THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2011 – 7 pm
Metropolitan United Church, 56 Queen St. E.
Free, with suggested donation of $20.

Hosted by CBC’s Tom Allen with Rev. Dr. John Joseph Mastandrea.

THIS YEAR’S PERFORMERS: Dr. Draw, Prita Chhabra, Singing Out!, David Warrack, Douglas Rice with the Velvet Curtain, Christian Jeffries , The Metropolitan United Church Choir, The Jarvis Collegiate Senior Choir, and more!

Followed by a candlelight ceremony with hot apple cider and cookies in the courtyard.

Click here for photo highlights of the 2010 concert

October 4, 2011

This year’s event, held at the Allstream Centre September 22nd welcomed 701 REALTORS® who joined previous 25 year members in our association, and more importantly serving their consumers. 

The event’s theme, Connecting, gave attendees the opportunity to reconnect and have portraits taken with former colleagues and competitors. Real Estate is one of the only careers that I know of where you sit down with your competition on an ongoing basis and negotiate solutions.

To illustrate how many years have passed since this year’s inductees began their careers, consider that when they did so the average price of a home in our city was $138,925 and 52,919 of them changed hands. Today, the average price of a GTA home is $451, 663 and sales are expected to reach 90,000 this year.
One Member, Gordon Eckersley, was welcomed into his 50th year of membership at this year’s celebration, joining 31 others who have been working in the profession for more than half a century. When Gordon began his career, in 1961, the average Toronto home cost $16,334 and the year saw a total of 9,264 transactions and there was no “rush hour”

When you consider that it is estimated the average person changes their career five times throughout their employment years, remaining in the same profession for two and a half decades or more is really quite an achievement especially with a 24/7 work schedule. The extensive number of Greater Toronto REALTORS® who achieve this distinction exemplifies our profession’s commitment to helping you make the move to a home that’s right for you.

REALTORS’® dedication to helping others often extends beyond real estate transactions as well, to a range of individual volunteer pursuits. We also work together, to cast a wider net in our efforts to help others. Throughout the past four years for example, every Member of the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) has participated in the REALTORS Care Foundation’s Every REALTOR® program, contributing more than $300,000 a year to the Foundation, which offers grants to shelter-based organizations throughout the province. Last year alone Greater Toronto REALTORS® presented Foundation grants to 35 different GTA housing-related charities.

The Toronto Real Estate Board hosts an annual fundraising event as well, the Charity Golf Classic, which raises approximately $20,000 each year for causes that have included Habitat for Humanity Toronto, the Salvation Army and Free the Children.

We also roll up our sleeves daily to feed local children through the Children’s Breakfast Program, a partnership of the Toronto Real Estate Board and the Toronto District School Board. As part of the program Greater Toronto REALTORS® sponsor and serve 9600 nutritious meals to children in 17 different schools each month.

As you get together for fall’s many celebrations this year, I hope that you will take the opportunity to connect with others in your community as well.  As a Greater Toronto REALTOR® I can say with certainty that the strength of our city lies in the many diverse neighbourhoods and relationships that we have formed together.

 Follow TREB on www.twitter.com/TREB_Official, www.Facebook.com/TorontoRealEstateBoard and www.youtube.com/TREBChannel

September 23, 2011

Energy costs are one of the biggest on-going expenses of home ownership, which is why a home’s energy efficiency is an important consideration for home buyers.  This is even truer given that Ontario’s residential electricity rates are predicted to rise by 46 per cent over the next five years.

Energy efficiency upgrades to homes can make financial sense for existing homeowners or for home buyers whose budgets may include renovations on their newly purchased home.  Things like high-efficiency furnaces, new windows, and extra insulation can bring thousands of dollars in annual savings on energy bills. 

Unfortunately, the up-front costs for making energy efficiency improvements to a home can be prohibitive, especially for new homeowners.  That’s where government policy can make a difference.   In the past, homeowners could apply for government rebates to help offset the costs of energy efficiency upgrades from both the federal and provincial governments.   Under these programs, homeowners were eligible for up to $10,000 in rebates for energy efficiency retrofits; half from the provincial government and half from the federal government.   Over 90,000 home owners completed energy efficient retrofits to their properties with the assistance of these rebates.

Despite this success, last spring, both levels of government ended these programs. However, since then, the federal government re-started its program.  The federal government’s current program once again provides a maximum of $5,000 in potential rebates.  To be eligible, renovations and a post-retrofit evaluation must be conducted between June 6, 2011 and March 31, 2012.

Unfortunately, the provincial government has, so far, not also re-started its rebate program. As a result, homeowners are currently only eligible for half of the rebates that they previously could have received.

Energy efficient homes not only benefit the homeowner by reducing their energy bills, but they also benefit the entire province by reducing strain on energy producing facilities and helping to protect our natural environment.   For these reasons, REALTORS® strongly believe that all provincial parties should make it a priority to re-introduce provincial rebates for energy efficiency upgrades to homes. 

The public agrees with REALTORS® on this issue.  A recent Ipsos-Reid survey of Ontario home owners revealed that 92 per cent of Ontarians thought that the government should create more incentives for homeowners to make environmentally friendly and energy efficient renovations to their homes.

Tell your provincial candidates that helping homeowners to make energy efficiency retrofits to homes should be a priority.  REALTORS® are delivering this message and we encourage you to do so also.

Follow TREB on www.twitter.com/TREB_Official, www.Facebook.com/TorontoRealEstateBoard and www.youtube.com/TREBChannel

A very wise person once told me that “successful people get results and unsuccessful people get excuses”. Since then I have tried to live life with no excuses. It is a constant challenge to keep that promise, and the “age” excuse is the one the keeps boiling to the top; it’s the easiest one to indulge….

No matter where I travel, when the topic of technology/change comes up, I hear “I’m too old to change” and they are usually younger than I am.

Don’t become Blockbuster

The sad reality is, if you don’t welcome change you could become the next Blockbuster Video. 10 years ago they had it all until the small upstart Netflix made the conversion from warehousing to online downloadable movies. Blockbuster watched their market share shrink and their stores close. Is that the business model that you would like to follow? Is that the life model that will guide your future? Are you ready to retire?

Today’s toys are tomorrow’s tools: The iPad launched in April 2010, the modern day cell phone in the early 1980’s, smart phones in 2000, the modern car is just over 100 years old, yet very few homes are without them today.

When change confronts us, lines in the sand are drawn but you would be aghast today if someone told you they did not drive a car, or have a phone number. We adapted and we learned.

Does age force that adaptation to stop or do we just feel overwhelmed and tired? There is no doubt that the amount of change has increased but is slowing it down the answer or is engaging new technology the solution…why not bring back that child’s sense of wonder?

Nobody in today’s working world was born into technology…we have all had to adapt. Each one of us will make our own personal decisions but we now live in a digital world and need to get used to it.

In my 50’s I found myself parenting my parents…the hardest job I undertook and was never trained for…but I did it because there were no options. Did I really believe it when I was promised that life would get easier as I got older? I was set up and fell for it!

What’s the ROI of change?

What was the ROI (return on investment) in looking after our parents and children? We do it because it had to be done…The ROI of change is engagement in the world. Not engaging is like saying you want to stop living, stop moving forward and hide…is that realistic?

Change is the only constant in our lives, no matter what age…embrace it, enjoy it, get used to it, and celebrate it. Stop using age as an excuse…

If you think you don’t like change, I know you will like irrelevance even less…

Reposted from the Trulia Pro Blog September 16, 2011

September 2, 2011 –

One example of the diversity within our professional community is a group of REALTORS® who also happen to be motorcycle enthusiasts. Each year they get together for a ride in support of the REALTORS Care Foundation, which assists shelter-related charities throughout Ontario. This year’s ride, which took place from July 13th to 15th, marked the culmination of an important milestone as riders completed a multi-year goal to visit each of the 42 real estate boards in Ontario. Their objective was to raise funds and awareness of the Foundation’s charitable endeavours, and increased participation in this year’s event showed that their efforts are working. Thirty-five riders took part this year, in a journey that took them throughout Central and Eastern regions of Ontario.

The ride kicked off at the Toronto Real Estate Board with stops at the Durham Association of REALTORS®, the Northumberland Hills Association of REALTORS®, and the Kawartha Lakes Real Estate Association before wrapping up the day’s travels at the Peterborough and Kawarthas Association of REALTORS®. On day two, participants made stops at the Bancroft, Quinte, and Rideau-St. Lawrence Real Estate Boards, remaining in Brockville overnight. 

Day three included a visit to the Cornwall and District Real Estate Board before reaching the final destination, the Ottawa Real Estate Board. While media and local politicians greeted riders at various stops throughout the journey, a particularly notable reception took place during the final leg of the trip.

The riders’ arrival in the nation’s capital coincided with 90th anniversary celebrations at the Ottawa Real Estate Board, with representatives on hand from the Ontario and Canadian Real Estate Associations. As anniversary presentations wrapped up, everyone in attendance heard the rumbling of motorcycles and rushed outside to greet riders. During the last week of July a special visit was paid to the Thunder Bay Real Estate Board, to reach the goal of visiting every real estate board in the province.

As always, TREB’s CEO Don Richardson took part in helping raise awareness. I asked Don to share this year’s experience with us, and here is what he had to say…

“The ride was great! It was very heartening to see even more riders this year. A real sense of community involvement by each Board we visited. The last Board we stopped at was Ottawa. This was perfect, as Ottawa was celebrating their 90th Anniversary with speeches and presentations, apparently the timing was perfect, because just as the last speech ended, those at the celebration heard the bikes rumbling outside as we arrived, and all rushed outside to welcome us. It was heartening to see the support for the Foundation and the increase in awareness. It was perfect throughout. Perfect weather, great energy, excellent planning while raising awareness for a worthy cause.”

Although the total numbers have not yet been calculated, it is anticipated that this year’s ride will have raised more than $50,000 for the Foundation, which will bring the total raised since the event’s inception to more than $220,000. Given that the Foundation operates solely on the basis of voluntary donations, these funds are vital to its success. Thanks to efforts like the ride, the Foundation, now in its 44th year, has an impressive track record. Last year alone, TREB provided REALTORS Care Foundation grants to 35 different shelter-related charities throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

While plans will soon be underway for the 2012 Ride, it’s not too late to sponsor one of the dedicated individuals who took part in this year’s event. Since the Ontario Real Estate Association pays for The REALTORS Care Foundation’s administrative costs, every dollar donated directly benefits shelter-related charities throughout the province.  For more information visit www.realtorscareontario.ca

A search here will show that I have written blogs about this event before. One of my favorite sessions is called “Innovation Showcase” or I call it…..”The new kids on the block”.

There were 4 Presentations: Yobongo.com, Skygrid.com, ThinkNear.com and Houzz.com.

The last Houzz.com is something everyone should check out right away if you are looking for design ideas or designers for your home. It is a great application for homeowners and will make it easier for us all to communicate our needs and wants when it comes to design. You can create an “idea book”and it will save you from schlepping design magazines all over and still not finding what you are looking for…probably the second largest cause of divorce could be cured with one web site!

It was very well received and I suggest you try it out and let us know what you think….

The past six months have really been a great trial by fire as I have had my busiest Spring in my Real Estate career plus chairing two committees at the Board, doing some teaching (Blogging and Social Media) and being part of the negotiating team that met with the Competition Bureau…Some friends have wondered how I could do it all but I have always found that “give a busy man a job and it will get done!”

My intention is to do what I always have done…work full time at real estate, manage my volunteer commitments, and stop teaching to free up more hours each month. I will always work to make sure that my clients are number one and well looked after.  However, you will be seeing more of me in the Press and think that I am too busy for you. Let me tell you that will not be the case. My Toronto Real Estate Board involvement only serves to help my clients benefit from trends that I learn about in the marketplace.

Like most years, I will be taking a quick two week holiday in July and a family holiday at Hanukkah/Xmas/New Year’s…this time with nephews, neices, great-nephews, brother, sister-in-law and friends…should be great fun!

I love my job, so know that at all times, even if I am out-of-town, technology will always allow me to respond quickly. Whether by Blackberry, iPad or laptop, I will always respond. Remember mail@richardsilver.com….

Please do not hesitate to contact me at any time.

Another sign of Spring is the Hidden Gardens and Private Spaces Tour hosted by the Cabbagetown Preservation Association….and this year, our garden will be one of the gardens visited. We will be working hard over the next 6 weeks and are presently just relaying our Patio…there is sand everywhere. I feel like we are at the Beach the past few days but the only water is our little fish pond… However with determination and power washing we hope to pull it off for June 5th and hope that you will join us.