Mark Your Calendars: BIG Things Are Coming. Page 2-3
2025
Look at Us Grow: Bigger, Bolder, Better Than Ever! Page 4-5
Dive Into Conrad’s Blog: You’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat Page 8-9
SEPTEMBER
EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT
FUN
WITH
FINTRAC
with Elizabeth Peters
VIRTUAL ONLY | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
SEPT
17
*Multiple dates *
SEPT
18
Join us IN-PERSON or VIRTUALLY for a variety of relevant training opportunities. Scan the QR Code or go to RemaxEscarpmentNiagara.EventBrite.com to register unless otherwise indicated in the course description.
25
A session designed to make compliance both engaging and practical. In this course, we will walk you through the latest updates, showing you how to stay compliant with confidence while making the process easier to manage. The goal is to take the stress out of compliance and give you clear, actionable strategies you can use right away in your business.
MPAC 101 FOR REALTORS® + RE/MAX NIAGARA OFFICE
MEETING with Nathan Morrissette
IN-PERSON ONLY | NIAGARA FALLS OFFICE | 10:30 – 12:00
Office meetings are back! We’ll kick things off with updates on upcoming events, industry news, and key business reminders, followed by an exclusive MPAC 101 session. Learn how property assessments really work, the difference between taxes and assessments, how MPAC measures square footage, and how to leverage MPAC reports and Propertyline tools to better serve your clients. Don’t miss this chance to sharpen your skills, stay informed, and gain insights to guide clients with confidence.
NEW AGENT TRAINING: A MANDATORY 6 WEEK PROGRAM
with Elizabeth Peters
VIRTUAL ONLY, WEEK 1-5 10:00 – 12:00 | SEPT 17 | OCT 1, 8, 15 & 22 IN PERSON, WEEK 6 10:00 – 12:00 | OCT 29 | QUEENSTON OFFICE
A mandatory 6-week program for new EN Realtors (licensed within the last two years) designed to build a strong foundation in real estate. The program covers core fundamentals such as agency under TRESA, MLS systems, and GeoWarehouse, and provides in-depth training on agreements, WebForms, and property research, concluding with hands-on negotiation strategies and essential business practices.
EXCLUSIVE SPEAKER EVENT WIT H
CMHC’S ANTHONY PASSARELLI
IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL | WINTERBERRY OFFI CE
10:00 – 12:00
Join us for the launch of our Compound Interests Speaker Series. Our first guest, Anthony Passarelli, Lead Economist (Southern Ontario) with CMHC, will share insights on housing trends, supply, affordability, and what’s ahead for buyers and sellers. Don’t miss this chance to hear from a leading voice in Canadian real estate economics and gain valuable perspectives to better guide your clients.
RESET
YOUR REAL
ESTATE BUSINESS
with Conrad Zurini
IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL | WINTERBERRY OFFI CE | 10:00 – 12:00
This course is designed to help you begin to re-shape your business going forward. This session will help you analyze your business from cost of sales to client acquisition, enabling you to re-engineer your processes, and understand what is working and what is not. Furthermore, we will explore where to put more time and resources, and when to shed ‘the same old same old’. It’s time to put a plan in motion to create a more enjoyable, predictable and profitable business for the future.
MARKET UPDATE
10:30 – 12:00 | WINTERBERRY | IN PERSON & VIRTUAL MARKET UPDATE – STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Market Update is your chance to tackle today’s challenges and gain practical strategies from Broker of Record Conrad Zurini alongside our trusted partners at RBC, Escarpment Law, and Mission35 Mortgages. Together, we break down the latest market trends, financing options, and legal insights so you can serve clients with confidence.
This year, we’re raising the bar:
• Fresh Stats & A nalysis
• New Partners
• Events & Tools
Market Update is more than just information — it’s your opportunity to reset, recharge, and sharpen your edge in a fast-moving market. Strongly recommended for all agents and assistants. Lunch will be provided for all in-person attendees following this update.
RE/MAX ESCARPMENT AGENTS
CONSISTENT BEHAVIOUR PAYS DIVIDENDS with Lynn Hoffmann | 15 classes in total
10:00 – 12:00 | OCT 28, 30 | NOV 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 25 | DEC 2, 9, 16 | JAN 6, 13, 20
FAIRVIEW OFFICE – IN PERSON ONLY
Now is the time to strengthen your fundamental skills and get back to the basic principles of real estate sales. Join Buffini Certified Mentor, Lynn Hoffmann, for 100 Days to Greatness, the most comprehensive, step-by-step training program created for the real estate industry. Receive weekly action steps to generate a steady stream of leads, gain the skills needed to close sales and learn how to leverage your time, money and energy to be successful. SCAN THE ATTACHED QR CODE and SIGN UP (for new to Buffini) or SIGN IN (exisiting Buffini account) and Register early to allow for ample shipping time for your course materials. REGISTER EARLY! This class will only run if there is a minimum number of attendees.
RE/MAX NIAGARA AGENTS
100 DAYS TO GREATNESS with Eric Johnson | 15 classes in total
10:00 – 12:00 | SEPT 16, 18, 23, 25, 30 | OCT 2, 7, 14, 21, 28 | NOV 4, 11, 18, 25 | DEC 2
NIAGARA FALLS OFFICE – IN PERSON ONLY
Now is the time to strengthen your fundamental skills and get back to the basic principles of real estate sales. Join Buffini Certified Mentor, Eric Johnson, for 100 Days to Greatness, the most comprehensive, step-by-step training program created for the real estate industry. Receive weekly action steps to generate a steady stream of leads, gain the skills needed to close sales and learn how to leverage your time, money and energy to be successful. SCAN THE ATTACHED QR CODE and SIGN UP (for new to Buffini) or SIGN IN (exisiting Buffini account) and Register early to allow for ample shipping time for your course materials. REGISTER EARLY! This class will only run if there is a minimum number of attendees.
SIGN UP on the Buffini site or SIGN IN to your Buffini Account
SCAN TO REGISTER
LOOK AT US GROW
DEPARTMENT
SPOTLIGHT
DEALTRACK | WELCOME TO WHAT’S NEXT
DealTrack has officially arrived, and offices are already transitioning over. The rollout is going smoothly, with teams embracing the platform and leaving Nexone behind.
With DealTrack, you can level up your business by building a trusted network. Think of it as your circle of experts—vendors, collaborators, and partners who help you and your clients succeed through trust, value, and repeat business. By adding your preferred vendors, clients gain access to a platform with documents, promotions, and your network.
DealTrack offers powerful features: deposit uploads, GCI and closings dashboards, condition and closing calendars, signing notifications, and real-time legal and inspection updates. It also streamlines compliance with partially filled FINTRAC forms, client intake, ID uploads, receipt of funds, and secure deposit payments—all designed to elevate your service and efficiency.
CONTACT US AT SUPPORT@DEALTRACK.COM
MARKETING
SPOTLIGHT
STATS | WHERE THEY ARE AND HOW YOU CAN USE THEM!
We’re excited to announce that our mid-year stats have officially been released-and they’re all available for you on ENcore! These numbers are more than just data-they’re powerful tools to help you showcase your value, secure new clients, and close more deals with confidence.
In addition to the full set of stats, you can also request your very own personalized report card (for internal use only). This is a great way to highlight your accomplishments and see exactly where you stand among the region’s leading brokerages. It’s a resource designed to give you both perspective and pride as you continue building your business.
FOR YOUR PERSONALIZED REPORT CARD, CONTACT US AT MARKETING@RMXEMAIL.NET
FOR ALL YOUR OTHER STATS, SCAN HERE
AGENT TOOLS
PODCAST ROOM
We’re thrilled to share that the podcast room at our Winterberry location has been fully renovated and upgraded! This dedicated creative space is designed to help you showcase your brand and connect with your audience in fresh, engaging ways.
In the podcast room, you can:
• Record professional-quality podcasts and interviews
• Film videos for social media or client updates
• Host virtual meetings or webinars in a polished setting
• Create content to elevate your marketing and grow your business
Whether you’re just starting out or you’re ready to take your content to the next level, the Winterberry Podcast Room is here to support your ideas and amplify your voice.
HERE’S WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT...
We’re excited to announce that TBORE: The Business of Real Estate Podcast is officially back with Season 2! This season, we’re diving even deeper into the conversations that matter most to today’s real estate professionals—market trends, industry challenges, innovative strategies, and the stories shaping how we do business. Each episode brings fresh perspectives from voices across the industry, designed to inform, inspire, and keep you ahead of the curve.
Haven’t tuned in yet? Now’s the perfect time to catch up! Simply scan the QR code to listen to past episodes and explore what we’ve been talking about. Then, stay connected as Season 2 unfolds with new insights and discussions you won’t want to miss.
YOU’RE GOING TO NEED A BIGGER BOAT
CONRAD ZURINI
The Summer of 2025 for me was an absolute perfect blend of warm summer days, great conversations over Hugo Spritzes. Work wise things went at a very nice pace, and quiet contemplation turned into a robust thought process. While the real estate market locally came to life this summer, where we at RE/MAX Escarpment and Niagara saw a healthy 15% increase in unit sales over July of 2024, agents were busy, mortgage specialists seemed optimistic, and lawyers breathed a sigh of relief that closings were starting to increase after a slower than normal spring market. I wish I could incorporate a sound affect at this time as all seems to be going tickadeeboo, but what comes to mind is that scene in Jaws 1 (released in 1975) when the ocean is calm and Roy Scheider who played Police Chief Martin Brody, got a brief but impactful glimpse of Bruce (the name of the mechanical shark prop used in the movie) aka Jaws, and said “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
Whilst I would love to have summered in Martha’s Vineyard where the movie Jaws was filmed, to stare down the mouth of a great white shark, “my shark” so to speak came from 3 separate instances this summer. One, was Porsche CEO admitting that his company’s business model does not work. Two, was Berkshire Hathaway’s $5 billion write down on underperforming Kraft Heinz. Three, was the colossal shut down and embezzlement of trust funds by the discount brokerage iPro Realty in Ontario. As a business owner, the response to these canary’s in different coal mines does not lie in getting a bigger boat, they lie in getting a smarter boat; one that is more nimble, one that optimizes performance from the crew, the boat that is fuel efficient and can still make a big splash.
Wake-up Call #1 - “Our Business Model Doesn’t Work”
Oliver Blume, long time CEO (circa 2015) of Porsche, circulated a company memo stating that ‘our (Porsche’s) business model no longer works.’ What is really astounding by this commentary is that Porsche’s first quarter sales in North America in 2025, was their best quarter in history. Porsche’s first quarter deliveries in the US were nearly 19,000 vehicles, representing a 40.6% increase year-over-year. With that great success came a price increase, which Porsche announced in July of 2025 ranging from 2.3% to 3.6%, representing the second price increase in the last 4 months.
So what are we all missing, and what does this have to do with my business? In order to answer that, lets do a deeper dive into what is occurring at this remarkable auto brand which is ranked the #1 most valuable luxury brand (8 years in a row), above Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, and Ferrari. The top reason for ‘the sky is falling’ memo is that Porsche’s largest customer growth engine (China) shrank by a mere 42% year-over-year in the first quarter. Porsche’s overzealous goals to go electric, may have confused its client base. I ask, does the typical Porsche customer want to be just seen and not heard…I think not. Another threat to this switch to EV is the fact that China has created their own EV auto industry which is more technologically adanced and far less expensive. Sometimes you just can’t stand on the shoulders of your brand of performance and handling, without the juxtaposition of excelleration and the roar of a combustion engine.
This new era of automobiles is all about high tech and high value. It’s about re-deploying resources in the combustion engine into high quality finishes, useful options, and next level technology. You see, Porsche forgot its brand promise of sexy sounding cars that performed, and poured a lot of money into EV’s which may have confused their customer base. As a result, Porsche is forced to look inward to adjust its business model to restore profitability in this uncertain era of the automobile. The lesson here is never take your customer base for granted, and assume that they will follow you whatever direction you decide to take.
Conrad Zurini, Broker of Record, Manager conrad@rmxemail.com | 905-719-3033
Wake-up Call #2 – Everyone One Knows ‘It Has To Be Heinz’… Except the Consumer
From Erin Brockovich, to Once upon A Time In Hollywood, to Home Alone, to South Park – Kraft Dinner probably ranks up there with CocaCola for product placement in movies. Nonetheless, Heinz ketchup, the Kleenex of condiments, “the taste that’s worth the wait,” has fallen out of flavour. Is it because they changed their recipe or their logo like the beloved Cracker Barrel? Or was there an indiscretion between the CEO and an HR executive at a Coldplay concert? No, it was just that store brands have been taking marketshare in food and condiment categories, because mac and cheese/ketchup is easily replicatable, which Heinz tried to refute with its slogan “it has to be Heinz”. The lesson here is you just can’t only rely on your established presence in your marketplace.
Wake-up Call #3 – The Rise And Fall of A Large Discount Brokerage
For those of you who were away in August and may have missed it, there was a company called iPro Realty, which was the 5th or 6th largest brokerage by number of agents in Ontario with over 2500 real estate agents, became insolvent. The ownership used trust account money (buyer’s/tenant’s deposits for future property purchases/leases) to keep their business afloat. The owners of iPro allegedly paid back investors and subsidized their operations by using money that didn’t belong to them. By the time our sleepy regulator (Real Estate Council of Ontario) noticed the trust cash register was down approximately $8,000,000.00, it was too far gone and had tarnished the trust of the industry and the dismissal of the head of our regulating body. The lesson here is there are going to be failures in your category of business. Your response should always be what measures are you going to take to prevent your own failure, and how to rebuild your own industry due to their gross mismanagement.
Sound the Alarm – The Tide Is Too High
Each one of these situations are like your alarm in the morning. It goes off once and you hit snooze, it goes off twice and you hit snooze again, by the third time you wake up ready to take on the world. If these circumstances were separated by months instead of weeks they probably would have gone unnoticed, and would have been a part of the regular news cycle. But when a company of the stature of Porsche admits its survival is in question, I take notice. And when a series of products which are a part of all of our lives day in and day out begin to pile up financial losses, I pay attention. And when a real estate brokerage in my back yard takes a fall of such epic proportions, I give heed.
Where Business Meets The Big Blue Ocean
Our businesses are built to withstand choppy waters. We have the team, the resources and equipment on board to help navigate uncertain waters, but sometimes we are lulled into the complacency of calm seas, so in order to make sense of these three successive occurrences, I will yield to a sailors expression handbook for the answers.
• Batten Down The Hatches – Take Control of Rising Operational Costs
• All Hands On Deck – Employee Optimization and Asset Repositioning
• Ship-Shape – Always Operating in A State of Transparency
• Fair Winds And Following Seas – Always Be Aware of Market Pressure and Demand Shifts
• Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea – Not Adopting Technology and Innovation
• Square-Rigged, and Squared Away – The Case for a Strategic Reset
• Headwinds – Regulatory and Macroeconomic Uncertainty
• Know the Ropes – Stay In Your Lane
THE REAL SECRET BEHIND MULTI-MILLION-DOLLAR SUCCESS
LYNN HOFFMANN
The Importance of Emotional and Functional Branding
People may forget what you said, but they won’t forget how you made them feel. Branding in the luxury market is rooted in consumer psychology: how you make someone feel, how you anticipate their needs, and how you deliver on your promises. The relationship between functional and emotional benefits is often confusing, yet both are critical to building a strong and lasting brand.
Your Brand is a Promise
Your brand is your promise of what a client can expect when they use your services. Much like Mercedes Benz or Rolls Royce, which represent luxury, safety, comfort, and style—and consistently deliver on those promises—you must also deliver on yours. Reliability, responsiveness, and trustworthiness are the impressions that create brand loyalty and brand equity.
Emotional Branding
You are your brand. Your emotional brand is the lasting impression you leave behind: how you made clients feel throughout the process. These moments create magic, a sense of belonging, and a personal connection. Emotional branding is powerful—it drives loyalty, referrals, and the ability to command higher prices. Every interaction is a chance to reinforce your value proposition. Clients want to feel safe, valued, and heard. Listening carefully to their needs, going the extra mile, and offering a personal touch—rare in today’s world—becomes a differentiator. Your emotional brand is what clients talk about when they refer others to you.
Functional Branding
Your functional brand is the credibility behind your emotional brand. It’s the visible side of your work—your name, sign, design, and symbols—that allows people to quickly identify you and your brokerage. It represents the tangible services you deliver and the competency you demonstrate. Consumers don’t care about banner claims like being “#1”; these messages serve your ego, not their needs. Instead, lean into the strength of RE/MAX Escarpment & RE/MAX Niagara, and the global RE/MAX brand—household names with decades of consistent branding, much like Kleenex, FedEx, or Harley Davidson. Recognition is instantly yours through this affiliation. Your functional brand supports your services before, during, and after the transaction. It is the workhorse behind your emotional brand, ensuring that your actions align with your promises.
Your Brand is Emotional and Visible
When people see your logo or name, they should immediately feel something and make assumptions about the experience to come. That’s why every touchpoint must reflect your value. From first introduction to closing and beyond, follow-up and thoroughness build lasting trust. Most buying decisions are made emotionally, then justified intellectually. A positive emotional response, backed by factual information, is the formula for winning business. Wealthy clients in particular expect premium service and associate lower costs with lower quality. You must value your knowledge and skills accordingly and ensure the client’s experience feels first class.
Your Brand Has a Story
Your story is who you are, why you do what you do, and how you differentiate yourself. Share your passion for real estate, your belief in it as an investment, and your commitment to making a difference in clients’ lives. Stories of past client experiences become the essence of your emotional brand. Relationships and trust take time and consistent behaviour, but they are the foundation for advocates and a strong referral base. Clients for life is the goal. As new generations of buyers emerge, like Gen Z—who research extensively—you must provide robust, personalized content, supported by systems like CRM and regular client feedback.
Deliver Your Brand Promise
Ultimately, your brand is not about being clever, gimmicky, or low-cost. It is about delivering on your promises, both emotional and functional, with consistency and authenticity. Like Virgin Airlines redefined flying with extraordinary experiences, your job is to create a first-class experience for every client. When emotional branding, functional branding, and the strength of your company brand work together, you achieve unmatched recognition, loyalty, and trust.
WHO TO CONTACT
DEPARTMENTS
MARKETING DEPARTMENT
Marisol Orellana Marketing@rmxemail.net
DEALS DEPARTMENT
Anita Martin & Jill Nemes Dealsupport@rmxemail.net
ONBOARDING DEPARTMENT
Lucy Camisa & Virginia Paul Hello@rmxemail.net
ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT
Melissa Watson & Cindy Belliveau Accounting@rmxemail.net
LISTING DEPARTMENT
Alicia Mander & Nicole Lourenco Listings@rmxemail.net
APPOINTMENT CENTRE
Nikki Zych Appts@rmxemail.net
TECH SUPPORT (TOOLS)
Ethan Tsiogas 289.339.2906 tech@rmxemail.com
GENERAL INFO
DOCUSIGN docusign@rmxemail.com - include your SIGNING NAME, are you a SALES REP or BROKER, email address you want associated with your account
MULTIPLE OFFER MANAGEMENT
When you have your own offer, are in a multiple-offer situation and need assistance, text or call Joey Zurini at 905-531-3808
LEADERSHIP
CONRAD ZURINI Broker of Record - Escarpment 905.719.3033 Conrad@rmxemail.com
JOEY ZURINI COO 905.531.3808 joey@rmxemail.com
LYNN HOFFMANN Halton Area Regional Manager 416.953.1149 lhoffmann@rmxemail.net
ELIZABETH PETERS Broker/Manager/Regional Manager 905.815.3347 Epeters@rmxemail.net
JESSICA TSATURYAN Manager of Growth 905.541.9911 jtsaturyan@rmxemail.net
ERIC JOHNSON Manager - Niagara 905.329.4799 Ejohnson@rmxemail.net
NATHAN MORRISSETTE Manager - Niagara 905.380.2552 nmorrissette@rmxemail.net
MARI ZURINI
Jack of all Trades 289.208.6763 Mari@rmxemail.com
RENT VS. MORTGAGE: WHAT TODAY’S NUMBERS REALLY SAY
The question is everywhere: “Is it better to rent or buy right now?” With interest rates dropping clients are still hesitating. But when we run the numbers from Oakville to Fort Erie, the story is clear, owning still wins. This isn’t just about payments. It’s about building equity, creating stability, and helping families take their first step toward generational wealth.
The Assumptions
Interest rate: 4.39% * A typical 5 year fixed rate as of August 2025
Down payment: 10% - 30 Year amortization
Property type: Average 2–3-bedroom home
Oakville
Home Price: 1,000,000.00
Mortgage: $929,700 (Inclusive of CMHC premium 3.3%)
Monthly Mortgage Payment: $4,628
Average Rent: $3,500
Rent looks cheaper by about $1,100/month. But every mortgage payment builds equity. In year one alone, over $16,000 is principal paydown which means money back in your client’s pocket. Rent? You already know every payment vanishes away.
Hamilton
Home Price: $700,000
Mortgage: $650,790 (Inclusive of CMHC premium 3.3%)
Monthly Mortgage Payment: $3,240
Average Rent: $2,800
The gap narrows to under $440 a month! But buyers also build roughly $12,000 of equity in year one, forced savings that renters NEVER see.
St. Catharines
Home Price: $600,000
Mortgage: $557,820 (Inclusive of CMHC premium 3.3%)
Monthly Mortgage Payment: ≈ $2,777
Average Rent: ≈ $2,600
Here, the difference is only $177/month. At this level, clients are choosing between renting someone else’s investment property or owning their own.
Fort Erie
Home Price: $500,000
Mortgage: $464,850 (Inclusive of CMHC premium 3.3%)
Monthly Mortgage Payment: ≈ $2,314
Average Rent: ≈ $2,200
Just over $100/month more than rent. For the cost of a nice dinner out, a family owns their future.
The Bigger Picture
Yes, renting is sometimes cheaper on the surface. But it comes at the highest interest rate you’ll ever pay. Nothing comes back. Owning, even at today’s rates, forces savings through principal paydown and offers the potential for appreciation. It’s not about this month’s budget line, it’s about long-term stability.
As realtors, this is the conversation shift. When clients say, “But renting is cheaper,” you can answer: “Yes, but renting builds your landlord’s future. Buying builds, yours.” Over the next year, clients will be nervous. Rates are higher than they’ve been used to, but prices are stabilizing. The gap between renting and owning has shrunk, and in some markets, it’s nearly the same. This is your chance to inspire action. Every family you help into a home doesn’t just get shelter; they get a foundation for wealth and stability. Rent is a treadmill, constant motion but no progress. A mortgage is an escalator slow at first but always moving you upward.
LET’S CHAT
BRIAN HOGBEN
Mortgage Broker/Owner |#M12000040 O: 905-574-5255 | brianh@mi35.ca
OAKVILLE
Jacob Renshaw
Mortgage Agent Lvl 1 | #M19002101 C: 289-880-0465 | jacobr@mi35.ca
BURLINGTON N/ANCASTER
Preston Schmidt
Mortgage Agent Lvl 2 | #M08003906
C: 905-928-0051 | prestons@mi35.ca
BURLINGTON SOUTH
Todd Martin
Mortgage Agent Lvl 2 | #M23005457
C: 905-920-0365 | toddm@mi35.ca
WINTERBERRY
Joe Giannola
Mortgage Broker | #M17001509
C: 905-515-5051 | joeg@mi35.ca
UPPER JAMES
Eric Spada
Mortgage Agent Lvl 2 | #M21002178 C: 289-925-4429 | erics@mi35.ca
QUEENSTON
Jerry Cipriani
Mortgage Broker |#M08001063
C: 905-308-3174 | jerryc@mi35.ca
NIAGARA FALLS / ST. CATHARINES/WELLAND
Kelly Sauriol
Mortgage Agent Level 1 | #M23007941
C: 289-219-3066 | kellys@mi35.ca
Harsh Ahlawat
Mortgage Agent Lvl 2 | #M24001919
C: 416-553-4697 | harshahlawat@mi35.ca