Hi, everyone, welcome to Sudbury Interviews.

Today we have Terry Ames and Terry is a real estate broker and also a member of the Amos team, real estate team here in Sudbury.

Before we begin, you can find us on Sudstown and join the conversation.

If you would like to be a guest on the show, please reach out.

Hey, Terry, thanks for coming on.

Oh.

Thanks for having me, Danny.

What a pleasure.

So you guys have the the draw going on right now with the truck?

Yeah, we're, we're down to the the final stretch.

We, we started back in July and we are down to the final few weeks.

And I'm not gonna lie, I'm in a little bit of panic mode.

We're not quite at the break even point.

We, we, we're getting there, but we're, we're at a crucial stage where once, once the, the, you know, all the prizes are paid for, then it's, it's like every dollar goes back to help the local families that we help.

So that's why it's, it's so important to, for us in this final stretch to, to really, well, I like to make $100,000 in three weeks.

No, that's what I need to do.

Yeah.

That sounds great.

You're, you're a hard worker.

I, I remember seeing you over the years, you know, really devoted to the community and with all your initiatives and things.

So Congrats to you guys for sure.

Yeah, Thank you so much.

Yeah, we, I mean it, it kind of, I mean, I've been part of, you know, the, the community for many years.

And, you know, I started in the golf industry and really got to be involved with a lot of golf tournaments and charity events.

And then when I got sick, you know, back in 2007, kind of had a rally from Sudbury and the golf courses and, and people connected to us, rallied around us and, you know, ran a couple of golf tournaments help support our our journey with cancer.

And and so when that, when I was declared cancer free, you know, we, we recognize that, you know, we had a real unique opportunity to, to give back and, and to kind of pass the torch off to, you know, helping families like the way we were helped.

How did you get in the real estate business?

Well, it's a family affair.

We, my, my mother has been in real estate since 1989.

And when I, so when I got sick, you know, and then I was cancer free back in 2011, We recognize that we need a bit of a change.

And, and, and my mom had been doing it.

We always had, and we, you know, being in a family of Realtors or having a mother that's a realtor, the discussions around the dinner table always revolved around real estate.

I mean, everybody loves to talk about real estate.

And so it was really a natural thing to, you know, to join my mom and and we started the Ames team and, and then from there, Jen was working, you know, support as a support staff and then she became a realtor.

And then and then we, you know, expanded from there and had a couple more realtor join us and then a couple support staff.

And so, yeah, I guess it was we came my parents, he stolen Cedar Green years ago.

And then, so I was in the golf industry and then and then from there I went into real estate.

And then you don't know we've yeah, we've got the the Ames team now.

I didn't know your parents owned that golf course.

That's amazing.

Yeah, we grew up, grew up at Cedar Green and that was our life, you know, from a very young age to, you know, to, you know, and then I left the industry and then my parents sold the course and then was out of it for a couple years.

And then then we I realized how much I missed it.

So I went to school that to be a golf course manager and, and came back to Sudbury.

I was actually went out to school in BC and I came back to Sudbury and worked at different golf courses and ended up managing golf Sudbury.

And that's kind of where, you know, where we kind of left our our my golf career.

Wow, so you must be an expert golf cart driver.

Yeah, because everybody thinks I'm a great golfer, but I'm I'm good at everything else but golf.

I've been golfing all my life, but I I still not very good.

But I have a twin brother.

He's a lot better than me so.

Oh yeah, I played a show there on Canada Day at Cedar Green.

Oh wow.

OK.

Yeah, yeah.

It was kind of a last minute thing and neat.

So I also noticed you have like a magazine that you're publishing now.

Yeah, we've got lots of things on the go.

So we back, you know, there was a, there was a book called the Real Estate book and a lot of different Realtors would, you know, put their ads in there.

And then I always, you know, we, we, we do quite a few listings and I always wanted my own magazine.

And I just thought what, what a great way to do all of our listings and promote our, our listings at a just for level than than really anybody else does.

And now that magazine, I mean, we just printed 8000 magazines and, and mail some out.

We have them at some of the grocery stores and TD Bank and Smith's Market and people still like paper.

And you know, so it's, it's advertises our, our listings.

We have a little ask the Ames team section with just a little knowledge from our team and, and this year and we have, you know, sometimes some market stats and it's just a good information, but it's a it's a great, it's a great way to to get our listings out there to, you know, to people.

Well, you know, I was.

I was sitting in my car one day looking at your magazine and I, I read that you have a moving trailer that you offer to anyone who buys a house or sells a is that sells a house, buys a house.

And I thought that's such a great idea.

Like you make an investment, you buy a trailer, that's a great idea.

So tell us about that.

You know, yeah.

So I, I mean, you know, again, when we see a need, it's like, you know, and, and I learned from my mom, like we, when we say we're full service, we're full service.

Like my mom was never afraid to, you know, someone needed their house cleaned or mulch, put it in the front yard.

She was there and she was, you know, she created those kind of relationships with people.

And, and we're kind of the same way.

And, and so, you know, we, I bought the first trailer and I just saw what a great idea.

And then it got so popular.

It's like, Oh my God, this, this trailer is always booked.

So we need another trailer.

So anyway, we're up to 4 trailers.

We have two enclosed trailers and two open trailers.

And then we bought a tractor when it was partially for, for use around my place.

And then also, you know, for our clients.

And, you know, it's amazing.

It's been out all summer helping people to do their driveways, to do a little landscaping.

And so, yeah, kind of a neat thing.

And in fact, I'm, I, you know, or even at this time of year, our trailers kind of so bucked up and sometimes, well, if someone's getting their house ready, they don't need the trailer maybe for moving, but they might need to just declutter the house, put put something in the in the trailer for a couple weeks while we take photos and start showings.

And so it's nice to have that.

So we're, we're, we're kind of talking, maybe we need one more trailer.

So we'll see.

We'll see.

You have 4.

I can't believe that you have 4 trailers that you offer to your clients.

Yeah, yeah.

That's amazing.

So yeah, I'm really lucky.

We, we, where we are, we, we bought a house and ridden New Sudbury around the border of new Sudbury and Garson and, and we have a couple acres.

And so we took a house that was built in the 50s and just re re made the whole house and, and built the whole basement as an office.

So the whole team operates out of the basement.

But it's really nice because I actually have room to park all these trailers and kind of like out of sight, you know, and I couldn't do that if I lived in in a regular subdivision.

Yeah.

Yeah, so.

So what about there was that gig, that or that event that you had every year teed up for Terry?

Yeah, so we so teed up for Terry started the 1st 2 actually started as it was a fundraiser for me.

So when I was, I was, you know, going through cancer and, and you know, I had, you know, I was off work and needed some more support.

And then we were, we were travelling and doing different things.

And, and so they, the 1st 2G tournaments were for me.

And then when at the second golf tournament, I said when we, when I'm cancer free, we're going to come back and we're going to have a celebration.

So, so two years later we had the third teed up for Terry and, and it was exactly that.

And I and I told everyone the story of, of the moment I was told I was cancer free.

And, and I, I saw the impact that that had to that room and to the people.

And, and so we, we recognize that this is something that we have to, to carry forward.

And, and so we started the Terriens Care Fund.

We wrote my first book, you know, beating cancer, my survival guide.

And, and that became a a fundraiser and then the golf tournament became a fundraiser.

And then, and we haven't had a golf tournament in a couple of years, but we're planning one.

My cancer free day is July 20th and so in next and we always do it on a Monday.

It's just because the golf course is very generous and gives us a golf course basically for free.

But we need to do on an off day, which is always a Monday.

And so next Monday next, next year in 2026, July 20th happens to fall on a Monday.

So I'm like, Oh my God, we have to do another golf tournament.

So so stay tuned for that.

We'll, I forget where we're at around 9 tournament 8 or 9 that, that we've done so, but you know, looking forward to that.

But anyway, so then, you know, we, we ran these golf tournaments and then the demand.

So the charity was set up to help local families and going through cancer.

So we, you know, I saw all the support we got and we and me and my wife recognize that not everybody has that kind of support.

So we, we started this fund to basically help people pay their bills, help pay mortgage, heating bills, you know, cost of supplements.

Sometimes there's some treatment that's not covered.

Sometimes people are, you know, have to get some, maybe some dental work that's not covered related to their, to their cancer.

So we set up this fund as a simple way to give money directly to people that needed financial support so they could focus on on beating cancer.

And and then, you know, we're doing the golf tournaments and, and some of the other the book.

We just weren't able to meet the the demand, the money that we needed.

So we said, let's let's try something New South.

In 2015 we started the Cancer Support drop and through Crosstown Chevrolet, we, we, we got a 2015 Chevy Colorado and, and got out there with paper tickets and, and worked it worked it and we ended up making around $65,000 of profit for, for, for the charity, which was great and a lot of work.

But there was, you know, it was the most money we'd made for from any event.

So, so and then so this year, this is our sixth draw and the 10 year anniversary and back in 2023, we do it every two years.

That's just simply too much work to do every year.

So in 2023 we did it and we raised 101,000.

Yeah.

So it was like every year we do about 65 to 68,000 and last year with, with, with a lot of support from HSN Foundation.

We, we, we got over that, you know, there's just over that 100,000.

So, so which was amazing and, and, and, you know, and again, the, the, the fun has grown in popularity and, and the need, and of course the cost of living has gone up and, and so people need that, that support even more.

And you know what people don't realize when someone's off work for cancer, it's, you know, to, you know, the spouses off work or mum and dad are off taking time off work and, you know, the bills keep coming, you know, they don't stop, you know, just because you're sick.

So it's, you know, like I said, the demand has grown and, and we basically made a commitment to, to the, you know, to the cancer centre that we would keep, you know, keep it going and keep, keep bringing in more money.

And that's what we're trying to do.

So just to be clear, like you guys raffle off a brand new truck, people buy a 5050 ticket there you.

Yeah, it is.

So there's a there's a ton of prizes.

So we, you know, the, the grand prize is a 2025 Chevy Colorado from crosstown.

We have a really cool hot tub from Maquicade.

We have a nice gaming package from Croonies.

We had a couple early birds and and one was was a package from Cuisine and Stack brewing a beer for a year.

We had a golf package from Golf Sudbury.

And then we had a really cool griddle from Bianco's and then we had a like a $7000 E bike from Adventure 365, which was really cool.

And so we're, we're now we're down to the final, the grand prize part of our draw, which is, you know, I mean, everybody wants the truck.

You know, it's a, you know, basically a $65,000 truck.

And that's, that's everybody wants.

But I do think, you know, we, we get a lot of support of people who, yeah, the prize is nice, but I think they they recognize that, you know, when they buy a ticket for $25.00, that $25 is going directly to help a family going through cancer.

And I think that's has been the key to our success, no?

Yeah, it looks good to me.

I'm looking at your website.

Actually it's Terry Ames, carefund.com.

Yes, very nice, very nice.

Yeah, yeah.

You see, because some of the things we've been doing and, and, and then the for the draw, it's actually Cancer Support draw.com.

And so, yeah, so there's we're still, you know, we're starting even quite 40% of the tickets have sold.

So I mean, you know, it's, you know, the odds are really good and, and basically the tickets are it's one for 25, three for 58 for 100.

And there's a big package of 25 tickets for $250.

That's a limited package.

And you know, we'll probably sell that one out.

And yeah, like I said that, you know, every, every time that from this point on is it's all, you know, the, the every penny is going to help a family going through cancer.

And that's, you know, I think that's when people buy ticket.

It's really cool for the chance to win the truck.

But, and it's really cool truck, by the way, like I'm a call around.

I have the exact same trucks and people see me driving around.

I've got a 2023 labeled up just like the the new one, which is parked at cross town right now.

And it's it's a really dull leather or sunroof.

You know, it's, you know, it's, it's a great truck, a lot of fun to drive.

So I hope, you know, I always love delivering the truck and surprising people with the prize and the reaction we got.

It's it's it's it's really cool.

That's amazing.

So you mentioned beer for a year.

Is that did anybody ever win that before?

I love that first time.

So Stack has been a great partner.

Stack Brewing, you know, so it's it's we call it actually call it the local Kansas support draw.

So I think people really appreciate that they know when they're spending money.

It's, it's helping local families and, and our Cancer Center supports Northern Ontario.

So local, you know, Sudbury, but it's also Espinola, Manitoulin.

You know, any, you know, anywhere that people use our Cancer Center most, most of the recipients are right here in Sudbury.

I would say probably 90%.

But it's, it's all about supporting the local businesses because local businesses are supporting us.

So when you see like these little like stock brewing, you know, a local brewery, you know, Bianco's and, and Adventure 365 in Crosstown and, and these are the businesses that have stepped up to help us and local families in our cancer centre.

And, you know, we, you know, we try and hammer it over and over again.

Like, you know, hey guys, you know, so important to help support these local businesses because they're, they're all getting back and they're, they give back till it hurts.

And, and that's why it is so important to, you know, that's why we call it the local Cancer Support draw.

But beer for a year?

Yeah, beer for a year.

It was, it was the idea, the owners at the stack.

You thought of it and I mean, I love beer and I love stacked beer.

And so they, yeah, they, we came up with the idea and so, yeah, the that, that, that was one of the early bird draws and it's already been drawn.

And so basically they, they got a, you know, a case of beer a month and they come in and just, you know, mix and match and get the beer that they like.

So it's pretty cool.

That's a.

Great idea, Terry.

It's.

Catchy too, right?

Really was we started, it was going to be a we're going to do a keg a month and then we're like, then we got to get a keg fridge and then, you know, and it's nice to have.

I love variety.

I love trying different beers and, and stack has, I don't know, like 8 or, you know, 9 different kinds of beer And, and you know, so I it's just nice to go and just try all the different ones.

I I think it's pretty cool.

Yeah.

If we come back to real estate for a minute, you guys take some extraordinary photos.

I'm just looking at your Facebook page here.

How do you who does that?

Is that your wife or what?

Oh, no, we have, we have professionals, yeah.

We, we, you know, there's a lot of really great photographers and videographers in the city and we, we, we use a few different ones and, and you know, the main one's a real edge.

And, and Hugo Media, some really great companies and they, yeah, they, they, they, you know, they do great work, you know, and, you know, and, you know, a lot of preparation goes into getting those houses ready, making sure they, they're ready with the photos and, and the videos and, and, but no, we have an amazing support stuff.

And then we have a full time marketing manager to make sure everything is just right and, and, and are being so, you know, just, it's just all about surrounding yourself with.

With really good people and professional people.

Yeah, it's yeah.

I wouldn't give myself or, or Jen any credit for the photos.

Yeah, we try and stay off camera as much as possible because it's all about the house or the property that we're, you know, we're, we're trying to promote.

So we like to, we'll do an intro and and an outro, but it's really it's all about the the house and showcasing the the house.

Well, I was walking down the street the other day and I was thinking about the the house prices and how they've gone up.

And I was thinking.

That.

If they went down, it would be good for buyers but bad for sellers if somebody bought high and then it's like they would lose their shirt.

So what do you think about that?

Do you think there's a chance the price has ever come down again or?

Yeah, it's so hard to predict.

I mean, we, we see lots of ups and downs and you know, the market does fluctuate still, and, but it's still overall kind of like the, the stock market is still always, you know, over the, over the long haul is still increasing in, in, in, in Sudbury especially, we're very much yeah, inventory.

We're sensitive to the inventory.

So, and that applies everywhere, but especially in Sudbury that seems to affect the, the, the values even more.

So, you know, if you're in a situation where there's a really low inventory, that tends to push the prices up and, and we're now we're, you know, in a healthier inventory.

So which means that we're approaching a more balanced market.

We're really depends on the price range you're looking at.

You know, if you're in a lower price range, it's still very competitive, is still in the seller's market.

You get into the more higher priced homes become more balanced and in some cases it's a little bit of a buyer's market in certain categories.

But for the most part it's it's just shifting to a more balanced market.

But yeah, it's hard when, you know, when, when people, when things went up really quickly in, in 2120 and 21, you know, if, if someone was buying and, and selling within a couple years, it was really hard for them to get out of that home with a, with, with a surplus.

And, you know, so it was important for us to communicate to people in that heightened market that you, you, you need to be a plan that you're going to be in this house for five years, you know, to make sure that you're going to be able to see some equity grow in, in that home.

And for the most part, the, the, you know, most people have a, a longer plan and sometimes stuff comes up or, you know, unexpected babies are maybe divorced or, you know, different things that come up to where it, it kind of interrupts the plan.

But you know, for the most part our clients were pretty stable and you know, stick, stick with more of a long term plan.

And I've just noticed that you have your own beer.

Do you have your own beer?

Come on.

Oh my God, it's so good.

Yeah.

It even seemed here.

Yeah, it's so funny.

We it's you know, I I think you see it.

We do kind of things a little differently than most and we have a lot of fun doing it And and love, love to visit our clients past and current and just always looking for ways to interact with them.

So.

So we had an idea last winter about making our own beer.

And so we stacked brewing partner was stacked brewing and they made made a beer for us.

And it started off as meant it was meant to be something for our clients.

And it turned out to be something so much more.

And we made a a bigger batch than than expected.

And so we ended up selling it at, at Golf Sudbury and, and, and then we also through Golf Surbury.

They, we, we, we started through my charity.

We started basically a dollar from every can sold at Golf Surbury.

I was going back to the charity.

So it was kind of a neat idea.

You don't want to, you know, raise some more money for the charity, have some fun with the beer and, and, you know, promote a little bit the, the Ames team brand and then the Stack brewing brand.

And, and so, yeah, so it worked out good.

We, we, we had it available at the store for a limited time.

And yeah, we'll probably put a little fall push on the, on the beer and before we're out.

And I think we're down to the final 20 cases of beer.

So, and I, I, it's a really good beer.

I enjoy it and but yeah, it's just a fun thing for us.

So hopefully we'll we'll have some leftover for, for our clients for for Christmas.

We'll see.

Well, you could just hide them in your garage somewhere and keep them.

Yeah.

Well and, and because I mean, SAC does everything without preservatives.

So it, it actually, it should have, should be kept cool, you know so right.

But they have, they have a big walk in coolers there.

So they keep the the stock there for us.

So the next question, Terry, we got about 5 minutes left.

Here is the daily segment and I ask every guest the same question, same words and everything.

The question is, what is one thing that you feel would make Sudbury greater?

What is one thing, boy?

OK, 5 minutes.

OK, I think Sudbury is great, you know, I really do.

And I think, you know, no matter where you are, you have to have the right mindset to to, you know, recognize where you are, are AT.

And, and I think people coming to Sudbury from Toronto and, and seeing the rat race of Toronto and, and seeing all the awesome things here in Sudbury that to do and the lakes, I think I think local people forget, you know, like what we've got, you know, and there's there's there's a lot of, you know, bad and there's a lot of stuff that's not good, you know, and maybe our roads and, you know, but but there's so much really good stuff and good people and and and and and good restaurants and and great activities and festivals.

And so I think, yeah, I guess they just, you know, look, look what you got, you know, like this recognize all the good that we've got.

And I guess that's that's if that's a good answer.

That's a great answer.

More beer for Terry or more Ames team beer?

Yeah.

Yeah, right on, man.

Well, thank you.

I want to thank you for coming on.

And you've always been such a strong community person since I've known you anyhow.

And I remember one time I was gigging downtown and you were you were doing something in the community there on Cedar St.

and you were standing there pretty much all day.

And it was beautiful.

Like whatever he's doing is very, very important.

So thanks for being that person for Sudbury.

Yeah, well, you, you too, Daniel.

You, you've been, you support a lot of my events and you've been there.

And I remember the one event that they held for me and my family and I was, it was terminal at the time, right?

And so it was, you were doing a fundraiser to send us to Disneyland and, and, you know, and it was like, it's not something that was, you know, it's, it wasn't an absolute, but you know, it was, they recognized the state we were in.

And, and, and what a, what a great idea as, you know, to, to give, give my family that boost and, and myself, you were there entertaining us and always with a smile.

And just so you're so talented.

So we, you know, we appreciate you and all that you do.

So thank you for having me and, and go to kansassupportdraw.com.

Get your tickets.

We we got to raise some money here to help families, local families right here in Sudbury.

Thanks for your time today, Terry.

OK.

Thanks, Danny.

Bye, bye, bye.