The Government of Quebec has tabled a bill to prohibit dual representation as of June 10, 2022.

According to this law, no real estate broker can represent the two parties involved (buyer and seller or landlord and tenant). All residential transactions are subject to the prohibition of dual representation, namely the purchase, sale, rental or exchange of an immovable described in section 23 of the Real Estate Brokerage Act.

Some real estate brokers offer to bypass this law by offering 'an equitable treatment' to customers who might be tempted to present an offer without a proper brokerage contract. We strongly question this practice, with its implied conflict of interest.

Our main asset, beyond our 20-year plus experience and negotiating skills, is to provide you all the information you need to make sure of a successful negotiation with complete knowledge of all relevant factors pertinent to your decision. Initiating a negotiation by yourself is like starting a game of chess with pieces missing or ensuring a legal defense without a lawyer and only partial knowledge of the laws and regulations. The broker representing you sees to your strategic interests, while the only duty of the listing broker is to represent the seller and, to favour him and see to his interests.

We will be happy to find and recommend the real estate broker pertinent to your specific needs, who can represent you to sell, buy or rent a residential property, at no cost to you. Our compensation is provided for in the brokerage contract of the broker.

Before negotiating your future property, you want to know:

• How much the seller has paid his property?
• How long has it been on the market?
• Is this the first term with the current broker or has the property has been previously listed?
• What is the real nature of the mentioned renovations?
• How many comparable properties and what is the actual market value of the property?
• Is the property listed at a reasonable price?
• What are the usual trading margins for similar properties?
• What are the best trading strategies and what factors might assure an advantageous transaction?
• What documents should I ask for?
• What elements of the vendor declaration deserve further clarification?
• Should I have the property inspected?
• What are the reasonable deadlines involved?
• Etc.

The services that you obtain from retaining a real estate broker to represent you for your purchase or rental go far beyond this summary list. He is neutral because he has no motivation to favour a specific property and is not subject to seller pressure and goals. He sees to find for you the best choice from the full selection of all the properties listed by all brokers and agencies. He is there to guide you, step by step, for free, in your endeavour. A good broker will allow you to make the right choice for you and allow you to target factors for safer and advantageous negotiation. He will make sure that you have all the information needed to avoid pitfalls to succeed your transaction.