RCC Election Results
RCC members and guests attended the RCC Election Meeting and Networking Breakfast at the Burlington Golf & Country Club on November 1, 2013. (more…)
2013 Karan Barker Memorial Scholarship Awards
Karan Barker was a 25-year employee and former Executive Officer at the REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington. During her time with the association, Karan was involved in setting up the scholarship program that now bears her name. Karan was active on committees at the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the Hamilton-Halton Home Builders’ Association and the Ontario Real Estate Associaton. Karan received the Tony Kafun Award from OREA and the W. Frank Johns Award from CREA, both presented to the top executive officers in the real estate profession. Karan passed away in 2001. (more…)
OREA News
OREA Standard Forms – New and Revised Forms/Clauses for 2014 (more…)
Ethics Corner – Do unto others …
In the day to day dealings of the real estate world, the real estate professional is busy juggling clients, meeting deadlines, attending appointments and meetings and more. With so much going on, the real estate professional may at times forget the golden rule: “Do unto to others as you would have them do onto to you.” (more…)
RAHB Sales – November 2013
For monthly stats release, including seasonally adjusted and actual charts, go to REALTOR Link® – RAHB Statistics, the RAHB public website (www.rahb.ca) or your email inbox – the stats release is sent to every member each month.
RAHB Area Maps – November 2013
Average price by district for Burlington, Hamilton and Outlying RAHB jurisdictional areas for November 2013. (#) Residential Unit Sales. (more…)
Welcome New Members – October 26 to November 19
The REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington would like to extend a warm welcome to the newest members. (more…)
Realty Shoppe
Popular Seasonal item SELLING OUT fast!
2014 Calendar Magnets
Our #1 marketing product – perfect for mailing or handing out at open houses, even in the new year
Home Sweet Home – Only while quantities last
35¢ each +HST
Order from the Realty Shoppe TODAY
Member’s Guide
Time to order your Q4 Member’s Guide. This issue contains the complete cumulative sales for 2013.
Available by pre-order only – deadline is January 8, 2014.
$11.00 plus HST.
Mark your calendar!
Realty Shoppe Closure
The Realty Shoppe will be closed on Wednesday, December 18 for inventory.
No sales or orders can be made. We apologize for any inconvenience – your cooperation is greatly appreciated!
Customer Appreciation Day
Friday January 17, 2014
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Come down to the Shoppe and enjoy light refreshments
Just to say THANK YOU for your continued support!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
T.: 905.529.5979 F.: 905.529.7109
E.: realtyshoppe@rahb.ca
Strong Real Estate Market Continues
The REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB) reported 1078 properties sold through the RAHB Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) system in November. This represents an 11.1 per cent increase in sales over November of last year. (more…)
RAHB dues deadline December 31, 2013
The quarterly RAHB dues have been billed and e-mailed to you as part of your November monthly invoice. Please note that dues are due and payable no later than December 31, 2013. If payment is not received, suspension will be immediate as per RAHB Bylaw Article 4, Section 3, Sub-Section 3.01. (more…)
MLS® Updates
Duplicate Listings (Brantford and RAHB Interboards) Being Removed
On November 21, 2013, Brantford joined the shared Fusion database with RAHB and NAR. During this cutover, all listings for all statuses from Brantford’s previous MLS® system were uploaded to Fusion; these included listings RAHB members had interboarded onto the Brantford Board. (more…)
OREA Political Affairs
OREA Political Action (PAC) members met in Toronto in October to take four messages to provincial MPPS:
Do not grant municipalities the ability to impose municipal land transfer taxes.
Some municipalities in Ontario have been asking the province to grant them the authority to charge a municipal land transfer tax (MLTT) over and above the provincial land transfer tax (LTT), similar to the tax imposed by the city of Toronto.
For many people, this additional, non-financeable tax creates a barrier to home ownership. The spread of municipal LTTs to other regions of Ontario threatens to increase the cost of home ownership province-wide. The tax is fundamentally unfair and bad for the economy.
(Note: members of RAHB’s Communications/Government Relations Committee will be meeting with Hamilton and Burlington councillors to discuss MLTTs and the effects they have on home buyers and the local economy.)
Create a Marijuana Grow Operation Registry
Properties that were formerly used to manufacture illegal substances can pose a number of health and safety risks to home buyers. At present, it is extremely difficult for REALTORS®, lawyers and other professionals to find out if a property has been designated by a law enforcement authority as a marijuana grow operation (MGO) or clandestine laboratory.
OREA supports the creation of an MGO/clandestine lab registry using the Land Titles System. A registry will mitigate risks to consumers by ensuring that properties used as former MGOs are disclosed prior to completion of a real estate transaction.
Remove the provisions in REBBA 2002 that prevent registered salespeople from incorporating.
REBBA 2002 does not provide for the licensing of salespersons as personal corporations under Section 1.1 of the Act. In addition, REBBA 2002 does not permit a broker to pay a commission to an “unregistered entity” (Section 30c). Together these sections prevent an individual salesperson from conducting business through a corporation and taking advantage of lower tax rates.
Allowing registrants to incorporate will align the rights of real estate salespeople with other regulated professionals in Ontario and lowering taxes on Ontario businesses. Permitting personal real estate corporations will not affect consumer protection, will have limited implications for provincial revenue and will not require significant legislative resources.
Do not impose mandatory home energy audits
In October, 2013, the legislature passed a Private Member’s Motion that called for the energy efficiency labeling of new and existing houses at the time of sale. In essence, the motion recommends proclaiming section 3 of the Green Energy Act, 2009. This would create a system of mandatory home energy audits (MHEA) for every residential real estate transaction in Ontario.
Mandatory home energy audits would make home ownership less affordable by imposing additional costs on real estate transactions. It could delay transactions and could be used as a “bargaining chip” by buyers to pressure home owners to either spend thousands of dollars to improve the energy rating of their home or lower their sale price.
Watch for more information as OREA monitors these issues.