REIC Exchange: Fall 2016

Real Estate Institute of Canada

Exchange 2016 November

www.reic.ca

EVOLVING THE INDUSTRY INSIDE REIC News Toronto CityPlace Walking Tour If it 'Aint Broke, It's Pretty Rusty Thinking Like a Lawyer - Acting like a Leasing Guru ... and more

Inside This Issue

Inside This Issue

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REIC News Nouvelles de l'ICI

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Industry OuTREACH: Toronto Cityplace walking tour

Vice President Bruce Bassett, CRF Secretary/Treasurer Winson Chan, FRI, CRES

Message From the President MESSAGE DU PRÉSIDENT Message From the RVP MESSAGE DE LA vice-présidente régionale

President Don Kottick, FRI, CRES

Executive Director and CEO Maura McLaren, CAE Editor Britny Rodé, Marketing and Communications Coordinator About REIC

REIC is a provider of advanced education and designation programs to professionals in the real estate industry. With 10 Chapters across Canada, we have been educating and certifying professionals since 1955.

if it 'ain't broke, it's pretty rusty

208-5407 Eglinton Avenue West Toronto, ON M9C 5K6 Tel: 416-695-9000 or 1-800-542-7342 Fax: 416-695-7230 www.reic.ca

wHAT'S THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO YOU INVESTING IN YOUR OWN Development?

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Thinking like a Lawyer, Acting like a Leasing Guru

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June 13-15, 2017 Real Estate Institute of Canada - REIC

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REIC Exchange, November 2016

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REIC News

REIC NEWs Nouvelles de l'ICI REIC STRATEGIC PLANNING RETREAT At the end of September REIC held strategic planning sessions at Hockley Valley Resort. We hosted representation from all 10 Chapters, as well as the REIC National Board and incoming Regional Vice President for IREM Region 14. The goal was to build on the previous plan, Strong Foundations, Bright Future, in order to strengthen emphasis on the Institute’s ethics, standards and branding. The new strategic plan is looking to connect with the real estate industry more broadly, advocating for our education and tapping into the expertise of our experienced members, while also improving the local experience.

Séances de planification stratégique À la fin de septembre, l'ICI a tenu des séances de planification stratégique au Hockley Valley Resort. Nous avons accueilli des représentants des dix sections locales, ainsi que le conseil d’administration national de l'ICI et le nouveau vice-président régional de la région 14 de l’IREM. L’objectif était de tabler sur les réussites du plan précédent, Des bases solides, un avenir radieux, afin de mettre davantage l’emphase sur l’éthique, les normes et la marque de l’Institut. Le nouveau plan stratégique s’efforce de communiquer plus largement avec l’industrie immobilière en valorisant l’éducation et l’expertise de nos membres expérimentés, tout en améliorant l’expérience à l’échelle locale.

REIC Forms Joint Initiative with NoRE The Nature of Real Estate (NoRE) and REIC have formed a joint marketing initiative in order to cross-promote advanced education leading to professional designations in each organization. REIC will be promoting the Fellow of the Real Estate Institute (FRI) designation, and NoRE will be promoting their Certified Negotiation Expert® (CNE®) and Master Certified Negotiation Expert® (MCNE®) designations. Taking two of three courses leading to the MCNE® will serve as an equivalency to the REIC Consumer Behaviour and Negotiation course, a required course for the FRI designation. Both organizations have a mutual desire to promote the importance of skills, education and ethical standards for real estate professionals. Suze Cumming, founder of NoRE, has over three decades of experience in real estate. She earned her Professional Certified Coach designation from the International Coach Federation in 2007 and continues to search out high level coach training at every opportunity all across Canada.

L'ICI met en place une initiative conjointe avec The Nature of Real Estate The Nature of Real Estate (NoRE) et l'ICI ont mis en place une initiative de marketing conjointe afin de promouvoir la formation avancée permettant d’obtenir des titres professionnels dans chacune des deux organisations.

L'ICI fera la promotion de la désignation Fellow de l'institut canadien de l'immeuble (FRI), et NoRE, des désignations Certified Negotiation Expert® (CNE®) et Master Certified Negotiation Expert® (MCNE®). Suivre deux des trois cours permettant d’obtenir le titre de MCNE® fournira une équivalence pour le cours Comportement du consommateur et négociation de l'ICI, un cours obligatoire pour la désignation FRI. Les deux organisations désirent promouvoir l’importance des compétences, de l’éducation et des normes déontologiques pour les professionnels de l'immobilier. Suze Cumming, fondatrice de NoRE, possède plus de trente ans d’expérience dans le domaine de l'immobilier.

Elle a obtenu le titre de Professional Certified Coach de l’International Coach Federation en 2007 et continue de rechercher des occasions de formation de haut niveau chaque fois qu'elle en a l'occasion, partout au Canada.

SHARING INSIGHTS AND EXPERTISE WITH THE REIC BLOG REIC leadership, partners and staff have been sharing their perspectives with regular blog updates on the REIC website. Featuring content from REMI Network, REP Magazine and Matrix Search Group, the REIC blog provides diverse insights to all areas of real estate.

Visit www.reic.ca/blogs to read our latest articles, and share them on your news feeds.

Renewing Your REIC Membership Reaffirm your commitment to your profession by renewing your REIC membership! Watch your mailboxes for the membership renewal package that will be sent out before the end of November. The deadline to pay your membership renewal dues is January 31, 2017.

After this date, a $35 late fee will be levied on late payments. We encourage anyone interested in making payment arrangements to contact membership@reic.com before the payment deadline.

Partage d’idées et d’expertise avec le blogue de l'ICI La direction et le personnel de l'ICI, ainsi que nos partenaires, ont partagé leurs points de vue avec des mises à jour régulières sur le blogue de l'ICI. Proposant un contenu de REMI Network, REP Magazine et Matrix Search Group, le blogue de l'ICI fournit de l’information à tous les secteurs de l'immobilier. Visitez www.reic.ca/blogs pour lire nos plus récents articles, et partagez-les sur votre fil de nouvelles.

Renouvellement de votre adhésion à l'ICI Réaffirmez votre engagement envers votre profession en renouvelant votre adhésion à l'ICI! Surveillez votre boîte aux lettres; la trousse vous parviendra avant la fin de novembre. La date limite pour payer vos cotisations est le 31 janvier 2017. Après cette date, des frais de retard de 35 $ s’appliqueront. Toutes les personnes qui souhaitent prendre des dispositions pour le paiement sont invitées à communiquer par courriel à l’adresse membership@reic.com avant la date limite. www.reic.ca

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MESSAGE FROM THE PREDIDENT

President’s Message Message dU PRÉSIDENT We have just returned from a very productive strategic planning session that included the national board of directors, the staff, our CEO, and representation from all REIC chapters across Canada. This strategic planning event was the first time that we reached out and included the Chapters, which clearly added to the enrichment and value of our time at Hockley Valley in Caledon, Ontario.

Nous revenons à peine d’une rencontre de planification stratégique très productive, qui réunissait le conseil d’administration national, le personnel, notre directrice générale, et des représentants de toutes les sections locales du Canada. Cette activité de planification stratégique était la première à inclure les sections locales, ce qui a clairement permis d’enrichir et d’améliorer la valeur du temps passé à Hockley Valley, Caledon, Ontario.

Utilizing the highly skilled Lyn McDonell, CAE as our facilitator and guide for the strategic plan, we were able to restate our vision, confirm our mission, and chart our course for the next three years while building upon our previous, successful plan. Through this process, we are looking to strengthen our continued emphasis on education, ethics, professional standards and branding. We will continue to explore and expand our initiatives, connecting to the real estate community more broadly while utilizing our core competency in education and industry expertise.

Mettant à profit la compétence de Lyn McDonell, CAE, qui agissait comme facilitatrice et guide pour le plan stratégique, nous avons pu réaffirmer notre vision, confirmer notre mission, et planifier nos efforts des trois prochaines années en nous appuyant sur notre plan précédent, qui s’est révélé efficace. Dans le cadre de ce processus, nous nous efforçons de mettre davantage l’emphase sur la formation, l’éthique, les normes et la marque de l’Institut. Nous continuerons d’explorer et d’élargir nos initiatives en communiquant plus largement avec la communauté immobilière, tout en mettant à profit nos principales compétences en éducation et notre expertise dans l’industrie.

In terms of next steps, we are looking to formalize the results of this planning process and engage staff to map out their key deliverables and highest success indicators. The process has been very enlightening overall. The cohesive chemistry of the entire group, comprised of industry leaders across Canada, delivered a solid foundation for REIC to further build upon in the years ahead.

In conclusion, thank you all for your continued support of REIC. The time that you devote as volunteers makes REIC one of the greatest institutions in our industry, and it is greatly appreciated.

Pour les prochaines étapes, nous voulons officialiser les résultats de ce processus de planification et inciter le personnel à définir leurs principaux livrables et indicateurs de réussite. Ce processus a été très instructif dans l’ensemble. La grande cohésion du groupe, formé de chefs de file de l’industrie de partout au pays, a fourni un fondement solide sur lequel l'ICI pourra s'appuyer au cours des prochaines années. En conclusion, nous vous remercions de votre soutien constant envers l’ICI. Le temps que vous consacrez à titre de bénévoles fait de l'ICI l’une des plus grandes institutions de notre industrie, et il est grandement apprécié.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful fall!

Nous vous souhaitons un excellent automne à vous et votre famille!

Yours truly,

Sincères salutations.

Don Kottick, FRI, CRES REIC National President

Don Kottick, FRI, CRES Présidente nationale de l’ICI

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REIC Exchange, November 2016

Message From the RVP

MESSAGE From THe RVP Message de

LA vice-PRÉSIDENTE RÉGionale

After serving two years as IREM Regional Vice President, Region 14, my term is coming to an end.

Ron Penner, CPM®, from Winnipeg, will be taking over.

Many of you know Ron as a Past President of REIC, as well as a long standing member of IREM. I know he will do an excellent job representing us all.

Après deux ans à la vice-présidence régionale de l’IREM, région 14, mon mandat prend fin bientôt. Ron Penner, CPM®, de Winnipeg, prendra la relève. Plusieurs d’entre vous connaissent Ron, ancien président de l’ICI, et membre de longue date de l’IREM. Je sais qu’il fera de l’excellent travail pour nous représenter tous.

I had a marvelous term!

J’ai adoré mon mandat! J’ai eu le plaisir de travailler avec de nombreuses sections locales du Canada. Mon voyage à Calgary pour l’événement de la section locale de Milestone de l’an dernier était très intéressant, puisque plusieurs membres ont atteint des jalons importants de notre industrie. Toronto s’est révélé une autre excellente expérience, car Mike Lanning, CPM®, le nouveau président de l’IREM, était présent. Maura McLaren, CAE, directrice générale de l'ICI, ainsi que la section locale de Toronto, avaient organisé des visites de sensibilisation de l’industrie. Dans ma propre section locale de l’IREM de la Colombie-Britannique, j’ai eu l’honneur de faire prêter serment au nouveau conseil d’administration, ce qui est toujours une expérience gratifiante. J’ai eu un privilège similaire au Manitoba, où j’ai assisté à l'AGA de l’automne dernier. J’ai travaillé avec le conseil d’administration de la Saskatchewan, et en raison des restrictions en matière de déplacements, j’ai assisté à l'AGA de manière virtuelle.

La technologie peut être notre amie.

I had the pleasure of working with many Chapters across Canada. My trip to Calgary for the Chapter’s milestone event last year was very interesting as a number of members achieved significant milestones in our industry. Toronto proved to be another great experience, as Mike Lanning, CPM®, incoming IREM President, was in attendance. Maura McLaren, CAE, Executive Director and CEO of REIC, along with the Toronto Chapter, organized a number of industry outreach visits. In my own IREM BC Chapter, I had the delightful job of swearing in the new Board, which is always a rewarding task. I had a similar privilege in Manitoba, when I attended the AGM last fall.

I worked with the Saskatchewan Board, facing the challenge of travel restrictions, and attended the AGM virtually. Technology can be our friend.

All in all, it was a fulfilling two years. The volunteers and staff in IREM and REIC are amazing. In fact, the staff is so great that I’ve agreed to co-chair the International Forum in Chicago next year. I encourage everyone to attend as we have big plans. It will be held at the Hilton Chicago Hotel, October 10th – 13th, 2017.

Come and join us!

Tout bien considéré, les deux dernières années ont été enrichissantes.

Les bénévoles et le personnel de l’IREM et de l'ICI sont extraordinaires. En fait, le personnel est si exceptionnel que j’ai accepté de coprésider le Forum international de Chicago de l’an prochain. Je vous encourage tous à y assister, car nous avons de grands projets. Il se déroulera à l’hôtel Hilton de Chicago, du 10 au 13 octobre 2017.

Joignez-vous à nous!

Based on my experience, Ron, you are set for a couple of wonderful years. I know you’ll enjoy it.

D’après mon expérience, Ron s’apprête à vivre de belles années, qu’il appréciera certainement.

Mary Aubrey, CPM® IREM Regional Vice President, Region 14

Mary Aubrey, CPM® IREM vice-présidente régionale, region 14

www.reic.ca

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PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING

INDUSTRY OUTREACH Toronto CityPlace Walking Tour

By Joanne Vacheresse, CLO

Photos by Laura Rossi

In mid-August, members of the REIC Toronto Chapter and its Board of Directors participated in a walking tour of the Concord CityPlace neighbourhood.

The tour started with an overview of the master planned development by Gabriel Leung, Vice President of Development at Concord Adex. Following this, Joanne Vacheresse, CLO, Manager, Commercial Leasing presented the community’s commercial retail tenant mix, leasing strategy and integration of retail which has further enhanced the vibrancy at CityPlace.

The recently approved CityPlace and Fork York Business Improvement Area (BIA) was highlighted by Andrea McKittrick, Coordinator, Commercial Leasing, who spoke about its short and long term objectives. After a day of taking in the impressive sights on the walking tour, the group gathered at Hunters Landing for a social networking function. It was a very beautiful day for a tour, as the stunning photos will reflect, and overall it was a tremendously successful event.

Highlights of the tour included: Sobeys – This anchor tenant boasts the first Nutella Café in Canada, with second-highest organic food sales in Ontario. It is the highest performing store in the district.

Canoe Landing Park – An urban park designed by Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg in collaboration with Landscape Architects, The Planning Partnership of Toronto, art consultant Karen Mills and Canadian artist Douglas Coupland. It features numerous pieces of public art works and a one-mile run called the Terry Fox Mile.

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REIC Exchange, November 2016

Spectra and Quartz – A pair of multi-faceted residential condominium buildings located adjacent to Canoe Landing Park.

These soaring towers display the distinct permeability of the CityPlace design.

Puente de Luz Bridge – The “bridge of light”, designed by Chilean artist Francisco Gazitua, serves as functional public art connecting Front Street West to CityPlace.

Iceboat Terrace – The city’s first Privately Owned PubliclyAccessible Space (POPS) is located below the Parade towers at CityPlace.

CityPlace and Fort York BIA – The BIA will assist local businesses and property owners to achieve several objectives, including organizing festivals and events to draw attention to CityPlace and Fort York. 

PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING

2017 It’s MEMbERShIP REnEwaL time!

Membership dues notices will be sent out before the end of November.

The deadline to pay your dues is January 31, 2017!

2017 La période de renouvellement des cotisations des membres est arrivée! www.reic.ca

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Property MANAGEMENT

If it 'ain't broke...

IT'S PRETTY RUSTY! (Your Knowledge, Skills and Experience)

By Saadat Keshavjee, CPM®, CMOC

A case for professional development of veteran property management professionals Having been in the profession of property management for over three decades, I cannot help but smile when I hear my colleagues say that they’ve “seen that” or “done that”. We may be getting older and wiser, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that we have all become smarter. Times change, issues change, attitudes change, technology changes and nothing ever stays the same. This fact alone behooves us to keep abreast of evolving dynamics, and embrace continued learning. The kaizen (Japanese for “improvement”) philosophy refers to a non-ending search for improvement, and excellence should be at the forefront of our daily professional processes until we stop working (or living, for that matter).

REIC, in partnership with IREM and real estate boards and associations across Canada, offers a diverse series of professional development courses that range from operational development to human relations, time management, technological advances, and changes to local laws and regulations (to name a few). Professionals who take refresher courses are often steadier in later years, specifically those who take the non-mandatory courses offered in our profession.

For veterans who, like me, work in the property management profession, there are many cross-training courses offered by institutes like REIC and IREM that complement and enrich what we do. If we do not take the next step in this everchanging world, I would argue that we are

actually regressing, and doing ourselves and our clients a disservice. That in itself is a very important reality. We need to embrace the kaizen philosophy and continuously develop ourselves in order to remain on that professional curve.

Top reasons why professionals fail to develop their skill-set: Lack of money: “I can’t afford the course.”

There are company programs and scholarships available to help manage costs.

If you look for them, there are avenues available which will allow your firm to cover part (if not all) of your tuition.

Lack of time: “I’m too busy making a living, or running my business.” Time is an investment; make sure you spend it wisely.

Time management tools can help you achieve more.

Lack of confidence: “I’m too old to start learning”, “I’m embarrassed that younger students may outrun me in class exercises”, “What if my juniors are in the same course with me?” Just wait until these young professionals take over your position!

Formulas for Success:

1 Commit to taking the course(s) required.

The first step is sitting down and developing a plan. Remember, if you do nothing, nothing will happen!

Condominium Property Act, BOMA specs on measurements, investment analysis, human relations, building maintenance, marketing and leasing… the potential for growth is endless!

3 Seek out the courses, delivery style and

locations that best suit your needs. Some courses are offered in classroom settings; others are available on-line. Different people prefer to learn in different ways. There may be courses (such as those offered by IREM) that take place in resort settings like Las Vegas or Phoenix, which may entice you to take a break from mid-winter Canada and learn in a warmer location.

4 Plan some time off. Many corporations will readily offer this in order to promote advancement among their personnel. If you are self-employed, this may even become a tax-deductible expense. Either way, you should commit to doing a course (or two) each year.

5 DO IT! I challenge you to take initiative and commit to completing one new course related to the work you do in your profession. I truly believe that you will return feeling invigorated by the new knowledge (or the reorganization of old knowledge) gained from the experience.

Put a new spring into your professional step.

Happy Planning! 

2 Do a personal needs analysis of areas you could improve, such as enriched software training, landlord and tenant laws, the

Saadat Keshavjee, CPM®, CMOC is an IREM and REIC Instructor. He is active in multifamily, single family and commercial condominium property management for Amhurst Property Management Ltd. in Calgary. He specializes in freelance corporate training and investment counseling , and has actively trained in-house staff for many Canadian property management corporations. Saadat can be reached at saadat@amhurst.net.

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REIC Exchange, November 2016

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

wHAT'S THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO YOU INVESTING IN YOUR OWN Development?

By Mike Figliouolo, SmartBrief.com SmartPulse -- our weekly nonscientific reader poll in SmartBrief on Leadership -- tracks feedback from more than 210,000 business leaders. We run the poll question each week in our e-newsletter.

What's the biggest obstacle to you investing in your own development?

• • • • • •

I don't have time: 42% I don't have budget: 20% I don't need development: 1% I can't find any good development opportunities: 8% My boss won't let me: 7% Some other reason/combination of the above: 23%

Making time important.

for

what's

I'm sure some of the 23% of "other/combo of the above" involves not having time to develop yourself. I'd argue you don't have time to ignore your own development.

If you're not doing your job as efficiently and as effectively as you can, you're wasting time on rework, fixing problems, or generally not knowing the best way to do something.

Unfortunately people don't plan beyond the week ahead. I challenge you to change this dynamic. Carve out some time every quarter to invest in yourself. Allocate the budget to it.

Sometimes all it takes is a day or two for you to build that next level of skills. If you don't set aside the time or the money, it'll never

A TCN Worldwide Member

happen. It's sort of like retirement planning.

It's not up to your boss to figure out your development plan or make it happen. It's purely on you whether you choose to invest in yourself or simply be satisfied with how things are going now. 

Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS and the host of the upcoming Executive Insight 16 — a leadership conference being held in New York this November.

REIC / ICI

Operations Manager - Winnipeg, MB

Commercial Investment Sales industrial, office, rshopping centres, development land

Multi-Residential Investment Sales

Senior Property Administrator - Edmonton, AB

apartment buildings & portfolios, seniors housing

Lease Administrator - Montreal, QC

Retail Leasing

Leasing Representative - Toronto, ON

landlord representation, tenant representation

Office Leasing landlord representation, tenant representation

Property Management commercial, residential

Making A Difference

ottawA • TORONTo • GATINEAU • MONTREAL W W W. P R I M E C O R P. C A • + 1 . 8 8 8 . 7 2 0 . 2 0 2 0

Construction Project Manager - Toronto, ON

Visit www.reic.ca/careers to submit or apply for a job posting Sponsored by:

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REAL ESTATE LAW

Thinking like a lawyer,

aCTING LIKE A LEASING GURU Why Agents Get Sued and How to Prevent It

By Natalka Falcomer, CLO

Lawsuits are not inevitable if you know the most likely reasons why real estate sales reps get sued and how to keep yourself from making fatal mistakes. Here are the top three reasons why you’ll get sued.

Q: What’s the biggest fear most professionals have?

A: Getting sued by a client.

We all fear lawsuits because a lawsuit implies: Poor customer service; lack of knowledge; and an overall failure to do what’s right and what's ethical.

Q: What’s a growing trend?

A: Clients suing.

Agents are faced with managing numerous details, multiple parties and valuable assets.

These hurdles become grueling mountains to climb when you throw in: rushed time lines, emotions and fear of losing the deal. It’s no wonder mistakes happen and clients sue.

Having said that, lawsuits are not inevitable if you know the most likely reasons you’ll get sued and how to protect yourself from making these fatal mistakes.

The Top Three Reasons You’ll Get Sued 1. Failure to Disclose Property Defects We all want to quickly complete a deal and ensure that our clients are happy with the price and expediency. But a great price

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REIC Exchange, November 2016

and a quick close won’t necessarily bar you from facing angry clients - especially if you forget to fully disclose all latent defects. The numbers don’t lie: you’ll be the first to get served with legal papers if your client or the other party discovers defects after a deal closes. Defects can range from improvements without permits, to noises, stigmatized properties, or other nuisances.

You may feel compelled to claim, “I didn’t know, so I’m not responsible!” Sorry, that’s not a defence. The threshold to prove that you were negligent isn’t whether or not you knew at the time, but rather that you should have known. After all, aren’t you supposed to be a real estate professional?

2. Breach of Duty and Negligence If you’re an agent who “dabbles” in different asset classes or locations, be warned: you might be breaching your duty to your client and exposing yourself to claims of negligence. Your client places a high level of trust in you. They believe that you have the expertise you claim and “suggest” by taking on a deal. If you don’t, and if you make a negligent mistake – even if your intentions were good - then be prepared

for a fight in the courtroom. The problem with negligence claims is that it’s difficult to determine if you’ve acted reasonably. This means that, even if you weren’t negligent, you may still face a lawsuit and be left with a soiled reputation.

3. Giving quasi-legal advice Every deal requires legal advice, especially since we’re moving away from non-binding offers to binding leases masquerading as offers. Our increasingly litigious society calls for an extra “layer” of protection by way of a legal review.

Despite the risks agents face – and the fact that agents are signing their clients to binding agreements without proper advice – agents often don’t want to involve lawyers.

They fear that lawyers will kill the deal and slow the process. So, agents might offer some general advice and discourage their clients from getting a legal review. After all, you’ve been doing this for years and you know more than lawyers.

Such an approach is not only problematic for the agent’s reputation, but also their commission. I’ve witnessed many deals die because buyers, sellers, landlords and

prospective tenants use “we didn’t get legal advice” as an excuse to get out of deals. Some clients will then point the finger at the agent, claiming that they never advised them to get the advice they need.

legal threats. Various bodies such as local real estate boards, REIC, and IREM, offer excellent programs and designations that allow you to stay on top of all of the changes in your industry.

What Can You Do to Protect Yourself?

3 Get a professional involved early: Always recommend to clients that professionals get involved early, before anything is “firm”, and make this recommendation in writing. My experience shows that advice on sticky issues early in the process always helps to close the deal faster because everyone is working in tandem and major headaches are anticipated and prevented.

These solutions are so simple, yet rarely followed. If you don’t take a moment to protect everyone’s interests – including yours – then you’ll likely face a disgruntled client and the increasing possibility of a lawsuit. After all, it’s always better to have no deal, then a lawsuit and no deal. 

The most common cause of lawsuits is assuming you know everything and subtly putting your interests ahead of others.

There are three simple panaceas to this litigation cause:

1 Admit when you don’t know: Remain

humble. Neither you nor I know it all. The most dangerous people are those who think what they learned in the past holds true today. It simply doesn’t: laws change, clients change, communication standards change and the product changes.

2 Don’t stop learning: Agents must

constantly educate themselves if they want to call themselves experts. Their knowledge should not only be about local rates and sale prices, but also the potential issues that may arise, such as structural and potential

Natalka Falcomer, CLO is a lawyer, real estate sales agent and Certified Leasing Officer with a passion to make the law accessible and affordable.

She founded, hosts and coproduces a popular legal call-in show on Rogers TV, Toronto Speaks Legal Advice. She founded Groundworks, the only firm specializing in commercial real estate law that offers flat fee rates, online delivery of legal work and a guaranteed turnaround time. Natalka can be reached at natalka@groundworksfirm.com.

5 Reasons to Achieve a

CLo dEsIGnatIon • • • • •

Accelerate your career trajectory Develop superior negotiating skills Gain confidence to handle any lease issue Advance your professional profile Increase your earning potential

I’ve made valuable connections with other REIC Members in my field who provide me with industry insights and job-related resources and tools.

Joanne Vacheresse, CLO

ChaRt YoUR CoURsE. aChIEVE a CLo.

www.reic.ca

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Real Estate Institute of Canada 208-5407 Eglinton Avenue West Toronto, ON M9C 5K6 Tel: 416.695.9000 Fax: 416.695.7230 Email: infocentral@reic.com www.reic.ca Contact Us With Your Questions Today!

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