Martin Dumont of Groupe Sutton – Synergie in Montreal earned the award of top agent in Canada for 2021 by Rate-My-Agent.com. The review site analyzes all the ratings and reviews on the site to compile a list of the Top 100 Real Estate Agents in Canada.
“Unlike other agent ranking sites, agents can’t pay to have negative reviews removed or hidden and cannot pay to be included on the list of top-rated agents,” says Rate-My-Agent. The company says it won’t disclose exactly how it verifies reviews “to protect the integrity of the process,” but it says, “there have been many attempts by agents to game the system and rankings, which is why we keep our algorithms a closely held secret.”
This year the company says more than a dozen agents were caught cheating. “It’s not fair to the agents who earn their reviews honestly, so we implemented a penalty system,” the company says. According to the site’s review guidelines, here’s how the penalty works:
- Warning added to the agent’s profile advising visitors of the violation. The warning will be visible for two weeks per review that is found to be in violation.
- Payment of a $500 fine per violation (every review in violation) to a charity chosen by Rate-My-Agent.com.
- Demote the agent’s profile to the bottom of the rankings.
For example, if the agent had three fake reviews, the warning will be visible for six weeks, and a fine of $1,500 paid to a charity chosen by Rate-My-Agent.com, before the warning is removed and rankings restored.
Martin had 111 reviews with a “success ratio” of 100 per cent and a “recommend ratio” of 100 per cent. Agents are rated on knowledge, professionalism, responsiveness, usefulness of website, value of service, marketing reach and lead generation and home prep and staging advice.
Second place went to Michelle O’Brien of Peak Professionals Realty in London, Ont.
The rest of the top 10 agents are:
- Andy Kloppenborg, Re/Max Performance, Winnipeg
- Sharon Jordan, Re/Max Hallmark, Brockville, Ont.
- Kate Broddick, Revel Realty, Brantford, Ont.
- Stephanie Ostash, Royal LePage, Kelowna, B.C.
- Patrick Fields, Re/Max River City, Edmonton
- Alla Sharma, Re/Max Twin City, Brantford
- Mira Marion, Re/Max Performance, Winnipeg
- Mitch Stretch, Derrick Stretch Realty, Saskatoon
The list is published annually based on that year’s verified reviews.
Rate-My-Agent.com is a rating and review website for real estate agents, mortgage brokers and insurance agents. It’s free for the general public and real estate professionals. The company says it pledges 50 per cent of its profit to worthy causes. In 2021, Rate-My-Agent.com gave more than $100,000 to prevent and end youth homelessness.
Angela Weber of Shackelton realty Stratford, Ontario cannot be trusted. She chased another agent out of my house with no authorization. There were no sales agreements signed and she took it upon herself to kick a competing agent out of my house without my consent than lied to me about what that agent would do. In the end she recommended I accept an offer from that real estate agent after the sales contract was signed. This was and is a very underhanded move.