INFO REAL NOVEMBER ● 2014 News and Information Resource for MEMBERS Updates ● Ethics ● Statistics ● Maps ● News ● Community ● Events ● In Brief Empowering REALTORS ® to Succeed Town Hall Meetings – page 2 Bits & Bytes Property Panorama just got better! – pages 3 Keywords enhance search on REALTOR.ca website – pages 3 TechHelpline discontinued at end of year– pages 3 OpenHouses.ca has a new look – 11 REALTORS ® Care – RAHB Charity Auction & Social – page 4 Royal LePage Burloak Bowls for Charity – page 9 Ethics Corner – The Golden Rule is getting tarnished – page 5 Celebrate YOUR Community – Tis (the beginning of) the season ... – page 6 RAHB News Now available – Offer your multi-res clients more! – page 7 Holiday Hours and MLS ® Service – page 7 Government Relations – Calling all REALTORS ® ! – page 8 OREA News – Call for OREA Candidates – page 8 REALTORS ® Care Foundation accepting nominations for Directors – page 9 RAHB News – Deadline approaches for RAHB Service Award nominations – page 10 RAHB members step up – page 10 MLS ® Updates MPAC – did you lose your password? – page 10 Neighbourhood codes in Burlington – page 10 RAHB Sales & Stats Maps – pages 12 and 13 Realty Shoppe – page 14 New Members – page 14 Mark Your Calendar – page 15 Professional Development – Did you know... – 15 Download Full Edition
Transcript
infoREAL
NO
VEM
BER
● 20
14
News and Information Resource for MEMBERS
Updates ● Ethics ● Statistics ● Maps ● News ● Community ● Events ● In Brief
Established in 1921, the REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) represents more than 2,600 real estate brokers and salespersons from Hamilton, Burlington, and surrounding areas. Members of the association may use the REALTOR® trademark, which identifies them as real estate professionals who subscribe to a strict code of ethics. The Association operates the local Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) System and provides ongoing professional education courses for its members. In addition, RAHB is an active participant in the Home Ownership Affordability Partnership (HOAP) and holds an annual auction in support of local charities. Advertisements of local MLS® property listings and information about the services provided by a REALTOR® can be found at www.REALTOR.ca. More information about RAHB is available at www.rahb.ca.
lose to 70 members attended Town Hall meetings in Dunnville and Burlington to hear updates on RAHB initiatives and to have the chance to offer their comments and questions.
RAHB President Tim Mattioli, President- Elect Donna Bacher, Vice President Sean Morrison and Immediate Past President Bruce Moran (Dunnville only) presented updates on the RAHB election
Town Hall meetingsNews
RAHB
RAHB Town Hall MeetingsB e E n g a g e d * I n f o r m e d * E m p o w e r e d
C
Dunnville
process, shared regional MLS® system, Finance Committee work on new policies, and various other updates about RAHB services and events.
Two lucky attendees won draws for gift packs compliments of the Realty Shoppe: Joanne Bulek(Dunnville) and Nathan Bradford (Burlington).
Burlington
REAL
info
● N
OVE
MBE
R ●
2014
3
BITS &
roperty Panorama has released an upgrade to their Virtual Tours application which will automatically create virtual tours for you.
InstaView Virtual Tour will use the photos you uploaded in Broker load to create a virtual tour and you don’t have to do anything other than – if you wish – upload your own music and voice over.
InstaView Virtual Tours offers the following features:Unlimited photos and panoramasTours are updated and synched with the MLS® System every hourIt is compatible with all mobile devicesVirtual tours are automatically converted to a video and uploaded to YouTubeFully customizable viewer
PProperty Panorama just got better!
Bytes
ith the addition of keywords in search, the REALTOR.ca website is getting even better at matching consumers with REALTOR® listings online!
As of October 23, millions of visitors who start their real estate search on REALTOR.ca will be matched with even more relevant property listings by having an option to add keywords to their search criteria.
By using a few words that define their specific needs, such as ‘pet-friendly’, ‘ramp’ or ‘fenced yard’, users will more quickly focus their search on the listings that meet their unique criteria.
By accepting keywords in the search query, REALTOR.ca will be able to match the unique needs of consumers with more listings and REALTORS®, without changing anything in the existing listing submission (dataload) process.
Implementation on REALTOR.ca website took place in October, 2014; mobile apps will follow in early 2015
AHB is terminating its contract with TechHelpline as of January 1, 2015.
Members have had access to TechHelpline since Febru-ary 2011. The service came at a cost of $2.50 US per member per year and over the last seven months, less than one per cent of RAHB members used the service.
Upload your own music and voice overEasily shared on social media sites and REALTOR.caCustomizable virtual flyer with printingFully branded to the member and company
To activate a virtual tour for a listing through broker load, go to the field called “Create Free Property Panorama” and select “Yes” in the drop down menu.
If you have questions or comments, contact Property Panorama Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
While the main search query remains unchanged, up to five keywords (and word combinations) can be added as additional search filters under “More Options”When added to search, keywords will query listing data in all submitted public fields, with the exception of locationNo changes are required in the data submission (dataload) processConsumers will benefit from a more flexible search locating properties meeting their needsREALTORS® will have a better opportunity presenting their listings online to consumers with unique requirements
If you have any questions about the new enhanced search, please contact CREA member support at [email protected].
TechHelpline discontinued at end of year
R Members interested in having access to technical support after December 31, 2014 may sign up for an annual subscription with TechHelpline. The cost is $199 US per year for unlimited tech support. To subscribe to TechHelpline, go to https://formsimplicity.wufoo.com/forms/tech-helpline-annual-subscription/
lmost everyone has heard of the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Treat others as you would like to be treated.
The Golden Rule is a philosophical, sociological and religious maxim. It is also the basis for CREA’s and RECO’s Code of Ethics and the basis for what we refer to as “common courtesy”.
RAHB has been receiving complaints for the last few months about how uncommon courtesy has become among members. Do any of these situations sound familiar?
You call to book an appointment to show a property only to be told the seller requires “24 hours notice”, although it was not indicated on the listing?
Someone scheduled a showing of your listing but didn’t leave a business card to let the seller know they were there? Or worse, they didn’t show up at all?
Apparently the Golden Rule is getting a little tarnished in many places. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) provided the following guidelines for its members in the US to remind them of the importance of common courtesy – or, as they’ve termed it, showing respect – for the public, for property and for peers.
This list is not exhaustive, but it’s a good start for making courtesy a little more common again.
Respect for the PublicFollow the “Golden Rule” – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.Respond promptly to inquiries and requests for information.Schedule appointments and showings as far in advance as possible. Call if you are delayed or must cancel an appointment or showing.If a prospective buyer decides not to view an occupied home, promptly explain the situation to the listing broker or the occupant.Communicate with all parties in a timely fashion.When entering a property, ensure that unexpected situations, such as pets, are handled appropriately.Leave your business card if not prohibited by local rules.Never criticize a property in the presence of the occupant.Inform occupants that you are leaving after showings.When showing an occupied home, always ring the doorbell or knock – and announce yourself loudly – before entering. Knock and announce yourself loudly before entering any closed room.Present a professional appearance at all times; dress appropriately and drive a clean car.If occupants are home during showings, ask their permission before using the telephone or bathroom.Encourage the clients of other brokers to direct questions to their agent or representative.
The Golden Rule is getting tarnished
AEthics
Communicate clearly; don’t use jargon or slang that may not be readily understood. Be aware of and respect cultural differences.Show courtesy and respect to everyone.Be aware of – and meet – all deadlines.Promise only what you can deliver – and keep your promises.Identify your REALTOR® and your professional status in contacts with the public.Do not tell people what you think – tell them what you know.
Respect for PropertyBe responsible for everyone you allow to enter listed property.Never allow buyers to enter listed property unaccompanied.When showing property, keep all members of the group together.Never allow unaccompanied access to property without permission.Enter property only with permission even if you have a lockbox key or combination.When the occupant is absent, leave the property as you found it (lights, heating, cooling, drapes, etc). If you think something is amiss (e.g. vandalism) contact the listing broker immediately. Be considerate of the seller’s property. Do not allow anyone to eat, drink, smoke, dispose of trash, use bathing or sleeping facilities, or bring pets. Leave the house as you found it unless instructed otherwise.Use sidewalks; if weather is bad, take off shoes and boots inside property. Respect for PeersIdentify your REALTOR® and professional status in all contacts with other REALTORS®.Respond to other agents’ calls, faxes, and emails promptly and courteously.Be aware that large electronic files with attachments or lengthy faxes may be a burden on recipients.Notify the listing broker if there appears to be inaccurate information on the listing.Share important information about a property, including the presence of pets; security systems; and whether sellers will be present during the showing.Show courtesy, trust and respect to other real estate professionals.Avoid the inappropriate use of endearments or other denigrating language.Do not prospect at other REALTORS®’ open houses or similar events.Return keys promptly.Carefully replace keys in the lockbox after showings. To be successful in the business, mutual respect is essential. Real estate is a reputation business. What you do today may affect your reputation – and business – for years to come.
* Including: Ancaster, Burlington, Caistor, Caledonia, Canborough, Cayuga, Dundas, Dunn, Dunnville, Flamborough, Glanbrook, Grimsby, Hagersville, Hamilton, Moulton, Oneida, Rainham, Seneca, Sherbrooke, Smithville, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, West Lincoln and their environs.
YOURCelebrate CommunityIt’s only November and the holiday spirit is already in evidence. Why not prepare for the festive season by taking part in the holiday traditions happening in and around the communities in RAHB’s market area?
Canadian Pacific Holiday Train (in support of Hamilton Food Share) Sunday, November 30, 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.Gage Park at Lawrence Rd., Hamiltonhttp://www.cpr.ca/en/community/holiday-train
Holiday Traditions – RBG – featuring the famous RBG Train Show Saturday, November 15 – January 4 Royal Botanical Gardens Centre www.rbg.ca/events to see all RBG Christmas Events
An Old Fashioned Christmas – Burlington November 16, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Ireland House – 2168 Guelph Line www.aldershotbia.com/events/page/2/
Dundas Christmas Tree Lighting November 21, 7 p.m. Sydenham Rd. & King St. www.downtowndundas.ca
Ancaster Christmas Festival November 22, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Ancaster Fairgrounds www.ancasterchristmasfestival.com/
Hamilton Santa Claus Parade November 22, 2 p.m. www.hamiltonsantaparade.com
Caledonia Light Up Night November 27, 6:30 p.m. at the Old Mill www.haldimandcounty.on.ca/calendar.aspx?eventid=25426
Lakeside Festival of Lights – Burlington November 28 – January 8, daily from dusk til dawn Spencer Smith Park http://burlingtonfestivaloflights.com/
Christmas in Ancaster Craft Show November 29 and 30, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily Ancaster Fairgrounds, 630 Trinity Rd.www.ancaster.com/the-christmas-in-ancaster-craft-show-2012/
Flamborough Santa Claus Parade November 29, 6:30 p.m. www.flamboroughsantaclausparade.com/
Christmas Evening Tours - Hamilton December 5-7, 12-14, 19-21, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Dundurn National Historic Site www.hamilton.ca/museums
Ancaster Tree Lighting December 5, Ancaster Old Town Hall www.ancasterheritagedays.com/events/tree-lighting/
Stoney Creek Santa Claus Parade December 6, 2 p.m. King St. E. in Stoney Creek www.santaparadestoneycreek.com
Grimsby Santa Claus Parade December 6, 5:15 p.m. www.grimsbyparade.ca/
Dunnville Light Up and Santa Claus Parade December 6, 5:30 p.m. Downtown Dunnville www.dunnvillechamberofcommerce.ca/eventitem_213.php
Rockton – ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas Saturdays, December 6, 13, 20, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Westfield Village, 1049 Kirkwall Rd. www.conservationhamilton.ca/westfield-2/special-events-at-westfield?view=events
Burlington Christmas Parade December 7, 2 p.m. http://cms.burlington.ca/Page76.aspx#.VEfYzsnD_cs
Ruthven Candlelight Tours – Cayuga December 6, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17 and 18 – 7 p.m.http://ruthvenparknationalhistoricsite.com/6442/ christmas-ruthven-park/
he RAHB office will maintain the following hours for the upcoming holiday season:
Monday/Tuesday, December 22 and 23 – Open 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday to Friday, December 24, 25 and 26 – Closed
Monday/Tuesday, December 29 and 30 – Open 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday to Friday, December 31, January 1 and 2 – Closed
Should you require help with Fusion when the association office is closed, the on-line Help is always available. Click on “Help” and “On-line help”, and you can read and download “how-to” instructions and watch tutorials.
The association photographer will be unavailable to take photos for broker loaded listings entered from December 23 to December 27, and December 30 to January 4.
Please upload your own photos in between these dates. Here’s how:
1. Click on the Add/Edit tab and then click Edit Listings2. Click the Edit button beside the listing to which you want to upload photos3. Click the blue Images button on the left hand side of the screen4. Click the Upload Images button5. Navigate to where your image is located and select the image you want to upload. If uploading more than one image, click on the first image so it is highlighted in blue, then hold down your shift key and select the last image in your file, which will highlight all the photos in between6. Click Open7. Photo images will display on the screen. If you wish to change the order the images appear, click on the Change Display Order button. You can drop and drag your images in to any order you wish8. Click Ok, then click the Save button when you are finished
TechHelpline will maintain normal hours (9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday) with the following exceptions:
CLOSEDThanksgiving – Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28Christmas – Thursday, December 25
Holiday Hours and MLS® Service
RAHBNews
TNow available – Offer your multi-res clients more!
T he Hamilton & District Apartment Association (HDAA) is offering RAHB members the opportunity to add value to their services to clients who purchase residential rental properties.
New property owners can be unaware that managing residential rental properties is a complex business, so the HDAA is offering a free six-month membership in the HDAA to anyone who purchases a rental property. The offer of free membership will be conveyed by the RAHB member working with the purchaser. All it will take is for the RAHB member to complete and print a certificate for the free six-month membership and give it to their client to complete and submit to the HDAA.
The HDAA provides its members with information about current legislation affecting rental units, general information about owning or managing rental properties, dinner meetings with guest speakers and mentoring programs.
This offer is part of the cooperative effort between RAHB and the HDAA to educate landlords about residential rental property ownership.
The certificate is available in REALTOR Link®, in Member Services and Tools.
Members with questions about the HDAA or its offer should contact HDAA Administrator Paul McAlister at [email protected] or 519.718.9030. Members with general questions about this offer should contact Megan at the RAHB office at 905.529.8101 x295 or [email protected].
Dear
, as a thank you for your business I have arranged
for you to receive a 6-month membership to the Hamilton & District Apartment Association
(HDAA) at no cost to you.
The Hamilton & District Apartment Association is made up of property managers, owners,
landlords and suppliers to the apartment residential rental industry. The HDAA provides
its members with support and information about changes in the industry as well as best
practices for property management. I feel that you will find their meetings, newsletters
and emails to be very informative and helpful in your new business.
I have filled out the information on the property you have purchased. In order to activate
this membership, all you have to do is fill out your contact information, sign the form and
mail, fax, or email it to the HDAA (see address information below).
Signature of REALTOR® Date
To the Hamilton & District Apartment Association,
I hereby certify that has purchased the property at
comprising
rental units with a closing
date of
.
Name: Company:
Telephone: Email:
Signature of REALTOR®:
Purchaser’s contact information:
Name: Company:
Address: Telephone #:
Fax: Email:
Please activate my membership
Signature DateHDAA490 Nelson Avenue, Burlington ON L7S 1X3
Y ou know first-hand the critical importance of the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) to helping first-time buyers afford a home. Your clients are likely some of the over 2.6 million Canadians who have withdrawn up to $25,000 from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) under the HBP to put towards their first home purchase.
Unfortunately inflation causes the HBP to effectively lose value each year. Today’s homebuyer receives over $1,500 less value from the program than a homebuyer in 2009. By 2020, this gap will widen to $5,000.
CREA’s Proposal We believe the HBP must keep pace with inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI)). We advocate the HBP be adjusted incrementally by $2,500 to preserve its purchasing power so that it continues to help make homeownership affordable for first-time homebuyers. The Benefits of Our Proposal1. Economic Spin-offs The HBP creates spin-off economic benefits. In 2012, HBP purchases resulted in over $2.5 billion in spin-off spending and more than 20,200 jobs.
2. Follows Established Practice A number of other government programs are indexed to ensure they do not lose their intended value, including retirement benefits, Registered Retirement Savings Plans, and Tax Free Savings
Relations
OREANewsCall for OREA Candidates
T he Ontario Real Estate Association has six openings on the its Board of Directors: two Directors-at-Large and four Provincial Directors (one each from Centre, Western, Northern and Eastern Ontario). The election will take place March 11, 2015 at the Ontario Real Estate Association Annual General Meeting.
RAHB members who are qualified and interested in running for election may submit their candidacy forms to:
Chief Executive Officer of OREA c/o Vinay Raja, CA, Partner
Clarke Henning LLP, Chartered Accountants 10 Bay St., Suite 801, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2R8
Candidacy forms and complete details are available online at www.orea.com. Click on “OREA Elections 2015” in the Resources box located on the OREA home page - you will be prompted to log in. You may also contact Dinaz Garda at 416.442.3401 or 1.800.265.6732.
Deadline for submissions of candidacy forms is 4:30 p.m. on Monday, December 29, 2015.
Accounts. Tax Free Savings Accounts are indexed to the Consumer Price Index and rounded to the nearest $500. The HBP should be indexed in a similar way.
3. Zero Cost until 2016 Using Budget 2009 as a starting point, indexing the HBP in $2,500 increments would enable the government to meet its deficit reduction targets and other planning objectives. This approach would cost nothing until 2016, at which time the plan would adjust by $2,500 at a cost of $7.5 million. A further $2,500 increase would occur in 2020 at an additional cost of $7.5 million. This costing is based on estimates contained in Budget 2009 and 2010.
This fall, it’s time for REALTORS® to take a stand and ask the government to stop the erosion of the HBP by adjusting its withdrawal limit to inflation in Budget 2015.
With 109,000 REALTORS® across Canada, our message can be heard loud and clear. We need you to take action by sending a letter to your Member of Parliament. It’s quick, easy and takes only a minute or two. Your letter will be delivered to your Member of Parliament by The Canadian Real Estate Association during the fall.
Visit www.REALTORActionNetwork.ca, and click on “Take Action”. Or visit: https://www.votervoice.net/RAN/1/Campaigns/37034/Respond
our additions or changes have been made to the RAHB election process make it easier for you to more knowledgeably exercise your vote for 2015 Directors.
Meet the Candidates ReceptionOn Friday, November 14, RAHB will be holding its first-ever Meet the Candidates reception. You will have the opportunity to meet and talk informally with the candidates, ask your questions about their vision for your association and then decide which candidates you think are best suited to serve the interests of the association and its members.
The reception will be held in the McCullough Rooms (lower level) at the RAHB office, from 3 to 4 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
Early access to Candidates’ videos Links to candidates’ videos will be sent out with the Election package on November 13, so you can view the videos at your leisure. It might be a good idea to watch the videos before attending the Meet the Candidates reception on November 14 so you can have your questions ready for the candidates.
Extended hours for electronic votingYou can vote for your candidates online at any time on November 18, 19 or 20. The restriction to voting only during business hours was removed from the Bylaw.
New videoRAHB has produced a video explaining the new election process. Watch for the link to the video in your election package, or view it at www.rahb.ca/elections/.
RAHB Election - what’s new this year?F
The RAHB Annual Election Meeting is coming up at the end of the month, and there are important events and dates leading up to the election:
Thursday, November 13 The slate of Candidates (including the Nomination Committee’s recommended slate) will be sent to all members
Friday, November 14 Meet the Candidate reception: 3 – 4 p.m. at the RAHB office (505 York Blvd., Hamilton – lower level)
Tuesday, Wednesday and Electronic Voting – all day Thursday, November 18, 19 and 20 (http://evoting.rahb.ca/ElectionList.aspx)
Tuesday, November 25 – 9 a.m. Deadline for depositing proxies with the Association
Thursday, November 27 Annual Election Meeting Royal Botanical Gardens 8:30 a.m. – Registration/Continental breakfast 9 a.m. – Meeting begins
What’s changed?Good governance suggests that a Bylaw exists to define the role of the association, the relationship between the association and its members, and the rights and responsi-bilities of members and the association. How a member should conduct his or her business in relation to other members – that is, the MLS® Rules and Regulations – has no place in the Bylaws.
Last year, RAHB’s Governance Committee took first steps toward streamlining the Bylaw by better recognizing the roles of committees and task forces. The result was that Operational Committees – those committees reporting to the CEO and responsible for providing input to the CEO on operational matters – and their mandates were removed from the Bylaw and placed into a policy manual, to afford them the flexibility required by a dynamic association.
The next step is to remove the MLS® Rules and Regulations and to make other small changes to the Bylaw to reflect their removal.
The intent of removing them is not to make the Rules and Regulations more flexible; it is simply to make it a separate document, as it should be.
The current circumstance that has prompted the removal of the Rules and Regs from the Bylaw at this particular
Bylaw change recommended
point in time is that RAHB is embarking on a new venture with seven other real estate associations to create a large, shared regional MLS® system. It has been agreed among the associations that, in order to make the system work, all associations must subscribe to the same Rules so that every member of every association is playing by the rules.
Every association that is part of the regional MLS® system is being encouraged to remove their MLS® Rules and Regulations from their Bylaws. If they do not, and a conflict arises between the two sets of MLS® rules, which prevails? It may eventually be a requirement that all associations participating in the shared system remove their Rules and Regulations from their Bylaw and subscribe solely to the shared system’s Rules.
Would this mean that members no longer have a say in changes to the Rules? No. It is anticipated that whenever a Rule change is contemplated by the eight associations, each would be able to present the changes to their memberships for feedback, and then the associations’ representatives to the shared system’s governing body would vote on their members’ behalf. After that – majority prevails, in the same way majority would prevail at a RAHB membership meeting.
Learn more about the proposal to remove the Rules and Regulations from the RAHB Bylaw in the Election Meeting information package being sent to each member on Thursday, November 13, and at the Annual Election Meeting on Thursday, November 27, when the motion will be presented.
RAHB members will be asked at the Annual Election Meeting to approve a motion to remove the Rules and Regulations from the RAHB Bylaws.
While including the Rules and Regulations with the Bylaws was once a common practice for real estate associations, better understanding of the purpose of Bylaws and current circumstances make it better practice to remove them from the Bylaw.
RAHB Annual Election MeetingWatch for your election package coming to you by email on Thursday, November 13.
The package will include:Notice of MeetingProxy formSlate of Candidates (including the Nomination Committee’s recommended slate)Instructions for electronic votingLinks to Candidates’ videosNew RAHB video explaining the Nomination Committee’s role in the nomination processMinutes from the last RAHB meetingMeeting RulesRecommended Bylaw changes
REAL
info
● N
OVE
MBE
R ●
2014
9
OREAREALTORS® Care Foundation accepting nominations for Directors
F our positions are open for the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation 2015 Board of Directors: three REALTOR® Directors (one each from the Eastern, Northern and Western areas) and one Public Director (who must be an Executive Officer of a member board of the Foundation). Submit your candidacy form to:
Secretary-Treasurer of the REALTORS Care® Foundationc/o Vinay Raja Clark Henning LLP, Chartered Accountants10 Bay St., Suite 301, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2R8
Nominations must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on December 29, 2014.
Full details and candidacy forms are available online at www.realtorscareontario.ca “2015 Foundations Elections”; online via www.orea.com - click on “Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation”; or by calling the Ontario REALTORS Care® Foundation at 416.445.9910 x377 or 1.800.265.6732 and asking for Stephanie O’Brien.
News
RAHBNovember is Financial Literacy Month
H elp your clients understand the financial side of buying their home by referring them to websites designed especially for buyers:
CREA collaborated with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) to develop a series of short videos that define key terms and concepts such as amortization period and mortgage prepayment. The videos will be posted on CREA’s YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/ user/CREACHANNEL) every Tuesday and Thursday throughout November.
RECO is reminding consumers that buying or selling a home is a major financial decision and it is important for them to be informed about the process. RECO has launched an interactive website (www.recofactfiction.ca) to help Ontario home buyers and sellers learn real estate fact from fiction. The goal of the campaign is to educate Ontarians about RECO and the value in working with a registered real estate professional.
Check out the websites and refer your buyers and sellers to the sites – help them become financially literate when it comes to buying a home.
News
REALTORS®
Royal LePage Burloak Bowls for Charit y
R oyal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services held its fifth annual Charity Halloween Chili Bowl on October 29, 2014 at Burlington Bowl. The event raised $2,600 for Halton Women’s Place and The Carpenter Hospice.
Approximately 112 people attended to bowl, including sales representatives, administrative employees and community sponsors. Many participants dressed up in Halloween costumes, and prizes were awarded for Best Team Theme, Best Individual Costume, Best Bowler and Worst Bowling Technique.
Royal LePage Burloak has raised over $225,000 for Halton Women’s Place and The Carpenter Hospice over the last 12 years.
F riday, November 28 is the deadline for nominations for the three RAHB Service Awards:
Don’t delay – all applications/nominations must be received at the RAHB office no later than
Friday, November 28, 2014.
Deadline approaches for RAHB Service Award nominations
RAHBNews
Award of Merit – awarded to a RAHB member who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and service to RAHB and who has contributed positively to the association for three or more years.
Previous winners of the RAHB Award of Merit are Jamie Edwards, Mike Cusano, Dan Gies, Tamer Fahmi, Shawn Murray, George Vergadis, RAHB Building Committee, Cassandra Agnew Walker, Judy Marsales and Marjorie Kraftcheck.
Volunteer of the Year – awarded to a RAHB member who has demonstrated exceptional qualities, enthusiasm and perseverance or has gone above and beyond to serve their fellow members and is currently serving on a RAHB committee or task force.
Previous winners of the Volunteer of the Year award are Bonnie Dowling, Don Inglehart, Stacey Adamson, Ann Forbes Arndt, Gerry Fabbri, Tony Locane, Bruce Moran and Tanis Hall.
Outstanding Community Service – awarded to a RAHB member who has shown outstanding dedication to the real estate industry and exceptional volunteer service to their community for three or more years.
Previous winners of the Outstanding Community Service Award are Mario Cupido, Diane Price, Larry Szpirglas, Jamie Edwards and Darlyne Mills.
Nominate a colleague or nominate yourself! Application/Nomination forms and Criteria Sheets are available online in the Member Services and Tools section of REALTOR Link®.
MLS®
MPAC – did you lose your password?
Update
f you lose your MPAC password, instead of emailing propertyline and requesting a new password, you can call directly and have your pass-word reset. By calling, you avoid having to wait for up to a day before you get a response from MPAC.
The toll-free number is 1.866.296.6722.
INew Neighbourhood codes in Burlington
District: BU
Subarea: 36 Alton North (previously “36” with no description)
Neighbourhood codes: 360 Alton West (bounded by Hwy. 407, Dundas St. and Walkers Line
361 Alton Central (bounded by Hwy. 407, Walkers Line, Dundas St. and Appleby Line)
362 Alton East (bounded by Hwy. 407, Appleby Line, Dundas St. and Tremaine Rd.
hree RAHB members ran for election in the recent municipal elections:
Congratulations to Rob Shirton (Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate), who was re-elected Ward 5 Councillor in Haldimand County
Ralph Agostino (RE/MAX Escarpment Realty) ran for Councillor in Hamilton’s Ward 3
Peter Rusin (Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate) ran for Mayor in Burlington
These members are three more examples that REALTORS® care about their communities.
TRAHB members step up
REAL
info
● N
OVE
MBE
R ●
2014
11
BITS &
ork has been underway to bring a new and refreshed OpenHouses.ca experience to you, your clients and the public. The site has been completely re-developed and re-designed from the ground up based on feedback we have received. You can expect the following improvements:
Map-based design will work on mobile and desktop browsers Image gallery (first five images) An itinerary feature to assist in planning open house visits Email, share via social media or print open house details directly from the site Add an open house to your calendar Receive an RSS feed with open house updates
OpenHouses.ca has a new look!Bytes
W The new itinerary feature allows planning of open house visits and provides detail directions.
The new itinerary feature allows planning of open house visits and provides detail directions
All scheduled open houses will be migrated from the existing site to the new site upon launch.
Can you use this to get Jason’s article about OpenHouses.ca Valerie WebsterCommunications CoordinatorREALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington505 York Blvd., Hamilton, ON L8R 3K4T: 905.529. 8101 x294F: 905-529.4349E: [email protected]
Empowering REALTORS® to Succeed
This email and material attached is deemed confidential and intended only for the named recipient(s)
This message, including any attachments, is privileged and may contain confidential information intended only for the person(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient or have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by replyemail and permanently delete the original transmission from the sender, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.
From: Jason Hersey Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2014 8:54 AMTo: Valerie WebsterSubject: Re: openhouses.ca article... Here is an update with screenshots… Work has been underway to bring a new and refreshed openhouses.ca experience to you and your clients. The site has been completely re-developed and re-designed from the ground up based onfeedback we have received. You can expect the following improvements:
- Designed to work on mobile & desktop browsers- Image gallery (1st five images)- An itinerary feature to assist in planning open house visits- Email, Share via Social Media or print open house details directly from the site- Add an open house to your calendar- Receive an RSS feed with open house updates New Location Aware Interface
Open Houses can now be printed, shared via Social Media, Emailed and added to Favourites
The new itinerary feature allows planning of open house visits and provides detail directions
All scheduled open houses will be migrated from the existing site to the new site upon launch.
Open houses can now be printed, shared via social media, emailed and added to Favourites
All scheduled open houses will be migrated from the existing site to the new site upon launch.
Keep watching OpenHouses.ca for updates……we expect to launch the new site mid-November. Check Message of the Day (MOD) for further information.
MLS® IN
ust a reminder: when you make any change (conditional, firm, fallen through, etc..) to a listing that has been interboarded to another real estate association, you must also forward the change(s) to RAHB, to be forwarded to the other association. (Please note: forward changes to listings interboarded to the Toronto Real Estate Board directly to TREB.)
J
Changes to interboarded listings
Brief
REAL
info
● N
OVE
MBE
R ●
2014
Commercial Property TypeFarm 6Vacant Land 12Commercial 23Multi Residential 18
UPDATEStatisticsRAHB Sales – October 2014Residential Sales – by Price Range (total 1208 sales)
Residential Sales – by Property Type
Commercial Sales – by Property Type (total 50 sales)
Up to $199,999
$200,000 - $299,999
$300,000 - $399,999
$400,000 - $499,999
$500,000 - $599,999
$600,000 +
1 Storey
1.5 Storey
2 Storey
2.5 Storey
3 Storey
3 Level Split
4 Level Split
5 Level Split
Raised Ranch
Other
Farm
Vacant Land
Business
Multi Residential
22%
28%
13%14%
14%
9%
43%
11%
26%4%
3%2%
4%
1% 4% 2%
39%
20%
10%
31%
For monthly stats release, including seasonally adjusted and actual charts, go to REALTOR Link® Market Data & Stats, the RAHB public website (www.rahb.ca), your email inbox - the stats release is sent to every member each month – or follow us on twitter @RAHBNews.
* All applicable taxes are extra. Prices subject to change.
he REALTORS® Association of Hamilton -Burlington would like to extend a warm welcome to its newest members.
Welcome to RAHBSeptember 25 to October 24
T
NEWMembersShoppeonline
http://shoppe.rahb.ca/rahb
2015 Daily Planner Available by advance order only until November 28!
Special Order – Limited Time Offer
This planner is in an attractive 3-ring burgundy binder, accented with the REALTOR® logo embossed on the cover. Inside, each day’s page (5 ½”w x 8 ½”h) provides space for hourly appointments from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. and has ample room for additional notes. Index tabs separate the months and identify telephone directory and reference sections for expense records, amortization charts and land transfer tax calculations.
Ryan GroenChase Realty Inc., Brokerage
James AliCirrus Realty Inc., Brokerage
James AllmanColdwell Banker Pinnacle Real Estate Inc., Brokerage
George Neil Phillip Rennie
Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage
Kate BabkovaChris Knighton
Keller Williams Complete Realty Inc., Brokerage
Yannick RuizSarah Spadafora
Keller Williams Edge Realty Inc., Brokerage
Linda Tino-ZylikRE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Inc., Brokerage
India JamesRE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc., Brokerage
Barbara ShawRE/MAX Garden City Realty Inc., Brokerage
New Member Orientation (by invitation only) Friday, November 14 – M, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Friday, December 12 – M, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Go Paperless Thursday, November 13 – M, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – 2 CE’s
Professional Brokerage Course November 17 – 21 (Monday to Friday) – M November 24 – 27 (Monday to Thursday) – M 8:30 a.m. – 4:10 p.m.
iPad Wednesday, December 3 – M, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – 3 CE’s
Multi Unit/Zoning Wednesday, December 3 – M, 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. – Panel discussion, no credits To register for above courses, email Angela at [email protected] or call 905.529.8101 x233
Board of Directors, Committee and Task Force MeetingsHeld at RAHB – 505 York Blvd. – First Floor T – Thompson Room P – Purnell Room
Governance Monday, November 17, 9:30 a.m., T
RCC Wednesday, November 19, 9:30 a.m., T
MLS® Monday, December 1, 9:30 a.m., T
Awards Tuesday, December 9, 9:30 a.m., T
Board of Directors Thursday, December 11, 9 a.m., T
Upcoming EventsRAHB Charity Auction & Social Thursday, November 20 – Doors open at 6 p.m. Michelangelo Events & Conference Centre 1555 Upper Ottawa, Hamilton
National Housing Day Friday, November 21, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Waterfront Conference Centre 555 Bay St. N., Hamilton
RAHB Election Meeting Thursday, November 27, 8:30 a.m. Royal Botanical Gardens 680 Plains Rd. W., Burlington
RAHB Annual Appreciation Gala Saturday, January 17, 2015 (by invitation only) Michelangelo Events & Conference Centre 1555 Upper Ottawa, Hamilton
RAHB Office ClosuresWednesday to Friday, December 24, 25 and 26Wednesday to Friday, December 31, January 1 and 2
PROFESSIONAL
Did you know.. .
A ll registrants renewing their licenses after July 31, 2015 will renew under RECO’S New Mandatory CE Program, to be completed online through RECO. Registrants will pay an all-inclusive price of $44 per registration cycle to meet all of their continuing education requirements.
Each registrant must complete a four-module Update Course and two elective modules per two-year reg-istration cycle. RECO’s mandatory education will be focused on regulatory requirements and broad issues that impact all registrants.
RAHB will continue to offer courses that will give members opportunities to develop skills and earn designations that will be beneficial to them in their business.
Visit RECO’s website for further information www.reco.on.ca.
Watch for upcoming courses at RAHB which will keep you informed and offer you great networking opportunities.
