The debate over real estate brokers' commissions is more timely than ever.

The debate about real estate broker commissions is more relevant than ever. The article about the broker who offers services starting at 1.25% raises a legitimate question: should commissions be lower? (Journal de Québec)

In my opinion, the question should not be limited to: “How much does a broker cost?”

It should also be: “What system best protects buyers and sellers?”

Real estate brokerage rests on a fundamental principle: collaboration.

The seller is represented by their broker. The buyer is represented by theirs. Each has a professional who defends the interests of their client, but both must collaborate to advance a transaction that often involves hundreds of thousands of dollars, tight timelines, conditions, verifications, and significant responsibilities.

The OACIQ regulates this profession with a clear objective: public protection. This protection is achieved notably through a code of ethics, professional obligations, and a model where brokers are called to collaborate in the interest of a fair transaction.

Yes, free competition is essential. Each broker should be able to determine their own pricing structure and each consumer should be able to choose the professional that suits them.

However, we should not look only at the displayed percentage.

If the overall compensation allocated to a transaction decreases to the point where some services are reduced, where the time devoted to files is compressed, or where the support becomes minimal, one must ask what the consequences could be for clients. A real estate transaction is not just about putting a property online; it also involves advice, verifications, negotiation, risk management, and coordinating numerous participants.

Similarly, if the spirit of collaboration were to disappear, we might see more strategies where everyone primarily tries to maximize their own interest rather than move the file forward. Disagreements could become more frequent, negotiations more confrontational, and litigious situations more numerous. Those who would suffer first would not be the brokers, but buyers and sellers.

That does not mean the current system is perfect. On the contrary, it deserves to be questioned and improved when necessary. In fact, public debate also raises real concerns about competition, remuneration models, and incentives in the industry, issues that deserve serious examination. (Government of Canada)

Ultimately, I believe the debate should not pit “high commission” against “low commission”.

It should instead focus on a much more important question:

How can we offer Quebecers a model that remains competitive, fosters innovation, and still protects buyers and sellers just as well?

That is the conversation, in my opinion, worth pursuing.