There’s no mistaking the fact that Rebecca Permack, one of the top award-winning Realtors in B.C., loves what she does.
But while she enjoys offering the best in customer service and sales expertise, it’s the community connections and people she’s met along the way that give Rebecca the most joy.
“If someone were to take a survey, I bet Realtors are some of the largest financial supporters of youth sports,” says Permack, Founder and Team Lead at Permack and Associates and Burke Mountain Homes. “Our team supports youth hockey, soccer and lacrosse teams — whether it’s to help with their fundraising or to sponsor equipment. I don’t have kids of my own, but it's just kind of what we do as members of the community and it feels great.”
She adds that an unexpected benefit of her philanthropic efforts is the goodwill and word-of-mouth recommendations by friends, clients and people looking for a Realtor.
“I’ve met many clients because they've learned about the sponsorships that our team does or the events that we put on in the community,” says Permack, “and I think that the fundraising I do personally just really speaks to a lot of people.”
Giving back is so important to Permack, she looks for that same spirit and empathy when hiring new team members. The two other agents on the Permack and Associates team, Sonia Lagiglia and Eric Dove, also have deep roots in their communities and collectively they are one of the most generous and community-minded teams in the Tri-Cities.
Buying a home is one the most important transactions someone will undertake in their lifetime, so Permack wants a team willing to go the extra mile to ensure a client’s experience with Royal LePage and Permack and Associates goes above and beyond.
Permack wants to change the perception of some people that all Realtors are simply in it for the money. It’s a change she’s very happy to lead by example.
“You treat people like family because you participate in their search for the most important asset they're going to purchase in their lifetime,” says Permack. “Or you’re there to help them through very difficult times. I have a great deal of empathy for how stressful the process can be.”
She notes in Real Estate, Realtors are always involved when there's transition.
“You know, that scary first purchase, growing families, divorces, downsizing, aging out of their home,” says Permack. “Whatever the situation, people can be at their most vulnerable during the time we are working together, so we try to bring them into our family and really put their needs first and foremost. It creates cheerleaders for life.”
Permack is also heavily involved in fundraising efforts for Royal LePage nationally, and is a consistent top one-percent donor for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and violence prevention programs.
To help raise money for the Shelter Foundation, Permack spends months training each year to complete gruelling challenges, including hiking Machu Picchu in Peru, a trek through the Sahara Desert and a 115-kilometre trek through the lava fields in Iceland. To date, these efforts has raised more than $3 million across the country.
“The amazing thing about fundraising for the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is that all of the funds raised come directly back to our community. So, in my case, all the money we raise goes towards supporting the Tri-City Transitions [Society] women's shelter,” says Permack. “It's been extra important in these last couple of years as women’s shelters have seen an increase in the incidence and severity of domestic violence during the pandemic.”
Permack adds that even though the past couple of years have been challenging for many people — and the Real Estate industry has had to change and adapt — her team is still committed to helping clients achieve their dreams with expertise, insight and compassion.
Rebecca Permack is featured in the 2022 Excellence in Real Estate Magazine.
