Westmount agent in Montreal Joëlle Bitar prides herself on making “more than 100 sales a year” and being part of the Re/Max Hall of Fame.

However, the latter has been targeted since 2015 by no less than three OACIQ appeals, the last of which extended until last year.

An appeal filed by the body's trustee against her in 2017 contained a dozen counts relating to the sale of five properties. Among these: having changed the sale price of a property without having written authorization from the seller. She also indicated an inaccurate square footage for a condo she was selling. Finally, she put a building up for sale without having had the seller's declaration completed.

Fines

She was convicted of five counts in 2018 and all other charges in 2020. She was fined $17,500 in 2018. And in November 2021, she was fined another $4,000 and reprimands.

"The respondent is not in bad faith, but she has a practice that does not have the quality required to make her a good professional [of real estate]", ruled the Disciplinary Committee.

In 2016, the broker had already found himself before the House Disciplinary Committee for having lowered his commission so that a lower offer would be preferred by sellers to another higher offer.

She pleaded guilty and was fined $1,000.

This agent with a troubled past was also sanctioned by the OACIQ Disciplinary Committee for having operated escort agencies on the sidelines of her real estate activities. She was fined $12,500 in 2015.

Yesterday, Ms. Bitar told us that she received an absolute discharge from the pimping charges, and that she has improved her practice since 2018.