Real eState
AREF, REFBC, and Platform Calgary Announce Partnership to Address Challenges in the Real Estate Industry – Financial Post
CALGARY, Alberta — The Alberta Real Estate Foundation (AREF) and the Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia (REFBC) are pleased to announce the first phase of a new partnership with Platform Calgary. This partnership will explore technology solutions to support the modernization of the real estate trust account process.
“The real estate industry is evolving at an ever-increasing pace and the processes for managing trust accounts haven’t kept up. Through this partnership, we look forward to exploring how we might modernize trust accounts and adopt new financial technologies to help our foundation thrive: simplified transaction processes, less time and paper, and the highest standards of accountability.” Jack Wong, CEO, Real Estate Foundation of BC.
Working together, Platform Calgary, AREF, and REFBC will host workshops with real estate professionals in Alberta and British Columbia to understand challenges within the trust account process and how new approaches might support the industry. Partners include real estate brokers, financial institutions, government, post-secondaries, and real estate foundations. Future phases will see Platform Calgary leverage its experience with technology startups to establish a startup accelerator and incubator program. This accelerator and incubator will feature programming that prepares startups to address opportunities identified by industry partners.
“In partnering with Platform Calgary, there is an opportunity to show leadership by using technology to improve the industry. We see opportunities to improve workflows, tighten up compliance documentation, and reduce banking fees. Ultimately, we aim to increase interest revenue to the foundations to support the public good,” says Cheryl DePaoli, Executive Director of AREF. “We look forward to increased collaboration with financial institutions and diverse industry partners through this process.”
Platform Calgary has a history of incubating and growing startups, with programs like Junction and industry partnerships with TELUS. Over the past three years, over 85 companies have gone through these programs, creating new jobs and millions of dollars of economic growth in the province.
For more information on the AREF, REFBC and Platform Calgary partnership please visit https://www.platformcalgary.com/programs-and-events/real-estate-growth-lab/.
About AREF
The Alberta Real Estate Foundation invests in real estate policy, research, practices, and education that strengthen Alberta’s communities. Since 1991, the Foundation has granted over $21 million to over 620 projects around the Province. For more information , please visit: www.aref.ab.ca.
About REFBC
The Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC) is a grantmaker working to support sustainable land use and real estate practices in British Columbia. Since 1988, REFBC has granted more than $90 million for projects that strengthen communities and protect our shared land and water. In addition to its grants program, REFBC leads on research and engagement projects that fill gaps in knowledge and collaboration. For more information about REFBC and its grants program, visit www.refbc.com.
About Platform Calgary:
Platform Calgary’s mandate is to work collaboratively to transform Calgary’s economy and identity by fostering a movement to create hundreds of innovation-driven, highly scalable companies. Platform provides access to education, coaching and connections that help people gain the entrepreneurial and technical skills needed to thrive in the new economy, helping startups grow and scale.
Calgary’s new Platform Innovation Centre is currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2021. Located in the East Village neighbourhood on 9th Ave SE, the physical space will serve as a visible and active hub for Calgary’s startup and innovation ecosystem, bringing an additional 50,000 feet of public access space to serve the community.
For more information about how you can get involved and help shape innovation in Calgary, visit www.platformcalgary.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191220005099/en/
Contacts
Cheryl De Paoli
Executive Director
Alberta Real Estate Foundation
cdepaoli@aref.ab.ca
Stephanie Butler
Communications Manager
Real Estate Foundation of British Columbia
stephanie@refbc.com
Vanessa Gagnon, PDM
Director, Marketing & Community
Platform Calgary
media@platformcalgary.com
403.774.4298
Real eState
Toronto real estate class-action could affect billions of dollars in commissions – Financial Post
We use cookies and data to
- Deliver and maintain Google services
- Track outages and protect against spam, fraud, and abuse
- Measure audience engagement and site statistics to understand how our services are used and enhance the quality of those services
If you choose to “Accept all,” we will also use cookies and data to
- Develop and improve new services
- Deliver and measure the effectiveness of ads
- Show personalized content, depending on your settings
- Show personalized ads, depending on your settings
If you choose to “Reject all,” we will not use cookies for these additional purposes.
Non-personalized content is influenced by things like the content you’re currently viewing, activity in your active Search session, and your location. Non-personalized ads are influenced by the content you’re currently viewing and your general location. Personalized content and ads can also include more relevant results, recommendations, and tailored ads based on past activity from this browser, like previous Google searches. We also use cookies and data to tailor the experience to be age-appropriate, if relevant.
Select “More options” to see additional information, including details about managing your privacy settings. You can also visit g.co/privacytools at any time.
|
|
While Katy Perry prepares to take the stand in court, a bill with her name might be going to DC.
The “Fireworks” songstress and her partner Orlando Bloom are currently tied up in a legal battle with 84-year-old Carl Westcott, the founder of 1-800-Flowers, who claims he was on painkillers when he agreed to sell the couple his Santa Barbara mansion. Perry and Bloom are not named in Westcott’s filing, which is against the couple’s business manager, Bernie Gudvi.
As the trial rages on, members of the Wescott family are throwing their support behind a newly launched campaign for the Protecting Elder Realty for Retirement Years (PERRY) Act. “The Katy PERRY Act addresses the risks of elder financial abuse, especially as it relates to property and real estate sales and transfers,” a website for the act explains.
Representatives for Perry did not immediately respond to EW’s request for comment.
Jason Kempin/Getty Images Katy Perry
In an op-ed for The Federalist, Carl Wescott’s son, Chart Wescott, called upon California and other state legislators to pass the act, which establishes a 72-hour grace period during real estate sales and transfers of personal residences that allows either party to rescind the agreement without penalty, if one party is over the age of 75.
The website also lists the 38 state and local politicians who are backing the act.
Per PEOPLE, Perry and Bloom originally purchased the 9,285-square-foot home from Wescott in July 2020 for $15 million. Days after the deal was finalized, Wescott claimed that he had been recovering from spinal surgery at the time of the agreement.
During opening statements last Wednesday, Westcott’s attorney Andrew Thomas said that his client, who was diagnosed with the genetic brain disorder Huntington’s Disease in 2015, had been showing signs of “delusion” and “intrusive thoughts” after taking the painkillers and was still recovering from “post-operative delirium.”
In a countersuit, Perry is seeking more than $5 million in damages due to loss of potential rental income and for the cost of maintaining other properties that she and Bloom rent. She is expected to remotely testify this week in the non-jury trial which began last Wednesday.
|
|
A new report from RBC says short of a housing crash that would “destroy property values” in Canada, it will take years and concerted efforts to restore affordability.
The second-quarter report on housing affordability lays out some dire conditions across the country and warns “any progress in restoring housing affordability is likely to be slow.”
According to RBC, in order to see any sort of difference in the current housing situation, supply needs to increase by giant leaps.
But the bank says that doing that will take a long time and even if new homes are built, the rising construction costs could still result in Canadians being priced out of the market.
The dream of home ownership remains out of reach for many
As Canadians across the country deal with high interest rates and real estate prices, the report suggests buyers will continue to deal with “extremely difficult affordability conditions.”
“We believe those pressures are behind the notable cooling in home resale activity we saw this summer in Ontario and British Columbia. They are poised to weigh on demand for months to come in both regions, with many buyers entirely priced out in Vancouver and Toronto,” reads the report.
RBC says we are still seeing the effects of the sharp erosion of affordability from the pandemic playing a role.
Vancouver
Any hopes for any improvement in affordability were dashed as the market rebound in the second quarter sent home prices climbing at a rapid clip again after soaring interest rates saw prices drop the previous year.
Calgary
According to RBC, Calgary is apparently the hottest housing market in the country right now. The bank says inventory is at a 15-year low and that “home resales [are] running at the pre-pandemic peak” and as buyers compete fiercely for the little inventory Edmonton
We’re not in Calgary… The situation is Edmonton is quite different as there seems to be “plentiful inventory” that is resulting in a “calming effect” on price negotiations.
Toronto
RBC says Toronto has more in common with the situation in BC than Alberta right now. There is “no material relief” in sight in Toronto and RBC says “the dream of owning a home remains far out of reach for ordinary folks.”
Interest rates seem to have ignited resale activity in the spring, but RBC is predicting “a more subdued tone” in the months ahead.
Finding Your Perfect Match: The Best Ways to Choose an Online Sportsbook
Howard Anglin: The Conservatives are cruising and the media can't hide its disappointment – The Hub
As LeBron James enters Year 21, the theme of Lakers media day was passing the torch and sharing the load
-
Business20 hours ago
Metro Vancouver workers poised to strike as soon as Monday, union says
-
News23 hours ago
Amid India-Canada row, Elon Musk accuses Canadian PM Justin Trudeau of ‘crushing free speech’; here’s why
-
Real eState22 hours ago
Swedish Home Prices Fall Again in September, Down 13% From Peak
-
Art16 hours ago
One family’s battle to be reunited with art looted by the Nazis – CNN
-
Business17 hours ago
Alleged mortgage fraud victims still not off the hook for payments after criminal charges laid
-
Economy11 hours ago
Bill Ackman says the economy is starting to slow and the Fed is likely done hiking
-
Business19 hours ago
Ontario’s minimum wage increase impact upon workers
-
Media10 hours ago
Sources – James Harden, seeking trade, not at 76ers media day