We are a group of REALTORS® from the Southern Georgian Bay Association of REALTORS®, who want to address an overwhelming concern dealing with the issue of properties not being listed on the real estate board where the property is geographically located.

We feel that when a property is not listed on the local board, we are contravening CREA’S code.

A letter has been sent to CREA PRESIDENT, Michael Bourque, outlining the code we are contravening.

We refer to the following sections of CREA’s “The REALTOR® Code”:

3. PRIMARY DUTY TO CLIENT

A REALTOR® shall protect and promote the interests of his or her Client. This primary obligation does not relieve the REALTOR® of the responsibility of dealing fairly with all parties to the transaction.

3.1 A REALTOR® shall fully disclose to his or her Client at the earliest opportunity any information that relates to the transaction.

3.2 A REALTOR® shall not intentionally mislead anyone as to any matters pertaining to a property.

If a Seller lives in a region and an out of Board REALTOR® does not list this property on the local board’s MLS® System it will simply not be seen by local Board members, nor added to property searches, not included in a CMA, and the list goes on.  The listing is not made available to local REALTORS® to access through their own Board system.  The "Primary Duty To Client" is to market and sell their property with full market knowledge and to provide the pertinent information to the market. This cannot be accomplished if the listing at the very least is not added to the local real estate Board’s MLS® System.

12. SKILLED AND CONSCIENTIOUS SERVICE

A REALTOR® shall render a skilled and conscientious service, in conformity with standards of competence which are reasonably expected in the specific real estate disciplines in which the REALTOR® engages. When a REALTOR® is unable to render such service, either alone or with the aid of other professionals, the REALTOR® shall not accept the assignment or otherwise provide assistance in connection with the transaction.

12.1 Where a REALTOR® lacks sufficient expertise, he or she may only provide the service with the assistance of another professional who is properly qualified.

12.2 A REALTOR® shall not provide an Opinion of Value if it is outside the REALTOR®’s field of expertise to do so unless this fact is disclosed in writing to the Client or assistance is obtained from another Person who has experience in this area.

If a REALTOR® does not go the extra mile to pay the nominal fee to load a listing onto the local board’s MLS® System where the listing resides, they are contravening this CREA code.  The listing will be missed by local REALTORS® who create auto emails for clients, will not be included in local stats, will make it harder to discern market value on listings as crucial data is missing on recent solds etc.

We are respectfully asking Michael Bourque, CREA CEO, & the CREA Board of Directors to amend the code to ensure REALTORS® are working in the best interest of their clients.

Please SIGN THIS PETITION which will be sent to Michael Bourque, CREA CEO at mbourque@crea.ca