation companies in the world.

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Brookfield is deeply immersed in the real estate sector and is a leader in the industry. In 2009, the Swanepoel Trends Report named Brookfield as its #1 Trendsetter and its leadership is among Inman’s 100 most influential people in real estate.

Visit www.royallepage.ca to learn more about joining Royal LePage.

Partner with a Leader Royal LePage is part of Brookfield Residential Property Services’ leading network of real estate brands. Brookfield is a multi-brand real estate franchisor and corporate brokerage operator, with a network of more than 25,000 real estate professionals, working out of over 1,100 locations, processing over $50 billion of real estate annually.

Strength

Growth

Industry Focus

With offices in the US, Canada, the UK, Brazil, India, China, Singapore and Australia, Brookfield is one of the largest real estate and relocation companies in the world.

Royal LePage REALTORS® are valued members of a growing, dynamic organization with a parent company that is exceptionally strong financially and is committed to long-term growth.

Brookfield is deeply immersed in the real estate sector and is a leader in the industry. In 2009, the Swanepoel Trends Report named Brookfield as its #1 Trendsetter and its leadership is among Inman’s 100 most influential people in real estate.

Visit www.royallepage.ca to learn more about joining Royal LePage.

24 REM NOVEMBER 2011

#

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THE UN-COMFORT ZONE

By Robert Wilson

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he stench rising off the dead bodies was overpowering. It was so thick you could taste it. Sandy pulled a dust-mask respirator over his face, but the smell still penetrated. To speed up the decomposition process he quickly shovelled manure over the decaying flesh.

The manure cut the odour somewhat – if you don’t mind the stink of cow dung. Then as he flung each shovelful of waste over the bodies, a black cloud of fat flesh flies would rise into the air. It was a disgusting job that wasted hours of his day, but there weren’t many alternatives.

Sandy is a large scale chicken farmer in the mountains of north Georgia, who prides himself on his clean, well-ventilated chicken houses. He uses top quality feed, yet despite his best efforts, one to five per cent of his chickens die every day. Raising hundreds of thousands of birds at a time leaves him with a big pile of dead ones to deal with every day.

He tried burying them, but that took up too much land. He tried incinerating them, but that cost as much as $10,000 a month in propane, which destroyed his margin of profit. That left composting, but working with rotting carcasses was so gross and annoying that he was determined to find a better way.

He thought about it for months, but nothing new came to mind. Then one afternoon while vacationing in Florida, he took his family to visit an alliga-

tor farm. While his kids were squealing in delight at a man wrestling an eight-foot-long monster, he noticed in another pen that the large reptiles were being fed chickens. Dead chickens. Some of which, in his professional opinion, looked like they had been dead for days.

Remarkably, these were the ones the beasts ate first. Sandy knew right then how to solve his problem and he bought a breeding pair of alligators to take home with him.

Within a few years, Sandy had 400 alligators. He no longer had a dead chicken problem. You might be thinking he had another problem instead: that he was literally up to his elbows in alligators. But when those brutes get to be six feet long, he sells their meat and hides for $200. He now has two businesses that complement each other.

When something bugs you, don’t you just want to fix it? We have always heard that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. What is annoying you? Things that irritate us are very motivating and also stimulate creative thinking. Is there a task at home or work that you absolutely hate to do? If you can come up with a better way of doing it, you might have a million dollar idea on your hands.

Thomas Stemberg, founder of several successful businesses including Staples office supply stores, is a master of million dollar ideas. He once said that he gets his best ideas for starting a new business from being frustrated as a customer. That statement is a roadmap for finding opportunity. Where have you been frustrated as a customer? You can probably think of a dozen places.

I’ll bet you can fix it. So, don’t just sit there – go do it better and make a million bucks yourself!

Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. is an author, speaker and humorist. He works with companies that want to be more competitive and with people who want to think like innovators. www.jumpstartyourmeetREM ing.com

Erika Gileo - EXIT Realty’s Senior V. P. of Operations STEVIE® Award Winner 2011

“International Executive of the Year” (Real Estate in the 2011 International Business Awards)

The Stevie® Award is one of the world’s most coveted prizes.

E

XIT Realty Corp. International’s Senior Vice President – Operations, Erika Gileo, has won a Stevie® Award in the category of Executive of the Year – Real Estate in the 2011 International Business Awards. The International Business Awards are the only global, all-encompassing business awards program honoring great performances in business.

Recipients of International Stevie® Award trophies and Distinguished Honoree medals were selected from more than 3,000 entries received from organizations and individuals in more than 40 nations.

Nicknamed the Stevie® for the Greek word “crowned,” the awards were presented to

“Entries to the International Business Awards grew by more than 80% this year, and that

Honorees were determined through two rounds of judging by close to 200 professionals worldwide.

the IBAs. “We congratulate all of the honorees, for their achievements.”

“From her first day as Senior Vice President of Operations, Erika has done an exemplary job of originating and executing the superstructure of EXIT Realty Corp. International,” says Steve Morris, Founder & CEO. “She commands the absolute respect and esteem of the entire North American operation for EXIT Realty and is the cornerstone of this great company.”

The Stevie® Awards were presented to honorees at a gala event on Tuesday, 11 October in the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. honorees at a gala event in October in the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

illustrates the increasing importance of the IBAs worldwide,” said Michael Gallagher, president of the Stevie® Awards, presenters of

w w w. e x it re a lt y. c om

Stevie_Award_REM_rephrased.indd 1

10/13/2011 3:21:31 PM

26 REM NOVEMBER 2011

By Dan St. Yves

I

t’s funny how you can live with someone for so long and yet somehow not really know them at all. My spouse, for example. I had no idea that she harboured a dark, dusty secret, apparently for many, many years. To be honest, I discovered her secret entirely innocently, while foraging around for empty zippered cases to house some of the wires and cables I keep around for various electronic devices. “The secret” was in a bedroom closet, high up on a shelf. That’s where I found the well-concealed disposal site of her secret life.

The make-up graveyard.

When I lifted a large wicker basket down from the walk-in closet shelf, I just wasn’t prepared for what I would find. As I opened the first of several zippered cases, what I discovered was more than just a little unsettling. Make-up of every variety – powder, lipstick, eyeliner. Used once, maybe twice. Make-up that had clearly failed in its initial intended purpose, and thus was banished from the main bathroom vanity cabinet, never to highlight a cheek or eyebrow again. To languish alone in a closet.

Well, not so alone it turned out. Once I began examining the crime scene in more detail, I found dozens of products in this shallow wicker mausoleum.

“Faithful Fawn”, a lip gloss discarded in the prime of its youth.

Lightly pecked samplings of “King’s Ransom” and “Sandy Castle” – according to the label, products intended to make shadows on eyes. Magic!

The more I read the names of these various products, I had to wonder exactly how the manufacturers came up with them. “Dark Room Peep” eye colour?

“Pinstripe Rouge Sensation” lip-

CSI Home: Spouse Edition stick? When a potential customer walks along a cosmetics display, is “Daylight Horizon” really the “grabber” title marketers hoped it might be? Are cosmetic brand developers missing out on “Relatively Orange Kiss-Me-YouFool” lip liner sales?

I’m not really one that should be throwing stones here when it comes to exotic product names. I once brought home what I thought for sure was a rare imported Spanish copy of a CD by the group that recorded Whip It, back in the 1980s. Let me warn you gentlemen, you will not find that song anywhere on an Il Divo CD. The more time I spent rummaging through the various tubes, sticks and powders, I began to appreciate that I don’t have to apply any of this stuff myself prior to leaving the house in the morning. I have a hard enough time ensuring my socks match, never mind co-ordinating 13 varieties of facial applications.

If, however, we did need male make-up, I would imagine that men might purchase products with decidedly male palettes and rough and tumble names. Like “G.I. Joe Brand Freckle Concealer” or “Rugged & Hewn Eyebrow Darkener”.

Now, I must put all these various discarded products back into their improvised time capsule.

Why they were hidden and weren’t simply discarded, I may never know. As it is, I’ve just learned more than I ever needed to know about the female preparation regimen.

(Cue CSI theme music…)

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 REM ThatDanGuy@shaw.ca.

28 REM NOVEMBER 2011

STOP SELLING HOUSES & START MAKING MONEY

By Debbie Hanlon

I

was about six months into my real estate career when things started to spin out of control.

I would go to bed at night thinking about the things I didn’t get done that day. I would feel bad because I didn’t get to return that call or make contact with a new client and a zillion other little things I just didn’t have enough time to take care of. The more successful I got, the more out of control I felt.

Sound familiar?

I remember so vividly the day it hit me how bad things had become. After being on a working/selling binge for weeks, I was

Take care of yourself first tired and crooked so I decided to pop down for a quick visit with my mother. She only lived 10 minutes away but I hadn’t been there in ages. When I got there my sister was visiting as well. My mom had run to the store and my sister put the kettle on.

Immediately I grabbed the house phone to make a couple of calls, as the cell reception was weak in her area. While I was on the phone I looked around and saw all these dying bouquets of flowers.

I asked my sister what all the flowers were for. She gave me that older sister look and said, oh it was Mom and Dad’s 50 anniversary last week.

I must have looked shocked but she didn’t stop there. She informed me that I’d also missed mom’s birthday and on top of all that, apparently I’d also missed Mother’s Day, which had been the previous Sunday. Shame on me!

I stayed for a bit and then went home and vowed that my life would change for the good. I pulled out my business plan and saw that

I was well ahead of my business goals, so I decided to work on some personal goals. One of the first things I did was put in a threeweek holiday for my children and me. I also put in some personal goals – such as, this would be the year I would learn to swim. At first glance that doesn’t seem to have much to do with getting listings and making money, but trust me it does! It forced me to find a way to find time for my business, my family and for myself.

This entire exercise led to the development of my real estate systems that freed me from the non-

stop work pace I’d created. I still use them to this day. I modify them and am constantly improving them. I have used these same systems as training modules for many sales reps over my 15-year career as a broker and now as a trainer. I have seen the results and they’ve been nothing short of amazing.

We’re in an industry that moves at break-neck speed on slow days and we can get so busy taking care of the zillion little things that we forget to take care of ourselves.

The pressure of getting and servicing listings can be crushing in more ways than one. So when you reach

We’re in an industry that moves at break-neck speed on slow days and we can get so busy taking care of the zillion little things that we forget to take care of ourselves.

the point where you feel like giving up…give in instead. Pause, take a breath and relax, free your mind, have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and really take a good, honest look at how you got to this point.

It took a missed birthday, anniversary and Mother’s Day for me to realize I was too busy being busy to take care of the things that really mattered. We all have people who depend on us in one way or another and if you don’t take care of yourself, how can you take care of them? So, take care of yourself first, give yourself a break, some you-time, because you deserve it!

Heaven knows you’ve earned it.

Debbie Hanlon is the founder of Hanlon Realty and CEO of All Knight Inc. She is a three-time top 50 CEO winner and was named one of the top 100 female entrepreneurs in Canada. She is currently an elected city official in St. John’s, Nfld. and is available for motivational and training seminars. Email debbie@allknight.ca REM

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Visit REALTOR.ca for more information.

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.

30 REM NOVEMBER 2011

Brokerage ‘all about lead generation and conversion’ Planit uses ‘techniques and methods based on Internet marketing, not real estate principles’. By Melanie Epp

P

lanit Real Estate, launched in 2009, is the most technologically advanced brokerage in the marketplace, says founder and managing broker Sam Kamoutsis.

Kamoutsis says that Planit is unique because it focuses entirely on the local Internet market, something that other brokerages do not do – at least not to the extent that Planit does. Planit’s marketing is done entirely online through “virtual real estate offices,” offering agents “the best marketing in the business, experienced support, thorough research, incredible business generation systems and a great company reputation.”

Planit prides itself on being different from other brokerages. It has over 18 real estate websites (most of which are found of the first page of Google) and over 300 syndicate sites.

“Planit is all about lead generation and conversion,” Kamoutsis says. “We learn continuously and explore new ways to capture today’s consumer.

Consumer psychology has changed forever. In the past, lead

generation was fairly easy. Today the effort is greater. We employ a large number of staff, affordably, and test techniques and methods based on Internet marketing, not real estate principles.”

The Toronto-based company currently has 19 sales reps, but Kamoutsis says he hopes to begin expanding his concept across the country – perhaps as soon as this year.

With all of the changes taking place, the industry can be difficult to keep up with. Ermina Tsounis, a commercial real estate professional, recently returned to the industry to find that the game had changed considerably.

“When you leave something for 10+ years, you’ve got to get back into it again,” says Tsounis. “And things are very different now than when I exited the industry before.” The change she’s referring to is the Internet, which has altered the ways in which real estate professionals market themselves and their properties.

To help keep up with consumer demands, agents are offered ongoing educational and training opportunities, particularly in web-

based technology. Planit sets up agency networking profiles, including a Facebook page, and Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube profiles. Agents’ profiles are then connected to a primary site, which is constantly updated. Content is fed out to all accounts, effectively drawing potential clients back to the primary site. The primary site receives a steady stream of traffic, which generates viable leads for its agents. “For someone like myself, to have this kind of assistance is a saving grace,” says Tsounis.

“Otherwise, I’d have to be taking more courses.”

Sales rep Kevin Lee says he is glad he made the switch too. He was especially impressed by the sense of equality at Planit.

“Newcomers have a chance,” he says. “The previous company I was with, if they got a phone call, they were most likely going to give it to someone higher up, someone that’s been with the company for a long time. But what Planit does is they distribute them equally, no matter if you’ve been there for a long time or you’ve just come onboard.”

Kamoutsis says their office

receives hundreds of leads daily.

After hearing about the “dead ends” experienced by agents in other, more traditionally operated brokerages, sales representative Christina Aivalis says she is impressed with the amount of support she gets through mentors and professional training. “For someone who’s so new,” she says, “I’m very busy. In fact, I’ll be honest with you,” she continues, “Just yesterday I had to message Sam, the broker, and let him know to ease up on my leads. I’m a little behind.” She says, “I don’t know if any agent has had to say, ‘Okay, stop with the leads, because I’m too busy.’”

Broker Eric Wyckoff comes from a background in commercial real estate, specializing in apartment buildings. He joined Planit because of its “forward thinking.”

Like the others, he recognizes that the industry is changing, particularly with all the new rules and regulations, the Competition Bureau and the Privacy Act. “The Privacy Act has completely changed the way we can act as a real estate representative,” he says. “We’re no longer allowed to

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Sam Kamoutsis

make cold calls. Everyone is on the no-call list.”

Wyckoff knows that although he’s a seasoned professional, understanding technology is his weakness. “I recognize the fact that the best way to be able to make a living in this particular industry is to have technology at your fingertips,” he says. “And I haven’t met anybody – not that I’m a guru or have a wealth of information about technology myself, but I recognize somebody that has this information – and Sam is clearly above anybody else that I’ve ever met in my business associations.” REM

32 REM NOVEMBER 2011

lan Tennant, former associate broker of Airdrie’s Re/Max Rocky View Real Estate, has been appointed CEO of the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB).

CREB president Sano Stante says that the Board of Directors unanimously agreed that Tennant will succeed Ron Esch, who will retire after a 25-year career at the

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Last call to get your 2012 calendars!

helm of the association. Tennant will begin serving in his new role as CEO on Oct. 24. “I’m very honoured to accept this exciting opportunity at a critical point in CREB’s history. I have tremendous passion for this industry and I look forward to serving CREB members and charting a future course for the board,� says Tennant.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;During his long-standing career as CREBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CEO, Ron Esch cultivated a real commitment to innovation. I look forward to building on this pioneering spirit and equipping our members with the right tools and technology to succeed in the face of rapid change, while never losing sight of the value Realtors must offer to consumers,â&#x20AC;? says Tennant in a news release.

Tennant has 25 years of experience in the field of real estate serving in a wide range of leadership roles within the industry. He is a past recipient of CREBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Realtor of the Year award as well as the Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Golden Jubilee Medal. He served as president of CREB in 1998 and president of CREA in 2006. The board says that as

A group from Greater Moncton Realtors du Grand Moncton enjoy their annual golf tournament.

The Lethbridge and District Association of Realtors recently presented a $24,500 donation to The Southern Alberta Crimestoppers, from funds raised at the 12th Annual Partners Against Crime golf tournament in August. From left: Karl Kloepper, Crimestoppers president; Cathy Maxwell, LDAR special events chair; and Rick Braden, LDAR president. The board has now raised over $254,500 for Crimestoppers.

Greater Moncton Realtors du Grand Moncton president Shirley Powell presents a bursary award to Zoe Keirstead of Riverview High School.

Carole Murphy, community schools co-ordinator, receives a cheque for the breakfast program from Greater Moncton Realtors du Grand Moncton president Shirley Powell.

REM NOVEMBER 2011 33

Technology Council chair for CREA he played a pivotal role in the formation of a new advisory group, the MLS and Technology Council, a group dedicated to advancing technology for Realtors across the country. More recently he participated in CREA’s Futures Project, a scenario planning initiative that envisions possible futures for real estate in Canada.

“We are living in a time of abrupt and surprising transformation,” he says. “Real estate is no different and we must envision how Realtors can serve and delight the customer of the future. Our industry is finding new and exciting ways for technology to live alongside the solid relationships and trust that are at the core of our business. At CREB, I believe we have an opportunity to embrace this change and reaffirm the value Realtors can offer by setting the bar high, thinking differently and always looking for new cuttingedge ways of doing things.”

Tennant lives with his wife, Rona, and is the father of two daughters: Michelle, a Realtor and Lisa, a physiotherapist. Michelle and her husband Matt Carre have

worked in partnership with Tennant and his wife. They will take over the business as Tennant takes on this new chapter in his career. Tennant and his wife have made Airdrie their home for more than 29 years, seeing it grow from a town of 5,500 to a city of over 40,000. He recently announced plans to relocate closer to Calgary’s inner city but confirms he will always maintain close ties to Airdrie and the surrounding region.

■ ■ ■

Greater Moncton Realtors du Grand Moncton have been busy with a number of charitable endeavours. Recently the association raised more than $17,000 for a local school kid’s breakfast program – enough money to feed more than 100 children for a year. This is the third year the program has been operating. About $13,500 of the funds were raised at an annual golf tournament that attracted a number of local sponsors.

As part of the RealtorsCare program, the association also awards four bursaries annually to students who demonstrate exceptional dedication to volunteerism

and serving their community.

■ ■ ■

Rick Preston, chair of WinnipegRealtors Citizens Hall of Fame Committee, announced that Harold Buchwald is this year’s inductee. Principal nominator Jim Carr said in his submission: “Whoever was in charge of matchmaking had a hot day when Harold Buchwald was born in Winnipeg, Feb.22, 1928. The love affair between the man and city lasted 80 years, abruptly ending last week when Harold died suddenly.

Bucky was everywhere and so was his influence on the city, province, nation and beyond. You would see him at a breakfast meeting, lunch or dinner, sometimes at all three.

He would be at the ballet, opera, symphony and theatre. He was truly the ubiquitous man.”

Former mayor Susan Thompson asked Buchwald to chair the Cultural Policy Review Panel in 1996-97. The Buchwald Report subsequently established the City of Winnipeg Cultural Policy. It continues to ensure Winnipeg supports its arts and cultural communities. “His extraordi-

nary efforts have greatly enhanced Winnipeg’s quality of life and its development,” said the former mayor.

The Citizens Hall of Fame site is nestled in the southeast corner of Assiniboine Park, where all of the 38 inductee sculptures are prominently displayed. As was intended when this unique awards program celebrating outstanding Winnipeg citizens was established 25 years ago, it will not only become a repository of local history and a source of education to the Winnipeg community, it has the potential to be a tourist attraction showcasing the talents of local artists.

Recently WinnipegRealtors sourced individual QR code medallions for each inductee. To get information about each inductee, visitors can apply their smart phone to the QR code image on the pedestal and get detailed information describing the inductee. All the QR codes should be in place this fall.

At the ceremony inducting Buchwald, Harry DeLeeuw, who established the program, received a special glass replica of the Citizens

Hall of Fame medallion.

■ ■ ■

Hundreds of Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) members celebrated recently at TREB’s 25 and 50 Year Member Dinner. This year the association welcomed 701 Realtors into their 25th year of membership. One member, Gordon Eckersley, was welcomed into his 50th year of membership, joining 31 others who have been working in the profession for more than half a century.

“It is estimated that the average person changes careers five times throughout their employment years,” says TREB president Richard Silver. “The individuals we’re celebrating are so passionate about helping others make the move to a home that’s right for them, that they have remained in the same profession for two and a half decades or more.”

The theme of this year’s dinner, “Connecting”, included opportunities for attendees to reconnect and have a portrait taken with colleagues. Entertainment featured party band The Carpet Frogs.

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34 REM NOVEMBER 2011

METES & BOUNDS

By Marty Douglas

R

emembrance Day. Veterans Day in the USA. My parents were involved in the Second World War, dad as a driver for a brigadier, mom as a policewoman-fire warden. They were married in a family ceremony in an English church, my dad in uniform, a couple of years before the war ended. Oh yeah – they were English. (So many wars since, so many different sides.) We immigrated to Canada in 1951.

Usually at this time of year I’m at the NAR Conference in the USA but because it’s in Anaheim and I’m not a Disney fanatic, I chose not to attend. I’ll miss the

Patriotism and Remembrance Day different perspective the Americans have on Veterans Day compared to Canada. It’s not a state holiday – except for national events, it’s a work day for most.

Secondly, if you are wearing a poppy, you’re either a U.S. politician or a Canadian.

It’s strange the symbol of the poppy is so Canadian. Americans – those south of the 49th and north of the Rio Grande (after all, we’re American too) – are the most patriotic citizens I know. Perhaps a bit too quick to praise, thank or blame God, but at the drop of a coin toss in the NFL, there’s the colour party of U.S. Marines followed by a fly past of the Blue Angels while everyone stands with hands over heart. In baseball, just to show it is America’s game, they start with the Star Spangled Banner and then, in the seventh inning stretch, sing God Bless America or America the Beautiful. More stand ups than at Comedy Central.

In Canada, we’re content to sing along with our current nation-

Dale Tkatch Royal LePage Trinity Realty, Brokerage Collingwood, Ontario Stayner, Ontario Wasaga Beach, Ontario George Heos, Senior Vice President, Network Development is pleased to announce that effective October 1, 2011, Dale Tkatch, broker/owner of the brokerage formerly operating as Coldwell Banker Trinity in Collingwood, Stayner, and Wasaga Beach has chosen to join the Royal LePage franchise network. Dale’s company will now operate under the name Royal LePage Trinity Realty.

LePage is now the board`s market share leader with a commanding 29% share.

Dale graduated from the University of Toronto in 1984, and entered into the real estate industry a year later.

Over the course of 26 years, Dale has progressed from salesperson to broker, and finally to broker/ owner, which he has been for the past 15 years.

Dale is currently a director of the Georgian Triangle Association of REALTORS®.

560 First Street Collingwood, Ontario L9Y 1C1 Phone: (705) 444-1420 Fax: (705) 444-1481 daletkatch@royallepage.ca

In addition to converting his existing offices to Royal LePage, Dale has also acquired the local Royal LePage In Touch Realty’s existing Wasaga Beach location. Its team of 11 REALTORS® will now operate under the Royal LePage Trinity Realty banner.

Royal LePage Trinity Realty adds 55 sales representatives to the Royal LePage sales force and 17.5% of the board`s unit sales, year to date.

Together with Royal LePage All Real Estate Services and Royal LePage Locations North Realty in Collingwood, Meaford and Thornbury, Royal

In addition to Collingwood, Stayner, and Wasaga Beach, the team also services the areas of Blue Mountain, New Lowell and surrounding communities.

Dale and his team can be reached at: 7458 Hwy 26 Unit 11 Stayner, Ontario L0M 1S0 Phone: (705) 428-3349 Fax: (705) 428-0416 daletkatch@royallepage.ca

1249 Mosley Street Wasaga Beach, Ontario L9Z 2E5 Phone: (705) 429-4800 Fax: (705) 429-4835 daletkatch@royallepage.ca

Please join us in welcoming Dale and wishing him and everyone at Royal LePage Trinity Realty continued success.

For information on the Royal LePage franchise program, please call (416) 510-5700 or email: franchise@royallepage.ca †

†Royal LePage is a trademark used under license.

al anthem. (Remember when it was God Save the Queen?) At the Vancouver Canucks home games we’re so polite, the anthem singer shares the mid chorus of O Canada with the crowd. Have you ever been asked to lead a group in the singing of O Canada? If you want to strike terror in the hearts of any audience, ask one of them to lead the singing. They’d rather say a prayer. Getting someone to say grace is easier than to hit that first note of O Canada! The cool thing is the rest of the crowd is so grateful they weren’t asked, they’ll leap into the fray with enthusiasm once led.

Then there’s the fear of forgetting the words – one thing to sing along, another to lead. How many “far and wides” are there? Do we “stand on guard” twice or three times? What’s that bit in the middle about “sons” or is it “suns”?

Why “true north” – doesn’t everyone know it’s the magnetic north that’s in Canada? There’s a second verse? And why do citizens of the USA sing My Country ‘Tis of Thee to the same tune as God Save the Queen? And who rhymed “tis of thee” with “liberty”?

Patriotism is a mystery. Why do we get choked up when one of our athletes climbs the podium in a foreign land to claim a gold medal?

What moves us, beside respect, to stand silently in great numbers as a casualty of the Afghan war is repatriated? Why do we wear with pride the flag pin? What moves our mothers to send us overseas only after she has sewn a Canadian flag prominently on a hat or jacket or duffel bag? In a sea of national flags, why do we seek our own?

I served with the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve, rising to the dizzying rank of lieutenant after three years as a cadet with the University Naval Training Division (UNTD). They were the best summers of my learning life, spent in Cornwallis, N.S., Halifax and Hamilton, with postings to three frigates (four-inch guns, 40mm Bofors and depth charges — yahoo!) and lots of mucking about in small boats – gate vessels, YMTs and YFPs, and whalers (not the Boston kind, the original Herman Melville!)

If you want your children’s

patriotism reinforced, consider the military cadet programs – I happen to favour the senior service but I think I was unduly influenced by boyhood readings of The Cruel Sea and Horatio Hornblower. Those books were introduced through the sea cadet program at RCSCC Admiral De Wolf. (De Wolf was the commanding officer of Canada’s most famous warship, HMCS Haida, a tribal class destroyer enshrined as a national historic site in Hamilton Harbour.)

The cadet programs for army, navy and air force are wonderful oppor-

tunities for young people, learning lifelong skills and resulting in better – in my opinion – career choices. Mastering a musical instrument, piloting a glider, racing sailboats, survival training, navigation, not to mention the opportunities for travel across Canada and the world are character building.

Many who enter the cadet programs are accepted into advanced education programs through military college.

And by the way, I think the Continued on page 42

Trade Shows and Conferences For complete listings, visit www.remonline.com To add a listing to this calendar, email jim@remonline.com Ottawa Real Estate Board Annual Trade Show Thursday, Oct. 27 Ottawa Wilda Brown - wilda@oreb.ca The Professional Home and Property Inspectors of Canada Inspection Connection 2011 Oct. 28 - 30 Four Points by Sheraton Kingston, Ont. www.phpic.ca Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound Trade Show Wednesday, Nov. 2 Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre, Owen Sound Marilyn Newbigging – MarilynN@ragbos.com NAR Realtors Conference and Expo Nov. 11 – 14 Anaheim, Calif. www.realtor.org/convention.nsf

Lone Wolf Management Summit “The Real Estate Office of the Future” Thursday, Nov. 17 Dave & Busters, Concord, Ont. Gary Schnarr – gschnarr@lwolf.com or 1-866-CRY-WOLF ext. 1211 Canadian Association of Accredited Mortgage Professionals Mortgage Forum 2011 Nov. 20 - 22 Metro Toronto Convention Centre Toronto www.mortgageconference.ca Mississauga Real Estate Board 2011 Annual Election meeting and Trade Show Wednesday, Nov. 23 Mississauga Convention Centre Mississauga, Ont. Gay Napper – 905-608-6732 Royal LePage Shelter Foundation Gala Friday, Nov. 25 Toronto sharonpromm@royallepage.ca

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

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36 REM NOVEMBER 2011

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inning the battle, one house at a timeâ&#x20AC;? is the message Re/Max Nova in Halifax hoped would connect with agents, homeowners and the public when pink for sale signs started popping up on lawns across the area in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Atlantic Region (CBCF). As part of their ongoing support for CBCFAtlantic Region, the brokerage

will donate a portion of the commission from every home sold in October to the fight against breast cancer. The brokerage is highlighting the campaign by replacing approximately 500 lawn signs with pink for sale signs that feature CBCF. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With over 100 of our agents participating in this program, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really excited about the potential for raising a substantial amount of money and aware-

The Royal LePage Headstart conference in Harrison Hot Springs, B.C. shattered its previous record for funds raised for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, generating $55,000 at the bi-annual conference. Contributing to the grand total is a combination of great prizes, including a cruise on the original S.S. Minnow, from Gilliganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Island fame, and one unlikely auction prize that fetched $7,500 on its own. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an old faux fur coat, which has been auctioned at several Royal LePage Shelter Foundation events and appears to be getting ever-more unlikely amounts as bidders clamour to own it as a badge of honour. â&#x2013; â&#x2013; â&#x2013;

PLEASE SEND RESUME TO:

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at anthony@sutton.com

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Don and Mary Ann Ketchum pose in fall 2010 with University of New Brunswick (Saint John) vice-president Dr. Robert Mackinnon. The three are holding an artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rendering of the University Commons building that officially opened in September.

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Habitat for Humanity representatives Robert Boudreau, chairperson, left and Hank Middleton, member, right, hold the cheque surrounded by Exit Realty Inter Lake franchisees and agents.

Sales rep Rick Millman and broker Jackie Wilcox of Royal LePage 1st London at one of the many barbecues held throughout the summer.

Melody May after crossing the finish line at the Oasis de MontrĂŠal marathon.

Sutton Group â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Premier Realty held a soccer day camp at a Surrey, B.C. school recently.

Left: At the Sutton West Coast Langley BBQ, from left, Rick Taron, director of real estate operations, Captain Jordan Sparrow of the Langley Fire Rescue Service and Donna Rogers, managing broker, Sutton Group - West Coast Langley.

At the Feeding the Hungry Night, from left: Jess Hodgson, Morag McLean, Richard Tyson, Ann Hobbes, Michelle Kay, Paula Hodgson, Ron Neiman and Heather Holden.

REM NOVEMBER 2011 37

Every few months a group from Sutton Group – Select Realty in London, Ont. participates in the Salvation Army’s Feeding the Hungry Night. Almost 200 homeless and hungry people line up every Thursday to enjoy a free, hot meal. Many sales reps also collect clothes in advance to give out to attendees.

Sales rep Paula Hodgson says she hopes that other companies and individuals will consider participating in this rewarding, enlightening experience.

“These people haven’t chosen to live on the street,” she says.

“One woman in a wheelchair brings her 10-year-old son who has Down syndrome. Wherever his mother goes, the boy comes along quietly and eats. Where is she getting a job? Who’s looking after her boy while she’s at a job? It’s sad really.

“We are very, very fortunate with the income we make and the cities that we live in, so we do this to give back and bring more awareness to the true issue of homelessness. There are a lot of misconceptions about homelessness.

People think of it as a poverty issue and, really, homelessness is a men-

tal health issue, in most cases.”

■ ■ ■

A new building on the University of New Brunswick campus in Saint John is a stunning marvel of technology, environmental responsibility and architectural genius. It makes perfect sense, then, that two Realtors led the team responsible for getting the project off the ground.

The Hans W. Klohn Commons, named for a prominent New Brunswick businessman, officially opened on Sept. 7, after an appointed cabinet of local Saint John dignitaries raised the funds for its $25-million price tag. The cabinet was co-chaired by the husband-and-wife Realtor team of Don and Mary Ann Ketchum of Royal LePage Atlantic.

Mary Ann has a long history with the University of New Brunswick. “Years ago, I was the president of UNB Nursing Alumni and I completed my Master’s degree here,” she says.

“All of my brothers and sisters and four of my children also went to UNB. We absolutely believe in the value the university brings to our community.”

The project received a huge boost in its fundraising efforts with $20 million in financial contributions from all three levels of government. It was up to the Ketchums to lead the cabinet in raising the remaining $5 million from members of the community, alumni, faculty, staff, corporations and friends.

“In a community as tightly knit as Saint John, it’s all about the relationships,” says Don Ketchum.

“Our team worked away at our contacts persistently and we achieved great success.”

The Hans W. Klohn Commons is a gathering place for students, offering a student technology centre, tutoring centres, classroom and conference rooms. It integrates IT, information services, a computing centre and library under one roof.

It’s also a silver-rated Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building.

■ ■ ■

Exit Realty Inter Lake recently held its Annual Charity Golf Tournament in Bridgewater, N.S., raising $10,000 for Habitat for Humanity.

Event organizers Jon Walker

and Mark Seamone, franchisees of Exit Realty Inter Lake, say 120 golfers took part in the event.

“We are very thankful for the participation of other Exit franchisees and agents across the province as well the support of Mike McCarron, the supervisor of growth and development for Exit Realty Corp. International, who came to support this charity,” says Walker. “This is an excellent way for us to raise money for Habitat and help people who could not otherwise afford to be in a home of their own fulfill their lifelong dream. We intend on growing this event each year.”

■ ■ ■

Melody May, a broker with Royal LePage Village in Montreal, ran the half-marathon in the Oasis de Montréal to honour the memory of her best friend, who passed away in the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. With much persistence and a great attitude, May crossed the finish line at two hours and 29 minutes and raised more than $10,000 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

■ ■ ■

A visit to the principal’s office had a happy ending for 50 students at Harold Bishop Elementary School in Surrey, B.C. Realtors from Sutton - Premier Realty got a warm reception from principal Brent Murphy when they offered to host a soccer day camp including a free lunch.

Sales rep Janis Stretch is a member of Sutton - Premier Realty’s “Fun Team” that organized the event. “The kids loved it!

This was our first soccer day camp and it went very well. Fifty students in grades 5 and 6 had a great time playing soccer and learning new skills. We served a barbecue lunch and each student took home a t-shirt and their own soccer ball.”

■ ■ ■

The second annual Parking Lot Party for Charity in Belleville, Ont. hosted by Royal LePage ProAlliance raised more than $10,000 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation and the local United Way. The event featured the All You Need is Love band, with front man Royal LePage ProAlliance owner Mark Continued on page 38

Every 48 hours,another agent switches to Your Choice Realty.

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results and I can definitely recommend Your Choice Realty to anybody in Real Estate. Don’t waste your money in Brokerage Fees, invest it on you and your clients.”

When asked how he felt about joining YCR, George Sardelis, formerly of Prudential, revealed, “Joining YCR was the best decision I ever made. Not only do I get to keep more of my hard-earned money, but I also receive the same level of administrative support as my previous “big name” brokerage. Any REALTOR® knows that your clientele is based on the services and support you provide, not the name of your brokerage.”

Find out what 100% really looks like.

Agents at YCR have complete access to full-service offices equipped with state-of-the-art courtesy computers and client conference rooms. They offer free Wi-fi, copying, scanning, faxing and complimentary parking. Agents are provided with opportunities to further develop their skills through advanced agent training and continuing education courses and credits. YCR also offers its agents use of an in-house mortgage broker, lawyer and an in-house appointmentbooking desk. Messages always go to the person they were intended for, not to an on-duty agent.

Four branch managers are available to assist the agent’s needs day and night. While other brokerages would charge their agents for these amenities, YCR’s agents don’t pay an extra penny.

For more information on making the switch, visit joinyourchoicerealty.ca, or call Jan Wrobel, President of Your Choice Realty at 416.479.4241 X 101 to arrange your confidential interview.

After Consultation 75% join immediately 19% think first, then join 5% remain where they are

Since September 2010, YCR has opened 5 full-service brokerages – in Burlington, Mississauga, Toronto, Barrie and Muskoka – with another opening in Ottawa in October. They have grown to over 180 agents in less than 11 months – an extraordinary number, considering the competition.

When Gustavo Cardozo started selling real estate in 2004, he worked for Re/Max. “I always wondered, why shouldn’t I keep 100% of my commission since I was the one doing all the work?

Your Choice Realty was the answer to that question! Since I joined, I’m very pleased with the

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38 REM NOVEMBER 2011

...maintenant en français !

www.remenligne.com Oui! You are reading this correctly! You can now stay up-to-date with the latest in Canadian real estate news, en français!

Visit our new French website, and watch for REM Revue Immobilière, coming 2012!

Sign-up for our French virtual newsletter now at remenligne.com!

For more info, contact:

Michel Chevalier michel@remenligne.com

Website offers links to pro athletes’ agents S

ometimes professional athletes are traded and have to find a place to live in a hurry. Or maybe they have just signed a new contract and are looking for another high-end property to add to their collection of houses. Either way, thanks to Athlete Connect, Realtors who want to be athletes’ go-to real estate experts have an easier way to make it on to the pros’ speed dials.

Sports Agent 411’s Athlete Connect is an information portal that provides a way to contact professional athletes through their agents. “Sports agents are liaisons – gatekeepers to professional athletes – so the best way to contact an athlete is through them,” says Sports Agent 411’s general manager Karim Memarian.

Athlete Connect lets members do a search for sports agents by sport, total salaries negotiated, number of clients or geographic region represented. Members can download sports agents’ information to their address book. A reverse search can also be done for athletes by sport, team salaries, earned salary or salary ranking.

The site saves members time by providing all of the update contact information they need in one place, Memarian says.

Good Works Continued from page 37

Rashotte. The band has played internationally at Beatle festivals around the world.

■ ■ ■

Cats, dogs and other abandoned animals at the Kingston Humane Society will have food, clean water and a warm place to sleep courtesy of everyone involved in the 3rd Annual Hit n Giggle Putts Fore! Mutts’ Golf Tournament. Bob Steacy, a sales rep at Sutton Group - Masters Realty in Kingston, Ont. initiated and organized the event. He recently presented a $5,000 cheque to the animal shelter. In 2010 and 2009, the tournament benefited the Partners in Mission

It took about 18 months to develop the new Internet service.

About 70 to 80 per cent of the information is readily available on the Internet, but what Athlete Connect does is aggregate the information and keep the information updated, saving members time.

Information was complied by a network of sports executives and also includes sports agents’ website addresses, contact information and social media sites. Only sports agents who have clients are listed.

A typical scenario would have a real estate agent doing a blanket email or promotion to introduce themselves and their services ahead of time and “plant a seed” so that if an athlete does come to Canada, they have a contact who has experience in the market, Memarian says.

Another scenario would be if a hot player is signed, the real estate sales rep can send a welcome to the neighbourhood email and offer their real estate services and local expertise, he says.

“It’s important to use the entire data base and have access to everyone’s agents (because) you never know what will happen.”

Athletes make a lot of money in a short period of time, Memarian says. “The average Food Bank of Kingston. The grand total for three years is $13,000.

■ ■ ■

Spearheaded by Royal LePage sales rep Susan McGhee, with the help of a team of volunteers, Royal LePage 1st London hosted barbecues at their office throughout the entire summer. As a fundraising venture for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, the group increased their presence in the community and had a great time raising $3,000 for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

■ ■ ■

Sutton Group - West Coast Realty hosted its annual Langley Realtor BBQ recently to raise awareness and funds for the B.C.

annual salary is $1.6-million per athlete on the site, and the site has more than 6,000 athletes. The majority are in the United States and some are in Canada. The database will soon be opening up to the European market.”

Memarian, who is also sports agent and co-founder of the site, says the service has come a long way. “When I created the concept, the list only included the names of agents in baseball, basketball and football with a phone number.

There were no websites, emails, fax numbers, mailing addresses or client information. It was strictly a five-page document available in print via regular mail for $89. Now it’s a comprehensive database that lets you search for what you’re looking for.”

Prices start at $2,495 per year.

“The combined annual salaries of all athletes in the database exceed $10 billion per year,” Memarian says. “The return on investment is tremendous for anyone seeking to do business with pro athletes and their agents.”

More enhancements, including a time stamp to indicate modified information, will be available in 2012.

For more information: www.sportsagent411.com.

– Connie Adair REM Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund.

“In our work we see the positive side of our clients and families buying and enjoying their homes. On the flip side, the firefighters are there to support us all during times of distress,” says Donna Rogers, managing broker for the Sutton Group - West Coast Realty Langley office.

“I’m thankful to all the Realtors and supporters who understand the dangerous job firefighters do and are equally proud of all the work done by the doctors, nurses, support staff and burn researchers to assist burn survivors across B.C.” In a single evening the office managed to raise $8,000 through personal donations, sponsorships and a silent auction. REM

REM NOVEMBER 2011 39

SEO: The bare minimum

By Chad Bowe

Y

ou’ve heard of SEO and you know that it has something to do with search engines and websites but if you are like most Realtors, that’s about as deep as the rabbit hole gets. I speak to small business owners and Realtors all the time and I can tell you that few to none really understand why SEO is important to their website and its success. That being said, let’s dive right in…

The purpose of SEO: Search Engine Optimization is a set of activities and standards that help a website to be found and displayed by popular search engines (Google, Bing, etc.). The goal is to create a scenario where the search engines see your website as the best and most authoritative

among those that compete directly with it for the same search terms (aka: keywords). Websites that are considered the most relevant and authoritative are displayed on the first page of the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages). This is where the magic happens.

Websites listed on the first page get the vast majority of the clicks so getting as close to the first page as possible is your goal and SEO will help you achieve it.

Understanding search results: Want to see if your website is on the first page? Go to Google.com and type in: buy homes in (your city). After you hit enter, Google returns a huge list of relevant websites, starting with the one that it considers the most relevant to your search phrase. In simple terms, Google is saying, “You asked me to search for homes to buy in (your city) and here is a list of websites starting with the one that I think you will find most useful.” There will likely be two or three “paid results” directly below the search entry box, but immedi-

ately following are the “organic” results, beginning with the website deemed the best match for your search query.

Why SEO is important for your website: Have you noticed how many real estate companies (and websites) there are in your city? SEO is important because you are all competing in the same arena. What are you competing for? Clicks of course! As opposed to hard media (think signage on buses and billboards), search engines bring pre-qualified leads to you. These pre-qualified leads are people who are actually trying to find information about real estate in your area. Searchers are actively looking for the homes and properties that you have to sell and the most optimized and authoritative websites will get the bulk of the clicks. All things being equal, more clicks equal more sales.

How SEO can help: The obvious question is, “How do I get my website to show up on the first page?” For highly coveted key-

words, only a few companies will be able to obtain the enviable position of having their website on page one of the SERP. However, the good news is that a smart Realtor can compete for variations of keywords that might not be getting as much attention. Many companies use this strategy with excellent results. Whether you decide to go for a niche or to compete head-on for the most popular keywords, a good SEO plan will help your website to rank as highly as possible.

Notice I said ‘plan’. SEO is an ongoing process that begins with website optimization and then extends to off-site activities like link building. Almost without exception the top websites have good site optimization and tons of high quality, in-bound links. For a given query, Google decides which website to display in the first position by looking for the keywords used in the query in the websites’ copy (or text), page title and filename and also takes into account how many quality inbound links

each site has (a sign of authority).

Based on these and a whole bunch of other factors, the website that seems most relevant and authoritative is the one that gets displayed in the top position, the second most relevant and authoritative follows and on and on.

This is a simplified overview of how websites are ranked, but the key takeaways are to use relevant keywords throughout your website and also to get as many quality inbound links to your website is possible.

Chad Bowe is the owner of The GTA Consultant, a digital marketing consulting company in the greater Toronto area. His passion is helping Canadian real estate companies succeed in the digital space. Looking forward, Chad says he believes that technology and its proper application will be the deciding factor and point of differentiation that separates leading real estate companies from the pack. www.gtaconsultant.com Email info@gtaconsultant.com; Phone 416REM 830-4715.

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40 REM NOVEMBER 2011

What’s

Pat Lavin, Helen Almas, and Justin and Tom O’Brian took home $1,000 each.

TitlePlus launches revamped website

New Mary Hrovat wins $20,000 in RBC client referral draw

MARKETPLACE

Sales rep Mary Hrovat of Windsor, Ont. was the $20,000 grand prize contest winner in a draw for Realtors who referred homebuyers to RBC mortgage specialists during the spring.

RBC Royal Bank mortgage specialist Sheri McTavish says she has worked with Hrovat for just over a year. McTavish pledged that clients would be treated well, whether it was a quick turnaround time for mortgage approval or offering competitive rates and a mortgage designed to meet a client’s needs.

Six out of 11 winners in the RBC Refer-to-Win Giveaway were from Windsor. Paul Germanese,

TitlePlus has launched a new website to make it quick, easy and intuitive for anyone to educate themselves about title insurance, says Mark Farrish, director of sales and marketing, TitlePlus. “We wanted to put information and resources that consumers and other stakeholders might need right at their fingertips,” he says.

Under the About Us section, visitors will find links to background information on the TitlePlus program, including a page that explains the company’s legal services coverage – a benefit automatically included in a TitlePlus policy at no additional cost, which provides coverage for the legal services of the lawyer in the transaction (in addition to the standard title-related aspects of a real estate deal).

Under the Products and Services tab consumers will find information on the various types of TitlePlus policies available, including purchase and refinance for residential and commercial properties.

A new Policyholder Information tab includes a sample

policy and a claims reporting form, two resources clients ask about the most. A Publications tab links to many publications and information brochures. A Resources tab includes a link to the Working with a Lawyer when You Buy a Home brochure – a tool that explains how a real estate transaction will unfold and the work that consumers can expect their lawyer to undertake on their behalf.

The Real Simple Real Estate Guide link contains an extensive list of resources to help consumers better understand the intricacies of buying or mortgaging a property. It includes, for example, calculators to help consumers understand how much of a mortgage they can carry and how long it will take to pay it off, among other tools.

account manager Max Gruenfeld.

“They were taken on a tour of

the facilities to demonstrate how their orders are produced,” says Bob Campbell. “The tour was followed by a presentation reviewing all of the marketing products and services available along with a great back and forth discussion period.

Lunch was served and the happy agents returned to Meaford with an Top row, from left: Realtor Paul Germanese, Flora armful of goodies James, RBC mortgage specialist; Sheri McTavish, and lots of marketRBC mortgage specialist; Pat Tremblay RBC VP, ing ideas.”

The trip was comortgage specialists, Ontario; Matthew Varey, senior VP, head of career sales force; Pat Lavin, Realtor. ordinated by Royal Bottom row: Helen Almas, Realtor; Mary Hrovat, LePage Locations Realtor and grand prize winner; Tonya Gifford, North sales rep Rod RBC regional sales manager, Windsor Essex.

MacAlpine. REM

Meaford sales reps take road trip to Colour Tech Recently Desmond Von Teichman, broker of record for Royal LePage Locations North, and a group of 10 Realtors from their office in Meaford, Ont. visited Colour Tech Marketing in Mississauga. After spending two hours in a mini bus, the group was welcomed by owners Margaret and Bob Campbell, general manger Debbie McDonald and

Realtors from Royal LePage Locations North in Meaford, Ont. recently took a road trip to Colour Tech Marketing in Mississauga.

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REM NOVEMBER 2011 41

GOURMET COOKING for real estate professionals

By Carolyne Lederer

I

n home economics classes they used to teach all sorts of “techniques” – of course for me, the war had only been over a few years and most people were still very much “economy minded.” We were taught how to extend food to make it stretch to feed more people, yet not have people question what exactly caused a small purchase to go so far.

Sort of the loaves and fishes concept.

This dish can be served with glorious mashed whipped potatoes

The economy special or rice, or split and used on an Italian bun, smothered in the peppers. This dish makes its own sauce in the baking process and the sauce can be used as gravy for the potatoes or drizzled over the meatballs in the sandwich. Either way, those who eat it won’t soon forget how delicious it tasted. It’s little bit of a nuisance to prepare, but not at all difficult. It tastes spectacular as leftovers, cut in thick slices for a packed lunch sandwich on rye bread or regular bread. It’s important to follow the directions about splitting the oversize meatballs and putting a generous sprinkle of grated cheese on – right at the time of serving, not sooner. Do it just as you plate the food – it makes all the difference.

Gourmet meatballs extended Makes 6 meatballs (1= cupsize). Split in half when serving and sprinkle 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese on each half.

Serve with “sweated” onion pieces, green and red and yellow sweet bell peppers, cut in chunks and parboiled for 3 minutes, then sautéed lightly and quickly in a mix of very hot – but not so hot as to burn – corn oil and real butter, before baking with the meatballs. Empty the sauté pan, sauce and all, over the meatballs before placing the pan in the oven.

Ingredients: 1-1/4 - 11/2 pounds of ground beef 8 slices day old white bread soaked in 1/2 cup milk 1 egg 1 t crushed thyme leaves 1-1/2 t salt 1/2 t pepper parsley 1 T poultry seasoning 3 T grated Parmesan cheese 1-1/2 T grated Romano cheese 5 olives stuffed (red pepper) chopped very fine 6 coarsely chopped mushrooms

(quartered is good) – definitely not fine 6 rather large peppers, washed and seeded 3 really large onions, cut in 8 wedges (that will separate into segments as they cook).

Put the meat and all the fixin’s in a machine mixing bowl with dough hook (like you use for bread making). Mix very well. Shape into 6-inch-round large balls (1 cup size) and brown on all sides, in oil and butter, turning to brown until all sides are almost (softly) crispy. You are only wanting to brown the meatballs, not cook them.

Deglaze the pan and make gravy by sprinkling a tiny bit of flour and boiling water. Add enough “leftovers” gravy that you have saved from other dishes from beef, pork and chicken to make 4 cups and pour into a large baking (glass) container, where you have placed the browned meatballs.

Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 F

with the sautéed peppers and onions. Cover loosely with a tinfoil tent to stop oven splatter in excess.

I always place the large flat glass baking dish on a big flat tinfoil protector that they sell at the dollar store. I place it right under the dish, not on the bottom of the oven. Particularly if you are using a gas range, do not put the tinfoil cover on the oven base. You can also bake this in a large metal roasting pan.

Carolyne Lederer is broker of record at Carolyne Realty Corp.

Proudly putting her name to her work for 29 years, she serves Burlington and Brampton, Ont. residential real estate clients. She taught gourmet cooking in the mid 1970s prior to going into real estate, and wrote a newspaper weekly cooking column. She also has a cookbook in the works. Email Carolyne at BurlingtonHomes@Carolyne.com if you have any questions. www.Carolyne.com or REM www.MillcroftHomes.com

42 REM NOVEMBER 2011

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here is no part of this country that is immune to snow. Our west coast can occasionally get by with minimal amounts but at the end of the day every nook and cranny of our fabulous land gets snow. So we better talk about it because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming.

We better get ready.

I am not good at dealing with snow. I am terrified of driving through it. I am leery about walking in it because I am afraid of slipping, falling and breaking something. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like to shovel it because it seems heavier than it ever was and too much for me to deal with anymore. I think my fear of snow is driven primarily by my age and to a lesser extent my physical make up. I am in my sixties and I am overweight. I am more afraid of things than I was before and I mark this fear in particular because I am now afraid of something that I once loved. I used to love snow beyond words.

I grew up with snow in the Parkdale area of Toronto when I was a young kid and in Scarborough when I was an adolescent. Snow was a part of my life that I embraced fully and enjoyed immensely.

There was a time that I could

T

not wait for snow to arrive. I would look out the window wishing for it, especially during late fall nights when the forecaster on the radio said it was coming. I literally tried to will it to come down from the sky. When it came I revelled in it.

I have built countless snowmen in my time. I must have thrown a million snowballs and I have careened down more hills in all manner of sliders, sleds and toboggans at speeds I am not even able to imagine today. There were times that I came down hills and escarpments so fast that it made all things a blur in my vision. I walked over two miles to an ice covered pond in freezing temperatures to play shinny hockey with my pals and happily walked home in the dark in even colder temperatures countless times.

So I confess that while I am worried about the coming times of slippery walking and worrisome traveling, I am looking forward to the first snowfall with an excitement that I can barely contain. For all the troubles it causes, there is a magic about the first snowfall that cannot be described.

Snow makes everything look clean. All the grime and dirt on the streets is covered with a crisp white blanket. If you look at it a certain way in the sun, it even sparkles. As much as a good summer rain on the roof makes sleep a comfort, so too does the first snow outside your window as you slip under the covers of a nice warm bed. There is silence outside at night as people stay indoors after a journey home accented with falling snow on coats and scarves hung up in the

entrance way of a home.

Families seem to gather with a greater appreciation for each other.

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what the psychology is but I know it happens. Hot chocolate tastes better on the day of the first snowfall than at any other time. Music is more meaningful and becomes more memorable. People even smell better when they insist on hugging you outside when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s snowing.

I think the trick is like everything else, get ready for it. Get out now and put up the Christmas lights. Get snow tires, emergency kits for the house, make sure the windows are caulked properly to keep out the draft.

Another thing to think about is business.

If you are in real estate, why not make arrangements to ensure your property listings are shovelled and free of ice? What a nice touch for your listing clients. Or perhaps have signs that illuminate your name during winter nights. Those things would help your present clients and attract future business.

As for me, I am going to have someone come in and go through my computer and communications devices to ensure all is well and working through the next few months. The last thing I want to do is struggle through the cold and ice hefting a computer tower to the fix-it shop.

I have a lot of respect for the danger that winter weather can bring but I sure love the first snow.

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

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By Heino Molls

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s snow time

â&#x2013; Members with a history of experience, and a tradition of community involvement

Patriotism and Remembrance and we begrudge his use of a govContinued from page 34

Chief of Defence Staff got a raw deal for his use of the Challenger jet. Here is a man, the latest of an outstanding group of men to fill the role, whose pay is around $225,000 according to the last Google info I could access. He is responsible for 90,000 men and women, many of whom are in harms way daily. He interrupts his family holiday to honour Canadians killed in Afghanistan

ernment aircraft to reunite him with his family. Seriously?

Meanwhile David Hahn is running the B.C. Ferry fleet of some 35 ships and several thousand personnel and his annual pension will be nearly double the CDSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual salary. And as angry as some folks get at Mr. Hahn, he rarely has to wear body armour or have armed protection.

Remembrance Day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; lest we forget.

You can find Marty Douglas on Twitter - 41yrsrealestate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Facebook and LinkedIn. He is a managing broker for Coast Realty Group, with offices on Vancouver Island, the Discovery and Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast of B.C. Marty is a past chair of the Real Estate Errors and Omissions Corporation of B.C., the Real Estate Council of B.C. , the B.C. Real Estate Association and the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. mdouglas@coastrealty.com REM

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Encourage your clients to find us on Facebook. Visit Genworthsmartshopper.ca

Š 2011 Genworth Financial, Inc.

October, 2011

To: Real Estate Professionals Re: Who is looking out for the consumer?

Recent developments in the real estate industry have raised some concerns. Most pertain to the new grey areas of the business that have emerged with the industry’s newest business model – the combination of For Sale By Owner (FSBO) and discount broker. Now let me be clear before I move forward. I am totally fine with the introduction of a multi-tiered system where consumers can choose from a variety of options when putting their properties up for sale.

In fact, I think the concept also represents an opportunity for our agents to pinpoint where motivated sellers live.

But, these recent encounters are unchartered waters for realtors, many of whom have built solid reputations on service excellence and are absolutely stunned by the actions of this new hybrid. And with a growing list of complaints, including skyrocketing incidents of misrepresented properties, I find myself asking just who is monitoring our industry to ensure that rules and regulations are upheld?

And who is looking out for the consumer?

We know the Real Estate’s governing bodies were originally established by the real estate industry and government to enhance professionalism, increase consumer protection, and to provide an effective, efficient and responsible regulatory framework.

So as the gatekeepers, they should be actively protecting the public interest through a fair, safe, and informed marketplace.

Or should they?

Maybe it’s the government body – the Ministry of Consumer Services, which is responsible for the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 and associated regulations – to uphold matters pertaining to public interest? Either way, will someone please step up to the plate?

It’s time to determine whose responsibility it is to vet listings to ensure their legitimacy – as well as the accuracy of information. There should be clear guidelines and accountability for all who post their homes on MLS. I believe there should be one governing body that enforces the rules and guidelines. In fact, I believe this should have been done long before mere postings were permitted.

I’ve never been one to back down from issues that impact all of us in the real estate industry, whether its challenging part-time realtors or demanding changes to realtor.ca, and I’m not about to back down now. I demand to know why FSBO companies are not licensed. If they are placing their listings on MLS, they should be held to the same standards set for the rest of the industry. The way I see it, they can’t hide behind the façade “for sale by owner” because that is simply not the case. It’s just big business.

Some of you may be tempted to say you really do get what you pay for... but that’s not the answer we’re looking for. We need a resolution – one that is clear and concise – and applicable to all.

Because lousy service hurts every single one of us.

We put the consumer – our client – first, each and every time. The support for both client and realtor is there well after the ink on the contract is dry.

We are in the business of providing value and knowledge. It’s what we as professional realtors bring to the table that sells our services time and time again. The results we generate are unparalleled. It’s not by luck or by chance that the 90 per cent of homes sold on MLS are moved by realtors.

But it’s time we level the playing field so that all players know the rules... that is the only way to ensure consumers are protected. That means licensed. That means insured. That means accountable. I urge you to share your thoughts at mpolzler@remax-oa.com. I’m prepared to push for change. Are you?

Sincerely,

Michael Polzler Executive Vice President and Regional Director RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada Inc. Ontario-Atlantic Canada Inc. 7101 Syntex Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5N 6H5 . Phone: 905-542-2400 . Fax: 905-542-2318 . Web Site: www.remax.ca