What a week! I talk to REALTORS® daily. As a fellow Realtor, I hear your frustration and your concern that we’re being vilified in the press. We’d all like to point to one reason it’s occurring – and just fix it!
As much as we’d like it to be, it’s just not that simple.
Our profession’s reputation is taking a hit in the media. There’s an emotional, politically-charged public debate occurring that has a great deal to do with affordability in our region in the midst of record-breaking home sales this year. Allegations of Realtor misconduct have created flashpoints within the debate.
On Tuesday, the Real Estate Council of BC’s Independent Advisory Group (IAG) released 28
recommendations to enhance public protection in real estate. The next day, Premier Clark announced that her government would take away the Real Estate Council of BC’s right to self-regulate the real estate profession.
A change in self-regulation on a practical level directly impacts the Council, the province’s real estate licensing and regulatory body. The government will establish a dedicated superintendent of real estate who’ll take over the Council’s regulation and rule-making authority.
It’s important to remember that self-regulation came into effect only 10 years ago with the new Real Estate Services Act. We expect that a superintendent dedicated to our profession will be a positive move, with a focus on many of the improvements we’ve advocated for, such as improvements to education, stiffer penalties for wrongdoers and clarity around agency.
Many of the IAG recommendations address issues we’ve championed for years, with grassroots member support. We believe most of the proposed changes are progressive and we support their speedy implementation.
In April, we submitted a 27-page letter to the IAG highlighting issues you’ve raised, around language proficiency, multiple offers, members having full-time employment outside of real estate, enforcement of non-licensed individuals, the severity of Council penalties for wrongdoers, contract writing standards, and other issues that don’t necessarily fall under our mandate, but that concern us as Realtors and Brokers.
We strongly recommend that you read the
IAG report. It goes to significant lengths to improve professionalism and accountability within our profession. Every member should understand what the IAG has recommended and why.
We have long stood up for high standards. Our REALTOR® Code sets a higher standard than legislation requires. Without the ability to mandate education at a licensing level, we developed a required professional development program (PDP). We pioneered the buyer agency system in BC to ensure that buyers receive representation independent from sellers’ representation. We also advocated with Council for changes that lead to designated agency.
But more needs to be done and we’re pleased to be moving forward with a superintendent whose focus will be on implementing the proposed changes.
In the meantime, we’re working non-stop to represent your voice to the public. I’m as frustrated as you are at the way the media is characterizing us. The vast majority of Realtors are hard-working ethical professionals who do not deserve this negative attention.
Some of our activities are visible to you and others occur behind the scenes. I can tell you that we’re engaged around the clock. We’re using our resources and connections to ensure the public, amid this climate, has the most accurate picture possible of who we are as professionals.
In the last 48 hours alone, we’ve spoken with CTV News, CKNW, The Globe and Mail, CBC, The Canadian Press, Bloomberg News and others. We issued a
public statement in response to the IAG report, issued a
press release today and released a
video explaining the protections that come from working with a Realtor.
We’ll share more with you as we learn more.
Dan Morrison, President
Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver
