Study Real Estate

A poll recently released by the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) says the dream of home ownership is alive and well among Ontario renters, with 70 per cent reporting that they would like to buy at some point in the future. However, the poll also shows that 81 per cent of Ontarians believe it is more difficult to own a home now than it was for their parents, and 89 per cent of Ontarians in general are concerned that home ownership will become even more difficult in the future.

“We have an obligation to protect the affordability of home ownership for future generations,” says Barb Sukkau, president of OREA. “From its impact on job creation to the healthy and stable environment it provides for raising a family, home ownership matters to people, communities and Ontario.”

Over half (54 per cent) of renters cited affordability as a key reason for not owning a home and 70 per cent surveyed indicated they would be more willing to consider owning if the government offered more tax breaks and incentives to offset costs for first-time buyers.

Homeowners also report higher levels of civic engagement. Eighty-two per cent of Ontario homeowners have donated to charity in the last two years; homeowners are much more likely to say they voted in the last municipal election than renters; and 35 per cent of owners say they have volunteered in their community.

OREA is proposing three policy initiatives to strengthen home ownership in Ontario:

-  An improved Land Transfer Tax (LTT) Rebate for first-time home buyers. OREA estimates that an improved LTT rebate would save a first-time buyer of an average resale home almost $1,500.

-  A permanent Ontario Home Renovation Tax Rebate. A renovation tax rebate would create jobs and curb the growth of the underground economy, says OREA.

- Reintroduce the Ontario Home Energy Efficiency Retrofit Rebate program. Investments in home energy efficiency will help homeowners cope with rising energy costs and curb greenhouse gas emissions, says the association.

Source: REM

Jenny Kotulak had no idea she was even nominated for the Ontario Real Estate Association’s (OREA) 2010 Volunteerism Award. But her colleagues in the audience knew –  the group from the Oakville, Milton and District Real Estate Board (OMDREB) had nominated her for it.

The award was presented at the OREA 2011 Leadership Conference. The Individual Member Volunteerism Award recognizes outstanding achievement in recruiting, recognizing and/or training board/association volunteers.

Jenny Kotulak (centre) poses with her OREA Volunteerism Award with, from left, Aziz Kanjee; Jack McCrudden (president, OMDREB); Marta Sponder (EO,OMDREB); Michele Gaboury; Tom Au Yeung and Heather Tilley.

Until a move earlier this year took her to the Huron-Perth Real Estate Board, Kotulak was a star at OMDREB.  A Realtor for more than 20 years, she joined the OMDREB Board of Directors in 2004. She became its president in 2007 as well as chair of the Nominating Committee. Shortly after she assumed the Nominating Committee chair, she and her colleagues transformed it into the Leadership Development Committee, effectively moving it from a group that became involved just prior to each election to a committee charged with developing future board leaders.  It was this achievement that led to her nomination for the OREA Volunteer of the Year Award.

OMDREB president Jack McCrudden says, “Leading by example, Jenny transformed the way the board recruits and retains volunteers. Her passion in revitalizing the former Nominating Committee into the Leadership Development Committee gave many of us the inspiration we needed to stand for election ourselves. I can even say I sit here as president today thanks to the spirit Jenny infused in all of us.”

Source: REM

St. Catharines real estate salesperson Barb Sukkau is the new president of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA).  Active in the real estate profession for 16 years, Sukkau is with Royal LePage Niagara Real Estate Centre. She is a past-president of the Niagara Association of Realtors, where she served as chair of the education, finance and communication committees and as a member of the public relations, membership and MLS and technology committees. She has served OREA since 2006 as a member on several committees and as chair of the education, finance, communication and government relations committees. Most recently, Sukkau served as chair of the electronic signatures task force and as a member of the legal resource committee, the Ontario Commercial Council, the executive committee and the awards task force.

Ronald Abraham of King City will serve as president-elect. OREA directors-at-large are: Phil Dorner of Belle River, Costa Poulopoulos of London and Cassandra Agnew Walker of Richmond Hill. Azizali Kanjee Khoja of Oakville will serve as commercial director and Gerry Weir of London will serve as the director representing the provincial association to CREA.

William Johnston of the Toronto Real Estate Board will serve as substantial membership director. Dorothy Mason remains on board as past-president. Provincial directors representing different geographic areas are: for Eastern Ontario, Patricia Verge of Ottawa; for Central Ontario, Tom Lebour of Mississauga and Maureen O’Neill of Toronto; for Northern Ontario, Richard Leroux of Timmins; for Southern Ontario, Mike Cusano of Stoney Creek; for Northeastern Ontario, Mike Douglas of Barrie; and for Western Ontario, Anna Vozza of Windsor.

Source: REM

OREA is throwing its support behind a private member’s bill that would establish a marijuana grow operations and clandestine drug laboratory registry. Bill 139, Clandestine Drug Operation Prevention Act, 2010, was introduced by MPP Lisa MacLeod.

“Grow-ops are a major problem for homebuyers in the province and we have been urging the Ontario government to establish a registry to protect consumers for almost 10 years,” says Dorothy Mason, OREA president. “We urge the government to pass this bill in order to protect homebuyers.”

Realtors are obligated by law to disclose to potential homebuyers if a home has been used as a marijuana grow-operation or a drug lab, but OREA says Ontario Realtors are hindered by the lack of a central registry, which is crucial to protecting homebuyers from the potential health and safety hazards of properties formerly used to manufacturer clandestine drugs.

Bill 139 defines a clandestine drug operation to be an illegal operation where any substance listed in the schedules I through IV in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of Canada can be obtained by any method or process.