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COVER STORY: ELITE WOMEN CHRISTINE RAE Certified Staging Professionals International Business Training Academy
EXIT Realty Group Brokerage Belleville, ON
St. Catharines, ON
Not many people can say they are shaping an entire industry, but Christine Rae is one of them. Widely considered to be the leading expert in real estate staging, Rae and her company, Certified Staging Professionals, have provided more than 5,000 entrepreneurs with the training, tools and credibility necessary to begin their own staging businesses. Rae, also the successful author of the bestseller Home Staging for Dummies, has received numerous awards for her work, including the first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award from the Real Estate Staging Association.
Sharon Shortt’s own first experience dealing with a Realtor was far from positive. “I thought, if he can do as well as he does and not have integrity, imagine what I could be if I truly cared about the well-being of all my clients.” Shortt has made empathy a priority in her office; as a result, she has been one of Belleville’s top Realtors for the past 30 years.
BEV NEDAIE
MORNING YU
Re/Max Real Estate Central
Metro Edge Realty
Calgary, AB
Richmond, BC
Bev Nedaie left her life as a biochemist behind when she moved with her new husband to Calgary. “I was investigating what I should do so that I can be of service to my fellow human beings, make a good living and love my work,” she says. She settled on real estate, which she says has been her most rewarding career thus far. Nedaie believes in setting big goals – and whether it’s continuing to produce for one of the most successful Re/Max agencies in Canada or following through on her desire to construct a school in Africa, there’s no evidence to suggest she won’t succeed.
Metro Edge knew they were adding a winner to their team when they brought Morning Yu on board earlier this year. Greater Vancouver’s number-seven agent in 2015, Yu has been on an upward trajectory ever since she switched careers from insurance to real estate in 2010. Prior to joining Metro Edge, Yu had led her team to become New Coast Realty’s most successful team and was named the company’s Salesperson of the Year in 2012. Yu also won the BC Outstanding Chinese Women Award in 2011.
STEPHANIE WILKINS Royal LePage Connect Realty Toronto, ON
Stephanie Wilkins was a successful entrepreneur and real estate investor prior to joining forces with Royal LePage Connect in 2011, and she has brought that same intensity for wealth creation to her new career. With a broad skill set that extends from first-time buyers to investment properties, Wilkins is a true asset to her clients, who continue to benefit from her tactical thinking and customized strategies.
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SHARON SHORTT
www.repmag.ca
ERICKA FOWLER Century 21 Westman.com Brandon, MB
Ericka Fowler works in the smallest market of all our Elite Women, but that doesn’t diminish the impact she has had on buyers and sellers alike. Beloved by her clients, Fowler had once contemplated a life in horticulture, but the search for more stability for her family inspired her to change course, much to the town of Brandon’s benefit. Her motto? “Work hard, learn from your mistakes and don’t sweat the small stuff!”