A push to make it easier for potential home buyers to see sellers’ contact information online has been rejected by Canada’s Competition Tribunal.
It’s a setback for Canadians looking for a more do-it-yourself approach to real estate. The ruling, released Friday, said that the Canadian Real Estate Association’s (CREA) current restrictions on the amount of information low-fee agents post on their popular realtor.ca website or any website that links to it are fair and do not contravene competition regulations.
The decision is the latest development in an ongoing dispute between the country’s competition watchdog and the realtors’ association over the group’s restrictions on public access to information. The Competition Bureau says the rules promote the traditional commission-based way of doing business at the expense of consumer choice and flexibility.
Sunny Freeman – HUFFINGTON POST – MAY 1, 2015.