Member Update January 21, 2021

January 21, 2021

Get your vote in before the election closes tonight!

Voting in our 2021 Board of Directors election ends tonight at 11: 59 pm. Don’t miss your opportunity – click here to vote!

There are 15 members running to fill five seats this year. You can learn more about the candidates on the voting website.

If you’d like more information about our election, the Board Development Committee (BDC), and the candidate recommendation process, you can review the many election resources we’ve developed:

Have your say in who governs your professional association and vote today!

Female REALTORS® continue to be harassed with calls and explicit images

Since our last update, more female REALTORS® have told us about being harassed with calls and explicit images sent via text.

In some cases, the man says his father, or his wife’s father, is moving into a home and he wants to sell the house. He may suggest meeting at a different location before going there.

These calls are usually later in the evening. He uses fake phone numbers with area codes 236, 445, 831, and 778. To be safe, let these numbers go to voice mail. There have been no reports of physical harm.

We’re in contact with the police to help coordinate information about these calls. If this person has contacted you or another female Realtor, please file a report with your local police and email Fiona Youatt at fyouatt@rebgv.org with the case number and relevant information about the incident.

If you’re reporting to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), they have detectives from the Criminal Harassment Unit working on the case. If you’re contacted by this person, report it to the VPD and quote file number 2021-4768 so your report will be included in their investigation.

Safety tips for Realtors:

  • Always have another Realtor at your showing.
  • Jot down your client’s car descriptions, license plate numbers, and physical descriptions.
  • Trust your gut — if you sense someone is up to no good, cancel the appointment. Don’t meet with the person and stop communicating with them.
  • Do whatever it takes to remove yourself from an uncomfortable situation.
  • Always walk behind an attendee at a showing and show the house by directing, not leading, them.
  • Notify someone in your office or a friend that you’ll call every hour on the hour when conducting a showing. If you don’t call, they should notify police.

Please stay safe out there.

Schoolhouse Training Facility closing January 25

As we shared with you recently, we’re looking to end our lease at our Coquitlam Schoolhouse location given that we haven’t hosted an in-person course in 10 months.

We’re getting to closer to finalizing this process. As a result, our Schoolhouse location will close as of January 25.

Moving forward, we’ll continue to offer online courses after the pandemic is over. We’ll also resume in-person classroom courses when it’s safe to do so, but we don’t expect that to happen until late in 2021 at the earliest.

Every service that we provided from the Schoolhouse location, including a shipping service for your lockbox needs, remains available to you virtually.

For education needs, email education@rebgv.org or call 604-730-3087.

For lockboxes and other member services, email memberservices@rebgv.org or call 604-730-3090.

Share our 2020 housing market year-in-review infographic

We’ve created a year-in-review infographic that tells the story of the 2020 housing market with images, icons and statistics. We encourage you to share this content with your clients and on your social media accounts. Click here to see the infographic.

For our full statistical look back at 2020, read our December stats release or watch our 2020 market insights video.

Register for our upcoming events on generating leads and sustainable building practices

We’re adding new online events for you to take in all the time. Check out what we have scheduled for you so far this year and register today! Here are the details:

Pivot your business in a Pandemic: How to generate Leads – January 27

Join us online on Wednesday, January 27 at 10 a.m. for the first of three Morning Talk Shows with Ashley Smith and Morgan Browne of Oakwyn Realty. They’ll share tips for how to generate leads and pivot your business during a pandemic.

Their first show will feature Shawn Brown from West Haven Group, Kim Lee from Kim Lee Real Estate, and Jay McInnes Personal Real Estate Corporation who’ll share their insights and experiences about how they’ve successfully managed their real estate businesses during the pandemic.

The discussion will cover:

  • How to have meaningful connections within your sphere of influence.
  • How to take advantage of the digital landscape in a low-touch environment.
  • Effective techniques for lead conversions.
  • How to rise ahead during disruption.
  • Getting and staying motivated.
  • Systems you should consider for an award-winning real estate business.
  • Referral businesses - who, why and how?
  • Successful social media strategies.

Click here to register for this event.

Circular Economy: Meeting the needs of eco-conscious clients – February 17

Deconstruction, rather than demolition, is an environmentally responsible and economically beneficial option for homeowners looking to rebuild or renovate.

Adam Corneil of Unbuilders & Heritage Lumber, and Suzanne Fruson of Habitat for Humanity, are promoting deconstruction through a City of Vancouver-sponsored project aimed at reducing the estimated four million tons of construction waste in Canada each year.

This online event will focus on:

  • The ‘Circular Economy’.
  • Construction waste reduction bylaws.
  • What it means for renovations, demolitions and other changes of land.
  • How your clients can take advantage of available heritage products.
  • Restoring heritage homes and where the Rebuild Hub comes in.

Click here to register for this free event.