Why it’s time to open the doors in Sarnia

In the world of real estate, there is a word that carries heavy weight: exposure. As a Realtor for nearly 12 years, I’ve built my career on a simple promise to my clients — that I will get their home in front of as many eyes as humanly possible.

But right now in Sarnia-Lambton, that promise is getting harder to keep for some. For myself, I have been a part of both the London and Sarnia boards for the past 11 years.

Currently, our province is divided. On one side, 22 boards, including our neighbours at the London St.Thomas Realtors Association (LSTAR), have joined PropTx, a centralized system that allows listings to flow freely across the province.

On the other side stands the Sarnia-Lambton Association of Realtors (SLAR), along with Chatham and the Windsor board, clinging to a localized system. There is also another system, ITSO, which includes three other boards. To the public, this is confusing.

For me, this means double the work, which is something I have come to accept. To give my clients the service they deserve, I belong to both SLAR and LSTAR. I enter every listing twice. I manage two systems. I pay two sets of fees. When an agent calls from Toronto or elsewhere with buyers who want to see one of my listings, I must enter the appointment twice. When paperwork is required after a home is conditionally sold or sold, I must enter the status on two boards.

Why? Because I know that if I don’t, my sellers are missing out on a massive pool of buyers coming from outside our “closed” borders. I would also face fines from either board if I failed to report something as required.

I know of agents and brokerages who belong to even more boards. For me, that is where I refer buyers or sellers in distant areas to professionals who work — and may even live — in those communities. For me to go into those areas myself, I believe I would be doing a disservice to my clients.

The illusion of choice

A vote is coming. The membership will be asked whether it wants to stay with the current system or evolve. But as someone who has sat on the board of directors, chaired the education committee and currently sits on the MLS and professional standards committees, I am worried.

I’ve seen how these things work. I’ve applied for the finance committee for five years and haven’t even received a response. I worry that this vote won’t reflect the views of hard-working, full-time agents, but rather the result of proxy votes — where a few strong voices collect signatures from those who may not realize what’s at stake.

Some of us have also been told that Chatham will be joining PropTx. If that is accurate, Sarnia and Windsor will stand alone together. Being in bordering areas would create challenges for those communities.

A history of fighting for the truth

Some have said I should “stay quiet and do my job,” while others have said you can’t fight or change this board. But those who know me from my days at Anna Moscardelli Advocacy and Paralegal Services, as a former journalist for First Monday Business Magazine, or during my time as special assistant to MPP Bob Bailey know that quiet — or sitting back and doing nothing — is not in my vocabulary.

I have fought for the rights of families against the Family Responsibility Office. I’ve fought for local health care at Bluewater Health. I’ve fought to keep our police department. I have spoken before members at Queen’s Park regarding the Workplace Violence and Harassment Bill. I have even fought for the “underdogs” — pets labelled as vicious who just needed a voice.

I am one person, but I have never been afraid to be that one person.

The path forward

Sarnia real estate is being called a “closed board” by outsiders and even by AI algorithms. It’s a label that implies we are protecting a small circle at the expense of our clients’ best interests. Many have said Sarnia is “not open for business.” However, many of us believe we must work together and welcome people from everywhere.

One concern I always have is when someone travels to Sarnia — perhaps from Toronto — and knows nothing about certain areas. At times, I feel that agent could do a disservice to their clients, and vice versa. An agent who travels to Thunder Bay to list a home without knowledge of the area could also do a disservice to sellers.

That is why many of us reach out to agents we know and trust in other areas and refer buyers or sellers, knowing they will receive proper representation. Unfortunately, there are those who choose an agent for their own reasons. After a deal is done, some regret that decision. It’s sad to see, but people choose their representatives, and we must respect that choice.

It is time to evolve. It is time to move with the times and join the 22 other boards that have realized we are stronger when we are connected. Although my sellers receive the same exposure as sellers in London, Toronto or Ottawa, there are others who do not.

In December 2024, REM columnist Brandon Reay wrote:“Provinces like Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and P.E.I. have demonstrated the benefits of unified governance. A single, consolidated board eliminates duplicative costs and invests resources directly into what matters most for members — training, advocacy and technology. This structure creates a streamlined system that serves the entire province’s interests while maintaining local insights and autonomy where it counts.”

Unfortunately, the gatekeepers might not like what I have to say. But I didn’t get into this business to make the board happy — I got into it to move Sarnia forward and to make sure I offer the best possible service to my buyers and sellers.

I’m not sure how our board of directors will vote on this issue. What I do know is that I hope we can collaborate and do what is in the best interests of the public. For now, it is a wait-and-see situation.