Nothing like the early weeks of a new year to make me clean up some leftovers from the previous year.  This is my 158th column for REM. (Quickly! – divide that by 12.)  Sheesh, I’ve been writing this column for more than twice as long as half the CREA members have been licensed.   The [...]

Janice Resch of Century 21 Advantage was recently presented with the Realtor of the Year Award at the Red Deer & District Real Estate Board President’s Ball.    It’s the most prestigious award the board bestows upon a member. It recognizes a member who places the real estate industry and the goals of the board [...]

Brookfield Real Estate Services Fund, which operates the Royal LePage residential real estate network, has formally approved the acquisition of franchise agreements operating under the La Capital Real Estate Network brand in Quebec for approximately $17.5 million. The acquisition, announced in November, includes contracts of 1,060 agents operating from 44 locations.   The fund also [...]

For the first time, the Real Property Association of Canada’s annual survey of property taxes across the country gives Vancouver the dubious distinction of having the worst commercial to residential property tax ratio in Canada at 5 to 1. Vancouver now replaces Toronto as the most over-taxed business jurisdiction in Canada, says REALpac.   After [...]

By Kathy Bevan   There are no “major restrictions” impeding competition in Canada’s real estate industry, according to a new report on self-regulated industries issued by the federal Competition Bureau at the end of last year.   It makes several recommendations concerning educational requirements of real estate agents and the way commissions are paid, and [...]

After experiencing an exceptional year characterized by strong average house price appreciation and record breaking unit sales, the momentum from 2007 is anticipated to carry over and position Canada’s real estate market for steady, yet moderate growth in 2008, says the Royal LePage 2008 Market Survey Forecast.   Nationally, average house prices are forecast to [...]

The year 2008 looks to be a year of philosophic business to me. I see the year ahead as the start of an awakening that hopefully will continue through 2009 and years to come.   The times that are ahead remind me a lot of the ‘50s and the ‘60s when people began questioning how [...]

By Connie Adair   When opportunity knocked, Realtor Marni Lokash of Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd. greeted it with open arms.   “A woman called and asked me if I could arrange for her to set up a jewelry show at my office. I told her real estate offices don’t always have a constant flow [...]

By Dan White   I have done a lot of things in my life and selling real estate is just one of them. What I am going to share is a formula that worked so well for me, that it became a lifestyle problem and drove me out of the business of selling houses.   [...]

Despite years of escalating house prices across Canada, first-timer buyers are successfully financing and buying homes that meet their needs, says a national survey by Century 21 Canada brokers.   Don Lawby, president of Century 21 Canada, says first-time buyers have maintained their presence in the housing market by combining innovative buying and financing strategies [...]