I would like to say thank you to a few folks who responded to the column in REM’s last issue. I had written about the idea of paying Realtors a retainer up front for their professional services along with a negotiated commission.

It is good to hear from people who want to talk about innovation in the real estate industry. Regardless of what the idea is or even how far fetched the concept might be, it is great to hear from people who care about this business. I am sad to say, however, you are one of only a few.

The heartfelt issues some put forward may be very worthy but they need support. That support can only come from fellow Realtors. The lack of support does not lie with your real estate board or association. I can tell you exactly where the fault lies. There are two people in the industry who are to blame. You are not one of them. I will tell you who they are in a moment.

First, let me identify why new ideas are not efficiently embraced in the real estate business. It is apathy. The indifference in this industry is blatant and shocking. There are simply not enough people who care enough to add their names, let alone their voices, to any changes no matter how positive.

Don’t blame your real estate boards and associations for not taking on new ideas and innovation. The professional real estate industry you belong to is about as perfect as you could ask for. It works beautifully. It works directly for you. Any member of a real estate board or association, anyone at all, can step up and be on a committee that talks about new ideas and proposals. Anyone can be president, too. Elections are held regularly and they are always done fairly, no matter what the negative folks tell you. It all works. The mechanics are in place. There just aren’t enough people who show up to support these committees, let alone serve on them. I am aware of real estate board elections when the boards are lucky to have one quarter of the folks eligible to vote show up to cast a ballot.

Your real estate board is directly responsible to you and all the Realtors in your community. If enough Realtors were to ask for change in the profession, I promise you the board and your provincial association would step up for you so fast it would make your head spin. They would fight for you. They would take on anybody: any industry group, any government, any consumer group. Anybody you have a legitimate concern with, your real estate board and association will take your side. They will take on all comers and all issues vigorously and tenaciously, if enough people care to voice their concern.

The bottom line sadly is that there are not enough people in this industry that give a crap. It seems that only a few souls ever step forward for the good of this industry.

Time and time again over all the years I have worked in this business, I have watched government steam-roll all kinds of concerns that this industry cares about. Property rights, municipal taxes, GST on real estate commissions and related expenses, FINTRAC, the list goes on and on. Your board and association stood up for you on every issue. Every time there was a fight they showed up for you. But there were very few people backing them up. Not much support from the grass roots. Where were all the Realtors? Don’t tell me, I know, I know. They were busy.

Can you imagine if one out of every 10 Realtors in Canada added their voice to the initiatives that CREA put forward? That would be 10,000 professional licensed business men and women. How fast do you think that would get the attention of the government? I would say about the same as the speed of light. But I don’t remember a time in over 30 years when even half that many Realtors ever showed up or collectively voiced their concern on any issue.

So don’t blame your board or your provincial association or CREA. There are two people to blame. I cannot print their names here because of liable laws. But I can point them out to you.

The next time you are at a sales meeting or a gathering of people in your office, look at the person on your left and look at the person on your right.

That’s who is to blame.

 Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email [email protected].