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For companies like HomeZilla, Zoocasa, ViewPoint, and others changes in the industry can only be good. For consumers, more choice is always better. But if you are one of 98,000 agents, then change makes you nervous.

Every industry hates to see government intervention and they usually put up a great fight (ex: Microsoft & ATT). Usually, the industry in questions puts together a fantastically crafted message and repeats that message again and again. (This worked especially well for Obama and George W. Bush)

That is why I was shocked to see a ‘rough’ interview by CREA president Dale Ripplinger on CBC. In fact, I double checked the page to see if it was a REAL CBC page. Here are some of the questions and awkward answers are:

Q. And the average commission is how much?

A. There’s no such thing as an average commission.

Q. The one most of us have paid is around six per cent.

A. Yeah, well, we don’t comment on commissions because the Canadian Real Estate Association doesn’t get involved in negotiations between our members and their clients. If a realtor won’t work for what a client is willing to pay, then that client has to find another realtor who will, and believe me, they will, because there’s lots of competition and lots of choice.

Isn’t the average commision of a real estate agent common knowledge? Even more importantly, doesn’t CREA know exactly how much agents make on each transaction? Being evasive about provable numbers isn’t going to help CREA’s case in the public’s eye.

Q. Well, it’s not me that’s putting this forward. It’s the Competition Bureau, which doesn’t often get up on its hind legs and roar like this.

A. I’m not sure what their motivation is.

Q. What would the motivation be beyond taking care of consumers? What do you think is.…

A. We’re taking care of consumers by providing service that brings confidence to Canadian consumers when they handle the most important transaction of their life.

For such a big and common question, you would think that CREA would have a better crafted response. Real estate agents pay a lot of money in dues to support their board structure and I have to assume they would be concerned with these type of interviews.

Could it be possible that CREA wants the Competition Bureau to shake things up?

You can read the entire CBC interview here.

NORTH VANCOUVER – Maplewood

What to do: skiing, sleigh rides, and ice skating

We all know the B.C. boast – that the province has every conceivable climactic zone all in one pretty package. But mountains reign supreme in British Columbia. In the winter, you can bet they have plenty of snow – think ‘top-rated resort Whistler’ and ‘host of 2010 Winter Olympics’. There are terrific skiing and snowboarding mountains throughout the province as well as myriad backcountry skiing opportunities in national and provincial parks. The province has more than 50 designated ski areas with incredible cross-country terrain. You can also do dogsledding and snowshoeing. With so many options, where’s the best neighbourhood? We think it’s Maplewood, a community once known for light industry but now changing to urban residential – which means great deals on condos and townhomes (by BC standards).

North Vancouver, known by the locals as the “North Shore,” is home to about 180,000 citizens and is divided into many other major residential and commercial neighbourhoods, including Capilano where the College is, and Maplewood, our feature neighbourhood. Maplewood is a quiet residential neighbourhood on the east side of the Lynn Creek, straddling the mouth of the Seymour River. It’s not only the home of Maplewood Farms, a popular children’s attraction, but great recreation for the grown ups too: the North Shore Winter Club, the North Shore Equestrian Club, recreational pathways along the Lynn River in the Lynn Canyon Park, the Canlan Ice Sports North Shore facility, Seymour Youth Centre, and the Ron Andrews RecCentre. And yes, excellent downhill skiing on Mount Seymour, whose 20 runs average the most snowfall (about 394 inches per year). Here’s where you get those breathtaking pictures of towering mountains, covered in gullies, ravines, waterfalls, creeks, and spruce, fir, and cedar forests.

Where to go:
Capilano Suspension Bridge is Vancouver’s oldest tourist attraction, but The Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge free to visit, tucked away amid firs and cedars in a hikers’ paradise right near Maplewood.
Enjoy the varied activities at Grouse Mountain, including skiing, sleigh rides, and ice skating; or do The Grouse Grind, Vancouver’s best-known and most challenging mountainside hike.
The North Shore’s other great skiing mountains include Cypress Mountain, the huge official West Vancouver venue for 2010 Olympic freestyle skiing and snowboarding. Epic snowfalls, huge verticals, expansive backcountry, diverse terrain, spectacular scenery and a mild winter climate make this a great place for the family.

If you get tired of all the outdoor play, relax with shopping, culture, and dining at Lonsdale Quay, the waterfront heartbeat of North Vancouver, check out the bastion Park Royal Shopping Centre, or boutique shopping abounds in neighbourhood centres like Lynn Valley.

SASKATCHEWAN – PRINCE ALBERT (West Hill)

What do do: hiking, curling up by a fire, snow mobiling

Go West, young people, if you want to really experience a Canadian winter! The Prairies know how to do winter right, probably because of the vast open spaces and winters that aren’t for the faint of heart. If you’re going to live in the Prairies, there’s a neighbourhood in Saskatchewan’s most northerly city that offers easy access to one of Canada’s most spectacular national assets you never hear of: Prince Albert National Park, whose motto is “The sense of horizons unexplored. Where wolves roam lakes that heave and groan. The mystery of distant hills where weighted boughs greet frosted dawn.” Does that sound wintry or what?

A bit about Prince Albert (since you may never have heard of it): If you appreciate ‘small town’ life, you might love Prince Albert. Known as the ‘gateway to the north’ it has a population of 4014, numerous sites of historical interest, and elaborate historic homes found in the affluent areas of East Hill and West Hill, our feature neighbourhood. There are tons of places to stay and as Christmas approaches, the locals put on a whole lot of music festivals, dances, dinners, choirs, craft shows, teas, free movie screenings, provincial curling championships and concerts. If bucolic family life isn’t enough of a pull, did we mention that real estate is real cheap – it’s possible to find a single family home in the $100s.

Where to go: The boreal forest at Prince Albert National Park on Waskesiu Lake is very much shaped by the season of snow and cold. That means superb cross country skiing, snowshoeing, camping, lake skating and wildlife watching. Hotel, log cabin, chalet, bed-and-breakfast and other rental accommodations, restaurants and a few other services are open in and near the beautiful, tranquil park year round.

What to do there: The park offers a range of cross-country ski trails for all skill levels. There are groomed trails, or the adventurous can choose their own route and venture off the beaten path. Blaze your own snowshoe trail through the forest or use a designated route. Camp overnight and enjoy the northern sky and solitude, plus you can stake out the wildlife: Elk, white tailed deer, moose, red fox, plains bison, wolf and lynx are some of the larger mammals you may see. Also watch for otter, fisher, marten, snowshoe hare or weasel. Bird watchers will enjoy the approximately 30 species of birds that make Prince Albert National Park their winter home.
Snowmachines are not permitted in Prince Albert National Park but there are hundreds of miles of excellent, groomed trails just outside the park. If it’s too cold to play outside, take advantage of Waskesiu’s indoor skating rink!

When to go: The Visitors’ Centre, an indispensable resource, is open Mid October to Mid May. Ice fishing season on Waskesiu Lake is open until March 31.

Living in West Hill, you might get involved with the Prince Albert Winter Festival Society which puts on an annual festival (the largest in Western Canada) to celebrate all things winter – from local musical and artistic performances to snow sculpture demonstrations to the ever-popular children’s carnival. Enjoy fireworks, a bonfire, and some uniquely north-western activities like the mutt pull and sled dog races (they’re big on sled dog races in Prince Albert – it’s the site of qualifying races for more prestigious competitions). Brrr.

When to go: The last two weeks in February

TORONTO – Riverdale (Downtown)

What do do: tobogganing & outdoor hockey,

Who says a big city can’t host an excellent winter neighbourhood? True, Torontonians are apt to stay indoors once the deep freeze settles in – with the subways and the PATH, you can get practically anywhere without having to emerge outdoors, and the plethora of fine dining, shopping and entertainment options means there’s always plenty to do when the mercury falls. But for hardy souls, Toronto’s east end offers plenty of the winter activities that burn kids’ energy and make adults reach for the nog.

Riverdale is our feature winter neighbourhood because let’s face it, everyone wants to live in Riverdale; the schools, the shopping, the greenspace, the laid-back yuppie/Greektown vibe, the proximity to downtown. Housing prices start at half a million and go up from there – but oddly enough, there are great bargains to be had on rentals. If you’re lucky enough to already live in Riverdale, you know it boasts five parks, all with outdoor ice rinks.

Where to go: Withrow Park, Riverdale Park East, Greenwood Park, Jimmie Simpson Park, and Monarch Park

When to go: Outdoor rinks are open from approximately early December to the end of February, with a holiday break.

If you love tobogganing but just refuse to cross the bridge to Christie Pits, Withrow Park has a hill from the soccer field down to beside the baseball diamond that will thrill smaller children and their families. If you’re looking for something more challenging, Riverdale Park East on Broadview Avenue has a much more serious tobogganing hill. It’s also home to Riverdale Farm, which hosts such winter events as an annual Children’s Christmas Shopping Party with Refreshments, gifts under $15.00 and cookie making. The working farm lets you interact with farmers as they feed animals, collect eggs, groom horses and milk cows or goats.

Of course, if you’re willing to venture outside Riverdale a bit into the greater Toronto landscape, you’re well situated to enjoy wintry activities like skating under the lights in the shadow of the big tree at Nathan Philips Square, free all-ages, Skate Culture events at the Harbourfront Centre’s Natrel Rink, and a winter visit to the Toronto Zoo, where you can warm up with a hot cocoa as you gaze at at snow leopards, Arctic wolves, elephants and more. Most of the animals are still visible throughout the winter and are said to be more active in cooler climates. Skiing and snowboarding is available at two west-end locales: Earl Bales and Centennial Park Ski & Snowboard Centres.

Something many residents don’t know about Riverdale is that it’s home to a Discovery Walk – where you can explore the scenic hills and dales of the Don River Valley, discover panoramic views and the splendid park-like atmosphere of Toronto’s oldest cemetery. A good starting point for the Walk is the Broadview Subway Station. From here the tour guides you through the Lower Don Valley. Along the way you can visit Riverdale Farm, Prince Edward (Bloor Street) Viaduct, Chester Springs Marsh and beautiful Todmorden Mills.

If all that traipsing through hill and dale has got you tired, warm up with spicy live theatre at the Music Hall or the Bad Dog; check out a local festival like the Riverdale Share Concert; or drink some ouzo at one of the many authentic Greek restaurants in the hood. A special shout out to nearby Leslieville and the Beach for incredible holiday boutique shopping!

OTTAWA – South End

What to do: skiing, hiking, skating

Those who have visited our nation’s capital can already tell you about all the wonderful landmarks and sights, like the Parliament Buildings and museums. But if you want to make sleepy-classy Ottawa your home, and really enjoy what the city has to offer, there are few places that offer a better tribute to winter than Ottawa’s South End. Rental homes are in the $1400-$2000/month range and you can buy a custom home starting at $650,000.

Where to go: The ski centre at Mooney’s Bay has five kilometres of groomed trails for both classic and skate (freestyle) skiing techniques. If skiing after dark fits your schedule best, you will love the dedicated trail lighting that illuminates the path until late in the evening! The centre includes a ski school that caters to all ages and abilities. In addition, there is a large sledding hill right next to the centre. Mooney’s Bay Bistro at 731 Ridgewood Avenue is a neighbourhood fave!
Snow sliding and tobogganing is a great fun activity for the whole family in the region and there are plenty of hills around town to go sliding on, so grab your toboggan, snow sled or tube and head to the local hills for some great excitement.

When to go: Ski facilities normally operate from mid-December to early March.

Skating is incredibly popular in Ottawa – how could it not be, with the 125-mile Rideau Canal turning into the world’s largest skating rink every winter? Locals actually ice skate the 5-mile route to work. An absolute must is a stop at one of the on-ice kiosks for hot chocolate and Beaver Tails. Don’t be afraid to just hop on a snowmobile and plow through the frozen lakes connected to the Canal. If the Rideau is too intimidating, The Bayview School at 3071 Riverside in Ottawa’s South End has a double surface rink you’ll enjoy.

When to go: Rideau Canal Skateway generally opens in January/Feburary when the canal is sufficiently frozen and safe for skaters.

If a festival is more your thing, join the thousands of Canadians celebrating the sub-zero temperatures and waist-high snowdrifts at Winterlude. For the first three weekend’s every February, downtown Ottawa puts on a world-class winter festival that features ice sculptures, a snow playground and maze, live concerts, horse-drawn sleigh rides, an igloo building workshop and more. The venues are scattered throughout the downtown and easily accessed from the South End.

When to go: Weekends, February 5 to 21, 2010. The many Winterlude activity venues are accessible every day, with special activities taking place over all three Winterlude weekends.

And of course…there is always Parliament Hill with their lights.

NOVA SCOTIA – CAPE BRETON – Baddeck

What to do: hiking, snowmobiling, ice fishing

When you think of ‘down east’ you probably think of Halifax, the port city capital of Nova Scotia and the largest city in Atlantic Canada. In the summer, waterfront Halifax is world-renowned for its beauty and character. But did you know that thanks to the moderating effects of the sea, winters in the region are among the mildest in Canada? Take that, Ontarians. And while snowfalls can be heavy, the changeable weather means that the snow doesn’t always stick around for very long. So forget Halifax. To take part in most winter activities, you’ll have to leave the city and journey to Cape Breton – which, thanks to its plentiful snow, offers excellent opportunities for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, ice fishing, ice climbing and snowmobiling. It’s only an hour and a half east of Halifax Airport. You can do it.

Baddeck, Nova Scotia is known for being the birthplace of Canadian flight, when in 1909 the Silver Dart took to the air above Bras D’Or Lakes. With only 873 residents, Baddeck was the summer home of inventor Alexander Graham Bell, too. Stretching along the shores of the beautiful Bras d’Or Lakes, it is a village considered to be the beginning and end of the world famous Cabot Trail. The bustling resort community quiets down in winter, but there’s still an assortment of accommodations to suit any taste and budget ranging from 5 star suites to campgrounds. Exquisite food can be found in any one of the many restaurants offering everything from world famous lobster to a steaming cup of seafood chowder or sandwich. Must visit: the Water’s Edge Café and Gallery. There’s even elite shopping in boutiques, outdoor and sporting shops.

Where to go: Baddeck Area Cross Country Ski Club has 5 km of groomed trails for cross-country skiing.
There are 3 ski clubs: the Cabot Snowmobile Club, McKinnon’s Harbour, and Ski Ben Eoin for downhill, featuring the Maritimes’ only serviced Telemark hill. Snowmobile enthusiasts may enjoy miles of trails all over the highlands with barbeque pits scattered around for your convenience. Cape Breton Highlands National Park has seven groomed trails in three different areas: Black Brook, which connects to the Mary Ann Falls trail that climbs to 500 feet above sea level and has scenic views and wildlife watching (moose, deer, otter); Broad Cove; and Clyburn Valley, which follows the Clyburn River through a hardwood valley of beech, maple, white spruce and birch, with scenic views of Franey Mountain and the river valley.

When to go: Anytime in January or February

Long before there were airplanes and snowmobiles, dog sled was once one of the main methods of transportation in the region. You can take guided expeditions (starting at $150 per person) from a ranch near Baddeck along the pristine winter wonderland of the Cape Breton Highlands Plateau or the Baddeck River Valley where you’re in the drivers’ seat, practicing your basic sled dog commands on the rare Canadian Eskimo Dogs:

“Mush!” — Let’s Go
“Gee!” — Turn Right
“Haw!” — Turn Left
“Whao!” — Slow or Stop
“On by!” — Straight Ahead.

Don’t forget, winter temperatures will average from 0 to -20 degrees Celsius.
If dogs aren’t your thing, try carriage rides and trail rides with Norwegian Fjord horses; eco-expeditions; fishing…in Baddeck, the list goes on.
Check out Usige Ban Falls, a Provincial Park along Baddeck River, for a scenic waterfall, signs of moose, bald eagles and yes, partridge (not in pear trees!)

That is our Top Five Best Winter Neighbourhoods in Canada, I am sure we missed some good ones…let us know what they are…

Today we want to present you with a video of Roncesvalles. A beautiful ‘hood on the west side of Toronto.

Check out the video version of this video, we would love your feedback!
All real estate agents who retweets OR comment will be entered into a draw for a branded version of this video!

Today we want to present you with a video of Rosedale. Rosedale is one of Toronto’s oldest and most prestiges neighbourhoods.

Check out the video version of this video, we would love your feedback!
All real estate agents who retweets OR comment will be entered into a draw for a branded version of this video!

Air Miles Rewards

Most people have collected points of one kind or another, whether it’s for drugstore purchases or free groceries – but the granddaddy of them all is the Air Miles program. If you have bemoaned the length of time it takes to collect enough points to go anywhere more interesting than Sudbury, the new AIR MILES Reward Program for real estate transactions might be your solution. At last, enough points – all in one shot – to really fly away!

The scoop: If you max out at the 1500 reward miles, you can earn a flight to New York, or other goodies like electronics, entertainment packages and more.

The bonus: Exclusive for GOLD Collectors, earn 200 Bonus AIR MILES reward miles when you buy or sell a property through CENTURY 21.

The catch: You have to work with a Century 21 agent. And you have to submit your request for miles within 12 months after the closing date of your transaction. And the offer is valid until April 30, 2010.

Aeromove

If you collect Aeroplan points, there’s also Aeromove, a home and move services program available exclusively to Aeroplan® Members. Whether you’re buying a home, selling a home, moving anywhere in Canada or refinancing, Aeromove can help you through the process.

The program: Aeroplan connects you with qualified real estate agents, home inspectors, movers, lawyers, junk removers and more. You earn Aeroplan Miles every time you use these services, making it a one-stop shop and letting you earn points just for joining Aeromove.

The scoop: At 1,500 Aeroplan Miles for every $10,000 in home value purchased or sold when you use a cooperating Aeromove real estate agent, plus additional Miles for other transactions like legal services, a typical transaction of $500,000 earns enough miles to buy THREE round trips to New York.

The catch: You have to use an agent registered with the Aeroplan program. You have to deal with restricted flight availability. You have to navigate the annoying Aeroplan website.

Travel miles not your thing, maybe you’d like gift cards instead?

Sears Certified Real Estate Services

One service gets you really close – Sears Certified Real Estate Services, which lets you earn thousands in Sears Gift Cards when you buy or sell your home – gift cards you can take into a store and use.

If you sign up with a Sears Certified Agent, when you buy or sell your home, you’ll earn 0.6% of your home’s value in Sears Gift Cards.

The program: Fill out an online form to sign up and you’ll be referred to a Sears Certified Agent ideally suited to help you find or sell your home. Sears Certified Agents come from several different national brokerages like RE/MAX, Royal LePage, Sutton Group, Coldwell Banker, Prudential, Homelife or Century 21. They’re chosen for their years of specialization in the communities they serve, and have been certified as meeting high standards for experience, dedication to customer service and demonstrated results.

The scoop: If you buy or sell a $500,000 home, you get $3,000 in gift cards (check out the Sears Reward Calculator to find out how much you can earn.) That’s enough for a new living room.

The bonus: You’ll also receive a Sears Home Savings Book when you sign up, with special offers that could save you hundreds on furnishings and home improvements.

The catch: Uou have to work with one of the Sears-certified agents to earn the cash rewards.

Because gift cards are so much like cash, they are easy to use.

Here’s what people are saying about the Sears program:
“We earned 0.6% of our house price in Sears Gift Cards by using the referral service. Now we’re using those gift cards to help outfit our home. I feel like we got the most for our dollar. If I’m getting points every time I buy a pair of jeans or a slice of pizza, why shouldn’t I expect an incentive when I’m buying something as big as a house?” —Julianne of Hamilton

Obviously, the only way an incentive – whether it’s airline points or a free TV from your Realtor – will work for you, is if there’s no negative difference in the real estate process. After all, if the agent representing the rewards program doesn’t do a good job, no amount of points will compensate you for lost money and hassle. But because the current reward programs screen their agents first, to ensure they’re professional and knowledgeable of the market, it might be worth it to let someone else select your agent. You can always interview the affiliated agents to see if they’re a good fit for you, before you sign anything.

After you buy or sell a house, a trip to New York might be just the thing to get away from it all. But Certified Real Estate Services offer greatest freedom of choice because gift cards can be used for so many more things. And remember, you can earn points on the buying AND selling of your old and new house.

Look for real estate related points programs to continue to grow in 2010.

1. Google’s will move into Canadian Real Estate – Google already has 10K+ Canadian real etate listings (ex:Halifax listings) and they don’t promote their service in Canada. Are you ready for ‘the Google affect’?
2. CREA or TREB will face another lawsuit – the Internet (like the fax machine was) is a disruptive force in the real estate industy. With the Canadian Real Estate industry dragging it feet, we expect to see another lawsuit.
3. Online real estate research will get easier – home buyers do more research, before talking to a real estate agent, every year. In 2010, with ZooCasa, HomeZilla, Google Maps, the iPhone and the opening of GeoData new home buyers are going to know EVERYTHING about a neighbourhood.
4. Vitural Real Estate will start emerging – the progression of visual aids in home buying: photos, photo tours, videos, video tours, now HD video tours and the next logical step Virtual Real Estate displayed on Google Earth and the iPhone. VR homes will make a big change to how people research houses.
5. Local Knowledge will become vital for listings – OpenData Toronto, OpenData Vancouver, HomeZilla, and Yelp all home buyers to know more about their neighbourhood. To keep home buyers on your listings they need to have local knowledge. (see HomeZilla Hoody)
6. Mortgage rate will go up – Canada can only ‘print money’ for so long before inflation hits. Once rates start going up in 2010, they will go up quickly!
7. Yet another Boom/Bust cycle – there will be a mini boom/bust in real estate when mortgage rates hit around 7.5%. Home buyers will rush to buy homes before a the big rate hikes and if they don’t get in they won’t buy for a while.
8. Online Advertising – 2010 will be the year where a large number of real estate agentswill move beyond the “just having a website” to “having & promoting their website”. If you are paying $50 a month to have a website, shouldn’t you spend at least $50 a month to promote that website?
9. Blackberry Usage – less then 5% of real estate agents will give up their Blackberrys for iPhones. Why change what is working?
10. iPhones become a big real estate aid – When home buyers have questions… well… “there is an an app for that”! Consumers are flocking to the iPhone so when a consumer goes to an open house, drives around a neighbourhood, or has questions about sales history they will ask a Realtor but there will also ask their iPhone.

At HomeZilla, we love when things come together. In 2010, the convergance of technology, open data, empowered home buyers, rising house prices, rising mortgage rates, decreasing costs of data will have a HUGE impact on the Canadian Real Estate market. And in our opinion, all the changes should be for the better!

During the year we will follow up on these topics will longer blog post but we would love questions or comment over the holidays. And of course, what are your predictions for 2010?

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Why did HomeZilla give away free ads? As we talked with real estate agents, they gave us many reason why they didn’t advertise online. For most, the real and most hidden reason, was they didn’t know how to get the ad creative. Once they had an ad they could run, they were only too happy to advertise.

So, small step for ads , one giant leap for agents advertising online.

You might notice that one office Exit Realty Metro had a bunch of agents come on board. One of Exit Realty Metro’s agents, Colleen Verville, has integrated HomeZilla’s Hoody as well.

Now here are the agents, with their creative, that took advantage of this offer.

Are you reading this post and thinking, “I want a free ad?”. HomeZilla will create ads for 35 more agents… just comment on this blog and leave us your details…or send us a tweet.

Offer good until Dec 25th…then we turn into Scrooge!

Come one, come all (well, the first 100) to HomeZilla and request your FREE ad creative!

You send us a tweet or comment on this blog post and say “Please make me a FREE advertisement”. And include, your name, real estate office, phone number, and website…we will take care of the rest!

Here are examples of SKY ads we created for existing agents:

Your ad will look very similar to these.