All REALTORS in Ontario are held to a Code of Ethics. We don’t think it goes far enough. While we can’t single-handledly change the real estate industry, we can hold ourselves accountable to a higher standard.
Every BREL agent is held to the BREL No BS Code of Conduct. It ensures that:
1. Our Buyers and Sellers will always be represented by their own individual agent. Despite the legality of ‘multiple representation’ – where one agent represents both the Buyer AND the Seller in a sale – we just don’t think that’s fair. We don’t double-dip.
2. We won’t exaggerate or manipulate our sales statistics. Our sales history is an open book – an open book we’re proud of. We don’t tout BS internal awards and sales stats about how much money we make. We’re more interested in turning Sellers and Buyers into happy customers.
3. Our clients have the final say in our performance. We ask every Buyer and Seller for feedback (not just the ones who love us). Our goal is a 5-star review and we’ll do whatever we need to do to get it.
4. Transparency, not games. From ethically run bidding wars to direct, honest advice to upfront pricing and inclusions, we believe in transparency.
5. We only do what we know. We won’t sell a rural property and we won’t work in a neighbourhood we aren’t familiar with. If we aren’t the best person for the job, we’ll find the person who is.
6. We’re obsessive about flawless paperwork and details. We understand the importance of the legal paperwork. Missed initials and clauses just aren’t OK. We go well beyond industry standards in providing information and data, from accurate square footage measurements and floor plans to sold price details. We think Buyers and Sellers are best served by being informed.
7. We’re actively engaged in the real estate market. Every BREL agent has made real estate their full-time career and sells at least 14 homes per year or focuses on rentals. That means that every BREL agent who has been with the team at least a year is in the top 5% of REALTORS in the Greater Toronto Area. We’re on top of the current market conditions and statistics, and we’re committed to continuous learning through education and training.
8. We’re inclusive and fair. We hold the Human Rights Code near and dear and treat people like we want to be treated.
9. We’ll always represent our clients’ best interests over our own. What does that mean in the real world?
- Not inflating the value of a potential Seller’s home to win the listing
- Hosting open houses to sell the home we’ve been hired to sell…not using them as a way to pick up new Buyers for ourselves
- Listing marketing that’s about getting our listings sold; not about advertising ourselves to the neighbours
- Always negotiating offer terms and prices in our clients’ best interests
- Not cherry-picking comparable sales just to make a deal happen. We want our Buyers and Sellers to be well informed
10. We don’t hold our clients hostage to a piece of paper. If there’s ever a problem while you’re working with us, we’ll do everything we can to fix it. If we can’t, then we’ll release you from your contract. We don’t think Buyers and Sellers should be contractually bound to work with someone if they feel they’ve broken their promises.
