[Click on question to view answer] 1. Why should I hire Touchstone to manage my property? 2. What is your track record? 3. Is your firm licensed? 4. Who are your clients? 5. Do you have staff on site? 6. Do you offer 24/7 service? 7. Are the property managers overloaded with buildings? 8. What happens when the property manager goes on vacation? 9. Do you use in-house engineers to do repairs and maintenance work in your properties? 10. Are in-house engineers more expensive than outside contractors? 11. How do you select a contractor? 12. How often do you issue financial statements and when? 13. Will I be forced to use the Touchstone reporting format for financial documents? 14. Do you handle leasing? 15. How do you work with leasing agents/ brokers? 16. Do you manage parking/parkade operations? 17. How do you retain your tenants? 18. How do you deal with vacancies? 19. How do you manage risk? 20. Do you conduct property inspections? 21. What is your strategy to increase rental incomes? 22. How can your firm add value to my property? 23. Can Touchstone save me money? 24. Does your staff undergo regular training? 1. Why should I hire Touchstone to manage my property? Touchstone's property managers are a team of dedicated, motivated professionals known for their: Experience Touchstone's senior property managers have on an average 15 years' experience in real estate management. Your property will benefit from our experience. Service Property management is a “people” business. Our advantage is a close knit team of dedicated, motivated professionals who enjoy providing hands-on property management. Cost effectiveness Quality property management should add value to your real estate investment. Lower operating costs mean better tenant retention and more profit to the owner. Quality accounting Timely, accurate accounting along with professional cash management means more control and higher returns to you, the owner. Attention to detail In property management, it's the little details that count. Our managers are thorough: they keep track of the details without losing sight of the big picture. Local knowledge All Touchstone managers are long time residents of Metro Vancouver and are very familiar with local codes, bylaws and Real Estate values. Communication We utilize leading-edge integrated communication technology to deal with issues and complaints expeditiously. Responsiveness We provide our clients and tenants with what they need, when they need it, no excuses. It's that simple. Back to the top 2. What is your track record? We have succeeded in reducing operating costs for the majority of buildings we have managed. We were awarded the Power Smart Partner Excellence Award for reducing energy consumption by 28 percent per year in one of our properties, greatly improving operational efficiency and tenant comfort. Back to the top 3. Is your firm licensed? We are licensed under the Real Estate Act of British Columbia, and our Agent/Nominee is Donna F. McCrone. The company is in good standing with the Real Estate Council of British Columbia. We are members of the following Associations: BOMA BC – Building Owners and Managers Assoc. CHOA Condominium Home Owners Association of British Columbia BC Shopping Centre Association NAIOP – Commercial Real Estate Development Association I.C.S.C. – International Council of Shopping Centers PAMA – Professional Assoc. of Managing Agents Member of the BC Hydro “Power Smart” Program Member of the Greater Vancouver Real Estate Board Back to the top 4. Who are your clients? We have extensive experience working with a wide range of clients - institutional investors, multinational corporations, national pension fund owners, offshore owners, small and medium-size private investors, and strata owners. Back to the top 5. Do you have staff on site? Depending on the preference of the owner and budget, we can maintain an office manned by full-time staff at the building. In other cases, the property manager, maintenance, and engineering staff (optional) visit the property regularly to meet with tenants, inspect the premises, carry out repairs and maintenance, and oversee contractors. Back to the top 6. Do you offer 24/7 service? During regular business hours, clients and tenants can contact our head office or the building office. After business hours, there is an emergency/security hotline, which is set up to alert the property manager in-charge in case of an emergency situation. Depending on the situation, the property manager and/or an engineering and maintenance technician will pay a visit to the site right away. Back to the top 7. Are the property managers overloaded with buildings? We pride ourselves on our boutique approach to property management. The maximum number of properties managed by an individual manager is 10. Property managers visit their respective properties frequently to meet with tenants and inspect the premises. Clients can rest assured that they will receive one-on-one personalized attention from our property managers who are always available to answer their questions and discuss any issue pertaining to their business. Back to the top 8. What happens when the property manager goes on vacation? At Touchstone, we are a close-knit group of property managers who believe in team management. Our property managers are well-versed in all the properties managed by Touchstone, not just their own portfolios. For every property, there are two back-up property managers and they manage the building in the absence of the property manager. Back to the top 9. Do you use in-house engineers to do repairs and maintenance work in your properties? Touchstone is one of the few property management companies that has a full complement of in-house engineers and maintenance staff. The team comprises certified power engineers, building maintenance technicians, and an electrician. This is an optional service we offer our clients. Being familiar with the history of the buildings, our engineers have a better understanding of the building's operations, and are often able to anticipate issues before they occur and become costly. Back to the top 10. Are in-house engineers more expensive than outside contractors? On the contrary, using Touchstone engineers saves you time and money. This results in: • Cost savings that otherwise would have been spent on hiring an outside contracting firm at a higher hourly wage • No delays or waiting for a contractor/serviceman to show up • Lower costs by having our engineers provide the specifications and write the Request for Proposals (RFP) on many of the HVAC projects • Lower maintenance costs and higher tenant comfort and retention. • Long term benefits. When addressing an issue, our in-house engineers will look at the bigger picture and deal with potential future problems before they become costly. Back to the top 11. How do you select a contractor? All the contractors we work with are rigorously screened. Among other things, they must have WCB coverage, liability insurance coverage, a well-established reputation, and provide warranties and references. We have a policy of transparency and always request quotations and/or proposals and an in-person interview. Back to the top 12. How often do you issue financial statements and when? Financial statements and reports are issued every month, no later than the 15th. We are happy to accommodate other schedules and requirements. Back to the top 13. Will I be forced to use the Touchstone reporting format for financial documents? Our accounting team is flexible and progressive and believes in customizing financial reports and statements to meet the client's needs. Back to the top 14. Do you handle leasing? Most of our leasing activities revolve around lease renewals, documentation, and administration. In some of our larger properties, we have partnered with a third-party leasing agent/agency. Back to the top 15. How do you work with leasing agents/ brokers? We work closely with the leasing agent/broker to ensure maximum occupancy rates. • We open and prepare the space for viewings • We promote the building and the business environment • We educate/inform the leasing agent/prospective tenant about the facilities and amenities in the building Back to the top 16. Do you manage parking/parkade operations? Touchstone directly manages the parking facilities in the smaller complexes. This includes allotment of spaces, rent administration, collection, payment, and maintenance of the parking facility/parkade. With larger properties, the lots are sub-contracted to professional parkade managers. However, we oversee the contract and negotiate the management fee and parking rents. Back to the top 17. How do you retain your tenants? At Touchstone, we believe that providing good tenant services is key to tenant retention. We work hard to increase tenant comfort and build good relations with our tenants through: • Hands-on management and regular site visits • Responsive, real-time communication • Courteous and speedy resolution of tenant issues • Timely repairs and preventive maintenance • Improvements to the common areas • Creation of tenant-friendly amenities • Being proactive on tenant-related issues • Anticipating potential problems Back to the top 18. How do you deal with vacancies? We work closely with the leasing agent to ensure that the vacant space is clean and presentable. We provide access and pertinent information to prospective tenants and help promote the space, building, and business environment. Due to our extensive experience in leasing and working with leasing agents, we often provide valuable insight in making the space work for the tenants and assist in closing the deal. Back to the top 19. How do you manage risk? One of the first steps after the takeover of a property is to review the insurance policy and ensure proper coverage. The insurer/agent is contacted, the policy is reviewed thoroughly, and a site inspection of the building is conducted. Touchstone works closely with the insurers to determine the areas of risk and remedies them. Back to the top 20. Do you conduct property inspections? We conduct a detailed and thorough inspection when we take over a new property. This includes an inspection of the building structure and envelope, roof, the HVAC system, electrical and plumbing, fire and security systems, grounds, landscaping, and parking. We setup a comprehensive preventive maintenance program for every building we manage. In addition, property managers and in-house engineers (optional) conduct monthly and annual assessments of the building, systems, and premises. We also respond to and investigate all complaints and deficiencies that are reported. Back to the top 21. What is your strategy to increase rental incomes? Touchstone property managers implement a number of incentive programs that are designed to maximize lease rates while attracting new tenants and increasing tenant retention. Tenants today look for ways in which to minimize their staff turnover, and complement their business image. Therefore landlords who are pro-active in creating incentives such as gyms, meeting rooms, secure bike parking, recreation areas, outdoor seating, and other such amenities create a more marketable asset. Back to the top 22. How can your firm add value to my property? At Touchstone, we look at every property as an asset and work hard to improve its value. In one case, we implemented structural changes and converted a building into a mixed-use building, thereby broadening the (prospective) tenant base. In another case, we upgraded the existing amenities, making the building more marketable. By installing new equipment, implementing upgrades, and increasing operational efficiency and tenant comfort, we have been able to add value to our properties. Back to the top 23. Can Touchstone save me money? Having Touchstone manage a property results in significant cost savings for the owner thanks to: • Experienced, attentive, and knowledgeable managers, a well thought out preventive maintenance program,  detailed budgets, and long term relationships with reputable contractors always serve to reduce the operating costs of a property. • An in-house engineering team that carries out repairs, provides the specifications, and in some cases write RFPs, precluding the need for outside contractors and consultants. • Project management experience that enables us to oversee and manage extensive retrofits, fit outs, and turnkey projects • Effective tenant retention policies that ensure low tenant turnover saving the owner brokerage commissions and fees Back to the top 24. Does your staff undergo regular training? At Touchstone, we are firmly committed to professional development and training. All our staff - property managers, engineers, maintenance personnel, accountants, manager assistants and administrative staff, attend workshops, seminars, and classes to upgrade their skills and keep current with the latest technology and practices. We encourage, support, and pay for our staff to enroll in professional development programs, as we believe a knowledgeable and well-trained staff will be able to provide a superior level of service to our clients and tenants. Back to the top

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