Member Update January 6, 2021

Police involved as individual targets and harasses female REALTORS®

We’ve received reports that a man is targeting female REALTORS® by posing as a referral and following up with lewd messages, images, and videos.

He initially reaches out to female members to discuss selling his in-law’s home. When asked for basic details about the property, he makes excuses for why he can’t provide them.

The members who’ve experienced this harassment say that he’s using spoofed phone numbers. This means the same person is calling from what appears to be different phone numbers.

If you’ve encountered this individual, please contact your local police to file a report and contact Mark Moldowan at mmoldowan@rebgv.org with the case number and relevant information about the incident.

What to do if you’re being harassed

If someone is harassing you, note the time and date, as well as the name and phone number of the harasser. Tell them to stop contacting you and file a report with your local police.

If your harasser is making threats, or if you believe you’re in danger, call 911.

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.

Save the date: REBGV’s Board of Directors election begins next week!

Voting in REBGV’s Board of Directors election will begin on January 15. Here are some things you should know about our 2021 election:

• The voting period will run between January 15-21.
• Members will vote to fill five seats on REBGV’s Board of Directors – four two-year terms and a one-year term.
• You’ll be able to see the list of candidates running this year and read their bios on our website starting next week.
• You can learn more about our election process and the work your Board Development Committee does to identify, evaluate and recommend candidates for your voting consideration here.

Watch for much more election news in the days ahead!

Start the year off right! Register for one of our January events

We’re kicking off the new year with a diverse range of online events to help you build on your expertise and grow your knowledge.

 Attend one of our upcoming online events ! Here’s what’s coming:

Economic Outlook 2021: Five Reasons for Optimism – January 15

Join us on Friday, January 15 at 10 am for an update on the 2021 housing forecast with the BC Real Estate Association’s Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. Learn Brendon’s five reasons to be optimistic about the real estate market in 2021!

Click here to register for this event.

Blueprints to Commercial Success: Hear from Industry Experts – January 20

Learn what it takes to be successful in the competitive world of commercial real estate from a panel of experts on January 20 at 9 am.

Facilitated by Commercial REALTOR® Jessica Hathaway of Colliers International, the panel will discuss:

• Commercial real estate in a post-COVID world.
• Specialization in asset classes and product type.
• Environmental Site Assessment reports and the latest regulatory updates.
• Commercial appraisal reports.
• Commercial mortgages.
• The state of the commercial insurance market in real estate. 

Click here to register for this free event.

Save the date: Pivot Your Business in a Pandemic - How to Generate Leads on Wednesday, January 27

Join us at 10 am on January 27 as REBGV Past Chair Ashley Smith and REALTOR® Morgan Brown discuss ways to pivot your real estate business and share tips for generating leads in this unique market.

Watch for more details and registration information soon!

REBGV in the media

We released our year-end 2020 stats release yesterday, highlighted by a record number of sales for the month of December. Click here to read the release.

While just a few days into the new year, we’ve already been busy doing media interviews. Here’s a collection of our recent media coverage about the 2020 housing market and what consumers can expect in the year ahead. Feel free to share these stories with your clients.

Watch this feature interview with REBGV Chair Colette Gerber on Global BC News where she discussed the trends to watch for in our market in 2021:

Other recent media coverage:

News 1130: Vancouver home sales surge 53.4 per cent, setting new record for December

Vancouver Sun: Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley home sales strong: Reports in 2020

Globe and Mail: Vancouver housing market ends 2020 with strong sales, higher prices

CTV News: Vancouver real estate: Home sales surge 53.4%, setting new record

Submit any 2020 sales errors or omissions by January 15

With 2020 behind us, now is the time to review your 2020 sales for Medallion. You have until Friday, January 15 to submit any errors or omissions to your 2020 sales – email sales@rebgv.org with the details. We’ll post the final year-end Medallion report confirming qualifiers and cut-offs after January 15.

We’re not holding our Medallion Gala this year because of COVID. We’ll share more information about how we’ll recognize 2020 Medallion qualifiers in the coming weeks – stay tuned.