September 2012

Issue #279

September 2012

Quebec boards ready to leave CREA

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

Page 3

Network your way to greater success Page 8

Sometimes ‘sold’ is not a sale Page 10

Hard work gets it done

Jason Atkins says you can be making a million dollars in five years

Page 20

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REM SEPTEMBER 2012 3

Montreal board to poll members about leaving CREA

By Danny Kucharsky

T

he Greater Montreal Real Estate Board (GMREB) is asking its members if they want to withdraw from CREA membership.

“Your Board of Directors has decided to hold information sessions on this topic in the first week of September,” says Patrick Juanéda, president of GMREB, in a memo to members. “It is very important that you attend one of these sessions as you will soon be asked to vote on the GMREB’s future within CREA. During these sessions we will provide you with all of the information on this dossier and we will propose a specific plan for the future for the Quebec real estate industry. In addition, CREA representatives will be on hand to speak to you and answer your questions.”

The information sessions will be held Sept. 5 in Laval and Sept.

6 on the South Shore. An English session will be held Sept. 7 in Pointe-Claire.

“Then, in the week of Sept. 10, you will be consulted electronically in order to give your opinion on a possible GMREB withdrawal from CREA,” says Juanéda.

The GMREB is the secondlargest real estate board in Canada, with more than 10,000 members.

In late July, Quebec’s Federation of Real Estate Boards told brokers in an email that it would be ending its 18-year membership in CREA as of Dec. 31.

The move came after the HauteYamaska board in Granby expressed its desire to leave CREA. Boards in Mauricie and StHyacinthe have also consulted their members on the question and have received strong majority support to leave CREA by the end of the year.

The 15,000-member Quebec federation says all of its member boards have to be part of CREA in order for it to maintain its membership in the national association.

However, each of the 12 member boards that are part of the federation can choose on an individual basis whether or not they wish to remain in the national association.

The news was greeted with disappointment by CREA president Wayne Moen, who wrote that CREA has been in dialogue with QFREB representatives over the last few months. He noted that by

withdrawing from CREA, the QFREB avoids having to terminate the Haute-Yamaska board’s membership, as part of an agreement that no board can belong to a provincial association without also belonging to CREA. Moen said CREA “will continue to engage members and colleagues in Quebec, and indeed across the country, with a view to ensuring the services we provide to members align with their needs.”

Lise Desrochers, general manager of the about 250-member Chambre immobilière de la HauteYamaska in Granby, says board members decided to opt out of CREA because they feel their dues are too high for what they receive in return.

Desrochers says Quebec boards are paying for services they can easily obtain in the province from the QFREB, such as Centris.ca, the Quebec online listings site that is part of the Quebec federation.

The GMREB has long been questioning the pertinence of its membership in CREA, Juanéda wrote in a July 27 letter to members. Juanéda was responding to a

blog post by Montreal broker Yvon Poirier that questioned the reasoning for the potential departure of the Quebec boards from CREA. Juanéda wrote that some of CREA’s current priorities in the Futures Planning initiative concern GMREB. These include the possibility of for sale by owner properties being listed on Realtor.ca, new data distribution rules and a review of membership rules. He says CREA has not demonstrated a willingness to review and lower expenses, even though the Montreal board has identified some expenses that could be cut.

As well, the Montreal board is proposing that CREA offer a membership dues plan that is based on fee for services. Although CREA is studying this option, “nothing indicates that there will be positive developments in the short-term,” Juanéda wrote in another letter to members sent in June.

In the letter, Juanéda indicated that the Montreal board has made few gains with CREA. One such gain, however, was receiving an advertising credit of about $800,000 from CREA for the

Two Ontario boards join forces T

he Muskoka-Haliburton and Orillia real estate boards have merged to create one new board: the Realtors Association of Ontario Lakelands.

The Orillia and District Real Estate Board, which had been in operation since December 1966, closed on August 3. Its 155 members have since joined the 540 members of the MuskokaHaliburton Association of Realtors.

The increase in numbers will provide them with more funds to work with, and therefore more bargaining power, says executive officer Susan Pond.

“We decided to merge because we saw the benefits of increasing membership numbers, which would allow us then to negotiate better contracts with a larger membership base,” says Pond. “And we can reach out to different suppliers that

we couldn’t have before because they weren’t interested in dealing with smaller boards.”

Although the Orillia members have lost their office, it wasn’t a space that was being used to its full potential anyway, she says. The Muskoka-Haliburton office offers a “solid administrative support network,” says Pond. The office in Orillia didn’t even have an executive officer.

“They won’t have a board office that they can physically walk into, but a lot of members don’t go to the board office anymore because most things are done electronically,” says Pond. “Our association is used to serving members who live over an hour away because we have a large jurisdictional area. We’re used to running a courier service and sending things by email.

“The best part is that we get to

spend some money on public relations that we didn’t have before.

We’re going to promote the value of dealing with the local Realtor, and we’re going to have staff to do that,” says Pond, referring to the new public relations and communications officer they’re planning to hire.

With the number of emails and requests coming in on a daily basis, it can be difficult to stay on top of things. The new communication officer will be responsible for all internal communications, through both traditional methods and social media.

“The communications officer will now begin to communicate with our members in a way that they want to be communicated with – on Twitter, Facebook and through better newsletters,” says Pond. “We have a pretty good public website, but we don’t have – we

Montreal area and a total of $1.1 million for Quebec. The money has gone toward promoting Centris.ca and the expertise of Quebec brokers.

Juanéda says that “the dissatisfaction about CREA goes beyond Quebec’s borders,” citing recent Letters to the Editor in REM as examples. He added, “The decision to leave or to stay carries serious risks for the future,” which is why the board is proceeding with caution.

In various blog postings, Poirier questioned whether leaving CREA would respond to the mission of the Quebec federation “to promote and protect the interests” of brokers. He asks: Why isn’t the federation providing members with more information about the reasoning to leave? Why the urgency to leave CREA now? Who would profit from a departure? Could this war between organizations benefit for sale by owner firms? Will this decision benefit brokers?

Poirier’s postings received several comments, with one broker noting that the whole issue is about politics and nationalism.

Another noted that Centris.ca is unknown outside Quebec.

Along those lines, another broker said that if Centris.ca does not emerge as an effective replacement to Realtor.ca, only large real estate firms will gain from a Quebec departure from CREA. REM

By Melanie Epp

didn’t have,” she corrects, herself, “the resources to make it better and to keep it current and up to date, and now we will.”

Funding is always an issue, and as Pond puts it, you can’t keep going back to the members and asking for money. “You just can’t,” she says. “So by working together, with 700 members, we can do more than we could at 540.”

The Realtors’ Association of Ontario Lakeland will be headed by a new board of eight directors, including David Reed (MuskokaHaliburton) as new president and Mike Staal (Orillia) as the president elect.

“The leadership will have strong hands from associations at the top of the director’s chain,” says Pond. “It’s going to be great.

They’re great guys.”

There are advantages to having

a smaller Board of Directors, too.

With fewer board members, there’s more funding for training, which in turn makes for stronger leadership, she says.

“Some small boards can’t even afford to send their presidents to assembly meetings – both on the provincial and national level – and this way we have eight directors that we’re going to focus on and they can take all of the leadership courses, they can attend the local conferences and they can become more current on the issues,” she says.

“One foot in front of the other and I’m sure that we’ll come out of this very strong,” says Pond. “It’s to ensure that our local Realtors thrive – not just survive – but thrive in the years to come. It’s not easy selling in cottage country when your buyers and sellers live many miles away in REM the city.”

4 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Multiple Listings

By Jim Adair, REM Editor Do you have news to share with Canada’s real estate community?

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

R

.E. Michael Ziegler of Newport Realty, Victoria, has been elected as chair of the Real Estate Council of British Columbia for the 2012/2013 term.

Marshall J. Cowe of Royal LePage Coronation West Realty, Coquitlam, is vice-chair.

There are 16 members of the Real Estate 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. The three government appointed public members are Bruce Turner of Courtenay, John Nagy of Delta and Barbara Barry of West Vancouver.

David Rishel, Re/Max Little Oak, Abbotsford was elected to the council for a two-year term.

Re-elected council members for a two-year term are: William (Bill) Binnie, Royal LePage Northshore, West Vancouver; Marshall Cowe, Royal LePage Coronation West

Realty, Coquitlam; Subhadra Ghose, Re/Max of Nanaimo, Nanaimo; Susan McGougan, Re/Max of Nanaimo, Nanaimo; and William (Bill) Phillips, Whistler Real Estate Company Limited, Whistler.

Council members with one year remaining in their terms are: Bryon R. Brandle, Re/Max Armstrong, Armstrong and Re/Max Vernon, Silver Star; J. Garth Cambrey, Stratawest Management, North Vancouver; Abdul R. Ghouri, Royal Pacific Realty (Kingsway), Vancouver; Marylou Leslie, Re/Max Performance Realty, Delta; Susan Lynch, Re/Max Centre City Realty, Prince George; Patrick J. O’Donnell, Prudential Sussex Realty, West Vancouver; and Ziegler.

■ ■ ■

Right At Home Realty recently opened new offices in Burlington and in Whitby, Ont. The brokerage also has offices in Toronto, Oakville, Richmond Hill and Mississauga/Brampton.

Founded in 2004 by Arthur Bartram, Ron Peddicord and Howard Drukarsh, Right At

Home Realty has more than 2,200 agents and is Canada’s largest independent real estate brokerage.

Don Kottick, president and broker of record, says the Burlington office is a “spacious high-tech branch that provides a full-service offering to Realtors who wish to work from the branch or remotely from their virtual offices.”

In Whitby, the new office will be managed by Tony Slavin.

Company agents have been working in the Durham Region for eight years from the Toronto office but now have a new place to call home.

Westwold, Shuswap, Sorrento, Clearwater, Cache Creek, Logan Lake, Pritchard, Merritt, Barriere, Monte Creek, Sun Peaks, Chase and surrounding communities.

Shediac Bridge area, making him a local expert in the neighbourhoods that Century 21 Absolute Realty will serve.

■ ■ ■

CIR Realty in Calgary has hired Karen Elliot as manager of business development. Elliot has lived in Calgary and surrounding area for 20 years. She has over 15 years of experience in customer service and client relationship management, including seven years in management positions with WestJet and six years as a topproducing Realtor.

Century 21 sales professional Maurice Poirier recently opened Century 21 Absolute Realty in Moncton. He says he hopes to take his real estate career to the next level and expand the Century 21 brand in Moncton, Dieppe, Riverview, Shediac and the surrounding areas.

With 25 years of experience in construction and real estate, Poirier is versed in a changing industry. He also grew up in the

■ ■ ■

■ ■ ■

Continued on page 6

■ ■ ■

Tyler Becker and Brian Ledoux, brokers/owners of Royal LePage Westwin Realty, have acquired Royal LePage Kamloops Realty. The companies will continue to operate independently.

Mike Shannon, the former owner of Royal LePage Kamloops Realty, will stay on with the company in sales.

Managed by Doug Scott, Royal LePage Kamloops Realty has a team of 33 sales professionals, serving the areas of Kamloops, Lillooet,

Maurice Poirier

Karen Elliot

Tyler Becker

Brian Ledoux

Michael Ziegler

Marshall J. Cowe

At the opening of the new Right At Home Realty office in Burlington, from left: Howard Drukarsh, co-founder and VP; Peter Holgate, area manager for Burlington and Oakville; Rick Goldring, mayor of Burlington; Don Kottick, president and broker of record; and Michael Weber, VP operations.

At the opening of Right At Home Realty’s Durham office, from left: Peter LeBel, commissioner, community and marketing services, Town of Whitby; Howard Drukarsh, Right At Home co-founder and VP; Michael Weber, Right At Home VP operations; Pat Perkins, mayor of Whitby; Don Kottick, Right At Home president and broker of record; Lorne Coe, regional councillor; Ken Montague, councillor, East Ward 4; and Tony Slavin, branch manager, Durham office, Right At Home Realty.

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6 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Multiple Listings Continued from page 4

Desmond von Teichman, broker/owner of Royal LePage Locations North Realty in Meaford and Thornbury, Ont., and Vel Ivardi, broker/owner of Royal LePage All Real Estate Services in Collingwood have merged operations. The company will operate as Royal LePage Locations North Realty.

The brokerage now boasts 51 sales professionals servicing Collingwood, Meaford, Creemore, Stayner, Blue Mountain, Nottawa, Wasaga Beach, Thornbury and surrounding communities.

Desmond von Teichman

■ ■ ■

Warren Landry and Aine Musgrove, owners of Sutton Bayside Realty, celebrated the grand opening of their second office in Midland, Ont. recently.

The event was well attended by local Realtors and staff from the Victoria Harbour office. Midland Mayor Gordon McKay performed the ribbon cutting.

Richard Brinkley, Sutton’s director of business development, says this is the brand’s fifth Ontario office opening in the first six months of 2012.

■ ■ ■

Owners Alain Roy and Abija Gagné recently opened Century 21 Innov-Plus in Quebec City.

They say they plan to build a team of like-minded sales professionals who share their vision of creating a positive image for the real estate industry. “For us, customer service takes precedence over everything else,” says Gagné.

She comes from a communications and marketing background and is looking forward to generating a local presence for the office.

With many years of experience in customer service and training, Roy will take the lead in coaching new and experienced sales professionals. “Being a real estate broker is

Chris Gordon

more like a lifestyle than just a profession,” says Gagné. “With a background in service and training, Alain will be great at providing guidance to our sales team.”

Prior to opening Century 21 Innov-Plus, Roy and Gagné were a successful sales team with another brokerage.

the city, and because Chris is doing everything first class, we are excited about his continuing growth.”

Gordon says, “I am intent on setting a professional example at every level of my operation. We want to elevate the public’s perception of real estate agents through Continued on page 43

■ ■ ■

Chris Gordon, franchisee of Exit Realty Twin Bridges in Sarnia, Ont., has opened a new office in Petrolia.

“Chris recently opened a new location with over 3,000 square feet, which is loaded with state-ofthe-art technology,” says Joyce Paron, president - Canada for Exit Realty Corp. International. “This additional office in Petrolia allows him to service the outlying areas of

Loretta Hughes

Rick Clarke

At the grand opening of the new Sutton - Bayside office, from left: Midland Mayor Gordon McKay, Aine Musgrove, Warren Landry, Richard Brinkley, Anthony Montanaro and Bill Kindou.

Laura Randell

Chris Pitman

Mary Zhang

Jean Dunn

Paula Brown

Cover photo: MARKO SHARK

Publisher HEINO MOLLS email: heino@remonline.com

Editor in Chief JIM ADAIR email: jim@remonline.com

Director, Sales & Marketing DENNIS ROCK email: dennis@remonline.com

Distribution & Production MILA PURCELL distribution@remonline.com

Manager, French Edition MICHEL CHEVALIER michel@remenligne.com

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Abija Gagné, Alain Roy 2255B Queen Street East, Suite #1178 Toronto, ON M4E 1G3

Phone: 416.425.3504 www.remonline.com www.remenligne.com REM complies fully with the Canadian Real Estate Association's Rules for Trademarks (CREA Rule 16.5.3.1) REALTOR® and REALTORS® are trademarks controlled in Canada by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify licensed real estate practitioners who are members of CREA. MLS® and Multiple Listing Service® are trademarks owned by CREA and identify the services rendered by members of CREA. REM is published 12 times a year. It is an independently owned and operated company and is not affiliated with any real estate association, board or company. REM is distributed across Canada by leading real estate boards and by direct delivery in selected areas. For subscription information, email distribution@remonline.com. Entire contents copyright 2012 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 2012

Network your way to greater success “People know when you are genuinely interested in them”

R

ealtors are a busy bunch but for the successful ones, networking plays a vital role. In this crazy real estate era, networking is not about handing out business cards like it’s an Olympic sport but about making true connections with other people.

Robert Grenier, broker of Re/Max Vision in Gatineau, Que., says, “Networking is so important in the industry. It facilitates the flow of information and when the time comes for the brokers to deal with someone with whom you have been networking in the past, it pays dividends.

When you have a client moving from city to city, you can refer them to someone that you have been networking with and still get a commission cheque.”

Grenier suggests Realtors network with those in the same

firm but also with those in other firms, cities and provinces to build a solid network. “The best way is to talk of what you have to offer, (your) qualities, and availability and from there you can establish a good rapport with the others.”

Face-to-face group networking events are as popular as ever despite the boom in online networking. Realtors get together with prospective partners such as home stagers, mortgage brokers, lawyers, home inspectors and the like to make potential connections for future business. This benefits all parties as everyone is there to succeed and is focused on establishing business relationships.

Do an online search for networking groups in your area to see if any are offered. If not, other options include joining the

RECO names new registrar J

oseph (Joe) Richer is the new registrar of The Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), effective Sept. 17.

Richer will assume the role vacated by Allan Johnston, who retired at the end of July after 14 years with RECO. Richer comes from the Board of Funeral Services (BOFS) where he served as registrar for 14 years. Similar to RECO, the BOFS is an administrative authority and is an arms-length regulatory body under the Ministry of Consumer Services charged with protecting the public interest. Prior to becoming registrar, Richer was an inspector at BOFS. “Joe brings with him a long and distinguished track record of consumer protection through a balanced and contemporary approach to regulation,” says Tom Wright, RECO’s presi-

dent/CEO. “His addition represents an exciting new phase for RECO as we continue to build on our successes.”

Richer has also served on the executive of the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards and previously served as president and is an active member of the Association of Executives of Funeral Services Boards.

Joe Richer

By Toby Welch

local Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club or various trade boards; such organizations often offer networking get-togethers.

Even joining a knitting club or a sports team can help, depending on your networking goals.

When attending an event, be prepared. Have a hook or story rehearsed so you have more to offer than, “Hi, I’m a Realtor.”

Show interest in people to make authentic connections. Being genuinely intrigued by others and listening when they speak are two keys to a networking victory.

George Bradie, a sales representative with Keller Williams Ottawa Realty in Ottawa, admits he isn’t very proactive when it comes to face-to-face networking and instead focuses on online connecting. Bradie has some suggestions for Realtors who want to focus on online networking: “Get Internet savvy as soon as possible, or delegate these tasks to someone who is savvy. Have a good social presence and add some blogs to your portfolio to try and create interesting conversations with buyers, sellers and agents, too.”

LinkedIn is one of the most used online sites for professional networking. A basic account for the website is free and you have the option of paying for added features. Besides using the site to make connections with people you already know, LinkedIn has numerous networking groups you can join or you can set one up yourself. Successful networking appears to be a balancing act between online networking and traditional face-to-face networking.

Sabrina Shaw, a Realtor with Royal LePage Westside in Vancouver, is a passionate networker. She says there are two types of networking – with other Realtors through national and provincial sales conferences and various professional groups; and personal-interest groups, friends and family functions. “The first type – the professional events –

offers a bedrock of opportunity to meet and greet other Realtors and foster relationships with those who share similar values and ideas about how we do our business. It’s not the numbers of those you meet but rather identifying an ‘authentic connection’.

The second type includes attending the beer and burger fundraiser at the local pub to taking an active role in a grassroots networking group.”

Shaw continues, “There’s an incubation period with networking. People have to meet you, assess you and determine for themselves if there is ‘something there’ and it goes both ways. I truly enjoy people, listening, sharing and appreciating our similarities and acknowledging and equally valuing the differences. People know when you are genuinely interested in them.

It’s not uncommon for me to return home from a sales conference and my phone is ringing with a referral from a Realtor I just met.”

Realtors often have a business plan and a marketing strategy, but few have a networking plan. Developing one can save you time in the long run, bring you a great deal of business and help with lead generation.

When creating a networking plan, ponder who you want to connect with and the type of people you would ideally like to meet. Don’t waste your time at a seniors’ convention if you are targeting first-time home buyers.

Forgo setting up a booth at the college job fair if you are targeting luxury home buyers. A little advanced planning will align you with the cross-section of people you’d like to meet and get you to events that target your market.

When networking, don’t go through the effort of making the connections, only to let them lapse. Use an electronic database or a filing system to keep your networking contacts organized.

Once people are in your system, stay in regular contact with them through phone calls, emails or

Robert Grenier

George Bradie

Sabrina Shaw

snail-mailed handwritten notes.

Whatever method you choose, follow-up is crucial.

Shaw says: “Attend everything. Attend community events, fairs, expos and Realtorspecific functions. Volunteer in your community or for a cause that resonates with you.

Acknowledge others. Look up, smile and make eye contact. Ask questions, show interest in others. Share only a little about yourself. Be engaged but never pushy. Be patient and wait to be asked, ‘And what do you do for a living?’ Follow up when you’ve made an authentic connection with another. Write a note. Send them some information that could be useful in their business.

Put them in your hopper.

Remember them. They will REM remember you.”

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10 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Sometimes ‘sold’ is not a sale How a deal went sour four years after closing

By Lloyd Manning

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hat follows is a true story, one taken from my personal experience. The only change is the names of the participants. It occurred about 40 years ago. Could it happen today? I’m not certain.

Perhaps! As I recite it to you, please bear in mind that there could be some blanks in the tale.

Having reached the age of senility, my memory is not as good as it once was and this was a long time ago.

It concerns a farm, which at the time had a market value of around $200,000. The owner, Nick, was killed in a truck-farm tractor accident and died intestate, which is without a will. All of Nick’s family was aware that it was his intention to leave the farm to Paul, who was about 25-years-old.

Nick obtained custody of Paul at an early age and raised him as a son, but so far as I know never legally adopted the lad. Nick had other children who, having long since moved away, had no interest in continuing with the farming operation. No member of the family, including Nick’s widow, had ever expressed any objection to Paul inheriting the farm and if they wanted a share of any inheritance, this was not made known.

Although there was never anything in writing since this was Nick’s wish, this disposition seems to have been accepted by all.

Several months after Nick died, with the estate not yet settled, the farm was vacated. No one wished to continue with it, including Paul. Even the widow had moved away and sometime later remarried. There being no objection raised by any family member, or their lawyer, Paul listed the farm with me for sale.

I obtained an offer to purchase the farm for the $200,000. It was to be $50,000 down and the balance by mortgage to be obtained.

Essentially it was all cash to the vendor. If a mortgage could not be obtained within a reasonable length of time from Farm Credit Corporation, a bank or elsewhere, the family would carry the mortgage themselves. The terms were spelled out in the purchase offer.

The $50,000 was paid; the buyer took possession of the farm, occupied the buildings and commenced a farming operation. My lawyer provided me with a written opinion that my commission had been

it was a legitimate deal to which all participants gave their consent one way or another. The family then sued for possession.

When the matter got to court, the buyer had been in possession for approximately four years. The judge ruled that the sale had not been consummated, that the buyer was to vacate the property and that the full $50,000 he paid was to be refunded. This would of course include my commission, which was part of the $50,000. However,

What follows is a true story, one taken from my personal experience. earned and that upon payment of the balance to the family’s lawyer, I could claim it. It was a done deal.

The family’s lawyer received the sale proceeds and raised no objection to the commission having been paid.

During the next three or so years several attempts were made to obtain a mortgage but all efforts failed. The problem was not with the property, but the buyer.

Through Paul and their lawyer, the family was informed that the buyer would be making payments to Paul and them for the outstanding balance of $150,000, division still to be determined. However the family claimed they had never been informed of any such arrangement and that Paul had no authority to enter into this deal in the first place. As there was never anything in writing to prove that Paul was supposed to inherit the farm, the family now said that they would block any such inheritance.

The family’s lawyer issued the buyer an eviction notice. The buyer refused to move, saying that

he also ruled that as the buyer had been in possession for this length of time, he was to pay the legitimate owners, the family of the deceased, rent at the usual rate for agricultural properties of this size and type. This consumed all of the $50,000. The buyer was out and the sales commission was refunded.

The farm was later sold to a different purchaser for a much higher price, but not by me. I do not know if Paul got anything but I have my doubts. This was a unique case that could probably not happen more than once in a lifetime. However, it’s why I always say that a sale is not a sale until the buyer has possession, the seller has been paid and you have your commission – and sometimes not even then.

Lloyd Manning, AACI, FRI, CCRA, PApp is a semi-retired commercial real estate and business appraiser and broker who now spends his time writing for professional journals and trade magazines. He resides in Lloydminster, Alta. Email lloydREM mann@shaw.ca

12 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Louise Remillard’s path to success She wanted to become a journalist, but found a much more lucrative career selling luxury homes in Montreal

By Valerie Vézina

L

ouise Rémillard dreamed of becoming a journalist but her father dissuaded her.

Like him, she has devoted much of her life to the world of business.

She attributes her business success to her integrity and her outspokenness.

When she was younger, Rémillard taught French as a second language to young adults.

Then she became a mother of three children. She trained as a travel agent shortly after the birth of her son Carl, who is now, years later, her partner in Profusion Realty.

This Québec brokerage, affiliated with Christie’s, the oldest auction house in the world, has become a major player in the prestige residential real estate market, mostly in Montreal but also in the suburbs.

Recently Profusion Realty brokers have taken market share from other long-established brokers in Westmount, where Profusion is

headquartered. The company says it had 33 per cent of condominium sales over $700 000 in this wealthy city in 2011. “One property in four, in Westmount, is listed and /or sold by a Profusion broker,” the company says in its promotional brochure.

Louise Rémillard has a sharp business acumen and sense of timing. The proof: she bought a travel agency in 1979, and then sold it in 1995 because she felt that “the market would change” with the advent of the Internet. That’s when she decided to become a Realtor. When she talks about this change, Rémillard says she did it because she did not want to have to manage inventory or have accounts receivable to administer.

She took classes at Royal LePage in the Laurentians, land of hills and valleys north of Montreal.

“I did not start in the majors,” she says.

The straightforward and outspoken fashion in which she

expressed her concerns about how to complete brokerage contracts at a meeting of the provincial real estate association, OACIQ, attracted the attention of a director of a Royal LePage corporate office. He convinced her to return to Montreal.

After nine years at Royal LePage, she did a brief stint at Sotheby’s. She says she was unhappy there, feeling there must be something better to do with her life. After much thought, she made the decision to meet with the competitor, Christie’s, in New York.

Rémillard well remembers that day. She was nervous but determined. Inside the headquarters of Christie’s, Rockefeller Center, a giant reproduction of a luxury property apparently attracted the attention of all visitors. Displayed was a house listed for $125 million, which would eventually sell for $99 million. “I made a joke about the price of the

house, to break the tension.”

With the global financial crisis and the fall of Lehman Brothers in the United States, the business context in 2008 was challenging.

“Worldwide, the market began to fall. It has since come back ... but the first few months, we were worried. In April 2009 there were not many properties on the market,” says Rémillard.

Once again she had to row against wind and tide. She tells of her amazement when one banker explained to her how she represented the greatest possible risk to him, because of her status as a “divorced woman, parent and entrepreneur.”

“Fortunately, there was no over-indebtedness here in Canada,” she says, unlike the U.S. subprime episode. There was a local construction boom and low interest rates in Canada kept the market moving.

Today the Westmount office brings together some 30 brokers,

Budge Huskey to be CEO of Coldwell Banker B

udge Huskey has been appointed CEO and president of Coldwell Banker, effective Jan. 1, 2013. Currently the company’s president and chief operating officer, Huskey’s promotion comes as long-time CEO Jim Gillespie steps down from his CEO role and assumes the responsibilities of chairman emeritus.

Richard A. Smith, chairman, CEO and president of Realogy Corporation says, “This clearly marks significant milestones for two remarkable careers. Budge Huskey’s proven record underscores his ability to lead and execute, and Jim Gillespie’s leadership of the Coldwell Banker franchise has been exemplary.”

Huskey was named president and chief operating officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC in June 2010, after spending the previous 12 years in executive positions within the Coldwell Banker operations of NRT LLC, a subsidiary of Realogy. While with NRT, he served as president and chief operating officer of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate in Florida and was later promoted to executive vice-president of NRT’s Southern Region in 2007, overseeing the company’s Coldwell Banker operations in Florida, Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta markets. Huskey began his real estate career in 1984 as an agent with family-owned

Huskey Realty in the Orlando, Fla., area.

Gillespie’s career has included roles in almost every facet of the real estate industry. He began as a sales associate in 1975 before moving into management the next year within a brokerage company that was acquired by Coldwell Banker Real Estate. He then embarked on a series of positions of increasing responsibility within the Coldwell Banker system where he headed several local brokerage offices, companies as well as regional franchise operations. He also served as vice-president of relocation services before moving to the Coldwell Banker Real Estate corporate office in 1997 with

responsibility for broker services.

Gillespie was named chief operating officer in 2001 before rising to the CEO role in 2004.

“Not many people get the opportunity to spend almost their entire adult life working for one organization, and Coldwell Banker has been a great place to call home and build my career,” Gillespie said. “Budge Huskey is the right person to move into this job, and I am confident that he will lead our brand to amazing REM new heights.”

Louise Rémillard

including Marie-Claire and France, children of the president.

Their mother says she is proud to “work in a spirit of genuine collaboration” with both internal and outside brokers.

In October 2011, Profusion Realty opened a branch with four brokers in the village of St-Sauveur in The Laurentians. There are other Canadian brokerages affiliated with Christie’s in Mont Tremblant, Whistler, B.C., Toronto, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. and Ottawa.

In March 2012, the companies’ interactive website, www.profusionimmo.ca had over 200 listings concentrated in downtown Montreal, Old Montreal and Nuns’ Island, an area coveted for its proximity to downtown.

“Montreal is more attractive now to foreigners. We get more calls from the Far East, from French people interested in investing capital here. We have not seen that since 2008,” says Rémillard, in her small office overlooking the reception area of the company over which she presides. There is a display case filled with plastic-coated sheets promoting prestigious houses for sale, such as an Art Deco style residence with a lift, “a magical atmosphere in a first choice environment”, and an 11,000-squarefoot lot in Westmount. The asking price? $ 3,998,000.

Louise Rémillard has definitely chosen a more lucrative path than REM journalism.

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14 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Letters to the Editor A

n interesting real estate story happened at our office recently. I work as an office assistant at L.E. Realty in Regina. One of our agents had a rural property listing but due to an injury was unable to retrieve the sign standard.

Our broker, Lucinda Eilers, and I travelled the hour out to the property, grabbed the sign and loaded it into her vehicle. We drove an hour back into the city, had lunch and then drove to inspect another property we had listed in the city. Lucinda heard an

unusual noise coming from her trunk and asked me to listen.

We pulled over and inspected....we found a nest of five baby birds in the sign.

Feeling bad about accidentally taking the birds, we contacted a bird rehabilitation clinic in Moose Jaw (about an hour away) who told us that because of the situation the birds could not be returned to their parents. We drove them out there that afternoon and the birds are doing just fine.

Lesson: If you use plastic sign standards, always check inside first.

You never know what could be inside.

Justice Eilers L.E. Realty Regina

This is war

A surprise in the sign

To the president of CREA: In your recent Letter to the Editor in REM, you said: “Given the passionate views about the industry expressed here and elsewhere, I

look forward to members’ participation in these forums. It’s your chance to shape the future of our business.”

Unless I’m missing part of the story, I find some discrepancy between your words and CREA’s actions. I’m sure that I am not the only one to feel this way but I’m tired of wasting my time writing letters in order to improve this industry when the only thing that we receive from CREA is selective deafness and mutism.

It seems that you don’t give enough consideration to any of the letters sent to REM about CREA including mine (Map for disaster) and all the comments generated by it online. If you read them carefully you’ll realize that most of us are against the direction that CREA is aiming to and also against most of the things CREA is doing or trying to do.

In some sense, being a Realtor is like being at war. Certainly nobody is going to kill anyone; it is just a metaphor. But Realtors fight

a battle every day trying to get more clients while, at the same time, we fight against our own competition.

In a war, you can’t give information or weapons to your enemies because that is giving them more power which, eventually, will turn against you. That’s what CREA is doing now and, if it continues this way, it will be even worse for us in the future when you and the Board of Directors, maybe, will be already enjoying your retirement.

These are just some of the roads from CREA’s map that should be closed: 1) Realtor.ca should be shut down. If the public wants information, tell them to call us (as it was before mls.ca was created). We do not have to pay for a public’s toy.

Use that budget to improve our MLS. 2) You can’t give the public a tool to evaluate us because that would be a disaster. If they have a problem with a Realtor, they

already have RECO (in Ontario) to make a complaint. Don’t waste our money on that.

3) You can’t ask the public what they want just to accommodate their wishes, in the same way that a surgeon is not going to ask you what you want during your own surgery or your lawyer during a lawsuit. CREA should ask us what we need or want.

CREA is giving away our power, our tools and our money to the public. They don’t pay CREA’s salaries, we do. Don’t you think that the Board of Directors should be more careful with their employers?

With all the due respect, I’d like to end this letter with a metaphorical suggestion for the Board of Directors: Before making plans and maps like generals, they should remember how to fight like soldiers.

Jorge Branca Sales rep and ABR Century 21 Leading Edge Realty Toronto REM

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16 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

KNOW YOUR LISTING Get your Parcel Register* at the GeoWarehouse® Store

SALES COACH

By Bruce Keith

T

he experts tell us that 99 per cent of our behaviours are as a result of following habits. Our habits are firmly in the driver’s seat. Apparently we are boringly predictable! Obviously there are good habits in our makeup along with some bad habits.

The good news is that our habits were developed over time and as such can always be changed. Here is an interesting two-part selfimprovement exercise that I know will help you in your sales business:

Part A – Getting better every day

Busy REALTORS® like you need the most up-to-date information possible—data that’s easily accessible. A Parcel Register is the provincial ownership record and holds the most recent and complete title information available for a property in Ontario.

Step 1: List your top three personal goals. Write them out (example: lose 20 pounds in 60 days).

Step 2. List all of the bad habits and behaviours that are sabotaging this goal. Write them out (“I don’t eat a healthy breakfast, I eat too many French fries, I drink too much soda, I eat too much for dinner... and too late”).

Step 3. List all the new habits you will take on today that will replace all the items in Step 2.

Write them out (“Have a great breakfast every morning to get me started, no more fatty foods... none! Maximum two cans of Coke per week, no more second helpings at dinner and never eat after 8 pm”).

Step 4. Get on the scale once a week (not more frequently) and enjoy the benefits of the new you.

Part B – Same exercise for your sales business Property tools that make you the expert.

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Step 1. List your top three business goals. Write them out (example: get one extra sale in the next 30 days).

Step 2. List all of the bad habits and behaviours that are sabotaging this goal. Write them out (“Not starting early enough in the morning, too many interruptions when

How to lose your bad habits prospecting, ‘winging it’ on my presentation, waiting for them to say yes and not closing”).

Step 3. List all of the new habits you will take on today that will replace all the items in Step 2.

Write them out (“Be at my desk by 8 am. Prospecting routine: turn off cell phone – no emails – no inbound calls, practice my presentation until it is amazing, ask for the listing a minimum of three times... preferably five to seven times”).

Step 4. Track your results weekly and enjoy the benefits of the extra sales you will make.

Changing your behaviours is all about changing your habits. It’s about Step 3 above... both personal and business. Small, simple decisions to change the way you do things add up and can make an incredible difference.

You are 100 per cent the result of the decisions you have made so far in your life. As leadership expert John C. Maxwell says, “Nothing in your life will change until you change the things you do every day.” Take the time to go through the above two exercises.

Pick one item for personal and one item for business and create a series of new habits for each today. It will be hugely liberating for you and you will be setting some great examples for those around you. No excuses.

Bruce Keith, the “Results Coach” has over 23 years of experience. He is a sales and marketing coach and seminar leader in the real estate business, teaching what to say and how to say it.

His high-energy, high-impact training style is sought after and acclaimed across North America.

He says, “Success is possible; there are no excuses”. www.brucekeiREM thresults.com.

18 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Watch out! It’s the Fear Monster!

By Amanda Ross “It is the most powerful force in the human world. Not love, not hate.

Fear.” – The Master, Buffy The Vampire Slayer

S

ay the words, “strategy session” and my mind begins salivating at the thought of all the ideas about to be shared. It is, by far, one of my favourite things to engage in with small business owners and real estate agents.

To design a plan that works for them I must understand who they are, where they want to go and what drives them to succeed. One such session even brought an agent back from the brink of

jumping off of the “I quit” cliff.

And, many, if not all, leave me with a wealth of ideas to improve the brokerage for the benefit of everyone.

Then there was another session that I will never forget. You may want to turn on all the lights, lock the door and wrap yourself in a warm, safe blanket. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Our meeting was scheduled for the late afternoon, mid-week. She arrived on time with no paper, pen or laptop. We were about to embark on an incredible journey of sharing ideas, exploring new territory together and all I could think was…no pen?

She sat down in the chair across from me and said, “Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

This wasn’t how this works.

What works for some will never work for others. She was a unique individual who must succeed in her own way. How could I possibly

do what she requested without understanding who she was?

I explained that my role was to brainstorm alongside her and facilitate the ideas, then break them down in to a logical order considering what she can reasonably, feasibly and financially see herself doing. I started asking questions about her career to find out what skills she has (most skills are interchangeable with a little creative thinking). I noticed a quiet but uncomfortable “pulsing” around her, but it spoke volumes about why she was struggling in this business.

It was the all-encompassing, completely demotivating, unrelenting, hide under the bed…Fear Monster!

It was braided tightly through her core. She was so terrified about what other people, from her children to other agents to potential prospects, would think of her that she was drowning. She was

afraid to embarrass her children for fear of the eye roll and the annoyed, “Muuuummm”. She questioned what other real estate representatives would think if she did something other than the norm.

She worried about how people would react if she called them, talked to them, said she was a real estate representative, handed them her business card, blinked, breathed or moved!

With every idea I brought forward, I could hear the Fear Monster laughing as she told me all of the reasons why none of them would work. I could see the Fear Monster entwined and warm within her – it was swallowing her whole and me along with it!

“Stop, stop, STOP,” I said with both hands pushing the aggressive Fear Monster away from me. “You will never survive if you allow fear to be your Emperor!”

The Fear Monster stirred. I

thought, “Oh I see you; this won’t be easy, but I will grab hold and tear her from your vile and pathetic grasp.”

At that moment an idea came to me – business networking.

I explained to her about the many different groups there were to join and how the expectation was that you would hand out your card, chat about your business and even, God forbid, sell yourself. It was the whole purpose of these groups.

The Fear Monster raised its head to find the source of its discomfort…so I pushed harder.

I told her that this would help her learn how to sell herself and start to feel the weight of fear lift from her. She could attend the monthly sessions to meet dynamic and savvy business contacts.

She could learn about their business, build partnerships, and, of course, be their real estate professional.

She lit up and said, “Yes, I can do that!”

I smirked as the Fear Monster glared at me while I watched him shrink just a little.

Now, I know you were hoping to hear that I won and that I expelled the Fear Monster back to the dark place it came from, but that is not the case…not yet. “…From now on, we won’t just face our worst fears, we will seek them out.”

— Buffy Summers, Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Maybe together, we can get rid of your Fear Monster. Contact me on Twitter using the hashtag, #FearMonster.

Amanda Ross is the broker/manager of Sutton Group Quantum Realty (www.SuttonQuantum.com) with locations in Oakville and Mississauga, Ont. She is also the owner of www.RealtyBoost.ca, an online social networking website for the Canadian real estate industry.

Follow Amanda on Twitter, @AmandaMaeRoss and/or @SuttonQuantum. REM

20 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

How to make a million in five years

HomeLife’s No. 1 sales rep in Canada for seven consecutive years, Jason Atkins says success in real estate is all about how hard you’re prepared to work. By Susan Doran

J

ason Atkins is well aware that his red 1963 Corvette convertible is a car that “every guy wanted” growing up. It’s the realization of a boyhood dream, he says. It’s also a manifestation of his extreme will to succeed.

Atkins, a father of two who has been a Realtor for 25 years, has been HomeLife’s top sales rep in Canada for the past seven years. He’s with Homelife/ Bayview Realty, which services a portion of the Greater Toronto Area that includes Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan, Aurora, Newmarket, Markham and North York. It’s a megaoffice, and like Atkins, is a star performer for the franchise.

It should come as no surprise that a guy like Atkins is driven.

His speech is peppered with sentences like, “All obstacles are self imposed.” Or, “Every morning when you wake up you have a blank cheque, and you can put the number on that.

That’s what real estate is all about if you work hard.”

He talks about being so determined that when he started out in real estate, he would cold call all day and night – before laws prohibited that.

Thanks to a background that saw him on the front lines of early real estate niche advertising and pre-construction condo sales, with mentors such as father Lee and brother Martin, both of whom were hugely successful Realtors and sales trainers, Atkins is a skilled negotiator and a savvy marketer.

“At 23 I was responsible for a client base that sold more than $200 million annually in housing sales,” he says. “That exposed me to real estate marketing at a high level.” Now that websites and social marketing have become fundamental marketing tools,

“the reach is amazing,” he says.

He explains that although his website is now his “No. 1 engine for new business” (his other marketing strategies include social marketing, direct mail, transit bench ads, outdoor ads and cultural marketing in international publications), he gets so antsy when he has to sit still for more than 10 minutes that he’ll still occasionally go and knock on doors in his neighbourhood, pumping hands and handing out flyers.

After interviewing him for this article, in short order this writer received several texts from Atkins and an email, describing various points and people he’d like mentioned, and suggesting a headline REM might want to consider using. It was this sort of intense controlling focus that eight years ago initially made it hard for him to accept that he needed to incorporate team members into his growing business.

“I always wanted to do things myself. I had trouble delegating.

The last year I worked by myself I did 100 ends – that’s a lot! All the feature sheets and administrative functions I did myself.”

He finally figured out that it was time to team up with other Realtors. “As soon as I did that I was No. 1 in Canada, as I was able to do the income-producing functions myself instead of running around like a courier,” he says.

During the past five years, the average production of his 10-person team (all of whom are full-time and licensed) has been approximately $100-million annually, he says.

“The way it works,” he says, “is that if one of the agents who works with me has their own client, they will work with that

client – if there’s a need for me to be involved, I’m happy to do so. If the agent brings in new business, then it’s me and them working on the listing together.”

He believes that for lead agents, having a team makes sense. “But I see a lot of teams with a lot of turnover,” he says.

“The biggest problem is finding the balance between the number of sales associates on a team and the amount of business – it has to be enough to support the whole team.”

The turnover on his own team is low; many of his sales associates have been with him for years, he says. He tries to steer clear of hiring new agents, as he wants his sales associates to be able to work independently, he adds.

“I do a huge amount of marketing,” he says. “That’s really the whole idea – to have experienced, successful, competent agents in their own right to help create the brand.”

As the area they service is multi-cultural, Atkins’ team has members fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Russian, Persian, French, Hebrew, Urdu and Hindi. (He personally does his best just to speak English coherently, he says, laughing.)

He hasn’t always been as successful. At one point, after being involved in a storefront pizza venture in downtown Toronto, he lost everything, he says.

“I want new agents to understand that although I’ve built a successful business, it didn’t start that way. I’ve been to the Insta-Bank when there’s no money there. That instils a will to succeed – I never want to experience it again.”

It didn’t hurt either, he says, that in the early days his wife Kelly would pack him a nice

Jason Atkins with the car “every guy wanted” growing up. (Photo: Marko Shark)

lunch and then tell him not to come home without a listing or a sale. “My greatest achievement in real estate was meeting her,” he says. “She worked with my brother Martin.”

He also gives credit to his mother, “Frances Atkins, who is 88-years-old and my biggest supporter. She passes out my business cards at her seniors’ workshops and retirement residence.”

In the end, success in real estate is all about how hard you’re prepared to work, in his opinion.

“If you work hard and put your head down for five years, you can make six figures,” he says.

“Very few businesses are that democratic. Some of the highestproducing agents came here with nothing and five years later are hugely successful.

“What’s stopping you?”

REM

22 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

7 reasons to remember Steven Covey

By Ari Lahdekorpi

S

teven Covey has passed away. I am sure a lot will be written and remembered about this key figure in the world of self-help and motivation.

While Dale Carnegie may have been the godfather of the motivational book, Steven Covey was certainly this generation’s leading prophet, and one of the most influential writers in the genre. I can’t count the number of times that I have listened to “motivational” speakers and realize that they are simply regurgitating Covey’s concepts.

The great thing about Covey was his ability to take ideas and apply stories and thought pictures to help his audience understand

how the idea is implemented into daily life. His seminal book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, detailed a process with which to improve one’s business, attitude and life in general. It was named the No. 1 most influential business book of the twentieth century.

Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People are: 1. Be proactive 2. Start with the end in mind 3. Put first things first 4. Think win-win 5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood 6. Synergize 7. Sharpen the saw These habits have been often mistakenly referred to as “success habits”. Covey was careful to establish that these habits are meant for living a life that has an effective impact, not necessarily one that is traditionally measured as successful. Role models that Covey felt reflected an effective

life were people like Mother Theresa and Gandhi. Canadian heroes that embody his principles would include the likes of Terry Fox or Rick Hansen.

The principles that Covey outlined in his books were not original, but the way that he compiled examples and process was.

He introduced scores of readers to people whose writings helped to shape his principles of life. People like Viktor Frankl were Covey favourites because they provided key insights based on overcoming dramatic trials in real life.

Steven Covey’s website outlined his bio this way: “Recognized as one of Time magazine’s 25 most influential Americans, Stephen R. Covey has dedicated his life to demonstrating how every person can truly control their destiny with profound, yet straightforward guidance. As an internationally respected leadership authority, family expert, teacher, organizational consultant and author, his advice has given insight

to millions.”

Some of Covey’s milestones: • Over 20 million books sold (in 38 languages) • Authored four titles with sales exceeding one million copies each: First Things First, PrincipleCentered Leadership, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People • Latest book, The 8th Habit, has sold nearly 400,000 copies • International Man of Peace Award • National Fatherhood Award (father of nine, grandfather of 44) • Author of the best-selling nonfiction audio in history (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) • No. 1 best-selling hardcover book on family (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families) • MBA from Harvard, doctorate degree from Brigham Young University • Board of directors for the Points of Light Foundations • Co-founder and vice-chair-

man of FranklinCovey, a leading global professional services firm with offices in 123 countries • International Entrepreneur of the Year Award • Awarded eight honorary doctorate degrees In my career as a broker, Steven Covey has been a compass to help steer decisions in the right direction and navigate through difficult interactions. I haven’t always been diligent enough to follow his advice or to prioritize my life in the way that he advised in his time management books, but at least knowing what needs to be done takes one part of the way there.

Steven Covey may now be gone from the material world, but his writings and insights will remain. His works will continue to be my recommendation to anyone looking to better their life.

Ari Lahdekorpi is managing broker at Re/Max Select Properties in REM Vancouver.

Why Royal LePage?

Our Brand

Our Culture

Training & Support

Giving Back

We have almost one hundred years of tradition and that tradition translates into trust and credibility with clients.

I am proud to belong to the Royal LePage network, which is comprised of REALTORS® committed to integrity, community and exceptional client care.

Ongoing REALTOR® Marketing workshops and other resources have helped me to enhance my skills and grow my business.

We’re committed to helping families in the communities where we live and work through our own charity, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

– Ken Shearer Broker/Owner

– Ayn MacDonald Real Estate Salesperson

– Shanan Spencer-Brown Executive Director, Royal LePage Shelter Foundation

– Phil Soper Chief Executive Officer

To learn more about joining Royal LePage, visit www.royallepage.ca/careers

Why Royal LePage?

Our Brand

Our Culture

Training & Support

Giving Back

We have almost one hundred years of tradition and that tradition translates into trust and credibility with clients.

I am proud to belong to the Royal LePage network, which is comprised of REALTORS® committed to integrity, community and exceptional client care.

Ongoing REALTOR® Marketing workshops and other resources have helped me to enhance my skills and grow my business.

We’re committed to helping families in the communities where we live and work through our own charity, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

– Ken Shearer Broker/Owner

– Ayn MacDonald Real Estate Salesperson

– Shanan Spencer-Brown Executive Director, Royal LePage Shelter Foundation

– Phil Soper Chief Executive Officer

To learn more about joining Royal LePage, visit www.royallepage.ca/careers

26 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Why reinvent the wheel?

By J.M. Barry

A

friend asked me the other day, “What’s new in sales?�

He was simply asking what my day was like. I responded, “Nothing and everything!� My friend looked at me curiously and changed the subject.

The answer stuck with me.

What is new in sales? The 1,500pound elephant standing in the middle of the room is the electronic venues in today’s communication techniques. They have completely re-engineered the way human beings communicate. That coupled with working parents juggling increasing responsibilities at their jobs while raising families makes customer communication far more difficult than ever before.

With tweets, twitters, texts, Facebook and emails creating an

increasingly larger network of friends and contacts, the length of any communication sales reps can glean from any customer becomes increasingly smaller. Plain and simple, people today communicate in short electronic bytes.

And what’s new in sales?

Absolutely nothing – really! Think about it. Whether you sell cosmetics, private jets or pens, the process of a sale has not changed one jot since the first sales “athlete� sold a carved elephant tusk club to his Neanderthal neighbour. Why reinvent the wheel?

Any effective sale process, regardless of what is being sold, even when trying to sell your children on cleaning their rooms, consists of these age-old sales fundamentals: 1) Meet/greet/warm up – relating 2) Statements of intent 3) Discovery 4) Information confirmation 5) Advocating the product (agenda)

6) Closing How does modern technological communication affect those fundamentals? Big time! Using all fundamentals cannot be sacrificed for the sake of keeping communications brief. If that is done, the outcome of the sale is compromised.

So what can be done? In today’s time challenged world of electronic communication bytes, greater strategy is the key. Every communication must be strategic. It will not always be possible to go from A to Z as we used to do when a customer’s time was more abundant.

In days gone by a customer might walk into our establishment and the sales athlete could apply all their fundamentals in a linear order, much like a theatre play.

Nowadays, with a variety of communication venues and bytes, the fundamentals must all be accomplished, but more like a film shoot.

Films are not shot in a linear order.

The demands of the shoot and its budget dictate the sequence of the shooting schedule. Yet no scene is

skipped that supports the through line of the story.

The same is true with today’s communication technology. One short communication byte might be establishing relationship; the next one and you are on to a discovery. The one following that two days later, you may offer an intent statement and then quickly start advocating your product. The demands and constraints of our customers and their time dictate the order in which we will execute the sale. However, no sales fundamental that supports the through line of the sale can be skipped.

Look at your last 25 emails and/or texts to a client. If they are longer than four sentences with the last sentence ending in a strategic question to set up the next contact, then you are killing yourself and losing sales.

It is a master’s chess game.

Always be thinking several moves ahead. What do you need to accomplish on this communication? How will you set up the next

communication? Use a mini-intent statement to frame the current communication to maximize its effect. What fundamental has not yet been covered? How will you cover it next time? Do not waste a single word and make each word count!

One final concept; do not lose your humanity along the techno path. Be more human; more genuinely caring. Think loving thoughts with every word you utter or write. What makes classic literature classic? All writers use the same words and punctuation. It is not what Hemingway wrote in his staccato sentences. It is what he thought as he wrote his classics at the fourth grade level. That is the magic!

J.M. Barry lives in Colorado and spends his time writing, selling and training others to learn to sell from their hearts. He and Lawrence Coats are the authors of Selling in Today’s Economy, available at www.amazon.com. REM

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28 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

THE GUEST COLUMN

By Patricia Verge

M

andatory home energy audits are once again in the news thanks to a recent report from Gord Miller, the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. In his report, Mr. Miller asserts that homebuyers are hurt by the lack of energy efficiency information in the marketplace and that mandatory home audits are one solution to this problem.

While his intentions are admirable, Mr. Miller’s conclusions regarding mandatory home energy audits are flawed. Legislating timeof-sale home energy audits will not help consumers. Instead, they will disrupt the nearly 200,000 residen-

Mandatory home energy audits not the solution tial real estate transactions that take place in Ontario every year.

When the provincial government introduced the Green Energy Act (GEA), 2009 it included a section that gave a person making an offer to purchase an interest in real property the right to receive the results of a home energy audit.

After the GEA passed in 2010, the government decided not to proclaim the mandatory home energy audit section. OREA agrees with the government’s decision for a number of reasons.

First, mandatory home energy audits will have serious cost implications for home sellers. Those with less than ideal energy audit ratings will face pressure from homebuyers to either spend thousands of dollars to improve the energy rating of their home or lower their sale price. In short, the audit will become a bargaining chip in negotiating the sale price, forcing homeowners to either sac-

500

rifice hard earned equity or foot the bill for expensive home energy retrofits.

Second, mandating time-ofsale energy audits will add a cumbersome layer of red tape to real estate transactions. If you were to schedule an energy audit today you could expect wait times of one to three weeks depending on where you live. Homeowners then have to wait another one to two weeks for the results of the audit itself. If auditing was to become a mandatory part of a residential real estate transaction we could expect those wait times to skyrocket, costing consumers time and money. Waiting weeks for an energy audit would completely disrupt the market.

Third, some middle- and lowincome Ontarians can’t afford the costs of an audit itself. Home energy audits range in cost from $300 to $500. While the Government of Ontario used to offer a rebate of

$150 to do the audit and up to $5,000 for energy-efficiency retrofits, those programs have been cancelled.

According to a 2009 Ipsos Reid survey, 65 per cent of Ontarians opposed mandatory home energy audits while 92 per cent supported voluntary. More recently, a 2011 Ipsos Reid survey revealed that 92 per cent of Ontarians “agree” the government should help homeowners with energy-efficient renovations to their homes.

To that end, the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) has been a strong advocate for helping consumers to improve the energy efficiency of their home. During the recent provincial election we aggressively lobbied all political parties to reintroduce the Home Energy Efficiency Retrofit Rebate Program. This joint program between the federal and provincial governments provided up to $10,000 to homeowners to help

them improve the energy efficiency of their home. Thanks to this program, over 500,000 homes were audited between 2007 to 2012 and 90 per cent of these homes were retrofitted for improved energy efficiency.

Improving the energy efficiency of Ontario’s housing stock is a goal for Ontario Realtors.

However, mandatory home energy audits are not the solution. Like most consumers, OREA believes that a voluntary system of energy auditing combined with incentives to conduct home retrofits is the right way to help homeowners reduce their energy consumption, help the environment and keep the marketplace operating efficiently.

Patricia Verge is chair of the OREA Government Relations Committee and an Ottawa-area Realtor with Royal LePage Team REM Realty.

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30 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Parasailing and para-selling AS I SEE IT FROM MY DESK

By Stan Albert ow does parasailing compare to para–selling?

Recently on our annual visit to my sister-in-law’s summer home at Presqu’ile (near Brighton, Ont.), I encountered a young man about to launch himself on a parasailing chute.

I’d never seen how these brave souls get up off the water and how they prepare themselves to go aloft.

The young man told me he’d had four or five lessons and was not very good at it yet. It was mesmerizing as he slipped into his gear, including a wet suit, harness and safety stuff. He carefully pulled the starboard and port lines about 50 feet away from the boat, attaching them to his control bar. He narrated the whole procedure as I watched. Then he pumped up the membrane, which took about 15 minutes or so. He walked out into the water and hooked up the gear to his harness. He was pulled up by the winds, which were blowing at a great clip that morning.

It was truly inspiring to see him “take off” high above Lake Ontario, as he shared air space with the seagulls circling the sandy beach, which stretches about 3,000 feet up to and including the provincial park area.

I thought about the preparation that it took to become such an adventurer and how it compares to those of us who seek to explore the adventure of becoming a commissioned salesperson.

At most brokerages, the bro-

H

kers/managers spend a great deal of time “pumping up the membrane” of the nucleus of what it takes to become a true professional these days.

We talk about the correct ways to harness our energies and to practice our scripts. Just like the youngster I described above, we have to know the direction of where the wind is blowing in our industry.

If the market is adjusting, as many of us are seeing today, we have to adjust what we’re doing on a daily basis. Memorizing scripts, making cold calls and utilizing the social media are great, but let us not lose sight of how we have to readjust our thinking to tackle the nuances of this market today.

If you are experiencing the “dog days of summer,” ask yourself, “When is the last time I called some of my major spheres of influence and took them for a coffee?”

Sometimes as the economic winds change, we have to change as well in our everyday business acumen. Check to see how the wind is blowing in your area and hoist yourself up so that you’re ahead of your nearest competitors.

Picture yourself doing that exciting adventure.

Because that’s what our business is. A new adventure every day and you’re the director!

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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32 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Green roof stays true to architect’s vision

By Jim Adair

W

hen renowned architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe designed Toronto’s Toronto-Dominion Centre in the mid-1960s, he probably didn’t think of putting grass on the roof of the Banking Pavilion, the anchor at the bottom of the centre’s original two towers.

But Roger Johnson, TD’s senior vice-president of Enterprise Real Estate, thinks the new “green roof” would have met with the architect’s approval.

“The details that he designed into this structure still exist today – simple details like the yellow flowers in the branch in the fishbowl, and the Barcelona chairs in the lobby and the branch are his design,” says Johnson. When working on the plans for the green roof, after looking at “many design iterations,” the final result “mirrors the lighting structure in the branch…obviously the design intent is clean lines and the simplicity that he strove to design into these structures had to be maintained.”

Completed in 1967, the Toronto-Dominion Centre was the tallest building in the

Commonwealth and the first of the modern era of skyscrapers in Canada. B+H was architect of record in a joint venture with John B. Parkin and Associates. Fairview Corporation (now Cadillac Fairview) was the developer, and Allen Lambert, chairman of TD Bank, was credited as the driving force behind the project.

When it came time to replace the old roof on the pavilion, as part of TD’s commitment to be environmentally responsible, it was decided a green roof would be installed. It cost about 25 per cent more than a traditional roof, says Johnson.

Among the designs considered were those that included a TD logo and some plans that supported several types of plant life. The roof can’t be seen from the street and is not accessible without special equipment, but it can be viewed from thousands of windows in the skyscrapers surrounding the pavilion.

The roof is on the north side of the complex and receives sunlight only about 15 per cent of the time, so it was determined that only a hardy evergreen native plant –

Industrial, Commercial & Investment J

ones Lang LaSalle has appointed Rick Urbanczyk senior vice-president in its brokerage team in Calgary.

Urbanczyk will advise tenants on their office leasing strategies in the Greater Calgary area.

With more than a decade in the business, Urbanczyk has worked with a client list of privately owned companies, multi-national firms and government agencies. His expertise encompasses tenant representation, sale-leasebacks, build-to-suits and land development, the company says. In the last eight years he brokered 2.5 million square feet of commercial real estate in the greater

Calgary area. He joins Jones Lang LaSalle from DTZ Barnicke.

■ ■ ■

Greenwin of Toronto recently named Kris Boyce as chief executive officer. She will oversee all aspects of the operation and management of Greenwin’s commercial and residential portfolios.

With more than 28 years of property management and real estate experience, Boyce is “a fixture in the rental housing industry,” says Greenwin. She has held several senior positions in both the private and non-profit housing industries for such companies as Chartwell

Creek Sedge Grass – would be used. It will grow to about 18 inches.

The grass is planted in rows of bottomless planter boxes that form part of the roof’s structure and recreate the grid pattern of the Mies van der Rohe design. An irrigation system is also included, along with a leak detection system.

The grass is planted in rows of bottomless planter boxes that form part of the roof’s structure.

The new green roof on the Banking Pavilion at the Toronto-Dominion Centre.

Seniors Housing REIT, Durham Region Non-Profit Housing and Canadian Apartment Properties REIT. Her most recent post was senior vice-president of residential operations Canada with TransGlobe Apartment REIT, where she oversaw upwards of 21,000 rental units.

Greenwin owns and manages residential and commercial properties throughout central and eastern Canada and has been operating for more than 60 years.

■ ■ ■

Hilton Worldwide recently announced an agreement to build the organization’s first three-flag hotel development in Canada.

Located in Calgary, the project will feature properties from Hampton Hotels, Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Homewood Suites by Hilton.The company says it will meet a growing market need.

“We have seen great success with models that step outside of traditional development constraints,”

Johnson says the green roof layers and additional insulation brought an unexpected benefit – the R-value of the roof was doubled to R-20.

Among the other benefits, says TD, is that the green roof helps cool the building and prevents the urban heat island effect in summer, while helping reduce heat loss and energy consumption in winter. It helps with sound insulation and absorbs rainwater, helping to reduce the need for treatment

says Craig Mance, senior vice-president, North American development, Hilton Worldwide. “These types of hotels offer developers savings in the construction and operational phases, while providing guests a variety of accommodations, price points and amenities to meet their individual needs.”

To be known as the Calgary Airport Hotel Village, the project will allow the hotels to share certain facilities. Exterior walkways and an underground parking garage will connect the three properties, while the Hampton and Homewood

Rick Urbanczyk

of run-off. It creates a habitat for birds and other small animals and should increase the lifespan of the roof and increase its real estate value, says TD. “As we did this project, 75 per cent of the waste created was diverted from landfills” though recycling and reuse, says Johnson.

The Toronto-Dominion Centre now includes six office towers with four million square feet of space and more than 20,000 tenants. REM Suites will share a pool and fitness centre, and the Hampton and Hilton hotels will be joined by a 14,000-square-foot conference centre. The Homewood Suites and Hampton properties are scheduled to open in Q4 2013, while the Hilton Hotel is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2015. The Hampton, Hilton and Homewood properties will have 135 rooms, 252 rooms and 122 suites, respectively.

The company says Canada represents a growth market for all three brands. REM

Kris Boyce

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“Being a part of the Aventure™ Realty Network has made our company more competitive and it is a connection we value greatly as an independent brokerage. It supports us as we build our brand, adds to a stronger retention and recruiting position, and brings new business opportunities.”

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Our relationship brings us new referral opportunities, connects our REALTORS® to markets from coast to coast, and delivers a unique broker/owner alliance.”

“Aventure™ has given our REALTORS® and clients an opportunity to connect beyond our direct marketplace. As an independent organization, our REALTORS® appreciate the ability to connect with other companies across Canada. As a Broker/Owner, Aventure™ has given us access to invaluable resources in our daily operations.”

“The Aventure™ Realty Network has proven to be a great source of referrals and we’ve experienced excellent services from the referrals we’ve sent to other Aventure™ members. As an independent brokerage, our Aventure™ membership gives us the ability to offer our customers an enhanced service they are continually impressed with.”

“The Aventure™ Realty Network’s exceptional referral network has brought great value to our brokerage and our clients. We have built strong supportive relationships with other independent brokers and have been able to effectively recruit new REALTORS® as integral members of Canada’s largest independent real estate network.”

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34 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

METES & BOUNDS

By Marty Douglas

I

was listening to talk radio on my commute to work and the half-hour segment was concerned with renting versus owning. The panellists were the president of the Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board and a producer with the radio station, who happens to be a committed tenant. Quite frankly, as the discussion developed I found myself siding with the tenant.

On the call-in segment of the session, one caller lamented the dearth of assistance programs for first-time buyers. He particularly singled out the IHOP program of the seventies. Now before you start to write to REM’s editor, I know the International House of Pancakes wasn’t supporting homebuyers – but it made for a good laugh. At least in my car. On my commute. Alone.

Presumably he meant the AHOP or Assisted Home Ownership Program created by a federal government that just couldn’t resist jamming housing

The housing market: How we got here down the throats of Canadians so we could emulate the USA and become the best housed nation in the world. My advice: Be careful what you wish for.

Whether it was fixed-rate mortgages or subsidized payments, folks lined up to buy because they’d be fools not to. Waiting lists trailed from desk drawers. With five per cent down, in some cases provided by sweat equity, and house prices limited in my community to the mid-20s and then 40s towards the end of the decade, people were counting on equity gain at the end of the five-year term. Didn’t happen.

Sound familiar? Sound like the housing crisis in the USA today?

When folks had to relocate for work or lost their job, a glut of housing came on the market and subsequently followed the foreclosure path. Mortgage insurance companies had so much inventory, they were at risk and certainly could have flooded the market. I recall MICC owned most of Fort St. John.

It was not unusual for listing salespersons or bank managers to find house keys dumped through office mail slots. I recall one house stripped of its plumbing and shag carpeting as the departing owners desperately sought to regain some-

thing of their equity and exact revenge.

To the survivors, equity gains did come. But timing is everything.

Chart 1 shows a summary of average house prices every fourth year in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island beginning in 1977 at $42,000. By 1981,

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$82,000.

Then, oops!

Nothing like world events and government policies to ruin a plan. Wage and price controls, Trudeau’s National Energy Policy and 21 per cent interest rates followed. By 1985, buyers saw prices drop to $58,000, a 29 per cent decline in price. (Compare that to today’s forecast, courtesy of Royal LePage, of declines in Vancouver of six per cent. Imagine your five per cent equity against that price drop. The phrase ‘underwater’ had not yet been invented.)

But by 1989, prices were off and running again to $80,000.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a bell to signal the bottom – or the top – of the market. Apparently, the time to buy was between 1985 and 1989 because in the next four years prices reached $140,000 in 1993 and then $157,000 in 1997.

But guess what.

Peak housing. And still no bell!

By 2001 the average price in the Comox Valley had slipped to $143,000, a nine per cent decline.

Time to buy again? You betcha.

The average price soared to $253,000 by 2005 and $337,000 by 2009, more than double in eight years. Today, in 2012, our average price is $353,000 and if you had purchased and stayed in the same home for those 35 years, your equity gain would be a modest 740 per cent. Mind you, the long green shag and canary yellow appliances

with matching fixtures are likely a tad shop worn. And the non-slip daisies in the bottom of the tub?

Hey, they were kind of cute!

How did this happen? Interest rates, two-income families and divorce.

Matching the rise over time of housing prices was the almost lockstep decline in interest rates. From the double digits of the ’70s and ’80s, decade by decade, rates declined, slipping below 10 per cent in 1995, never looking back, to our posted rate of 4.99 per cent today – and we know significantly lower rates are available.

Pop quiz: If the cost of borrowing is lower, you can borrow (a) more or (b) less? And so we did. At the same time, someone in banking suggested all of spousal income should count towards mortgage qualification. What the heck, the baby was almost walking at 12 months, day care abounded and many spouses returned to work.

Cars, boats, vacation homes and bigger screen TVs followed until one spouse got a little tired of watching Extreme Bass Fishing and suggested the other take a hike.

Not together. And they kept the TV. And the house. Not that they didn’t deserve it.

And so we reduced our household size dramatically and needed to build – condominia – and plenty of them. Immigration to a better country and inter-provincial migration following the job markets fuelled local demand.

Developers have responded to demand. According to some, that response is now approaching saturation and another decline in prices is likely. Peaks and plateaus, peaks and plateaus. All we know for sure is current prices are likely on a plateau in many areas of Canada. We know it’s flat. What we don’t know is how far it is across.

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

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36 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

A sharp-dressed man

By Ronn James

E

verybody’s crazy ‘bout a sharp dressed man!

Classic rock band ZZ Top said these very words (in a popular song that made millions years after its release). It is a fun catchy tune that many remember. However, it has a new meaning to me.

I am, as a professional Realtor, prepared, scripted, practiced and confident in my ability to present housing solutions to the public. I have specialized information that the public doesn’t have (but that they want). I have also been told I present it well, authentically and credibly.

So why do I still miss opportunities that should have been a slam-dunk?

I stumbled upon a blog that perhaps changed my view of what success looks like. Real

Men, Real Style blogger Antonio Centeno, an ex-marine turned web-retail-store-men’s-clothingmogul has produced a slew of YouTube videos, blogs and a book that address the clothing habits that can make the difference between the look of a prince and a pauper.

That said, there are those who say the guys on Million Dollar Listing (At least until newcomer Josh Altman’s appearance) look like they just came from a yoga session to show high net worth clients multi-milliondollar homes. Nice work if you can get it. Even Mark Zuckerberg’s twit-fans have rallied against corporate America and defended his wearing of his patented hoodie. So where do we go from here?

Speaking in cliché, I have “been there, done that, got the T shirt.” I lived this exact process since landing in an upscale real estate market – living in jeans, a t-shirt and riding a Harley Davidson-style motorcycle complete with the short helmet, no jacket and even exposed tattoos.

I sold houses, sold new custom

builds and managed my share of listings. I have over 30 years of experience in the business. I know mortgages and real estate.

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

Right?

I had an epiphany. It came to me after not renewing a listing from a trusted acquaintance that I have worked with for years.

They relisted and sold at a price I said they should sell for. I hate that. I debrief all my wins and losses to add what works well and modify what needs to be changed, adjusted or dropped completely. I had an epiphany: staging!

My wife has a home staging business and I have integrated her philosophy into my listing campaign and swear by it. So why not stage the agent? I mean, most houses have potential and staging just introduces that potential to homebuyers who have difficultly visualizing the end result. A little staging goes along way, so I’m told. So armed with Antonio Centeno’s guide and my vague memory of what a suit was, I started the transformation.

I can say with all honesty that having a guide was really helpful.

There is an awful lot of choice out there. Just because it’s expensive, or the most current look, doesn’t mean that it is for me.

Believe me, one size does NOT fit all. I also learned that accessories make the average look polished. Pocket squares, ties, shirts, watches, cardholders, cuff links – all make a statement. Properly adorned, they make you look like a million bucks.

Yes I took a lot of abuse from my colleagues, friends and family.

The comments ranged from laughter to down-right nastiness.

I was, however, determined to stay the course and see the transition through. Believe it or not you do feel better, stand taller and come across more confidently in your “good” clothes. I know this is true. I feel it.

So how has the staging affected my business? One new client, after a couple of pre-listing appointments said, “You are the best-dressed agent we’ve met. I like that.” That’s quite different than the client last year who said, “My neighbour wondered if you

Sundaybell site offers free profiles W

hat do real estate and dating have in common?

It’s all about finding that special someone and building a lasting relationship. Sundaybell, which has been called the match.com of real estate, says it matches compatible Realtors and consumers so the buying and selling process can be positive for all involved.

Much like a dating site, Sundaybell lets Realtors and consumers get to know each other anonymously at first so there’s no pressure on either party. No personal information is released until the consumer is ready, and the Realtor is under no obligation to respond if the match isn’t right.

Marketing specialist Andrew Brest and Realtor Lee Redwood cofounded Toronto-based Sundaybell.

It took two years to develop the concept and it was introduced to

the marketplace late last year.

Sundaybell, an anagram for buy and sell, is a North America-wide service. Realtors fill out their profiles and forget about it until they are notified of a potential match, Brest says.

Consumers and Realtors can post their profile details for free.

Consumers let Realtors know what they are looking for. Realtors can then review the consumer’s profile and if they chose to reply, send their profile to the consumer. Consumers can review agent profiles, conduct interviews, compare service offerings and commission structures and negotiate. Realtor and consumer can communicate as many times as needed until the consumer chooses to release their personal information to the Realtor.

What makes Sundaybell different from other lead-generating sites

is that the company’s team qualifies consumers so Realtors know they are getting “warm leads”, Brest says.

It provides a greater network to pull from, increased opportunities and the prospect to develop long-lasting relationships with little upfront effort, he says. It also helps agents save money on marketing and travel costs.

Once a successful connection has been made, the agent can sign up for an initial membership of $499.95, which includes one free connection. Additional connects are subject to a $49.95 connection fee. However, until a connection is made, Realtors have free access to the tools on the site. Brest says some agents have made multiple connections using Sundaybell.

For more information, visit REM www.sundaybell.com.

Andrew Brest

Lee Redwood

were my daughter’s new boyfriend. We said, ‘No, that’s our Realtor!’” To which the neighbour said, “Humpf, that’s the first Harley we’ve seen in this neighbourhood for six years.

Hope it’s not a trend.”

Perception certainly has its place in our business.

In drafting this article I was chatting with my neighbour next door. He really is the Maytag Repair Man (he repairs appliances and in the past has had affiliations with brands like Maytag). He always looks like the Maytag repairman. No t-shirts, shorts, cut offs or sandals.

Just the dreary blue pants and jacket and the light blue work shirt with his name on it.

He said that people respond to his uniform. It makes customers feel more comfortable allowing him into their home.

Many commented on other trades that have done work on their homes and that look like they are transient and unprofessional, with no comment about whether they were or were not happy with the work.

It’s been six months as the “new me”. My colleagues have come to appreciate it (and some have even followed suit, pardon the pun) and my clients (there are more of them now) are confident that they have the right Realtor for the job. I can say I like the feel of confidence I have in my new outward appearance.

It’s akin to getting dressed in armour for battle to face the foe and slay dragons. I’d mention the effect it has on the fair Princess too, but my wife doesn’t let me date after 5 pm.

With a track record that spans 27 years, Realtor Ronn James says his ambition is to educate the public and Realtors alike. He has landed appearances on Breakfast Television, CityLine, Real Life and a host of radio shows. James has also been a regular contributor to New Homes and Condos For Sale Magazine, Toronto Sun and Canadian Homeplanner. Website: www.RealEstateCommissionMatters .ca, phone 289-242-9050. REM

REM SEPTEMBER 2012 37

LEGAL ISSUES

By Donald H. Lapowich

N

umerous lawsuits are instituted against professionals. Yes, some are “try-ons’ but many require a settlement ultimately and a very few go to some form of adjudication.

As a defence Errors and Omissions lawyer, I have learned and believe in the saying, “But for the grace of God go I.” This saying reminds me of the personal as well as legal aspects of assisting a professional in a most stressful situation.

The role of defence counsel is to defend and control the lawsuit. However, the input of the professional is very important no matter what emotional stage the person sued is at: surprise, unbelieving, angry and zealous for a defence; or eventually resigned once the detailed knowledge of the legal process takes hold. It is a unique relationship between the professional and defence counsel.

What professional would welcome accusations of alleged incompetence and perhaps lack of ability or integrity? What professional would not take that personally? As defence counsel, my job is to ride out these emotions and provide my professional client with words of comfort but more importantly, a truthful and “realistic” evaluation of the claim and liability (or not) and causation plus damages (or not).

Often the professional will think if he/she could only talk to the former client and explain matters, the claim and “hurt” will go away. However, your defence counsel should be better suited to meet the claim, challenge the merits and/or formulate a strategy, which often will include a resolution to the conflict.

Often the professional will forget or not realize that a bur-

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den is imposed, rightfully or wrongly, on the professional due to certain perceptions of the client relationship. Hopefully, complete disclosure will be made by the professional to his/her defence counsel without which “surprise” is inevitable.

If a “comfortable, realistic working relationship” can be established between the professional and his/her defence counsel, then the rest will normally fall in place and a win/lose or draw and/or compromise will work well for everyone.

I I I

Buyers of a property put in an offer that the solicitor for the estate accepted. However, the deceased’s sons were opposed by the deceased’s common-law wife.

Consequently, the sale to the purchasers could not be completed.

Under the circumstances, specific performance was not given by the court, even though the property was unique and the purchasers were innocent parties. The court balanced the innocent party purchasers against the innocent deceased’s wife.

The court ordered that the assessment of damages be the market value of the property “at the date of trial”. The purchasers were therefore awarded a substantial sum of damages considering the rise in the market value of the property. This is an example of a rare case where the facts justified an assessment and value “at trial”. (Lalani v. Wenn Estate, 2010 BCSC 1995)

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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

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38 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Saunders Secondary School, plans to study Political Science at McMaster University in Hamilton.

■ ■ ■

C

algary and area Realtors have added their support to the new Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg by donating $1 for every one of its 5,100-plus members over a period of two years to assist in its construction. CREB joins boards in Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg and several other cities and provinces that have announced support for the $350-million museum, which is expected to open in 2014.

“CREB accepted the challenge (to donate) because this national museum will play a key role in celebrating life in Canada,” says Bob Jablonski, president of CREB. “This is something our members are happy to endorse.”

To date, Realtors across

Canada have contributed nearly $1.7 million to the project.

■ ■ ■

This year’s London and St. Thomas Association of Realtors (LSTAR) Scholarship recipients are Megan Steer, the daughter of LSTAR member Yvonne Steer, and Dillon Phoenix, the son of LSTAR member Dave Phoenix.

The scholarship provides a bursary of $1,500 each. Eligible applicants must be either the children or grandchildren of an LSTAR member or staff.

Megan, a graduate of St. Joseph’s Catholic High School, St. Thomas, will be attending Wilfrid Laurier University Waterloo Campus this fall to study Honours Arts, while Dillon, a graduate of

As part of its 100th anniversary celebrations, the Association of Regina Realtors (ARR) provided funds to support new enhancements on the North Central Family Centre’s Courtyard.

The courtyard has been expanded to include an area for barbecues and a large stone picnic table, vegetable gardens and flower beds. The family-focused area that wraps around the entire building has been finished with a fence. The project is receiving significant volunteer labour from residents living in the area, and from around the city.

ARR has partnered with the Family Centre on a series of projects over the past six years. Most recently it has provided funds for the Centre’s Youth Empowerment Program, which works to both “beautify” the neighbourhood and make it safer for residents.

As part of its 100th-anniversary celebrations, the association has also:

• created a Centennial Builders Hall that recognizes Realtors who have made outstanding contributions in the development of the city; • developed a School Citizenship Award, which will be presented annually to one Grade 8 student graduating from each elementary school within the public and Catholic school systems. The award will be an ongoing legacy from Regina Realtors to Regina elementary school students; and • created and released a booklet about the history of Realtors and the ARR in Regina during the past 100 years.

■ ■ ■

At the launch of the Mississauga Real Estate Board’s new offices in April, president Fawzi Mattar said MREB’s goals are to increase services to members, make a commitment to quality education and expand technical applications.

The board’s new Education Centre at 3450 Ridgeway Dr., Unit #1 comes with best-in-class training programs, free access to parking and less travel time for members to

attain their credits, says MREB. There is also available office space for members to use for personalized brokerage training. MREB also has launched a new website, added a social networking component and is developing online promotion with advertising and sponsorship programs that serve to increase revenue streams, create board branding and subsidise extended board products and services.

High Print has been introduced as an in-house commercial printer to bring a “service centre” approach with discount rates for MREB members. The board’s annual trade show has expanded into a home and trade show.

“Mr. Mattar believes the true value of the MREB as a corporation is not the hype it generates upon introduction, but the actual impact it has on its users,” says the board in a news release.

■ ■ ■

Members and supporters of the Realtors Association of HamiltonBurlington participated in the Lively Dragon Waterfest dragon boat races recently, raising $1,000 for the Bay Area Restoration

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RAHB’s dragon boat race team.

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LSTAR scholarship recipients Dillon Phoenix and Yvonne Steer with LSTAR president Barb Whitney (centre).

Left: North Central Family Centre executive director Sandy Wankel unveils a plaque with ARR president Mike Duggleby. The plaque will be on permanent display in the courtyard at the NCFC’s building. The NCFC provides services to residents of north central Regina – considered as the city’s most “challenged” neighbourhood.

REM SEPTEMBER 2012 39

Council (BARC).

This is the second year that RAHB dragon boat race teams have participated in the event.

■ ■ ■

More than 130 golfers and sponsors took part in the RAHB Charity Golf Tournament recently. The annual tournament raised $15,300 to support RAHB’s Home Ownership Affordability Partnership (HOAP) and the Karan Barker Memorial Scholarship Fund.

HOAP is a unique housing initiative in which RAHB, the City of Hamilton and ScotiaBank partner to help families in social housing become homeowners.

The Karan Barker Memorial Scholarship fund provides scholarships to the children and grandchildren of RAHB members and staff. Students must demonstrate academic excellence and outstanding involvement in their school and community.

■ ■ ■

A new website created to

enhance the public’s real estate experience has been launched by the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB). The website (www.vireb.com) was designed to deliver larger amounts of real estate information to the general public. The new website incorporates a broader range of information options for users not available in the older site – such as access to VIREB’s social media presence.

Another major benefit this website has over the previous one is the development of an interactive open house module, a free service for the public. Interested users go to the main VIREB site and then click on the large ‘Open House’ button to be taken to a separate page where interactive tools allow users to select specific regions on Vancouver Island when searching for upcoming open houses.

■ ■ ■

The Kitchener-Waterloo Association of Realtors (KWAR) raised $22,000 for Reaching Our Outdoor Friends (ROOF) through its 19th annual charity golf tourna-

ment recently. ROOF is a local agency providing safety, support and overall well-being for homeless youths and youths-at-risk, age 12 to 25, in the Waterloo Region.

There were 128 Realtors and sponsors at the tournament.

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Realtors in Campbell River, B.C. gave from the heart on Canada Day, and looked foolish doing it! The annual Canada Day Bed Race took to the streets of downtown Campbell River, raising $780 for the Campbell River Hospital Foundation. “It was a hoot, and everyone had a terrific time,” says Byron Maier of Re/Max Check Realty, team captain of the All-Realtor racing team. We had about a dozen or so members on the team, coming from offices all over town, not just from Re/Max,” he says. “We may not have won, but we did finish in second place – for the most money raised by a team.”

Campbell River Realtors donated $250 from their advertising fund to the event.

REM

Government help for first-time buyers

DECEMBER 2012 S

SUNDAY

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of columns contributed by Genworth Canada to help Realtors add value to their customer relationships. ecognizing the value of homeownership to Canadians, the government offers incentives to help first-time homebuyers get their financial footing. Here are some popular offerings that thousands of Canadians have taken advantage of: Home Buyers’ Plan: One of the most well-known and utilized programs is the Home Buyers’ Plan.

This plan allows eligible people to withdraw up to $25,000 tax free from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to purchase or build a qualifying home.

To qualify as a first-time home buyer you can not have owned a home as a principal residence for four years before the date of the withdrawal of funds.

People using this plan have to start repaying the amount two years after withdrawing the funds and the quantity must be entirely repaid within 15 years.

Tax-free savings account: Tax-

R

free savings accounts (TFSA) allow people to save money and not pay tax on any interest accrued. This is a great way to save for a down payment on a home as the money is often more accessible than an RRSP. GST new housing rebate program: Newly built homes are subject to five per cent GST but there are some circumstances when you may be eligible to claim a rebate for a part of the GST you pay on the purchase price or cost of building your home.

If the home you buy is less than $350,000, you can claim a GST rebate to a maximum of $8,750.

For homes priced between $350,000 and $450,000, the GST rebate is reduced proportionately.

New homes priced at $450,000 or higher (before GST) do not receive a rebate.

Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC): Like the Home Buyers’ Plan, if you haven’t lived in another home owned by you or your spouse or common-law partner in any of the four preceding years and you acquire a qualifying home (a housing unit located in Canada that will be your principal residence), you can claim an amount

of $5,000 for the Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC). This provides up to $750 in federal tax relief.

This initiative is designed to help first-time homebuyers with the costs associated with the purchase of a home such as legal fees and land transfer taxes.

This tax credit is claimed on income tax returns in the year you purchase a home. There is also opportunity for individuals who purchase a home that is more accessible for a disabled person to claim this tax credit.

Land Transfer Tax Credit (Ontario): For Ontario residents, you can claim up to $2,000 if you are purchasing a home as a principal residence as long as you and your spouse or common-law partner has never owned a home, or an interest in a home, anywhere in the world. Applications for this tax credit must be made within 18 months of purchasing the property. Documents and forms must be completed and provided to the Land Registry Office or the Ontario Ministry of Finance.

Similar tax credit programs are also available in British Columbia and Quebec. REM

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40 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

Good Works D

on Patterson, a long-time Realtor with Royal LePage Kingsbury in Mississauga, Ont. and a 58-year-old grandfather of two, recently completed a 7,322km ride across Canada to increase awareness of the need to get our youth active and to raise funds for the local YMCAs so more kids can participate in their great programs.

It took him 28 days, three hours to complete the coast-tocoast ride, averaging 255 km per day. “My shortest daily ride was 158 km and my longest was 442 km, which was through the Prairies with a nice tailwind, so I

just kept going from 3 am until 9 pm that evening,” says Patterson.

Typically, he was on the road by 4 am, enjoying the quiet of the early morning, the birds starting to sing and the beautiful sunrises.

With no support vehicle, he carried all his own gear and had to change a flat tire and make minor repairs from time to time. It also meant that he had to arrange his own lodging and food each day.

Patterson had unofficial destinations in mind but this often went by the wayside depending on the weather and how his legs felt.

While he never had to sleep under

Don Patterson receives a warm welcome at the YMCA in St. John’s after riding more than 7,000 km across Canada to raise funds and awareness for the YMCA Strong Kids program.

Some of the volunteers from Sutton Group - Seafair Realty, who helped grill and serve 1,200 pounds of salmon.

the stars, he almost got stuck one night in Pembroke, Ont., when all lodging was booked due to an event. Luckily, he was overheard speaking with the desk folks in the lobby of one hotel, and was offered a spot on a pullout couch by a guest who happened to be a former board member of a YMCA. Patterson has raised close to $20,000 so far for YMCA Strong Kids, and is confident the tally will continue to rise throughout the remainder of the year, pushing toward his $50,000 goal. “The other major factor is the incredible awareness this initiative has generated through media exposure and through the many people I met during the month – from farmers to travelling musicians to truck drivers. It seemed everyone had a Y story to share and were also impressed by how much this skinny guy could eat,” says Patterson, who noted that his daily calorie intake was 8,000 to 10,000 and he still lost weight.

From left, volunteers Curtis Morrow, Connie Carson and Elaine Airhart, sales reps from Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty in Belleville, Ont. sell Raffle for Shelter tickets at Rockfest.

Patterson’s ride is chronicled, from start to finish, complete with photos, on his blog at www.ykids.blog.com. Donations can be made there as well.

■ ■ ■

When Amie Reid’s father was diagnosed with brain cancer two years ago, the office administrator at Sutton Group - First Choice Realty in Stratford, Ont. could not have imagined the path she had started down. Through the treatments, successes and setbacks, Reid marvelled at the support she received from her office’s Realtors and brokers Paul and Kim Graham. “Mark (Reid’s husband) took part in the ride in memory of my father, Don Dixon, who passed away on May 11 from brain cancer.

The sales representatives and the brokers at Sutton donated to the cause. They have all been my support group through the battle since my dad was diagnosed two years ago.”

From left: Morgan Lockhart, Brenda Ellis and Carlie Frank of Sutton Group - Lakefront Realty in Vernon, B.C.

Reid says that “the people in my office have so many personal and group charities that they support. I was so pleased that everyone wanted to make a contribution to Mark’s ride. The $550 they donated was wonderful but the daily support and good wishes I’ve received over the past two years are what I will always remember.”

■ ■ ■

The third annual “Boobie Nights” fundraising social was held in Kenora, Ont. recently, organized and sponsored by the Realtors at Century 21 Reynard Real Estate.

This year’s event raised more than $55,000, bringing the three-year total to just over $105,000.

“Pretty amazing generosity from a small town of 15,000 people,” says Bill Scribilo, broker of record for the brokerage. “The money raised goes to the Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation for the chemo therapy and mammography departments.”

Sutton Group - Lakefront Realty’s team at the fundraising event for KidSport, from left: Tamara Cinnamon, Lindsay Siedmann, Brenda Ellis, Carlie Frank (manager) and Mark Nichiporuk.

The “Boobie Nights” volunteers from Century 21 Reynard Real Estate, from left: Donny Booth, Dustin McLeod and Angela Kuchma (sales reps); Cheryl Spivey (volunteer); Michelle Scriblio, Alyssa Edison (sales reps); Bill Scribilo (broker of record) and Ian Filips (sales rep). Not present when the photo was taken is sales rep Wayne Gauld.

Left: Exit Realty Inter Lake raised $17,000 for Habitat for Humanity at its annual golf tournament recently. From left, first row: Robert Bourdreau, chairperson, Habitat for Humanity; Carolyn Bolivar-Getson, committee, Habitat for Humanity; Jon Walker, franchisee; Dianne Corkum, administrator; Mark Seamone, franchisee and Hank Middleton, member, Habitat for Humanity; with the associates and administrators of Exit Realty Inter Lake.

The Silly Boat winners pose around the statue of former Nanaimo mayor Frank Ney, whose piratical persona helped to put Nanaimo and its marine festival on the world stage. Joanne Russell of VIREB is the cutlass-swinging scallywag second from the left on the bottom row.

REM SEPTEMBER 2012 41 ■ ■ ■

A record-breaking $17,000 was raised by Exit Realty Inter Lake in Bridgewater, N.S. at the annual Habitat for Humanity golf tournament. More than 120 players, volunteers and sponsors came from across Nova Scotia to support the cause. Since the event began in 2006, it has raised more than $81,000.

“Giving back to the community that has given so much to us as Realtors is the least we can do,” says franchise Jon Walker. “The fun and camaraderie make this a special day for everyone.”

■ ■ ■

Over four nights in July, Belleville, Ont. rocked out for a good cause. Rockfest, organized by Mark Rashotte, owner of Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty and Belleville’s Empire Theatre and Empire Square venues, drew an enthusiastic crowd of more than 12,000 to see Slash, George Thorogood, Boston and the Steve Miller Band. Through ticket sales and a sold-out raffle organized by volunteers, $10,000 was raised for

RECIPES FOR REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS

By Christopher Palik Recipe for four. Ingredients for the dried fruit compote: 1/4 cup dried figs chopped 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup Golden raisins 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 tbsp brown sugar Zest of half a lemon Place the dry fruits in a small sauce pan and cover with warm water. Allow to soak for 15 minutes. Add the maple syrup and the brown sugar and bring to a boil. Shut off the heat and add the lemon zest.

Ingredients for the sweet

the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation to benefit the local Three Oaks Shelter for abused women and their children.

■ ■ ■

For the eighteenth year in a row, Sutton Group - Seafair Realty hosted the salmon barbecue at the Steveston (B.C.) Salmon Festival.

This popular Canada Day event began in 1945 when the region’s main industry was fishing. This year, an estimated 70,000 people from Richmond, Metro Vancouver and beyond celebrated Canada’s birthday by enjoying a parade, musical performances, a crafts fair, an art show and lots of food. More than 40 Realtors from Sutton Group - Seafair Realty offices in Richmond and Delta along with their families and friends volunteered to grill and serve 1,200 pounds of salmon for hungry visitors. This year’s barbecue raised approximately $30,000 for various children’s and seniors’ programs at the Steveston Community Centre.

Sales rep Jim Hinchcliffe has organized the event since 1994.

■ ■ ■

Forty-one Century 21 sales pro-

fessionals in Montreal have taken up the call to do something extraordinary in support of children with disabilities. These brave individuals will join other “superheroes” in this year’s Easter Seals Drop Zone and rappel down an office building in Montreal’s financial district.

On Sept. 20, Drop Zone participants will gather at 1010 Sherbrooke West to make their way down the side of the 26-storey building. “Going over the edge was the hardest part for me in Regina last year. The rest wasn’t so bad,” says Century 21 Canada president Don Lawby.

The group will raise more than $60,000 in support of Easter Seals.

■ ■ ■

The team at Sutton Group Lakefront Realty in Vernon, B.C. is helping local children to experience the social and health benefits of organized sports. Recently broker Tamara Cinnamon, the sales reps and office staff hosted the 2nd Annual Sutton Lakefront Realty/Mind, Body & Sole 5 km Walk/Run for KidSport. The event raised $3,000 to provide underprivileged children with

sports equipment and various fees.

KidSport Canada is a national not-for-profit organization that assists with registration fees and sports equipment for children aged 18 and under.

■ ■ ■

The real estate community in Toronto is lending support to the family of sales rep Rose MacLeod of Sutton Group - Old Mill Realty.

Her son Daniel was attacked on the street and hit on the head with a weapon. He was in a coma for more than three weeks and relied on a machine for breathing, developed pneumonia, suffered several strokes and had to have portions of his skull removed to allow for swelling.

“Doctors have said it’s a miracle that he’s alive,” says Sonny Day, Daniel’s cousin. “It’s been a really emotionally wrenching experience for the whole family.”

Rose has thanked the community for its support. In addition to best wishes from strangers, countless neighbours and friends have been dropping off food for the family and holding vigil at Daniel’s bedside. Her broker, Ann Hannah, says several sales reps in her office

have volunteered to help with Rose’s listings during the crisis.

On July 19, Daniel was able to say his name although doctors cannot predict what level of permanent brain damage he may experience. To send a message of support, email justicefordanielmacleod@gmail.com.

■ ■ ■

Vancouver Island Real Estate Board staffer Joanne Russell, an MLS customer service rep, along with local long-term community supporter The Buccaneer Inn were the winners in the Grand Challenge Heat during the Annual Silly Boat Regatta in Nanaimo. The winning crew of Swashbucklers was one of 42 nautical teams to participate, with nearly $100,000 raised for the Nanaimo Child Development Centre. The shoreline was crowded with an estimated 10,000 vocal supporters as the Buccaneer gang assembled and successfully raced their ingenious craft. The rules for the event state your vessel has to be assembled on site just prior to the race, so the winners proved to be both sound shipwrights as well as fierce competitors. REM

Sweet polenta with dried fruits and mascarpone cheese polenta: 2 1/2 cups of water 1/2 cup of yellow or white polenta 2 tbsp of brown sugar Pinch of salt Freshly grated nutmeg to taste 1 tub of mascarpone cheese Mint leaves

with a scoop of mascarpone cheese and tear over some fresh mint.

Christopher Palik is executive chef at L-EAT Group (PAESE Ristorante, L-EAT EXPRESS, L-EAT CATERING) in Toronto. http://paeseristorante.com or www.leatcatering.com/home.htm REM

Bring the water to a simmer.

With a whisk stir in the polenta in an even and steady stream.

Cook over low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. Add the brown sugar and nutmeg and a pinch of salt, stir to combine.

To serve: Pour the polenta into 4 soup bowls, pour on the fruit compote. Top each bowl

Royal LePage Golden Ridge Realty Markham, Ontario Mary Zhang George Heos, Senior Vice President, Network Development is pleased to announce that effective August 1, 2012 Mary Zhang, broker/owner of the brokerage formerly operating as Golden Ridge Realty Inc., has chosen to join the Royal LePage franchise network. Mary’s company will now operate under the name Royal LePage Golden Ridge Realty.

and director of the Canadian-Chinese Real Estate Professional Association.

Mary immigrated to Toronto from China with her husband and son in 2001. She studied business and accounting, and began to recognize a growing demand for Mandarin language services in her local real estate market. Mary became a licensed REALTOR® in 2004 and has been a consistent award winner ever since. She became a broker in 2005 and opened her own office in 2009.

Mary and her team can be reached at: 7100 Woodbine Avenue, Unit 111 Markham, Ontario L3R 5J2 Phone: 905-513-8878 Fax: 905-513-8892 MaryZhang@royallepage.ca

Mary is very active in her community. Some of her volunteer roles include president of the Newmarket and Aurora Chinese Association

Well known and respected in the Chinese community, Royal LePage Golden Ridge Realty’s team of 40 sales representatives service Markham, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Toronto and surrounding areas.

Please join us in welcoming Mary, and wishing everyone at Royal LePage Golden Ridge Realty continued success.

For information on the Royal LePage franchise program, please call: (416) 510-5827.

Email: franchise@royallepage.ca †

Sweet polenta

†Royal LePage is a trademark used under license.

42 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

The art of handling objections

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irst things first: Let me define the word objection for you so we are on the same page. Objections are direct statements from a client, customer or lead that are being used as an excuse not to do something with or get something from you, the Realtor. This “something” could be signing a contract, making a legitimate offer, booking an appointment or simply obtaining information. People object to just about anything and everything at one time or another.

Objections are not legitimate reasons the person cannot do or get something. Sometimes objections and legitimate reasons look very similar so one needs to treat them the same until they know the excuse is real. How do you know the excuse is real? When you handle the excuse with quality and logic, the objector continues with the same excuse. This means even though there is a logical solution, it just will not solve their issue.

So what is the best way to handle an objection? It involves a four-step process: listen, identify, solve and ask.

Step one – Listen and agree with the person. This is a vital step in ensuring that you are handling the correct objection and creating an environment where the objector will listen to you.

This is essential so we are not immediately perceived as arguing with the objector. We want to be viewed as someone who is on the same page as the objector. We will accomplish nothing and not get the outcome we desire if we skip this step.

Listen to what they are saying and identify the issue. The same objection can be said in a huge multitude of ways. Our next actions will be to agree with them

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in part. (If he says, “I’m too busy”, respond with, “As a busy person yourself, you are well aware of ...”) then continue on in the process.

We do not argue that what they are saying is wrong, we agree with them (in part) even if they are wrong. We do this so that the person will listen to the remainder of the objection handle.

Step two – Identify and point out the problem with the person’s thinking.

Once we are seen as listening to them and agreeing with them we begin to turn the conversation to our agenda. We need to use the objection to point out the flaw in the objector’s issue. We need to show that the objection is actually part of the problem, not that which they are objecting too. (For example: “The sheer volume of listings and information that is out there today and the time that it would take someone to navigate to the best information is truly daunting ...”)

Step three – Solve the person’s problem.

Now we need to show how what they are objecting to is the solution to the new problem we created together. We need to provide them a better way that when viewed logically will solve the client’s issue and make their life easier and better. (“What I am going to do will save you hours of time by making sure you are exposed to the very best information as quickly as possible....”)

Step four – Ask for closure.

Once we have identified the problem, showed the real issue and the solution to the problem, we must act confident because we now know the problem is solved.

Using that confidence we must return to the original offer (of service, contracts, offer...) and ask again for what the client needs to do. (“It only takes 10 minutes.

When is the best time for us to meet?”)

Now hopefully, since we have

solved their “problem” they will now be ready to book an appointment or write the offer, or do the action to which they were objecting to in the first place. If they repeat the same objection, that is a sign that either we did a poor job providing the logical solution or the objection is a legitimate excuse.

They might throw out a new objection. This is a sign they are still trying to avoid the necessary action. Handle this second objection using the same technique.

Provide a nice and firm approach and do your best to calm their worries.

However, if they come up with a third objection, this is a sign the client is being difficult and you are not going to be able to turn their mind without causing damage to your own reputation in their minds. At this point break off the conversation in a friendly way and let the client know you will revisit the subject in the future. Then go about your day, talk to more people and handle their objections.

Once you become a real wiz at this method you will be far more confident to talk to more people anytime and any place. You will see a marked improvement in your conversion skills, which will in turn affect the bottom line. You will make more contacts with people because you know that you can handle anything they plan to throw at you. You will frankly make more money and get more respect.

Andy Herrington is a real estate salesperson who was a member of some amazing top producing teams prior to becoming a real estate coach and inspirational speaker. His main message is for all Realtors to have “belief in the message” and to create a higher standard of professionalism for our amazing profession. w w w. a n d y h e r r i n g t o n . c o m .

REM

REM SEPTEMBER 2012 43

GREEN REAL ESTATE

By Elden Freeman eptember always signals that bittersweet transition as summer passes into fall and the kids head off to school.

But if we’re lucky, September can be one of the most gorgeous months of the year with that justright temperature that allows you to still enjoy the outdoors without having to don sweaters or run for the nearest sprinkler.

It’s also a great time to hold end-of-summer barbecues or invite the neighbours over for your world-famous burgers. And while outdoor cooking and all that entails – smoked food, charcoal, lighter fluid, burning up a non-renewable resource such as natural gas – summons several big environmental no-nos, there are ways your eco footprint can

S

Multiple Listings Continued from page 6

excellence of service. I take this seriously, and start with personal self-improvement, which allows me to lead by example.”

■ ■ ■

Yorkville Toronto Realtor Laura Randell has joined Bayshore Realty, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate in Oakville, Ont. “As an Oakville resident, I decided the time was right to make the move, and the Christie’s brand is a great way to serve the luxury property market,” Randell says.

■ ■ ■

Realtor Rick Clarke is opening his own office, Century 21 New Trends Realty in Coquitlam, B.C., with the mantra, “Treat others how you feel you would like to be treated.”

Play with fire the green way tread a little more lightly. Here’s how.

Get your grill on: Bear in mind that bigger is not always better. With gas grills, it’s important to know that gas burns much cleaner than basic charcoal, which emits carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. Still, the carbon footprint emanating from the use of gas grills is pretty large when you consider the fuel you’re burning is non-renewable and that the amount of fuel needed to operate a gas barbecue is comparatively large.

Consider what material your grill is made of. Cast iron or stainless steel barbecues are non-toxic but look out for those made from chrome-coated aluminum, which becomes harmful when the aluminum oxidizes.

Explore the new and pricier generation of grills such as solarpowered, hydrogen-powered, electric barbecues and ceramic grills.

It’s been said that the most eco-friendly barbecues are those you build yourself. With some bricks and stones, build a surround for your organic charcoal.

Make sure it’s the right height so “The thing I love most about real estate is the ability to create life-long relationships,” he says. “I really enjoy working with the diverse clientele in the Lower Mainland and dealing with all the different situations that happen during the buying and selling of a home.”

Clarke spent years in customer service and supervisory roles before making the change to real estate in 2008. By his second year, he had achieved top sales rankings at the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, says Century 21.

■ ■ ■

Regal Realty of Fredericton is the latest member of the Aventure Realty Network. Chris Pitman, broker/owner and his team of Realtors bring a history of service throughout the Capital City Region and to the Canadian military. The brokerage was a member of a national franchise organization

you don’t hurt your back. Use a metal rack from an oven as your grill-top. Dead simple.

Fire up the BBQ: Barbecuing with charcoal produces more carbon monoxide and soot than any other method. Charcoal briquettes may contain sodium nitrate and coal dust. The way they’re processed contributes to deforestation, so avoid them.

Instead, use organic or natural lump coal, a much greener alternative that still gives off that delicious smoky barbecue flavour.

Lump coal has no additives or chemicals and it does not contribute to deforestation.

Avoid lighter fluids. They’re known to contain harmful VOCs and are carcinogenic. Try twigs and old newspaper instead.

Vegetarian barbecue, anyone?

Nothing says barbecue like a nice steak, burger or sausage, right?

Perhaps but environmentally speaking, we’d all be better off if we consumed less meat. Why? Well, that rib-eye you devoured comes at a pretty steep cost when you consider how much water it takes to produce it and the levels of harmful greenhouse gases produced by cows. Consider meat for many years but recently made the decision to build its own independent brand and continue to develop a “client for life” philosophy, the company says.

■ ■ ■

Mary Zhang, broker/owner Golden Ridge Realty of Markham, Ont., has joined the Royal LePage franchise network. Her company will now operate under the name Royal LePage Golden Ridge Realty.

Well-known in the Chinese community, Royal LePage Golden Ridge Realty’s team of 40 sales representatives service Markham, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Toronto and surrounding areas.

Zhang is president of the Newmarket and Aurora Chinese Association and director of the Canadian-Chinese Real Estate Professional Association.

■ ■ ■

that’s organic or grass-fed. As an alternative, try more carbon-neutral proteins such as fish or chicken. Buy sustainable seafood.

Grill vegetables on your bar-

added bonus that far less energy is used transporting them.

Throw a pizza on your grill, try salmon on a cedar plank or grill corn-on-the-cob right in their

Avoid lighter fluids.

They’re known to contain harmful VOCs and are carcinogenic. Try twigs and old newspaper instead. becue and mix them together in a salad. Pour on a blend of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a squirt of mustard and a smidgeon of honey.

Season with salt and pepper and fresh herbs from your garden.

Fruit is becoming a popular favourite on the grill. Try sliced pineapple seasoned with freshly cracked black pepper or grill peaches marinated in rum and butter and serve with ice cream.

Whenever possible, buy locally grown and produced products.

The thinking is that fewer chemicals go into growing and producing these foods, plus there’s the Broker of record Mike Cartright reports that Main Street Realty in Newmarket, Ont. recently opened a branch office in Stouffville. “The fees are the same with agents paying $99 per month and they keep 100 per cent of the commission,” he says. “Our next move will be Main Street in Markham.”

■ ■ ■

Royal LePage by the Sea in Sidney, B.C. reached a milestone recently when the brokerage sold its 200th oceanfront property – a home on Tryon Road in North Saanich that sold for $2.65 million.

Owner and sales rep Jean Dunn says, “In recent days we have seen a dramatic increase in activity associated with our highend listings, giving us much optimism” for the rest of the year.

The brokerage was formed in 1996 by Dunn and her husband Edward. Dunn has been ranked

husks. Your possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

The same goes for our ecoevolution.

The National Association of Green Agents and Brokers (NAGAB) provide a Greenbroker and Greenagent certification program to Realtors across Canada. To get more information or to sign up for a course, visit www.nagab.org.

Elden Freeman M.E.S., AGB, broker is the founder and executive director of the non-profit organization. 1-877-524-9494 Email REM elden@nagab.org. in the top one per cent of Victoria Realtors since 1991.

Paula Brown is managing broker for the firm. The team also includes sales reps Vicki Hall and Glynis MacLeod.

■ ■ ■

Loretta Hughes, franchisee of Exit Realty Fusion in Regina, will participate at Success Magazine’s High-Performance Forum training event in California. According to the event website, thousands apply and only 100 are chosen for these forums, which are limited to 25 individuals. “Loretta will be in the company of some of the most ambitious and successful business people in North America, and she will be the only Canadian and Realtor attending the forum. This is an incredible opportunity that could change her business and her life forever,” says Joyce Paron, president - Canada for Exit Realty.

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Broker of Record IN Brampton-Malton-Mississauga-Etobicoke Sold over 3700 Homes (over $330 Million In Real Estate). Over 32 years of Experience. When You Think Real Estate, Think Meera Banka. Free Evaluation, No Obligation.

RE/MAX Skyway Realty Inc.

905-791-7900 Office #9 - 565 Steeles Avenue East meera.banka@gmail.com Brampton, ON L6T 4L6 www.meerabanka.ca Independently Owned and Operated.

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Sales Representative IN South Okanagan

Instructor and Managing Broker IN British Columbia

Broker/Manager IN Brampton-Caledon-Mississauga

Salesperson IN Mississauga -Oakville -Etobicoke

I am a full time award-winning residential REALTOR® and have been for the past 19 years. I live in Penticton and work from Osoyoos through to Summerland.

1-877-804-6611 Home 1-250-493-2244 Office carolbee@shaw.ca www.carolbeecroft.com

Royal Lepage Locations West 484 Main St. Penticton, BC V2A 5C5

Completed BCREA’s Professional Development outside accreditation program.

I write and instruct “Multiple Offers” and “Writing Enforceable Contracts” 101 through 104 courses. My Mission Statement: ‘Stay out of Real Estate Jail’!

604 261 9311 Office 604 671 7211 Cell barbarabellolsen@shaw.ca

Royal LePage Westside 5970 East Boulevard Vancouver, BC V6M 3V4

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2 County Court Blvd., Brampton, ON L6W 3W8 Independently Owned and Operated.

Dedicated customer service for over 21 years.....I LOVE REAL ESTATE.

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Vicki L. Forgie

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905-630-5475 Cell Best Real Estate Inc. 905-825-2378 Office Suite 221, 2000 Appleby Line, Unit G3 Broker@BestRealEstateInc.com Burlington, ON L7L 7H7 www.bestrealestateinc.com Brokerage Since 2002.

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Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services, Brokerage 3060 Mainway, Suite 200, Burlington, ON L7M 1A3 Independently Owned and Operated.

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Marian Neal & Carver Fraser

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Broker / Manager IN North Bay & Area

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Since 1980, Marian & Carver have helped over 3000 families buy & sell real estate.

Pride, professionalism, experience & commitment enable them to provide the best service the market has to offer.

Registered since 1974 and still enjoy the business with no intention of retiring soon. Work commercial & residential as well as recreational.

Will treat your referrrals with special care. Contact me at any time.

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RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage 150 - 2 County Court Blvd., Brampton, ON L6W 3W8 Independently Owned and Operated.

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46 REM SEPTEMBER 2012

THE PUBLISHER’S PAGE

By Heino Molls

I

MARKETPLACE

n my 33 years of working in this business community, these are the most exciting times I have ever seen. We are on the verge of so much change, so many new concepts and such potential for everyone in the industry that I wonder if we will recognize this business in five years.

Just look around. Every facet of this business is bursting with demand for new ways of doing things. We are on the verge of an explosion of change everywhere.

This issue of REM includes an article that follows the ongoing developments in Quebec that may see the entire province move away from national organized real estate as we know it.

REM is also following the Competition Bureau hearings due to begin this fall. Some are suggesting that when the smoke clears from these hearings there will be dramatic changes to the

Real estate today and tomorrow MLS system as we know it. Some say that the MLS system may return to its roots, with its information available only to members of the respective local boards. Still others say that there will be great compromises in the future and a national sharing of information with the general public is in store.

Long ago I understood the foolishness of speculating the future but with that said, it seems glaring to me that no matter how things develop, more regulation is around the corner for all facets of real estate. A lot more regulation.

Real estate sales, management, laws, information, rules, licensing, governance and all the rest of it could change so much that we will look back on today and think of it as the wild west of real estate operations, when everybody was doing things by the seat of their pants with no licensing.

Let’s begin with property managers. While the Real Estate Institute of Canada is doing an admirable job of teaching courses related to property management and providing a certificate to those who take their courses, there is no license required to be a property manager. This very issue is being debated on the floor of provincial legislatures right now.

There are demands that property

managers be licensed because of the huge number of condominium developments and rental properties with management that does

may be at hand for appraisers as well. Much work has been done here at the provincial levels already. Is it time to formalize uni-

Real estate sales, management, laws, information, rules, licensing, governance and all the rest of it could change so much that we will look back on today and think of it as the wild west of real estate operations. not currently answer to government licensing. Some suggest that without licensing there may be opportunity for corruption and poorly trained individuals taking roles of great responsibility.

We can move on to an argument I have been hearing for decades about licensing for home inspectors. While this has been pioneered in British Columbia, it is not in place elsewhere and in fact the current organizations for home inspectors have a history of disagreement. A common national standard and government licensing across the country seems to always be on the verge of happening.

The time for national standards and licensing across Canada

form licensing across the country?

The list goes on and includes a host of service providers from lawyers specializing in real estate to home stagers and movers.

Everyone seems to be working toward a more formal posture to these professions and much of that seems to include licensing. It occurs to me that it all comes down to professional ancillary services that revolve around the real estate broker or sales rep.

That could mean that in the future, brokers and sales reps could see a dramatic change in licensing as well. It might get a lot harder to obtain a real estate license in the years ahead. Longer courses, a wider range of courses,

apprenticeships, articling, university degrees, who knows?

It stands to reason that anyone directing a number of licensed ancillary service professionals, all related to the growing complexities of property transactions, should be a high standard professional themselves with a respected degree of education and experience.

Some look at the future of real estate and see all these FSBOs. Some see a free for all in fraudulent real estate transactions going completely out of control. Some see a plethora of self-appointed experts wasting everyone’s time and money. Even today we hear self-righteous demands from folks wanting free access to valuable accurate information gathered by real estate professionals.

I have heard other suggestions as well. One of the most consistent is that in the future it may become law that all real estate transactions must be conducted by a licensed real estate professional only.

Some might think that such a thing is outrageous. Others suggest the alternative is chaos.

Whose side are you on?

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

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“SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS, TODAY”

GETTING TECHY WITH IT:

Bruce will share practical advice on selling your value, maximizing your commission, objection handling, closing techniques, price reductions, what to say and how to say it, consumer mentality, and best practices of superstars. His dramatic session will include role playing and interviews with RE/MAX top producers.

10 WAYS TO KEEP UP WITH TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY

VALERIE GARCIA Senior Technology Coach

Title

Waterloo Inn Conference Hotel

DON’T MISS IT!

OCTOBER 4

Burlington Convention Centre

Visit

BestAgent.ca for details