Welcome to the October edition of LSTAR's e-Bulletin, a recap from the past month and highlights of what's to come. Please let us know your thoughts by sending an email to communications [at] LSTAR.ca (communications[at]LSTAR[dot]ca).

IN THIS ISSUE

Highlights

2025 LSTAR Board of Directors Election Meeting Happening November 4

The 2025 LSTAR Board of Directors Election Meeting is taking place on Monday, November 4th, from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm at LSTAR. Click here to register for this in-person meeting.

Since online voting started on Friday, October 25, 688 members have voted (29.6% of membership). Online voting continues until 4:30 pm Friday, November 1st. Last week, eligible LSTAR members received an email directly from Simply Voting containing a link and instructions for online voting.

If you can't find the email, go to lstar.simplyvoting.com. Once there, simply enter your PropTx 7-digit user ID and PIN to vote.

VOTING & PROXY FORM UPDATE

Online voting continues until 4:30 pm Friday, November 1st. You may also cast your ballot in-person at the November 4 Election Meeting.

Those who cannot attend in person may assign a proxy holder to carry your vote (one proxy per Member) by filling out a proxy form and submitting it to Bill Madder, LSTAR CEO, via bill [at] lstar.ca (bill[at]lstar[dot]ca), by Saturday, November 2, 2024, before 2:00 pm.

CANDIDATE FORUMS

In October, two Candidate Forums took place, where Members heard from the 14 candidates for the five (5) positions available on the 2025 LSTAR Board of Directors. The final list of candidates can be viewed here, where you can also check out the video messages prepared by each Candidate.

If you have any questions, contact Chad Lovell, LSTAR Senior VP of Public Affairs and Strategy, via chad [at] lstar.ca (chad[at]lstar[dot]ca) or call 519-641-1400.

REALTOR.ca to Transition into a Taxable Entity

At CREA's 2024 Special General Meeting held October 23, members of the REALTOR® association community voted in favour of transitioning REALTOR.ca into a separate, taxable, wholly owned subsidiary.

This decision marks a transformative moment for Canada’s No. 1 real estate platform, ensuring REALTOR.ca is positioned for long-term growth and sustainability and, most importantly, able to continue delivering value to REALTORS® and consumers alike.

PropTx News

The Habistat is Coming Soon to PropTx

Do you want to better understand and analyze the complex real estate market?

The Habistat is joining your Member benefits. This tool, powered by PropTx, helps you easily navigate the housing market landscape uncovering trends, patterns, and opportunities that drive informed decision making.

Find the latest trends in one centralized location in a comprehensive view of the market.

The Habistat will help you:

Identify up-and-coming markets using modern technology before anyone else.
Track market fluctuations and analyze property values.
Provide on the spot answers to questions about the housing market.
Save time on research and chart preparation thanks to the customizable analysis library.
Share compelling visuals, key insights and increase your social media engagement.

Stay tuned for more information and the launch of The Habistat COMING SOON!

REALM™ Enhancements, Changes, and Bugfixes

REALM™ has recently deployed notable enhancements, changes, and bug fixes with the release of REALM 1.129.0., including Board Affiliation changes, Revised Land Registry reports, Members may now search by Area and Municipality at Brokerage Roster, improvements to Public and Broker Open House Date fields, and more!

You can find the full release notes here: Release Notes - REALM 1.129.0

Thank you for your support and patience as we continually work to improve your experience with REALM™.

Education

LSTAR's November Class Schedule

Classes are taught in-person and can be taken in LSTAR's Computer Lab, as well as being offered online via Zoom.

REALM™

ONLINE - November 6 @ 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - REGISTER
IN-PERSON - November 21 @ 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM - REGISTER

Matrix™

ONLINE - November 12 @ 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM - REGISTER
IN-PERSON - November 28 @ 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM - REGISTER

PropTx Add/Edit

IN-PERSON - November 7 @ 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM - REGISTER
ONLINE - November 20 @ 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM - REGISTER
IN-PERSON - November 27 @ 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM - REGISTER

WEBForms®

ONLINE - November 13 @ 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM - REGISTER

SkySlope

IN-PERSON - November 7 @ 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM - REGISTER
ONLINE - November 27 @ 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM - REGISTER

GeoWarehouse®

ONLINE - November 14 @ 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM - REGISTER

Introduction to BrokerBay

ONLINE - November 14 @ 9:30 AM-11:00 AM - REGISTER

TUTORIAL: HOW TO REGISTER

Please note:

If you don't receive a confirmation email after you register, you have not completed the registration correctly. If you require additional support, please email Learning [at] LSTAR.ca (Learning[at]LSTAR[dot]ca).

Learn About PropTx Tools with LSTAR's Micro-Learning Videos & Tutorials and Pre-Recorded Classes

Get to know the PropTx MLS® ecosystem and tailor your MLS® experience to boost efficiency and work smarter, not harder!

For all our tech videos & tutorials, go to MICRO LEARNING VIDEOS & TUTORIALS on the Member Hub.
View our pre-recorded ON-DEMAND COURSES.

LSTAR’s Fall Webinars

For more information and to register, visit the WEBINAR REGISTRATION page on the LSTAR Member Hub.

Events

REALTORS Care® Days

Starting in 2024, REALTORS Care® Days will replace REALTORS Care® Week (2019-2022), offering more flexibility and broader participation throughout the year. LSTAR is combining the 2024 REALTORS Care® Day with the annual BusinessCares Food Drive on November 30 and December 1.

LSTAR is currently looking for Captains and Volunteers. The REALTORS Care® team will be sharing a national, year-long story by promoting events like ours. They will highlight our efforts in the lead-up to the event and share our story on social media and REALTORSCare.ca.

2024 REALTOR® Christmas Kettle Drive

The REALTOR® Christmas Kettle Drive is happening on Thursday, December 5th, 2024, in both London and St. Thomas from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. We have 22 locations in London and 6 in St. Thomas!

Join LSTAR's Team of Blood Donors & You Could Win!

LSTAR's Team of Blood Donors, with 53 Active Members, is now at an incredible 158 donations so far this year, well on our way to our goal of 200 donations in 2024. Let’s keep going team! We can do it!

As an added bonus, if you're a blood donor and bring a friend or a family member with you to donate blood, your buddy will receive one entry and your name will be entered TWICE into a quarterly draw for a chance to win a $100 gift card to a local restaurant! Not only will you be saving lives, but you could be a winner like Tim Miller, our Q3 Winner of the Blood Donation Team Draw. CONGRATULATIONS TIM!

There are several opportunities to donate in the region, so why not join LSTAR's Team and help us keep pushing toward our goal of 200 donations in 2024! And if you're not yet a donor, please consider joining us. We'd LOVE to have you!

JOIN TEAM LSTAR TODAY!

Join Us at the 2024 LSTAR "Moulin Rouge" Christmas Gala!

The LSTAR Gala Committee is excited to present the 2024 ‘MOULIN ROUGE’ CHRISTMAS GALA!

This year’s event will be held on Friday, November 22, 2024, at RBC Place London (300 York Street), with cocktails at 6:00 p.m. and dinner at 7:00 p.m. All proceeds will support Humana Community Services, Wellkin Child & Youth Mental Wellness, and the Women’s Rural Resource Centre.

The dress code is Black Tie Optional or Dress To Theme. Tickets are $100 + tax, and the evening will include mystery suitcases, gaming tables, a buffet dinner, entertainment, DJ Alpha, and a photobooth!

Additionally, there is a room block available at the Delta London Armouries—Click HERE to reserve your room. Collins and Juniper are offering special deals, including $150 tuxedo rentals from Collins and 10% off dresses from Juniper. Click HERE for more information.

Golden Tickets are already 75% sold out! Purchase yours today for a chance to win one of six trips valued between $4,000 and $6,000. Please note that Golden Tickets are for the travel draw only. Tickets to attend the Gala must be purchased separately.

Please see Sponsorship Opportunities HERE. To be a SPONSOR or to purchase tickets for this year’s Gala please contact Claire Dawson at Claire [at] LSTAR.ca (Claire[at]LSTAR[dot]ca).

2024 LSTAR Children's Christmas Party - Deadline Friday November 8

The LSTAR Children's Christmas Party Committee is excited to present the 2024 CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY! The deadline to register for this event is Friday, November 8th by 4:30 pm.

The party will take place on Saturday, November 30th at Centennial Hall (Basement Halls), from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm. To register for this event, fill in the registration form and send to Claire Dawson via email at Claire [at] LSTAR.ca (Claire[at]LSTAR[dot]ca). Don’t miss out!

All proceeds for this event are in support of INVESTING IN CHILDREN.
MERRYMOUNT will also be at the event to accept donations of much needed items and toys.

Other News

Home Sales Increase from September to September

The LSTAR region remains a vibrant market for both buyers and sellers. September’s market activity and year-to-date figures show encouraging trends.

In September 2024, 562 homes were sold, representing a 6.0% increase from September 2023 and a 0.5% rise from September 2022.

Membership Updates

Membership Count

As of October 25, 2024, LSTAR has 2,338 Members.

Welcome to our Newest Members!

Vikas Wadhwa – Initia Real Estate
Jenna Sands – Streetcity Realty
Jas Dhillon – Gold Empire Realty
Febin Raphel – Royal Lepage Triland
Sidney White Cunha Dos Santos – The Realty Firm
Allie Groot – Century 21 Red Ribbon
Amy Cui – Sutton Group Preferred Realty
Bakish Panday – Homelife 247 Realty Inc.
Heidi Wilson – Peak Peninsula Realty Inc.
JP Lachmaniucu – The Agency Real Estate
Sofia Estrada-Ramirez – Blue Forest Realty
Darien Moore – Sutton Group Select Realty
Santa Gurung – 401 Homes Realty
Dylan Hughes – Colliers Southwestern Ontario
Alsa Alsadoon – Century 21 First Canadian Corp.
Lisa Stockmans – Re/Max Tri-County Realty
Serena Karp – Certainli Realty

New Transfers

Peter Stubnya – Now with Certainli Realty
Lynette Gonyou – Now with Prime Real Estate Brokerage
Ben Saji Thomas – Now with EXP Realty
Joe Kuchocki – Now with Revel Realty Inc.
Daniel Brzozowski – Now with Century 21 First Canadian Corp.
Jenny Park – Now with Streetcity Realty
Gregory Galbraith – Now with Re/Max Centre City Realty
Nicole Doey – Now with Keller Williams Lifestyles
Irina D’Odorico – Now with Anchor Realty
Ian Pay – Now with Royal Lepage Triland

Closed Offices

Our Neighbourhood Realty Inc.
PB: Luiz Lameiras

New Offices

Peak Peninsula Realty Inc.
PB: Steve Wilcox

Retired Members

Doug Russell – Homelife London

For any and all questions regarding your LSTAR Membership, please contact our Membership department at Membership [at] LSTAR.ca (Membership[at]LSTAR[dot]ca).

Do You Need to Update Your REALTOR.ca Photo?

Is your photo on REALTOR.ca due for an update? Simply email your updated headshot in .jpg format along with your PropTx ID to Membership [at] LSTAR.ca, and we’ll handle the rest! A refreshed profile photo can help make a great first impression with clients. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, we are here to help.

membership [at] lstar.ca (subject: Please%20update%20my%20photo) (Get Started)

Reminder: Daylight Saving Time Ends This Weekend

It’s that time of year again! Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 3rd, so don't forget to move your clocks back one hour before you go to bed on Saturday night.

Also remember that Supra iBox BT LE lockboxes maintain Standard Time. If you made any “Spring forward” adjustments to programmed lockbox access hours, you may want to revert the programmed hours to reflect Standard Time. Learn how here.