Mike Banks (Source: Facebook)
An Edmonton Realtor has been hit with a one-month license suspension and fined $21,000 after being found guilty of misconduct by the Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA).
According to the decision dated Jan. 17, Micheal “Mike” Cordell Banks engaged in unauthorized commercial transactions and misled both a client and an exam provider in an attempt to fast-track his licensing process.
Unauthorized transactions
Between late November and December 2021, Banks assisted a potential client in searching for commercial properties, despite not being licensed to do so. He sent property listings, reviewed financial details and requested a letter of intent from a mortgage broker to facilitate a showing—all without the necessary credentials.
At no point did Banks inform the client that he was not legally authorized to handle commercial real estate transactions. Instead, he misrepresented his role, claiming he was actively setting up showings when he was not.
Exam-day deception
On Dec. 8, 2021, Banks attempted to take his commercial real estate exam at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). However, he was turned away due to the school’s strict COVID-19 vaccination policy.
Despite being informed in advance that all exam candidates had to be fully vaccinated, he first attempted to gain entry by presenting a negative test result, which was not an accepted alternative. After being denied access, he returned with an outdated proof of vaccination that appeared to have been altered. When that too was rejected, he produced a QR code, but a scan revealed that it did not match his name.
When confronted about the discrepancy, he admitted, “Ok, I’m not vaccinated, I just really need to write the exam.” NAIT officials denied him entry a second time.
Bribery attempt and misleading statements
After being refused access to the exam, Banks attempted to bribe the NAIT employee. He offered $1,000 to be let in and then escalated his offer to “a year of her salary.” He directly told the NAIT staff that he had a “big deal pending” and needed to write the exam. The coordinator refused, and Banks was asked to leave the premises.
Still determined to avoid rebooking the exam, Banks contacted the third-party exam provider, falsely claiming that he had been inside the testing centre but had been unable to load the exam. He insisted that the issue was unrelated to COVID-19 policies.
When informed that he had been marked as a no-show and would need to repurchase the exam, Banks became verbally aggressive. Frustrated with the process, he told the customer service representative, “You guys are useless, absolutely useless.” In a later call, when again told he would have to pay to reschedule, he responded angrily, saying, “It’s not that hard, just f***ing reschedule it.”
Banks ultimately received his commercial real estate licence on Mar. 14, 2022.
The RECA ruling
The hearing panel determined that Banks had violated multiple sections of the Real Estate Act and RECA’s Education Code of Conduct. He was fined $12,500 for unauthorized real estate transactions, $3,500 for violating the Education Code of Conduct, and $5,000 for misleading Bank’s real estate license is suspended for one month, beginning Jan. 31 to Feb. 28.
While Banks had no prior disciplinary history, the panel noted that his repeated dishonesty, bribery attempts, and aggressive behaviour were serious offences.
In an interview with RECA on Jun. 16, 2022, Banks admitted to misleading his client about commercial property showings and financial details to buy time until he obtained his commercial license. He also acknowledged lying to the third-party exam provider in an attempt to avoid paying for another exam.
Jordana is the editor of Real Estate Magazine. You can reach her by email.
He’ll never be my Realtor….hopefully no one else s.. !!!!
Permanent suspension for a person of this ilk would be the correct
disciplinary move.
Absolutely 100% agree. One month suspension? No wonder there are so many Realtors who breach the code of conduct. This is a perfect case of breaking the public’s trust that the boards so adamantly insist we follow, and should follow without being told to. Disgusting that he didn’t lose his license.
Certainly.
I couldn’t agree more. I always feel these “realtors” give us honest working realtors a bad name.
I do not understand why he was given a licence after all that. Obviously he is not to be trusted and isn’t that a key component of a Realtor’s Licence. It will be interesting to see IF he can turn his poor actions into an honest career in the future. Watch to see what is reported or NOT on this realtor in the future. If there is a next time his licence should be revoked.
Absolutely….people such as this fellow give all Realtors a bad name…cannot believe he wasn’t removed permanently!
RECA way too soft!
Can we talk about the segregation of Canadians that Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) actively participated in?
Can you believe people could not access public places in 21st century in Canada because of the personal medical choice that they had made?
Can you imagine how bad things would have been if Nutley was still in charge of the province when COVID hit?
They are all in on it left wing right wing same bird
Imagine wanting to work and needing to work to survive, BUT you have some government worker with a a guaranteed salary telling you, sir you have to be vaccinated. Plain stupidity, it was then and it still is today. Way too many leftist lunatics running around that government city.
Yes. Millions had died and the only thing available to protect people was the vaccine. Antivaxxers are wilfully ignorant and aggressively gullible.
Typical. What does a realtor have to do to loose their license ?
100%
100% agree. He should have been allowed to take the exam. Can’t believe everyone participated in this
100% agree he should have been allowed to do the test in a private room or something. However the acting without a licence is a different matter and glad he was disciplined for that.
Very glad his photo and name are front and centre.
But really, it is confusing that this person is not prohibited from getting their license. If recent bankruptcy is grounds for license denial, this type of obvious, provable misconduct is far worse IMHO.
I mean, maybe, thinking about being super duper fair, there could be a way around it with a public, formal apology process along with some mandatory therapy, as admittedly this person is clearly either a compulsive or pathological liar or some combination therein. But apparently simply admitting the truth is good enough. The fine and 30 days off are quite irrelevant in the long term.
I don’t feel good about having to say I share the same credentials as this guy.
I also feel sad for the folks that still carry their grudges about the incorrect guesses made during the pandemic. They were guesses, some were incorrect, and they were 4 years ago. Get over it already.
This is the Type of agent I want! … He’s a fighter. I love how his suspension is one month but it’s the shortest month of the year.
My guy was just trying to write an exam, relax people, the covid test thing is funny too, what a scam that was.
This guy is going to be successful and this story is good publicity for him.
A few unrelated issues are at hand. The individual’s attempt to deal in Real Estate without a license has nothing to do with the (idiotic) covid restrictions. But he did engage in Real Estate functions while unlicensed.
The attempt to bribe an individual was also a definite example of dishonest behavior and if someone behaves that way once, they will likely do it again.
The barred access due to Covid restrictions is an outside issue.
The attempt to defraud the licensing process was a predetermined act.
The $21,000 hurts but a minimal suspension is inappropriate. This is not an instance when someone made a silly error but an example of the type of people that/who should not be allowed to become Realtors.
Our industry has a hard enough time due to poor decision makers and outright misrepresentation or manipulation of the gullible, through advertising claims that shoul d be disallowed or at lease HEAVILY qualified.
My butt is itchie.
Lost me at had to be vaccinated. How idiotic is that? So a person is not allowed to make an fn living. The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology need to fined for such actions.
Covid restrictions aught to have accommodated both vaccinated and those not. As far as the agent is concerned he should never be allowed to represent another client
As a retired realtor with 20 years experience, it never ceases to amaze me the lack of integrity of the real estate boards.
The general public is already distrusting of our industry and these disciplinary actions are a farce.
Get real, get serious and deal with these rogue agents accordingly. One month is a joke.
One year suspension with further probation to follow would send a serious message.
Quite simply, a month suspension is a joke. His license should be gone permanently or at least suspended for a meaningful. Of time. The message this sends to the public is completely wrong.
One month suspension for multiple obvious misleading statements and actions. What a joke. No wonder there are so many consumers who think our industry is full of crooks.
Probably fake news..There is no way this guy would be allowed to keep his livense.
That’s not enough of a penalty. Of course he had no prior disciplinary history – he was a new agent!
How can this person even have been allowed to proceed in getting licensed!! The signs were there folks!
Maybe he should be running for public office in the states. He looks like a strong candidate.
I agree that this individual crossed lines dabbeling in Commercial real estate when he wasn’t licenced, lying and bribery. It makes me wonder how desperate this guy was and where this goes sideways is with the requirement for COVID Vaccination being required to write an exam. The years of COVID will go down as a real life BAD DREAM
Is this a joke? The light penalty doesn’t match the repeated violations.
RECA now sounds like a labor union… I am so very happy NOT to live in Redmonton OR Canada anymore or for the past 13 years.
What a scum bag. This is how he started. He like many other realtors see $$$$$ a d don’t care about rules/laws. He should be blocked for life.
And to those who turn this into Anti Vax BS. Get s grip. The vaccine was our only known defence. Millions died. If you didn’t want to get vaxxed you could stay home and not risk others health.
Multiple lies, attempted bribery and aggressive behavior because he couldn’t get what he wanted……no thank you.
That kind of behaviour and the total lack of knowledge of Real Estate ethics should not have been rewarded with a licence. His total disregard for other people doesn’t bode well for this individual.
I agree that are a lot of poor decisions this Realtor made however no Registrants or anyone else should has to choose between their career and accepting an experiment medical intervention. The PEER REVIEWED articles and prominent (previously) respected individuals that attempted to reveal the truth have amassed a tidal wave of evidence (that is not difficult to find) that has led to the following states initiating legislative efforts to BAN Covid injections: Montana, Washington, Idaho, Iowa, Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida.
Meanwhile, Kansas is one of five Stares filing lawsuits aimed at Pfizer’s deceptive marketing and knowingly withholding knowledge of side effects.
One month? Wow. Sounds like someone that should never be trusted in the business if you ask me.
I called Mr. Banks to get the actual story. Faithful husband, two lovely daughters, the main breadwinner and a core set of values and principles that forced him to stand up to what was tyranny and abjectly poor decisions by NAIT and RECA that, especially with hindsight, were misguided and unfounded. The hearing panel has obviously failed to contemplate the circumstances at the time and weigh them against the reasoning of what we know today to be true. Good luck in your career Mike. I see you were recently top 10 out of 200 in your office. Looks like your never look back attitude it paying off. Well done!