September 2010

Issue #255

September 2010

Is it a leaky faucet or a ghost?

Page 3

Right At Home

Stakes claim as Canada’s largest independent Page 14

CFL player scores real estate deals Page 8

Fighting vandalism with art Arthur Bartram (left) and Howard Drukarsh

Page 12

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joinremax.ca Equal opportunity employers. Each RE/MAX® office is independently owned and operated. © 2010 by RE/MAX, LLC. All rights reserved. 100786 CREA stats based on 2009 data reported as total residential unit sales through MLS®. RE/MAX stats based on 2009 data compiled by independent research.

couple on laptop.indd 1

8/12/10 12:57:12 PM

REM SEPTEMBER 2010 3

NBREA: ‘Time to fix what’s broken’ T

he New Brunswick Real Estate Association (NBREA) has released a discussion paper calling for changes to the property tax system, and is appealing to provincial political candidates and leaders to make property taxation a primary election campaign issue.

“Over a six-year period, governments have increased their tax base by $5.6 billion on the backs of property owners in this province,” says Jason Stephen, chair, NBREA Government Relations Committee. “We strongly believe that, for an issue directly affecting the quality of life of New Brunswickers, property taxation must now become a government priority.”

NBREA’s paper, A Discussion About Property Taxation in New Brunswick, addresses the imbalance of the methods currently used to calculate property value assessments, the system’s impact on fixed

income residents, and the issue of double taxation, which affects renters and those owning more than one property.

The paper indentifies four key recommendations for property tax system improvements: • simplifying property value assessment calculations; • making the system easier to understand; • addressing urgent issues for fixed- and low-income residents; and • eliminating double taxation on non-owner occupied property owners.

“The property tax system, in its present form, is unpredictable, complicated, unclear and inconsistent across the province,” says Stephen. “Some people own properties that haven’t seen an increase in assessment or taxes whatsoever, where others receive assessments that have skyrocketed by hundreds of percentage points. In fact, more

than 8,700 appeals were filed in 2010. This imbalance is unfair and it must be addressed.”

The paper also examines the Accountability Mechanism designed by the government in 2010 to help the province and municipalities continue to experience growth in annual property tax revenues. NBREA says the system fails New Brunswickers in six areas: • It does not provide the desired level of transparency; • Property taxes are not completely dependent on real property values or trends; • It does not account for major annual variations in the value of property, or the amount of new construction; • It relies on new construction for a major portion of annual increases in municipal revenues; • It puts property owners in the middle of a jurisdictional battle between the provincial government, the municipalities and the

Jason Stephen addresses the media after releasing the NBREA report on taxation.

local service districts; and • It does not address the issue of double taxation.

“If changes are not made soon the economic prosperity and growth of the province may be at risk,” says Stephen. “Fixed- and low-income residents may struggle to maintain home ownership, renters may unfairly carry the bur-

den of a negative tax shift and firsttime buyers may choose not to buy at all. The time has come to fix what’s broken in this province.

Whoever forms government after this election will be absolutely required to take a leadership role in solving this growing problem. New Brunswickers deserve better.”

REM

Is it a leaky faucet or a ghost?

Psychic sales rep helps launch Paranormal Home Inspections show

By Connie Adair

N

adine Mercey walked into an empty house in downtown Toronto and immediately knew she was not alone. Taking a deep breath, she moved farther into the house, goose bumps on her arms and a chill running down her spine. She closed her eyes, sensing the presence of four spirits – two elderly gentlemen, one woman and an animal. This was a haunted house.

It would be enough to send most people running, but for this real estate broker, paranormal experiences are a way of life.

Mercey, a psychic and spiritual healer, deals with spirits on a regular basis when she visits homes at the invitation of concerned or curious homeowners. She also guides her clients in their real estate transactions, crediting her successful 20 years in real estate to her “intuition.”

First selling residential real estate, and now selling strictly raw

land, Mercey, of Royal LePage State Realty in Ancaster, Ont., is spreading her wings again, putting her psychic abilities to work on a new television series, Paranormal Home Inspection. The half-hour docu-drama investigates private homes in which owners have noticed suspicious activity.

In each episode, a team of experts is dispatched to a house to investigate. Mercey and paranormal investigator Michelle McKay of Cold Spot Paranormal Research independently check each house for otherworldly characters, while certified home inspector Brian Daley aims to debunk any unusual goings on with reasonable explanations.

When Mercey visited the downtown Toronto home to film the first episode, she wasn’t privy to the homeowner’s experiences – bathtub taps being turned on full blast in the middle of the night, deadbolts locking out contractors,

an exploding fishbowl and her dog standing at the top of the stairs, or in a corner of the basement, growling.

However, Mercey says she felt energy immediately upon entering the house. She mentioned four spirits, the name George and a plumber. A trip to the newly renovated basement was fine until Mercey entered the laundry room, where she says felt as if the spirits were pushing her out of the house.

Negative energy flowed from a drain in the floor.

The show’s researcher later confirmed that the original owner was a plumber and that the house had been owned by a couple named George and Joan from 1932-1944.

It was startling news for the homeowner, the show’s executive producer Catherine Fogerty of Big Coat Productions, who had moved into the Riverdale house about four years ago following a

separation. “I wasn’t in the best head space. Weird things were happening. There would be something on the counter that I didn’t remember putting there, I would go past a closed door but it would be open when I came back. I thought it was my imagination and the stress.”

Another psychic also toured the house and came up with the same results as Mercey, both pinpointing the ground under the basement laundry room as a source of negative energy. “The two psychics came up with their information independently,” says Fogarty, adding that there was once an ancient burial ground at the site of the house.

The home inspector chalked up the dog's growling to the presence of raccoons and an opening door to the fact that it wasn’t hung properly. But he could not come up with an explanation of how a deadbolt would lock itself.

Nadine Mercey

In the early stages when Fogarty and business partner Maria Armstrong talked about the show, there were a lot of naysayers.

“I was half one myself,” Fogarty says. That’s why they decided to make a legitimate home inspector part of the show.

To that end, Paranormal Home Inspection is searching for ordinary people with ordinary homes, but unusual experiences.

Owners can choose not to be identified, and camera shots of the house are close ups so the house is not recognizable.

Homeowners can live anywhere in Ontario. If you live in a haunted house, have a client or know of someone who does, visit www.bigcoatproductions.com/cast REM ing.php.

4 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

Multiple Listings

By Jim Adair

Do you have news to share with Canada’s real estate community?

Let REM know about it! Email: jim@remonline.com

K

eller Williams Realty Canada has appointed Diane Mitchell as area director for Ontario. Mitchell, a real estate agent with 22 years in the industry, will serve in a director capacity, focusing on growing market centre operations in Southern Ontario and supporting existing offices in the area, the company says.

With her husband Tom, Diane manages The Mitchell Team.

They have been top producers both in their local market of Newmarket/Aurora, as well as one of the top teams for all of Keller Williams in North America. She is

Diane Mitchell

also the operating principal of Keller Williams Advantage Realty, a 60+ agent market centre that operates out of The Beach/ Riverdale neighbourhoods of Toronto.

■ ■ ■

Exit Realty Corp. International has added Kinley Shell to its growing executive team. Previously the VP of operations, web and IT development for an affiliate company when he first began working with Exit Realty in August 2007, Shell now holds the title of vicepresident web development. His background includes many years as

Kinley Shell

a licensed real estate appraiser, human resources and regional manager, as well as an applications development specialist.

“Kinley is one of the rare individuals who’s both master at technological specialization, and effective communications on the use and benefits of that technology,” says Joyce Paron, Exit Realty’s Canadian president. Kinley is also a trainer at Exit’s 40-hour Broker Owner Training Course held several times annually in Mississauga.

■ ■ ■

Sutton Group - Huron Shores recently opened for business in Southampton, Ont. This is the first Sutton office in the region and the first brokerage for broker of record Brian Shular, who has extensive knowledge of the local market.

“I have lived in this area for 52 years,” he says. “I was born in Southampton and currently reside in Port Elgin.” Prior to beginning his real estate career, he worked for the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) for 28 years. “I was a union steward for approximately 20

years, which involved negotiating several contracts on behalf of CAW employees. It’s very helpful to be able to bring these negotiating skills to real estate transactions.

It’s such a thrill to guide first-time buyers through the process of finding a home and handing them their keys at the end.”

The new broker’s plans for the future include a measured expansion. “Eventually, I would like to have three or four more offices from Kincardine to Wiarton. In each office, I plan to have just a few Realtors who are experts on their own communities. This makes sense given the relatively small population spread out over the region. These are generally affluent lakeside communities that are popular with tourists and attract permanent residents such as retirees and thousands of Bruce Power employees.”

■ ■ ■

Gerry Martin of B.C. Farm & Ranch Realty Corp., Abbotsford, has been elected chair of the Real Estate Council of British Columbia for the 2010/11 term. Bryon R. Brandle of Re/Max Vernon in Silver Star was elected vice-chair.

There are 16 members of the council including three members appointed by the provincial government. Thirteen members are chosen through an election process open to all real estate licensees in the province. The elected members are comprised of nine brokers and three representatives from each of the various provincial counties and one individual is elected as the strata/rental property management member.

■ ■ ■

Brian Shular

Peggy Hill

George Lavallee

Peggy Hill, formerly of Prudential Leclair & Associates Realty in Barrie, Ont., has opened her own brokerage, operating as Peggy Hill & Associates Realty in Barrie.

Hill was Barrie’s No. 1 Realtor in 2008 and 2009, says a news release. “In six short years, Peggy has gone from ‘flipping burgers’ to being at the top of her field in real estate,” says the release. She was a restaurant owner for 15 years, which she says taught her that “working long hard hours pay off.”

■ ■ ■

George Lavallee of Century 21 Home Realty in Waterloo and long time member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Real Estate Board (KWREB) has been elected to chair the Real Estate Council of Ontario’s (RECO) board of directors for 2010/2011.

Lavallee is a past president of the KWREB and has been active in the local real estate scene since 1978.

“As members of organized real estate, we place a great deal of importance on good governance,” says Ted Scharf, president of the KWREB. “George continues to show a strong willingness to give back to our industry, and we are very proud to have a member of our Realtor community serve in this significant capacity.”

■ ■ ■

Keller Williams Realty Canada has launched its first franchise in Atlantic Canada. Operating principal Jerry Murphy of Halifax has been selling real estate since 1984 and has earned numerous awards including the No. 1 Team for Re/Max in the Atlantic Provinces from 2003 to 2009. He has been in the top 100 Teams for Re/Max in Canada consistently, and won many awards including the Hall of Fame and the Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Murphy and his wife Annette have been working together since 1992.

■ ■ ■

Kingston, Ont. broker Barry Gordon was honoured for his work in addressing the growing and changing needs of seniors. The National Auctioneers Association of Overland Park in Kansas inducted Barry into its hall of fame at its Jerry Murphy

Bruce Mullett

Mark Wensley

Pte. Spencer Cudney with mom Elizabeth Barr

Continued on page 6

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6 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

Multiple Listings Continued from page 4

annual conference. The hall of fame was established by the NAA to honour those who have made significant contributions to the industry and society. With only 157 inductees world-wide, Gordon is the hall of fame’s first Canadian member.

Gordon inspired and co-wrote the Certified Estate Specialist program, the first certification of its kind in the senior services industry, to help address the educational needs of senior service providers.

He has taught this program throughout the United States and Canada for 15 years.

Recently his company, Gordon’s Estate Services, secured the exclusive rights to the

Canadian Certified Relocation & Transition Specialist training program. Gordon, partner Manson Slik and estate services co-ordinator Cathy Gordon write and teach industry service providers across Canada several times per year.

■ ■ ■

Bruce Mullett has been named broker of Exit Realty offices in Newfoundland and Labrador by Anne Squires, the franchisee and owner of Exit Realty on the Rock.

Mullett’s mandate is to co-ordinate and manage sales transactions for over 90 active Exit sales reps across the province. He has served as director, vice-president and president of the Eastern Newfoundland Real Estate Board.

Mullett was also the first elected president of the Newfoundland

and Labrador Association of Realtors. On the national level, he was elected to the MLS and Technology Council for CREA, rising to the position of council chair. He was elected as a national director on the Canadian Commercial Council of Realtors and was also elected as a national director at large of CREA. ■ ■ ■

Wensley Real Estate of Vernon, B.C. is the latest addition to the Aventure Realty Network.

Aventure president Bernie Vogt says, “Mark Wensley, broker/ owner, and an outstanding team of Realtors have a history of marketing leading performance and a focus on customer satisfaction.”

Vogt says Aventure members now operate in hundreds of markets

across Canada with 60 locations and 2,000 Realtors. “This expansion widens the reach of Aventure members into the important Okanagan Valley.”

■ ■ ■

Elizabeth Barr, a sales representative with Royal LePage Niagara R.E. Centre, is the mother of a soldier in active duty in Afghanistan. Her son, 20-year-old Pte. Spencer Cudney, serves as an infantry foot soldier with Oscar Company of the 1st Royal Canadian Regiment battle group.

His unit is stationed in the eastern Panjwal district of Kandahar province, the centre of the Taliban-led insurgency.

In a July 9 story in the Toronto Star, reporter Paul Watson detailed the challenges, responsi-

bility and daily dangers faced by Oscar Company, including the heavy responsibility to detonate hidden explosives. Foot soldiers like Pte. Cudney are required to carry about 45 kilograms of body armour, weapons, water, food and other essentials when they embark on 12-hour foot patrols.

Barr is extremely proud of Cudney and says he is charming, witty, loving and happy-go-lucky.

She recently spoke at the Rotary Club in St. Catharines about being the mother of a soldier in active duty in a war zone. Cudney returns to Canada in October for a scheduled short reprieve from active duty before he returns to Afghanistan for the remainder of his tour. While home, he has a special question he plans to ask of his REM long-time girlfriend.

Survey blames HST for slowdown

Homeowners most financially fit

A

omeowners are in the best shape when it comes to financial fitness in Canada, says a new survey. Sixty-five per cent of homeowners pay off their credit card balances each month (vs. 48 per cent of non-homeowners). A quarter of homeowners with mortgages have made a lump sum payment or accelerated their mortgage payments in the past year, according to the survey. It was sponsored by Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance Company Canada.

Almost half of homeowners were able to pay all of their bills and save some money in the past year, suggesting a strong correlation between homeownership and financial fitness, the company says.

“Homeownership is an achievable goal for those who are prepared,” says Peter Vukanovich, president and COO Genworth Financial Canada. “Homeownership helps people focus on their financial situation and get their fiscal house in order.”

The Financial Fitness survey was conducted in conjunction with the Canadian Association of Credit Counselling Services (CACCS).

Compared to the same survey undertaken in 2007 when the economy was booming, Canadians are even more likely now to say their financial fitness is good (55 per cent vs. 50 per cent).

Other findings of the survey: • 49 per cent of homeowners made down payments of 20 per cent or more on their purchase; • 13 per cent of homeowners say they are in great financial shape; • 12 per cent of homeowners said they have requested a credit report in the past 12 months. REM

survey conducted by Royal LePage Real Estate Services says that people in Ontario and B. C. have misconceptions about how the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) affects real estate transactions.

When respondents were asked to provide examples of comments heard from buyers and sellers regarding the HST and its effect on the housing market, almost half of the comments indicated that confusion about HST remained more than one month after its introduction. Among the most common responses to the survey’s open-ended questions were that many home buyers incorrectly believe HST applies to the sale price of resale properties.

Nearly half of the 765 Royal LePage sales reps and brokers polled in Ontario and B.C. said the HST that took effect in both

Cover photo: MARKO SHARK

provinces July 1 is having the greatest effect on the cooling residential real estate market, compared to just 28.4 per cent who cited rising interest rates as having the greatest effect. In all, more than 86 per cent of respondents said the HST is affecting their business somewhat.

The HST applies to the purchase price of a newly built home and fees for services and commissions associated with any real estate transaction, but it does not apply to the purchase price of resale homes. The majority of agents surveyed indicated that new home sales account for less than 10 per cent of their business.

“We wanted to understand the impact HST has had since it was introduced and what we found is that there is a need to better educate home buyers and sellers to ensure they understand when the

HST is applicable,” says Phil Soper, president and chief executive of Royal LePage.

Nearly one-quarter of respondents in the survey said home buyers and sellers have a low level of awareness about how the HST applies to a home sale transaction, while 44 per cent said buyers and sellers are only somewhat aware.

“While we predicted that the prospect of rising interest rates would put a damper on the housing market, our agents are finding that the HST is actually having the greater impact on buyer behaviour, at least in the shortterm,” says Soper. “Realtors are there to help guide buyers and sellers through the often complex negotiation and closing process, so our take-away from this survey is that we need to do more as an industry to educate consumers about the HST.” REM

Publisher HEINO MOLLS email: heino@remonline.com

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

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8 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

CFL player scores real estate deals

Jeff Johnson is the Toronto Argonauts longest-serving player, but he’s gearing up for a much longer real estate career. By Brian Slemming

F

ans of the Toronto Argos’ football club had little to cheer about in the last two years, but this year, with the team playing much better, they are more optimistic. If the fans are right, much of the credit will belong to a real estate agent.

Early in July, in Toronto’s third game of the season with fewer than two minutes to go in a match against Calgary, running back Jeffrey Johnson was sent into the game to fill in for the injured starter. The ball was snapped and handed to Johnson, who quickly covered the short distance to the goal line. He barrelled across – touchdown!

Toronto won its second game of the young season and moved to the top of its division. A great result for Etobicoke sales rep Jeffrey Johnson.

Jeff Johnson

He never planned to become a professional footballer. In fact he had no aspirations to play football at any level. “I went to Etobicoke Collegiate. I was never very interested in football. My main sports interests were hockey, soccer and basketball,” he says.

That changed in Grade 12, when a friend talked to him after they had been working out in the school gym. “You should try out for football,” his friend said. So he did, with mixed success.

“I didn’t really know all the rules and I knew less about tactics, but I was young, competitive and fit, so I kept playing,” he

says. Clearly the lack of either interest or knowledge made little difference. “In that first school game I scored 5 TDs.” Then came university. “My university move was based on academics alone. Football was never a consideration,” he says.

He went to York University, which had a pretty unsuccessful football program, but Johnson joined the team. Although York did not improve sufficiently to win a Vanier cup, Johnson excelled. He was named outstanding rookie in 1996 and was a University First-Team All Star in 1996, 1997 and 1999.

Surely after such an illustrious university football career, dreams of professional football, perhaps even the NFL, were dancing in the young man’s head? “No, I never really thought about it,” he says. “My coaches said I would be drafted by a Canadian team in the first or second round of the annual draft, but they were wrong.” No Canadian team thought him worth a look so he was undrafted.

Football was clearly not in his future. Until, that is, just before training camps opened in 2000.

Two days before the Hamilton Tiger-Cats opened their training camp, Johnson was invited to camp, and after a good showing was signed by the Tiger-Cats.

He spent two years with Hamilton, then was traded to Toronto, where he has been ever since. Entering his ninth year as an Argonaut, Johnson is the longest-serving player on the team. In a league where a threeyear career is the norm, he has proven himself to be a durable performer.

At 33 years of age, now married to Kelly and father of three-yearold Maya and six-month-old brother Justyce, Johnson knows the end of his professional football days are in sight.

Photo courtesy of the Toronto Argonauts Football Club

“You always know football can never be a long-term career.

Injury can end the most promising future, and if injuries are avoided the passing years make keeping up with the younger players harder, so there has to be another longterm career.”

If football was an unexpected career move, real estate was a natural. Johnson joined Century 21 Brown in Toronto, where his father, Bruce McGuire, also works and his uncle, Glenn McGuire, is broker/owner.

That strong family connection has been particularly important for Jeff. Although football has a short season, just 18 games, it makes great demands on its

players during the season. Every day is a practice. Away games mean days out of the office.

“I have had a lot of people in the office who have picked up the slack for me,” he says.

He considers himself a successful agent, but football has been of no use in developing his real estate career. “That has been achieved the same as everybody else – through hard work, building clients and working for them,” he says. Johnson admits that perhaps one aspect of his temperament developed through football has helped. “I hate to lose, whether a football game or a real estate deal.”

Johnson uses his celebrity

status as a CFL player to help raise awareness of several charitable activities he takes part in, including walks for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Meeting a professional footballer, I expected a giant.

Not so. He is not tall (5 ft 9 inches according to the Argo register), a trim 211 pounds, but with the solid build of a strong man. When Jeff Johnson hits an opposing player, he remembers it. But it won’t be long until the final whistle is blown and then Johnson will be a full-time Realtor. He will not be hitting any other agents but his competitive spirit ensures that his presence will be noted. REM

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team from Sutton Group - Select Realty won the London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors Slo-Pitch Tournament, an event that attracted more than 150 Realtors on 10 teams. The final game was against friendly rivals from Sutton Group Preferred Realty. Bruce Sworik, the broker of record from Sutton Group - Select Realty, credits team spirit and enthusiasm for the brokerage’s first tournament victory in a decade. One of his team members, Paula Hodgson, received the 2010 Bob Eaton Sportsmanship Award.

Team captain Angela Wilson says, “We don’t have any exceptionally good players; we just played really well together. We worked as a team and it probably helps that we’ve played together in several tournaments.”

many TREB members and staff on board. According to organizers there were approximately 150 floats and 10,000 participants celebrating in this year’s parade.

“This year’s parade made clear that it represents a celebration of communities filled with diversity, while respecting the beautiful differences amongst its citizens and visitors, all things respected and supported by TREB,” says the board in a news release. “One could argue it is probably one of the many reasons Toronto has been selected as the venue for World Pride in 2014.”

Organizers estimated 1.3 million people turned out this year, drawing spectators from all over Canada, the U.S. and around the world. REM

■ ■ ■

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TREB’s entry, “Toronto Real Estate Board Celebrates Diversity” consisted of a spec- The Sutton Select Sluggers won the LSTAR Slowtacular float with Pitch Tournament recently.

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For the first time, TREB took part in Toronto's annual Pride Parade recently.

12 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

Fighting vandalism with art How a Halifax brokerage turned an eyesore into a canvas for young artists

By Connie Adair

G

lass half full. Lemonade from lemons. To make the world a better place, looking on the bright side definitely helps. Instead of seeing broken windows and graffiti as a negative, David Yetman, broker owner of Century 21 Team One in Halifax, saw an opportunity to generate a little publicity for his company, but more importantly a novel way to promote local artists.

It’s working. The first annual Urban Wall Art competition has been featured on CBC, CTV National, Global TV and a local magazine. It has also received positive response from the community for this year’s contest winners, Ben Swinden, in his final year at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and Shawn Boucher, a community college automotive repair graduate who specialises in body work and spray painting.

Swinden has created many murals in Halifax, as well as in Toronto and Montreal.

“This commission was particularly important to me because it highlights the positive aspects of having a graffiti style mural that business owners generally don’t understand,” says Swinden, who created the mural for the 26 x nine-foot side wall of the office.

Shawn Boucher, who created the mural for the nine-foot wide front wall, says, “The contest helped me by giving me a space to express myself and gave people a chance to see and enjoy my work the way I want them too – on their everyday commute to and from work.”

“My work tends to be filled with colour. I want people to see it – no holding back. The piece I did for Century 21 is a stylized scene of the Halifax cityscape, with lots of colour and abstract bits to keep the eyes moving while looking at it,” Boucher says.

Commissioned graffiti murals have the ability to deter vandalism but they also inspire youths who might otherwise be doing the vandalism to use their artistic talents to try and become commercially successful. Yetman, whose office has been at the high-traffic corner

in Halifax for about seven years, first thought about putting company signage on the building about five years ago, but shelved the idea because constructing a wall as a backdrop for the signage and covering up existing windows was too costly. Of late, however, the office had been plagued with vandalism, with $10,000 in repair bills for broken windows alone. Paying graffiti removal companies wasn’t cheap either, and it has to be done promptly, he says. “If graffiti is removed within 24 hours, there’s a 10 per cent chance of being retagged. If you leave it for two weeks, there’s a 90 per cent chance you’ll be retagged,” Yetman says.

He thought about corporate signage early this year, after vandalism had become an ongoing problem. But in February, he came up with the idea for the urban art contest, teaming up with Kate MacLennan, the city’s community arts facilitator, who puts building owners in touch with artists.

It took two months to build the wall and within a week, both murals were complete. “The approval rating has been 99 per cent,” Yetman says. Even though he says he won’t sell more houses as a result, his brokerage is getting publicity.

When the artists were working, people honked their horns in a show of support. After hearing about it on the radio, some people changed their routes so they could drive by to see the artists work, he says. “Police officers stopped their cars, rolled down their windows and applauded the artists. Police and the municipality have been phenomenal.”

Yetman got “mental support” from the city, but funded the project himself. The total project cost, including wall construction, was $9,500.

“I think I did the right thing,” he says of his decision to promote urban artists.

“The reception from the public and the press has been amazing and definitely exceeded everybody’s expectations. My greatest hope is that other businesses in the HRM (Halifax Regional

Municipality) will recognize this project’s success and look to employ me and other members of the graffiti community,” says Swinden. His work is traditional graffiti, a somewhat abstracted form of shapes based on the structure of letters. “The focus of graffiti is always to be exciting, eyecatching and colourful. This style of art is perfect for mural projects because the public finds it intriguing and exciting.”

Yetman says other brokers should look at what’s happening in their own neighbourhoods and come up with ideas accordingly but he hopes his project will encourage others to get involved with urban art. “This group of artists needs help placing art. It’s something other businesses can get involved

in. Even if they don’t have a problem with vandalism, it’s a way to showcase urban art.”

Since urban art is by nature temporary, Yetman plans to hold the contest two times a year, with each new contest winner refreshing the space and providing an ongoing place for street artists to showcase their work.

This year’s winners were chosen by a panel that included Sandra Johnson, business development manager at Yetman’s office.

One small portion of the office wall has yet to be finished. Yetman plans to hang a professional banner, and to have the artists come back to do their own tag and include contact information in case anyone wants to hire them.

“I got to know David from a

Ben Swinden’s 26-foot-long mural.

Shawn Boucher created the art for the front wall.

Century 21 Team One owners David Yetman (left) and Patrick Johnston.

professional standpoint,” says Swinden. “He has been great to work with. From the very beginning he was completely open to my point of view and was accepting of whatever ideas I brought to the table. It takes a lot of courage to take a leap of faith with a project like this.”

Boucher adds, “I think David did a marvellous thing. Through the entire process he was supportive and willing to make what visions I had come to fruition….We need places to accept our art form more openly and David has taken the first step.

He is a good guy to work with, definitely, and I hope to work with him in the future.”

For more information, visit the special website Yetman created to highlight the competition. www.urbanartwall.ca REM

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14 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

Right At Home with fast-growing independent In just six years, Right At Home Realty has grown to include 1,600 agents operating out of three offices in the Greater Toronto Area, and it continues to add more than 30 salespeople a month. By Kathy Bevan

I

t may not be a real estate brand that leaps to mind yet – for Realtors or consumers – but relative newcomer Right At Home is laying claim as the largest and fastest growing brokerage in Canada’s biggest urban centre.

In just six years, Right At Home Realty has grown to include 1,600 agents operating out of three offices in the Greater Toronto Area and continues to add more than 30 salespeople a month.

Founders Arthur Bartram and Howard Drukarsh have set their sights on reaching 5,000 agents within the GTA; they then plan to expand beyond Toronto’s borders and perhaps Canada’s as well.

Right At Home’s business model is based on U.S. brokerage Charles Rutenberg Realty, which offers agents low per transaction and monthly fees. Bartram first heard of the U.S. firm while in the process of selling his Florida condo in 2004. Bartram’s Florida sales rep was just about to move over to Charles Rutenberg and he gave Bartram a promotional flyer about his new firm. When Bartram returned to Toronto, he showed the flyer to his friend and colleague Drukarsh.

“I remember going into his office and he said, ‘What do you think of this?’ ” says Drukarsh.

“I was an agent and I reacted as an agent. I thought this was a really good way to create a business model that doesn’t exist in Toronto.”

At the time, Bartram and Drukarsh were both working at Royal LePage’s Johnston and Daniel franchise. They had known each other since the 1980s when they both worked for Canada Permanent Real Estate.

Together they left Johnston and Daniel and, with the financial banking of a group of investors, Drukarsh and Bartram launched Right At Home out of a Don Mills location, offering agents basic main office support for a fee of $49 per month, $275 per transaction. Six years later, the per transaction fee remains the same, but the monthly fee has risen to $79.

Part of the reason behind that increased monthly fee is the enhanced front office support Right At Home now provides to meet the needs of its home office based sales force.

“When we first brought the model into play, we thought agents would be prepared to book their own appointments…

We found out within the first six months that agents didn’t like doing that – it became a barrier to some degree for agents joining us,” says Bartram. “We decided we’d introduce a system where agents’ messages and bookings were done by the office and so we had to charge for that.”

As further support for its agents, Right At Home points to its deal processing department – “probably the most efficient deal processing department of any brokerage that’s out there and we’re processing over 6,000 deals a year,” says Bartram.

“For us as agents, they provide very important support,” says Right At Home sales rep Serguei Serbrianski. “They have very good front desk services for appointments, preparation of listings and closing the deals.

And very important, you are working in an atmosphere where you feel you are constantly being taken care of.”

Right At Home also provides a training program to support first-time agents, who make up

approximately one out of every three new recruits. During the first two years, the firm only brought in experienced agents, because it didn’t have any training in place. That changed in 2006, when an industry trainer developed a 10-week mandatory program designed specifically for new Realtors.

“The program was strictly geared toward what really happens in the real world,” Bartram says. “We also have ongoing training here, almost on a daily basis, at Don Mills, where we put out an activity calendar every month with all of our programs, seminars and sessions that are available to the agents, all at no cost.”

Right At Home’s management is available 24/7 – including its brokers, who don’t sell real estate. The company also provides their agents and clients with the services of an in-house lawyer and in-house mortgage broker. Later this year they plan to introduce a reward program, to recognize the accomplishments of its people.

Another change to the firm’s original business model is how it now views bricks and mortar offices.

“In 2004, we thought we could be ubiquitous and be all things to all people from one location, but our industry doesn’t have that same mindset,” says Bartram, adding that the company adapted its strategy two years later, when it determined that agents preferred having a local address on their business cards.

In 2006, Right At Home opened its second office in Mississauga, serving 500 agents.

In August of this year, despite a softening GTA market, the firm opened a third office, this time in Richmond Hill.

Howard Drukarsh, left, and Arthur Bartram launched Right At Home just six years ago. (Photo by Marko Shark)

Its original Don Mills office – the number one transaction office in the Toronto Real Estate Board for the past three years – supports 1,000 sales reps.

“You would think this office would be like Union Station, but it isn’t. We probably see six to 10 agents a day and one or two clients a day, or every other day – agents aren’t utilizing premises like they used to,” Bartram says.

“They can type their own deals, for example, and they can load their own listings into the MLS system. Those two functions were ones the office did for them 10 years ago. Today I would say at least 50 per cent of the agents are doing this for themselves, because they can.”

Bartram adds, “And if they’re doing most of the work, our motto is, they should be paid most of the money. It’s a pure economic model – there’s no magic to the formula.”

Right At Home agents have responded positively and word of mouth has been raising awareness of the brokerage among GTA Realtors. To raise awareness among consumers, the company will open four to five storefront operations in strategic GTA locations.

“That’s the most expensive real estate and a lot of companies are getting out of it – we think it’s a good time to get into it,” says Drukarsh. “It does all the obvious things for retail – you get walk-by traffic, drive-by traffic and you get visibility with not only agents but with consumers.”

Drukarsh emphasizes, however, that the company’s best sales promotion continues to come from their own salespeople.

“No matter what we think of the company, the reason we’ve grown this fast and this well is because of what the agents think about the company.” REM

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18 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

STOP SELLING HOUSES & START MAKING MONEY

By Debbie Hanlon

W

hen I first got my real estate license and was interviewing brokers (and trust me, you interview the broker, they don’t interview you – but that’s a topic for another column) one of them asked me where I saw myself in a year. I said I wanted to be number one in Newfoundland. Six months later I was well on my way to reaching that goal. My database was growing steadily, I was considered a local real estate expert and I’d marketed myself along with my suppliers so my name was getting out there.

Plan ahead or get left behind Then one day I came to a bit of a rude awakening. I was looking in my bureau drawer for something and I found four uncashed cheques from deals I’d written. I was so busy making money that I had no time to enjoy it.

I’d gotten into real estate to make a better life for myself and my three children, but somehow real estate had become my life. I could have kept going at that crazy pace and kept making sales and money, but I knew if I did I’d end up being just another burned-out real estate agent. I needed a plan.

Anyone can work themselves half to death and make loads of money but that isn’t really success.

Success is making loads of money while still enjoying a life outside of real estate and to do that you have to have a business plan. Otherwise the work is controlling you when you should be controlling it. No matter what stage you’re at in your career, if you don’t have a business plan, get one. It will make everything run a whole lot smoother

and help keep you focused on where your career is going.

I’ve written hundreds of business plans since then, but at that time I didn’t even know what a business plan was. Six months earlier I’d been a single mother on welfare, so writing a business plan was right up there with piloting a space shuttle when it came to how much I knew about it. But you can’t let things like that stop you or slow you down. If you don’t know about something, research it or talk to people who do know. That’s what I did and it made me start thinking of myself as a business instead of as someone who sold real estate.

Like any business, you start with how much money you need to make in a year to cover your expenses. Write down all your costs of doing business from fuel for your vehicle to your business cards.

Then you figure out how many deals you have to write to make that money and how many open houses, listing presentations, duty

calls and so on you’ll need to get those deals.

Now, once your business plan is written you have to track it and adjust it as needed. Having a plan and not monitoring it will help you make enough money to survive in this industry, but revisiting that

became number one in Canada. It was the most important thing I did for my real estate career. I did it, and do you know what? So can you.

You wouldn’t build a house without a plan, why would you sell them without one?

It was the most important thing I did for my real estate career. plan, tweaking it and following it will help you thrive in this industry. That’s the difference between an average agent and a top producing agent.

I probably would have been number one in Newfoundland without a business plan in place, but because I took the time to write one and follow it closely, I

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

Email debbie@hanlonrealtynl.com.

REM

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20 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

AS I SEE IT FROM MY DESK

By Stan Albert

W

hy are there more losers than winners in our business? We mostly take the same basic courses and additional courses to maintain our licenses. We mostly put our clothes on the same way each day, other than when we’re on vacation! Most of us have nice offices to go to and regular training available. Our brokers and the management teams they have assembled are there for us to avail ourselves of to enlist their knowledge.

So, I turned to the dictionary to examine the root of the words winners and losers.

A winner is one that wins, “especially in sports or a notably successful person or achiever.”

Conversely, a loser by definition is “one who fails, or a nonachiever.” The late Earl Nightingale, one of the foremost writers of how to be successful, stated that “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy destination.” (see his book or DVD, The Strangest Secret) You cannot be an overnight sensation in our business.

Most agents, I find, come into our industry treating it like a job, rather than a business – a business that must be organized and maintained with zeal and vigour.

I find further, as most mentors, broker/owners or trainers find, that successful agents take a lot of skill enhancing courses, such as Brian Buffini’s 100 Days to Greatness or Richard Robbins Masters’ Edge, thereby improving on their chances of winning at the opportunities presented to us every day: the opportunity to prospect, to follow up, to gain more buyers and to obtain more

Winners and losers referrals to sustain their business.

Most agents who fall into the category of the 90 per cent who do less than three or four deals a year ignore the basic premises of what it takes to be in the 10 per cent who do 90 per cent of the business in North America today. These are not my stats; they are from CREA and NAR. This business of ours is not simply going from one transaction to the next. Not at all. It is the planning and the follow ups that are necessary to receive the benefits of such business models of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

So, if you are in the “loser column” at present, how can your business improve? For starters, make plans and stick to them. Reviewing them with your spouse or significant other is a good idea. And, of course, with your management team – they’re interested in your success because your success begets their success in the overall picture.

If you don’t have a passion for meeting people and servicing their housing/investment needs, maybe you chose the wrong profession. However, you can always throw your career into a 360degree turn around. When do you want to do it? Sooner is better than later. The fall season is upon us shortly. Are you going to be ready? Start now by “sharpening your axe.”

If you don’t change, you’ll be out of the business in less than 18 months. If you do change, your future is assured and you will be a success in our great business.

Stan Albert, broker/manager, ABR, ASA at Re/Max Premier in Vaughan, Ont. can be reached for consultation at stanalb@rogers.com.

Stan is now celebrating 40 years as an active real estate professional.

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22 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

Private island enjoys city services F

or the buyer who has everything, here’s something they probably would like to add to their portfolio – a private island in Departure Bay, Nanaimo, B.C. Listing agent Michael Peterson of Re/Max of Nanaimo says Jesse Island is a private, nine-acre, fully serviced island, offering the chance to “watch the dolphins, fish for salmon, golf and find world renown scuba locations at your doorstep.”

A light beacon at the east end of the island guides the B.C. Ferry to safe harbour at Nanaimo. Jesse Island is densely covered with original growth pine, cedar, arbutus and oak trees as well as native blackberries “upon which descendants of goats brought to the Western Archipelago by explorers centuries ago feed to this day,” says Peterson. “Groomed trails meander through this unspoiled foliage, giving visitors views of wild animals and birds such as the bald eagles that nest in the trees overhead.”

The east half of the island provides views of the mountains of Whistler Ski Resort. The west end includes a log family retreat with four bedrooms, five baths, a

library and a two-car garage. The main house is cantilevered on a bluff overlooking a large beach area and a deepwater docking facility for three or four boats.

There is also a caretaker’s home and men’s and women’s sanitary facilities with hot and cold water showers for campers who visit as guests of the owners, says Peterson.

City water, power and telephone are delivered to Jesse Island through submarine conduits, which eliminate the utility problems encountered on other private islands, he says.

The island is listed for $4.5 million. “The seller is offering a $10,000 finders fee to anyone who sends us a buyer or contact to a licensed Realtor who purchases the island,” says Peterson.

“There is a great selling commission of 2.5 per cent on this property and a referral of 25 per cent of the selling commission in place for any licensed Realtor who sends out a buyer to us instead of coming out themselves.”

If you have an extraordinary or unusual listing to share with Canada’s real estate community, email details to jim@remonREM line.com.

Jesse Island in Departure Bay, Nanaimo is listed for $4.5 million.

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24 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

GOURMET COOKING for real estate professionals

By Carolyne Lederer bout a pound of veal shoulder, bone in. (local cost $2.95). Looks like a large steak. Let meat come to room temperature before browning, but don’t leave it out too long.

- Three medium carrots - 1/2 cup of leek slices from the mid-section of the leek - two medium-large onions - several whole garlic cloves (they will disappear in cooking, and cooked this way you won’t even taste the garlic – just enhances flavour)

A

Veal shoulder (or shank) - salt, pepper, a pinch of dried thyme - 2/3 to 1 cup of homemade tomato sauce (like you use for spaghetti) made from tomato paste. (Always keep some in the fridge – made from onion, fresh only garlic, thyme and tomato paste and a little chicken broth. It keeps for a long time in a glass covered stainless steel container.)

- 1/4 cup butter - 4 tablespoons favourite cooking oil - Shiraz red wine (ideal is Obikwa from South Africa) – Full bodied, almost dry, this wine keeps in the fridge, tightly covered, for a very long time. Never toss out leftover part bottles of wine. Save for cooking.

Slightly brown the butter and oil on high heat (just golden not dark brown). Be careful not to burn. Lay the flat meat into a heavy very hot stew pot. Salt and pepper the meat. Brown both sides quickly and turn down the heat right away or the meat will get

tough. (If you miss and this happens, don’t dispose of the meat; use it to make a pate – a recipe for another day). Stay with the pot during browning. Quite dark brown.

While the second side is browning, lay the garlic (whole) pieces on top of the meat. Leave the garlic in that position permanently. Turn down the heat to medium, and cover for about 10-15 minutes. Turn the meat once more, near the end of cooking.

Wash carrots and chop into bite size pieces. Split onions in half and remove skin. Split in half lengthwise again. Slice the leek into thin coins and wash well in a sieve or strainer to make sure all the sand is out. Add the vegetables to the pot. Add a little salt.

Let simmer, covered, on medium high heat for about 10 more minutes. Watch carefully. Add the tomato sauce. Cover and leave on very low heat, lowest setting for one hour, checking occasionally to make sure it is not burning.

Sticking to the bottom of the pot is

okay. Resist the urge to stir too much.

Then pull the meat off the bones using two forks. Boil the bones in a half cup of cold water for a few minutes and strain the broth into the meat pot. Leave the meat in the pot. By now the texture should be like a goulash. The carrots still whole, but the onions and leeks will have almost disappeared.

Stir, scrape the bottom of the pot.

Cover and return to heat for at least a half hour. Taste to adjust salt.

Pour into the meat pot, about 2/3 cup of Shiraz. Stir once. Cover.

Return to lowest heat setting for about 10-15 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove lid and stir once.

Cover. Turn off heat. Let sit until you can test without burning your mouth. Yummmm. Pour into a glass (only) container and cover the container with plastic wrap and place the lid on the dish. Let it sit on the counter for a half-hour or so (not in summer weather), and then store overnight in the fridge.

You can serve this dish right away,

it just gets better later. Will keep for several days. Remove from the fridge at least an hour before serving time. Reheat gently (not in microwave) in a heavy bottom saucepan on very low heat. Watch carefully so it does not stick and burn.

Serve with spaetle (pasta), egg noodles, rice or creamy whipped potatoes. Looks like a goulash.

Carrots and green beans make best side serve dishes.

Enjoy!

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 www.Millcroft REM Homes.com

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28 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

Interest rates: Why the sky isn’t falling

By David Larock

W

hat a roller coaster ride the last two years have been. In the spring of 2009, Canadian house prices fell across the board and transactions slowed as fears of a global economic downturn spread. But then, as if only pausing for breath, Canada’s real estate market revved up once again and the spring dip looked like nothing more than a good buying opportunity. So why is everyone so nervous? When I talk to Realtors, fears of rising interest rates are among the first concerns raised. There is a widespread assumption that rates can only go up, and a related belief that higher

rates will hammer the real estate market. In fact, I don’t think either fear is warranted. Here’s why: Short-term (variable) rates aren’t going anywhere fast because • The central bank’s primary reason for raising rates is to control inflation. Our inflation rate (as measured by the consumer price index) was at one per cent as of July 23, well below the central bank’s upper limit of two per cent.

• The effects of higher rates are felt only over time, so raising shortterm interest rates gradually allows the central bank time to measure the impact of previous increases before tightening further.

• The real estate market is cooling off. One of the central bank’s main concerns with leaving its overnight rate at emergency low levels was that it would fuel a housing bubble. Today’s more balanced housing market has rendered that concern moot for the time being.

• While the Canadian eco-

nomic recovery is in full swing, most of the rest of the world is not faring as well. In its recent commentary, our central bank acknowledged that aggressive interest-rate hikes could stifle our momentum, especially against today’s backdrop of global economic uncertainty.

• The U.S. Fed is not expected to increase its short-term policy rate until 2012 at the earliest. If our central bank keeps raising rates independently of the Fed, our dollar will continue to appreciate and this will slow our economy further.

Most experts do not believe that Canadian short-term rates can be sustained at much more than one per cent above comparable U.S. rates (and we’re already .75 per cent higher today).

Moderately higher rates won’t hammer the real estate market because • Contrary to popular belief, there is no strong correlation

between rising interest rates and lower house prices. In fact, historical data show that rates and house prices rise together more often than not. Before you say I’m out to lunch, let me elaborate. I readily accept that, all being equal, higher rates hurt affordability and are bad for the housing market. But all is not equal. Rising rates generally occur in an improving economy, and the positive economic momentum that accompanies higher rates creates a net effect that has historically proven more positive than negative.

• Job creation has far outpaced any forecasts and is considered one of the key factors in our rapid economic recovery (it’s dropping a little recently but after a very good run). If you’re looking for indicators that foretell the health of our real estate markets, historical data shows that job creation (and rising incomes) is far more indicative than the direction of interest rates.

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• Canadians can afford higher rates. In a 2009 CAAMP survey based on 40,000 loans totalling more than $10 billion to purchase houses across the country, the data showed that we borrowed far less than the maximum we could afford. For example, the highest acceptable GDS ratio that lenders are generally comfortable with is 35 per cent, and in the survey, borrowers averaged only 21.8 per cent.

Lenders normally set the highest acceptable TDS ratio at 44 per cent, while in the survey borrowers averaged a TDS of 32.3 per cent.

Results like this don’t usually correlate with people lining up at the banks to hand in their keys.

While no one can say with certainty what the future will hold, especially with the world in the midst of a massive credit deleveraging cycle, I think the alarmist rhetoric about dramatically higher rates in the near future is overblown (and I’ve been saying this since April when most of the bank’s economists were sounding the alarm bells).

Make no mistake, the central bank would like to continue to raise interest rates to provide some additional breathing room for future monetary stimulus, probably from today’s .75 per cent to about two per cent. But Mr. Carney and his governors at the central bank won’t do this if it risks smothering the green shoots of our economic recovery. Instead of fast, knee-jerk rate hikes, my money is on gradual rate increases over time, which the data shows Canada’s borrowers can comfortably afford. On balance, even with higher rates, the sky should stay more or less where it belongs – comfortably over our heads.

David Larock MBA, AMP, PFPC, CSC is a Toronto-based independent mortgage planner and longtime industry insider who specializes in helping clients purchase, refinance or renew their mortgages. He is an active blogger on mortgage related topics and his posts have been distributed in national media and by Realtors and financial planners. www.integratedmortgageplanners.com REM

30 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

How to control brokerage costs It’s the bottom line, the glue factor, the amount that sticks that counts. Take a detailed look at your expenses and ask, “Is all of this really necessary?”

By Lloyd R. Manning

By Lloyd R. Manning

I

t’s a given that each year across the county, real estate offices waste many dollars because they fail to adequately control costs. Some, such as the agents’ commission splits, are fixed and perpetual, which management can do little about. Most others are controllable and in some instances can be eliminated or at least substantially reduced. It’s not a couple of thousand dollars here, and another thousand or so there, but those nickels, dimes and single dollars that soon add up. It’s been said that there are only a few places to save a million dollars – but a million places to save a dollar.

Real estate brokerages are caught in the middle. Costs are steadily increasing while for many,

LEGAL ISSUES

income is decreasing. Due to the continuing pressure of the discounters, com-frees and the like, and the continuing upward movement of the cost of just about everything, many brokerages are seeing lower profits for more effort. You can’t raise prices like a retail store, but you can reduce operating expenses.

So much money comes in and so much goes out. It’s the bottom line, the glue factor, the amount that sticks that counts. This involves undertaking a detailed examination of every expense generator, asking and answering, “Is all of this really necessary?”

Questions to ask include whether the office is compatible with the type of real estate you sell and the services you render; the number of clerical staff you actually need (as opposed to the amount you assume you need); how your location identifies with your clientele; furniture, fixtures and equip-

Watch where you build price could not be agreed upon.

Clearly the defendant must have known about the lot lines and altered the town survey. He was not allowed to benefit from his unlawful actions. The defendant had to fill the pond in at his own expense. Punitive damages were also ordered for his outrageous behaviour.

■ ■ ■

By Donald H. Lapowich

A

plaintiff co-owned an undeveloped lot with her sister. The defendant was the owner of the adjacent lot.

The defendant built a large pond on both lots without permission, claiming he was unaware of the boundary line. He produced a survey that showed one big lot. But the plaintiff had a survey showing two demarcated lots.

The defendant had approached the plaintiff’s husband 13 years prior to buy the plaintiff’s lot and build a pond. A

ment; variable costs compared to productivity, and other inputs that would include how your clients, agents, and employees view the relativity of these various factors.

Probably due to the wide divergence in size and location, trying to establish industry averages of what it costs to operate a real estate brokerage is a hit and miss proposition at best. There were some doctoral studies about real estate brokerage efficiency done several years ago, but they are of little help. The common suggestion is that operating costs consume 30 to 35 per cent of commissions and fees in the split-commission houses, and the 100 per cent commission houses should net about 10 per cent.

Without pinning down any numbers, these same studies indicate that on a per cent of revenue basis, larger brokerages are not more profitable than smaller ones, and that franchised brokerages are for

Often a person who claims an “interest” in land will register a Certificate of Pending Litigation to give notice to anyone dealing with the land that the registree claims an interest. One would then deal with the property at one’s risk of an alleged prior interest.

In an interesting case, a vendor registered a certificate to protect a purchase between corporations.

Part of the price involved transfer of shares.

The court held that once the shares were delivered, the vendor no longer had a vendor’s lien or interest in the land that could

be protected by registering a certificate.

■ ■ ■

Many unsuccessful purchasers claim specific performance from a vendor and the issue for the court is whether damages would suffice.

Such was the case of a purchaser whose vendor reneged on the sale of a property. The property was in the immediate area where the purchaser owned other properties and was assembling them in order to redevelop. The court was comfortable in finding the property unique to the purchaser and ordering specific performance. That property was an integral part of the redevelopment and damages were not sufficient.

Donald Lapowich, Q.C. is a partner at the law firm of Koskie, Minsky in Toronto, where he practices civil litigation, with a particular emphasis on real estate litigation and mediation, acting for builders, real estate agents and lawyers. REM

the most part more profitable than the independents, even after paying the franchise fees.

A major expense and wasted dollars item for many real estate offices is stationary and supplies.

Here is where you must be a policeman because a sheet of paper wasted, the loss of a few pens or pencils, or a presentation binder mucked up, are individually not big ticket items. Still, they soon add up.

When buying, shop around. Ensure you are getting the best deal. Are you providing school supplies for your agents’ families? Are you sure?

For non-confidential matters, print on both sides of the paper. As the price of computer printer ink has sky rocketed and the stuff you buy in mall kiosks or online will ruin your printer (I know from experience), check out black and white laser copiers. They are far cheaper to operate. Are you certain that you really need that many copies of everything? How much propaganda do you copy and send out blindly? Paper has a bad habit of building up and up.

Take a look at leasing rather than buying and owning your office furniture, fixtures and equipment. You may find that leasing is cheaper in the long run. Money is not made by owning equipment but by using it, so whether to buy or lease is strictly a best use of capital decision.

Have a hard look at your lease and office space requirements. You don’t need me to tell you that with the advancements in laptop computers and portable phones, the requirement for fancy uptown digs is getting less and less. Many brokers are paying for a lot of highpriced office space they don’t really need, providing cubicles and branch offices for agents to read obsolete MLS catalogues and rattle their papers. Selling real estate is a home-to-home or office-to-office business – the clients’, not yours. If you have excess space, can you sub let it? Can you negotiate with your lessor for a better rate? Can you relocate to less expensive premises without doing your business any damage? Determining your actual

needs involves undertaking an assessment of how important your location is to your clientele and how much business you actually do in your office.

Although it may not work in a larger brokerage, you might consider the virtual office concept. As a package deal you can lease your space in an office park or multitenant centre of some type that includes furniture and equipment, telephone, computer, photocopier, Internet services and frequently clerical staff. You only pay for what you actually use. For some this is a cost saving and it frequently provides added convenience.

There are several new composite computer software programs on the market that are designed specifically for real estate brokerages. Their intent is to combine all intra-office procedures into one package, rather than having several different programs on one computer or on several that are networked. This eliminates the necessity of having one system for accounting, one for transaction management, a data base for agents and clients, a sales management system and others, which are often not compatible with each other or user friendly. Users of this new software report substantially improved administration and data control. However, some of this software is quite pricey and you should weigh its initial cost against the longer term benefits.

There are many other cost saving measures that you can undertake. We have only hit on a couple. A whole article could be done on how staff wastes time and money. If you look for expense cutting measures, you will find them.

The bottom line is calculating how much it costs per agent to run the office and determine if what you are doing is the most efficient method. Make it a team effort where all participate. Meticulously itemize office costs. Set up benchmarks and work towards them, cutting corners where necessary. For greater profit, increasing revenue is only half the battle. Reducing expenses is the other half. REM

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32 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

Fall into golf

By Dan St. Yves

P

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erhaps I’m getting a bit too preoccupied with golf lately. I mean, the topic has come up at my weekly poker game, during a brief chat with the cashier at a grocery store and with the doctor who recently removed a golf tee from the ball of my foot (note to self – at my weight, balancing barefoot on a golf tee is clearly inadvisable).

As long as the snow stays away in your neck of the woods (or you happen to be departing to a hotspot like Arizona, for example), the golf clubs can’t be packed away in the garage for the season just yet.

It wouldn’t be right. It would be like coffee without cream or sugar; Yogi without Boo-Boo. Like Canada without maple syrup – unthinkable.

If you have just taken up the endeavour of golf, don’t fear! You can still golf a bit longer, and try to get better before next spring, amid the mad rush back to the greens.

As a matter of fact, I have compiled a few tips and definitions, which might help the novice golfer become a bit better acquainted with the game: 1) Woods. Woods or “drivers” are the clubs with the large, oversized “heads”, and woods are also the likely destination of your ball, when driven off the tee box. This time of year, you may even add just a wee bit of excitement to your game of golf when you’ve gone into the woods to search for your wayward ball, perhaps coming face-to-face with a lumbering bruin searching for dinner. Always keep your wood club with you in the woods.

2) Irons. These are the sticks that range in appearance from something like a hockey stick to a scoop – like a front-end loader.

Not a bad comparison, when you are trying to “loft” your ball out of a sand-trap, water hazard or adja-

cent backyard vegetable garden.

These irons will number from about 1 to 9, with lofts graduating slightly, the higher the numbers go.

The highest loft is on the sand wedge. Not to be mistaken with a corned beef on rye, this iron will be your best friend in many situations along your average golf course layout.

3) Putter. NOT what the foursome ahead of you appears to be doing, this club is the last one that you will typically use once your ball has successfully landed on the green (more on that term momentarily). Of course, by the time your scorecard has reached 187 on the front nine, you’ll be wondering why you aren’t just puttering away in the garden back home.

4) Greens. This is a funny one.

On the average golf course, the fairways are green, the forest is green, the guy that asked to play with your group is pretty green, and yet the description for the area specifically with the hole is “the green”. Golf was invented in Scotland, so I will assume that tempers began to flare after naming “fairway”, “rough”, and “another wee dram, ma’am”.

5) Clubhouse. The best part of a round of golf. After an arduous afternoon of driving around in a golf cart, being handed your clubs by a caddy, and quenching your thirst with chilled beverages straight from the mobile beer cart, you are finally able to relax in some small bit of comfort, along with your companions and eight flatscreen TVs. Until the next time the weather is fair, and you can all gather again.

Happy flailing…I mean falling, into golf…

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 ThatDanGuy@shaw.ca. REM

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-OR$1,964,789

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34 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

GREEN REAL ESTATE

YOUR LOCAL MARKET REPORT Targeted Neighbourhood Advertising

EAST END REPORT Market Connections Inc.®

Volume 4, Issue 4

Market Update: Present and Compliments of Danny Brown Predicted

One Step

RIVERDALE MARKET WATCH

Market Connections Inc.®

APRIL 2010

DWiV^c V Xden d[ ndjg XgZY^i gZedgi# In the event it In the Canadian Real Estate ratesany start rising. even(e.g., closed charge contains errors orLooking omissions Association’s (CREA) 2010 forecastaccounts for further CREA anticipatescredit or repaid loans thatahead, appear as available home sales via the MLS®, there is an interest rate increases to contribute that show up aspercent outstanding), you’ll those indication of how the market might to a seven decline in saleswant to getDETACHED cleared up before they hamper be affected by changes to interestmistakes activity for 2011, but doesn’t expect your chances 2 BEDROOM of obtaining a loan. and tax rates. the higher rates to put housing out 3 BEDROOM of reach for most buyers.

4 BEDROOM The good news is that CREA forecasts <Zi egZ"VeegdkZY [dg V bdgi\V\Z! and make sure national activity will reach 527,300 CREA President Dale Ripplinger 5+ BEDROOM estate sales representative By getting units in 2010, a rise of 13.3 percentyour real predicts, “Although interest rates knows. are notrise, only will your be able from 2009. Continued low interestpre-approved, expected to they will stillrepresentative be low SE DE ACHED HE SEMI-DETACHED properties fit your within budget, you’ll know rates are boosting housing demandto target enough to keepthat affordability BEDROO BEDROOM in nearly all provinces during reach for many requiring that financing won’thomebuyers be a stumbling block when2 you do the first half of this year, led by find that mortgage financing, ROO 3 BEDROOM perfect home. and support British Columbia and Ontario, two overall housing demand.”

4 BEDROOM provinces where many buyers are also Also, as a pre-approved you can offer sellers If you’re consideringbuyer, a move, you’ll 5+ BEDROOM motivated to avoid the HST before it a quicker which can giveonyou the edge over wantclosing, the latest information local comes into effect on July 1, 2010. housing prices,who financing information competing buyers have yet to secure their own TOWNHOUSE During the second half of 2010, CREA and new regulations that may have loan approval.

2 BEDROOM expects national activity to ease, as been implemented since you last the last of the pent-up demand forBV`Z hjgZ ndjg gZVa ZhiViZ hVaZh gZegZhZciVi^kZ bought or sold real estate. Please call 3 BEDROOM housing is exhausted, and interest for the latest information, today!

4 BEDROOM STAN `cdlh i]Z fj^X`Zhi lVn id XdciVXi ndj Vh egdeZgi^Zh Figures are based on MLS® sales as reported by the Canadian Real Estate Association. Market values depend on factors besides housing type and bZZi^c\ ndjg Xg^iZg^V WZXdbZ VkV^aVWaZ# And have number of bedrooms. Overall condition, square footage, upgrades, lot size and specific location are some other key factors involved.

Source: Canadian Real Estate Association a contingency plan ready for viewing properties at a moment’s notice (e.g., It may be preferable that your From the desk of Danny children Browndo not come to showings — how will you arrange that?).

NO. SOLD

AVERAGE PRICE

DAYS ON MARKET

25

$ 331,098

25

54

$ 384,591

23

16

7,222 $ 497,222

22

10

$ 588,500 5 5 0

35

45

$ 308,624

20

100

$ 297,423

17

26

$ 429,054

24

5

$ 403,360

14

12

$ 317,667

13

33

$ 378,779

20

1

$ 290,900

8

Whether you’re thinking of buying or selling your home, or are just curious as to

Ndjg egdeZgin ejgX]VhZ l^aa a^`Zan cZXZhh^iViZ estate you’ll want to make sure you talk to a hZXjg^c\ i]Z hZgk^XZh d[ egd[Zhh^dcVah! hjX] Vh V Spring is peak home-buying real time.

Youvalues in your neighbourhood, professional who]dbZ ^cheZXidg VcY V aVlnZg# is knowledgeable and familiar the area.

Have with your team lined might be in the market for a real newestate home up ahead of time, because you might hinder the this season — but so are a lot of other I invite you to call me at 416-223-2250 the most home-buying for process if you up-to-date wait until themarket last information people. To get a jump on your competition, minute to recruit. about Riverdale and East Toronto. here are a few things you can do before Danny Brown Please call today, for more tips on ensuring the smoothest, beginning the home-hunting process. most successful real estate experience possible.

Market Connections Inc.® (800) Fax: 800-7093 The information and opinions contained in this newsletter are obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but their accuracy cannot be guaranteed. The publishers assume noBus: responsibility for errors387-6058 and omissions or for any damages(800) resulting from the use of the published information. This newsletter is provided with the understanding that it does not render legal, accounting, or other professional advice. Not intended to solicit properties or businesses listed for sale and agency agreements in place with other real estate brokers. Whole or partial reproduction of this newsletter is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. © Market Connections Inc.® 2010, Phone: (800) 387-6058. 4950 Yonge Street, Suite 101, Toronto, ON M2N 6K1

Danny Brown Broker

Danny Brown

Bus: (800) 387-6058

By Elden Freeman

W

ho knew that old linoleum floors could be a selling point? Well for one thing, they happen to be green – made from renewable materials like solidified linseed oil, pine rosin and cork dust. If you know enough to point that out to a seller, it might just win you the listing.

Going green is a selling point these days, but you have to recognize what elements of a house make it the environmental choice. You need to show the seller the green value of their home.

When I meet a potential client, I play the green card. As an accredited Greenagent, I notice

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the not-so-obvious details that make a home environmentally friendly. I ask about insulation, caulking, the paint used and the type of furnace installed. I look out for reclaimed wood, low-flush toilets, double or triple-paned windows and energy-efficient landscaping. For example, if a house has deciduous trees to the south, the leaves will block the sun in the hot summer but not in the winter. Coniferous trees to the north block the wind. Native species require less watering.

Sometimes the seller has no idea their house has green qualities. When you enlighten them, they can see the value you’re adding to the sale. Other times, the seller is well aware. In those cases, you won’t past muster if you’re out of the loop.

I recently sold a lane-way house that had fabulous green features. While some agents might have marvelled at the trendiness

of the concrete floors, I recognized the passive-solar technology at once. The floors acted as a heat sink, capturing the sunlight from the large, south-facing windows. I also spotted the floors made of reclaimed wood and the linoleum in the bathroom. Had I not, I’m quite sure I would not have been trusted with the listing.

Many agents look for the paint job and granite countertops, sticking to the lipstick of the house.

Green agents look for substance – not only beauty, but also brains.

We get the listing because we add green value.

Elden Freeman B.A., M.E.S, broker is the founder and executive director of the non-profit National Association of Green Agents and Brokers (NAGAB). 416-5367325; elden@nagab.org. For more information about NAGAB and what it can do for your business, visit www.NAGAB.org online. REM

Hilton unveils Presidential Suites in Niagara Falls

Fax: (800) 800-7093

Broker

Exclusivity For Your Unique Marketing Area

Marketing green real estate, Part 2

T

he Hilton Hotel and Suites Niagara Falls/ Fallsview, Canada’s tallest hotel tower, recently officially unveiled its Presidential Suites.

Located on the 50th floor, the suites offer guests luxury and spectacular views of both the Canadian and American Falls.

Anthony Annunziata, VP of marketing and development, Hilton Hotel and Suites, says, “With the Presidential Suites, we are changing the way people see Niagara Falls, by offering guests superior accommodations, one-ofa-kind views of the falls and exquisite décor, all of which are unavailable anywhere else in the area.”

Designed to magnify the beauty of Niagara Falls, the Presidential Suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows, accompanied by remote controlled blinds and shades, and a chic atmosphere created by the décor in shades of white, silver and black. Upon entering the suite,

guests find themselves in a small walk-in shower and whirlpool tub foyer that opens up to 1,500 square overlooking the living area and feet of pure luxury. On the one side beyond. of the foyer is an intimate sitting “The suites are perfect for jetroom; complete with a full bath- setters looking for a getaway, busiroom and access to a balcony, nesses looking to host small perched 50 storeys above the city. receptions or anyone looking to The light and airy main living enhance their Niagara Falls expespace is adorned with an oversized rience,” says Annunziata. meeting table, white leather chairs, two metallic leather sofas, a flat screen TV and electric fireplace, all sitting on black leather flooring.

Guests in The space includes an oversized meeting table and search of pri- black leather flooring. vacy can escape through the double doors The Presidential Suites rack into the blissful master bedroom rate is $1,500/night Sunday to featuring a king-sized bed and a Thursday and $3,000 Friday and private ensuite, equipped with a Saturday. REM

Roy Stephens_10.25x11.qxp:Layout 1

8/6/10

8:40 AM

Page 1

“Prudential Real Estate Do yourself a favour and talk with

Reduced To print out

6

CD/AG 8.3.10 Job No:

CAPR-A3819

Job Name: Roy Stephens Profile Pub: Real Estate magazine Issue Date: Sept. 2010 Prod: page 4c Trim: 10.25 x 11

“

When I joined The Rock® in 1996, I’d already been a successful independent Broker for 18 years. But I always realized that in order to grow my business —

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Today, Prudential Real Estate is at the ________ PROOFREADING

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technology fueling our business growth

Prepared by

are mind boggling … and I know that the best is yet to come. Add to this the

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© 2010 Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities. Prudential Real Estate brokerage services are offered through the independently owned and operated franchisees of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Prudential, the Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are registered service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc., and its related entities. Used under license.

Do Not Print

36 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

How to find a building lot The Great Canadian Dream is finding a lovely building lot and constructing a home in the country. But finding that lot for a buyer may not be so easy.

By Ron Rossini

I

f you’ve been licensed for more than 10 years, chances are you’ve dealt with a buyer who wants you to find them a small acreage plot so they can build their dream house in the country.

This may not be such an easy task and may be fraught with a lot of barriers on the way to The Great Canadian Dream.

Most counties have regulations on minimum subdividing of land.

Before we had planning committees, there were many properties sliced up with homes far apart and far from services. Municipalities were saddled with high costs to service these properties. Most counties now suggest the minimum severance be at least 50 acres, so most current small acreage properties are those with permission granted many years before the advent of planning commissions.

Zoning: One must investigate the permitted land uses for the property. Will it permit a buyer to have uses other than residential or agricultural? Are there any existing development permits on the property or mandatory building schemes? Are there any bylaw restrictions that may govern the specific property, such as rights of ways and road allowances?

Assessing the lot: Is the property suitable for building? Core samples should be taken to determine whether the property can support a foundation without adding expensive truckloads of fill.

Has the seller done any soil testing? Core sampling costs a bit of money and would normally be at the buyers’ expense. Will any offer contain conditions on acceptable core sampling?

Are there any buildings on the property? Significant out buildings or other residential structures may need a permit for removal. Were there any other buildings on the property? What was its former use?

Could there be any abandoned

wells or storage tanks on the site?

There may be environmental issues such as abandoned fuel storage tanks and polluted wells.

Are there any current oil/gas leases on the property and are they transferable? Most leases include renewable clauses or expiry dates.

The presence of these leases may dictate where future buildings are situated.

Exit and egress from the property is determined by the local governing authority and is usually onto the quietest roadway possible.

Rarely will access to a major road be permissible unless there are no other alternatives.

Neighbouring properties should be checked out in a five mile radius of the subject land to explore their uses. Hog operations have a right to exist, but your client may not appreciate building a dream home down wind from a hog farm. A check should also be made with the local zoning authority to explore whether there have been any rezoning requests from surrounding properties.

It may not be possible to remove trees on the property without permission from an approving authority. There might also be loggable bush that may increase the property’s present and future value.

Servicing the lot: Should services like gas and water not be at the road, the buyer might be forced to dig wells and use oil, propane or electricity to heat the home. Wells can present certain logistics problems. How deep you must dig depends on the lie of the land.

Raised rolling hill properties often necessitate going very deep for water and increasing costs.

Lowland wells could be subject to pollution or runoff from surrounding properties.

There may be water and gas lines at the road but it may cost a lot of money to hook up if the property is significantly set back from the road.

The distance of telephone and electrical lines from the future home to the road is also a consideration and can add considerable expense.

Digging and installing a septic

bed and tank generally needs the approval of the local health authorities. The system must be a good distance from the well to guard against pollution.

Financing: Financing a lot is not like financing a home because the land is unimproved. Rather than taking a mortgage on the property, the buyer may have to take out a chattel loan or use a line of credit. These are usually at a higher rate of interest than a mortgage. A substantial down payment on the property might be necessary to even secure a chattel mortgage.

The current taxes on the property are for raw unimproved land and will change significantly when reassessed after the site is improved with buildings. Taxes are generally determined by the extent of the improvements and the property designation as rural or residential. It might be prudent to check the tax structure of the local municipality and get a ballpark figure for taxes for the future improvements.

Building costs in the country-

side may be higher than in urban areas, because contractors may adjust for mileage. Landowners must apply to a local approving authority for building permits. The buyer will need to take out a builder’s mortgage when constructing in order to pay contractors at various stages of the building process. It’s better to have a reputable builder construct a home so the buyer doesn’t have to hire a job site superintendent to oversee the construction or, worse still, have to do it themselves. (Tell your client to see the movie Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House before

starting this venture.)

Adverse possession: Have the deed or survey checked to see whether any of the subject land is being used by adjoining neighbours who could claim parts of the property for themselves in a form of “squatter’s rights” Riparian rights come into effect if buying a property that borders on a public body of water.

Land dimensions may extend into water space or, conversely, the land that borders the water may not be solely owned by the homeowner and be able to be enjoyed by the public in general. Shoreline properties have their own peculiarities, such as access to property includ-

ing leased or deeded water access.

Maintaining the property: The property must be maintained when left vacant and vegetation must be cut regularly. Failure to do so would put the owner on a collision course with the noxious weed control bylaws, forcing the local municipality to cut weeds and send the owner the bill.

Lifestyle: Have the buyers considered the alteration to their lifestyle that moving to a remote countryside area might bring?

There are many advantages to moving to a sizeable plot of land

including privacy, less noise and light pollution and the opportunity to have a sizeable property to develop. However, there can also be concerns for the previous urbanite who makes that break for the country. He might have adjust to a longer drive to work, travel roads that are far down the list to be serviced or ploughed in bad weather, and experience greater effects from inclement weather because the property may be more exposed and out in the open.

Rural properties, due to aboveground power lines, are quicker than their urban cousins to lose power during heavy windstorms and also usually the last to have it

restored. Generators are a staple item in a country home to keep the sump pump and furnace working.

Children must also be considered when moving to a remote area, as school availability, bus travel and time spent going to school, social and athletic events must be explored. Proximity to shopping, medical, dental and social venues may also be a homeowner consideration.

Building a dream home and moving into the country may be a tremendously rewarding and worthwhile experience but much thought must also be considered before your client undertakes The Great Canadian Dream.

Ron Rossini is a long-term broker with Sutton Group Preferred Realty Inc., Brokerage in London, Ont. He writes regular feature articles for many magazines and newspapers in Canada and the United States. 519471-8888; email rrossini@bell.net.

REM

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38 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

15 ways to inspire you to sell more

By Andy Herrington

I

have said it before and I will say it again. Motivation is nothing compared to inspiration.

I always hear people saying, “You have to get motivated,” or “We need more motivation.” The fact is, motivation is a short-term thing. Motivate means “to provide with a motive or motives.” It is someone providing something to another person. Inspire on the other hand is “to produce or arouse”. It is creating something from within. This is where real gain is found. A long-term fix because it is a part of the person, not an outside factor.

Think of it this way – you can

motivate a teenager to clean his room by taking away the keys to the car, but how long will that last? If you can find a reason for him to want to clean his room on a regular basis, it will create that clean room forever. It is the same as the “teach a man to fish” analogy.

The best part about this is that becoming inspired and inspiring others is often very similar. When you find the drive within yourself, others are attracted to it and begin to find the drive in themselves as well. So you don’t simply “do more deals” because you are working harder, you also do more deals because your clients are “inspired” to live their dreams as well.

You have one life – maintain and create enthusiasm everywhere. Don’t just satisfy your clients – overwhelm them with all that you do. Take risks, make mistakes and push your human potential to the utmost limits.

When you do, you will no longer

chase business – you will attract it.

Here are 15 things you can do to find your inspiration and to become an inspiration: 1. Create your personal goals, which include a list of things you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime. Both short-term and long-term goals are best. Read them daily.

2. Create your business goals.

Make sure they satisfy your personal goals. Read them daily.

3. Write down what makes you different and better than your competition. Believe it fully and portray it to everyone you meet.

4. Practice your scripts as often as possible. The better you know what to say, the more confidence you will have to say it and the more opportunities you will seek in order to say it.

5. Tell everyone your specific sales goals for the year and keep them posted on your progress, both good and bad. Ask for help in accomplishing them.

6. Buy a book of inspiration and keep it in your car. Read it daily. This is anything you find inspiring – Mother Teresa, a pro athlete, a great quote book, anything you know will brighten your mood when needed.

7. Buy a composition notebook and write a journal or simply doodle daily. Be creative and allow yourself the ability to do anything. Do not censor yourself.

8. Invest 15 minutes every day to watch clips and read books and articles about selling. Don’t skip a day. Learning from others is great, and learning something new is often one of the most inspiring things you will ever do, second only to teaching something.

9. Invest 15 minutes daily to plan for the next day. There is nothing more inspiring than starting your day with a written plan of attack – your plan! Make this a daily habit and you’ll sell more in less time and have more fun doing it.

10. Surround yourself with the best; hang around with the best in your business/industry. Model their habits and ask them for advice.

11. Break up projects into smaller pieces. Then begin with the second most enjoyable activity and keep the most enjoyable until the end. The more smaller tasks you do, the sooner your big project will be completed.

12. Get a coach. Successful people love helping others to become successful. But what is really most interesting is that the majority of successful people did not get there by themselves.

13. Make time for your loved ones as often as possible. Ask them how you can make their life more successful and try to make that happen. In return they will try to make you as successful as possible.

14. Listen to as many ideas as you can from everyone around you. Never limit yourself to your own thoughts and ideas. Ideas build and grow. Without a constant discussion about ideas you

will stagnate.

15. Implement only the best ideas. Don’t get caught in the details and planning and forget to implement.

Inspired people do extraordinary things. What is truly interesting is that they don’t search them out; the extraordinary will find you. The impressive sales numbers, the fame and fortune, these are all byproducts of all the little things. One of the key little things is inspiration – it allows you to use the focus and power to consistently do all the little things that make your skills better – and the people around you happier.

Andy Herrington is a founding member and master coach with Dan Plowman Team Systems Inc. He is regarded as a specialist in human behaviour, scripting and team development. Email andy@danplowmanREM teamsystems.com.

40 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

A better way to find an address

By Larry Easto

F

or better or for worse, I am starting to appreciate the Costa Rican approach to local addresses.

I have been in Costa Rica since the end of January. In addition to continuing to write and manage my website, I have been helping Spanish-speaking executives improve their English.

In most of the country, there are neither street names nor house numbers. Addresses refer to local landmarks. For example, my address as shown on my rental agreement is: “San Francisco de Dos Rios, 300 mts Sur del Restaurante Tierra Colombia, Fente al Abastecedor don Bosco.”

Roughly translated into English this means, “San Francisco de Dos Rios, (the community in which I live, part of San Jose, the capital city) 300 metres south of the Earth Colombia Restaurant (which is now closed and renovated into a business centre) across from the merchant Don Bosco.”

There are two things I like about the Costa Rican approach to describing an address.

First it forces us to be aware of what’s around us. Whether you are giving or receiving directions, it is important to be aware of local landmarks. Moving around Toronto, whether on foot, public transit or driving, is invariably frustrating. It’s like some kind of dance in which thousands and thousands of people move about so totally engrossed in themselves, their inner thoughts or wireless communications that they are totally oblivious to what is right beside them.

When looking for local landmarks, you are forced to be more aware of your surroundings. And

this includes other people, the second feature I like about the Costa Rican approach.

Whether asking for clarification or entirely new directions, the Costa Rican approach certainly facilitates connecting with other people. I do, however, wonder how those highly descriptive Costa Rican addresses would fit into MLS listing agreements.

There does appear to be some form of MLS service in Costa Rica.

From what I can tell, it seems to be a feature offered by a single brokerage, rather than an industry resource available for all agents.

One of my students advised me that this area has a population of about 4.5 million people.

From my own observation, there is no evidence of real estate agents in or around the Metropolitan San Jose area. I have seen many signs that simply said “‘se venda” (for sale) or “se alquila” (for rent) with a phone number.

But so far I have not seen a real estate agent’s for sale sign anywhere.

It’s tempting to suggest that the number of real estate agents is relatively small because Costa Ricans are fiercely independent and strongly committed to the age-old FSBO practice.

However, based on my limited experience in the country, that is not entirely true.

Within a week of my arriving, I met a journalist who had a friend anxiously trying to sell his home.

Originally listed at over $900,000 (US), the price had been reduced to just over $500,000. Although the property was listed on nonexclusive agreements with two or three agents in the U.S., there had been no potential buyers.

The journalist helped the owner by taking some pictures and posting them to the website set up to help sell the house. When he found out about my real estate marketing website, the journalist invited me to assist with the marketing.

However, by the time I was able to speak to the owner, the property had been sold to a

Swedish purchaser, who managed to find the listing online.

A couple of weeks after this incident, I had another real estaterelated experience. Totally by chance, I met a Canadian from Vancouver, who turned out to be the entrepreneur’s entrepreneur.

His business activities include real estate.

Before I could pursue the issue of what he did in real estate, he was off on another topic, telling me non-stop what his plans are for another project. He got even more excited when he found out that I am a writer.

Perhaps time will tell exactly what he does in real estate and why he got so excited about my being a writer. Who knows...I might just find myself more actively involved in marketing real estate than just writing about it.

Larry Easto is a best selling author and publisher of www.real-estatemarketing-link.info. He can be contacted at larry@real-estate-marketinglink.info. REM

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42 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

METES & BOUNDS

By Marty Douglas

J

ust married. By the time you read this I shall be. No gifts please, just best wishes. Okay, those of you with too much money, feel free to send along a gift. Or cash. No amount of cash is too unseemly but consider the larger denominations. And try to keep it under the FINTRAC limit, I hate paperwork. Collect courier will do nicely.

Speaking of smoking something, last year I wrote about my experiences at the Vancouver Island MusicFest (www.remonline.com, September 2009) leading to the preamble of our Realtor Code: “Under all is the land.

Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization. . . .”

We went and sat on the very same real estate and enjoyed three days of live music, gnomes, stilt walkers, green men, raven people

Chill’in at the Island MusicFest and jugglers – all those little side shows to main events that compliment the experience. A roving throng of youngsters called Twisted Strings ambushed us in what they called a ‘random act of violins’ and then moved on. A nine-foot giant in a top hat interacted with ravenmasked mimes, running between his legs to the delight of gathering youngsters.

And through it all the sound of country, Celtic, rock, folk and calypso – frequently punctuated with clog dancing echoing from woodland stages to the main concert bowl. Kids on quarter-moon swings imagined while teens and adults jammed the swimming hole on the adjacent Tsolum River, giving the resident fish their first taste of sunscreen. Campers in tents, under tarps, in satellite-equipped motor homes – mustn’t miss the World Cup final – lined up for days to get their usual spots.

The weather was fantastic – just as the heat peaked, the breeze freshened. I took my REM 20th anniversary pocket watch because I didn’t want tan lines and the spaghetti strap on my other wrist watch is so – how should we say – misunderstood? Let me quickly insert several defences to any of my actions at MusicFest – I tried not to inhale. If my cell phone was as good as it claims to be, it would have called to say I had left it on

the bar backstage. And to the Good Samaritan who found my reading glasses and tucked them under my windshield wiper – I really meant to leave them on the roof of my car so I could find it again.

In case you wondered, Roberta Flack is a tiny powerhouse of song – wow! She blew the socks off Friday night, the crowd of maybe 8,000 having been warmed up by H’sao from Chad via Montreal and Calypso Rose, a 70-year-old dynamo from Tobago.

On Saturday, the heat approached 30 C, thankfully from both directions. For the hard – and I mean hard – rock groupies, Adrian Belew and his power trio exploded the main stage amplifiers – literally. (The next day he shattered the bridge on his $10,000 signature guitar performing a slow number.) Nanci Griffith got a standing ovation for her homage to Pete Seeger with If I Had a Hammer. Joan Osborne – yes that Joan Osborne – and the Holmes Brothers – yes those guys – were the main event although the Peatbog Faeries capped the evening with instrumentals so powerful, neighbours for miles must surely have thought the Campbells were on their way again.

Let me say this – MusicFest would have been the poorer if the

federal government hadn’t lifted their quota of the number of bagpipes accompanying travelling musicians. Bagpipes and hangovers – is there a message there?

Noon and it can’t be Sunday without the Christ the King Church Choir from Uganda. In the CD tents, hunting for memories of the night before, I got the MusicFest Spa treatment – a hand held spritzer, looking suspiciously like the one my mom used while ironing – mists my bare legs, arms and neck. By mid-afternoon, I’m watching a display of sullen teenagers, forced to spend an afternoon with their parent’s music.

The body language of the surly teen – the curled lip, the upturned eyes, shrugged shoulders and weary resignation there’s a better place to be – anywhere.

People watching – a great sport. With the heat, it’s a multishirt festival and for my tie-dyed friends this proves a challenge.

Only has the two shirts and sadly it’s a three-day event.

And then it’s time for Carlos Del Junko. I’m reading a book at this point, sautéing nicely in the concert bowl, half-listening to a horn section, perhaps some strings and percussion. Then I look up to see one guy on stage. Holy crap, it’s a harmonica! Sounds you’ve heard but not from this instrument and instruments you’ve never heard,

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part of the magic of this festival.

Later David Linley does a similar thing with guitars and mandolins.

If it’s got strings he can play it.

Tuning up, he sounds orchestral and better than every acoustic guitar player on earth.

The evening sets start with the Unthanks, featuring clog dancing, amplified cello, fiddle and percussion supporting lovely, melancholy folk songs from northeast England.

Culinary skills aside, this band cooked. David Linley, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks followed and festival concluded with this year’s coup – Little Feat.

If you’re looking for a musical experience that doesn’t include Lindsay Lohan & the Ankle Monitor, check it out at www.islandmusicfest.com. You could have been here.

You can follow Marty Douglas on Twitter 40yrsrealestate or on LinkedIn and on Facebook. He is a managing broker for Coast Realty Group (Comox Valley) Ltd., with offices on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast of B.C. Marty is a past chair of the Real Estate Errors and Omissions Corporation of B.C., the Real Estate Council of B.C. and the B.C. Real Estate Association.

He’s a current director of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. mdouglas@island.net; 1-800-7153999. REM

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44 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

Industrial, Commercial & Investment L

aurent N. Benarrous, a Montreal tenant and leasing broker, has joined the leasing team in Avison Young’s Montreal office as vice-president.

Benarrous has 18 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry and was formerly with Jones Lang LaSalle, where he specialized in tenant representation services in the Montreal market.

David Scott is now a mortgage agent in Avison Young’s Toronto mortgage brokerage division of the Capital Markets Group. Scott will work with Norm Arychuk, who also recently joined Avison Young’s mortgage brokerage group, to help further develop and service major corporate real estate clients across Canada.

Scott’s career in commercial mortgages spans more than 25

years and includes underwriting with such firms as Standard Life, MetLife and CIBC Mortgages Inc. His experience includes the financing of traditional and nontraditional income-producing properties and land, as well as opening a branch for a private mortgage brokerage firm.

■ ■ ■

CBRE Hotels is the exclusive advisor in the sale of Deerhurst Resort – where the G8 meeting of world leaders took place in June – near Huntsville, Ont. A 100-percent freehold interest in the 400room upscale resort is being offered on behalf of 1279342 Ontario Limited, Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC and MassMutual Financial Group.

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with a lodge and two cabins in 1896. Over the years, it has grown to become an iconic golf and conference facility, says the company.

The resort offers 400 guest rooms; 40,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space; seven food and beverage options; two 18hole golf courses, two driving ranges and a golf school; a full service spa and salon; and an active 3,000-foot airstrip.

■ ■ ■

Jones Lang LaSalle has boosted its Montreal business by adding landlord representation expertise.

The firm has appointed Max Francischiello as senior vice-president who will lead the practice, Claudio Celli as vice-president and Maria Yannakis as associate.

With more than 18 years of real estate experience, Francischiello is a seasoned expert in landlord representation. He joins from Courtage Immobilier Asgaard Inc., which he co-founded with Claudio Celli.

Celli brings more than eight years of landlord representation experience to Jones Lang LaSalle.

A graduate of economics from Concordia University, he is an Affiliated Real Estate Agent and member of ICSC, IDU and BOMA. Yannakis has worked in the Montreal office leasing field for six years and has been involved in many high profile projects while at Courtage Immobilier Asgaard Inc. ■ ■ ■

Meghan Kennedy has joined DTZ Barnicke Vancouver as a broker. Kennedy will concentrate on the central Vancouver market, specializing in office and retail property. While her focus will be dedicated to leasing, she will also be working with several senior personnel in the sales and investment arenas.

Kennedy will be working closely with senior brokers Neil McAllister and James Bayley, who together bring over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate leasing and sales.

Prior to joining DTZ Barnicke Vancouver’s brokerage team, Kennedy was the firm’s director of marketing, where she managed the overall marketing and communication strategy for the firm.

Built in 1912, the Beaux-Arts building was commissioned by L.D. Taylor, seven-time mayor of Vancouver, to house the Vancouver World newspaper.

Immediately, its bold architecture, especially the nine semi-clad maidens with exposed bare breasts that support the building’s cornice, caused quite a stir among Vancouverites. At 17 storeys, it was the talk of the town as the tallest building in the British Empire until Toronto’s Optima Business Centre was built in 1914.

In 1937, a new era of innovation took hold. The distinct copper-domed building was bought by the Vancouver Sun, and renamed the Sun Tower.

Although The Sun has long since relocated to other offices, the building has been known by that name ever since.

The leasing team behind the Sun Tower, Cushman & Wakefield, have joined forces with real estate marketing campaign builders Braun/Allison Inc. to

extend the Sun Tower brand. The campaign has launched with a consumer-oriented logo and brand for the tower, and a website (www.suntowerbuilding.com) that is different from the approach normally taken by the commercial leasing industry, says the team. “It’s an offer to be part of a community, a ‘creative commons’ as the line under the logo suggests,” says the team in a news release. It says social media and collaborative tactics will feature heavily in future phases of the campaign.

Mark Trepp of Cushman & Wakefield says, “I think this kind of contemporary approach to marketing a commercial space will help properties lease faster, which will mean less vacant space, and ultimately, more consistent revenue.

Building a community of creative people in this building – be they lawyers or photographers – will help all tenants feel engaged with each other and the building they work in. I think this is a good thing for everyone involved.” REM

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■ ■ ■

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Oakville, Milton and District Real Estate Board 2009 Halton Symposium and Tradeshow Thursday, Sept.16 Oakville Conference Centre Oakville Cindy Amodeo – 905-844-6491, Ext. 106 La Capitale Real Estate Network Annual Convention Sept. 21 – 22 Manoir St-Sauveur Saint-Sauveur, Que. France Massé – fmasse@lacapitalevendu.com Royal LePage National Sales Conference Sept. 22 – 25 Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Montreal www.royallepageevents.ca Edmonton Apartment Association in partnership with the Realtors Association of Edmonton Suites and Homes Trade Show Tuesday, Sept. 28 Mayfield Inn and Suites Trade Centre Edmonton www.eaa.ab.ca/eventdetail.aspx?I D=59 Re/Max Fall Connect Agent Sales Rally Sept. 28 – 29 Toronto Congress Centre, North Building, Toronto www.remaxevents.ca

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Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington Realtors Connections Conference & Trade Show Thursday, Sept. 30 Hamilton Convention Centre Hamilton Sheila Sferrazza – sheilas@rahb.ca or 905-5298101, ext.234 Peterborough and the Kawarthas Association of Realtors Technology Day and Trade Show Friday, Oct. 1 Living Hope Peterborough, Ont. info@peterboroughrealestate.org Century 21 Canadian Conference 2010 Oct. 1 – 3 Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto Jeff Sampson – jeff.sampson@century21.ca 604-606-2149 2010 Atlantic Connection Oct. 5 – 7 Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel, Halifax “A Realtor ‘How To’ conference” www.atlanticconnection.ca WinnipegRealtors Association Technology Conference and Trade Show Wednesday, Oct.13 Victoria Inn & Conference Centre, Winnipeg Wendy Wasylnuk – wwasylnuk@winnipegrealtors.ca or (204) 786-8854 www.wrexpo.ca

Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound Trade Show Tuesday, Oct. 19 Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre Owen Sound MarilynN@ragbos.com CREA – MTC Technology Forum Saturday, Oct. 23 Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland St. John’s, Nfld.

Julie Daviau – jdaviau@crea.ca Ottawa Real Estate Board Trade Show Thursday, Oct. 28 Centurian Conference Centre Ottawa Wilda Brown – wilda@oreb.ca National Association of Realtors 2010 Conference and Expo Nov. 5 – 8 New Orleans www.realtor.org/convention.nsf/ Mississauga Real Estate Board 2010 Election Meeting and Trade Show Wednesday, Nov. 17 Versailles Convention Centre, Mississauga Gay Napper – 905-608-6732 Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services Sales Rally, Trade Show and Education Event Thursday, Nov. 18 Lejardin Conference Centre Woodbridge, Ont. Nancy Sears – nancy.sears@prudential.com CAAMP Canadian Mortgage Conference and Expo Nov. 21 – 23 Palais des congrès de Montreal Montreal www.mortgageconference.ca Re/Max & You Tuesday, Nov. 23 Mississauga Convention Centre Mississauga, Ont. www.remaxevents.ca

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

REM SEPTEMBER 2010 47

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48 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

Good Works M

otorcycle enthusiasts rode from Mississauga, Ont. to Sault Ste. Marie in this year’s Realtors Care Foundation Motorcycle Ride for Charity.

The group of sponsored riders included the Realtors Care Foundation’s David Trick, past chair; Don Richardson, public governor; Richard Hawkins, Realtor governor; and Lynn Martin, public governor. There were 33 registrants for the four-day ride – some riding the entire time, others for a day or two. The trip was more than 2,500 km long.

Visits were coordinated with the Mississauga Real Estate Board; Oakville, Milton & District Real Estate Board; Woodstock-Ingersoll & District Real Estate Board; Realtors Association of Grey Bruce Owen Sound; The Georgian Triangle Real Estate Board; The Barrie & District Real Estate Board; Orillia & District Real Estate Board; Parry Sound Real Estate Board; Sudbury Real Estate Board; Timmins Real Estate Board and Sault St Marie Real Estate Board. Additional donations to the foundation were collected at these boards, bringing the total amount raised to more than $40,500.

Also included in the itinerary were visits to several recipients of foundation grants. On day one, the group came to the Halton Lighthouse Shelter in Oakville. It is an emergency shelter committed to providing safe, secure, shortterm accommodations to individuals who are experiencing some type of housing crisis. Day two brought the ride to Barrie and a visit with representatives of the David Busby Street Centre. This shelter’s mission and vision includes improving living conditions for individuals within Simcoe County who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Before departing from Sudbury on day three, the group was invited on a tour of the Maison Vale Inco

Hospice. It provides residential hospice palliative care in the Sudbury-Manitoulin Districts, compassionate support and quality care to individuals and families in a home-like environment. The last day ended in Sault St. Marie, where the group shared refreshments with the Sault Ste. Marie Real Estate Board and Algoma Residential Community Hospice representatives, also dedicated to

providing compassionate end-oflife care to palliative patients and their families. These organizations are not-for-profit and depend on the support from their communities. Through the Realtors Care Foundation grants, they have received funds to assist them in achieving their goals.

The goal for the foundation charity ride over the last few years has been to travel throughout Ontario to raise the awareness of the foundation and its goals to the communities, fellow Realtors and real estate boards. So far riders have visited 33 of the 42 real estate boards in Ontario. In 2011, the remainder of the boards will be visited.

■ ■ ■

Re/Max sales associates and support staff across Canada raised

more than $100,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation on May 29 through Yard Sale for the Cure. The funds support breast cancer research, health promotions and training fellowships that are leading to real progress in the fight against breast cancer.

Christine Martysiewicz, director of internal and public relations for Re/Max Ontario-Atlantic Canada, says: “We’re proud to take a proactive role in leveraging the resources of our Canadian network and our position within local communities to save lives. We feel Yard Sale is more than a fundraiser; it’s a lifeline, and its impact is multi-faceted. Every time we hold a Yard Sale event, we’re helping to raise awareness as well as muchneeded funds, and it really brings our people together in a meaning-

ful way.”

More that 50 Re/Max offices from coast to coast participated in the annual fundraiser this year.

Re/Max has raised close to $500,000 through Yard Sale for the Cure nationwide since 2006.

Marie Sheppy, senior co-ordinator, Re/Max of Western Canada says: “It’s a goal we’ve taken to heart and one that inspires. That’s why, each year, Yard Sale for the Cure prompts greater participation and creativity, as each Re/Max office strives to surpass the previous year’s goal. The level of enthusiasm is simply remarkable.”

■ ■ ■

For the 13th year in a row, Sutton sales reps and brokers in Edmonton and nearby St. Albert supported the Edmonton Fringe Festival. As one of Canada’s

The Realtors Care Foundation Motorcycle Ride for Charity covered 2,500 km this year, raising more than $40,500.

The ride was launched at the Mississauga Real Estate Board offices on July 7.

Riders had a tour of the Maison Vale Inco Hospice, which provides residential hospice palliative care in the Sudbury-Manitoulin Districts

Right: Cam Leach, Phyllis Gleeson, Sharon Pazzaglia and Amanda Carter from Re/Max Garden City Realty in St. Catharines, Ont. took part in the Yard Sale for the Cure event.

Above: At the Yard Sale for the Cure, from left: Evelyn Sulz, Lisa Rice, Travis Hawryluk, Elaine Reaper, Connie Hausch and Rianne Edwards-Switzer from Re/Max Real Estate (Edmonton) in Spruce Grove, Alta.

REM SEPTEMBER 2010 49

largest live theatre events, the festival attracts performers and visitors from around the world. This year’s festival boasted 180 productions and 1,500 performances by local, national, international and young audiences companies.

“All of the Sutton offices in the Edmonton area band together to support the Fringe and sponsor the stage,” says James Mabey, broker at Sutton Group - Nor-Vista Realty in St. Albert. “We also provide event space for kids. We donate the use of three tents where kids can enjoy entertainment and play areas. The Edmonton Fringe Festival is fantastic for our community and we’re happy to be a part of it.”

Another event benefiting youth was the Crystal Kids Street Dance and Barbecue, sponsored by Sutton offices in Edmonton and St. Albert. Sales of the donated hot dogs and hamburgers helped to raise money for the Crystal Kids Youth Centre. “It’s a safe, supportive environment for youth,” says Mabey. “The centre offers kids an alternative to hanging out in the inner city where there is the potential to get into trouble. They participate in sports, use computers, get assistance with homework and have a nutritious meal.”

■ ■ ■

The Kitchener-Waterloo Real Estate Board (KWREB) raised $20,000 for Reaching Our Outdoor Friends (ROOF) through the association’s 17th annual charity golf tournament recently.

The tournament attracted 127 golfers in a fun team-scramble format at Conestoga Country Club.

ROOF provides for the safety, support and overall well-being of homeless youth and youth-at-risk, age 12-25, in the Waterloo Region.

Since 1993 the KWREB has donated more than half a million dollars to support local charities.

Allan De Genova

Daryl King, a sales rep with Royal LePage Your Community, sports his rainy weather attire at the Royal LePage Credit Valley annual golf tournament.

From left, Lorna Dingwell of Unity House, Marian Barry, broker/owner of Royal LePage True North Realty, MaryEllen Proctor, Unity House, and Royal LePage president Phil Soper show off a cheque for $22,400.

Don Dubytz, (centre), broker of record, and the team from Royal LePage North Bay Real Estate Services, present a cheque to Janine Lafreniere, executive director of Nipissing Transition House .

The 31st Annual Royal LePage Women’s Run, Stroll or Roll was held in Thunder Bay, Ont. recently.

Royal LePage Performance Realty in Ottawa raised more than $3,000 for three local charities including a local shelter, Nelson House, at its Garage Sale for Shelter. From left: Lori Deeprose, David Callan, Gail Todd, Peter George, Gloria Bae, Gail Lynch, Robert Hof and Dan Moloughney.

■ ■ ■

A new women’s shelter to accommodate the growing need in Fort McMurray, Alta. is closer to breaking ground thanks to the annual slo-pitch tournament organized by Marian Barry and her Royal LePage True North Realty Team.

The tournament took place over a weekend in June, with more than 400 participants – True Continued on page 50

The Cornwall and District Real Estate Board recently held its annual charity golf tournament. Funds raised were matched by Scotiabank, resulting in a donation of $10,000 for Victim Services of S.D.G.&A. At the cheque presentation, from left: Johanna Murray, EO of the board; Diane Plourde, executive director of Victim Services; Celine Eady, co-chair of the Golf Committee; and Joanne Ouellette, mortgage development manager for Scotiabank. The other co-chair of the committee is Robert Juhasz.

Royal LePage Pro Alliance’s broker/owner Mark Rashotte and his Beatles tribute band, All You Need Is Love, will perform to raise money for the Shelter Foundation at the Empire Square Anniversary Celebrations in Belleville, Ont. on Friday, Sept. 10. Tickets are $10. To order tickets, visit www.theempiretheatre.com and click on Box Office.

50 REM SEPTEMBER 2010

THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE

By Heino Molls

O

n March 25, 1969 Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau strode to the podium at the Washington Press Club and famously said to a gathering of American reporters, “Living next to you is like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even tempered the beast; one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”

That line is often recounted and it remains true to this day in all aspects of life here in Canada.

Including real estate.

The Canadian real estate market is slowing down right now but it has been amazingly resilient

Good Works Continued from page 49

North’s biggest tournament ever.

“In our first year in 2002, we raised $3,500,” says Barry. “And now, eight years later, we managed to raise $22,400.” Unity House Family Crisis Centre, the recipient of the funds, plans to build a new facility with 50 beds.

“Currently, we have a very cramped space,” said Unity House executive director Mary Ellen Proctor. “Recently, to make more room we emptied our office, which allowed for a total of 35 beds, half of which are occupied by children. We run nine programs here so we are in great need of a larger facility.”

During the past nine years, Royal LePage True North has raised close to $140,000 for Unity House.

■ ■ ■

More than 140 people took part in the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) annual charity golf tournament recently to support RAHB’s

The elephant in the market compared to the real estate market in the United States. Everybody talks about it. Everybody boasts how much better we are up here.

The reasons for the astounding difference in property values between our countries are complex but it really all comes down to one thing – regulation. At the end of the day there was very little if any regulation of mortgages and property valuations in America.

Financial companies falsely drove property values up in an enormous bubble that burst. It was such a colossal burst that it spread around the globe and almost took down the entire world economy with it.

Here in Canada we were lucky to have tighter regulations that prevented banking and loan scoundrels from buying and selling mortgages like these vastly inflated loans that were created in the USA. We never had trouble like that. There is no bubble here.

But before we get all smug and start clapping each other on the back about all this, let us not forget that there are plenty of con artists and criminals here that

cause enormous grief in the financial sector. Some sources at the RCMP note that mortgage fraud is the greatest threat to financial institutions and homeowners today. We must also not overlook that some of our banks here in Canada actually took a role in the “toxic” loans in the United States and got burned along with everybody else, albeit not as badly.

The degree of corruption and greed is the same in Canada as it is in the United States. So how about we all put our fingers back in our pockets and stop pointing them at America?

We should not forget that the United States is our greatest trading partner. The American economy is driven by real estate just like ours, so when they get hurt it affects us too. It affects how much they buy from us, all the jobs that relate to that and the real estate that is sold because of it. The crippled economy and the real estate market in the USA are very hurt right now. More than it has been for many years. It is devastated.

Don’t think for a minute that

we are not sharing the pain. Just look around. Our markets are slow, our government is in deficit again after years of surplus and our community services are straining under the weight of human need.

We’ve taken some pretty good hits here too.

There is, however, good news on the horizon. Property prices in the United States hit bottom some time ago. They are starting to rise.

They may not get to the inflated levels they once were in the next few years but they will rise significantly. The market will slowly, surely and solidly recover. It is happening now if you look. The real estate market in America is moving in the right direction.

Many homes will need renovation. Some will even have to be completely rebuilt. Some neighbourhoods may even need bulldozing and gutting to build new homes.

How I wish that I was a young man who was clever with tools and had the energy to work on home renovation. I regret that I am neither. I could make more

Home Ownership Affordability Partnership (HOAP) and the Karan Barker Memorial Scholarship Fund. The event raised $13,500.

career, De Genova was a fiveterm Vancouver Park Board Commissioner from 1993 to 2008.

During his tenure, he was involved in countless projects including the creation of the Italian Garden at Hastings Park and the refurbishment of Victory Square Park and the Cenotaph. He was recently reappointed as a special advisor to the Vancouver Chinatown Merchants’ Association. De Genova is also a director of the Vancouver Resource Society, which provides accessible housing and finds employment options for people with disabilities. He was instrumental in securing accessible housing in the Woodward’s redevelopment project.

women and children fleeing from violence.

■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage North Bay Real Estate Services recently participated in the Royal LePage National Garage Sale for Shelter. The volunteer team of Realtors, administrative assistants and sponsors raised more than $1,200 for Nipissing Transition House, a local shelter that provides a safe haven for

More than 1,000 women and girls took to the streets in Thunder Bay, Ont. to participate in the 31st Annual Royal LePage Women’s Run, Stroll or Roll recently. The $25,000 raised was directed to the United Way charity of the participants’ choice, and two local women’s shelters received $5,000.

The Walk/Run was topped off

■ ■ ■

Allan De Genova, a sales rep with Sutton Group - West Coast Realty in Vancouver, is the president of Honour House Society, which operates Winch House, a place where injured or wounded veterans and first responders can stay with their families while receiving treatment in the Lower Mainland. This spring, the society purchased a 9,800-square-foot heritage residence in New Westminster. Once renovations are complete this winter, Honour House will provide temporary housing while Winch House will serve as long-term housing.

De Genova used his knowledge of the local real estate market to select the property and help plan renovations on the large residence, which was built in 1939.

The facility is expected to provide 10 wheelchair accessible rooms.

Despite a busy real estate

■ ■ ■

Recently Sutton - Premier Realty in Surrey, B.C. hosted a Texas Hold ’em poker tournament that raised $400 for the Canadian Cancer Society. The players included Broker Larry Anderson, several sales reps and invited guests. The tournament was so successful that Anderson hopes to make it a monthly event benefiting various charities.

Many of these players also pitched in at a car wash and barbecue in the parking lot of the newly renovated Sutton - Premier Realty.

money down there than a J.P. Morgan banker in New York City right now.

Sometime in 2011, maybe by spring but certainly by the fall, there is going to be an extraordinary turn around in the United States real estate market. It will be like a rolling stone. It will take a lot of effort to get it going but once it starts; man it is going to roll.

Say what you like about the long road back the Americans have before them. They will make it. They are still America. The home of Hollywood movies, the New York Yankees, Microsoft, The Ford Motor Company, cheeseburgers, fries and Coke. It’s still the land of opportunity. Let me tell ya pilgrim, their record of making dreams come true is just as consistent and as rock solid as it ever was.

They are still the elephant. We will still be affected by every twitch.

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

REM

with an awards luncheon and entertainment. During the past 10 years, Royal LePage Lannon Realty has raised more than $250,000 for the United Way and local women’s shelters in Thunder Bay. ■ ■ ■

A wet suit, flippers, rubber boots and garbage bags were mandatory golf wear for Royal LePage Credit Valley’s 8th Annual Charity Golf Tournament. Despite the monsoon-like weather, the sense of humour and dedication of loyal supporters and golfers prevailed, helping to raise $11,000 for The Family Life Resource Centre in Brampton, Ont. through the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage Partners recently held its Second Annual Golf Tournament in support of the North York (Ont.) Women’s Shelter. With more than $1,200 raised, participants enjoyed a day of golf, an evening of good food, socializing and great prizes.

REM

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