Singer's condo hits a high note
Nine years ago, singer Alannah Myles was living in L.A., discontent with her business and personal circumstances. Then one weekend she packed up her belongings and moved back to Toronto.
"I moved around for about six months; one of the places offered to me by my real estate agent was this high-security building, so I jumped at it," she says.
See Kathryn Kates story from the Toronto Star »
November 25, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Stinson puts businesses in bankruptcy
Harry Stinson, the Toronto real- estate developer who was in competition with Donald Trump to build the city's highest residential building, placed four of his businesses in bankruptcy and, according to the receiver running the operations, violated a court order by doing so.
"It's going to create more chaos," Joseph Latham, lawyer for the receiver, Ira Smith Trustee & Receiver Inc., told Ontario Superior Judge Sarah Pepall at a hearing in Toronto. He urged the judge to annul the bankruptcies.
Stinson operated The Suites at 1 King West, a luxury condominium-hotel, through his company Stinson Hospitality Inc., one of the four companies placed in bankruptcy. He had also proposed to build twin towers, the highest at 81 stories, surpassing a 70-story condominium Trump had planned a block away.
Trump's tower proposal has been scaled down to 57 stories, while Stinson's Sapphire Tower has been shelved, with Sapphire Tower Development Corp. having been placed in bankruptcy protection July 20.
Latham also asked the judge to order Stinson to return financial statements and computer drives taken from 1 King West. He said Stinson removed two computers Aug. 24 and a box of documents on Labor Day, material that should have stayed in the possession of the receiver.
The receiver is reviewing security tapes to see if Stinson was caught on camera removing the material, Latham said.
September 26, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Stinson's dreams are tumbling down
Harried Times
Originally planned to reach 81 storeys on a site on Toronto's Temperance Street, the Sapphire Tower was to have two connected cylinders covered with blue glass, capped with a globe that would minimize building sway in the wind. The 1,000-unit project was to feature studio and one-bedroom units in the lower levels, two-bedroom units in the higher levels and some full-floor suites.
The project was later redesigned and reduced to 62 storeys. Amenities were to include a private hotel, spa, 24-hour grocery store, dry cleaning service, daycare and valet parking.
In December 2006, the Ontario Securities Commission alleged Stinson broke securities laws by selling units without issuing a prospectus, and Stinson agreed to pay a fine.
The construction start date had been set for 2005, but the project has never broken ground.
Harry Stinson's Sapphire Tower Development Corp. entered bankruptcy protection on July 20. Beleaguered developer has been granted protection for his shimmering, elusive Sapphire condo project
Not so long ago, Harry Stinson's dreamscape floated high above his condo-hotel at 1 King West, soaring to 81 storeys of shimmering blue glass that would arise from a parking lot at 66 Temperance Street.
As Stinson imagined the Sapphire Tower, there would be a sky-lit infinity pool, glass-walled shuttle elevators, circular apartments with two-sided "Citizen Kane" fireplaces, and a "Sky Spa," which even on the cloudiest days would never be gloomy.
There are no blue skies for Harry Stinson these days »
August 10, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Harry Stinson's last stand
Toronto real estate developer and promoter extraordinaire, Harry Stinson, failed to pay an undisclosed sum of money to David Mirvish by July 31. "Unfortunately, I have lost a great deal of money, and I have lost all confidence in Mr. Stinson as a person with whom to do business."
"Unfortunately, he is not competent to run the businesses operated by SHI and Club Corp." states Mirvish in an affidavit. At the end of last week, Mirvish filed a notice of motion in Superior Court seeking to have Harry Stinson removed from the operations at 1 King West.
See article in today's Toronto Star »
August 8, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack
Married + hole-in-one on same day
With one swing of the Ping, Les Pockett officially became the stuff legends are made of. The Realtor and self-described golf addict started off his wedding day with a bang July 21st when he, his best man, son Kiel and his groomsman Dave Bradshaw, took the links for a quick 18 holes. They teed off at 7 a.m., and 45 minutes later an excited Les was calling his bride to be, Shelley, to let her know he'd just aced the tricky Par 3 Hole #6 at Qualicum Beach Memorial Golf Course.
The trio, who had been pushing hard to get the round in in plenty of time for the wedding and reception at the Arrowsmith Golf & Country Club, quickly walked to the green, "and right away we could see one ball on the fringe, which we knew was Dave's. We walked up, and there was mine in the hole, so we started high-fiving" Les said
The ensuing phone call from beside said cup went something like this:
Les: "Hi honey -- what would be the best thing that could happen today."
Shelley: Awkward silence.
Les: "No, wait. What's the second best thing that could happen today.'
Shelley: "I don't know, no rain?"
"I thought about what I'd said and knew I had to rephrase it," Les chuckled later.
Pockett pocketed his hole-in-one -- a 124-yarder over a small ravine -- with his 8 Iron, a Ping I-2. Shelley (nee Cotton) took it all in stride and the new bride, a golfer herself, thought it was befitting. "It's pretty cool," she beamed from behind her bouquet on the Tuesday after the ceremony, back at the site of the ace. "Pretty cool. A real good start to the day.
"
Pockett relocated to Parksville, B.C. from Edmonton three years ago, and is a member of the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. Shelley made the move to the island from Mission B.C. a year ago.
August 1, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Martha, you just can't buy us
Martha Stewart's neighbour writes song to protest her attempt to trademark Katonah's name
Like many wars before it, the one between Martha Stewart and some of her Westchester County neighbours has inspired a protest song. Written by Katonah resident Marc Black, the song takes aim at Stewart's attempt to trademark the village's name for use on a line of furniture.
That idea has outraged many residents, who say that no one should own the name "Katonah," and some American Indians, who say the name is taken from a beloved 17th-century tribal chief.
"The bottom line is, I'm just hoping, I think we all are, that Martha will hear the song," Black said in a video posted on The Journal News Web site.
"We love you Martha," sings Black in the video, strumming an acoustic guitar as he lounges in a hammock on his porch. "And that's why, I wrote this song. We like you here, you can belong. But you just can't buy us, and simply own."
Diane Paterson, a spokeswoman for the domestic doyenne's company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc., said Stewart was requesting trademark protection to "prevent competitors from selling knockoffs."
"In fact, place-names are commonly used by well-known brands, from Philadelphia Cream Cheese to Nantucket Nectars, without any harm to the residents of those towns," Paterson said.
The Village Improvement Society has launched a campaign called "Nobody Owns Katonah" to fight the trademarking of the name.
Katonah is about 40 miles north of midtown Manhattan. The Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corp. said the average house price there was $912,000 in 2006.
July 20, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Martha Stewart sells her house
... at 26% price cut
Martha Stewart has sold her Westport Connecticut estate for $6.7 million -- 26% below the asking price. The four-acre property, known as Turkey Hill, includes a 3,168-square-foot, three-bedroom farmhouse, built in the 19th century, a converted carriage house and a "party barn" that Ms. Stewart used to entertain guests. The property also includes a pool and gardens. Records show that Ms. Stewart and her then-husband, Andy Stewart, bought the property in two parcels in the early 1970s for a combined $80,750.
Ms. Stewart launched her career in the house, starting a catering business out of the basement more than 25 years ago. She put the property on the market last year for just under $9 million. Earlier this year, she offered the main house on two acres for $4.5 million, though she never cut the price on the full estate. The sale was recorded on June 15. Ms. Stewart owns several other properties, including a 153-acre Katonah, New York estate which she said last year she planned to make her full-time home.
The buyer is a limited liability corporation with Charles G. Berg as its principal. Mr. Berg was chief executive of Oxford Health Plans Inc. until the Connecticut-based insurer was acquired by UnitedHealth Group Inc. in 2004. "We're not planning on doing very much to it," he says. Ms. Stewart "spent 35 years making it beautiful." Susan Warburg of William Raveis Real Estate had the listing.
Eric Lindros Lists New York Penthouse
Hockey pro Eric Lindros is asking $6 million for his penthouse in New York's West Village. Records show the former New York Ranger bought the condominium for nearly $2.5 million while it was being built about three years ago.
The unit, which Mr. Lindros decorated in a minimalist style, has three bedrooms, 3.5 baths and a planted rooftop terrace with Hudson River views. It's in One Morton Square, which has a fitness club, valet parking and a concierge. Lee Zimmerman, of Corcoran Group, has the listing.
Mr. Lindros lived in the roughly 2,200-square-foot unit only briefly. In 2005, he rented it out when he moved to Toronto to play for the Maple Leafs and continued to rent it last season when he played for the Dallas Stars, the listing agent says. The athlete sold a three-bedroom townhouse in Dallas last year, but still owns Canadian property in Ontario and Quebec. Mr. Lindros has just become a free agent.
At One Morton, owners include actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who records show paid $7.3 million for four apartments in 2005.
July 6, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
The Motivational Momma
Mary Wozny, the “Mom” from the front page article in the Real Estate Section of the Toronto Star, has launched a new site to help new real estate investors. “Newbies want someone to take their hand and guide them, to answer their questions, to give them that “kick in the butt” to get them moving and taking action”, states Mary Wozny. “They've been asking me for this help. Most importantly, they need help that's affordable.”
April 24, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June Callwood
June 2, 1924 - April 14, 2007
June Callwood gave Toronto its heart, its healing places, its refuges. A unique and unlikely blend of writer and activist, saint and rebel, visionary and go-to pragmatist, June Callwood died yesterday. She was 82.
See extensive coverage of her life and legacy in the Toronto Star »
April 15, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Toronto Realtor® CREA President
Ann Bosley is Real Estate Association's 60th President
Ann Bosley of Toronto became the 60th President of The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) on March 24th. Ann is Vice-President of Bosley Real Estate in Toronto, a family-owned firm founded in 1928. She has more than 20 years experience in the real estate industry, joining the CREA Board of Directors as Director-at-Large in 2004.
She has served as a member of the CREA Competition Research and Strategy Task Force, was a member of the CREA 2004-2005 Agency Review Task Force and served as Chair of CREA's FINTRAC Compliance Task Force. She was also the Toronto Real Estate Board (TREB) President in 2002, and served on TREB’s Board of Directors for several years.
CREA’s new President outlined her vision for the coming year at the CREA Leadership Conference on March 25th. She says communication with the public, real estate Boards and members and is one of her top priorities. “We will demonstrate to the public that REALTORS® not only care about where people live, but how they live as well,” said Ann. “It’s time we were respected and acknowledged for our tremendous contributions to our communities.”
One way in which CREA will achieve this through the creation of the Canadian REALTORS Care™ Foundation, which was officially launched at the CREA Annual General Meeting on March 24th. Ann was instrumental in the creation of the Foundation and served as the Foundation’s first President.
Another issue is CREA’s commitment to aboriginal housing. The Association announced its participation in a national conference on aboriginal housing at the CREA AGM. The conference is being organized by CMHC and Habitat for Humanity Canada, and will be held in Victoria later this year. Last year, CREA developed a major case study on aboriginal housing in Canada. The case study was prepared as part of the Association’s participation in the International Housing Coalition, and was presented at the World Urban Forum 3 in June 2006.
This is the third time in the history of The Canadian Real Estate Association that a member of the Bosley family has served as its President. Ann’s husband Tom Bosley served as CREA’s President in 1997. His uncle Murray Bosley holds the distinction of serving as the 13th President of the Association, and was elected to the position in 1958.
March 26, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Stinson not in my league ...
says The Donald
Rumours of a public showdown between Toronto's brashest real-estate developers -- local wunderkind Harry Stinson and Donald "The Donald" Trump -- turned out to be wishful thinking for attendees of a self-help and real-estate expo where both men spoke this weekend. But the pair managed to trade jabs anyway, with Mr. Stinson telling a crowd of maybe 25,000 that he was flattered Mr. Trump considers him a competitor, and not "just a schmuck from Toronto."
"Donald wins the prize for the tallest unbuilt residential building in Toronto," Mr. Stinson joked. When the Trump building finally opens, Mr. Stinson said his own downtown condo tower would start offering free parking to steal its clientele.
The pair have proposed luxury towers located about a block apart on Bay Street. Construction of the $500-million Trump International Hotel & Tower is scheduled to begin later this year at Adelaide Street; Mr. Stinson recently began selling his hotel/condominium skyscraper, Sapphire Tower, near Richmond Street.
Not one to shrink in the face of provocation, Mr. Trump -- wearing a nice black suit from his own line that he bought at Macy's, and just a touch of hair gel around the ears -- said, "He's not in the same league, but I'm glad he's flattered."
March 26, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Toronto Real Estate Icon Dies
Len Cassidy was a Real Estate Broker in Toronto for 45 years. He served as president Toronto Real Estate Board in 1972. But more importantly, he was respected throughout the industry as a consummate professional.
Len Cassidy was a Grey Cup winner with the Toronto Argonauts in 1946 and 1948. He served as deacon of High Park Baptist Church, Queensway Baptist Church and Fenelon Falls Baptist Church. Mr. Cassidy passed away peacefully in Fenelon Falls, on Tuesday, January 30. In his 88th year, he is survived by Marjorie, his beloved wife of 62 years.
January 31, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Top Toronto Real Estate Agent
Realtor® recognized as the top real estate agent in Toronto by Royal LePage.
Toronto real estate agent, Elli Davis, has been recognized as the top producer in the city for the 20th consecutive year by Royal LePage.
For 24 years, Elli Davis has been at the forefront of the Toronto real estate market as a REALTOR® at Royal LePage. The Royal LePage Ontario Awards, recognizing the achievement of Elli Davis, will be held on Thursday, March 8,2007, at the North Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Elli Davis is a Toronto real estate agent specializing in buying and selling residential real estate of any size in the city's most prestigious neighbourhoods including Allenby, Forest Hill, Moore Park, Rosedale, Lawrence Park and the Yonge Street Corridor. She is a member of the Lifetime's Chairman's Club at Royal LePage, positioning her in the top 1% of the over 12,000 REALTORS® across Canada, and has been a member of the National Chairman's Club since 1987.
January 30, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Saving money by cutting costs
Money 201: a new book by Ellen Roseman
Personal finance columnist Ellen Roseman says almost everyone has money available for investing, they just have to know where to look for it. The main thrust of her approach involves reducing housing and transportation costs, which frees up disposable income for investing. One of her recommendations is tallying the cost of operating a vehicle. By the time you factor in gas, insurance, licence and registration, and financing costs, you might be surprised or astounded by how much it costs to own or lease a car. It might be enough to make you want to take the bus or subway instead.
Roseman also offers some little-known tips that could potentially save thousands. If you find you are hit with a major repair bill after your vehicle's warranty has expired, she recommends you check for a “secret warranty” of which you might not be aware. Certain Toyota and Lexus owners, for instance, may be eligible for a “goodwill” program that will cover the cost of engine rebuilding necessitated by oil sludge.
Roseman also gives sound advice on buying a quality used car, the advantages of renting versus owning a home, what to watch for when refinancing your mortgage, bank fees, credit cards, bankruptcy, retirement planning, and elder care. Strategies for investing in a bear market also abound.
“I also realize that being good with money isn't only about absorbing information,” she writes. “You have to get a grip on your emotions: Fear and greed when it comes to investing; indifference and guilt when it comes to spending money; intimidation and defeatism when it comes to saving.”
- Title: Money 201
- Author: Ellen Roseman
- Publisher: Wiley
January 28, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Albert Edward LePage
The year was 1913. Albert Edward LePage was 26 years old when he decided to become the first Realtor in Canada to make a full-time business of selling homes. He built an entire company on new ideas – and revolutionized the way real estate was practiced.
From day one, his focus was on customer service and quality. It was always important to him to find new ways to grow his business by serving his customers better. He recognized that real estate was about much more than bricks and mortar – he knew that the keys to success were excellent service and an innovative approach.
Real estate innovation
When other agents were riding bicycles to meet their clients, he showed properties in a new and exciting way – by car. He was the first to place a descriptive ad in the newspaper. He was the first to use technology to showcase homes; his 16mm films were the forerunners of today’s virtual tours. And when other Realtors stopped work for summer vacations and Christmas holidays, Albert stayed on the job, and made a point of staying in touch with his clients long after the transaction was closed.
Albert LePage was a strong believer in professional ethics and professional development. In the early 1920s, he helped found the Ontario Real Estate Association and the Toronto Real Estate Board. His paper, "The Sale of Homes: Systems to Cut Down Your Expenses and Increase Your Sales," was distributed to every registered real estate board member in Canada and the United States.
In 1929, LePage dazzled the country by building a five-bedroom bungalow – complete with a white picket fence – in a single day. The house was auctioned for charity to the tune of $2,500.
In 1940, he created one of Toronto's first subdivisions by dividing Lady Eaton's Ardwold Gate Estate into 30 lots. Some of the lots sold for as much as $100,000, an enormous sum considering the average family income was about $3,000 a year.
He retired in 1953 and passed away in June 1968, but the company that still bears his name continues to grow and prosper by following his basic idea: that excellent service and innovative thinking are the foundation of a successful business.
January 27, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The reality of Toronto's Condo King
When Brad Lamb was 10, he used to steal the small national flags that adorned military graves in a cemetery near his house and sell them to neighbouring kids. The celebrity condo salesman, developer and aspiring reality-TV star tells the story without a hint of shame. "I would gather them up and sell them for five cents outside my house," he says in an interview. "It always amazed me that the kids didn't realize where they came from."
But then Mr. Lamb, who makes the leap next month from occasional television talking head to the star of his own "reality soap" called Big City Broker, prides himself on his brashness. "I have always been about sales," he says.
Now, at 48, he's a multimillionaire whose Toronto real estate brokerage has sold $2-billion worth of condos since 1988, and whose development arm is involved in building 10 or more residential projects at any given time in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and abroad.
See fully story in the Globe and Mail:
January 19, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
If at first you don't succeed ...
Give it Away!
The Donald -- aka Donald Trump -- donated 436 acres of land in Westchester and Putnam counties (New York) -- land that he had tried to turn into an 18-hole golf course and country club but failed in the face of strong community opposition.
Ah, but the neighbours are not rid of him yet. We imagine Trump gets some real tax relief as a result. More importantly, he gets to put his name on something. The new park will be called the Donald J. Trump State Park.
January 18, 2007 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Agents urged to 'Sell with Soul'
'Sell with Soul' offers real estaste agents an alternative to traditional models of success.
Real estate agent Jennifer Allan’s new book, Sell with Soul, the New Agent’s Guide to an Extraordinary Career in Real Estate may put some experienced real estate brokers in a bad mood. Sell with Soul is a survival guide for first-year agents that challenges some of the most dearly held beliefs of traditional real estate sales theory. Cold-calling and memorized scripts are “Old School” while lunch dates and competency are “soulful.” Allan advises new agents to work free for a period of time to learn their craft, and afterwards, happily discount their commission for friends and repeat customers. She counsels against arrogance and encourages competence. She asks agents to respect their clients and prospects and to play by the Golden Rule in their real estate career.
There will likely be a cry of outrage from the real estate community at some of Jennifer’s assertions. Within the 60+ personal stories and anecdotes from her 10 year career, experienced real estate brokers may find that actions and behaviors they consider crucial to the success of their business are the very things Allan calls greedy, arrogant and self-serving.
In writing Sell with Soul, Allan did not set out to enrage the real estate community. Her goal is to help new agents survive their first year in a profession in which an estimated 80% of new licensees fail. The 190-page book contains numerous strategies and tips that will save the new agent a tremendous amount of time and money figuring out what works and what doesn’t.
But if Sell with Soul also serves as a call-to-action for the real estate community, so much the better, says Allan. "I wanted to present a fresh way of selling real estate that doesn’t involve aggressive prospecting, hard-core closing or generally pestering strangers for their business. It just isn’t necessary... and there is a better way."
For more information on the Sell with Soul philosophy, visit www.sellwithsoul.com.
December 29, 2006 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack
Chris Takes Lead Role at CB
Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation announces Sherry A. Chris as its chief operating officer. In this position, Chris will direct the company’s operations, education, mortgage and field services programs. She also will focus on communication between Coldwell Banker corporate headquarters, regional offices and its nearly 4,000-office affiliate network around the world. Chris, who has more than 25 years of real estate sales, management and executive experience, will begin her role effective today. She will be based at the Coldwell Banker corporate headquarters in Parsippany, N.J., and report to Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation.
"Sherry is a great addition to the Coldwell Banker brand," said Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation. "She has a dynamic personality, is extremely engaging and, most of all, lives and breathes real estate. She has served in all aspects of our business and has spent a significant part of her career on the servicing side. We were especially attracted to her understanding of how technology will shape the industry and profitability of sales associates, managers and broker/owners."
Chris previously served as the chief operating officer of Prudential California Realty, the eighth largest real estate company in the United States, where she oversaw all financial aspects of the company. Chris began her career in 1980 at Gould Realty in Ontario, Canada, as a sales associate and later a manager. She then joined the real estate brokerage operation at Canada Trust, before joining Toronto-based Royal LePage Real Estate Services, Ltd., in 1987. After 10 years as a branch and area manager, Chris was promoted in 1997 to vice president and regional manager. She was promoted again two years later to executive vice president network services. Chris held that position until 2003 when she was named president of Real Living Network Services, based in Columbus, Ohio, where she oversaw a 10-state franchising operation.
Well known in the real estate industry, Chris is currently on the advisory board of several prominent organizations including Trulia.com and Google Real Estate. She has served as chairman of the board of the Realty Alliance and also speaks frequently at prominent industry events.
Chris earned her undergraduate and MBA degrees from the University of Western Ontario.
December 5, 2006 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Ede is independent candidate
Robert Ede, a 53 year old REALTOR® from Thornhill, ON, plans to run as an independent candidate in the federal by-election in the riding of London-North Centre later this month. He says he will file his papers once he collects signatures from 100 citizens.
"This is a special riding," he said of London-North-Centre, whose voters go to the polls Nov. 27. "And I'm a real estate salesman. I know how to go into a new market. I'm a quick study."
Ede is also a former federal and provincial Libertarian candidate and Progressive Conservative nomination candidate and executive of two York Region PC ridings. He said the opportunity in London arose while he was pondering a bid to enter the next federal election on his home turf north of Toronto.
Ede said the expected appearance of national media to cover the byelection prompted him to enter the race and float his ideas that are both "unique and pan-national." "My purpose is to get these things on the national agenda," he said.
In his platform, he would end dual citizenships, seek a national debate to define marriage (he prefers one man and one woman, but doesn't oppose civil unions of same-sex couples), seek to sort out aboriginal land claims, simplify the tax code, transfer all health-care funding to the federal government and recognize the urban character of Canada by creating new city-centred provinces.
Ede is not the only "parachute" candidate in the federal by-election. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May does not live in the riding, and Conservative candidate Dianne Haskett has lived in Washington for the past 6 years.
November 16, 2006 in Real Estate Personalities | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
