By Peter Squire
WinnipegREALTORS® is pleased to announce Catherine Schellenberg as its 2020 President.
“We truly welcome an outstanding and experienced leader in Catherine Schellenberg who has
committed years of volunteer time to our association to prepare for her role in board oversight at
WinnipegREALTORS® and through the execution of its strategic plan,” said Marina R. James, CEO of
WinnipegREALTORS®. “2020 is not only the start of an exciting new decade for WinnipegREALTORS® but one where it has increased its membership to over 2,000 REALTORS®, affiliates and business partners with reach to rural areas outside the city of Winnipeg.”
James added, “Schellenberg offers invaluable insight with past experience as a broker manager of a major real estate office in Winnipeg, and will bring her strong business acumen and industry knowledge to advance and enhance WinnipegREALTORS® pivotal role in serving its members.”
“I am looking forward to leading one of the most respected and well run REALTOR® associations in the country,” said Schellenberg. “Our profession and the real estate industry know that to stand still is to fall behind so we are very much on a path to advance technology services, governance practices and data visualization on area real estate to municipal leaders. 2020 will see the roll-out of enabling residential properties to be listed for rent on our MLS®.”
Catherine Schellenberg was licensed as a REALTOR® in 2003, spending 7 years as a broker and 9 years as a salesperson. She is a residential REALTOR® who has worked out of the RE/MAX PROFESSIONALS office right from the outset of her real estate career. She currently serves as an alternate broker.
Besides keeping on top of all emerging trends in real estate through mandatory education, RE/MAX training, CREA leadership courses and industry conferences, Schellenberg has taken and received her Seniors Real Estate Specialist and Accredited Buyer Representative designation. She also has served on the Canadian Condominium Institute as a director and chaired membership and marketing. It certainly helped reaffirm and enhance her knowledge on all aspects of condominium legislation and regulations.
“Learning is a life-long pursuit and I know it will continue this year as I work diligently to ensure our members are informed of latest developments,” said Schellenberg. “In fact, we have scheduled two education/training sessions for members on February 11 on how to use the MLS® Home Price Index (HPI) to better understand residential price trends and levels in our many MLS® areas within and outside Winnipeg.”
Schellenberg recognizes the importance of advocating for members and creating more favourable real estate conditions for WinnipegREALTORS® market region.
“I am focused on keeping WinnipegREALTORS® a key player in the growth and development of Winnipeg and the surrounding region.”
Seeing Manitobans as active as they were in the real estate market in 2019 market is a win for the economy. Based on a study by Altus Group Economic Consulting, MLS® home sales for WinnipegREALTORS® market region translates to approximately $680 million in economic spin-off spending. Many jobs were created as well.
WinnipegREALTORS® is joining many other participating real estate boards in the country this year to be included on the MLS® HPI. It will be the first time Winnipeg will be included in the Canadian Real Estate Association’s national statistical reports. In simple terms, the MLS® HPI uses sophisticated statistical models to track a “typical” home based on the features of homes that have been bought and sold using more than a decade of MLS® System data.
Schellenberg will have her first opportunity to address members at WinnipegREALTORS® upcoming annual Forecast Breakfast on January 29 at the Victoria Inn. It promises to be a highly engaging and
informative event featuring BMO’s Chief Economist Douglas Porter as keynote speaker, and Finance
Minister Scott Fielding sharing his keen insights on the health of the provincial economy and 2020 priorities of the provincial government in the lead-up to the 2020 provincial spring budget.
Attendees will learn about what a successful year 2019 was for MLS® market activity and what can be expected in 2020. A commercial panel on building a stronger and better Winnipeg METRO Region is on the agenda as well, with an excellent line-up of participants including Colleen Sklar, executive
director of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region.
For more information about the Forecast Breakfast, please visit www.winnipegrealtors.ca/community/forecast-breakfast-2020
Peter Squire is WinnipegREALTORS® Vice-President, External Relations & Market Intelligence.