REP 3.01

THE WINNING EDGE

A spotlight on the industry’s leading real estate coaches

THE RISE & FALL?

What’s really going on with Vancouver real estate REPMAG.CA ISSUE 3.01 | $12.95

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Concepts to help you evolve, grow and prosper

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200 AGENTS

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ISSUE 3.01

CONNECT WITH US Got a story or suggestion, or just want to find out some more information?

CONTENTS

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UPFRONT 02 Editorial

What does it take to be the best and how do you measure success?

THE REP

200

06 Statistics

FEATURES

46

A MAGICAL FLORIDA VIEW

A new Orlando resort offers a world of opportunity for eager agents

The numbers don’t lie, and they point to Vancouver prices on the slide

08 Head to head

Should real estate boards be forced to make their data public?

09 Opinion

The answer to housing affordability isn’t greater regulation

10 News analysis

The rise and fall of Vancouver’s heated property market

FEATURES 16 Done deal COVER STORY

THE REP 200

The results are in! We crunch the numbers – from the Northwest Territories to Prince Edward Island – and honour the country’s top performing agents FEATURES PEOPLE

INDUSTRY ICON

Richard Robbins – as a coach and an agent, he’s at the top of his game

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TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Tips and tactics to keep you ahead of the curve

Edmonton Realtor Nichola Elise Ryhanen’s experience was tested when she found herself in the middle of her clients’ bitter divorce

60 Motivate to renovate

Why clients should be encouraged to renovate their properties

PEOPLE

52 Agent profile

Ferro Payman: from a war-torn Afghanistan to success in Toronto

63 Career path

The soaring flight of the condo-man, Mark Cohen

64 Other life

FEATURES

54

Yoga teacher Carolina Carvalho stretches her body to calm her mind

THE EDGE

Three industry-leading real estate coaches who can teach you the secret to survival in a cut-throat marketplace

2

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If you are a leader of an independent residential real estate company, we invite you to learn more. Contact Sheila Barr: sbarr@LeadingRE.com or +1.312.361.8632.

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3

UPFRONT

EDITORIAL

www.repmag.ca SPRING 2O17 EDITORIAL

What it takes to be the best

O

ne of the survey responses submitted during the REP 200 nomination process took the opportunity to ask us a question instead. In the space reserved for 2016 revenue totals, the respondent wrote: “Why does this matter?”

This seemed, at first glance, like a poignant and penetrating question about the immeasurability of customer satisfaction. Then reality set in; the response was deleted and the respondent cursed for wasting everyone’s time.

Why do numbers matter in determining real estate success? Because they

Numbers matter in determining real estate success because they indicate a Realtor’s ability to generate repeat business and cultivate referrals indicate a Realtor’s ability to generate repeat business and cultivate referrals.

Because they demonstrate an agent’s ability to continually attract clients in a competitive market where buyers and sellers are more informed than ever.

Because there’s a reason why some agents sell 10 properties a year while other agents in the same market, with similar levels of experience, sell 80.

Numbers, of course, do not tell the entire story. If an agent sells three houses a year and those three clients are happier than they’ve ever been, that agent is successful. Any Realtor who puts the right client in the right house has done their job well, possibly very well, and nothing can change that. But the best agents are the ones who can repeat their successes again and again, year after year.

Using numbers to measure those accomplishments does not ignore the human side of selling real estate. On the contrary, top producers often exemplify the empathy, integrity and warmth at the heart of the industry. Are they more intelligent or caring than colleagues who put up smaller numbers?

No, but those who move the most units are doing something right, and they have something to teach the rest of us.

Regardless of how one chooses to measure success, the agents featured in our REP 200 deserve recognition. We congratulate them all and expect to see many of them in these pages again next year.

Writers Clay Jarvis Justin da Rosa Joe Rosengarten Libby Macdonald Copy Editor Bruce Pitchers

CONTRIBUTORS Samantha Gale

ART & PRODUCTION Design Manager Daniel Williams Designer Martin Cosme Production Manager Alicia Chin Traffic Coordinator Ella Dayandante

SALES & MARKETING Associate Publisher Trevor Biggs General Manager, Sales John Mackenzie National Account Manager Trevor Lambert Project Coordinator Jessica Duce

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The team at Real Estate Professional

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UPFRONT

STATISTICS

Vancouver: on the slide

DECLINING NEIGHBOURHOODS Across various neighbourhoods the six-month trend points to reductions in benchmark prices outside of a few pockets of activity such as Squamish, Sunshine Coast and Bowen Island.

The year got off to a shaky start for the once-booming market. Many markers are pointing downwards …

VANCOUVER’S FORTUNES continued to wane. Figures covering the first month of 2017 in what was, until recently, Canada's hottest market, show a year-over-year plunge in home sales of 39.5%, with 1,523 homes sold.

Other standout figures from the month included the level of sales clocking in at 10.3% under the January sales average for the last 10 years and a sales-to-active listings ratio

39.5%

Amount January’s home sales were down year-over-year

21%

Sales-to-active listings ratio for January 2017

Benchmark price

that sits at the lowest point for the region since January 2015.

A sluggish detached home market is the culprit for much of the slide visible in both home sales and listings, while both the townhome and condo markets are prone to a greater level of activity currently, reflected in the fact that detached home prices have dropped almost 7% since their peak in July of 2016, while townhome and condo prices are steady.

3.7%

10.3%

Price decline in Metro Vancouver Amount sales in January 2017 in the past 6 months1 fell below the 10-year average For all residential properties; The MLS Home Price Index composite benchmark price

1

Lower Mainland

$804,000

Greater Vancouver

$896,000

Bowen Island

$830,200

Burnaby East

$831,800

Burnaby North

$772,300

Burnaby South

$868,200

Coquitlam

$732,200

Ladner

$784,400

Maple Ridge

$570,600

New Westminster

$533,500

North Vancouver

$964,000

Pitt Meadows

$558,800

Port Coquitlam

$571,400

Port Moody

$766,000

Richmond

$853,800

Squamish

$658,600

Sunshine Coast

$505,800

Tsawwassen

$911,700

Vancouver East

$952,200

Vancouver West

$1,184,800

West Vancouver

$2,436,700

Sources: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, January 2017

LISTINGS DOWN

SALES DIP

New listings in Metro Vancouver for the first month of the year across detached, attached and apartment properties slumped close to 7% from the same figures the year before.

Information for the first month of the year shows a decline in sales compared to the same time the year before across all sectors.

4,500 4,400

1,200 1,000

4,442

4,300

600

4,200

400

4,100

6.8% decline

4,140

January 2016

January 2017 Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, January 2017

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57.6%

1,047

444

200 0

4,000

24.7%

800

Detached January 2016

1,096 32.4% 376

254 Attached

January 2017

825

Apartments

Decline Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, January 2017

Ladner

Lower Mainland 0% -2.1%

Legend

Richmond

-1%

-2.8%

-5.6%

Maple Ridge

Greater Vancouver -0.2%

-2.5%

0.7%

4.7%

-0.1%

3 month % change

0.3%

Port Coquitlam 1.5%

6 month % change

-0.3%

-0.1%

-1%

-4.4%

-3.3%

-4.6%

-0.8%

-3.9%

-3.5%

-3.9%

-5.7%

West Vancouver

0%

-6%

-7.9%

Vancouver West

Port Moody

Coquitlam

-6.7%

0.1%

3.1% -0.1%

Burnaby South 1.2%

-1.3% Vancouver East

-0.9%

+ _

-5.3%

Pitt Meadows 0.3%

7.8%

4.1%

2.1% Tsawwassen

-3.1%

-0.2%

-3.1%

Burnaby North 0.6%

0.8%

North Vancouver -1.2%

8.4%

Sunshine Coast 1.3%

0.7%

Burnaby East

+ _

6.7%

2%

-0.8% New Westminster

4.7%

-3.4%

0.8%

-3.7%

Bowen Island

1 month % change

-2.5%

Squamish

0.4%

+ _

0%

-6.4%

-0.4%

-1.3%

-0.6%

-8.2%

-12.3%

Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, January 2017

PRICES DROP

THE BIG PICTURE

The news is good for apartment prices, which saw a six-month uptick of 1.4% in the Lower Mainland and 0.3% in Greater Vancouver, although sales of this kind of home fell 24.7% in January compared to the same time last year.

Greater Vancouver’s five-year trend shows a marked uptick in 2016 that crested toward the middle of the year, ahead of the imposition of the foreign-buyer tax, before exhibiting a downturn.

Single Family Detached

Lower Mainland

Greater Vancouver

310

-5.3%

260

Townhouse

0.8% -0.4%

Price Index

-6.6%

210 160 110

Apartment

Jan 2017

Sep 2016

May 2016

Jan 2016

Sep 2015

May 2015

Jan 2015

Townhouse

Sep 2014

May 2014

Jan 2014

Detached

Sep 2013

May 2013

Jan 2013

Residential

Sep 2012

May 2012

Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, January 2017

0 Jan 2012

1.4% 0.3%

Apartment Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, January 2017

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UPFRONT

HEAD TO HEAD

Open information?

Should real estate boards be forced to make their data public?

Would it benefit the consumer if they did so?

Chris Butryn Sales representative Royal LePage Connect

Personally, I love to research all the angles before I buy anything. I don’t blame home buyers who want to do the same, independently. When it comes to real estate, however, it’s messy because that research is other people’s personal information. In an era of identity theft, what access do we want to give the world to our personal data, especially if unfiltered by humans bound by professional duty to protect client interests? Just price? Address too?

Closing date? How hard is it to search an owner’s name? Privacy laws should be the focus. If databases are forced open there should be a clear opt-out choice.

Jennifer E. Turcotte

Zsuzanna Porter

Real Estate boards should NOT be forced to open up their data. This is to protect the consumer. When the numbers are made available to the general public, and that public does not know how to interpret those figures, the purchaser could be misled. Statistics can be manipulated: without an educated person to explain those numbers and trends, the public can easily make the wrong choice. When the information is in the hands of a real estate professional the correct information can be passed on so the Buyer could make an informed decision based on market trends. This also keeps the industry professional and accountable.

The TREB system is envied internationally and privacy is the key.

There are professional standards set forth as to how the information we access can be used and disseminated.

It is a proprietary system built over time.

Those who use it are paying members in good standing of the organization and are the ones accessing the data.

Any professional who joins the organized system has access to the data. Forcing TREB to give the public access would be the equivalent of asking GM dealerships to provide Chrysler dealerships with their intellectual property.

Broker RE/MAX Pembroke Realty

Sales representative Royal LePage Connect

LETTING THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG Ever since the mid-year decision from the federal Competition Tribunal compelling the Toronto Real Estate Board to allow its member brokers to release more home sales data to the public via online means, debate has raged on the wisdom of putting this information into the hands of consumers. This ruling itself came on the heels of the decision earlier in the year that the board’s restriction of access to its proprietary Multiple Listing Service was leading to reduced competition, and in the midst of TREB’s practice of shutting down informal efforts of its own members to transmit data to their clients, including such nuggets as how long a property has been on the market, what other properties in the area are getting at sale, and, most crucially, actual sales prices. As one The Globe and Mail editorial on the subject queried at the time: “Who does the secrecy benefit? Certainly not the public.”

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UPFRONT

OPINION

GOT AN OPINION THAT COUNTS? Email repmag@kmimedia.ca

More rules ≠affordability The latest regulatory moves are not the way to address housing affordability problems, writes Samantha Gale

MORE NEEDS to be done to help ensure accessibility to the housing market by keeping costs in check.

It goes without saying that people have to live somewhere; if they are not able to purchase housing, they must rent. In doing so, they are no longer paying down a mortgage on their appreciating asset, but instead that of their landlord’s. However, most federal government policies, such as the latest crop of federal mortgage rules, which are intended to promote economic stability by curbing debt, only have a singular, narrow focus on the economy.

Also, specific government policies and programs intended to address housing needs tend to concentrate on providing social housing; few government initiatives support most Canadians who wish to access market housing. Some provinces are now responding by implementing programs to assist first time buyers entering the housing market. For example, BC just introduced a program to fund second mortgages for first time home buyers who qualify for CMHC insured mortgages.

A multitude of costs incurred in the development process for new construction range from excessive permit fees, carrying cost charges spanning the years required to complete a development, school and road fees, and land dedication costs for public parks and buildings.

Governments need to find ways to encourage the removal of red tape and excessive costs and delays in the housing development process.

In its 2016 budget, the federal government provided an unprecedented level of funding to municipalities for infrastructure improvements, housing and transit. It should be tying

municipal funding grants to a municipality only if it has a comprehensive red tape reduction strategy in place to efficiently deliver services to the public.

Although mortgage rates are at historical lows, high-ratio insurance premiums continue to skyrocket without justification and strain affordability by adding to the cost of housing.

On 1 February, the insurance premium on a $500,000 home with a 5% non-traditional

promising Canadians that it will not profit from CMHC premiums and ensure that the delivery of high-ratio insurance is revenue neutral.

Of course, regulatory change also has an impact on affordability. Concerns raised over new mortgage rules, which now require all borrowers of insured mortgages to be stress tested, have become a reality.

For instance, various branches of the federal government, including the military and RCMP, often require employees to relocate. Mortgage brokers have witnessed first hand the impact of the new stress test qualifying rate on home owners who needed to sell their home to relocate, but have been unable to purchase a home at their new post.

Under new qualifying rules, some cannot qualify for a mortgage large enough to purchase a home in the vicinity of their relocation. This inability to buy means they have no choice but to become a tenant. Paying high rents at a time of record low vacancy rates means that they will be challenged to save the down payment for a future home purchase.

The federal government needs to review the

Governments need to find ways to encourage the removal of red tape, excessive costs and delays in the housing development process down payment would have been $18,287 for a total mortgage of $493,287; as of 17 March, that premium will rise to $21,375 for a total mortgage of $496,375.

In this example, a first time home buyer using an alternative down payment program will experience premium hikes from 3.85% to 4.5%, which means paying an extra $3,087.

Premiums for traditional sources of down payments increased from 3.6% to 4% on 17 March. The increased half a percentage point for traditional vs non-traditional would be an additional $2,375 in the above example.

Or a 9.5% premium for consumers using a fully non-traditional down payment; 19.5% premium on the BC Housing Program (max 50% of down payment).

From this perspective, the insurance premiums are extraordinarily high and appear usurious. The federal government should be

wisdom of these mortgage rule changes; focus instead on curbing other debt, such as credit card debt. Housing will become more affordable when consumers can better afford mortgage costs due to having less unsecured credit.

Many members of the mortgage industry recently attended the Standing Committee on Finance, which is studying challenges surrounding access to residential home ownership. Mortgage brokers are uniquely qualified to comment on this subject, as they have direct contact with the house buying public. Let’s hope the committee listens and can influence federal government policy to help keep housing costs in check. REP Samantha Gale is the CEO of the CMBA-BC, and serves as executive director of its umbrella organization, CMBA. Samantha practised law prior to a 15-year stint at FICOM.

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9

UPFRONT

NEWS ANALYSIS

Vancouver’s rise and fall Reports of its real estate death have been greatly exaggerated, says one industry veteran IT SEEMS only fitting to kick off a story about Vancouver’s real estate with a famous – but often greatly misquoted – quip attributed to Mark Twain.

Following reports of his death, the American author told the New York Journal of 2 June 1897: “The report of my death was an exaggeration.”

If you’re still reading, you may be thinking: “What the hell does this have to do with mortgage brokers or real estate?”

Well, the media is at it, once again, with exaggerations. At least that’s the case according to some industry professionals.

If you read reports at face value, you’d be led to believe Vancouver’s real estate market is on a downward spiral that will result in the erosion of home values and, as a result, current homeowners’ equity.

That may not be entirely true, however.

“If you look at the recent sales stats, we

broker with Dominion Lending Centres Canadian Mortgage Experts, says. “And we are not building at the pace to account for that; not only that, we can’t build detached houses for all those people.

“We don’t have the land to spread out on to build vast tracts of detached houses. So, again, the supply is finite on detached houses, so the price pressure on those is going to remain constant.”

Still, it’s hard to ignore the market’s end-of-year stats.

The average composite price decreased 2.2% year-over-year to $897,600. Not much of a downturn, but any decline in the once seemingly unstoppable market has caused some concern among pundits.

One of those is notorious housing bear and investment advisor Garth Turner, who has earned a massive following by declaring pending housing market doom for years.

“If you look at the recent sales stats, we have decreasing supply and you’ve still got 40,000-plus people per year migrating into BC” Dustan Woodhouse, Dominion Lending Centres Canadian Mortgage Experts have decreasing supply and you’ve still got 40,000-plus people per year migrating into BC. Well, those 40,000 people all have to live somewhere,” Dustan Woodhouse, a

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Of course, he has yet to be proven true, but he seems to think this year is finally his.

He published examples of Vancouver homes that sold below asking, as sent to him

by a reader. One originally listed for $1.868 million but sold for $849,000, and another originally listed for $668,000 but is now down to $599,000. A third example was eventually pulled due to the source “erring” in his research. Still, these were enough for Turner to proclaim Vancouver real estate on its death knell.

“Three real-life examples of what’s actually happening on the ground in what was, until a few months ago, not only the hottest real estate market in Canada but the steamiest on the planet,” he blogged.

“It was fed continuously by the volatile fuel of cheap rates, lax lending by outfits like Vancity, pro-housing policies, rampant local speculation and realtor-inspired FOMO using Chinese dudes as the catalyst for panic buying. As average house prices soared way beyond the ability of average families to buy in, it was only a matter of

AVERAGE VANCOUVER HOME PRICES IN 2016 January

$1,083,177

February

$1,104,133

March

$1,093,267

April

$1,091,767

May

$1,055,495

June July August September

time before the inevitable occurred.”

Woodhouse isn’t sold.

“Some guy picked three listings to look at – and he probably picked 60 to look at – and he looked for the ones that fit his narrative,” he says. “One he had bad intel on, so he had to pull that.”

same old story it’s been for years, and that story is supply and demand,” Woodhouse says. “There’s no way you’re going to see a 25% drop on value on detached homes. Not in Vancouver.”

Is Vancouver’s housing market expected to perform at the same breakneck pace it

“Think of it this way: in relative terms, rather than rising by 26% you’re going the other direction by 8.5%. In market terms, that’s a significant market turnaround” Phil Soper, Royal LePage For his part, he remains bullish.

“At the end of the day, no doubt there’s been some restrictions put in place, but I think that with the lower mainland it’s the

has over the past couple years? No. But it’s not time to call it in just yet.

Royal LePage predicated a housing market correction for Vancouver in 2017

$1,026,207 $1,007,687 $833,065 $864,566

October

$891,705

November

$895,084

December

$897,600

due to a softening market and the heavy hand of the provincial government, which has implemented a number of housing rule changes aimed at slowing the market.

The good news is that the market is well prepared to handle it.

“If we were to call for an 8.5% correction in Ottawa or Montreal, that would be a huge deal. It would represent a market crash because the price appreciation has been moderate. In Vancouver, when you see prices rising at the rate they have been rising in the mid to high 20s, 8.5% in that context seems moderate,” Phil Soper, president of Royal LePage, says.

“Think of it this way: in relative terms, rather than rising by 26% you’re going the other direction by 8.5%. In market terms, that’s a significant market turnaround. It is a significant change but it’s not unexpected.” REP

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11

PEOPLE

INDUSTRY ICON

THE POWER OF ACCOUNTABILITY Through a combination of empathy and tenacity, Richard Robbins has made his mark as both an agent and an industry-altering business coach.

After 31 years in the industry, his passion for helping people define and achieve their goals is as intense as ever

“I’VE NEVER believed that I was the most intelligent – I’m not the sharpest pencil in the box – but I believe that you overcome a lot with work ethic.”

Thus states Richard Robbins, who knew at a young age that he wanted to work. As a 15-year-old struggling to find value in what he was being taught at school, Robbins threw himself into his first job, working alongside his dad at a Shell station in Peterborough, Ontario. Robbins found the value he had long been seeking in the quiet nights and long weekends he spent at the station, in the financial freedom and sense of achievement that accompanied his focus and dedication.

“It led me into doing something where if I was going to work hard, I wanted to be rewarded for it,” he says.

As one of the leaders of an increasingly crowded business coaching industry, Robbins continues to reap those rewards, the hard-won product of his insight into the human side of sales.

The right questions At 24, equipped with an affinity for sales and a desire to be responsible for his own interests, Robbins started selling real estate for Century 21.

He was taught early on that the No.1

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reason any salesman fails is his inability to generate fresh leads.

“I started prospecting on the telephone all morning and if I had time in the afternoon I’d actually go door-knocking,” Robbins says.

“I had nothing else to do; I might as well generate leads all the time.”

here? Where did you move here from? They are just two questions – and I can give you 40 of them.

“You’re showing interest; you’re showing you care. So you’re building rapport. It also allows you to discover what it is they’re looking for. It allows you to find their motivation.”

“[Realtors are] always focused on what they’re going to say instead of focusing on what they’re going to ask. And a great sales presentation should always be based on what you’re going to ask” Despite the exhausting challenge of chasing down leads – “It was painful,” he says – they began piling up. It was then up to Robbins to develop meaningful relationships with his growing list of clients. He says Realtors today often need to approach this rapport-building stage from a different angle.

“They’re always focused on what they’re going to say instead of focusing on what they’re going to ask. And a great sales presentation should always be based on what you’re going to ask. How long have you lived

Robbins feels that establishing these genuine connections is paramount for agents who want to make their clients feel at ease when making a major purchase.

“People love to buy, but they hate to be sold,” he says. “We’ve all been in circumstances where we felt uncomfortable being sold.

However, we’ve also been in circumstances where we felt comfortable buying, and generally we’re doing it with a salesperson.”

“Salesperson” is a term Robbins feels many Realtors resist applying to themselves.

MORTGAGEBROKERNEWS.CA

PROFILE Name: Richard Robbins Title: Co-founder and CEO Company: Richard Robbins International Years in the industry: 31 Fast fact: RRi has been a major supporter of the Alzheimer’s Society in Peterborough, ON, Robbins’ hometown. In 2015, the company helped raise almost $40,000 for the charity at its A Night to Remember gala fundraiser

www.ibamag.com

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PEOPLE

INDUSTRY ICON MOTIVATING THE MOTIVATOR “A good Realtor is a good salesman,” he says. “A great salesperson is somebody that is trying to influence a human being to make a decision that is in their best interest. With great salespeople, that is their focus. Their intention is pure.”

The accountability factor In 1988, Robbins and his partner Dana Richards opened Classic Realty in Markham.

(The two are still in business together today; Richards heads Robbins’ coaching division.)

The new franchise went through significant

While Robbins’ teaching is multifaceted and wide-ranging, it is founded on a simple principle; or rather a principle he feels is in short supply across the industry.

“A lot of people get into real estate because they want freedom. They don’t want to have a schedule; they don’t want to report to anybody. And that’s exactly why so many fail – because there is no accountability.”

In making a case for accountability, Robbins points to a recent study conducted at Dominican University of California that charted the success of different goal-oriented

“I’ll never forget how we all felt when we learned AAG moved into the top lender spot. We thought of ourselves as the underdog, and becoming No.1 was a great achievement” growing pains until Robbins and Richards came to a life-changing realization.

“We quickly discovered that what we had to spend our time on was making our agents great. What we started to do internally was coach and train our agents.”

Classic Realty soon had the highest production per agent of any company in the area. In 1998, Robbins began presenting his “Seven Steps to Success” seminar at brokerages hoping to replicate some of Classic’s accomplishments.

After delivering his first 51 talks, Robbins had been approached by 46 Realtors about becoming their personal coaches.

With his schedule rapidly filling up, and wanting to benefit the greatest number of people possible, Robbins says it was time to expand. He assembled a team of coaches, trained and certified them in his techniques and began dedicating himself to promotion, marketing and developing content for what has grown to become Richard Robbins International.

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strategies. Participants who agreed to report their progress to a third party on a regular basis were over 70% more likely to achieve their goals.

Even though most Realtors enter the industry in desperate need of sales training, Robbins feels the accountability factor is what pushes all salespeople, novice or otherwise, closer to hitting their targets.

“I’ve had a trainer for probably 20 years, right? My trainer does not have to teach me to lift weights; I know exactly how to do that. So why would I have a trainer? Because he gets me to show up. Because I know he’s going to show up, I do something I might not have done without him.”

After nearly 20 years as the man who gets people to show up, Robbins still proudly and unhesitatingly refers to himself as a salesman.

“I’m trying to sell people a message. If I’m coaching somebody, I’m trying to sell them on something. Maybe I’m trying to sell them an idea,” he says. “Maybe I’m trying to sell them on themselves.” REP

Maintaining focus and motivation is as valuable for coaches as it is for salespeople. Here, Richard Robbins describes five ways …

1. WAKE UP EARLY Getting up at 5am allows me quiet time to enjoy a coffee, journal about what I am grateful for, what I am looking forward to and about the previous day. I review my goals and time block my day in my schedule.

2. AN HOUR OF EXERCISE WHILE LISTENING TO PODCASTS This is another early morning ritual. (I really enjoy the Tim Ferriss Freakonomics and The Business of Thought Leadership podcasts.)

Afterwards, I’m primed for the day – and I haven’t even looked at an email yet.

3. WORK IN 60-90 MINUTE FOCUSED SESSIONS Without distractions – then check email, texts, etc. I believe multitasking is killing our productivity.

4. GO TO 4 PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT/ INDUSTRY SPECIFIC EVENTS PER YEAR I get motivated learning new and better ways to do things.

5. TIME OFF Work when you work and play when you play.

I try to take time off every month.

Short, frequent trips, shorter trips help me disconnect and come back refreshed. I don’t believe in waiting for retirement to travel. I would rather build my life in such a way that I never think about retirement.

MORTGAGEBROKERNEWS.CA

INNOVATION

INNOVATION UNRIVALLED SUPPORT

UNRIVALLED SUPPORT UNRIVALLED SUPPORT

centum.ca www.ibamag.com

15

FEATURES

DONE DEAL

A house divided Her clients’ devastating divorce placed an Edmonton-based Realtor in one of the least enviable positions imaginable. Navigating their distress would be critical to helping them move on EDMONTON: MARKET SNAPSHOT December 2016

December 2015

% Change

2016

2015

% Change

Single-family detached listings

514

721

-28.7%

17,351

18,694

-7.2%

Single-family detached sales

424

458

-7.4%

9,961

10,534

-5.4%

Median sale price

$392,250

$383,000

2.4%

Median days on market

50

49

2%

38

35

8.6%

Condo listings

366

397

-7.8%

10,082

9,890

1.9%

Condo sales

202

210

-3.8%

4,255

4,940

-13.9%

Median sales price

$228,000

$240,000

-5%

Median days on market

67

48

39.6%

50

42

19%

Duplex listings

129

106

21.7%

2,826

2,599

8.7%

Duplex sales

69

68

1.5%

1,658

1,531

8.3%

Median sale price

$330,000

$338,750

-2.6%

$330,000

$341,000

-3.2%

Median days on market

63

52

17.3%

48

35

37.4%

Setting a sad stage

IN HER nine years working the Edmonton market for RE/MAX River City, Nichola Elise Ryhanen has had to deal with her share of divorce-related sales. “But nothing,” she says, “as horrible as this one.”

From the moment she first met her clients in the summer of 2016, Ryhanen could tell she was in for a potentially dark and bumpy

16

www.repmag.ca

she says. “They’re both going to get some money out of it – or at least they’ll be done with the property and they can move on.”

Unfortunately for all involved, that was not to be the case.

$400,000 $406,500

$232,000 $235,000

-1.6%

-1.3%

ride. Acrimonious feelings and a husband deeply resistant to his impending new life threatened to make the sale one of the most challenging and emotionally draining of her career.

“Typically, most divorced couples are willing to sit in the same room because they have a mutual goal of selling the property,”

Ryhanen, who had come recommended by a former client, met the couple at their former home, anxiety occupying its 1,400sqft, its expansive back yard sadly illuminated by the summer sun.

The couple’s two young children occupied themselves in separate rooms – the boy with his video games, the girl with her colouring book – their uncharacteristic silence amplifying the tension that followed Mom, Dad and Realtor from room to room.

Ryhanen never learned the cause of the couple’s troubles, but all signs pointed to a sudden, brutal split.

“It was obvious that it was a very nasty divorce,” Ryhanen says. “When we were sitting at the kitchen table, they could barely talk to each other. She couldn’t wait to get out of there. He looked devastated.”

After performing her walk-through evaluation, Ryhanen never again saw her clients in the same room. Her workload was effectively doubled.

“Once they decided they wanted to list with me, I had to meet them both separately,” she says, adding that her willingness to do so is what made her clients choose her over another agent. “I would meet him at work during the day or on his lunch break, and I would meet her whenever she was available. It even went as far as them not wanting to be CCd in the same email.”

QUICK LOOK

LOCATION Edmonton, AB

DOM 35

LISTING DATE 17 June 2016

LISTING PRICE $423,000

SOLD DATE 22 JULY 2017

SOLD PRICE $409,700

STYLE Two-storey detached

BEDROOMS 4

BATHS 3.5

Roadblock after roadblock

Breaking through

Even though each client was suffering through a similarly intense storm of anxiety and bitterness, their feelings toward the sale, and toward their Realtor, manifested themselves in very different ways.

“She was very hands off,” Ryhanen says of the wife. “She was ready to sell it and ready to listen to a professional.”

But the husband, whose reluctance to sell was obvious from his first meeting with Ryhanen, struggled with his new reality. “He would fight me on everything,” Ryhanen says.

“On the evaluation of the property, on the marketing tactics I was using – even though they were proven to work. He would fight me on how I wanted to stage the home, what dates and times I wanted to do open houses. I think he was just trying to put up roadblocks.”

A critical barrier was erected when, despite being shown the relevant market comparables, the husband stood by his decision to list the house for $30,000 more than its market value, a decision that was sure to delay its sale. “I don’t think he was really listening,” Ryhanen says.

Ryhanen’s empathy was tested in a way she had never before experienced. The husband’s truculent attitude and continued dismissal of her expertise was frustrating, but rather than distance herself from an unpleasant situation or conflate the man with his suffering, Ryhanen knew from experience that the only option was to give more of herself, not less.

Ryhanen scheduled a meeting with the husband, but her approach this time was different. Rather than endure another tense, uncomfortable exchange, Ryhanen set aside 90 minutes and dedicated the first half to doing nothing more than listening.

“I took a really genuine approach to handling this man because he was obviously hurting and I empathized with that. He was just so upset about selling the property,” Ryhanen says.

“This was their forever home; the family home where they raised their kids. They were going to raise them there for 15 years. They had it all planned out in their heads.

“I really just let him vent, let him talk in a comfortable setting. And it went a long way.”

Having unburdened himself and feeling his concerns had been validated, the man was ready to do some listening of his own. It was time to talk business.

Because of his emotional connection to the property, the husband, like many sellers, was still convinced it was worth more than the market indicated. Ryhanen convinced him to list for only $10,000 above her market evaluation, with the understanding that after three weeks with no interest they would immediately drop the price.

Those three weeks passed without an offer.

True to his word, the husband stood by as the price came down. After another 14 days of increased interest and frequent showings, the home was sold.

Although armed with a proven understanding of the Edmonton market and reams of quantitative evidence, it was Ryhanen’s delicate and sensitive approach to her client that allowed the transaction to progress, proving once again that the most successful agents are the ones who remember that every client is a uniquely complex emotional being.

“I think that’s one of the things that Realtors forget,” Ryhanen says, “that you have to empathize with these horrible situations.

But because of what we do, because we’re so intimate with their personal lives, a lot of the time, you just have to really focus on the client and remember what’s best for them.” REP

www.repmag.ca

17

FEATURES

THE REP

200

Our third annual search for Canada’s top performing agents resulted in our most wide-ranging list yet. From Newfoundland to the Northwest Territories, from rural Manitoba to downtown Vancouver, the REP 200 proves unequivocally that a good agent creates success anywhere 2016 WAS a defining year for the Canadian Realtor. Agents in Toronto and Vancouver found themselves shepherding shell-shocked clients through their local minefields, while those in Alberta, Saskatchewan and much of Atlantic Canada had to find new ways to navigate their own flat or dwindling markets. Some expanded their client base by tapping into an increasingly fervent investment market; still others moved to capitalize on the exploding retiree population.

With buyer interest and home prices in Canada having reached such dizzying heights, outsiders might feel Canada’s market circa now is one of automatic sales; or that rewarding agents in a seemingly easy industry is as meaningful as celebrating Canada’s wettest swimmer.

The fact is, 2016 would not have been the same kind of year for the Canadian real estate industry without the time, effort and genuine care of its agents. Buying a home has never been a more intense experience, and Canada’s Realtors took it upon themselves – as they do every year – to help their clients make sound decisions for themselves, their families and their futures.

But not all agents are created equal. There are those who go above and beyond for their clients – drilling deeper into the market to provide the most valuable insight, tweaking strategies to better fit an individual neighbourhood or property – and by doing so elevate the entire industry. It is those agents who make the REP 200 not only possible, but necessary. Congratulations to them all.

A NOTE ABOUT THE RESULTS We used a combination of MLS data and online survey results to chisel the REP 200 from a mountain of nominees. Because of the wide discrepancy in home prices in the agents’ different markets, we based inclusion on the number of transactions completed by each, rather than overall sales volume.

Out of respect for agent privacy, we have chosen not to publish any of the sales figures that were submitted as part of the nomination process.

SPONSOR PROFILE RE/MAX Infinite is proud to sponsor REP’s third annual Top Agents feature. As a thriving brokerage with a diverse team of agents, administrators and managers, we know how much effort and dedication is required for agent success. We value the energy and dynamism all our agents bring to our clients and our brokerage. At RE/MAX Infinite, we deal with vibrant new ideas brought forward each day by our agents; it is truly a IN I N I T E breath of fresh air that yields positive results. RE/MAX Infinite never forgets that our agents are our clients. Our commitment and dedication are therefore to better serve our agents. We have become the fastest growing brokerage in the GTA, growing in record numbers year after year, and sold over half a billion dollars of real estate in 2016. The RE/MAX Infinite family would like to congratulate everyone selected by REP for its Top 200.

BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

18

www.repmag.ca

IN

INITE BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

REP’S TOP 100 SMALL MARKET AGENTS BY TOTAL ENDS BROKER

CITY

BROKERAGE

RANK

PAGE

BROKER

CITY

BROKERAGE

RANK

PAGE

Peggy Hill

Barrie, ON

Keller Williams Experience Realty

1

28

Warren Behan

Powell River, BC

Royal LePage Powell River

54

38

Stuart Clelland

Innisfil, ON

Sutton Group Incentive Realty

2

–

Andrew Russell

Red Deer, AB

RE/MAX Real Estate Central Alberta

55

43

Faisal Susiwala

Cambridge, ON

RE/MAX Twin City Realty

3

24

Kindra Sowden

Saskatoon, SK

RE/MAX Saskatoon

56

34

Goran Todorovic

Windsor, ON

RE/MAX Preferred Realty

4

–

Jamie Coccimiglio

Sault Ste Marie, ON

Exit Realty Lake Superior

57

36

Brad Bondy

Windsor, ON

RE/MAX Preferred Realty

5

36

Fernande Sirois

Gatineau, QC

Royal LePage Vallée de L'Outaouais

58

43

Mark Ruttan

Wasaga Beach, ON

RE/MAX of Wasaga Beach – Mark Ruttan & The People Team

6

35

Nevin Hollett

St John's, NL

Royal LePage Atlantic Homestead

59

40

Raymond Chin

Ottawa, ON

Coldwell Banker First Ottawa Realty

60

29

Jason Munn

Fredericton, NB

Exit Realty Advantage

7

27

Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos

Ottawa, ON

Royal LePage Team Realty

61

39

Brad Bird

Lindsay, ON

Mincom Plus Realty

8

21

Sandra Hussey

Trenton, ON

Exit Realty Group

62

25

Sarah Toop

Chilliwack, BC

Century 21 Creekside Realty

9

30

David Dunn

Halifax, NS

Royal LePage Atlantic

63

–

Stephen Grant

Campbell River, BC

Royal LePage Advance

10

30

Dean Linnell

Whistler, BC

The Whistler Real Estate Co

64

–

Mike Scrannage

Kingston, ON

Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty

11

31

Jesse Honch

Prince Albert, SK

Coldwell Banker Rescom Realty PA

65

23

Kevin Moist

Winnipeg, MB

RE/MAX Performance Realty

12

35

Raquel Blackwell

Cambridge, ON

RE/MAX Twin City Realty

66

–

Derek Gillette

Nanaimo, BC

RE/MAX of Nanaimo

13

39

Jordan Boyes

Saskatoon, SK

Boyes Group Realty.

14

–

Tasha Slater

Windsor, ON

Century 21 Erie Shores Realty

67

–

Michael St Jean

Hamilton, ON

St Jean Realty

15

27

Chantal Albert

Dieppe, NB

Exit Realty Associates

68

36

Wayne Winch

Keswick, ON

RE/MAX All Stars Realty

16

–

John Ryan

Whistler, BC

Personal Real Estate Corporation

69

–

Sabrina Vandenbrink

Chilliwack, BC

Homelife Glenayre Realty

17

–

Jerry Hendriks

St Catharines, ON

RE/MAX Garden City Realty

70

–

Ronni Lister

Comox Valley, BC

RE/MAX Ocean Pacific Realty

18

42

Murielle Moreau

Grand Falls, NB

RE/MAX Residex Entreprises

71

27

Paul Hiebert

Steinbach, MB

Royal LePage Riverbend Realty

19

32

Jim Archer

Lethbridge, AB

Century 21 – Foothills

72

24

Amy Assaad

Montreal, ON

Royal LePage Heritage

20

–

Roger LeBlanc

Moncton, NB

RE/MAX Avante

73

–

Manny Munir

Brantford, ON

Century 21 Professional Group – The Munir Group

21

30

Chris Constantine

Moncton, NB

Royal LePage Atlantic

74

40

Nicole LeBlanc

Dieppe, NB

Exit Realty Associates

22

36

Chris Messecar

Barrie, ON

Exit Realty First North

75

33

Terry Brackett

Sechelt, BC

RE/MAX Oceanview Realty

23

–

Sheila Croney

Barrie, ON

Royal LePage First Contact – The Faris Team

76

26

John DiBernardo

Oliver, BC

RE/MAX Wine Capital Realty

24

39

Lacy Watson

Saskatoon, SK

RE/MAX Saskatoon

77

–

Tim Campbell

Windsor, ON

RE/MAX Preferred Realty

25

–

Dave Treitz

Barrie, ON

Century 21 BJ Roth Realty

26

27

Aaron Nicklen

Qualicum Beach, BC

Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty

78

32

Jennifer Gale

Woodstock, ON

RE/MAX a-b Realty

27

26

Donna Gardiner Thompson

Fredericton, NB

Royal LePage Gardiner Realty

79

–

Jason Leslie

Victoria, BC

RE/MAX Camosun

28

28

Maxime Tardif

Montreal, QC

Royal LePage Altitude – Equipe Tardif

29

43

Linda Baumgartner

Haliburton, ON

RE/MAX North Country Realty

80

38

Maggi Thornhill

Whistler, BC

Thornhill Real Estate Group

30

–

Kari Calder

Saskatoon, SK

Century 21 Fusion

81

34

Vicki Weston-Webb

Whistler, BC

The Whistler Real Estate Co

31

–

Ron Schippling

Cambridge, ON

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre

82

28

Kelsey Sernoskie

Yellowknife, NWT

Coldwell Banker Northern Bestsellers

32

27

Alket Kulla

Peterborough, ON

RE/MAX Eastern Realty

83

–

Sarah Justason

Fredericton, NB

RE/MAX Group Four Realty

33

43

Joel Faris

Barrie, ON

Royal LePage First Contact Realty – The Faris Team

34

40

Arthur Enns

Steinback, MB

Royal LePage Riverbend

84

32

Joel O’Reilly

Sechelt, BC

Royal LePage Sussex

35

–

David Pelletiter

Calgary, AB

RE/MAX Real Estate (Central)

85

24

Christine Hauschild

Ottawa, ON

Royal LePage Team Realty

36

36

Brenda Bowness

Red Deer, AB

Century 21 Advantage

86

–

Martin Mazza

Hamilton, ON

Royal LePage State Realty

37

28

Jerome Paradis

Saint-George, QC

Royal LePage de L'Erable

87

42

Randy Dyck

Abbotsford, BC

RE/MAX Little Oak Realty

38

31

Kim Tran

Jesse East

Ottawa, ON

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty

88

26

Kelowna, BC

RE/MAX Kelowna

39

39

Lorraine O'quinn

Quinte, ON

Royal LePage Proalliance

40

–

Leigh Sugar

Newmarket, ON

Royal LePage RCR Realty

89

40

Charlottetown, PEI

RE/MAX Charlottetown Realty

90

34

Sunny Purewal

Brampton, ON

RE/MAX Realty Services

41

24

Mary Jane Webster

Thomas Faris

Barrie, ON

Royal LePage First Contact Realty – The Faris Team

42

35

Jeff Easton

Kingston, ON

RE/MAX Finest Realty

91

26

Cathy Burgess

Winnipeg, MB

Century21Carrie.com

43

–

Kristine Johnson

Ottawa, ON

RE/MAX Absolute Realty

92

31

Joyce Tourney

Regina, SK

RE/MAX Joyce Tourney Realty

44

35

Lori Goldhawk

Ingersoll, ON

Royal LePage Triland Realty

93

28

Brady Thrasher

Windsor, ON

RE/MAX Preferred Realty

45

27

Sandra Pike

Halifax, NS

Royal LePage Atlantic

94

26

Chris Pennycook

Winnipeg, MB

Royal LePage Dynamic

46

–

Jerry Gould

Orangeville, ON

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre

47

–

Carolyn Davis Stewart

Halifax, NS

Royal LePage Atlantic

95

32

Sunshine Coast, BC

Royal LePage Sussex

96

42

Paul Germanese

Windsor, ON

Royal LePage Binder Real Estate

48

24

Ali Khan

Jennifer Turcotte

Petawawa, ON

RE/MAX Pembroke Realty

49

41

Bunker Hill

Thunder Bay, ON

RE/MAX First Choice Realty

97

30

Jean-François Bérubé

Sherbrooke, QC

Royal LePage Évolution

50

–

Lisa Mastin

Brockville, ON

Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty

98

35

Joanne Goneau

Ottawa, ON

RE/MAX Absolute Realty

51

35

Linda Knight

Barrie, ON

Keller Williams Experience Realty

52

22

Mike Boychuk

Saskatoon, SK

Royal LePage Hallmark

99

42

Maurice DeLaere

Tillsonburg, ON

RE/MAX Tri-County Realty

100

–

Jason Binab

Victoria , BC

Engel & Völkers Vancouver Island

53

26

www.repmag.ca

19

REP’S TOP 100 AGENTS – TORONTO AND VANCOUVER BY TOTAL ENDS TORONTO

BROKER

CITY

BROKERAGE

RANK

PAGE

BROKER

CITY

BROKERAGE

RANK

PAGE

Dan Plowman

Whitby, ON

Dan Plowman Team Realty

1

42

Domenic Manchisi

Milton, ON

Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty

31

30

Drew Woolcott

Hamilton, ON

RE/MAX Escarpment Woolcott Realty

2

–

Wendy Zheng

Toronto, ON

Aimhome Realty

32

–

Frank Leo

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX West Realty Inc

3

–

Stephen Tar

Unionville, ON

Century 21 Leading Edge Realty

33

–

Shahid Saleem Khawaja

Mississauga, ON

RE/MAX Performance Realty

4

–

Sharon Soltanian

Toronto, ON

Soltanian Real Estate

34

–

Jay Miller

Newmarket, ON

Jay Miller Real Estate

5

–

Cindy M Avis

Oakville, ON

RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp

35

–

Daryl King

Richmond Hill, ON

Royal LePage Your Community Realty

6

–

Patricia Begley

Oshawa, ON

RE/MAX Rouge River Realty

36

–

Cathy Rocca

Burlington, ON

Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services

7

–

Tom Mitchell

Newmarket, ON

Keller Williams Realty Centres

37

31

Loretta Dawn Phinney

Mississauga, ON

Royal LePage Real Estate Services Loretta Phinney

8

36

Peter Pobojewski

Mississauga, ON

Royal LePage Signature Realty

38

–

Tatanya Martine Tierney

Ajax, ON

Sutton Group Heritage Realty

9

–

Harbinder Brar

Brampton, ON

RE/MAX Realty Services

39

34

Aj Lamba

Mississauga, ON

Lamba Realty Group

10

38

Matthew Regan

Mississauga, ON

Royal LePage Real Estate Services

40

22

Rick Declute

Toronto, ON

Declute Real Estate

11

–

Nina Asensio

Brampton, ON

JN Asensio Realty

41

40

Parveen Arora

Brampton, ON

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre

12

32

Frank Polsinello

Newmarket, ON

RE/MAX Realtron Realty

42

–

Paul Zammit

Thornhill, ON

Paul Zammit Real Estate

13

–

Barry Cohen

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX Realtron Realty

43

38

Melanie Wright

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX Hallmark Wright Group Realty

14

–

Mark Richards

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX Hallmark Richards Group Realty

44

–

Raymond Patrick Chesher

Georgetown, ON

Your Home Today Realty

15

–

Dianna Mandzuk

Oshawa, ON

RE/MAX Jazz

45

31

Lisa Fayle

Whitby, ON

RE/MAX Rouge River Realty

16

–

Ritchie Zhao

Burnaby, ON

Royal First Realty

46

32

Dan Cooper

Oakville, ON

Royal LePage Real Estate Services

17

–

Kash Aujla

Brampton, ON

RE/MAX Champions Realty

47

–

Rina Di Risio

Oakville, ON

Royal LePage Real Estate Services

18

–

Ruby Thambiah

Brampton, ON

RE/MAX Realty Services

48

–

Lino Arci

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX Premier

19

24

Bonnie B Wan

Markham, ON

Living Realty

49

–

Vesna Kolenc

Vaughan, ON

RE/MAX Premier

20

–

Bill Thom

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX Realtron Bill Thom Group Realty

50

22

Bijan Barati

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX Realtron Realty

21

–

Sandra Li

Richmond, ON

New Coast Realty

51

–

Christopher Invidiata

Oakville, ON

RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp

22

–

Monica Thapar

Mississauga, ON

RE/MAX Realty Specialists

52

–

Mary Wylde

Brampton, ON

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre

23

28

Sarah Stephenson Logue

Burlington, ON

RE/MAX Escarpment Realty

53

–

Michelle Fraser

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX Hallmark Fraser Group Realty

24

–

Manjinder Singh

Brampton, ON

Homelife Superstars Real Estate

54

–

Leslie Rudolph Benczik

Unionville, ON

RE/MAX All Stars Realty

25

–

Andrew Conti

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX West Realty

55

–

Robert S Greenberg

Toronto, ON

Harvey Kalles Real Estate

26

–

Cailey Heaps Estrin

Toronto, ON

Royal LePage Real Estate Services –Heaps Estrin Team 56

40

Amy Flowers

Milton, ON

Royal LePage Meadowtowne Realty

27

–

Wilson W Verduga

Brampton, ON

RE/MAX Realty Specialists

57

–

Omer Malik

Milton, ON

Minmaxx Realty

28

–

David Batori

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX Hallmark Batori Group

58

–

Scott Robert Benson

Oakville, ON

Sutton Group Quantum Realty

29

–

Paul Nusca

Toronto, ON

Royal LePage Real Estate Services

59

–

James S Hodgins

Mississauga, ON

Hodgins Realty Group

30

–

Eugene Kaplun

Toronto, ON

RE/MAX Infinite

60

37

VANCOUVER

BROKER

CITY

BROKERAGE

RANK

PAGE

BROKER

CITY

BROKERAGE

RANK

PAGE

Ron Antalek

Maple Ridge, BC

RE/MAX Lifestyles Realty

1

34

Sameer Kaushal

Surrey, BC

Century 21 Coastal Realty

21

–

Mindy Mcpherson

Mission, BC

Top Producers Realty

2

–

Dave Robles

Langley, BC

RE/MAX Treeland Realty

22

–

Edith Katronis

Surrey, BC

Homelife Benchmark Realty Cloverdale

3

–

Paul Eviston

Vancouver, BC

RE/MAX Select Properties

23

–

Hans Ohrstrom

Richmond Hill, BC

Homelife Eagle Realty

4

–

Morning Yu

Vancouver, BC

Metro Edge Realty

24

–

Emily Oh

Surrey, BC

Sutton Premier Realty

5

31

Martin Engh

Mission, BC

Homelife Glenayre Realty

25

–

Allister John Sinclair

Toronto, BC

RE/MAX Hallmark Realty

6

–

Fraser Elliott

Vancouver, BC

Polygon Realty

26

–

Leo Ronse

Langley, BC

Royal LePage Wolstencroft

7

–

Jag Sidhu

Surrey, BC

Sutton Group West Coast Realty

27

–

Mike Marfori

Surrey, BC

Sutton Premier Realty

8

–

Scott Moe

Langley, BC

RE/MAX Treeland Realty

28

–

Danny Gerbrandt

Maple Ridge, BC

Royal LePage Brookside Realty

9

43

Ruth Chuang

Vancouver, BC

RE/MAX Select Realty

29

22

John Mckenzie

Vancouver, BC

Royal LePage Sussex (Sct)

10

–

Robbie Johal

Langley, BC

RE/MAX Lifestyles Realty

30

–

Fraser Elliott

Delta, BC

RE/MAX Progroup Realty

11

–

Tony Zandbergen

Langley, BC

RE/MAX Treeland Realty

31

–

Tracy Niu

Richmond, BC

New Coast Realty

12

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Brent Roberts

Surrey, BC

Royal LePage Brent Roberts Realty

32

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Tracey Bosch

Langley, BC

Royal LePage Wolstencroft

13

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Benson Lee

Vancouver, BC

Nu Stream Realty

33

–

Shafik Ladha

Richmond, BC

RE/MAX Westcoast

14

–

Lee Bryant

Vancouver, BC

Oakwyn Realty

34

31

Ken Cui

Vancouver, BC

Nu Stream Realty

15

–

Clair Rockel

Vancouver, BC

Macdonald Realty

35

–

Shawn Lepp

Whitby, BC

Keller Williams Energy Real Estate

16

–

John Tsai

Vancouver, BC

Rennie & Associates Realty

36

38

Austin Kay

Richmond, BC

RE/MAX Austin Kay Realty

17

–

Mayur Arora

Surrey, BC

One Flat Fee

37

30

Michele Cummins

Mission, BC

RE/MAX Little Oak Realty

18

22

Doris Gee

Burnaby, BC

RE/MAX Central

38

–

Danny Evans

Langley, BC

Homelife Benchmark Realty

19

–

Gerry Reimer

Langley, BC

RE/MAX Lifestyle Realty

39

–

James Garbutt

Coquitlam, BC

Keller Williams Elite Realty

20

–

Garry Reimer

Langley, BC

RE/MAX Lifestyles Realty

40

–

20

www.repmag.ca

IN

INITE BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

BRAD BIRD Mincom Plus Realty Lindsay, ON

“The market is constantly changing,” says Brad Bird. “The key is to keep up with the changes and stay current with today’s market to allow us to be successful and make our clients happy.”

There were a lot of happy clients in Bird’s world in 2016, as he closed just under 150 transactions and was named the Kawarthas region’s Business Leader of the Year, an award that recognizes not only his dominance of the local real estate market, but also his ongoing engagement and support of the community.

Bird says Mincom Plus’ expanded marketing strategy – including video tours, a home staging expert and a more intense focus on GTA-based clients – has been instrumental in the company’s growth. He also credits the efforts of his staff.

“I have four dedicated, hard-working team members with great chemistry and an amazing team manager who has helped us have one of our best years in the business.”

www.repmag.ca

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RUTH CHUANG RE/MAX Select Realty Vancouver, BC

LINDA KNIGHT

Keller Williams Experience Realty

Ruth Chuang saw her brokerage’s business increase by 20% in 2016, further establishing RE/MAX Select’s dominance in the Vancouver market. Chuang, who works alongside her husband, David Jones – a top producer in his own right – is closing in on 30 years in the business, a period in which she has developed a reputation for integrity.

“I think our brand is known for great customer experience, honesty and never wavering from our goals or commitment to our clients,” she says. “We do what’s best for the client and stay true to who we are as people.”

Chuang says that being a part of the REP 200 – while being far from her first award – is still significant.

“It means that I have been able to create a value-based team that works for everybody.”

MICHELE CUMMINS

Barrie, ON

Linda Knight made the most of her first year with Keller Williams, selling almost 200 properties. Knight says her success in 2016 allowed her to become a better leader and build a foundation for her agents’ success.

“As my team builds, I realized that I owe it to them to have amazing careers and to want to come to work each day,” she says.

“It doesn't feel like I am adding employees, but rather growing my family."

BILL THOM RE/MAX Realtron Bill Thom Group Realty

RE/MAX Little Oak Realty Mission, BC

If it hadn’t been for a few missed calls in 2003, you may have ended up seeing Michele Cummins’ name on a movie poster rather than a bench ad. Having missed out on two potentially career-changing acting gigs, Cummins says she was looking for a job “that would keep a roof over my head and allow me the flexibility to have my cell on me at all times so I could enjoy acting.” Little did she know that the role of Realtor would be the one to change her life.

Just over a dozen years later, Cummins is firmly established among the top agents in the rabid Lower Mainland market. After only six months at RE/MAX Little Oak, where she landed after 11 years with Royal LePage, Cummins was recognized as being in the top 1% of all Greater Vancouver, Fraser Valley and Chilliwack Realtors combined.

Toronto, ON

In his 22 years with RE/MAX Realtron, Bill Thom has won every company award there is to win, a true testament to both his consistency and ability to adapt to new trends.

That openness to new ideas can be seen in his evolving, multi-dimensional approach to marketing. Thom leverages both traditional and social media, including emerging sites like WeChat and ehouse 411, while extending his reach into rural areas.

Thom has also made substantial efforts to build a team around him that reflects both Toronto’s diversity and the diversity of that population’s needs.

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MATTHEW REGAN Royal LePage Real Estate Services Mississauga, ON

2016 was Matthew Regan’s first as the head of his new brokerage. Despite the demands of establishing a new business, Regan still moved well over 100 properties. While he partially attributes that success to the new customer database his team developed in order to better maintain client relationships, Regan knows that truly great service is still the foundation success is built on.

“We are client-centric,” he says. “Over time, clients become more than just clients, they become an extension of our family. I still believe in a high level of customer one-on-one service that is geared towards our clients' everyday lives.”

Regan grew up in a real estate family. His father began his own career in 1974 and continually shared his growing knowledge with his son.

“I realize now that I was being given a gift, helping me build life skills that would prove to be priceless,” Regan says.

IN

INITE BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

JESSE HONCH

Coldwell Banker Rescom Realty PA Prince Albert, SK

Agents like Jesse Honch are why we felt the REP 200 needed more small market representation. Honch is the No.1 Realtor in Prince Albert, in the top 1% of Coldwell Banker agents worldwide and, in 2016, crossed the 100-ends threshold in a slackening local market.

“I'm not here to sell clients a property,” he says.

“I'm here to provide any information they need to make any decisions in any real estate transaction.

I want to change the game; I want the public to feel comfortable in dealing with a Realtor and to change the perspective that we are all here just for the pay cheque.”

Honch says providing clients with the information they need in the future is going to depend heavily on an agent’s technological literacy.

“Personal service will always be important, but I feel we will see more disconnect from personal selling, with agents becoming information providers,” he says. “Instant responses to clientele will be a must.

The digital age will continue to grow and I won’t be surprised if in a couple of years we are doing showings from the office in a VR setting.”

www.repmag.ca

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PAUL GERMANESE Royal LePage Binder Real Estate Windsor, ON

FAISAL SUSIWALA RE/MAX Twin City Realty

Ten years into his career as a Realtor, Paul Germanese is on fire. His 2016 sales totals showed a 34% increase over 2015 and he has been his brokerage’s top producer, and a Royal LePage Diamond award winner, for the past three years. Germanese attributes his most recent successes to his early years as a buyer’s agent, which have paid off as his early clients are now looking to sell in a sizzling Windsor market. He also credits the hiring of an unlicensed assistant and a full-time buying agent.

“Everyone I hired,” he says, “has the same mentality: I’m not a salesperson. I’m here to make sure people make sound, educated decisions and understand why the decisions are being made.”

Cambridge, ON

“I started my career at the age of 18 and was determined to succeed despite my youth, lack of experience and being a minority,” says Faisal Susiwala, who is the top performing broker in the Waterloo region and one of RE/MAX’s top 20 agents worldwide. One of the keys to his success has been adaptability. “This business is constantly evolving,” he says. “Don’t be set in your ways.” Susiwala is a proponent of social media and says Realtors should leverage marketing strategies that engage potential clients “in the way they want to see it”.

LINO ARCI RE/MAX Premier Toronto, ON

Lino Arci has been one of the GTA’s heaviest hitters for most of his 32 years in the industry. He is the leader of one of RE/ MAX’s top 100 teams worldwide and in 2016 joined the elite club of agents who earned over $2m in commissions. Arci says growing his business in 2016 was the result of bolstering his staff with a full-time administrator and expanding RE/MAX Premier’s social media marketing, which he says have allowed the company to “sell more because we do more”.

Staying connected to his community has also paid off for Arci. His sponsorship of public events and knowledge of neighbourhood statistics have positioned him as both a familiar face and a trusted advisor.

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DAVID PELLETTIER

JIM ARCHER

Century 21 Foothills Real Estate

RE/MAX Real Estate (Central)

Lethbridge, AB Calgary, AB

David Pellettier, despite being a relative newcomer to the industry, has wasted no time in becoming one of Calgary’s top Realtors. Pellettier has increased his gross revenue and market share in each of his five years with RE/MAX, an impressive feat considering the enduring softness of the Calgary market. He has already received Diamond Club recognition twice from the company.

“This is a professional services business,” he says. “Focus on the client first.”

In his ten years with Century 21, Jim Archer has been an annual recipient of either a Centurion or Double Centurion award, a performance so consistent that the company has already welcomed Archer into its Masters Hall of Fame. Aside from an approach that he says is based on “honesty, urgency and integrity”, Archer says social media and virtual signing have been critical to his success.

“Virtual signatures have saved me so many hours that I’ve been able to put better focus on improving my business,” he says.

SUNNY PUREWAL RE/MAX Realty Services Brampton, ON

After two years with Century 21, Sunny Purewal made the jump to RE/MAX in 2012, where he quickly rose to the top of a competitive Brampton market. His honesty and tenacity have resulted in consecutive years of 100-plus deals. Front of mind for Purewal are the financial struggles common to many families in Canada.

“I started in this country from the bottom,” he says. “I think a lot of people moving here started the same way. I know no one has a money tree in the backyard.”

IN

INITE BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

SANDRA HUSSEY Exit Realty Group Trenton, ON

Sandra Hussey’s business has grown significantly in each of her three years with Exit Realty. Her year-over-year improvement in 2016 was especially notable, as she increased sales by 44% and ended the year with over 100 ends.

“I attribute that,” she says, “to word of mouth, great client care and using honesty and integrity to help clients build dreams.”

Despite her immediate success – she was Exit’s Rookie of the Year in 2014 – Hussey never intended on making real estate a lifelong pursuit.

“My expectation was to just dabble and maybe make five sales per year. But it took me by storm and the referrals from clients have been awesome.

The more people I make happy the better my business becomes.”

www.repmag.ca

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SANDRA PIKE

SHEILA CRONEY

Royal LePage First Contact – The Faris Team

Royal LePage Atlantic

Barrie, ON

Sheila Croney brought 28 years of finance experience with her when she joined the Faris Team juggernaut in 2011. Her background in banking has helped differentiate her from most other agents, especially in a market so popular with investors. “It allows me to see the full picture,” she says, “and I can set their mind at ease by helping them know what to expect.”

JEFF EASTON

KIM TRAN RE/MAX Hallmark Realty

RE/MAX Finest Realty

Ottawa, ON

Kingston, ON

“I came from 20 years in the restaurant business and had no idea how I would do in real estate,” says Jeff Easton. “Ever since, I have been striving to be one of the best agents in the city.” 2016 saw Easton increase sales by over 25% and attain Chairman’s Club status with RE/MAX, so he is well on his way to reaching the top of the Kingston market.

But Easton doesn’t attribute his improved performance to longer hours or maxing out his stamina.

“I had a significant increase in sales over 2016, but I felt like I worked less. I attribute that to being more organized and having quality staff to work with.”

Kim Tran attributes her lasting success to one of the golden rules of real estate: consistency.

“My base approach has always been the same,” she says. “My job is to protect my clients to the best of my ability – always.

In this sense, my approach has not evolved much, whether it was my first deal or my thousandth.”

Tran’s focus over the course of her 11 years as an agent has made her one of Ottawa’s most successful. She is a member of RE/MAX’s Platinum and Diamond Clubs and has been awarded the company’s Hall of Fame award.

JASON BINAB

Engel & Völkers Vancouver Island Victoria, BC

Success appears to follow Jason Binab wherever he goes.

Before joining forces with Engels and Völkers two years ago, Binab had been Macdonald Realty’s No.1 agent in Victoria and part of the No.1 RE/MAX team on Vancouver Island two years in a row. Binab cracked E&V’s top 10% of agents in his first year with the company before having an even better 2016.

“I attribute most of my success in 2016 to focusing in on the areas I want to work and specialize in and the type of people I want to work with,” he says. “I work hard on positivity and law-of-attraction thinking, which includes a lot of goal setting.”

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Halifax, NS

“We can’t practise real estate the same way we did even three years ago,” says Sandra Pike. “We all need to keep evolving.”

Evolution has been key to Sandra Pike’s enduring success in a Halifax market that currently possesses 10 months of inventory – a buyer’s market with few buyers. She is continually building up her knowledge base, finding new ways to prospect, generate leads and market both herself and her clients’ properties. But Pike knows that the success she is working for isn’t inherently enjoyable.

“Being the best is nothing without your health, sanity and family,” she says.

JENNIFER GALE

RE/MAX a-b Realty Woodstock, ON

The Oxford region of Ontario hasn’t caught fire quite like its neighbours to the east, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at Jennifer Gale’s 2016 numbers. Gale sold over 130 properties last year, the result of an approach that could best be described as “scaling up”.

“I’ve focused on throwing large events,” she says. “I spearheaded a home show in 2016 that attracted 40 vendors as well as over 2,500 people. When I open new projects, I throw great big parties, invite the media, etc.”

Gale has also expanded her approach both to her clients and to herself.

“In the beginning of my career I was more focused on generating an income, but over the years I’ve strived to make the whole process an experience for the clients,” she says.

“But if my business has continually grown, I believe it’s because I’ve put more focus into self-development than business development.”

IN

BRADY THRASHER RE/MAX Preferred Realty

KELSEY SERNOSKIE

DAVE TREITZ

Yellowknife, NWT

Barrie, ON

Coldwell Banker Northern Bestsellers

Windsor, ON

Five years into his career as an agent, Brady Thrasher has already hustled, networked and marketed his way to the upper levels of a reborn Windsor market. He is one of RE/MAX’s top young agents and one of the most recognizable faces in the Windsor-Essex business community.

Thrasher says his success is the result of coordinated efforts across that community: “I cross-promote with local established businesses to leverage our brands socially.”

His approach is highly organized. From prospecting leads to increasing sales, he says agents have no choice but to “build a plan daily, weekly, monthly, yearly and stick to it.”

MICHAEL ST JEAN St Jean Realty Hamilton, ON

Three years ago, Michael St Jean left Royal LePage to start St Jean Realty. In that short time, St Jean has become the top producer at one of Hamilton’s most accomplished brokerages.

“Lots of irons in the fire right now,” he says, “and I’ve barely started.”

St Jean finds himself dedicating a larger portion of his time to building the St Jean brand and ensuring that his brokerage is on the cutting edge when it comes to media and marketing. But he is also devoted to improving the industry as a whole.

“I believe that the industry needs to shift massively,” he says. “We have hundreds of people signing up to become agents every month with the wrong expectations and mindset. People should understand that when you sign up to be a Realtor you are making the decision to be an entrepreneur. You are starting a business. Agents should spend less time posting pictures of their cars and other stupidity and behave the way industry professionals would in another field.”

INITE

BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

Kelsey Sernoskie cut her teeth in the Ottawa market before moving to Yellowknife in 2014, where she has been killing it ever since. 2016 was Sernoskie’s best year as an agent by far, one in which her background in new home sales landed her the opportunity of a lifetime: single-handedly selling a 126-unit condo development in one of Yellowknife’s choicest locations. Originally given a three-year time frame by the developer, Sernoskie has already moved 90% of the units in under two years.

“I attribute a lot of my success to being confident in my skills,” she says.

A successful agent’s elevated confidence is often accompanied by similarly high performance standards, a maxim born out by Sernoskie’s approach to her clients.

“I’m my biggest critic,” she says. “I want my clients to be 100% happy, not 99%.”

JASON MUNN Exit Realty Advantage

Fredericton, NB

Jason Munn closed just under 180 deals in 2016; a remarkable feat in any market, let alone Fredericton, where sales have been sluggish for much of this decade. Munn says his success has been facilitated by innovative approaches to marketing and technology, but at the end of the day, the business hasn’t changed.

“The secret is there is no secret. Hard work, dedication and treating people the way they want to be treated is the key.”

Munn left a successful tenure at a car dealership 11 years ago to embark on his real estate career. In that time he has been awarded some of Exit Realty’s highest honours, including the coveted Diamond Circle award, given to agents who have tallied over 1000 sales.

Century 21 BJ Roth Realty

A commitment to relationship-driven and service-minded client management has been central to Dave Treitz’s steady rise to prominence in the Barrie market. Fuelling that rise has been a booming referral business, predicated on Treitz’s belief in the holy trinity of real estate: honesty, loyalty and the client’s best interest. “Referrals,” he says, “outside of being the ultimate compliment, are key to success and longevity in this industry.”

Treitz had an outstanding 2016, moving over 130 properties.

MURIELLE MOREAU RE/MAX Residex Entreprises Grand Falls, NB

Murielle Moreau comes from what might be the most isolated and challenging market of all our nominees: a tiny pocket of northwestern New Brunswick closer to Quebec than it is to Fredericton with no positive economic news on the horizon. Still, Moreau was able to sell just under 100 properties in 2016, posting a 36% increase over her 2015 total.

She’s been a regular RE/MAX award winner and, with her sister France Pelletier, forms one of the top RE/MAX teams in Atlantic Canada.

TOP 10 SMALL MARKET AGENTS BY SALES VOLUME

AGENT

CDMPANY

MARKET

RANK

Vicki Weston-Webb

The Whistler Real Estate Co

Whistler, BC

1

Maggi Thornhill

Thornhill Real Estate Group

Whistler, BC

2

Peggy Hill

Keller Williams Experience Realty

Barrie, ON

3

Jason Binab

Engel & Volkers Vancouver Island

Victoria, BC

4

Stuart Clelland

Sutton Group Incentive Realty

Innisfill, ON

5

Wayne Winch

RE/MAX All Stars Realty

Keswick, ON

6

Sarah Toop

Century 21 Creekside Realty

Chilliwack, BC

7

Derek Gillette

RE/MAX of Nanaimo

Nanaimo, BC

8

Faisal Susiwala

RE/MAX Twin City Realty

Cambridge, ON

9

Amy Assad

Royal LePage Heritage

Montreal, QC

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JASON LESLIE RE/MAX Camosun Victoria, BC

MARY WYLDE

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Brampton, ON

Mary Wylde led her Brampton-based team to a 35% increase in sales in 2016. She says the increased performance was the result of a custom website that improved their use of online leads and more efficient work practices.

“We focused on tightening up our systems,” she says. “We improved the communication on our team and made access to information easier for everyone.”

Continual professional development is also critical to Wylde’s success. Her team is a client of Goodfellow Coaching, who has helped the team stay accountable for the constant improvements they are looking to make.

LORI GOLDHAWK Royal LePage Triland Realty Ingersoll, ON

Jason Leslie has been a dominant force in the Victoria market for much of his career. He has been among the top 10% of the city’s agents since 2005 and was ranked 65 out of all RE/MAX agents in Canada in 2016.

Remarkably, Leslie increased his business by 63.5% last year.

“This was largely premeditated,” he says. “I made a conscious decision to ramp up my business and became more focused both inside the business and specifically on the revenue.”

To seek out those dividends, Leslie became a certified luxury home marketing specialist and increased his already intense focus on market dynamics.

MARTIN MAZZA

RON SCHIPPLING

Hamilton, ON

Cambridge, ON

Royal LePage State Realty

A lot has changed in the 30 years Martin Mazza has spent with Royal LePage State Realty, but his philosophy has not.

“A good agent doesn’t think about commission. No matter what year it is; no matter what market conditions are. He or she focuses on exceeding their client’s expectations,” he says.

Those expectations are soaring, especially in an intense market like Hamilton, so Mazza and his team have leveraged a number of new strategies to keep their clients coming back.

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre

Ron Schippling made the leap to real estate after 15 years as a worldwide sales leader at UPS. His success as a salesman has been paying off ever since. He was welcomed into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame after only five years and is a three-time Platinum Club member.

In addition to an increase in repeat business, the result of his earlier clients coming back to upgrade their properties, Schippling credits the implementation of a new rent-to-own program for a significant portion of his recent success.

PEGGY HILL

Keller Williams Experience Realty “I had no expectations when I first got involved in real estate,” says Lori Goldhawk. “I was a single mom starting over, hoping to find a career I could be passionate about.”

After 16 years of increasing success as a Realtor, one assumes Goldhawk’s expectations have been adjusted.

She has spent the last nine years among the top 3% of Canadian Royal LePage agents and her consistently stellar performance has resulted in her team being crowned the No.1 Royal LePage Triland office for the past five years, despite being located in the smallest market of any Triland outfit.

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Barrie, ON

In five short years, Peggy Hill has turned Keller Williams Experience Realty into one of the most dominant real estate offices in Canada. Hill says staying at the top of one of Ontario’s hottest property markets requires more than just the customer service she and her team are famous for.

“We have to make sure that we are continuously improving; constantly learning and evolving with the market,” she says. “Whether it’s clients or my own agents, I want to help as many people as possible.”

IN

INITE BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

RAYMOND CHIN

Coldwell Banker First Ottawa Realty Ottawa, ON

Raymond Chin just wrapped up the best year of his career. He completed over 100 transactions in an improving Ottawa market and set new personal highs in gross commissions in both residential and commercial real estate.

Chin’s excellent 2016 is a testament to how critical something as basic as scheduling can be to an agent’s success.

“Developing a more concrete morning routine to set up the rest of the day and sticking to my daily and weekly scheduling game plan keeps me organized and goal-oriented,” Chin says.

Chin has implemented a number of new strategies over the past few years, some related to technology, some learned through improved interaction with other Realtors.

“They worked so well for me because I was consistent and, most importantly, patient during the implementation process.”

www.repmag.ca

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DOMINIC MANCHISI

MAYUR ARORA One Flat Fee

Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty

Surrey, BC

Mayur Arora is taking the concept of online marketing to a new extreme. His online brokerage, One Flat Fee, provides the largest flat-fee MLS service in western Canada and connects sellers directly with prospective buyers. After a year that saw Arora move more than 110 homes, One Flat Fee appears to be catching on. Arora is a long-established top performer in Greater Vancouver and is part of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver’s President’s Club, reserved for the top 1% of the area’s Realtors.

BUNKER HILL

RE/MAX First Choice Realty

MANNY MUNIR

Milton, ON

In 2016, Dominic Manchisi opened his own brokerage and, by selling over 170 units, generated just under $2m in net commissions. Now that his name is on the building, he knows the strategies that made him successful are more important than ever.

Century 21 Professional Group – The Munir Group Brantford, ON

Thunder Bay, ON

Thunder Bay doesn’t get as much attention as the rest of Ontario when it comes to evaluating the province’s hottest markets, but you wouldn’t know that from looking at Bunker Hill’s sales figures. He has been one of the most celebrated agents in the region for most of his 33-year career, receiving RE/MAX’s Platinum Club award for 18 consecutive years and being recognized by the Thunder Bay Real Estate Board as one of its top 10 Realtors for the past 28 years. Hill’s outlook on selling is simple but obviously effective: “Honesty at all costs. I’ve never let myself be motivated by the commission, rather by doing the job well.”

Manny Munir established his own branch of Century 21 Professional Group in 2016. The move was well-timed. By expanding his reach in a scorching Brantford market, Munir increased business by almost 30%, broke into Century 21’s national top 20 and was one of only 34 agents in the country to receive the company’s Grand Centurion award.

Even though Munir’s business underwent significant changes in its expansion from a one-man operation to an eight-member team, he says his approach to customer service has remained unchanged.

“My personal philosophy is to treat everyone like family,” he says.

STEPHEN GRANT Royal LePage Advance Campbell River, BC

Stephen Grant has been a member of the Royal LePage Diamond Club every year since 2007 and, twice in the last four years, was named to the company’s Chairman’s Club, recognizing the top 1% of Royal LePage’s Canadian agents.

As he closes in on his 30th year in the industry, Grant says agents looking to reach the same level of success need to take a look around them.

“Keep on top of what your competition is doing,” he says. “Use that as the baseline and add services to make it a great experience for the client.”

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SARAH TOOP

Century 21 Creekside Realty Chilliwack, BC

Sarah Toop was named Chilliwack’s Favourite Realtor in 2016, a year in which she was also recognized as the city’s top producing agent in both gross dollar volume and sales. She accomplished all of this in just her fourth full year as an agent.

In an era when most agents will take any client they can find, Toop’s experience has taught her that it’s often the wise agent who is willing to walk away.

“The only approach that has evolved for me over the years is learning to say no to clients who don’t value or respect my time and efforts,” she says.

Toop says her uptick in sales can largely be credited to expanding her support staff.

IN

DIANNA MANDZUK

INITE

BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

RANDY DYCK

RE/MAX Little Oak Realty

RE/MAX Jazz

Abbotsford, BC Oshawa, ON

Dianna Mandzuk’s long-running success had her well-prepared for the avalanche of interest seen in the Durham region in 2016.

With her 31 years of experience and recently bestowed second RE/MAX Diamond Club award in tow, Mandzuk is ready to recreate her accomplishments in 2017. In an era of ego, Mandzuk’s no-nonsense approach to her clients is refreshing. “Shut up and listen,” she says. “Do your best for the client and never think about the commission.”

After more than 25 years in the industry, Randy Dyck knows that innovation is key. But agents can’t simply leverage new technology, they have to offer services that the market has never seen.

“We created a pre-listing marketing book and a post-listing marketing book that we pair with a seller’s presentation that outlines our marketing plan and services to sellers,” Dyck says. “This strategy offers something to sellers that no other agent does.”

To stay ahead of the pack, Dyck says his agents need to be tenacious, reliable and strategic in their thinking. “We set the standard for performance and integrity,” he says.

KRISTINE JOHNSON

Sutton Premier Realty Surrey, BC

Emily Oh is undoubtedly one of the giants of the BC real estate industry. From her Rookie of the Year performance in 2007 to a multi-award winning 2016 that saw her produce the second-highest dollar volume and the third-most units sold in the Fraser Valley, she has been among the elite for the entirety of her career. “I want my success to be an inspiration to many,” she says.

Oakwyn Realty

RE/MAX Absolute Realty Ottawa, ON

EMILY OH

LEE BRYANT

“This business is not at all what I was expecting,” says Kristine Johnson. “It’s so much better – a lot tougher but so rewarding.”

Despite her seven-day work weeks and the competitive nature of the job, she’s maintained the sensitivity and compassion that have made her stand out in the Ottawa market.

Vancouver, BC

Lee Bryant was a heavy hitter at both Sutton Group and RE/MAX before moving to Oakwyn Realty a year ago. In 2016, Bryant was a top producer for Oakwyn and he cracked the top 10 for Vancouver agents in terms of transactions completed.

“My experience in the industry has definitely helped me grow my network and helped to expand my team,” Bryant says.

MIKE SCRANNAGE Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty Kingston, ON

Mike Scrannage briefly lost his title as top agent at Royal LePage ProAlliance in 2015, a position he had held for 15 consecutive years, but in 2016, after bolstering his team with an assistant and a marketing coordinator, he found himself back at the top, selling just under 170 properties.

TOM MITCHELL

Keller Williams Realty Centres Newmarket, ON

Like many agents who have been selling for 30 years, Tom Mitchell has had to adapt to a wildly changing industry.

“I have learned to be open to trying new things – embracing new methods of lead generation and communication – no matter how uncomfortable they may make me feel,” he says.

Mitchell followed his wife, Dianne, into the industry, allowing the two to develop not only their personal relationship but their professional performances as well.

“No matter what business or industry you are in, it is important to have a strong and stable family foundation. Your partner needs to be supportive in the decisions you make.”

TOP 10 TORONTO AGENTS BY SALES VOLUME

AGENT

CDMPANY

MARKET

RANK

Barry Cohen

RE/MAX Realtron Realty

Toronto, ON

1

Bijan Barati

RE/MAX Realtron Realty

Toronto, ON

2

Robert Greenberg

Harvey Kalles Real Estate

Toronto, ON

3

Daryl King

Royal LePage Your Community Realty

Richmond Hill, BC

4

Christopher Invidiata

RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty

Toronto, ON

5

Sharon Soltanian

Soltanian Real Estate

Toronto, ON

6

Bonnie Wan

Living Realty

Markham, ON

7

Loretta Phinney

Royal LePage Real Estate Services Loretta Phinney

Mississauga, ON

8

Paul Zammit

Paul Zammit Real Estate

Thornhill, ON

9

Shahid Saleem Khawaja

RE/MAX Performace Realty

Mississauga, ON

10

www.repmag.ca

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ARTHUR ENNS

Royal LePage Riverbend

CAROLYN DAVIS STEWART Royal LePage Atlantic Halifax, NS

Steinbach, MB

In a small, balanced market like Steinbach, Manitoba, developing personal relationships is a must. “It makes it that much more critical to be committed to following up with personal mailers or Christmas cards and leveraging consistent advertising,” says Arthur Enns, who just completed a fantastic 2016 in which he received Royal LePage’s Diamond award and its Award of Excellence.

Even though rural Manitoba may not register on many agents’ radars, it is a highly modern market where Enns says internetbased advertising and social media prowess are as important as they are anywhere else.

Carolyn Davis Stewart has had a long, storied career navigating the Halifax market. After running her own brokerage for a decade, she became a top producer with Prudential Property Specialists and is now Royal LePage’s No.2 agent in Atlantic Canada.

In addition to seeing her daughter enter the industry, one of Stewart’s recent highlights has been marketing Pavilion, an exclusive 85-unit condominium complex overlooking Halifax’s Public Gardens. The project is already nearing sold-out status.

AARON NICKLEN

Royal LePage Parksville-Qualicum Beach Realty Qualicum Beach, BC

Aaron Nicklen’s vast marketing background has helped in his rise to the upper crust of the BC real estate industry, but Nicklen feels it was a combination of factors that led to his team increasing business by 54% in 2016, when he received the Royal LePage National Chairman’s award for the second year in a row.

“While the market has been strong, we have benefited from a more cohesive, team-based approach to our business,” he says. “That evolution of our organization has also improved our service and accessibility in our community.”

PAUL HIEBERT

Royal LePage Riverbend Realty Steinbach, MB

RITCHIE ZHAO Royal First Realty Burnaby, BC

Ritchie Zhao got started in the industry in 2012, long before the Vancouver market hit its frenzied peak last year.

“The market won’t always be as good as it was in 2016,” Zhao says. “Realtors should focus on clients’ needs rather than business.”

Zhao sold over 100 properties in 2016.

For an agent who says he learns more with each deal, Zhao must be swimming in knowledge. Despite the constant lessons, he says the most important one has had to do with client care.

“Treating clients as friends is the best way to become their life-long Realtor. That’s the secret to being successful.”

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Paul Hiebert had a phenomenal 2016. He sold over 150 properties on his way to increasing his year-over-year sales by over 50% and becoming the No.1 Royal LePage agent in all of Manitoba. And now he’s part of the REP 200.

“I’m proud to be a part of a great group of agents and friends and humbled to be in the same category as many of my peers,” he says.

Becoming more coordinated played a significant role in Hiebert’s improved business in 2016.

“Hiring a good assistant was key,” Hiebert says. “Together we are super organized in all we do.”

PARVEEN ARORA RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Brampton, ON

Parveen Arora has been recognizing and taking advantage of opportunities for the entirety of his 12 years in real estate. Those opportunities have been coming hard and fast in a white-hot Brampton market, allowing him to have a stellar year in 2016, when he racked up over 230 ends.

Arora’s formula for success is simple: perseverance plus persistence.

“Work, work and more work,” he says. “It pays off. The proof is in the numbers.”

IN

INITE BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

CHRIS MESSECAR Exit Realty First North Barrie, ON

Chris Messecar has a lot of competition in Barrie, where spillover demand from the GTA continues to fuel a wildfire market. Like the market itself, Messecar hit new heights in 2016, improving his performance by 20% and being named the seventh-highest selling Realtor in North America for Exit Realty.

Messecar says staying ahead of the curve is critical for agent success. His team’s Buzz Campaigns, which Messecar says provide “the ultimate in home exposure”, have been just one recent example of forward-thinking.

“We saw a significant increase in listing sales because the market has fallen in love with our marketing strategy,” he says.

www.repmag.ca

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KINDRA SOWDEN

AMY ASSAAD Royal LePage Heritage

RE/MAX Saskatoon Montreal, QC Saskatoon, SK

Amy Assaad has long been one of Montreal’s top producers, but in 2016 she took her performance to another level. After closing 150 deals, Assaad climbed into the top 1% of Royal LePage agents nationwide and received the company’s Provincial Top Ten award for being the No.2 agent in Quebec.

“It’s easy for anyone to succeed in a market where business is falling in your lap,” she says.

“But when the market is tough and you are forced to change your outlook and adjust yourself, I believe that is the true measure of willpower and success.”

“My real estate philosophy is all about developing relationships with my clients that promote trust and the assurance that their best interests are always my first priority,” says Saskatoon’s Kindra Sowden.

In her six years with RE/MAX, Sowden has become a member of the company’s Platinum Club and won its Hall of Fame award.

“It’s incredible to be recognized among the best agents in the country,” Sowden says.

“It means I’m doing something right.”

HARBINDER BRAR RE/MAX Realty Services Brampton, ON

Harbinder Brar has been making his name in the Brampton market since starting out in 2007.

Before moving to RE/MAX in 2016, he was a six-time Diamond award winner with Royal LePage and a Chairman’s Club member in 2015.

In his first year with RE/MAX, Brar completed over 100 deals and received that company’s Diamond award.

KARI CALDER Century 21 Fusion Saskatoon, SK

For Kari Calder, confidence is at the centre of her success as an agent. Having sold just under 200 properties in the last two years, that confidence is clearly justified.

“Most people starting in real estate lack confidence and worry about making ends meet,” she says. “This can come across as anxious, and that kind of energy can repel people rather than attract them. As my confidence grows through experience, my approach becomes more relaxed, which puts clients at ease. They trust that I will get the job done.”

MARY JANE WEBSTER RE/MAX Charlottetown Realty Charlottetown, PEI

Two years ago, Mary Jane Webster made the leap from agent to owner.

She feels she is now in a position to better assist her growing team to achieve its goals.

“In this shift from agent to broker, my role has definitely expanded,” she says. “I’m now responsible for building other people’s businesses, not just my own. It’s so much fun to see my team members’ continued progress.”

Webster’s enthusiasm for the success of others began with her clients. Her “people matter” philosophy has made her a respected member of the Charlottetown business community and was a determining factor in her addition to RE/MAX’s Executive and 100% Clubs.

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RON ANTALEK RE/MAX Lifestyles Realty Maple Ridge, BC

Ron Antalek has been at the absolute top of the BC industry for much of his career.

He has been the No.1 RE/MAX Realtor in BC a jaw-dropping 15 times and was No.1 in Canada three years in a row. He was the leading performer at RE/MAX Western Canada’s top team in 2016, selling over 250 properties, lifting him into the company’s top five. Antalek was also named the 2016 Maple Ridge Citizen of the Year.

Antalek has made his name by devoting himself to his family and his community as intensely as he does to his business. He has earned the trust of his clients, resulting in a steady stream of repeat business, and the respect of the industry.

“I admire my peers,” Antalek says. “They are part of my success.”

IN

KEVIN MOIST

THOMAS FARIS

Royal LePage First Contact Realty – The Faris Team

RE/MAX Performance Realty

Barrie, ON

Mark Faris’ First Contact team is the most heavily represented franchise in the REP 200, with three agents making the cut.

Faris’ brother Thomas, now in his fifth year with the team, was one of its top producers in 2016, completing over 120 ends. Faris says visualization is a major component of his day-to-day routine. “It’s my most important practice – visualizing the successful completion of my goals. It’s the first thing I do in the morning and the last thing I do at night.”

JOYCE TOURNEY

LISA MASTIN

Regina, SK

Brockville, ON

RE/MAX Joyce Tourney Realty

In her 26 years with RE/MAX, Joyce Tourney has been one of the company’s most reliable agents. She has been the top RE/MAX agent in Saskatchewan for each of the last 22 years and has been recognized for leading the top RE/MAX team in Canada multiple times. She received the company’s Purple Heart award in 2010 and led RE/MAX’s No.1 team worldwide in 2008. Despite the relative softness of the Saskatchewan economy, Tourney was able to maintain the consistent performance of her team by expanding it. She says her team’s level of service will increase in 2017 with the unveiling of a redesigned company website.

INITE

BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty

Lisa Mastin has received either the Royal LePage Director’s Platinum award or Diamond award in each of her seven years in the industry.

2016, however, was a monumental year for Mastin, as she posted a year-over-year increase in earnings of 55%.

“I attribute this to continuous hard work, of course,” she says, “but also to maintaining and incorporating efficient work processes that keep my business working smarter and allowing me to staying in touch with my clients.”

As her client base has swelled, Mastin’s customer appreciation events have also had to grow, and now include a cinema movie night.

MARK RUTTAN

Winnipeg, MB

Kevin Moist has been successfully shepherding clients through the Winnipeg market for almost two decades. Despite the stability of the city’s prices and overall demand, Moist was able to increase business by 15% in 2016, a year in which he received the Winnipeg Realtors’ Gold Medallion for the 17th consecutive year.

Moist is no stranger to accolades; being a part of the REP 200 surely won’t be the last.

JOANNE GONEAU

RE/MAX Absolute Realty Ottawa, ON

Joanne Goneau has been in the industry for 30 years and running her own RE/MAX brokerage since 2011. 2016 was one of her best years on record. She received both RE/ MAX’s Diamond and Circle of Legends awards.

Goneau’s extensive experience, dedication to her clients and emphasis on communication have resulted in her brokerage becoming a smooth-running repeat and referral system.

RE/MAX of Wasaga Beach – Mark Ruttan Team Wasaga Beach, ON

Mark Ruttan has been solidifying RE/MAX of Wasaga Beach’s brand for 28 years. In that time, he has established himself as an active, generous member of the community and a trusted Realtor.

“When multiple generations of a family choose you as their real estate agent then you know you’re doing something right,” he says.

Ruttan had a blockbuster year in 2016. His business increased by 23% and he was welcomed into RE/MAX’s Circle of Legends award.

TOP 10 VANCOUVER AGENTS SALES VOLUME

AGENT

COMPANY

MARKET

RANK

Ken Cui

Nu Stream Realty

Vancouver, BC

1

Leo Ronse

Royal LePage Wolstencroft

Langley, BC

2

Paul Eviston

RE/MAX Select Properties

Vancouver, BC

3

Tracy Niu

New Coast Realty

Richmond, BC

4

Clair Rockel

Macdonald Realty

Vancouver, BC

5

Emily Oh

Sutton Premier Realty

Surrey, BC

6

Ron Antalek

RE/MAX LifestylesRealty

Maple Ridge, BC

7

Tracey Bosch

Royal LePage Wolstencroft

Langley, BC

8

Edith Katronis

Homelife Benchmark Realty Cloverdale

Surrey, BC

9

Fraser Elliott

RE/MAX Progroup Realty

Delta, BC

10

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CHANTAL ALBERT

CHRISTINE HAUSCHILD

Dieppe, NB

Ottawa, ON

Exit Realty Associates

JAMIE COCCIMIGLIO Exit Realty Lake Superior Sault Ste Marie, ON

Jamie Coccimiglio has been posting significant sales increases in each of his 10 years in the business. He topped 100 ends for the second year in a row in 2016, was the top producer in the Sault Ste Marie Real Estate Board and cracked Exit Realty’s North American top 20.

Coccimiglio attributes his constant growth as an agent to a combination of work ethic and the support of those around him.

“I truly think that by surrounding yourself with the right people, and having a positive mindset, success will follow. I have had great guidance and thank everyone who has helped me in the past decade.”

In addition to tallying over 120 ends on her way to becoming the REP 200’s highest producing Ottawa agent, Christine Hauschild also moved her Royal LePage team into a new boutique office setting.

“This has been a dream of mine for many years,” she says. “Moving into a comfortable setting allows us to offer a unique experience to our clients. That, along with a consistency in market share, helped grow our business significantly last year.”

NICOLE LEBLANC Exit Realty Associates Dieppe, NB

Her 150 ends were enough to make Nicole LeBlanc Exit Realty Associates’ No.1 Realtor in 2016 – and more than enough to land her among Exit’s North American top 100, a group she has belonged to every year since 2011.

“My clients are a priority,” she says, “not me.”

Her long-running focus on referrals has led LeBlanc in recent years to continually enhance her marketing, social media and customer communication tactics.

“Consumers are expecting more from their agents. My responsibility is to continue to exceed expectations and continue to be an important component in every transaction.”

LORETTA PHINNEY

Windsor, ON

Mississauga, ON

Few would have expected it, but in 2016, Windsor, Ontario produced a number of the country’s most successful agents. Brad Bondy, after 10 years with RE/MAX Preferred Realty, is among the best of the best.

Bondy, who has won RE/MAX’s Diamond award in each of the last three years, says success is a simple mix of hard work, basic human decency and the encouragement of loved ones.

“Without the support of my family,” he says, “my success would not have happened.”

www.repmag.ca

Working alongside her husband at yet another successful Exit Realty Associates franchise in New Brunswick, Chantal Albert led her modest team to a significantly improved performance in 2016, increasing sales by 50%. Albert says a new full-time executive assistant has been instrumental in improving the service she provides her clients, allowing more time to focus on what’s important.

“To have success,” Albert says, “a Realtor has to be available at all times for their clients.”

BRAD BONDY RE/MAX Preferred Realty

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Royal LePage Team Realty

Royal LePage Real Estate Services Loretta Phinney

“I never set out to be the best or win awards,” says Loretta Phinney. “I came into the business because I loved houses.”

With 32 years of experience, Phinney is one of the GTA’s top producers. She has been a nationwide top 10 agent for Royal LePage every year since 1994 and has been voted Mississauga’s Best Realtor for three years running. But that is only part of her success.

“I think you have to be kind and considerate to other Realtors as well,” she says. “We have a very difficult job.

We should give as much help and advice to each other as we can along the way.”

IN

INITE BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

EUGENE KAPLUN RE/MAX Infinite Toronto, ON

Eugene Kaplun has been a major part of RE/MAX Infinite’s success since joining the brokerage in 2012.

He had a monster 2016, but Kaplun says his highlight from last year was that “each seller’s expectations were exceeded regardless of the type of property they owned.”

Outside of the general insanity that drove the GTA market last year, Kaplun attributes his increase in sales to referrals from satisfied clientele.

“That is why it is very crucial to treat every deal and every client with honesty, respect and competence,” he says.

Kaplun now manages his own hand-picked team of professionals, who he says share his commitment to integrity and adaptability.

“Agents who are dedicated and willing to learn will stay afloat and progress further. The market is as strong as it’s ever been, but it’s also very complicated and requires agents to update themselves more frequently.”

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AJ LAMBA

Lamba Realty Group Mississauga, ON

AJ Lamba has every reason to be proud of his team. Lamba Realty Group consistently sells over 300 properties a year and are one of the most recognizable real estate firms in Toronto.

“It’s humbling to wake up in the morning and realize that we have one of the biggest brand names in the city,” he says.

Lamba credits his team’s dominance of the Mississauga market to its multi-faceted marketing strategy, including international marketing to target the surging number of overseas buyers.

LINDA BAUMGARTNER RE/MAX North Country Realty

BARRY COHEN

Haliburton, ON

RE/MAX Realtron Realty Toronto, ON

“Too many agents try to push people into getting what they want,” says Barry Cohen. “I try to pull them. I guide them so they can make the decision that’s right for them.”

Cohen has been informing his clients’ decisions for over 35 years, establishing himself as one of the true heavyweights of the Toronto market. Along the way, Cohen has been RE/MAX’s No.1 salesperson in Canada multiple times, its No.2 agent worldwide and was one of the first three agents to win the company’s Luminary of Distinction award.

WARREN BEHAN

JOHN TSAI

Powell River, BC

Vancouver, BC

Royal LePage Powell River

Warren Behan believes in accountability. His adherence to strict goals and demanding standards have helped carry him to the top of the Powell River market, where he sold just under 110 properties in 2016 and was named one of Royal LePage’s top 10 individual Realtors.

“I’m grateful to have a career that doesn’t feel like work and gives me the opportunity to meet so many great people,” he says.

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Linda Baumgartner’s level of success has been achieved through a strong focus on client needs. With over 29 years of real estate experience, bolstered by membership in a number of local, provincial and national associations, Baumgartner is a proponent of life-long learning. She attributes the significant increase in her business in 2016 to team restructuring and fully embracing the potential of video.

Having served as president of the Ontario Real Estate Association in 2003 and volunteering for many years on the Association’s board of directors, Baumgartner was inducted into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame in 2004 and received the company’s Lifetime Achievement award in 2012.

Rennie and Associates Realty

In 2016, John Tsai catapulted himself into the top 1% of agents in Greater Vancouver, completing 149 sales in a historically robust market. Not bad for an agent who, breaking into the industry 11 years ago, had hoped to make $50,000 a year. Tsai credits “better systems, more manpower and Mike Ferry coaching” for his improved performance.

“You have to be the best you can be every day,” he says.

IN

JESSE EAST

RE/MAX Kelowna

INITE

BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

DIMITRIOS KALOGEROPOULOS Royal LePage Team Realty Ottawa, ON

Kelowna, BC

Jesse East posted an incredible 59% year-over-year increase in transactions in 2016.

While a historically hot Kelowna market was a factor, East credits the love he has for his work for keeping him motivated and managing the flood of demand.

“When you enjoy what you are doing, from sports to charity to working with clients, it’s simple to connect with people,” he says.

Those connections, especially with others in the industry, have had a huge impact on East’s happiness as an agent.

From his former colleagues at Royal LePage to his indispensable assistant at RE/MAX Kelowna, East’s professional relationships are often lifelong.

“Colleagues at both brokerages have become like my extended family. I’m very proud to have so many as friends and mentors,” he says.

Just six years into his life as a Realtor, Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos – or Agent DK to his growing list of satisfied customers – has already picked up a number of habits that have translated into success.

“Delegating 99% of the paperwork and systematizing everything has been huge,” he says. “This allows me to do what I do best, which is prospecting, presenting and negotiating contracts.”

Kalogeropoulos had a superb 2016, completing over 100 transactions and joining Royal LePage’s top 1% for the second year in a row. He chalks this up to an evolved approach to his clients. “I listen more than I speak now. I ask far more questions than I used to,” he says.

DONNA GARDINER THOMPSON Royal LePage Gardiner Realty Fredericton, NB

Twenty-nine years after moving to Fredericton to take over her parents’ brokerage, Donna Gardiner Thompson is living the life she had always envisioned. Her Royal LePage franchise is one of the most successful in Atlantic Canada, her children have grown up to be successful sales professionals themselves and Thompson is now free to help her business – and her community – evolve in new ways.

“I cannot stress enough to give back in all the ways you can to your community,” she says.

DEREK GILLETTE RE/MAX of Nanaimo

JOHN DIBERNARDO RE/MAX Wine Capital Realty Oliver, BC

While the Kelowna market was receiving most of the heat in the Okanagan in 2016, John DiBernardo was quietly putting together another brilliant year in Oliver, BC. DiBernardo sold just under 150 properties last year, a 53% increase over 2015.

“I helped more people achieve their goals this year,” he says. “And after 11 years, I have found a bit of a work-personal life balance.”

While DiBernardo tends to avoid the spotlight, his recent performance, which earned him admission into the RE/MAX Diamond Club, is hard to ignore.

Nanaimo, BC

After 25 years of navigating the central Vancouver Island market, Derek Gillette’s passion for helping clients achieve their real estate goals remains unchanged.

Consistently ranked among Canada’s top Realtors, Gillette says such a position allows Realtors to “develop a true sense of who you are and what’s important.

The result of this significant culmination of experience is a highly developed, personalized brand of business.”

Gillette opened his private office in 2011 – a creative environment in which new concepts flourish.

Success has led to a steady stream of accolades, but for Gillette’s team, satisfied clients are the only reward.

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CAILEY HEAPS ESTRIN

Royal LePage Real Estate Services – Heaps Estrin Team Toronto, ON

Cailey Heaps Estrin has done some amazing things since establishing her sub-brokerage of Royal LePage Real Estate Services in 2015. Last year, her team made a tremendous leap in productivity, establishing itself as Royal LePage’s No.1 team in Toronto and its fifth-ranked nationwide.

Heaps Estrin attributes her team’s significant improvements to a number of factors, including a stronger social media presence and an expanding team that can provide a wider range of services, including client outreach. “Staying in touch with our clients continues to be a priority,” she says.

“Our clients love the personal attention; we pride ourselves on these valuable relationships.”

CHRIS CONSTANTINE

LEIGH SUGAR Royal LePage RCR Realty

Royal LePage Atlantic

Newmarket, ON Moncton, NB

Chris Constantine has spent the last 10 years with Royal LePage Atlantic and had a fantastic year in 2016, with close to 100 ends.

He approaches real estate from the perspective of an investor, providing valuable alternative insight for his clients.

“Buying what you need until you can truly afford what you want is a lesson Realtors must be willing to share with their clients,” he says.

Leigh Sugar set a new record for sales volume for Royal LePage RCR in 2016, capping off a brilliant five-year run that included annual spots in the top 1% of Royal LePage agents nationwide and the Toronto Real Estate Board.

In addition to maintaining an excellent reputation based on high professional standards, Sugar says marketing has been critical to expanding her business.

JOEL FARIS

Royal LePage First Contact Realty – The Faris Team

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ROBBIE JOHAL RE/MAX Lifestyles Realty Langley, BC

Robbie Johal is no stranger to success. He has been a repeat member of RE/MAX’s Platinum and Chairman’s Clubs and, last year – the first in which he racked up 100 transactions – he was welcomed into the company’s coveted Diamond Club.

Johal sees the industry moving in a direction where clients will turn to agents less and less. He says agents will have no choice but to provide greater service and show their clients why they are needed. Knowledge that complements – or exceeds – that provided by evolving technology will be key.

He has been his brokerage’s No.1 donor to the Children’s Miracle Network eight times.

NEVIN HOLLETT

Barrie, ON

Royal LePage Atlantic Homestead

In the first three months of 2016, Joel Faris was not happy with his performance. Sales were slow and he was falling behind on the goals he had set for himself.

“It was mentally draining for me to stay focused during this time, but I kept doing the activities I knew to be effective,” he says. “The next two months were my best ever, with 19 ends in May and 21 in June.”

Faris continued his hot streak over the following months, closing out 2016 with over 120 ends, helping lead First Contact Realty to its current status as the No.1 Royal LePage team in Canada.

St John’s, NL

To call Newfoundland a buyer’s market would be a gross understatement. But for an agent like Nevin Hollett, challenges are just an opportunity for transformation.

“If you’re not growing, you’re dying,” he says. “Over the years I have had to modify or change strategies for continued success, and over the last few years I have completely bought in and invested into website and CRM technology. I believe this is one of the main reasons that business has flourished in a challenging market.”

IN

INITE BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

JENNIFER TURCOTTE RE/MAX Pembroke Realty Petawawa, ON

After 20 years in the industry, Jennifer Turcotte is still finding new firsts. In 2016, a year in which she moved over 110 properties, she not only sold the largest property of her career, she also helped her son purchase his first home.

Turcotte’s savvy with emerging technologies has been a major factor in her success. She has invested in more sophisticated photography equipment to better represent her properties, implemented electronic signature and has quickly become an expert in leveraging social media.

But Turcotte says these modern methods are really just a means of accomplishing traditional goals.

“It is all about my clients and their needs,” she says. “I take pride in what I do and what I do is important to me.”

www.repmag.ca

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JEROME PARADIS

ALI KHAN

Royal LePage Sussex

Royal LePage de L’Erable Sunshine Coast, BC Saint-Georges, QC

“Being a Realtor is not about being a sales person,” says Ali Khan. “It’s about being a trusted advisor. Clients look to us as they do doctors, lawyers and accountants. They come to us for our knowledge and experience.”

Now in his 11th year as an agent, Khan has an abundance of both. He is in possession of limitless energy, which he taps into in order to make his home on the Sunshine Coast a better place. He has been involved with the Sunshine Coast Hospice Society and the Sechelt Food Bank.

Jerome Paradis has won Royal LePage’s Diamond award in four of the last five years working the relatively small Saint-Georges market in eastern Quebec. He says his consistent 19-year performance has been the result of a simple philosophy: “work, work, work”.

Paradis admits that he has come a long way as an agent. “I am way more conscientious now than I was when I was just getting started,” he says, echoing a sentiment expressed by many agents in the REP 200.

RONNI LISTER

RE/MAX Ocean Pacific Realty Comox Valley, BC

DAN PLOWMAN Dan Plowman Team Realty Whitby, ON

In his 27 years in the business, Dan Plowman has been a multiple award winner, a record setter and, as the founder of Dan Plowman Systems, a highly successful real estate sales coach and consultant. In a highly competitive environment where coaching has become critical to survival, Plowman says agents need to choose their mentors wisely.

“Hire a coaching company that is actively selling in today’s market,” he says. “And make sure they’re selling a lot more homes than you do. Don’t fall for fluff and fancy words, they should deliver a system they live by.”

Plowman’s expertly trained team and a willingness to test forward-thinking strategies have allowed him to stay ahead of the Durham market for years.

“I learned early on that hard work was not enough. The biggest lesson for me over the years is that without an up-to-date system combined with the labour, the rate of failure is extremely high.”

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Ronni Lister was a highly deserving member of RE/MAX’s Diamond Club in 2016, selling over 150 properties in the Comox Valley region of Vancouver Island.

“Living in a smaller community and building my business from the ground up has been a tremendous amount of work,” she says, “but being able to compare my business to those in larger cities really drives home just how supportive our local community is.”

While many young agents exhaust themselves trying to build a larger client base, Lister feels that energy is better spent elsewhere.

“The best piece of advice I could give agents for their future careers is to maintain the client base that they already have. Don’t underestimate the power of referrals.”

MIKE BOYCHUK Royal LePage Hallmark Saskatoon, SK

Prior to life as a Realtor, Mike Boychuk managed the construction of over 200 houses. His insight into what makes a good house has translated perfectly into teaching clients what makes the right home.

Boychuk is known as one of Saskatoon’s most aggressive marketers, reaching a large audience by leveraging multiple media channels. “This allows me to reach more buyers and sellers,” he says, “and as a result sell more homes. Because we sell so many homes, I have a larger marketing budget than most other agents could afford.”

Boychuk uses his success to make Saskatoon a better place for its disadvantaged youth. He is currently helping raise $25,000 for the city’s Hands On Street Outreach and Development Inc. A portion of each team member’s commission goes toward supporting the group.

IN

INITE BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

MAXIME TARDIFF

Royal LePage Altitude – Equipe Tardif Montreal, QC

Maxime Tardiff sold over 130 properties in 2016, earning him the Royal LePage Chairman’s award. Tardiff says the impressive growth his business has seen in recent years has been the result of a well-assembled team.

“It takes a while to get the right people at the right place,” he says, “but once you achieve this, things move at light speed. Most of the magic happens behind the scenes.”

Tardiff recently began attempting a strategy rarely seen in the Montreal market, making unsolicited offers for segments of the market experiencing a shortage of inventory.

DANNY GERBRANDT Royal LePage Brookside Realty

SARAH JUSTASON RE/MAX Group Four Realty

Maple Ridge, BC

Danny Gerbrandt had a colossal 2016. He closed over 230 deals for Royal LePage Brookside and maintained his long-running position in the top 1% for both Royal LePage and the Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board. But after 10 years in the industry, Gerbrandt says the highlight was taking a step back.“I resigned from the Vancouver Real Estate Board’s board of directors and BC Assessment and started taking a little time for myself,” he says.

FERNANDE SIROIS Royal LePage Vallee de L’Outaouais Gatineau, QC

Fernande Sirois has been a fixture on the Gatineau market for 34 years, a period that has seen her solidify her reputation for offering the utmost in service and intensify her desire to improve client relationships. “No strategy is brilliant enough to replace that,” she says.

Sirois has surrounded herself with a team that shares her desire for excellence and she says that “the human touch is visible at all times in all our operations.”

Fredericton, NB

Despite the economic malaise that has settled over New Brunswick, a handful of agents in the province are absolutely killing it, Sarah Justason being one of them. Justason was recently named RE/MAX Integra’s No.1 agent in Atlantic Canada after moving over 130 properties in 2016.

Justason is known throughout the Fredericton market for her consistent professionalism and commitment to service, which has expanded to include innovative uses of video and a broadening web presence.

But as Justason explains, technology only goes so far.

“I want my clients to know that I am out working for them,” she says, “but I also want them to know that I’m a person. That is a big deal to me – to be real.”

ANDREW RUSSELL

RE/MAX Real Estate Central Alberta Red Deer, AB

Significantly increasing your sales volume and income in Alberta’s current economic climate takes some serious finesse. Andrew Russell managed to do both in 2016.

“I’d say the primary factor there was that I made some staffing changes that allowed me to delegate more so I could spend all of my time and effort focused on the tasks that actually generate income and leads.”

But Russell’s highlight for 2016 was of a more personal nature.

“We had two families ready to declare bankruptcy and hand their keys over to the bank,” he says. “We were able to prevent the bankruptcy and foreclosures by assisting them in negotiating with their banks and getting their homes sold. It feels good knowing that you’ve had a substantial impact on that family’s financial future and were able to help them walk away with their credit still reasonably intact.”

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Infinite potential RE/MAX Infinite, one of Toronto’s highest performing brokerages, highlights four of its top producers. Different in age, approach and background, one thing these agents have in common is their success

WE HERE at RE/MAX Infinite Inc are proud to be a part of the Top Agents issue. From veteran agents who have been in the industry for 20-plus years to agents who have found growing success in just one year, RE/MAX Infinite Inc believes that success is built not only by the person within you, but by those around you. RE/MAX Infinite’s success is based on the support system offered to its agents, with a family-like environment where agents are comfortable but also motivated to progress in their learning and their profession.

With a mixture of old- and new-school approaches to real estate, Infinite offers a unique office experience for top agents and those just starting out. Below are only a few of RE/MAX Infinite’s many shining stars.

Ferro Payman Ferro Payman is a highly motivated, self-driven individual who likes to exceed his client’s expectations. He always aims to break a new record when selling

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a property and has enhanced his business by providing more services for his valuable clients.

He is constantly looking for ways to thrive in the real estate industry and expand his business by going above and beyond his clients’ expectations.

“Success to me means going after what you want in life. Making short- and long-term goals and achieving them one by one, while always setting new and exciting goals to continue to grow as an individual. My success as a sales representative has been largely due to my positive attitude, relentless work ethic and the will to never stop learning from others.”

Ferro, who became a licensed agent not too long ago, has a lot of advice to give to those starting out in the industry. He has been a role model for many of RE/MAX Infinite’s own newly licensed agents and is always encouraging them to jump-start their careers by getting out there and going after what they truly desire. He believes that you should never allow the increasing competition to intimidate you, and

believes that as long as you work hard, you will eventually get to where you want to be.

“Progress is progress,” he says, “no matter how fast or slow it is attained.”

When asked to give some advice to other real estate professionals, he says: “Treat your clients the way you would want to be treated. Believe me, they will continue to support you and your business over the many successful years to come!”

Siamak Salehi Siamak Salehi has been a real estate agent/broker for the past 14 years and has been a multiple award winner for the past 13. His commitment and dedication to his clients, as well as his attention to detail, strong negotiation skills, impeccable ethics and professional manner have ensured his continued success. His reputation is built on his dedication to his clients’ complete satisfaction.

Siamak is passionate about real estate. He firmly believes that “knowledge equals power”,

IN

INITE BROKERAGE, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

and credits much of his success to his commitment to expand his knowledge by taking seminars and courses, reading articles and taking advice from others successful agents. He has a satellite office where he meets new clients, provides service to everyone and spends time in person with clients.

“I am very hands on. I like having real contact with people,” he says.

Harry Xu Harry Xu holds a PhD in economics and is one of RE/ MAX Infinite’s top producers.

You may also know him as Dr SOLD, the listing agent serving the GTA and also as the Real Estate Groundhog for projecting trends in the real estate markets in the GTA. Harry Xu is often covered by the media, at home and abroad, and you can find him in many magazine and television ads. A fellow of Lead International, he has been engaged in many diverse positions. Not only has

he been a university professor of economics, he was also a former president of an IT company, and an officer of central and local governments.

These days, aside from being a sales representative with RE/MAX Infinite Inc, he is also the president of Dr SOLD International Inc. “Success is the natural result of excellent work,” he says. “Hard work is the only key to success as a Realtor. Try your best and you will become a top producer. Never give up under any circumstances.”

Harry feels competition is unavoidable, but he has had great success in cooperating with other Realtors.

“I tried and changed jobs many times before becoming a licensed Realtor,” he says. “This is where I finally found what I was born to do.”

Jila Katiraee Jila’s winning personality, high energy, sensitivity and balance contribute to her success. She defines success as having a

completely satisfied client and conducting business with absolute honestly and integrity.

“My goal is to perform such a superb job that my clients stay with me forever. My clients from 30 years ago are still calling me to help them move again; and their children seek my advice and services when buying their home.”

She believes the definition of a good agent is someone who understands, cares, follows up and communicates with the vendor. “If a problem is identified, we have a chance to solve it,” she says.

Communication has been a key factor in her 30 years of consistent success in real estate.

“Every time I or another agent shows any of my listings, I provide the feedback to my seller right away. I have found that I can learn important information to help close the sale. Also, when you buy or sell a home you must consider peoples’ holistic needs and wants. Buying or selling a home is not just number crunching; it involves a lot of emotion as well.” REP

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FEATURES

SPECIAL RECRUITING

Florida: your new territory A new resort in Orlando is looking for Realtors to join its international sales team and capitalize on the interest of Canadian buyers in the Florida market CANADIAN REAL estate saw a recorddestroying year in 2016. If you’re an agent who helped your clients find investment properties before the pricing insanity hit much of BC and Ontario, you’re probably still getting regular thank you messages from them.

But investors attempting to enter the Lower Mainland or Greater Golden Horseshoe markets are finding it increasingly difficult to crunch the numbers in a way that makes sense.

Cap rates in Canada’s major population centers have been on a constant slide, while vacancy rates in a number of secondary markets have either held strong or climbed upward.

Realtors wanting to be taken seriously as investment specialists must be able to present clients with opportunity in the form

of properties that are as attractive to them as they are to potential tenants; properties selling at low price points in highly desirable areas. Finding tenants in cities like Toronto, Hamilton, Richmond and Victoria is a snap; but rents have not kept up with the rapid price escalations experienced in these cities, often making cash flow impossible for buyers unable to make a 35% down payment.

For agents with an eye on providing their clients with astute investment advice, The Grove Resort and Spa is a powerful option.

Grow to love the Grove The Grove, opening in March 2017, is a gorgeous 878-unit vacation home community developed by renowned Fort Lauderdale-

based developer, BTI Partners. While most development in Orlando has taken place on the city’s east side, leading to an increase in both traffic congestion and pricing, the Grove is part of the growing development being seen west of the Disney complex. The area’s potential for growth is virtually unmatched in Orlando, and the Grove’s proximity to Disney World – less than five minutes’ drive – is bound to appeal to tourists who have come to expect 40-minute commutes to Orlando’s top attractions.

The Grove Resort and Spa is an attraction all of its own. Its multiple pools, Surfari Water Park, lazy river, Flowrider surf machine, 20-acre activity lake, meeting space, daycare facility and game room will keep children occupied, while the Escape Spa, Alfresco Market and exquisite on-site restaurants will cater to older travellers.

The two- and three-bedroom suites, ranging from 1,265 to 1,544sq ft, are all equipped with full kitchens, full washer and dryer, balconies and multiple bathrooms, some with solariums and others with views of the Magic Kingdom’s nightly fireworks display. Each unit is exquisitely designed for maximum space and comfort, and with prices for fully furnished units starting in the high $200s, the bang-forthe-buck factor, especially for Canadian buyers, is hard to deny.

Once owners have bought into The Grove, they could be enjoying serious cash flow.

Nightly rates will range from $250-$370 and the average occupancy in Orlando is over 80%.

The Grove has partnered with world-renowned hotel management company Benchmark Hospitality, managers of over 55 resorts around the world, to guarantee four-diamond service for guests and high nightly rates for owners.

Pitching paradise While affordable prices and a seemingly built-in tenant pool are boons for investors, agents may still be asking themselves why they should sell the Grove, especially if doing so might distract them from their own busy local markets.

According to David D’Ambrosio, director of

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operations at the Grove, Realtors should instead focus on the enduring popularity of Florida real estate among Canadians.

“Canadian brokers have been selling Orlando vacation homes for years,” D’Ambrosio says. As the numbers of investors and retirees both explode in Canada, and each one looks for reliable passive income, a development like the Grove could be coming around at the perfect time.

“There’s an established psychology, a network and a consumer base there that already gravitates toward what we’re offering.”

D’Ambrosio also points to the relative ease of

the selling process, saying agents can determine their own level of engagement in each sale.

“As far as registering clients or touring clients, agents can be as involved or as uninvolved as they want to be,” D’Ambrosio says. “The bottom line is we’ll do all the work – and we’ll pay the Realtor.

“All that the agent needs to do is make the introduction, register the client with our sales center and we’ll take that prospect through the whole buying process.”

D’Ambrosio says agents who become part of BTI’s international sales team will also have access to top-tier training and marketing

support that will equip them with everything they’ll need in order to sell the Grove to clients.

“We’re very entrepreneurial and very agile on how to interact with the brokers and how to support them.”

If being a good agent means acting in a client’s best interest, the ability to offer investment, downsizing or secondary residence options can be a critical addition to a Realtor’s arsenal. At the Grove, agents can provide all of these options in a single property. REP To learn more about The Grove and BTI Partners, contact David D’Ambrosio at David@GroveResort.com

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FEATURES

TECHNOLOGY

Tools of the trade For modern Realtors, few concepts are as valuable as evolution. There are countless tools and tactics that can help agents prepare for the inevitable changes that will affect their markets and their clients’ demands. Here are three companies keeping agents ahead of the curve

REALTOR DESIGNS Scott Nazareth – Realtor Designs Real estate web development tips and tricks from Realtor Designs:

1

Create niche-specific landing pages with keyword specific domains A keyword present in the main domain of a website is still considered to be a high relevance factor for Google. When making pay-perclick campaigns, quality score/relevance help to position ads higher with lower bids if the landing page is determined to be highly relevant. This results in a higher click-through rate.

2

Design As the younger demographic increasingly starts its real estate search online, or engages in their own market/property research, having a well-designed website is an

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important factor in engagement. Finding a template on Envato Market and hiring a graphic design firm to custom create it is far better than creating a free website.

3

Content Having proper content not only engages customers with your knowledge, it also acts as a fish-net for retargeting.

For example, an article entitled “Buy My First Home” will likely entice first time homebuyers to your sponsored Facebook post.

With a retargeting campaign from AdRoll, segmented users from that particular page can see your display advertisement on the top of 1,000 websites in the country. The display ads can be designed specific to that niche as well.

Realtor Designs is a real estate web development firm offering custom services for agents to design their online presence, manage online marketing and drive more online awareness to their brand. To try our leads for free, email offer@realtordesigns.ca and refer REP magazine.

Rich Gaasenbeek – IXACT Contact IXACT Contact was established in 2007 and has grown to become a leader in real estate CRM. Headquartered in Toronto, IXACT Contact’s customer support and innovative technology have earned us rave reviews from industry leading trainers and coaches such as Richard Robbins, Chris Leader and Bruce Keith and have made us the preferred CRM partner for Canada’s leading brokerages.

We are the fastest growing real estate CRM in Canada because we are dedicated to helping you succeed throughout your career.

How we help agents succeed: A CRM solution is a vital component for building your business; a powerful tool for managing your contact data, keeping in touch and staying organized as your business grows.

You might opt for a generic CRM – a lot of agents do – but it will likely fall far short of meeting your specific demands.

Without a real estate CRM designed with the needs of Realtors in mind, it will be difficult to keep in touch and manage your business effectively.

Using IXACT Contact, you can easily track notes, correspondence and business activities for each of your clients. It is more suited for Canadian Realtors than any other CRM and features: • Keep-in-touch plans and reminders Makes it easy to stay in touch with leads and clients through targeted drip email plans and automated reminders for keep-in-touch calls, birthdays, move-in anniversaries and more.

• Monthly e-newsletter IXACT Contact provides you with a fresh, professionally written and fully automated monthly e-newsletter that includes your personal branding.

• Agent websites Build a professional

online presence and capture new leads with a beautiful mobile-friendly website that includes 16 pages of pre-written content, blog functionality, multiple lead capture forms and full social media integration.

• Mass emails IXACT Contact allows you to use pre-written and designed templates to send quality emails to all of your contacts. You can also create customized messages that are consistent with your brand and messaging.

• Active business See the status of your active buyers/sellers all from one dashboard, making it easy to see the current state of activities.

• Business directory Store contact info for trusted service providers that you recommend to your clients, making it easy to provide yet another element of customer service. Various contact profile elements also make it easy for you to keep track of correspondence notes, activities and face-to-face conversations, allowing you to build and maintain more effective relationships.

• Mobile app IXACT Contact’s mobile app allows you to manage your business from anywhere and on any device.

IXACT Contact will not only meet your current needs; its constant evolution means

there will always be new features to take advantage of. We know that all tools become useless if their edges are dulled, so IXACT Contact takes user input into consideration to ensure constant improvement. Paired with our helpful Canadian-based customer support team, IXACT Contact gives you added confidence that it will be the right system for years to come, evolving with the demands of your expanding business.

Rich Gaasenbeek is co-founder and Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing for IXACT Contact Solutions. For more information, contact IXACT Contact at 1-866665-0018 or contact Rich directly at rick. gaasenbeek@ixactcontact.com

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FEATURES

TECHNOLOGY

Certified Resale Home First Canadian Title (FCT) and AmeriSpec Inspection Services have partnered to bring Certified Resale Home to the Ontario real estate market.

What is Certified Resale Home? CRH is a simple, cost-effective way to make a resale home stand out in the market and create a stress-free experience for the Realtor, seller and buyer during the offer process.

CRH combines a comprehensive, unbiased pre-listing home inspection and an 18-month warranty on the major home inspection blind spots with up to $20,000 worth of coverage. The warranty covers the repair and/or replacement of the foundation, roof and heating and cooling systems. For an additional fee, it also covers swimming pool equipment and septic tank systems.

CRH offers advantages to all three parties involved in the transaction: For the Realtor: • Differentiate your listing presentation • Enhance client satisfaction and generate referrals • Proactively take control and get in front of issues for your client • Provide a superior full-listing service listing experience • Close listings faster

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For the seller: • Differentiate the property to make it stand out • Get top dollar – faster • Provide detailed information on the home before listing to avoid surprises that can kill a deal • Remove the probability of a condition of sale and optimize purchase offers For the buyer: • Reduce anxiety and the “buyer beware” mentality • Build trust by offering more transparent information – FCT and AmeriSpec Inspection Services are impartial third parties • Potentially bypass offers conditional upon home inspection and buy their dream home This new service is currently being launched in Ontario with plans to expand in the near future. Pricing is $689 plus HST* and includes a full home inspection and coverage for the four standard items.

This brand new service leverages FCT’s core competencies of process optimization, risk management and customer experience.

FCT has been making financial transactions simple and secure for the last 25 years, and owning a home is the largest financial

transaction most Canadians will make. We have partnered with AmeriSpec Inspection Services because they are a leading Canadian home inspection company known for their high-quality home inspectors, a commitment to providing a superior inspection experience and digital reporting that is easy to understand and put into action. Together we bring trust, experience and credibility to the home buying process.

Agents who have been using CRH have been blown away by its game-changing benefits. In a business where full disclosure is an obligation, and client peace of mind critical to securing those invaluable referrals, why would you sell a home without it?

To learn more about Certified Resale Home and about the benefits for Realtors, sellers and buyers, visit thecertifiedresalehome.ca or contact us 1-855-640-1832. *Assumes standard inspection and warranty coverage. Optional swimming pool equipment coverage is an additional $30; optional septic tank system coverage is an additional $20. The warranty commences the day of the inspection, applies during the listing and transfers automatically to the buyer on closing. REP

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PEOPLE

AGENT PROFILE

Pay the man Ten years ago, Ferro Payman was a 15-year-old kid fleeing a broken Afghanistan with his family. He is now breaking records as one of the GTA’s most successful young agents

IN 2006, Ferro Payman, his mother and his father did something few others in Afghanistan were able to do: they got out. Coming to Toronto from Kabul, Payman’s family started from scratch. His parents’ professional accreditations did not carry over to their new home, meaning his father’s life as an engineer and his mother’s as a teacher were finished. Payman found himself in a very different culture armed with only a few English phrases cribbed from movies.

Far from being frightened by his new life, Payman dove in head first. He was soon at the top of his class and, reflecting on the transition, he says the most challenging part of coming to Canada was the weather. And even that wasn’t so bad. “With a couple of nice winter coats, you’ll be OK,” he says.

Payman’s optimism has served him well in the short time he has been selling for RE/MAX Infinite. At 24, he is one of the franchise’s many rising stars, an expert in the rapidly developing Vaughan-Kleinburg region of the GTA and an invaluable resource for his growing list of investment clients.

Payman broke into the industry at 21, but if his parents had not stepped in, he would have gotten started even earlier. He had initially been influenced by the agent who sold his family their first home; his freedom, variety of duties and ability to impact the lives of others had a life-changing effect on a teenage Payman.

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“Once I finished high school,” he says, “I told my parents I wanted to become a real estate agent and everyone was like, ‘No, you’re too young. You have to go to university first. After that you can do whatever you like.’ ” Payman enrolled at York University, where he studied business administration and marketing while working toward his real estate certification. Once he had his degree in hand, it was time to find a brokerage.

Payman’s friend working at RE/MAX Infinite suggested he give the company a shot.

Wanting to explore his options, he sat down with multiple brokerages before making a decision.

“I just didn’t see myself fitting in with most of them,” he says.

Payman says he found himself at odds with a number of the brokerages’ marketing strategies and the advanced age of most of the brokers he spoke to.

“I didn’t really connect with them on a personal level. When I sat down with Levon [Nazarian, owner of RE/MAX Infinite], I really saw myself working with him into the future.”

Despite feeling that he had found a home at Infinite, Payman says his first year was challenging. His lack of experience made attracting clients difficult, but as more and more of his properties began selling for tens of thousands of dollars over their asking prices, his reputation began to solidify.

“The minute you start breaking records in neighborhoods, you can really show that to your clients and say, ‘This person sold his house for this much, and I sold one with an identical layout and the exact same upgrades for $50,000 or $60,000 more.’ Clients really get impressed by that, especially when you build a portfolio in a couple of different neighborhoods.”

Payman attributes his success in fetching

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT One charity close to Ferro Payman’s heart is the Canadian Afghan Sports Association, a non-profit that brings together the GTA’s young Afghan population to celebrate life and community through sport. “All the kids playing soccer with their families creates a great atmosphere,” he says. CASA conducts their matches at the Hangar at Downsview Park, where last summer they hosted the first annual Nations Cup, one of Eastern Canada’s largest multicultural soccer tournaments. As many of CASA’s athletes came to Canada to escape the same violence and instability his own family fled in 2006, Payman takes pride in helping the organization give his young countrymen an opportunity to collaborate and experience togetherness in their new home.

FERRO PAYMAN FAST FACTS

“Honesty is the best route to take in this business. If a house is worth a million, you tell your client it’s worth a million, not a million-fifty or a million-sixty just to strike a deal”

HOMETOWN Kabul, Afghanistan

AGE 24

YEARS IN REAL ESTATE 3

MARKET Vaughan-Kleinburg

MARKET POPULATION 320,530

unheard of amounts for his listings to the massive effort he puts into his showings. He lists staging, partnering with the city’s finest photographers and putting on open houses that feel like celebrations as key differentiators.

“I have wine, cheese, pastries and coffee. It’s like a little neighborhood party, people coming together. That’s the atmosphere I set up.”

Helping his growing success is his dedication to being straightforward with clients.

“Honesty is the best route to take in this business. If a house is worth a million, you tell your client it’s worth a million, not a millionfifty or a million-sixty just to strike a deal. When you’re straight with a client, they trust you.”

That integrity can be traced back to Payman’s parents, whose hard work and dedication in building a new life in a new country left an indelible mark on their son. “They always told me to be ethical, to do the right thing.” REP

PROPERTIES SOLD IN 2016 60

BEST SALES PRICE-TO-ASKING PRICE PERFORMANCE 136%

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SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

TRAINING

SPONSOR PROFILE Dan Plowman Team Systems (DPTS) has been helping top producers create teams that dominate their marketplaces since 2008. Founded by Dan Plowman, the company was created as a way to duplicate the success of the Dan Plowman Team, which consistently outperforms the production of their closest marketplace competitor by more than double. DPTS has helped many individual agents, top teams and mega-teams across the country achieve unprecedented success. The company focuses on all aspects of real estate business training including: Individual Agent Training: • Lead Generation • Lead Conversion • Listing & Buyer Systems • Business Planning • Setting Visions, Values & Goals • Managing Time Effectively Team Building & Training (includes all the above plus): • Hiring & Recruiting • Compensation Structures • Retention • Building Teams Within Teams

The edge With the number of Realtors at an all-time high, survival depends on the ability to deliver. Hiring the right real estate coach is one of the most effective methods of improving an agent’s sales performance. Here are three industry leaders who can help transform your business 54

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DPTS also offers a series of Brokerage Training Courses that take place in your office and provide training on a broader level around strategies that can maximize both agent performance and the bottom line of the brokerage.

As one of the leaders in real estate coaching and training, DPTS brings innovative ideas and training to anyone who would like to build a real estate business that surpasses all expectations. Using proven systems that work in today’s industry, Dan and his team teach the same systems they use in their daily business. DPTS is current in this market and at the leading edge of our rapidly changing industry.

Visit their website at www.dpts.ca for more information on their systems and upcoming events.

CRAIG PROCTOR COACHING Newmarket, ON

leads, but all these leads are still coming to you cold. Most agents spend 85% of their time on trying to find customers. What if you could flip that, so you spend 85% of your time servicing paying clients?

What you need to understand is that the purpose of your marketing is not to promote yourself, but rather to attract your prospects … this is a big difference. The only reason you should run an ad is to get prospects to contact you. While this may sound selfevident, most agents don’t know how to do this, typically advertising two things that seem to make sense – themselves and their listings – while failing the ROI test.

In the ad system I teach, your focus is not on you, but rather on your prospects’ needs, so that your prospect is motivated into action on their own. By simply copying the ad system I teach – online/offline, social media, IDX; the medium doesn’t matter – my students have qualified prospects seeking them out and can inexpensively grow their businesses to high six- and seven-figure incomes while actually working fewer hours than the average agent.

TESTIMONIAL What Could You Do With 12 to 24 Solid Appointments Each and Every Month?

The truth about being an agent is that it is many jobs lumped under one umbrella. You may have gotten into this business thinking that being a real estate agent meant helping people with the most important purchase decision of their lives, and with hopeful thoughts about how good you’d feel (and how much you’d earn) each time you closed a transaction, but the fact is that there are dozens of hoops you must jump through first.

You have to generate qualified prospect leads, convert them to appointments and then line up against every other agent in town to pitch the business without discounting

your worth or inflating the list price.

Most agents struggle, not because they’re not great with people, unintelligent, unskilled at the technical parts of the business or because they don’t work hard.

They struggle because they can’t costefficiently find qualified prospects. And it all stops there. You can be the most ethical, experienced, hard-working real estate agent in your town, but if you don’t have enough customers, you’ll starve.

Many trainers push you to do more coldcalling and more open houses, beg your friends and family for more business, spend more money on ineffective advertising and work more hours. There are also plenty of companies now giving you the ability to “buy”

“Prior to implementing Craig Proctor’s system, our entire business model was expired/off market listings and cold calling. We were selling about 80 homes a year and working 24/7. Because of Craig, we’ve had great success in our career.

Last year we sold 176 homes and earned $1,834,000 in net income.

Domenic & Jody Manchisi, Milton, ON

Craig Proctor invented his real estate success system during his own, highly successful 22 year real estate career right here in Canada. Craig has created more Millionaire Agents than any other real estate coach or trainer in the world. To learn about free half-day Craig Proctor Discovery Days in your area, visit www.CopyMillionaireAgents.com

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SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

TRAINING

RICHARD ROBBINS INTERNATIONAL Markham, ON

How to Win In Real Estate with Richard Robbins When I started my career in sales, I was taught the most conventional sales strategy of all: outwork everyone else. For years, I did just that.

I was ambitious and I sold harder, worked harder and tried harder than my competition. I outran everyone, and it worked.

Despite my success, I began to wonder if there was a better way, if I could be successful and continue to grow each year without having to outrun everyone in the field. This realization set me on a path of discovery that allowed me to build a business that served the life I wanted to lead, rather than a business that ran my life.

Twenty years in, RRi continues to elevate the careers of thousands of agents, teams and brokers every single year. On my journey, I’ve seen a lot and understand what works and what doesn’t work in real estate. I’m excited to share five “business truths” that I use as the “north star” in my business daily, and that also form the foundation of our teachings at RRi. 1. Develop a Vision & Purpose Having a vision allows you to remember why you got into this business. Without a vision, your days will run you and you’ll find yourself reacting to every little thing that comes up. When you develop a

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vision and a purpose, you develop a guidance system that governs not only the big picture in your business but also the day-to-day actions.

Your decisions become very clear. Our coaches have been trained to start with creating a strong vision for every client they work with, as that is the foundation for a thriving business.

2. Innovation Must Never Stop The level of access we all have to information and technology has changed our expectations. Today, your customers expect a lot more from you. There is more competition and you have to work smarter to become the obvious agent of choice. You have no choice but to innovate. To me, innovation is having a constant focus, improving your offering and bringing distinct value to the marketplace.

You simply must become known for something that is unique to you and your business.

3. Deliver the Unexpected I can’t emphasize this one enough. I believe in it so much that it became the title of my book. What does delivering the unexpected mean? Simply put, it means having a high level of customer focus. I’m not talking about sending your clients flowers or hosting a client appreciation event. These are the norm today; the opposite of unexpected.

I’m talking about making real connections

with everyone you come into contact with. A simple way of achieving this is to become an astute listener. Sales people often talk too much and listen too little as they are so focused on what they are going to say next, rather than on what that person is saying. Turn that around and make all your conversations all about the other person.

Watch how easy it becomes for you to deliver the unexpected.

4. Develop Your Identity Communicating who you are, what you stand for in business and the distinct value you bring to the market is important. Your identity, when communicated clearly, will guide your internal team and drive choice in the marketplace. Your ideal clients, those who share your values, will begin to seek you out as a result.

How do you develop an identity? Through a discovery process that helps you identify the “gap” or value you will bring to the market, who you are as a business, what your core values are and how you will serve your market and your customers.

People will buy “who you are” more than they will buy “what you do”.

5. Stay Optimistic Optimism is a mindset that will carry you forward through times of uncertainty and allow you to emerge stronger and more hopeful than before. Owning a business is a responsibility and a commitment that requires a lot of us on a daily basis; but it also provides us with the freedom and ability to be better and do better each day.

Staying optimistic requires that you stay close to your “why”. For me, I’m a family man. The love of my family and my extended RRi family is what keeps me hopeful and looking to the future. Seeing so many people I care about achieving their dreams keeps me excited and moving forward.

For more information about Richard’s teachings and to attend an event visit www.richardrobbins.com. You can also purchase his thought-provoking book Deliver The Unexpected and start elevating your business and life today.

ADVERTORIAL

The #1 REASON agents fail business is certainly possible, regardless of whether you’re a brand new agent or have been in real estate for years, whether you’re a man or a woman, a solo agent or team, whether you live in the U.S. or Canada, and regardless of which franchise you’re with.

Each of the agents profiled credits the same real estate system as being responsible for their success: The Ultimate Real Estate Success System pioneered by Craig Proctor.

Not only is Proctor’s system responsible for more Millionaire Agents than any other real estate system, but Craig Proctor was a highly successful AGENT himself for more than 20 years. No one in Canada has sold more homes than Proctor has, and by sharing the system he used to achieve his own success, he’s been able to help over 30,000 agents worldwide to transform their real estate jobs into highly Read more about these successful agents at: MillionaireAgentStrategies.com lucrative real estate businesses.

This is the same system Proctor used himself in his own highly All of these agents credit successful real estate career right the same real estate system for creating their here in Canada. As you may know, success Len Marnie Francis Lavoie & Jonathan Eva Paul & Gillian he was twice named the #1 RE/ Wong Bennett Audrey Bien-Aime Lahey Lin Redman Years in Business: 25 Years 35 Years 12 Years 6 Years 2 Years 11 Years MAX agent in the world and was Marketplace: Calgary, AB Ottawa, ON Montreal, QC Potomac, MD Pasadena, CA Davenport, FL in the top 10 for RE/MAX InterFranchise: Re/MAX Independent Re/MAX Re/MAX Keller Williams Exit Realty “I’ve been using Craig “Real Estate had “Before I met Craig In 2010, using the When Eva started Results: (formerly Keller Williams) national for 15 years. In fact, for 6 Proctor in 2011, I had Craig Proctor System, two years ago, she Proctor’s system become stale for us. “Before I met Craig, I Francis and his wife had zero client base since 1997 (almost We’d plateaued at little business and was about to become years straight, no one listed or sold and partner, Audrey, and absolutely no 20 years) and my life around $100K GCI the #1 Agent for KW was NEVER sure Did you know that many where my next deal earned over $1 Mil- business whatsoever. is completely different and were looking for International, but truth more homes in the Greater Toronto of the top agents in the would come from. I lion Dollars GCI. They Prior to going out on because of what he’s a new challenge and be known, I had no world also credit their were only 26 years her own, she was an taught me. was facing foreclohow to improve our systems, no direction, Area than Proctor did. (Source: success to this system? sure on two rental old at the time. assistant for another “Before Craig, I was income. This seemed no lead generation TREB Statistics) homes I owned, had Every single year agent. impossible as we systems -- just “old doing around 60 • Bryan Pellican, #1 REO started bankruptcy since then, they have By implementing transactions a year. were maxed out on school” real estate.

Agent in NV If you do not have a clear, proceedings, and had achieved over $1 time. As Craig would But I had done my Proctor’s system from Last year I took 4 • Nathan Clark, #1 RE/ less than $100 in the Million Dollars in GCI, day one, Eva had no months off, worked say, we had a job and research and the detailed business system (key word, bank. hitting $2 Million GCI bad habits, and within only 35-40 hours a not a business.

MAX Agent in RI common denominator in 2015 and on track 12 months she did week and still did “Meeting Craig and of the most successful system) that you are using to move • Mariana Cowan (#1 with “The system Craig to do $3 Million dol- $361,000 in GCI. 340 sales . . . that’s learning his system agents in my market Coldwell Banker for GCI) shared with me methodically to your goals…a plan place was that they changed all that. Last lars in GCI in 2016. “I’ve never coached more than a home was mind blowing.

• Lester Cox, Top 5 for year I did $700k GCI Group Lavoie is cur- anyone who literally a day. This has Our volume of busi- were all Craig Proctor you could show a banker or investor Realty Executives (now and received the RE/ rently # 2 in Montreal, copied and pasted as multiplied my GCI by ness increases daily students.

Quebec and rose to well as Eva did,” said over 600% to about as our skills develop. “Within 3 years of independent) MAX Hall of Fame or new partner or key associate…a #14 in all of Canada Craig Proctor Coach, $2,000,000.00. award.

The best part is that using Craig’s system, • Willie Miranda, #1 last year (2016). you do not need to I was making annual plan you have reasoned, complete “Craig’s systems “This year we’ll easily Jay Macklin. “That’s Independent, Albany , NY create ANYTHING. GCI of $6.6 million.

Audrey Bien-Aime do over $1 Million the whole mantra of have been proven confidence in, then why wouldn’t • Francois Mackay, #1 in GCI even though I was recognized in You just copy, rinse I have my own bousuccessful by this system, that if tique brokerage, own Montreal in Transactions work only 5 days a Real Estate Profes- you can copy, you thousands of agents and repeat. Within you examine Proctor’s Ultimate a beautiful heritage a few months our from right across week and take lots sional Magazine as can succeed.”

• Steven Blackwood, #1 business was up 50% office building downone of the top 100 Eva is proof positive the continent. Why Real Estate Success System – free?

Agent in Little Rock , AR of vacations (I took Women who are town, and have 40 and will more than reinvent the wheel 6 weeks off last year of that. people on my team. shaping the future • Pat Garrity, Millionaire to visit Indonesia, when Craig already double next year.”

For a limited time, you can do I could never have of the real estate Agent, Trillant Realty, the Bahamas and has something so done this without industry. exactly this by attending Proctor’s Alberta Singapore.)” successful?”

Craig’s system.” upcoming Free Discovery Day. You M I L L I O N A I R E A G E N T- M A K E R D I S C O V E RY D AY can get more information or register Full City Schedule at: www. .com at MillionaireAgentStrategies.com IRONICALLY, the number one reason real estate agents fail has little to do with how good they are at the technical parts of the business, or their work ethic or people skills. In fact, great agents fail and are forced out of the business every day, and it’s simply because they don’t have a real business system. So for the average real estate agent, every day basically consists of chasing prospects and putting out fires.

If you don’t have a real business system, you don’t really have a business at all. What you have instead is a “job”, and for many, it’s a really horrible job: one that consumes your time, keeps you away from friends and family, and doesn’t pay very well.

The fact is that agents leave our industry in droves, not because they’re not great at working with clients, but because

they simply can’t make the business work.

They don’t have enough leads, they don’t find enough time to properly follow up and thus convert their leads, they don’t know exactly why they win or lose a listing. Even though they work very hard, too much is left to chance. Trying to “do it all” without a clear understanding of what works and what doesn’t ultimately becomes the trap that swallows them.

A profitable and “real” business MUST be based on a solid system. In real estate, that means a system to generate leads, a system to convert those leads to face to face appointments, and a system to convert qualified prospects into paying clients (both buyers and sellers).

As revealed in the profiles on this page, creating a highly profitable real estate

MillionaireAgentStrategies

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SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

TRAINING

DAN PLOWMAN TRAINING SYSTEMS Toronto, ON

working and those that have fallen by the wayside or become irrelevant.

PointOne includes four modules consisting of business fundamentals, winning strategies, creative exercises, role modelling, action plans and so much more. The four modules are: • Marketing for Lead Generation • Speaking the Top Producer Language • Designing the Business Fundamentals • Creating the Winning Buyer System What PointOne is: • A road map to becoming a top producer • A guide for creating a highly profitable business • A solution to breakthrough to the next level in real estate sales

DPTS is very excited to announce the creation of PointOne – Business Systems for Real Estate Agents. PointOne is a comprehensive online training series for real estate agents who are serious about building a business and creating sustainable long-term success in the industry.

Statistics in our industry show that a vast majority of agents are doing fewer than five deals a year. Yes, this includes a lot of part-time agents and agents who are new to the business, however the reality is a majority of agents are failing.

This industry poses a multitude of challenges and unless you can find someone with the time to mentor you and teach you the business systems for success, you are often alone, lost and frustrated.

This is the reason I decided to invest my time and money to create PointOne. I wanted to create a program that is cost-effective and widely available to agents across North America.

I wanted to include complete systems, not just the highlights or tips and tricks. My ultimate goal is to teach more agents to create profitable, sustainable businesses so that they qualify to build team systems. I found my freedom and my success with team systems and as my legacy I want to see more and more agents building successful, profitable teams. I want to see more

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agents enjoying the work-life balance that I have mastered with team systems.

I believe there are some valuable programs for real estate agents online now, but you need to purchase a multitude of them to gain the knowledge, insights and strategies that we present in the PointOne program. Also, when you mix and match various programs, you are no longer learning a system, you are learning pieces of other people’s systems. As you know, you can’t duplicate a system if you don’t have all the pieces.

With PointOne you will get the pieces, it is up to you to build the puzzle or be the business. If you choose to build it you will have the pieces to create a long-term, successful real estate business.

PointOne offers a unique strategic advantage over other programs: it has been built by myself and my team, all active agents in today’s market.

My team runs these systems day in and day out to consistently sell over 400 homes each and every year. A vast number of programs are offered by coaches that have never approached the success that my team has consistently achieved; and many of the coaches offering programs today are no longer in the industry and have not been for years. Being in the field, you know our industry is constantly evolving. It’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest strategies that are

What PointOne is not: • A theoretical self-study program It’s complete with real-time strategies, powerful exercises and action plans to build your business now.

• A random list of tips and tricks It’s a business system to create long-term, sustainable, predictable income in real estate.

• A “try it and see what happens” program The systems that we teach you are tried, tested and proven to get you to the top 0.1% of the industry. That’s where my team is and that’s where I want you to be. In this program, select key members of my team will join me in teaching you the systems we use to sell over 400 homes a year.

TESTIMONIAL “I was able to use PointOne training to ensure my success. My first year goal was $100,000. Because I followed the PointOne training, and I mean followed it to a “T”, I was able to make $160,000 after expenses in my first year. Thank you, PointOne!” Gino Spagnuolo

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SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

STRATEGY

Motivate to renovate Many sellers have an inflated view of their homes’ worth. Here are five renovations that can bring expectation more in line with reality

THE SPRING selling season is here. Agents looking to stand above the fray need to provide their clients with forward-thinking service and generate top dollar for their properties. One way a Realtor can achieve both goals is by encouraging clients to renovate their properties.

Many first-time buyers don’t know that not all agents are renovation experts, and telling a client to complete a renovation project before listing their home is essentially asking them to multiply their stress tenfold. But developing and demonstrating expertise around renovations will show your clients the care and respect they deserve and should, eventually, make the selling

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process less stressful by reducing selling time and increasing sales prices.

Here are five sure-fire ways to get clients the most for their properties: 1. Update the flooring First, your sellers need to remove any outdated carpeting and replace it with either laminate, hardwood flooring or ceramic tiles. These surfaces are easier to clean and are helpful for people who have allergies. Also, buyers are specifically looking for updated flooring when they evaluate a potential home.

2. Install new fixtures and hardware If fixtures and hardware are not replaced, they

can really date a property and make it appear as if it has not been maintained. Sellers should consider replacing any doorknobs or handles that have become dull through use. Cabinet hardware as well as bathroom and lighting fixtures should also be updated. These items are easy to replace and fairly inexpensive. You will get a great return on investment for not a lot of money.

3. Brighten the bathrooms If your client does choose to do a bathroom upgrade, it is often worth the money because it’s considered the second most important room in the house.

Upgrades can include new tiles and grouting, new faucets and hardware and upgraded cabinets and cupboards. For sellers not wanting to shell out big dollars, a new coat of paint goes a long way.

4. Kitchen cache This is the most valuable room in the house, but your clients don’t need to spend a fortune in order to make it look spectacular. Simple add-ons, such as a deluxe faucet, cabinet door hardware, upgraded appliances, new lighting or adding a backsplash can help jazz up a kitchen’s appearance and its functionality. Clients can also rebuild standard cabinetry at half the price compared to fashioning custom cabinets or using expensive materials.

5. Suite-en the deal Depending on the city or municipality, if the neighbourhood allows for income suites, your clients could potentially add 150-160% worth of equity into their home by putting in an extra suite. An admittedly substantial renovation, adding a suite will allow the new owner to potentially receive additional income through a tenant, a major factor in why, depending on the specific market or city, demand for double unit homes can rise by more than 25%.

While not every client will be amenable to taking on the costs of the more extensive renovations listed here, a few simple upgrades can greatly improve a home’s overall attractiveness, increasing the chances of it selling quickly for a sum your seller will be happy with. REP For more information, please contact the nationwide experts at Pillar To Post Home Inspectors – www.pillartopost.com

SPECIAL PROMOTION FEATURE

INSIGHT

Optimism abounds Leading Real Estate Companies of the World explains why agents should be bullish on the North American housing market in 2017 2017 OWNER/BROKER PREDICTIONS

92%

97%

35%

Expect an increase in sales

Expect an increase in price point

Anticipate an increase in foreign buyers/investors Source: Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Market Pulse Broker/Owner Survey, March 2017

WHEN NEARLY 200 owners and CEOs of leading brokerages gathered at the Principals Breakfast held during the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World conference in Miami recently, the group expressed high optimism when surveyed about the 2017 housing market.

Over a third of the broker/owners expect an increase in foreign buyers and investors. China still tops the list of countries most likely to attract buyers to international real estate.

When asked to identify what amenities generate the most interest from today’s buyers,

“When asked to identify what amenities generate the most interest from today’s buyers, the broker/owners focused on open living plans, smart home technology and updated kitchens, as well as walkability and other lifestyle features” A positive outlook is pervasive among this brokerage community, with 92% of respondents expecting an increase in sales this year and 97% anticipating an increase in home prices, with an average expected price increase of 7% overall (predictions ranged from 2% -20%).

the broker/owners focused on open living plans, smart home technology and updated kitchens, as well as walkability and other lifestyle features.

Green amenities were also cited, with an increased interest in solar energy and other sustainable living features. Another common

theme is the demand for homes that are move-in ready, requiring little or no updates.

While these features are highly desired, some brokers find that buyers are willing to compromise due to the limited inventory in many markets.

The broker/owners were surveyed to provide a quick pulse on the market, according to Leading Real Estate Companies of the World President/CEO Pam O’Connor.

“While we had so many real estate leaders gathered in one room, we wanted to get a sense of what they were feeling in their local markets.

As expected, the outlook is almost universally positive, which, of course, bodes well for the real estate market as a whole,” O’Connor said. REP Leading Real Estate Companies of the World is a selective global community of the highest quality independent real estate companies, with over 550 companies and 130,000 sales associates spanning six continents. If you are a leader of an independent residential real estate company and would like to learn more about membership, contact Sheila Barr: sbarr@ LeadingRE.com or 1-312-361-8632. Or, visit LeadingRE.com. www.LeadingRE.com

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PEOPLE

CAREER PATH

AGENT OF CHANGE With 60,000 transactions and $24bn in revenues under his belt, Mark Cohen has also reshaped an industry and a city

1981

1982

CHOOSES REAL ESTATE OVER LAW SCHOOL

JOINS BRAMALEA His gift of the gab results in Mark becoming the leasing agent for some rental buildings Bramalea has built, before a new fashion in real estate results in a new direction.

“Something new came to Canada – the condominium. I got my real estate licence and started selling condos; but I really wanted to get into management. I wanted to learn about design and marketing. While I was sales manager, I mastered that pretty quickly despite my youth.”

1994

HAS A HAND IN 4,000 SALES Moving on to long-standing condo builder and family company Menkes Developments, Mark oversees the sale of more than 4,000 condominiums over the course of five years, while also reconnecting the brand to its past.

“In addition to handling the condo projects, I brought Menkes back into the low-rise housing business; that was fun to take someone back to the place they used to be.”

2004 RECOGNIZED FOR A LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT In a reversal of his trajectory at Menkes, Mark joins Tribute Communities, at the time the country’s second-largest housebuilder, and brings them into condos, where the company is now a force to be reckoned with. During this time (2006) Mark is awarded the GTHBA’s Riley Brethour award.

“That’s a standout award; it’s effectively a lifetime achievement award.”

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The North York boy, degree in hand, and with thoughts of pursuing law as a career in his head is moved into real estate development via an unexpected source, when it turns out his grandfather’s cottage is two doors down from the home of a senior executive at Bramalea Limited.

“There were only three big players in condos at the time, and Bramalea was one. It was a small percentage of the market in Toronto.”

1988

CHANGES THE GAME; CHANGES IT AGAIN As Mark’s career with Bramalea goes from strength to strength and he pushes such initiatives as opening offices in Hong Kong, he becomes integral in the marketing of the Renaissance Plaza in downtown Toronto – a project distinguished by becoming the first condominium in the city to achieve $300 per square foot pricing. Also on this project Mark introduces the game-changing concept of outside broker co-operation from the outset for a presale project, which is now standard.

“That changed the world.”

1999 BUILDS A CITY WITHIN A CITY A piece of derelict land beside the Rogers Centre becomes the largest master-planned community in Toronto and in its turn reshapes downtown from a place to work, to a place to live.

“It was an opportunity to build a city within a city. I was honoured to be the chosen one; there will never be one that large again. It was 20 buildings and 8,000-odd units. It taught me to think big.”

2007 CO-FOUNDS THE CONDO STORE MARKETING SYSTEMS At the top of his field, Mark contemplates the 25 years past and the 25 to come and asks himself, “What’s going to be fun?” The answer is to open The Condo Store, which 10 years later has projects all over Toronto.

“I’ve done everything; I’m spoiled. I learned long ago, you’re as good as your people. I want my people to be smarter than me; to be better than me.

I demand no respect, but I command a tonne.”

PEOPLE

OTHER LIFE

YOGA FOR LIFE When she’s not selling Toronto real estate, you can find Carolina Carvalho stretching her body to calm her mind

TELL US ABOUT YOUR OTHER LIFE Email repmag@kmimedia.ca

WHEN CAROLINA Carvalho was brought along to her first ever yoga class in her native Brazil by her mom over 17 years ago, the now Toronto-based real estate representative could not have known the impact the activity was to have on her life.

Most important at the time was what the then-student in the midst of a period of personal refiguring found in the practice beyond the physical: “It helped ground me. I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life; it lent clarity.”

Since then yoga has become a major

25

poses in a class of Hatha, Hatha flow or Vinyasa yoga

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part of Carolina’s life: indeed we speak the night before she flies to Mexico for one of the bi-annual yoga retreats she incorporates into her life alongside quarterly weekend retreats, and a packed schedule that includes teaching both privately and classes at two Toronto studios.

“Yoga helps me remember who I am in my essence. Sometimes it’s easy to lose yourself a little bit. There are so many expectations and people telling you what to do, so I like to ground myself on a daily basis.”

10

years Carolina has been a professional yoga teacher

15

hours per week Carolina teaches

PEOPLE

Regional Opportunities

OTHER LIFE

TELL US ABOUT YOUR OTHER LIFE E-mail: repmag@kmimedia.ca

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