JohnAmardeil.com

For every action, there is a reaction. In my 33 years in real estate marketing I’ve seen trends come and go, but none is as surprising as the rise of urban townhomes in Toronto. As the demand for box-in-the-sky condos grows, so does the demand for an alternative.

The condominium, as we know it, seems to be getting smaller and more expensive in the GTA, while a traditional detached home within the city tends to be out of most people’s price range. At the moment, the urban townhome fills the need for ground oriented living while being more economical than a detached home. Many of these townhomes are reasonably priced, and are a great option for move-up buyers moving out of condos. The only drawback I fear is the inability to meet the demands of the market, ultimately upping the price. For every townhome community BAM is involved with, and for the many projects I read and keep an eye on, these homes are sold at lightning speeds.

Take for example Villagio by Empire Communities. The BAM team put our heart and soul into this project and we are happy to say it’s a great success, with occupancy slated to begin in 2014.

The reality is, the demand is there but the need is not being fulfilled. Where land is such a sought after commodity, building up isn’t always the answer. Ground oriented homes at affordable prices are selling fast and BAM would like to fill that need by bridging the gap between buyers and builder, moving forward.

When a team has this much fun, it’s far more likely to support your company’s mission.

We’ve been very busy at BAM these last few weeks.

This is nothing new. It happens because we take on whatever we feel we must do for our clients. It happens because we’re not afraid of looming deadlines.

Of course, there are downsides to being this busy. Mistakes can be made if your team isn’t as solid as can be. And when you’re running this fast, mistakes can be costly — just like taking a turn too fast can be costly when you’re racing a car.

The single best way I know to prevent mistakes is to see to it you have a team which will not backfire on you. A team so strong, it can do whatever it takes to get the work done. A team where everyone weighs in. One that feels like a family, not just like work.

There’s no easy, fast way to do that. But over time, if you play as hard as you work, if you have an open door policy, if you have random giveaways and fun bets and crazy company days involving racing and circus performances — most importantly, if every single member knows their voice matters — then they will stand up to the challenge of getting the job done, BAM-style.

That’s why we don’t paint a rosy picture when we go through the hiring process. We want new hires to come in with their eyes open. We’d rather reject a thousand applicants and temporarily make do with too small a team until we find the one person who we’re fairly certain will belong. The one who will be willing to play hard, yes, but also to work hard, and to wear our tattoo come hell or high water — just like we wear our clients’.