Kourosh Doustshenas was awarded the “Pierre Beauchamp Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) Political Action Committee (PAC) Days Individual Advocacy Award” in October 2019 for advancing Federal Realtors® & client matters and advocating on their behalf.

The Manitoba PAC team and Kourosh as a member of this team, advocated for home affordability and the regionalized mortgage stress test to the federal government last year through their Manitoba MPs, Kevin Lamoureux and Robert-Falcon Ouellette. As a result of their collective advocacy work, the 2019 federal budget reflected most of their suggestions.
The changes are as follows:
1- Increasing the RRSP withdrawal limit from $25,000 to $35,000 to buy a home,
2- Expanding the eligibility to use RRSP more than once to purchase a home after significant life changes, such as moving from one city to another, change of employment or marital status.
3- Increasing the mortgage amortization from 25 years to 30 years for younger first time homebuyers.

In his aknowledgement speach, Kourosh mentioned:  

"Thank you to the selection committee for the recognition; and Peter Squire and WinnipegRealtors for the nomination. I am sure I would not have accomplished this award without your support. I started my involvement with realtor network group with the intention of giving back to my community by advocating for provincial and federal Realtors® and client matters, but I have gained so much more in return than I could ever imagine. I believe we are at our best when we work and advocate on behalf of our clients and our fellow realtors. Thank you!"

For more details on these changes either contact Kourosh at 204-981-4202 or see the published article:
http://online.fliphtml5.com/gtvl/loje/#p=5

From the April 2019 Winnipeg Real Estate News magazine: "In the new housing measures brought forward to address affordable home ownership, there were strong echos of a WinnipegREALTORS® petition that was drafted and signed by Winnipeggers back in 2016 — a petition that was strongly supported by Winnipeg North MP Kevin Lamoureux. Leading the charge behind that petition was local Realtor® Kourosh Doustshenas. He deserves full credit for first raising the idea of a petition with Lamoureux in a meeting they had then to discuss issues Realtors®  across the country feel are important to help Canadians attain their dream of home ownership. ... Indeed, this petition was realized twofold in the 2019 federal budget. First, the indexing of the HBP was jump-started in a major way by increasing the withdrawal limit from $25,000 to $35,000, thus allowing Canadians greater access to their RRSPs to purchase a home. Second the use of the HBP was expanded to help Canadians maintain home ownership who are experiencing a marriage or common-law partnership split. Allowing and helping two parents accustomed to raising their children in a home to still keep and/or buy a home on their own. ... Both of these HBP changes are effective immediately."

For more go to: https://www.winnipegrealestatenews.com/publications/real-estate-news/3798/local-home-ownership-petition-reflected-in-2019-budget

An interview with Kourosh Doustshenas, Realtor® /Broker- who immigrated to Canada from Iran many years ago, in the June 2018 Winnipeg Real Estate News magazine: "When coming to a new country, there is nothing like buying a new house to make you feel like you’re finally home. And with 100,000 new immigrants expected to arrive in Manitoba within the next six years, people in the real estate market are going to be hopping to keep up with the demand. ...Fortunately we have a really good diversification within our (real estate) membership in Winnipeg to address this serge. We have Realtors® from Asia, all parts of Europe, South Africa and many more locations. This makes it much more easeir to be able to find a realtor who speaks the language of a new Canadian and knows their culture! ..."  

From the May 2018 Winnipeg Real Estate News magazine: "Potential home buyers in Winnipeg which are now no longer able to buy a home under the new stress test, can be assured that our local Realtors® representatives [such as Kourosh Doustshenas] have been making it very clear to their MPs [such as Winnipeg Centre MP Robert Falcon-Oullette] that the stress test is having unintended consequences on markets that should never have been subjected to this increased financial scrutiny and intervention."

For more go to: https://www.winnipegrealestatenews.com/publications/real-estate-news/3413

From the May 2018 Winnipeg Real Estate News magazine: "It’s a decision that’s nearly as monumental as buying a home: choosing the right cottage for your family. ... It is always safer and better to seek the help of a Realtor® who is an area specialist and to set your priorities...  “In the past, many buyers have wanted to be close to the water to launch their boat, and so their kids had a place to play right on the water,” says Realtor Kourosh Doustshenas. “Today, it seems as if that’s not as important. Most buyers just want some access (to water) nearby. They want to be in an accessible, yet safe and secure spot that won’t be subject to flooding.”"

For more go to: https://www.winnipegrealestatenews.com/publications/real-estate-news/3400

From the December 2017 Winnipeg Real Estate News magazine: "At the 2017 Political Action Committee (PAC) Days event held by CREA in Ottawa last month, the WinnipegREALTORS® PAC team was pleased to receive CREA’s Outstanding PAC Team Award — Large Board. ... Four member representatives, including Dana Downey, 2017 Chair of the Government Relations committee, along with Kourosh Doustshenas, Brenden Morgan, Shirley Przybyl and Claudia Sarbit were joined by Peter Squire, WinnipegREALTORS® Vice President of External Relations and Market Intelligence in Ottawa. Mel Boisvert was unable to attend, but was also a part of this year’s PAC team. Together, they embraced reaching out to nine assigned MPs to impart important advocacy information from CREA...."

For more go to: https://www.winnipegrealestatenews.com/publications/real-estate-news/3175

From the October 2017 Winnipeg Real Estate News magazine: "Over 300 REALTOR® Political Action Committee (PAC) representatives gathered in Ottawa for the Canadian Real Estate Association’s (CREA) 32nd annual PAC Days from October 15-17 2017. ... As per usual, the representatives, who came from all areas of Canada, had one main objective in mind: to engage in an open, honest and respectful dialogue with the federal government on several key issues. ... Kourosh Doustshenas, a member of the WinnipegREALTORS® PAC Team, which received the top PAC Team Award at the conference, said two MPs from the city — Kevin Lamoureux (Winnipeg North) and Robert Falcon-Ouellette (Winnipeg Centre) — were particularly pleased to meet with him and his colleagues."

For more go to: https://www.winnipegrealestatenews.com/publications/real-estate-news/3105

From the December 2016 Winnipeg Real Estate News magazine: "...Many Realtors® across the country are acting on a CREA call to action to let their own MPs know why making changes to the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) will make it a more effective vehicle to enable more Canadians to afford their own home. Three local advocates for changes to the HBP are Realtors Deb Goodfellow , Donna Kirsch and Kourosh Doustshenas. Kourosh was able to work with Winnipeg North MP Kevin Lamoureux to develop a petition and obtain many signatures supporting the recommended HBP changes. To Lamoureux’s credit and his own his unwavering support of homeownership, he was successful in introducing the petition in the House of Commons on November 1, 2016."

For more go to: https://www.winnipegrealestatenews.com/publications/real-estate-news/2857