The housing industry knows this story all too well: prices are soaring and demand (until recently) has been relentless yet projects are stalling. The blame often falls on high land values or developer greed, but the real culprit is clear to anyone in the sector—it’s the staggering cost of delivering new homes.

The numbers are sobering. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) says that we need to build 5.8 million new homes by 2030 to restore affordability to 2004 levels. If successful, that would mean that a newly built 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom condo in downtown Vancouver would sell for $620,000 instead of the $1.5-million that it currently does. 

But here’s the reality: even if land were free and developers waived their profits, that condo would still cost more than $1-million to build. In Toronto, it’s a similar story, with hard costs alone pushing the price beyond $800,000.

By the numbers

Here’s how the numbers break down for that $1.5-million Vancouver condo:

• $294,000 (20 per cent) is for land acquisition
• $490,000 (32 per cent) is for hard costs (i.e. labour, building materials)
• $102,000 (7 per cent) is for soft costs (i.e. architectural designs, legal fees)
• $92,000 (6 per cent) is for marketing and realtor commissions
• $77,000 (5 per cent) is for finance charges and loan interest
• $267,000 (18 per cent) is for government taxes and fees
• $178,000 (12 per cent) is the gross profit margin required by banks to provide financing

(Numbers rounded for clarity)

Climbing costs lead to stalled projects

This isn’t news to anyone in the industry. What’s alarming is how quickly these costs are climbing, forcing projects to stall or fail altogether. In Vancouver and Surrey, B.C. alone, 58,000 homes are paused because the cost of delivering them exceeds what buyers can pay.

So, if the affordability crisis is really a cost-of-delivery crisis, what can be done? While macroeconomic factors like interest rates and global material costs are beyond our control, governments hold significant levers to reduce costs and unlock stalled projects.

Three areas of reform stand out:  

1. Reduce financing costs for housing projects

• Allow development cost charges (DCCs) and municipal levies to be paid at the end of a project, rather than upfront. This would reduce financing costs and free up critical capital.
• Exempt DCCs from GST/PST/HST and land transfer tax calculations—double taxation only inflates prices unnecessarily.
• Expand municipal surety bond programs to replace capital-intensive letters of credit, unlocking billions in tied-up equity.

2. Provide stability for developers 

• End the constant churn of new regulations. Introduce in-stream protections so projects already in process aren’t derailed by sudden policy changes or fee hikes.
• Expand the pre-sale period in British Columbia—currently, developers have only 12 months to meet pre-sale requirements for projects to move ahead, resulting in many projects not launching, or failing to meet requirements. This holds housing projects back that would otherwise be able to move forward 
• Establish a nationwide policy moratorium to provide the sector with a stable planning environment for the next five to 10 years.

3. Implement fairer ways to fund infrastructure and amenities

• Create a municipal services corporation for water and wastewater services so that regional districts can borrow and amortize infrastructure costs over time instead of relying solely on development cost charges.

While these changes require government leadership, the industry has a role to play. Developers need to speak with a unified voice, push for sensible reforms, and share the data that demonstrates the urgent need for change. Transparent conversations about what it actually takes to bring homes to market will help shift public perception and rebuild trust in the sector.

CMHC’s affordability target isn’t impossible—but it demands bold action. The time for incremental adjustments is over. If we want affordability to return to Canadian housing markets, we need governments and industry to tackle the true crisis: the soaring cost of delivering homes.

What kind of real estate team are you running? Is it one based on ego, or on success?

These are important questions, as we find ourselves on the precipice of what could be the next real estate boom. Lower interest rates are attracting sellers and buyers into the market once more, prices will rise and a flood of new agents (with the best intentions) will follow.

As those agents come knocking on your door, you should be asking yourself: is more really more?

The promise and pitfalls of mega teams

The “mega team” model has been gaining more attention recently, and of course, it can work, but only under the right leadership. Real estate is a naturally competitive business, and I’m flabbergasted that in today’s transparent world, where everyone can see what their colleagues and counterparts are producing, the size of so many of these “mega teams” still outweigh their production.

New agents: The advantages of joining the right team

As a new agent just starting out, joining a team can be career changing. Most of your expenses are covered by your split, your marketing is done for you, and you have direct access to hands-on mentorship. The right team can help new agents gain traction and set them up for success, until they’re off and running all on their own. 

Team leaders: Balancing quality and quantity 

As a team leader, working with top-performing agents can be incredibly rewarding. Imagine the potential of leading a mega team of a hundred high producers – that’s more power, and significantly more income, in your hands.

However, investing in a team with too many low- or non-producers who occupy your office, consume your resources, and demand your attention as a leader is unlikely to yield any meaningful returns. Even if you charge high office fees, retaining these underperformers ultimately distracts from the productivity of your high-achieving team members and undermines their efforts.

Strong leadership is the key to navigating market cycles

The success and sustainability of a mega team, or any team model for that matter, comes down to two critical factors: strong leadership that is hyper-focused on agents’ success, and agents who sell a lot of real estate. To our home-buying and selling clients, we always tout the benefits of “local” market expertise. This is also the case when it comes to team leaders.

Since booms are sometimes followed by busts, solid leadership makes all the difference. Shooting fish in a barrel doesn’t require much skill and it doesn’t demand leadership, only opportunity. This can be said of an “up” housing market. But what goes up eventually comes back down, and when it does, experienced leadership and a brand invested in its network’s success will help individual agents and brokers weather those up, down and sometimes sideways markets.

The bottom line 

If you’re a team leader, don’t get caught up in the quantity of your agents over their quality, and remember that the bigger team doesn’t always win.

If you’re a team member, ask yourself if your environment and the people in it are lifting you up and encouraging you to be your best self, or if they’re dragging you down. Be wary of the mega team that doesn’t have the production to back up its numbers.

Leaders are responsible for developing strong, professional agents and ensuring they can weather any storm. Whether it’s the fluctuating economy or a chronic housing shortage, there’s no question that running a successful real estate business demands a whole lot of strategy. Given these macro and micro complexities, make sure your agents are professional and ready to work for the team – regardless of its size.

In the high-stakes world of real estate, a single misstep can transform a promising career into a legal nightmare.

Although I’m an active Realtor, back in the 1970s, as a broker, I was called upon to testify as an expert witness. The case involved a broker who was accused of not being vigilant during an open house when jewelry was stolen by someone from the public. That single case started a second career for me as an expert witness. I’ve testified in about 600 trials and written thousands of expert reports, seeing firsthand how quickly professional dreams can unravel.

The real estate industry is experiencing a critical moment. An influx of poorly trained, part-time agents who fail to understand fundamental rules and regulations is creating a perfect storm of potential litigation. The consequences are far more than monetary—they can devastate an agent’s reputation and professional future and negatively impact their brokerage.

The landscape of professional liability

Agents face numerous potential legal challenges, including professional negligence claims, fraud allegations, breaches of fiduciary duty, misrepresentations of professional expertise, financial damages from incorrect advice to buyers and sellers, vicariously dragging their brokerage into litigation and the besmirching of their personal and their brokerage’s reputations (which can be dramatic in smaller communities).

One of the most insidious risks lies not in outright lies but in strategic omissions. Agents who fail to disclose critical property details—whether they’re zoning restrictions, environmental hazards or structural defects—are setting themselves up for potential lawsuits.

Common pitfalls

There are many recurring issues that invite legal scrutiny and lawsuits, including:

Agents stating that zoning or other uses are legal when they’re not. It’s up to you to verify the zoning online or in person at the local zoning office.

 

Omitting negative factors

 

Sloppy practice inclusive of badly written offers

 

Accepting details from older, previous listings as fact, like incorrect lot sizes or room and gross area dimensions. Original builder representations of square footage can be exaggerated. Buy a decent laser measurement tool and, if possible when listing, get electronic floor plans and the provincial assessment gross floor area.

 

Pushing buyers to make a clean offer when they won’t qualify for an adequate mortgage

 

Selling land for a home or other construction only for the buyer to find out that it’s in a flood plain or on a restricted site

 

Selling contaminated land without disclosure, promising the buyer a specific (and usually inflated) price for their home when the market value wasn’t there, so they can’t close

 

Lack of understanding of the rules and regulations that guide the real estate industry

Your best defense: Documentation

The difference between surviving a lawsuit and being crushed by one often comes down to one critical factor: meticulous record keeping.

Agents must maintain comprehensive documentation of every transaction, including all offers, counteroffers and forms, detailed transaction diaries, email correspondence, text messages, handwritten notes and verbal communication summaries.

Be sure to verify all facts including former MLS listings and verbal representations by your sellers or buyers.

Putting this all together can be challenging and depending on the case can eat up two weeks of an agent’s time. Text message downloading can be a chore. As well, the brokerage has to produce a similar list. Preparation is your shield.

Here’s some practical advice you can implement now:

• Maintain a detailed transaction diary
• Document every conversation and action
• Verify all property and market information
• Be transparent about potential limitations
• Follow legal counsel’s guidance precisely
• Learn the rules, and study your provincial and board guidelines

The emotional and professional toll

Being sued is more than a legal battle—it’s an emotionally draining experience that can paralyze your business. If you end up in a legal case, remember, the lawyers assigned to it are veterans and they will guide and advise you. Follow their direction at all times.

Some cases settle not because the agent did something wrong but because the lawyer felt that they would make a poor witness. Some people simply can’t handle the cross-examination of opposing counsel—I’ve observed agents breaking down and quivering on the stand during that process.

The real estate profession demands more than sales skills—it requires unwavering professionalism, attention to detail and a commitment to ethical practice. Keep these tips in mind to protect your reputation and your business.

The fact that you are reading this article on a website that generates revenue from content like this is not lost on me. It’s also ironic that this piece is not in video format and that I chose the written word versus video to make my point.

The history of the real estate blog

To understand where things are headed, let’s first look at the rise of the traditional blog in the real estate landscape.

Blogging in the real estate vertical began to take shape in the early 2000s, with sites like Blogger and WordPress gaining popularity. Agents would post content about the ever-changing real estate market, tips for buyers and sellers and other real estate-related content.

Real estate 2.0 became part of the landscape with ActiveRain, which played a huge role in the evolution of blogging. By 2006, agents could post content on this platform, comment on others’ posts and network with their colleagues.

By the 2010s, real estate-specific websites were popping up everywhere, and a significant part of their value proposition was the ability to blog directly from their sites. Blogging was increasingly used as part of a broader marketing strategy, including SEO, social media and email marketing.

Many agents are still blogging today and have a dedicated readership. However, others who are just entering the game are mistakenly thinking that AI will help them grow faster and farther in less time. What I will say is, don’t do that. But that’s an article for another day.

What does the current landscape look like?

Today, there’s an overabundance of written blogs, and we’ve reached a saturation point on nearly every conceivable topic. The volume of content being produced today makes it increasingly difficult to get your blog to stand out. This means those still embracing traditional blogging today will struggle to reach a meaningful audience.

By the mid-2010s, a major shift occurred toward video marketing, especially on YouTube. At the time, it was the only platform that hosted video-only content and some agents, including yours truly, took advantage of that opportunity.

As video content grew across the internet, so did viewership. Social platforms started building out for video at a much faster pace than ever before. Today, we have multiple platforms that host video, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, to name a few.

Social media platforms have completely refined their algorithms to prioritize video, carousels and native posts over written content that includes external links. Content creators are being forced to adapt their content to fit the native styles of these platforms, which has eroded the prominence of the standalone blog.

More and more Realtors are embracing short- and long-form video content creation, recognizing the importance of brand and messaging. Consumers will do business with people, not companies. So, to stand out, today’s agents are creating content that builds trust and likeability.

Where do we go from here?

The term “blogging” needs to be reframed. Your Instagram Reel is a blog. Your YouTube Short is a blog. Your TikTok video is a blog. Long-form video on YouTube is a blog.

Consumer attention spans continue to shrink, and platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and other short-form content channels have become sources of not only entertainment but also information.

These platforms deliver bite-sized content that’s easy to digest and share with friends and acquaintances. They’re pushing traditional written blogs, which require sustained attention, to the periphery of how viewers consume content.

Ultimately, blogging in its written form is being overtaken by short-form video content because it no longer aligns with evolving consumer habits. Reading a 1,000-word blog on a smartphone is nowhere near as entertaining as consuming a snackable post on a platform optimized for mobile consumption.

Here’s what I’d do

If I were to start my career over in 2025, I would be going all-in on two platforms that focus heavily on video-based content: YouTube and Instagram.

I would create long-form content for YouTube, supplemented by shorts, and I would build out a database of Reels with a strategy around Stories and posts to continually engage my potential clients and customers.

The second phase of that strategy would be to achieve expert-level proficiency in connecting with your ideal client profile (ICP) through chat functionality on Instagram.

It seems I’ve been saying this for over a decade—video isn’t the future; it’s the here and now. Embrace it with a strategy and watch your brand surpass those of your competitors who aren’t posting with purpose and consistency.

As real estate professionals, we tend to get wrapped up in the day-to-day—especially when we’re juggling multiple clients, deals, properties and, well, life! Plus, it can feel like we’re on a rollercoaster of emotion in this career, so it’s essential to take steps to achieve calm, balance and forward movement.

But how?

The key to running a successful and enjoyable business each year as a real estate professional requires a few basic things: 

1. Leads and clients
2. Annual business and marketing planning (including goalsetting)
3. Scheduling/time-blocking to support the plan
4. Ongoing support/training/professional development

1. Leads and clients

Most of us make money only when we sell properties, when we refer a client who sells or when we get a percentage of another sale. Even the best of the best in the real estate industry can only be successful with actual leads and clients to SELL to. It’s therefore vital that you have a solid plan to attract and retain leads and clients on an ongoing basis.

Sphere or circle of influence/database

Whatever you call it, your list of contacts (people who know who you are, like you and, ideally, trust you) is GOLD as a real estate professional. It’s said that attracting a brand-new prospect or lead is six times more expensive than fostering an existing relationship. That’s a lot of extra cash to throw around.

As you get into the new year, ensure that you have a functional CRM (customer relationship management) tool or database system in place to track your contacts and your interactions with them. Include key details like their name, phone number, email, address and birthday. Do some research and choose the system that fits you and your business best.

Pro tip: If you already have a database system, do a relationship audit and choose a few contacts on social media to see if you have them in your database.

2. Annual business and marketing planning (including goalsetting)

January is a time with many business planning sessions, and the people running them are passionate about helping. They run through key areas of business:

• Mission, vision, plan
• Word of the year for the upcoming year
• How did you do last year? This includes numbers, celebrating accomplishments and lessons
• How do you want to do next year? This includes numbers and goalsetting/vision boarding
• How will you keep in touch with clients?
• How will you grow your client base?
• Client appreciation
• Marketing ideas (in line with budget)
• Professional development/accreditations
• Coaching
• Networking opportunities/groups
  

If you can join in on a business planning session—either in person or virtually—with successful colleagues, you’ll also be able to help each other mastermind, idea-share and problem-solve. These sessions tend to be shared by word-of-mouth, with agents taking time each year as part of their commitment to giving back and deepening their referral relationships. 

3. Scheduling/time-blocking to support the plan

The best part (and worst part) about the real estate industry is the ability to be your own boss. As many of our colleagues have noticed, our bosses might be too strict, too lax or just a mess sometimes. Jon Acuff noted the key to things that are important but may be difficult is to allocate roles according to the mindset we have in the evening or the morning:

“Morning me is in charge of actions. Morning me is a great order taker but will talk me out of anything difficult if it’s asked to decide.”

 

Jon Acuff, New York Times author and leadership speaker

It’s also important to know how and when you work best as an entrepreneur. Some people crush the day if they start at 6:00 am, others work best in the late evening hours. It also depends if you need quiet or silence to work or if being around too many people makes you incredibly unproductive because you’re a social butterfly.

Brian Buffini talks about the Win the Day formula:

• 2 hours of solid lead generation every day = win the day
• 4 days a week of winning the day = win the week
• 3 weeks a month of winning the week = win the month
• 8 months a year of winning the month = win the year

This seems low, but the two hours a day is a solid two hours of being face-to-face or voice-to-voice or writing a personal note to clients and contacts. As a professional real estate agent, you also need to take time to market, network, complete paperwork, do professional development, etc. Surprisingly, the two hours a day is more than most real estate professionals put into that lead generation.

4. Ongoing support/training/professional development

One of the most common things we hear about in the real estate industry is that real estate as a career can feel very isolating and very lonely—especially if you’ve chosen it as a second career. The way to circumvent that loneliness is to connect with your colleagues.

To ensure that you feel supported, here are a few tried-and-true things I recommend to agents that you can start implementing today.

Join the right brokerage

When you’re interviewing brokerages for the right fit, look beyond the dollar split. Just like when we sell a home, cheaper services aren’t always better services. Look at training, the culture of the offices/brokerage, office meetings, etc., and talk to some of the agents to get their views.

Network with other agents

With Buffini, I run a Buffini Group and within my office, I also run a Mastermind. The goal of both is to connect, share ideas and help each other. Each city will have these; the key is to find a group that’s open to welcoming you as a member with an attitude of abundance (and not one of scarcity).

Join or start a business networking group

As a real estate professional, you might find that existing networking groups already have your spot filled (along with the mortgage agent), but every now and then, a spot opens. Take a couple of meetings to see how you vibe with the group and then, if you like the people, go for it! If there isn’t a group with an open spot, do what I did in 2013 and start your own. You can set up an atmosphere of warmth, welcome, support and abundance all while helping yourself and others with their businesses.

Pro-tip: Even though saving money is important, if it’s possible, make sure every dollar you spend on your business is going to another businessperson who you can build a relationship with and who might, one day, give you business back.

For example, there might be a great deal on business cards online, but someone in your networking group can get them done professionally for just a bit more money and might refer you business or connect you with someone who can.

Get a coach

When it comes to excelling in your field, getting a real estate coach is a great idea. Most highly successful people in the world have coaches—from business coaches to trainers—and there’s a reason. Being accountable to someone who knows your business and can see it from the outside is important.

While it seems you cannot throw a rock without hitting a real estate agent, there are an almost equal number of coaches out there. Whatever you invest in a coach should be less than you earn with the coach in your business.

Find one with a solid track record who can help you to be the best you possible, and take the time to interview the coach to ensure it’s a good fit. If it’s not, keep looking until you find the right coach who understands you and helps you shine. The key is to find the coach, program and/or system that resonates best with you.

Pro-tip: Pick one at a time. Being over-coached is like being over-conferenced. It feels great while you’re in it, but are you really getting the benefit if you never have time to implement anything?

Get an accreditation

From full-service professional to luxury home marketing or international property specialist, there are an abundance of certifications and accreditations you can get. It’s really about staying sharp and on top of market trends to be a better real estate professional for your clients.

Take time to plan and chart a path forward so you can hit the ground running this month. We can GIVE our best when we’re AT our best. Cheers to a fantastic 2025!

The real estate industry still has a long way to go when it comes to building truly accessible spaces for all, and the new $956-million Toronto courthouse is just the latest example of how Canada is falling short. With a claim to be the “most accessible courthouse in Ontario,” the building exposes a harsh reality: accessibility is still being treated as an afterthought.

An inspection of the courthouse, led by Dave Lepofsky, chair of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, revealed major barriers: confusing layouts, inaccessible pathways and poorly installed wayfinding systems. 

Unfortunately, this issue of accessibility in private and public spaces is not isolated. Across Canada, we see new development projects that meet minimum legal standards for accessibility but still fail to create spaces that everyone can use comfortably and independently. It’s a systemic problem that highlights how merely meeting minimum accessibility standards falls short.

We must adopt a new standard of inclusive design that proactively addresses the needs of people of all abilities. The real estate industry has the power—and the responsibility—to lead this transformation.  

Rethinking accessibility beyond requirements

In Ontario, legal standards such as the Ontario Building Code (OBC) establish minimum accessibility requirements, but these standards don’t fully address the diverse needs of individuals who rely on accessibility the most. Accessibility isn’t a one-size-fits-all model. Catering to the diverse needs of individuals requires a more thoughtful, flexible and intentional approach.  

Will a parent pushing a stroller be able to open this door with ease? Will someone with a lower or upper limb amputation be able to navigate this space without assistance? Will a person with vision loss feel safe and confident moving through this space? Can someone using a wheelchair easily access all areas without obstacles? Are light switches, thermostats and outlets placed at heights that are convenient for everyone? Is the lighting sufficient to ensure safety and visibility in all areas, regardless of the time of day?

These are the kinds of questions we need to ask at every stage of designing a community. True accessibility transcends checklists, focusing on creating environments that foster independence. By collaborating with individuals with lived experience, developers can identify barriers and design communities that eliminate them from the start.

This human-centred approach to design and construction is where Daniels’ Accessibility Designed Program (ADP) was born. The ADP helps with not only improving quality of life but also ensuring that accessibility is built in, not added on as an afterthought.

Creating homes and spaces that adapt to changing community needs

As our population ages and mobility challenges become more common, creating accessible spaces is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. By 2030, the Canadian government estimates that one in four Canadians will be over the age of 65, and with 2.7 million already living with mobility disabilities, the need for inclusive design is clear.

Accessibility benefits everyone, leading to more functional, user-friendly environments. True progress requires collaboration across the industry, with developers, builders, architects and urban planners integrating accessibility from the start.

A call to fellow developers and the community

The strides being made in accessibility are significant, but there is still much more we can do together. The real estate industry has a unique role to play in driving the creation of truly inclusive communities. The Accelerating Accessibility Coalition, for example, brings together leaders in real estate development and accessibility, challenging home builders to make accessibility a priority as we work to meet the growing demand for new homes across Canada.

Accessibility is not just a design feature; it’s a transformative force that enhances independence, fosters connection and improves our spaces for everyone. The homes and communities we build today will set the standards for tomorrow. 

By joining this movement, you can help shape the future of our communities and ensure that nobody is left behind. Together, as an industry, let’s seize this opportunity to create accessible, inclusive spaces that meet the needs of today and the future. The path forward is clear, and the time to act is now.

Forward from the Editor

At REM, we often feature stories from industry professionals sharing their insights. We also love highlighting personal experiences that shed light on the emotional journey of buying and selling a home. This holiday season, we’re happy to share a story from Devin Meireles, a homeowner whose recent real estate adventure is one many of us can relate to—stress, surprises and, ultimately, success.

Devin’s journey explores the challenges of selling a home under pressure, the creative strategies Realtors employ and how a bit of faith (and a certain statuette) led to a serendipitous resolution. 

Buying and selling can be complicated, especially for those working with strict timelines to get the deal done. The risk in itself can deter clients from entering the market, considering how quickly things can change. Life has a knack for pouring when it rains, but for those who believe in miracles, sometimes everything can happen serendipitously.

Back in September, we successfully bought our dream home. Maybe it was an impulsive decision, but the opportunity to upsize from a modest bungalow to a two-storey home in our desired neighbourhood, with the added bonus of rate improvements, was too good to pass up.

That kickstarted the process of listing our current property, and with a looming deadline, things were stressful. God forbid we could not close on what we hope will be our forever home.

The waiting game and a desperate search for solutions

As days passed, we considered worst-case scenarios, and our anxiety was amplified. The down payment was riding on the sale of our home. So when things weren’t happening as quickly as we’d hoped, we sounded the alarm.

Our Realtor tried different strategies with no luck in what was a precarious time for Toronto’s housing market. Potential buyers came over to view the home, but we weren’t getting offers. The home was staged well, priced competitively, and had high visibility with great feedback each time. So why wasn’t it happening? We couldn’t figure it out, and comments from other agents further corroborated our sentiments.

With one month to go, our agent put out incentives and scheduled another open house with extended hours for more foot traffic. We stayed hopeful. Our family kept us in their thoughts, and an interesting video sent by my mother had us trying anything to get it done.

A statuette, a prayer and a turning point

TikTok described how Italians take faith in Saint Joseph to help sell their homes. All you need to do is bury a statuette of the patron saint in front of your home, upside down and facing outwardly to the sidewalk, with a promise of selling your home. After it sells, you need to dig the statuette up and take it to your new house as a show of gratitude.

Being Portuguese and raised Roman Catholic, the Italian advice was not that absurd. We were ready to try anything, and we were desperate. So we placed an order on Amazon for our own statuette. We figured why not, and our agent said, “What the hell!”

It was peculiar when the delivery did not arrive the next day, as typical with a Prime membership, nor that week for that matter. Apparently, coming from China, the little parcel only landed on our front porch a day before the anticipated open house. We scrambled to bury it and announced our intentions, doing our best to manifest a buyer.

From faith to final offers

Well, life happens in mysterious ways. Midway into that Sunday open house, our agent sent us a message, “Hi guys, very good turnout so far, very impressed. Busiest one yet.”

Compared to the prior weeks, the message was promising and gave us reason to be optimistic. We kept our composure and prayed that something would come of it. Later that day, as expected, our agent called us to provide an update.

She touted lots of visitors and some verbal interest. However, we were jaded after weeks of hearing similar comments, so we weren’t holding our breath. Suddenly, she mentioned that one of the visiting agents was calling on the other line. Our hearts skipped a beat.

Well, after she took the call, she reported back to advise that their client would be placing an offer as soon as the next morning. Hallelujah! Moments later, another agent sent a registered offer via email.

Sold and starting fresh

By the grace of whatever you want to call it, our house was sold that evening with a secured deposit the next day. It’s hard to explain how it all came about—either a weird coincidence or that little statuette made the difference. Regardless, we dug it up and took it with us on our move the next month.

Our agent thought it was amusing, but we couldn’t help but feel like there was something there. St. Joseph now sits atop the doorway of our forever home as a reminder that sometimes a little risk can be unsettling, the market can be a mysterious beast, but good things can happen in the most unexplainable ways if you have a little faith.

For years, Ontario’s real estate boards were the gatekeepers. Need MLS access? You joined the local board—no questions, no choices. But that’s history. Today, with most Ontario boards subscribing to PropTx, MLS services are no longer region-locked. Instead, the majority of Ontario Realtors are or will be soon, operating on the same shared MLS platform. 

Shared MLS access redefines membership value

This shift fundamentally changes the equation: the core value every board used to offer—exclusive MLS access—is now a standard feature across (most of) the province. So the question becomes: what else do boards offer, and is it worth the price? If boards want to keep members, they’ll need to bring something new to the table. They have to compete.

This competition should mean better pricing, improved services and tangible value. And it’s not just Realtors who will benefit; brokerages can too. In a standardized MLS world, brokerages now have the option to choose boards that best match their cost and service priorities, creating material savings for their agents. This choice gives brokerages a new edge in recruitment, allowing them to align with boards that deliver the best return on dues. In a market as tight as Ontario’s, this competitive choice is a recruiting advantage that’s as valuable as it is overdue.

Power through choice

But competition also empowers individual members. Not happy with the direction of your board? Feeling like your concerns are ignored, or that your dues aren’t delivering value? You no longer need to wait for quorum or for your brokerage to make the call—you can vote with your feet. The ability to choose a board that better aligns with your priorities creates a new level of accountability and responsiveness that was unheard of under the old system.

At the same time, this level of choice exposes the weaknesses in the current multi-board structure. Despite the increased pressure to compete, many boards are doubling down on costly mergers and amalgamations that fail to deliver meaningful improvements in service or value. If the goal is to provide better options for members, shouldn’t these efforts focus on addressing redundancies and inefficiencies at their roots?

And here’s the issue: despite the shifting landscape, only one board in Ontario seems truly prepared to compete at scale—TRREB. That is to say that there is likely not a board in Ontario that can offer competitive pricing even if all that is offered is the most basic of services. If most boards aren’t in the game to win, why are they spending valuable resources on mergers and amalgamations that won’t increase their competitiveness? At what point do realtors have the right to ask: where’s my money going, and why isn’t my board focused on delivering more value? 

Mergers without meaningful results

When I have this discussion with clients—whether broker/owners or franchise corporate offices—I’m often met with concerns that autonomy or culture is at stake, that a merger risks “losing the board’s unique character.” But let’s be clear: mergers and acquisitions are meant to add value, not size. If you’re a member of OnePoint, Central Lakes or any of the Eastern Ontario Boards, it’s fair to ask—what value is being added by these changes? Are these amalgamations truly making boards more competitive, is your dollar stretching any further when it comes to providing you value in your real estate business or are they just merging to delay the inevitable? Without measurable improvements, these mergers are little more than costly reorganizations, creating larger, equally uncompetitive boards that fail to meet members’ evolving needs. 

The concerns around autonomy and culture aren’t unique to large mergers; these challenges arise in smaller amalgamations, too. Boards are pouring resources into combining forces without a meaningful plan to compete on a broader scale, leading to expensive exercises that result in larger, but still uncompetitive, boards. If these mergers aren’t driving efficiencies, improving services or creating real value, they’re ultimately a waste of members’ dues.

The case for a single-board model

In the for-profit world, mergers are strategic, and designed to increase efficiency, expand market reach, or add unique capabilities. Successful acquisitions often preserve the best parts of a company’s culture and structure—consider Berkshire Hathaway, which buys companies but allows them to retain significant independence, or Disney’s acquisition of Pixar, where cultural preservation was a priority. These models thrive because they combine strengths without losing what made each company valuable in the first place. Ontario’s boards could—and should—take a page from these playbooks, focusing on creating competitive value and preserving unique benefits instead of just merging for the sake of consolidation.

If mergers aren’t solving the core issues—redundancy, inefficiency, and lack of value for members—it’s worth asking if there’s a better way forward. Rather than continuing to consolidate small, struggling boards into larger but still inefficient entities, consider a fundamentally different approach: moving toward a single-board model.

Provinces like Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and PEI have demonstrated the benefits of unified governance. A single, consolidated board eliminates duplicative costs and invests resources directly into what matters most for members—training, advocacy, and technology. This structure creates a streamlined system that serves the entire province’s interests while maintaining local insights and autonomy where it counts.

The business of boards and a call for accountability 

With one board, Ontario realtors could also overcome challenges tied to vote distribution and representation. Consider last year’s ORWP vote through OREA—a win that left many members questioning how the outcome was reached. A system incorporating referendum tools could have provided a broader and more equitable resolution. Unified governance simplifies decision-making, ensuring every member has a clear and equal voice in shaping the industry’s future.

The shift toward competition places a new and necessary responsibility on associations: they must operate efficiently. Just as businesses must streamline operations to stay competitive, boards must be prepared to deliver greater value and service—faster, smarter, and with a focus on real results. The boards that can’t meet this standard will inevitably be left behind, while those that embrace this challenge set a new bar for value and relevance in the industry.

Ultimately, organized real estate is a business. Realtors owe a fiduciary duty to clients, and our boards should behave no differently. Why should realtors accept less from their boards than they give to their clients? Realtors deserve boards that focus on tangible value, evolving to meet real needs rather than clinging to outdated structures or protecting internal interests.

Ontario’s real estate boards are at a crossroads. Realtors and brokerages deserve value, transparency, and innovation—not outdated systems. It’s time for boards to compete, consolidate or step aside for a streamlined provincial model that better serves its members.

After last year’s particularly dismal ski season, the promise of a snowy, La Nina-kissed winter has skiers across the province excited to hit the slopes. While the weather forecast might be promising, for some of the major ski resorts in B.C.’s interior, the financial forecast is considerably more challenging. 

The trouble arises from the federal government’s Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act, more commonly known as the foreign homebuyers ban. Originally implemented in 2023, and recently expanded through 2027, the legislation bans the purchase of residential property by foreign nationals in designated areas across the country. In the context of the country’s current housing crisis, the intent of the ban is defendable. The problem, however, is with sloppy implementation and a notable lack of nuance in the legislation. 

“Detractors will claim that the market will adjust, but the hole left by international investment is not so easy to fill.”

Currently, the foreign homebuyers ban applies to areas deemed by Statistics Canada as a Census Metropolitan area (CMA) or Census Agglomeration area (CA). In the interior of B.C., this encompasses around nine communities and their contiguous areas. This has created a situation across the interior where several popular ski resorts that benefit greatly from international tourism and property investment have been included under the ban. This significantly impacts the economic viability of both the resort and the accompanying community. 

Detractors will claim that the market will adjust, but the hole left by international investment is not so easy to fill. Homes on interior mountains are coveted by Americans, Australians, and numerous other nationalities looking for a winter retreat. For locals a few hours’ drive away, there isn’t the same appeal to purchase these vacation homes.  A day trip or weekend outing in rental accommodation will suffice. 

“These resort areas primarily serve as recreational destinations rather than hubs for permanent residences.”

As it stands Sun Peaks, Apex Mountain and Silverstar have been included in the Kamloops CMA, Penticton CA and Vernon CA areas respectively. These resort areas are distinct from the municipalities they are in proximity to and have little effect on the local housing market. These resort areas primarily serve as recreational destinations rather than hubs for permanent residences. In fact, all of these ski resort areas are situated a considerable distance away from the nearest major municipality. In the case of Sun Peaks, for example, the resort municipality is approximately a 55-minute drive away from Kamloops. Certainly, the federal government doesn’t feel that a glut of chalets and vacation homes scuddled away from core services and jobs is the solution to our housing issues. If that in fact is the plan, it is a questionable one at best.

“Making policy is an art, not a science, unintended consequences are sure to occur.”

What’s more, the government has shown they understand this and have exempted areas accordingly. For example, Whistler and Mount Tremblant in Quebec have been spared from the foreign buyer’s ban. Other resorts in the interior of the province, such as Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna, have been unaffected due to the simple chance of falling just outside the nearest CMA area. Whether by bureaucratic choice or providence, fairness is lacking. Resorts and their accompanying communities in the interior are no less deserving of economic prosperity than their counterparts in the Lower Mainland or the Laurentians. Luck should not be the defining factor in success. 

Making policy is an art, not a science; unintended consequences are sure to occur. That said, it is incumbent on the government to fix problems when they do. As a matter of fairness and good public policy, it is time for the federal government to find some nuance, stop the economic disruption to resort communities in this province and exempt ski resorts inadvertently caught up in this foreign homebuyers ban.