Training and career in real estate

The OACIQ would like to inform candidates interested in taking one of the new examinations of the procedure to follow to do so.

It is the person with whom the broker or the agent expects to conclude a purchase, sale or exchange contract.

As an experienced real estate agent, you know quite well that you must fill out a Notice of disclosure whenever there is a potential conflict of interest situation in any real estate transaction, whether you are acting in your professional capacity or not.

The REBA prescribes that every agent is assigned to an establishment and must report there.

The Indemnity Fund only covers brokerage transactions that are carried out through the intermediary of a broker or agency holding a licence issued by the Organisme d’autoréglementation du courtage immobilier du Québec (OACIQ). The maximum compensation paid by the committee for each brokerage transaction for which a claim is made is $35,000 for reprehensible acts committed as of May 1, 2010, or $15,000 for acts committed prior to this date. By law, all brokers and agencies must hold a licence issued by the OACIQ. Otherwise, the intermediary who receives any compensation for brokerage services commits an illegal action and you will not be entitled to any recourse with the Fund should problems arise.

Are you a real estate broker with a full-service licence or a licence restricted to residential real estate? As of April 23, 2012, you are invited to register and start the mandatory online training on the new elements and amendments to forms.  

Created by the Association des courtiers et agents immobiliers du Québec to recognize an individual who has made a remarkable contribution to help raise and modernize the standards of practice of the profession, the Québec Real Estate Brokerage Award was presented this year to Jean-Guy Labrèche, a long-time, highly skilled trainer in the field of real estate brokerage. The announcement was made in Saguenay on April 21, 2004 by last year’s recipient, Paul E. Myre, at the 2004 ACAIQ Education Event.

Paul Myre warned the 300 guests in attendance that the award ceremony would be especially moving due to the nature of the prize itself and the winner’s passing three days earlier. News of Mr. Labrèche’s death sent a long murmur of disbelief in the room. Paul Myre and Paul Legault, President of Réseau immobilier La Capitale, each gave a vibrant posthumous testimonial to their colleague and friend, followed by a minute of silence in his memory, then by thunderous applause at Paul Myre’s request. As Mr. Labrèche’s last employer, Paul Legault accepted the symbolic bronze medal on behalf of the deceased.

This year, the jury was comprised of Niquette Delage, representative of a consumer protection agency, Yves Lalonde of La Presse, Keith Collins, first Chairman of the ACAIQ Board of Directors, François Léger, who also chaired the Board, as well as current Board Director Paul Robert. As we know, rather than being rated on commercial criteria, nominees are evaluated based on their commitment, behaviour, skill and influence.

Jean-Guy Labrèche was Chairman of the Greater Montreal Real Estate Board’s Education Committee from 1977 to 1981. In 1980, he became President of the Real Estate Institute of Canada and in 1982 was appointed Vice President of the Quebec Real Estate Association, then President of the Greater Montreal Real Estate Board. Between 1986 and 1993, he also sat as a member of the Advisory Committee of Quebec’s Commission de formation professionnelle.

One of the highlights of Jean-Guy Labrèche’s career is without a doubt his contribution to training of emerging real estate professionals. Mr. Labrèche worked as an instructor of various classes and acted as lecturer for several teaching institutions and professional and government organizations. His diplomacy and talent as a communicator enabled him to instill in his students the art of mediation and conciliation, two indispensable tools for a real estate agent.

“I still remember how Jean-Guy used to talk about this career as the best profession in the world, how he made us proud to be real estate agents, and how indispensable we were as intermediaries in the sale or purchase of a property”, testified Bernard Savard, chartered real estate agent with La Capital Champlain. For his part, Guy Forgues, general manager of Collège Édouard-Montpetit, praised Mr. Labrèche for “his energy, his joie de vivre, his passion for his profession, his recognition of his colleagues and his great availability, which made him an exceptional person, appreciated by everyone who knew him and who were for the development of a training program that would be recognized in the community”. “At La Capitale, Jean-Guy left an indelible mark. Every agent who has worked by Jean-Guy’s side at one time or another is convinced that he or she was his favourite because Jean-Guy, being the great motivator that he was, made a point of telling each and everyone of us you’re my favourite!,” concluded Paul Legault in his letter of support for his nomination.

Hidden defects insurance is a new product available to buyers of residential properties containing five dwelling or less. As real estate brokers and agents will surely be solicited to provide information about this product, the ACAIQ would like to make the following clarification.

The Association is issuing recommendations to real estate brokers and agents regarding the iron ochre issue.

Before doing business with this type of company, it is important that real estate brokers and agents make sure they follow the rules regarding advertising, representations and the soliciting of clients.