MyBCrental.com: passed 10M Hits in 2007

Record web traffic to http://www.mybcrental.com/ in 2007: A total of 93,345 unique visitors with over 10 million page hits. A lot of renters and landlords checking out Sunstar Realty Ltd., that's for sure. Interesting to find out that the most popular page is our Westside portfolio page.

We now have over 250 properties in our portfolio with majority of the new properties we took on in the past year located in Downtown Vancouver.

We are positive that 2008 will be another record breaking year for us as we continue to expand our territories. There are just so many rentals available out there! Lots of presold condos are completing all over the map. Lots of investors are looking for good managers. And lots of investors who took possession of their condos a few years back will start to find managing tenancies ain't easy. So who knows, in 2008 we might end up passing the 400 mark! My headache really isn't new businesses any more, it's where to find good quality staff!

David Berner should be our mayor, or at least our future mayor's advisor

David Berner still rocks. Knocks some senses into those sods in city hall. But wait a minute, those sods are sods because they are! So however right David is, it ain't going to matter because you can't put a round peg into those square heads. David should stop talking and go run for office and replace those sods with citizens with some common sense.

Sunstar Realty Office Makeover Completed

Ever since we've opened shop in 1994, our office essentially has been unchanged....until:

Vicki, our relocation and furnished specialist, joined us a couple of years ago. One of her very strong skillsets she brought to Sunstar is the ability to furnish executive homes fabulously for our clients with high end Downtown condos.

She painstakingly scouted for great furniture and art pieces for us, and headed the much needed makeover for our office in the latter half of 2007. The finished product is amazing: click here for slideshow

All Evan's pics just moved to Facebook

Dear friends,

Real estate's been going nuts, been too busy with life. Will post more stuff here later.

Evan's photo album has been moved to www.facebook.com:
1. Click on the facebook image above.
2. Sign up for an account (it's free).
3. Get your profile set up first.
4. I like to have everything in my profile set to "viewable by friends only"; what you like to do is up to you.
5. Search for David Mak.
6. Add me as your friend.
7. Then let's have some fun.

MyBCrental.com: >1.0 M Hits in May

In the year 2000, when almost all other property management companies in Vancouver still relied mostly on expensive classified ads for marketing rental properties, we at Sunstar Realty Ltd. started www.MyBCrental.com and never blindly gave away our clients' hard earned dollars to newspaper companies ever since.

Six years later, www.MyBCrental.com is one of the most popular sites amongst the Lower Mainland renters communities. In May 2006, for the first time, our site logged over one million hits for the first time attracting almost 8,700 unique visitors looking for rental properties and shopping for rental property management service.

Nowadays we just laugh when we still see other rental agencies and landlords throwing their bottom line out the window paying ridiculous rates for classified ads going up to $280 per week for a single 4-line ad.

From Sunstar Realty Ltd., we say thank you Vancouver for supporting our marketing plan and we guarantee our site will always deliver the most satisfactory online experience for your real estate needs.

Protowork New Studio Almost Ready

Protowork New Office almost ready

The new home of Protowork Production Inc. is almost ready for move in:
- all electrical updated and functioning well
- all light fixtures installed and work well
- exterior spotlight on sign installed and functioning well
- hi-speed network installed and tested
- server jack installed and tested
- black&white curtain for shooting & light block installed
- final clean up done
Click here to see renovation progress

New furniture on it's way.....

New Season New Line-Up for PROTO UNITED

David Berner + Rob Showell= The Dream Team @ PROTO UNITED

Annoucement! Stop Press! It's Official: (In soccer terms) PROTO UNITED has just signed up The Dream Team: "fancy-footwork attacking-mid-fielder" David Berner & "tricky-ice-cool central-mid-fielder" Rob Showell, from FC Vancouver Talent Pool to their regular roster.
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(In production terms) Protowork Productions Inc. proudly announce: We welcome the official alliance of two very special veteran creative talents to our production team:

- Awarding-winning, script writer/marketing guru/creative director: Mr. Rob Showell, and
- Multi-talented, actor/writer/producer, of CKNW talk-show fame: Mr. David Berner

These two monkeys just jumped onto the Protowork bandwagon, absolutely determined to teach and mentor "nutcase-beer-hugger" David Mak all the tricks in advertising, marketing, ad-compaigning, corporate branding, print-radio-TV-video productions and, of course, a few obscene jingles, too!

From $1000-ads to Half-a-Mil corporate re-branding campaigns;
From simple training videos to nationally broadcasted TV commercials;
From independent short films to HD quality production projects:
we are ready, willing & capable to kick some major ADS.

Together with the rest of the PROTOPEOPLE including Paul Mak, Michael Barcellona, Alvin Yip & Michelle Wong, we will be concentrating our efforts in restructuring our resources & packages for new directions and new programs in the next few months. Stay tuned for new and exciting developments in Spring 2006. We promise, a new PROTOproject is coming to a TV/radio/newspaper near you real soon...
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(back to soccer terms) With the promising new line-up, PROTO UNITED is ready for the next match-up against giants MAN U. and R. MADRID in upcoming spring league games and cup games. Expect PROTO UNITED to pick up a few silverwares this season! From Soccer Central see you at the next game, cheers-a-lot but don't drive!

Protowork Moving Studio Soon

stained exposed ceilings

Protowork Productions Inc. will be moving home soon. The studio renovation went underway at the begining of December. We hoped to move in by the end of December, but most likely end of January now. Click here to see ProtoRenov in progress.

Escape Your Past? No Chance!

VMF (Vancouver Maryknoll F4) + Evan + Markus at Whistler

Escape from your past? Not a fat chance in Vancouver. As I've posted before, whatever goes around, comes around. Been looking for a ski buddy for Evan for 5.5 years now. Finally found a kid called Markus who might just be the right one: similar social economical background, similar kind of flexible vacation schedule, similar lifestyle choices of respective parents.....but guess what: very similar upbringing of the parents, too!

I had the privilege to run into VMF (I coined it without their permissions) this weekend in Whistler. VMF stands for the "Vancouver Maryknoll F4". In Taiwan you have F4, in Hong Kong you have LMF, in Vancouver you have VMF. These 4 ladies are out of this world: classy, picky, cheeky and a pleasure-to-be-around with: like all Maryknoll chicks. Been through the Maryknoll circuit, they ended up finishing together at Queen Margaret in Vancouver Island. What a story!

I never had my fair share of MCS chicks while I was young & stupid at DBS. But when I'm old and no longer interested, I keep running into them! Just won't leave me alone! I bet you within the next few months, I'll run into some DGS chicks. Must have been those bad deeds me and Raymond Ho did way back in the 80's. One way or another it's coming back to haunt us.

Natural Skier? Evan Mak the Bomber

Evan at Whistler Kids Adventure Camp 2005

Just came back from a 4 days-trip from Whistler. Evan's 3rd season at Whistler Kids, click here to see his latest ski pics. He definitely turned out to be a natural on skis. The problem is he dosen't listen to the instructors and just go his own ways. Like father like son I guess. Well, stylishly tough: click here to watch his parallel-turn-stop OR "the-hockey-stop"

Evan Mak's Theatrical Deput

Evan with fellow cast & crew before his 1st school play

December 15, 2005. Evan's theatrical deput as an angel in the Vancouver College production of 2005 Christmas Carol. Click here to see his production photos

Arguing with Coach Harvey

Evan discussing his golf swing with Coach Harvey

Evan practicing his golf swing while training with Uncle Harvey Chang. Talk, argue, talk, argue, as usual.

All Connected Within 7 Contacts

When I was in high school in Britain, I learned of a theory which suggests that all people in this world are somehow connected within 7 contacts. The theory claims that you can randomly pick two absolutely unrelated persons (Subject A & B) from anywhere on earth- within the circle of influence of Subject A, you can find someone (contact 2) who will know someone else (contact 3) within his/her circle of influence, who will know someone else (contact 4) within his/her circle of friends, who will know someone else (contact 5) within his/her circle of influence, who will know someone else (contact 6) within his/her circle of friends, who will eventually find Subject B within his/her circle of influence.

Been around for 36 years on earth, I can personally testify that this theory holds some water. The most recent example:

Subjects: Me (just another greedy businessman), Paul Mak (Chief editor at Protowork), David Berner (famous radio talk show host) & Rob Showell (award-winning script writer/director).

Scenario: Paul Mak at the loo in a Downtown building after overseeing the voiceover recording of a corporate video project. A handsome gentleman doing his own business at the loo started to chat with him. (Freeze: Paul is an artistic, creative, backroom editor, not very up to date with politics and society in general). According to Paul this gentleman is very business like with some humour behind him, eager to meet new friends and felt like a veteran in the world of creative businesses. After a lively chat, they exchanged contact info and set up a meeting later during the week to have a beer or coffee. Paul recounted the incidence to me while working on our renovation project later that evening and asked me to join them for the beer or coffee session.

Revelation:
- The gentleman was David Berner. He has never met Paul or me before in his life. David Berner revealed that he used to collaborate with Rob Showell since the 80's in creative writing.

- Paul has no idea who David Berner is. Paul is my brother. Paul worked on a few projects before with Rob Showell (Variety- the children's charity was an award winner)

- Rob Showell is our associate writer/director at Protowork, so of course he knows both me and Paul. He worked with David Berner in the past, but doesn't know Paul would get chatted up in a loo by David Berner.

- Me. I've known Paul since his birth. I really respect Rob Showell and his talent & skill in the creative business world. David Berner is one of my favourite radio talk show host, I listen to his show every weekend while I'm driving 'coz CKNW is my default station, but have never physically met the guy before.

We are all going for a beer this Friday.

Conclusion: It's a small world. Ever since all kinds of embaressments I've embraced during my teenage years, I've learnt that whatever goes around, comes around. Behind my sober mind (limited occurrence), I've always adamantly stick to a principle for all business dealings: be honest with myself; be honest with God; do the best I can with the time I have at hand; and never cheat on anyone. Either Win/Win or no deal. It's a small world- you are only 7 contacts away from owing up to your wrong-doing today! Be Aware, Be Very Aware, Someone Knows.

Another Successful Video Shoot Day

Protowork on location for shoot day 1 of a new corporate video project

It was a gloomy snowy & cold Vancouver Sunday. But for Protowork & associates, it's another exciting shoot day. We were on location today for video shoot day 1 of a new project in collaboration with FormatonSD, a local marketing firm. It's a corporate promotional video for Automind, a rapidly expanding autobody shop in Greater Vancouver. Protowork was full crew for corporate shoots. On set we had around 40 people. It was fun. Click here to see more production photos

Sunstar Realty 2005 Xmas Dinner

Sunstar Realty 2005 Christmas Dinner

Just came back from our office Christmas party. This is our 11th annual Christmas dinner. 60 people turned up, not bad for a small independent firm. And it was snowing outside. The food was great and atmosphere quite lively. This year, after extreme due diligence in the venue selection process by Kelly (our lovely and ever so reliable office admin lady), we picked a newly opened Cantonese seafood restaurant in Richmond. The mix was quite something: we had a Chinese table with mostly Cantonese Canadians from H.K.; a Mandarin table mostly Taiwan immigrants; a Quai Lo table with Caucasian agents; a Korean table with agents who barely just understand English; a staff table and wow a children table filled with kids and their Sunstar Xmas gifts: Bionicle robots!

2005 in a Capsule | Family Chapter 3

Evan's swing

Evan is growing up rapidly. No longer the cute little chubby baby. A young smart boy with charisma now (bias?). Milestones:
1. Evan can swim un-assisted for 10 to 15 ft now.
2. Evan started golf lessons with Uncle Harvey this year. I myself joined-in in Nov.
3. Evan can ride his bike (2 wheels) around Stanley Park now (8 km), amazing!
4. Other atheletic initiatives: he's a top skater in his age group, great skiier for a 5 yrs old, he is very good with raking leaves & other household chores.
5. Evan graduated from Kerrisdale Montessorri and started his next step with Vancouver College (a Catholic Boy's School) this year.
6. We still strictly enforce the 3 languages environment around him. He can fluently converse in Cantonese, Mandarin and English.
7. Click here to see his latest pics

2005 in a Capsule | Family Chapter 2

Osyoos! Where? Osyoos, BC, Canada!

I've lived in Vancouver, BC, since 1988. Yet nobody's ever told me that there's a desert with lakefront sandy beaches right here in BC!! Unbeliveable, all those money we've spent on hotels and airfares to go to Cabo, Palm Desert, Cancun, Kauai...what the ****! Guys, here's the secret nobody wants you to know: Osoyoos is in the Okanagan's, just 5 hours drive from Vancouver. They want to keep it a sleepy little vacation town for those who know. When I was there, I counted at least 50 vineyards within a half hour drive around Osoyoos. Sandy beaches everywhere. Great hospitality. Calm warm lake water in the summer. Man, did we have fun. Click here to see vacation pics

2005 in a Capsule | Family Chapter 1

Life in Cabo San Lucas

Had our annual hotspot vacation at Cabo San Lucas this year. The usual: eat, drink, hot tub, just lie around under the sun, swim, shop, drink more and check email every the other hour with my Treo 650. Click here to see vacation pics

2005 in a Capsule | Rental Property Management Chapter 2

Property Management Automation

Several Milestones for Sunstar Realty Property Management Division in 2005:
1. Managed rental portfolio now close to 150
2. www.MyBCrental.com got a major upgrade in the Rentals section. We have integrated functional interactive Google Maps with our property listings . Click here to see Sunstar Rental Listings in Downtown Vancouver
3. Property Management Automation in the works. We have recently purchased a completely automated backoffice software for our property management division. A network server has been built and hopefully implementation of the new system will be complete by March 2006.
4. On-line Data Distribution System in the works. By mid-2006, we can stop printing/mailing/stamping envelopes for monthly statements distribution to investor clients. Yeah! With the help from programmers at www.Hopstudios.com , we are building a web-based document distribution system for clients to log-in at www.MyBCrental.com to download statements, tenancy agreements, etc.

2005 in a Capsule | Real Estate Brokerage Chapter 1

Red Hot Real Estate Market

Several exciting events at Sunstar Realty Trading Divison in 2005:
1. Sales volume and total units sold blew past 2004 records before year end
2. Number of sales representatives at Sunstar increased to more than 50. Click here to see Sunstar Realty Trading Division
3. Celebrated our 11th year in business. We are still an independent. Since 1994 we saw real estate companies came and went. I personally witnessed at least 10 companies along the Kingsway corridor folded in the past 11 years. Some small firms, some national franchises. Well, we are still trucking along happily. Big franchises? No thanks.

2005 in a Capsule | Video Production Chapter 2

On location for a corporate video shoot. From left: Paul Mak (camera/editor); Michael Barcellona (camera operator); Rob Showell (script/director)

Business at Protowork had been great in 2005. Taken on a lot of new corporate clients. Completed a few Script to Screen full production projects. The bread and butter is still regular post-production jobs. Paul is getting real good with editing, encoding and authoring. Click here to see our video production portfolio at www.Protowork.com

2005 in a Capsule | Video Production Chapter 1

On location for a corporate video shoot. From left: Rob Showell (script/director); David Mak (production manager); Michael Barcellona (camera operator)

A few milestones at Protowork in 2005:
1. Added Client Login area for on-line production project management and collaboration. Click here to see our Protowork Client Login button
2. We'll be moving home from the Sunstar office back room all the way out to the front office with our own front doors and guess what: maybe even a bar! Stay tuned for exciting photos of our new office. We'll be busy renovating the space in Dec, 05 and Jan, 06.
3. We are in the black!!

Just Started

Just started with the world of BLOGS today. Going through the manual right now.

I used to use www.EvanMak.8m.com to share photos of Evan and update family news with friends. But maintaining and updating a photo sharing site is just too time consuming. All the photo editing, resizing to create thumbnails....etc. So here we go with Blogger.com and see how it goes. www.EvanMak.8m.com will be shutting down soon.