Interviewed by Canadian Competition Bureau

When I became a Flat Fee MLS Broker one thing I thought I would never do is be interviewed by a team of attorneys from the Competition Bureau of Canada. The Competition Bureau is the Canadian equivalent of our Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice. It was kind of flattering because they weren't in town for anything else but to interview me (granted it may be a few degrees warmer here than in Ottawa, but not worth a trip of that magnitude).
They wanted to ask me about the mechanics of the flat fee business and why I thought it does not exist in Canada. I don't know much about the similarities and differences between the US and Canadian real estate markets, competition, and regulations, so they really focused on the factors that have made flat fee MLS listings rapidly grow here: consumers like saving money when saving their property, they like the greater control over their home sale transaction, and the ability to ask unlimited questions of a real estate professional.
The Attorneys said they were preparing an in-depth analysis of the industry and innovation. They also asked me a number of questions about my role as President of the Flat Fee MLS Broker National Association (called AREBA). Soon, they were on their way, back to Canada I assumed until I talked to another leading flat fee broker in Texas they were also going to visit and interview. I certainly hope my input was worth the huge time and expense they put into visiting me.