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UPFRONT
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MARCH/APRIL 2015
04 Editorial
ThenewsforCalgary’shousingmarket
isn’tasdireasyoumightthink
05 Head to head
Are for-sale-by-owner companies
playing fair?
06 Statistics
A global look at widely varying
commission rates
08 Technology update
The future of e-signatures in real estate
transactions
10 Mortgage update
What does Bank of Canada’s latest rate
cut mean for the market?
12 Commercial update
Why American investors are turning to
Canadian real estate
64 Favourite things
Alice Thompson of Coldwell Banker
Redwood Realty
20 Mortgage referrals
Partneringwithamortgagebrokerfor
referralscanhelpgrowyourbusiness
–here’showtomakethemostofthat
relationship
60 Driving change
Whenistherighttimetobringemployees
onboardwithstrategicintiatives?
26
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Good times for Calgary
agents? You betcha!
EDITORIAL
Calgary: the land of milk and honey – deep fried in Alberta crude oil. That
prosperity, which ignited home sales in 2014, also gave real estate agents a
whopping 21% jump in home sales to feast on last year, and a nearly double-digit
rise in the city’s average home price further sweetened commission cheques.
Flash forward to 2015, and the possibility of bringing home that kind of, ahem,
bacon seems increasingly remote.
The culprit, of course, is volatile oil prices, especially for the thicker, less
desirable Western Canadian Select (WCS) crude produced in Alberta. In early
February, that economic driver was trading at just under $50 a barrel, down
nearly 45% from a scant 10 months ago. The decline has already sparked a wave
of project cancellations, with recently announced layoffs at oil sands players
Halliburton and Sanjel placing Alberta on track to meet projections for a decline
of 23,000 industry jobs in 2015 alone. The numbers are enough to give even the
hardiest of agents indigestion.
But should they be? Perhaps not.
While OPEC continues to hold its oil production steady, effectively tamping
down on prices for WCS, new home sales data suggests a challenging but
rewarding year ahead for the top agents in Alberta’s biggest city.
The Calgary Real Estate Board is reporting a 30% rise in the number of new
listings for January, and prices are holding steady despite all the uncertainty
surrounding the oil sands. While the number of transactions has dipped, that
should benefit full-time real estate agents with years of experience in guiding
clients through purchases and/or sales. Calgarians undertaking either one of
those transactions in 2015 aren’t about to look anywhere else for assistance.
VernonClementJones
Editor
While the number of transactions
has dipped, that should benefit full-
time real estate agents with years
of experience in guiding clients
through purchases and/or sales
UPFRONT
4 www.repmag.ca
7. www.repmag.ca 5
UPFRONT
HEAD TO HEAD
Q:
I believe the consumer should have the right
to choose their level of involvement in the
transaction.Therearealotofdifferentbusi-
ness models and price points and levels of
service on the market, and our licensed
agents provide these services, from pricing
assistance to negotiations and paperwork,
withoutcommission.There’splentyofroom
in the marketplace for a variety of models,
and consumers should inform themselves
on the various options available.
There’snotenoughpolicingwithinthestruc-
ture of the company. If you want to be a real
estate company, have the same rules that
we do and hire agents; that’s the whole crux
of it. They say the listing is for sale by the
owner,butit’snottheownerwhoiscallingus
back; it’s the friends and families who repre-
sent the seller. That’s what’s happening on
the inside, and that needs to be policed. If
they want to sell real estate, they should be
licensed.
I think [FSBOs] do the real estate industry
and the public a disservice. They’re allowed
to mislead the public into thinking that it’s a
private sale, and they’re allowed to advertise
asifthey’reforsalebytheowner,butthey’re
listed on the MLS. They’re allowed to use our
system, but they don’t offer any compensa-
tion most of the time. All they do is take, and
they don’t give anything back. They don’t
followtherulesofrealestate,andIthinkthat
grossly misleads the public.
Where do you stand on for-
sale-by-owner companies?
For-sale-by-owner companies have been making headlines, most recently with
a lawsuit launched against a major player in Quebec. Most agents heralded the
move, but the assessment of FSBOs is hardly unanimous
Randall Weese
Broker of record
COMFREE COMMONSENSE
NETWORK
Michael Gouchie
Broker
ROYAL LEPAGE
LIFESTYLES REALTY
Jackie Laurin
Broker
COLDWELL BANKER
SARAZEN REALTY
THECASEINQUESTION
A lawsuit against DuProprio, a major FSBO company, continues to wend its way through the courts. The Quebec Federation of Real Estate Boards [QFREB],
which represents 12 boards and 13,000 members, has presented a long list of accusations against DuProprio, among them that the FSBO’s ads are misleading,
creating unfair competition and unenforceable guarantees. The QFREB also alleges that DuProprio libels the industry by claiming agents do not protect
consumers from the perils of purchasing real estate.
Agents across the country are applauding the board’s action and have called on their own real estate boards to follow suit with a crackdown on what they
charge is false advertising by both FSBOs and registered brokerages alike.
9. www.repmag.ca 7
+5.8%
+5.2%
+3.3%
+2.1%
+7.0% +1.3%
-0.5%
-0.9%
+5.0%
+0.2%
+3.9%
-9.8%
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario Quebec
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Prince
Edward Island
Newfoundland
and Labrador
Northwest Territories
Yukon
Birtish Columbia
AFRICA
ASIA/MIDDLEEAST
PACIFIC
South Africa 7.5%
Ghana 5%
Kenya 1.25% Australia 3.6%
New Zealand 4%
EUROPE
India 3%
Philippines 5%
South Korea 0.9%
China 4%
United Arab Emirates 5%
Denmark 2%
France 10%
Germany 6%
Italy 8%
Netherlands 4%
Norway 2.5%
Russia 5%
United Kingdom 3.5%
Croatia 12%
Monaco 8%
Switzerland 5%
AGENTSINONTARIOANDBCLEDGROWTHINAVERAGECOMMISSIONCHEQUES(2014)
Ontariomighthavemore
agents, butQuebechas
thehighestnumberof
agentspercapitaofall
theprovinces.Thatspells
moreagent-to-agent
competition
Quebec – 200
British Columbia – 45
Ontario – 39
Alberta – 32
Saskatchewan – 18
Nova Scotia – 18
Manitoba – 17
Prince Edward Island – 17
Newfoundland and
Labrador – 14
Yukon – 12
New Brunswick – 11
Northwest Territories – 0.63
Most
competitive
Number of agents per
10,000 residents
Least
competitive
10. UPFRONT
8 www.repmag.ca
TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES are nothing
newtotheindustry,andwhilethey’renotentirely
legal in every Canadian market – Ontario, for
example, only accepts e-signatures for support-
ing documents – those markets that do allow
them don’t seem to be taking full advantage of
the technology.
“Ithinkalotofagentsdon’tutilize[electronic
signatures],” says Mark Evernden, president of
EngelVolkersCalgary,whousesthetechnology
in his day-to-day business. “Agents are slowly
getting onboard. I think it’s just the unknown.”
But getting around that fear of the unknown
is relatively easy after experiencing the tech-
nology. Ricky Chadha, an agent with Royal
LePage in Toronto, says he’d happily switch to
electronic signatures if only they were legal for
more than just supporting documentation.
“If it was allowed to be used for agreements,
itwouldbereallybeneficial,”hesays.“Ifyou’rein
a...multiple-offersituationoranysituationwith
atimecrunch...itcanreducetheresponsetime.”
That convenience, Evernden agrees, is key
whenitcomestopromotingelectronicsignatures.
But, the industry needs to take the next step in
encouraging agents to use the service.
“I think as a time management component,
NEWS BRIEFS Whatever
happened to
e-signatures?
Planitar’s iGuide bundles
interactive listing features
iGuide, the latest online offering from tech
group Planitar, has combined floor plans, virtual
tours and 360-degree views into one
interactive system, making it easy for agents to
virtually show a property to its fullest potential.
The system, which also measures each
room in the property and automatically creates
a floorplan, has already garnered attention
south of the border, highlighting the weight
that buyers place on online listings.
Open house advertising method too
invasive?
Smart Antenna, the latest marketing tool
developed by iSIGN Media, uses Bluetooth
technology to push messages to any
smartphone and tablet within a 300-foot
radius of an agent’s open house.
The device has divided agent opinion, with
some arguing the marketing tool is too
invasive and casts too wide a net, while others
are applauding its innovative approach to
listings promotion.
Domo is an agent’s one-stop shop
Domo is working to become the all-in-one
platform for real estate agents and their
businesses. The system collects and
organizes everything a real estate profes-
sional uses on a day-to-day basis – spread-
sheets, databases, social media, apps – in one
space. The information can be accessed
across several devices and by several
members of a team.
Condo sales centre goes back to
the future
One condominium sales centre in Surrey, BC,
has taken the term ‘virtual tour’ to a whole
new level. Potential buyers can manipulate a
3D suite using just their hands, and can walk
around the virtual suite using the technology
on their smartphones. Buyers who can’t make
it to the physical sales centre, where
traditional marketing tools such as model
suites are still available, can virtually tour the
building via a smartphone app.
TLC engine makes becoming an
expert easy
Becoming an expert in a given neighbourhood
can be fairly simple with a little TLC – that is,
True Lifestyle Cost, new software that tallies
all the expenses associated with living in a
specific neighbourhood.
The Pennsylvania-based company uses 31
markers, including utilities, commute costs
and even daycare costs, to determine an
area’s true affordability. While the system is
marketed toward homebuyers, it also can aid
agents seeking to become specialists in an
area or those working with buyers focused on
a single neighbourhood.
ANYTHING BUT
SMALL BUSINESS
Electronic signatures are hardly a gimmicky
tech toy – they’ve been around for quite a
while, and their share of the market is likely to
surprise you.
theprojecteddollaramountfortransactions
facilitatedbye-signaturebytheendof2019
Source: DocuSign’s CMO
$5B
11. www.repmag.ca 9
you can manage your time more efficiently if
you’re not relying on faxes and hard copies,”
Evernden says. “It simplifies the due process of
being able to work on documents.”
The frenetic pace of agents’ and clients’ lives
speaks to the need for e-docs.
“Ifittakesthem10minutestopullsomething
off the system, as opposed to driving 25 minutes
across town ... that’s where the speed of process
works for everyone,” Evernden says.
Still, agents need a clearer and more concise
understandingofwhat,exactly,electronicsigna-
tures are, says Chadha, pointing to the strides
the industry has made in adopting other tech-
nological timesavers.
“I think, in the past three to five years, the
industryhasreallymadesomeexcellentadvances,”
hesays.“WhereaswhenIstartedinthebusiness,
with an IT background, I felt the industry was a
little in the dark. I think technology has been
adopted and is emerging. People who resisted
haverealizedthattheyneedtomoveforwardwith
technology to be successful in the future.”
QA: How tech-
savvy are we?
REPC:Hastherealestateindustrykeptupwithtechnology?
Ira Jelinek: Yes, definitely. Agents generally keep up with any technology that
comes out: new apps, websites, generating new marketing materials. We can
producewebsitesforourclientswhowanttheirlistingtobeexposedthatway,
there’s social media. ... We’re definitely on top of our game with marketing,
advertising,theInternetandothertechnologies.
REPC:Howcantechnologybetteranagent’sday-to-daybusiness?
IJ:They’reconnected,andthey’rereachingouttomoreandmorepotentialbuyer
clients and seller clients. It can get them more prospects and more leads for a
listingortryingtoretainabuyerforaproperty.
There are CRM programs, too, that I use for mailers. It gives me a reminder
for when everyone’s home anniversary is and who to call back and when, and
whentofollowup.Organizationisdefinitelykey.
REPC:Howcantechnologybetteranagent’sservicetohisorher
clients?
IJ: You can create a website specifically for that client’s listing. You can post a
barcode,andpotentialbuyerscantexttogetmoreinformation,andwecanget
moreinformationaboutourpotentialbuyers.
Let’ssayaclientdoesn’twanttomeetwiththeagent,they’rejustbrowsing.
They’re a hot buyer, but they’re not ready to call the agent or see the property
just yet – they can go on the website and text [for more information], and it’s
somewhere in between. The web has been great for informational purposes
andfordata.
REPC:Wheredoyouseetechnologytakingtheindustry?
IJ: Who knows? It’s a wild world. Every single day, people are coming up with
new inventive ways to do things. It’s like the Wild West. There are too many
moving parts and what happens to stick and work – it’s ever-changing.
REPC:Doyouthinktechnologycouldeverhindertheindustry?
IJ:No.It’sallgoodbecauseitputstheclientsfirst.It’sallforclientsandcustom-
ers. Humans are always going to be needed – to do the paperwork, for the
negotiating.There’sinformationthattherealestateagenthasaboutthebuyer
and seller that computers don’t have. Agents still need to bring both parties
together.Ittakesfinesse,andthat’swhereagentscomein. REP
IRA JELINEK
Toronto real estate agent
Harvey Kalles
E-SIGNATURES LEGAL?
For more technology news as it happens,
visit www.repmag.ca
Theuseofelectronic signaturesisgoverned
bythePersonalInformationProtectionand
ElectronicDocumentsAct–unlessyouliveina
provincethathasitsownprivacylaws,which
havebeendeemed‘substantiallysimilar.’Those
provincesare:
BritishColumbia
Alberta
Quebec
Ontario
NewBrunswick
NewfoundlandandLabrador
Marketwatchershavecriticizedthereal
estateindustryfornotkeepingupwith
thelatestintechnologicaladvances,
butveteranagentIraJelineksaysthe
professionhasactuallygrabbedthatfast-
movingbullbythehorns
“You can manage
your time more
efficiently if you’re
not relying on faxes
and hard copies”
12. New automatically re-
advanceable mortgage
OneofCanada’slargestmortgage-
onlylendershasintroducedanewoptionfor
borrowersaimingtoaccessequityintheirhomes
withouttheuncertaintyattachedtosome
re-advanceablehomeloans.
MCAP’spilotprogramwillofferanautomati-
callyre-advancingmortgageinlinewithasimilar
butnow-defunctproductfrommortgage-only
lenderFirstline.Withanautomaticallyre-
advanceablehomeloan,theborrower’slineof
creditremainsopenandaccessibleasthe
principalispaiddown.Thatcircumventsthe
informalre-qualifyingmanyborrowerscomplain
aboutintryingtoborrowagainsttheirhomes.
More efficient mortgage
processing
TD Bank has struck a deal with
First National, a leading mortgage-only lender,
for First National to perform underwriting and
fulfillment processing for TD’s broker-
originated mortgages.
“This is an important agreement that
leverages the distinct capabilities and
strengths of both parties,” said Stephen Smith,
chairman and CEO of First National. “For First
National, it provides a new source of income
that we hope will grow over time.”
The transition will be a tiered, region-spe-
cific rollout that will go Canada-wide by
mid-2015.
NEWS
BRIEFS
10 www.repmag.ca
UPFRONT
MORTGAGE UPDATE
a wide range of asset prices, including the
Canadian dollar. These conditions will mitigate
the negative effects of the oil price shock, fur-
ther boosting growth through stronger non-
energy exports and investment.”
While home sales in Calgary were down lit-
tle more than 34% year-over-year in February,
agents on the ground were quick to point to the
significant variance between properties at dif-
ferent price points.
“If you look at statistics from the Calgary
Real Estate Board, [sales] are down, but you
have to look at where they’re down,” says
George Bamber, a broker and owner in
THE BANK of Canada’s January 21 rate cut
stemmed from that precipitous drop in oil
prices and its impact on GDP. By the same
token, the central bank’s decision in March to
hold that overnight rate at 0.75% speaks to just
how successful that stimulative measure has
been for most of the country’s largest real estate
markets – even those in Alberta.
“Financial conditions in Canada have eased
materially since January in response to the
Bank’s recent monetary policy action and to
global financial developments,” said an official
March 4 release from the central bank. “This
easing is reflected across the yield curve and in
Why real estate agents
don’t need another mortgage
rate cut … not even in Alberta
Calgary. “Maybe the [high-end] market is feel-
ing pressure, but the low- to mid-market is
good. Interest rates are at all-time lows; banks
are competing for business.”
Indeed, the Calgary board reported an
increase in year-to-date sales for properties
lower than $300,000 and for those between
$400,000 and $600,000.In the higher-end
ranges, YTD 2015 sales were slightly lower
than YTD 2014 sales, but were at par or
slightly higher than those sales levels in 2012
and 2013.
Meanwhile, in areas less hard-hit by
slumping oil values, homeowners are aiming
to take advantage of low interest rates.
They’re listing their homes for sale with the
intention of moving up the property ladder
once home prices begin to loosen. Agents on
the ground have noted tempered sales, par-
ticularly in the high-end price ranges and
among first-time buyers.
“There are some people questioning if they
should buy today, but the only people question-
ing that are the first-time buyers,” Bamber says.
“For the people who already own property, the
low- to mid-market is fine.”
The markets outside of Canada’s oil produc-
tion hub, however, benefitted more obviously
from the bank’s decision to keep the lower rate
in place, among other factors. Toronto and
Vancouver, for instance, posted massive rises in
home sales – up 11.3% and 21%, respectively, in
the month of February.
13. FSCO sounds alarm about
syndicated providers
Regulatory body FSCO has issued a
warning to Canadians about unlicensed
syndicated mortgage providers. Syndicated
mortgages are becoming increasingly popular
for Canadian investors looking to capitalize on
the continuing construction boon.
“The Financial Services Commission of
Ontario is warning consumers that it has
received complaints about some websites
promoting syndicated mortgage investments,”
said the official release. “The businesses
operating these specific websites are not
licensed or registered to conduct this activity in
Ontario.”
‘Workarounds’ for credit-
challenged clients
Attaining alternative financing in
smaller housing markets can be difficult,
according to one leading player in the space,
but increasingly, mortgage referral partners
have a number of workarounds available to
ensure clients get the financing they need.
“Some lenders suggest topping up [the
mortgage] with private funds,” said mort-
gage broker Adam Hale of The Mortgage
Centre. “Some of these lenders have
brought back bundled products where they
do a first and second mortgage for you and
it’s a way to get clients to 80% loan-to-
value.”
Vancouver boon continues
Vancouverhomesalessurgedby60
percentinFebruary,accordingtothe
lateststatsfromtheRealEstateBoardofthe
GreaterVancouverarea.
Buyersaremotivatedandhomesthatarepriced
competitivelyaresellingatabriskpace,andwith
newsofaninterestratefreezeMarch4,brokersand
realestateagentsexpectthattrendtocontinue.
Stronginterestamongforeigninvestorsisalso
expectedtokeeppricesclimbing.
“Historicallylowborrowingratesbolsterthereal
estateindustry,particularlyinBCwherethe
economicoutlookisbrightest,”ShaadiFaris,VPof
IntergulfDevelopmentGroup,said.TheJanuaryrate
cutseemstobehavingitsprescribedaffect.”
www.repmag.ca 11
QA: The real impact of
lower rates
JOHN KING
Ottawa real estate broker
Royal LePage
Realestateisahyper-localindustry,andlowerinterestrateswon’timpact
everymarketinthesameway.REPspokewithJohnKing,aRoyalLePage
agentworkinginthenation’scapital,aboutthespringmarketandthereal
impactoflowermortgagerates
REP: Do you expect the lower interest rates to
impact the spring market?
John King: I don’t, personally, because we’ve had such [low]
interest rates for a while. We might see a slight increase in
the market, but for me, I look for other factors that will
impact the market such as pent-up demand for homes.
We had a quiet winter, so I think we’ll have a busy spring
because of that. Here in Ottawa, we see pretty steady sales
throughout the year. I don’t think we’ll see a dramatic
increase in those sales just because interest rates are
slightly better.
REP: Is there a particular market that could
benefit from lower rates more than others?
JK: The market will be more attractive to first-time home-
buyers. But the condo market is saturated right now in
Ottawa. We’ve got an oversupply of condos, so lower rates
might encourage a young buyer to buy if they qualify for a
little more – but I don’t see it impacting anything other than
an entry-level condo for a younger buyer.
REP: Do you think the rates might inspire home-
owners to move up the property ladder?
JK: The people who already have equity in their homes, who
need larger homes, will be able to afford more, so they might
be able to move up the ladder. So the lower rate might impact
them a little bit, too.
REP: Speaking specifically to the market in
Ottawa, what do you see for the spring market?
JK: Our market hasn’t picked up yet this year. For me, there’s
been nothing out of the ordinary at this point. I think we may
see some people coming out from underneath the snow
banks.
We’ve been so spoiled by interest rates because they’ve
been so good, that I don’t see any light-switch change of
behaviour [because of slightly lower rates]. But I could be
wrong.
15. www.repmag.ca 13
QA: Filling space
... quickly
REP: Asanagent,howdoyouworktofillsuddenlyemptyspace?
Chris Fyvie: The first thing you need to do is make sure it is leasable from a
tenant’sperspective.Bythis,Imeansomeoneneedstowalkinandnotmake
alotofchanges.They’llbeabletoseevalueinwherethewallsanddoorsare,
the glass, the natural light. If the space is not open-concept, it is typically
better to open the space up, paint and get rid of the old carpets. It is best to
have the landlord make those cosmetic changes so someone can come in
and see their vision in the space.
REP: How do you market these types of properties to ensure
good tenants and avoid unnecessary turnover?
CF:A lot of agents fall short of the online marketing end of things. There
needs to be a story behind the building and the space, and you need to
market the space where everyone is looking – the Internet. The online
marketplace is an opportunity that a lot of agents aren’t taking advantage
of because they don’t know how. It’s almost a disservice to your clients if
you don’t have the capability to market the space online.
REP: Whatoptionsdotenantshaveiftheydon’twanttovacate
thespace?
CF: Most tenants will be on a longer-term contract – three, five or 10 years,
depending on the size of the space. The typical landlord prefers to have
someone sublease the space, so they would have two covenants on the
lease. Sometimes subleasing tenants are taking a substantial discount. If
the original leaser goes bankrupt but the sub-lessee wants to stay in the
space,theirrentwouldjumpuptothethen-currentvalueofthespace.This
could be a significant increase, and that’s why a sublease comes with risks.
REP: Arethereanycontractualissuesthatagentsneedto
considerwhenclientsneedtosuddenlyterminatealease?
CF: Typically there are two scenarios when a tenant is attempting to
terminate a lease – they can sublease the space and pay the difference in
an upfront lump sum, or they can approach the landlord to terminate. The
termination amount is at the sole discretion of the landlord unless it has
been pre-negotiated in the lease. It is typically associated with the then-
current market and the new rates the landlord can achieve, and how long it
will take them to re-lease the space. If it’s a nice space and the market’s
hot, you could get away with six months, but if the market’s not, it could be
up to 90% of your lease obligation.
CHRIS FYVIE
Office leasing specialist
Colliers International
And as that trend gains momentum, it’s
likely to create a knock-on effect for the rest of
the economy.
“It should be positive because foreign invest-
ment is always good,” Evans says. “It’s also good
for our export sector, so products become more
attractive on the world market, including our
oil exports.”
TheamountCanadians
spentoncommercialreal
estatestatesideduringthe
firstthreequartersof2014
“It should be positive
because foreign
investment is always
good. It’s also good for
our export sector …”
But foreign investors may increasingly face
competition from Canadian buyers – both
small and institutional players looking to
snatch up deals, who’ve watched the decline in
the loonie zap their buying power abroad.
“I think it’s starting to throttle back,” Evans
says. “There’s a 20% premium on American
product now with the dollar, so I think it’ll shut-
tle back.”
That wave of at-home investment, too, is
expected to benefit the larger economy.
“[The lower loonie] is going to have an
impact on [the commercial market] just like it
does on everything else,” Cozart says. “It’ll have
an impact on Canadians choosing to spend
their money here rather than go down to the
States, maybe travelling in Canada instead of
taking that Florida or California or Las Vegas
trip. It’s something that I think, across the
board, is going to affect all the areas of the econ-
omy in general.”
ThetargetamountCanadians
wereexpectedtospendon
UScommercialrealestateby
theendof2014
TheamountCanada
hasspentoncommercial
realestateintheUS
since2010
$11.8B $43.4B$8B
With the retail and commercial sectors under
increasing economic strain, REP turned to Chris
Fyvie, an office-leasing specialist, for advice on what
agents can do to meet the growing challenge head on
16. FEATURES
14 www.repmag.ca
FRANCHISING
FOR YEARS, trends in the real estate mar
ket have blown like the proverbial wind,
shifting and changing with every twitch of
an unpredictable economic climate. Every
thing from the style of certain types of prop
erties to how some segments of the market
view certain neighborhoods can change,
quite literally, overnight.
This complex state has increasingly led
the industry to support franchises as the
safest, and most lucrative, harbor in the
storm. The advantages are extensive: incen
tives for rapid growth, mentorship and
industry insight, and enhanced marketing
strategies designed to reflect current stand
ards. And, in the end, it doesn’t hurt to have
a friend or two in your corner.
It’s a no-brainer for many industry pro
fessionals – like Century 21 Leading Realty
president Paul Baron, who views the real
estate franchise as the only logical step for
any ambitious real estate agency with its
heart set on successive expansion.
“It’s a given that an independent can offer
a lower fee structure, but the types of growth
incentives available to a franchisee from a
major franchise brand are far too appealing,”
Baron says.
While some major franchises, such as Re/
Max and Royal LePage, have growth regula
tions in place, more progressive brands
reward a company’s growth with advanced,
if somewhat complex, fee structures that
reduce the rate per agent through a system
of diminishing costs.
“In terms of growth, it doesn’t make any
sense to be an independent,” Baron says.
“For example, our brokerage, Leading Edge
– with the size we’ve grown to, our cost
structure right now is such that our fees are
close to half what they would be. Those
kinds of incentives stimulate expansion.”
Of course, growth is not the only benefit
of going the franchise route. One particu
larly important advantage is marketing.
While many brokers and agents have uti
lized every bus stop, urinal backsplash and
newspaper insert within reach, good fran
FRIENDS WITH
BENEFITS
From advanced marketing to technological
innovation, franchise partnerships offer extensive
rewards in today’s complex economy. Paul Baron
of Century 21 Leading Edge Realty weighs in on the
discussion
“Before anything
else, a broker
needs to look
for a franchise
that is genuinely
interested in your
success, that has a
team approach that
is more substance
than sizzle”
17. www.repmag.ca 15
on a property listing to see who had a better
page ranking.”
The Re/Max page came up first, while
Century 21 Canada’s was second – but before
his friend began to gloat, Baron made an
observation. While the Re/Max corporate
site was indeed first, the Century 21 Canada
link was for the specific agent for the prop
erty listing. In other words, the local agent
had almost as high a page rank as the the
Re/Max corporate site.AUTOMATING THE
SUPERSTAR PROCESS
Thirtyyearsago,beingasuperstaragentmeant
seeingyourfaceonbusesandfrontlawns–and
thetaskofachievingthatsought-afterstatus
wasdaunting.Itrequiredyearsofclientpitching,
leadgenerating,adplacingandenough
unabashedself-promotiontomakea
televangelistblush.
Butthedigitalrevolutionhasusheredina
bravenewworldofonlinecredibilitygeneration.
Thankstotheonlinetoolsavailable,PaulBaron
andhisteamcantakeanyyoung,buddingagent
andturnhimorherintoa‘90srockstarindays.
Allittakesistherightcombinationofmarketing
andguidance.
Theonlythingthathasyettobeautomated
isthesellingprocess–that,unfortunately,isstill
uptotheagent.
“Century 21 agents compete equally with
Re/Max.ca at the agent level – that’s SEO
that works,” Baron says. “In analyzing other
brands like Re/Max and Royal LePage, they
are very much top-down brands. They spend
a lot of money trying to drive traffic to their
corporate site. What we do at Century 21 is
literally the reverse; it’s bottom up.”
Essentially, the marketing team at
Century 21 Canada generates a URL for
every property they list, as well as a URL for
every agent under their umbrella brand.
Marketing spending goes into driving traffic
directly to the property listings and agents
through SEO. This kind of strategic market
ing not only generates substantial traffic, but
also optimizes that traffic directly to specific
listing agents.
“That’s the role of a responsible franchise
– to assist us in driving substantial traffic to
agents and member company websites,”
Baron says. “In our specific case at Leading
Edge, we generated 400,000 leads in
October alone, 900 of which led to solid
leads directly to our specific agents.”
In the crowded and often convoluted
marketplace, having the right support can
make all the difference. If that support
comes from a strategic partner with a recog
nized brand and a proven marketing pro
cess, it only serves to strengthen the argu
ment for franchises in Canada’s real estate
economy. REPC
chises are far more organized. With a strate
gic marketing package in place for fran
chisees, it’s easier to implement a smart and
regularly updated communications strategy.
“For example, here at Century 21, they
introduced a digital platform that is the best
in the industry, in my view. As an example of
how effective this platform is, I was with a
colleague from Re/Max, and we did a search
“If you want to be competitive in this
marketplace, you have to – absolutely
have to – be competing in the online
market” Paul Baron
18. PEOPLE
16 www.repmag.ca
INDUSTRY ICON
INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE brands
from across the globe have Gary Charlwood
to thank for their very existence in Canada.
In 1974, Charlwood – then the owner of
Hunt Realty in Vancouver – purchased the
rights to Century 21 in Canada with Peter
Thomas. Unfortunately, the various inde-
pendent firms across the country caught
wind of these franchising plans – the laws for
which were virtually non-existent – and
pushed for some provincial governments to
bar Century 21’s access to the country.
Century 21 fought the courts, and suc-
cessfully opened the doors to the wide array
of American brokerages now commonplace
in Canada – the Re/Maxes, the Coldwell
Bankers, among others. But the real strug-
gle, Charlwood says, was convincing those
independent offices to join his growing team.
“Why go from Lions Realty to Century 21
Lions Realty? We had to convince them that
there’s power in numbers,” he says. “It’s not
as effective as having a brand, which is
national or international.”
Charlwood worked around the clock to
grow the company, not only coast to coast –
Canada is home to more than 400 Century
21 offices – but also across the world. The
brand hosts another 400 offices in the Asia
Pacific region.
The Canadian extension of the brand,
however, is obviously the one that Charlwood
holds closest to his heart. Like a proud papa,
ONCE IN A
CENTURY
Gary Charlwood is a popular name in several industries, from mortgages
to travel and, of course, real estate. The co-founder of Century 21 Canada
spoke with REP’s Olivia D’Orazio about what it took to build his names in
those industries to the franchise giants they are today.
he brags that Canada has 10 of the top 21
offices in the global Century 21 family, and
the No. 1 Century 21 office in the world, three
years running. The Canadian offshoot also
boasts the top Century 21 salesperson (by
units) in the world. .
“Our selection process and our training
programs put us in good stead,” he says, “and
they only get better every year.”
Charlwood wants to get bigger every year,
too. He’s aiming to double those numbers –
open another 800 global offices – in the next
decade. A large part of that expansion, he
says, is going to involve bringing young peo-
ple, particularly tech-savvy and post-second-
ary educated individuals, to the profession.
That, however, is a challenge in and of itself.
While Charlwood can’t claim to be the only person to have introduced Canada to franchised
businesses, he’s certainly one of the most prolific.
In addition to Century 21 Canada, Charlwood founded mortgage brokerage network Centum Financial
Group, UNIGLOBE Travel International (which expanded to 700 outlets around the world) and Real
Canadian Property Management, for which he owns the Canadian master franchise license and rights.
His involvement in these various franchise opportunities also saw his 2008 induction into
International Franchise Association Hall of Fame, alongside such names as Disney and Hilton, as well
as his 2009 induction into the American Society of Travel Agents’ Hall of Fame. He’s the only Canadian
to earn such honours.
“The college grad mentality is why go to
college and get only a commission job?”
Charlwood says. “But you always make the
most money in the commission-only jobs
because there’s a risk, you have to make it.
There are great opportunities, and [new
graduates] need to overcome their reluctance
to the commission-only approach.”
In an effort to entice these potential new
hires, Century 21 developed an active recruit-
ing program that sends Century 21 spokes-
people to college and university campuses
across Canada. And while the company is
actively looking to recruit the younger tech-
savvy generation, Charlwood insists there’s
more to a successful sales rep than someone
who is proficient with an iPhone.
THE KING OF FRANCHISES
19. www.repmag.ca 17
“A lot of it has to do with selecting the
right kind of personality,” he says. “Anyone
who has tenacity and a pleasant personality
and good work ethic can do well in real estate.
The challenge is finding people with those
skills.”
Charlwood, without a doubt, is certainly
tenacious–atraithelikelypickedupearlyinlife.
His mother was left widowed after her hus-
band – Charlwood’s father – was tragically
killed during the war in Germany. But she, too,
was tenacious. After meeting and later marry-
ing a lovely Englishman, she moved with
German-born Charlwood to England in an
effort to build a better life for her son.
There, Charlwood attended a prestigious
grammar school and won a scholarship to
Southampton University in the United
Kingdom, where he studied economics and
German literature. Charlwood also learned a
long list of languages: in addition to English,
he speaks German, French and Spanish.
“Languages led me to travel,” he says, “my
first career.”
Working in the travel industry took
Charlwood across the globe – he lived in
Switzerland, where he married and where his
first son, Christopher was born, as well as
Vienna, Belgium and Spain, to name a few of
the places he called home.
He eventually found himself working at a
large travel agency in Vienna, where one of
his clients was the Canadian embassy and
where he befriended Bob Merner, a commer-
cial attaché. After learning a second child was
on the way , Charlwood decided it was time to
leave Europe behind.
“We wanted our second child to be born in
the New World,” he says, referring to Australia.
Getting immigration clearance for Australia
had taken many months and he began to have
second thoughts about moving so far away.
But as he prepared to go ahead with his plans
to move his young son and pregnant wife
across the planet, Bob Merner, a University of
Alberta alum, suggested he move to Canada –
Vancouver, in particular – instead.
“I received assisted passage to Canada in
1966, on a boat,” he says. “I landed in
Montreal, drove to Vancouver. That was
November 26, 1966. And I had my family
20. PEOPLE
18 www.repmag.ca
with me by Christmas.”
With his feet firmly planted in this New
World, Charlwood welcomed his second son,
Martin, in early 1967.
In Canada, Charlwood kept to the travel
industry, working for such airlines as Western
(which is now Delta Airlines) and CP Air
(which is now Air Canada). It wasn’t until he
looked down at his pay check one day that he
decided he wanted more and left travel
behind for real estate.
“I got my real estate license in 1971 and I
had three months of savings to exist,” he says,
adding that the pressure of two children and
a mortgage drove him to succeed. “I made my
first sale in my tenth week, then I went on a
roll. I sold 118 properties in 15 months, a
record at that time for British Columbia. And
I made five or six times my annual salary in
the airline business in my first 15 months.”
After that, hard work and ambition
seemed to be all Charlwood knew. He saw an
ad in a local paper seeking a business partner,
which led him to purchase a 50 per cent stake
in Hunt Realty; he then bought out his part-
ner in that endeavour. In 1974, while growing
Hunt Realty, Charlwood was contacted by
Peter Thomas regarding a business opportu-
nity and together they bought the rights to
Century 21 for Canada. Charlwood led the
effort to launch the brand and after lots of
preparation and groundwork they opened
with 32 Canadian offices on January 15, 1976.
In 1989, Charlwood bought Thomas out and
now, along with his sons, owns a 100 per cent
stake in Century 21 Canada, as well as a 50
per cent stake in Century 21 Asia Pacific.
“I’d like to say I had a clear vision,” he says.
“Before real estate, the world was my oyster.
But when I came to Vancouver, I saw this as
my hunting ground. Then, when I launched
Century 21, the world became my oyster
again.
“But there’s still quite a bit to go.” REP
INDUSTRY ICON
GARY CHARLWOOD’S
CAREER TIMELINE
Charlwood arrives in
Canada; his
pregnant wife and
young son follow a
few months later
Charlwood receives
his real estate license.
After several difficult
weeks, he makes his
first sale – then
completes another 118
transactions over the
next 15 months
Charlwood founds
Charlwood Pacific Group,
a global company that
builds franchise
opportunities; he
continues to act as CEO
and chairman today
Peter Thomas
approaches Charlwood,
and together they
purchase the Canadian
franchise rights to
Century 21
Century 21 opens
more than 30 office
across Canada
Charlwood founds
Uniglobe Travel
International; he still
acts as its CEO and
chairman
Century 21 Canada
expands to Asia, opening
offices in Taiwan, Hong
Kong/Macau, Korea,
Singapore, Thailand,
Vietnam, Malaysia, the
Philippines and Brunei
Charlwood is inducted
into the International
Franchise Association’s
Hall of Fame
Charlwood is
inducted into the
American Society
of Travel Agents’
Hall of Fame
1966
1971
1976
1972
1980
2008
1974
2003
2009
GaryCharlwoodduringCentury21’searlydays.
21.
22. 20 www.repmag.ca
FEATURES
REFERRALS
AGENTS ACROSS the country are working to expand
their reach in a crowded industry, and broker partner-
ships are frequently proving the best way to do it.
Deepak Bansal, a mortgage broker with Dominion
Lending Centres who operates across the GTA, says it
simply makes sense for brokers to have a pool of real
estate agents to whom they can send referrals; namely,
those clients who have first come through the pre-
approval process and are now looking for a real estate
agent to work with. Of course, those referral relationships
are a two-way street – and for agents whose clients have
already picked out that dream home, finding a broker to
secure financing is just as key.
“The Realtor/mortgage broker relationship is very valua-
ble to us. I would say that real estate agents should be the
most important centre of influence for mortgage brokers –
that relationship is so important to nurture, and there are
various ways of doing that,” Bansal says. “We’re not here just
to help agents close that transaction with one client. We’re
really here to help them grow their businesses.”
John Freeland Smith, a principal broker with Centum
Freeland Mortgage Group, agrees that the strongest of
agent-broker relationships has reciprocity at its core, but
points out that the closeness of that kind of relationship
limits the number an agent should seek to form.
“You should keep your referrals to a small, manageable
group,” Freeland Smith says. “Picking a handful from dif-
ferent regions is the best way to go. It takes time to build
the relationship up. It’s really a partnership that relies on
The real estate industry is a competitive game,
and agents need to stack the deck in their
favour. But they don’t have to go it alone –
many are growing business at an exponential
rate through mortgage broker referral
partnerships
UNITED
WE GROW
patience and trust.”
Freeland Smith, who spent 10 years as a real estate
lawyer, knows most of the ins and outs of acquiring a
home, and that prior knowledge has helped him steer cli-
ents through the growing maze of legal questions sur-
rounding the mortgage process, but he concedes there are
some salient points to a real estate deal fall exclusively
under real estate agents’ area of expertise.
“Agents know things we don’t; they have access to tools
we don’t, and it’s [key] to have a relationship with a
Realtor who can provide those resources,” he says. “Once
you develop a good relationship with a Realtor, I don’t
think there are any downsides.”
And when it comes to figuring out how to ensure both
parties get the most out of a broker/agent relationship,
Freeland Smith suggests shying away from a simple refer-
ral fee structure.
“It takes
time to
build the
relationship
up. It’s
really a
partnership
that relies
on patience
and trust”
John Freeland
Smith, Centum
Freeland Mortgage
Group
23. www.repmag.ca 21
really here so that they understand that we’re here for
their clients and their clients are always their clients.”
Securing the trust of a real estate agent is all about try-
ing to make sure that once the client is referred to a mort-
gage broker, says Bansal, “the service that client receives
on our end is so fantastic that they go back to that agent
and praise us and thank you, the agent, for the referral to
the mortgage broker.”
These types of relationships also can leave agents with
more time to tend to the homebuyer’s wants and needs,
while taking comfort in knowing that the client’s financ-
ing needs are in the capable hands of someone they trust.
That peace of mind can leave you working at your best
– and your most efficient. The teamwork involved when
working closely with a broker can help push the deal
through to approval more quickly and with fewer issues
along the way.
“I think there are some people in the industry who
operate on a referral fee basis, and I don’t think that does
anyone any good. I don’t expect a fee if I refer a client to a
home inspector or a lawyer or [real estate brokerage],” he
says. “I have to disclose if I am giving someone a referral
fee. The whole system operates much better if we forget
about the small fees we may gain off each other and just
make sure our clients are served. So we have a system of
competence instead of a system of nickel-and-diming.
That’s the ideal situation.”
It’s a partnership philosophy shared by Bansal.
“What we’re doing right now with real estate agents
specifically is we’re trying to create long-term, long-lasting
relationships,” Bansal says. “Just building that relation-
ship so they know we’re always there for them – we’re not
here on a transactional basis. Many brokers and agents,
I’ve found, are working on a transactional level, but we’re
“What we’re
doing right
now with real
estate agents
specifically is
we’re trying
to create
long-term,
long-lasting
relationships”
Deepak Bansal,
Dominion Lending
Centres
24. 22 www.repmag.ca
FEATURES
REFERRALS
Jason Georgopoulos of Dominion Lending Centres
Estate Mortgages works with more than 30 different
real estate agents in trying to help them grow their
business.
A good broker partner will not only drive business
to you, he’ll help you become more efficient with
your existing clients, Georgopoulos says.
“What we try to do is – let’s say a real estate
agent meets 100 clients in a year, and say 70 of
them would qualify, we try to take that to 80 by
using our expertise and our knowledge of different
risk guidelines that our lenders have,” he says.
After nine years of working with these referral
partners, these are some of the tricks of the trade
Georgopoulos has learned.
What works for one real estate agent won’t
necessarily work for another
“Our focus has been more of a partnership with real
estate agents, really trying to grow their business.
Our added value is detailed analysis on each agent
and how they can better their business. That
changes from agent to agent. Some want help with
marketing, so we’ll put together their marketing
presentations, rate sheets for their clients,
newsletters. Others might want help throwing
parties for clients.”
Unique marketing strategies go a long way
“After closing, rather than sending a traditional
thank-you letter, we throw, on behalf of the agent, a
housewarming party for the client. That agent then
gets exposure to that client’s network … which
helps them grow their business”
Don’t operate on a referral fee model
“We think the agents who are in this business for the
long haul aren’t worried about a few hundred dollars
and we can put that $200 to better use by marketing
on behalf of the agent.”
Approach your business like the big box shops do;
ensure a holistic experience
“Life is busy, and people are looking for more of a
one-stop shop. They don’t want to approach seven
different places; that’s why the Wal-Marts of the
world are so successful. That’s why we think
mortgages and real estate go hand-in-hand and they
can be done in a team environment. That’s why we
like working hand-in-hand with agents.”
Credit guidelines differ with each lender – a good
broker partner in your corner can help navigate
this tricky territory
Each bank and each lender has its own criteria for
evaluating a client’s financial health. A slam-dunk at
one institution could be flat-out denied at another,
and a good broker knows which lender is best suited
for each individual client.
“We have to understand that it’s hard for the
average person to know what the different banks are
looking for. It’s our job as an educated broker to know
the difference and make sure the clients are putting
their best foot forward at the different lending
institutions to get the deals done.”
Everything is easier when done with a partner in
your corner
“By working as a team, things go a lot smoother, and
we can address issues before they even become
issues because everyone is communicating: the
client, the agent and the broker.”
A QUICK CHEAT SHEET FOR BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH BROKERS
There are common things Realtors ask of their broker
partners. Successful brokers say the most frequent
requests are quick approvals – sometimes within hours –
and financing commissioned within five days.
Working with an experienced broker will ensure your
demands are met and a smooth transaction occurs.
There is another big benefit to working with a mort-
gage broker besides the peace of mind that comes with
knowing your client’s financing is in good hands – having
access to the broker’s preferred lenders and rates, which is
something the big banks just can’t offer.
“One thing we always assure our Realtor partners is
that their clients are going to receive preferential rates as
best we can, given the client’s situation, as long as the cli-
ents qualify for those reduced rates,” Bansal says. “And we
want to make sure it’s not just the best rate but the best
product – there are a lot of fine details with the low rates
as well, and we talk about that. A lot of Realtors aren’t
aware of the fine print with some of those discounted low
rates. We want to show the truth … and make it fully
transparent to the clients.”
Andinthecurrentrateenvironment–oneinwhichlend-
ers seem to be dropping their rates to record lows – it’s
important to have an expert in your corner who knows how
to get the best financing deal for each individual client.
Of course, there are certain things that have to remain
Jason Georgopoulos is a
mortgage broker with Dominion
Lending Centres Estate
Mortages.
“I would say that real estate agents should
be the most important centre of influence
for mortgage brokers”
Deepak Bansal, Dominion Lending Centres
25.
26. 24 www.repmag.ca
FEATURES
John Freeland Smith, LL.B, AMP
Principal Mortgage Broker
Lic. M08000041
john_smith@centum.ca
Mobile: 416-892-4517
www.centum.ca/john_smith
Independently owned and operated
®
/ ™ Trademarks owned by Centum Financial Group Inc.
You work hard for your clients.
Ensure that their financing needs are in the right hands.
Professional Knowledgeable Experienced
CENTUM Freeland Mortgage Group Inc.
Lic. 11974
1017 Kingston Road, Toronto, ON M4E 3T1
Office: 416-699-5149
Fax: 1-866-588-9133
REFERRALS
confidential, such as information about the client’s finan-
cial details, which shouldn’t be shared by the broker with-
out the client’s consent. A good broker will manage his
Realtor partner’s expectations by providing all the neces-
sary information along the way while also ensuring the
client’s privacy. A good broker partner will explain what
can and cannot be shared with you.
“There are certain things we can’t say to Realtors in
terms of updates,” Bansal says. “For example, we shouldn’t
be providing updates regarding financial details of the cli-
ent without the client’s consent. But, aside from that, we
try to provide general updates to the Realtors as to where
things stand. We find that Realtors like to know every step
of the way what’s happening – if there are any issues with
the financing, when are we expected to have the approval,
when are we expected to have documents to the lawyers’
offices.”
As with the greatest partnerships, the benefit is
mutual. Re/Max Realtor Dave Embleton says the wider
pool of finances that brokers have access to is a big benefit
for his clients, and the trust he has in the brokers he works
with helps him feel confident with his clients’ deals.
“I know it gets done right,” he says. “It alleviates one of
the stresses of buying and selling property.” REP
“The whole system operates much better if we
forget about the small fees we may gain off
each other and just make sure our clients are
served” John Freeland Smith, Centum Freeland Mortgage Group
27. www.repmag.ca 25
No client’s needs are the same, and a broker’s access
to multiple lenders makes all the difference. Centum
VP of operations Paul Therien explains
WHY REALTORS SHOULD
USE MORTGAGE BROKERS
PURCHASING A home is likely to be the
largest investment most people will make in
their lives, and that means it is very important
that they have an effective team working for
them.
Consumers have a lot of options when it
comes to finding the right team of profession-
als to assist them in making the best decisions
for their circumstances. Having the right peo-
ple can make a huge difference in their home-
ownership experience. You see, it’s not just
about buying a home and becoming an owner;
it’s about smart homeownership.
As a Realtor, you provide an invaluable
service to consumers by not only helping them
find a home, but by understanding what being
a homeowner means and how they can get the
best value for their dollar. You take into con-
sideration the customer’s wants, needs and
dreams, and then find them a home in a com-
munity that suits their lifestyle and budget.
Once they’ve found the home, what’s next?
Finding the money.
There are many options available to source
home funding. The challenge is that most con-
sumers and realtors automatically go to the
banks first. Now, the banks are filled with a lot
of great people who are knowledgeable, friendly
and do good jobs. The challenge is that they are
employees of the bank. That means that their
first responsibility is to look out for the best
interest of their employer. It also means that
theycanonlyofferyourcustomerasinglelineup
of products.
Mortgage brokers have access to many dif-
ferent lenders, some that are simply not avail-
able to the consumer except through the ser-
vices of a mortgage broker. That means that
you and your customer have greater choice and
can truly customize the required home financ-
ing. Brokers also typically have access to lower
rates. More choice and better rates = a win for
you and your client.
In January of this year, Centum Financial
Group Inc., Canada’s premier mortgage com-
pany, launched the 15 Minute Mortgage. This
mortgage prequalification technology is the
most advanced of its kind and is perhaps one of
the most powerful items you can add to your
toolbox.
This innovative tool uses the most up-to-
date lending guidelines provided by CMHC and
lenders to review a customer’s information to let
them know if they qualify to buy a home. The
best part? All it takes is eight easy steps, and
within minutes, the customer will receive an
email letting them know if they qualify. No cus-
tomer is ever turned away – if they do not meet
the minimum qualifiers, a Centum mortgage
professional will quickly be in touch to get the
needed information to get that approval done.
Imagine if you could let a customer know
within minutes if they qualified to purchase a
home – how would this change your open
houses? How would it impact your ability to
provide world-class service to your customers?
Since the 15 Minute Mortgage launched in
January 2015, it has generated applications
with a total mortgage value in excess of $469
million. That makes it the top mortgage lead-
generation technology in Canada. The most
amazing thing is that this innovative tool can
be placed on your website and your listings,
giving your customers advanced solutions at
the touch of a button. Realtors who are using
the 15 Minute Mortgage today are seeing real-
time benefits and are closing more transac-
tions, faster.
Working with a licensed mortgage profes-
sional not only ensures that your customers are
getting the service they deserve, but also that
they are getting the right advice. At Centum,
we believe that every Canadian has the right to
experience the joys of homeownership.
Working with the right real estate and mort-
gage professional brings that dream closer
than most people realize. Having the right
tools in your kit, like the Centum 15 Minute
Mortgage, gives you a competitive advantage
unlike any other in the industry today.
If you want to get the edge, visit www.
centum.ca to find a mortgage professional near
you and make 2015 your best year yet. REP
28. 26 www.repmag.ca
FEATURES
DONE DEAL
THOSE CALLING Whistler home are quite
particular: They like their ski hills, their hot
tubs and their fire pits, thank you very much.
And for the sellers of this three-suite property,
it was important for the new owners to get it.
The property
The 3,200-square-foot home is perched on a
semi-private lot more than double its size. The
house has five bedrooms and four bathrooms
across three separate suites. The top floor fea-
tures two bedrooms and two bathrooms, with
a wheelchair-accessible sauna. The kitchen,
with granite countertops and stainless steel
appliances, is open to the dining room and the
living room, which has a cable hook-up. The
After six months of
marketing, 12 open
houses, one price change
and four offers, this
magical Whistler home
was finally sold to the
‘right’ buyers
WAITING FOR
‘THE ONE’lower level contains two bedrooms and a bath-
room, and the garage had been converted to a
non-conforming studio suite.
Over its lifetime, the home, built in 1991,
has generated more than $340,000 in rental
income, averaging $64,000 a year.
The property is also unique in that its pri-
vate deck overlooks a serene waterfall.
“It was a long lot, with no neighbours on
one side, and it was built up, so it was a bit
secluded on the other side,” Sutton says. “The
landscaping was very nice – they had built a
little fire pit, like most houses in Whistler. But
the location and the privacy … were unparal-
leled.”
Indeed, the location couldn’t be better for
29. www.repmag.ca 27
of it comes from looking at what the market
will sustain and what will grab the attention of
qualified buyers.”
As such, the sellers opted to reduce the ask-
ing price to $1.249 million in an effort to
attract investment-minded buyers. In that
vein, Sutton adds that the property hosts
monthly rentals, so no special zoning consid-
erations were required from either the buyer
or the seller.
Ultimately, the investment potential of the
property proved to be its greatest draw.
“The fact that it had three potential revenue
suites or could be a massive house on its own
– those were the two major marketing points,”
Sutton says. “It had lots of possibilities.”
After six months on the finicky Whistler
market, where DOMs can range from a few
months to a few years, the property sold for
$1.15 million.
The sale
In the end, Sutton’s sellers had three offers to
choose from. Negotiations were quick – lasting
just four days – with rapid-fire communica-
tions between Sutton and the three buyers’
agents. The home eventually went to full-time
Whistler residents who were interested in the
property’s income suites.
“They don’t have kids, so they’re offsetting
all their living expenses with the rentals,”
Sutton says. “They’ll live in two-bedroom suite
upstairs, and rent out the three-bedroom bed
suite and the studio suite.” REP
avid skiers and vacationers. The property is
just a 10-minute walk to Creekside Village and
to the top of the nearby ski hill via the
Creekside gondola.
The sellers also took pains to remodel as
much of the property as possible. They added
new hardwood floors and hot-water tanks,
and converted the property to an open-con-
cept layout. They upgraded the exterior land-
scaping and irrigated the yard, adding con-
crete paving stones, snow guards, new soffits
and an extra 1,400 square feet in stamped
concrete balconies over two levels.
The marketing
Whistler boasts a wide array of potential buy-
ers, particularly in the Bayshores neighbour-
hood where this property is located. The
AGE
0to14:12%
15to64:83%
64andover:5%
GENDER
Male: 54%
Female:46%
MARITAL STATUS
Marriedorcommon-law:44%
Single: 44%
DWELLINGS
Totaldwellings:3,900
Singledetachedhomes:855
Semi-detachedhomes:275
Rowhouses:910
Apartmentbuildings:980
Duplexapartments:870
Despite its proximity, Whistler’s real estate market couldn’t be more different than that of Vancouver,
one of the country’s hottest and fastest markets.
LIVING IN WHISTLER
BUYING AND SELLING IN WHISTLER
region is ripe with vacationers, investors and
those who live in Whistler full-time.
“There were a lot of new buyers in town,”
Sutton says. “The property is fantastic for
weekenders, giving them almost a mortgage-
free property. And it’s good for buyers looking
for the ability to offset costs without compro-
mising on where they live.”
Sutton had the property professionally
photographed – “Any property, especially
those over $1 million, I think, deserves profes-
sional photos,” she says – and listed the home
on several property sites, including the
national MLS, and through the Whistler Real
Estate Company website. She also took out
print ads in Pique magazine and other local
newspapers, and drew on interest from vari-
ous social media campaigns.
Sutton also hosted 12 open houses, and
while they generated a great deal of interest in
the property, none of those leads ultimately
resulted in a sale.
“It’s a challenging market in Whistler,” she
says. “People are mostly web-based or social-
media-based. But a lot of people will pick up a
paper in Vancouver to buy in Whistler.”
When she first listed the property at $1.275
million in mid-June, Sutton billed it as a won-
derful family home, but soon discovered the
investment potential was more enticing to
potential buyers.
“We looked at comparable properties,
based on location, size, the quality inside, the
renovations, the rental income,” she says. “A lot
*Alldatafrom2014
Averagemedianprice:
$625,670(+8.6%from2013)
Totalsales:
716(+21%from2013)
Listings:
1,122(+8.3%from2013)
Averagesales-to-listingsratio:
63%(+10.5%from2013)
30. FEATURES
28 www.repmag.ca
that it seems vacant and utilitarian.
2. Look with a critical eye. Today’s buyer
will expect to see everything as near to top
condition as possible. They’ll accept no excuses
for burnt-out light bulbs, loose door handles
or scuffs on doors and trim. Be sure clients
tend to any obvious and not-so-obvious main-
AGENTS KNOW what sells – location, curb
appeal and kitchens. But with the West, and
much of Canada, preparing for a tumultuous
spring season, the demand for staging is
expected to grow as agents look to meet sell-
ing-price expectations that haven’t necessarily
adapted to today’s market. Staging veteran
Brent Melnychuk offers 10 tricks of his trade
to selling agents who are grappling with the
re-emerging buyer’s market.
1. Depersonalize. It’s a fine line, but too
many family photos or too much personal style
can make a buyer feel like they are invading
someone’s private space. But don’t go overboard
and empty the whole place out to the point
10 STAGING TIPS
TO SHOW YOUR
CLIENT’S HOME
AT ITS BEST
EXPERT ADVICE
If the seemingly bulletproof
2014 market appeared to
eliminate the need for staging,
the economic uncertainty of
2015 is expected to reinstate it.
Brent Melnychuk shares 10
ways you can make your
client’s home sell for top dollar
in any market
31. www.repmag.ca 29
Brent Melnychuk is a Vancouver-
based senior stager with home
staging company Dekora.
tenance jobs. Buyers make a conclusion and
think to themselves, “What else is wrong with
this place that I can’t see?”
3. Keep it neutral. Time to freshen up the
walls and trim with a more subtle shade – think
light linen tones, and use a soft white trim to
make the space feel crisp. Limit any dramatic,
dark tone to one accent wall, maybe behind a
bed or in a powder room.
4. Check the landscaping. A property’s
exterior should be as impeccably neat as its
interior. A buyer coming to view your listing
is, in essence, taking it out for a first date. Make
it love at first sight. Hire a landscape mainte-
nance company to do a proper cleanup, includ-
ing trimming those overgrown bushes.
5. Brighten up. This is a good opportunity
to upgrade the lighting in the home, making
it more current and the space brighter. The
retail marketplace is brimming with reasona-
bly priced and stylish lighting options. Adding
lamps can help with creating ambiance and
providing great sight lines to a room’s focal
point.
6. Clean that kitchen. Have clients apply
some elbow grease, and make sure the sinks,
floors and counters shine like a new Mercedes
Benz. Buyers, of course, look in every nook and
cranny – even the insides of drawers should be
clean and tidy. And don’t forget about the
refrigerator! Even if it is a Sub-Zero appliance,
increasingly picky buyers will only see and
smell the unpleasant odor. A professional
cleaner is worth the expense to ensure that a
buyer’s white glove picks up nothing but
Windex.
7. Style it right. Stage and style the home so
that it works within the context of the archi-
tecture of the property. If it is a sleek, modern
and minimalist space, then the furniture and
props should reflect that. Ornate or traditional
furniture in such a contemporary space will do
little to play to its strengths.
8. Consider the scent. A home needs to
smell great to make a lasting impression. While
idea of baking cookies is considered passé,
retail home design stores have a large selection
of subtle-but-effective scent diffusers to choose
from. Avoid the overly floral or spicy. Instead,
think of freshly cleaned linen. A word of cau-
tion: You get what you pay for, and high-qual-
ity scents come with a higher price tag.
9.Make the bathrooms chic. The master
bath in any property should be a spotless ‘bou-
tique spa.’ Thick, quality, clean and new white
towels are a must. Simple soap pumps and a
potted white orchid will finish the look.
10. And the master bedroom, too. While
you’re at it, extend the luxury hotel feel into
the master retreat. Recommend clients make
a small investment in new, crisp white linens
and a coordinating duvet cover. Make sure the
lamps match and provide enough light. REP
33. Maggie Tessier
Orleans, Ont.
Maggie Tessier has
been the broker of
record for Exit Realty
Matrix for more than 15 years. Over her
tenure, Tessier has made a name for herself
in the Ottawa area, building two brokerages
from the ground up, and most recently
adding a third. Last year, she was recognized
for her local contributions to the industry,
and was named Faces and Businesses in
Ottawa’s Real Estate Agent of the Year.
WELCOME TO Real Estate Professional’s inaugural Hot List. We
asked you, the real estate community, to pass on your suggestions for
who should be included on this list of the industry’s most successful,
most engaging and most innovative people. From CEOs and presidents
of major brokerages to local heroes, the names came flooding in.
While this isn’t an exhaustive list of Canada’s influential players,
we’ve narrowed it down to 150 people we think merit a mention for
their stellar achievements over the past year.
Our picks run the gamut, from individual agents and teams boast-
ing hundreds of millions of dollars in personal production to CEOs
whose innovations are helping revitalize the industry. In the follow-
ing pages, you’ll meet a marketing superstar, tech-centric sales reps,
and an exec who’s been nationally recognized for his contributions to
the advancement of franchise opportunities. Everyone on our Hot
List has one thing in common – they’re all changing the face of the
Canadian real estate industry.
Beth Crosbie
CREA
Beth Crosbie’s involvement with the
Canadian Real Estate Association isn’t
new – though 2014 did see her take the
helm as president. Regardless, the real
estate veteran helped the organization
complete a strategic planning exercise
that highlighted the need for better
communication. On that note, Crosbie set
out across the country, holding meet-and-
greets and open houses in an effort to
open the dialogue between CREA and its
members.
“As Realtors, we know the business is
built on relationships and getting an
understanding of what people need,” she
says. “We’ve just applied that to what
we’re doing as a national association.”
Georges Bardagi
Montreal
Georges Bardagi has been a top-perform-
ing real estate agent for almost a quarter of
a century. He’s passed the skills necessary
for that success onto his team of more than
20 sales reps and brokers, which has made
Équipe Bardagi the number one Re/Max
team in Quebec since 2005. Bardagi, who
was also the first Quebec-based agent to
receive Re/Max’s Luminary of Distinction
award, is also educating agents outside his
office. He runs a real estate coaching
service called Coaching Bardagi, and hosts
an annual workshop that draws some 500
participants.
Frank Lostracco
Ancaster, Ont.
Frank Lostracco isn’t selling penthouse condo
suites or sprawling mansions in the country’s
biggest centres, but he is a force to be reckoned
with in his native Ancaster, Ont. In 2013, he
closed some 17% of the sales in the region,
propelling him into the top 50 agents by
transactions across Canada.
RodFrank
Hamilton, Ont.
Rod Frank entered the real estate business just
before the economic downturn of the early
1990s. But he emerged from the dark ages on
top, and the lessons he learned during that
difficult time helped him guarantee the success
of his 17-person team. Indeed, The Rod Frank
Team has been the number one team in the
Hamilton-Burlington region since 2008.
Across Canada, the team was ranked number
13 by transactions and were number 39 by
dollar amount.
www.repmag.ca 31
34. FEATURES
COVER STORY
32 www.repmag.ca
Mark McLean
Toronto
Mark McLean wears many hats – from manager and creative director at Bosley Real Estate in
Toronto to newly appointed president of the Toronto Real Estate Board – but his ability to juggle
those roles lies squarely in his undying passion for the real estate industry. In 2014, he grew his
Bosley team to more than 60 agents, becoming one of the largest agencies in Toronto’s downtown
core. Under his guidance, that team did 43% more business last year than in 2013. Now, he’s
ready to bring the same drive to TREB. “For me, it’s looking at the industry from 50,000 feet –
looking at where it’s going and being a part of that,” he says.
Jason Munn
Frederiction, NB
Jason Munn closed 154 transactions throughout
2014, which is impressive enough on its own.
But to put that number further into perspective,
consider this: Those sales translate to 9% of all
sales in Fredericton, NB, Munn’s farm area, in
2014. The real estate veteran attributes his
success to the same principles of honesty and
integrity with which he’s operated his business
for more than 20 years.
Neil Warshafsky and
Fraser MacDonald
Toronto
Neil Warshafsky and Fraser MacDonald
have been in the commercial real estate
business together for 10 years, and with
that kind of experience comes the kind of
comforting confidence that clients
demand with the ever-changing
commercial market. For that reason, it’s
not surprising that the duo had one of
their best years in 2014, helping Planned
Canada expand to a second floor and
brokering the sale of Toronto’s iconic El
Mocambo music venue.
Joyce Tourney
Regina
Since getting her start as a Realtor in Regina
in 1993, Joyce Tourney has been among the
top realtors in Saskatchewan because of her
enthusiastic approach to real estate. Tourney
has been a part of the top 100 sales reps in
Canada since 1995 and has been dominant
internationally as well. In 2013, Tourney was
recognized by CKG International at a
ground-breaking conference for the world’s
best agents.
Linda Knight
Angus, Ont.
Linda Knight has worked with many military
families moving around the country – to and
from CFB Borden, located in her rural
northern Ontario area. As a result of her
experience in working with Canada’s national
heroes, Knight and her team were ranked
among the top 10 real estate teams across the
country by dollar amount.
Paula Dober
Marystown, NL
While many agents flock to big cities in the hopes of turning big business, Paula Dober has
taken a slightly different approach that has sent her straight to the top of the industry. As
the only sales rep in Marystown, NL, Dober was able to close 112 transactions in 2014,
which is almost 3% of all sales for the entire province. Those results earned Dober a place
as the third highest-producing agent in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Stuart Bonner
Vancouver
Stuart Bonner has been specializing in
Vancouver’s Westside since he received his
real estate license more than 35 years ago.
That level of expertise has led to his rank
among the top 15 sales reps by dollar amount
across Canada. Bonner also received Re/Max’s
prestigious International Chairman’s Club
Award and its International Circle of Legends
award.
35. Ajay Shah
Toronto
Success in real estate, according to Ajay Shah, all boils down to promotion. He promotes his brokerage – HomeLife Miracle Realty – which has
helped it add more than 850 agents since 2002; he promotes his agents, which helped them do almost 25% more business in 2014 than they
year prior; and he encourages his sales reps to promote themselves at every chance they get. “It’s just promoting yourself,” Shah says. “It’s simple.
If you want to be successful: promote, promote, promote.”
“It’s simple. If
you want to be
successful: promote,
promote, promote”
36. FEATURES
COVER STORY
34 www.repmag.ca
George Bamber
Calgary
All successful brokerages have one thing in
common: a strong leader at the helm, and
for Century 21 Bamber Realty in Calgary,
George Bamber is that leader. In 2014, he
pushed his brokerage of more than 150
agents – the largest Century 21 office in
the city – to become the top-ranking
Century 21 office by production in the
country. But Bamber’s drive doesn’t end at
Canada’s borders: his brokerage also
ranked number three in the global
Century 21 family by production.
Matt Carlson
Vancouver
Matt Carlson knows more about what a
private equity firm wants from a real estate
transaction than most commercial agents
– largely because he’s worked for one such
firm. In his latest role as vice president of
Colliers International, Carlson is taking that
insider knowledge and using it to help his
clients get the best possible in some of the
most challenging real estate markets. “It’s
not about the acquisition of the deal itself,”
he says, “but about structuring the deal
between the [acquiring] partners.”
Jay Brijpaul
Toronto
With more than 25 years in the real estate
business, it’s safe to say that Jay Brijpaul
knows a few things about buying and
selling real estate. He’s taken that
knowledge, applied it to his successful real
estate investment business and shared it
with his team of seven sales reps. As a
result of his leadership, the Brij team holds
a spot among the top 35 Canadian real
estate teams by dollar amount.
Shahid Khawaja
Mississauga, Ont.
Throughout his decade in the industry,
Shahid Khawaja has left a long list of
satisfied clients, which has garnered him
plenty of awards and achievements. He’s
been the top-producing agent at his
brokerage for the last 10 years and is among
the top 1% of Re/Max agents across Canada.
Khawaja also earned Re/Max’s prestigious
Lifetime Achievement Award, Hall of Fame
Award, Diamond Club Award and Chair-
man’s Club Award.
Shane Zeyha
Grande Prairie, Alta.
Born and raised in Grande Prairie, Shane
Zeyha has become one of the area’s top real
estate agents. Zeyha is a relative newcomer
to the real estate game, making the
transition from teaching and coaching high
school. He was voted Rookie of the Year his
first year as a Re/Max agent and in 2007
was awarded the Chairman’s Award. He is
also a part of Re/Max’s Gold Club as well as
its Hall of Fame.
Mark Ballard
Vancouver
Real estate was always Mark Ballard’s end
game. He specialized in real estate while
attending the University of British
Columbia, and he worked in the
construction and mortgage industries
before joining Re/Max in 2004. That broad
knowledge base has helped him become a
top-producing agent: He was among the
top 30 sales reps by dollar amount across
Canada, and the top 1% of Re/Max sales
reps in Western Canada.
Ruby Sangha
Markham, Ont.
Ruby Sangha is a simple sales rep. He doesn’t
buy into the hundreds of new platforms and
technologies on the market, instead opting to
focus on his clients. That’s a tactic that has
certainly paid off, making him one of the top
30 sales reps in the country by dollar amount,
and earning him spots in Re/Max’s Hall of
Fame and Diamond Club.
37. www.repmag.ca 35
Diane Mitchell
Toronto
Diane Mitchell has been a leader in the real
estate business for nearly 30 years, and in her
latest role as Canadian director of Keller
Williams, she’ll continue to lead from the top
of the organization. But Mitchell is no
stranger to the top. Her brokerage, Keller
Williams Realty Centres, is among the top
five Keller Williams offices in the country by
transaction ends.
Phil Soper
Royal LePage
Phil Soper isn’t the first president the Royal LePage brand has ever seen, but he’s certainly
among the most successful, leading the company to triple its revenue and double its agent
count since he took the helm in 2002. He also directed the restructuring of the company,
pushing it to become a publicly traded enterprise in 2003. And REP isn’t the only
establishment to recognize his accomplishments: he received the 2014 CEO Award of
Excellence in Public Relations from the Canadian Public Relations Society.
Sam Narayan and Ayaz Bhanji
Edmonton
Sam Narayan and Ayaz Bhanji are proving
that there’s strength in numbers. In 2009,
they purchased the Re/Max Excellence brand,
and together they’ve grown the brokerage to
more than 100 agents. That rapid expansion
has led this dynamic duo to most recently
purchase a state-of-the-art professional
centre in West Edmonton. They designed the
new 26,000-square-foot space and currently
occupy the 14,000-square-foot top floor,
leaving the 11,000-square-foot main floor
open to rental income.
Gary Charlwood
Century 21
Gary Charlwood is a force to be reckoned with,
not only in the world of real estate – having
brought Century 21 to Canada in the mid-1970s
– but in the world of franchises in general. Now,
he’s working on growing his various brands, but
especially Century 21. He’s aiming to double the
company’s size in just a decade, and he’s
planning on doing that by attracting young,
tech-savvy individuals.
“Technology is amazing,” Charlwood says.
“It’s going to take some pretty tech-savvy people
to act in this business going forward.”
Bijan Barati
Toronto
As a real estate broker at Re/Max, Bijan Barati has propelled his brokerage to become one of the
top firms in Toronto. He is arecipient of the prestigious Chairman’s Club award and is part of the
company’s top 1%. With a background in civil engineering with experience in design, building,
zoning, planning, construction and development, he’s the full package.
Mark Faris
Barrie, Ont.
Mark Faris learned about the virtues of hard
work while growing up on a farm as part of a
family of nine – and those values have carried
over into his work as a real estate agent. The
Mark Faris Team, which is part of the Royal
LePage network, became the network’s
number two sales team in the country in 2013
– an honour it held onto into 2014. Before
becoming an agent, Faris played professional
hockey in the United States as well as in
Sweden.
Loretta Sernowski
Regina
The owner of EXIT Realty Fusion, Loretta
Sernowski has been a real estate agent
since 1993. Now one of Regina’s top
agents, Sernowski leads a team that
posted more than $79 million in volume
in 2013. Heavily involved in her commu-
nity, Sernowski has canvassed for the
Heart and Stroke Foundation, worked for
the Regina Humane Shelter and has
served Regina’s Ukrainian community in
a variety of roles.
38. FEATURES
COVER STORY
36 www.repmag.ca
Alex Palmer
Lloydminster, Alta.
In his 45 years in the business, Alex Palmer
has learned a thing or two about buying and
selling real estate, and those things have
translated to a wildly successful career. In
2014 alone, Palmer was named the top agent
both by production and by volume in the
entire Century 21 Canada family. On a global
level, he was named the top Century 21 agent
by units and the number three Century 21
agent by production. “In a city this size, you
have to be a jack of all trades, and more than
40 years of experience has allowed me to do
that,” he says. “You also have to have a very
understanding spouse.”
Charlie Parker
Nanaimo, BC
Charlie Parker is taking the real estate
market – literally. In 2014, he increased his
office’s market share in Nanaimo, BC, to a
whopping 51% (as of January, it stood at
60.1%), and he added another five offices in
nearby Victoria. Parker also set up a version
of Re/Max University for his nearly 280
agents, where sales reps can support one
another.
“We took [Re/Max University] one step
further and created our own training
sessions and multimedia tools,” he says.
Ian Charlebois
Rockland, Ont.
For such a young agent, Ian Charlebois
is making bit waves in the industry. He
successfully merged two Re/Max offices
last year to create Re/Max Citywide, for
which he acts as broker and owner. He
was also able to grow that brokerage
from 85 transactions a year to 550
transactions annually in just three years.
Don Goodale and Brad Miller
Oakville, Ont.
Becoming a successful agent in the realm
of luxury real estate takes more than a
solid sales pitch, and don’t Don Goodale
and Brad Miller know it. Together they
form the Goodale Miller Team, and
together they’ve been named the top
Century 21 Canada team for the 12th year
(they were also named the number two
team in the global Century 21 family). It
could be their collective 40 years of
experience in the business, or it could be
their in-house full-service approach to
buying and selling. Either way, their
system is working, and they’re not
planning on changing it anytime soon.
Julian Lo
Toronto
It’s hard to stand out in a brokerage full of
top performers and number-one agents, but
Julian Lo has done just that. With the help
of his two sales reps, Team Lo achieved the
number 17 rank among all sales teams in
Canada by dollar amount.
William Magill
Brampton, Ont.
William Magill has been in the real
estate business for almost 35 years, and
the knowledge he’s gained along that
career path has undoubtedly propelled
him to his rank as the number 40 agent
in Canada by transactions. Magill is also
the recipient of Re/Max’s Hall of Fame
and 100% Club awards.
SamMcCall
Vancouver
Sam McCall specializes in luxury residential
properties in West Vancouver. McCall is the
recipient of RE/MAX’s most prestigious
award, the Circle of Legends Award.
39. www.repmag.ca 37
Shannon Unger
NorthBay, Ont.
Shannon Unger is excited about real estate, and she wants you to be excited about it, too. It’s that attitude that led her to acquire the Re/
Max Legend brokerage in North Bay, Ont., in 2014, and completely turn it around, adding 10% more sales reps in just six months. She
also leased a new office space, formed the basis for a new tech-savvy team of agents and is encouraging teamwork among every agent in
the office.
“I came in blinded by the light of enthusiasm,” she says. “I think it’s top down, so when they see the broker doing it, it’s easier for them
to adopt [that attitude].”
“I think it’s top
down, so when
agents see the
broker doing it,
it’s easier for them
to adopt [that
attitude]”
40. FEATURES
COVER STORY
38 www.repmag.ca
Hari Minhas
Vancouver
Hari Minhas is
taking a residential
approach to
promoting
commercial real
estate, and it’s a
move that’s
certainly making waves in the industry. As the
director of marketing and market intelligence
for Colliers International, Minhas built an
in-house project marketing team, the first of
its kind, to aid the company in marketing its
commercial listings in the best ways possible.
“How can we separate ourselves from
what’s across the street?” he asks. “All the
commercial brochures were typically the
same – they were boring – so we’re trying to
highlight why these opportunities are great
for the clients we’re targeting. So if it’s a tech
company, we’re highlighting the features that
appeal to them.”
Justine
Deluce
Toronto
As the chief
operating officer
for luxury brand
Chestnut Park
Real Estate,
Justine Deluce
has pushed her
team to reach
several
milestone goals in 2014. The 260 agents
under the brokerage did more than $2.1
billion in sales, including a 20-year best of
$250 million for the brand’s Muskoka office.
Deluce is also a conscientious corporate head,
pushing the company’s 11 offices to participate
in local fundraising events, such as the Bed
for Bowls Home Horizon in Collingwood and
the Covenant House youth shelter in Toronto.
Marvin Alexander
Toronto
Marvin Alexander, the president and owner
of Keller Williams Realty Centres in
Newmarket, Ont., has spent more than two
decades working with buyers and sellers in
the GTA – lots and lots of buyers and
sellers. In 2014, Alexander closed more than
260 transactions to become the highest-
producing agent in Canada by units – an
honour he’s won every year since 2010.
Colin Scarlett
Vancouver
For the past 18 years, Colin Scarlett has helped businesses
find solutions by way of real estate – and that’s a job that’s
taken him across the globe. “The only way to do that is to
understand [my clients’] business and industry,” he says. “The
only way I would understand it in a meaningful way is if I got
on a plan and met with those leaders [in the business].”
That amazing drive has not only propelled Scarlett to
become a top agent in his field, but it’s also led to his being
named the youngest executive vice president at Colliers
International, as well as his inclusion on Business in Vancou-
ver’s Top 40 Under 40 list.
Tracey Bosch
Langley, BC
Tracey Bosch started in real estate in 1989,
and since then he has built his business one
client at a time. Using referrals and long-
term relationships, Bosch has been able to
maintain his level of success for almost 30
years.
“I believe that there is no substitute for
aggressive promotion and advertising, a
deep knowledge of current conditions in the
local market and finely tuned negotiating
skill,” he says. “My success isn’t just meas-
ured by sales, but by the relationships I build
along the way. I communicate continually
with my clients and respond to their
individual needs and desires.”
RyanDutka
Edmonton
Ryan Dutka leads three agents and two
administrators at the Re/Max Ryan Dutka
Real Estate Team, where he specializes in
residential real estate in the Edmonton
area. He founded the team in 2001, after
joining Re/Max River City in 1998. Dutka
considers himself an expert in the condo
and residential real estate markets.
Ted Greenhough
Calgary
Ted Greenhough was named one of
Re/Max’s top 50 individual agents
in Canada in 2013. He is also the
recipient of the agency’s Lifetime
Achievement Award, Hall of Fame
distinction and Chairman’s Club
Award. Greenhough attributes his
success to not focusing on sales
numbers but instead becoming a
“person of value.” Prior to becoming
an agent, Greenhough was a
successful entrepreneur, founding
Parts Canada, a national wholesale
distributor of power sports
products.
41. www.repmag.ca 39
Kevin Moist
Winnipeg
Kevin Moist is a
Winnipeg-based
agent with Re/
Max Perfor-
mance Realty. In
2013, Moist
funded
$45,890,761.00
in home sales. He is a member of CREA, the
Manitoba Real Estate Association and the
Winnipeg Real Estate Board. Throughout his
career, Moist has been recognized as one of
Re/Max’s top 100 agents world-wide, the
number one agent in Manitoba, and a top five
agent in Western Canada. smaller market.
Brad Lamb
Toronto
Brad Lamb is a polarizing figure in Canadian
real estate. The industry veteran quickly
made a name for himself in the condominium
and loft markets in Toronto, and founded
Lamb Development Corp. more than 10 years
ago. With almost as many developments
planned for release in the next few years – in-
cluding those in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto
and Ottawa – it’s clear that Lamb is going to
be dividing public opinion for many more
years to come.
Jimmy Arseneault
Gatineau, Que.
Jimmy Arsenault is taking advantage of his
geographical position between Quebec and
Ontario to win as much business as possible
– so much business, in fact, that he’s re-
mained the top-selling Re/Max agent by units
in Quebec and in Ottawa for the last seven
years. He has also consistently rated in the
top 1% of all Re/Max agents across the globe,
and last year was awarded Re/Max’s
prestigious Diamond Club Award for the fifth
consecutive year.
Shane Herter
Medicine Hat, Alta.
Shane Herter has been an agent with Re/
Max for 10 years. He specializes in farms,
ranches, acreages and residential homes in
Alberta. Herter has been recognized as one
of the top 100 Realtors in Western Canada
numerous times.
Helen Ralph
Kamloops, BC
Helen Ralph has been a real estate agent in
the Kamloops region since 1990. She
currently operates a team that includes her
son, Chris, and in 2013 she funded more
than $49 million – an impressive mark for a
smaller market.
Barry Cohen
Toronto
Barry Cohen is one of Re/Max’s most successful agents. Since 1996, he has been recognized
in York Mills (GTA) as the area’s top seller. He has also been recognized by Re/Max as the
number-one individual salesperson in Canada. Cohen comes from a sales background;
combined with his passion for architecture, he found real estate sales to be the perfect fit. In
2013, his total volume funded was more than $208 million.
YanqingSun
Vancouver
Yanqing (Amy) Sun is an agent with Re/Max Real Estate Services in Western Vancouver,
specializing in the surrounding areas such as Arbutus, Dunbar, Edmonds, Point Grey, Riverdale,
Richmond and Southlands. Fluent in English, Chinese and Mandarin, she is focused on helping
anyone from new homebuyers to experienced investors reach their ownership goals.
