I read with interest the last issue about real estate agents getting together to lobby to have MLS info delayed to the public. My first thought was, how would this sit with the Competition Bureau? Secondly, what would our clients think? We accepted a duty to act for them to sell their property quickly and [...]

I was just speaking to my colleagues today, saying, “How many professions give away their valuable information for free?” We are all saying a hearty yes to the suggestion of a user pay system for mls.ca. Another issue we discussed is our relationship to buyers. Under the new privacy legislation, we are to protect the [...]

Real estate is and should continue to be the business of professional Realtors, but with ready access by the public to information about listings, home buying and home selling, consumers will perceive that they need the service of a trained professional less and not more. That’s exactly how some companies have strategically used MLS to [...]

Posted By: Nancy Taylor August 27, 2004 Regarding your article in the August REM (Now you’ve made Marty angry, Metes & Bounds), I take offence and you have made ME angry. I usually enjoy your articles and was very surprised that you were so harsh and resorted to name calling. The day of the election, [...]

Marty, I just read your article in REM. I disagree with having people vote who, in your words, are idiots for not voting. I for one don’t want people like that deciding the outcome of an election. Voting is far too important to leave it up to people who just go to the polls because [...]

In my opinion the mls.ca website should be eliminated. The information on this website is gleaned from information that agents secure from people who are clients by virtue of a listing contract. While we are all aware that the contract provides for us to use this information on the site, it shouldn’t. It should be [...]

The Publisher’s Page – I have always been fascinated by speech mannerisms and habits. I often wonder if I can detect a psychology within people’s use of phrases or the way they speak.
There are interesting phrases used only within certain regions, even cities, in Canada. For example, “car fare” is an old term unique [...]

I couldn’t let a day pass without letting you know how much your recent article in REM (The Publisher's Page, July) touched me. You seem to have reached into the heart of our profession and touched the human spirit.
The article was honest, caring and something we don’t see enough of in print. An acknowledgement of [...]

Metes & Bounds – Did you read my July column? Did you see the prediction for a minority Liberal government? Me neither. I actually gave the voters too much credit. However, I’m more distressed at the lack of voter turn-out in Canada than the results of the balloting of those who did.
What on earth [...]

Shirley Porter has been appointed manager, network development for Ontario and the Atlantic Region for Royal LePage. Porter’s real estate career spans 28 years, and she has been a sales associate, sales manager, recruiter, trainer and coach. She spent the last 10 years working throughout the United States and Canada as a senior trainer for [...]