PATRICIA M. CHANG B.Sc.(Arch),B.Arch, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
Chartered Real Estate Agent
In some ways it is not surprising that Patricia M. Chang, a lifelongMontrealer formed her own firm.
When she first joined Royal Lepage Westmount in 1989, she was a professional architect (McGill University, Order of Architects of Quebec) in her late twenties. She consciously chose to sell real estate as a career in part to fulfill her need to meet people, see all the interesting homes and condo/housing projects that Westmount and Montreal had to offer, and to enter the world of business. She influenced other young university educated people to do the same, as those agents have since told her she was their inspiration.
While at Royal Lepage for 15 years, Patricia Chang was a consistent top earner and recipient of the Lifetime Award of Excellence. Even when Montreal confronted challenging real estate markets in the mid 1990's she was twice amongst the Top Ten Agents for Royal Lepage in the province of Quebec and once in the Chairman's Club - top 1% of all Royal Lepage agents in Canada.
Her leadership quality was not just found in her large sales volume, she was always trying to improve how things were done. For example, when she first started working (which was prior to the computer revolution!), listings were typed and brief, giving only essentials such as taxes, assessment and dimensions of rooms. She realized that these listings did little to showcase the features of the property so she pioneered the elaborate descriptions of the listings that are commonplace today (much to chagrin of her former secretaries!)
She was also a guest on a television show about money matters, and has appeared in televised news and on radio.
Patricia Chang introduced fellow agents (including those working under different banners) and clients to Feng Shui when she helped to organize a free lecture entitled "The Power of Feng Shui" and panel discussion "TheValidity of Feng Shui in Architectural Practice" at McGill University in 1998. Even though fellow realtors are essentially competitors, she freely gave them advice on how best to place their desk to be in command positions. read morein Feng Shui stories
The Feng Shui lecture/panel discussion became a catalyst for her wanting to learn more about the nature of energy, sacred geometry, healing power of music and quantum physics. This took her to study different modalities of healing (through books, courses and workshops), to learn how to sing and to learn how to dance - she got her first ballet shoes at the age of forty! Essentially she was learning how to balance her male &female side and integrate her left & right brains. resources
Patricia also started writing a book to help humanity, believing that this was her life's purpose. However, when she started to watch television shows on buying and selling international real estate, de-cluttering, staging homes for sale, interior/landscape design and people transforming their lives, she realized she longed to be back selling real estate but in an enlightened way.
Westmount Realty (formerly Patricia M. Chang Realty) was formed in 2005 to incorporate all that she has learned and experienced so far in architecture, Feng Shui and higher consciousness studies. She purposely maintained a low profile, promoting each property she had for sale and not herself. It was not until January 2009, which happened to coincide with Connie Dingle coming to work with her, that she had an epiphany - that selling real estate with the intention of creating "Harmony in Home Sales" is in keeping with her life's purpose!
From that epiphany, this web site was created and new energy breathed into her practice.
CONSTANCE DINGLE
B. A. (Communications) Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee Affiliated Real Estate Agent
Following her mother's and aunt's footsteps, Constance (Connie) Dingle started her real estate career in 1995 with TheCorcoran Group, one of the largest residential real estate firms in NewYork City. Actually, the jump into real estate was a natural extension of the work she had done at Tiffany & Co." At Tiffany, so many people came to us with certain expectations, and we had to ensure that their experience was a positive one. As a real estate agent, the responsibilities are not so different. As the marketer or facilitator in a transaction, my job is to understand the needs of the client and marry their expectations with a positive outcome." While at the Corcoran Group in New York, Connie excelled in sales as a member of their Million Dollar Circle*for 1996 and 1997. "The clients I worked with were delightful. Some agreements took longer than others, but when the phone would ring and old clients would refer their friends to me, this was the reward for a job well done." By early 1998, she was the Director of Relocation for The Corcoran Group, advising and consulting clients on moves, into and out of New York.
After years of working in real estate, one marriage, and three babies later, a relocation to Montreal (i.e. Westmount) was added to the montage. "Westmount is a really special spot. We've been here for seven years now, and every one of my friends who has had to leave this little enclave has been reluctant to depart. It offers so much to so many." As well, a few friends had enlisted Connie to help make their home garner a bit more curb appeal both inside and out. That was what started her thinking of getting her real estate license here in Montreal. (She still maintains her real estate agent's license in the state of New York.)
"I've sold real estate in a very fast paced city. Now, for me, it is so much more enjoyable to work with a few clients at a time in order to give them the attention they need and require." Connie loves everything about real estate ? "Selling and buying is a process ? it involves people's emotional attachments, their timing, their finances. These are not easy issues at any time, and it is important to work with professionals you can count on." After a year of working in the Westmount office of Sotheby's International RealtyQuebec, Connie decided to switch firms and work with Patricia Chang at Westmount Realty because they share the same values, philosophy, work ethic and vision. Moreover, Patricia has 19 years experience in the Westmount and Montreal market, and the respect of the real estate community. Patricia's belief of keeping things balanced - career, relationships, and personal interests - is also her approach to real estate. They also feel a balanced individual who strives for harmony within helps to radiate an energy that is not only positive but effective.
Connie and Patricia see eye to eye:
"Selling homes can be a balancing act. It is important to make sure a home is looking its best, the marketing is maximized for direct exposure to potential buyers and to the brokerage community, contract details are in order, and everyone has the same common goal: making the sales process a happy memory."
Want to find out more about the Westmount market?
Call Connie at 514-449-SOLD (7653).
CHARLINE MONTROSE Certificates University of Quebec at Montreal (U.Q.A.M.) Affiliated Real Estate Agent
