Program & Sessions
'A BRAND NEW ECONOMY'
CREB® Market Forecast
Navigating a Brand New World
Diane Scott, Incoming President, Calgary Real Estate Board
What a difference a year can make. In short course Wall Street's meltdown sent massive tremors around the US economy, around the world and eventually right to our own front door. The world is not as we once knew it—we are facing a brand new world. Little more than a year later Calgary's housing market appears to be turning a corner. But what is around this corner? What financial indicators should be on our radar? How can we best navigate this brand new world? Join our incoming president Diane Scott for CREB®'s 2010 market forecast—get a glimpse of what is in store for Calgary's housing market and learn what economic trends will most impact REALTORS®.
more...
Trend Hunting
Spotting opportunities in a brand new economy
Jeremy Gutsche, Founder trendhunter.com
What trends will most impact your business as a REALTOR®? How can you turn these trends into new opportunities? Join Jeremy Gutsche innovation and trend expert for this high impact presentation that will teach you how to spot the "micro-trends" that will impact your community and your world. His methodical approach will help you identify "clusters of opportunity" unique to your specific business goals. Jeremy is routinely sourced by the media and Fortune 500 companies and his broad appeal ranges from the Economist and the Financial Times to Glamour and T3. Find out how this trend hunting approach can enhance your marketing strategies in this brand new economy.
more...
Interactive Economic Panel
Finding your bearings in a brand new economy.
Todd Hirsch, Senior Economist, ATB Financial
Warren Jestin, Senior Vice-President & Chief Economist, Scotiabank
Gregory Klump, Chief Economist, The Canadian Real Estate Association
Adam Legge, Chief Economist, Calgary Economic Development
It's all hands on deck for our first annual economic panel. Following the forecast breakfast continue the economic discussion with leading economists Warren Jestin, Todd Hirsch, and Adam Legge. Gain new insights and find your bearings in this ever changing economy. Is Canada a safe harbour in this economic storm? How will global, national, and local factors affect Calgary and its housing market? Will a great recovery follow the great recession? Take this opportunity to hear from the economists themselves and have your own questions answered.
more...
'A BRAND NEW TECHNOLOGY'
A Wireless World in the Palm of Your Hand
How mobile technology can boost your marketing plan
Amy Chorew, National Speaker & Trainer on Technology Trends and Strategies
Are you ready to communicate in the new world? Technology expert and real estate specialist Amy Chorew shows you how to unlock the power of cellular messaging, email, social media apps and other real estate tools to revolutionize your marketing strategy. Forget about mass mailings and newsletters: the future of real estate marketing is wireless push‐technologies that put your message into the pocket of every prospect you know. Discover the power of a wireless world that fits in the palm of your hand!
more...
Going Viral
Delve deeper and learn how social media can create real results.
Amy Chorew, National Speaker & Trainer on Technology Trends and Strategies
Join Amy Chorew, a leading technology expert in the real estate industry, for a more in-depth look at how social media and networking tools can create real results. Web 2.0 is all about connecting with a new type of homebuyer. In this session Amy will demonstrate 7 social media products and review which ones YOU need to be using to meet the demands of today's online and wired consumer. You'll learn about blogs, social networks, video, photos—and how to use them to keep in touch with existing customers and how to reach out to new ones.
more...
Straight to Video
Make Online Video Part of Your Sales Tool.
Amy Chorew, National Speaker & Trainer on Technology Trends and Strategies
Consumers go online before they ever contact a REALTOR®. And according to the Canadian Real Estate Association's 2009 survey nearly 90% of all consumers in Canada turned to the web first in their search for a home. The new consumer is looking for rich online experiences. Photos alone are often not enough. For a REALTOR® "straight to video" can be a good thing. Video adds a richer layer to your online marketing strategy. In this session you will learn (using free tools) how to create videos, add your own voice, and post them to the web. Find out how video can help you reach out and communicate with a brand new consumer.
more...
Get your Blog On
Get a handle on some of the basics of social media and blogging.
Ian Watt, REALTOR®, Ian Watt Personal Real Estate Corporation
Get a handle on the basics of social media. Learn from a working REALTOR® who is using social networks and blogging to maximize his marketing reach. Whether its Facebook, Twitter or even a professional blog Ian Watt will share practical, low-to-no-cost social media tips and best practices from a REALTOR®'s perspective. Learn firsthand from a peer who is leading the way in the use of social media tools for real estate prospecting.
more...
Your Prospects are Looking Up!
Using the Prospects Market Report.
Forrest Cavanagh, MLS Software Support Supervisor, CREB®
Charles Drouin, Director of Business Development, Prospects Software
Learn about this fabulous new real estate tool offered by Prospects. Learn how to easily keep your clients up to date with their communities' market trends.
more...
Connect the Docs
Document Management
Dave Nicholson, Associate Broker, RE/MAX House of Real Estate
Document Manager is coming and it's packed with state of the art features, all designed to save you time and money. Are you ready to simplify your processes but don't want to sacrifice the level of service you provide to your clients then Document Manager is the perfect solution for you.
Document Manger is integrated with your MLS system so you can easily share and display listing documents with other members. It also simplifies and automates document related processes, it organizes, shares and store all types of documents online, and it digitally manages listing and purchase contracts.
more...
'A BRAND NEW CONSUMER'
The New Green Homebuyer: From Margin to Mainstream
How 'Green' can help you win your next client.
Elizabeth Huculak, Principal/Founder, E. Huculak Consulting Services
Green building has gone from margin to mainstream as more and more consumers figure out that energy efficiency just makes good sense. Recent studies have shown that when buyers have more information on energy performance of available homes, they choose the energy efficient home and they are willing to pay more for it! Green can sell homes faster and for more money. In this session you'll learn how to speak knowledgably about energy efficiency, green rating systems and technology-and discover how understanding green features may help you win your next client.
more...
Expert Panel: Condo Connoisseurs
Get your condo questions answered.
Don Dickson, Manager, Business Practices, CREB®
Greg Luedtke, REALTOR® and Condo Specialist, Rolex Real Estate Ltd.
Bernice Winter, C.E.O. of Condo-Check
Demand for condominiums in Calgary has been on a general upward trend for more than a decade and today accounts for 30 per cent of the market. In recent years a generation of young home buyers, called the millennials, has combined with baby boomers to further boost demand for condominiums. But admittedly the convenient lifestyle offered by condos can be an inconvenient and complex process for REALTORS®. How should REALTORS® present condo measurements? What measurements are mandatory? What condo documents do you need? How can you better help your condo client? Join in to hear from the expert panel and then have your own condo questions answered.
more...
Plan it: Tale of a New City
Where will future Calgarians live, work and play?
Jim Dewald, Associate Dean, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary
Calgary is an innovative, entrepreneurial and burgeoning energy capital—with growing ambitions to one day become a world city. The city's population is expected to double in less than 60 years. Where will these future Calgarians live, work and play? The City's Plan It Calgary is attempting to deal with these challenges and establish a long-term growth and development plan for the city's land use and transportation networks. Undoubtedly these initiatives will have a big impact on the housing options and mixed-use communities of the future—and in turn the types of homes REALTORS® will be helping clients buy and sell. In this session you will learn what these new forms of development mean for the business of real estate.
more...
A New Age of Ages: Demographic Shifts and the New Homebuyer
Learn why millenials and baby boomers need new marketing strategies.
Monica Kohlhammer, President and Senior Consultant, MK Strategy Group Inc.
How are Calgary's demographics and population changing? And how do we use this information to recognize the needs of the "new consumer" buying a home? From the wired and online millennials looking for their first home to the baby boomers who are re-defining the meaning of "retirement" such demographic shifts will undoubtedly have an impact on your marketing strategies. Are you ready to meet the changing needs of these new buyers and sellers? Do you understand what is important to boomers, gen x and millennials? This session will help you crack the demographic code and understand how to tailor your marketing strategies to unique client profiles.
more...
'A BRAND NEW YOU – BUILDING SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE'
Authentic Interpersonal Communication in a Digital World
Build client relationships through effective communication.
Iris Talbot, REALTOR® Re/Max Real Estate Central and Public Speaking Coach
Communicating and speaking effectively with buyers, sellers, and even other REALTORS® is critical to your success as a real estate professional. Undoubtedly we live in an online, wired and digital world—but amidst all of this we need to ensure we practice authentic face-to-face communication as well. Whether you are communicating with family, friends or future prospects as a REALTOR® you need to always be "on"—ready to establish authentic connections and relationships. In this session you will learn how better communication and speaking skills will help you strengthen existing connections and establish new meaningful client relationships.
more...
Legal Eagles: Made to Order
Our panel of lawyers answer your questions.
Heather Bonnycastle, Lawyer, McLeod & Company LLP
Lou Pesta, Lawyer, Walsh Wilkins Creighton LLP
Bill Fowler, Director of Industry and Government Relations, Alberta Real Estate Association
Ron Thibeault, Barrister & Solicitor, LeClaire Thibeault
Whether you're a new REALTOR® or a seasoned veteran undoubtedly you are faced with challenging legal issues and questions as part of your job. Join our real estate lawyers' panel discussion to learn about the most pressing and current legal issues related to real estate professionals today. Find out some of the top legal tips you should know as a REALTOR®--and take this opportunity to have your own questions answered by the legal team.
more...
