Podunk Below the Masthead, Thursday, May 28, 2009

They tinker with the real estate formula at Tinker realty, there may be more fish in the water but there will be no increase in catch limits this salmon season and success in Rupert is sending six performers to Saskatoon. Some of the items of note in the Thursday edition of the Daily News.

TINKER REALTY IS GOING THROUGH A METAMORPHISIS-- The local real estate scene is in the midst of a change once again, this time as Tinker Realty/Remax one of the major players in the real estate market offer up a different look.

The Tinker portion of the partnership is leaving the real estate portion of the industry as the Tinker brand now will be known only for property management on the North coast, those agents who will remain in the real estate business will be moving on to other firms or carrying the Remax flag from their homes, hopeful that the Remax brand will continue to attract buyers and sellers to those agents still ready to show homes. (See full story below)

The Daily however seems to have suffered some editorial confusion in their quest to always highlight the positives, as elsewhere in the Thursday paper is a story that surely should have been the front page headline story. That as DFO offers up some hope that the wild salmon stocks are starting to come back, but then promises more pain for local fishermen in order to keep that trend continuing. With the review of how DFO intends to cut the local catch limits this summer by 20 per cent.

Of a possible 2 million this summer, DFO has in place a total limit of 400,000 in allowable catch, a number that has UFAWU more than a little upset. Councillor Joy Thorkelson, who doubles as a UFAWY representative made her concerns known to council on Monday night, outlining the DFO trends since 2003 and how their decisions have all but decimated the gill net fleet in the region.

Even more alarming for local fishermen and those in the plants that depend on their catch, the Skeena Fish Commission wish list could see that no more than 225,000 pieces would be available for catchment, a number which Thorkelson suggests would not provide for more than 75 boats in the water.

A prospect that highlights how the continual decline of the fishing industry is continuing, taking it and the community far far away from the hey days of the last century when the fishing industry ruled the roost on the North coast.

This weeks Performing Arts BC Festival has provided a stepping stone for six talented young people, all of whom will represent the province at a national competition in Saskatoon. The six were part of the large contingent of performers who have been in town this week taking part in the festival, The week long activities came to an end on Thursday night with a Provincial Finals concert at the Lester Centre for the Arts.

The Sports page highlighted the wrestling career of former Prince Rupert resident and CHSS wrestler Stuart Brown, who has carved out an interesting personna known as the Mauler. Thursday's article outlined his travels on the east coast and Northern Canada.

The upcoming Seafest Basketball challenge also gained a preview as Conrad Lewis attempts to get the annual challenge back on track after a couple of shaky years in recent times.

Total pages in the Thursday edition (14)

Front page, headline story:

TINKER REALTY IS GOING THROUGH A METAMORPHOSIS
By George T. Baker
The Daily News
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Page one

The long-time real estate firm that began under G.P, Tinker is getting out of the real estate sales game.

And the company will continue on with property management under Judy Park and. Elaine Hembroff.

A 'For Lease' sign sitting conspicuously in the window of a Third Avenue shop would not raise too many eyebrows in Prince Rupert these days, but when it's a real estate agency the perspective is different.

After many years as one of Prince Rupert's more recognizable businesses in town, Tinker Realty is closing its doors. But it's not a bellwether sign of doom with regards to the industry, said staff. The company is just changing priorities.

Located on Third Avenue across from city hall, the business as a real estate firm will close its doors this week as part of Re/Max's metamorphosis in how the company does business in town.

According to Tinker owner, Hembroff, the change will not be immediate because the company will look to find a tenant for its building first. But once that tenant is found, they will move their property management business to an undetermined new location.
For the real estate agents employed by Re/Max, who bought Tinker a decade ago, the changes will be noticeable. Well known agent Keith Lambourne has moved to Victor Prysray's Royal LePage organization at Rupert Square Mall. Other representatives will retire. But two agents will stick with Re/Max as agents; you just won't see them in an office any longer.

Mike Morse and Clayton Williams will now work out of their homes for Re/Max and while it might be curious as to why they aren't jumping ship, the two agents said that there is plenty of reason to stay the course.

"It's about giving people in town choice," said Morse on Wednesday as the office continued its clearing. "Rupertites deserve options."

Williams concurred, and said that the brand name was important for him, especially in a day of messaging; a brand name carries a lot of weight with potential consumers.

"It's a strong brand and for me that was a really important part of staying with the company," said Williams.

With such changes to the real estate landscape in town, and with the difficult times a -lower market has provided, Morse and Williams said, it won't likely make agents in town mote competitive, per se. They said the relationships between agents in town have always been good and that will continue.

"It's really more about the relationship between clients and customers and how that develops," said Morse.