Every month, REM is committed to sharing Realtor moves, brokerage conversions and other notable announcements from the industry. Send your news to editor@realestatemagazine.ca with the subject line “The Real Deal” by the 26th of every month to be considered. Unedited photos are also welcome; please ensure they don’t include branding or other graphics. 

Industry moves

Royal LePage celebrates new addition

In brokerage news, Royal LePage welcomed its newest addition, Royal LePage Hometown Real Estate, in Alberta. Led by Jean-Luc and Shaylie Lamoureux, the team specializes in residential, recreational, farm, and commercial properties across St. Paul, Elk Point, Bonnyville, Smoky Lake, and Mannville. 

Re/Max President Realty expands in Brampton

Re/Max President Realty has opened a second office in Brampton, Ont., near the Mount Pleasant GO Station. The new office offers state-of-the-art facilities designed to foster collaboration and innovation for agents. President and Broker of Record Garry Bhaura says this expansion underscores the company’s commitment to growth and excellence. 

Century 21 Masters broadens reach across Alberta

Century 21 Masters has expanded its operations with offices in Edmonton, Calgary, Airdrie, Drumheller, Strathmore, Stony Plain, and St. Albert, reaching over 50 communities across Alberta. The leadership team includes 2024/25 CREA chair James Mabey, Geneva Tetreault, and Bob Sheddy.

Living Realty joins Keller Williams

Living Realty, a Markham-based brokerage with 550 agents, is transitioning to Keller Williams (KW) as KW Living Realty. According to a company press release, the brokerage, which has reached over $1.1-billion in sales since 2023, will officially rebrand on Mar. 3. David Wong has been named team leader, while Kelvin Wong will serve as operating principal. 

Sutton Group welcomes Kings Cross franchise

Sutton Group has introduced Sutton Group Kings Cross, a new franchise serving King City and Newmarket, Ont. Led by Marc Cioffi, a detective sergeant in his local police force, the brokerage focuses on real estate solutions for first responders. Previously operating as Kinsby Real Estate, the partnership with Sutton includes plans to launch a national first responder program. Cioffi, who transitioned to real estate in 2023.

Re/Max Hendriks Team Realty aligns with Re/Max Hallmark

Re/Max Hendriks Team Realty has joined forces with Re/Max Hallmark, the world’s largest Re/Max brokerage. Led by industry veteran Jerry Hendriks, the brokerage will continue to service Ontario’s Niagara and Hamilton regions. 

Century 21 Assurance Realty Ltd. expands Into Creston, B.C.

Century 21 Assurance Realty Ltd. has expanded its operations to Creston, B.C., through a merger with the long-standing Century 21 Veitch Realty. The Veitch family has worked in real estate for over five decades in the region. Scott and Shannon Veitch will continue to play key roles in the Creston office. With this addition, Century 21 Assurance Realty now operates offices in Kamloops, Salmon Arm, Vernon, Kelowna, Castlegar, and Creston.

Announcements and notable mentions

Canadian leaders on the SP 200

Phil Soper, Royal LePage President and CEO, has ranked as the top Canadian leader on T3 Sixty’s Swanepoel Power 200 (SP 200) reaching number 12 on the prestigious list. Chief Operating Officer of Royal LePage, Carolyn Cheng, has also been named for the sixth year in a row (#141). Other notable Canadian leaders on the list include TRREB CEO Jon DiMichele (#53), Re/Max Canada President Christopher Alexander (#55), Century21 President and CEO Martin Charlwood  (#57) and CREA CEO Janice Myers (#161)

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From the booming industrial real estate to the repurposing of office spaces and the surprising strength of retail, the report analyzed 12 major commercial real estate markets across the country, revealing several key trends that Re/Max says offer promising signs for recovery and growth. 

“Several markets, including Edmonton, Calgary, Regina and Saskatoon, experienced strong activity in the first quarter of the year, despite challenging market conditions,” says Christopher Alexander, president of Re/Max Canada. 

“A shortage of available inventory across various asset classes continues to place upward pressure on commercial values and lease rates, especially within the industrial sector. Prices remain buoyant as a result, with further escalation anticipated as momentum improves heading into the latter half of the year.” 

Industrial real estate: A stellar performer 

Industrial real estate emerges as the standout performer in the Canadian market. With strong sales and lease activity across all markets, the sector continues to outperform other asset classes. Investors and end users in British Columbia and Ontario are expanding their search perimeter to neighbouring provinces, seeking distribution and warehousing facilities with more affordable pricing. 

The demand has spilled over to markets such as Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, London-St. Thomas, Halifax, and St. John’s, driving sales despite softening demand from peak levels in 2022 and leading to “extraordinarily low” inventory levels. 

Land Sales and approvals: Navigating red tape and encouraging development

Land sales remain solid despite challenges posed by higher interest rates and construction costs. Acreage zoned for industrial, multi-family, and retail use is particularly sought-after in major Canadian centers. However, the lengthy approval process and red tape hinder new construction. 

“Population and GDP growth will continue to be a strong driver bolstering urban expansion in cities across the country,” says Elton Ash, executive vice president of Re/Max Canada. 

“Naturally, a growing population base attracts new business and services, and we are seeing that translate into solid demand for most types of commercial real estate across the board. We need partners in our city planning offices to streamline the applications and approvals process in a timely manner — months, not years — to bring these properties to market.” 

Vendor take-back mortgages have also re-emerged in several markets as sellers work with buyers to close the deal. 

In Re/Max Canada’s analysis of closed transactions in the Greater Toronto Area in the first quarter (Q1) 2023, for example, the number of vendor take-back mortgages (VTBs) as a percentage of total sales over $2 million rose substantially over year-ago levels, climbing to 9.55 per cent, up from 5.82 per cent in Q1 2022, with VTBs now representing almost one in 10 transactions.

Retail’s resilience: Bricks and mortar defy online sales growth

Contrary to expectations driven by the growth of online sales, the retail sector continues to exhibit surprising resilience. The report reveals solid activity in retail nodes and shopping centers across 11 of the 12 markets analyzed. 

Consumers are gravitating back to physical stores, driving investment into major shopping malls and supporting the bricks-and-mortar experience. Additionally, the integration of residential applications on commercially zoned property further enhances the retail landscape and fosters a live-work-shop phenomenon.

Challenges and transformation in the office sector

The office sector faces considerable challenges as employers navigate hybrid work models, resulting in reduced demand for physical space in downtown cores. Some companies are downsizing to cut costs, while others seek to incentivize employees with social workplace environments. 

Amid these changes, a significant trend is emerging: the repurposing of Class B and C buildings into residential units. While the report notes that not all buildings are suitable for retrofitting, several major Canadian centers are actively promoting conversion projects to breathe new life into downtown cores and address the critical housing shortage.

Calgary, for instance, introduced the Downtown Calgary Development Incentive Plan, which provides a $75-per-square-foot subsidy to developers for converting offices into residential units. With 10 buildings already approved for conversion, this initiative will create over 1,200 new homes and eliminate approximately one million square feet of commercial office space. Similar conversion projects are also underway in Halifax, Ottawa, London, Toronto, and Winnipeg.

“Commercial office markets are experiencing a transformational shift in the aftermath of the pandemic,” says Alexander. “Downtown cores were virtually decimated by Covid restrictions and have yet to come back to life in many Canadian centres. The conversion programs now underway ensure that our city centres remain vibrant in the future, restoring vital foot traffic that is the lifeblood of the country’s core urban areas. 

“The retrofit and renovation activity not only brings desperately needed residential product online, but it also supports the surrounding retail shops and restaurants, transit systems, and the overall health of our downtown neighbourhoods.” 

Outlook and government action 

The Re/Max report highlights positive indicators that underscore ongoing commercial activity in Canada. Renewed demand for housing has sparked the interest of builders and developers, with projects that were on hold in 2022 making a comeback. 

“The momentum is building, with some pent-up demand evident. The fundamentals underpinning the market squarely supporting ongoing commercial activity in the year ahead,” Alexander explains. 

For the full report, including a market-by-market overview, click here.

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“Re/Max Canada agents continue to ‘put their money where the miracles are,’” says Christopher Alexander, president at Re/Max Canada. “I’m incredibly proud and grateful for their generosity and commitment to the communities in which they live and work.”

The cornerstone of the partnership is the Re/Max Miracle Home Program, through which many agents donate a portion of their commission after closing a transaction. The program is designed to connect agents with member CMN Hospitals and encourages them to donate on behalf of their clients to directly benefit their local children’s hospital.

In 2021 alone, Re/Max donations to CMN have helped children’s hospitals conduct more than 95,000 surgeries, more than 2.4 million in-hospital patient visits, more than 68,000 emergency department visits, and over 1,700 clinical trials currently underway, the company says.

“Re/Max was initially attracted to the Children’s Miracle Network yellow balloon logo, which is a symbol that all Re/Max brokers and agents can identify with,” says Elton Ash, EVP, Re/Max Canada. “As we celebrate 30 years together, the dual logos have come to represent the commitment of individual agents and offices for a greater good.”

To date, Re/Max affiliates in Canada have raised more than $89 million for CMN.

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“This new work is a step in modernizing the Re/Max brand, aimed at sparking interest among two critical growth segments – Gen Z and Millennials – and raising the bar in real estate advertising,” the company says. “At its core, the campaign highlights the winning advantage Canadians get when buying or selling a home with a Re/Max agent, told in totally unimaginable and wildly entertaining ways.”

Consisting of four 15-second video spots and two six-second video spots, along with animated and static copy-led creative, the campaign breaks traditional real estate advertising norms, the company says. It likens the experience of working with a Re/Max agent to that of having an octopus for a ping-pong partner or riding Pegasus to beat the traffic. Copy-led headlines supplement the eye-catching visuals, offering facts or insights designed to help compel a buyer or seller to use Re/Max.

“The real estate industry has been top of mind for many Canadians, especially through the pandemic over the last two years. We’ve seen incredible market growth across Canada, as affordability and hybrid work models have shifted migration patterns,” says Christopher Alexander, president of Re/Max Canada, in a news release. “We wanted to cut through the noise with this campaign and demonstrate that, with Re/Max on your side, you’ve got the country’s strongest agent network right there with you.”

Anticipated to generate more than 816 million media impressions, the campaign will appear on national TV (sports and lifestyle focus); programmatic video and display; direct digital buys with TheScore, Rogers and Yahoo; paid search; and in Eastern Canada across billboards and transit shelters. The campaign ads will also run across all major social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest), including TikTok and Twitch, which are new to this year’s media buy, in an effort to increase brand awareness and favourability with a younger audience, the company says.

Click here to watch the campaign videos.

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There are other factors compounding our housing crisis: homeowners’ hesitancy to list for fear of getting locked out of the market and a growing population that will put further pressure on an already fragile ecosystem. (You can only imagine the impact that a new home equity tax or other such “cooling” measures might have.)

With the Ontario housing market under immense pressure, the provincial government took the right first step of establishing a Housing Affordability Task Force late last year, with a goal of finding realistic solutions to increase supply. The nine-member panel of housing experts and industry insiders has been head-down for the last two months, consulting and drafting recommendations. Last week, the group made 55 of them, for what it calls an “achievable” goal: to build 1.5 million new homes in Ontario over the next 10 years.

But there’s another very real risk threatening progress: NIMBYs.

I’ve said it before and I’m not alone in my stance: the only solution to our housing crisis is to build more homes. But that message is being drowned out by cries of “not in my back yard,” from homeowners who want to preserve the character and liveability of their communities, and from city mayors and councillors, whose political futures hang in the balance. In its report, the Task Force referenced a new acronym to reflect these sentiments: BANANA (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything).

Quite simply, if nothing changes, nothing changes. Let that sink in for a minute: the lack of listings, the rising prices and ever-declining options for home ownership.

Re/Max Canada’s research  shows that Canadians value liveability when choosing a place to live and buy a home, and for the majority, the chief criteria for liveability is affordability. Liveability is impossible to achieve if communities are inaccessible and unsustainable due to prohibitive price growth and a shortage of listings, which is the current situation from coast to coast.

I commend proposals that aim to increase the supply of homes in urban neighbourhoods, which continue to attract the bulk of our population. In order to house them, we need more high-density, infill residential development. We need more laneway housing, secondary and garden suites and multi-family dwellings. We need less red tape and less politicization of residential development, and less NIMBYs and BANANAs that threaten the freedom and future of home ownership for all.

To balance pressure from NIMBYs with pleas from hopeful homebuyers, we need to recognize that “densification” can be a good thing. It can have positive impacts on our mental and physical health, not to mention the environmental benefits of having more walkable neighbourhoods. We just need to be open to new ideas for densification and expansion of residential development, both within our urban centres and in our suburban and rural communities.

Densification can’t happen hastily. It must be a thoughtful, co-ordinated effort across all levels of government, that is considerate of the character of our communities, their existing residents and those who hope to call them “home.” If done right, densification can be a beautiful thing, refreshing and revitalizing aging neighbourhoods, both in their esthetic and in the fabric of their make-up.

High-density infill that meets everyone’s needs must be thoughtful and creative, in keeping with the scope of the current community while accommodating future growth. The Province of Ontario’s consultation with housing experts and the real estate industry is a great thought-starter, and collaboration with municipal and federal governments can help make that 1.5-million-home milestone a reality.

Christopher Alexander

Christopher began his career as a Re/Max Sales Associate at an independently owned and operated brokerage in 2010 before joining sub-master franchise Re/Max Integra as a Franchise Sales Consultant in 2014. He then served as chief strategy officer and executive vice president of Re/Max Integra and was responsible for the day-to-day operations as well as developing and overseeing business strategies. He joined Re/Max, LLC as Senior Vice President of Re/Max Canada in July 2021 and was named president in November 2021. Christopher Alexander oversees operations for the company-owned Re/Max Canada region, which includes Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan. Additionally, he works closely with the leaders of the independent RE/MAX Quebec region to build a cohesive brand strategy across the country.

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Re/Max LLC purchased booj, an award-winning real estate web development and software firm, in 2018. It offers an integrated suite of digital products to empower agents, teams and brokers to proactively establish, manage and grow client relationships, the company says.

The platform is designed to deliver a better customer experience by streamlining the work of agents, the company says. Customer relationship management (CRM) is at the core of the platform, with additional integrated features including digital branding, lead capture, client engagement and deal management.

“booj comes from a deep understanding of the marketplace and the unique needs of Re/Max affiliates,” says Elton Ash, Re/Max Canada’s EVP. “We solicited input from thousands of Re/Max brokers and agents and applied their feedback to deliver a tool that helps them do what they do best.”

The platform addresses the need for a holistic real estate technology solution as a better option to other siloed, third-party solutions, Re/Max says. With CRM at its core, it integrates transaction management partners including DocuSign, dotloop and zipLogix, it says. “By offering integrations with key partners, Re/Max ensures that agents can continue using products they know and trust, while allowing data to flow back into the booj platform to keep all their information centralized and easy to access,” the company says.

“Future development is guided by feedback from Re/Max brokers and agents. We will continue optimizing and building on the booj platform over time,” says Christopher Alexander, president of Re/Max Canada. “Our objective is to remain at the forefront of the real estate industry. When homebuyers and sellers decide to work with a Re/Max agent, they can rest assured that their agent comes equipped with the tools to deliver a professional, efficient and smooth home-buying or selling experience.”

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The Denver-based company recently completed the acquisition of the North American regions of Re/Max Integra, which added the Ontario and Atlantic provinces (approximately 12,000 agents) to its previously owned Western Canada roster (approximately 7,000 agents). Re/Max  Quebec, founded in 1982 by its president, Pierre Titley, remains independently owned.

In his new role, Alexander will lead the brand throughout Canada, working directly with EVP Elton Ash, and the leaders of the independent Quebec region, the company says. In a news release, Re/Max, LLC says, “Christopher and Elton have proven to be results-driven leaders in their respective regions and together, they will continue to bring forward the best practices, strategies and insights to build Re/Max’s new cohesive brand strategy across the company owned regions in Canada.”

Re/Max, LLC president Nick Bailey says, “I have every confidence in (Alexander’s) ability to continue to energize our network and regional teams as we create one unified brand across all of our Canadian regions. Under Christopher’s leadership we aim to drive scale and streamline operations across many functions, creating a stronger national brand offering for consumers, agents and franchisees alike.”

The company says its agent count across Canada grew by about 10 per cent year-over-year as of the end of the third quarter of 2021.

“As we continue to forge forward as a global brand, it is important that we have strong leadership at the national level to ensure we are able to react and adapt to regional differences,” says Bailey. “Christopher’s extensive knowledge of the Canadian real estate industry and proven track record of agent and franchise growth will make him an integral addition to the Re/Max leadership team.”

Alexander began his career as a Re/Max sales associate at an independently owned and operated brokerage in 2010 before joining sub-franchisor Re/Max Integra as a franchise sales consultant in 2014. He then served as chief strategy officer and EVP of Re/Max Integra and was responsible for the day-to-day operations as well as developing and overseeing business strategies. He joined Re/Max, LLC as the senior vice president of Canada in July.

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This game plan has always been in the cards as a key pillar of the network’s growth strategy and push for competitive advantage. It brings more than 1,100 independently owned and operated Re/Max brokerages (and over 19,000 agents – 12,000 of them in Canada) under the Re/Max, LLC tent.

Re/Max, LLC president Nick Bailey says, “operating as one entity” means that Re/Max will be better able “to align and streamline operations across many functions by delivering the best tools, training and technology” at a greater and more consistent clip. The company says that  hand in hand with improved efficiencies, many brokerages report receiving higher levels of service and attention after these transitions.

The acquisition includes operations in five Canadian provinces – Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland/Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island – and nine U.S. states – Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.

Here in the Great White North, all acquired brokerages were folded into Re/Max Canada.

The landmark sale is “a huge opportunity for us to be even stronger in the Canadian marketplace,” says Re/Max Canada’s new senior vice president, Christopher Alexander, who was formerly chief strategy officer and executive vice president of Re/Max Integra. “I love the brand. Having an opportunity to lead them in Canada has been a dream my whole life. I’m honoured.”

But it’s also the end of an era.

Alexander’s grandfather is Frank Polzler, who along with long-time business partner Walter Schneider co-founded Re/Max Integra over 40 years ago, eventually building it into Re/Max’s largest affiliate. Polzler and Schneider are hailed as trailblazers and Re/Max legends, one of the company’s great success stories. They’re widely credited with digging the then-fledgling Re/Max network out of debt and were instrumental in shaping it and revolutionizing commission structures, despite initially being so broke that Re/Max nearly rejected them outright.

“This sale fits the stage of life Frank and Walter are in. It made sense,” says Alexander. “But I speak for both families when I say it’s bittersweet.”

The franchisor publicly thanked Polzler and Schneider and their families, “for their dedication and passion in growing the Re/Max brand.”

The European region was not included in the sale, so Re/Max Integra will continue to own the master franchise there and manage operations. Their story “moves forward with Integra’s Re/Max Europe region, where they’ll continue to have a positive impact on region owners, franchisees, sales associates and consumers,” says head office. Michael Polzler (Alexander’s uncle) will continue as CEO of Re/Max Integra Europe.

Simon Schneider (Walter’s son) has been transitioned into the position of director of regional development for Re/Max Canada.  “Simon is the only one staying on, on the Schneider side. And I’m the only one now on the Polzler side,” says Alexander.

When asked about Frank (now 88) and Walter (67), Alexander explains, with notable hesitation, that you could say that they are essentially retired from active operations. You know, pretty much. Well, perhaps not entirely…

Real estate is “a hard career to escape” in the Polzler and Schneider families, says Alexander with a laugh. Various family members on both sides over three generations have played key roles in Re/Max Integra. (Walter once described the enterprise as “a journey of two fellows and their extended families.”)

This includes Alexander’s mother Pam, who was CEO until retiring a couple of years ago. (“She says her inbox is now finally down 85 per cent.”)

With the sale there has been re-structuring all up and down the line.

“There were redundant roles that needed to be eliminated. Some people are still transitioning,” says Alexander. “About 35 to 40 per cent of the total Integra staff has been impacted in terms of job loss. The total Canadian staff roster is now about 35 people…It’s always hard. We had great people who worked for us for a long time.”

A few of them have been re-hired by the new regime, he adds.

“It’s a bit of a mixed bag. As needed we will continue to build the team. In terms of Re/Max Canada, our own staff is fired up at all the opportunities and nationally consistent offerings.”

Having the brokerages all under one umbrella aligns resources, says Alexander. “Agents and brokers will start to feel the power of a bigger marketing and tech budget. They’ll have more horsepower, so to speak.”

He says, “We’re streamlining offerings now. Re/Max’s (latest) lead management program will launch in Western Canada in the fourth quarter of 2021, and in Ontario and Atlantic Canada in the third quarter of next year. ”

There’s also a powerful data mining tool “with a recruiting portion for brokers,” used in the U.S. that he’d like to see in operation here in Canada. “But there’s only a 50/50 probability we can bring it here in its full capacity, due to our privacy laws.”

Asked for his views on the market, Alexander forecasts that due to limited supply, housing prices in Canada will continue to rise, although not at the speed of the past few months. He’s adamant that the government must find ways to address the inventory challenges. We’ll be hearing more from Re/Max Canada about this and about housing policy in general, he says.

“Consumers trust our brand. People look to us for real estate information. We feel the need to speak out.”

It sounds like speaking out is standard procedure in the Polzler and Schneider families.

“I was deeply involved with the sale, and I’ll tell you what the hardest part was when the negotiation started,” says Alexander. “It was managing the personalities and dynamics on both sides – all dominant personalities. Keeping everyone’s spirits up was fun …and exhausting.”

Susan Doran

Susan Doran is a Toronto-based freelance writer who has been contributing to REM since its very first issue.

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Elton Ash

“The DIY society is ever-growing and of course technology aids in the ability for people to do things on their own,” says Elton Ash, regional EVP, Re/Max of Western Canada. “There is greater interest on Canadians’ part to do this complex transaction on their own but what we’ve experienced is that they quickly run into concerns and issues and then start to look for a professional, typically a lawyer. If they’re doing it on their own, costs can start to increase dramatically.”

Real estate transactions are “not something that everybody does every day. It’s not like buying takeout at a restaurant or a pizza place. It’s a large investment that on average Canadians do once every seven years…so hence the uncertainty about the whole process,” says Ash.

Re/Max’s home buyer and seller survey found that 56 per cent of respondents said they are confident in buying/selling residential real estate; almost half of those who state they’re confident are millennial homebuyers.

Ash said the biggest thing people want from a Realtor is transparency and honesty.

“One year ago it was a full stop, the economy had come to a screeching halt, but on the real estate side of things as we got into July and August, things started to pick up dramatically and there were huge inventory shortages . . . So we get to multiple offer situations and the blind bidding process. From a buyer’s perspective, you don’t know what’s going on,” says Ash.

“It really creates uncertainty. It creates a bit of distrust. It creates this stress and you start to question, as a consumer or a home buyer, what’s your Realtor doing for you? How’s the industry set up? There’s this natural uncertainty that starts to creep in and so you start to question how it all works.”

Christopher Alexander

Christopher Alexander, EVP, Re/Max Ontario-Atlantic Canada, says, “It’s incumbent on the real estate industry to help consumers differentiate between full-time, regionally knowledgeable, professional Realtors who genuinely have the required expertise to advise clients through these challenges, versus agents who treat their license as a means to ‘make a quick buck’.

“Through this survey, we found that negative sentiments of the profession drastically decline once Canadians have been exposed to the professional Realtor experience, as noted by the 86 per cent of Canadians who are likely to use one in the future, having used one previously. But like many advisory and professional services, some advance their interests before those of their clients. We must do a better job of helping Canadians find the best advisor for their needs.”

Here are what home buyers and sellers say they are looking for in a real estate professional:

• Honest/transparent (52 per cent)
• Trustworthy (39 per cent)
• Effective communication skills (31 per cent)
• Neighbourhood knowledge and expertise (27 per cent)
• Effective negotiating skills (24 per cent)
• Ethical (24 per cent)
• Dedicated (17 per cent)
• Personable (11 per cent)
• Punctual (9 per cent)
• Good use of technology and online tools (9 per cent)
• Good email/phone etiquette (8 per cent)
• Empathetic (7 per cent)
• Poised/can maintain composure (5 per cent)

“We’ve certainly seen that consumers have come to trust the real estate industry more so than in the past,” says Ash. “We’ve seen a decrease in the do-it-yourself, for sale by owner buyer. I’ve been in this business for 40 years. Consistently, it was always about 10 per cent of the market. As of last year it was seven per cent. And it’s because of the ever-increasing complexity of doing the transaction.”

Ash says that consumer reviews are becoming increasingly important and the real estate industry has been a late adopter in this area. It has not kept pace with the growth in reviews in other areas such as for restaurants, for example.

“Reviews are important. Although you may have been referred to an agent to use, you’re still going to go online and look for reviews on that particular agent,” says Ash. “I think it’s critical for all Realtors to have reviews in place. We have a partnership with a company that specializes in Realtor reviews because we believe strongly in it.”

Ash says, “When 86 per cent of consumers who have retained a Realtor in the past say that they’ll retain once again, it suggests that we’re doing a lot of things right. But given the tragic and disruptive effects that the last year of living in the pandemic has shown, we cannot take anything for granted and we must advocate for the interests of our clients by helping them source the best, most ethical, most proven Realtors in their communities. We can start by advocating for more transactional transparency, helping consumers know the questions to ask when vetting agents and assessing their quality of professionalism, and educate them on the credentials and referrals to expect from their Realtor.”

Mario Toneguzzi

Mario Toneguzzi is a contributing writer for REM. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald, covering sports, crime, politics, health, faith, city and breaking news, and business. He now works on his own as a freelance writer for several national publications and consultant in communications and media relations/training. Mario was named in 2021 as one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the World by PR News – the only Canadian to make the list.

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