We all know that laws governing the real estate industry are created and maintained by the provinces. Whether there is a real estate council or registrar in place, ultimately when it comes time to declare a ruling, the province decides what is correct in law for the real estate profession.
The people who make the laws have always gracefully said that they depend heavily on the industry to advise them on new rules and how to write laws pertaining to real estate. It has been this way since I first encountered the industry about 25 years ago.
Every provincial government in Canada has made it clear that not only do they welcome suggestions from the common grass roots real estate broker, associate broker and sales representative, but they outright need their help when it comes to creating law and implementing law about buying and selling real estate.
No province in Canada has the mechanism to hold a meeting or conduct a poll with every Realtor in their province to hear their suggestions. So the government turns to the real estate trade association. The most important function of every provincial real estate association is to clearly spell out the needs of their members when it comes to the law of real estate.
But this leaves one question. If we have the ability to speak to our government with one voice through our real estate association, why are there so many frustrated Realtors who claim that either their government is not listening or the provincial association is not doing its primary job of getting the right message to the government? There is an obvious breakdown in communications. But I assure you, it is not the fault of the government and neither is it the fault of your provincial trade association.
The whole thing breaks down at committee meetings.
If the real estate business needs better laws to operate, it depends on the government to change the law. The government depends on the provincial real estate association to tell them what to change. The real estate association depends on its board of directors to pass motions to tell the government what to change, and the board of directors depend on its committees to tell
them what changes are necessary.
Committees depend on good, articulate Realtors to volunteer as members.
Committees are the cornerstone of everything that happens in the real estate industry. Everything that affects the operation of your business as a Realtor is the result of committee work. And any
improvement to doing your business as a Realtor all comes down to how well a committee can craft a message or a good idea.
Unfortunately, there are too many times when committee work breaks down to beef sessions, forums for opinion, and unwieldy meetings that cannot focus on the job at hand. Too many times there is no direction from a committee — direction that law makers and rule makers depend on. And so, nothing changes. Opportunities for improvements are lost.
Committees break down because most members do not operate them to their fullest potential.
It seems to me that provincial real estate association committees should be comprised of members who have had experience at their own local real estate boards. But even when that is the case, there are few boards that I know of that provide even rudimentary guidelines to efficient committee work.
Someone should write down a few guidelines for committees to follow. Even if those guidelines serve only to create discussion on general ways to conduct productive committee results.
And since no one else is going to come forward, then I’m going to do it. Please stop rolling your eyes and restrict your yawning. At the very least come with me to first base, which is understanding the importance of committees and the work they do.
And watch for some riveting reading on how to run an effective committee in the next issue of REM.
If you have any points or suggestions, as always, please get in touch.
Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email [email protected]
By: Heino Molls
[email protected]
