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Successful real estate broker, Manal Boutros, is taking her altruistic approach to life to the next level with a new charitable initiative designed for human connection and the sharing of love.

Real estate can sometimes have an overly glamorous image that is at odds with its most basic premise: to provide people with homes and shelters for living.

“What I love about this career is that it connects you with people,” says Manal Boutros, real estate broker with RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp. in Oakville, Ont., just west of Toronto, in a recent interview with Dolce. “It’s not only about finding them a home, or selling a house or finding a property. It is also about becoming part of their family and having this feeling of responsibility. When someone really wants to find a home, or needs to find a house or even to rent a place, even if it is a basement apartment, whatever it is — someone needs to find shelter. This is what keeps me going in this amazing industry.”

“LOVE IS SHARING, LOVE IS CARING, LOVE IS GIVING AND LOVE IS GENEROUS, PATIENT AND FORGIVING.”

Given all the buying and selling and the size of some transactions, it can be odd to hear real estate being painted as a stage for compassion. But it can also be refreshing. That’s part of the difference Manal Boutros brings to the industry and it also reflects her approach to our world and our lives.

Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Boutros moved to Canada 30 years ago, where she has more than 20 years of experience in the real estate industry. She has developed an impressive portfolio because of her deep understanding of the business and by valuing and earning the trust of her clientele of homeowners and soon-to-be homeowners. Her many prestigious awards have included induction into the RE/MAX Hall of Fame, receiving the Award of Excellence at Royal LePage, being recognized as Tridel’s Top Producer and a part of RE/MAX’s #1 Team in Sales Achievement (both in 2017), and winning Tridel’s Certificate of Excellence in 2019 and 2022. Boutros has undoubtedly paved her path to many more awards.

But there is another, deeper side to Boutros beyond the buying and selling of homes and properties. She has proudly served as a World Health Organization and United Nations staff member and has always had a passion for empowering others and admired those who fight silent battles with illness, oppression and injustice. This more spiritual side is one reason Boutros has started a new initiative, Circle of Love, a community built on the belief that all humans need one thing to thrive: love, to give love and be loved. It’s been 56 years since The Beatles first told the world “All You Need Is Love.” Perhaps they were correct?

For her first Circle of Love event on Sunday, July 23, Boutros is bringing people together at Copperwood Trail, a horse farm in Whitchurch-Stouffville, about 50 kilometres north of downtown Toronto. The event is billed as “Horse-Human-Harmony,” a phrase that summarizes how connecting with each other and being around horses can be so therapeutic and calming.

“Horses are kind, honest and simple creatures that respond to strong leadership and communication. They are true to themselves and, in return, they accept us for who we are,” says Boutros, explaining her choice of this idyllic venue.

“I had reached a point in my life where I wanted to do more — maybe give, maybe share through feelings of love and respect or acts of kindness and charity work,” Boutros says, reflecting on the reason she began Circle of Love. “People want to share more and connect more. They need more of the human touch — to connect and share their feelings — of love, of respect and to help one another. We all need love, we need more kindness in this world.That’s why I thought of a circle — what better way than ‘We’re all together in one big circle and sharing what we have with each other’? Some people don’t know how to share, so let’s start together by sharing our strong feelings of affection, of compassion, of kindness and, of course, love. We all need this.”

One of the missions of Circle of Love is to give back to the community by connecting with community members and raising funds and awareness for various charities. “There are so many heartwarming causes and community initiatives that can have an even greater impact with more active contributions, so Circle of Love is all about gathering together people who are eager to make a positive difference in our communities,” says Boutros.

It is easy to see that Boutros has a deep sense of self and realizes the importance of mental, spiritual and emotional health.

“We live such busy lives with families and financial obligations and struggles and professional responsibilities that we tend to lose our sense of who we really are,” she says. “That’s why the Circle of Love community would find time for each other and ourselves. We need to love ourselves and be together to have great heart-to-heart conversations with other like-minded individuals with the same intentions and goals of sharing kindness and love by doing good acts and charity works together.” Boutros named her new initiative the Circle of Love as a testament to the importance of what she sees as the key emotion in our lives.

“Love is everything. I don’t think anyone can live without love and people need to feel it from others to feel complete,” she says. “Love is sharing, love is caring, love is giving, love is generous, patient and forgiving. We need more love and we need to connect with each other. Love is the answer for lots of problems that are happening today. If everyone felt they were loved, we would be living in a much nicer place.”

Boutros’s first Circle of Love, the July 23rd event, sold out immediately, which indicates how much all of us need events such as these. The initiative is also an indication of her own deep soul and how much altruism can contribute to living la dolce vita – the sweet life.

“To me, the most important thing that makes up the sweet life is seeing people smile,” says Boutros. “A smile on someone’s face makes me very happy. I think smiling is the most precious thing we all have. We all just need to do it a little more.”
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