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Real Estate Generation to Generation

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.

STORY: LAURIE MORISSETTEPHOTOS: KATRINA FYFLE

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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.

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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.

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

TheGreenes

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20

“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.”

TheDeClutes

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21for more story details visit this story link at www.localmagazine.ca

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.

TheChaputs