About Bob and Merna Niblock

The Niblock family dynasty goes back a long way, and the changes and developments in the industry have been immense. Its this vast knowledge gained over time that is now being put to good use by Tod Niblock and Associates.

When Bob started his real estate career in 1968, a new home could be purchased for only $15,000. You would think that with prices like that, homes would sell like hot cakes. They did not. It wasn’t easy being a real estate agent; financing was more difficult and incomes were low. In 1973 home prices doubled and in the rest of the decade homes sold well. In many respects it was like the 2004 market where people bought before prices went up.

In 1980 Bob saw an opportunity in general real estate and joined Delbro Real Estate. He used a self promoting marketing plan and devised a method of contact with previous clients. In an industry of more than twice as many Realtors as today, by 1981, he entered into the prestigious “Top Fifty” with the Winnipeg Real Estate Board. Awards flowed and he soon became the top agent in the company and in the top two in the city. Merna joined him in 1981 and they became the first high profile husband and wife team in the city.

In 1991 his son Tod, after a successful career in the food industry, joined his parents at Delbro. They were so confident in him that they went on holidays to England and left him to look after their business. He sold his first home in his first week on the job. Tod said it was the real estate version of the movie “Home Alone”. By 2002 both of Bob and Merna’s sons were in the family business. Troy brought his vast construction experience and knowledge to the team.

In 1968 when Bob started his career, there were no cell phones, pagers, home computers, fax machines, email and so on. Home listings arrived from the real estate board on pages with perforated paper until 1987, when they were replaced by weekly catalogues. Until then Realtors had to spend hours daily tearing the individual listings and filing them in separated boxes. Today Bob and Merna have an up to date computerized home office and can offer current information instantly.