T O P R E A L T O R S
S p e c i a l F e a t u r e
People always came back to me because
of that."
He has heard of many situations in
which homeowners were approached by
a realtor oering more
than they thought the
home was worth and
quickly deciding to sell.
"Then they go to buy
a home and they're
shocked that the home
they're buying is half
the home they sold for
the same price," he
says. "That's because
they didn't get the
advice of an honest
realtor with integrity."
While his business thrives, Smeaton
supports his wife Sharon Ferriss in her
charitable work. After a trip to Africa in
2006, she started a charitable foundation
called Little Feet Projects, which supports
schools and other children's projects in
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic
of Congo. Their four children have been
involved as well. "Mostly it was a way to
give back for all of our good fortune,"
says Smeaton. "And it teaches our kids
compassion for
others."
Laura-Leah
Shaw, who has been
honoured three times
with the
REALTORS
Care® award from the
Real Estate Board of
Greater Vancouver,
says that her business
is very compatible
with the community
work she loves.
After almost three
decades in the industry, she draws on her
contacts and her daily experience to help
out those in need. Several years ago she
began coordinating donations of fruit and
vegetables with a produce manager at
Choices Markets, and making twice-weekly
deliveries to several housing agencies in
the Downtown Eastside. Whenever she
could, she would collect used items from
her clients. "As a realtor I'm involved
with people moving, and when you
move you shed possessions," she says. "I
would volunteer to pick it up and take it
away, so I'm able to take beds, blankets,
household items, towels and bar fridges
[to the agencies]. Being in real estate
allows me access to so many things, and
they're thrilled to have it. It makes such a
dierence to their world."
Shaw also serves as president of an
organization called Animal Defense and
Anti-Vivisection Society of B.C., which
advocates against cruelty to animals in
scienti‡c testing. She has also campaigned
as a candidate for the Green Party in
three elections. "It's a way of raising
uncomfortable questions and getting
conversation going," she says. "As realtors
we all put in huge hours for work, but if we
could also carve out a bit of time to help
make the world a better place, we
all bene‡t."
"It's really important
to seek the advice of
someone who really has
a proven track record,
not just for success but
for honesty and doing
things the right way"
— Brock Smeaton
