Industry’s “Best Kept Secret”
July 16, 2011 by Tamara White · Leave a Comment
Industry’s ‘best-kept secret’ is No. 1 | REM
Josh Heppner and Merrily Hackett (Photo by Darla Furlani)By Susan Doran
Sutton Group West Coast Realty has been named the largest real estate brokerage in Canada by U.S.-based research group Real Trends.
With 17 offices and over 1,750 sales reps, Sutton Group West Coast Realty had 14,577 transaction sides in 2010 and a closed sales volume last year of a whopping $8.4 billion. The original Sutton Group office in Canada, the company was founded in 1983 by entrepreneurs Scott Shaw and Lance Tracey, who are still investors. The first office was in North Vancouver but the firm has since expanded across the province with the help of other partners.
Sutton West Coast’s management group is led by COO Josh Heppner and general manager Merrily Hackett. They say they’ll be opening two more offices within a few months and expect the company’s spectacular upward trend to continue.
“We are probably the best-kept secret in the real estate industry,” says Hackett. “We’ve been so focused on our growth that we haven’t yet gone out and touted our success.”
She says that the fuel propelling the company’s rapid growth is its commitment to determining Realtors’ needs in a competitive and tech savvy marketplace, and providing sales reps and consumers alike with an exceptionally high level of service.
Heppner says, “In 2009 we recognized an opportunity for us to bring better value for Realtors in the market, which began a ‘rebirth’ of the organization. We brought all the offices under a common ownership group and transitioned into expansion mode.”
Corporately structuring the company under common ownership in this way, rather than going the typical route of having broker/owners operating individual offices, is the key to Sutton West Coast’s growth and success, he says.
“We’re more market-driven than other Sutton offices,” says Heppner, who has a background in real estate technology. “Because of the structure and size of the company we’re able to combine resources and invest in key services that benefit Realtors and clients. We’ve built a great value proposition, which is the single biggest thing differentiating us.”
This gives Sutton West Coast agents a competitive advantage, says Heppner.
The firm’s market share in metro Vancouver is about 32 per cent, he estimates. The company traditionally operates on the 100 per cent commission model, with some commission splits in outlying areas.
“We have no restrictions on growth,” says Heppner, adding that the company plans eventually to go “from sea to shining sea,” acquiring non Sutton Group offices as it goes.
“Bigger is better,” says Heppner.
The “great value proposition” and “key services” he frequently refers to when discussing Sutton West Coast Realty can be broken down into several offerings for sales reps, all of which, Heppner says, would be cost prohibitive for a single brokerage. These offerings include:
* ongoing cutting-edge education and training (including a real estate ‘boot camp’ program) through a centralized training centre;
* an in-house conveying and transaction management platform that offers greater support to the increasingly mobile Realtor workforce;
* the best technology available, allowing the company and its sales reps to have a significant on-line presence and giving consumers quick and comprehensive access to information;
* universal access to all Sutton West Coast Realty offices for the brokerage’s Realtors, so when they are away from their home offices they can use the equipment and facilities at any other of the firm’s branches. This includes access to the managing broker at every location, so there is no wasted time if team consultation is required but a sales rep’s own manager is busy.
“We felt that since we were spending time, energy and resources bringing people in to work with us, we wanted to set them up to succeed,” says Heppner. “We knew we’d hit an artery when we announced that we were opening up a centralized training centre and 300 agents signed up the same day.”
Improving the company’s online presence met with similar positive results – from salespeople and consumers alike, he says.
“The vast number of consumers search for properties online and want a one-stop shop for listings,” he says. “They want instant gratification – one-click access. For a single brokerage, that could be cost prohibitive. We thought it was a must to be a leader in technology. Fast forward to today; we’ve hit the milestone of over 100,000 visits to our website (suttonwestcoast.com) per month. We’ve married high-tech and high-touch technology and also added a customer service component … we wanted to make sure we make real connections.”
Heppner feels blessed to be living on the west coast and says that although conditions are impossible to predict, the market continues to be “busy and multicultural,” with Asian and Middle Eastern buyers fuelling prices.
Whatever happens, he says, “change is critical in this industry and we’ve committed to the process.”
#1 Real Estate Brokerage In Canada
June 15, 2011 by Tamara White · Leave a Comment
I am proud to announce that Sutton Group – West Coast Realty, has been rated the #1 Real Estate Brokerage in all of Canada by Real Trends Inc. With 17 offices and 1,690 agents at the time the list was compiled, Sutton Group – West Coast Realty had 14,577 transaction in 2010. It also leads the Real Trends list of the largest brokers by closed sales volume in 2010, at a whopping $8,410,954,874.
With my proven market knowledge, effective negotiation skills and high-quality professional expertise, I can help you navigate real estate in any market and show you how we got to be #1. Contact me today for yourNo-Obligation Sales Strategy Session.
Open House 2484 Wilson Ave
May 29, 2011 by Tamara White · Leave a Comment
Open House
205 – 2484 Wilson Ave
Port Coquitlam BC
Sunday May 29, 2011 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Come check out this park view gem…
Verde is a contemporary interpretation of West Coast style & architecture situated end of St. across fr Gates Park and Poco hiking trails, walking distance to shopping, library, schools, transit, West Coast Express, & more. Just short drive to Coquitlam Ctr, Cosco, Home Depot. Verde offers luxurious collection of finishings incl. SS appliances, granite counter tops, 9′ ceilings, media rm, & fitness studio. This stylish & sophisticated newer unit incls lg master bdrm, office nook, walk-in closet, insuite laundry, 4 pc bth w/ separate shower, laminate floors, & xlg balcony with unobstructed view of park and greenbelt. Easy access to Lougheed & Hwy 1. Highly sought after West facing unit is priced to sell. Quick poss available.
Video Tour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmZQfqJy5Kw
The Importance of Using a Local Realtor to Sell Your Home
May 28, 2011 by Tamara White · Leave a Comment
What is the importance of using a local realtor to sell your home?
When putting your home on the market, one of the many important decisions to make is who will represent you best in marketing your home to Buyers. Choosing the right REALTOR® could mean the difference between a successful sale of your home or your home sitting stagnant on the market for months. One of the important qualities to look for in a REALTOR® is a professional with experience selling in the area where the home is located.
Choosing a local licensed REALTOR® has many advantages over selecting a family member or friend, or using an Agent outside of your area that was referred to you by someone you know. If you had a problem with your plumbing, would you ask a fireman to help you? They both deal with water and pipes, don’t they? What about a lawyer? Would you ask a Real Estate Lawyer to represent you or someone you know in a divorce or a serious criminal charge? Are they not all Lawyers? There are very important reasons why we use the appropriate specialist for our specific needs. The same reasoning should be applied when deciding which REALTOR® to use to market your home effectively.
The benefits of working with a local REALTOR® include:
- in-depth understanding and knowledge of the local marketplace
- the ability to competitively price and market your home with direct first-hand knowledge of the properties in the area
- meeting potential clients on a regular basis, with a vested interest in building rapport with as many potential buyers as possible, therefore having good exposure to a network of potential Buyers for your property at any given time
- have established networks with other local Agents who are working with prospective Buyers already looking for a home just like yours
- being familiar with, and a part of, the day-to-day life of the community (schools, parks, shopping, recreation, local transportation, local community groups, hospitals, problem areas) and are able to market and sell these benefits and features effectively to perspective Buyers
- putting your home on the local Realtor tour so that other local Realtors who have clients looking in the same area, will have the first opportunity to buy your home
- will advertise your property more effectively with a specific interest at directing multiple clients to your community
- having a professional respect for the market of the community and a vested interest in making sure the property is sold quickly, efficiently, and for the best price.
Without having full knowledge or a vested interest in your neighborhood, an out of area Agent is likely to fail to market your home effective, build rapport with prospective Buyers or valuable networks, or see the special neighborhood highlights that could be used as major marketing and selling tools to Buyers. This often results in longer marketing time and significantly lower selling prices which can cost you thousands in lost sales potential.
No matter what the market condition is, choosing the right REALTOR® is one of the most important decisions you can make to sell your home as quickly as possible. Choosing an experienced Agent from a local reputable company will always result in an easier and faster sale due to their direct knowledge of your neighborhood. It is not a coincidence that Sutton Group – West Coast Realty is the largest seller of homes in the Tri-Cities (Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam) area. As your local Licensed Real Estate Professional, I am available to help you sell your home effectively and professionally.
Housing Market March 2011
April 4, 2011 by Tamara White · Leave a Comment
Home buyers and sellers enter the housing market at near record pace in March
Vancouver, BC – Activity in the Greater Vancouver housing market continued to strengthen in March with both the number of homes sold and added to the region’s Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) reaching near record levels.
The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) reports that residential property sales of detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater Vancouver reached 4,080 in March 2011. This represents a 31.7 per cent increase compared to the 3,097 sales recorded in February 2011, an increase of 30.1 per cent compared to the 3,137 sales in March 2010 and an 80.1 per cent increase from the 2,265 home sales in March 2009. The all-time sales record for March occurred in 2004 when 4,371 transactions were recorded.
“Our market has had a very strong start to the spring season,” Rosario Setticasi, REBGV president said. “With home sales above 4,000 and nearly 7,000 home listings added to the MLS® in March, it’s clear that home buyers and sellers view this as a good time to be active in their local housing market.”
New listings for detached, attached and apartment properties in Greater
Vancouver totalled 6,797 in March 2011. This represents a 3 per cent decline compared to March 2010 when 7,004 properties were listed for sale on the MLS®, an all-time record for March. Compared to February 2011, last month’s new listings total registered a 19.4 per cent increase.
At, 13,110, the total number of residential property listings on the MLS® increased 9.9 per cent in March compared to last month and declined 3 per cent from this time last year.
“Conditions favour sellers at the moment, but we’re seeing differences in home-price trends and overall activity depending on the region and property type,” Setticasi said.
The MLSLink® Housing Price Index (HPI) benchmark price for all residential properties in Greater Vancouver over the last 12 months has increased 5.4 per cent to $615,810 in March 2011 from $584,435 in March 2010.
Sales of detached properties on the MLS® in March 2011 reached 1,795, an increase of 34.4 per cent from the 1,336 detached sales recorded in March 2010, and a 100.1 per cent increase from the 897 units sold in March 2009. The benchmark price for detached properties increased 8.3 per cent from March 2010 to $866,806.
Sales of apartment properties reached 1,622 in March 2011, a 29.6 per cent increase compared to the 1,252 sales in March 2010, and an increase of 66.2 per cent compared to the 976 sales in March 2009. The benchmark price of an apartment property increased 2.1 per cent from March 2010 to $403,885.
Attached property sales in March 2011 totalled 663, a 20.8 per cent increase compared to the 549 sales in March 2010, and a 69.1 per cent increase from the 392 attached properties sold in March 2009. The benchmark price of an attached unit increased 3.6 per cent between March 2010 and 2011 to $511,039.
Source: Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver – www.rebgv.org – April 4, 2011