Become the mayor of your city: a conversation with Phil Moore

VTCo Fireside Chats · Interview recorded at PacificWest 2026

Phil Moore did not start out in real estate. From 1981 to 1989 he was a police officer in downtown Vancouver, hired at 19. His father had always bought, renovated, and sold houses, and the trade eventually pulled him in.

Today he works out of Burnaby with the Phil Moore and Doris Gee real estate team, which has completed close to 6,000 transactions.

A relationship business

Phil sees his role as more than sales. Past clients call him about renovations and even their wills, and he connects them with the right people.

He has watched technology make the work more task-based. “When an offer comes in, it’s just very tempting to email the offer and do it by DocuSign,” he said. In a slower market, he sees a chance to get back to basics and sit down with clients in person.

He is just as direct about artificial intelligence. “AI will do a lot of things, but AI will never replace us,” he said, because realtors can read people and connect with them.

Schools come first

When families ask about a neighbourhood, Phil says the first question is almost always about schools. “The schools kind of dictate the neighborhood,” he said. In Burnaby, he has watched buyers choose North Vancouver because they believe its schools are better.

The provincial exam rating many families rely on is, in his words, “only one piece of the puzzle.”

Be present

Phil’s advice to new realtors is simple. His restaurants, gym, community centre, and church are all in Burnaby.

“You kind of have to become the mayor of that city and be present.”

“As many personal touches as you can have,” he added.

Watch the full interview to hear Phil’s story, from policing downtown Vancouver to nearly four decades of helping families find home.