If like thousands of people throughout the Greater Toronto Area you have worked with a REALTOR® in recent years, you probably have an appreciation of the many variables that can occur in a transaction.

While working in the real estate profession demands a considerable knowledge base, throughout my 30 years as a REALTOR® I have found that one of the most important aspects of the job has remained the same: the simple act of bringing people together. It is immensely gratifying to see the enthusiasm in buyers’ eyes as they envision their new lifestyle and the sense of achievement that sellers experience when an agreement is reached.

It has been said that when people come together we can accomplish great things and this extends beyond the context of a real estate transaction to the communities that each of us calls home.

According to a 2012 study by Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area, homeowners play an important role in strengthening communities throughout our city.  The organization, which develops affordable housing communities throughout the GTA, undertook the study in 2012 in order to gauge the experiences of people transitioning from rental housing to home ownership, and a number of significant findings were reported.

Homeowners noted improved health, better academic scores among their children, and even increased recycling efforts. Equally notable however were the study’s findings regarding community involvement. Half of respondents reported feeling safer walking outside their homes and 72 per cent of those surveyed reported being friendly with five or more neighbours - a 25 per cent increase. Connecting with others in the community even applied to the youngest members of the household, with 81 per cent of respondents reporting an improvement in their children’s social life. Another finding suggests these homeowners are likely to deepen their engagement in the community in the long term, with 93 per cent indicating they don’t plan to move for a very long time, or never at all.

A report published in the same year by the National Association of REALTORS® in the United States illustrates similar findings.  It indicated that since homeowners tend to remain in their homes longer, their residential stability lends itself to home improvement efforts and civic participation, showing that homeownership builds strong communities.

One of the many reasons homeownership is vital to our city’s future is that it gives people the confidence to offer a hand up to others, generating a cascade of prosperity. The Habitat for Humanity GTA report findings support this theory, indicating that 66 per cent of respondents feel hugely better about themselves as homeowners and showing a 135 per cent increase in respondents extending invitations to visitors.

In the interest of your family’s wellbeing and your financial future it’s wise to make the transition to home ownership at the earliest opportunity.

Paul Etherington is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board, a professional association that represents 40,000 REALTORS® in the Greater Toronto Area.

Follow TREB on www.twitter.com/TREBhome, www.Facebook.com/TorontoRealEstateBoard, pinterest.com/trebhome/,www.linkedin.com/company/treb and www.youtube.com/TREBChannel

Given that more Canadians own their homes today that at any other time in our nation’s history, it’s fair to say that homeownership has become one of our country’s primary cultural values. Chances are you’ve spent the occasional Sunday mesmerized by a real estate program or two, and even if you don’t keep up on the latest home trends, you’re probably familiar with the importance of location, kitchens, and bathrooms to property values.

Increasingly though, today’s homebuyers’ must-haves extend well beyond shiny fixtures and faucets. Recognizing that many young homebuyers have never known a world without technology  - personal computers and the Internet have been mainstays since they were children - they expect that technology should be fully integrated not only into the home buying process but also into their homes.

If you’re planning to sell your home in the foreseeable future, consider that technology-based features such as systems that allow you to control a home’s climate, lights and security from anywhere in the world using a smartphone, are likely to pique the interests of modern homebuyers.

Far from being superfluous nice-to-have features, such conveniences figure prominently on their wish lists. For example, more than half of respondents in a survey of 18 to 35 year-olds in the United States stated that they value a home’s technology capabilities even more than its curb appeal.  Moreover, the study, released in 2013 by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, found that 84 percent of those surveyed believe technology is an absolute essential to have in their homes.

While an energy efficient washer and dryer, security system, and smart thermostat ranked as their top three technology choices, if your place is a little dated and worn, there are also a number of other opportunities to make it more appealing to modern homebuyers.

Creating an open floor plan is an important step in modernizing your home but if you don’t have the budget, or tolerance for major renovations, consider adapting existing spaces. Where young homebuyers are concerned a comfortable home office would likely be preferable to a stodgy dining room and a state-of-the-art media room would definitely trump a living room filled with grandma’s furnishings.

Technology has allowed us all to become more efficient and the penchant for organization has carried over to our physical spaces as well, which is why ample storage is another key draw for modern homebuyers. Smart living also includes easy to maintain hard surface floors and to give them the cozy feel of carpet, radiant in floor heating is a feature that’s sure to arouse buyers’ interests. Those with truly opulent tastes may even seek heated driveways to avoid time-consuming shovelling during the winter months.

Paul Etherington is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board, a professional association that represents 40,000 REALTORS® in the Greater Toronto Area.

Follow TREB on www.twitter.com/TREBhome, www.Facebook.com/TorontoRealEstateBoard, pinterest.com/trebhome/,www.linkedin.com/company/treb and www.youtube.com/TREBChannel

The Ontario Real Estate Association’s annual leadership conference took place in Toronto this week, and one of the key items of business discussed at its Annual General Meeting on March 11 pertained to a proposed OREA advertising campaign.

The campaign, which aims to promote REALTOR® professionalism through television advertisements, was not included in the OREA budget, and as a result, a $30 fee increase to be levied on all Members for the next three years was proposed.

While I believe strongly in communicating with consumers about the value of home ownership and working with a REALTOR®, I also believe that such initiatives should be achieved within existing budgets. As such, I cast a vote against the proposed increase, and I believe most other TREB Directors did so as well.

The vote on this issue, which was administered by secret ballot, was carried, with 73 votes cast in favour of allowing the increase and 50 against.  It is worth noting that while TREB comprises approximately 70 per cent of OREA’s membership, our Association holds 33 per cent of the vote.

I believe it is important to inform Members of this outcome directly, as many of you took the time to express opposition to the proposed increase.  As the majority of TREB Directors also do not agree with this increase, we will be discussing options at upcoming meetings.

While TREB is responsible for collecting OREA and CREA dues, in addition to those for our Association, it is important to note that the $30 increase relates solely to your OREA dues. It will become effective in January 2016.

Throughout the past 11 years, TREB has offered dues holidays on seven different occasions. We are committed to providing you with quality tools and services, while undertaking the most efficient approaches to doing so, and as always, I am grateful for your feedback on all of our offerings.

Please feel free to share your thoughts with me anytime by writing to trebpres@trebnet.com.

The Tax Fairness for Realtors Act, 2015, was recently introduced in the Ontario Legislature.

To help get this important piece of legislation passed, we need your help! Click here to send an email to your local Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) urging them to support this bill.

It’s time for REALTORS® to be treated fairly

Currently, the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 (REBBA 2002), prevents real estate salespeople from operating their business through a PREC.

Many other regulated professions in Ontario, including chartered accountants, lawyers, health professionals, social workers, mortgage brokers, architects and engineers, can all form personal or professional corporations.

The ability to incorporate would allow a REALTOR®, depending on their level of business income, to save money on their income tax by taking advantage of the lower corporate tax rate.

Your help is needed!

On March 16, we email broadcast March’s edition of the monthly, electronicAcross The Board Member newsletter to all TREB Members. This issue features:

• GeoWarehouse® Access Added to Public Records
• CRTC Issues Warning for REALTORS®
• The Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB) Designation Courses Launch at TREB
• Invite & Share With Your Social Media Networks – TREB FEST 2015
• Members for Members – Honoured Volunteers
• TREB Member Benefits Program
• REALTOR® QUEST 2015
• Members for Members – Thank You for Your Service!
• Volunteer on the Arbitration and Professional Standards Rosters
• Greater Toronto REALTORS® Donate $485,410 to Shelter Charities
• 25th Anniversary of Earth Day
• Importance of Keeping Appointments

If you can’t find the email link to Across The Board in your Inbox, or you’ve accidentally deleted it, you may click here to open the newsletter.

If this issue didn’t arrive in your Inbox, you may not have your preferred email address on record with TREB. For step-by-step instructions to set your preferred email address, print this document or watch this training video.

If the link to open Across The Board doesn’t work on your computer, there is an alternate method to read the newsletter. To access Across The Board from within TorontoMLS/New Stratus:

1. Log into TorontoMLS/New Stratus.
2. Click Your Information Centre near the top of the home page. The Your Information Centre page appears in a separate window.
   
3. Click Across The Board Newsletter. The current edition of the newsletter appears.
   
4. To print or download the current issue, select Click here to download current issue in PDF. To read a previous issue, select CLICK HERE FOR ARCHIVES, then select the issue you want to read.
   
   

To print Across The Board:

1. Follow the steps above to open the PDF version of the newsletter.
2. Click File, then Print.

If you joined TREB before June 30, 1990 or before June 30, 1965 and have a total of 25 or 50 TREB membership years, you may qualify for a special membership rate.

1. Your application must be received by TREB no later than APRIL 25, 2015 in order to meet the invoice cycle for July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 TREB annual dues. NOTE: Any applications received after April 25, 2015 will be processed for the following TREB membership year of July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017.


2. Your 25 or 50 years of TREB membership must be completed by June 30, 2015 to qualify for the July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 TREB annual dues and fees billing period.


3. You are a TREB Member in good standing with a total of 25 or 50 years of TREB membership.

Applications can be emailed to membership@trebnet.com or faxed to 416-443-8830 or 416-446-6414.

Please click on the appropriate link below, complete the application, and submit it to TREB by April 25, 2015.

Click here for the TREB Member for 25 Years + Application Form
Click here for the TREB Member for 50 Years + Application Form

On July 1, 2015, Ontario Regulation 307/14 amendments to the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 (“REBBA”) under Bill 55, will come into force. These changes are intended to address the issue of “multiple offers” in the real estate marketplace.

Bill 55 introduced a number of changes to REBBA, most notably around handling offers. They are:

• Bill 55 prohibits a registrant working on behalf of a purchaser from presenting or representing an offer unless the offer is in writing.


• Bill 55 requires that the selling brokerage must retain copies of all written offers that it receives to purchase real estate or copies of all other prescribed documents related to those offers.

Specifically, the amendment outlines the required information that must be contained in a ‘prescribed document’ and states that the selling brokerage must retain a copy of the document or a copy of the written offer for a period of one year after receiving the written offer.

To help Members comply with the new requirements, the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO) has developed a fact sheet on the changes.  Click here to view the RECO Bill 55 Fact Sheet.

The OREA Standard Forms Committee will be designing a new standard form to help REALTORS® comply with Bill 55 and Ontario Regulation 307/14.

For more information on the amendments to REBBA, please click here.

Since 1968, the Council of Real Estate Brokerage Managers has awarded this prestigious Certified Real Estate Brokerage Manager (CRB) Designation to help REALTORS® improve both individual and Brokerage office performance in the competitive world of real estate.

These two-day, 3 CRB credit courses are presented to a maximum of 25 attendees, allowing for an effective and interactive learning environment.

The following six courses are being held at TREB’s Don Mills office in Classroom 3.

For complete information on earning the CRB Designation, click here

On March 26, 2015, the Ministry of Consumer Services launched a 45-day consultation regarding changes to the regulation governing the mandatory Real Estate Council of Ontario (“RECO”) insurance program for real estate registrants.

The ministry is seeking input on proposals to modernize the insurance requirements under the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act, 2002 for real estate Salespersons and Brokers.

Proposed amendments include:

• modernizing outdated terminology;
• stipulating that registrants are required to pay the insurance deductible;
• providing for the submission of individual applications by a specified date if an insurer requires it; and
• establishing prescribed minimum insurance coverage amounts.

TREB has been working with OREA, RECO and the Ministry over the past year and a half on changes to the insurance program for real estate registrants. Together, TREB and OREA have been fighting to retain and protect all three types of insurance coverage, which includes errors and omissions, commission protection and consumer deposit protection. We support the move to rename the term of errors and omissions to professional liability insurance.

TREB and OREA are also concerned with the proposal to remove maximum levels of coverage in the regulation as this could lead to higher claims, higher settlements and upward pressure on insurance premiums for registrants. For more information on our position, please click here to view OREA’s submission to the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services.

To help ensure changes to our industry’s insurance program are comprehensive, we are encouraging Members to provide their feedback to the province.

Click here to send your feedback.

Admission – TREB Members, No Need to Pre-Register

Admission is complimentary*, with no pre-registration required for Members of TREB, BREB and DREB.

We welcome all REALTORS®: for the Entrance Fee Schedule, click here.

ENTER TO WIN A FREE TREB 2015-2016 MEMBERSHIP!

Scan your TREB eCard to register when entering REALTOR® QUEST on May 6 & 7 and be automatically entered into the daily draw to win a FREE TREB 2015-2016 Membership! One winner will be announced at Centre Stage at the end of each day.

Not sure how to access your TREB eCard? Let us help! Stop by the TREB/Stratus Booth Info Corner to access your TREB eCard and enter the daily draw!

*Proof of TREB Membership is required upon entrance to the event (Stratus Authenticator/MobilePASS/TREB eCard/business card/TREB Membership card)

Spring Annual Meeting for Members

The Spring Annual Meeting takes place on May 6 from 10:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. in Hall B. Keynote Presentation by Richard Robbins: "The Future of Real Estate Sales: Five inevitable trends you can't ignore". 

Canada’s Largest Real Estate Trade Show

REALTOR® QUEST opens at 8:00 A.M. on May 6 and 7. Canada’s largest real estate trade show features 240 exhibitors showcasing the newest, most advanced products and services tailored specifically to the needs of real estate professionals.

Pick up some great show specials from many of the vendors. Check out Builder Boulevard, hosted by RealNet. Here you can meet with new home and condo developers and preview their newest projects.

There is free parking at the TCC and a free parking lot shuttle bus to and from the doors.

Don’t Miss The Greatest Lineup of REALTOR® QUEST Speakers Ever!

44 SESSIONS TO CHOOSE FROM!

General

• Achieving Organization – Richard Flint
• Are You Getting Your Share of the International Market? – Panel
• Be Prepared for Closing – Mark Weisleder
• CREA Membership Open House – Panel
• Converting Internet Leads into Face-to-Face Appointments – Andy Herrington
• How Pros Multiply Effectiveness and Profit – Walter Sanford
• Increase Your Business by Providing Levels of Service – Andy Herrington
• Instant Sale Formula: A 5 Step Roadmap to Real Estate Sales Success in 90 Days – Bruce Keith
• It’s Mine and I Own it! The Psychology of Real Estate Ownership … Getting Clients, Increasing Conversions, and Raving Fans – Jay Izso
• Maximum Marketing, Minimum Dollars – Juanita McDowell
• Recreational & Country Properties – Heather Scott and Jennifer O’Brien
• The Power of Leverage Through Teams – Dan Plowman
• Understanding and Controlling Procrastination – Richard Flint

Condominium

• Condo 101: What You Need to Know from Start to Finish – Panel hosted by BILD
• Condominium Assignments – Lou Radomsky
• New Homes and Condos: Builders and Market Leaders Get You Better Informed– Panel hosted by RealNet
• Working Effectively with Condo Property Managers – Tania Haluk, Bruno Sperduti and Roger Thompson

Commercial

• Bank Financing – Sharon Connolly
• Commercial Broadcast Email Service – Naseef Khan
• GTA Commercial Real Estate Investment – Complexity and Opportunity – Panel hosted by RealNet
• Global Economic Update & Impact in Ontario – Warren Jestin
• Investing in Canada & Finding the Properties – Don Patterson

Technology

• Gadgets & Gizmos for REALTORS® – Juanita McDowell
• Got Social Mediology? Using Psychology in Social Media for Endless Referrals and Endless
  Business – Jay Izso
• Make Your Videos Go from Good to Great on a Bootstrap Budget – Bruno Marsala
• Public Records Update – Propertyline™ and GeoWarehouse® – Caitlin Drake and Brent
  Hammond
• TREB Products & Services Update – Jason Mercer

Members have reported incidents involving an individual who claimed to be interested in buying property.

An individual contacted a Member on March 26, as a result of listings displayed on the Internet. After viewing the condominiums, the individual indicated that he would like to buy two or three units.

He then produced documentation, which was unfamiliar to the Member. As a result, the Member contacted his Office Manager, who subsequently met with the individual and three others who accompanied him.

When the Office Manager inquired as to how they would like to proceed with the purchase of the condominium units, they indicated that they would not need financing, and in fact, they would not be paying for the units at all.

The Office Manager indicated that the only framework in which a transaction could be undertaken was that set out by law, and that he would consult with the provincial regulator and professional associations for insight.

The Office Manager then contacted police, who indicated they are familiar with the individual. 

TREB Directors Karen Gerrard and John Lusink were on hand to celebrate the completion of the most recent Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area Title Home Sponsorship Build.

The dedication ceremony, which is the final stage of a Habitat Home Build, took place yesterday on Metro Road in the lakeside community of Jackson’s Point, Georgina, and marks the first TREB sponsored home build in the York Region.  A collection of local representatives including Georgina Mayor Margaret Quirk, Habitat for Humanity York Region Vice President Richard Solomon, and scores of volunteers and supporters joined TREB in welcoming new homeowner Lisa Smith and family.

“Working with Habitat for Humanity is a particularly rewarding experience for REALTORS®. We spend our days helping people find the house that will become their home.  We know the level of stability and security that is added to a family through the value of home ownership” TREB Director John Lusink told the crowd. “REALTORS® from across the GTA have come together for years now on build sites just like this one, donning hard hats and swinging hammers, to show their support for the Habitat model for success.”

Habitat for Humanity is TREB’s longest standing charitable partner.  From 1999 to 2008 TREB co-sponsored four home builds and participated in various other projects. Since that time, TREB has been the Title Sponsor on three home builds, fulfilling the dream of homeownership for the Matin family in 2009, the Khemraj family in 2011 and, most recently, the Smith family.

TREB Director Karen Gerrard reinforced TREB’s role as a sponsor by saying, “Being a part of this York Region Title Home Sponsorship, in the lovely lakeside community of Jackson’s Point, not only allows us to continue making strides in our effort to provide the opportunity for homeownership to a deserving family; it is also a demonstration of the commitment of REALTORS® to communities throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

You and 399 of your closest friends are invited to TREB FEST, an evening of networking and dancing at Toronto’s CUBE nightclub on April 29 in support of Camp Winston.

Admission-only tickets for this not-to-be-missed event are $20 with proceeds directed in support of Camp Winston, a registered charitable organization that provides recreational opportunities in the idyllic Muskoka region for children with neurological conditions such as Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Tourette’s Disorder.

Come see and be seen! On April 29, CUBE is the place to connect with many of the Greater Toronto Area’s most successful REALTORS®. Ticket holders will be eligible for Door Prize Draws.  As well, attendees will have the opportunity to visit with our onsite ‘Pay to Play’ specialty entertainment including an Astrologer, a Handwriting Analyst, and a Henna Artist!

For more information about Camp Winston, please visit CampWinston.com
For more information on CUBE, visit CubeToronto.com

To purchase tickets, visit the REALTOR® STORE in person, call (416) 443-8122 (credit card purchases only), or click here to buy online.

We encourage everyone to share this great event with your social media networks and contacts to help to make this the biggest and most successful event yet. 
Click here for instructions on inviting Facebook contacts to TREB FEST 2015.

Given that more Canadians own their homes today that at any other time in our nation’s history, it’s fair to say that homeownership has become one of our country’s primary cultural values. Chances are you’ve spent the occasional Sunday mesmerized by a real estate program or two, and even if you don’t keep up on the latest home trends, you’re probably familiar with the importance of location, kitchens, and bathrooms to property values.

Increasingly though, today’s homebuyers’ must-haves extend well beyond shiny fixtures and faucets. Recognizing that many young homebuyers have never known a world without technology  - personal computers and the Internet have been mainstays since they were children - they expect that technology should be fully integrated not only into the home buying process but also into their homes.

If you’re planning to sell your home in the foreseeable future, consider that technology-based features such as systems that allow you to control a home’s climate, lights and security from anywhere in the world using a smartphone, are likely to pique the interests of modern homebuyers.

A study, released in 2015 by Better Homes and Gardens, found that the ‘Millennial generation’ want to live in spaces that combine smart homes and smart design. Jill Waage, BHG Brand Executive Editor offered insight on the needs of future home owners. “The next generation of home owners will lead the way in adopting new technology – making features like the ability to preheat an oven or unlock the front door from you smartphone the new norm in home convenience.”

Millennial survey participants indicated that the kitchen and living room are the top rooms to benefit from smart technology, while other participants 35 and older, see the garage, laundry room, and parent bedrooms as other areas of the home to incorporate smart technology. No matter which room you adopt with smart technology, it is clear home owners want it under their roof. 

If your home does not have the latest energy efficient washer and dryer, security system, or smart thermostat, there are a number of other opportunities to make it more appealing to modern homebuyers.

Creating an open floor plan is an important step in modernizing your home but if you don’t have the budget, or tolerance for major renovations, consider adapting existing spaces. Where young homebuyers are concerned a comfortable home office would likely be preferable to a stodgy dining room and a state-of-the-art media room would definitely trump a living room filled with grandma’s furnishings.

Technology has allowed us all to become more efficient and the penchant for organization has carried over to our physical spaces as well, which is why ample storage is another key draw for modern homebuyers. Smart living also includes easy to maintain hard surface floors and to give them the cozy feel of carpet, radiant in floor heating is a feature that’s sure to arouse buyers’ interests. Those with truly opulent tastes may even seek heated driveways to avoid time-consuming shovelling during the winter months.

Paul Etherington is President of the Toronto Real Estate Board, a professional association that represents 40,000 REALTORS® in the Greater Toronto Area.

Follow TREB on www.twitter.com/TREBhome, www.Facebook.com/TorontoRealEstateBoard, pinterest.com/trebhome/,www.linkedin.com/company/treb and www.youtube.com/TREBChannel