Insights From The Trenches

Navigating Challenges With Integrity

If you've worked with me, you know how passionate I am about serving my clients and protecting their interests. You also know that I'm compelled at times to my real estate journey with you. I'm forewarning you now - this is one of those "straight from the trenches" articles!

I've been a Realtor for almost two decades and am proud to have benefited by my affiliations with brokerages which are respected, recognized and reputable. I've continually sought to upgrade my skills through professional development and have availed myself to excellent training. I've been enriched by a collaborative, professional and positive work culture. It goes without saying that having sound counsel at my fingertips has had a positive impact my clients and their decisions.

Every real estate transaction is unique and while some deals are straightforward, others are exceptionally tricky. Ensuring my clients are protected from liability is of utmost importance as is working from a place of integrity and trust.

Equally crucial is knowing that I can trust the Realtor on the other side of the table. Fortunately in my practice this is rarely an issue with many wonderfully competent professionals in the field. Sadly though, there are bad actors out there who are unprofessional, non-responsive, careless and downright negligent in protecting their clients best interests. It's truly a disgrace to our industry. This is one of the reasons why we have strict new legislation in place. The consumer must come first and must be protected.

I'm a currently dealing with one such agent. I've repeatedly requested information I require to negotiate the best outcome for my Buyer clients who are interested in offering on a $3.5m house and have yet to receive such information. This agent is the "broker of record" (gatekeeper/trainer/ethics commissioner) of his own 2 person brokerage and as such he's not accountable to anyone and I'm left with little recourse for intervention.

Do I advise my clients to proceed with an offer without the information I've requested? Do I trust that our offer will even be shown to the Seller? Do I trust that the agent has done his due diligence in complying with federal FINTRAC rules requiring that we ID every client we work with to ensure there aren't any red flags (terrorist financing/money laundering/fraud)? If/when I do receive the aforementioned information, can I trust it?

The duty to protect my clients is unequivocal. That's what I know to do. I remain vigilant and prudent in safeguarding them against undisclosed risks. Meticulous attention to detail is non-negotiable as is skillfully uncovering as much information as I can even if I'm out of pocket in doing so. Their offer will contain clauses to protect them regarding disclosures, verification of information and other potential risks. Their sizeable deposit will be held by my brokerage, not the agent's brokerage.

In the realm of real estate, passion and dedication are the bedrock of exceptional service. Led by trust and integrity, working in a principled and discerning manner with an unwavering commitment to serving clients while safeguarding their interests alongside being committed to raising industry standards in the pursuit of excellence have been my core values.

Not all agents are created equal and the stakes are high. It's crucial to research and choose wisely. Your diligence in selecting the right agent can make a significant difference in the success and security of your transaction. Choose wisely.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you found this article insightful, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues who may benefit from its message.

Sincerely, Kimmé