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- f* h TV v ^ /*. •. < ;rf: • <- > -» V rtf V »' i - f % 1 ' ll f 26 The Independent, Canadian Statesman Weekender, Bowmanville, Saturday, April 23,1994 Flexibility Necessary for Real Estate Professionals This article is provided by local Realtors and the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) of the benefit of consumers in the real estate market. If you have ever worked with a real estate professional, you know that his or her job involves a great deal more than just showing or listing homes. In addition to these functions, he or she must be part-lawyer, part- financier, part-manager and part- public relations expert. So, to be effective effective in these roles, a real estate professional must possess strong negotiating, negotiating, mathematical, leadership and people skills - just to name a few. If you're familiar with the real estate estate profession, you're probably also aware that most practitioners do not have the luxury of leaving the office at five o'clock and leaving their work behind as well. In fact, almost all of them work extensive evening and weekend hours, since these are the prime times when home buyers and sellers are available. In addition, flexibility is a big part of being a real estate professional. They have to be prepâred to rearrange rearrange their whole schedules if they receive an urgent call from a purchaser purchaser or vendor. This commitment to their clients and customers makes it difficult to schedule vacations or make long-range plans. Real estate professionals also have to adjust to living on commissions - earned when properties are sold - instead instead of receiving a regular pay cheque. So, their incomes can fluctuate fluctuate considerably. Comprehensive Educational Requirements Individuals interested in entering the profession must also meet some strict educational requirements. To become licensed, they must complete a series of demanding educational courses. They also have to complete a two-year "articling" period with a real estate broker and consistently upgrade upgrade their professional knowledge through ongoing professional development. development. Ontario's educational system system for real estate practitioners has become recognized as one of the most comprehensive in North America. America. Consumer Protection Real Estate professionals in Ontario Ontario are also strictly regulated by the government. All real estate brokers and salespeople must be registered under consumer protection legislation called the Real Estate and Business Brokers Act (REBBA). A broker is the agent who represents the buyer or seller in a real estate transaction. A salesperson, on the other hand, is the broker's employee or appointee, authorized authorized by the broker to trade in real estate on his or her behalf. REBBA REBBA and its accompanying regulations contain numerous provisions designed designed to regulate the activities of these real estate professionals. The Act is administered by the Registrar of Real Estate and Business Brokers. The Registrar's office responds responds to consumer enquiries and complaints. In addition, the Registrar's Registrar's office can suspend or terminate the licenses of practitioners who violate violate the Act. If these individuals are prosecuted, they can face fines and jail sentences as well. Organized Real Estate To promote higher industry standards, standards, professionalism and organization, organization, groups of real estate practitioners practitioners came together to form real estate boards throughout Ontario. Today, there are 48 boards in the province and approximately 85 per cent of real estate practitioners are real estate board members. One of the primary functions of these boards is to operate operate Multiple Listing Services (MLS) which list properties for sale. Real estate estate boards also provide public relations relations programs, professional development development opportunities and a host of other services. Real Estate practitioners pay a fee if they would like to join a real estate board. When they join, they automatically automatically become members of the Ontario Ontario Real Estate Association and the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). Only practitioners who belong belong to these organizations, and therefore subscribe to a high standard of professional service and to CREA's strict code of ethics, can call themselves Realtors. You can identify identify whether or not a real estate practitioner practitioner is a board member, if he or she uses the "Realtor" or "MLS" trademarks trademarks in their advertising. You can also contact a real estate board to find out this information.' Professional Standards Enforced All real estate boards enforce the code of ethics through their professional professional standards committees. A consumer consumer or a real estate professional can file a complaint with a real estate board if they believe one of the board's members has violated this code. Boards can impose fines on salespeople or brokerage firms for unsuitable conduct. In addition, they can insist that these members up grade their education to serve consumers consumers more effectively. They can also suspend or terminate their board memberships. Both the government and organized organized real estate have imposed very high professional standards on real estate practitioners. While a career in real estate is very demanding, it can have many paybacks in terms of potential potential income and personal satisfaction. satisfaction. It's a career that brings people together, helping them realize their dreams of home ownership and helping helping to build communities. LAWYER Peter E. Heslin, LL.B. Real Estate Wills Mortgages Family Law Pickering-Ajax Bowmanville 1305 Pickering Parkway 36 King St. E. Suite 304 623-5554 Call Toll Free - Region of Durham, and Toronto 1-800-567-3926 Real BSPl l :mm WÊmMÊÊ i Estate with Betty Smith POWER OF SALE Should a Mortgagor go into default on his mortgage e.g. fail to make mortgage payments, the Mortgagee (lender) has a number of different remedies. One of the most common legal actions is for the lender to effect a "Power of Sale". If all avenues to avoid default have been investigated, then the Mortgagee will serve a "Notice of Exercising Power of Sale" to the Mortgagor (borrower). At this time, all other parties with an interest in the property will also be notified (e.g. a Second Mortgagee). The "owner" will have thirty-five days following the service of this notice to bring his mortgage payments up to date. If he fails to do so, he will eventually be required to vacate the premises and the Lender will be at liberty to sell the property either privately, by auction or through a Realtor (for as close to market value as possible). Be part of our exciting Car Sweepstakes Sell or Purchase through me this year and you'll be eligible to win our shiny new Grand Am SE. Call me for details. I can be reached at Family Realty 2000 Ltd., 1 King Street West, Bowmanville, 623- 2000 (24 Hour Pager). © WATCH YOUR SAVINGS GROW AT NATIONAL TRUST OPEN A NEW U S. ACCOUNT AND WE WILL ADD $10.00 U.S. DOLLARS TOWARDS YOUR NEXT YEAR'S HOLIDAY But Hurry, Offer only lasts until May 10,1994 [Minimum five Hundred Dollar Deposit. Bonus must remain on deposit minimum 90 days.) © I ^'B by Ben Bramble i STAIN REMOVAL MADE EASIER and dry sandpaper, #0000 steel wool and lemon oil, Stains are a fact of life and every household has its or even white tooth paste. Paste wax will bring back the shine if the buffing is successful. If your scouring takes you down to the wood you will have to build up the finish with the same material, e.g. varnish, using a small brush with several coats and light sanding between coats to get it level. If the wood itself has been burned, carefully scrape out the charred portion, sand lightly and apply stick shellac by heating it. and letting a drop at own collection. We tolerate some of them, more or less, but come spring, that urge to purge overcomes "she who must be obeyed" and faint of heart had better run for cover. The refuge of the wimp is the garden or the workshop where he can find his own urgent matters to attend to until the drama plays itself out. Most homeowners have a repertoire of stain removal techniques that has been built up over time, _ . but here are a couple of suggestions that you may a time build up the level. It can be purchased in consider including. different wood-matching colors. Marble Once again build up the finish itself as above. Most stains on marble (even cigarette burns) can be Dropped cigarettes can burn holes in carpets removed with a strong solution (e.g. hair bleach) of and if the house survives you can cut a rectangular hydrogen peroxide. A few drops of ammonia while the piece out of the carpet around the burned hole and solution is sitting on the marble will activate it for better replace it with an identical piece from a scrap or results. Rust stains may not respond to this treatment but can usually be erased by rubbing with a scouring compound on a damp cloth. This will remove the shine . on the marble but it. can be restored by rubbing with the nap when cutting the patch so that it will be less zinc oxide abrasive powder which you can locate at a noticeable hobby store. It is used to polish rocks and semi I precious stones. A deep-seated cigarette burn may need the poultice treatment. Use powdered white chalk moistened with varsol or hydrogen peroxide. While the poultice sits on the stain for a few hours cover it with plastic food wrap taped down to keep it moist l I I I l l I I I I l I I I I l I ' Üft thë'pïastîc and allow a fewmore hours to dry can be removed by placing a few sheets of paper I i n--it towel over the wax and warmino it with an iron set I remnant, glued in place. If no remnants remain look for an inconspicuous spot in a corner or under a piece of furniture that has a permanent place in the room. Always line up Wax . Wax dripped from a candle always looks far more serious than it is. An ice cube held on the spot will make the wax so brittle that it is easily lifted from fabric or wood with no damage. In deep pile rugs some wax may remain and this and brush off. Repeat if necessary. Cigarettes Cigarettes seem to create havoc on inanimate objects just as they do on us poor living creatures. If a burn has marred a finished wood surface it depends on the degree of the burn when deciding on treatment. A light discoloring of the finish can be buffed away with a scouring compound, pumice and water, #400 wet towel over the wax and warming it with an iron set at synthetic. Two or three repetitions may be necessary, followed by a rubbing with a varsol dampened cloth. Incidentally, latex paint drops will not respond to varsol. Use acetone (nail polish remover) but take the precaution of testing on a portion of carpet that is inconspicuous because some synthetics will melt. Sponsored by Mulder's Furniture Ltd. Fine Furniture and Quality Broadloom 23 King Street E. 623-5515 Bowmanville CLIP AND SAVE