About the author

Welcome to RealtyLab. My name is Mark McLean. As a 20+ year veteran of the real estate industry in Toronto Ontario, I have seen the evolution, success and eventual decline of many companies all trying to become dominant players in a highly competitive business. Throughout my career, I have always worked with boutique offices, those offices that tended to be local players in the market. I was drawn to the personal nature of the small office. In January of 2007, I had an opportunity to become a partner in a high-end global real estate brand. Sotheby’s International Realty Canada (Toronto) had all the benefits of a high service, specialized, and local real estate marketing company with an affiliate network of over 500 offices around the world. In the first two years I built an office with 40 agents that was clearly a recognized luxury real estate brand in Toronto.

In January 2010, I accepted a new position in business development with one of Toronto’s most successful boutique brokerages. Bosley Real Estate has roots in Toronto that go back 85+ years. This is a third generation family run company that continually invests in its future. Currently it has 4 offices and over 220 agents and support staff. The Bosley ”brand” represents history, integrity, and knowledge. Many members of the senior management team, including Tom and Ann Bosley, have held senior positions in the Canadian Real Estate Association, Ontario Real Estate Association, Toronto Real Estate Board and the Real Estate Council of Ontario. Other agents in the company sit on various real estate task forces including; the Green Task Force, the Youth Task Force, and the Condominium Task Force and we have some members who serve on Arbitration committees. Bosley Real Estate is not only a successful brokerage, but through their continual involvement is helping shape the industry as a whole.

My role will be to continue to grow Bosley brand in Toronto while managing the new downtown west office. The new office is a unique flagship office with a conceptually new approach to how brokerage businesses operate. Throughout my career, I have paid particular attention to what works and what doesn’t. I am a visual person who recognizes the abilities of great brands and what they can accomplish given the right tools. Picking up on visual and social clues has helped me spot and develop trends in an industry that has not changed significantly in the last ten years.

June 13, 2012

Building Your Social Credibility Doesn’t Happen Overnight

by mark mclean

Last week I attended the NAR TechEdge event in Toronto. While the conference flew a little under the radar for many, it was an excellent primer for agents interested in using Social Media to increase their business. There were several great speakers who talked about their experiences with Twitter, Facebook, blogging and video and how these assets have changed their business positively. While reviewing my notes a few days later it occurred to me that what they were really getting at was increasing our Social Credibility. I stopped for a minute to Google that on the off-chance that I just coined a new phrase (I didn’t).

Filed under Social credibility social media real estate blogging networking mark mclean twitter facebook real estate coaching

REALTYLAB

Building Better Real Estate Companies

Building Your Social Credibility Doesn’t Happen Overnight