Four key takeaways from Banff Western Connection.

Erin Best reports on all she learned at the conference.

Date30.01.2025
Words byErin Best
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Best on real Estate
I’ve always been a firm believer in being a life-long learner. If you stop learning, you stop growing. This is why I love conferences so much. It gives me an opportunity to connect with industry folks face to face and hear experienced keynote speakers, well, speak.

Last week I attended the Banff Western Connection and let me tell you, there’s just something about attending a conference in one of the most beautiful places in Canada.

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Attendees were inspired to go further and dream bigger by Colonel Chris Hadfield. We were cracked wide open and vulnerable by Canadian Olympian, Clara Hughes. And while real estate conferences are about real estate, there are key learnings from those outside of the industry that we learn from. Many of us left the conference with fires in our bellies, daring us to be different and more professional, and a pocket full of business cards from new networks of like minded individuals.

Looking at the past to understand the future.

One of my biggest takeaways from this conference is the information shared from T3 Sixty. Let’s dive into some key highlights from the event and explore why Jack Miller’s conversation was a defining moment for Canadian realtors or as he presented it, “a Darwinian moment for real estate.”

In their 2025 Trends Report, Founder and Executive Chairman, Stefan Swanepoel begins his forward by saying “Change is not chaos, it is strategy awaiting its blueprint.” I think we can all agree that 2025 is positioned to be one of the most pivotal years in the real estate industry. Paired with Colonel Chris Hadfield’s theory that the best antidote for fear is competence, I believe we are in a position to prepare and take intentional action in ways that will elevate the entire industry.

But before we dive into the 2025 report, I’ll take us back about a decade. In 2015, T3Sixty published The D.A.N.G.E.R. Report (Definitive Analysis of Negative Game Changers Emerging in Real Estate) and published the Canadian counterpart in 2016. The report focused on the threats and potential disrupters of the industry and remains one of the most introspective reports in the industry to date.

The D.A.N.G.E.R. Report is strategically structured into four key components, systematically identifying and analyzing the most significant risks facing salespeople, brokers, associations, and MLS systems, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the challenges each segment of the real estate industry faces.

Those predictions in the 2015 D.A.N.G.E.R. Report in the US? Turns out, they were 83% accurate. That being said, the report’s true utility lies in its ability to provoke thought, encourage proactive planning and prepare for potential risks. Many dangers highlighted remain ongoing issues, suggesting that the report served as a valuable warning tool rather than a definitive prediction of future outcomes.

Erin BestErin Best

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The opportunity to shape the future of real estate is ours to seize… Whether you’re an agent looking to gain a competitive edge, a broker rethinking your business model or a tech provider aiming to innovate, the time to act is now.

Erin Best
Director of Real Estate & Industry Engagement

What can we expect to see going forward?

Fast forward to 2025, and we find ourselves reflecting on how far we've come and how The D.A.N.G.E.R. Report’s predictions have played out. The 2025 T3 Sixty Trends Report builds on this legacy, focusing not only on the challenges we face today but also on the opportunities that lie ahead. So, what does this year’s report tell us about the future of our industry?

  1. Technology is redefining the real estate experience.

    One of the key themes in the report is the increasing role of technology in redefining the real estate experience. AI-driven tools, predictive analytics and blockchain technology are no longer optional add-ons; they’re necessities for those who want to stay competitive. I see this as the moment for agents and brokerages to lean into these tools, not shy away.
  2. The real estate agent’s role has evolved.

    The modern consumer has more access to information than ever before, and their expectations for seamless, transparent, and personalized experiences are higher than ever. They’re looking for advice – how the data are going to impact their circumstances and how the data will influence their decisions in a transaction. The report emphasizes the need for professionals to rethink how they interact with clients, and how the role of the real estate agent has evolved.
  3. Traditional business models are being left behind.

    Another major takeaway is the continued rise of teams and alternative business models. The report predicts that teams will dominate the industry, offering more flexibility and efficiency to agents. However, this also challenges the traditional brokerage model, forcing brokers to innovate or risk being left behind.

    Consolidation is not just happening on a brokerage level in both Canada and the US, but market consolidation is alive and well among the Canadian provinces. Many organizations are striving for provincial-wide MLS systems, with Saskatchewan leading the way as a sole real estate board serving an entire provincial membership of agents.
  4. We’re all responsible for raising the bar.

    Jack Miller’s session emphasized that the future of the industry depends on raising the bar for professionalism and leadership. This means more than just adapting to trends – it’s about taking the lead in shaping the industry’s direction, like learning how to expertly present an exclusive buyer brokerage representation. It’s a rallying cry for all of us to elevate our standards, whether in technology adoption, consumer interaction, or ethical practices at the brokerage, board, provincial and, yes, national level.

The opportunity to shape the future of real estate is ours to seize. While much of the data discussed is from the US, when the US sneezes, we get the cold up here in Canada. Whether you’re an agent looking to gain a competitive edge, a broker rethinking your business model or a tech provider aiming to innovate, the time to act is now. We can use the lessons learned from down south to make intentional, strategic moves that position us for success in the Canadian real estate industry.

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