Wow, Realtors feel it is in the best interests of Canadians to own more homes. And who would benefit from such a thing. Surely not real estate agents? Although home ownership is positive economically the CREA is pushing the federal government to fight homelessness. Read on Below.
OTTAWA, Oct. 16 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Real Estate Association will
be paying close attention to the Harper government's unveiling of its new
priorities, which are to be outlined in the upcoming Speech from the Throne.
"We hope to see this federal government recognize and assume its shared
responsibility in the development of sound policies for Canada's housing
sector," said Pierre Beauchamp, Chief Executive Officer for The Canadian Real Estate Association. "This Throne Speech represents a great opportunity to address the needs of this important segment of our economy."
REALTORS(R) have been advocating for the development of a national
housing policy where important concerns such as homelessness and the need for radical changes for First Nations housing would be dealt with at the federal
level.
REALTORS(R) have also called for the implementation of much needed fiscal
policies aimed at encouraging investment in real property and an increase in
homeownership for Canadians. Such measures include a capital gains tax
rollover for real property investments and a loan limit increase for Canada's
Homebuyers' Plan loan, which targets first-time homebuyers.
The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada's largest
single-industry trade Associations, and represents more than 92,000
REALTORS (R) across Canada. CREA's primary mission is to represent its members at the federal level of government. CREA also works to defend the public's right to own and enjoy property.
Please note representatives of The Canadian Real Estate Association will
be available for comment following the Throne Speech October 16th.
Showing posts with label Realtors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Realtors. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Kamloops Real Estate Agent Receives Sentence
A realtor who bilked fellow agents out of hard earned money has been sentence to a conditional sentence, to be served in the US.
Realtor to serve sentence in U.S.
by Robert Koopmans of the Kamloops Daily News
A former city Realtor who took $76,000 from her firm’s trust account will be allowed to serve her conditional sentence in the U.S., a judge ruled Tuesday.
Cheryl Moseley, known better to Kamloops as Cheryl King, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one charge of illegally accessing trust funds.
The Crown told the judge the 62-year-old woman took the money from her real estate firm’s trust account as financial affairs collapsed around her in late 2001.
The money she took before she fled Kamloops was partially used to repay a loan from her mother, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Richard Blair heard.
Blair went along with a joint submission for sentence proposed by the Crown and defence lawyers and imposed a two-year less a day conditional sentence, even though the woman now lives in Iowa.
Crown counsel Lorne Fisher said this type of case does not usually see the imposition of conditional sentences. Typically, people who violate the trust of employers or clients in such fashion face jail.
In this case, however, Moseley’s circumstances make a conditional sentence the best option, he told the judge.
Moseley suffers several serious health conditions, including heart disease serious enough that she is expected to soon need arterial bypass surgery.
Fisher said the woman is covered by health insurance in the U.S., but her coverage would be terminated if she leaves Canada for more than 60 days.
Jailing Moseley would see her health-care costs transferred to the Canadian penal system, Fisher said, adding she would be “one expensive prisoner.”
Justice Blair said he could not ignore such an obvious issue, noting the courts must consider all aspects of the public interest in deciding sentences.
“To imprison (her) in Canada would . . . leave the cost of her medical costs with the Canadian taxpayer,” said Blair.
Regardless, Blair had concerns about the idea of imposing a conditional sentence to be served in the U.S., especially with regard to the issue of monitoring.
In Canada, a person who violates terms of a conditional sentence can be brought back to court and made to serve all or some of the sentence in jail.
How could that work if an offender lives in the U.S., asked Blair?
The prosecutor said the Crown will ask American authorities to oversee Moseley’s sentence and report back to Canadian officials. If Moseley fails to abide by her terms, she can be brought back to Canada.
“We do have extradition treaties with the United States,” he said. “Has it been done before? I can’t tell you that it has, no.”
In the end, Justice Blair said while offences involving breach of trust typically demand jail, this case is different, he said.
“I recognize the problem is unique and requires flexibility,” said the judge.
Terms of the conditional sentence will require Moseley to live in Charles City, Iowa, and not change her address without permission. She was prohibited from consuming alcohol for 12 months, and ordered to perform 120 hours of community service work.
However, Justice Blair did not impose a period of house arrest or a curfew, terms often considered usual in conditional sentences. The judge gave no reason for the lack of such restrictions.
Lastly, Moseley was ordered to repay the $76,000 she took from her former firm’s trust account. The money is owed to Re/Max Canada, which covered the losses when they were discovered in 2001.
Before sentence was imposed, the court was told Moseley’s criminal behaviour was an act of desperation as her business and personal life fell apart.
Moseley came to Canada in 1993, after she married Kamloops rancher Bob King on a Cattle Drive.
Her marriage collapsed, however, and by 2001, Moseley was trying to keep afloat both her ranch and her real estate business.
An attempt to secure bank financing failed and shortly after, Moseley raided the trust account. She fled Kamloops and has lived in the U.S. since.
After her disappearance, it was suggested Moseley’s debts tallied in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Kamloops Realtor Mike Applegath was one of those burned the most by Moseley, the court was told. She fled owing him more than $56,000, as well as the messy aftermath of the failed realty firm.
“The whole situation with regard to Kamloops Re/Max Realty Assist . . . was a financial nightmare,” the prosecutor told the court. “Her conduct caused a great deal of consternation for many people who trusted her.”
Fisher said later the Crown could not consider a jail term of less than 60 days in jail for such a serious offence, for fear it would set a precedent in similar cases. A conditional sentence is considered by the Canadian justice system to be the same as jail.
Realtor to serve sentence in U.S.
by Robert Koopmans of the Kamloops Daily News
A former city Realtor who took $76,000 from her firm’s trust account will be allowed to serve her conditional sentence in the U.S., a judge ruled Tuesday.
Cheryl Moseley, known better to Kamloops as Cheryl King, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one charge of illegally accessing trust funds.
The Crown told the judge the 62-year-old woman took the money from her real estate firm’s trust account as financial affairs collapsed around her in late 2001.
The money she took before she fled Kamloops was partially used to repay a loan from her mother, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Richard Blair heard.
Blair went along with a joint submission for sentence proposed by the Crown and defence lawyers and imposed a two-year less a day conditional sentence, even though the woman now lives in Iowa.
Crown counsel Lorne Fisher said this type of case does not usually see the imposition of conditional sentences. Typically, people who violate the trust of employers or clients in such fashion face jail.
In this case, however, Moseley’s circumstances make a conditional sentence the best option, he told the judge.
Moseley suffers several serious health conditions, including heart disease serious enough that she is expected to soon need arterial bypass surgery.
Fisher said the woman is covered by health insurance in the U.S., but her coverage would be terminated if she leaves Canada for more than 60 days.
Jailing Moseley would see her health-care costs transferred to the Canadian penal system, Fisher said, adding she would be “one expensive prisoner.”
Justice Blair said he could not ignore such an obvious issue, noting the courts must consider all aspects of the public interest in deciding sentences.
“To imprison (her) in Canada would . . . leave the cost of her medical costs with the Canadian taxpayer,” said Blair.
Regardless, Blair had concerns about the idea of imposing a conditional sentence to be served in the U.S., especially with regard to the issue of monitoring.
In Canada, a person who violates terms of a conditional sentence can be brought back to court and made to serve all or some of the sentence in jail.
How could that work if an offender lives in the U.S., asked Blair?
The prosecutor said the Crown will ask American authorities to oversee Moseley’s sentence and report back to Canadian officials. If Moseley fails to abide by her terms, she can be brought back to Canada.
“We do have extradition treaties with the United States,” he said. “Has it been done before? I can’t tell you that it has, no.”
In the end, Justice Blair said while offences involving breach of trust typically demand jail, this case is different, he said.
“I recognize the problem is unique and requires flexibility,” said the judge.
Terms of the conditional sentence will require Moseley to live in Charles City, Iowa, and not change her address without permission. She was prohibited from consuming alcohol for 12 months, and ordered to perform 120 hours of community service work.
However, Justice Blair did not impose a period of house arrest or a curfew, terms often considered usual in conditional sentences. The judge gave no reason for the lack of such restrictions.
Lastly, Moseley was ordered to repay the $76,000 she took from her former firm’s trust account. The money is owed to Re/Max Canada, which covered the losses when they were discovered in 2001.
Before sentence was imposed, the court was told Moseley’s criminal behaviour was an act of desperation as her business and personal life fell apart.
Moseley came to Canada in 1993, after she married Kamloops rancher Bob King on a Cattle Drive.
Her marriage collapsed, however, and by 2001, Moseley was trying to keep afloat both her ranch and her real estate business.
An attempt to secure bank financing failed and shortly after, Moseley raided the trust account. She fled Kamloops and has lived in the U.S. since.
After her disappearance, it was suggested Moseley’s debts tallied in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Kamloops Realtor Mike Applegath was one of those burned the most by Moseley, the court was told. She fled owing him more than $56,000, as well as the messy aftermath of the failed realty firm.
“The whole situation with regard to Kamloops Re/Max Realty Assist . . . was a financial nightmare,” the prosecutor told the court. “Her conduct caused a great deal of consternation for many people who trusted her.”
Fisher said later the Crown could not consider a jail term of less than 60 days in jail for such a serious offence, for fear it would set a precedent in similar cases. A conditional sentence is considered by the Canadian justice system to be the same as jail.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Real Estate For Sale Signs
A Vancouver firm now offers FM radio for real estate. How it works: a low power FM frequency is broadcasted from the property that is for sale, a talking for sale sign. When people are driving by they can here about the home or condo while sitting in their car. The radio station only broadcasts for a one block radius. This has proven particularly useful for condo building that do not allow realtor signs.
Read the original article below.
Real estate radio hits the airwaves in Vancouver
Updated Tue. Apr. 10 2007 2:10 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A new radio station is on the air in Vancouver but you won't hear any pop music or the local news.
Instead, SellFM broadcasts real estate information about properties for sale using their 'Talking sign' feature.
The 'For Sale' sign on the property directs people to a radio frequency where, using an FM transmitter, information about a property is broadcast.
For potential home and condo buyers driving by, all they need is an FM radio.
"They drive by the house and they get the information right away. They don't have to call me, go back home and look it up on the internet," said realtor Rick Stonehouse, who came up with the idea alongside entrepreneur Riel Roussopolos.
In his studio, Roussopolos creates a custom tailored commercial for each home, adding music and suitable sound effects.
"This is 70-year-old technology for the most part," he said.
"The only confusion is that people think it's a radio station all over the place so we are adding stuff to the sign that says one-block radius only."
Stonehouse said the biggest benefit is for condo sellers in the city's downtown core.
We're "putting it in apartment buildings in downtown where they don't allow signs," said Stonehouse. "(People) drive by and listen to the listings selling in that building."
David Coates sold his home in two weeks after three open houses and the use of the FM transmitter.
"It's hard to say whether an FM transmitter broadcasting from the house got us thousands of dollars more," said Coates. Either way, Coates is satisfied as his home sold for $69,000 more than its original asking price.
With a report from CTV's Heron Hanuman in Vancouver
Read the original article below.
Real estate radio hits the airwaves in Vancouver
Updated Tue. Apr. 10 2007 2:10 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A new radio station is on the air in Vancouver but you won't hear any pop music or the local news.
Instead, SellFM broadcasts real estate information about properties for sale using their 'Talking sign' feature.
The 'For Sale' sign on the property directs people to a radio frequency where, using an FM transmitter, information about a property is broadcast.
For potential home and condo buyers driving by, all they need is an FM radio.
"They drive by the house and they get the information right away. They don't have to call me, go back home and look it up on the internet," said realtor Rick Stonehouse, who came up with the idea alongside entrepreneur Riel Roussopolos.
In his studio, Roussopolos creates a custom tailored commercial for each home, adding music and suitable sound effects.
"This is 70-year-old technology for the most part," he said.
"The only confusion is that people think it's a radio station all over the place so we are adding stuff to the sign that says one-block radius only."
Stonehouse said the biggest benefit is for condo sellers in the city's downtown core.
We're "putting it in apartment buildings in downtown where they don't allow signs," said Stonehouse. "(People) drive by and listen to the listings selling in that building."
David Coates sold his home in two weeks after three open houses and the use of the FM transmitter.
"It's hard to say whether an FM transmitter broadcasting from the house got us thousands of dollars more," said Coates. Either way, Coates is satisfied as his home sold for $69,000 more than its original asking price.
With a report from CTV's Heron Hanuman in Vancouver
Labels:
innovation,
Real Estate,
Realtors,
Vancouver
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