The document discusses alternative financing options that are gaining popularity as more Canadians find themselves unable to qualify for conventional financing due to tighter lending standards. It provides examples of Canadian real estate companies that have partnered with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World to gain global resources while maintaining local strength and independence. The executives interviewed praise this model as providing an invaluable platform for growth without the restrictions of franchising.
1. ALTERNATIVE FINANCING
WHY MORE OF YOUR CLIENTS
ARE TURNING TO THIS SOLUTION
LANDSCAPE LESSONS
6 QUICK FALL SPRUCE-UPS
THAT WILL ENTICE BUYERS
HISTORIC DEAL
INSIDE THE SALE OF A
MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR
PIECE OF CANADA
REPMAG.CA
ISSUE 1.O3 | $6.95
THE
AGENT’S
LIFESTYLE
See how you stack up to your peers in commission,
marketing strategies, work/life balance and more
2. A NEW WAY TO GROW
LeadingRE.com | sbarr@LeadingRE.com | 312.361.8632
®
Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®
has brought its unique and compelling
business model to Canada–one that has helped create a real estate powerhouse responsible
for over 1,000,000 transactions valued at $321 billion in annual home sales.
If you are a local leader of an independent company – or are intrigued by building your own
brand without sacrificing robust resources and connections – we invite you to learn more
about the value of aligning with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®
.
LOCAL STRENGTH. GLOBAL RESOURCES.
“We are grateful this
alternative to franchising
is available to strong
independent companies
like ours across Canada.”
- Ron Stader
Broker & General Manager
CIR REALTY
Calgary, Alberta
“Leading Real Estate
Companies of the World®
has provided an
invaluable platform.”
- Jonathan Cooper,
Vice President, Operations
Macdonald Real Estate
Group, Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia
“The firms that make up
this global network are
hand-chosen and the most
successful independent
brokerages in the world.”
- Tom Bosley
President & CEO
Bosley Real Estate Ltd.
Toronto, Ontario
3. CENTURY 21
ASSURANCEKELOWNA
THE BIG LITTLE CITY
We think there’s a better way to do real estate.
EARN MORE AND KEEP MORE – A full service brokerage with a full service marketing team to take
care of all the administrative and creative tasks so you can focus on the buyers and sellers.
LOOK BETTER DOING IT – State of the art agent websites, professional photographers and graphic
designers will make you look like a rockstar.
YOU GET YOUR LIFE BACK – You deserve better from your brokerage. Let us take care of listing
details while you spend time doing what you love.
CENTURY 21 Assurance Realty Ltd.
251 Harvey Avenue, Kelowna, BC V1Y 6C2
Office: 250-869-0101
Fax: 250-869-0105
Toll Free: 888-301-2121
myrna.park@century21.ca
FOCUS YOURSELF ON HIGH-VALUE TASKS
WORKING SUCCESSFULLY WITH BUYERS AND SELLERS
4. 14
34
36
40
18
2 www.repmag.ca
CONTENTS
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COVER STORY
THE AVERAGE AGENT’S
LIFESTYLE
Ever wondered how you compare to your peers? REP
surveyed agents across the country to paint a picture of the
‘typical’ real estate agent’s lifestyle
PEOPLE
INDUSTRY
ICON
Exit Realty CEO Tami
Bonnell talks about the
unique way the company
retains top talent
FEATURES
DONE DEAL
Selling the 65,000-acre,
multimillion-dollar Kenauk
Montebello estate required a one-
of-a-kind marketing strategy
FEATURES
EXPERT ADVICE
Carson Arthur offers 6 ways to
wow buyers before they walk
through the door
FEATURES
LENDING
SOLUTIONS
Alternative lending moves into the
spotlight as more Canadians find
themselves unable to qualify for
conventional financing
ISSUE 1.03
UPFRONT
04 Editorial
Is foreign investment a good or bad
thing for the housing market?
05 Head to head
The future of online real estate in the
wake of Zoocasa
06 Statistics
What the burgeoning condo market
means for your business
08 News analysis
The sold data debate reaches an apex
10 Mortgage update
Are more regulations on the horizon?
12 Technology update
How one agent is making the most of
new drone technology
FEATURES
32 What is a 15-minute
mortgage?
A look at Centum’s new online
lead-generation tool
38 How to become a leading real
estate company
The CEO of Leading Real Estate
Companies of the World explains how
Canada fits into its global strategy
PEOPLE
46 Agent profile
After a near-death experience in
Afghanistan, former soldier Glen
Kirkland found a new life in the real
estate industry
48 Favourite things
Vanessa Roman, host of HGTV’s “Reno
vs Relocate”
5.
6. 4 www.repmag.ca
UPFRONT
EDITORIAL
Fuel to the foreign
buyer fire
T
his summer, foreign buyers were once again thrust into the hot seat, as
Prime Minister Stephen Harper moved to make one of Canada’s hottest
real estate debates an election issue.
His campaign promise, announced in August, is that if the Conservatives
are re-elected, they would spend half a million dollars tracking and reporting
data on foreign ownership. Harper said that if foreign investors are found to
be driving the cost of housing to unaffordable levels, the government should
find a way to address this.
The move has been welcomed by economists, who called the promise very
positive, regardless of who wins the election. However, they also have pointed
out that any decision on policies to restrict overseas investors from buying
Canadian property should be left until after the data has been collected.
Earlier in the summer, China’s plummeting stock market reignited the
debate about the influence of foreign investment on the country’s housing
market. The decline of the Shanghai Composite has led many to predict
Chinese nationals buying Canadian property will soon head for the exits as
they look for cash to make up for stock losses. Others are just as convinced
there will be no fire sale on Canadian real estate.
The discussion also has turned to just how much influence those interna-
tional buyers have in the first place, and whether more rigorous restrictions
on their investments are needed. Regardless, experts suggest that, since many
Chinese investors saw surges in stock values last year, they are happy to sit on
their now-modest profits. That suggests – fingers crossed! – they’re prepared
to hold their Canadian property for the long term as well. Clearly, that kind of
steadfast commitment benefits all players in Canadian real estate – especially
those agents representing the buyers and sellers.
Vernon Clement Jones, editor
Copyright is reserved throughout. No part of this publication can be reproduced in whole or part without
the express permission of the editor. Contributions are invited, but copies of work should be kept, as the
magazine can accept no responsibility for loss
EDITORIAL
Editorial Director
Vernon Clement Jones
Senior Writer
Jennifer Paterson
Writers
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Copy Editor
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CONTRIBUTORS
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ART & PRODUCTION
Design Manager
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General Manager, Sales
John Mackenzie
National Account Manager
Mark Youash
Marketing and
Communications Manager
Claudine Ting
Project Coordinator
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President & CEO
Tim Duce
Office/Traffic Manager
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www.repmag.ca
If foreign investors are found to
be driving the cost of housing to
unaffordable levels, the government
should find a way to address this
7. UPFRONT
www.repmag.ca 5
“Zoocasa was never a big player in the
real estate industry.There are thousands
of agents in Toronto, and less than 400
were registered with Zoocasa. It was fairly
insignificant.With the new investment in
the site, it’s just going to be like any other
brokerage.Zoocasa, at the beginning, was
trying to be a brokerage, but it ended up
becoming an agent matchmaker.
Buying a home is the most expensive
purchase people make during their
lifetime, and I don’t think it can be done by
just looking at listings online. It’s important
to work with an experienced Realtor.
Buyers who just shop online are missing
the experience and could make mistakes.”
“The demise of Zoocasa is something that
many could have predicted.The market for
online discount brokerages has historically
been riddled with failure.The reality is that
consumers prefer the more traditional
approach to buying and selling homes.
The new ownership appears to
understand the basic consumer desire
for a more full-service and a perceived
non-discounted approach.The‘new’
Zoocasa tries to do what most Realtors
do – provide a full end-to-end personal
service. I don’t personally think it’ll
succeed, primarily because the traditional
way of conducting business has always
come out ahead.”
“A challenge for any alternative
brokerage is getting a critical mass of
market share. Most of these alternative
sellers haven’t done well in terms of
acquiring any significant market share.
It’s difficult when CREA and its MLS
product have 90% to 95% of the market.
As a buyer or seller, you’re not
inclined to go to any other service.
Until an alternative brokerage hits that
threshold and can have a meaningful
number of listings, it will be in a Catch-22
situation, because it’s difficult to grow.
It doesn’t bode well for the start-ups, if
their business model is competing head-
to-head with MLS.”
Is this the end of the
online brokerage?
How much is Zoocasa’s demise – and subsequent resurrection
– an indication of what’s to come for online real estate?
Josee Couture
Salesrepresentative
Re/MaxHallmarkRealty
Dr. John Andrew
Realestateprofessor
Queen’sUniversity
Dustin Graham
Salesrepresentative
TheGrahamPartners
OnlinebrokerageZoocasa,asubsidiaryofRogers,announcedinJunethatitwasclosingitsdoors.ARogersspokespersonsaidthetelecommunicationsprovidermadethedecisionto
nolongercontinueitsinvestmentinZoocasa,andmembersoftheindustrylashedoutonREP’sonlineforum,sayingthatbeingarealestateagentisaboutmorethanjustdata.Tendays
later,ZoocasawasrevivedwhenRealtorLaurenHawandagroupofinvestorspurchasedthesite’sdomainfor$350,000.Thebusinessmodelhaschanged,butagentsremainwatchful.
ZOOCASA’S ROLLER COASTER SUMMER
HEAD TO HEAD
8. UPFRONT
6 www.repmag.ca
STATISTICS
House or
condo?
AsCanada’spopulationcontinuestoswell–especially
insomeofthecountry’smoremetropolitanareas–
condosarebecominganincreasinglypopularoption
foralldemographics
TALL ORDERS IN TORONTO AND
VANCOUVER
Source:CREA,2014
Source:CMHC,CanadianHousingObserver2013
Source:StatCan,Census2011
1
NumberofupdatestotheOntario
CondominiumActsince1998
FORGET URBAN versus suburban. The
newest debate is about property types: specifi-
cally, condo (or strata) properties versus
detached or semi-detached homes.
In most Canadian markets, condos remain
an affordable option for first-time buyers, those
new to the country and those looking to
downsize. However, detached homes remain
popular for growing families and those seeking
freehold living quarters.
While detached properties far outnumber
condo units in every Canadian province, the
sales and prices of condos are growing, particu-
larly in Vancouver and Toronto. Demand for
housing is still driving new single-family home
construction in the suburbs, which is currently
outpacing condo construction. But strata
properties are slowly spreading to some of the
country’s suburbs as the inventory of detached
properties dwindles, pushing prices up.
That’s one trend that’s likely to gather pace
in the coming years as condos currently under
construction reach completion and developers
embark on new projects.
844.4%
Percentagegrowthinoccupied
condounitsbetween1981and2011
19%
Percentageofcondoowners
whoareyoungerthan35
29%
Percentageofcondoowners
whoareolderthan65
Increaseinannualsales,2014(YOY) Increaseinaverageprice,2014(YOY)
HOW DO YOU TAKE
YOUR HOME?
GROWING
OPPORTUNITY
InmostCanadiancities,the
salesofdetachedandsemi-
detachedhavehistorically
outweighedthesalesofcondo
units,butthefiguresarestarting
tobalanceout,offeringagents
anopportunitytobolster
volumeswithoutleavingtheir
ownfarmarea.
It’snosurprisethatTorontoandVancouverhavesomeofthestrongestcondo
marketsinthecountry,andcondosalesandpricescontinuetoincrease
Mosthomeownersprefer
detachedproperties,followed
bycondos.Butthereisstill
alargeportionofCanadians
livinginrowhouses,
townhousesandothersemi-
detachedproperties
Singledetached
Condo
Rowhouse,
townhouse
orduplex
Semi-detached
56%
28%
11%
5%
Vancouver
Toronto
41.3%
58.7%
Vancouver
30.8%
69.2%
Victoria
14.1%
10.2%
3.8%
5.2%
9. www.repmag.ca 7
BUILD UP, BUILD OUT SPOTLIGHT: EAST COAST
Source:CREA2014,TREB2014,GMREB2014
Source:CREA,2013and2014Source:CMHC,PreliminaryHousingStartData2014
Annualsales
SaintJohn 35%
Halifax-Dartmouth 3%
St.John’s 8%
Medianprice
SaintJohn -4%
Halifax-Dartmouth -5%
St.John’s -2%
The year-over-year change in building permits paints a varying picture across the country. On the West Coast,
more detached properties were being built in 2014 than the year before, but in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and
Quebec, growth in permits for condo construction far outpaced that for detached properties
TheWestCoasttendstodominatewhenitcomes
tocondosales,buttheEastCoastmarketis
slowlygrowing.However,whiletransactions
haverisen,year-over-yearpriceshavedipped
British
Columbia Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
New
Brunswick
NovaScotia
PrinceEdward
Island
Newfoundland
&Labrador
15%
0% 0%
6%
15%
-19%
20%
-17%
-11% -12%
11%
-7%
-24% -24%
-16%
-23%
-16%
-27%
-43%
16% Detached
Other
23.9%
76.1%
Toronto
9.4%
90.6%
Ottawa
10.6%
89.4%
Hamilton-Burlington
6.5%
93.5%
Londonand
St.Thomas
34%
66%
Montreal
9.8%
90.2%
St.John’s3.8%
96.2%
Newfoundland&
Labrador
19.2%
80.8%
Edmonton
17.9%
82.1%
Calgary
23.9%
76.1%
Saskatoon
8.8%
91.2%
Regina
1.8%
98.2%
SaintJohn
Detached
Condo
16.5%
83.5%
Halifax-Dartmouth
10. UPFRONT
8 www.repmag.ca
NEWS ANALYSIS
Sold data
debate
heats up
As a tribunal prepares to hear the case on making
sold data public,real estate veterans weigh in on what
a decision ultimately means for the industry
THE HEATED debate around the release of
sold data is about to combust, as the Toronto
Real Estate Board finally goes up against the
Competition Bureau in a tribunal hearing
in October. The long-awaited ruling will
determine once and for all whether sold
data will remain private or be opened to
the public.
Regardless of the outcome, many agents
are convinced that sold data’s entry into the
public domain is inevitable. “Buyers today
are choosing to ... be heavily involved in the
search,” says Carl Langschmidt, president of
Property.ca. “It makes sense that they can use
technology to help them do homework and
due diligence on a property.”
But most agents disagree, pointing out
that allowing public access to the system
could create a host of problems. “An
investment has been put in by all the agents
in paying for these systems to operate,
and there should be compensation if we’re
going to allow other people to have access
to them,” says Ernie Hawrysh, an agent at
Century 21 Gold Key Realty. “We have to
operate the system. It doesn’t get cheaper.”
He does admit, however, that even
agents are demanding more from the
system, a point the Competition Bureau
is also focused on. A spokesperson for the
organization told REP in a statement that
TREB’s actions in restricting access to the
data are harming competition by preventing
real estate agents from offering new and
innovative services to consumers through
the Internet.
Indeed, south of the border in the US,
data flows much more freely, paving the
way for a range of smartphone apps and
websites that build on that data and offer
consumers access to things like proximity to
schools and crime rates.
While some of these types of technol-
ogies are becoming available in Canada,
they are thwarted by the fact that the
underlying data is not widely open to
the public. “MLS has been caught in the
dark ages,” says Dr. John Andrew, a real
estate professor at Queen’s University
and director of the school’s Real Estate
Roundtable. “If it was really willing to
compete and wanted to protect what it has,
it would have done a lot more in developing
that kind of technology.
“If it made that data freely available,
these various apps would pop up overnight,”
he continues, “and there’s no reason those
couldn’t be added on to the MLS system.
But it’s not doing that at all. As a result, the
system today looks pretty much exactly how
it looked 15 years ago.”
“There are a lot of agents whose value
proposition is still information. They
view themselves as the gatekeepers
of information ...”
CarlLangschmidt,Property.ca
11. www.repmag.ca 9
While Andrew says transparency is a good
thing for the industry, he also admits that the
way the Canadian Real Estate Association,
via MLS, has protected its data over the
years is an effective business strategy. “It
essentially has a monopoly,” he says. “But
it’s legal, in the sense that it developed that
product, and it’s not really willing to share
much of the data.”
One reason many real estate agents
are against the sharing of sold data is that
providing and contextualizing the figures on
what houses actually sold for is a key part of
their value-added service model.
“There are a lot of agents whose
value proposition is still information,”
Langschmidt says. “They view themselves
as the gatekeepers of information and view
their job as helping people price a property.”
Hawrysh adds that home sellers are
biased and don’t have the expertise to
list their own homes. “Your own personal
house is always the castle,” he says. “You
will always price it at the maximum because
you’re a biased appraiser. Those numbers
won’t be realistic.” REP
ROOTS OF THE COURT
CASE
“An investment has been put in by
all the agents ... and there should be
compensation if we’re going to allow
other people to have access ...”
ErnieHawrysh,Century21GoldKeyRealty
May2011
April2013
January
2014
February
2014
March
2014
July2014
September–
October
2015
October
2015
Anapplicationisfiledwith
theCompetitionTribunalto
challengetherestrictionsTREB
hasimposedonitsmembers’
useofdataintheMLSsystem
Thetribunaldismissesthe
application
Anappealtothatdecisionis
heardbytheFederalCourtof
Appeal[FCA]inToronto
TheFCAreferstheapplication
backtothetribunal
TREBfilesanapplication
forleavetoappealtheFCA’s
decisiontotheSupremeCourt
ofCanada[SCC]
TheSCCdeniesTREB’s
applicationforleavetoappeal
Thetribunalwillreconsiderthe
Bureau’sapplicationinare-
hearingthatbeginsSeptember
21andendsOctober5
Adecisionisexpectedfrom
thetribunalaboutthefutureof
solddata
12. NEWS BRIEFS
Feds could
consider more
mortgage
changes
The federal government is reportedly
undertaking consultations to
determine whether it should impose
new mortgage rules to help take the
heat out of the real estate market,
according to the Financial Post. It
said Ottawa is considering a range of
changes, including raising the minimum
down payment, tweaking mortgage
insurance, imposing a 20-year
maximum amortization and bringing
in specific conditions on high-value
housing. If the reported consultations
lead to changes, homebuyers would
face more difficulty in being approved
for a mortgage. The Department of
Finance denied the report.
Bank of Canada
hopes cut will
stimulate
economy
The Big Five banks reacted quickly to
the Bank of Canada’s decision to cut
interest rates in July, but mortgage
brokers suggest the lowering of rates
will have little impact on the market,
except to attract homebuyers who are
currently sitting on the sidelines to
finally get in the game. In a statement,
the BoC said,“Canada’s economy is
undergoing a significant and complex
adjustment. Additional monetary
stimulus is required at this time to help
return the economy to full capacity and
inflation sustainability to target.”
Low mortgage
rates helping
affordability
The affordability of homes across
Canada was mostly unchanged in the
first quarter of 2015, activity that was
largely down to lower mortgage rates,
according to a report published in
June by the economics research arm
of mortgage lender RBC. The report
showed that, between February and
May, sales increased 11.2%. With
limited signs of stress being exerted
on homebuyers outside the white-
hot Toronto and Vancouver markets,
RBC’s measures are still quite close to
their long-term averages, suggesting
that current conditions are within
historical norms.
Mortgage
increase
would hurt
homeowners
More than a third of homeowners
would encounter financial difficulty if
their mortgage increased by just 10%,
according to the recent Manulife Bank
of Canada Household Debt Survey.
A further 15% of respondents said
they would not be able to absorb any
increase in their mortgage payment.
The survey also found that 56% of
Canadian homeowners reduced their
mortgage debt in the past year, paying
down an average of $6,300. Nearly a
fifth (18%) made an extra lump-sum
payment, while 17% increased their
regular payment, and 5% did both.
Most first-time
buyers consulted
a broker
First-time homebuyers consulted an
average of 1.2 mortgage professionals
and obtained 1.7 mortgage quotes
before purchasing a home, according
a recent survey from the Canadian
Association of Accredited Mortgage
Professionals. Nearly two-thirds of
first-time buyers (61%) consulted a
mortgage broker (and 39% obtained
their mortgage from that broker), while
75% consulted a bank representative.
The survey also found that fixed-rate
mortgages are the most common
type (72%), while 21% of borrowers
opted for variable- or adjustable-rate
mortgages.
10 www.repmag.ca
UPFRONT
MORTGAGE UPDATE
A new report published by the CD Howe
Institute proposed that mortgage insurance be
separated from the CMHC and moved into a
new fund to protect taxpayers.
According to the report, if unemployment
rises and house prices fall, Ottawa would
have to pay out $9 billion to cover mortgage
defaults. “Our analysis indicates that a
low-probability, but severe, housing crash
could result in roughly $17 billion of losses for
mortgage insurers,” said Thorsten V. Koeppl,
one of the report’s authors, in a statement.
Industry professionals believe the risk, in
reality, is very small, even with a significant
correction. “The word ‘correction’ presup-
poses that something is wrong, and I think
the math shows today’s prices are simply the
new normal – and still have room to run,” says
Dustan Woodhouse, a mortgage broker with
Dominion Lending Centres.
Though the report did say that Canada’s
mortgage insurance system is architecturally
sound, it suggested three reforms that it
believes would reposition the system to better
address the risk of a severe housing crash.
Those include redesigning the government
backstop as a stand-alone fund that accumu-
lates reserves in advance of a housing crisis,
up to a target level, and has the capacity to
borrow against future revenue if needed.
The report also advocated mandating the
Financial Institutions Supervisory Committee
The
mortgage
insurance
risk enigma
Are proposed reforms
to backstop mortgage
insurance risk just more
regulations the industry
doesn’t need?
13. www.repmag.ca 11
to oversee the backstop fund, and making
the backstop available for the residential
ownership market only.
Some brokers, however, remain uncon-
vinced that more regulation is necessary. “My
view is that the largest risk to the housing
market is further overzealous regulation – in
particular, further restrictions at the wrong
end of the market, such as the first-time
buyer,” Woodhouse says. “We need the new
entrants into the market; they are vital to not
only move up buyers looking to sell, but also
to our economy, which relies on construction
of new homes for new household formation –
numbers that are projected to continue to rise.”
The federal government has already
imposed significant regulatory tightening
on the mortgage market since 2008, he
adds, much of it done for the optics as
much as anything. “Canadians don’t miss
mortgage payments, and Canadians don’t
max themselves out,” Woodhouse says. “The
debt-to-income metric thrown around is a
weak measure and means little.”
Educating clients
on collateral
charge mortgages
What is a collateral charge mortgage?
It is method of securing a mortgage or loan against a property
that allows the borrower to tap into the equity of their property
without incurring legal fees later on. These mortgages are not
new; RBC, BMO, CIBC and the credit unions all offer them, but
they were first introduced in October 2010 by TD Canada Trust.
How does it differ from a conventional mortgage?
A collateral charge is non-transferable, which means it can’t be
assigned or transferred to a new lender like a regular mortgage.
For a borrower looking to switch to a new lender at the end
of their mortgage term, a collateral charge means they can’t
switch without having the mortgage re-registered, thus incurring
new legal fees and appraisal costs. It is also unlike a standard
mortgage because it is readvanceable, which means the lender
can loan more money after closing without the borrower needing
to go back through a lawyer, as long as the borrower can service
the new debt.
Which type of borrower does it suit?
It offers a lot of flexibility, so a buyer who wants to redo the
kitchen three years after purchasing a home can roll it into the
mortgage, assuming they can service the higher debt. For buyers
who aim to pay off their homes as quickly as possible, it might
not be the right option. If they want to be open to moving their
mortgage at renewal and shopping all the lenders for a new rate
and term, then having a collateral charge wouldn’t be the right fit
because the borrower is locked in with their lender.
What are some of the hidden challenges?
Sometimes collateral charges allow the lender to do things like
change the interest rate, increase the loan amount and use the
equity to pay down other debts the borrower might have with the
lender, should the borrower default on those debts.
Why is it a hot topic right now?
I think there are a couple reasons. One is because there has been
a lot of negative press about them in the past few years. CBC
News’“Marketplace,” for starters, did a piece on an undercover
consumer getting a collateral mortgage through the bank, and it
didn’t go well for TD.
Another reason is that consumers are becoming more
educated about mortgages. We’ve seen a lot of changes to
the mortgage rules over the past years, as well as a big shift
on interest rates. Because of this, I think we’ve seen a lot of
consumers take a more inclusive role in the mortgage decision
process.
Kelly Hudson
Mortgage expert
DOMINION LENDING
CENTRES AEGIS
MORTGAGE SERVICES
“The largest risk to
the housing market
is further overzealous
regulation”
Yearsintheindustry
3
Fastfact
Inadditiontohelping
peopleachievetheir
dreamofowninga
home,Hudsonalso
advocatesforpeople
adoptingrescuedogs
Q&A
14. 12 www.repmag.ca
UPFRONT
Zoocasa looked as if it might be the first in a
domino-effect finish for web-based real estate
buying and selling. The online brokerage,
which was owned by Rogers, shut its doors in
June. Darryl Mitchell, broker of record for the
online brokerage, told REP, “We worked hard
to provide quality leads, and the stats show
that. [Agents] are going to say whatever they
are going to say, but I’m proud of what we
accomplished.”
But just two weeks after the plug was pulled,
Zoocasa was revived when Realtor Lauren
Haw and a group of investors purchased the
site’s domain for $350,000. Haw said that,
going forward, the site will focus only on GTA
properties, at least until it rebuilds with new
agent clients and online listings.
“Our mission is to give homebuyers access
to the best possible real estate tools and infor-
mation while providing a premium level of
in-house customer service – and that means
building a team of professionals who can adapt
to changing consumer expectations,” Haw told
the Toronto Star.
The same week Zoocasa came back to
life, Yellow Pages shared the news that it had
purchased the online real estate platform
ComFree/DuProprio Network for $50 million,
marking the latest growth in its digital strategy.
It is the fourth most visited network of real
estate properties in Canada, generating more
than $40 billion in revenue last year.
The addition of the network is the latest
in Yellow Pages’ move to accelerate its digital
transformation by creating marketplaces that
help Canadians transact with their local neigh-
bourhoods, according to CEO Julien Billot.
“As demand for comprehensive and cost-ef-
fective real estate services continues to grow,
we will actively leverage our national reach and
relationships to enrich ComFree/DuProprio’s
value proposition, extend their offerings to
homebuyers and sellers Canada-wide, and
deliver sustainable digital revenue growth for
our company,” Billot said in a press release.
Both the resurrection of Zoocasa and
Yellow Pages’ push into the online real
estate space signal that, despite the ironclad
protection over sold data, competitors insist on
challenging a status quo that works, according
to most agents.
The future of online
brokerages
The summer has been tumultuous for one online
brokerage – but is that a sign of things to come?
NEWS BRIEFS New app could be
the ‘Tinder of real
estate’
Pocket Homes, a new app
created by a pair of Calgary entrepreneurs,
is being called the‘Tinder of real estate’
because it offers the same yes-no swiping
interface as the popular dating app. But
it doesn’t look like the app is aiming to
replace real estate agents – it simply allows
homebuyers easier access to the opinions
of their friends and families.“Pocket Homes
makes the process a lot less daunting and
allows people to quickly get opinions from
the people they want to hear from,”said CEO
Matt Diteljan.
Fraud worries
mount with new
e-signature rule
As of July 1, changes to the
Electronic Commerce Act now allow buyers
and sellers in Ontario to use electronic
signatures in real estate transactions. Most
agents expect the change to make things
easier and more efficient, but it’s also
raising concerns about potential risks of
fraud.“It’s more realistic for this time, but
the concern is that people are going to have
to take steps to protect themselves and use
privacy measures,”said one Toronto-based
agent.“People could be opening themselves
up to fraud.”
“[Agents] are going
to say whatever they
are going to say, but
I’m proud of what we
accomplished”
TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
15. www.repmag.ca 13
How and when did you start using drones in
your real estate practice?
In August 2014, I was visiting my parents, and we
were watching a television program on real estate. A
commercial came on about being creative and being
different, and promoting the use of drones. My Dad
suggested I buy one. We got online right away and
bought a drone within the hour.
What are the benefits of using drone
technology?
In business and sales, creativity sells. Being different
always puts you above your competition. I got my
licence 11 years ago. I started when I was 23 years
old, and nobody wanted to do business with me. I was
forced to try to be different and innovative, and come
up with new strategic ideas. I felt this was where I could
be different and give my clients more. I can feature
properties differently than the rest of the market.
What kinds of challenges have you
experienced in using drones?
From when I started, Transport Canada has made
changes, which ultimately changes my platform. It’s
still making changes. New regulations are coming. The
danger and the liability risks are substantial. I’ve got to
be very cautious when I’m flying. It’s not your regular
video game, though you may feel like it with the remote
in your hand. This is not a ‘fun’ business; it’s serious.
How can drone technology simplify the sale of
a property?
I have global clients who are purchasing investment
and waterfront properties. I can now give them a
complete aerial tour of the property, including the
rooftop, neighbourhood, yard and a complete scan
from above, including the interior – and they don’t have
to leave their computer.
Many clients purchase properties without seeing
them, because the technology gives them everything
they need.
What do you expect for the future of drones in
the real estate market?
I don’t think it will become the norm. The laws are
changing quickly. For commercial use, it could be
outlawed. I think it’s going to be tough to do these
things, and the prices will be high for those who can.
Transport Canada doesn’t know how to manage it.
It’s overwhelmed by how rapidly drone use is growing,
but I think the business needs to be regulated before
accidents happen.
I think there should be a licensing system in place.
I’d happily pay $100 to become licensed. I’ll just
forward this cost to my clients and bill it into the cost
of doing business. This will keep the business safe with
mature pilots who are serious about the business.
Transport Canada should also charge us to file
certificates and flight plans.
3D technology to
have an impact on
agents
More agents are using 3D
technology to create virtual online tours
that simplify the home-buying process, add
value for the buyer and give themselves an
edge over the competition. The technology
also allows agents to use still images from
the 3D experience in MLS listings.“It’s
been a really helpful tool and one that
offers some kind of standardization,” said
Justus Smith, a Regina-based agent.“The
fact is, agents aren’t commodities; we have
to use different ideas to generate clients
and value.”
BCREA developing
new interactive
tools
As part of its new 2015-2020
Strategic Plan, the British Columbia Real
Estate Association will develop a range of
tech tools aimed at helping to ease the
buying and selling experience for agents
and their clients.The new tools under
development include Transaction Mapping,
which will create an interactive represen
tation of the transaction process to track
the journey from beginning to end, and
Realtor Match, an online tool that will help
clients connect with the agent who best
meets their needs.
New platform to
centralize multiple
offers
A new registry service
designed to centralize and standardize
offers from multiple buyers could be a
solution for agents and buyers who are
frustrated by phantom bids and hidden
offers. DealDocket will provide agents with a
host of digital tools, including the ability to
store and counter offers.“Typically, agents
can get multiple offers, and the clients don’t
get to see just how many offers there are, so
we believe this platform could change the
industry and bring some transparency,”said
Drew Donaldson, co-founder of DealDocket.
Q&A
Yearsintheindustry
12
Career highlight
Selling $14 million in
volume in 2014
Paul Rouillard
President
FLATPRICE.CA
Using drones to sell
real estate
16. PEOPLE
14 www.repmag.ca
INDUSTRY ICON
TAMI BONNELL exhibited an entre-
preneurial spirit from a very young age.
She was 13 when she started her own
company, cleaning houses in a subdivision
in Burlington, Mass.; by the time she was in
high school, she was selling houses.
Her memorable introduction to the world
of real estate sales came when she was
hired to clean a newly built house while the
Realtor and buyers were doing their final
walk-through. “The wall between the kitchen
and the dining room was supposed to be an
open concept, but [the builder] had made a
mistake,” she remembers. “The buyers were
screaming and the Realtor was screaming.
They ended up slamming the door and
leaving, and I just kept sitting in the window,
hoping I was invisible.”
The project ended up being delayed,
and in frustration, the builder put his fist
through a wall, breaking his hand. He
asked 13-year-old Bonnell to drive him
to the hospital. On the drive, the builder
complained how incompetent everyone was,
while Bonnell wondered how difficult it
could be to sell a house.
By the time the builder had returned to the
subdivision with a cast on his hand, he had
offered Bonnell a job helping him sell houses.
“I started working for him on weekends,
making $500 a house,” she says, adding
that it’s legal in Massachusetts for a minor
to sell on-site for builders, as long as they
Re/Max International and Exit Realty
International – but she calls her working
relationship with Exit Realty a “pure love
affair.” She started as a regional owner in
1999, became the US vice president in 2000,
president in 2001 and CEO of the whole
company in September 2012.
Taking the exit
Founded in Canada in 1996, Exit Realty
FINDING HER HOME
Exit Realty International CEO Tami Bonnell talks about her unusual
introduction to real estate, the company’s Canadian roots and her
family of lethal weapons
don’t represent anybody else. (Note: It’s not,
however, legal to drive a car.)
Whether it was kismet or simply being in
the right place at the right time, Bonnell knew
immediately that the real estate industry was
where she belonged.
The business of real estate
However, Bonnell soon realized she liked the
business side of the industry better than real
“In Canada, the majority of our offices
have dominant market share, and we
have the second highest per-person
productivity in the country. We’ve
grown tremendously there”
estate itself, so she took a job in banking at
Merrill Lynch – but fate soon put her back on
the path to real estate.
Merrill Lynch started acquiring real estate
companies, and when management became
aware of her history, they realized she just
might have a knack for it. “So for the last 30
years of my career I’ve been merging and
acquiring companies, selling franchises,
selling regions, and building brands,” she says.
Bonnell was instrumental in building
three major brands – ERA International,
International’s head office is still in
Mississauga, Ont. “The first office, the first
people to join the company – they all came
from Canada,” Bonnell says. “In Canada,
the majority of our offices have dominant
market share, and we have the second highest
per-person productivity in the country. We’ve
grown tremendously here.”
The similarity between the Canadian and
US real estate industries is one of the reasons
the company has seen such tremendous
growth across North America. “There are
18. Franchise sales, mergers
and acquisitions, ERA
International
Franchisesales,mergers
andacquisitions,Re/Max
International
RegionalownerofNew
England,ExitRealty
International
Vicepresident,
ExitRealtyUS
President,
ExitRealtyUS
CEO,
ExitRealtyInternational
PEOPLE
16 www.repmag.ca
INDUSTRY ICON
more restrictions and regulations in the US
than in Canada, as far as real estate goes,
but the concerns are the same,” Bonnell says.
“I was just at a national CEO meeting with
people from the Boards of Realtors and the
MLS in both countries. When they came
together, they realized that the major concerns
in both countries were the same.”
Two of these concerns are succession
planning and how to attract millennials to the
profession. At Exit Realty, Bonnell has been
integral to the development of programs and
systems that address both concerns.
Agents are provided with the opportunity
for residual income, as the company rewards
people for the percentage of the organization
they help to build. For instance, if Bonnell
introduces an agent into an Exit Realty office,
she would receive the equivalent of 10% of
that agent’s gross commission, up to $10,000
a year, for every year the agent works there.
When she retires, she still earns 7% of that
agent’s gross commission.
“It works amazingly for succession plans,”
Bonnell says. “Half of the franchises that
we’ve sold in the last two years, we’ve actually
acquired other companies with them, because
brokers don’t have a succession plan. This
gives them the opportunity to make sure their
people are taken care of and to continue to
make money off the top of what they built
for as long as people continue to stay with
the company. So we’ve created a succession
plan.”
Exit Realty also has a focus on millennials.
“They want to get in the game; they want to
have a vested interest – 50% of them want
ownership in a business,” she says. “They are
very high-tech, and we are a very high-tech,
high-touch company.”
The brand builder
Bonnell’s three previous roles were at
companies she calls cutthroat, where people
didn’t like working together as a team. But
at Exit Realty, “I can honestly tell you that if
I introduce you into the company, it’s now
in my best interest,” she says. “If I’m making
$150,000 and you’re making $50,000, it’s
in my best interest to teach you to do better,
because I get better at my job by helping
you, but I also make more money by helping
you.”
But does she miss that adrenaline rush of
selling a property, the one she first experi-
enced when she was 13 years old? “I get to
be in sales, selling franchising and helping to
change people’s lives,” she says. “I get to be
in touch with it and go to our offices. I get
to be around it all the time. It’s an amazing
business; it’s responsible for the number-one
dream – to own a home – and I don’t think
that ever gets old.” REP
TAMI BONNELL’S
CAREER PATH
“If I’m making $150,000 and you’re making
$50,000, it’s in my best interest to teach
you to do better, because I get better at my
job by helping you, but I also make more
money by helping you”
1988
2001
2012
1993
1998
2000
19. Build your niche with
courses leading to
credentials specializing in
the buyers (ABR®
), sellers
SRS), seniors (SRES®
)
and international (CIPS)
markets, and more.
Enhance your business
profile with the exclusive
FRI designation.
Learn More, Achieve More
with the Real Estate Institute
of Canada (REIC).
www.reic.ca 1.800.542.7342 infocentral@reic.com
Aim High
Achieve More
FEATURES
EDUCATION
Why an agent’s
credentials
matter
TOO OFTEN, selling real estate is seen
as a soft skill set. But in today’s market-
place, consumers expect increasing value
for the services provided. Those new to the
industry can present themselves as extremely
competent, but they may not have all the skills
needed to succeed. Short courses and seminars
are great, but it’s more essential to earn creden-
protect their best interests. Real estate boards
across Canada recognize the advantages of
advanced credentials and are making the
courses available to their members.
A higher level of qualification is also
beneficial for the long-term sales professional.
The nationally recognized FRI designation
offered by the Real Estate Institute of Canada
provides recognition of knowledge and skills
gained through work experience. The program
covers topics such as negotiating, contracts,
real estate law, human behaviour and ethics in
greater depth to benefit the experienced profes-
sional. The FRI designation is a clear differen-
tiator that raises the bar of professionalism.
The job of selling real estate has grown into a
sophisticated career. Advanced education and
credentials provide a solid way for agents to
remain viable and competitive. REP
tials that provide additional grounding and
recognition, and reflect market needs.
In specialized areas, such as working with
seniors, international buyers or first-timers,
consumers want to engage a professional who
fits their unique requirements. Credentials that
reflect these specialties show clients that they
are working with someone they can trust to
www.repmag.ca 17
20. 18 www.repmag.ca
COVER STORY: AGENT LIFESTYLE
FEATURES
IN AN industry first, REP is pulling back
the curtain to reveal the secret elements of
the real estate agent’s lifestyle, from money
matters – such as how much the average agent
has in savings, home equity and investments
– to less sensitive subjects, such as vacation
habits and the kinds of cars they drive.
A peek into the average
Admit it: You compare yourselves to your peers.Whether it be the number
of transactions, social media presence or the kind of suit your fellow agent is
wearing, it’s hard not to compete in such an entrepreneurial industry. So how
do you stack up? Olivia D’Orazio reports
We encourage readers to take a good hard
look behind that curtain, but be warned:
What you see might encourage you to work
a little harder.
And you’ll be able to compare your
lifestyle to more than just your own peers.
This year, two of our sister publications –
Canadian Mortgage Professional and Wealth
Professional – have run similar lifestyle
survey findings in their own pages, so we
borrowed some facts and figures to see how
real estate professionals stack up against their
counterparts in the financial and mortgage
industries, too.
AGENT’S LIFESTYLE
DEMOGRAPHICS
Agentsbetween55and59yearsoldareslightlybetterrepresentedthanotherages
AGE BREAKDOWN
18to29
30to34
35to39
40to44
45to49
55to59
65to69 75or
older
50to54 60to64 70to74
16.1%
3.3%
4.7% 8.9% 14% 15.3% 4.8%
5.2% 12.3% 11.4% 2.2%
22. 20 www.repmag.ca
COVER STORY: AGENT LIFESTYLE
FEATURES
WORK LIFE
Mostrealestateagents
haveadecadeortwoof
serviceundertheirbelts
EXPERIENCE
22.1%
have between six
and 10 years of
experience
5.9%
arestillonprobation,
withtwoyearsorfewer
undertheirbelts
16.6%
havebetweenthree
andfiveyearsof
experience
32.1%
havebetween11
and25yearsof
realestate
experience
22.6%
havebeeninthe
businessfor26to
45years
96%offinancial
advisorsworkfulltime
88%ofmortgage
brokersworkfulltime
22.8%ofagentsarelegacysales
reps,followingtheirfamilies’
traditionsinrealestate 97%arefull-timeagents
77.9%ofagentsenteredthereal
estatebusinessasa
second–orthird–career
Based on our survey results, it would appear the contentious issue
of part-timers versus full-timers is a molehill, not a mountain –
a staggering majority of respondents are, in fact, full-time
23. www.repmag.ca 21
“I think Realtors should be full-time – dedicated, trained and
professional. I don’t think you can give full your commitment
being part-time” DebbieHanlan,DebbieHanlanRealEstate,St.John’s
ROYAL LEPAGE 32.7%
RE/MAX 24.9%
CENTURY 21 9.6%
COLDWELL BANKER 5.9%
HOMELIFE 2.5%
SUTTON GROUP 1.7%
KELLER WILLIAMS 1.5%
RIGHT AT HOME 1.4%
HARVEY KALLES 0.5%
EXIT REALTY 0.4%
CHESTNUT PARK 0.3%
SOTHEBY’S 0.2%
VIA CAPITALE 0.2%
AGENTS REPRESENT A DIVERSE LIST OF
CANADA-WIDE BROKERAGES
Someofthemostpopularinclude:
49% 21.3%
19.1% 6.6%
2.5% 1.4%
16ormore
5to10 3to5
1or2 None
11to15
AVERAGE NUMBER OF
DEALS PER YEAR:
HOW DO AGENTS GET THOSE DEALS? BY MARKETING LIKE MAD.
19.2%
20.6%
34.8%
12.8%
8.5%
4.3%
ofagentsspendmorethan$10,000onmarketingeachyear
ofagentsspendbetween$5,000and$10,000
ofagentsspendbetween$1,000and$5,000
ofagentsspendbetween$500and$1,000
ofagentsspendbetween$100and$500
ofagentsspendlessthan$100eachyear
14%ofagentsworkwithregional
orindependentbrokerages
Morethan
24. 22 www.repmag.ca
COVER STORY: AGENT LIFESTYLE
FEATURES
MONEY MATTERS
NEARLY HALF OF AGENTS
EARN SIX FIGURES EACH YEAR
$150,001+ 25.1%
$101,000–$150,000 21.6%
$81,000–$100,000 12.6%
$61,000–$80,000 17%
$41,000–$60,000 11.8%
$0–40,000 11.9%
SAVVY SAVERS
$5,000to
$20,000
11.8%
Lessthan$3,000
17.4%
$1millionormore
6.8% $550,000to
$900,000
4.4%
$240,000to
$500,000
19.8%
$110,000to
$200,000
15.2%$60,000to
$100,000
12.4%
$25,000to
$50,000
12.2%
AMOUNT IN
SAVINGS AND
INVESTMENTS
Manyofthosewithsmallamountsintheir
savingsadmittedtohavingjustpurchasedtheir
firsthomes
77%ofrealestate
agentsplantobe
workingpast65
anyway
“It all comes out of sacrifice. As with any sales job, if
you put in that much time, you’ll make a lot of money”
NeresSraidarian,BigCityRealty,Toronto
39.3%ofagentswillbesetfor
retirementby65
34.9%won’tbe
25.9%areunsure
53%ofmortgage
brokerswillbeready
forretirementby65
$312,000averageamountamortgagebroker
hasinsavingsandinvestments
$483,000averageamountafinancialadvisor
hasinsavingsandinvestments
Agentsmighthaveareputationforflash,butmostalso
havesomemoneysockedawayinsavings
$324,000Averageamountarealestateagenthasinsavings
25. www.repmag.ca 23
REAL ESTATE AND
MORTGAGE MATTERS
WHO SOLD YOUR HOME?
70.1%ofrespondentsusedareal
estateagenttobuyorselltheirownhome
29.9%ofagentsfeltcomfortable
doingitthemselves
OWNING A HOME
0-10% 15-25% 55-70%30-50% 75-98% 100%
7.2% 8.2%
27%
10.7%
16%
30.4%Nearlyathirdof
agentsreportthat
they’vepaidoff
themortgageon
theirprincipal
residence
INVEST IN STYLE
CHESTNUT PARK REAL ESTATE LIMITED, BROKERAGE
Stay tuned for the fall edition of Chestnut Park’s
Invest In Style magazine.
Landing on doorsteps near you. This beautiful publication
includes feature articles and boasts some of the
finest homes and recreational properties in Ontario.
@chestnutparkhomes
#investinstyle
@therealtiffsly
#investinstyle
@estatesofmuskoka
#investinstyle
@bradenwhite_toronto
#investinstyle
@bessieseyfert
#investinstyle
chestnutpark.com | 416.925.9191 | 1300 Yonge Street, Suite 100 Toronto, ON M4T 1X3
26. 24 www.repmag.ca
COVER STORY: AGENT LIFESTYLE
FEATURES
EDUCATION
“I have represented the sale of my own home – every one I’ve sold. I
know it best, and I know the industry, so I would represent the sale
of my home – not necessarily the person purchasing it, though”
DebbieHanlan,DebbieHanlanRealEstate,St.John’s
45.6%
preferthe
country 54.4%
ofagentsare
citydwellers
48.2% OF AGENTS OWN RENTAL PROPERTIES
Onaverage,
mortgagebrokers
payaninterest
rateof2.5%
62.8%ofagentshaveamortgage,
buttheirratesvary
1.9% ofagentspaylessthan2%
19.9%
ofagentspaybetween
2%and2.49%
41.9%
ofagentspaybetween
2.5%and2.99%
23.7%
ofagentspaybetween
3%and3.5%
5.9%
ofagentspaybetween
3.54%and3.99%
6.5%
ofagentshaveaninterestrate
higherthan4%
Thehighestinterestratereportedwas12%;thatwas
foranincomeproperty
47.7% own1rentalproperty
21.1%own2
11.7%own3
19.5%own4ormore
60%offinancial
advisorshaveatleastan
undergraduatedegree
42% ofmortgage
brokershaveatleastan
undergraduatedegree
ONGOING EDUCATION
Continuingeducationismandatory,butsomeagentsgo
aboveandbeyond
53.3%ofagentsholdatleastonedesignation
5.1%ofagentsholdmorethan
fouradditionaldesignations
Somehighschool
3.2%
Highschooldiploma
12.2%
Someuniversity
48.7%
Undergraduatedegree
23.2%
Graduatedegree
12.7%
Ofthosewhoowninvestmentproperties:
27. www.repmag.ca 25
“It’s a stereotype
in any sales job.
You have to
show success,
and that’s one of
the ways to do it.
But some people
do it too early,
and that’s why
they don’t get
anywhere”
NeresSraidarian,BigCityRealty,
Toronto
16.5%paid$100or
lessfortheir
bestsuit
52.8%paid
$100-$500
21.9%paid
$500-$1,000
8.8%paid$1,000
ormore
41.1%
ofagentsspent
lessthan$100on
theirwatch
39.4%
spentbetween
$100and$500o
awatch
8.51%
spentbetwee
$500and$1,000
onawatch
11%
ofagentsspent
morethan$1,000on
theirwatch
58.4%donot
41.6%ofagentsconduct
businessinasuit
LIFESTYLE
60%offinancial
advisorsdobusiness
inasuit
40%ofmortgage
brokersdobusiness
inasuit
18.4%
ownabespokeor
tailoredsuit
28. “It’s important to
have a vehicle for
the terrain you deal
with. And it’s nice
to have a nice car”
RaymondBorley,Century21,Rocky
MountainHouse,Alta.
02 04 06 08 0 100
39.2%boughtused
60.8%boughtnew
6.7%driveapickuptruck
4%driveaminivan
33.5%driveasedan
43.9%driveanSUV
4.2%driveasportscar
7.7%driveacompactcar
OF THOSE WHO OWN A CAR
16.6%paidlessthan$20,000
fortheirmainvehicle
10.8%
paid$20,000-$25,000
15.5%
paid$25,000-$30,000
21%
paid$30,000-$40,000
17.3%
paid$40,000-$50,000
18.9%
paid$50,000ormore
WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU DRIVE?
Ford:11.2%
Toyota:9.9%
BMW:7%
MercedesBenz:6.4%
Lexus:5.4%
Honda:5.3%
Nissan:4.9%
Dodge:4.2%
Volkswagen:4.1%
Cadillac:3.6%
Chevrolet:3.6%
Acura:3%
Maserati:0.1%
Agentsdriveeverymakeandmodelimaginable.
Herearesomefavourites:
26 www.repmag.ca
COVER STORY: AGENT LIFESTYLE
FEATURES
79.7%owntheircar
19.9%lease
29. www.repmag.ca 27
HOW MUCH VACATION TIME DO YOU TAKE?
8.5%
takelessthanone
weekperyear
11.1%
takeoneweekof
vacation
23.7%
takethreeweeks
24%
taketwoweeks
23%ofmortgage
brokersown
avacationhome
20%offinancial
advisorsown
avacationhome
10.2%ofagentsare
membersofaprivateor
countryclub
57.6%ownacottage
32.3%ownUSor
international
property
10.1%ownboth
44%ofmortgage
brokerstakeatleastfour
weeksofvacation
59%offinancial
advisorstakeatleast
fourweeksofvacation
32.8%
takefour
weeksormore
19.3% OF AGENTS OWN A VACATION HOME
Ofthosewhoownavacationhome:
www.repmag.ca 27
30. COVER STORY: AGENT LIFESTYLE
FEATURES
HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE SOCIAL MEDIA?
28.5%
useit
occasionally
“Social media
is a new venue
for reaching
people, and
it’s exploding.
If you’re not
involved with
social media,
you are behind
the times”
DebbieHanlan,DebbieHanlanReal
Estate,St.John’s
63.1%
useitdaily
8.4%
ofbrokersneveruse
socialmedia
“It’s where everybody looks for information, where everybody
complains. It’s what comes up when you Google someone’s name”
NeresSraidarian,BigCityRealty,Toronto
68.3%favour
Facebook
14.2%focuson
LinkedIn
6.3%choose
Google+
4.5%favour
YouTube
4.2%prefer
Twitter
2.4%choose
Instagram
47.3% 30.2% 22.6%useaniPhone preferAndroid stillsupportBlackberry
60%ofmortgagebrokers
usesocialmediadaily
51%offinancialadvisors
usesocialmediadaily
28 www.repmag.ca
32. 30 www.repmag.ca
COVER STORY: AGENT LIFESTYLE
FEATURES
16.1%of
agents
haveacat
28%ofmortgage
brokershaveacat
15%offinancial
advisorshaveacat
38.5%of
agentshave
adog
AGENTS ARE EITHER GUNG-HO FITNESS BUFFS OR PROUD COUCH POTATOES
35.5%ofagentsnever
gotothegym
32.5%ofagentsgo
atleasttwice
aweek
45%ofmortgage
brokershaveadog
30%offinancial
advisorshaveadog
33. www.mortgagebrokernews.ca 31
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TIM HORTONS IS THE PREFERRED
COFFEE VENDOR
49.4%
ofagentsenjoyTim
Hortonscoffee
24.7%
preferStarbucks
24.5%
ofagentsbringtheir
coffeefromhome
1.4%ofagentslike
SecondCup
ARE AGENTS FOODIES, OR
JUST BAD COOKS?
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
eatoutmultipletimesaday
eatoutonceaday
eatoutonceaweek
eatoutonceamonth
5.2%
24.6%
52.8%
17.5%
34. 32 www.repmag.ca
What is a 15-minute mortgage?
The 15-Minute Mortgage is a lead-generation
tool that can be placed on any website. It
currently appears on all CENTUM mortgage
agents’ websites.
How does it work? What is the
process for the client?
A client would click on the online tool to get
prequalified for a mortgage. This process
takes 15 minutes or less. After they have
completed the questions, they will receive
an email thanking them for the application
and providing a prequalified amount, as
well as advising them that they will be
contacted shortly by a CENTUM agent.
The agent gets the lead immediately, and
they are required to call within 30 minutes
or send an email within an hour. The lead
will show all the information on the client,
along with the purchase price and down
payment they are looking for.
How does it benefit real estate
professionals?
It can be placed on any website, so it can
What is The 15-Minute
Mortgage?
Kathryn Grant, CENTUM’s new Director of Broker Services, answers REP’s
questions about the company’s new mortgage lead-generation tool that
benefits real estate agents
go on a Realtor’s website. For instance,
a CENTUM agent might partner with
a Realtor and have the widget on their
website. If a client used this tool, the
lead would be emailed to the Realtor and
the mortgage agent. The agent would
then contact the Realtor with a pre-
approval.
This is a great way for mortgage agents
to build strong relationships with Realtors.
In the past, it has typically been an agent
trying to get Realtors to send referrals, but
we’re giving a lot more back now. It’s quick,
it’s easy, and it’s a very good-quality lead for
the real estate agent.
What happens if the client is
declined?
They are never declined. They will receive
an email letting them know they need to
answer more questions, which still offers a
very good opportunity for a mortgage agent
to get in contact with that client to help
them if there is a concern with credit or
income, etc.
The agent can then advise and help the
client to re-establish their credit or, if the
income isn’t enough, they can provide other
options. This is still a lead for the agent and
Realtor in the future.
Is The 15-Minute Mortgage
available to all mortgage brokers?
No. This is an exclusive tool created by
CENTUM and used only by their mortgage
agents. If a real estate agent would like access
to the tool, they can easily partner with a
CENTUM agent. REP
INTRODUCING
KATHRYN GRANT
WHAT’S NEW AT
CENTUM?
CENTUMiscontinuouslygrowinganddeveloping
newtools.Thecompanyhascreatedavery
excitingnewbusinessmodelthatbringsthereal
estateandmortgageindustriestogether,forming
theperfectmarriagebetweenqualityservice,
minimaleffortandhighprofits.Staytunedfor
detailsinthenextissueofREP.
In her role as Director of Broker Services,
Kathryn Grant is the newest member of the
CENTUM corporate family. She’s spent more than
a decade in the financial services industry, and
brings a wealth of knowledge and experience
to the role. Kathryn began her career in finance
before moving to a senior position at a major
bank. She joined CENTUM as a mortgage agent
and then opened her own franchise, building
it to become one of the most successful in the
CENTUM family.
Kathrynenjoystakingonchallengingand
creativefinancing,aswellasexperiencingthe
joyofhelpingCanadiansrealizetheirdreams
ofhomeownership.“Iamveryexcitedbymy
newroleandamlookingforwardtosupporting
CENTUMagentstocontinuetobetheoutstanding
professionalstheyare,”shesays.“Ilovebeing
withanorganizationthatisonthecuttingedgeof
drivingboththeCENTUMbrandandthemortgage
industryforwardthroughinnovation.”
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Q&A
35.
36. 34 www.repmag.ca
DONE DEAL
FEATURES
Selling a piece of
Canadiana
SPRAWLING ACROSS 65,000 acres in
rural Quebec, Kenauk Montebello is one of
the largest privately held parcels of land in
Canada – so it’s no surprise that it offered
its listing agents a one-of-a-kind marketing
opportunity when it came time to open the
sale up to the public.
“It was a very unique strategy based on
a cost-per-acre model,” says Herb Ratsch, a
broker with Sotheby’s International Realty, who
sold the property with Jones Lang LaSalle’s
Robert MacDougall in December 2013.
The asking price was $81.25 million –
or $1,250 per acre – to own one of North
America’s largest and longest-established
private fish and game reserves.
The property
The wilderness reserve lays claim to more
than 70 private lakes and is home to a
gated community with 13 luxury chalets
and an exclusive marina. Add more than
102 kilometres of lakefront vistas on
Lac Papineau, hundreds of kilometres of
existing roads and an idyllic location neigh-
bouring the quaint village of Montebello,
Que., and the possibilities for the buyer
are endless.
“It’s the proverbial location, location,
location,” Ratsch says. “It’s an hour from
Ottawa, an hour from Montreal, and
Highway 50 goes directly there. It is also
connected to the world-famous Chateau
Montebello.”
The roots of this property are entrenched
in the history of the region. In 1674, the
King of France granted the land to Quebec’s
first bishop, Monseigneur Laval. Before the
opening of nearby Chateau Montebello,
the area was the private retreat of the
Seigniory Club, whose elite membership
reportedly included notable foreign and
Canadian businessmen, politicians, and
dignitaries, such as former prime minister
Lester B. Pearson, as well as Prince Rainer
and Princess Grace of Monaco.
A 65,000 acre parcel of land in rural Quebec – with 70 private lakes, 13
chalets and a piece of Canadian history up for grabs – offered its listing
agents a unique challenge
“It has incredible, rich history,” Ratsch
says. “Every prime minister was a member
of the club.”
Since the 1970s, Kenauk has operated
a retreat where guests can stay in one of
the 13 chalets, eight of which reside on
their own exclusive lake. Guests enjoy the
year-round activities Canada is famous
for, such as fishing, kayaking, canoeing,
boating, swimming, hiking, hunting, golf,
cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and
dogsledding.
37. take aerial photos and video – and, once
the property was listed, to take clients on
site visits.
Ratsch and MacDougall worked with
Sotheby’s New York head office, asking:
“This is the biggest, most prestigious
piece of land on the market. What would
you do?” The Wall Street Journal agreed
to launch the sale in its magazine and on
its website as long as it was the first to
promote it. “So we held off for around 60
days to get the massive distribution in the
US,” Ratsch says.
In March 2013, the property was
officially launched with a feature article
in the Wall Street Journal, and then was
subsequently picked up by the New York
Times. “Then it went everywhere,” Ratsch
says. “The spin-off was huge, the media
afterwards … everyone wanted to know
what was going on. That really gave it a big
international jump. You can only come out
of the bag once, and we wanted to come out
with a bang. We felt that this had more legs
internationally than in Canada.”
The sale
The sales strategy was to use a price-
per-acre listing because nobody believed
the property could be sold at such a high
price. “It was just a lot of acres,” Ratsch
says. “When you look at it on a cost per
acre, it was cheap. If you listed it at $75
million, people would ask how we came up
with that number. So we listed it at $1,250
per acre with the goal of achieving about
$1,000 to $1,250 an acre. And then it’s just
a multiplier.”
The duo also put together a booklet
that provided information about Kenauk
Montebello Reserve and broke up the
property by each of its lakes. “This lake
is worth $2 million, that lake is worth $5
million ... people realized there is $100 or
$150 million of sales when you break it all
up,” Ratsch says.
For instance, he explains, a private lake
between 500 or 1,000 acres might sell
for $3,000 to $5,000 an acre, so when a
potential buyer looked at the booklet to see
the breakdown, they would realize what a
great opportunity it was.
The property was sold as a private estate
to a group of five buyers for an undisclosed
but princely sum. REP
THE PROPERTY BY THE NUMBERS
The marketing
The listing of Kenauk Montebello was as
unique as the property itself. Sotheby’s and
Jones Lang LaSalle signed an exclusivity
contract with the Wall Street Journal in
September 2012. The agents spent the next
six months building a website, working on
the marketing content, creating a video
and a booklet, and using a helicopter to
QUICK LOOK
ADDRESS
100CheminKenauk,
Montebello,QC,J0V1L0
LISTING DATE
March2013
LISTING PRICE
$81.25million
SOLD DATE
December2013
SIZE
65,000acres
PROPERTIES
13chalets
475
14.5
5
100
90
KILOMETRES OF LAKEFRONT
KILOMETRES
OF RIVER
ISLANDS ON
THE PROPERTY
KILOMETRES
OF ROADS
-MINUTE DRIVE FROM
MONTREAL OR OTTAWA
www.repmag.ca 35
38. 36 www.repmag.ca
EXPERT ADVICE
FEATURES
3
Repurpose unusable indoor
items for outdoor use
Instead of dumping old possessions in the
trash, why not think of creative ways to use
them in the garden? This is a great way to
give an outdoor space a stylish and individ-
ualized aesthetic. I like to get imaginative
with my planters, using anything from
WE’RE ALL guilty of funnelling time and
money into indoor spaces and barely giving
the backyard a moment’s thought. After all,
what is there to do with a patch of grass and
a few trees? The easy answer: A whole lot!
Don’t underestimate the design (and
selling) potential of an outdoor space.
With cooler weather and firm, dry ground,
autumn is the perfect time to take on these
types of projects, adding subtle details that
will have a big impact on homebuyers.
It’s not as hard as you think. You don’t
need to be a landscape designer to help your
clients make their green space as great as
their living room. All that’s required is some
crafty thinking and a bit of creativity.
1 Build a deck for entertaining
When it comes to improving the
backyard, I’m a huge advocate of creating and
maximizing usable space. Homebuyers will
perceive a home as larger, and therefore more
valuable, if it has great, usable space outdoors.
A deck is the most versatile way to achieve an
even, multipurpose surface, perfect for dining
furniture and comfortable seating.
There are a lot of things to consider
when installing a deck, but choosing the
right materials is the key. For outdoor
projects, my go-to is MicroPro Sienna, a
pressure-treated wood that has a gorgeous
rich brown hue but doesn’t require initial
staining. It’s durable and built to last, but
sellers will love that it’s also affordable.
2
Increase those outdoor hours
With fewer bugs and beautiful
breezes, fall evenings are always my
favourite. Urban fire bowls or infrared heat
lamps are a great way to extend the season
and make a space instantly cozier. Add a
few extra pillows and blankets, and you’ll
have a hard time bringing the homebuyers
back indoors.
6 ways to get
the backyard
ready for
buyers
As the summer winds down and the fall selling
season kicks off, now is the perfect time to make
sure a home’s outdoor space looks as great as the
rooms indoors. Celebrity landscaper Carson Arthur
shares his 6 tips for making the best of the backyard
39. www.repmag.ca 37
watering cans to old garden boots or even
broken chandeliers.
4
Don’t be afraid of colour
Don’t just rely on flowers to create
colour in your client’s backyard. Colourful
planters, pillows or even rugs are a great
way to add a bit of character. Plus, the
extra bonus of adding colour through acces-
sories means that you’re not married to
any one look. You can easily change it up
complement the rest of your client’s home!
Remember, just like any room inside the
house, the backyard is a blank canvas that
your clients and prospective buyers can
paint with their personality.
5
Add privacy
With more patios being installed in
backyards and fewer trees, the need for
a private area out of the view of neigh-
bours has never been more pertinent. I
recommend adding a pergola, which creates
a secluded space with extra privacy. Like
with a deck, when constructing a pergola,
make sure to choose durable and environ-
mentally friendly materials.
6
Use multifunctional pieces to
maximize outdoor space
Just as with the indoor space, you don’t want
an empty room outside – you want it to have
purpose! Creating a versatile living space
that functions both for your clients and for
future buyers can add significant value to the
home’s resale price. It could be an outdoor
dining area, a vegetable garden, a play area
for the kids or a cozy spot to unwind. Be sure
to incorporate multipurpose furniture pieces
as well. REP
Whennotinthedirtwithhiseco-friendly
landscapedesigncompany,CarsonArthur
staysbusybuilding,planting,writingor
designingasafeaturedgueston“CityLine.”
Hisshow,“CriticalListing,”iscurrently
airingonHGTVCanada.Formore,visit
www.carsonarthur.com.
Just like any room
inside the house,
the backyard is a
blank canvas that
your clients and
prospective buyers
can paint with their
personality
PhotobyBobGundu,courtesyofMicroProSienna
40. SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
38 www.repmag.ca
What is Leading Real Estate Companies of the
World? How does it work?
Leading Real Estate Companies of the World [LeadingRE]
is the largest global real estate network in terms of annual
home sales. It was established in 1997 by brokers who
wanted to control their own destiny and build their
distinctive local brands while enjoying the power of inter-
national connections and the resources available through
economies of scale. Our members benefit from more than
30,000 client referrals annually, as well as listing and
branding tools, luxury marketing, online learning, confer-
ences and technology solutions – programs previously
available only from franchises.
How does LeadingRE differentiate itself from
the competition?
One differentiator is that we are local and we are global. We
start with local market-leading firms and empower them to
prosper as part of a powerful global entity. Another is that
membership is by invitation only – we are very selective in
order to live up to our name. And because LeadingRE is the
brand behind the member’s brand, we see them as the stars
and us as the supporting cast.
Finally, we provide the advantages of a franchise without
the costs and restrictions. Our members are with us because
they have a return on investment and derive measurable
value, not because they are bound by a long-term contract.
How should the real estate industry be thinking
about education?
We live in a world where information is free and knowledge
is priceless. LeadingRE’s mantra is ‘making the best
brokerages better,’ so we are all about high standards of
quality, competence and exceptional performance.
We support our affiliates through a 24/7 online learning
platform called Institute, with a version specifically for
Canadian members. Our conferences are routinely charac-
terized as the industry’s best. We provide webinars to
Pam O’Connor, president and CEO of the Chicago-based company Leading
Real Estate Companies of the World® tells REP how Canadian real estate
professionals can grow their global presence
address evolving educational needs, and our CEO groups
connect owner brokers for idea-sharing and peer reviews.
These continuous learning opportunities are embraced by
our members in their quest to maintain and enhance their
market leadership.
Why is LeadingRE interested in the Canadian
market?
Our hybrid local/global model has been a tremendous
success in the US, where we represent 14 of the top 25
brokerages and have $80 billion more in annual sales than
any franchise. Replicating that success in Canada, with the
same opportunity for brokers to own and control their local
brand while enjoying the resources and connections of a
worldwide affiliation, would be a win-win for all.
As the world becomes smaller with more cross-border
movement, it’s essential to think beyond borders and
provide services to assist clients both across town and
around the world. Building on our foundation of top
independent brokers in Canada to have an even stronger
national presence here is a priority for LeadingRE.
What are some Canadian real estate trends
that excite you?
First, the trend toward urbanization for convenience and
lifestyle signals more referral opportunities, which is one of
the strengths of our network. Second, the slow but steady
improvement in the housing market and low interest rates
make Canadian real estate a great investment. And third,
the shrinking business margins in real estate here should
make our high-value model very attractive to Canadian
brokers. We believe we offer a unique opportunity for
top-quality Canadian firms that are interested in a new and
rewarding way of doing business. REP
Q&A
BY THE
NUMBERS
Formoreinformation,visitwww.leadingre.com,orcontactSheila
Barrat312-361-8632orsbarr@leadingre.com.
How to become a leading
real estate company
500globalindependent
realestatefirms
50+countrieswhere
LeadingREhasa
presence
30,000+annualclient
referrals
$80
billion
moreinannual
salesintheUSthan
anyfranchise
14ofthetop25
brokeragesinthe
USareLeadingRE
members
41. www.repmag.ca 39
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42. FEATURES
40 www.repmag.ca
Lending
solutions for
subprime
clients
ALTERNATIVE FINANCING
Subprime homebuyers require a little more work
when it comes to putting together financing, but
teaming up with the right alternative lender can help
make these deals go smoothly
ALTERNATIVE LENDING may not be
the first route real estate professionals think
of taking when advising clients about their
mortgage options, but it’s certainly an area
that is growing in popularity – and in
necessity, given the tightening of Canada’s
mortgage regulations.
There are a range of clients who fit into the
alternative lending space, such as those who
are self-employed, those with below-average
credit scores or those who know they are
pushing the boundaries on typical A-lender
affordability factors.
“For some, alternative lending will always
be their best option,” says Brian Gentles, a
mortgage broker with TMG The Mortgage
Group Alberta. “It can help them grow their
business. It can help them manage personal
tax implications and build a nest egg for later
years in the form of retained earnings. But
too few borrowers even know that alternative
lending exists. We need to do a better job of
getting the word out.”
Many clients will require a broker or real
estate agent to explain to them how and why
they don’t fit into A lending, what alternative
lending can do for them, and how they might
eventually transition to an A lender if they
make and follow a plan.
43. www.repmag.ca 41
“I provide clients with alternative solutions
when they are not able to get regular financing
from the banks,” Xu says. “Especially for
Realtors, the aim is to get the deal closed.”
Moss feels those operating in the
alternative lending space should take on the
role of educating the homebuyer. “Maybe the
term ‘lifestyle coach’ is more of a recent thing,
but that’s the way I’ve always been since day
one – and it’s always been effective,” he says.
He adds that the advice he passes along to
clients is very much welcomed – even if it is
tough-love advice – especially when it comes
to credit rehabilitation. “People living within
their means can be a big issue,” he says.
“People are afraid to give that sort of advice or
tell a person what to do, but it really does help
them. They appreciate hearing the honest
truth, and they respond to it.”
Xu is also a strong believer in the value of
education. She runs in-office teaching
“Too few borrowers even know that
alternative lending exists. We need to do
a better job of getting the word out”
BrianGentles,TMGTheMortgageGroupAlberta
CASE IN POINT
Who: A professional couple wanted
to buy a second home for a family
member to live in.
Why: They had great income
stability, very low ratios and were
able to put 25% down, but they were also
very sloppy on credit card payments. The
couple was declined four times in the A
lending space, including at financial
institutions where they had previous
relationships.
Outcome: Since their Beacon
scores were still 640-660, an
alternative lender was able to do the deal
in a heartbeat.
“Almost everyone goes through ups and
downs,” says Graeme Moss, principal broker
at Fair Mortgage Solutions in Hamilton, Ont.
“If a person has a down, whether it is due to
illness, job loss, divorce, a million things, the
goal I have is to get them back on track, like a
doctor. What is powerful to clients is giving
guidance or a roadmap.”
Lending alternatively
The proportion of mortgages given out by
alternative institutions – other than banks or
credit unions – remains small, at roughly
2.2% of the entire market, according to a
recent report by CIBC. But alternative
lenders’ share of the overall mortgage market
has grown, starting at 0.8% during the 2008
recession and expanding at a rate of around
25% per year, said Benjamin Tal, deputy chief
economist of CIBC World Markets, in a
recent Globe and Mail article.
One of the reasons for this is tighter
government regulations, which have allowed
alternative lenders to fill an important void.
Beginning in 2012, the Office of the
Superintendent of Financial Institutions
ushered in the B20 and B21 guidelines, aimed
at defining principles that encourage best
practices in respect to sound residential
mortgage insurance underwriting. The final
phase of the regulations was just imple-
mented in June 2015.
The changes have had a predictable
knock-on effect on the lending space, forcing
more borrowers to consider alternative
options. Mortgage brokers and real estate
agents have adapted accordingly.
“I think a percentage of the broker world
has learned the alternative side due to the
regulation changes and how they have
affected the lender’s guidelines,” Gentles says.
Three years ago, many feared the regula-
tions would be too onerous for the industry
and on borrowers, but the new rules have, in
fact, helped to reassert the traditional broker
role – and, subsequently, the real estate
agent’s role – as expert advisor and educator.
Relationships and education
Christine Xu, a mortgage broker and private
lender at Mortgage Architects in Markham,
Ont., has seen her client base evolve over the
past few years, from mostly A clients to
alternative borrowers. Of these clients,
around half are referred to her by real estate
agents, a reciprocal relationship that she
believes is integral to the process.
44. FEATURES
sessions for real estate agents. “I try to
educate the Realtor, explain how they can
qualify their client,” she says, adding that
those same lessons can be extended directly
to the client. “When the client has the down
payment, I teach them how to calculate a
regular interest payment to show them
whether they are able to afford it. If the client
is unable to afford it, then I’m not doing the
client any favours.”
Doing your homework
An important strategy for attracting clients
who are suited to alternative lending options
is to forge relationships with key stakeholders,
including those in the A lending space.
“Having a relationship with branch
managers of banks and credit unions is more
important than ever because more of those
clients are being turned down than ever before,”
says Dustan Woodhouse, a broker at Dominion
Lending Centres based in Coquitlam, BC.
This is where education comes into play, as
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR DEALS ARE
ALTERNATIVE?
Source:PollconductedbyMortgageBrokerNews.ca,March2015
81%ormore
61-80%
41-60%
21-40%
10.6%
32.9%
11.7%
17%
9.5%
7.4%
10.6%
“Almost everyone goes through ups and
downs. What is powerful to clients is
giving guidance or a roadmap”
GraemeMoss,FairMortgageSolutions
agents will be required to have candid conver-
sations with borrowers to make sure they are
aware what is required, since the regulation
changes ushered in an increase in necessary
documentation.
“They’ll come to you and say, ‘Five years
ago, I only needed to provide three documents,
and now you’re asking me for 20 documents,’”
Woodhouse says. “Well, that’s the way it’s
changed – so it’s the skill with which you can
communicate the increased requirement of
documents that will make a huge difference.”
Lenders are on the same page in asking
brokers and agents to focus on communi-
cating the appropriate use of alternative
financing options to clients, but the starting
point for that process often will involve the
brokers and real estate agents ensuring they
are up to speed on alternative lending.
“In a nutshell, education, partnerships and
CASE IN POINT
Who: A seasoned professional
had recently left employment to
create his own company. He had one
month’s work on the books, solid credit
and net worth, and owned his principal
residence free and clear. He also owns
three rental properties with around 50%
financing. His goal was to conserve
cash for a rainy day, and he wanted to
purchase another income property.
Why: The A-lenders were
looking for two years of tax
history and proven income for his
business.
Outcome: His principal
residence was refinanced with
an alternative lender to secure the
down payment, and he financed 70%
on the new income property with the
same lender. All funds borrowed are for
investment purposes, so all interest is
tax deductible.
0%
1-10%
11-20%
42 www.repmag.ca
ALTERNATIVE FINANCING
45. Self-employed; bruised credits; quick closings;
Our turn around time is 24-48 hours for 95% of our deals;
We will give you a straight forward answer for all your
mortgage concerns;
Our private mortgage rate starts from 4.99%.
Call me for your free consultations.
Hotline: 416-716-6468
Toll Free: 1-866-908-7234
Email: inquiry@moneybroker.ca
4400 Hwy. 7 E, Markham ON L3R 1M2
(Hwy. 7 Kennedy)
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL
MORTGAGES
Mortgage Broker, AMP
CHRISTINE XU
Ranked No.3 at CMP
“Top 75 Mortgage Brokers 2015”
Recipient of the Chinese
Business Excellence -
Social and Community
Contribution Award 2015
“Top 10 Commercial
Brokers 2013”
“Top 10 Women of Influence in
Mortgage Industry 2015 & 2013”
BEST ALTERNATIVE LENDING
BROKER OF THE YEAR
WINNER 2015WINNER 2015
Winner of “Best Alternative
Lending Mortgage Broker of the
Year 2015”
WE SPECIALIZE IN CHALLENGING DEALS!
46. FEATURES
OUR PROMISE TO YOU:
To share with you all information that is
relevant to making an informed decision
regarding your choice of mortgage.
To answer all of your questions.
To respond promptly to all telephone
call and emails.
To keep you, and the rest of your real
estate team as appropriate, appraised
of the status of your file.
To show you the opportunity to pay off
mortgage and other debt much faster.
To be your mortgage consultants for life.
BRIAN GENTLES ACCREDITED MORTGAGE PROFESSIONAL
TMG The Mortgage Group Alberta Ltd. | 1-866-273-6192 | brian@briangentles.com | www.briangentlesteam.com
Experience
Competence
Relationships
Putting it all to work for you
Not just a mortgage...
YOUR mortgage!
Residential and
Commercial Mortgages
networking are the trifecta of the alternative
lending business,” says Steve Lydon, national
sales manager for alternative lender MCAP
Eclipse. “This area is growing quickly with
huge future potential, but brokers need to
know how to make it work for them and their
customers. Attending seminars, researching
the sector, and reading industry journals and
“I provide clients with alternative
solutions when they are not able to
get regular financing from the banks.
Especially for Realtors, the aim is to get
the deal closed”
ChristineXu,MortgageArchitects
articles to learn about the business and
alternative lending guidelines are the keys.”
Ultimately, agents will need to acclimatize
themselves, and then their clients, to a very
different landscape than that of the prime-
lending world. “I think the surge is more of a
long-term wave,” Gentles says, “and I believe
that we are just at the beginning of it.” REP
CASE IN POINT
Who: After a messy marital
separation, but with help from
parents, this borrower had clear title to
the home but battered credit.
Why: The borrower needed 50%
loan-to-value to repay her
parents. No A lender would come to the
table, not even at that LTV with low
ratios.
Outcome: It took a three-year
alternative lender deal with a
plan in place to rebuild credit and then
refinance with an A lender at maturity.
44 www.repmag.ca
ALTERNATIVE FINANCING
47.
48. PEOPLE
46 www.repmag.ca
AGENT PROFILE
THE DAY was September 3, 2008. Glen Kirkland, a
fourth-generation soldier in the Canadian Army, was
just days away from returning home to his family after
a difficult tour in Afghanistan’s Zhari
District in the heart of Kandahar
Province. The day started like any
other. Kirkland and his crew drove
through the mountainous desert,
patrolling a Taliban stronghold.
Minutes later, the only light Kirkland
would see was from the fire of a
rocket launched at the tank carrying
members of his platoon.
Usually, Kirkland never rode up
front, but on this day, he was driving.
That decision proved to be the
difference between life and death.
Three of his fellow soldiers were
killed in the attack, while Kirkland
was left for dead.
“By the numbers, I should be
dead,” he says in I Came Back,
a recent documentary about his
experience. “Ninety per cent of the
time, I was in the back of the LAV.
That time I wasn’t, and that was the
time we got hit.”
Heart of darkness
During a mission with US and British forces, Kirkland
and his team were surveying areas in what is known as
the ‘Heart of Darkness,’ an epicentre of Taliban control.
The operation had started a few days before the attack
took place; Kirkland slept in old buildings and huts.
During the mission, he went out
with his platoon as a medic in case
of enemy attack. He took the wheel
just before the attack, turning onto
Taliban Road near Kandahar City.
“We were going to pick a fight
with them,” he says. “We were going
to knock on their door and pick a
fight with them.”
The mission looked like it was
going to be a success, but things
soon took a turn for the worse. That
day on the tank is now seared in
Kirkland’s memory.
“It was a very surreal thing,” he
says. “I didn’t have any feeling in
[my body], and I thought, ‘Wow,
this is what it’s like to die; it isn’t too
bad.’ So I made a choice – either I
was going to stay there and die or try
to get out of there.”
Kirkland managed to escape
and was later rescued by Canadian
forces. He was lucky to be alive.
His bulletproof vest was gone. His
helmet was dust. His shirt was torched. He suffered
severe burns and damage to his hearing, but was able
to help load the rest of his colleagues into the LAV.
Back from
the brink
From the gruelling war zones of Afghanistan to the rigorous
world of real estate, Glen Kirkland has come full circle
after a traumatic experience changed his life forever. Jordan
Maxwell reports
“I didn’t have
any feeling in
[my body] and
I thought, ‘Wow,
this is what it’s
like to die; it
isn’t too bad. So
I made a choice
– either I was
going to stay
there and die or
try to get out of
there”
49. www.repmag.ca 47
The return
When he returned to Canada from Afghanistan, the
traumatic experience hit Kirkland hard. Like many of
his fellow soldiers, he battled PTSD and alcoholism.
It was his father, who also served in the military, who
helped him through to the other side.
“When I first came back, everything was surreal,”
he says. “You’re ripped from a war zone and put back
into normal civilian life. It was a tough transition for
me. It was my Dad who really helped me. I talk to him
literally every day, and he’s a true hero. But ultimately,
it was a decision I made. And I didn’t want to be that
person. I went to Brandon University right away and
went right into my real estate career. That helped a lot,
just to have something else to focus on.”
After making the decision to go back to school,
Kirkland eventually reintegrated himself back into
civilian life. His decision to go into real estate was
something he’d been pursuing long before he became
a member of the Canadian Army.
While he’ll never forget what happened that
September day in Afghanistan, what Kirkland chooses
to focus on are the similarities between life on the
battlefield and life in the real estate industry, where
his discipline has helped to make him one of the most
decorated agents in Manitoba.
“You never turn it off,” he says. “When you’re
overseas, you’re always switched on; you’re always
working, so in that regard, it’s the same thing. You
can’t compare getting into a gunfight to selling a deal,
but that work ethic and discipline is what keeps us
going.” REP
THE FIGHT FOR BENEFITS
WhenGlenKirklandreturnedfromAfghanistan,hefaceda
strugglethatmanysoldiersintheCanadianArmyhavetaken
theHarpergovernmenttotaskover:benefits.Kirklandtestified
beforeaparliamentarycommitteeaboutthedifficultyhefaced
whentryingtoreceivehealthbenefitsfollowingtheTaliban
attackthatkilledthreeofhisfellowsoldiers.Hewaseventually
dischargedfromthearmyaftersufferinghearinglossandabrain
injurythatlefthimdependentoninsulin.
TheConservativegovernmenthassincepouredmillionsof
dollarsintoveterans’programs,andrecentlyunderscoredits
commitmenttoex-soldiers,butmanyremainskepticalaboutthe
treatmentofCanadiansoldiers.
50. 48 www.repmag.ca
FAVOURITE THINGS
PEOPLE
FAVOURITE
CELEBRITY
I have a not-so-secret
celeb crush on Gerard
Butler.
FAVOURITE
VACATION SPOT
Dubrovnik, Croatia.
It has the perfect
mix of Old World
charm, stunning
landscapes and
horrifying history.
FAVOURITE BOOK
Atlas Shrugged by
Ayn Rand. This book
sparked some of the
most intense debates
of my life so far.
VANESSA ROMAN
FAVOURITE THING ABOUT WORKING IN REAL
ESTATE: Real estate is the epitome of change; it is
all about beginnings and endings. With every house
I sell, people close one door, only to open another,
behind which awaits endless possibility, adventure and
opportunity. I feel privileged to share the journey of
homeownership with my clients.
First-time buyers,Gerard Butler,‘mom jokes’and Manchester
United – these are a few ofVanessa Roman’s favourite things
FAVOURITE
MOVIE
I’m a sucker for rom-
coms. I have watched
Love Actually and P.S.
I Love You more than
15 times each.
FIRST REAL ESTATE DEAL: My first real estate deal
wrecked me – it was absolutely perfect! I was working
with a family member who was well-qualified, knew
exactly what she wanted, and we found ‘the one’ after
touring only four properties. In the days that followed, I
had endless daydreams about the perfect clients I would
work with in the future, negotiating perfect deals for
them. Looking back, my naivety makes me smile.
FAVOURITE REAL ESTATE DEAL
First-time homebuyers are always my favourite deals.
It’s wonderful to share their enthusiasm, witness their
wide-eyed wonder at all of the housing options out there
and to be a voice of reason when the responsibility of
becoming a homeowner seems overwhelming.
FAVOURITE THING OUTSIDE OF REAL ESTATE
I tell jokes – the really cheesy kind that only dads can
get away with. I’m a mom, so I just don’t have the
same delivery, I guess. People expect mom jokes to be
better somehow. My family and friends don’t even fake
laugh anymore.
Photofromwww.goodreads.com
Realtor with Exit Realty Metro,radio host,columnist and host of
HGTV’s“Reno vs Relocate”
FAVOURITE
SPORT
Soccer (football) – I’m
a proud Manchester
United fan.
FAVOURITE FOOD
Anything I can eat with
my fingers. Silverware is
overrated.
FAVOURITE MUSIC
1930s and ’40s swing-era
bands. Duke Ellington,
Glenn Miller and Benny
Goodman had a timeless
rhythm I could listen to
all day long.
52. Realty isEXIT
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