Have Your Say – RECO Survey on Mandatory Continuing Education in Ontario

RECO is performing a review of its Mandatory Continuing Education (MCE) program, and part of the review is a survey that has now been sent to all registrants. The survey is asking for your opinions about the MCE program.

Check your inbox (or spam folder) for a message from CamProf Inc., the consultant engaged by RECO to lead the MCE program review. Be sure to take this opportunity to have your say, and help maintain high professional and educational standards in your profession. The survey period is from May 14-28, 2018, so don’t delay!

First Partners in RAHB Advantage Member Value Package!

Member Value Package

 

Following up on the introduction of RAHB’s new member value package, RAHB Advantage, we are pleased to welcome our first two partners: The Personal Insurance Company for group home and auto insurance and GoodLife Fitness.

The Personal has been one of Canada’s leading group insurance companies for over 40 years, and offers preferred group rates on home and auto insurance. Their rates are not available to the general public. We chose The Personal for their excellent reputation, long-term commitment to their customers and the benefits they can offer to you.

In addition to preferred rates, you will also receive:

  • Personalized coverage to fit your individual needs
  • Expert advice from licensed insurance advisors
  • 24/7 emergency assistance if you ever need to make a claim

Learn more about The Personal by watching this short video.

For more information or to see how much you can save on your home and auto insurance, contact The Personal at 1.888.476.8737 or thepersonal.com/rahb.

 

GoodLife Fitness is also offering RAHB members a reduced rate not offered to the general public.

Once you become a GoodLife member under this program, you may add up to four additional family members as members. Use your membership in over 280 fitness clubs across Canada, including 50 Energie Cardio Clubs in Quebec. You will have access to state-of-the-art cardio equipment, free weights and weight machines, and much more!

The cost: only $519 +HST per member per year, or $24 +HST per member bi-weekly.

For more information or to register, go to http://register.goodlifefitness.com.

You can also find more information about both The Personal home and auto insurance and GoodLife Fitness by clicking here.  A link to RAHB Advantage will be coming soon to your dashboard at my.rahb.ca!

Be sure to watch for further announcements as additional partners are added to this member value package! It pays to be a RAHB member!

 

 

Announcement: RAHB’s New Member Value Package – RAHB Advantage

I am very pleased to announce a new member-only value package – RAHB Advantage!

Through RAHB Advantage, we are partnering with a variety of local businesses that will be offering services at discounted prices not available to the general public.

The May 9 issue of NewsReal will include details about our first two partners – The Personal home and auto group insurance and GoodLife Fitness – as well as instructions on how to sign up for the services of your choice. With this member value package you are in control as these services are totally optional; you may register and use whichever services you need or want.

RAHB Advantage is just one more way your association adds value to your RAHB membership. Over the past year RAHB has rolled out a full data share with the regional real estate boards and associations, a new Matrix MLS® System, ShowingTime to automate the property showings process and now this member value package.

Stay tuned as we continue to add more partners to RAHB Advantage, and add even more value to your RAHB membership.

Sincerely,


George O’Neill
CEO

 

Doing Business With Colombian Tech Companies

On Thursday, May 10, the City of Hamilton, in association with Gateway to Trade, is hosting a delegation of 14 companies from Colombia exploring strategic alliances for co-development  with companies in the Greater Hamilton area. The Colombian companies are in the digital creative and animation, software, VR/AR, mobile and audiovisual industries. Two of the visiting companies focus on next-gen visualization tech specifically for real estate/property development/industrial development.

This B2B opportunity is open to anyone who would like to meet one-on-one with one or more of the Colombian delegates. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required.

The process for registering and scheduling a meeting with a delegate is:

  1. View company profiles here
  2. Request your meetings:  Submit the form at the above link
    3. Attend the event and your scheduled meeting on May 10.

The details:

Thursday, May 10, 2018
McMaster Innovation Park, 175 Longwood Road, Hamilton
Noon – 1 p.m. – Networking Lunch
1 p.m. – 4 p.m. – Scheduled meetings

 

Scholarship Applications Available!

Does your daughter, son, granddaughter or grandson qualify for a RAHB Scholarship in Memory of Karan Barker?  Does she or he:

  • Attend, or have an acceptance to attend, university or community college?
  • Demonstrate academic excellence?
  • Get involved in school activities or the community?
  • Show maturity, initiative and/or strength of character?

If this sounds like your child or grandchild, have them complete an application for a 2018 scholarship!

Download the 2018 RAHB Scholarship in Memory of Karan Barker application from REALTOR Link® (look under the Forms & Member Changes tab) or find it here.

Application deadline is Friday, September 14, 2018.

 

Reminder: Changes to RAHB Photographer Billings and Services

As of May 1, 2018, RAHB’s photographer, REAL Services, has changed its delivery platform. This has resulted in the following changes for members requesting photos through Matrix:

  • As of May 1, 2018, members will no longer be billed through their RAHB account for photos and virtual tours produced by REAL Services. Invoices will be issued by REAL Services directly to members.
  • Between May 1 and May 31, REAL Services will continue to take front and back photos requested through Matrix. REAL Services will send invoices directly to members during this time.
  • After May 31, the option to request photographs through Matrix will be discontinued – the Photographer’s Instructions field will no longer be available.
  • After May 31, all photography and virtual tours will need to be arranged with and paid for by members directly with service providers.

Please note that REAL Services will still be available as a photography/virtual tour service – please contact them at 905.319.9399 or via e-mail at photos@realservices.ca. Other real estate photo and virtual tour services are available in our area; a Google search for “real estate photo services (city/town) Ontario” yields a sizable number of service providers.

If you have any questions about this change in photography service, please contact our MLS® Department at 905.667.4650 or support@rahb.ca.

Assessment Field – Property Information Form

Q: What value do I put in the Assessment field of the Residential Property Information Form?

A: When you enter information in the Assessment section of the Residential Property Information Form, please ensure you use the Assessed Value appearing on the GeoWarehouse Overview – NOT the amount on the Property Inquiry report from the City of Hamilton, or any phased-in value.

Assessed value is determined every four years, and the increase is phased in over the following four-year period. Assessed value is what the City determines the property to actually be worth (usually less than what it sells for), while the phased-in value is what is used to determine property taxes for that year. It is done this way so that homeowners don’t get a big spike in property tax every four years.

 

Welcome New Members!

We extend a warm welcome to RAHB’s newest members who joined the association between April 4 and April 24, 2018!

Stephanie Lu
Bay Street Group Inc.

Victor Rosettani
Homelife Professionals Realty Inc.

Maria Galerakis
Keller Williams Edge Realty

Oz Ferreira
Right At Home Realty Inc.

Kristen Termorshuizen
Royal LePage NRC Realty Inc.

Darren Noble
Royal LePage State Realty

Sarah Chambers
StreetCity Realty Inc.

Cait Rutty
Sutton Group About Town Realty Inc.

Assistance for Landlords

Do you know a landlord who is experiencing tenancy issues?

The Hamilton Housing Help Centre, generally known for offering assistance to people looking for affordable or assisted rental accommodation, also provides assistance to landlords and housing providers. The help centre offers education and guidance on legislated standards and landlord rights and responsibilities, and can help landlords access support services.

Click here to learn more about Hamilton Housing Help Centre!

 

Professional Development: REBBA 2002 Code of Ethics

Do you want to stay informed, and be in compliance with REBBA 2002 Code of Ethics?

Join us on Monday, April 30 for a two hour presentation with Hugh Foy, who will cover the following topics:

  • “Coming Soon” signs
  • Interference of contracts
  • Handling pre-emptive offers
  • Multiple offers, and offers received by a Listing Brokerage
  • REBBA 2002 Code of Ethics

Cost: $30 +HST

Register today by emailing Angela McArthur at angelam@rahb.ca

 

Where Do You Find Zoning Information?

Do you know where you can find zoning information for all municipalities within the RAHB market area as well as for the surrounding areas covered by the regional group?

The answer:  in Matrix!

Just click on the Links tab, and when you see the list of System Links, scroll down to Zoning. It’s that simple! Click on a link and you will go straight to the zoning information or, in the case of Burlington, Hamilton, Oakville and Niagara Falls, you can choose to use the interactive zoning maps or read the zoning bylaw.

While you are scrolling down the list of links, why not check out what other information you can link to in Matrix: RAHB sites, tax information for various municipalities, CREA sites, OREA sites and other resources.

Check out what you can find under the Links tab today!

P.S. You will also find links to the Hamilton and Burlington interactive zoning maps through buttons on your dashboard at my.rahb.ca!