|
EXCHANGE SPORTS A NEW LOOK
Welcome to our new and improved Exchange! The online
version of REIC’s newsletter was months in the making and we are
proud to unveil it to you today. We hope that as you scroll through
our pages, you will find the articles informative and an enjoyable
read.
MEET THE PRESIDENT
Andrew Gordon,
FRI CPM®
commenced his 2005/2006 REIC Presidency at the Annual Meeting in
Toronto on May 29, 2005.
He has been a member with REIC since 1983 when he attained his CPM®
and currently also serves on the REIC
Toronto
Chapter Management Board.
Mr. Gordon has
worked for H & R Developments for the past 20 years and in his
current role as Senior Commercial Manager he specializes in
Commercial Building Management. Over the course of his career, he has been involved in
all facets of Real Estate, including Sales, Leasing, Construction,
Maintenance and the Management of Residential, Office, Retail and
Industrial Properties.
A key passion for
Mr. Gordon is to assist fellow FRI and CPM®
colleagues secure gainful employment. He is also very active with
several charities in the GTA.
Exchange -- How long have you been involved in the Real Estate Profession?
Andrew Gordon
-- “I have been involved in the Real Estate Industry in Toronto
for the past 32 years.”
What made you decide to enter the
Real Estate Industry and how did you get your start?
“I started working
for my family’s business as a part-time rent collector and
property manager because I found the diversity of tasks in the Real
Estate Industry very interesting. My decision to make the
Real Estate Profession my life-long career was highly
influenced by the sense of accomplishment I felt when dealing
with my clients and colleagues.”
What do you enjoy
the most about your profession?
“The most gratifying
aspect of my profession is seeing proven results while helping
people.”
What made you
decide to join REIC?
“I was impressed by
the professionalism of both my owner/broker and
managing broker and even more so by the prominent display of
their FRI certificates in their offices.”
How do you find your REIC designations have helped your Career growth?
“While interviewing
for jobs, I believe my REIC designations moved my resume to
the top of the list. My designations also enabled me to
negotiate for higher salaries.”
What advice would you give to a Real Estate Professional considering joining REIC?
“I would suggest he
or she become a candidate and an active member of his or her
local REIC Chapter to network with and learn from fellow
professionals.”
What is your
vision of REIC for tomorrow?
“In time, I believe
that REIC will receive the industry recognition it
deserves and emerge as the premier Real Estate Association for
career-minded professionals and employers, as well as government
licensing bodies.”
What are your top
3 goals for REIC in your role as President?
“Build on our
current membership benefits and communications in an effort to
increase the value of an REIC membership.
Focus on
marketing, promoting all our designations in the Real Estate
Industry, as well as revitalize the FRI and CPM®
designations in Canada.
Encourage REIC members to join REIC committees and Board of
Directors, on either the Local or National level, to create a sense
of community between REIC members.”
What motivates
you to succeed?
“Life is short so I
try to do my best at all times. I want to be on a winning team but
if I can’t win, at least I know I gave it a whole-hearted
effort.”
If you had one
wish for REIC, what would it be?
“I would like to
rejuvenate the organization by inspiring our members to feel a
passion and dedication for their professional career
through REIC.”
Top
FROM THE DESK OF THE EVP
Having just celebrated my first anniversary with REIC, I
reflect on my time with this thriving organization and I am truly
excited about our tremendous accomplishments over the past year. My
staff and I have all worked diligently to increase general awareness
of REIC, attract more members and build a strong foundation for
future success.
Relationship Building
Our Chapters play an important role in REIC’s growth and I
am therefore making a strong effort, together with Andrew Gordon,
FRI CPM®, to visit our various Chapters, meeting with the
Chapter Management Boards and our members.
As part of this initiative, Andrew and I attended the
Lakeshore Chapter AGM in June and we were in
Montreal in
September, launching the French FRI program to a highly receptive
crowd. I visited with the Halifax Management Board at the end of
September, while Andrew attended a London Chapter dinner meeting.
Andrew and I are traveling to meet with the Chapter Boards and
members in Calgary and Edmonton in October. I appreciate the warm
reception I have received during my visits to date and look forward
to working more closely with our Chapters from coast-to-coast.
The National staff is also continuously promoting REIC and
our programs to
Canada’s Real
Estate Boards and key industry leaders in an effort to build our
client roster and industry awareness.
Education
To make sure we continue offering the highest quality
education, we have rewritten the REIC 2600 – Ethics and Business
Practice and REIC 2270 – Consumer Behaviour and Negotiating
courses to reflect current industry practices.
As I mentioned above, we launched the French FRI program in
Quebec
this fall and we expect the program to become highly successful.
Membership
I am pleased to announce that as at
September 1, 2005, our membership numbers were 166.67% higher than last year
at this time. Our candidate and application numbers have also
increased substantially.
As an added benefit to our new members, we began a new
initiative this year, sending media releases to publications in our
members’ home town announcing their achievements. These releases
are also sent to the local Real Estate Board for our FRI, CRES and
CLO members.
Marketing
We are focusing our marketing efforts on branding and
business development. To achieve these objectives, we are
advertising heavily in industry publications as well as to the
general public. You may have seen our ads in REM and Canadian
Property Management Magazine as well as heard our commercials on
Q107, with an audience of close to 1 million people in the GTA.
We are also creating a buzz by drumming up free publicity
through targeted media releases, many which have been published in
key publications.
I am looking forward to yet another successful and exciting
year at the Real Estate Institute of Canada. Through cooperation
and positive thinking, I believe we can meet, and exceed, our goals
and objectives!
Maura Bella, Executive Vice-President
Top
REIC CareerSite
gets you noticed
The preferred choice for all your career related Real Estate needs
REIC CareerSite is dedicated to connecting the best Real
Estate jobs with industry professionals, through a fast and
user-friendly website. For job seekers researching opportunities,
and employers seeking quality candidates, it is REIC’s goal to
optimize the opportunity for the best employment fit through REIC
CareerSite.
Job Seekers
REIC CareerSite is your online career and employment
connection, created with the need of the Real Estate community in
mind. We understand the industry’s specialized career needs and
REIC CareerSite is the best place on the web to support your job
search. Whether you are actively looking for a job, keeping your
eyes open or would like a place to store your resume, REIC
CareerSite is the job board for you. Visit us today at
www.reic.ca
and experience the opportunities for yourself!
Through REIC
CareerSite you can
Search and apply for jobs 24/7
Store up to 3 unique profiles – FREE
Post your resume for prospective employers - 24/7
Control
who receives access to your resume
Track
your applications
Customize Job
Search
Agents to monitor job postings for you 24 hours/day
REIC CareerSite
will
Send applicable jobs to your inbox
Help You Find
Your Next Career
Employers
Whether you are looking for junior or more experienced
candidates, REIC CareerSite offers you customized tools and services
to help you reach qualified candidates, post jobs and access our
member database so you can find your new hires quickly and easily.
When you post your jobs on REIC CareerSite, they will be displayed
on other Real Estate job boards at no extra cost.
REIC CareerSite
offers
Direct access
to qualified employees
Secure
Job Management that allows you to post, edit and delete jobs
A unique Resume database
30-day job
postings
that can be utilized at any time
Through REIC
CareerSite you can
Post jobs and Search resumes 24/7
Create Automatic Pre Screening of candidates into
“A-lists” and “B-lists”
Build Your Team
With Top Industry Talent,
ON TIME and ON
BUDGET!
Top
REIC Preferred MarketplacE
The one-stop online shopping portal where you
“Never
Pay More….and Often Pay Less”
As our lives grow increasingly busier, a growing number of
professionals utilize the internet to shop for everything from a
gift for Mom to office supplies. Unless seeking a specific online
store, however, one can surf the web for hours looking for that
perfect gift, or the required business item.
To alleviate fruitless surfing, the Real Estate Institute
of Canada (REIC) launched the REIC Preferred Marketplace on
Tuesday,
August 23, 2005. A one-stop online shopping portal, REIC
Preferred Marketplace offers access to over 150 online
stores…with more to come…with the click of a button!
“Now
www.reic.ca
visitors can purchase flowers for their spouse, new shoes for the
children, a computer for the office and book a weekend
getaway, all through one convenient website,” said Maura Bella,
Executive Vice-President, REIC. “Through this service, we are
offering an added benefit to our members, candidates, students and
the public at large. Vendors will pay a commission to REIC for every
item sold through this portal, which in turn supports our Education
Development Fund.”
REIC Preferred
Marketplace
is designed with you in mind and offers links to everything from box
stores like Canadian Tire to specialty stores like NetMagazine,
iTunes and LogoMaker. Shop some of the world’s best brands, “Never
Pay More….Often Pay Less”, and assist Canada’s leader in Real Estate
Education to continue helping Canada’s Real Estate Professionals
with their life-long learning and continued professional
development.
Top
In MEMORIAm
REIC wish to honour those members who have passed in recent
months. We extend our condolences to their families and friends.
* * *
Anthony J.W.
Arnoldi, FRI
Vice President, ProjetCorp Realty
Mr. Arnoldi spent almost 50 years in the commercial brokerage
business, starting at Gibson Bros., and helped build companies such
as J.J. Barnike, Colliers International and ProjetCorp Realty. He
was a proud member of the Real Estate Institute of Canada for over
25 years.
In the mid-1980's, he started the Arnoldi Group and over a decade
built it into one of the most successful real estate brokerage firms
in Toronto.
Mr. Arnoldi’s passion for real estate inspired several generations
of brokers and one of his greatest pleasures was to work with and
help young people entering the business. Three of his children have
worked successfully in real estate and related industries.
Mr. Arnoldi continued to work from home in the weeks before he died
on January 23, 2005 of cancer.
* * *
William D. (Bill)
Hopkins, FRI(A)
Mr. Hopkins, a strong advocate for organized professional
real estate, died on
January 6, 2005
in his 73rd year after fighting illness courageously for
several years.
Mr. Hopkins was a very self-directed, self-determined
individual. He came from humble beginnings and was determined to
accomplish something in his life…and accomplish he did!
He served as President of the Brantford Regional Real
Estate Association three times during the 1970’s, as President of
the Ontario Real Estate Association in 1985 and as President of the
Canadian Real Estate Association in 1991. He was a member of the
Real Estate Institute of Canada for 39 years, holding the FRI(A) and
CMR designations. Mr. Hopkins gave much time, effort and support to
the Real Estate at all levels during the more than four decades he
was involved in the industry.
Later in life, Mr. Hopkins picked up a paintbrush and
started capturing
Canada’s Wildlife
on canvas. He was a self-taught artist and enjoyed these artistic
endeavours immensely. He won several awards for his work and much
of it is now in private and corporate collections.
Mr. Hopkins is survived by his two daughters and
sons-in-law, four grandchildren and by Marion, the mother of his
children.
* * *
Lenora Elaine
Ruscio, FRI CMR
Mrs. Ruscio passed away peacefully in her home on
Saturday, June
11, 2005 at the age of 81. She was a beloved wife of the late John
Ruscio (1986), loving mother of the late Natalie Ruscio (1991), the
late Vito Ruscio (1978) and Robin. She was a cherished grandmother
of Shawn, Liam, Julia and Tasha, and adored by her great-grandchild
Natalie.
Pre-deceased by six brothers and sisters, Mrs. Ruscio was a
long-time Real Estate agent and broker in
St. Catharines,
holding a FRI from the Real Estate Institute of Canada for 25 years.
Top
WELCOME NEW MEMBERs
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…
REIC HELPS
celebrate Shmtp graduates
By
Alexandra Wennberg
Since its founding in 1955, the Real Estate Institute of
Canada (REIC) has extended its educational reach beyond offering
accreditations to
Canada’s Real
Estate Professionals in order to contribute to the professional
development programs offered by government agencies and
post-secondary institutions.
REIC is a proud partner of the Saskatchewan Housing
Corporation’s (SHC) Social Housing Management Training Program (SHMTP).
The program offers employees of SHC northern housing agencies the
opportunity to acquire the basic knowledge and skills necessary to
administer social housing in
Saskatchewan’s
northern region. Graduates of this program receive the Applied
Certificate in Social Housing Management from Saskatchewan’s
Institute of Applies Sciences and Technology (SIAST), enabling them
to step into the roles of Tenant Relations Officer and manager where
vacancies exist in
Saskatchewan’s
northern housing network.
The curriculum exists of four parts with courses offered by
SHC, SIAST,
Northlands
College, REIC, the boards of Northern Housing Agencies and the
Saskatchewan Housing Authorities – Human Resources Services. Both
classroom study and practical training encompassing the application
of SHC-specific policies and programs, generic industry programs and
policies, HR practices, and property management courses is required
for course completion. The REIC component consists of REIC 2600
– Ethics and Business Practice and RES 201 – Successful Site
Management.
Representatives
of the Program partners celebrated the five latest SHMTP graduates
at a ceremony in La Ronge on June 23, 2005. Congratulations are
extended to:
Robert Desjarlais – Ile à la Crosse Housing Authority, Grace Janvier and Judy Robertson – La Loche Non-Profit
Housing Corporation, Jenny Laliberte – Beaver River Regional
Housing Authority and Richard Thommes – Cumberland House
Housing Authority.
Since its inception in 1999, 18 graduates have passed
through the program.
Top
energy-efficient homes save
more than the environment
By
Alexandra Wennberg
In an effort to create a wider choice of quality,
affordable homes, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
announced two new initiatives this summer that promote
energy-efficient housing and greater financial solution options for
home buyers.
Effective
July 27, 2005,
CMHC will extend the energy flexibilities previously available only
to row housing and stacked condominiums to all types of
condominiums. They are also altering the current minimum EnerGuide
for New Housing rating requirements that qualify for mortgage loan
insurance to 77 for a three-year pilot period.
Energy Efficient Homes could also potentially assist home
buyers with their purchase, as CMHC is offering a 10 per cent refund
on the loan insurance premium to those who qualify. This offer
extends to all Canadians who buy or build an energy-efficient home,
as well as to those who make energy-saving renovations to their
existing home.
Existing energy-efficient building programs such as ENERGY
STAR® (Ontario),
NovoclimatMC (Quebec), Built Green SocietyTM
Alberta Gold and Power SmartTM (Manitoba) will all be
eligible for the current initiatives.
“The premium surcharges associated with the longer
amortization periods (25 to 35 years) offered under the Energy
Efficient Homes policy will be eliminated on
August 12, 2005,”
wrote The Honorable Joe Fontana, Minister of Labour & Housing in a
letter to REIC. “With these changes, about 14 per cent of new homes
built in Canada could be eligible for the CMHC mortgage loan
insurance premium refund.”
The Hon. Fontana also announced that CMHC will contribute
$1 million for the launch of the first phase of a Canadian net zero
energy wealthy housing initiative.
“The goal of net zero housing is to implement a range of
measures that will ultimately lead to housing that has a zero net
consumption of energy on an annual basis for heating and
electricity…The initiative is designed to help decrease the energy
intensity of Canada’s housing sector, support the growing renewable
energy and sustainable housing industries, and help Canada meet its
goal of reducing green house gas emissions.”
Top
www.reic.ca statistics
--- August 2005
246,628 hits
represent our best month ever, an 11.8% increase over July 2005 and
a 42.1% increase over August of last year.
Our
monthly average for 2005 is 32.6% higher than last year.
Extrapolated to year end, we will exceed 2.5 million hits for the
year.
We remain
ranked #1 on Google web-wide and Google.ca for keyword search on
"real estate education".
|
