It’s hard to run a local publication and not recognize the contribution that real estate makes to our bottom line. We thought it unfair that real estate spends so much on local publications and receives so little actual press. After all, every business has a story and we thought it particularly interesting that so many families in the east end are choosing to go into business together. Local’s contributing Editor, Laurie Morissette spoke with three such families to find out their motivation in working in the business together.
STORY: LAURIE MORISSETTE
PHOTOS: KATRINA FYFLE
IT’S HARD NOT TO NOTICE THAT REAL ESTATE HAS BECOME A ‘FAMILY AFFAIR’ IN OUR AREA. WE WERE CURIOUS TO FIND OUT WHY SO MANY REALTORS ARE CHOOSING TO MAKE THEIR BUSINESSES MULTI-GENERATIONAL.
Just as there are many families going into business together, there are many reasons for doing so. Most would suspect that the main reason is money, but we quickly discovered that rationale to be near the bottom of the list. The reasons were similar amongst all of the people we spoke to, although their visions for the future of their companies varied. Given that real estate is an all-encompassing, demanding career, one thing was abundantly clear…children of realtor parents know what they are getting into. Real estate was part of their lives as they grew up watching their parents run their own businesses. The family reasons for ‘joining forces’ are unique and interesting stories that we share with you here.
The Greenes
On a sunny autumn morning, I had the pleasure of having coffee with real estate agents Jillinda Greene and her son Taylor. To say that Jillinda has a long history in The Beach would be an understatement. She has been in the local real estate business for 28 years, but it was in fact her grandmother who settled in this neighbourhood when she emigrated to Canada from Ireland.
Jillinda became interested in the business at a young age, while raising two pre-school aged children, running her own Baskin Robbins store and buying and selling houses for her own family. Jillinda tells me, “we owned four houses in five years, and it was through that experience that I first became interested in getting involved in real estate.”
No stranger to hard work, Jillinda ‘hit the books’ and obtained her real estate license. She was inexperienced, had no car during the day and no potential clients, but someone special at Century 21 gave her a chance. Jillinda sold four houses in her first month, and the rest is history.
Taylor grew up watching his mother working long hours. “She was always on the phone or at an appointment,” recalls Taylor. When he was in high school, a friend suggested that he consider working with his mother. Taylor’s response was, “no way, real estate agents work way too hard.” Taylor went on to university, joined the Reserves, worked in construction and eventually served six months in Afghanistan. Hard work no longer frightened him. Upon his return, Taylor obtained his real estate license and went to work. It was 2008 and the market was tough, but he sold a townhouse condo in his first three weeks on the job.
Jillinda had always worked on her own, so when Taylor joined the business, it was the first time that she had any help. Although they mostly work independently of each other, Jillinda now has someone she trusts implicitly to help her. As she says, “having help within the business, without hiring outside assistance, means we can always maintain our clients’ complete confidentiality.”
Jillinda and Taylor have obviously established a working relationship that does not interfere with their lives as mother and son, making it clear that real estate is not a topic at the dinner table! But Jillinda does acknowledge that her kids learned their work ethic from seeing her juggle all of her responsibilities over the years. She goes on to say that she never had to teach Taylor how to take care of clients. “He is a natural. He goes above and beyond to service clients. He cares about people and he wants them to be happy.”
Jillinda is proud of her son, but she is also proud of the fact that her hard work and success has enabled her to ‘give back’ to her community. For over 20 years she has supported Sick Kids Hospital, East General Hospital, and a number of local charities. Jillinda and Taylor are a ‘hands on’ team and they look forward to a rewarding future, running their boutique style business… together.
The DeClutes
“I was very happy when Rick and Rochelle returned to Toronto to participate in our business which had grown ten-fold, as my wife and partner Dorothy DeClute brought her expertise in brand development, consistent marketing and team-building to the forefront. We needed to expand the team further so it was a natural. Just like it is fun to teach your kids to ride a bike, it is fun to teach them the ropes in a business too”, Gerry Declute told me.
Gerry’s pride is evident when he speaks of his children. Undoubtedly it is the same pride his own mother felt when Gerry joined the family business in the early 1970’s. His mother, Chris Crombie DeClute, was in fact the first female real estate broker in Toronto.
As students, Rick and Rochelle worked at their grandmother’s brokerage, but agreed that they would never get into the business. They completed their educations, and both left Toronto to pursue careers – Rick in Scotland and Rochelle in western Canada. Eventually Rick decided to return to Toronto to be closer to family, and convinced Rochelle to do the same. And so it began. “Gerry is a great reader of people, a patient and kind-hearted teacher, and very happy to mentor,” says Rochelle. She recalls her first sale and how her dad taught her the importance of doing her best for her clients. “With great intuition Dad taught us empathy and kindness,” says Rochelle.
Gerry had a vision for the future and wanted Rick and Rochelle to bring change to the business. The company now consists of 18 agents, covering the entire city, yet 90%of their business still comes from The Beach, The Bluffs and Leslieville. Rick and Rochelle manage the team, although Gerry and Dorothy, who Rochelle refers to as “our most respected resources,” are available for established clients. Rick and Rochelle are involved in each transaction, and are careful to recognize the contributions of each team member. “We have clearly-defined roles and responsibilities yet we know that these roles tend to change over time,” declares Rochelle. Having family at the helm means Gerry can spend more time golfing and traveling with Dorothy.
For the DeClutes, “real estate is our life…we live it,” states Rochelle. But she makes it clear that Gerry firmly established the ‘Dad’ role. “When he came home from work, even if he had to go out later, he always changed from his suit to his jeans,” remembers Rochelle. But admittedly, the business is unpredictable and sometimes family time was hard to plan. Now that both Rick and Rochelle are involved, they work together with the same clients, thus allowing them a balanced family life.
Over the years, the DeClutes have been involved in many charities in the neighbourhood and beyond, but what they are most known for is their introduction of ‘Light Up The Beach’. Each November the community looks forward to the ‘big turn on’ when staff and agents run the festivities. According to Rochelle, “ this is a way to celebrate the amazing clients in the neighbourhoods we work in.”
The Chaputs
I entered Dianne Chaput’s cozy Queen Street office and was greeted by the most welcoming group – Dianne, Colette and Brian. I felt great energy amongst this devoted family. Prior to entering real estate 28 years ago, Dianne was a school teacher in Regent Park. During that time, she lived with her young family in both the Annex and Cabbagetown. On the weekends they would visit the Beach and eventually decided to make a move. She says, “we chose the Beach because it was where we wanted to raise our children.”
Dianne had changed careers while living downtown and was selling real estate for three years before the family relocated, and she continued for another three years before obtaining a drivers license. “I walked or rode my bike everywhere. I know this area inside and out,” states Dianne.
Hard work was rewarded with success. Dianne managed the difficult balancing act of work and family by having ‘rules’. She says, “I always made it home for dinner, I always attended the childrens’ events and I always made sure that family came first.”
Dianne’s children, Colette and Brian, both left Toronto to attend university. Colette went to the United States, stayed for eleven years and lived in several cities including New York, where she held a corporate marketing position. Brian went to Nova Scotia and lived in Montreal before returning to Toronto. Dianne was surprised when they both announced their desire to get into the real estate business. “It is strange. I never predicted this. I just couldn’t believe that my children were interested,” she says.
Always working alone, Dianne says that having her children join her “created a whole new life for me.” She goes on to say, “delegating is an entirely new discipline. I think I am there now.”
Colette and Brian each bring something different to the mix. Colette is extremely organized. She has a business plan, revisits the plan, reviews progress and focuses on direction. It took years to build the reputation that is the Chaput brand and Colette plans to continue building for the future of the entire family. “I hope to expand to areas other than the Beach, and I want to give my Mom more time and flexibility. I want her to have options,” she says.
Brian worked for Dianne during the summer while attending university. He recalls always being interested in houses. “My Dad is an interior designer so this kind of thing is in our blood. Even on family vacations we stopped to look at buildings,” he says. Brian is the creative arm of this team, having had a hand in both designing and managing the design of all marketing materials. Brian likes the variety that real estate offers, recognizing that there is longevity in the business. As he says, “houses are the biggest investment that people make, and this will not be lost to technology.”
The Chaput Team proudly supports important charities including The Red Door Shelter for Women. They also sponsor a house league lacrosse team and support the causes of many of their clients.