| MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT |
PRESIDENT'S FORUMS
A few weeks ago, it was decided to hold a President's Forum for all of
the Ontario and Quebec Chapters in my office boardroom. This Open Forum was a first in
REIC history as no other previous President had ever offered to meet with the membership
en masse without a pre-assigned governance agenda requirement like an Annual General
Meeting or something of a like nature.
The Forum was scheduled from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. with some sandwiches and drinks
provided for all of the participants. Approximately 20 members from the Lakeshore, London
and Toronto (including the old Oshawa-Durham) chapters participated with attendees driving
in quite some distances. Besides the President, the current Past-President was in attendance
along with another Past-President, the Chair-elect of the Finance Council, the Chair of the
Sales & Leasing Council, the Executive Vice President, members of the Board of Directors of
the Toronto Chapter, Past-Presidents of the Lakeshore and old Oshawa-Durham chapters, past
chairs of the CRP committee and the CMOC committee, REIC teachers and several interested
members.
The purposes of the Forum were: to improve communication between the members and their
President; open a dialogue between members; brainstorm, offer suggestions for improvements;
discuss problems and potential solutions both short-term and long-term; help improve REIC's
image and membership recognition factors; find out what the members themselves really want
for their membership dues; to see if we are on the right track in accordance with our
Strategic Plan.
One of the main concerns which were raised was about the many designations which REIC
maintains and administers. There has been a Designations Task Force which was formed by the
last president which just recently provided a summary of its findings. Questions which were
raised were based upon a Schulich Report which recommended that perhaps REIC should focus
its energies on two or three designations and either combine, delete or sell off many of its
designations. As it so happens, no one solution was determined, even among the governing
councils. It seems that REIC will go on maintaining the status quo for now with all of its
current designations in the hopes that its renewed marketing efforts will finally be
beneficial to all of the designations that it currently provides.
As it so happens, there was also much discussion concerning the recent IREM Education
Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona wherein IREM is looking at adding more certifications/
designations for both its Commercial and Condominium education curriculums and memberships.
Many questions were raised about the current IREM - REIC contract and its provisions,
especially the recent dues increase. Several weeks ago, a meeting was held at IREM's
offices in Chicago to discuss various aspects of the existing contract and other important
issues of concern to our members and their representation and recognition by IREM of its
many Canadian CPM members. More meetings will be conducted in the early and late Spring to
help bring about an improved relationship for all concerned, especially for those CPM
members in blended REIC-IREM chapters.
Of course, as an educational Institute, Education was a major topic during the Forum. Many
are concerned with our CRP and CMOC courses being made available to our candidates and
students. Upgrading and rewriting of courses was discussed along with REIC's plans for a
more frequent planned course delivery schedule. Questions concerning instructors and the
opening of the REIC faculty as well as instructor training availability were brought to
bear. The provision of cutting edge technological courses and seminars were discussed as
members want to remain in the forefront of their respective fields.
Licensing was indeed a very hot topic especially concerning particular Real Estate
specialties like Condominium/Strata management, Commercial sales and leasing, certain
development financial underwriting, etc. Many years ago an REIC Licensing Task Force was
formed and produced a recommended policy, which, due to various Provincial Legislation,
was never acted upon by REIC. This may now be reviewed and renewed with REIC joining other
professional Real Estate groups to lobby for what our members want, not just what government
bureaucracies dictate.
And so, many issues across the vast fields of Real Estate, Designations, Education,
Legislation and our members' personal viewpoints were aired and discussed. All in all, it
was a very worthwhile exercise and time well spent for the future of REIC.
Therefore, it is hereby requested that every Chapter consider holding a President's Forum
of its own. I am willing to travel to your Chapter and preside over a Forum for your members.
Every Chapter President is herewith encouraged to consider holding such an event between
February and the end of May in their city. At the same time, I am willing as well to attend
any other related Chapter event or local Real Estate Board function that could enhance its
liaison with REIC. So, if your Chapter has already got an event planned within that timeframe,
please let us know in order that we may piggy-back a President's Forum simultaneously. There
are multi-chapter and multiple city trips being planned whereby the Forum can be held in a few
different cities over several days in either a West to East or East to West manner. For example:
Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary; London, Windsor, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina; Halifax, Montreal,
Ottawa.
Finally, as I write this, I am on my way to celebrate at a joint IREM Quebec and Montreal
REIC Chapter Seasonal Holiday Cocktail Party. This is the first joint chapter function in
Montreal in many years. As with the first President's Forum, this can be a year of many firsts
for all of our chapters and our membership. So, let me be the first to wish you all a Merry
Christmas, Joyeux Noel, Happy Chanukah, Happy New Year, Bon Annee and the Best of the Season
to all REIC members and their families. I hope to see you all soon in the New Year.
Andrew L.B. Gordon, FRI CPM®, REIC 2005-2006 President
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| FROM THE DESK OF THE EVP |
What an incredible year 2005 has been! The non-profit industry, just like the real estate
industry, is highly competitive and extremely susceptible to the world economy. It was
therefore very exciting to celebrate our 50 Year Anniversary as Canada's leader in real
estate education this year.
Over the years, our members have often told us that one of the most important benefits REIC
can offer its members is a strong marketing campaign to increase awareness of REIC's
designations across Canada. I am pleased to announce that your suggestions have not gone
unheard and that marketing is currently one of our top priorities!
Since joining REIC as Manager of Marketing & Communications in May 2005, Alexandra Wennberg
has worked diligently to increase exposure and awareness of our organization and designations.
We have advertised heavily in industry publications such as REM and Canadian Property Management
(look for our ads in the December issues!), in local and national newspapers and on the
radio. Our overall advertising campaign this year has brought our message to a national
audience of close to 5 million.
We have also increased our trade show participation, which is proving successful as an
increasing number of visitors to our booth are aware of, and interested in, REIC's
designations and education.
This spring we also launched our New Member Media Release program as an additional
membership marketing initiative. Each month, a media release is sent to the local media of
each new member to celebrate their achievement and welcome them publicly to the REIC family.
A copy of the release is also sent to the member and a copy is forwarded to the local Real
Estate Board for our FRI CRES and CLO members.
We have planned several exciting marketing initiatives for 2006 which we will share with
you as details are finalized. We will continue to market the organization as we move
forward but we are also asking that you assist us by marketing yourselves. Promote your
designations by including them on your websites, business cards and letterhead. Help REIC
grow by telling your friends and colleagues about our designations and education programs.
Make use of the marketing tools available in the Member and Chapter Marketing Toolkit that
was mailed to you earlier this year. Together we can make sure that REIC continues to
flourish as the organization of choice for real estate professionals in Canada!
Maura Bella, Executive Vice-President
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REAL ESTATE'S GROWING EPIDEMIC
How to Spot a Grow Op |
The REIC Toronto Chapter hosted a seminar titled "Grow Ops - The New Property Epidemic"
for PMExpo delegates at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on December 1, 2005.
The speaker, Mr. Bob Aaron, a Toronto real estate lawyer with Aaron & Aaron, enlightened
the audience about the potential damage, danger and financial downfall grow ops pose for
property owners.
As the growing of marijuana requires intense moisture, heat and chemicals, grow ops can
be detrimental not only to the property owner, but a danger to the surrounding neighbours.
The growing process can produce electrical fires, chemical explosions, poisonous gas leaks
and toxic mold. The house may also sustain structural damage, posing a potential threat to
anyone entering the facility.
How to Spot a Grow Op
Aaron went on to discuss that as there are currently 50,000 active grow ops in Canada,
found in all types of neighbourhoods from apartments to luxury homes, it is important for
property managers to be aware of the tell-tale signs of spotting a grow op.
Some of these signs are:
- Evidence of hydro meter tampering
- Covered windows at all times
- Excess steam and additional roof vents
- High condensation on windows
- Bare roof when all surrounding rooftops are snow covered
- Never any garbage at the curb
- Local power surges and brownouts
For more information about grow ops, contact Bob Aaron at bob@aaron.ca or visit the Aaron
& Aaron website at www.aaron.ca
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HOLIDAY SHOPPING MADE EASY
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By Alexandra Wennberg
With the Holiday Season quickly approaching, retailers are suiting up for yet another
bustling shopping marathon. Holiday decorations adorn the stores, Kris Kringle is involved
in his annual public relations campaign, Holiday jingles invade your brain and shoppers are
impatiently waiting in line…for the change rooms, for assistance and for payment.
Have the crowds and stress stolen your holiday spirit? Do you remember the days when time
was not a luxury, when the anticipation of seeing your friends and family opening the gifts
you spent carefree hours at the mall carefully choosing filled you with excitement?
Looking for a way to bring that joy back to your Holiday Season shopping experience?
The Real Estate Institute of Canada has launched an online shopping portal that could be
the answer to your Holiday shopping blues!
The REIC Preferred Marketplace is a cyberspace mall featuring over 150 stores, offering
everything from jewelry, flowers, office supplies, electronics, fashion, travel, books,
music, cosmetics, automobile accessories and much more. Find gifts for everyone on your
list, and perhaps something for yourself, from the comfort of your own home with the simple
click of a button. No more circling of parking lots. No more lineups. No more lugging of
heavy bags. No more stress! Get comfortable and simply go to www.reic.ca, click on the
Preferred Marketplace logo and experience a whole new way to shop!
"The REIC Preferred Marketplace is a brand new, totally Canadian initiative", said Denis
Hamel, Founder, Preferred Marketplace. "It was created to benefit non-profit, charitable
and educational organizations in Canada by using the focused buying power of people who
appreciate the convenience of online shopping, while at the same time making our communities
better places to live and work."
The Canadian Interactive Reid Report, a Fact Guide by Ipsos Reid, shows that 78% of
Canadians have access to the Internet of which 56%, or 3.5 million, shopped online last
year. With online shopping being an ever-growing trend, e-commerce retailers are
continuously updating their online security measures.
If worries of Identity Theft have deterred you from entering the incredible world of
internet shopping, don't fret. There is technology available to merchants that scramble
sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, enabling only the intended merchant to
decipher your payment information. Prior to finalizing a purchase, there are several ways
to ensure you are using a secure site:
- Look for a picture of an unbroken key or closed lock in your browser window. This
indicates a secure site.
- Check that the web address begins with "https:" rather than "http:"
- See if the web site uses a "Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)". Sometime a pop-up box will
show on the screen notifying you that you are about to enter a secure area.
It is also important to remember that no legitimate business will ever ask you for your SIN
number or bank account information. Legitimate businesses will also never ask you to send
your payment information via email. As security measures do not work in email, online
purchases should only be made through secure websites.
The Real Estate Institute of Canada is very conscious of our clients' safety and therefore
only invites legitimate businesses to join the REIC Preferred Marketplace. Clients shopping
at our online mall know they are dealing with the very best, but that as with a conventional
mall, each store is responsible for their own security measures and customer service
policies.
As an added value to REIC Preferred Marketplace clients, our merchants have entered into an
agreement where our customers will "Never Pay More…and Often Pay Less" whenever a purchase
is made through our portal. All vendors have also agreed to pay a commission to the Real
Estate Institute of Canada for every sale made through this portal, which in turn supports
our Education Development Fund.
"REIC is continuously working to expand, and improve upon, our education program to ensure
our courses offer the skills and knowledge relevant to today's Real Estate Professional",
said Maura Bella, Executive Vice-President, Real Estate Institute of Canada. "Our
internationally recognized designations and accreditations have identified the best
educated and most experienced real estate professionals since 1955. REIC's designations
and Code of Professional Standards are an excellent way for consumers, investors and
portfolio managers to identify committed and ethical real estate professionals."
Save money, time and aggravation, and support a great cause without any additional cost to
you through the simple click of a button! Experience the REIC Preferred Marketplace way to
shop this holiday season.
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IN MEMORIAM
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REIC wish to honour those members who have passed in recent months. We extend our
condolences to their families and friends.
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Newton C. Steacy, FRI - 1927-2005
Mr. Steacy was born and raised in North Vancouver, B.C., where he attained his Bachelor of
Arts from the University of British Columbia in 1952.
In 1972, Mr. Steacy entered the political arena as a Social Scientist for the Social and
Human Analysis Branch of the Planning Department of DREE (Department of Regional Economic
Expansion) in Toronto, ON. In 1975 he accepted the position of Head of Social Policy Desk
at the Federal-Provincial Relations Office, Policy and Program Review.
Mr. Steacy moved on to become Chief of Staff to the Minister of Multi-Culturalism and ended
his political career as Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Indian and Native
Affairs Branch, in the Province of Saskatchewan.
In 1984, Mr. Steacy began his flourishing career in real estate. He attained his FRI from
the Real Estate Institute of Canada in 1990 while working for Royal LePage Real Estate
Services in the Ottawa region.
Besides his years in the public sector and the real estate industry, Mr. Steacy also gave
seven years to the Canadian Military, during which time he received the Canadian Forces
Decoration - CD and the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal.
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
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On behalf of REIC's Board of Directors, members and staff, we extend our congratulations
to those individuals who have achieved their designations in recent months, demonstrating
their commitment to professionalism and excellence in all facets of real estate.
View list...
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THE (USA) PATRIOT ACT
AND REAL ESTATE,
A CANADIAN PERSPECTIVE
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By: Steven Bibby, CPM®
Contributor: Chris Myers, Holland & Knight LLP
At the IREM Education Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, Chris Myers of Holland & Knight,
LLP spoke about three key laws that appear to extend beyond the United States borders. By
the conclusion of his session, it was abundantly clear that American lawmakers had pulled
out all the stops in the name of protecting Homeland Security.
First, it's important to identify that real estate is considered a prime target for money
laundering in many countries. The fact that real estate provides a relatively stable
long-term investment, that it can be used as a "safe house" for hiding from authorities,
and can be well hidden behind an unsuspecting and legitimate real estate management company,
make it the perfect target for organized crime or terrorists.
To prevent these issues in the USA, the Patriot Act has broadened or expanded the Money
Laundering Control Act and the Bank Secrecy Act. A third law, referred to as the OFAC SDN
List, provides the greatest concern for both Americans and non-Americans alike. Real Estate
Professionals from many countries must now seriously consider their "due diligence" process
when performing business that may involve US citizens, property, businesses, funding,
property interests, and other tangible or intangible interests.
The Money Laundering Control Act provides for fines of $500,000 (or two times the value of
the property involved) and twenty (20) years of jail time for engaging in business with any
person and/or business if you "know" or should know their money or property comes from a
broad range of illegal activity, including certain illegal activity committed in foreign
countries.
Combine this Act with the Bank Secrecy Act, which despite it's misleading name, actually
applies to twenty-four types of financial institutions that include loan and finance
companies, investment companies, pawn brokers, and sales in boats, automobiles and planes.
While the regulations have yet to be disclosed and definitions provided, this Act also
covers "persons involved in real estate closings and settlements". The Bank Secrecy Act
(as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act) now requires all "financial institutions," including
the ones listed above, to implement formal anti-money laundering programs.
By far the most disturbing of the three laws is the design and management of the OFAC SDN
List, from the "Office of Foreign Assets Control" in the Treasury Department. The wide
sweeping powers relating to this list expressly prohibit "U.S. Persons" from performing
business of any kind with persons or entities that are on the list. More importantly,
the list is a compilation of countries, persons, groups and businesses considered to be
terrorists (or their associates), money launderers, or narcotics traffickers, whose
property and interests in property are "blocked" and may not be "transferred, paid,
exported, withdrawn or otherwise dealt in". "U.S. Persons" includes all United States
citizens, U.S. companies, foreign companies doing business in the United States and
foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies.
The OFAC SDN list contains over 5000 names of individuals and companies located throughout
the world. As an example, the list that was updated on November 23, 2005 is 220 pages long
and includes 18 pages of internet addresses relating to Cuba. You will find sites with such
innocent appearances as www.aboutcuba.com, or www.cuba-shopping.com. You will also find
individuals named on the list, many with passport numbers and other clearly identifying
numbers, but some with only an address or without any other identifying information.
Consider the misfortune of merely having a similar name as someone on the list, as you
could find that your travel through or into the US has suddenly been blocked.
So how does this affect the average law abiding Canadian? Imagine that you as an individual,
or you as a small business owner/manager, inadvertently perform business with a company or
person who is on this list. Now consider if your business transaction somehow crosses into
US borders, perhaps because the transaction goes through a US call center, is cashed in a
US financial institution, or is shipped from or through the US, or involves a US investor
or US property. When that US business discovers the name matches one from the list, you
could find that your purchase, your deposit, your delivery, your property, etc, has been
blocked and/or seized.
Once the Treasury Department has begun the process of blocking or seizing the asset(s), a
massive sea of red tape washes over it. After what will likely take many weeks or months,
and possibly hundreds of thousands in legal fees, the innocent parties to this process may
eventually obtain a "license" permitting them to proceed with their transaction. It is
still possible, however, that assets will be seized in their entirety and fines levied.
Much like Canadian law, ignorance and "wilful blindness" is not a defence against a
violation. Fines for violation of the Act can range from $50,000 to $10 million, and
imprisonment from 10 to 30 years.
Most importantly, the OFAC SDN list does not appear to be subject to the commonly accepted
democratic standards of "due process". Names are added to the list as a result of Executive
Orders, but need not require a court hearing, an opportunity to dispute, or convictions of
any crime.
For Canadian real estate businesses that engage in transactions with the US, the process of
"due diligence" will require changes in business practice. You may now find your business
comparing the OFAC SDN list against the names of all of your clients, your tenants, and
anyone who holds a financial interest in the transaction going through the US. And because
the law doesn't stipulate how deep an investigation must be performed, you may find
yourself checking not only your clients, but also their clients, their business owners,
their business directors, and so on. Lastly, it's important to note that the list is
updated on a random but frequent basis, which means re-checking all of these persons and
businesses repeatedly throughout the year, time and time again.
Regardless of where we live, it is our responsibility as good citizens to do our part to
protect our home country and participate in national security. As a Canadian, it appears
that the role to be played by the average American has been expanded quite dramatically,
and Uncle Sam considers that its citizens should pay rather traumatic penalties for failure.
Information on the OFAC SDN list can be found at:
www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/sdn/
Steve Bibby, CPM® is the Manager of Safety and Security for the BC Housing Management
Commission, which is an agency of the Provincial Government in British Columbia. Mr.
Bibby has been an active member of REIC since 1997 and just completed his term as
President of the IREM BC Chapter #50 Board of Directors.
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REIC BEHIND THE SCENES
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Behind the Scenes is a brief overview of what National is working on to ensure REIC
thrives as both an education body and membership organization. This feature will be
published in our April and December issues of Exchange.
NATIONAL STAFF
Please join us in welcoming REIC's newest staff member, Eva Szczepanek (pronounced
ske-pan'-ek), Administrative Assistant, Membership and Education. Eva has a number of
years experience working in real estate sales offices, both residential and commercial,
and she is bilingual in English and French. For a complete list of REIC staff, including
a brief description of their areas of responsibility, and their contact information,
visit www.reic.ca and click on Contact Us.
CHAPTER LIAISON AND ADMINISTRATION
Chapter Visits
In an effort to strengthen National's relationship and communication portal with our
chapters, the President and Executive Vice-President have visited with several chapters
across Canada in the past six months. This mandate will continue in 2006 and we ask you
to share your event schedules with us so that chapter visits may include participation at
your events.
The 2006 Annual Meeting Committee has met monthly since the summer and have already made
tremendous progress for next year's Annual Meeting in Edmonton, AB. The meeting will be
held at Fantasyland Hotel in West Edmonton Mall on June 8-10, 2006. Make your voice heard
by attending our Annual General Meeting and network with other real estate professionals
from Halifax to Victoria during our National conference. Gain recognition for yourself
and/or your company by sponsoring this fabulous event! Contact our office at 416.695.9000
x27 for details and to obtain a sponsorship brochure.
Mark Your Calendars and keep your eyes open for the Annual Meeting invitation in early
Spring 2006. Should you wish to stay at Fantasyland Hotel during our Annual Meeting, we
urge you to book your room(s) early as the hotel sells out quickly. Contact Brenda Norton
at 416.695.9000/1.800.542.REIC x27 or via email at brenda.norton@reic.com
for details
regarding REIC's special room rates.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership Statistics
2005 was a stellar year for membership. Our membership numbers are steadily on the rise,
with the ARM® becoming one of our more popular designations. We also broke ground with
the launch of the French FRI program in Quebec earlier this year, a program that has
exceeded our expectations. To complement the increased membership interest, the number of
terminations was also considerably lower in 2005 than in year's past.
We are constantly updating our website, and it is now
more accessible to our members than ever before.
Candidates are now able to update their personal
information in the Members Section and Dues Payments can be made via a
secure online portal. We have also updated all online Candidate Application forms to
reflect the 2006 fee structure and admittance requirements.
Membership Recruitment
To further increase REIC memberships and awareness, we are currently finalizing the
details for a Member-Get-A-Member (MGAM) Program. Launching in January 2006, this contest
of sorts encourages our members to inform their friends, colleagues, business partners
and suppliers of the benefits of REIC membership. The program will run until May 31, 2006
and the top 3 recruiters will receive recognition at our Annual Meeting in Edmonton in
June 2006 as well as taking home some fabulous prizes. All members will receive further
details about the MGAM Program after the Holidays.
In the New Year, we are also launching two new membership groups as a way to offer Real
Estate Students, Instructors, Suppliers and Corporations the opportunity to take advantage
of the numerous benefits of a REIC membership. Details on the Affiliate and Sponsoring
Memberships will be available online after the Holidays.
EDUCATION
We launched the French REIC 2600 - Ethics and Business Practice course in Quebec this fall
and we have already held two courses in Montreal this fall. We are currently finalizing
the translation of REIC 2270 - Consumer Behaviour and Negotiating, scheduled for a Quebec
launch in Spring 2006.
The 2006 Course Schedule is complete and posted on www.reic.ca. Please refer to this
schedule to see when a course of interest is being held in your area. Our 2006 Course
Schedule will also be available in late December, outlining our entire course lineup,
including the changes to the IREM courses.
Thanks to the exceptional assistance of our Chapters, we were able to offer a superb
course lineup in 2005. We would especially like to thank the following Chapters for
their incredible assistance and support of this year's education program:
- Real Estate Institute of Manitoba - 5 courses
- Real Estate Institute of Saskatchewan - 3 courses
- REIC/IREM Edmonton Chapters - 3 courses
- London Chapter - 1 course
- REIC Quebec - 1 course
- IREM Quebec - 1 course
- REIC & IREM Quebec Chapters (joint effort) - 1 course
- Nova Scotia Chapter - 1 course
Way to go! Through continued Chapter support, we hope to make 2006 the best year yet for
REIC education.
MARKETING
The marketing department has been abuzz with activity the last six months and has made
terrific headway in increasing awareness for REIC, focusing on not only real estate
professionals but also getting the message out to the general consumer. For further
details regarding our marketing initiatives, please refer to the Message from the EVP
in this issue of Exchange.
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www.reic.ca statistics --- November 2005
Hits for the month of November are 255,825, an increase of 5.5% over October 2005
and 29.4% over November 2004. Total hits Year-to-Date is 2,514,948, which is 23.6%
higher than all of last year.
reic.ca trivia: the November hits in our launch year (1997) were 22,256.
We remain ranked #1 on Google web-wide and Google.ca for keyword search on "real estate
education".
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| OUR MEMBERS TELL US |
"It is an honour to join the prestigious REIC family and I am confident that with the
professional guidelines from REIC, I will be able to provide best services to my
clients." -- Ifzal M. Bhatti, CRES
"I recently had the opportunity of attending the Successful Site Management (ARM®)
Course. My purpose in enrolling for the course was to simply acquire a very basic
understanding of the fundamentals of property management.
To my delight, I received far more than I had anticipated…The course content was extremely
well written and filled with valuable information. I would recommend this program to
anyone interested in expanding their property management knowledge." - - Rael Kalley,
REIC Student
(Courtesy: Calgary Apartment Association Rental Review)
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| MARKETING TIP |
Attn: FRI & CRES members
Great customer service is unfortunately slowly dissipating in all areas of our
society. Stand out from the crowd! Do something special for your clients to show
them you appreciate their business!
Purchase a small housewarming gift for your clients after a successful sale and
don't forget to send a small token of thanks during the holiday season.
Showing your appreciation is now easier than ever. Just visit www.reic.ca and click
on the Preferred Marketplace logo, buy your gifts online and ship them directly to your
client's home. Make your clients feel special and you reap the benefits from increased
referrals and repeat business.
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| 2006 DUES REMINDER |
Congratulations to Judy Rickatson, FRI for being the first member to pay her
2006 dues. A big thank you to all members who have settled their accounts to
date.
Don't get stuck paying late fees. Submit your 2006 dues prior to January 31, 2006.
Mail your cheque to 5407 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 208, Toronto, ON M9C 5K6, fax
your credit card payment to 416.695.7230 or pay your dues online at www.reic.ca!
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| CALL FOR WRITERS |
Have you written an article you would like to share with REIC members?
Are you privy to new developments, issues or initiatives in Canada's Real Estate
Industry?
Have you always wanted to write but are unsure of how to get published?
EXCHANGE wants to hear from YOU!
Submit your articles to alexandra.wennberg@reic.com
and you may find your
words in print. Approved articles will be printed in a future issue of EXCHANGE.
Member articles are also posted on www.reic.ca.
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| 2006 EDUCATION SCHEDULE |
REIC's industry-leading educational programs can be taken as part of a program
leading to certification or accreditation or individually as a means to increase
your knowledge base. REIC programs - whether for property managers, leasing
specialists, finance specialists or Realtors® - are recognized for their
on-target topics, their industry savvy instructors and their thorough subject
matter coverage.
Take control of your success! Register for a course today.
Click here for the 2006
Education Schedule.
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| MARK THE DATE |
The REIC 2006 Annual Meeting is scheduled for June 8-10, 2006 in beautiful
EDMONTON, ALBERTA. The event program is currently in the planning stages and
we will update you as the program is finalized. Until then we ask that you
Mark the Date and Experience the Energy with us in 2006!
Should you wish to sponsor our National conference, please contact Brenda Norton at
1.800.542.REIC ext. 27 or at brenda.norton@reic.com
for details and
to obtain a Sponsorship Brochure.
As details are finalized, they will be listed
in our Calendar of Events. Check back often for updates
on our 2006 Annual Meeting and other real estate related events.
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| CALL FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST |
Charlene Waters, CPM®, Chair of the REIC Nominations Committee announce a Call for
Expression of Interest to fill three 2006-2007 Council Vice-Chair positions.
In order to run for this position, the nominee must:
- Be an Active member in good standing
- Belong to the council in question
- Have a minimum of 2 years experience with REIC chapter leadership and/or Council
Directorate and/or Chapter Advisory Committee and/or National Committee.
If you are interested in becoming involved with REIC governance on a National level,
please put your name forward to stand for election. Submissions must be made to
Charlene Waters via REIC National at brenda.norton@reic.com
no later than
January 6, 2006.
As a Council Vice-Chair, the incumbent agrees to:
- become a member of the Chapter Services Committee
- make a minimum 4 year commitment as the Council Vice-Chair
automatically moves into the Chair-Elect, Chair and then the
Past Chair
position within your Council
- participate in Council Meetings - 3-4 meetings per year
via conference call plus one at the AGM
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