Lower Mainland real estate boards introduce disclosure form for multiple offer situations
An upcoming change by real estate boards in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley promises to bring slightly more transparency to bidding wars over properties in the region.
Beginning on July 17, the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board and the Chilliwack and District Real Estate Board will implement a disclosure form that must be completed in cases when there are multiple offers for a property.
The "Disclosure of Multiple Offers Presented Form" will list the offers that a seller received and the brokerage of record that submitted them. What it won't include, however, is the amount offered or any conditions that came with it.
The selling Realtor and homeowner will be required to sign the form and share it with everyone who submitted an offer "no later than one calendar day" after the seller accepts an offer.
In a statement announcing the new form, the real estate boards said it seeks to balance buyers' rights to transparency and disclosure with sellers' rights to privacy.
“This new form will help confirm and bring comfort to prospective home buyers in the region that every offer was fairly presented and considered in the process,” said Jeff King, CEO of the REBGV, in the statement.
“The real estate profession believes that this change will help inform the public and build greater trust in the real estate transaction process – specifically in instances when competition and emotion run highest.”
According to the real estate boards, the lack of disclosure of price or conditions in the form is intended "to protect a home seller's negotiating position" if an accepted offer falls through.
Bidding wars have been a common feature of the real estate market in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley for years, and the boards say limited supply and increasing prices mean multiple offer situations "are becoming more prevalent."
“The implementation of this new disclosure is the result of considerable research and discussion by a committee of brokers and Realtors since the record-breaking market activity we experienced during the pandemic,” said Baldev Gill, CEO of the FVREB, in the statement.
“By providing a record of the number of offers received, this change aims to increase buyers’ confidence in the process by demonstrating that their offers are always presented and considered by the seller.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Police say another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.