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I am so excited that Coldwell Banker Canada is back to being Canadian owned! I look forward to working with the new leadership, who are from Alberta, to build an even stronger presence in the West!

This also means we are part of the Coldwell Banker International Franchise group which allows us more networking opportunities with Coldwell Banker Affiliates from all over the world!

Hooray!

Susanita de Diego

Read on for the full press release:

Coldwell Banker Real Estate operation in Canada acquired by Edmonton-based business partnership

Coldwell Banker brokerage owner Steve Houle and business partner Karim Kennedy take ownership of Coldwell Banker Canadian operations with franchised offices from coast to coast

BURLINGTON, ON, CANADA (October 20, 2021) – Award-winning Coldwell Banker brokerage owner Steve Houle and business partner Karim Kennedy have acquired the master franchise rights for the iconic Coldwell Banker® global brand in Canada. The two Edmonton-based entrepreneurs take ownership of Coldwell Banker Canada Operations ULC (doing business as Coldwell Banker Canada) effective immediately. They will apply a unique blend of knowledge and experience as they continue to provide support to a coast-to-coast network of independent affiliates and their sales representatives and seek to grow the brand’s presence in Canada.

Steve Houle has been a part of the Coldwell Banker network for over four years, as owner of the independent franchise Coldwell Banker Island Properties, operating 18 offices throughout Hawaii. Under his leadership, the company has grown to nearly 500 agents and has qualified as a Chairman’s Circle brokerage, a distinction reserved for the top 9% of companies in the Coldwell Banker global system. Under his leadership, Houle and his team grew Coldwell Banker Island Properties’ transaction volume by almost 500%. Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Steve has a proven track record for establishing and building successful businesses.

Business partner Karim Kennedy is also born and raised in Edmonton and continues to reside in the city. He has an extensive 25-year background in the financial sector working with major institutions such as The Business Development Bank of Canada and Scotiabank. An avid supporter of entrepreneurship, he has a strong track record of assisting companies with execution of their growth plans particularly through mergers and acquisitions, and he will take on the role of CEO of Coldwell Banker Canada.

Andy Puthon, the current president of the Coldwell Banker Canadian operations and his Canadian team remain with the company based in the Burlington national office.

“This ownership change marks a new day for the Coldwell Banker brand in the Canadian marketplace,” said Liz Gehringer, chief operating officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate. “This 100% Canadian ownership structure will provide the organization both flexibility and autonomy, while continuing to be a part of a global network. Steve and Karim have demonstrated the leadership and entrepreneurial expertise to grow the renowned Coldwell Banker brand in Canada. The Canadian team is looking forward to working with Steve and Karim as they explore new opportunities.”

“As the owner of a successful Coldwell Banker franchise operation, I understand the value that the brand offers its affiliates,” said Houle. “As a proud Canadian, I also know the tremendous
potential that is present in the Canadian real estate market, so I am very excited by the opportunities that the future holds.”

“The affiliates now have the access to leverage this team’s deep insight and expertise to exceed their business goals. Combined with our collective strength across a viable Canadian real estate
landscape, many advantageous opportunities abound to help affiliates take their businesses to greater heights,” continues Coldwell Banker Canada CEO Karim Kennedy. “We additionally value their input and will be engaging with brokers across the country as we build our vision for the future for Coldwell Banker in Canada, and its affiliates from coast to coast and provide a compelling destination for prospective franchisees.”

The Coldwell Banker brand first came to Canada with its first international franchises in 1989 and achieved dramatic growth through a joint venture with Canada Trust in 1992. The parent company of Madison New Jersey based Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, acquired ownership of Coldwell Banker Canada in May 2007. The Coldwell Banker Canada network has independently owned residential and commercial franchised offices across Canada from coast to coast and also in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Globally, Coldwell Banker has a network of over 96,000 sales professionals operating in 2,900 offices in 40 countries and territories worldwide.

About the Coldwell Banker® Organization
Powered by its network of over 96,000 affiliated sales professionals in approximately 2,900 offices across 40 countries and territories, the Coldwell Banker® organization is a leading provider of full-service residential and commercial real estate brokerage services. The Coldwell Banker brand prides itself on its history of expertise, honesty and an empowering culture of excellence since its beginnings in 1906.

In Canada, Coldwell Banker has a national network of independently owned residential and commercial offices that spans from coast to coast. Each office is independently owned and operated. For further information on Coldwell Banker Affiliates of Canada or to search for individual offices, sales representatives, or property listings across Canada, visit www.coldwellbanker.ca
Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services.

For Media enquiries, please contact:
susanita@cbcalgary.ca +1.403.686.1455

Exhale…!!!

Well, that was a pretty wonderful start to a new career.

Back in October 2020 I completed my Real Estate courses and embarked on this new journey. Of course, I did spend the first few months “preparing” i.e., ordering business cards, making lists that went nowhere, etc. So basically, things really didn’t get moving until the beginning of 2021.

My first client was family and I am truly appreciative for the confidence that they had in me. Without the extensive knowledge of my partner, I would have floundered. We listed a property that created multiple Offers within the first few hours of the listing having gone “live”. Fun. Exciting. But also, very nerve wracking. Wanting to only do what was best for our client.

This momentum continued right through until the end of August. Frustration set in as residual services became increasingly busy, backed-up or entirely unavailable. Now we were all scrambling for the same deadlines.

Many people have expressed the same sentiment while being very cautious to not seem ungrateful. This has been one of the busiest years they have seen in a long time!  What was it? Pent up demand? People needing change? Epiphanies that came about during COVID lockdowns?

Whatever it was, the frustration continues with the unavailability of services that we have all become so dependent on.

So maybe it’s time for us all to just take a deep breath and realize that we no longer live in a world of instant gratification and that the best things in life are worth the wait.

It’s time to refocus on providing excellent customer service (no matter what your industry). Those customer/client relationships are what will get us through the tough times that are sure to come around again.

Namaste, everyone!

Sincerely,

Marietta Maier, REALTOR®

Sales activity improves for second consecutive month

City of Calgary, June 2019

Sales growth in May was met with a decline in new listings. This combination eased the pressure on inventory levels, which finished the month at 7,467 units, a decline of 12 percent compared to last year.

Improving sales relative to inventory levels caused the months of supply to ease to just under four months. While still oversupplied, this is an improvement from the five months of supply recorded last May. Citywide sales in May totaled 1,921 units, 11 percent higher than last year’s levels. However, sales remain 10 percent below longer-term trends. This sales growth was primarily driven by homes prices under $500,000.

Citywide benchmark prices totaled $424,600 in May. Prices have shown some signs of improvement month-over-month, but remain four percent lower than 2018 levels.

“While sales activity remains low based on historical activity for May, the easing prices have brought some people back to market, while also preventing some others from listing their homes,” said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie. “This has started to push the market towards more balanced conditions. If this trend continues, it could limit some of the downward pressure on prices.”

Housing Market Facts

Detached

• Detached sales in May totaled 1,182 units. This is a 12 percent increase over last year, but still 13 percent below long-term averages. The improvement in sales was driven primarily by gains in homes priced under $500,000.
• Sales activity increased across most districts in May. However, year-to-date sales have only increased in the East, South and North East districts of the city. Citywide sales remain one percent lower than last year’s levels.
• New listings in May pulled back significantly from previous year’s levels. Combined with an improvement in sales, this resulted in inventories declining from 4,504 units last May to 3,921 units this month. This is the first time since. May 2017 that year-over-year inventories declined.
• Easing inventory and improving sales caused months of supply to ease to 3.3 months. This is still elevated compared to historical levels but represents an improvement compared to levels from the past year.
• Prices have remained relatively stable over the past few months, with some modest monthly improvements. However, the oversupply scenario has left prices four percent lower than last year and seven percent lower than 2014 highs.

Apartment

• May benchmark prices totaled $248,200, 0.6 percent lower than last month and nearly three percent lower than last year’s levels. This is resulting in a total price adjustment of over 17 percent since 2014.
• The improvement in monthly sales was not enough to offset previous declines. Year-to-date apartment sales sit at 1,030 units. This is seven percent lower than last year and 28 percent lower than longer-term averages. Easing sales were met with fewer new listings, reducing the market inventory. This pushed months of supply to just over five months.
• If the reduction in oversupply continues, it will eventually help limit price declines. However, this market remains oversupplied and prices continue to edge down.

Attached

• Attached sales activity continue to improve in May. Year-to-date sales improved by two percent, making this the only sector to record a year-to-date improvement. Improvements occurred throughout most districts of the city, apart from the City Centre, North West, and West districts.
• New listings have also pulled back relative to sales. This is causing inventories to ease compared to last year and months of supply to trend down.
• Benchmark prices remain five percent lower than last year’s levels but have seen some modest gains on a month-to-month basis. Despite some signs of improvement, prices remain 10 percent lower than 2014 highs.

For anyone who is interested in buying or selling during this interesting market period, we would love to help!

Download: Calgary Real Estate Statistics – May 2019

New year kicks off with slow sales

City of Calgary, February 2019

As economic challenges linger into 2019, housing markets remain on a sluggish pace. January sales totaled 804 units, 16 percent below last year and 21 percent below long-term averages for the month.

“The slow start to the year does not come as a surprise, as concerns about job losses and the state of the energy sector weigh on consumers. We anticipate that the slow market conditions will persist throughout much of the first quarter,” said CREB® chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie.

The number of new listings entering the market remained comparable to last year, but those levels far surpassed sales activity. This has resulted in further gains in inventory levels. Elevated inventories relative to sales caused months of supply to rise to nearly seven months. Persistent buyers’ market conditions have continued to impact prices. Citywide residential benchmark prices eased to $414,800 in January. This is nearly one percent lower than December figures and four percent below January 2018 levels.

Housing Market Facts

Detached

• Detached sales eased by 17 percent compared to last year. However, declines did not occur across all districts, as sales activity improved in both the North West and North East districts. The most significant sales declines occurred in the North and West districts of the city.

• New listing rose across all districts except the North East, North and South East districts. Only the North East district recorded easing months of supply compared to last year.

• Detached benchmark prices totaled $476,500, a one percent decline compared to December and over four percent lower than last January.

• Prices eased across all districts. The largest year-over-year declines occurred in the South, North West, and City Centre districts.

Apartment

• Apartment sales totaled 126 units in January. This is 13 percent below last year and over 20 percent below long-term averages for the month.

• Slower sales and lower new listings helped inventory levels ease. Currently, there are 1,173 units in inventory, which is nine percent lower than January 2018 levels.

• Despite some adjustments in inventory, months of supply remained elevated at nine months, impacting prices. While prices remained relatively flat compared to last month, they declined by two percent compared to levels from last January.

• Prices remain well below previous highs, but there were some price improvements compared to last year in both the North East and South East districts.

Attached

• Sales declined for both row and semi-detached product types. New listings rose, causing inventories to rise for both product types.

• With the attached sector firmly reflecting buyers’ market conditions, prices eased by over four percent for a January benchmark price of $313,700.

• Semi-detached prices eased by nearly five percent compared to last year for a total of $393,100. The steepest declines occurred in the City Centre and South districts, with adjustments of over six percent.

• Row prices declined by four percent compared to last year for a total of $284,300. All districts recorded price declines, but the most notable decline occurred in the City Centre, where prices were nearly eight percent lower than last year.

For anyone who is interested in buying or selling during this interesting market period, we would love to help!

Download: Calgary Real Estate Statistics – January 2019

Calgary Brokerage Owner Susanita de Diego welcomes top producer Rachelle Starnes and her team of 10 luxury specialists; marketing will focus on newly launched Coldwell Banker Global Luxury brand.

(Burlington, Ontario – December 19, 2017.) Coldwell Banker Canada Operations ULC has announced that well known luxury property specialist Rachelle Starnes and her team of ten real estate professionals have joined Coldwell Banker Complete Real Estate of Calgary, Alberta.  Members of the team include Alicja Rudolf, Mel Loewen, Jeff Tincher, Niki Taggart, Patti Reid, Lorena Wozney, Christopher Zee, Katina Martin, Pam MacLeod and Diana Secrieru.

 Brokerage owner Susanita de Diego confirms that the team formerly associated with Engel & Volkers has chosen to join the Coldwell Banker system and will be focusing much of their marketing efforts under the newly-launched Coldwell Banker Global Luxury brand.

Rachelle Starnes has been serving clients in the Calgary area since 2000 in the luxury new home, new condominium and resale market and has consistently been recognized in the top 1% of the luxury market.

THE STARNES GROUP team members’ total sales volume has exceeded $1 billion over the past 17 years.  THE STARNES GROUP specializes in luxury real estate, as well as acreage and communities outside the city and also counsels real estate investors, including international buyers. Their client base includes leaders in the private business sector, natural resources, financial services, real estate development, law, entertainment, technology, apparel, and hospitality.

“We’ve recently launched the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury brand, with a whole suite of highly specialized resources targeted to the discriminating buyers and sellers of high end real estate,” says brokerage owner Susanita de Diego.  “The decision of THE STARNES GROUP to join our brokerage is a strong indication that we offer a compelling alternative to sales representatives specializing in luxury sales here in Calgary.”

“My team and I are very excited to be joining Coldwell Banker Complete Real Estate here in Calgary,” confirms award-winning sales professional Rachelle Starnes.  “Our years of experience marketing unique and beautiful homes, combined with the systems and resources provided by Coldwell Banker Global Luxury will allow us to offer a high level of service that is well suited to the specialized needs of our clients.”

“We congratulate Susanita de Diego on this important addition to her company and are delighted to welcome Rachelle Starnes and THE STARNES GROUP to the Coldwell Banker network,” said Andy Puthon, President of Coldwell Banker Canada Operations ULC. “Their depth of experience in the luxury market and extensive client base will be important assets to the Coldwell Banker Complete Real Estate brokerage.  We wish them great success in their new business relationship.”

About Coldwell Banker®

Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker® organization has been a premier full-service real estate provider.  In Canada, Coldwell Banker has a national network of approximately 200 independently owned residential and commercial offices, operating in every province across Canada, and also in the Yukon and Northwest Territories.  Globally, Coldwell Banker has over 91,000 affiliated brokers and independent sales associates in approximately 3,000 independently owned and operated franchise broker offices in 47 countries and territories worldwide.

For further information on the Coldwell Banker® network in Canada or to search for individual offices, sales representatives, or property listings in Canada, visit www.coldwellbanker.ca. For more information on The Starnes Group, visit www.thestarnesgroup.com.

Coldwell Banker Canada Operations ULC is a subsidiary of Realogy Group LLC and Realogy Holdings Corporation. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Each office is independently owned and operated.

For further information, please contact:

Susanita de Diego, Broker/Owner,
COLDWELL BANKER COMPLETE REAL ESTATE
#72155, 1600 90th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta
T2V 5H9
Phone: (403) 686-1455

© 2017 Coldwell Banker LLC. All Rights Reserved. Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker LLC. Each sales representative and broker is responsible for complying with any consumer disclosure laws or regulations. Any use of the term “sales associate” or “agent” shall be replaced with the term “sales representative” in Canada.