To say the least, this has been a hot topic of late and rightly so. I'll begin by stating the simple truth that every person in this country has the right to sell or buy real property without using the services of a Realtor. That might seem a bit obvious but it is, none the less, an important fact.
The real estate industry is, by nature and structure, highly competitive. What commission based employment sector is not? Commission based? That's an understatement . . . pretty much totally commission . . . with payment not due until after the job is done to every one's satisfaction. If you're not happy with what you are paying for a piece of real estate . . . keep looking until you are. I you are not satisfied with what your Realtor's marketing efforts have been able to bring you . . . don't accept the offer. Until you are satisfied, you won't be getting a bill for service from your Realtor.
Come to think of it, maybe Realtor's should have an hourly fee structure. Then, when the client insists on offering a ridiculously low price who cares . . . take all the time you want shopping, offering, looking at properties you can't afford . . . you'll get my bill regardless. Oh, and then there's the seller that insists on getting over market value for their property and wants the information placed in front of the entire world just in case there is a rich idiot out there that just has to have this property. No problem . . . you will get my bill.
Really folks, let's face it, the issue is more the success of the Realtor built, highly successful MLS marketing system. The problem does not seem to be with the general public. The entire issue stems from psudo competitors to the MLS system that find the market position of MLS too costly to catch up to. Their strategy then is to drag the MLS marketing system back, closer to what they offer. In their minds, they will be able to make more money by having more people pay for their services because, they will point out, we are just as good as the MLS system when it comes to market exposure. Of course, there won't be anyone to talk to when what you bought isn't matched by what you got. Sound familiar? Can you say craigs list and buyer beware?
As a long time Realtor who helped build the MLS, I rely heavily on the accuracy of information. Information I and all other Realtor's rely on to advise our clients, buying or selling. The integrity of that information is vital to everyone owning or planning to own real estate. How would it be possible to enforce standards on a non-licensed individual or lets just say the general public in order to protect the base information used for what is likely the largest financial transaction a person will make?
Remember . . . you are allowed to market your property yourself. You are free to use the many existing methods to expose your property to the market like craigs list, kijiji, for sale by owner, etc. However, if you want to take advantage of the millions Realtor's spent building Canada's foremost real estate marketing tool, talk a Realtor.