Making your Real Estate needs my Priority
Dave Dry
Realtor, Century 21 Vantage Realty Ltd
Website: www.davedry.com
Blog: blog.davedry.com
Office: 780 483 2122
Direct: 780 446 3727
Fax 1 866 217 4642
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Century21ca/~3/7FScnxB-FIg/July_2016_Real_Estate_Newsletter
Somehow, day in and day out we feel like we are racing against the clock to get everything accomplished. We get home feeling tired and ready to just collapse in front of Netflix and then do it all over again the next day. Finding the perfect work/life balance is doable but it takes a small amount of planning, organizing and prioritizing ahead of time. The reward of extra hours at home to hang out with friends and family will make the effort worth it!
Track time wasters/ distractions
Phones: Phones are one of the biggest time wasters and distractors. Time spent scrolling on Instagram and Facebook can quickly turn from minutes to hours in a day if you aren’t careful. Although it might sound counterintuitive, you can use your phone to help decrease phone usage. There are apps such as “Break Free” which will track how much you are on your phone and will lock your phone for you when you are trying to be productive.
TV: We are all guilty of falling into the habit of crashing in front of the tv as soon as we get home. Instead, allot a certain amount of television for the day and save it for the evening. This will help you from falling into the “I’ll just watch one more episode” trap and end up watching an entire season of The Office (lets be real, we are all guilty of this).
Sharpen your focus: Close other tabs and browsers on your computer and put your phone on silent so that you won’t be distracted and can focus on the task at hand.
Be productive during travel time: If you take transit, see what work you can do– answer emails, listen to voicemails or just schedule your week. If you need more privacy for those tasks, commit to a brief meditation practice or make sure you’re carrying a book with you for even five minutes of downtime.
Delegate: Delegate other tasks around the house either with your partner or your kids. Even a five-minute task like unloading the dishwasher can save you much more over the course of a week.
Identify top priorities
Work smart, not hard: Look at where you are investing your energy and make sure you are not wasting time on things that don’t deliver results.
Lists: Making a to-do list will be your best friend when it comes to prioritizing your time. Seeing your to-do’s makes them more real– plus it is so satisfying crossing them off!
Schedule: Manage your time first by the week then by the day. Look at your most pressing deadlines and then schedule your time accordingly. Follow the adage of “eat a frog for breakfast” — do the most important/ hardest tasks early in the day to get them completed.
Measure and Calculate:
No one has the same schedule or the same habits, so find out what works best for you. If you are a morning person try waking up 15 minutes earlier and use this time to get two tasks done. Calculate how much time you have saved each week and decide where you can make cutbacks the next week.
Reward yourself for all your scheduling and list making by planning fun events in the evening: plan a board games night or host a dinner party. Plus having these events will help you prioritize your schedule to ensure that you have the free time to do the things you want to be doing!
Edmonton, Alberta (March 1, 2018) – Two incredibly successful and respected brokers in Edmonton are combining forces and merging their two companies. James Mabey and Geneva Tetreault are the now co-owners of CENTURY 21 Masters, and together they make a tenacious team.
Mabey and Tetreault merged the sales representatives from CENTURY 21 Masters with the team at CENTURY 21 Vantage into one office which will operate under the former name. The duo has a longstanding friendship, so becoming business partners and merging offices was a natural move for them.
“The decision to merge the two teams was simple and made sense because both teams have the same cultures and values. That was always of the upmost importance to Geneva and myself,” says Mabey.
The new CENTURY 21 Masters launches with more than 100 agents and the owners are planning on slowly growing the team. “We are very selective of who we bring into our business,” says Tetreault. “We are not solely focused on numbers. We want people who share our values and who see the value in education, professional development and collaboration. The stronger the team, the better we can serve our community.”
Mabey and Tetreault are well-known within the real estate industry in Edmonton. They were both the youngest presidents on the Edmonton Real Estate Board during each of their tenures. They began their careers as young REALTORS® and have both built their businesses by attracting diverse teams of people within their communities.
“Individually, James and Geneva are strong, incredible brokers and together they create an insurmountable power. It is inspiring to see such drive, professionalism and passion from two of the youngest brokers out there. We are so proud of what they have already accomplished and cannot wait to see CENTURY 21 Masters flourish under their leadership,” says Brian Rushton, Executive Vice President of CENTURY 21 Canada.
The two offices will maintain their original locations at 201-10555 172 Street NW in Edmonton, 110-5 Giroux Road in St. Albert and 105- 4302-33 Street . Visit their website to discover the CENTURY 21 difference.
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Media contact
Leigh Kjekstad
PR Communications Specialist
The longer you live somewhere the more things start to pile up, and before you know it you might feel like you are living in an episode of Hoarders. But, not to worry, there are ways you can declutter and find extra space in your home without having to move. Make the space you already have work for you rather than against you by focusing on the basics: multipurpose furniture, utilizing hidden real estate and brightening your space.
The first step, however, is decluttering. Whether you like it or not, decluttering is mandatory for creating extra space. It can be overwhelming at first to get rid of things so the best way to declutter is to make three separate piles, stay, go and maybe. Be as ruthless as possible. Use the “1 year rule” for clothes – if you haven’t worn something in the past year then you should let it go.
Make it Bright!
The two biggest factors in brightening a room are lighting and paint. Manipulate the lighting in your home to make spaces appear bigger. We suggest using floor lamps as opposed to ceiling lights to disperse light in a room. Another C21 tip is to hang mirrors across from windows to reflect the light to create a more open room.
Now let’s look at paint! Dark colors make rooms appear smaller than they are, so embrace white or neutral colours. Painting the ceiling white will make a huge difference in brightening your room. To keep your walls looking fresh it is recommended to repaint them every 5 years.
Multipurpose Furniture
When choosing furniture opt for sleek, light looking pieces rather than heavy, dark items. Transparent furniture gives the illusion of a space looking larger than it is. We love keeping things green and making use of what you have by converting your furniture to be multipurpose. Beds take up a lot of room so why not use some of that space by putting baskets under the bed. If you are handy, try remodeling chests, benches and ottomans for use as storage units. Another good option is to convert your desk into one that folds into the wall- you can even add a chalk board on the flipside!
Find hidden real estate
Your home is filled with hidden real estate– you just have to get a little bit creative with it. Magnets will be your best friend when you are looking to gain space. Free up space in your cupboard by making your spice rack magnetic. Attach a magnetic strip under your kitchen cupboards then add magnets to the top of your spices – now the spices can just hang out there and you have gained prime cupboard real estate! Feeling down about finding space? Time to look up! You can save space in your home by utilizing vertical storage space, trade in your closet hangers for a hanging organizer.
Show your door some TLC- doors are often neglected when it comes to home storage solutions. Use your door by attaching an organizer to the back of it– and don’t forget about the space above your door! build a shelving unit above to store boxes, books, etc.
Goderich, ON (February 1, 2018) –West Coast Realty Inc. is now a CENTURY 21 franchise in Goderich, ON. Co-owners John Talbot and Kelly Good wanted to convert their existing independent company with CENTURY 21 Canada to better serve the Goderich market.
“We wanted to work with CENTURY 21 Canada because of the support, marketing resources and networking opportunities that they have readily available. The housing market is ever changing, and when we looked at what the brands had to offer both sales representatives and clients, it was clear that CENTURY 21 offers the best value,” says John Talbot.
John has been working in the industry for 36 years and has a strong reputation in the community. John and Kelly are now able to grow with CENTURY 21 Canada and help REALTORS® who want to serve clients over a long, stable career.
Goderich is currently a popular destination—it’s rated as the number one place to retire in Ontario. John and Kelly have plans to extend into other vacation destinations in the area such as Kincardine and Bayfield. Right now, there are four agents working out of the Goderich office and they have plans to grow the team.
“John and Kelly are longstanding and respected members of the Goderich real estate community,” says Brian Rushton, Executive Vice-President of Century 21 Canada. “We are so happy to have them join our network and to see such enthusiasm from their team.”
Drop by the new CENTURY 21 West Coast Realty Inc. at 44A Victoria Street South in Goderich or visit the website to discover the CENTURY 21 difference.
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Media contact
Leigh Kjekstad
PR Communications Specialist
CENTURY 21 Canada
Leigh.kjekstad@century21.ca
604-606-2139
About CENTURY 21 Canada™
Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership (century21.ca) is a real estate master franchisor with complete rights to the CENTURY 21® brand in Canada.
The CENTURY 21 System is one of the world’s largest and most recognized residential real estate sales organizations with approximately 7,700 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices worldwide and over 117,000 sales professionals. CENTURY 21 provides comprehensive technology, marketing, training, management, and administrative support for its members in 78 countries and territories worldwide.
Independently Owned and Operated. ®/™ trademarks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC used under license or authorized sub-license. ©2018 Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership.
The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.
Goderich, ON (February 1, 2018) –West Coast Realty is now a CENTURY 21 franchise in Goderich, ON. Co-owners John Talbot and Kelly Good wanted to convert their existing independent company with CENTURY 21 Canada to better serve the Goderich market.
“We wanted to work with CENTURY 21 Canada because of the support, marketing resources and networking opportunities that they have readily available. The housing market is ever changing, and when we looked at what the brands had to offer both sales representatives and clients, it was clear that CENTURY 21 offers the best value,” says John Talbot.
John has been working in the industry for 36 years and has a strong reputation in the community. John and Kelly are now able to grow with CENTURY 21 Canada and help REALTORS® who want to serve clients over a long, stable career.
Goderich is currently a popular destination—it’s rated as the number one place to retire in Ontario. John and Kelly have plans to extend into other vacation destinations in the area such as Kincardine and Bayfield. Right now, there are four agents working out of the Goderich office and they have plans to grow the team.
“John and Kelly are longstanding and respected members of the Goderich real estate community,” says Brian Rushton, Executive Vice-President of Century 21 Canada. “We are so happy to have them join our network and to see such enthusiasm from their team.”
Drop by the new CENTURY 21 West Coast Realty at 44A Victoria Street South in Goderich or visit the website to discover the CENTURY 21 difference.
# # #
Media contact
Leigh Kjekstad
PR Communications Specialist
CENTURY 21 Canada
Leigh.kjekstad@century21.ca
604-606-2139
About CENTURY 21 Canada™
Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership (century21.ca) is a real estate master franchisor with complete rights to the CENTURY 21® brand in Canada.
The CENTURY 21 System is one of the world’s largest and most recognized residential real estate sales organizations with approximately 7,700 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices worldwide and over 117,000 sales professionals. CENTURY 21 provides comprehensive technology, marketing, training, management, and administrative support for its members in 78 countries and territories worldwide.
Independently Owned and Operated. ®/™ trademarks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC used under license or authorized sub-license. ©2018 Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership.
The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.
St. Catharines, ON (February 1, 2018) – CENTURY 21 Avmark Realty Limited is now open in St. Catharines, ON. Mark Avedesian converted his office from Coldwell Banker to CENTURY 21 in January and is very excited about this new beginning. Mark brings with him several well-respected agents and fresh, innovative ideas.
“It was a very big change to make so I had to make sure it was the right one, which is why I chose CENTURY 21. Within the industry I have been watching CENTURY 21 grow more than other brands. After nearly two decades with another company I was drawn to the industry-leading marketing resources and the investment in technology,” says Mark Avedesian.
Mark was with Coldwell Banker for 17 years and he has a reputation as an exceptional broker with strong local recognition. His REALTORS® have already made the move with him, and Mark plans to grow to an office of 20 in the next few years. His goal is to refocus the group and to have a great environment for sales representatives to thrive.
“The conversion of this franchise just reinforces how powerful the CENTURY 21 name is in Canada,” says Brian Rushton, Executive Vice-President of CENTURY 21 Canada. “We are pleased to have Mark on board and watch him build CENTURY 21 Avmark into a powerhouse in St. Catharines.”
Drop by the newly renovated heritage building of CENTURY 21 Avmark Realty Limited at 12 Church Street in the heart of downtown St. Catharines or visit their website to discover the CENTURY 21 difference.
# # #
Media contact
Leigh Kjekstad
PR Communications Specialist
CENTURY 21 Canada
Leigh.kjekstad@century21.ca
604-606-2139
About CENTURY 21 Canada™
Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership (century21.ca) is a real estate master franchisor with complete rights to the CENTURY 21® brand in Canada.
The CENTURY 21 System is one of the world’s largest and most recognized residential real estate sales organizations with approximately 7,700 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices worldwide and over 117,000 sales professionals. CENTURY 21 provides comprehensive technology, marketing, training, management, and administrative support for its members in 78 countries and territories worldwide.
Independently Owned and Operated. ®/™ trademarks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC used under license or authorized sub-license. ©2018 Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership.
The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.
Vancouver, BC (February 2, 2018) The 2018 CENTURY 21 Chairman’s Circle was held in Cancun, Mexico in mid-January, bringing together leaders from the top 30 CENTURY 21 Canada companies. The focus of this year’s conference was “Creating the Future Together”.
The “by invitation only” conference featured different guest speakers and workshops each day to help owners and managers monitor trends occurring in other parts of the country and in the real estate industry. Some of the guest speakers that attended the conference were, Shari Pesa from Realogy, Morgan Carey and Michael Audet from Real Estate Webmasters, Errol Samuelson from Zillow, Darin Dawson, Justin Doornbos and James Stites from BombBomb.
“The energy at the conference this year was incredible. It was so inspiring to hear fresh ideas and to be surrounded by so many forward thinkers. Everyone left feeling motivated and excited to share their knowledge with their companies back home” says CENTURY 21 Executive Chairman, U. Gary Charlwood. “We want our franchisees to feel that we have their back. It is important for us to always demonstrate our unwavering support to the success of their businesses”.
CENTURY 21 has always put emphasis on the importance of technology and innovation. At this year’s conference, Jack Miller recognized large technological milestones such as the implementation of G Suite and BombBomb. Later this year the company will launch a new technology platform in partnership with Real Estate Webmasters.
The sharing of best practices was also a theme that ran through the meetings. Ron O’Neil from CENTURY 21 B.J. Roth and Max and Anna Carbone from CENTURY 21 Assurance made presentations to the group. The conference wrapped up with brainstorming for next year and network engagement.
The collective power of the group and the leadership of CEO Martin Charlwood, created an opportunity to develop and implement best practices within individual franchises, which was inspirational for all of the owners, brokers and managers within the CENTURY 21 Canada system.
# # #
Media contact
Leigh Kjekstad
PR Communications Specialist
CENTURY 21 Canada
Leigh.kjekstad@century21.ca
604-606-2139
About CENTURY 21 Canada™
Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership (century21.ca) is a real estate master franchisor with complete rights to the CENTURY 21® brand in Canada.
The CENTURY 21 System is one of the world’s largest and most recognized residential real estate sales organizations with approximately 7,700 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices worldwide and over 117,000 sales professionals. CENTURY 21 provides comprehensive technology, marketing, training, management, and administrative support for its members in 78 countries and territories worldwide.
Independently Owned and Operated. ®/™ trademarks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC used under license or authorized sub-license. ©2018 Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership.
The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.
Whether you are a fan or not, Valentine’s Day is a great way to show your nearest and dearest how much you care about them. We want to help you make this Valentine’s Day even more special with 5 homemade gifts. These DIYs are simple and quick to make, so even if you aren’t the craftiest you can still make something that will impress that special someone!
These sparkly glitter candles will give your romantic dinner the extra dazzle that it needs. They look tricky but they are easy to make so you won’t have a Pinterest fail on your hands!
Here’s how to do it:
Materials
Steps
Want to write a message that only your crush can see? Make your very own scratch card with a secret message for them to discover!
Here’s how to do it:
Materials
Steps
This delicate Valentine’s day tree is the perfect decoration to give your home a cheery lift this February!
Here’s how to do it:
Materials
Steps
There’s no better way to show someone that you care by giving them a photo of one of your favourite moments in a homemade frame.
Here’s how to do it:
Materials
Steps
This is a cute gift for your daughter or your friends. Most of the materials are things that you already have which makes this craft not only inexpensive and environmentally friendly!
Here’s how to do it:
Materials
Steps
It is important to be realistic when creating your decorating budget. Think about what needs to be done first, then you can move onto what you want to be done. This year we are all about saving money and fostering a “don’t buy it, make it” philosophy. For the next five weeks, we will walk you through how you can make big decorating changes that will have a minimal impact on your wallet!
1. Use paint to make a big splash
Paint can drastically change the design of a room depending on how it is used. Instead of repainting an entire room, think of using paint to create an accent wall. This will cut down on the cost of buying paint and primer to cover all four walls. Choose the smallest wall in the room and use that wall as your focal point.
Thinking of wallpapering? If you’re artsy, consider making your own wallpaper using a stencil and paint. This method is much cheaper and you get more creative freedom than store-bought wallpaper.
2. Repurpose
Little did you know, your house is full of hidden treasures that just need a little bit of TLC. Before you replace your old couch or dining room chairs, give them a good look over and see if you can freshen them up. To bring a couch back to life consider upholstering it to give it a fresher look. You can also refill the cushions if they’re getting a little flat.
For dining room furniture that needs a facelift, a good paint job should do the trick. Whether it is wood, plastic or metal, paint will give a second life! The best results do come from sanding and prepping your surfaces properly, so make sure you do research before you get started.
3. Recycle/ Upcycling
Second-hand stores are full of great finds in need of a new home. While you may cringe at the thought of a used couch, there are plenty of non-fabric pieces that are in excellent condition and cheaper. Plus, there’s the added bonus of being more environmentally friendly.
For furniture that no longer fits the style of your house there are countless ways you can repurpose it to get the style you desire. Some simple ways are to distress furniture to make it look vintage. Old, wooden ladders work perfectly as a hanging unit for blankets/ scarves. And a dated mirror frame can be used as a picture frame—spray painting it is optional!
4. Reassign/ Add some touches
Take yourself on your very own home tour and see if you can reassign any furniture to different parts of your house. Something that is not quite working in one room might be perfect in another room. Here are some other easy fixes:
5. Host a furniture swap
Chances are your friends and family are also wanting to redecorate so why not organize a furniture swap? We recommend inviting 8 friends and each can bring smaller items that are in good condition to the exchange (pillows, lamps, artwork, etc). For larger items, they can bring photos of furniture they would like to exchange. This is an eco-friendly way to get new things without having to buy new products.
Owen Sound, Ontario (January 16, 2018) – CENTURY 21 In-Studio Realty Inc. is expanding the CENTURY 21 footprint into the Owen Sound market. New owner and broker Mike Seiler was initially drawn to the industry as a photographer, but quickly found he enjoyed the real estate side more and worked as a realtor in Owen Sound for four years.
“What drew me to the brand is that CENTURY 21 is able to serve a wide range of properties,” says Seiler. Owen Sound is an average market but also includes some high-end properties. That, combined with the direction the company is going, makes me excited about 2018.”
Seiler started doing renovations late last year and the office is a modern, open concept, café style space. So far, he has two agents and is expecting to add more people to his team in coming months.
“Owen Sound is a new and exciting opportunity for Century 21, says Executive Vice President of CENTURY 21 Canada, Brian Rushton. “Our global brand will be well-received in the Owen Sound community and we are confident that Mike will establish a solid business presence there.”
Prior to working in real estate, Seiler owned a Wonder Bread franchise for nine years. Combining his expertise in both real estate and franchise ownership Seiler says he has “hopes to grow the business and focus on the brand and the tools Century 21 provides. I want to lead by example and to implement all the systems offered by Century 21. I want to be known as a broker who pours his energy into training and his agents.”
Drop by the new CENTURY 21 Owen Sound office at 927 2nd Ave E or visit their website.
# # #
Media contact
Leigh Kjekstad
PR Communications Specialist
CENTURY 21 Canada
Leigh.kjekstad@century21.ca
604-606-2139
About CENTURY 21 Canada™
Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership (century21.ca) is a real estate master franchisor with complete rights to the CENTURY 21® brand in Canada
The CENTURY 21 System is one of the world’s largest and most recognized residential real estate sales organizations with approximately 7,700 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices worldwide and over 117,000 sales professionals. CENTURY 21 provides comprehensive technology, marketing, training, management, and administrative support for its members in 78 countries and territories worldwide.
Independently Owned and Operated. ®/™ trademarks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC used under license or authorized sub-license. ©2018 Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership.
The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.