Bev Highton of NAI Commercial (Victoria) Inc.
VICTORIA – As long as he has been in the real estate industry Bev Highton has been an advocate- for his clients and for the Industry.
Highton the owner/broker of NAI Commercial (Victoria) Inc. for over 20 years started in the business in 1967. He is a Past President of the Victoria Real Estate Board, Past Chair of the Real Estate Council of BC (now BCFSA) assisted in the creation and was Chair of the Real Estate Errors and Insurance Corporation and of the Special Compensation Corporation of BC. In his spare time he was a long term Chair of the BC Cancer Foundations Vancouver Island’s Advisory Committee. Currently he is a Director of the Grumpy Taxpayers Association.
“It’s always fun tilting at windmills” he chuckles.
Highton notes that to have long term success in the real estate business, one has to have integrity putting ones’ clients’ interests ahead of one’s own.
“Realtors have to keep their clients best interests front and centre always, providing the client with the best possible information that allows them to make wise and informed decisions,” he adds.
Highton began his real estate career in 1967 with DF Hanley Agencies, now known as DFH. In 1981 he opened Highton and Associates, a well-known and respected real estate company. At the same time he had a construction and development company Qualiterra Investments Ltd. that was involved in projects throughout the Capital Regional District. This led to the creation of a property management company Complete Asset Management, the residential division which was sold to two long term employees known today as Complete Residential Property Management.
Douglas Centre is another property managed by NAI Commercial (Victoria) Inc.
Some 20 years ago the company moved to its present location at 569 Johnson Street, joining NAI Global an International Real Estate Organization, and changing its name to NAI Commercial (Victoria ) Inc.
NAI Victoria is active in all facets of real estate. The sales team has specialists in: investment acquisitions and sales, residential project sales, single family, industrial/warehouse sales, land assemblies and development properties. The company acts for a number of local and nationwide real estate organizations.
Recently Highton welcomed a new partner into the company, Ken Featherby, who for many years has managed the Property Management portfolio which includes office buildings, shopping centres and commercial properties throughout the island.
Currently Highton has been involved with the Downtown Business Association and the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce in dealing with massively increasing property taxes for commercial properties which has put a large economic burden on commercial tenants and landlords. In short, BC Assessment is valuing properties not on their actual use but on their potential use.
An example would be a lot that has a fully leased two storey office building on it being valued on its potential of having a 15-20 storey building constructed on it. The result is a huge increase in property tax which is borne by the occupants of the property.
As Highton says “It’s like him dreaming of owning a Lamborghini and being taxed on it as though I’d bought it.”
He adds that this increase should not take place until the property is being re-zoned or re- developed for the higher use or has been sold at the higher value.