A community land trust (CLT) is a non-profit organization that owns land to preserve long-term housing affordability. Homes are sold or rented at below-market rates while the trust retains ownership of the underlying land.
Why a Community Land Trusts Matter in Real Estate
CLTs matter in real estate because they protect against displacement, stabilize neighborhoods, and ensure permanent affordability. They give communities control over land use and housing outcomes.
Example of a Community Land Trust in Action
A non-profit community land trust in Vancouver acquires land and sells homes at affordable prices, ensuring resale restrictions keep them affordable for future buyers.
Key Takeaways
Non-profit ownership of land to ensure affordability.
Homes sold or rented below market rates.
Prevents displacement and supports community stability.
Ensures permanent affordability with resale restrictions.
Blight refers to the deterioration, neglect, and disrepair of properties or neighborhoods that cause economic decline and reduce livability. Blighted. more
Build-to-rent refers to residential developments specifically constructed for the rental market rather than for sale. These projects are typically. more
A brownstone is a historic townhouse or rowhouse, typically built in the 19th or early 20th century with brown sandstone façades. They are common in. more
It’s full speed ahead for the new Vancouver Art Gallery building slated for 181 West Georgia Street, at the intersection of Cambie and W Georgia streets. On Monday morning, Formline Architecture + Urbanism and KPMB Architects were unveiled as the team that will lead the design of the new purpose-built building, which will replace a parking lot and former sports field known as Larwill Park.
“Selected from proposals submitted by 14 leading Canadian firms, this decision marks an important milestone in the Gallery’s renewed vision to create a destination for art and culture that reflects the diversity of its audiences,” a press release from the Gallery said. This is the beginning of a collaborative process toward a new conceptual design in 2026, one shaped by listening, dialogue and the perspectives of the communities the Gallery serves.”
The release further explains that Formline and KPMB were selected by an Architect Selection Committee made up of Board and Gallery leadership, artists, major benefactors and construction experts, and that a panel comprised of architects and real estate professionals had a say in the technical aspects of the contending proposals.
“The Vancouver Art Gallery is the cultural memory keeper of British Columbia and holds a unique position in the Pacific Northwest,” said Sirish Rao and Eva Respini, Interim Co-CEOs of the Gallery. “This is the largest cultural infrastructure project in Vancouver in over 30 years and we are thrilled to partner with Formline + KPMB to work towards a Gallery that supports storytelling, convening, innovation and access to art and ideas.”
The design of the new building is anticipated to benefit from KPMB’s past experience working on projects like Gardiner Museum, the TIFF Lightbox, and the Roy Thomson Hall Enhancement, and Formline’s place-based Indigenous design thinking and emphasis on creating buildings that are culturally sensitive. Formline’s Founder and Principal Alfred Waugh also expresses a deeper connection to the project.
“My mother left this world too early, and during my formative years, she asked me to do something meaningful for our people — a request that has sparked my journey into architecture,” says Waugh. “Now we have been privileged with this opportunity to celebrate Vancouver's vibrant culture while honouring the Indigenous peoples who have stewarded this land for generations and paying tribute to the beautiful mountains and lush rainforests that define our region.”
In December 2024, it came to light that the Gallery would be parting ways with Herzog & de Meuron, the Swiss architectural firm that was selected to lead the design of the Larwill Park site in 2014. The Gallery then launched the official request for proposal process in February, with invitations sent to 14 Canadian firms, revealed to STOREYS as follows:
Clockwise from top left: Erin Elliott, Kaitlynn Given, Darren Tangen, Richard Hylands, James Blair, and Jenny Siman.
Fall is now in swing, and with the new season, some in real and estate and development across BC are settling into new roles. In fact, September brought a host of new hirings and promotions, including some high-level executive moves, such as Darren Tangen starting as the President of Westbank and Erin Elliott joining Conwest Developments as Chief Financial Officer.
The month also brought moves in government, across brokerages, and in finance.
Here are all the people who were hired or received promotions in BC in last month.
James Blair has been promoted to Managing Director at Marcus & Millichap.
Christian Nonni has been promoted to Senior Director of Real Estate Operations at Nonni Property Group, while Tanner Rybchinsk has been promoted to Senior Director of Capital Finance.
Matt Kamer has been promoted to Director of Construction at Western Canadian Properties Group.
Sandy Nijjer has joined Ledingham McAllister as Director of Sales & Managing Broker, and Lori Brandstrom has joined Ledingham McAllister as Sales Manager for their Riviera project in Burnaby.
Gaganpreet Kaur has joined Graham as a Senior Project Coordinator.
Zac Abelson has been promoted to Development Manager at Wesgroup.
Ryan Stennard has joined Boardwalk REIT as a Development Manager.
Timea Kovacs has joined Devon Properties as Property Manager.
Government and Planning:
Erin Gorby has joined Metro Vancouver as Division Manager, Regional Parks West Area.
Kaitlynn Given has been promoted to Senior Development Planner at the City of Burnaby.
Jeremy Yu is joining the Burnaby Housing Authority as Financial Controller.
Saket Ayala has joined Calgary Housing as Leader, Portfolio Management.
Patrick Hannah has been promoted to AVP at Cushman & Wakefield.
Norm Taylor has returned to Colliers as an EVP and Bailey Broeders has been promoted to Business Services Coordinator.
Steven Caldecott has transitioned from Avison Young’s Valuation and Advisory Services team to its Debt & Equity Finance team as an Associate, and Kyle Redmond has joined Avison Young as a Market Intelligence Coordinator.
Jenny Siman has been promoted to Head of Real Estate, Western Canada for National Bank of Canada.
Colin Zhong has been promoted to Senior Manager of Mid-Market Commercial Banking at CIBC.
Sahib Lalli and Justin McGaw have been promoted to AVP of Real Estate Finance at CMLS Financial in Edmonton and Calgary, respectively.
Sean Lippitt has joined MCAP in Calgary as Senior Director, Development Finance Group.
Matthew Spiwek has been promoted to Associate Director of Mortgage Origination at Canada ICI Capital Corporation’s team in Alberta.
National:
Ana Bailão has been appointed inaugural CEO of Build Canada Homes.
Sign up for our newsletters for weekly updates on hirings, promotions, and job vacancies. To spotlight a new hire or an open position that needs to be filled, email: advertising@storeys.com.
In luxury real estate, it’s easy to assume that prestige sells itself. But even the most sought-after properties aren’t immune to the unpredictable. Market conditions cool. Stock portfolios dip. A next-door lawn grows wild. And just like that, a multimillion-dollar listing becomes harder to move.
This is why working with a highly experienced luxury REMAX® agent — one who understands how to navigate nuance, set a strategic tone, and overcome hurdles outside a seller’s control — is invaluable.
In 2025, Canada’s high-end housing market is contending with a rare mix of pressures. After a strong start to the year, marked by double-digit sales growth in places like Saskatoon, Montreal and Edmonton, REMAX’s 2025 Spotlight on Luxury notes political tensions and the threat of tariffs triggered economic headwinds. Luxury activity in Greater Toronto and Vancouver slowed. Buyers began treading more carefully — taking more time, asking more questions and expanding their search.
“When we talk about sellers adapting to current conditions, we’re not just referring to price adjustment,” says Don Kottick, President of REMAX Canada, in a recent REMAX blog. “Sellers should be mindful of every detail of their property — even the ones they can’t control.”
For luxury sellers, those uncontrollable factors can come in many forms: the unkempt neighbouring yard; the ongoing construction site next door; shifting perceptions of a neighbourhood, even if the property itself is pristine. A recent REMAX survey found that 51% of Canadians say neighbouring homes in poor condition are a deal breaker — and that figure climbs in higher-end markets where expectations are even more exacting.
Add broader macro factors like stock market volatility, rising carrying costs, and growing geopolitical tension, and luxury buyers certainly have excuses for hesitating. In these moments, luxury REMAX agents provide the professionalism, perspective, and polish needed to keep deals on track.
Whether the challenge is economic or cosmetic, the value of a seasoned REMAX agent lies in their ability to shift focus, reframe perceived flaws and leverage what’s working. That might mean advising a seller to screen off a neighbouring eyesore with strategic landscaping. It could involve staging the home to highlight interior tranquility or marketing the property with sharper visual storytelling to compensate for exterior limitations. In some cases, it’s as simple as helping sellers have the right conversation with the neighbour next door — a diplomatic nudge that could improve curb appeal on both sides of the property line.
But those are just the visible factors. Below the surface, a luxury sale demands even more nuance — especially in a market shaped by political volatility, intergenerational wealth transfer and unprecedented demographic shifts. Today’s high-end buyers aren’t just looking for square footage. They’re looking for reassurance. For knowledge. And that’s exactly what luxury REMAX agents bring to the table, combining expertise, trust, and market fluency to support their clients’ biggest decisions.
These luxury agents anticipate concerns, adapt to changing dynamics, and advocate for sellers with precision and clarity — which is exactly what today’s market demands.
In 2025, this means understanding which luxury segments are thriving (mid-range luxury in smaller markets like Ottawa, Saskatoon and Halifax, for example), and which are in a holding pattern. It means knowing that affluent downsizers are trading space for simplicity — not price for value. That multi-generational living is shaping everything from custom builds to infill demand. That cross-country migration is swelling demand in places like Calgary and Moncton, where lifestyle (and land) go further.
And it means understanding that for all the things sellers can’t control, they can control who they work with.
REMAX agents specializing in luxury bring something extra to the table; not just local market fluency, but access to a global network, exclusive platforms and a strategic mindset attuned to this specific segment. Through The REMAX Collection® — a designation reserved for listings priced at least twice the local average — agents pair on-the-ground insight with elite-level presentation, targeted exposure and service that matches the calibre of the listing itself. This elevated standard is what gives REMAX agents an edge — and what gives sellers the peace of mind they need in uncertain moments.
Because at this level, it’s not just about moving a property. It’s about protecting a legacy, capturing the right kind of attention and delivering outcomes that make sense — even when the market doesn’t.
REMAX
Sellers only get one shot at a first impression. In a shifting market, with increasingly selective buyers and a long list of external distractions, that impression needs to be clear, confident, and compelling.
The right property can open a door. But it's the right agent — one with luxury market insight, polish, and problem-solving experience — who knows how to walk buyers through it, no matter what’s happening on the other side of the fence.
This article was written and submitted by Cameron Levitt, a Toronto-based real estate agent with RE/MAX Hallmark who writes about housing dynamics, market trends, and the Canadian economy.
A recent CMHC report titled "Is Toronto's condo market downturn a repeat of the 1990s?" points to a possible future rebound as new supply has essentially stopped. The argument is straightforward: With no new projects breaking ground today, the eventual shortage could drive another wave of appreciation tomorrow. That thesis is the foundation for many to ask and question whether or not it's time to buy investment condos.
It is a question worth exploring. Toronto has experienced cycles where underbuilding eventually led to renewed price growth, and CMHC is correct to highlight that construction slowdowns can set up future scarcity. For many investors, the current environment feels like a classic 'buy when there's blood in the streets' moment; prices have fallen from peaks, sentiment is negative, and conventional wisdom says to avoid the asset class entirely. But before assuming that contrarian instincts and long-term supply dynamics alone make condos a smart buy in 2025, it is worth looking at the mechanics that investors actually face today. When you do, the investment case breaks down quickly.
The Core Problem: Negative Cash Flow For Investors
Almost every condo in Toronto is cash-flow negative at current interest rates and prices. Consider a typical downtown one-bedroom listed at $619,000. Even with a 4% mortgage rate and 30-year amortization, monthly costs hit $3,349: $2,364 for the mortgage, $699 in maintenance fees, and $286 in property taxes. Against rental income of $2,600, that creates a monthly loss of $749 before taxes, vacancy, and repairs.
In the past, negative cash flow was not disqualifying because price appreciation offset monthly losses. Without a trend of strong appreciation, the negative carry just subsidizes tenants every month with no guarantee of payoff.
Even significant rate cuts would not solve the problem. At 3.25%, investors would still lose $540 monthly. To break even on cash flow would require an interest rate of roughly 1.1% or a purchase price around $423,000, roughly $196,000 below current levels. Major bank economists like CIBC's Benjamin Tal forecast the Bank of Canada policy rate declining to only 2.25% by the end of 2025, nowhere near the levels needed to make condo investment viable.
What The Condo Investment Thesis Really Was
The condo investment thesis evolved over time from rental income to pure speculation. While early condo investors may have focused on steady rent returns, the model gradually shifted to a leveraged momentum trade dressed up as property ownership. Most "investors" were not holding units for steady rent checks, they were speculating on price growth through pre-construction contracts.
Pre-construction operated like commodity futures contracts, where buyers lock in fixed prices for future delivery while betting on asset appreciation. A buyer would put down 20% over several years, lock in a purchase price, and ride the market higher without taking on a mortgage. If values rose, the contract could be flipped before closing for significant profit. It was leverage without carrying costs.
From 2016 through 2021, developers launched tens of thousands of condo units that were quickly sold to small investors chasing momentum, not end users who planned to live in them. Those projects are now delivering into an entirely different market defined by higher interest rates, weaker rents, and falling resale values. The very strategy that drove condo investment is now the source of its vulnerability.
The speculation-driven market also shaped what developers actually built. For years, developers optimized units to satisfy investor demand rather than end-user livability. As prices climbed, units got smaller and layouts became more cramped to hit lower price points that attracted speculators. The result is a glut of small, poorly designed units that offer limited livability for actual residents. Even if the pre-construction market eventually recovers, developers will need to start building units that people actually want to live in, not just speculate on. This means what investors are purchasing now represents leftover inventory from a development era that no longer exists.
When rates are extremely low, investors can justify holding cash-flow negative assets because carrying costs are minimal and momentum-based appreciation covers shortfalls. But when rates rise, fundamentals reassert themselves. Higher capital costs turn manageable losses into crushing monthly drains, while also cutting off the new buyer flow needed to sustain price growth.
Rising Maintenance Fees And Construction Inflation
Maintenance fees are a drag on cash flow, and they are structurally set to rise. A 2023 study of 60 condo corporations across the GTA from Condonexus found average fee increases of 5.1% year over year, while contributions to reserve funds rose by 11.8% on average. Reserve funds, which cover big-ticket items like windows, roofs, and elevators, now represent about a quarter of the typical condo budget.
Those costs are driven by construction inflation, not consumer goods inflation, and that distinction is critical. Most of a condo's operating budget goes to maintenance, services, and repairs, while the reserve fund is entirely exposed to construction costs. As the chart below shows, construction costs have consistently outpaced general inflation, creating persistent upward pressure on maintenance fees even as broader price levels have moderated.
Condo corporations face constant pressure to raise fees to keep pace with higher contractor quotes and material costs. The situation may worsen because reserve fund studies are conducted only every three years, meaning many buildings have not yet gauged how recent price increases need to be accounted for in future budgets. Even though construction inflation has moderated from its peak, the massive price increases from 2022-2023 are baked into the cost base, and it will take years of sustained lower growth for other costs to catch up.
Supply And Demand Misalignment In The Investor Market
The CMHC report is right about one thing: new condo launches have slowed to almost a complete stop. But that long-term supply crunch is colliding with a near-term oversupply. The projects launched during the low-rate era are now completing, adding thousands of units to the resale and rental markets. Even with some cancellations, the pipeline remains large enough to act as a drag for years.
At the same time, rental demand has softened. Housing analyst Ben Rabidoux from Edge Analytics has documented a strong correlation between non-permanent resident growth and Ontario rental prices, as shown in the chart below. Federal policy has cut back temporary resident inflows, particularly student permits, which were a key driver of downtown condo rentals. The dramatic decline in non-permanent resident growth from its 2022-2023 peak coincides directly with the cooling rental market, illustrating how policy changes have removed a critical source of rental demand.
Without that steady churn of new tenants, the upward pressure on rents has stalled. Urbanation reported that average condo rents in the GTA fell by 2.8% year over year in Q1 2025, down to $3.78 per square foot (about $2,612 for a typical 692-square-foot unit). At the same time, active condo rental listings were up 29% year over year, pushing available supply to 1.4 months of inventory, well above the 10-year average of 0.95 months. A rental market under pressure colliding with new supply is not a recipe for investment success.
Institutional Competition In The Rental Market
Another overlooked factor is the growing role of institutional players. Pension funds, REITs, and private equity are building large rental portfolios across Canada. Unlike small investors, they operate with vertically integrated business models, combining construction, financing, and property management under one umbrella.
They also benefit from CMHC-backed financing that offers better loan terms such as lower downpayments, lower rates, and longer repayment periods (40-50 years). These are a huge advantage which are not available to small investors purchasing individual condo units. Institutional players are rapidly capitalizing on these programs: in the first three quarters of 2024, CMHC provided mortgage insurance for over 200,000 apartment units totalling C$48 billion, a 59% increase year over year.
This institutional capital is also targeting the same rental market that small condo investors depend on. In 2024, 40% of condo units in the GTA were rented, up from 29% in 2014, but condo rental units average approximately 50% higher rents than comparable purpose-built rental units. As institutions build more purpose-built rental supply at scale, they can offer tenants better value while still achieving superior returns due to their financing and operational advantages.
That structural advantage means institutions can weather market volatility while achieving superior returns through operational efficiencies. Smaller condo investors are left competing in a game tilted against them.
Conclusion: Answering The Question
So, is it time to 'buy the dip' on investment condos? The CMHC report raises valid concerns about long-term supply constraints, and history does show that construction slowdowns can eventually support price rebounds. But while CMHC focuses on multi-year supply dynamics, the mechanics facing individual investors today tell a different story entirely. Today's investor faces negative cash flow, oversupply, weaker rental demand, institutional competition, and steadily rising costs.
The supply crunch thesis may prove right someday, but in 2025, the risk-reward is firmly against small condo investors. CMHC's long-term optimism about supply and demand doesn't change the fact that buying the dip today is not an investment, it is speculation on future conditions that remain uncertain.
Clockwise from top left: Eric Plesman, Eric Lombardi, Kiran Marok, Jacob Cohen, Ana Bailão, and Ariel Rososhansky
Like our ever-changing cities and towns, Ontario's real estate and development landscape (and the people who make it run) are also ever-changing. From new hires and retirements to promotions and partnerships, here are all the notable moves you should know about from September.
Notable moves from last month include Ana Bailão being appointed inaugural CEO of Build Canada Homes, Jacob Cohen being promoted to President of The Daniels Corporation, Eric Lombardi joining Build Toronto as Chair, and Eric Plesman rejoining Oxford Properties Group as President and CEO.
Development:
The Daniels Corporation has promoted COO Jacob Cohen to President, President and CEO Mitchell Cohen will continue to serve as CEO, Ginette Battikha has been appointed COO, and Gokul Pisharoty has been named Chief Construction Officer, alongside other role changes.
Daniel Fournier will step away from the leadership of Oxford Properties Group as of November 3, and Eric Plesman will rejoin the organization as President and CEO.
Jane Chan has joined Heartwood Trust as VP of Capital and Corporate Development.
Mike McIntosh has joined Forum Asset Management as Senior Managing Director of Real Estate.
Kyle Wilson has joined BGO as Senior Director of Leasing and Victoria Recagno has started as an Investments Analyst.
Jacob Black has been promoted to Director at Montez Corporation.
Anika Munir has started as Senior Development Coordinator at Dunpar Homes.
Candice Leung has joined Toronto Community Housing as a Communications Consultant.
Michael Vilner has announced he is leaving Canderel after 21 years.
Brokerages:
Jason Bailey has been promoted to SVP at Colliers, and Jackson M. and Nikolina Crisci have joined Colliers’ Downtown Toronto team as sales representatives.
JLL has appointed Nick Radford as Managing Director of National and Central Canada Lead for PDS, while Jillian Jackson has joined as SVP of Investor Services Lead and Jonathan Peretz as Executive Managing Director of National Leasing.
Najam Sattar has joined Lennard Commercial Realty specializing in Office Leasing and Industrial Real Estate at the Toronto office.
Eric Shaw has been promoted to Vice Chair at Cushman & Wakefield.
Paul Morassutti, Chairman of CBRE Limited, has announced he’ll be retiring at the end of the year.
Ariel Rososhansky has been promoted to Director at Canada ICI Capital Corporation.
Kevin Corbett has joined MCAP as Director of Origination at Commercial Mortgages Group.
Other:
Kristopher Wojtecki has been appointed President of Starlight Infrastructure Solutions.
Samina Ratnani has started as Senior Project Manager at Turner & Townsend.
Marielle Hossack has started as Director of Policy & Regulatory Affairs at the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO).
National:
Ana Bailão has been appointed inaugural CEO of Build Canada Homes.
Sign up for our newsletters for weekly updates on hirings, promotions, and job vacancies. To spotlight a new hire or an open position that needs to be filled, email: advertising@storeys.com.
Releasing the Truth and Reconciliation Guide at an event at Northcrest Development’s YZD Experience Centre. From left to right: Warren Sault, president and CEO of Mississaugas of the Credit Business Corporation; Carolyn King, Shared Path board chair and former chief of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation; Richard Joy, ULI Toronto’s executive director; Bob Goulais, president & senior principal at Nbisiing Consulting Inc/Garcia Creative
This piece was written and submitted by Carolyn King, President & Board Chair of the Shared Path Consultation Initiative, and Richard Joy, Executive Director of ULI Toronto.
The places we design, build, and live within are more than bricks and mortar — they are expressions of our values. For too long in Canada, our communities and their built environment have been shaped without fully recognizing and meaningfully engaging the rights, histories, and voices of Indigenous Peoples. That must change.
Over the past several years, Shared Path and ULI Toronto have walked alongside more than 30 leading real estate and development organizations to explore what meaningful Truth and Reconciliation can look like in our industry. This was not a quick project or a box to tick. It has been a sustained dialogue and relationship— informed by cultural, treaty, legal, and historical education, guided by Indigenous leadership, and built on trust that took years to earn, as truths were shared.
The result is Answering the Call to Action 92: A Guide for Truth and Reconciliation in Corporate Responsibility and Land Development. It’s the first comprehensive framework of its kind for Canada’s real estate sector, launched in ceremony this past June at Northcrest Development’s YZD Experience Centre. It is a landmark resource, grounded in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 92 and informed by the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
This guide is practical by design. It offers concrete actions across four interconnected pillars: governance and co-development; education; equity and economic opportunity; and relationship building. These are not abstract ideals — they are operational steps, such as creating Indigenous advisory roles at the board level, co-developing reconciliation strategies with First Nations, Métis and Inuit, embedding cultural competency training into corporate culture, and ensuring equitable access to jobs, contracts, and long-term benefits for Indigenous Peoples.
Perhaps most importantly, the guide challenges organizations to go beyond compliance. It calls on real estate developers and leaders to integrate First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives into land use practices and corporate strategy. The purpose: to honour free, prior, and informed consent before advancing economic development, and to see reconciliation not as a one-time initiative but as a sustained relationship embedded in how we plan, build, and invest.
The impetus is clear: The real estate and land development industry has a unique influence over land — and therefore a unique responsibility to steward it in ways that reflect the values of gratitude for life, respect, reciprocity, and shared benefit. Real estate decisions shape the use of traditional territories, influence natural and cultural landscapes, and determine who benefits from economic growth. Done without care, cultural connections to the environment can be severed and harm perpetuated. Done with intention, land development can help restore relationships, protect land and water, and create prosperity that is shared.
There are compelling reasons for the private sector to act. True reconciliation strengthens relationships, mitigates legal and reputational risk, attracts investment, and enriches the cultural and social fabric of our communities. Forward-looking companies are already discovering that identifying and working with a local First Nation’s values in development can lead to innovative partnerships, faster approvals, and projects that enjoy greater public trust and local support.
This work matters not just because it is right, but because it is necessary for a sustainable future. The guide’s case study on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Northcrest Developments shows that building trust, creating economic opportunity, and weaving Indigenous culture into design can be transformative — for both the community and the business.
We know this is a journey that requires humility and persistence. It starts with listening — with making space for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit voices to shape how decisions are made. It requires education, not only about history and rights, but about the living cultures, governance systems, and aspirations of the Indigenous Peoples whose lands we work on. And it demands accountability: setting goals, measuring progress, and being transparent about both successes and setbacks.
We invite every real estate and development leader to see this guide as both a challenge and an invitation. A challenge to examine the values that shape your practices with honesty, and an invitation to begin — or deepen — your own reconciliation journey. The guide is not a checklist to complete — it is a framework for continuous learning, relationship-building, and shared action.
As we approach the fifth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, we are reminded that reconciliation is not a destination, it is a relationship — one we must nurture together. The communities we build today should stand as places of respect, inclusion, and shared prosperity for generations to come. The land remembers how it has been treated. Let’s ensure that what we build upon it tells a story we can be proud of.
Welcome to Meet the Agent, an ongoing series profiling real estate agents from across Canada. With more than 150,000 agents, brokers, and salespeople working in 75 different boards and associations across the country, we thought it was about time they had a place to properly introduce themselves.
If you or someone you know deserves the same chance, email agents@storeys.com to apply.
THE DETAILS
Name: Stefany Marin
Area of Focus: Mississauga, Milton, Oakville, Georgetown, and Etobicoke
I’ve always had a passion for sales, even while working part-time during university. My career began at Avison Young with the industrial sales team, where I was inspired to pursue my real estate license and transition into commercial real estate.
In a few sentences, describe what a typical “day in the life” looks like for you. Does this align with what you expected before you became an agent?
A day in my life is always on the go, especially as a mom of two. I am always checking market updates, touring properties, meeting clients, negotiating deals, and marketing listings. No two days are the same, but every day is about helping clients find the perfect property. I think overall It is what a I expected and I definitely love it which makes the hard days ok.
What’s the single best advice you have for sellers?
Price strategically, not emotionally. Homes that are priced right from the start attract the most attention, generate stronger offers, and sell faster. Specially in the current market, it's all about setting the right pricing expectations.
What’s the single best advice you have for buyers?
Get your mortgagepre-approval before you start shopping. It gives you a clear budget, shows sellers you’re serious, and positions you to act quickly when the right property comes up.
What made you choose to work for your current brokerage?
The team. In many sales environments, competition can feel cutthroat. At my current brokerage, however, the culture is collaborative. Everyone is team-oriented and always willing to support one another.
Who do you believe is making the biggest waves in the industry today?
Dream Unlimited Corporation. With $15 billion in real estate assets, they are tackling massive urban development projects. Notably, they're co-developing the Quayside district on Toronto’s waterfront, a 12-acre initiative that includes 800 affordable housing units. They’re also behind the Brightwater community in Mississauga.
What is one professional goal you have for the next year? What’s one that you have for the next 10 years?
My goal is to continue building my client base and strengthen my presence in the market by closing more transactions and expanding my referral network. In the next 10 years I aim to establish myself as a top-producing agent in my region, develop a trusted brand in real estate, and build a team that can serve clients across multiple markets.
Tell us about your favourite (or most memorable) sale, and why it stands out to you.
My most memorable sale was helping a first-time buying family find their first home. It was my first time guiding a family through that process after transitioning from commercial real estate to both, and seeing their excitement made it unforgettable. It definitely made me love my job more.
What are the three words you hope your clients use to describe you?
Rendering from York University's 'Keele Campus Vision and Strategy'/yorku.ca
Ontario universities have long faced funding challenges, and public underfunding and domestic tuition freezes tend to lead to a reliance on pricier international student tuitions. But as international student numbers dwindle due to the implementation of lower immigration targets, universities must find innovative ways to boost revenue — while continuing to deliver world-class services to their students and communities.
One asset institutions are increasingly using to provide an avenue for long-term resilience and revenue is land. More specifically, developing institutionally owned lands in a transit-oriented, mixed-use fashion that promotes investment from a diverse array of industries. Enter: innovation districts.
Amit Price Patel, Partner, Urban Designer, and Architect at DIALOG, describes innovation districts or communities as "places where there are economic assets, where there are physical assets, and [where] there are networking assets to allow for a culture of innovation to thrive." These spaces are dense, well-connected, and contain a wide spectrum of uses from housing to research labs, start ups, retail, corporations, educational spaces, community spaces, and beyond.
The idea is that by diversifying the types of uses found in one area, you allow for more resilient revenue streams and create an environment that fosters innovation and community connection.
"This idea of zoning, of separating uses out, is a relatively new concept, as far as humans and how we live are concerned.[...] People want to live in neighbourhoods, they want to be able to walk to work, they want to be where they can meet with other researchers, other interesting people, other industries, and create great ideas," Price Patel tells STOREYS. "And that happens all in close proximity. That happens when there's different types of people intersecting with each other. It can't just be a monoculture."
DIALOG recently worked on an innovation district project for the City of Victoria that focused on enhancing and attracting diverse streams of investment and jobs to the neighbourhood of Rock Bay, just north of the downtown core, but Price Patel says the company typically works on university affiliated innovation districts. "[Universities are] where innovation districts tend to be, because that's where all the brain power and a lot of government research dollars go," he says. "So that's kind of a natural synergy to attract private investment."
Paired with the need for more diverse and future-proof streams of revenue and the availability of lands, universities make the perfect incubators for innovation districts.
"The University of Guelph, York University, University of Waterloo, universities here in BC as well, they are looking at their surplus endowment lands that aren't part of the core campus to help generate revenue," says Price Patel. "Broadly, the idea is that, by introducing greater mix of uses, attracting private investment, looking at partnerships with other institutions, that's going to make the universities more resilient and help them integrate better into their cities and their neighbourhoods."
At York University in north Toronto, the impetus for their Keele Campus Vision and Strategy, which DIALOG worked on, was the delivery of the Yonge-University subway extension. The extension project resulted in two new stations located within York's campus, positioning it as a more attractive destination for industry investment and institutional growth, but also better supporting the students and workers on campus.
"The subway was built in 2017, so that new accessibility around the university created a level of excitement in wanting to continue the university's academic vision and attract investment partnerships," a spokesperson from the York University Development Corporation (YUDC) tells STOREYS. "The university had come a long way and it seemed a good time to start to build on optimizing the [Keele Campus] lands."
In total, the project will include the development of around 190 acres of land to be carried out over the next 25 to 30 years. This will include the delivery of different types of housing, such as student housing, affordable rental, seniors housing, and market housing like multi-family buildings, town homes, condos, mid-rise apartments, and live work spaces. In addition, the community would contain office, commercial, academic, research, and community uses, creating a collaborative and inter-linked landscape.
The project would be centred around Harry W. Arthurs Common, which will continue to serve as the heart of Keele Campus, and would contain four new neighbourhoods: South Mall, Creekside, Northwest Gate, and Innovation Gate.
Overview of York University's Keele Campus Vision & Strategy/yorku.ca
South Mall would serve as the campus's downtown and would contain a mixed-use residential neighbourhood with varied uses, including restaurants, childcare, community spaces, health-and-wellness services, and commercial spaces for start ups and businesses. West of the South Mall would be Creekside, where a quieter, low-intensity residential neighbourhood is planned, alongside a potential Indigenous centre. In the northwest corner, would be Northwest Gate, anchored by the Pioneer Village subway station and containing higher-intensity residential buildings with office and other commercial uses. Finally, Innovation Gate, in the northeast would home to academic and business uses where innovation, research, commercialization, and entrepreneurship meet.
"What makes the Keele Campus Vision & Strategy innovative is its holistic reimagining of York University’s role as both an anchor institution and a city-building partner. [...] It invites cross-sector collaboration, attracts investment and partnerships and creates sustainable revenue while optimizing existing assets," says the YUDC spokesperson. "It offers a full spectrum of housing, from student residences to market rentals to affordable housing, addressing a critical need. It also links academia, research, business and community through spaces for collaboration."