The realtor profession in Quebec continues to face criticism; however, most homebuyers and sellers still prefer to use the services of specialists. This was stated by Marc Lacasse, co-spokesperson for the Quebec Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers (APCIQ) and a real estate broker, in an interview with the newspaper La Presse.
The conversation was prompted by a previously published discussion about the size of commission fees in the real estate sector. Some former brokers believe that current commissions remain too high and not transparent enough for consumers.
One of the issues Lacasse pointed to was brokers’ insufficient understanding of the provisions of the Competition Act. According to him, many professionals misinterpret the legislation and believe they are not allowed to publicly discuss commission rates.
“You are absolutely right. Despite the many clarifications we have published in recent years, this law is still not well known in our profession,” the APCIQ representative noted.
Lacasse emphasized that brokers are entitled to state the size of their commissions; however, it is important to avoid statements that could be perceived as an attempt to coordinate the pricing policy of the entire industry.
Special attention in the interview was given to the compensation system for brokers representing buyers’ interests. In recent years, social media has actively discussed cases in which some agents said they would not show clients properties if the commission offered to the cooperating broker turned out to be too low.
According to Lacasse, such conclusions do not always reflect the real situation in the market.
“Ultimately, it is the client who decides which properties they want to see. If my client wants to visit a particular house, I will definitely arrange that showing,” he stressed.
Nevertheless, the APCIQ representative acknowledged that certain expectations have formed in the market regarding the level of commission compensation. When brokers are used to receiving about 2% of a transaction, offers of a few hundred dollars may be perceived as disproportionate to the amount of work performed.
The question of how logical it is for the seller to pay for the buyer’s broker’s services also remains a subject of debate. However, as Lacasse noted, the current model is regulated by the Quebec Self-Regulatory Organization for Real Estate Brokerage (OACIQ), and brokers are required to follow the established rules.
Despite the criticism, the popularity of realtor services continues to grow. According to APCIQ, today about 80% of all real estate transactions in the province are carried out with the participation of brokers. By comparison, just a few years ago this figure was at 70–75%.
According to Lacasse, particularly noticeable growth occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many homebuyers and sellers appreciated the advantages of professional transaction support.
“Never before in Quebec’s history have so many real estate transactions gone through brokers as they do now,” he noted.
Thus, despite ongoing disputes around commissions and the working methods of certain market participants, most residents of the province still consider the services of professional brokers an important element of a safe and efficient real estate transaction.
