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The conference will give REALTORS®, brokers, and other real estate professionals the opportunity to take in world-class speakers, see the latest real estate tools and innovations, grow their businesses, attend a wide array of social events, and network and meet new contacts.

Our inaugural, 2023 conference, taking place from Oct. 3 – Oct.5, strives to answer one simple question:

“What’s next?”

To answer this question, we’ve invited industry leaders to explore the future of real estate in British Columbia and beyond.

Stay ahead of the curve and get the latest insights on new technologies, techniques, and more.

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During the two-week campaign, members of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley Real Estate Board also collected enough blankets and warm clothing to help keep thousands of residents warm during the winter months.

“Realtors are community advocates and our communities are in need right now,” says Taylor Biggar, REBGV chair.

Of the money raised, $109,712 was donated by Realtors in Greater Vancouver. Fraser Valley Realtors contributed $24,921 for a total of $134,633. With the provincial and federal governments each committing to match flood relief donations to the Red Cross, dollar for dollar, this year’s Blanket Drive fundraising effort will result in a total donation of $403,899.

“Our members stepped up and answered the call, helping those in our community to meet basic human needs,” FVREB president Larry Anderson says. “By collecting blankets for local charities and making financial donations towards flood relief, it’s these acts of generosity which reflect a proud legacy of giving, which began over 100 years ago.”

This year’s campaign was extended an extra week to allow more time to raise funds and collect enough warm winter clothing to help over 25,000 Lower Mainland residents in need to stay warm during the winter months.

During this annual campaign, more than 100 Lower Mainland real estate offices serve as drop-off locations for clothing donations. Realtor volunteers then collect, sort and deliver the donations to local charities. All clothing donations remain in the same community in which they are collected. More than 70 Lower Mainland charities will receive clothing donations from the blanket drive this year.

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This year’s Realtors Care Blanket Drive fundraiser has been extended to November 29 and is raising money to help victims of the recent extreme weather in B.C. So far, the campaign has collectively raised just over $80,000.

“We had to do something after seeing our communities devastated by floods and landslides,” says Taylor Biggar, REBGV chair. “Pivoting the Blanket Drive to help flood victims and show how much Realtors care about their communities was our first step in a co-ordinated response to support those who need it most.”

Proceeds from this year’s Blanket Drive fundraiser will go to the Canadian Red Cross British Columbia Floods and Extreme Weather Appeal. This money will support the Red Cross’s relief, recovery, resiliency, as well as risk reduction activities in the affected areas at both the individual and community levels.

Beyond the Blanket Drive, Realtors from across the Lower Mainland have banded together in a number of ways to help in the relief efforts. Since the rains subsided, Realtors have chartered helicopters to make over 40 trips to get food to displaced residents, made food and monetary donations, and have even driven pumper trucks throughout the night to help in areas with overwhelmed sewage and drainage systems.

“These stories make me proud to be a part of our profession,” says Biggar. “This kind of direct action makes a real, tangible difference to our fellow British Columbian’s lives.”

You can make a donation to the Realtors Care Blanket Drive fundraiser online through the official Charitable Impact page. With donations of $5 or more, you’ll get a tax receipt.

In addition to this year’s financial donation campaign, the Blanket Drive is also collecting donations of blankets, sleeping bags, warm winter clothing and new socks and underwear for those most in need.

The donations are then sorted and delivered to charities and organizations in the same area in which they were collected. Items they require include blankets, sleeping bags, warm clothing including coats, jeans, pants, sweaters, scarves, gloves, mitts, hats;  new socks and new underwear. The donations can be dropped off at one of the 100 plus participating real estate offices – click here for the list.

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Founded as the New Westminster Real Agents Association with 13 members, the FVREB now represents more than 4,100 Realtors serving one of the fastest growing regions in B.C., encompassing North Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Mission and Abbotsford.

“On this day back in 1921, we saw the humble beginnings of what would eventually become the fifth-largest real estate board in Canada,” says Larry Anderson, president of FVREB. “This is a monumental occasion for our Realtor and broker members, our staff and numerous industry and community stakeholders, all of whom we owe a deep debt of gratitude for their support in helping us achieve this significant milestone.”

A book of MLS listings from the early 1960s donated to the FVREB Archives by Ruth Marcellin of Sutton-Premier Realty in Surrey. Note the seven-per-cent interest rate.

The board says in a news release that it has “been a relentless pioneer, innovator and disruptor locally, provincially and nationally, on behalf of its growing membership in the Fraser Valley. In 1999, FVREB was instrumental in introducing and developing WEBForms, an online database for real estate forms and transaction management. It was eventually adopted as a national standard by CREA.”

“There aren’t many member-focused organizations that can celebrate a centennial of service,” says Baldev Gill, FVREB CEO. “It is a huge honour to mark this anniversary alongside our current members and staff while at the same time, recognizing the incredible contribution of the thousands of members and staff who built us.”

As part of its year-long celebrations, FVREB has a series of events and activities focused on raising awareness of the role Realtors have in building strong, vibrant, sought-after communities, it says.

“Our members don’t just sell homes. They steer and protect their clients through one of the most significant and emotionally laden investments in their lifetimes,” says Anderson. “Experts in residential and commercial real estate, Realtors also take the time to immerse themselves in the locales where they work, staying abreast of community issues such as public safety, transportation, planning and development.”

Surrey Board of Trade president Anita Huberman says, “FVREB has done an incredible job of serving its growing and diverse Realtor member base. And they have been a great partner to work with on several issues critical to the growth and advancement of both Surrey and the rest of the Fraser Valley. It’s a privilege to work with them.”

“During the past 18 months, the importance of home has never been more obvious,” Gill says. “That the provincial government deemed Realtors’ duties to be a non-health-related essential service immediately following the initial COVID-19 lockdown last year underscores the critical need our members fulfill within the community.

“We look forward to another century of driving innovation that continues to enhance the ability of Fraser Valley Realtors to meet and exceed the needs of their communities today, tomorrow and well into the future.”

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The 26-year-old campaign was started by Lower Mainland Realtors to help provide much-needed supplies to housing-related charities within their communities. In a traditional year, more than 18,000 Realtors across the region would work with their clients and a network of charitable organizations to collect and distribute blankets and lightly used clothing.

Since most charities aren’t collecting these items this year due to COVID-19 safety concerns, organizers had to adapt the name and purpose of this year’s campaign. Instead, the members of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) and the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) raised funds through an online fundraising drive that ran from November 23-30.

“The pandemic has been devastating for our partner charities and the vulnerable people they help. The resources at their disposal are down and the need from the people they serve is up,” says Colette Gerber, chair, REBGV.

“The support and enthusiasm this year was amazing. Our donation page received many comments from Realtors saying that the pandemic isn’t going to stop the profession from helping the people they’ve helped for 26 years (and) the fundraiser was a great way to give back,” says Chris Shields, president, FVREB.

The program is the largest and longest running blanket drive in British Columbia. Since it began in 1995, it has helped more than 425,000 people keep warm and dry during the winter months.

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The story of the property dates back to 1969 when five Realtors – Rod Archer, Arnold Jeffs, Ian Macnaughton, Reg Titus and John Woodward – privately purchased the land, calling it “the Back 40”. They owned it for a number of years but years ago sold it to the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) at cost, requesting that it be used to benefit people in Surrey and the Fraser Valley.

In 2016, FVREB members voted to sell the Back 40 and use the proceeds to fund a new charitable foundation, the Fraser Valley Realtors Charitable Foundation. The proceeds of this sale will allow the foundation to support organizations and people in need in North Delta, Surrey, White Rock, the Langleys, Abbotsford and Mission in perpetuity.

Woodward originally found the property and he was president of the real estate board when the acquisition was made.

Originally purchased for $39,000, the land is now worth millions.

“I was driving down 104th Avenue down in Surrey heading towards the new freeway and I spotted a little homemade for sale sign on a stump on the left hand side of the road as I was heading up. So, I took the number down and gave the lady in Vancouver who owned the property a call. I fully disclosed who I was and said that we were interested. We negotiated a purchase with her,” says Woodward.

The vacant and sought-after land, at 10515 155 St. in Surrey, is described as having excellent development potential and exceptional access to shopping, recreation, parks and transit.

“This is a passion of mine,” says Woodward. “Over the years, I have been pushing for a gift of this property. We never anticipated at the time that we acquired it that it would ever have any substantive value. But it’s increased enormously. It’s probably worth $4 or $5 million.”

He says the property was originally purchased for about $39,000.

Based on the permitted density in the RM-30 zone, this site could be developed with an 88-unit townhouse development with a gross building area of 172,782 square feet. An average size of 1,963 square feet per townhouse is anticipated, says the brochure.

“The property is irregular in shape, totaling 3.588 acres with approximately 940 feet of frontage along 155 Street.”

The property is currently zoned RF, Single-Family Residential.

Macnaughton said the vision was to sell the land and set up an ongoing charitable foundation where the capital can be preserved. Whatever income it makes can contribute to the community. “The whole thing from the beginning was making a contribution to the board and now the board is making a contribution beyond,” he says.

Charles Wiebe, chair of the charitable foundation that was formed about two years ago, says money from the sale will go into a trust account, which will earn interest that will go to various charities in the Fraser Valley area in the name of Realtors.

“The foundation will be made up of people within the FVREB area and we’ll be focusing on charities within (the area), which goes from White Rock right through to Abbotsford and Mission. They’ll be looking at requests from various organizations to see how they can best help based on the funds that are available to us within the foundation on a yearly basis,” says Wiebe.

The listing says Surrey is one of the fastest growing communities in B.C. and Guildford is one of its most established, sought-after neighbourhoods. In 2016, the population of Guildford was 60,745.

The property is being offered for sale through a confidential bidding process. All offers to purchase can be submitted no later than 4 p.m. on April 30. For supporting materials and/or to submit offers, contact: Darcie Rosenberg, Executive Assistant, 604-930-7604 or darcie@fvreb.bc.ca, or write c/o Fraser Valley Real Estate Board, 15463 104 Ave., Surrey, B.C. V3R 1N9

Mario Toneguzzi

Mario Toneguzzi is a contributing writer for REM. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald, covering sports, crime, politics, health, faith, city and breaking news, and business. He now works on his own as a freelance writer for several national publications and consultant in communications and media relations/training. Mario was named in 2021 as one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the World by PR News – the only Canadian to make the list.

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“I’m honoured to help lead our membership of over 3,000 Realtors through the coming year,” says Germyn. “Changes to the industry and local market continue to impact our clients, bringing opportunity and challenges in equal measure. I am looking forward to building on our foundation of professionalism and expertise so that our members remain a valuable resource during the transaction process and ensure clients are supported, protected and satisfied throughout.”

The incoming president elect is Chris Shields of Sutton Premier Realty, Surrey. The vice president is Larry Anderson, Sutton Premier Realty. Serving as directors are Leah Bach, Re/Max Performance Realty, Delta; Jeff Chadha, Century 21 Supreme Realty, Surrey; Karen Conyers, Sotheby’s International Realty, Surrey; Marylou Leslie, Macdonald Realty, Surrey; Linda Sue Peaker, Macdonald Realty, Delta; Darcy Reddicopp, Sutton Group – West Coast Realty, Abbotsford; Joel Schacter, Re/Max Treeland Realty, Langley; and David Smith, Royal LePage Wolstencroft, Langley.

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“Knowing Dan personally, I can attest to his exceptional character and the qualities that make him so worthy of this award,” says past president John Barbisan. “He gives back to his community, profession, to those less fortunate, and has the respect of our members. I can think of no one better to be recognized as our 2019 Professional of the Year.”

Corsie is the 34th Fraser Valley member to receive the award, which was renamed in 1996 in honour of John Armeneau, a North Delta Realtor who for over two decades was a role model and mentor to other Fraser Valley Realtors.

REM Editorial Team

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