Inflation is back above 3%, CREA has cut its housing forecast for a third straight quarter, and large investors are buying completed Toronto condos at roughly 40% below original selling prices.

This conversation asks whether Canadian real estate is starting to recover or still searching for its footing.

Host Brandon Reay is joined by Steve Tabrizi, partner and COO of REMAX Hallmark Group of Companies and founder of Broker Logiq, to unpack September's inflation numbers, the gap between affordability and buyer confidence, and why agents and brokerages can't build a business on hoping the market comes back.

They also dig into Urbanation's Q3 condo data, the shift from marketing to advising, and what 2027 holds for the industry.

For realtors, brokers, and informed consumers, Urban 411 goes beyond the headlines to explain what the numbers actually mean.

Listen For:

1:44 What's really behind September's 3.1% inflation number?

3:47 Is confidence, not affordability, keeping Canadian buyers on the sidelines?

9:50 How should agents talk to clients about rates and market fear?

18:47 When should agents and brokerages stop waiting for a market recovery?

38:48 Are bulk investors buying Toronto condos at 40% discounts a sign of recovery?

Connect with Steve Tabrizi, Chief Operating Officer/Owner | Broker/Owner at REMAX Hallmark®

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Connect with Brandon Reay, Branch Manager, REMAX Hallmark® Realty Group Brokerage

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Fixed mortgage rates are climbing, Canada has shed 110,000 jobs in two months, and GTA pre-construction condo sales fell to just 50 units in Q2.

Urban 411 launches with the stories shaping Canadian real estate heading into 2027. Host Brandon Reay is joined by Johnder Perez of REMAX Hallmark to unpack September's TRREB numbers, Ottawa's surge in new listings, and why bond yields, not the Bank of Canada, are pushing borrowing costs higher.

They dig into the rise of the three-year fixed mortgage, the collapse of pre-construction condo demand, and whether today's cancelled projects set up tomorrow's housing shortage.

Plus, the first WTF of the Week. For realtors and informed consumers who want Canadian real estate news explained beyond the headlines, Urban 411 delivers the context, the numbers, and what it means for the market.

Listen For:

01:25 What do September's TRREB and Ottawa housing numbers reveal about the fall market?

11:43 Why are fixed mortgage rates rising while Canada loses jobs?

20:37 Why are more Canadian borrowers choosing three-year fixed mortgages?

23:44 Why did GTA pre-construction condo sales drop to just 50 units?

30:20 Will today's condo cancellations lead to a future housing shortage?

Connect with Johnder Perez, Director of Innovation & Business Development REMAX Hallmark®

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Connect with Brandon Reay, Branch Manager, REMAX Hallmark® Realty Group Brokerage

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What if the most important person in your real estate business isn’t the agent, but the admin behind the scenes?

Chris Cook sits down with his long-time admin and operations powerhouse, Olga, to uncover the real engine driving a high-performing real estate business.

What starts as a conversation about hiring quickly evolves into a masterclass on systems, ownership, and operational excellence. Olga shares how identifying inefficiencies, centralizing data, and leveraging automations, not AI, transformed a chaotic workflow into a scalable machine capable of handling massive deal volume with minimal errors.

The discussion highlights the critical difference between task-based admins and high-level operators who think strategically, take initiative, and build systems that support long-term growth. From “quiet accountability” to the importance of integrating platforms like Airtable and Follow Up Boss, this episode reveals how structure creates freedom and how the right admin doesn’t just support the business, they elevate it.

Listen For

3:33 What repetitive tasks first revealed the gaps in Chris's real estate business operations?

5:20 How important is it for an admin to take a leadership role rather than just complete assigned tasks?

7:33 Why isn't Follow Up Boss enough, and when should a team add a project management platform?

13:44 What separates a high-level systems admin from an entry-level task-based admin?

16:26 How do you build a real estate operation that can handle 50 to 75 deals with one admin?

Connect with guest: Olga Parovyk, Administrative Assistant | RE/MAX Hallmark ®

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Connect with Chris Cook, Sales Representative | Team Lead at The Haylard Group - RE/MAX Hallmark ®

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