REALTORS®: Improving Quality of Life

REALTORS® do much more than trade in real estate. They help British Columbians achieve the dream of home ownership—the foundation of a strong community.

REALTORS® are committed to improving Quality of Life by supporting policies that encourage economic vitality, provide housing opportunities, respect the environment, protect property owners and build better communities with good schools and safe neighbourhoods.

What is Quality of life?

In 2004, the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) adopted the Quality of Life approach to reflect the community-building work done by REALTORS® throughout the province.

The goal of the Quality of Life approach is to recommend policies that enable people to get what they value most: jobs, homes and better communities. Basically, what’s good for the province is good for real estate.

Quality of life is based on five principals:

• Ensuring economic vitality. The key to our quality of life is a strong economy, which creates jobs, expands the tax base, enhances and revitalizes communities.

• Providing housing opportunities. We all want a safe, decent and affordable home near where we work, shop and play. We must ensure an attainable supply of housing—including choices about design, cost and location.

• Preserving the environment. REALTORS® recognize one of the important elements of quality of life is the environment: clean air and water, parks and open space.

• Protecting property owners. A strong economy depends on preserving the investment people have made in real estate by protecting the ability to freely own, use, buy and sell real property.

• Building better communities. Better communities are created in partnership with governments to ensure safe neighbourhoods and sufficiently fund the roads, water and sewer that form the framework for a community’s quality of life.

REALTORS^®  are quality of life experts. 

REALTORS® know what people value most in a home and a community. It’s part of their jobs. Clients talk to them about those values every day. 

REALTORS® are in the business of selling communities—not just homes. Like our neighbours, they want good schools and parks, safe neighbourhoods, a strong economy and good transportation choices.

The real estate boards and associations in BC, together with BCREA, conduct research to carefully consider public policies that work to support economic vitality and all Quality of Life principles. BCREA aims to present thoughtful and balanced perspectives to decision makers that will help prosperous communities grow, benefiting all British Columbians.

The members of the Association of Interior REALTORS® also support these principles and are very active in supporting many initiatives in their communities. From fund raising to taking turns cooking at the local Soup Kitchen, to coaching youth athletic teams, REALTORS® can be found everywhere giving back.

Reprinted in part with permission from the BC Real Estate Association