October 2010 Issue

Issue #256 October 2010

The future of Google Street View2

Real estatein RussiaPage 16

Learn to shed non-paying clients

Page 42

Assist-2-Sell breaks new ground in Nova ScotiaPage 3

Michael and Lisa Doyle

REM OCTOBER 2010 3

lmost 10 years ago,Ha l i f ax -Dar tmouthRealtors Michael and

Lisa Doyle left the world of tradi-tional real estate behind andbecame the first in Canada to pur-chase franchise rights to Reno,Nevada-based Assist-2-Sell. Theconcept was simple: offer con-sumers full service through full-time Realtors for a flat fee, withoutlisting properties on MLS. TheDoyles’ Assist-2-Sell HomeWorksRealty brokerage also offered an“MLS for Less” service, listingproperties on MLS and offeringcompetitive commission rates toco-operating brokers, but stillcharging a flat fee for their own ser-vices; and a “Paperwork Only”option, helping private sellerscomplete their own sales.

Nova Scotia consumersappeared to be more than ready forthis new brokerage approach.

“The phones rang off the hook– the public was dying for a newand innovative way to sell realestate,” says Lisa, broker/owner ofAssist-2-Sell HomeWorks Realty.Their most popular program con-tinues to be what most consumerswant from them today: their non-MLS, flat fee Direct to Buyer pro-gram. Their flat fee begins at$2,995 for houses listed at$200,000 and less; for $200,000 to$300,000 listings it rises to $3,995;for $300,000 to $400,000 listings,it rises to $4,995 and so on.

The Doyles say that no fees arecharged upfront – homeownersonly pay upon closing. If a home-owner opts for the MLS for Lessprogram and Assist-2-Sell finds thebuyer, the firm still will only chargeits flat fee. “It’s not a bait andswitch whereby we’re just trying toget people onto MLS to makemore money; we make the sameamount of money,” says Michael.

Getting past consumers’ con-cerns that a flat fee is a “scam” isone of Assist-2-Sell’s biggest chal-lenges.

“People who call us for the flatfee program are usually shockedthat we do everything we say thatwe’ll do for the flat fee. We do allthe marketing and advertising, weput the signs out and featuresheets, the information box. We do

Assist-2-Sell breaks new ground in N.S.Brokerage’s $2,995 non-MLS flat fee popular with sellers in the Halifax area, but expanding the franchisein Canada hasn’t been easy By Kathy Bevan

A everything a traditional Realtorwould do, other than place the list-ing on the MLS,” says Michael. Headds that their happiest customers,however, are often those who endup working with Assist-2-Sell’sMLS for Less program.

“Maybe they weren’t successfulon the flat fee and they decidedthey want to go on the MLS sys-tem – and then we sold their homeand only charged them a flat fee.That is the happiest guy. Becausethen they realize this never was ascam; this is a real, honest pro-gram.”

The brokerage operates withfive full-time Realtors, supportedby Lisa as broker/owner andMichael as owner/Realtor andthree administrative staff. Theoffice is open seven days a week,with an office staff person thereuntil 9 pm each evening. TheRealtors are paid a flat rate pertransaction and are provided withtheir computers, phones, officeequipment and forms; they pay nodesk fees.

Volume is key to the company’ssuccess to date. The Doyles esti-mate that each of their Realtorssell, on average, five to 10 homes amonth, focusing on single familyhomes and condominiums. In apeak year, they estimate the firmcloses 700 transactions. ForRealtors, one of the best sellingpoints of working at Assist-2-Sell:they don’t have to beat the bushesfor listings, as the company bringsin the leads, focusing on residentialsingle family, semi-detachedhomes and condominiums.

“We take away the stress anddegrading part of sales – cold call-ing and pizza night at the broker-age where you’re calling or walkinga street. Our agents don’t have toresort to all that searching for leads– we give them the leads,” Lisasays.

Finding willing sellers doesn’tseem to be an issue for Assist-2-Sell in the regions where it cur-rently has operations in Canada –finding new franchisees has beenmore of a challenge, says Assist-2-Sell’s Lyle Martin, who co-foundedthe company in 1987 with MaryLaMeres-Pomin. Assist-2-Sell has10 franchisees in Canada (in B.C.,

Ontario and Nova Scotia) com-pared to over 300 offices in theU.S. With the Canadian realestate market in much healthiershape than its counterpart in theU.S., the franchisor is putting anew focus on potential expansionopportunities in Canada.

Martin says that a major barrierto growth in Canada in the pasthas been what it calls CREA’s anti-competitive attitude toward dis-count brokerages, particularlythose promoting an ‘entry-only’MLS program, offering to place

listings on the MLS system only,providing no other real estate ser-vices. Even though Assist-2-Sell’sbusiness model is not built aroundthe entry-only concept, Martinsays his firm was “painted with thesame brush”.

“There was a fear in the realestate community to get involvedwith companies like ours, sothey’ve stayed away. Those whohave ignored that perception andhave bought franchises from ushave done very well, but a lot ofpeople have stayed away, becauseof the posturing by CREA,”Martin says. Now that CREA haschanged some of its rules “we’restarting to get calls from peopleasking us what we’re about.”

Another barrier to expansionin Canada is the same one Assist-2-Sell faces in the U.S.

“Our name still gives peoplethe impression that we’re a do-it-yourself company,” says Martin.“In Canada as in the UnitedStates, we don’t have any problemgetting our message to consumers.Consumers are very responsive toour message, they like what wehave to offer. The big challenge wehave here is getting people over

the perception that we’re a DIYcompany.”

To counter that impression,says Martin, Assist-2-Sell describesitself as “a company of choices”.

“You know with the iPhone,there’s an ad that says ‘there’s anapp for that’? We love that – it’s agreat commercial. Well, we look atit the same way. With Assist-2-Sell, what do you need, as a buyeror as a seller? We have an app forthat, we have a solution,” saysMartin.

What the franchisor, and itspremier franchisee in Canada,have yet to find a solution for iswhat they see as CREA’s restrictiveadvertising policies, which meanthat Assist-2-Sell HomeWorks, forexample, has to include a verylengthy CREA-approved dis-claimer in all its ads mentioning itsfees and how much money thecompany is saving consumers.

“CREA’s Article 15 is designedto make people believe that theonly way you can sell real estate is

through MLS, there’s going to be abuyer agent, a seller agent, all thesepeople potentially have to beinvolved in the sale of your home,”says Michael. “That’s what keepscommission rates where they are. Itmakes it very difficult for any dis-count model to come in and offersomething different. I want any-body to be able to offer what theywant – if they want to offer a dol-lar, let’s see how many homes theysell.”

If Assist-2-Sell HomeWorks’early experience within theHalifax-Dartmouth real estatemarket is any indication, time maybe on the company’s side, aschanges continue to work theirway through the industry. They arenow a well-established local busi-ness, but when the Doyles firstopened their Assist-2-Sell fran-chise in 2001, they faced a solidblock of opposition from other bro-kers and Realtors.

Michael and Lisa Doyle (Photo by Dan Callis)

Lyle Martin

Continued on page 4

4 REM OCTOBER 2010

PublisherHEINO MOLLS

email: [email protected]

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Director, Sales & MarketingDENNIS ROCK


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s Canada’s housing market“an accident waiting to hap-pen” as a recent report sug-

gests, or are Canadian housingpolicies working well to “mitigatethe risk of a massive wave ofdefaults in the future” as anotherreport says?

The first report, by DavidMacdonald of the CanadianCentre for Policy Alternatives,says Canada has a housing bubblebecause house price increases inToronto, Vancouver, Calgary,Edmonton, Montreal and Ottawabetween 1980 and 2010 “are out-side of a historic comfort level.”

“The bursting of housing bub-bles is a rare event in Canada, but

Is it a bubble or a soft landing?Economists split on whether the housing market is “an accident waiting to happen”

the steep rise in house prices in somany cities displays all the hall-marks of an accident waiting tohappen,” says Macdonald. “Ashouse prices rise outside of theirhistorical range they become muchmore susceptible to mortgage ratechanges. The hottest six real estatemarkets could be in for a correc-tion at best or, at worst, a bubbleburst. Rate setters at the big banksare in the driver’s seat now as mort-gage rates inch up. They need tohit the brakes lightly.”

But Mario Lefebvre of theConference Board of Canada isone of many economists who dis-agree with Macdonald’s view.

“Let’s put things in perspective:

the Canadian housing market hasgenerally been booming for about adecade now (except for a slow-down during the recession), andthe Conference Board of Canadahas long claimed.…the marketwould have to come back to morenormal levels of activity,” saysLefebvre. “This is what’s happen-ing right now. It has to be stressedthat 24 of 48 markets are currentlyshowing a balanced stance in theirexisting home markets, a sign thatthe recent large declines in saleshave more to do with a return tomore normal levels of activity thanthe start of a steep downturn.”

Lefebvre says, “We are not theU.S. The house price bubble in the

United States came about due toelements that have less to do witheconomic fundamentals than withU.S.-specific laws…If anything,Canada will see a pause in homeprice growth with possible margin-al declines in a few markets, butnothing near what the UnitedStates has been through.”

Another report, by JimMacGee of the C.D. Howe insti-tute, concludes that Canadianhousing policies have done a goodjob to ensure that a U.S.-stylehousing market crash is not likelyto happen here.

“Canadian housing policies,which avoided the sharp decline inunderwriting standards seen in the

U.S, worked well in reducing thepossibility of a housing bust inCanada during 2008-2009, andcontinue to mitigate the risk of amassive wave of defaults in thefuture,” says MacGee.

Canada Mortgage and HousingCorp. predicts that existing homemarket conditions will remain bal-anced during the next two years asMLS sales ease and inventory lev-els remain elevated. It forecaststhat “existing home sales will be inthe range of 450,000 to 485,700units in 2010, with a point forecastof 463,800 units. In 2011, MLSsales will move lower and areexpected to be in the range of425,000 to 490,700 units, with apoint forecast of 456,000 units.”

It says that with an improvedbalance between demand and sup-ply, the average MLS price isexpected to edge lower throughthe end of 2010 and then rise mod-estly in 2011. REM

I

Judge grants class-action status toCentury 21 lawsuit in the U.S.

n eight-year-old lawsuitclaiming Century 21Real Estate Corp. and its

parent company misused fran-chisee proceeds after Century 21was sold in 1995 has new legs,after a judge granted the caseclass-action status.

Attorneys who filed the law-suit say the class certified by NewJersey Suprerior Court JudgeRobert J. Brennan includes atleast 1,000 current and formerCentury 21 franchisees in theU.S., and possibly 4,000 or more.It does not affect Century 21Canada, which has differentownership, or its franchises.

In a press release, attorneys forthe plaintiffs said they estimatedamages suffered “may total in thehundreds of millions of dollars.”

The lawsuit charges thatCentury 21 and its parent compa-ny failed to provide the requiredlevel of services, and misappropri-ated fees paid by franchisees intoa national advertising fund.

In a statement, Century 21parent company Realogy Corp.says the claims in the 2002 law-suit “were without merit, andthey remain so today.”

“We have capably managedthe Century 21 brand since itsacquisition in 1995 and havecontinuously enhanced the brandthrough many market cycles,including the worst downturn inhousing in the history of ourcountry,” Realogy says.

The lawsuit “does not proper-ly reflect the strong relationshipswe have with our current fran-

chisees,” Realogy says, promisingto “aggressively defend” againstits claims.

The 2002 lawsuit was filed onbehalf of five Century 21 broker-ages in Florida, Michigan,Arizona and New Jersey, andsought class-action certificationto expand its reach to other bro-kers.

With class certification, anyCentury 21 franchisee activefrom August 1995 to April 2002and whose franchise agreementcontains a clause stipulatingthat legal disputes be resolvedin New Jersey is a potentialclass member. The lawsuitnames as a defendant Realogy’spredecessor company CendantCorp., which was known asHospitality Franchise Systems

Inc. at the time of the Century21 acquisition.

After acquiring Century 21from Metropolitan Life InsuranceCo., Cendant also began buyingall of the previously independentregional Century franchisors, andtook charge of a $40-million-a-year national advertising fund,the lawsuit alleged.

Franchisees paid two per centof their gross revenue into thefund, on top of a six per cent fran-chise service fee, the complaintsaid.

The lawsuit alleges that rev-enue from the fund was divertedfor uses that did not benefitCentury 21 franchisees, such asthe promotion of Cendant-ownedcompetitors Coldwell Banker andERA.— Inman News REM

A

Assist-2-SellContinued from page 3

“I joke that for the first threeyears, my full-time job was han-dling professional standardscomplaints. Letters came in ona weekly basis to our associa-tion, asking them to shut usdown – they wanted us stopped,to go away,” Lisa says. “And itwas all because we were adver-tising our fee. ‘We sell homes for$2,995.’ No one had ever donethat before.”

A decade later, Assist-2-SellHomeWorks has demonstratedthat its business model can suc-cessfully work side-by-side withthe traditional brokerages. Lisarecalls with great pride a com-ment from one of the boardmembers of the Nova ScotiaReal Estate Commission, tellingthem that their brokerage haschanged the way real estate isbeing done in Nova Scotia.

“We take that as a hugecompliment, because it was ahard go at the beginning.”

REM

Karen Smith

1-800-446-8737 | Century21.caIndependently Owned and Operated. ® TM, trademarks of Century 21 Real Estate LLC, used under license. ®™ Trademarks of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under license by LoyaltyOne, Inc. and Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership.

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Multiple ListingsDo you have news to share with Canada’s real estate community?Let REM know about it! Email: [email protected]

By Jim Adair

entury 21 B.J. Roth Realtyhas relocated itsPenetanguishene office to

Midland, Ont. “Since our move,we have gone from two agents toeight and we are still growing. Weare working to expand our residen-tial division and as well we wouldlike to expand our commercialdepartment in Midland and will beseeking out salespeople to fill keyroles,” says Bernie Roth, ownerand broker of record of the company.

The brokerage has been in the

C Simcoe County area for almost 30years. It has five offices and over150 sales reps.

■ ■ ■

George O’Neill recentlyopened O’Neill Real EstateLimited, a boutique real estate bro-kerage serving The Beach anddowntown Toronto.

“We do not aspire to be thebiggest, but we do aspire to be thebest in the eyes of our clients,” saysO’Neill. He says the business isbased on “core values of client first,

transparency, old-fashioned hon-est service, coupled with contem-porary digital and social mediamarketing.”

O’Neill is a second-generationbroker, and “proudly continues thetradition started by his parents intheir New Brunswick brokerage,”he says. He is active on socialmedia sites, host of a daily realestate video blog, and a speakerand educator on marketing andrunning a professional brokerage.He also founded the annual fallconference, Real Estate MarketingSummit.

■ ■ ■

Century 21 expanded its pres-

George O’Neill Jim Holody

Blair Gordon Bernie Roth

Tanya Lemcke

Jeanette Vallance

Angie Foster

Kevin Grimes

Gary Kuchik

Radio personality Arlene Bynon and Lou Berkovits of Re/Max UltimateRealty host a radio show every second Sunday.

ence on Vancouver Island, B.C.with the recent addition ofCentury 21 Gold River Realty inGold River. Broker/owner JanetScotland has more than 15 years ofexperience in the real estate indus-try and six years of experience inthe finance industry.

“Gold River Realty has been inbusiness since 1982, under theownership and stewardship ofLorraine Welch,” says Scotland.“Lorraine sold the business to meand my partner, Brian Dickson, inApril. Lorraine is still on the teamas a sales representative, along withJudy McLean and DonnaReynolds. Derek Madson hasjoined the team as property man-ager and Michael Ilnitsky as salesrep for the Comox Valley.”

The brokerage is a full servicereal estate office specializing inrural and commercial properties,leases and agricultural transac-tions. The office serves the com-munities of Gold River and Tahsis.It also serves the Campbell Riverarea and North Island from itsnewly opened satellite office inCampbell River.

■ ■ ■

Jim Holody, broker/owner ofthe brokerage formerly operatingas Coldwell Banker 1st LondonReal Estate Services in London,Ont. has joined the RoyalLePage franchise network.Holody’s company operatesunder the new name RoyalLePage 1st London Real Estate

Services, and includes a team of57 sales reps.

■ ■ ■

Century 21 Vegreville is nowserving the community ofVegreville, Alta., operated by bro-ker/owner Gary Kuchik. He hasbeen in the real estate industry for20 years.

“We’re a friendly bunch and weare always eager to help our clientsin any way we can. Many of ourclients are repeat customers, and Icredit that to our amazing agentsand office staff,” says Kuchik.

It’s a full-service brokerage spe-cializing in residential, commer-cial, acreages, farmland and vacantlot sales in Vegreville and sur-rounding areas, including TwoHills, Lavoy, Mundare, Ranfurlyand Willingdon. Century 21Vegreville also assists clients withtheir construction needs throughGar/Max Home Constructioncompany.

■ ■ ■

Sales rep Lou Berkovits hasjoined Re/Max Ultimate Realty inToronto. Berkovits is an experi-enced full-time Realtor and can beheard on his own radio show calledInside Real Estate, every otherSunday morning on AM640. Theshow discusses the current market,emerging trends and the valuesand benefits of using a Realtor.

■ ■ ■

Century 21 Lemcke RealEstate Services recently opened inWestport, Ont. in the RideauLakes area. Broker/owner TanyaLemcke, who has been a memberof the Century 21 System since2005, received her broker’s licenseearly this year.

“I began my career with another franchise company inBurlington, but shortly after start-ing my real estate career, my fami-ly and I moved back to my home-town of Westport,” she says. “Ijoined Century 21 so I could men-tor under my mother, LoisLemcke, who has been withCentury 21 for years.”

Westport is north of Kingstonand is within easy driving distanceto Ottawa, Perth, Kingston andBrockville. “Westport itself offersfantastic waterfront and residentialprices and is a hidden gem thatmost buyers feel fortunate to havecome across,” says Lemcke.

Continued on page 8

R7

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■ ■ ■

Broker Jeanette Vallanceopened Vision Realty Windsor,serving Windsor and EssexCounty, Ont., about a year ago andthe firm has grown to include nineRealtors. A consistent sales leadersince she started her real estatecareer, Vallance has been in thebusiness since 2005. She says shewants to work with other salespeo-ple who are looking to do well andbecome sales leaders in the busi-ness. Her motto is “where servicesoars.”

She says her office’s strengthis a willingness of the sales repsto share information and helpeach other grow in a team envi-ronment of mentorship, supportand training.

“The Realtors here get a gen-uine feeling of trust and supportthat is proving to make a big differ-ence in their careers,” she says.

■ ■ ■

Carl Sharpe has been namedmanager of recruiting at ExitRealty on the Rock in St. John’s,Nfld., in addition to his currentrole as manager of special projects.Sharpe has 30 years of combinedmanagement experience in retailand the real estate industry.

“Carl is the perfect fit for thisand for our growth in

Multiple ListingsContinued from page 6

Newfoundland,” says AnneSquires, franchisee of Exit Realtyon the Rock. “With over 90 agentsand a focus on continually improv-ing our productivity, Carl is theultimate talent scout. He has com-pleted provincial and internationaltraining in recruiting and is wellversed and knowledgeable in lead-ing new recruits in preparation fortheir career.”

■ ■ ■

Mike Cartwright recentlyopened an independent brokerage,Main Street Realty in Newmarket,Ont.

“We offer a full-service broker-age with 100 per cent of the com-mission going to the agent,” saysCartwright. “We are located inthe historic downtown area ofNewmarket and have quicklygrown in two weeks to 23 salespeople.”

Cartwright’s wife Dianna is asales rep for the new company.They were an award-winning teamfor Sutton Group in the area for 15years, and have been selling realestate in the Newmarket area for17 years.

“Our motto at Main StreetRealty is, ‘You can have it all atMain Street...The Cheaper FeesYou Want and The Training YouDeserve’,” says Mike Cartwright.“Our fee structure is simple – $99per month and $399 per deal.After you do 10 deals the fee drops

to $199 per deal. No charge on res-idential leases and double enddeals are one transaction. This,with a professional trainer we havehired, I believe will help our agentssucceed at a higher level.”

■ ■ ■

Century 21 Foothills RealEstate, one of Southern Alberta’slargest real estate companies, hasmoved its Black Diamond office toTurner Valley. Since opening itsoriginal office locations in HighRiver and Okotoks, the brokeragehas expanded its territory throughto Lethbridge, Taber, PincherCreek and now Turner Valley.

Blair Gordon, broker/owner ofthe company, has more than 30years of experience in the industryand has been a member of theCalgary Real Estate Board since1977.

“I specialize mostly in commer-cial real estate and leasing. As wellas a leading residential sales force,within the office we have severalassociates that specialize in countryresidential and rural agriculture.Operating out of our Lethbridgelocation, we have a special teamcalled the Eco Agents that special-ize in ‘green’ real estate,” saysGordon.

“We operate in a location thatprides itself on small town valuesand loyalty. Not only is our areastunning with views of the RockyMountains and slow rolling hillsand valleys, it offers towns that are

experiencing enormous growth. Sowhether a client is looking for theconveniences of the city or thequietness of the country, theFoothills offers it all.”

■ ■ ■

Valerie and Kim Connell, fran-chisees of Exit Realty Town andCountry in Greenwood, N.S.,have appointed Angie Foster tomanage the Kentville/New Minasterritory.

“Angie Foster came to us threeyears ago, already a licensedRealtor and with 16 years of expe-rience in retail and finance. Shesold real estate and mortgages inthe Kentville area for two majorlending brands,” says ValerieConnell. Since joining Exit, “shehas played a pivotal role in thegrowth of the Kentville office, tak-ing it from a satellite location to atrue competitor in the market-place. She annually makes Exit’sprovincial Top 10 roster and shehas led the Kentville office in salesand listing production,” Connellsays.

■ ■ ■

Kevin Grimes and JacalynFeenstra have joined the manage-ment team at Century 21 YourChoice Realty in Smiths Falls,Ont. Grimes is the broker ofrecord. He has seven years of expe-rience in the real estate industryand became a broker earlier thisyear. He is also the current presi-dent of the Rideau St. LawrenceReal Estate Board.

Feenstra has been in the realestate industry for five years andwill complete her broker’s licensethis fall.

Former owner and broker NanBell has been involved with theCentury 21 System for more than20 years and continues to work atthe brokerage.

“The new owners are young,full of great ideas and really lookingforward to getting right into the

workings of Century 21,” says Bell.“We have already seen an increasein sales and in listings. They have areally good team here and weintend to set the town on fire. Ournew location is prime and is shap-ing up very nicely,” she says.

■ ■ ■

Eastron Realty (2008) ofKingston, Ont. has become thenewest member of the AventureRealty Network. Owners and bro-ker of record Tracey Poyton,Andy Thompson and MichelleScott, together with a staff of expe-rienced Realtors, operate through-out the Kingston, Napanee andGananoque marketplace. “Thisaddition extends Aventure to over60 member locations coast tocoast, bringing together many ofthe leading independent broker-ages in Canada,” says Aventurepresident Bernie Vogt.

■ ■ ■

Century 21 Seaside Realty inWhite Rock, B.C., recentlyopened a satellite office in 100Mile House, B.C. The office man-agers, Ingrid and Gerhard Berger,work closely with owners HeatherAtkinson and Geoff Lloyd.

“We have had a lot of walk-insbecause people have gone on toour website and were able toresearch properties in our region.People stop by just to say howhappy they are that Century 21 isback in town after a nine-yearabsence,” says Berger. “Currentlywe are a small office with threesales professionals, but we are plan-ning to expand in the very nearfuture.”

Atkinson says, “Our new officemanagers are fluent in German.They have a big referral networkfrom Germany and are veryinvolved in the community affairsof the town.”

■ ■ ■

From left: Tracey Poyton, Andy Thompson, Michelle Scott Carl SharpeGeoff Lloyd Dianna Cartwright

Jacalyn Feenstra Heather Atkinson Mike Cartwright Continued on page 34

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10 REM OCTOBER 2010

Karen Floodaren Flood, 49, broker ofRe/Max Hallmark Realty inPort Carling and past president

of The Muskoka & HaliburtonAssociation of Realtors (MHAR), losther battle with cancer on August 11.

She served as president of MHARthree times and she was a current mem-ber of the MHAR Board of Directors.

In a note to REM, the associationsays, “Karen had many friends through-out the area and because of her involvement in organized realestate, was well known by many, at both the provincial andnational level. Karen was always the first to volunteer for any pro-ject and used her strong negotiating skills to solve issues at theassociation and throughout her real estate career.

“Karen is survived by her mother Maria Schwab, sisters Lindaand Chris, her brother Peter and many nieces and nephews.Fondly remembered, sadly missed.” REM

Metro Vancouver builderMorningstar Homes says it istaking a direct approach in keep-ing B.C.’s Harmonized Sales Tax(HST) as simple as possible, real-izing that mixed messages havecirculated about the new tax andhow it affects the price of a newhome. The builder is offeringnew homes at prices that are lessthan comparable used homeseven with the HST included.

Buyers can purchase a newMorningstar home inAbbotsford’s Pepin Brook devel-opment for $519,900 includingHST. Resale listings for compa-rable used homes in theAbbotsford area have an averageprice of $556,048, the buildersays.

“Morningstar’s homes inPepin Brook are an opportunityto own a new home in a greatlocation for less money,” saysBob Morse, president of

O B I T U A R Y

K

New homescheaper thanresale, says B.C.builder

Morningstar Homes. “We haveworked with our building tradesto make sure that any savingsfrom the removal of the sevenper cent PST has been passed onto our buyers. We are also gener-ally encouraging our trades andsuppliers to lower their prices tous so that we can offer homes ata lower cost without sacrificingthe high quality craftsmanshipbuyers have come to expect.”

On top of lower home coststhat include HST, Morse saysthere are other sources of valuefor buyers. The five-year fixedmortgage interest rates are nowconsiderably lower than theywere last March. “Add it all upand this is a great time to buy anew Morningstar home,” Morsesays.

Morningstar Homes is one ofBritish Columbia’s largestbuilders of single family homes.

REM

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Google Street View enables house hunters to look

beyond the listings and view property at ground level or take a stroll around the neighbourhood. Following the Canadian debut of Street View last October, more than 150 cities and towns across Canada were covered by February, enabling Internet users to visit maps.google.ca and view properties at street level simply by dragging an icon shaped like a person on to a map.

In the U.S., Trulia incorporated Street View technology into its homes for sale, recently sold homes and property records (http://info.trulia.com/index.php?s=43&item=33) and there are signs that real estate agents are beginning to do the same here in Canada. Gary Little (www.garylittle.ca) of Royal LePage Sunshine Coast in Sechelt, B.C., provides house hunters with a map of property for sale on the Sunshine Coast with listing locations flagged as house, condo/townhouse or manufactured home. Internet users can access Google Street View either by dragging the Street View icon on to the map or by clicking the Street View button that appears on a property’s information page.

Little has this advice: “If you’re going to incorporate Street View for a specific listing, make it easy to use. When Street View first comes up, make sure it’s oriented properly so that your property is front and centre. Also include basic navigation instructions nearby – the standard Google controls are not particularly intuitive and need some explanation.”

Dean Birks of Royal LePage Prince George Real Estate (www.deanbirks.com) has integrated

Google Street View on his website by offering maps with flagged listing locations along with the GSV icon, which can be dragged on to the map to provide a street level view of the property. Dean says, “Even though Street View can have dated images I think it is a great way for clients to view the surrounding homes and area. To start you have to go to Google maps and find the home you want to use. Once you see it, then in the top right corner click on the ‘link’ button, then click on ‘customize and preview embedded map’ (bottom of the box area). Pick the size you want and then copy and paste the code provided below into your site or blog.”

It’s already possible to get a sense of what the future holds for Google Street View by looking at some of the third party mashup apps appearing on the Internet – such as Paul Hagon’s Then and Now Flickr and Google Street View site (http://www.paulhagon.com/thenandnow/). It takes historic images from photo sharing site Flickr and compares them with the same locations today.

The idea of Google Street View making use of photographs from image repositories like Flickr has been eagerly embraced by Google too, which is offering access to them via Street View. Although it’s still the early days for this feature, with the focus more on popular tourist destinations (see http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2010/02/navigate-your-way-through-user-photos.html), it provides a glimpse of a future Street View that might also include real estate agents’ and other users’ photos of properties. It’s also possible to sign up to Panoramio using a Google Account to upload up

to 2GB of photos for free and create a map pinpointing where they were taken. Besides making use of user photos, footage from local traffic cams might also be displayed – a feature that is already available on CanPages.ca, providing commuters with info on a potential new location from a travel perspective.

Google Street View’s main rival, Microsoft Bing maps, already allows you to create a real estate photosynth – essentially a 3D image made up from a number of photos of a property taken from different angles and

locations. It can even include animations that let the user zoom in. This can all be added to Bing’s ‘streetside’ ground level view.

For instructions on how to do this visit Microsoft’s Photosynth blog (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/photosynth/archive/2009/12/01/photosynths-in-bing-maps-dive-in.aspx). For now Microsoft Bing’s rival tool is limited to a ‘TechPreview’ that includes Vancouver, San Francisco and Seattle. But with Microsoft’s Bing potentially offering seamless transitions between street level images thanks to both Photosynth and Silverlight plugins, Google is likely to be forced into developing a slicker Street View that offers

smooth panning and variable perspectives.

Research is being carried out at the University of Ottawa on technology that would be capable of offering Internet users a selection of angles from which to view property, as well as seamless transitions as house hunters view properties from both the inside and outside. Images are captured using a Point Grey Ladybug omnidirectional camera, consisting of six cameras in one housing. The manufacturer’s photo stitching software then

combines the images with the help of a few of the university’s own stitching algorithms to create a kind of street view that offers Internet users more freedom of movement.

Panoramic views in outdoor environments are created through the use of an electronic scooter equipped with camera, laptop and GPS. Professor Eric Dubois says, “This technology could be used to visit existing homes in a fashion similar to current virtual tours but with free motion throughout the property. We also want to be able to add or remove objects, which might be interesting in visualizing how a property would look with different furniture or

arrangement.” The technology should be available within two to three years.

Google Street View, Bing Streetside and the University of Ottawa’s project are all likely to face challenges ranging from privacy concerns to the difficulty of keeping images up to date in a changing world. But there are some exciting possibilities for tomorrow’s real estate views – Microsoft is already promising compass directions, 360-degree panoramas and street names to help orientate streetside users (http://www.bing.com/toolbox/

blogs/maps/archive/2010/02/11/new-bing-maps-application-streetside-photos.aspx).

Gary Little adds: “Perhaps we’ll also see the ability to record movements around a Street View panorama. You could then send the recording to a prospective buyer to show him, for example, how to make his way from the house of interest to the beach.”

With increasing numbers of digital cameras capable of automatically geocoding property pictures using GPS, and increasing integration with public photos, tomorrow’s street views are likely to be very powerful tools. REM

The future of Google Street View12 REM OCTOBER 2010

Sales rep Gary Little of Royal LePage Sunshine Coast in Sechelt, B.C. offers Google Street View on his own listings map application.

With Google Street View already integrated into real estate sites like Trulia, we look at how the next generation of Canadian real estate apps will make use of Street View.By Petra Jones

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y sons recently startedtalking about beingcool, and I recalled my

own teenage years and the need tobe cool. That driving desire dic-tated the clothes I wore, the musicI listened to, and what subjects Ibecame conversant in. And yet,despite all my motivation andeffort, it remained elusive.

When I look back, I can seethat all I really wanted was to beaccepted, liked and admired. Butwhatever I tried, I never quite

THE UN-COMFORT ZONE

By Robert Wilson

How cool are you?

M

felt cool enough. The problemwas that I didn’t really under-stand the term until I’d spent afew years living and working inthe real world.

So I explained to my kids,“Cool is when there’s a problemand you do not get upset by it.When everyone else is panicking,rushing around and over reacting,the cool person is the one whostays calm, assesses the situationand then makes a reasoned deci-sion on what to do. ”

One day, I’ll tell them aboutFrances Healan, my friend whocompletely owned this concept.Mrs. Healan walked with a limp,and I learned that she had suf-fered a severe injury to her hipand pelvis. Her doctor told hershe would never walk again. Hisdiagnosis was unacceptable. Shehad three daughters and twosons, all less than two yearsapart, with whom she had tokeep up. Instead she ignored thepain and struggled with crutches,

then canes, before walking underher own power again. I neveronce knew her to mention thegreat pain she continued toendure.

I met her when my friendTony started dating Becky, thewildest of her children, and Idated Becky’s best friend. It waswhile Tony and I waited for ourdates to get ready, that I learnedwhat an amazing conversational-ist Mrs. Healan was. She wouldtalk of her family and friends, ofmovies and novels. Pleasant sto-ries that had no impact on mylife or the world, and yet theywere irresistibly soothing andpeaceful. Meanwhile, with fiverambunctious kids and theirfriends, hers was the house onthe street where everything hap-pened. It was a tumultuous envi-ronment of laughter onemoment and tears the next asyoung personalities came togeth-er and then clashed. Nothingever seemed to rattle Mrs.

Healan; she was always calm andrelaxed.

Tony and Becky didn’t lastvery long, but I refused to give upthose wonderful conversationsand started showing up just tohang out. Over the years, I real-ized that whenever my own lifegot a little stressed, I was drawnto the Healan household. Oncethere I would just sit and listento Mrs. Healan’s stories andabsorb her serene energy. I wasrejuvenated by her presence.

I never planned any of thosevisits. I would just start to feelthe need, and before I knew it, Iwas in the car driving. Those vis-its continued for years.Eventually the cumulativeresponsibilities of work, marriageand children made my life toobusy for the simple pleasure ofspending an afternoon with Mrs.Healan.

A few years ago she died oflung cancer. Frances was never asmoker, but a critical spot on her

lung was missed on a routinechest x-ray. Her oncologist saidthat if he’d seen the x-ray whenit was taken, he could have savedher life. Despite that, FrancesHealan was never bitter.

Even though I had not seenher in years, her children calledme to visit on her last day. WhenI arrived, her daughter Judy said,“Look Mama, it’s Bobby Wilson.”Mrs. Healan raised her head andsaid, “Bobby Wilson! Who’sdying?” We all laughed. Thatmoment sums up her life for me.Facing death, she maintained hersense of humour. She was quitesimply the coolest person I’ve everknown.

Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. is amotivational speaker and humorist.He works with companies that wantto be more competitive and with peo-ple who want to think like innova-tors. For more information on hisprograms visit www. jumpstarty-ourmeeting.com. REM

16 REM OCTOBER 2010

The real estate brokerage industry is still a relatively

new phenomenon for Russia. During Soviet times there were no registered real estate agents and brokers in the country, due to a ban on buying and selling real estate properties.

The only legitimate way to exchange an apartment or to improve living conditions for Soviet citizens was an appeal to The Bureau of Exchange of Living Floor Space, which dealt mainly with the exchange of residential apartments. Real estate agencies and residential brokers were officially banned by the state.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, lots of real estate agencies have been established in Russia, with most of the brokers focussing on the secondary residential real estate market. Currently more than 70 per cent of transactions in Moscow’s resale market (the largest in Russia) are completed with the participation of residential agents.

Most of the Russian real estate companies specialize in the residential market. As a rule, most of them are small companies that employ about 10 agents. Such firms operate in most cities of Russia.

There are also companies that, in addition to typical broker activities, are involved in the construction of residential complexes. They invest money in home building and focus on other types of investment activities.

One reason why real estate brokers in Russia have been successful is because of their ability not only to find good options for their clients, but to collect all the necessary transactional documents in a relatively short time.

The procedure of buying or

selling a house in Russia remains highly bureaucratic. After signing an agreement with the client, the real estate agent becomes fully responsible for the completion of the deal. High levels of bureaucracy and corruption often lead to a significant delay in closings. Most of the brokers have the right “connections” with regulatory authorities to help them accelerate completion of the transactions.

The first private real estate agencies were established in Russia in the early 1990s. By 2009 in Moscow, the number of agencies reached 2,000 companies. Among Russia’s biggest real estate companies are Moscow-based Mian, Miel, Inkom and others. In addition to broker services, most of them are involved in property development activities, through the implementation of multi-million dollar investment projects in the country’s construction and real estate industry.

For instance, Inkom agency specializes in the construction of cottage villages on a credit basis, selling homes directly to its customers. Miel is a co-investor in the construction of apartment complexes in Moscow and in some foreign countries, in particular in Latvia.

In 1993 the Russian Guild of Realtors was founded, and by 2009 it was comprised of 59 regional guilds and organizations throughout Russia.

In contrast to the U.S. and Canada, an MLS type of system is not widely used in Russia, although it has already been introduced in some regions of the country.

There’s still a lack of trust among the agents and brokers. They are reluctant to share information about their customers with competitors.

Most of the Russian agents prefer to search for customers and properties through the use of professional databases and real estate agency websites, as well as special newspapers that publish private ads for buying/selling apartments. After finding an attractive option, the broker contacts the client in order to negotiate conditions of possible co-operation, as well as the amount of his commission fees.

According to GdeEtotDom, Russia’s analytical real estate portal, the average annual income of Moscow real estate agents is estimated at $60,000 to $70,000(US). About 20 per cent of agents earn more than $70,000 a year. The incomes of real estate professionals in the Russian province is much lower.

As a rule, a typical Russian agent with good experience is able to complete from two to six transactions per month. The minimum commission fee is 1.5 per cent of the cost of the apartment. The average fee of an experienced agent is not less than three per cent of the purchase price, while in the elite segment the commission is even higher.

Until 2000, Russian real estate practitioners were obliged to obtain a license for their activities. The cost of a license for a real estate agency ranged from $5,000 to $10,000, while firms provided guarantees for the state to pay for special training for their employees. In 2002, the need for licensing was abolished, which resulted in a decline of the skill level of Russian salespeople.

Now Russian real estate agencies often hire people who do not have any skills, experience or even minimal knowledge of the current legislation in the field of real estate, with the result that customers suffer both moral and

material damage. The situation is aggravated by the fact that currently there are no specialized educational institutions in Russia (except for short-term courses), that efficiently train future salespeople.

The global recession negatively affected the demand for real estate broker services in Russia, with many agencies being forced to leave the market or to go to the related sectors. According to analysts at Doki Agency, another of Russia’s largest real estate firms, last year the total revenue of Moscow agents and brokers reached 7.2 billion rubles ($210 million US), which is 42 per cent less than in 2008.

The total number of transactions in Moscow in 2009 reached 55,674. Of these, 46 per cent were handled by the largest real estate agencies.

More than half of real estate transactions were conducted with the participation of independent brokers who took some of the market away from real estate agencies. Doki Agency CEO Leonid Menshikov says this was because of a fall in demand for real estate and fewer transactions for new and high-end housing.

Still, since the beginning of this year, the Russian real estate

market is steadily growing and the largest real estate agencies have already reached pre-crisis indicators.

Lyudmila Zaitseva, president of Russia’s Regional Guild of Realtors, says, “Currently, the Russian real estate business is recovering from the crisis, with an ever-growing number of transactions. I believe that the worst is already behind it, and today the prospects of the market are bright.”

The Russian residential real estate market is steadily developing, thanks to ongoing construction of new housing and the increase of the number of construction firms.

Since the early 2000s, the Russian government has worked to solve the problem of the country’s decaying housing stock, through the implementation of a number of federal programs aimed at improving the living conditions of citizens and stimulating growth in demand for real estate – and at the same time, for the services of real estate brokers.

Based in Moscow, Eugene Vorotnikov is a former real estate broker. He is now an international writer for property and real estate magazines. REM

Russia’s evolving real estate industryThey don’t trust MLS and no licenses are required, but real estate agencies have been taking hold in Russia.By Eugene Vorotnikov

The average Moscow real estate agent makes $60,000 to $70,000 (US) annually.

Letters to the Editor18 REM OCTOBER 2010

n Alliston, Ont. manwho traded in realestate without being

registered and defrauded poten-tial investors in the Barrie area ofalmost $90,000 was sentenced to15 months in jail and ordered topay restitution.

Terry D. Graham, who waswanted on a bench warrant afterfailing to appear on two similarcharges in Mississauga, must alsoserve two years probation begin-ning on the date of his release.Sentencing related to theMississauga charges is pending.

Tim Snell, counsel for theReal Estate Council of Ontario(RECO), had asked that Grahamreceive a sentence of 18 to 20months in jail.

The sentence follows a guiltyplea in April to eight counts oftrading in real estate whileunregistered and eight counts offailing to deposit trust money.Graham, formerly of Oro, Ont.,had been charged in October2008 with six offences under theReal Estate and Business BrokersAct, 2002 (REBBA 2002), but

public response to the advisoryposted on RECO’s website led toadditional complaints andcharges.

Graham, who is not registeredto trade in real estate in Ontario,had pleaded guilty to representinghimself as a registered real estatesalesperson and performing theservices of a brokerage in realestate transactions. He also plead-ed guilty to accepting trustdeposits from consumers for realestate trades, and then failed todeposit the funds into a trustaccount as required underREBBA 2002.

“I think it’s important to notethat consumers were not able torecover their deposits because Mr.Graham was not registered,” saysSnell in a news release, “andtherefore, was not insured.”

All registered real estate pro-fessionals in Ontario are requiredby law to participate in RECO’sinsurance program. Consumerdeposit insurance offers protec-tion in the event of fraud, insol-vency or misappropriation offunds by a registrant. REM

Leaky faucet or ghost?his morning I received acopy of the article enti-tled Is it a leaky faucet or a

ghost? (REM, September) from afriend who is a Realtor inOrangeville, Ont. I am anordained Christian minister andpart of my ministry has been get-ting rid of spirits/ghosts from peo-ple’s homes or buildings so theoccupants will no longer beharassed and even injured by thespirits. There is a certain kind ofChristian clergy who have thespiritual authority to get rid ofsuch spirits/ghosts. Most cannotdo so. I have been a guest on manyradio and television talk shows inorder to discuss this problem. I am

presently in the middle of writinga book about this very subject.

People such as Nadine Merceycan certainly identify the problembut they cannot exorcise or get ridof it. I have lost count of the num-ber of homes and buildings that Ihave been able to cast the spiritsout and give the occupants apeaceful place in which to live orconduct their businesses. I amwriting to let you know that thereis a solution and people can pur-chase houses or buildings that canbe made safe for them to live in orconduct their business from.

Rev. Gordon WilliamsOrangeville, Ont. REM

T

Jail term for unregistered sales rep

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20 REM OCTOBER 2010

n 2008, real estate veteranDon Patterson started ayouth triathlon program at

the Mississauga, Ont. YMCA thatencourages kids to bike, swim andrun. It’s the only program of itskind in Canada, but it won’t be forlong if Patterson has his way.

To that end, on June 26,Patterson got on his bike and setoff for a 3,500-km solo ride toraise funds for the Y’s Strong KidsCampaign and to spread theword about his triathlon pro-gram. The program gets kids toparticipate in a non-competitiveenvironment. He also wanted toincrease awareness about theimportance of getting kidshealthy and active, he says.

During the ride, which tookhim from Victoria to ThunderBay, “I took it upon myself to stopat four Ys to chat about the pro-gram. I (applaud) the dedicationof the Y staff and volunteers I metalong the way. They are excitedto implement a similar program,”he says.

Word has even spread toAustralia. Patterson’s cousin inSydney read about his ride atwww.ykids.blog.com and contact-ed her local organization, he says.“She is encouraging them todevelop a triathlon for inner citychildren.”

Patterson’s ride raised $11,000,all of which will go to the cause.He funded the ride out of his ownpocket.

Patterson is managing director,commercial at Royal LePageKingsbury. He’s been in the busi-ness for 30 years, and is a lawyer byprofession.

Although the ride was for aserious cause, Patterson had ablast along the way. The first dayhad him climbing mountains andthe next day riding in the rain,but Patterson said the scenery is abig part of what kept him going.“The sheer beauty of the country,from the Pacific Ocean toThunder Bay…. I looked aroundat mountains, or prairies or thescenery in Ontario’s north, and

Cycling from Victoria to Thunder BayReal estate veteran’s cross-country ride raises funds and awareness for the YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign By Connie Adair

I kept on going.”Patterson’s wife, Debi, accom-

panied him on the first half of thetrip, driving a car and meeting himfor coffee and lunch along the way.At the half-way point, Edmonton,they stopped to attend a familywedding. “From there on I wasstrictly on my own. I rode contin-uously. It was up before the suncame up. It was the best time toride. I missed the (hotels’) conti-nental breakfasts but got on theroad and stopped for pancakes andsyrup at 8,” he says.

He says he and Debi weren’tsure what to expect, but theyenjoyed the trip together. Heenjoyed being able to share hisexperiences and that they couldmeet the same people. “Westopped at four YMCAs along theway – Victoria, Kelowna, Calgaryand Edmonton. We met people,she heard me speak and we experi-enced things together. It was agreat experience.”

The couple has been marriedfor 32 years, celebrating theiranniversary on the road on July 1.It wasn’t a long romantic dinner –Don says he was asleep by 8 pm.

Although he says at times hisbody was tired, he had only enthu-siasm each morning. “It was anexhilarating experience. I didn’tfeel tired. I couldn’t wait to getback on the road.”

Patterson had a relaxedschedule, stopping to take photosof a waterfall, a deer and otherinteresting sites along the way.“Of 22 destinations, I hit onlyfive or six on schedule. I didn’twant to be tied down by a timeframe. I rode longer on somedays, shorter others.”

He booked 22 days off for thetrip but finished it in 18, doing justless than 200 km per day.

Luckily the ride went smooth-ly. “I rode by a guy in Winnipegwho had had seven flat tires. I didn’t have one.”

“I’m not a racer but can go along way at a steady pace. I ate anddrank to keep my body fuelled butwasn’t overly stressed about what I

ate. And I rode with the weather.I have to be more disciplined inmy real estate career, but the ridewas part holiday experience,” hesays.

At work, his office was sup-portive, letting him take the timeoff. “I got lots of encouragementwhen I was training” and peoplesent messages as he biked acrossthe country.

The last day of the ride wastough, he says. “I was a bit sad itwas all over and had a tear in myeye when I reached the Terry Foxmonument in Thunder Bay. It wasa fabulous experience, and whoknows if I’ll get to do somethinglike this again?”

That said, he says he’s “itchingto do the other part of the coun-try, from Thunder Bay to St.John’s, but I don’t know whenthat will be.”

Since the ride ended,Patterson is letting his bodyrecover and enjoying somedessert. “I’m taking a few easyrides and getting back into theroutine. I lost a bit of weight soI’m enjoying pie at dinner.”

“We can all play a role in help-ing our kids to become active andhealthy, whether it is by increas-ing public awareness, lobbyinggovernments and business, volun-teering, providing financial sup-port, getting our own familiesinvolved or being role models toyouth,” he says. “Everyone can dosomething to make a difference.Set a goal and work toward it, buthave fun along the way.

“We should try to be passion-ate about everything we do inlife.”

It’s not too late to donate: goonline to http://tinyurl.com/don-patterson or send a cheque to the Mississauga YMCA, 325Burnhamthorpe Rd. W.,Mississauga, ON, L5B 3R2. Mark“Don’s Ride” in the memo area ofyour cheque. Paterson will also besharing stories and photos from histrip at the Mississauga, Ont.YMCA on Oct.5 at 7 pm, at 325Burnamthorpe W. REM

Don Patterson starts his ride in Victoria…..

…and finishes up in Thunder Bay, Ont.

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ithout a doubt the sin-gle biggest thing I didthat helped propel me

to No. 1 in Canada in my firstyear in real estate was the systemsI put in place. Systems are theblueprints you follow to build thereal estate career you want. Doneright, they become parts of a sell-ing machine that makes your lifea whole lot easier. I used a systemfor every activity I had to do as areal estate agent, from open hous-es to a listing process that includ-ed pre-listing, listing and post-listing systems. Together, the sys-tems I developed helped me

S TOP S ELLINGHOUSES & STARTMAKING MONEY

By Debbie Hanlon

Systems are blueprints for successretain clients as well as get newclients and keep my costs in line.They also gave me more free timeto enjoy the money I was makingon my way to becoming No. 1.

My systems are broken downinto the activities you have to doon a certain day. Let’s say you justlisted a house. Your post-listingsystem will show exactly whatyour next step is and then all thesteps after that. Following thosesteps ensures that the house sellsas quickly as possible and yourclient becomes a word-of-mouthadvertisement to their friends andfamily about the fantastic level ofpersonal service they receivedfrom you.

The same rules apply to anyother activity you undertake as areal estate agent. If you have anopen house this Sunday, your openhouse system shows you whatactivity you do on the Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,Friday and Saturday leading up tothat Sunday.

Once you put real estate sys-tems in place, you will get more

successful, and the more successfulyou get the more activities you’llhave happening at the same time.In a week you’ll be giving listingpresentations, organizing openhouses, closing deals, targeting For

Sale By Owner homes, creatingand running advertising cam-paigns, preparing for seminars andLord knows what else. Real estatesystems allow you to do all thoseactivities without having to thinkabout what you have to do next. Itreally is that simple!

There was a point in my careerwhen I had over 100 listings and Icounted the subdivisions I carried

W

as only one listing each. Withoutthese systems in place I wouldprobably have lost my mind tryingto service all those clients. My realestate systems simplify things tothe point where it doesn’t matter

how many listings you’re carrying.It works just as well for a hundredas it does for one.

I also developed systems when Istarted my own real estate compa-ny, so it ran as effortlessly as possi-ble – but that’s another story foranother day.

Now that you’re runningyour career as a business, insteadof a real estate agent running

yourself ragged trying to sellhouses, systems make perfectsense. It’s no different than anyother business. From banks tobakeries, all businesses employsystems that they follow tostreamline and simplify the workthey have to do to ensure a suc-cessful outcome. For banks, thatcould be anything from signingup new customers to approvingloans and for a bakery it’s therecipe they follow for the perfectbaked goods every time.

So don’t go off half-baked inyour real estate career. Put systemsin place and trust me, in no time atall you’ll be laughing all the way tothe bank.

Debbie Hanlon is the presidentand founder of Hanlon Realty. She isa three-time top 50 CEO winner andwas named one of the top 100 femaleentrepreneurs in Canada. She is cur-rently an elected city official in St.John’s, Nfld. and is available for moti-vational and training seminars. Emaildebb ie@hanlonrea l tyn l .com.

REM

Put systems in place andtrust me, in no time at allyou’ll be laughing all the

way to the bank.

File Name: Key Partners_ad_0709Size: 11-3/8” x 12-1/2”Colours: CMYK, 485Publication: Real Estate MagazineMaterial Deadline: ?Insertion Date: ?

® Registered trademarks of The Bank of Nova Scotia.* Scotiabank will make best efforts to offer business services and tools based on availability and they are subject

to change. Scotiabank does not guarantee a pre-determined number of referrals to pre-qualified applicants, power-of-sale leads or advertising space will be provided to any partner. For more information, contact a Scotiabank Mortgage Specialist.

Scotiabank Key Partners® Program – Building our business together.

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• RewARdS – Your business is important to us and we reward you with valuable benefits, such as covering costs for website development, real estate courses, industry/association fees, or assist you with sending a thank you housewarming gift to a client.

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24 REM OCTOBER 2010

ere’s a quick summary ofthree recent legal cases:

A school boardagreed to sell land to S, whointended to develop the parcel ofland. The Agreement of Sale wasconditional on the school boardobtaining a severance before theclosing date.

The closing was extended sothe board could get severance, butit failed to submit a developmentplan with its application. It thenrefused to further extend the deal,and returned the deposit to S.

The court held that the boardbreached its obligations by notusing its best efforts to completethe deal, but only nominal dam-ages ($1) were granted by theAppeal Decision.

Why? The purchaser failed totake any steps to mitigate the lossby looking for another property tobuy.

■ ■ ■

Different factors command acourt’s equitable sense of justice,even where there is no doubt of abreach by one of the parties.

In a recent case a tenant leasedcommercial premises to carry onthe business of a marble/stonewholesaler. These operationscaused excess humidity in thebuilding the tenant was leasing.

The landlord served noticethat the tenant must carry outrepairs as specified within a timelimit. When this was not done, thelandlord terminated the lease andasked the court to make a declara-tion that the lease was over.

The tenant applied for relieffrom forfeiture, even though thetenant had breached covenants ofthe lease from doing damage to thebuilding, and the failure to makerepairs.

Relief was given to the tenanton strict grounds because the court

LEGAL ISSUES

By Donald H. Lapowich

Threerecentcases

H

was influenced by the following: 1. The tenant had invested a

substantial amount in the buildingand its business;

2. Damage to the building wasnot significant.

3. The tenant was seriouslyaddressing the problems caused byits operations and addressing reme-dies.

Under these circumstances, thetenant was granted relief from for-feiture of the lease, if the tenantimmediately repaired the existingdamage and designed and installeda system acceptable to the landlordto control the humidity.

■ ■ ■

Three dentists’ wives jointlyowned the premises where theirrespective husbands practised.

The agreement between thewives stated that if any one wishedto sell her interest to a third party,she had to first offer it to her hus-band and second to the other co-owners (rights of first refusal).

As it turned out, two dentistssold their practices and the pur-chaser entered a lease with the twowives, obtaining an option agree-ment to purchase the wives’ inter-est in the property.

The purchasers exercised theiroptions and entered agreements ofpurchase and sale. Despite thiscomplexity of rights, the remainingwife asserted her right of firstrefusal.

It was held that all these rightscould co-exist and the right of firstrefusal of the remaining wife wasvalid and had not been swept asideby the purchaser’s options underthe lease they entered into. Only ifthe right of first refusal was notexercised, would the agreements ofpurchase and sale become binding.

Donald Lapowich, Q.C. is apartner at the law firm of Koskie,Minsky in Toronto, where he prac-tices civil litigation, with a particularemphasis on real estate litigation andmediation, acting for builders, realestate agents and lawyers. REM

26 REM OCTOBER 2010

Glen Ward joinsMortgage Architects

Mortgage Architects plans toexpand its Atlantic Canada pres-ence and build on its strength inthe Ottawa and surrounding areaswith the appointment of industryveteran Glen Ward to regionalVP, Atlantic Canada and EasternOntario, the company says in anews release.

Ward has more than 15 yearsof financial industry experience –the past nine of which were spentsuccessfully building and develop-ing the brokerage market in theAtlantic region. Previous toworking in the mortgage industry,he worked for two majorCanadian banks.

“Glen Ward is extremely wellregarded in Atlantic Canada,where he is recognized for hisvery impressive track record ofdelivering results and dedicationto the mortgage broker channel.If you’re in the mortgage businessin the East, you know GlenWard,” says Meini Ickert, VPnational sales, MortgageArchitects.

In his new role, Ward willprovide core support to theMortgage Architects’ network oflead and associate planners with-

Mortgage Businessin his region, and will assist withrecruiting qualified planners tothe Mortgage Architects team.

MortgageBrokers.comhires Stewart Eadieto lead Ontario region

M o r t g a g e B r o k e r s . c o mHoldings has signed Stewart Eadieto join its senior managementteam as vice-president of the com-pany’s Ontario region.

Eadie has an extensive back-ground in financial services in sev-eral capacities, including a seniorrole with the industry’s premiertechnology provider, says the com-pany in a news release. He has heldexecutive positions with severalmajor financial institutions thatincluded both sales and branchmanagement.

Eadie is currently a director onthe board of the IndependentMortgage Brokers Association ofOntario (IMBA), chairing theAssociation Relations Committee.

As regional VP of Ontario,Eadie will provide core support tothe MortgageBrokers.com networkof franchises, managing partnersand business partners, and will alsofocus on recruiting qualified bro-kers to the MortgageBrokers.comteam. REM

WinnipegRealtors add TerryFox to Hall of Fame

he WinnipegRealtors Citizens Hall of Fame committee hasselected Terry Fox as the Citizens Hall of Fame’s 2010 inductee.

Established in 1986 by WinnipegRealtors, the hall of fameis a program honouring outstanding citizens who have brought recog-nition to Winnipeg or have made outstanding contributions to thecity’s quality of life. Each inductee has a likeness sculpted and promi-nently displayed at the Citizens Hall of Fame site in Assiniboine Park.

“Born and raised in Winnipeg for more than one-third of his life,Terry Fox’s legacy from his cross-country 1980 Marathon of Hope liveson 30 years later to be truly monumental in its scope of inspiration, per-severance and hope for a better world in which cures will one day befound for the different types of cancer,” says Rick Preston, chair of thecommittee.

Terry Fox’s parents, Rolly and Betty Fox, will accept the award atthe ceremony and reception later this month. Other family membersand relatives will also be in attendance. REM

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e/Max Real Estate(Lethbridge) has opened anew Commercial Division,

created to service all commercialreal estate needs including indus-trial, leasing, ranches and more.

Commercial real estate agents,both business and agricultural,have been part of Re/Max RealEstate (Lethbridge) for years, butbroker/owner Allan Fox decidedit was time to launch an officialdivision dedicated solely to com-mercial real estate.

“With their service area span-ning from south of Calgary to theMontana border and from BowIsland to Crowsnest Pass, Re/MaxReal Estate (Lethbridge) is one ofthe most successful residential realestate offices in Alberta,” saysElton Ash, regional EVP, Re/Maxof Western Canada.

Industrial,Commercial& Investment

Industrial,Commercial& Investment

R Originally founded in 1980 asthe second Re/Max office inWestern Canada, the brokerage isnow the only office in theLethbridge Real Estate Board thathas commercial, residential andagricultural agents as members.Recipient of the Re/Max ofWestern Canada Broker/Ownerof the Year – Multi Office award,Fox owns four offices throughoutAlberta.

� � �

Jones Lang LaSalle hasmoved into the Ottawa marketby hiring industry veteran JeanChalifour to lead its brokerageservices. Chalifour will join thefirm as senior vice-president andwill provide advisory and trans-action services to Jones LangLaSalle’s office user clients. He

will also lead new business gen-eration.

Chalifour brings more than 20years of corporate real estate expe-rience including advisory work onlease restructuring and negotia-tions, head office relocations andsite selection across numerousindustries and property types. Hecomes from DTZ Barnicke wherehe was vice-president of brokerageservices.

In the Jones Lang LaSalleMontreal office, Liliana Elias hasbeen promoted to vice-president inCorporate Solutions. Elias special-izes in facility management andmobile engineering services. Shehas been with the firm for six years.

Marco Marciante has beenpromoted to vice-president inProject and DevelopmentServices. Marciante is focused onclients that require project man-agement for renovation and con-struction projects across theprovince.

Ryan Cymet has been promot-ed to vice-president in IndustrialServices. He represents industrialtenants, owners and landlords forleasing, dispositions and develop-ments.

Jones Lang LaSalle has also

promoted Michael Weber tosenior vice-president in financeand operations. Based in down-town Toronto, Weber is responsi-ble for all financial, operational,

Jean Chalifour Liliana Elias Marco Marciante

administrative and HR functionsin Canada for Jones Lang LaSalleand also leads the firm’s MobileEngineering Services businessgroup in Canada. REM

Ryan Cymet Michael Weber

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Install sign riders: Sign ridersare an excellent example of how

30 REM OCTOBER 2010

G

Forging marketing partnerships

By Gary Meger

real estate agents and mortgage pro-fessionals can work together to gen-erate maximum exposure for a list-ing, and acts as a no-cost option forthe real estate agent. A sign rider isan add-on to the For Sale sign thatcan hang over the top or around theside. This is a great way to generateadded business for real estate agents,since the mortgage professional mayalso receive general calls just byincluding a sign that says “Same DayMortgage Approval” and the mort-gage professional’s contact informa-tion.

The real estate agent will have toseek permission from the homeown-er. This is generally not an issue,however, since the homeowner willbe pleased to have additional trafficattracted to the listing.

Depending on your partnershipwith the mortgage professional, youcan either agree to install the signrider on each listing, if you’re givenan advance supply, or co-ordinatewith the mortgage professional toinstall the sign rider. Either way, thegoal is to have added traffic for the

listing and/or your business in gen-eral.

Drip marketing: Another cost-effective co-marketing ideainvolves partnering up with amortgage professional who hasaccess to software that enables anautomated e-mail drip marketingcampaign. There is no cost to thereal estate agent – except for thetime it takes to send your databasedetails – and your contacts willreceive timely and relevant infor-mation pertaining to home pur-chasing and mortgage financing.

Many mortgage professionalshave a set-and-forget system inplace where they can easily sendyour customers information thattheir customers are already receiv-ing. Or, if you’d rather, you can alsorequest that the mortgage profes-sional add you to the database soyou can receive the informationupdates or monthly newsletters,and then forward the informationon to your own database.

Homebuyer guides: By part-nering up with a mortgage profes-

sional to offer homebuyer guides toyour clients, you can ensure youare reaching beyond your ownconnections and into contactsacquired by the mortgage broker.

If you both already have home-buyer guides, why not create a spe-cial page that can be inserted intoeach other’s guides that introduceyou to the client and explain howyou can help them find/financetheir ideal home?

Again, this is a cost-effectivemeans of reaching more potentialclients, because you’re only payingfor the printing costs.

You can also include CDs inthe package from both profession-als so your potential customers canput faces to your names and start tobuild trust in your offerings.

When forming a true partner-ship with a like-minded profession-al, there really are no limits as towhat marketing initiatives you canundertake together. The key, how-ever, is to ensure the partnership isreciprocal and no one is wastingtheir time providing information

and generating business for some-one who will not refer business tothem in return.

While no real estate agent ormortgage professional can expectto receive a referral from everydeal, each professional must feelcomfortable that the bulk of theother person’s referrals will be senttheir way. There must always be awin-win relationship in each pro-fessional partnership to ensure youcan maximize that business rela-tionship.

When building any partner-ship, it’s important to be able to putyourself in the other professional’sshoes to truly understand whatthey can offer your clients and howtheir services are a true add-on toyour own value proposition.

Gary Meger is a veteran mortgagebroker and co-owner ofNeighbourhood Dominion LendingCentres in Barrie, Ont. He can bereached at 705-720-1001, Ext 224;[email protected]; www.garymeger.ca

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“I want my clients to feel excited and confident about their new home. I also want them to feel they can trust me with one of the biggest decisions they’ll ever make.”

34 REM OCTOBER 2010

ost successful sales repswork hard to maintaintheir database of poten-

tial clients, and it stings when youfind out a friend or family memberis using somebody else to buy orsell their home. How do you reactwhen it happens to you?

“In my experience, family andfriends have used other Realtors fordifferent reasons and each one canhave a healthy response,” saysKathy Pilon, broker of RealtyExecutives Cold Lake in ColdLake, Alta. “In one situation, mynephew received information at atrade fair. A developer who wasconnected with a specific Realtorcame up with a new and I thinkexcellent idea to sell his homes.His idea was to build a new homefully developed with a suite in thebasement. The purchaser could usethe rent to help with the mortgage– new house and low payment.The builder even went to a lendinginstitution to have them agree touse the whole amount of the renttowards the mortgage instead ofhalf. My young nephew, whoworks in the oil patch, thought itwas a great idea and got excitedabout putting this deal togeth-er....without me.”

Pilon continues, “So how did Irespond to that? My nephewtalked to me about the process andhow it worked. As far as I was con-cerned, the responsibility was allmine. What is the problem here?Education. I can’t assume that justbecause my family and friendsknow I’m in real estate that theyknow what that means, how I getpaid, how I can help them, or whatoptions they have when it comesto finding a home or running intoa very exciting real estate opportu-nity. Talk to people and let themknow how our business works.Bottom line, educate. Make surethat family and friends know thatno matter what real estate situa-tion arises, even if they can get theinformation, you can help put ittogether.”

Pilon says that “taking thingspersonally is one of the hardestthings I have had to learn to work

Passed over for anotherIf you’ve been a sales rep for any length of time, it’s bound to happen – a friend or family member will usesomeone else to buy or sell a house By Toby Welch

M through in real estate. Some peo-ple are just born with a thicker skinor are more disconnected. I thinkthat most good salespeople are alsopeople-people and we get hurt feel-ings.”

Shelley Gossett, a sales repwith Re/Max Little Oak RealtyLtd. in Abbotsford, B.C., says,“Taking the high road in this situa-tion is the best choice, but it can bevery difficult… Unfortunately feel-ings are often hurt when this hap-pens and a breach in the relation-ship is inevitable. Remind yourselfthat they have either been bull-dozed into another real estate rela-tionship; or they want to keeptheir matters private and thebiggest investment they’ll evermake in the hands of a totalstranger, which is their prerogative.And remember, you could be the‘total stranger’ in another sce-nario.”

Gossett continues, “When it’sall said and done, you have donenothing wrong! You are still thebest ‘you’ and there are other greatfriends, family members and peo-ple you don’t know who willundoubtedly ‘use’ you! Andremember to delete them fromyour database because there is nopoint in wasting your resources andtime. For the successful Realtor, it’sa life lesson that won’t let anythingdeter them from succeeding.”

Another sales rep who wants toremain nameless says, “We all havefriends and acquaintances who areservice providers and sometimeswe choose one over another. I havethree friends who are massage ther-apists, but I only use one. I havetwo friends who are accountants. Iknow a gazillion mortgage brokers.When I don’t hire or use one ofthem, I certainly don’t expectthem to whine, fuss or pout aboutit. If they did, they just kissed myfuture business and referrals good-bye. I prefer to work with profes-sionals.

“There is nothing wrong withrunning a business based on thepersonal relationships in your life.In fact, it’s an extremely rewardingway to work and live! But it’s just

plain wrong to assume that yourfriends and acquaintances owe youanything and besides being wrong,it’s a great way to chase off perfect-ly good friendships and future busi-ness opportunities.”

Should you discuss the issuewith the person who didn’t useyour services? Pilon says, “I oftenwonder if going to people and ask-ing about their decision is a goodthing or a bad thing. Do peoplereally tell you why they did some-thing or they didn’t do something?My experience is that if there real-ly is an issue, they tell you some-thing to answer your question thatwill not hurt your feelings. Youdon’t get the real reason and allthat has happened is you havemade them uncomfortable and putthem on the spot. Better to be sup-portive and if they happen to addsome explanation, great. If not andyou have supported them, nexttime they have a question or areferral they may think of you.”

Pilon offers advice on what todo in this scenario:

• Evaluate: Is there somethingI missed? Have I talked with themabout real estate? What could I dodifferent next time? Ask, ask, ask.

• Respect: Whatever decisionthey made is their decision andultimately they have the right tomake it.

• Grace: Provide them withthis as well. Let it go. “In my expe-rience it goes a long way to gettingbusiness in the future,” says Pilon.

• Don’t over-evaluate: “I havediscovered that trying to under-stand WHY is the biggest waste oftime on the planet. People makedecisions in a particular waybecause they do. That’s it. Most ofthe time it has absolutely nothingto do with us. Learn, move on.Don’t beat up yourself. Anotherhuge waste of time,” she says.

• Remember they are still yourfamily and friends. “The tallest treebends the farthest.”

The bottom line: Try hard notto take it personally when a lovedone doesn’t use your services.

REM

Kathy Pilon Shelley Gossett

Sotheby’s InternationalRealty Affiliates recentlyannounced that leading Swedishreal estate firm SkeppsholmenFastighetsmäkleri in Stockholmhas joined its luxury real estatenetwork.

The firm will do business as Sweden SkeppsholmenSotheby’s International Realtyand is owned by Lars Andersson,who signed an exclusive 25-yearmaster franchise agreement to develop the Sotheby’sInternational Realty brandthroughout Sweden. Anderssonestablished SkeppsholmenFastighetsmäkleri in 1992, a realestate business specializing in thesale of luxury residential andcommercial properties.

“The luxury market through-out Sweden remains stable anddemand is still high for quality,well-priced luxury properties,”said Andersson. “We offer exten-sive marketing campaigns, usethe latest technology and believein building strong teams of expe-rienced real estate agents.”

The Sotheby’s InternationalRealty network currently hasmore than 10,900 sales associatesin approximately 500 offices in 37countries and territories world-wide.

■ ■ ■

Re/Max has further broad-ened its international reach intotwo new countries: Bolivia andTunisia.

Tunisia, located on theMediterranean Coast of NorthAfrica, is a combination ofdesert in the south and coastaltowns in the north. Re/Maxregion owner Tarek Thabet, aTunisian native who has livedin Paris, London andJohannesburg, says homeown-ership is the norm for manyTunisians. Nearly 80 per cent ofTunisia’s 10.5 million residentsown a home. With a growingpopulation and an increase inEuropean investment in itseconomy, Tunisia has signifi-cant potential for a boomingreal estate market, he says.

“Right now, real estate is avery basic service where most realestate agents lack training andqualifications, and are operatingin isolation,” Thabet says.

Region owner Oliver Vierahas similar hopes for Re/MaxBolivia. The South Americannation, which also has a popula-tion of about 10 million people, isbordered by Chile, Argentina,Brazil, Peru and Paraguay.

“There are many opportuni-ties here for new construction andgrowth, and this is the best timeto capitalize on outgoing referralsto Latin America,” he says.

REM

Multiple ListingsContinued from page 8

n a wide low skillet, on highheat, scald two cups of half-and-half cream. You cannot

turn your back on the skillet, evenfor a second. The cream needs torise to the top. Lift the skilletquickly as cream approaches thetop of pan so that it does not overboil, because it makes a very bignasty mess on your stovetop ifthat happens.

Turn down the heat so thatthe cream continues to cook butnot burn. The cream will thickenconsiderably. Stir it a few times,

36 REM OCTOBER 2010

I

GOURMET COOKINGfor real estate professionals

By Carolyne Lederer

Instant rose pasta sauce(and several additional uses)

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wiping down the edges of the panwith your wooden spoon or a rub-ber spatula.

Salt and add fresh ground pep-per, a pinch of dry thyme and apinch of garlic salt.

Stir in a third to a half cup ofyour favourite two cheeses, grated.I prefer Romano and Parmesanmixed for this recipe. You can usedried ready-grated cheese.

In a tall but narrow pot orbowl, cover one large fresh redtomato with boiling water. Let itsit briefly, then dunk the tomatointo a pot of ice water. The skinwill slip right off. Remove seeds,core and chop coarsely. Add tothe cream mixture in the skillet.Add minced fresh green basilleaves (about a quarter cup). Idon’t like purple grape colour basilin this recipe.

Stir in egg noodle pasta thathas been cooked, al dente, in boil-ing salted water, drained andtossed with a little real butter (this

recipe really does need that but-ter) and a drop of your favouriteolive oil (stops pasta from stickingtogether). Serve.

Prep time 20 minutes.This sauce is even more fabu-

lous the second day. Reheat gentlywith fresh cooked pasta in thesauce.

The sauce can be made a dayahead, reheated and served overfresh cooked very hot pasta.

Other suggestions:Serve over rotini pasta. This

curled pasta keeps the sauce in thegrooves of the pasta nicely. Beforeserving, try adding fresh cookedshrimp and/or large whole seascallops that are just barelycooked (about three minutes eachside, in real butter of course, witha pinch of thyme).

Fresh poached lobster is fabu-lous with this sauce. Add slicedmushrooms that have beencooked: once over easy in sizzlingreal butter. You could mince a

tablespoon of onion and add it ifyou like. Another alternative: frythree slices of bacon until quitecrispy. Break bacon into quarter-inch pieces so you can see them inthe mix. Add just before serving.

One more choice:Poach fresh lobster pieces in

an abundance of real butter (savethe leftover butter to cook shrimpor scallops in); add a little tiny bitof dry thyme and salt, or use largepieces of tinned, frozen lobstertossed in a bit of sizzling butter justto warm; add lobster to the sauceright at the end, just before serv-ing. You don’t want to continuecooking the lobster.

Alternate serving instead ofwith pasta: serve in a rolled freshlymade thin crepe. Place the filledcrepe in a hot, buttered, but notburning hot skillet and flambéwith your favourite brandy or bit-ters. Decorate each of the plateswith a sprig of fresh, brilliant greenbasil, just plucked from the pot.

For an extra decorative serv-ing idea, add a dollop of whippedcream (add just a little sugar and atiny drizzle of vanilla, the way youwould for a dessert cream) intowhich you have stirred a table-spoon of finely minced (freshonly) basil leaves. Stick a basil leafinto the dollop so people willknow what is in it. Whippedcream will turn a little green andpeople will wonder what is in it,but with the basil trimming, theymight guess.

These uses of the rose sauceare so YUM!

A Mommessin Beaujolais or aChianti is nice with this dish.

Carolyne Lederer is broker ofrecord at Carolyne Realty Corp.Proudly putting her name to her workfor 29 years, she serves Burlington andBrampton, Ont. residential real estateclients. She taught gourmet cooking inthe mid 1970s prior to going into realestate, and wrote a newspaper weekly cooking column. She also has a cook-book in the works. Email Carolyne at [email protected] you have any questions.www.Carolyne.com or www.MillcroftHomes.com REM

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emember the day youstarted in this business? Ido, vividly. There it was,

finally, the envelope. I anxiouslyput the letter opener to work. I wasexcited to see for the first time myReal Estate Council of OntarioCertificate of Registration. I imme-diately affixed it high on the wallover my desk for all to see, andinserted the credit-card sized copyin my wallet in case someonerequested to see it when I was awayfrom the office.

Countless hours of study oversix months, plus sitting throughseveral exams, had resulted in thisday. Now I was officially ready tolaunch my real estate career. Mylicense said so.

But, where do I start? How do Iactually go about getting my firstclient? Can I effectively competewith others who must be doingsomething right since their signsare all over the place? Where doeson-going business come from?How can I grow my business so Iam where I want to be in fiveyears? These questions, and others,were flowing through my mind.

Yes, of course I was trained inthe fundamentals of how to fill inthe forms, the proper proceduresand regulations to adhere to, and Ialready was experienced in consul-tative selling and marketing fromprevious jobs, but I did not exactlyhave clients lined up down the hallwaiting for an appointment withme. Remember those days?

We have all gone throughsomething like this. Unfortunatelyfor many sales reps this anxietyrepeats itself all too often as theebb and flow of our businesses mustconstantly adjust to a dynamiceconomy, to shifting buyer andseller expectations, and to otherexternal forces – not the least ofwhich includes rapid changes in

38 REM OCTOBER 2010

RBy George O’Neill

THE GUEST COLUMN Will you still be in business in 5 years?The devices you use to check and respond to email and surf listings are not whatmatter. What does matter is how you use those toolstechnology and digital marketingdriven by the explosion in Internetusage. It is believed about 90 percent of consumers now first lookon the Internet when searching forreal estate, and also when lookingto find their selling agent. For somereps these factors lead to a feast orfamine cycle. If only we couldbuild a business that grows steadilyand predictably, getting ahead ofchange instead of always trying toplay catch up.

So, what is one to do?Well the first thing we all need

to accept is that technologicalchange is here for good, that it willcontinue to impact our businesseson a go-forward basis, that con-sumers are all over it and itempowers them, and if we do notlearn to leverage it as an enabler,we will fall behind and possiblybecome irrelevant. Fast. Clear?

Technology in this context isnot just about your PC or yourBlackberry or your website – youhave those, right? Table stakes,really just commodities needed tooperate any efficient business. Thedebate is not about being a littlemore adventurous, like me per-haps, who owns a Mac and aniPhone, despite the lack of anysupport from my local real estateboard. The devices you use tocheck and respond to email andsurf listings are not what matter.What does matter is how you usethose tools to stay informed, tocommunicate and to remain rele-vant so you can continue to addvalue to your clients’ experiencewhen they engage you to helpthem buy or sell real estate. Thedebate is all about whether you aregoing to adopt or not.

Today, consumers are so muchmore informed than ever before,due to the almost limitless instantaccess to information on theInternet. For some in our businessthis is a threat, big time. But formost, this is a fantastic shift we canexploit. We can move up-marketso to speak, to a higher place in theservice value chain, where therewards are also higher.

Let me explain how.

To answer almost any questiontoday, the first thing many peopledo – remember, sales reps are peo-ple also, so we too do this – issearch Google or Yahoo or Bing,or even better, YouTube to watch avideo. But pay attention, this iswhere the opportunity lies. Sincethere is so much information onthe web, it is very difficult to knowwhat is credible, what can berelied upon, and whether or not allthe steps and issues are reallydescribed to address your trueneed. Information overload isabsolutely a factor. You knowinformation is not necessarilyknowledge. To prove this to your-self, go to your PC, I will go to myMac, and let’s type the followingphrase in Google: How to hire areal estate agent. Google.com willreturn over 20 million suggestedlinks while Google.ca will returnover 18 million – even theGoogles can’t be consistent out-lining answers to your question.

Do you really have time to checkthem all? Of course not, nobodydoes.

So consumers will go to proventrusted sources, and still need helpturning all that information intoknowledge, which is somethingthey can use. That is what youwant to be ready to help themwith, both online and off. After all,you already do that in real life,right? Take your skill, knowledgeand experience online to move upthe service value chain by not justemailing listings to prospects, but

by sharing relevant local knowl-edge to help them with what is per-haps the largest single financialdecision they may ever make intheir lives. Do you want to be justan email clerk and a neighbour-hood tour chauffeur, or do youwant to be a trusted advisor, whompeople seek out to request help? Iknow you know the right answersince you may be that now. Buthear this, if you do not also do thisonline, someone else will. For sure.

If you are totally happy withthe current volume of business youare doing, and believe that level issustainable and have a plan toimprove upon that level over thecoming years, then you may notneed to read any further. However,I have never met a sales rep who istotally happy with their currentvolume, since one can always dobetter, can’t we! In addition, themeter does get reset to zero eachJanuary.

Job one is to determine where

you want to be in five years. If youstill want to be in the real estatebusiness, you need to articulate avision of what your business willlook like including clear goals toget you there. You need to defineyour unique value proposition andbuild your brand around that con-sistently, in everything you do on adaily basis.

Job two is to seriously, and Imean seriously, embrace technolo-gy and what it can enable. Thisdoes not mean you have to becomea propeller head – apologies to any-

one reading this who may fit thatdescription, you know who youare. The first hire in my brokeragewas a VP of technology – that ishow serious I am about theInternet. Get on board with socialmedia, experiment with digitalmarketing, and advertise online.Talk to your clients and other busi-ness owners about how they usethe Internet and their expectationsabout service. I believe you willfind most are willing to pay fairlyfor valued service.

Today consumers already haveaccess to the low-hanging fruit –listings, information on how to runopen houses, how to stage a home.Some believe they can go it alonewhen selling and many can. But,nothing can replace real experi-ence, deep knowledge and wisecouncil. Old-fashioned profession-al service and the Internet are per-fect for each other. Experiencedagents are best suited to deliver thissince they should have resourcesavailable to them others may nothave. The key is to know what youdon’t know, and to get the rightpeople involved to fill in the digi-tal gaps.

Let’s get back the excitementwe all felt when we first werelicensed, with none of the anxiety.Let’s define where we want to be inthe future and let’s genuinelyembrace technology and what itcan do to get us there. Stayinformed and get involved.

I will still be in business in fiveyears. Will you?

George O’Neill is a second-gener-ation broker operating his boutiquereal estate brokerage from theBeaches, Toronto. His business wasfounded on a passion for transparent,old-fashioned honest service, coupledwith total leverage of social media anddigital marketing. He is a sought afterspeaker, author, video blogger and is founder of the Real EstateMarketing Summit, an annual fall conference for real estate professionals interested in digital andonline marketing. 416-946-1300;www.ONeillRealEstate.ca. OrGoogle him. REM

Let’s get back the excitement we all felt whenwe first were licensed, with

none of the anxiety.

THE POWER OF PURPLENOW WITH OVER 1500 SALESPEOPLE!

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REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE

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*In listing and selling performance, meaning combined totals for properties completed from Jan. 1, 2008 to June 30, 2010 by the Toronto office (895 Don Mills Rd.) based on Toronto Real Estate Board MLS® statistics. **In listing and selling performance, meaning combined totals for properties completed from Jan. 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010 by the Mississauga office (7045 Edwards Blvd.) based on Toronto Real Estate Board MLS® statistics.

Independently audited. Comparisons are based on Sold Date and Sold status Data gathered by independent research for residential properties on the Toronto Real Estate Board, a Multiple Listing Service®. These listings do not necessarily reflect all of the real estate activity in the applicable market. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed; data may vary by 2.5%.

JoinRightAtHome.com

Anissa HoBroker / Branch Manager

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Michel FriedmanVice President / Broker / Branch Manager

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895 Don Mills Road 7045 Edwards Boulevard 923 Brant Street 300 West Beaver Creek Rd.

40 REM OCTOBER 2010

GREEN REAL ESTATE

By Elden Freeman

ou’ve won the green con-tract. Now, you have toprepare the property for

the market.First of all, be realistic. The

seller is not likely ready toembark on major renovations,but small touches can make a bigdifference. Much of the greenagent’s job lies in recognizingand accentuating those greatattributes that already exist.

All Accredited Greenagentscome armed with the NationalAssociation of Green Agentsand Brokers’ (NAGAB) EnergyConservation Checklist – pre-pared with funding from theOntario Ministry of Energy.Designed to determine the ener-

Marketinggreen realestate: Part 3

Y

gy efficiency of homes, it givesthe agent another level of infor-mation that many potential buy-ers (and other agents) miss atfirst glance. You can use it tobring some of the green featuresto their attention.

An insulated attic might notsound like the most commonselling point, but if you can con-vert that and other details intodollars off the energy bill, you’llengage your audience. Sit downwith the client’s utility bills. Arethe kilowatt hours lower thanthe norm? It may be because theclient never eats in or nevershowers. But maybe it’s the goodinsulation and the energy-effi-cient appliances. Maybe theyhave a tankless water heater.Find out, and you can add valueto the sale.

Once you’ve brought out thehidden virtues of the property,you can recommend cheap but

effective touch-ups. The check-list covers all areas of the homeand gives ideas for low-costadjustments that will increaseenergy efficiency – and comfort.If the client needs to paint halfthe house, why not suggest thelow-VOC option? If the floorsneed to be redone, why not gofor Forest Stewardship Council(FSC) wood? Low-flow showerheads aren’t too expensive, butthey can reduce water consump-tion by 50 per cent. (And withthe cost of water going up byabout nine per cent per year inToronto, cutting down on con-sumption is becoming anincreasing priority.)

Elden Freeman B.A., M.E.S,broker is the founder and executivedirector of the non-profit NationalAssociation of Green Agents andBrokers (NAGAB). 416-536-7325; [email protected] REM

REA launched a newnational televisioncommercial in August

featuring production and edit-ing techniques developedspecifically for the project andnever before used in Canadiantelevision advertising, the asso-ciation says.

Shot in HD, the new com-mercial is called Faces. It high-lights the value Realtors bringto home buying and selling.

In the 30-second ad, viewerssee and hear testimonials fromseveral individuals about theirexperience with their Realtor.Women and men representingpeople from all walks of life talkabout their unique needs when

buying and selling ahome. While theytalk, their faces con-tinually change,eventually becom-ing another personwith another posi-tive story.

The commercialwas created forCREA by Torontoad agency CP+BCanada. It is part of CREA’s2010 fall advertising campaign,which runs from August 23through the week of October18.

CREA’s national ad cam-paign program started in 2006and runs twice a year, in the

spring and fall. Last fall’s ad, entitled Never-endingNegotiations, won a bronzeaward at this year’s nationalMarketing Awards.

To view CREA’s latest tele-vision commercial, visit howre-altorshelp.ca. REM

CREA launches falladvertising campaignC

1-800-387-6058www.realtyreport.org

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42 REM OCTOBER 2010

By Lloyd R. Manning

Learn to shed non-paying clientsOn day one it is necessary to develop a Realtor-client relationship that will be profitable.If it is obvious that it probably will not become so, divest yourself of this clientabout finding fault with what thepublisher has to say. This is the guywho pays my exorbitant fee forwriting this stuff and punchingholes in his reflections is treadingon sacred ground.

Black’s Law Dictionary defines aretainer as an act of employment;the client has said to have retainedthe attorney, or in this case a sales-person, and the agreementbetween them sets forth the natureof the services to be performed.When paying a retainer or anadvance fee for services to be ren-dered, the client expects a highlevel of competency, timely perfor-mance and the attainment of aspecific objective.

Although unquestionablythere are many highly qualifiedand very professional salespeoplewho meet all of the requirementsand are perhaps entitled to ask fora retainer, unfortunately they arenot the majority. An upfront fee

may be justifiable if marketing aninvestment property or a businesswhere substantial pre-sale researchand analysis is prerequisite.However, this criteria is somewhatreduced with most residential andsmaller commercial properties.The public will seldom separatethe proficient, professional salesrep from the multitude of comersand goers that many real estatebrokers harbour.

The other problem is that theindustry is rife with commissioncutters with whom you must com-pete, sellers who think the com-mission structure is far too highnow, the marginal producers whowill never ask for a retainer, andincompetent agents who are notentitled anyhow.

Get a retainer? Forget it! Tain’tgonna happen.

However, in view of skyrocket-ing costs you cannot continueindefinitely to spend time and giveservice to tire kickers. Since youhave high selling expenses, even amarginal client could be a loser. Itis far too easy to become a tourguide, particularly if you specializein new homes. To avoid these pit-falls, you require a system to sortout those who will be profitablefrom the lookers and potentialtime wasters. This involves thor-oughly reviewing the informationthat was used to identify the indi-vidual client in the first place anddeveloping the skill to separate theprobable winners from the surelosers. With difficult and verysmall properties where you couldlose money even if the sale is made,this may involve adjusting thestandard fees from what the indus-try usually charges to a moreassured profitability margin.

When selling farms around theSt. Paul, Alta. country severalyears ago, frequently on a warmsummer day a prospect would sayhe had just driven up from some-where to visit a friend, or some-thing of the sort, and would like tosee some farms while in the area.Too often I drove these touristsaround for a look-see at the coun-tryside. Then I got smart – handedthem a few highlight sheets, a loca-tion map and a business card, and

said, “If you see anything you like,give me a call.” Never heard fromany of them again.

On the other hand, when itwas in the middle of winter, - 30 F,and a fellow said he had just drivenup from Southern Saskatchewanand wanted to see one of the farmsI had advertised, he was given theroyal tour. Usually, shoppers onlyare not that hard to pick out. Iknow it’s the time-worn pitch buttoo soon forgotten by so manyagents who are so pleased to have aprospect, any prospect, that they

forget about that pre-qualificationbit. It is more profitable and far eas-ier to focus on the right clients, theones who are specific about theirneeds, wants and have the finan-cial where-with-all rather thanpleasure tripping and pitchingeveryone who walks through thedoor.

On day one it is necessary todevelop a Realtor-client relation-ship that will be profitable. If it isobvious that it probably will notbecome so, divest yourself of thisclient. As sellers do not give awaytheir properties, you cannot affordto give away your time and yourtalent and pay the expenses associ-ated with showing your wares.

This can only be done by deter-mining the client’s expectationsand managing those expectationsin light of what is reasonable. Butbefore saying to a prospect, “no pay– no show,” you will want to ensureyou are using an appropriate quali-fying strategy. You are a provider ofinformation. Where there are rele-vant gaps in the client’s knowl-edge, particularly as to the inter-play between what they would like

to have and what is reasonable,you must determine the best wayto fill in those gaps. The pre-quali-fied and educated client will be lesslikely to waste your time or blameyou if the relationship dissolves.

After you have done the hardwork of assessing your present rela-tionship with a prospective client,assessing the what and why of onewho may be unprofitable and tak-ing by the hand those who couldbe borderline, you will be able tomore clearly assess the relativity ofeach input factor, after which you

must decide whether to continuewith or divest yourself of this per-son(s). However you play it, it’s alaw of averages game. By divestingyou could be doing your competi-tors a favour by sending new busi-ness their way or do damage to thepotentially good client who maycome to see you as serviceunfriendly.

Since you will never get aretainer, the game is to assess thepotential profitability of eachclient and potential client anddrop any who early in the gamegive all indication that you willnever make a dollar on this person.But before dropping one, ensurethat you have a sufficient numberof prospects and clients, your qual-ification procedure is error free,and you can adequately and profes-sionally tend to them all. Can youafford to squander even one whoyou may have misjudged, who doesnot respond to the usual stimuli,and who may not be aware of theentire value proposition?

Maybe yes, maybe no, some-times, and all with qualifications.

REM

THE ONLINE HOME OFCANADA’S REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY

NEWS, OPINION, TRENDS

FROM AN INDEPENDENT AND

TRUSTED SOURCE

www.REMonl ine . com

You require a system to sort out those who will beprofitable from the lookersand potential time wasters.

bout a year ago, REMpublisher Heino Mollswrote a column about

retainers – that is, requiring an up-front fee from a prospective clientbefore actually doing anything forhim. Heino and several subsequentpeople who wrote letters to theeditor would have you believe thatthis is something thats time hascome.

However, this is not a new ideabut one which, like the fabledPhoenix, rises from the ashes, pop-ping up every once in a while onlyto get shot down or forgottenabout. Although letters to the edi-tor are fair game for rebuttal, oldhacks like me must be extra careful

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44 REM OCTOBER 2010

METES & BOUNDS

By Marty Douglas

The downsideof teamswere told could be theirs.Understand this - “NO ONELIKES PROSPECTING!” Topproducers do it, they do it regu-larly, they do it in a variety of for-mats and styles and they do itwell. They practice. They put inthe 10,000 hours behind masteryas illustrated brilliantly byMalcolm Gladwell in TheOutliers.

The next step after the transi-tion from listing agent to buyersagent is usually to no agent at all– sometimes in the short termbut all too often a couple of yearsdown the road when with ashrug, they say, “I guess I wasn’tmeant to be in sales.” Sometimesthere’s a segue into, “Maybe I’lltry property management,”where they discover the realmeaning of low pay and longhours. Every now and then, whilesitting around on floor duty, mak-ing their 649 quick picks andwaiting for the elusive buyer towalk, phone or be carried in, theyfind a fellow traveller.

I’m sure the conversationgoes something like this:

“Hey – you’re new here right,Howard isn’t it?”

“Actually it’s Brian and I’vebeen here about a year.”

“Yeah sure – so how’s itgoing?”

“Ah you know – win somelose some. Listen, since you’rehere, I always follow you on thefloor duty roster and there’ssomething I’ve been meaning toask.”

“Shoot.”“Do you have your own nail

clipper or do you just bite off thebits I find on the desk?”

“Ha! Very funny! You’re mykind of guy; probably use the Bicpen cap to clean your ears like Ido! Say, maybe we should teamup.”

And so it begins. They spenddays structuring how they willsplit their imaginary commis-sions, how much they’ll save bycombining their photocopyaccounts, run the whole thing byothers, perhaps even the boss,

and when faced with some cau-tionary advice, ignore it as beingnegative.

The first crack in the make-up is usually over previousclients or personal acquain-tances. Then comes conflictingvacation coverage, floor duty,open houses, ad calls, tour and“Why should I pay for your mis-take? You’re the one who saidthe stereo system was included.”Eventually, one or the otherasks for a private meeting withthe boss and says things aren’tworking out; he’s not living upto his side of the partnership.This predictable soap opera isusually followed within a day orso by the other partner and aremarkably similar dialogue.

Early in my career I got thisadvice: the very best partner isthe one you’re sleeping with. Forthe sake of discussion, let’sassume that means your spouse.All other partnerships are con-structed on sand.

Economist Richard Allen saidbluntly: “If you want to consume,you’ve got to produce.” You are inbusiness for yourself and thatmeans you are responsible foryour success or failure. Only you.If you chose to put your future inthe hands of another, to risk thefood for your kids, your mortgagepayment, your retirement; thenthat person must be worthy. Arethey out there?

Sure. But . . .Why would they want you?

You can follow Marty Douglas onTwitter 40yrsrealestate or onLinkedIn and on Facebook. He is amanaging broker for Coast RealtyGroup (Comox Valley) Ltd., withoffices on Vancouver Island and theSunshine Coast of B.C. Marty is apast chair of the Real Estate Errorsand Omissions Corporation of B.C.,the Real Estate Council of B.C. andthe B.C. Real Estate Association.He’s a current director of theVancouver Island Real Estate Board. [email protected]; 1-800-715-3999. REM

he Wizard of Oz, OzzieJurock, once said, “You’rein business for yourself,

not by yourself.” I know he saidthat ‘cause I wrote it down in mylittle red book where it occupiestwo lines of a 95-page journal ofobservations I’ve been keeping,largely to do with life and my 40years in real estate. As a matter offact you can follow Ozzie’s andother pithy real estate quotes onTwitter under 40yrsrealestate.

“For yourself, not by yourself.”I was thinking about the mean-ing of the phrase because I hadwritten a note to myself for a col-umn: “The real estate businessisn’t a team game – I wish itwere.” Is the phrase “not by your-self” encouraging to the extentwe think others will ensure wemeet our financial obligations atthe end of the month? That wecan rely on the kindness ofstrangers? I don’t think so.Consumers may believe there’s acommunal pot of money weaccess when the deals don’t flowour way but are we being encour-aged down that socialistic slip-pery slope?

Let me say immediately Iintend no disrespect to real estateteams. I have had several in myoffice and during the last decadeor so. But at best they are a small,profitable office within the bro-kerage. At worst, they are a wasteof time as two egos assume theycan find someone to do the workthey simply don’t want to do.

How often do we see newRealtors give up on prospectingfor listings because, “I’m really apeople person and would be moreeffective working with buyers.”It’s really because prospecting isthe daily essential grind that hasto be done in order to achievethe financial levels new licensees

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46 REM OCTOBER 2010

By Dr. Maya Bailey

kay, so you’re standing inline in the supermarket,or you’re in an elevator,

or you’re at a party, or you’re in anetworking group. Sooner orlater, someone is going to say toyou, “So what do you do?” This iswhat you want, free publicity soto speak. However, how you han-dle this question could determinewhether this person becomes aprospective client, a prospectivereferral source or just walks away.

This article exposes the threemistakes you could be makingand why they don’t work. Thenyou’ll discover the ideal answerand understand why it’s impor-tant to use it. Here are threecommon answers:

Mistake #1: You say too lit-tle. You say something like, “Myname is Jane Doe and I’m with XReal Estate Company.” Then yousmile, hoping the other personwill ask you a question. Probablythey won’t. This is a mistakebecause you have made a shortstatement that doesn’t engagethe other person’s attention. Itdoesn’t invite questioning. Theother person may politely saywhat they do to fill in the awk-ward silence or they may excusethemselves in some sociallygraceful way.

Mistake #2: You say toomuch and ask for the business.You say something like, “Myname is Jane Doe. I work for XReal Estate Company and I spe-cialize in country homes. I lovethe country and I love to showcountry property. It feels so goodto get outdoors, breathe the freshair and help someone find ahome they love in the country.So who do you know who is seek-ing to buy or sell a countryhome?”

This is a mistake because you

‘So, what doyou do?’

O

said too much about yourself, didnot ask a question that wouldengage the other person’s atten-tion, and it’s way too early to askfor the business. You should becultivating a relationship withthat person. Remember, peopledo business with you when theyknow, like and trust you. Withsomeone you just met, you’re stillin the “getting to know eachother stage.” The most youshould ask for is their businesscard and give them yours. If youhave a connection with that per-son and would like to contactthem in the future, you mightconsider adding them to yourSphere of Influence and sendingthem an Item of Value once amonth.

Mistake #3: You talk on andon about yourself and your career.I know this may sound hard tobelieve but you’d be amazed atthe things people say when theyare nervous and trying to makesmall talk. Someone says, “Sowhat do you do?” and you answer,“My name is Jane Doe and I’mwith X Real Estate Company. Ihave been with them for fiveyears. It’s a great company. Allthe people there are so friendlyand helpful. I am so glad I chosereal estate. I love the flexiblehours and the income potential.This really beats my corporatejob and ….”

This is a mistake because it’sall about you. The only thingsyou’re promoting here are (1) thenice atmosphere of your office;and (2) what a great career realestate is. If you keep going youmight talk the other person intobecoming a real estate agent butthey won’t be a prospectiveclient or referral source.

So, what should you say?Here’s the scoop. When the

other person asks, “So what doyou do?” you need to ask them aquestion to engage them. Thequestion is, “Well, you knowwhen people are buying or sellinga home, how nervous andstressed out they can get?” Pauseand let the other person respond

with a “yes”. Then you say, “WellI take care of all the details andpaper work, I hold their handthrough the process and makethe whole thing a relaxing,enjoyable experience for myclient. Now, what do you thinkyou’d feel or think if you heardthat? Most likely you’d want todo business with that person.Why? There are three reasons:

They didn’t talk about them-selves.

They showed that they have athorough understanding of theissues and problems people facewhen buying or selling a home.

They provided specific solu-tions to the client’s problems.

When you give this kind ofanswer there are a lot of bene-fits. Can you guess what theyare? The other person will begenuinely interested becauseyou’ve engaged them. The otherperson will begin to trust youbecause you put the client’sneeds before your own. Finally,you answered in a unique wayand that sets you apart from thecrowd. So the next time theperson has a real estate ques-tion, they are going to call youbecause you have demonstratedthat you care.

With those kinds of benefits,wouldn’t you want to use thisanswer, memorize every word andhave it roll off your tongue thenext time someone says, “Sowhat do you do?” You bet youwould. Just watch your incomeincrease.

With her 30 years of psycholog-ical expertise, Dr. Maya Bailey spe-cializes in helping real estate profes-sionals who want more clients,more free time, and a better lifestyleto create confidence, a positivemindset, and a step-by-step blue-print for success. For specific waysto “master your psychology” to getclients and grow your business, and your personalized step-by-step success blueprint, visitwww.90DaysToMoreClients.com.To contact Dr. Maya Bailey, call(707) 799-5412. REM

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eing different is the firststep to being better, partic-ularly in sales.

What needs to be different?Everything about you and the ser-vice you provide. These are thethings that people are loyal to.They are loyal to your service, howit makes them feel and what it doesfor them. They are loyal only toresults.

If we take this as the truth, weknow that we must create a stan-dard of service that is second tonone. We must provide results thatare second to none. That is stepone. Step two is telling anyone andeveryone that you have done that.You need to inform the worldabout you and your service. This iswhere so many people fail. Mostpeople will begin to advertise, “I’mthe No. 1 agent for agents under 5’6” tall with brown hair.” The pub-lic does not believe this type ofgarbage. It is a feature that youoffer, but it is not a benefit for theclient. It is the main reason youwill not see the top sales reps in

48 REM OCTOBER 2010

BBe first to be different to be better

your area talking about where theyrank but rather what they do. Youneed to inform the public of thewonderful things you do and howthey will benefit your clients. Thenlet your clients draw their ownconclusion that your service is sec-ond to none.

A feature is what you offer; abenefit is how what you offeraffects the client. People cannotimmediately understand how yourservice is different or better with-out an understanding of the serviceyou offer and what your competi-tion offers. To tell a homeowneryou provide weekly advertising orthat you upload their home to twowebsites, doesn’t make you differ-ent or better, even if no one else inyour area does either of thesethings. However, “We expose yourhome to 150,000 people everyweek via newspapers and theInternet and because of this ourhomes sell faster and for moremoney” is a benefit. This immedi-ately sets you apart. This is whatthe client will see value in.

Next you need to back it up.Show the statistics of AverageDays on Market versus your dayson market. Show the statistics ofunique visitors and weekly distrib-ution of the paper. These are thekinds of proof you need. Then peo-ple will see you as not only differ-ent, but better than your competi-tion.

The most amazing part is thatonce the public sees you as differ-ent and better, they are willing topay more for your service. Cost isonly a concern in the absence ofvalue. If Mercedes Benz doesn’tposition itself as different and bet-ter than Kia, people will not payfive times the price to buy one. IfHeinz doesn’t position itself as dif-ferent and better than “catsup”,people will not pay twice the priceand go out of their way to makesure they get Heinz. If the modelworks for ketchup and cars, whywould it not work for real estate?

This technique works for morethan getting people interested inyour services. It will also work toposition your listings in a muchbetter light. Again, do not look totell people all the details or featuresabout a property. Tell them thebenefits, the extras and the addedbonus. This is what will set yourlisting apart. This works in printand Internet advertising as well asyour MLS write-ups. The betteryou create your ads and write-ups,the more calls and showings youwill get.

If you look at any real estatesection of any newspaper, there arefive to 20 listings that will actuallygrab someone’s attention. Take thetime and read through it cover tocover as a buyer, and look at whichads you would call on. Circle themand study them. Why would youcall, what did these ads do differ-ently than the other ads, and moreimportant what did they do better?

We need to strongly positionour ad as The Ad. The one every-one says, “You have to go to thisad, it has the best deals, it has thebest homes, it has what you arelooking for.” Once you are knownfor this, people will come to yourad first and call you first. Then thistraditionally expensive form ofadvertising becomes much more

cost effective. It is expensive whenyou look at the bill, but when youbreak it down to cost per lead oreven cost per deal, this is a no-brainer.

Different is not always better,but the same is never better. Youneed to allow your mindset to bealways looking at everything with

a “What’s in it for me” attitude,because that is how your clientswill look at it. Everything fromyour image, your services, yourscripting, your presentations andyour advertising to your offers mustaddress, “What is in it for me?”

When you raise the ratio ofbenefits to features, you will raisethe number of calls, the number ofappointments, the number ofclients, the number of offers andultimately the number of deals.This simple mindset shift is what itis all about. So right now, as you sit

there reading, think about yourservice, take out a pen and paperand write down five things thatyou do that makes you different.Then take those five things andwrite beside them how they are abenefit to your clients. Then writean advertisement for your website,your next flyer, your newspaper ad

or your bench sign. Track yourresults and see the significantincrease in attention this cam-paign receives. Then start to lookthroughout your business andstructure everything so that thebenefits are obvious and out front.

This article was provided by DanPlowman Team System. For access tomarketing campaigns, scripts and list-ing and buyer presentations that havebeen designed and perfected over thelast five years, visit www.danplow-manteamsystems.com. REM

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eadlines are absolutelyvital for any good ad –in fact, it’s only the ad

and/or photo that will determineif the prospective buyer decidesto read the ad at all. Scary statis-tics show that, with all advertis-ing, only one out of five peopleread past the headline of an ad.So, when a sales rep says, “Whenthey read my ad, they will under-stand that.......” I point out it’snot when they read the ad, but ifthey read the ad. Your aim is tocreate ads where five out of fivepeople, in the market you aretargeting, will read your ad –then you are on the path to greatsuccess.

Remember who your target iswhen you write your headline,and then qualify it quickly, sothe reader knows you’re both onthe same wavelength. Then ide-ally, reinforce or remind aboutthe headline at the end of the ad.

For example: Swim in winter(reading that headline, one

50 REM OCTOBER 2010

H

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By Ian Grace

How to create powerful headlineswould assume that to swim inwinter, the pool would have to beheated, so the qualifying state-ment might be, “The solar heatedpool will give you year-roundfamily fun and entertaining.”

When reading an ad, people’sattention is distracted by otherads, so, at the end of the ad it canpay to reinforce the headline andbring their attention back towhat attracted them to the ad inthe first place. “So, if you’d liketo be in the swim this winter,phone Fred Smith today at......”

Powerful headlines must con-tain one or more of:

• a benefit or implied benefitfor the reader

• something that is new, newsor topical at the time

• a curiosity element – butbeware of gimmicks for gimmickssake.

For example, have you everseen or heard headlines such as:

Announcing the all-new XYZdishwasher that will save you timeand money. How many of therules above does it have in thatheadline – yes, all three of them.So, great headlines will contain atleast one, often two and occa-sionally three.

Another example: Hard workdoes pay as a headline for a prop-erty that needs work done to it.That headline has two of the

rules – a benefit and also thecuriosity element “what/howmuch do I have to do?”

Now is probably a good timeto explode a myth in the realestate industry. Most sales repsaround the world believe they areselling houses and sadly, most realestate ads reflect just that – infact, most real estate ads onlyseem to prove that sales reps cancount. One dining room, twobathrooms, four bedrooms… twobathrooms, one study, one diningroom.

It is vitally important tounderstand that you are not sell-ing houses. You are selling livingthere.

That is the picture theprospective buyer has in theirmind – living in their new home,which may have an extra bed-room or two so the kids can havetheir own space and privacy andthe resultant family harmony. Orperhaps they are thinking aboutthe extra entertaining areas,where both parents and theirchildren can entertain theirfriends at the same time, but sep-arately.

Once an ad matches the pic-ture the prospective buyers havein their minds about what it willbe like living there, you have amatch and have now attractedthe right buyer.

When I was speaking at theNAR conference some years ago,Colin Powell was the keynotespeaker and he told a story abouta military officer who was con-tinually transferred from base tobase, city to city. Their youngson was asked if it was hard forhim, always living in a differenthome. His response was, “Oh,no. We always live in the samehome; we just put it in a differenthouse.”

When you buy a house andthey take all the furnishings out,all you are left with are bare floorsand walls. It doesn’t look so goodempty, but then you fill it withyour furnishings, your knick-knacks and your photos and makeit your home.

But after that, you need all theinformation to know what livingthere is all about – what are theneighbours like, are they friendly?Where are the nearest golf cours-es? Where do we go shopping?What transport is available andwhere? What are the quickest dri-ving routes to my work? Are thereother children in the area for thekids to play with? The list goeson.

Great real estate advertising,particularly using the flexibility ofthe Internet, will answer all thesequestions for them.

As an example: We sold our

own property in Brisbane 3-1/2

years ago, before moving to theGold Coast. The buyers lived atwo-hour plane flight away andonly the husband had visited ourhome and made the buying deci-sion.

The day before the family wasdue to pick up the keys from oursolicitor, we agreed to meet themthere, to teach them how tomaintain the pool and the hottub.

Their two children ranaround the house saying, “There’smy bedroom, the one with the V-shaped bookshelf” – they knewexactly which room they wouldbe living in, even though theyhad never visited the home previ-ously. That’s what great realestate advertising does. Oh, bythe way, we had four otherprospective buyers lined up, wait-ing in case the sale fell through.

Known internationally as “Mr.Real Estate Advertising”,Australian born Ian Grace isacknowledged as one of the world’sleading authorities on real estateadvertising. Since 1994, he hasdelivered his programs throughoutAustralia, New Zealand, U.S.A,Canada and the U.K. His articlesabout real estate advertising havebeen published around the world.www.iangrace.com REM

You can use a mitre saw when cutting laminate floor precisely, but youneed to use the kind of blade made specifically for this work. Less thana dozen cuts will make an ordinary carbide blade too dull to use.

52 REM OCTOBER 2010

By Steve Maxwell

HOUSE WORKS Choosing a new floora danger. Expansion and con-traction is the reason why. Whenmovement of the supporting sub-floor doesn’t match that of thetiles, problems can (and oftendo) occur. That’s where some-thing called uncoupling mem-brane can help. It allows a smallamount of side-to-side move-ment of the tiles independentlyfrom the floor. I wouldn’t installceramic tiles without an uncou-pling membrane.

Invented by a German compa-ny called Schluter Systems, theflexible Ditra underlay allowsenough independent tile move-ment to virtually eliminate therisk of cracking. Complete yourinstallation over a code-builtwooden subfloor that meetsSchluter’s installation directivesand it warrants everything aboutthe installation against failure forfive years – cost of new tiles, costof ripping the old tiles out andcost of putting the new ones in.You’re completely off the hookfinancially if the system fails.

Although not just used forfloors, a brand-new materialcalled structural foam tile backerboard is poised to change the waywalls, countertops, vanities andshowers are built. Kerdi-Board isthe name of this product and it’savailable in different thicknesses.The material cuts easily with asaw, and joins together with thesame kind of thinset adhesiveused to anchor tiles. Use it tobuild anything you want to coverin tiles, and then stick themdirectly to the surface. Keep youreye on this new material becauseit’s sure to be copied.

Laminate floors have becomemainstream, though there are twothings that homeowners routinelyfail to consider when choosinglaminates. The first has to do withtoughness.

Although not prominentlyadvertised, most laminates carry an“abrasion class” (AC) rating from1 to 5. An AC rating of 5, forinstance, means the laminate iscapable of standing up under com-mercial conditions – stores, restau-rants, offices. AC-4 laminate istough enough for heavy householduse. Laminates with an AC ratingof 3 are fine for ordinary householdsituations.

Is your floor flat enough forlaminates? Most brands required asurface that’s flat within 1/4 inch ina 10-foot radius. Any more irregu-larity than this and your new lami-nate floor will make noise as youwalk on it.

It used to be that real woodfloors meant putting up with sand-ing dust and finishing fumes.That’s one reason why prefinishedhardwood has captured a big partof the market. Another reason isdurability. Factory applied finishesare thicker and tougher than any-thing that can be site-applied.Some factory finishes are evenwarranted for 35 years.

Click-together solid hardwoodis a variation on the wood floortheme and it’s gaining a growingshare of the market. These optionsgo down just like laminates, with-out fastening to the underlyingsubfloor. They have all the goodlooks of real wood (because theyare real wood), they can be refin-ished and they aren’t as dependentas laminates on a perfectly flat sub-floor.

Engineered click flooring isthe most recent variation onthe DIY flooring theme. Thesurface layer of this option isreal wood – about 3mm or 4mmthick – bonded to a plywoodsubstrate. This combinationgives the floor all the good looksof real wood, plus greater physi-cal stability, especially when

applied over radiant infloorheating.

Steve Maxwell is Canada’saward-winning home improvementexpert, and technical editor ofCanadian Home Workshop maga-zine. Sign up for his free homeownernewsletter at www.stevemaxwell.ca

REM

Click together engineered flooring offers many advantages: easy instal-lation, stable performance, durable factory finish and the ability to berefinished. (Photos: Steve Maxwell)

hoosing new flooring isserious business becauseso much rides on your

decision. Even cheap flooring costsa lot, both in terms of money andthe inevitable installation hassles.You also have to live with yourchoice for a long time after yournew floor goes down. Before youmake any crucial decisions, let meshow you some things you may notknow about three popular flooringoptions.

Ceramic tiles are a durableand beautiful choice, but even ifyou’ve installed them on a rigidbase, cracking and loose tiles are

C

The dimpled orange plastic sheet makes tile installation more durable.It allows a small amount of side-to-side movement between tiles, a lead-ing cause of installations that crack in time.

Top renumeration packages for experienced

Broker Managers

Contact Richard Brinkley at:Sutton Group Realty Services Ltd.

Tel: (416) 498-9889, Ex: 231

Office ManagersWanted For NewGTA Locations

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54 REM OCTOBER 2010

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REALTY EXECUTIVES Western Canadais actively seeking a self motivated individual to manage the day to day

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The qualified candidate must have a validManaging Broker License in the province of

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We offer a competitive salary and trainingand support to ensure success within our

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Toronto’s dual-brandhotel an emerging trendBy Jim Adair

ou would think thatlaunching a new hotelconcept in the middle of a

recession, using a brand not well-known in Canada, would be a riskthat most real estate investorswould avoid. But for Al Gulamaniof Bayview Hospitality Group, theopportunity to build a new dual-branded hotel near TorontoAirport was too good an idea topass up – and now his gamble ispaying off.

“In Canada, the extended staymarket has been underserved for along time,” says Gulamani. Anentrepreneur formerly associatedwith other brands, he was attractedto Homewood Suites when hetoured the first one in Canada, atMont Tremblant, Que. Now heowns three of the nine HomewoodSuites hotels in Canada – one inCambridge, Ont., one in Oakville,and the recently opened TorontoAirport site.

The Toronto site is uniquebecause it is part of a trend to dual-

branded hotels on the same site –in this case, the Homewood Suitesbuilding sits beside a HamptonInn. The two operate as separatehotels, with their own check-indesks, food service areas, lobbiesand elevators, but they share meet-ing rooms, a business centre, aswimming pool and exercise facili-ties. Both the Homewood Suitesand Hampton Inn brands areowned by Hilton.

Homewood Suites is aimed atbusiness travellers who need aplace for stay for five or morenights – the average is 11 nights.The hotels offer studio, one andtwo-bedroom suites, and includefully equipped kitchens, compli-mentary high-speed Internetaccess, and a comfortable, homeysurrounding. The hotels are built

Y like an old-fashioned lodge, withcommunal spaces where a free hotbreakfast is served every morningand free light dinners and refresh-ments are offered in the evening.The menus are changed constantlyand posted in the rooms so guestscan decide if they want to eat inthe lodge or make their own din-ner in their suite.

Bill Duncan, global head ofHomewood Suites, says that“Canada has been a great successstory” for the brand and there are

plans to expand it across the coun-try. The company takes existingproperties and renovates them toits standards, or builds new, as inthe case of Gulamani’s properties.

While the original HomewoodSuites were designed to feel some-what like a “hunting lodge”,Duncan says the interior designhas become more upscale to caterto female clients. He says thatwhile business travellers used to bemostly men, now the split is closerto 50/50.

Homewood Suites targetsmostly extended-stay visitors, butthose coming for shorter stays arealso welcome, as are families thatare on vacation.

At the Toronto Airport site,those in town for a shorter visitmay want to stay on the Hampton

Inn side of the complex, whereprices are typically $20 to $30cheaper per night. The HamptonInn also offers a free hot breakfast,as well as “on the run breakfastbags” for those who need theirbreakfast to go. The hotel has itsown breakfast area. The inn alsooffers free Internet access.

Both brands offer points for theHilton loyalty program, as well asairline loyalty miles. Duncan saysthat’s an increasingly importantfactor when travellers are choosing

where they will stay.The Toronto complex includes

128 Homewood Suites rooms and126 Hampton Inn guest rooms.Opened this spring, the hotel ranat about 40 per cent occupancy forthe first few months and Gulamaniexpects that to grow to 60 per centby the end of the year as the hotelbecomes more well-known.

Built during the recession, thecomplex cost $31 million to con-struct. Gulamani says the down-turn actually helped him becausemore tradespeople were availableand some building material pricescame down – “I probably savedabout 10 to 15 per cent.”

It also helped that the site is onthe extreme western edge ofToronto, one of the last sites nearthe airport that could be devel-oped. If it had been built on theother side of the street, it would bein the City of Mississauga – wheredevelopment charges would haveadded $4 million to the cost of theproject.

Homewood Suites now hasalmost 300 hotels in the UnitedStates, Canada and Mexico.

REM

A panoramic view of one of the Homewood suites.

The dual-branded Toronto Airport complex was built during the recessionfor $31 million.

Send them a breathof fresh air

Looking for a unique wayto say thank you to your clients?

Tel. (506) 939-3113Fax (506) 939-31121-800-5WREATH (597-3284)

wilsonwreath.com

REM OCTOBER 2010 55

t takes all kinds to make theworld go around, or so the oldsaying goes. But there are cer-

tain types of individuals who striveto ensure that the world goesaround a bit more efficiently — orat least a bit more efficiently forthem. I’m talking about people whopossess what is commonly called a“Type A” personality. Some mightcall them “go-getters”, others mightrefer to them as “divas” or “ass-pants”. I’m not here to make anysuch judgment calls, I’m just hopingto provide a few clues that you maybe working alongside one. Or,funny enough – that you may beone yourself.

1) When the office gets thesales force together for the annualgroup photo, do you know some-one who:

a) Proceeds directly to the frontof the group, even if they are 7’ 2”?

b) Hops up and down to benoticed, until the photographerrelents and snaps their picture inmid-leap?

c) Wears a fluorescent greenblazer and bright yellow pants forpicture day, just by coincidence?These are indeed Type A personal-ities.

2) When you are in the officetrying to get on a photocopier thatis already in use, do you:

a) Pace like a trapped jungle catwhile everyone else clearly movesin slow motion, making the onsetof rigor mortis seem quicker bycomparison?

b) Mutter under your breathabout how you’ve seen fastermolasses pouring onto pancakes ona backyard picnic table in mid-December?

c) Start planning a wake for theindividual on the copier, who has

By Dan St. Yves

Type ‘A’ personality quiz

I

obviously gone into rigor mortis? Ibelieve YOU may have a Type Apersonality, my friend.

3) You are mounting an ama-teur theatre production of Anniewith fellow office colleagues at anannual sales conference, and theyrefuse to allow you to play the leadrole. Your reaction is to:

a) Threaten to turn the Anniewig into a brush-cut clump of frayedred yarn?

b) Vent vigorously for 30 min-utes about the folly of allowing achild to fill such a crucial role in themusical, saying. “The audience willnever buy it”?

c) Defend the merits of a mid-dle-aged male in the title role, butadmit the wardrobe may need a fewmodifications for showcasing yoursturdy calves? Seriously, that’s aType A personality, dude!

4) If someone in your officehas an opinion contrary to yours,do you:

a) Politely listen to their pointof view, consider the merits andthen gently ask the co-workerwhen their last IQ test was? If ever?

b) Cut them off abruptly, andask them to go refill your coffee?

c) Try to prevent your headfrom exploding while waiting forthe moron to finish talking? Signsof a Type A personality, I wouldsuggest.

5) If you are in the middle ofa “fun” inter-office weekend curl-ing bonspiel, and one of yourteammates throws a stone thatcompletely misses the target, doyou:

a) Walk over and coach herempathically on the importance offocus and discipline, even thoughthis is just supposed to be a chanceto mingle with your fellow agents?

b) Repeatedly smash yourbroom on the hog line until it turnsinto bacon?

c) Propel that teammate alongthe ice to illustrate the proper tra-jectory required for his next shot?Type A for sure!

Humour columnist and authorDan St. Yves was licensed with RoyalLePage Kelowna for 11 years. Checkout his website at www.nonsenseand-stuff.com, or contact him [email protected]. REM

56 REM OCTOBER 2010

Chief Financial Officer RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada Inc., RE/MAX Europe Integra Enterprise Group

RE/MAX sells 1 in every 3 homes in Canada.

Walter Schneider, President and Co-Founder and Pamela Alexander, CEO RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada Inc; are pleased to announce the appointment of Gurinder Sandhu. Mr. Sandhu has more than 17 years of experience in progressively senior finance leadership positions in real estate, relocation and other business services sectors. Most recently, he served as Vice-President of Finance for Brookfield Real Estate Services Ltd.. Prior to that, Mr. Sandhu worked at Torstar and KPMG. Mr. Sandhu has a BA in Economics from York University and has a CA designation.

In his new position as Chief Financial Officer of RE/MAX and affili-ated companies, Mr. Sandhu will oversee our group of companies that operate the RE/MAX brand in 35 countries, consisting of over 2,500 franchised offices and 26,000 sales associates with headquarters in Mississauga, Vienna, Geneva, Boston, Indianapolis and Minneapolis.

Gurinder Sandhu

Yahoo Canadalaunches Zoocasareal estate application

Yahoo and Zoocasa, a realestate property search site, recentlylaunched a new application thatenables house hunters to accessZoocasa’s online real estate searchservice directly from theirYahoo.ca homepage.

Yahoo boasts more than 17million visitors per month, whonow can search for a new home,research local neighbourhoods andreceive updates about propertiesthat fit their personal profilethrough the Zoocasa.com applica-tion on their Yahoo.ca homepage.Combining real-time listing infor-mation and mapping technology,Zoocasa.com allows users to per-sonalize their search experienceand discover community, demo-graphic and lifestyle information.For information: www.zoocasa.ca.

Gary Schnarr signswith CKGInternational

CKG International has namedCREA past-president and formerRe/Max executive Gary Schnarr asdirector of broker coaching. Hewill be responsible for the furtherdevelopment and growth of theCKG Broker Program.

Schnarr has been involved inreal estate for over 25 years includ-ing building his own brokeragewith more than 65 agents. He waspresident of CREA in 1995. Hehas conducted speaking and work-shop engagements throughoutNorth America and Europe. Forthe past eight years he has been anexecutive at Re/Max Ontario –Atlantic Canada.

“Now, I have the opportunityto work with brokers as a coach. I

What’s

New

What’s

New

enjoy nothing more than assistinga broker in building his/her busi-ness,” he says.

He will work with brokers onbusiness planning, recruiting,training, profitability, retaining,business systems and leadership.

Brand name closinggifts give clients‘something to talkabout’

Neighbourhood Greetings pro-vides corporate and real estate giftsthat “generate buzz and reinforcethe care you take” with yourclients, providing more impactthan a “one and done” gift basket,the company says.

With prices starting at just over$100, the company provides anassortment of packages with premi-um items from brands such asLalique, Waterford Crystal,Porsche Design, Royal Doulton,Visconti and Stelton. You can getsome items engraved or add ananniversary card or informationpackage.

This package, aimed at wel-coming homeowners to their newneighbourhoods, includes a per-sonal letter from the real estate repand listings of local schools, day-cares, shopping and services(including maps) and key munici-pal contacts.

For information: www.neigh-bourhoodgreetings.com

Former RLP managerforms company to givereal estate a Jolt

Former Royal LePage Canadamarketing manager IngridMenninga recently launched JoltMarketing, a full service marketing

company specializing in helpingRealtors and mortgage brokers.

“Working with mortgage andreal estate professionals since 2006has helped to mould our under-standing of what agents are look-ing for. We don’t create somethingand try and sell it to the agents, wetake the opposite approach – weask the agents what they want, andbuild upon that to create some-thing well beyond their expecta-tions,” says Menninga.

She says, “We heard from ourclients that they did not have thetime or the interest in doing themarketing themselves. They arenot looking for a company thatcreates a beautiful piece and leavesthe rest up to them. They are look-ing for great marketing materialsand someone to make that market-ing work for them.”

Jolt’s Business BoosterMarketing Program incorporates e-newsletters, mailed note cards andfollow up phone calls, and isdesigned to build agent’s repeatand referral business. The programis managed by Jolt, so agents canstay connected with their networkof clients and provide professionaltouch-points, without taking timeaway from actually signing deals,the company says.

It also offers online and socialmedia solutions including socialmedia representation, Wordpressblog customization and socialmedia profile customization.

For information: 1-877-620-5658 or 416-840-9352.

Canadians win majorAmeriSpec award

Dave and Celine Novak,AmeriSpec franchise owners inRegina, were presented with amajor award at AmeriSpec’sInternational Convention recentlyin Boston.

Recipients of the AchieverAward must meet a variety of crite-ria in order to be nominated by

Dave and Celine Novak

Neighbourhood Greetings providesclosing gifts that clients willremember.

Continued on page 57

†Royal LePage is a trademark used under license.

Andy Puthon, Executive Vice President,Network Development, is pleased toannounce that Jim Holody broker/owner ofthe brokerage formerly operating asColdwell Banker 1st London Real EstateServices in London, Ontario has chosento join the Royal LePage franchise network. Jim’s company operates underthe new name Royal LePage 1st LondonReal Estate Services, and includes ateam of 57 sales representatives.

Jim is past vice president of the London &St. Thomas Association of REALTORS®,and is currently a director. He is alsochairman of the Broker AdvisoryCommittee.

In addition to London, the team also services the areas Kilworth, Komoka,Mount Brydges, Delaware, St. Thomas,Dutton, West Lorne, Rodney, Bothwell,

Glencoe, Strathroy, Parkhill, Grand Bend,Ailsa Craig, Lucan, Dorchester, Belmont,Ingersoll, and surrounding communities.

Jim and his team can be reached at:

1069 Wellington Road South London, Ontario N6E 2H6Phone: 519-685-4190 Fax: 519-685-7497 [email protected]

Please join us in welcoming Jim, andwishing him and everyone at RoyalLePage 1st London Real Estate Servicescontinued success.

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

Jim HolodyRoyal LePage 1st London Real Estate Services,BrokerageLondon, Ontario

†

Email: [email protected]

REM OCTOBER 2010 57

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f you own a small business,you need insurance. But howmuch and what kind?

“Insurance can be one strategyto manage your risk,” says char-tered accountant Vic Skot, princi-pal, Benefit Partners Inc. in Barrie,Ont. “It can give the businessowner and the corporation ways tomanage and mitigate their risksthat are both tax and cost effec-tive.”

Life insurance is important,whether you are a sole owner orhave a business partner. “If a soleowner dies, life insurance can helpthe business continue and/or liqui-date in an orderly manner,” saysSkot. “If you have a partner andone of you dies, insurance can pro-vide the cash the surviving partnerneeds to acquire the shares of thebusiness and keep it running.”

If you become ill or have anaccident, disability insurance can

Personal Finances

their business development man-ager. From these recipients, thetop franchises are selected for theMarion E. Wade Expert Award,which was presented to theNovaks at the convention. Thereare more than 250 AmeriSpecfranchise territories in NorthAmerica.

For more information:www.amerispec.com.

Gary Little upgradesSunshine Coastinteractive map

Real estate agent Gary Littlehas released a major upgrade to his

unique interactive map showingthe locations of hundreds of MLS-listed homes for sale on theSunshine Coast (Gibsons, RobertsCreek, Sechelt, Halfmoon Bay,and Pender Harbour), a popularresidential and recreational arealocated 40 minutes by ferry fromVancouver.

The real estate map, whichintegrates satellite imagery, streetmaps, topographical data, andGoogle Street View panoramas,can be used to locate homes forsale in neighbourhoods of interest.To learn more about a home theuser simply clicks its icon on themap. Markers for public services,such as schools, post offices, firehalls, police stations and beachaccesses can also be overlaid onthe map, making it easier for buy-

ers to evaluate the desirability of ahome’s location prior to visitingthe home in person.

The upgrade allows a user tocreate a personal account on themap, which enables access toextended information about ahome for sale: room sizes, floorarea for each storey, flooringtype, strata rules and fees, roof-ing material, foundation type,construction type, exterior fin-ish and outdoor features. Alsonow provided is informationabout parking, fireplaces, heat-ing, water supply, zoning andrecent renovations. The upgradeadheres to Virtual OfficeWebsite rules established by thelocal real estate board.

The map is free to use athttp://map.GaryLittle.ca/. REM

Small business– big insurance

protect your income stream whileyou are unable to work. “A subsetof disability insurance is critical ill-ness insurance,” says Skot. “It canprovide the cash you might need toseek treatment to restore yourhealth without having to tap intopersonal savings.”

Be sure to insure your property,inventory and equipment againstsuch risks as fire and theft. “Youneed insurance to protect you frombusiness interruption and employ-ee dishonesty,” says charteredaccountant Eric Walker, a partnerwith Cookson Walker LLP inToronto. “You can customize yourcoverage to the size and nature ofyour business.”

Liability insurance is alsomandatory. “Accidents on yourproperty may injure your staff orothers,” says Walker. “Manyowner-operators don’t realize thatcourt settlements for some injuries

can run up to $10 million. Talk toyour insurance broker about hav-ing enough liability insurance tocover the worst-case scenario.”

Most small business ownersprovide group insurance benefits totheir employees, which mayinclude life, accidental death ordismemberment, extended health,dental, long-term disability and/orcritical illness insurance.

“For key employees, you maywant to provide additional disabil-ity or critical illness insurancebecause you want to get these keyindividuals back to work quickly orbecause you need to immediatelyhire someone to replace them ifthey cannot return,” says Skot.“Banks often require key personcoverage so that their loans to abusiness are well protected and willbe paid back if something happensto the business’s key person.”

Talk to your CA about yourinsurance needs. “Your CA canhelp determine how much cover-age you should have for yourinventory, property and equipmentby advising your insurance brokeron their value,” says Walker.

Adds Skot: “There are manydifferent insurance products avail-able and it can be very difficult fora layperson to determine what isnecessary versus what is marketing.Your CA can help assess your risk,analyze the options and identifythe right solution for you.”

This article was written by theInstitute of Chartered Accountants ofOntario. REM

I

What’s New?Continued from page 56

58 REM OCTOBER 2010

Good WorksGood Workshe Saint John Real EstateBoard hosted an AmazingRace recently to raise

$7,028 for the YMCA-YWCA Strong Kids Charity(www.strongkids.ca).

Competition was fierce amongthe participating teams of Realtors;as the first clues were handed out,members shoved each other out ofthe way to race to their cars and,hurling a last few good-humouredinsults to one another, they spedoff across the city.

Cryptic clues led teams to vari-ous stops, including the zoo, aseafood market to chomp downraw oysters, a nearby lake for acanoeing expedition, an aquaticdriving range, a rock wall, a chil-dren’s indoor park, hotel corridorsto hunt down a room with a lock-

T box and a grocery store. In the end, the team of Pam

Trites, Heather Stewart, TaraMorrison and Dorothy Reid fromExit Realty Specialists in SaintJohn reigned victorious, raisingmore than $2,000 for Strong Kidsand finishing what should havebeen a roughly 90-minute race in45 short minutes.

That evening, many moremembers enjoyed a barbecue, asilent auction and a beautiful sum-mer evening by the lake.

■ ■ ■

The Second Annual StampedeGolf Tournament raised $8,000 forHorizon Housing Society, a chari-table organization that providesaffordable, integrated and support-ed homes to more than 700 ten-

ants. The event attracted 80golfers, donations of 15 prizes forthe silent auction and sponsors foreach hole on the 18-hole course.

The tournament was organizedand hosted by all Sutton offices inCalgary: Sutton Group - Canwest,Sutton Group - Altawest andSutton - Partners Realty Group.

■ ■ ■

Kelly Meek, a sales rep withCentury 21 First Canadian Corp inLondon, Ont. shaved her head andreached her goal of raising morethan $10,000 for the CanadianCancer Society recently. She alsosent 22 inches of hair to the Cutsfor Cancer program, which makeswigs for cancer patients.

“It is really difficult to put intowords the impact that this experi-ence has had on me,” she says. “Ihad over 500 people sponsor me, ormake a donation towards my (headshaving) event. During myfundraising, I met so many won-derful people and, from closefriends to complete strangers, I wasprivileged to hear their personalstories of experiences with cancer.There were some incredibly inspir-ing stories, and others so heart-breaking that I found myself shar-

ing tears with complete strangers attimes.

Meek says, “For those who losttheir hair without a choice, thiswas for you. Hopefully one daysoon, cancer will be no more of athreat than chicken pox or thecommon cold.”

■ ■ ■

Manitoba Realtors, friends,family and colleagues golfed theirway to a record-breaking $14,000-plus for the Manitoba Real EstateAssociation Shelter Foundation atthe Fourth Annual MREAPresident’s Charity Golf Classic.The foundation donates funds toshelter-related charities inManitoba.

■ ■ ■

Bob Steacy, a salesperson atSutton Group - Masters Realty inKingston, Ont. held his secondannual Hit and Giggle GolfTournament recently, raising$5,000 for the Partners in MissionFood Bank of Kingston. It bringsthe two-year fundraising total to$8,000.

“We are all in a country that isstruggling economically and thehardest hit are the charities that

don’t receive any provincial or fed-eral funding,” says Steacy. “It was awake-up call for me that even inCanada children still go off toschool hungry – that needs to becorrected. I started this golf tourna-ment last year to benefit the localfood bank. As a fourth-generationKingstonian and having manycontacts, I thought the time wasright to step up and organize thisevent. My office suspended theirgolf tournament, which I chairedfor two years and which raisedthousands of dollars for JuvenileDiabetes.”

One participant was Jim Dorey,a retired hockey defenseman whoplayed for the Toronto Maple Leafsand New York Rangers. Now liv-ing in his hometown of Kingston,Dorey recently established Dorey& Tolgyesi Insurance Brokers.

■ ■ ■

Exit Realty associates fromacross the Maritimes recently cametogether to golf in support ofHabitat for Humanity, raising$13,000.

“The event has been organizedfor several years by Jon Walker,franchisee of Exit Realty InterLake and his team of staff and

A competitive and enthusiastic group gears up to partici-pate in the Saint John Real Estate Board’s Amazing Race,which raised money for YMCA’s Strong Kids campaign.Clockwise, from top: Dorothy Reid, Scott McAllister,Pam Trites, Barry MacDonald. Centre: board EO AngelaBeyea.

Kelly Meek, before thehead shaving…. and after. Meek raised more than

$10,000 for the CanadianCancer Society.

Above: Exit’s Jon Walker and Gary Mailmanpresent a cheque to Hank Middleton, chair-man of Habitat for Humanity HRM-SouthShore Chapter. Looking on are (back row,from left) Kendall Eisnor, David Larkin,Angie Brown, Monica Robar and DonnaVant’Hof. Middle row: Dianne Corkum,Sylvia Cherry, Patricia MacLeod.From left, Bob Steacy, lawyer Yuri

Tarnowecky, Don Holway ofThomson and Jemmett InsuranceBrokers and Jim Dorey of Dorey

& Tolgyesi at Steacy’s secondannual golf tournament to raise

money for a local food bank.

REM OCTOBER 2010 59

agents,” says Ed Martens, Exit’ssenior VP of franchise sales. “Theyalways do a first-class job, withevery detail precisely looked after.Multiple Exit offices from theHalifax and surrounding areas par-ticipated as well as Exit associatesfrom New Brunswick and P.E.I.”

Habitat for Humanity is ExitRealty Corp. International’s chari-ty of choice, and the company hasnow pledged over $1.5 million toHabitat for Humanity efforts acrossNorth America.

■ ■ ■

The Central Alberta RealtorsAssociation and CharitableFoundation hosted its annual GolfTournament for Charity recently.Ninety-nine golfers enjoyed abeautiful sun-filled day of golf andraised more than $6,400 for theRonald MacDonald house in RedDeer, Alta. These proceeds will gotowards the association’s three-yearpledge to the Ronald MacDonaldHouse to raise $75,000 for its newfacility.

■ ■ ■

Sid van der Meulen of Ada

Realty in Edmonton honoured theliberation of Holland in 1945 bycycling the Elfstedentocht, a 240-km route, on May 24.

“For the first 80 km there was aslight breeze on our back and Imade good time, but then ourdirection changed, the windpicked up and the slight breezebecame a very stiff wind for most ofthe rest of the 160 km,” he says.

“Throughout the day I wasencouraged by my wife, sister andfriends as well as countless citizenswho cheered and roared wheneverI waved the Canadian flag. Howproud and emotional I was when Idraped myself in the Canadian flagfor the last 200 meters to collectmy last stamp and medal and raiseChurchill’s ‘V’ for victory sign.”

The journey raised almost$25,000 for the Youth EmergencyShelter Society and E4C’s SchoolLunch program.

■ ■ ■

Bobbing along from ShadowLake, Ont. to Balsam Lake, 1,400yellow rubber ducks meandered tothe finish line recently. Crowdsfollowed along from the shore,

cheering on their racers in thederby. This is the 12th year in arow that Sutton Group -Kawartha Lakes Realty hasaccommodated the United Wayand Coboconk Lions Club for theevent. The real estate brokerageset up a new food preparationtrailer in the parking lot and usedthe office for ticket sales andprizes.

Broker Grace Cork is an enthu-siastic supporter of this annualevent: “I was more than happy tolet the United Way and LionsClub use our parking lot and officeagain this year. The Duck Derbybrings many visitors into town andraises money for very worthy caus-es. On a summer’s day, it’s a greatreason for people to get together,enjoy a hamburger and listen tomusic in the streets.”

Earlier this summer, Corkdonated $500 on behalf of SuttonGroup - Kawartha Lakes Realty tohelp the Lions Club purchasetheir new food preparation trailer.“It’s much more convenient forthem to use it instead of bringingin barbecues and carloads of sup-plies.” REM

Royal LePage Your CommunityRealty, which has several

offices north of Toronto, heldits third annual golf tourna-

ment in support of the YellowBrick House and the RoyalLePage Shelter Foundation

recently. More than $30,000was raised. From left: Michelle

Risi, broker; Dave Barrow,mayor of Richmond Hill;

Vivian Risi, Royal LePage Your Community Realty’s

broker of record; and Julie Risi-Careri, broker.

“Ooey-gooey bars” and“Lori’s lazy perogy casserole”are just two of the tastyrecipes in Royal LePageLannon’s cookbook. TheSimply Entertaining cookbookwas originally created to raisemoney for the United Way inthe brokerage’s home ofThunder Bay, Ont., but now asecond edition is being planedto benefit the Royal LePageShelter Foundation. To get acopy, email [email protected]

��

“…Aventure is really working well in

our area and we have received more

response and more listing presentations

just because of Aventure… we are really

proud to be part of this great Network.”Hazel Ladouceur, Broker/OwnerWISE MOVE REALTY INC., Brokerage

“…our team at Tracy Arnett Realty Ltd.

have been excited and proud to be a part

of Aventure Realty Network. The referrals

we have received to date have had a

positive impact on our business…

the network adds value to our individual

businesses and the industry we work in! ”Tracy Arnett, Broker/OwnerTRACY ARNETT REALTY LTD., Brokerage

“…a great system that is really needed

by the many independent Brokerages

to add impact…”Ken Lamb, Broker/OwnerREAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS INC.

“…Aventure is a key ingredient to

our company… we just eliminated the

objections of “why would I leave my

franchise organization for an independent

company”. We are hiring, and feel really

great about Aventure. We have made

use of the referral network… the most

important factor for us as owners is

to feel connected…”Thomas McBurney, Broker/OwnerURBAN LANDMARK REALTY INC., Brokerage

Visit us at www.aventurerealty.ca to find out more

What our members say…

BUYER AGENTThe ideal candidate should be…

• Registered Sales Representative/Broker • Highly motivated• Work with a team and independently

Some leads will be provided.

FULL TIME ADMINISTRATORThe ideal candidate should have…

• Real Estate knowledge – a must!• Excellent verbal & written communication skills• Meticulous attention to detail• Proficient with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher,

Top Producer & Lone Wolf• Own vehicle, requires some travel

Growing successful Real Estateteam in the Kingsway area…

we have 2 positions that we arelooking to fill immediately!

Serious inquiries only. Only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Please send your cover letter and resume [email protected]

�

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270 The Kingsway, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M9A 3T7

Tel: 416-236-1241 • Fax: 416-231-0563

60 REM OCTOBER 2010

BRANCH MANAGER Work with a Leader!

Royal LePage RCR Realty requires an experienced and talented individual to fill the role of full-time Broker/Manager in Central Ontario.

The successful candidate will have experience in a management capacity and a proven track record.

If you are looking to further your career with a proven leader, please send your resume in complete confidence to [email protected]. We regret that we can only respond to candidates chosen for an interview.

n today’s tough market,you have to make everypenny count. While how

much you earn is important,what really matters is how muchyou keep.

When you ask how muchmost Realtors earned in 2009,most report their gross commis-sion income (GCI), which ishow much they made beforeexpenses.

Profitability, however, isdetermined by how much youkeep after expenses. If you wantto keep more of your hard-earned commission dollars, hereare 10 ways to do it.

1. Begin by calculating yournet hourly rate for 2009. Takethe gross commission amountthat you earned and subtract allyour business expenses. (Takenet income you report to CanadaRevenue Agency.)

Next, divide it by 2,000 (i.e.,40 hours per week for 50 weeks)to determine your net earningsper hour. (This is your after-tax,hourly rate of profit per hour.) Ifit’s greater than the minimum

Keep more of your commissions10 ways to make every penny count By Bernice Ross

wage, seriously consider delegat-ing part of your business to aminimum-wage earner. Whenyou spend time doing minimum-wage tasks such as going to thepost office, dropping off drycleaning, filling brochure boxes,and so on, you are working forminimum wage. This reducesyour profit because you could beengaged in prospecting, present-ing offers or doing other activi-ties that produce more income.

2. Eliminate nonproductiveopportunity costs. Opportunitycost refers to the “value or bene-fit of something that must begiven up to achieve somethingelse.” For example, if you spendfour hours holding an openhouse, you would give up theopportunity to work with yourrelocation buyers during thattime.

To understand the “cost” ofthat decision to your business,assume that you had an after-taxnet income of $40,000 in 2009.Your hourly rate would be $20per hour. Thus, if you held afour-hour open house that gener-

ated no leads, the opportunitycost of that open house was $80plus the cost of operating yourvehicle to get there, refresh-ments and any prospectingpieces you may have used. Toreduce these costs, carefullyexamine which activities consis-tently generate leads and whichactivities generate little if anyincome. Be ruthless about elimi-nating activities with no return,no matter how much you thinkyou should do them. Remember,the less time you spend on non-productive opportunity costs,the greater your profits.

3. Get more bang for yourmarketing buck. Top producersconsistently report that the bulkof their business comes fromtheir referral database.Nevertheless, many agents con-tinue to spend a huge percentageof their marketing dollars devel-oping new sources of businessrather than strengthening theirexisting referral database. To bemore profitable, focus on build-ing referrals from your existingsphere of influence. It takes lesstime and as a rule, usually yieldshigher results.

4. Innovate to keep pace.Each quarter, challenge yourassumptions about how you con-duct your business by experi-menting with new ideas, newniches and new processes. Profitis always temporary. What keepsprofits increasing long-term isstaying in touch with an always-changing marketplace and awillingness to try what is new. Bewilling to invest at least one tofive per cent of your gross rev-enues in making mistakes, takingtime away from the business todo strategic planning, and learn-ing new ideas.

5. Slash expenses. Limit mar-keting and promotion to 10 percent of your gross revenues.Instead, use your telephone,email and social media to keep intouch with your client base ratherthan expensive mailings andother forms of print advertising.

6. Buy in bulk. This includescomputer supplies, paper prod-

ucts and open house supplies, aswell as personal items you use athome. For example, if you servecoffee or mineral water at youropen houses, stock up at yourlocal membership departmentstore or order online to save salestax. Watch for sales on productsyou use and buy a six- to 12-month supply. This not only

saves you money, it also savestime because you don’t have tomake several trips to purchasethe same products.

7. Telecommute. When youdrive, you spend money, timeand energy. How much wouldyou save if you worked at homeone day a week? Two days aweek? Most cars cost a minimumof 50 cents per mile to operate.Cutting mileage by 50 miles perweek can save you more than$1,000 per year, not to mentionthe reduction in time and stress.

8. Cut market time by pricingyour listings correctly. The short-er the time your listings are onthe market, the fewer hours youspend earning your commissionand the greater your profit willbe. Just say no to sellers whorefuse to be realistic about theirprice.

9. Show buyers fewer houses.Decrease time spent showingbuyers property by spending atleast 20 minutes interviewingthem about their lifestyle. Askquestions about how they spend

their time when they’re at homeplus the features they most like(and don’t like) in their presenthome. Having clarity about whatyour buyers are really looking forsaves you both time and money.

10. Feedback is the breakfastof champions. Ask for yourclient’s input during the transac-tion and after it has closed. Be

proactive in finding out whatyour clients really are feeling andexperiencing.

By identifying troublesomeareas, you can take steps to cor-rect problems before they occur.Also be sure to survey each ofyour clients for their feedback onhow you can provide better ser-vice. Conducting your ownresearch on how to improve yourcustomer service will help youmaintain long-term profitabilityin terms of client referrals andclient loyalty.

In terms of this list, it makesno difference where you start.Every step you take brings youcloser to becoming increasinglymore profitable throughout theyear.

Bernice Ross, CEO ofRealEstateCoach.com, is a nationalspeaker, trainer and author of Real Estate Dough: Your Recipe for Real Estate Success and otherbooks. Email [email protected] and find her on Twitter:@bross. – Inman News REM

I

Profit is always temporary.What keeps profits

increasing long-term isstaying in touch with analways-changing market-place and a willingness to

try what is new.

REM OCTOBER 2010 61

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62 REM OCTOBER 2010

Edmonton Apartment Associationin partnership with the RealtorsAssociation of EdmontonSuites and Homes Trade ShowTuesday, Sept. 28Mayfield Inn and Suites TradeCentre, Edmontonwww.eaa.ab.ca/eventdetail.aspx?ID=59

Re/Max Fall Connect Agent SalesRallySept. 28 – 29Toronto Congress Centre, NorthBuilding, Torontowww.remaxevents.ca

Realtors Association of Hamilton-BurlingtonRealtors Connections Conference& Trade ShowThursday, Sept. 30Hamilton Convention CentreHamiltonSheila Sferrazza – [email protected] 905-529-8101, ext.234

Peterborough and the KawarthasAssociation of RealtorsTechnology Day and Trade ShowFriday, Oct. 1Living Hope, Peterborough, [email protected]

Century 21 Canadian Conference2010Oct. 1 – 3Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontoJeff Sampson – [email protected]

2010 Atlantic ConnectionOct. 5 – 7Halifax Marriott HarbourfrontHotel, Halifax“A Realtor ‘How To’ conference”www.atlanticconnection.ca

WinnipegRealtors AssociationTechnology Conference and TradeShowWednesday, Oct.13Victoria Inn & Conference CentreWinnipegWendy Wasylnuk –[email protected] (204) 786-8854www.wrexpo.ca

Realtors Association of GreyBruce Owen Sound Trade ShowTuesday, Oct. 19Harry Lumley Bayshore CommunityCentre, Owen [email protected]

Dan Plowman Team SystemsLeadership WorkshopOct. 20 – 21Mayfield Inn & Suites, Edmonton1-877-626-3757www.real-estate-team-coaching.com/edmonton/

CREA – MTC Technology ForumSaturday, Oct. 23Sheraton Hotel NewfoundlandSt. John’s, Nfld.Julie Daviau – [email protected]

Ottawa Real Estate Board TradeShowThursday, Oct. 28Centurian Conference CentreOttawaWilda Brown – [email protected]

Victoria Real Estate BoardReal Estate Expo 2010Thursday, Oct. 28Mary Winspear Centre, Sidney, B.C.Linda Duchesne - 250-920-4654 [email protected]

National Association of Realtors2010 Conference and ExpoNov. 5 – 8New Orleanswww.realtor.org/convention.nsf/

Mississauga Real Estate Board 2010Election Meeting and Trade ShowWednesday, Nov. 17Versailles Convention Centre,MississaugaGay Napper – 905-608-6732

Prudential Real Estate andRelocation Services Sales Rally,Trade Show and Education EventThursday, Nov. 18Lejardin Conference CentreWoodbridge, Ont.Nancy Sears – [email protected]

CAAMP Canadian Mortgage Conferenceand ExpoNov. 21 – 23Palais des congrès de MontrealMontrealwww.mortgageconference.ca

Buffini & Company TurningPoint 2010Dec. 6 – 7Metro Toronto Convention CentreTorontowww.buffiniandcompany.com

Trade Showsand ConferencesTrade Showsand Conferences

For complete listings, visit www.remonline.comTo add a listing to this calendar, email [email protected]

THE PUBLISHER’SPAGE

By Heino Mollshen I was a kid back inthe late ’50s, we hadmen’s clubs in our com-

munities. Not the creepy men’sclubs like today but honourableorganizations that meant well.

They were associations ofbenevolent men who did goodthings for their towns and charities.They were Rotary Clubs, Kinsmen,Order of Moose and Kiwanis.

We kids didn’t know all thenames of these clubs so we justcalled them “men’s clubs”. In thosedays the clubs were only for men. Itwas a different world back then. Itwas more naïve than intentionallywrong that women were not

Men’s clubs and social networkingincluded in the clubs in those days.

These clubs did a great deal ofwonderful community work, likethe Shriners who raised a lot ofmoney for kids’ hospitals. Back in1959 I was a beneficiary of theWest Hill-Highland Creek LionsClub because they sponsored therink where I played hockey inScarborough, Ont. I am grateful tothem to this day.

Clubs like this flourished in the’40s and ’50s doing good work tobenefit their communities. Themen in the organizations came torealize that it was a good idea to dobusiness with each other. After all,they had already formed a bond oftrust by membership. So why notdo business with fellow members?It made sense.

As time went on into the ’60s,things unfortunately began to goawry. A lot of men joined so theycould make business contacts bla-tantly. Many of them had no inter-est in doing any good work for thecommunity at all. They only want-ed to get business from the mem-bers of the club. It did not take

long before everyone began to talkabout how these clubs were loadedwith social predators.

The public perception of theclubs suffered because of that talkand memberships declined drasti-cally. Some closed all together. Thebest clubs survived and solved theirproblems. Thank heavens they did.Many people, especially children,benefit from the continued goodwork the honourable men andhonourable women in those clubsdo for their communities.

Today we are all involved inmaking business contacts. Most ofus call it networking. There arecomputer programs for organizingcontacts. There are seminars formanaging them.

The point is that I fear thatsome of this networking hasbecome wrongful like some of themen’s clubs I knew over 50 yearsago. I think we ought to be carefuland to remain honourable as wegather contact names and address-es. There should be a point in ournetworking efforts where we haveto make sure that our contacts are

true contacts and that we come bythem honestly. We must ensurethat they are genuine and mean-ingful to us.

A lot of folks who networktoday have lost sight of any con-cerns about who is on their “list” ofemail addresses and names. Thequest to gather more names seemsto have become more ruthless thanever before. “Can I have your net-working names? Who’s on yourcontact list, can I have that list?”Those questions are shamelesslyasked in business conversationsevery day. Names are grabbed anywhere from any source. I have nodoubt that if a list of children wereavailable it would be grabbed andthrown on someone’s list under theguise of networking.

It seems as though many peoplehave no limits anymore for makingpitches on the Internet. It doesn’tcost any money to send messagesout. There are no stamps, noadvertising costs and no need tospend money on a courier. Just getnames, get as many names as youcan, and send, send, send.

We now spend more moneytrying to stop spam and junk mes-sages in our emails from peoplewho somehow get our names ontheir “list”, than we used to spendin postage and proper advertising.

Here is my advice to anyonewanting to promote their productor service: advertise honourably ina proper medium. Pick an estab-lished credible medium you knowpeople read, or listen to or visit onthe Internet. Use a medium thatpresents information and newsobjectively. Advertise in a newspa-per or website where people go oftheir own volition.

I confess that I do not reallyknow how to describe social net-working but I know one thing forsure. Sending out messages bycomputer to people that you donot know is not social networking.

Be careful that you don’t findyourself thought of as a socialpredator from back in the ’60s.

Heino Molls is publisher of REM.Email [email protected].

REM

W

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For other great reasons to choose RE/MAX®, go to:

“I have choices.Why should

I join RE/MAX?”

Here’s another great reason:

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CREA stats based on 2009 data reported as total residential unit sales through MLS®. RE/MAX stats based on 2009 data compiled by independent research.

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October 2010 Issue

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