Trevor Miller

The world is hurting right now. The brutal killings of George Floyd and too many others before him have shaken us all to the injustices we must face and work together to change.

As a leader in business, it’s important that the community hears that we stand together for equality and kindness. RE/MAX is committed to supporting homeownership and equal rights for all. We believe in community and we take fair housing very seriously. But right now, we must question whether that is enough. Today I ask how we – 130,000 professionals across 110 countries – can be not only real estate agents, but agents of change.

It’s also important I address one fact around this: both Derek Chauvin and his wife were once affiliated with a RE/MAX franchise. Derek was a team member and independent contractor with a franchise from November 2016 to April of 2018. Neither are affiliated with RE/MAX in any way today.

As many people know, I once served as a police officer. I became a Deputy Sheriff in 1993 and served until 2003 because of my passion for helping people. I loved being an officer. I loved helping protect and serve my community. And I appreciate all the officers who continue to do that in a way that upholds the oath that we took and are standing with their community to make it a better place. After seeing the horrific footage from Minneapolis, I can say confidently that this tragedy was contrary to the training I received as an officer, and wrong on a human level.

We have a lot of work ahead of us to bring healing. I’m asking our membership to listen, learn, and lead with love and kindness. Listen to those hurting and hear them. Learn how to be a better ally. And be leaders within your communities, with empathy, kindness and love for all.

We will continue to partner with minority and advocacy organizations within our industry to educate and drive change. We will continue to push training and awareness with our membership and our headquarter employees to eradicate unconscious bias and discrimination. And we will continue to make diversity and inclusion a priority.

This problem won’t be solved overnight, but today we restate our long-term commitment and declaration: At RE/MAX Holdings, we stand for justice. We stand with the Black community. And we stand against racism.

Adam Contos
CEO
RE/MAX Holdings, Inc

https://news.remax.com/we-stand-for-justice

A lack of inventory is keeping prices stable, as the market shows signs of recovery.

Here’s the latest info from the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB):

SURREY, BC – In May, Fraser Valley listings and property sales started to bounce back as REALTORS® helped their clients adjust to the new, necessary safety measures required to buy and sell a home during the provincial state of emergency due to COVID-19.

The Fraser Valley Real Estate Board (FVREB) processed a total of 805 sales on its Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in May, an increase of 17 per cent compared to sales in April and a decrease of 47 per cent compared to the 1,517 sales during May of last year.

Chris Shields, President of the Board, observes, “This is an encouraging sign. Real estate is an essential service and it’s one of the most important economic drivers in BC’s economy.

“Realtors and consumers deserve to be congratulated. It’s not easy to adapt quickly to physical distancing, virtual tools and strict personal safety protocols and yet we’re seeing more and more transactions happening daily as we all get more comfortable and confident with the new normal.”

The Fraser Valley Board received 2,207 new listings in May, a 56 per cent increase compared to April’s intake of 1,416 new listings and a 38 per cent decrease compared to May of last year. May finished with 6,454 active listings, an increase of 8 per cent compared to April’s inventory and a decrease of 24 per cent year-over-year.

Shields adds, “Although our overall numbers remain significantly lower than seasonal norms, it’s to be expected. The market is resilient and as all of us continue to work together responsibly for the betterment of public safety, it will continue to improve.

“It’s important for buyers to note that prices overall remain stable. We’re not seeing a lot of downward pressure on prices because for many areas there is a shortage of inventory. We’re even seeing multiple offer situations currently where buyers are paying asking price. When supply and demand stay in balance, prices remain relatively firm.”

In May, the average number of days to sell an apartment was 38; 36 for townhomes and 31 for single family detached.

MLS® HPI Benchmark Price Activity

• Single Family Detached: At $990,400, the Benchmark price for a single-family detached home in the Fraser Valley decreased 0.2 per cent compared to April and, increased 2.7 per cent compared to May 2019.
• Townhomes: At $555,000, the Benchmark price for a townhome in the Fraser Valley increased 0.4 per cent compared to April and increased 1.8 per cent compared to May 2019.
• Apartments: At $433,700, the Benchmark price for apartments/condos in the Fraser Valley decreased 1.0 per cent compared to April and increased 1.0 per cent compared to May 2019.

Click HERE for the full FVREB stats package.