Stilhavn builds community
Photo: Stilhavn
Stilhavn Real Estate Services supports local causes through the Stilhavn Cares initiative. In Kelowna, that initiative brought to life Toyhavn at Kelowna General Hospital, a partnership with KGH Foundation.
Strong communities are the result of intentional effort and a collective commitment to fostering connection and progress. Throughout B.C.’s vibrant regions, real estate plays a vital role in this process, serving as both a foundation for your lifestyle and a catalyst for broader community engagement and brighter futures.
At its core, it’s about helping families put down roots, supporting local businesses and ensuring that communities continue to grow in positive, sustainable ways. And when real estate professionals prioritize community, the impact extends far beyond the transaction—it creates lasting change.
At Stilhavn Real Estate Services, community is at the heart of everything it does. A B.C. based and owned real estate brokerage, Stilhavn agents take an active role in making a difference, giving back to the places where they live and work in meaningful, tangible ways. Through a wide breadth of philanthropy and hyper-local connections, their commitment to community is realized, not only in markets they serve across Vancouver, North Vancouver, Squamish and Whistler, but in their local Okanagan market, based in Kelowna.
A passion for community outreach
Photo: Stilhavn
In Kelowna, Stilhavn has committed $100,000 over five years to the Toyhavn initiative, helping provide toys and comfort to young patients at Kelowna General Hospital.
“Guided by a deep commitment to giving back, we’ve established the Stilhavn Cares initiative, which enables us to support local causes and organizations,” says Heather Harley, who serves as chief strategy officer of Stilhavn Real Estate Services.
In total, Stilhavn contributed $63,775 in 2024 to local charities across the province that it deeply cares about, including Covenant House Vancouver, B.C.’s Backpack Buddies, BC SPCA and Toyhavn at Kelowna General Hospital.
“In Kelowna in particular, our agents have collectively committed $100,000 over five years ($20,000 per year) to the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation’s Toyhavn initiative at KGH,” Harley says.
A centralized toy hub established in December 2023, Toyhavn at KGH has been bringing comfort and joy with a toy, book, puzzle or stuffy, to their youngest patients, helping to ease anxiety during challenging times. These items dually act as relationship building tools that foster a sense of connection between patients, their families and care teams. “During its first year, Toyhavn delivered over 1,400 toys across 12 departments,” Harley says.
This March, Stilhavn agents will be working together to promote Toyhavn and further support of this unique initiative from among the broader community. “In order to generate additional funds and support, our Stilhavn agents are encouraging the local community to consider donations directly to Toyhavn,” Harley says.
A culture of service, professional development and collaboration
Photo: Stilhavn
Stilhavn takes a client-first approach, prioritizing integrity, excellence and a collaborative mindset to deliver exceptional, personalized service.
Stilhavn Okanagan real estate experts are steadfast in their client-first philosophy. Through a commitment to excellence and integrity and a wealth of experience and education, they embrace their mission of collectively raising the bar “to elevate the real estate industry through the relentless pursuit of a higher professional standard.”
“Our agents are inherently inquisitive and engage in regular professional development, something that we’ve woven into our culture,” Stilhavn Real Estate Services founding partner and chief executive officer Ben Chimes says. “The result is outstanding market awareness and service from Lake Country south through Kelowna, the vineyards of the Naramata Bench and down to Penticton.”
Deeply rooted in the communities they serve and capitalizing on their hyper-local perspective, agents understand how to communicate the unique beauty, climate and challenges the Okanagan Valley has to offer, affording buyers with valuable neighbourhood insights and sellers with a network of motivated, qualified buyers.
With a collective mindset, collaboration is at the heart of Stilhavn’s success. Unlike traditional brokerages that foster internal competition, Stilhavn agents work together, sharing market insights, strategies and networks to benefit every client. “We believe that we all rise together,” Chimes says. “We celebrate each other’s successes, and have proven that teamwork and shared goals generate outstanding results in a competitive market.”
As a result, in 2024, their agents in the Okanagan sold 2.89 times more homes than the average Association of Interior Realtors agent, and they sold them 25.33% faster, according to AIR data and internal data for Stilhavn agents.
If you’re a buyer, seller, investor or experienced agent with aligned core values in real estate excellence looking to transition brokerages, visit Stilhavn.com for more information.
This publication is not intended to cause or induce a breach of an existing agency relationship.
This article is written by or on behalf of the sponsoring client and does not necessarily reflect the views of Okanagan Edge.
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