GVR Podcasts

For many REALTORS®, real estate is more than a job. It’s a business, a lifestyle, and often a seven-days-a-week commitment.That kind of pace can be rewarding. But it can also make it difficult to prioritize something that underpins everything else we do: our health.Accessing timely, coordinated healthcare can also be a challenge for self-employed professionals who don’t have access to traditional workplace benefits. That’s why Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR) has partnered with Advica Health to offer members a new option designed with busy professionals in mind.In the latest episode of The Critical Path, host Mark Moldowan sits down with Kevin Brady, founder of Advica Health, to talk about this new program and what it could mean for your well-being.

Change is the only constant in real estate, and at Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR), it’s at the heart of everything we do. From transforming how we serve members to leading new conversations on professionalism and housing, GVR is reimagining what a modern professional association can be.In this episode of The Critical Path, host Jesse Lalime sits down with GVR’s Chief Corporate Development Officer, Craig Munn, to talk about how innovation and professionalism are shaping the association’s future.Munn shares how GVR’s Service Re-imagined initiative is already improving the member experience, while major efforts continue behind the scenes to expand and elevate that work. He also explains what “corporate development” means in the GVR context and why partnerships are key to achieving GVR’s long-term goals.

Shifting consumer expectations and technological advancements are transforming the industry. Sound familiar? It’s happening everywhere, not just real estate, and the mortgage industry is no different. So, what are the changes in consumer habits and the new ways they can leverage technology for a better experience securing a mortgage? On this episode of the Critical Path podcast, we welcome mortgage veteran Don Scott, the founder and CEO of Frank Mortgage, to share his insights and perspectives on how the mortgage industry is shifting and how REALTORS® fit in.

Picture this: You’ve just been sued by a former client who claims you misrepresented the square footage of their basement. You hired a professional measuring company; there’s no way the measurements were wrong, right? And now your mind is filling up with thoughts of going to court and the potential hit to your business reputation. You’re panicking, and you’re not sure what to do next. Your very first step should be to reach out to the Real Estate Errors and Omissions Insurance Corporation (REEOIC) of BC. When REALTORS® in BC face litigation, REEOIC is there to provide you with insurance, protection, guidance, and more. REEOIC’s Executive Officer Leslie Howatt joined the Critical Path to share more details about how coverage works, free tools all members can take advantage of, how you can protect against common pitfalls that lead to litigation, and a few of REEOIC’s more unique cases.

Reputation is everything in real estate.That’s why our regulator, the BC Financial Service Authority (BCFSA) has been working on a new discussion paper called Strengthening Consumer Confidence, set to release in the coming weeks.This paper outlines many ways BCFSA will be looking to reassess our current regulatory system to increase consumer confidence in the market. It’s a meaty topic, and that’s why we invited BCFSA CEO Tolga Yalkin to give us a preview of the paper, and what their priorities will be.

The Account Executive model is a key component of the Service Re-Imagined initiative at Greater Vancouver REALTORS® (GVR). The role will blaze a new trail for the way GVR engages and supports our broker community.As GVR's first Account Executive, Brian Spencer will lead the way. Brian's a former Realtor who brings extensive insider knowledge to his new role along with a drive to enhance member professionalism through tailored support.In this episode of the Critical Path, Brian walks us through what members can expect from GVR's Account Executives now and in the future.

Last year saw a pivotal shift in our profession, laying the groundwork for a future where we strive to set the standard for professionalism and innovation.To do that, GVR is working through a process called Service Re-Imagined, which launched last year. This process will fundamentally shift the way your professional association operates to better serve you and your clients.In our latest Critical Path, we sit down with GVR CEO Jeff King to discuss Service Re-Imagined, and give you an update on what you can expect to see in 2025.

The MLS® is both our most important tool and our greatest achievement. As technology continues to progress at a breakneck pace, the MLS® will need to adapt and innovate to continue to serve our needs.That’s where ICE comes in.ICE, the provider of our MLS® platform Paragon, has big plans to stay on the cutting edge, and we recently sat down with two ICE representatives, Lucie Fortier, Executive VP of MLS® Solutions, and Leslie Cobb, Product Owner, MLS® Solutions, to discuss these plans and get a sneak peek at what’s coming next.New episodes each monthThe Critical Path is released monthly.Make sure to subscribe to GVR Podcasts to get the latest episodes of the Critical Path.Missed the last episode? Check out Shaping the future of REALTOR.ca with CREA CEO Janice Myers.

In our first seven episodes, we interviewed GVR CEO Jeff King, CCIM's Steve da Cruz, and AI expert Michael Thorne. What do all of these guests have in common? They’ll be presenting at this year’s PacificWest Conference on October 1-2 at the Vancouver Convention Centre!To get you excited, we’ve compiled the best clips from these interviews.Want to see more of these guests? Register for your spot at PacificWest today! New episodes each monthThe Critical Path is released monthly. Make sure to subscribe to GVR Podcasts to get the latest episodes of the Critical Path.Missed last the episode? Check out our conversation about AI and the future of real estate with Michael Thorne.

Our profession is changing. In the past few years, we’ve seen regulatory changes at an unprecedented pace.But why are these regulations cropping up? And what’s the outcome our regulator, the BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA), is looking for?In our latest episode of the Critical Path, we discuss the philosophy behind BCFA’s regulation of the real estate profession, and how our we can work together to build confidence in our profession together.

Commercial real estate is a difficult niche. Beyond real estate trading experience and expertise, commercial practitioners need to have a deep understanding of finances, risk mitigation, investment principles, and more.That’s where the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) Institute comes in.In our latest episode of the Critical Path, we sit down with Steve Da Cruz, CCIM to discuss Greater Vancouver REALTORS®’ partnership with CCIM and how a designation can help boost your career goals, practical advice on how to enter the commercial real estate profession, and how CCIM courses can benefit residential Realtors.

Did you know Greater Vancouver REALTORS®, in partnership with INTEGRIS, is offering members an optional pension plan?For PRECs, this unique pension plan can provide tax-deductible investment room and thus tax-saving opportunities well above what’s available under the RRSP and TFSA programs.To learn more about this plan, we sat down with JP Laporte, INTEGRIS CEO, to go over the plan and what it means for you.Find out more about the pension plan here: https://membernews.gvrealtors.ca/my-profession/new-partnership-to-provide-personal-pension-plan-investment-oppo.htmlNote, this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. We encourage you to discuss this plan with your legal or financial advisors.

Ben Franklin once said, “Drive your business. Let not your business drive you.” But for REALTORS®, who are in the people business, this advice can be a difficult line to walk. What your client wants may put you on the wrong side of our rules.In episode 9 of Standards Matter, we look at a case where a client’s request went a little too far, and a Realtor’s reluctance to say “no” had dire consequences.This episode also features advice from REBGV’s Ethics Guy® Kim Spencer on how to walk the fine line between customer service and professional standards. He also discusses the “why” behind the rules, giving his perspective on the reason behind the standards we work within.Each episode of our Standards Matter podcast reviews real disciplinary cases from REBGV’s Professional Conduct Committee to help you understand the issues and scenarios that cause some members to breach the rules of our profession.If you’re a Realtor with a question about rules, standards or professionalism in real estate that you’d like us to answer on the podcast, email standardsmatter@rebgv.org.