treb

MLS wins, Canadian consumers lose in court

A real estate broker has lost his case against the Toronto Real Estate Board, leaving the board — temporarily at least — with its stranglehold on resale listings. As reported in The Globe and Mail, Fraser Beach (and by extension BCE Inc.’s short-lived realestateplus.ca) broke the club rules in 2007 when they downloaded MLS listings and republished them online. However, the Ontario Superior Court judge was clear that his decision does not address whether the MLS rules breach Canadian competition laws. A decision on that issue may yet, after all these years, be forthcoming from the federal competition bureau if it can’t reach an agreement with the Canadian Real Estate Association.

  • Share/Bookmark

Canada to open up real estate listings?

Moving with typical Canadian speed, the country’s Competition Bureau is “shocked, shocked I tell you” to find the national Multiple Listing Service may be anti-competitive. It has apparently reached a (no doubt gentlemanly) tentative settlement with the Canadian Real Estate Association, which commands 5 and 6 per cent commissions on virtually all resale transactiions. As reported in The Toronto Star, the settlement may allow property information to finally become more freely available online, as in civilized countries. This a full seven years after the Toronto Real Estate Board paid $700,000 to settle with the same discount brokers currently suing both TREB and CREA for $100 million.

  • Share/Bookmark

Latin America report …

Digital classifieds are growing in Latin America -- a mixed landscape of traditional media companies and intercontinental giants that are finding new opportunities.

The 64-page report, for sale here, is a compilation of analyses our clients have already received as recipients of Classified Intelligence Report.

(Clients can receive a copy for free -- just drop us a line.)

Gentle reminder…

Clients' passwords change with every PDF issue of Classified Intelligence Report -- basically, once every other Thursday. Look in your latest edition for the newest password.

Not a client yet? Drop us a line about becoming one.

Categories

Archives …

AIMGroup.com/jobs


eBay Classifieds Group
is hiring! See all jobs

Find media jobs!

Search for jobs in classifieds, ad sales, editorial, marketing, publishing, broadcasting, new media and more. Post your resume, get alerts and save searches!

Search listings' text for these words:

Search job titles for these words:

Employers start here.

E-mail newsletter (free!)




* = required field