2013 Leading Edge Magazine | Royal LePage

2013

Royal LePage

leading edge

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A N N I V E R S A R Y

www.royallepage.ca

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Royal LePage

Red Market Royal LePage’s official online store

Your trusted source for Royal LePage branded promotional products, client gifts, office supplies, apparel and other merchandise.

Thousands of Royal LePagers use these branded products to promote and build their businesses, motivate their buyers and reward loyal clients.

This year, our centennial, offers a unique opportunity to also showcase the strength of the brand and our enduring success through the 100-year anniversary collection.

You’ll find a wide range of high-value items in the Royal LePage Red Market.

Take a look.

Shop the Royal LePage Red Market today!

A portion of your sale supports the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. marketing.rlpnetwork.com/rm or 1.877.387.7226 ext. 237

Top 3 Reasons to Shop the Red Market 1. Promote your brand. Most merchandise can be personalized with your name and contact information to promote your personal business.

2. Now enjoy 25 to 40 per cent off UPS’s published shipping rates. Save even more by combining orders with others in your office. All in-stock orders are shipped within 24 to 48 hours.

3. Get what you need, when you need it. If you don’t see it on The Red Market, we can source it for you and provide a competitive quote at no cost. The Red Market is your one-stop shop for all your promotional needs.

Table of contents 2 4 6

Message from the President Royal LePage — 100 Years of Helping You Home Four traits of today’s consumer New technologies are changing consumer habits — and expectations Commercial by Royal LePage continues to grow In only six months, it has grown by over 50 per cent* *Based on the number of participating agents at the time of production.

8 9 10 12 14 16 18

Do you have clients looking for property in India?

Royal LePage partners with Godrej Properties to offer investment opportunities in India Royal LePage Customer Care team is here for you!

The seven most commonly-asked questions Training to keep you ahead of the crowd Innovative tools, programs and workshops to help you succeed Clients care about being green Find out how energy efficiency is impacting home sales Royal LePage events — the best in the industry Offering you the opportunity to network, learn from and share ideas with some of the best in the industry The signs of our success have been around for 100 years.

Build your brand with the Marketing Centre Access to hundreds of designs at your fingertips

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Working to put an end to family violence The Shelter Foundation harnesses the goodwill of Royal LePagers coast to coast Reaching the digital consumer Innovating through technology

How much can they afford?

You can provide greater insights around affordability Your Advisory Council Brokers from across Canada provide valuable insights An easier way to become social Innovative new service capitalizes on sharing power Understanding appraisals Some lenders require an appraisal to provide mortgage financing Impressing clients every step of the way Showcase your unique value The Royal LePage House Price Survey The go-to source on pricing trends across Canada since 1974 Leadership through the decades

Our preferred partners and suppliers bring additional value to you!

Negotiating on your behalf, Royal LePage leverages our national scale

Leading Edge Magazine is published annually by Royal LePage Canada, 39 Wynford Drive, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3C 3K5.

Please contact us by email at marketing@royallepage.ca or by telephone at 416.510.5800.

Contributors: Jill Bentham, David Bradshaw, Brian Buffini, Patricia Burton, Carolyn Cheng, Tammy Gilmer, Jocelynne Haslett, Chris Leader, Fred Lee, Trea MacPherson, Kelly McCain, Christine Nattrass, Melissa Santiago, Kiki Sauriol-Roode, Phil Soper, Jenny Spahn, Shanan Spencer-Brown, Meera Trivedi, Phil West, Mike Wrobel.

All Royal LePage products and services are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, please visit www.rlpnetwork.com or www.royallepage.ca © 2013 Brookfield Real Estate Services Inc.

2013 | Royal LePage Leading Edge | 1

Message from the President Royal LePage – 100 Years of Helping You Home One hundred years of helping you home. These seven simple words convey much about us and about our great company: enduring success; a client-centric culture that puts the needs of those we serve ahead of our own; and the importance of family and community.

I recently introduced this as the theme of our 2013 centennial celebrations to an animated gathering of the Royal LePage faithful at our national conference in Vancouver. As we enter our 100th year as Canada’s real estate company, this is the foundation upon which Royal LePage continues to grow and flourish in a rapidly changing industry and world.

Celebrating 100 Over the coming year, we will chronicle the contributions of the many who have stepped before us to create our iconic Canadian brand. We will have an opportunity to reflect, to highlight the expansion of the company through its middle years, take an honest look at how Royal LePage stumbled and could have perished – before reinventing itself and embarking on the strongest period of growth in company history over the past decade. This is our time to celebrate our successes, crystallize in our own minds what makes us so different, and build upon a wave of collective confidence.

Our centennial celebrations will include consumer and agent contests, gala celebrations at our awards events, and festivities nationwide. Newly produced videos will reflect on our rich past and look ahead to the challenges to come; public relations programs will use our place as the ‘voice of Canadian real estate’ to share our stories and insight into the changing world of real estate brokerage; and trade advertising programs will feature pride pieces aimed at key target audiences. We will even publish a book chronicling the past ten decades.

Driven to be better For me, our 100th anniversary is a time for personal reflection. The fall of 2012 coincides with my 10th year as President of Royal LePage. I feel tremendously fortunate to have been part of one of Canada’s great companies for the last decade, for both the triumphs and the challenges.

It has been a period of tremendous prosperity for the Royal LePage family, but also an unsettled time for our industry as Realtors® grapple with new competitors and the changing demands of the marketplace.

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New technologies have helped us do our jobs more quickly and efficiently and they have opened doors for consumers to take a more active role in the process of buying and selling property. Many view this as a doubleedged sword. An educated, empowered client is more prone to ask tough questions about the value that their advisor provides.

I see this as a great opportunity for Royal LePage professionals to develop their skills and leverage the resources the company provides them, in order to differentiate themselves from the thousands of agents in this country who will simply not survive the transformation.

Very few organizations last more than a generation, let alone one hundred years. Show me a company that has stood the test of time and I will show you a firm with innovation woven into its DNA; an organization that attracts people who thrive on taking risks, people driven to make things better.

Shoot the puck Recent years have seen Royal LePage take many chances on new ideas and new technologies. www.royallepage.ca was Canada’s first national real estate portal – initially scoffed at by competitors and some of our own alike as a colossal waste of time and money. A few years later, we became the first company to build an online integrated marketing centre where our agents could create their own customized and branded sales material, twenty-four hours a day.

Of course, risk takers get the occasional bloody nose. Not everything we have tried worked – remember HomeLink? An idea ahead of its time, perhaps. What I do know is that if you never shoot the puck, you never score.

Thanks to all who are willing to be ‘early adopters’ as we push boundaries in search of tomorrow’s great differentiating tools and services.

Luckily, most of our carefully considered initiatives bear fruit. The Royal LePage ‘Neighbourhood Navigator’ service redefined the way Canadian consumers research and learn about the communities they wish to consider their own. Mobile technology we launched in 2011, which featured such innovations as GPS enabled “Info+” flagged listings and won a prestigious international technology and design award.

Show me a company that has stood the test of time and I will show you a firm with innovation woven into its DNA.

You’ll love our neighbourhood (data) Looking ahead to 2013, you will see amazingly innovative thinking come to life. Royal LePage web and mobile platforms will feature consumer search technology including neighbourhood ‘heat maps’ that glow with exciting property information unavailable elsewhere.

New client management tools will let you generate leads from online sources like never before, and track them with relative ease.

Today’s consumer takes more time to understand the real estate market before contemplating which agent they would like to work with. Twenty years ago, consumers would do their own research for about four weeks before contacting an agent. Today, they sail solo for an average of sixteen weeks, searching for neighbourhood, school and other local information. There is a clear competitive advantage to being the company that provides homeowners with the tools they need to make more informed decisions.

We intend to present neighbourhood-level market insight online in an easy to use format, for users of both traditional and mobile devices. This will include information

that matters to consumers, including illustrative charts showing neighbourhood property characteristics, people demographics such as typical languages spoken, and education levels and points of interest such as schools, shopping, hospitals and places of worship.

The year ahead will be a special one for the company and for you. The challenges are immense. It is a scary, ever-changing world – but it is a world full of opportunity for the brave and industrious. The character of our company is on display each day. Your spirit, integrity and commitment to service excellence, and your love of this industry, serve to differentiate Royal LePage from the competition.

Thank you for joining us on this amazing journey as we set out to write the stories of our great firm’s second century.

Phil Soper is the President and Chief Executive of Royal LePage Real Estate Services and can be reached at president@royallepage.ca.

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Four traits of today’s consumers New technologies are changing consumer habits — and expectations Catching the attention of consumers is tougher than ever before. While core marketing principles still apply, your marketing strategy must reach an increasingly fragmented market of distracted consumers. Here are four important trends you want to incorporate into your marketing and business plans.

Mobile, mobile, mobile – and tablets.

New data indicates consumers love using their mobiles and tablets to research products, check reviews and make purchases. The days of browsing on a desktop PC are dwindling. Yet too many web experiences remain formatted for large-screens, mouse navigation and full-sized keyboards.

According to media research (via Emarketer.com), 80 per cent of consumers who own tablets use them to research and shop. This means businesses must specifically format messaging for finger-tapping tablet users. Remember, consumers use tablets before they visit in person, but also expect to use them in person, too. Is your website optimized for those consumers?

Social networks are for socializing.

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A survey from Greenlight, a search engine marketing firm, reports that nearly 44 per cent of people have never clicked an ad or a sponsored story

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on Facebook, and; another 31 per cent rarely did. It’s obvious that content drives engagement socially. Since the majority of a brand’s social fans (84 per cent) are existing customers (Nielsen, 2011), driving loyalty and referrals doesn’t need online ads so much as it needs a good online conversation.

Video created for on-the-go.

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Even with cellular data becoming more costly, consumer demand for mobile data increases annually. Cisco’s latest report shows wildly escalating numbers: mobile data usage more than doubled for the fourth year in a row to nearly eight times the size of the Internet in 2000. Mobile video traffic reached 52 per cent of all traffic for the first time ever. Cisco expects more than 100 million Smartphone users to consume more than one gigabyte of data per month by the end of 2012. Nearly two-thirds of all mobile traffic will be video by 2016. You get the picture: video consumption is exploding – but it’s doing so on the “thirdscreen.” Even allowing for tablet growth, Smartphones dominate mobile video. Marketers must rethink the size of the visual canvas if they want video to be effective tomorrow.

Saying you offer an 800-number for customer service is like asking customers to wait two to four weeks for delivery. Tweet it – or lose customers.

Bye-bye waiting; hello customer satisfaction Leaving a voice mail is like asking someone for a stamp.

Where have you been sleeping? Same for wading through auto-attendants or waiting on hold for customer support. Enter text messaging and Twitter. Customers get a live response faster than phone, email or self-serve web for quick questions such as: is cable Internet out,

is my plane delayed, and is my dental appointment confirmed? Saying you offer an 800-number for customer service is like asking customers to wait two to four weeks for delivery. Tweet it – or lose customers.

As today’s consumers take full advantage of our ever-expanding universe of technological advances, earning your share of the market will depend upon how well you integrate these, and future trends.

Brian Buffini is Founder and CEO of Buffini & Company, headquartered in San Diego. Buffini & Company is the largest real estate training and coaching company in North America.

He can be reached at www.buffiniandcompany.com

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Commercial by Royal LePage continues to grow In only six months, it has grown by over 50 per cent* Royal LePage helped pioneer the growth and development of commercial real estate in Canada. Our long and storied history of commercial real estate business goes back as far as A.E. LePage himself (see timeline below). The A.E. LePage company and subsequently Royal LePage innovated to service the specific needs of buyers and sellers of commercial real estate across the country, achieving many notable successes. By 2005, Royal LePage Commercial was the leading full-service commercial real estate firm in Canada with over 520 employees before it was acquired by Cushman & Wakefield.

Since that time, commercial practitioners at Royal LePage offices across the country have continued to deliver outstanding service to buyers and sellers of commercial real estate. And in April, 2012, Royal LePage proudly launched Commercial by Royal LePage, a program specifically designed to help support these specialized professionals within our sizeable network. By the end of 2012, the Commercial by Royal LePage network had grown by well over 50 per cent, to include no fewer than 250 participants nationally.

Our history of leadership in commercial real estate gives meaningful vision to today’s national network of dedicated commercial real estate professionals. Quality representation, a culture of collaboration and leading-edge marketing and promotional resources combine to help us fulfil – and exceed – client expectations.

Quality associates Criteria for knowledge, experience and performance achievement give participants the confidence of knowing their peers reinforce the excellent reputation they’ve worked hard to establish. For new commercial agents who aspire to meet the criteria, local mentorship

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Our leadership heritage A.E. LePage founds his real estate company, at the age of 26. In the following decade, he helps to found the Toronto Real Estate Board.

1913

A.E. LePage builds a bungalow in a single day garnering national media attention and seeding future land development and home building pursuits.

1922 1940

A dedicated commercial department is formed, engaging in land and industrial development, commercial construction, and home building.

1950s 1957

A.E. LePage creates one of Toronto’s first subdivisions by dividing Lady Eaton’s Ardwold estate into 30 lots, some of which are sold for an unprecedented $100,000 each.

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The company orchestrates one of the most complex real estate deals in Toronto to date, assembling land for the construction of the $125 million Toronto-Dominion Centre.

opportunities can often be coordinated. Clients benefit from quality representation they can rely upon in both urban centres and smaller markets.

Networking opportunities

cards, letterhead, and presentation templates. A program brochure helps participants win clients and customized property brochures help them to close business.

Preferred partnerships

Participants leverage our collective strength to build their own business and share referral opportunities.

Both live and on-demand resources help participants identify, learn from and network with their peers. These resources include online forums where information and best practices are shared, dedicated learning sessions, and events at our National Sales Conference.

Destination website The leading-edge Commercial website, www.royallepagecommercial.com, is easy to navigate and is visually compelling attracting both prospective clients and the industry. The site auto-populates ICX listings and also features participants’ exclusive listings.

And, the unique ‘Properties Wanted’ feature helps participants connect more buyers and sellers.

Participants benefit from the collective strength of our commercial network to access professional development, information, resources and exclusive benefits not found anywhere else.

Future innovation Commercial by Royal LePage continues to innovate and develop the program’s service offering. From carving out a unique public relations niche to launching new partnerships and services, Commercial by Royal LePage is just getting started.

Ask your local Royal LePage Broker for more information on our unique value proposition and how Commercial by Royal LePage can help your business grow.

Marketing finesse

www.royallepagecommercial.com/about-us

A strong, professional image is effortlessly projected thanks to our personalized marketing resources that feature our distinctive branding on signage, business

*Based on the number of participating agents at the time of production.

©iStockphoto.com/buzbuzzer

©iStockphoto.com/Greg Epperson

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The company expands nationally and adds new commercial services such as shopping centre consulting, property management and leasing in and around Toronto.

1970s

1984 A.E. LePage and Royal Trust merge in October, and the company is renamed Royal LePage.

Royal LePage offers commercial clients a suite of leading edge services and support from a national network of dedicated, quality practitioners.

2000s

Today

Royal LePage Commercial grows to become Canada’s leading fullservice commercial real estate firm with 520 employees and, in 2005, is acquired by Cushman & Wakefield Inc.

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Do you have clients looking for property in India?

Royal LePage partners with Godrej Properties to offer investment opportunities in India Godrej Properties offers select Royal LePage clients access to quality apartment and villa developments across India.

Royal LePage announced this summer its partnership with Godrej Properties Limited. The program helps Non-Resident Indians living in Canada to invest in India’s growing real estate market.

“Godrej Properties is a subsidiary of Godrej Group, a well known and trusted organization in India with 116 years of experience,” said Phil Soper, president and chief executive, Royal LePage.

“We are excited about leveraging their experience to the benefit of our network and Non-Resident Indian clients.”

“It is important for Godrej Properties to have a strong and experienced partner to extend our project portfolio to Canada.” said Pirojsha Godrej, Managing Director and CEO, Godrej Properties.

“Royal LePage’s trusted name and national reach made them our preferred choice. This partnership will help us connect with the Indian community across Canada.”

India is known for its rich cultural heritage as well as its economic strength. At approximately $1.7 trillion in GDP (USD), India has sustained 20 years of strong economic growth. As buyers continue to look for global real estate opportunities, it is expected that demand in India will increase strongly.

Royal LePage’s trusted name and national reach made them our preferred choice.

In addition to several completed landmark projects, Godrej Properties Limited is currently developing significant projects in 12 cities across India including Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata offering luxurious living spaces with world class amenities.

Godrej Properties Limited has received several recognitions for its processes and performance which include receiving the Best Emerging National Developer award at the Zee Business – RICS Real Estate Awards 2011.

Godrej Properties Limited was also featured as the #1 ranked real estate developer for three consecutive years in India’s Best Companies to Work For survey, conducted by The Economic Times and The Great Place To Work Institute. Godrej Properties Limited has been featured for six consecutive years as one of India’s Top 10 Builders by Construction World magazine.

“Royal LePage is committed to exploring new ways to provide excellent service, meet evolving client demands and create new opportunities,” Soper added. “Our partnership with Godrej Properties provides Non-Resident Indians easier access to new opportunities while working with a trusted Royal LePage agent.”

For more information, email godrej@royallepage.ca.

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Royal LePage Customer Care team is here for you!

The seven most commonly-asked questions At the Royal LePage Customer Care Centre, we handle an average of 2,100 phone and email enquiries every month. While some of these are unique questions or requests for information about specific situations, many of them are about issues common to many Royal LePage professionals. To assist you to work as efficiently as possible, here’s a list of the top seven most frequently asked questions – and answers – to get you on your way.

5.

How do I access the Royal LePage University (RLPU)?

The RLPU is easily accessed from within the rlpNetwork. Click on the Realtors® tab, then on ‘Increase Your Skills’, then ‘RLP University’ and finally on the button reading ‘Access RLP University’.

If you have any trouble accessing your course, you can contact RLPU support at 1-888-546-7704.

6.

How do I access the Canada Post Unaddressed Admail tool?

This tool is available in the rlpNetwork, right on the Home tab. Look to the top of the page and click on ‘Suppliers’, then ‘Unaddressed Admail’ and finally on the button ‘Create My Order’. This will launch you into the Canada Post Express Order Entry system to create your order.

7.

How do I access the Marketing Centre?

The Marketing Centre is accessible on the rlpNetwork by clicking on the Realtors® tab, then on ‘Marketing Centre’ and finally on the button ‘Access Marketing Centre’. This will launch the Marketing Centre in a new window.

Of course, if you have any further questions or concerns, you can always reach us by phone at 1-877-757-4545 or by email at help@royallepage.ca.

1.

How can I change my password and/or set up answers to my security questions?

Both of these functions are found in the same place on the rlpNetwork. Once logged in, just click on the Help tab, then on ‘Account Settings’. There you will see two options, ‘Update Password’ and ‘Update Security Questions and Answers’. Having your security questions set up will ensure you don’t need to contact Customer Care if you ever forget your password.

2.

How do my listings get on www.royallepage.ca?

Your listings are loaded in your local Board’s system, then uploaded to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) to be placed on www.realtor.ca.

Once the listings are there, they are then uploaded to www.royallepage.ca. This process typically takes 24 to 36 hours after the listing is visible on www.realtor.ca.

3.

Can my @royallepage.ca email be forwarded to another email address?

No, for several reasons email forwarding is not supported by policy. However, we can assist you in configuring your smartphone and/or the email software on your computer to pick up your royallepage.ca emails. If you use a web-based email service, such as Hotmail or Gmail, for instance, we can also assist you in configuring your account to retrieve your royallepage.ca messages from those accounts.

4.

Can I pick up my royallepage.ca messages on my smartphone and/or tablet?

Absolutely! We can definitely assist you in configuring your BlackBerry, iPhone or Android smartphone to enable you to send and receive mail from your royallepage.ca account.

Questions or concerns?

Please don’t hesitate to call or email the Royal LePage Customer Care Centre, at 1-877-757-4545 or help@royallepage.ca. Business Hours: 9 am to 6 pm EST, Monday to Friday.

During normal business hours we will make every effort to answer all incoming calls immediately. If all staff are busy, or you call outside normal business hours, your call will be routed to voice mail. All calls routed to voice mail will be logged into our call tracking system and returned as soon as possible. Our goal is to respond to your voice and e-mail messages within 24 to 48 hours. We look forward to helping you.

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Training to keep you ahead of the crowd Innovative tools, programs and workshops to help you succeed This year, Royal LePage celebrates 100 years as a leader in Canadian real estate; and 100 years of innovation within the industry. Prior to practising real estate, our founder, A.E. LePage, took correspondence courses in salesmanship, advertising and journalism, all of which were evident in the way he ran his business. Mr. LePage also understood the importance of educating others; he was a great believer in the teachings of Dale Carnegie and gave Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People to every salesperson who worked for him.

This spirit of lifelong learning continues to thrive today at Royal LePage.

Our Learning Consultants make the difference We are proud to be the only real estate company in Canada that employs a team of adult learning professionals to develop and deliver training programs that are relevant, practical and geared toward growing your business. The goal of our Learning Consultants is to ensure our network members remain ahead of the curve in their understanding of industry best practices, marketing trends and the latest technological tools. They cross the country twice each year to facilitate in-person workshops for our network of REALTORS®, brokers and administrators from St. John’s, N.F. to Fort Nelson, B.C., and everywhere in between.

Learning for any experience level Whether you are just getting started in the industry or have been practising real estate for a while, you can find Learning Services programs to increase your skills and knowledge. Our programs are divided into three learning streams: Getting Started, Staying Current and Accelerating Performance.

Getting Started If you’re new to Royal LePage our Welcome Webinar is a great way to start. It lets you connect with your new Royal LePage colleagues across Canada for a live, online overview of all the tools available at your fingertips – and exclusive to Royal LePage!

Following the Welcome Webinar is RLP101: a self-directed training series that breaks out in more detail each of the tools and services introduced

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in our webinar. Since each module covers a different topic, you can drill deep into each subject in manageable 10- to 25-minute sessions. The program covers best practices for managing prospects, marketing listings and maintaining client relationships for repeat and referral benefits. And, it provides a practical way to leverage our own suite of tools and services to meet each of these needs to help you build your business.

Staying Current Twice a year, our team of Learning Consultants develops and delivers live REALTOR® Marketing Workshops that combine relevant and timely information on current trends and best practices for real estate marketing with hands-on training on proprietary and third-party tools that you can leverage in your own marketing. Our workshops are offered in the spring and fall, with a different curriculum each time.

If you’re looking to expand your knowledge between workshops, consider the self-directed training options available through Royal LePage University (RLP University) in addition to our extensive online library of video & web tutorials.

RLP University offers online business and technology training available any time of the day or night. These courses, offered by respected third-party providers, cover topics such as negotiating skills, accounting for non-financial professionals, managing difficult clients and Microsoft skills. RLP University is also home to our proprietary and industry designations (see Accelerating Performance).

Our video tutorials are produced in-house, specifically for a Royal LePage audience. These short, easy-to-follow tutorials guide you through the Royal LePage website, our online Marketing Centre and also cover topics such as blogging, YouTube and cross-generational marketing.

Our library of links to web tutorials and online resources help you make the most of mobile and web technology. We’ve combed the Internet for the best external resources to help you maximize your smartphone capabilities, from setting up email, to taking advantage of the latest apps for business.

Accelerating Performance As part of our goal to stay ahead of the curve, Royal LePage provides opportunities to earn designations and participate in mentorship programs to accelerate your performance and differentiate yourself in the market. Our proprietary designations – e-Agent and Social Marketer – help you to gain technical competency with both Microsoft products and social media which can set you apart from your competitors.

Also available through RLP University are Canadian designations from our respected and industry leading partners including the Seniors Real Estate Specialist® designation from the National Association of REALTORS®; the National Association of Green Agents and Brokers’ Accredited GreenAgent/ GreenBroker™ designation and the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing’s Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist™ designation which also includes a module on the Carriage Trade program.

And, for professionals seeking coaching and mentorship, we have partnered with two of the best names in the industry: Brian Buffini and Chris Leader. Both the Buffini and Co. Peak Producers® program and the Leader’s Edge virtual training offer proven, activity-based systems for building your business.

What does the future hold?

More learning opportunities are on the horizon, including third-party partnerships, proprietary designations, including our upcoming online relationship management designation. And, there will be further additions to our video and web tutorial library. In these ways Learning Services will be keeping A.E. LePage’s spirit of innovation alive well into our next hundred years.

To learn more about Learning Services, visit marketing.rlpnetwork.com/learningservices.

©veer.com/Yuri Arcurs

Each designation is offered to Royal LePage agents at an exclusive discount and provides you with the knowledge to capably service niche sectors and brand your own marketing with partner logos.

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Find out how energy efficiency is impacting home sales At Centract Settlement Services, we recognize important trends in valuation services and keep you aware of the continual evolution happening in this industry. One such trend is energy efficiency ratings and their impact on home sales. To that end, in 2012, Centract Settlement Services launched its energy auditing and rating services, as these will increasingly become a part of how homes are bought and sold and impact a home’s appraised value.

First, it’s important to understand how the various initiatives across the country for determining energy efficiency ratings on properties have helped to demonstrate return on investment.

Commercial buildings, for instance, are certified energy efficient through programs such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Canada which is a rating system that evaluates the design, construction and operation of buildings. Such certified buildings deliver solid return on investment through lower operating costs, higher lease rates per square foot and lower vacancy rates.

In new home construction, many developers are motivated to use energy-efficient appliances, building techniques and materials that enable them to be rated by organizations such as R-2000 and Energy Star for New Homes®. The ratings can help the developers sell the properties more quickly and in many instances, at a higher price. For home-buyers, homes that meet these standards can result in 30 per cent lower energy bills than a comparable new home.

For resale homes, demonstrating return on investment and encouraging energy efficiency ratings have been more challenging. Probably the most successful program has been the ecoENERGY Retrofit Homes Program, which is run by the federal government and provides grants of up to $5,000 to help homeowners get their existing homes rated and make them more energy efficient.

Initiated on April 1, 2007, the four-year, $745-million ecoENERGY Retrofit Homes program provided federal grants to property owners and the 2011 budget allocated an additional one-year investment of $400 million to the program. Under this program, it is estimated that about six to seven per cent of households have had their homes EnerGuide rated. The program was not extended in the most recent federal budget.

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It is likely that within the next decade, energy efficiency ratings on homes will become the norm and green-energy attributes will play a larger part in the valuation of a home, just as they have in commercial real estate.

Energy bill savings are one reason. Also, consumers, especially younger ones, are more environmentally aware and governments need to meet global emissions standards, which include homes.

Provincial governments have also initiated programs for rating existing homes. Ontario, for instance, incorporated language into its 2009 Green Energy Act, which required a seller to provide the energy efficiency rating of a home if asked by the buyer. The Ontario government has since taken a step back, making the disclosure voluntary. British Columbia tried a similar voluntary route, and encouraged it by making the ratings free, but interest has been limited.

The Toronto Real Estate Board, along with other real estate boards, has added an energy efficiency rating field to their MLS’ listings displays. But overall very few listings currently show the home energy rating, even on homes that have already been well rated. Other initiatives, such as “Know your energy score,” offered by Enbridge, promote awareness to consumers, real estate agents and home inspectors.

Centract Settlement Services is taking an active role in this market change. In 2011 we began providing appraisers with education on energy efficiency and assessment and in early 2012, we launched The Home Inspection Network to provide the Canadian market with high quality, professional and experienced energy auditors and home inspectors. We are working with industry partners to increase awareness and educate agents, lenders, home inspectors and consumers on the issue and the benefits of energy efficiency.

For more information or to place your order, visit www.homeinspectionnetwork.ca or call 1-855-232-9778.

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Clients care about being green

These short videos will help answer important questions, while encouraging viewers to get in touch with their local Royal LePage REALTOR® before, during and after the sale.

Check out our new, exciting series on home staging: • Curb Appeal • Furniture Placement • Lighting • Major Renovations www.royallepage.ca/home_staging

Stay top of mind with your clients! With more than 20 episodes, Royal LePage TV provides your clients with valuable information on preparing their house for sale.

Share the episodes on your social media channels, post them on your website or email the links to your clients and prospects.

Royal LePage events – the best in the industry Offering you the opportunity to network, learn from and share ideas with some of the best in the industry Royal LePage events provide a great opportunity to make connections while having an enjoyable time. And, as attendees can attest, the payback comes in referrals, insights and great memories.

Learn Sessions led by industry leaders, trainers and partners.

Be Inspired

Here’s what keeps you coming back: Connect

Hear directly from the Royal LePage corporate leadership about the vision and strategies designed to help you succeed. Be inspired by quality keynote speakers.

Opportunities to build and renew your referral network.

Connect – and reconnect – with your colleagues from coast to coast.

Share Opportunities to share best practices and to recognize exceptional performance.

2013 Calendar of Events January 25, 2013 Royal LePage Reception at Western Connection Conference Banff, AB

February 21, 2013 Alberta Rally, Recognition & 100th Birthday Party Fairmont Hotel Macdonald, Edmonton, AB

February 1, 2013 Quebec Recognition & 100th Birthday Party Château Royal, Laval, QC

February 22, 2013 Saskatchewan Recognition & 100th Birthday Party Delta Bessborough, Saskatoon, SK

February 5 - 11, 2013 National Chairman’s Club Retreat Kenya, Africa

February 28, 2013 BC Recognition & 100th Birthday Party Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver, BC

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Our Flagship Events Chairman’s Club Retreat 2013 Kenya, Africa www.royallepageevents.ca/ncc2013 Royal LePage Chairman’s Club members qualified to attend the retreat in Kenya in February 2013 will help us celebrate our 100-year Anniversary. Each year, Chairman’s Club members (top 1% in the Royal LePage network) are invited to a retreat where they celebrate their success and spend time with their peers.

National Brokers’ Conference 2013 September 18 - 21, 2013 Barcelona, Spain www.royallepageevents.ca/nbc2013 This long-running management conference offers a unique opportunity to connect and engage with your peers from across North America.

We encourage you to join your colleagues to discuss how to build a profitable brokerage business, participate in discussions on emerging trends and technologies and listen to industry-leading speakers share insights,

Come out to share your success and share in the success of your peers. including a session on personal wealth management for entrepreneurs.

The National Brokers’ Conference promises to be an enjoyable time to relax and socialize.

National Sales Conference 2014 September 30 - October 2, 2014 Toronto, Ontario www.royallepageevents.ca The Royal LePage National Sales Conference takes place every two years. In 2012, the event was held in Vancouver, attracting more than 900 attendees from across Canada. The conference was heralded a great success with more than 60 breakout sessions and the official kick-off to our 100-year Anniversary.

March 2, 2013 Manitoba Recognition & 100th Birthday Party Fort Garry Hotel, Winnipeg, MB

May 11, 2013 National Garage Sale for Shelter Foundation coast to coast

March 6, 2013 Ontario Recognition & 100th Birthday Party Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto, ON

September 18 - 21, 2013 National Brokers’ Conference Barcelona, Spain

April 10 - 11, 2013 East Coast Conference Recognition & 100th Birthday Party Rodd Hotel, Charlottetown, PEI

2013 | Royal LePage Leading Edge | 15

The signs of our success have been around for 100 years.

1913

A.E. LePage establishes his real estate company ‘A.E. LePage – The Bungalow Specialist’ on July 2, 1913.

1953

Following A.E. LePage’s retirement in 1953 the company, under new ownership, assembles 800 hectares of farmland, creating North America’s first planned development, in the town of Don Mills in Ontario.

1970s

A.E. LePage rapidly expands its residential business through more than 140 acquisitions across Canada.

1918

The A.E. LePage company enters the home construction business, building hundreds of homes in the west and north areas of Toronto.

Late 1950s

The A.E. LePage company corners 80 per cent of the Toronto office leasing market.

1920

A.E. LePage, with an eye to establishing codes of ethical practice for the industry, is instrumental in the founding of the Toronto Real Estate Board.

1923

Still keen to generate press coverage, A.E. LePage builds a fireproof home.

The event is widely covered by the daily newspapers of the time.

1922

In a move to garner headlines, A.E. LePage builds a house in a day. Footage of the event was taken by Associate Screen News and shown in movie theatres across North America.

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1974

The Survey of Canadian House Prices, later known as the Royal LePage House Price Survey, is launched. The quarterly report is relied upon by financial, government and academic organizations and serves to establish Royal LePage as the voice of Canadian real estate.

1964

A.E. LePage offers a service to help companies across Canada with employee relocations. (The service now operates under Brookfield Global Relocation Services.)

1960s

The A.E. LePage company plays a pivotal role in the land assembly and office leasing of the Toronto-Dominion Centre, the largest project of its time within the British Commonwealth.

1987

Royal LePage becomes a publiclytraded company, trading on the Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal stock exchanges.

1984

A.E. LePage and Royal Trust merge creating the country’s leading diversified real estate services organization. The new company is named Royal LePage.

1994

Royal LePage offers a franchise system, and rapidly grows its network by attracting leading independent brokerages and those from competing brands, including Johnston & Daniel.

2000

Royal LePage is Canada’s first national real estate company to offer property search and neighbourhood information via interactive mapping technology.

1998

Royal LePage Shelter Foundation launches, creating the only corporately-branded charity within the Canadian real estate industry.

1997

2013

Royal LePage marks its 100th year. The official 100-year anniversary is July 2, 2013. To commemorate Royal LePage’s 100 years, it has launched the 100 Years of Helping You Home campaign. A series of celebrations and special initiatives are planned in 2013.

2003

Royal LePage acquires Groupe TransAction, a Montreal-based real estate franchisor with more than 80 locations across Quebec.

Realty World™ acquisition raises the company’s agent count to 7,200 agents from 5,500.

2012

Royal LePage grows to 14,000 REALTORS®, in 600 offices across Canada and re-launches its commercial brand.

1995

Royal LePage launches www.royallepage.ca, Canada’s first national Real Estate portal. The site becomes one of the most popular real estate Web sites in Canada.

2011

Royal LePage Shelter Foundation reaches a milestone, raising a record $2 million in one year (2011). Since 1998, the Shelter Foundation has raised over $14 million and is now the largest public foundation in Canada dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and violence prevention programs.

2013 | Royal LePage Leading Edge | 17

Build your brand with the Marketing Centre Access to hundreds of designs at your fingertips Imagine it’s 1913, and a real estate agent is marketing a home for sale. The options: word-of-mouth, hand distribution of simple printed materials, perhaps a placard and an advertisement in a local newspaper.

Fast-forward one hundred years and contrast that with the nearly unlimited options today’s Royal LePage agents have at their fingertips. Our agents have access to hundreds of first-class digital and printable marketing products and tools through the Royal LePage Marketing Centre. Each product, including automated campaigns, print, digital and social media can be personalized and localized to engage specific markets.

Technology partnerships Imprev Inc., which has powered the Royal LePage Marketing Centre since it was launched in 2005, is a company that, like Royal LePage, was built on a legacy of firsts. Imprev was a pioneer in offering some of the first magazine-style flyers and postcards. They also developed the largest, most reliable email and print drip-marketing campaign system and created the first Marketing Centre social media integration solution for posting to Facebook and Twitter.

The Royal LePage Marketing Centre was the first multilingual real estate online marketing platform and continues to deliver the newest innovations to keep Royal LePage agents at the forefront of technology.

Your virtual advertising agency Other brands look to multiple service providers for marketing technologies; a virtual tour vendor, a print vendor, a drip-marketing vendor, a social media-marketing vendor, etc. Only Royal LePagers enjoy the efficiency of having all their marketing needs met in one place. Like a virtual advertising agency, the Royal LePage Marketing Centre is a single source that keeps all agents’ listings and marketing materials organized and accessible, 24 hours a day, all year. “ The Royal LePage Marketing Centre has made an incredible difference in my career. I have used it consistently over the past seven years to create high-quality marketing materials that have impressed not only my clients and colleagues, but competing brokerages as well. I’m proud of the professional personal image I have built over the years using it. It’s quick and easy. Recently I had

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a woman arrive at my open house who said she came all the way from England to see the house because of how impressed she was by the beautiful slide show and feature sheet she saw on my ClientClick website, both of which were created in the Marketing Centre.”

– Tamara Regan, Sales Representative Royal LePage Duncan Realty, Duncan, BC The Royal LePage Marketing Centre’s innovative tools keep you ahead of your competitors. For instance, some of the products recently added to the Marketing Centre, or in development, include Craigslist display ads, an instant QR code generator and a new breakthrough video marketing product* where agents can build their own YouTube-ready video to market their homes and themselves. The videos are created inside the Marketing Centre where agents select from a variety of styles, and add their own photos and soundtracks or choose from the stock selections of photos and music. Agents can post their videos to their own YouTube channel or other social media, embed it in an email or create a link to add it to a website – all with just a few clicks.

The Royal LePage Marketing Centre was the first multilingual real estate online marketing platform and continues to deliver the newest innovations to keep Royal LePage agents at the forefront of technology.

Video technology has multiple benefits for real estate agents. It offers better reach to homebuyers who use mobile technology and increases the agent’s website ranking. For example, Forrester Research found that videos were 53 times more likely than a traditional web page to receive a non-paid ‘page one’ Google search ranking. And, research shows pages with video get much higher click-through rates.**

Features at a glance...

Marketing Template

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What’s next will keep the competition playing “catch-up” as the Marketing Centre undergoes a major transformation in 2013. This upgrade will increase its overall ease-of-use and its ability to deploy mobile-friendly, localized marketing products, services and tools. It will be easier to navigate whether you are using a finger or a mouse, although to accommodate the growth of tablets, the newly designed Marketing Centre will be “touch-friendly.”

The Royal LePage Marketing Centre continues to employ innovative technologies to keep ahead of the competition and enable agents to build an impressive personal brand to promote their business with impact.

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*Available to Royal LePage Marketing Centre users as a Premium Service. **Source: Nate Elliot, Forrester’s Blog for Interactive Marketing Professionals, January 8, 2009.

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To learn more about the Royal LePage Marketing Centre, visit marketing.rlpnetwork.com/mc.

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QR code designs

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Listing kits

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Buyer Mkt’g

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2013 | Royal LePage Leading Edge | 19

Working to put an end to family violence The Shelter Foundation harnesses the goodwill of Royal LePagers coast to coast 100 per cent of every dollar we raise goes to our cause. Each year, we fund 200 shelters and help more than 30,000 women and children.

As Canada’s only real estate company with its own branded charity, we have a long history of working to make a difference in the communities where we live and work. By donating a portion of their commission on the purchase or sale of each client’s property, our agents are helping to create safer homes and safer communities. Many Royal LePage professionals are also actively involved with their local shelters – volunteering, donating in-kind goods and providing holiday gift baskets.

At Royal LePage we demonstrate a strong commitment to improving the communities where we live and work. To formally recognize this commitment, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation was established in 1998, creating Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and violence prevention and education programs. Thanks to the generosity and dedication of Royal LePage brokers, agents and staff, the Shelter Foundation has raised more than $14 million to help end family violence.

By working together and dedicating our time and resources, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation raised a record-setting $2 million in 2011. Royal LePage covers the administrative costs of the Shelter Foundation so

20 | Royal LePage Leading Edge | 2013

May is Shelter Month at Royal LePage and in 2012 we generated widespread awareness of the issue of family violence through the media and online. More than 130 Royal LePage offices across Canada participated in the 2012 National Garage Sale for Shelter, our signature fundraising event, raising more than $430,000! This annual event has now generated more than $1.2 million since its inception in 2009.

We are very grateful to the hard-working Garage Sale volunteers and to our event sponsors, TD Canada Trust Mobile Mortgage Specialists and Atlas Canada. “ I’ve been committed to supporting the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation since the Foundation started over a decade ago. Giving back to the communities where we live and work by helping our local women’s shelters is very important to me and my whole team.”

– Mark Rashotte, Shelter Foundation Philanthropist of the Year (Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty)

It feels very satisfying to help such a worthy cause in my community.

I have been extremely fortunate in my life so it just seems natural to give back and help others.

Along with ensuring women and children who have experienced abuse have a safe place to go, we also take a long-term view to stopping the cycle of violence. As a founding partner of the Fourth R, a school-based education program, we are helping the next generation to develop healthy relationships. With the help of our national partner, the Canadian Women’s Foundation, we support programs to help women rebuild their lives after violence and we fund programs that help teenagers recognize and prevent abusive behaviour.

Agents of Change The Agents of Change committee comprises some of our most passionate champions. They are trusted advisors to the Shelter Foundation and active spokespersons for the Foundation in their regions. Contact your local Agent of Change about Shelter Foundation activities in your area.

Our generous donors!

Thanks go out to all our generous donors with special mention of our 2011 Top 1 per cent Shelter Foundation Donors (based on official charitable donation receipts).

Lauretta Stewart, Sean McCann, Norm Fisher, Julio Florez, Bruce MacPherson, Carol Lome, Michael Lepore, Rick Preston, Dino Melchior, Donald Gault, Cliff Stevenson, Frank Vanderbleek, Elli Davis, James Wright, Manny Andrade, Christine Hauschild, Brian Elder, Carlo Racioppo, Gail Bibeau, Mike Ferry, Andrea Morrison, Gia Lucchetta,Brad White, Heather Lemieux, Jeannie Schultz, Dwayne Zaba, Brenda Walker, Paula Mitchell, Debra Cherry, Carol Roberton, Sharen Warde.

Shanan Spencer-Brown is the Executive Director and President of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. She can be reached at shelterfoundation@royallepage.ca or visit www.royallepage.ca/shelter for more information.

Congratulations to our Shelter Award winners Shelter Award recipients are nominated by their colleagues for making an outstanding or extraordinary contribution of time and effort to their local shelter and to the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. The Shelter Foundation is pleased to recognize and celebrate the following winners, announced in Spring, 2012: Philanthropist of the Year: Mark Rashotte Alberta Individual: Murray Scotton Alberta Office: Royal LePage Community Realty British Columbia Individual: Michael Lepore British Columbia Office: Royal LePage Kelowna East Coast Individual: Bryan Burgess East Coast Office: Royal LePage Atlantic Homestead Manitoba Individual: Brad Munn Ontario Individual: Connie Carson Ontario Office: Royal LePage First Contact Quebec Individual: Melody May Quebec Office: Royal LePage Champlain Saskatchewan Office: Royal LePage Saskatoon Saskatchewan Team: The Phil Robertson Team,

Royal LePage Regina

The Shelter Foundation is grateful to the following Agents of Change Darlis Bachusky Royal LePage Network Realty, Red Deer, AB Bryan Burgess Royal LePage Gardiner Realty, Fredericton, NB Catherine de Vries Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Toronto, ON Mike Duggleby Royal LePage Regina, Regina, SK Jolene Ledene Reimer Royal LePage Community Realty, Brooks, AB Mary Lindsay Royal LePage Team Realty, Ottawa, ON Becky Parkes Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate, Winnipeg, MB Angela Reeves Royal LePage Coronation West Realty, Coquitlam, BC Deb Schmidt Royal LePage Premier Realty, Yorkton, SK Grant Staley Royal LePage Village, L’Île-Perrot, QC Sharen Warde Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty, Victoria, BC Debbie Zimmer Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services, Burlington, ON

2013 | Royal LePage Leading Edge | 21

Reaching the digital consumer Innovating through technology How does a 100-year-old company stay relevant?

Royal LePage has tackled this challenge through constantly innovating with new technology and improved marketing approaches. We seek out and evaluate the newest products and trends to ensure our network is equipped to offer the best service possible to their clients.

Even in its early years, Royal LePage was a company that thrived on innovation. Our founder, A.E. LePage, was well-known for his ability to think of new ways to get his business noticed. From building a house in a day, to filming and screening stately homes and cottage-country resorts, A.E. LePage didn’t shy away from a little showmanship to generate business buzz.

Today, Royal LePage’s goal is to help consumers access the resources they need to educate themselves and to put them in touch with an agent who will make sure the home buying or selling experience is a positive one. Our most effective way to deliver on this goal is through technology and its innovations.

When you think of technologies that are important in your business life, you will undoubtedly think of the Internet. Over the last two decades, the Internet has

become so vital to human interaction that the United Nations recently declared it a basic human right.

Consider the timeline below that illustrates some of the ways Royal LePage has demonstrated its technological leadership.

Mobile Do you know where your cell phone is? Chances are it’s within reach. Mobile devices have become the indispensable all-in-one gadgets that people used to dream of owning. An ever increasing number of people have web browsers on their mobile devices and by 2014, mobile Internet traffic is expected to surpass desktop Internet traffic. It has already happened in India, when in May, 2012, mobile Internet usage edged past desktop Internet traffic*. Mobile is always considered when Royal LePage develops new products and services for agents and clients.

We work to ensure that our sites are attractive and easily navigated on small screens that often use touch instead of keyboards or a mouse. Our efforts helped us win a Horizon Interactive Award in the Mobile Website category. And, mobile devices offer other features like cameras, calendars, directories and

Leading the way with technology • www.royallepage.ca: First national real estate website in Canada • Mobile version of the website • www.rlpintranet.com: Launch of an Intranet for Royal LePage’s network of agents and brokers

• first to offer virtual reality home tours

1995 – 2000

• Integration of listing data with the Canadian Real Estate Association and with the Greater Montreal Real Estate Board (agents need only enter their listings once for them to appear on both www.mls.ca and www.royallepage.ca)

2001 – 2004

• Royal LePage University: Online technology courses that, in some

• ClientClick: Simple and cost-effective agent

provinces, are recognized as continuing education courses • Hands-on technology training for agents

• Royal LePage Marketing Centre: High-quality,

websites

template-based marketing materials for print and online powered by Imprev • GIS interactive listing maps and neighbourhood data

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Thanks to online social sites including blogs, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, engaging with people who share common interests has never been easier.

to demonstrate their knowledge. To make it easier for consumers to select just the right agent for their needs, Royal LePage is actively looking at ways to help agents promote their expertise in real estate, in the neighbourhoods they service and in the types of properties they work with.

apps. One useful mobile application, especially for real estate, is Global Positioning System (GPS) that can pinpoint exact locations. And that, leads us to our next consideration...

*Internet Trends: D10 Conference 5/30/2012 – Mary Meeker – Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers

By employing useful technologies, providing support and training to our agents, and partnering with industry leaders, Royal LePage continues its 100-year tradition as a marketing and technology innovator.

Local GPS allows Royal LePagers to find neighbourhood content such as homes for sale, schools and restaurants along with local news and weather. We can even modify language options to use different choices that reflect your location, for instance French in Quebec or using the term “rancher” in Alberta instead of the Ontario-favoured word, “bungalow” to describe a single floor house. Knowing a consumer’s exact location helps us to match that person with the right agent in that exact location.

Social Consumers can ask questions and compare notes with others in their social network when looking for information on buying or selling a home in a specific neighbourhood – next door or across the country.

Social media allows those with expertise in a field ©iStockphoto.com/iPandastudio

• rlpNetwork: Re-launch of an Intranet for Royal LePage’s network of agents and brokers with enhanced email handling, listings administration and integration with third-party product suppliers • GetHomes.ca: A lead generation program available exclusively to Royal LePage agents

2005 – 2010 • www.carriagetradeproperties.ca: Royal LePage’s luxury program gets an online treatment • Royal LePage TV: Videos to educate consumers on home buying and selling that can be embedded on an agent’s own website • Personal Orientation Profile™: A system for brokers to evaluate prospective agents

• www.royallepagecommercial.com: A separate and distinct website created for agents who work with commercial real estate

2010 – 2012 • m.royallepage.ca: Relaunch of Royal LePage’s mobile website

2013 | Royal LePage Leading Edge | 23

How much can they afford?

You can provide greater insights around affordability Canadians place high value on homeownership, but recent changes to mortgage rules may have some firsttime buyers concerned that home ownership is beyond their reach. However; you can provide valuable insights in those conversations about how much your clients can afford and what options are available to them. First-time buyers are often looking for more from their REALTOR® than help finding a new home. Staying well-informed about the options contributing to responsible homeownership will help you build lasting relationships. Here are some of the options you can bring to the proverbial ‘kitchen table’ conversation.

Mortgage insurance Mortgage insurance is required by most lenders on all high-ratio mortgages (less than 20 per cent down payment). This insurance protects lenders from financial losses in the event that the homeowner defaults on their mortgage payments. It also allows qualified homebuyers to purchase a home with as little as five per cent down.

As a result, lenders are able to offer the same competitive interest rates as they would offer to borrowers with more equity.

Changes to mortgage rules in July 2012 reduced the maximum amortization period from 30 to 25 years. This may lead some prospective homebuyers to think they can’t yet afford a home. But, according to Genworth Canada, over 80 per cent of Genworth-insured homeowners who qualified for a 30 year amortization would have qualified at 25 years. While this shorter amortization requires larger monthly payments, the benefits of building equity in a home sooner, or taking advantage of a good opportunity when it presents itself, can far outweigh the higher monthly costs.

There are also other benefits that come with mortgage insurance such as rebates for buying energy-efficient homes, making energy-efficient upgrades or for undertaking home improvements upon purchase.

Another benefit is access to homeowner assistance programs and, exclusive to Genworth Canada, access to a Homebuyer Privileges Program, which provides discounts with select retailers across Canada.

Government incentive programs While mortgage insurance makes purchasing a home with as little as five per cent down possible, the cost of

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We’re pleased to announce that Genworth Canada is now Royal LePage’s preferred supplier for mortgage insurance.

Genworth Canada is the largest private Canadian mortgage insurer. Through this new relationship, Royal LePage REALTORS® will have access to innovative tools and resources to help educate homebuyers, expand their sales potential and add value to their client relationships.

homes in some cities makes it difficult to save even that amount. Recognizing the challenges faced by first-time buyers, and the importance of enabling responsible homeownership, the Government of Canada offers a number of incentives to help buyers with their down payments. Here are some of the most popular: • Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP): allows eligible homebuyers to withdraw up to $25,000 tax-free from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to purchase or build a qualifying home.

• Tax-free Savings Account (TFSA): a great way to save for a down payment since no tax is paid on interest accrued and the money is more accessible than an RRSP. • GST/HST New Housing Rebate program: eligible buyers of new homes may be able to claim a rebate for a part of the tax paid on the purchase price or cost of building a home. On homes purchased for less than $350,000, the maximum rebate is $8,750.

It is reduced proportionately on homes priced in the $350,000 to $450,000 range and is not available on new homes priced at $450,000 or higher (before tax).

Please visit rlpNetwork to find out more about what Genworth Canada can do to help you help Canadians achieve their homeownership dreams.

For more resources to help homebuyers make informed decisions and help you sell more homes, visit www.genworth.ca.

Kiki Sauriol-Roode is Vice President, Strategic Alliances at Genworth Canada, the leading private sector supplier of mortgage default insurance in Canada. She can be reached at 905-287-5379 or kiki.sauriol-roode@genworth.com.

• Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC): This program is designed to help first-time buyers with costs associated with the purchase of a home such as legal fees and land transfer taxes. Eligible buyers can claim $5,000 for this tax credit, providing up to $750 in federal tax relief.

©iStockphoto.com/kupicoo

2013 | Royal LePage Leading Edge | 25

Your Advisory Council Brokers from across Canada provide valuable insights

Royal LePage Advisory Council Established in October 2006, the Royal LePage Advisory Council’s mandate is to provide input on existing services, and on proposed new concepts to ensure we keep ahead of the competition and help our network’s brokers and agents succeed.

In addition, the Council has provided valuable on-theground insights concerning changes in the industry and local markets, serving to assist Royal LePage Canada in identifying opportunities for change and improvement.

The Council represents a cross-section of brokers based on geography, size of market, size of company and technology fluency. Although the Advisory Council is not a decision-making body explicitly, the input of members is extremely important and produces a high degree of influence and assistance to Royal LePage Canada.

Our thanks goes out to all past and current members.

Current members In order to continue to bring fresh ideas and new perspectives to our Services Advisory Council, and yet maintain continuity from the preceding year, our first year members will stay on the Council and our second

year members retire from the Council each year. As a result, each fall, we send out an email to seek nominees to fill those positions. The new council is announced early in the new year.

Marketing Centre Advisory Committee Established in November 2010, the Marketing Centre Advisory Committee serves to gather feedback on the Royal LePage Marketing Centre. Through its members, the Committee provides a forum where functional enhancements and product developments are introduced and discussed to better serve our network users. Many valuable contributions from the Committee are reflected in today’s robust suite of tools on the Marketing Centre.

The Committee includes sales representatives, brokers/managers, and administrative staff who represent each region in the country, from large to small communities, and from varying sizes of Royal LePage offices.

Interested in joining? To learn more please contact partnerships@royallepage.ca.

Current Advisory Council members British Columbia Jim McNeal -Royal LePage Prince George, Prince George Steve Gray - Royal LePage Kelowna, Kelowna Alberta Terry Reynar - Royal LePage Foothills, Calgary Trevor Wilhauk - Royal LePage Westgate Real Estate, Spruce Grove Saskatchewan Norm Fisher - Royal LePage Saskatoon Real Estate, Saskatoon Manitoba Rolf Hitzer - Royal LePage Top Producers Real Estate, Winnipeg

26 | Royal LePage Leading Edge | 2013

(from left to right)

Ontario Andrew Wildeboer - Royal LePage RCR Realty, Orangeville Heidi Noel - Royal LePage Real Estate Services, Toronto Mark Rashotte - Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty, Belleville Peter Meyer - Royal LePage Triland Realty, London Jane Furter - Royal LePage Performance Realty, Ottawa Québec Franca Denis - Royal LePage Dynastie, Mont Royal Robert Charbonneau - Royal LePage Action, Cowansville East Coast Ken Peters - Royal LePage Peters & Lank Realty, Charlottetown, PEI Matt Honsberger - Royal LePage Atlantic, Halifax, NS

Royal LePage

©iStockphoto.com/stokkete

rlpNetwork

“rlpNetwork is my go-to place for industry news and updates from Royal LePage. It is a centralized spot for me to access marketing tools and important information to support my business.”

Jennifer Rockburne, REALTOR® Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd.

One address: www.rlpnetwork.com Simple and easy. Access information and resources, you need to reach your maximum potential — whenever and wherever you happen to be. rlpNetwork is your online portal to Royal LePage’s unparalleled sales, marketing, training and technology tools.

An easier way to become social Innovative new service capitalizes on sharing power CityBlast is a new social media marketing tool created by an agent from Royal LePage Signature Realty in Toronto. It marries the network-powered industry of real estate with a network-powered tool – social media. The result is an effective way to easily harness technology for your own online marketing efforts.

The service is the brainchild of Shaun Nilsson, a Torontobased Realtor® who didn’t have any clients or leads when he started his career in real estate. He understood the essential need for referrals and he knew that social media was a great tool for exactly that. “I began asking more established agents if I could post their listings on my Facebook wall to attract buyers,” he says.

Nilsson leveraged his Facebook network into over $165,000 in commissions during his first year in business with Royal LePage!

“I saw what I needed as an agent to make an impact with social media and noticed that nothing existed in the marketplace to help me,” Nilsson says, “From there, I set about to develop my own social media presence and thought, ‘Hey, this could work for others.’”

Nilsson is now CEO and co-founder, with technology designer, Alen Bubich, and the marketing service, available to agents everywhere, has become one of the hottest ‘must haves’ for real estate agents in Canada.

CityBlast satisfies two essential marketing needs. On one hand, it leverages social media to deliver on what every real estate agent knows: you want your listings to quickly reach as many potential buyers as possible. On the other, it positions them as the real estate expert to their social media friends and followers.

The service automatically posts compelling local market and home-related articles and videos to a participating agent’s Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts, stimulating conversations and generating leads from friends and followers. The content comes from highly credible sources, such as: HGTV Canada, Moneyville.ca, Globe & Mail, National Post, and Canadian House & Home.

For listings, an agent simply writes a “blast,” which is much like a traditional property listing with a short description, property information, price and some

28 | Royal LePage Leading Edge | 2013

photos, and submits it to CityBlast. The listing is automatically uploaded and displayed on the collective Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts of other participating CityBlast agents in the area, generating leads via an extended network of friends and followers.

Because it is an automated system, participating agents find CityBlast easy to use. Agents only need to log onto their social media accounts to reply to comments and inquiries from friends and followers while also booking showings in response to leads generated from the listing blasts.

According to Nilsson, “Once in conversation, it’s much easier for the agents to turn interested online followers into new clients and in turn, help them with their transactions.” He adds that CityBlast passively makes an agent’s Facebook and other social media accounts into powerful sources of real estate leads, and builds them a reputation as a trusted provider of industry information. “CityBlast allows the agent to spend less time developing content and more time servicing the client,” says Nilsson.

You can try CityBlast free for one month. If you like it, enjoy savings exclusive to Royal LePagers – $14.99/monthly, a 40 per cent discount! To take advantage of this special deal, register online at www.city-blast.com/royallepage.

Royal LePage

ClientClick Professional.

Effective.

Affordable.

Get online for as little as

169

$

©iStockphoto.com/skynesher

“It took me 30 minutes to have my website up and running and I particularly liked that all my listings were uploaded automatically which saved me a great deal of time! Within two weeks I received an email through the website from a military member posted to our area who was interested in one of my condo listings. I was able to convert him to a sale and make my seller very happy.”

Sherry Levesque, REALTOR® Royal LePage Northern Lights Realty Cold Lake, Alberta

/ year!

88% of homebuyers used the Internet in their home search*.

Royal LePage ClientClick websites are tailored specifically to meet the needs of real estate professionals. Maximize the effectiveness of your online presence with features like personalized and mobilefriendly website templates, lead capture, social media integration, a library of articles and images, and much more!

Start your FREE 60-day trial! marketing.rlpnetwork.com/cc *Source: The National Association of REALTORS®, Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 2011.

Understanding appraisals Some lenders require an appraisal to provide mortgage financing If your client is a first-time buyer or even a seasoned purchaser, it may benefit you, as a REALTOR®, to understand the nuances of appraisals. Most lenders will require an appraisal of a property for mortgage financing purposes, although the process is not always well explained to the customer, agents or other parties involved in the transaction. The following provides an easy-to-understand overview.

What is an appraisal?

It is a formal opinion of value prepared as a result of a retainer intended for reliance by identified parties, and for which the appraiser assumes responsibility. It is conducted by an appraiser and presented usually as a written report. When requested by a lender in the mortgage process, the appraisal report is owned by that lender, even though the home buyer often pays the cost of the report as part of the closing costs of the mortgage. The appraisal report is an integral part of the documentation required by a lender to meet its regulatory requirements for financings that are secured by real property.

Who manages the appraisal process?

Most large lenders in Canada outsource the management of the appraisal process to a company that specializes in the management of appraisals. These third-party companies are called Appraisal Management Companies (AMC). Centract Settlement Services is an example of an AMC. We manage over 1400 appraisers across the country, and provide technology to enable them to create standardized high-quality reports ensuring the lenders’ requirements are met.

For an appraiser to provide services to an AMC and large lender, they must be an accredited member in good standing with one of the three professional associations in Canada: the Appraisal Institute of Canada (AIC); the Canadian National Association of Real Estate Appraisers (CNAREA); and the Ordre des Évaluateurs Agréés du Québec (OEAQ).

similar properties. General information is gathered from various market sources, such as zoning, official plan, building departments, assessment, and local MLS services. Specific information regarding the subject property such as location, condition, amenities, size, etc. is gathered by the appraiser during a home inspection.

An onsite inspection typically takes 20 to 30 minutes during which the appraiser will find out important attributes of the property such as its date of construction, recent updates, age of roof, wiring, plumbing, etc. In addition, the appraiser may ask for documentation such as a municipal tax assessment bill, deed or title report showing the legal description, a survey of the property and if renovations have been completed, the scope of work and costs.

What are the different approaches to valuing a property?

The Sales Comparison is the most commonly used in residential property appraisal and uses comparable recent sales to determine market value.

The Cost Approach estimates the replacement cost of the subject property at current prices, subtracting accumulated depreciation and adding the estimated land value.

The Income Approach is used for income-producing properties and values the property at what it is capable of producing when developed to its highest and best use. The net operating income is capitalized into value by an appropriate method and rate. This approach to value is rarely used when appraising a single family residence.

What kinds of appraisals are there?

How is an appraisal done?

A full appraisal is an estimate of market value based on a comprehensive report that includes a physical inspection of the property. A full appraisal typically takes three or more days until it is completed, as it largely depends on the availability of the homeowner and complexity of the assignment.

An appraiser gathers information on the subject property so that he or she can compare it to the sale prices of

A drive-by appraisal is where the appraiser uses the exterior condition of a property as a proxy for the

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condition of the interior and relies on outside sources of information such as municipal records, office files, etc. to obtain the age, size and other characteristics of the home. A drive-by appraisal typically takes two days or less.

A desktop appraisal provides an estimate of the market value of a property where the property is not physically inspected and all data supporting the valuation is from reliable third-party information. Turnaround on a desktop can be as fast as a few hours.

What are the uses of appraisals?

The majority of appraisals in Canada are for mortgages.

Other reasons for appraisals include divorce or estate settlement, disputing a tax assessment, a foreclosure or to facilitate a real estate sale.

For more information, please visit www.centract.com Phil West is President of The Home Inspection Network and Centract Settlement Services. Centract is a Brookfield company and the largest Canadian provider of outsourced appraisal management and mortgage-related services as well as real estate business intelligence to financial institutions, real estate professionals and consumers.

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What’s the difference between an appraisal and other valuations?

Report Type

By Whom

Purpose

More details

Appraisal

An appraiser

For lending risk purposes

An appraisal is an unbiased estimate of the value of a parcel of real estate.

If ordered by a lender for lending purposes, it is reference.

Tax Assessment

The tax assessment authority

MPAC reviews property sales within a neighbourhood to determine the Determining tax due assessed value of a property. The Municipality then applies a mill rate to determine the amount of taxes to be paid.

Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)

A real estate agent

Determining listing price

A CMA is what a real estate agent recommends as the probable sales price for a given property. It is in anticipation of obtaining a listing for a property and is based on a survey of like properties.

A home inspector

Determining safety and working order of a home

An in-depth, third-party evaluation of the accessible structure and mechanical systems of a home, such as roof and plumbing, that determines if they are in good working order and safe; identifies structural problems or other defects and notes any repairs that may be needed, when they will most likely be needed and may include an estimate of these costs. It does not provide a value on the home.

Home Inspection

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Impressing clients every step of the way Knowing your strengths is a major part of impressing your clients. It sounds simple, but so many salespeople focus on the mechanics of what they do and then forget about what makes them special.

I’m a firm believer in building up your sales skills and having professional materials to back them up. It’s what I teach and I know from experience that learning a script and standardizing a personal sales process are incredibly helpful. When you use these techniques, instead of worrying about what comes next, your mind is free to address what your clients want from you.

There is plenty of information out there about what you should be doing on the phone, in your marketing materials and at your presentations. But never lose sight of what you bring to the table personally. Take listing presentations, for example. A Royal LePage broker recently contacted my office asking for a list of the “Top 10 Questions Sellers Should Ask Their REALTOR®” to send as part of a standard pre-listing presentation package. This is something Leader’s Edge Training teaches because when sellers are interviewing several REALTORS® it’s better if they ask everyone the same questions.

Sending material to sellers before the listing presentation is a fantastic way to make an impact before you meet them in person. It helps to shape the conversation and gives you a leg up on your competition.

There are plenty of questions sellers may not think to ask before committing to a REALTOR®. Here are basic ones we suggest: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

On average, how long does it take to sell a house in this real estate board?

What are your average days to sell a house?

On average, what’s the difference between the listing and selling prices in this board? (Also known as the list-to-sell ratio.)

What is your average list-to-sell ratio?

How will choosing your company/brand help sell my house?

What market share does your company have?

How long have you been in the business?

How many homes like mine have you sold?

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9. What techniques will you use to sell my house?

10. What ongoing education do you participate in to stay current?

Any seller should want to know this information because asking about board averages and the agent’s own sales stats and techniques is a great way for the seller to tell who knows their stuff – and who doesn’t.

But these questions don’t say much about you and what you personally have to offer. Take some time to think about your unique value and prepare stellar answers that will help you stand head and shoulders above your competition.

For instance, the question, “how many homes have you sold?” If you sold 200 homes last year then that’s a fantastic number to share, but if the seller wants your personal attention then you have to talk about more than just the numbers. You might want to show the enthusiasm you bring and your laser-focused dedication to selling their property.

That’s why I always encourage salespeople to think about their own strengths when developing “Questions to Ask Your REALTOR®.” For example, if you have close relationships with lawyers, mortgage lenders and home inspectors, then encourage your sellers to ask about the extra services and relationships that you bring. If there’s an amazing team around you who confidently handle the details, then prompt sellers to ask the “what if you’re away?” question. If you include free home-staging as part of your package then suggest sellers ask about value-added services.

The questions are endless, just ensure that you choose ones that highlight what’s best about you. Sellers will appreciate having questions given to them that they may not have thought of and you’ll benefit from the chance to shine.

Chris Leader is President of Leader’s Edge Training, one of North America’s premier real estate and mortgage sale training companies. He can be reached at chris@leadersedgetraining.com.

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Showcase your unique value

The Royal LePage House Price Survey The go-to source on pricing trends across Canada since 1974 The Royal LePage House Price Survey, which is compiled on a quarterly basis, is a report produced to help consumers understand more about home prices in communities throughout the Canadian real estate landscape. It also serves to establish Royal LePage as the ‘voice of real estate in Canada,’ and is widely covered by major Canadian news organizations in print, online and broadcast.

The survey covers more than 250 neighbourhoods from coast to coast and divides data into seven housing types, including four categories of detached homes, townhouses and condominiums.

Within the comprehensive report, a glossary of housing types is provided in specific detail. These details help homebuyers and sellers understand housing terminology with which they may not be familiar. For each property type, a current, up-to-date price is listed, as well as a price for the previous quarter and the corresponding quarter from the prior year. This provides consumers with a comparison in year-over-year data and highlights regional variances.

When the report is compiled, the public relations team reaches out to Royal LePage brokers who have agreed to submit their local data on a quarterly basis.

The brokers, who are residential real estate experts in their respective areas, gather data on sales-to-date for each housing type in the region they are responsible for. Housing values in the survey are Royal LePage opinions of fair market value in each surveyed location, based on local data on home prices and housing market knowledge.

For each quarter, an abbreviated version is produced, which highlights housing trends for three of the most common property types in Canada. A full comprehensive report, featuring all seven housing types is released one month later.

The Royal LePage House Price Survey is the largest, most comprehensive report of its kind in Canada. The survey has been in publication since 1974 and is turned to by financial, government, academic and other organizations as a trusted and reliable source of house price information. Historical data, dating back to its inception, can be found online at www.royallepage.ca/ reportsandsurveys.

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Leadership through the decades In 1913, A.E. LePage built his company on new ideas and revolutionized the way real estate was practiced. He found new ways to grow his business by serving his customers better. Along with a flourishing company, A.E. LePage left a reputation for integrity, honesty and his enduring belief that real estate is to sell service more than property.

Albert Edward LePage Founder & President 1913 – 1953

Brian Magee 1953 – 1977

Gordon Gray 1969 – 1989

William Dimma 1979 – 1993

George Cormack 1987 – 1993

Colum Bastable 1993 – 2005

When Phil Soper became the President in 2002, he took the helm of a company with a long history of entrepreneurism and one that had undergone a remarkable evolution.

Today, Soper continues to advance the legacy and values set forth by his predecessors and to lead a company known for service excellence, innovation and industry leadership.

Phil Soper President & CEO 2002 – Present

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Simon Dean 1995 – 2005

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Royal LePage

National Brokers’ Conference 2013

Barcelona, Spain September 18–21, 2013 Hotel Arts, a Ritz Carlton Hotel

A special destination for a special year Royal LePage brokers, owners and managers from across the country will join together in beautiful, vibrant Barcelona to network, be inspired and learn from dynamic speakers, and celebrate our 100-year anniversary. It is a must-attend event.

For more information and/or to register, please visit www.royallepageevents.ca/nbc2013.

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