Sync or Swim: The Multifamily Growth Show

Canada’s rental crisis is often oversimplified as a mere supply and demand issue. However, for today’s guest, Weiting Bollu, it became deeply personal after losing over $35,000 to delinquent tenants and navigating Ontario’s complex rental compliance laws. Her experiences led her to recognize the critical need for a transparent and cohesive rental ecosystem that rewards responsible behavior, essential for building a fair and sustainable rental market. Drawing on her extensive background in software product management across various sectors including education, telecommunications, insurance, and AI, Weiting co-founded Openroom with her husband, Vishal. This innovative crowdsourcing platform empowers tenants and landlords by providing access to crucial tenancy court orders and enhancing transparency in the Canadian rental market. In this episode, Weiting discusses the importance of treating rental properties as compliant businesses and tenants as valued customers. She also offers practical advice for new landlords and sheds light on the significant challenges posed by rent nonpayment. Tuning in, you’ll gain valuable insights into creating a fair rental environment, practical tips for landlords, and a deeper understanding of how Openroom is driving positive change in the rental market. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your understanding of the rental landscape today!

Key Points From This Episode: • The tenancy dispute that Openroom was created to solve and what it offers today. • Reasons that transparency and cohesion in the rental ecosystem are so important. • Insight into Weiting’s entrepreneurial journey with her husband, Vishal. • Why landlords should treat renting property as a business and tenants as customers. • Education-focused advice for new landlords to help them overcome typical challenges. • Stats from the LTB to illustrate the trouble landlords face with nonpayment of rent. • How the law works to protect both landlords and tenants equally. • Factors that contribute to unpaid rent and the repercussions that follow. • Ways that Openroom is working to change the rental ecosystem for the better. • How Weiting hopes to be a role model for other minority women in tech. • Why Openroom maintains its grassroots focus, even as the company scales. • Training programs, subscriptions, and more: Openroom’s approach to monetization. • Weiting’s take on rental increase caps and rent control more generally.

Ever questioned the validity of the hot takes on Canada’s rental market? Then be sure to join us on this episode of the Sync or Swim podcast, as we dive into an open conversation and unpack the truths and myths of the rental market’s hottest takes. We are excited to have two incredible guests on the show, Max Steinman, the CEO at Rentsync & Rentals.ca, and Jenna Chick, the Director of Leasing at Fitzrovia. Together, we break down several hot takes prevalent in the Canadian rental market, including renting as a simple waste of money, Canada’s perceived low vacancy rates, arbitrary rent prices and the ability for landlords to make a fair return, rent control as a solution to housing affordability, and more! Thanks for listening, enjoy.

Key Points From This Episode:

• What listeners can expect from today’s Sync of Swim podcast episode.
• Our thoughts on the idea that renting is simply a waste of money.
• Redefining rental living in Canada.
• Are landlords only interested in profits and are they one-size-fits-all?
• We unpack Canada’s perceived low vacancy rates.
• The benefit of purpose-built rentals and the associated laws around them.
• We discuss the record-high interprovincial migration (from Ontario to Alberta).
• Jenna highlights tips on what landlords are looking for in possible tenants and how to beat the competition.
• Arbitrary rent prices and the ability to make a fair return.
• We analyze the new legislation around short-term rentals (and whether they’re ruining the housing market).
• Rent control as the solution to housing affordability.
• Advocating and educating on purpose-built rentals. 
• Why simply plugging a tenant into any unit won’t lead to success (for leasing agents!)
• How rent control works in Toronto.
• Our take on whether tenants have community involvement in renting situations. 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

• Jenna Chick on LinkedIn
• Jenna Chick Email
• Max Steinman on LinkedIn
• Rentals.ca
• Fitzrovia
• Rentsync
• Sync or Swim Podcast
• Sync or Swim Email

Quebec is a unique area in Canada with distinct differences in culture that set it apart from other regions. Naturally, the rental market reflects these differences. Today on the Sync or Swim podcast, we are joined by Rentsync’s very own Quebec rental expert, Hudson Bytautas to take a deep dive into the Quebec rental market. Tuning in, you’ll hear about Hudson’s career journey, some surprising facts and trends in the Quebec rental market, how region-specific trends impact the market, key differences between the rental market in Quebec and other regions, and so much more! We delve into how the lower cost of living in Quebec impacts the culture before discussing the student population that needs to be catered to. We even talk about what other areas of Canada can learn from Quebec’s rental market. Finally, Hudson shares his predictions for this unique area’s future and shares advice for first-timers looking to rent property in Quebec. Thanks for listening in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing Hudson Bytautas and how he became a rental expert in Quebec. 
• Differences, trends, and surprising facts about the Quebec rental market. 
• Region-specific trends and how they impact the rental market overall. 
• How the rental market in Quebec compares to those in other provinces. 
• The importance of marketing and catering to an influx of students throughout the year. 
• How the lower cost of living in Quebec shapes the culture in general. 
• What lessons other areas across Canada can learn from Quebec’s rental market. 
• Where Hudson sees the rental market in Quebec over the next few years. 
• Hudson’s advice for someone looking to rent in Quebec for the first time.

Rentals.ca and Raising the Roof have announced an exciting new partnership! So today, we are thrilled to be joined by the Director of Housing Development at Raising the Roof, Adrian Dingle. We begin our conversation by learning about Raising the Roof: its origin story and history, what the company does, and why its new venture with Rentals.ca is a match made in heaven. Then, we discuss the standout achievements that gave Raising the Roof its stellar reputation, how it garners support from various branches of government, what a day in Adrian’s work life looks like, and what he looks for in an ideal development partner. To end, Adrian details the challenges of his work and what other industry leaders could do to alleviate these pain points, and discover how to get involved with Raising the Roof and other initiatives that are aimed at curbing Canada’s housing crisis. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Adrian Dingle walks us through the ins and outs of Raising the Roof (RTF).
• Why its partnership with Rentals.ca is a blissful union. 
• RTF’s noticeable achievements that highlight the good work it is doing. 
• Exploring its (healthy) relationship with municipalities and other forms of government.  
• What Adrian’s role as Director of Housing Development entails. 
• Why the best partners in development are those who are also passionate about affordability and social impact.
• Everything you need to know about The Toque Campaign and RTF’s other initiatives.
• The challenges of Adrian’s work, and what he thinks the industry could do better.
• What we hope to see from the recent wave of policymakers addressing the housing crisis.  
• How to get involved with RTF and housing-related projects.

Technology is becoming a vital aspect of the rental space as, for one, it provides the opportunity for accurate property visualizations before they’ve been built; without having to view the actual building. As a leading PropTech company that develops and deploys innovative tech solutions for properties and residents, Gryd is one of the reasons that many landlords and renters are willing to embrace this new digital era. Today we are joined by the Vice President of Sales at Gryd, Josh Donen, who explains what his company is all about and what his role in it entails. We learn about Gryd’s impressive technologies, how it works, and why the industry is clamouring to embrace it. Then, we look back at the pandemic as we discuss how the market reacted to it, how COVID swayed Gryd’s new innovations, and how the pandemic inadvertently set new trends for the rental industry. We also discuss what a boost in rental supply may mean for the industry moving forward, why multi-market conferences matter, and the exciting work that Gryd has planned for the near future.   

Key Points From This Episode:

• Josh Donen’s background and what his role as Vice President of Sales at Gryd entails.
• The ins and outs of Gryd, and why there’s an increasing need for its technology.  
• How Gryd’s technology works.
• The way COVID changed what Gryd prioritized in its innovations.
• How renters have become accustomed to digital renderings as a result of the pandemic.
• More on the increasing value of Gryd’s technology offerings.
• Assessing how a major boost in rental supply may affect the markets.
• Why it’s wise to attend rental conferences in other markets.
• Industry trends that Gryd is taking notice of, and what it has planned for the future.

In our rapidly evolving world, prospecting tenants expect more than just a place to live or work. They seek vibrant, all-encompassing communities that offer convenience, choice, and a sense of belonging. On this episode of Sync or Swim, we are joined by Dimitri Kritikos, Director of Property Management at Rhapsody, who offers us a unique perspective on the promise of mixed-use developments and how they satisfy the needs of today’s discerning residents. Listening in, you’ll gain insight into Toronto’s exciting new master-planned community, The Well, which is one of the most ambitious mixed-used projects of its kind in Canada. You’ll also learn about the benefits of the geothermal well the development takes its name from, the various amenities that residents will be able to take advantage of, and how The Well not only offers an incredible place to live but is even changing the stigma of renting. For a sneak peek into the future of purpose-built rentals, tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• A high-level overview of Dimitri’s role at Rhapsody.
• Why he believes mixed-use developments are the future of purpose-built rentals.
• How the expectations of prospecting tenants have shifted in recent years.
• Insight into FourFifty The Well, a mixed-used development managed by Rhapsody.
• The benefits of the geothermal well that the development takes its name from.
• A look at the design of the residential suites: The Residences and FourFifty The Well.
• Amenities that are on offer for residents at The Well.
• How luxury mixed-use developments like these challenge the stigma of renting.
• The various demographics that The Well caters to.
• What Dmitri means when he refers to “peace of mind living.”
• Where you can learn more about this exciting development!

Rentsync's Director of Sales and Business Development Matt Livingstone joins us in conversation today to explore recent innovations in Multifamily Marketing, why they are necessary, and what we might expect from the future. To kick off our conversation, we discuss the current climate in multifamily investment, the emergent needs and how they could be fulfilled. Exploring use cases and the development of the Floor Plan Navigator, we speak to increasing sophistication in condo development and the role and integration of interactive tools in the Canadian and US market. We touch on future plans for FPN based on the various ways in which it is currently being adopted, why there are so many possibilities arising from the advent of this tool, and potential benefits for corporate contexts, landlords, and renters. Join us today to hear all this and more! 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Context for this conversation: the housing crisis, rapid fluctuations, and more.
• Needs emerging from the current climate including cohesion and innovation. 
• Floor Plan Navigator (FPN) an interactive tool used to showcase unit availability. 
• Landlord and renter benefits that arise from using this tool.
• How sophistication has increased on the condo development side.
• Prevalence of interactive tools in the US market.
• Future plans for FPN with its beginnings in mind. 
• Use cases for FPN in a client context.
• The Point of Sale Device that has been developed.
• Why there are so many possibilities with this particular tool and how they might unfold.
• Potential corporate benefits of using the system.
• What is next for Rentsync beyond this model.
• How software can support safety and trust.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Matt Livingstone on LinkedIn

Rentals.ca

Rentsync

Sync or Swim Podcast

Housing affordability in Canada is a major concern for anyone hoping to purchase a home amid the current climate of increasing prices. For the same amount as a two-bedroom property in Toronto, prospective home buyers could purchase lake-facing castles in Europe or even entire private islands, according to content creator Millennial Moron, who has noted these absurdities in a series of viral videos. In today’s episode of Sync or Swim, the Millennial Moron himself joins us to share his humorous yet insightful take on the Canadian real estate market, the housing bubble we find ourselves in, the need for more purpose-built rentals, and the impact that rising interest rates are having on mortgages, plus so much more! This conversation not only offers a well-informed perspective and valuable insights, but it also injects some much-needed humour into what many might consider a dire situation. For the Millennial Moron’s guide to Canadian real estate in 20204 and beyond, be sure to tune in today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• What inspired the Millennial Moron to voice his opinion on the housing industry in Canada.
• Insight into his strategy to use humour to illustrate the serious topic of rising interest rates.
• Canada's housing bubble: how we ended up here and where we're going.
• The need to correct a long-term deficit in purpose-built rentals.
• Why owning property isn’t always better than renting.
• What the cap on international students means for Canada’s housing shortage.
• Millennial Moron’s market predictions for the next 12-18 months.
• Correlations between the situation in Canada and the 2008 mortgage crisis in the US.
• The impact that rising interest rates and inflation are having on mortgages.
• Market sentiment versus cashflow and why the success of Canada’s real estate markets in 2024 hinges on interest rates.

Housing is a hot topic in Canadian mainstream media and we couldn’t be more grateful, because even though steps are being taken to improve the state of housing in the country, there is still much work to be done. Joining us today to speak about Canada’s rental landscape is a journalist with her finger on the pulse – Toronto Star’s Business Reporter, Clarrie Feinstein. After explaining what drew her to journalism and business reporting and real estate, Clarrie walks us through the current trends of the housing market, why many buyers are tentative and overwhelmed, what the HST removal could mean for developers and new developments, and how the housing crisis has negatively affected the general mood of Canadians. Then, we take a closer look at how the mass exodus from big cities is shaping smaller neighbouring towns, how housing costs influence Canada’s international reputation, the ins and outs of short-term rentals, and our guest’s vision for the future of the Canadian housing market.    

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing Toronto Star’s Business Reporter, Clarrie Feinstein. 
• How Clarrie decided on journalism and what drew her to business reporting and real estate.
• Notable trends that she’s witnessed in the current housing market. 
• Why now is a confusing time for buyers, and why most are waiting for lower interest rates. 
• What the removal of the harmonized sales tax (HST) could mean for developers.  
• The looming shadow of bankruptcy and the nationwide gloom of the housing crisis.
• How the cost of housing is affecting Canada’s reputation as an ideal home destination.
• The trickle effect of the mass big-city exodus on smaller towns and suburbs. 
• Taking a closer look at the short-term rental market. 
• How the economy and other social factors have impacted Canada’s rental market as a whole. 
• Clarrie’s predictions for the future of Canada’s housing market.

Joining us in conversation are Rentsync CEO and VP of Technology and Data, Max Steinman and Michael Mottola. We are also joined by two members of the Building Stack community, CEO Jonathan Margel, and COO, Pablo Menghini. Tuning in, you will hear our guests offer their insights on the recent merger between Rentsync and Building Stack and how it was approached. Hear how Building Stack came to be, what motivated the merger, and how it supports property managers and the many hats they are required to wear. Learn about each business, what to expect from the future, and the biggest benefits that are set to unfold in the coming year. Thanks for tuning in!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Welcoming this episode’s four guests; Max Steinman, Michael Mottola, Jonathan Margel, and Pablo Menghini.
• The story of how Building Stack came to be. 
• Factors behind the decision to merge Rentsync and Building Stack. 
• The resident lifecycle and how Rentsync and Building Stack intend to move down the funnel. 
• Some of the many areas in which property managers need to be experts in the present landscape. 
• How the integration will improve Rentsync’s services. 
• Rentsync’s core competencies.
• The biggest benefit of the merger, including seamlessness reporting capability.
• What the merger hopes to achieve and how it will affect customers in the short term. 
• How things will change in the long term and how each of our guests feels about the collaboration.

Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts, Apple, Google Podcasts, or Spotify.