Arthur Bartram, co-founder of Right At Home Realty in Toronto, died Nov. 14 after a battle with cancer. He was 68.
Along with Howard Drukarsh, Bartram created Right At Home Realty eight years ago. It is now Canada’s largest independent real estate brokerage.
A REM story in August 2010 recounted how Bartram and Drukarsh had known each other since the 1980s when they both worked for Canada Permanent Real Estate. They were both working at Royal LePage’s Johnston and Daniel when they came up with the concept for a new brokerage.
Together they left Johnston and Daniel and, with the financial backing of a group of investors, they launched Right At Home out of a Don Mills location.
Reflecting on changes to the real estate industry and the fact that at the time, more than 1,000 Right At Home agents were working out of the Don Mills office, Bartram told REM: “You would think this office would be like Union Station, but it isn’t. We probably see six to 10 agents a day and one or two clients a day, or every other day – agents aren’t utilizing premises like they used to.
“They can type their own deals, for example, and they can load their own listings into the MLS system. Those two functions were ones the office did for them 10 years ago. Today I would say at least 50 per cent of the agents are doing this for themselves, because they can.”
Bartram added: “And if they’re doing most of the work, our motto is, they should be paid most of the money. It’s a pure economic model – there’s no magic to the formula.”
He is survived by his wife Lynn (nee Jonah); children Jo-Anne (Steve) and Robert (Michelle); and grandchildren Lily, Kieran, Madeline and Tyler.
The family will receive friends at Chapel Ridge Funeral Home, 8911 Woodbine Ave. Markham, Ont., four lights north of Hwy. 7 (905-305-8508) on Thursday, Nov. 22 from 7 to 9 pm. A memorial service will take place on Friday, Nov. 23 at 11 am in the chapel.
Those who wish to make a memorial donation in Arthur’s name are asked to consider Habitat for Humanity at https://www.habitat.org/cd/giving/one/donate.aspx?z=a&link=453.
