Despite a major cleaning, not everything is immaculate within the show’s new group of brokers Numbers 1 on CASA. Two protagonists of the docureality experienced problems with the Self-Regulation Organization of Real Estate Brokerage of Quebec (OACIQ), we have learned The Press.
The story so far
In spring 2023, The Press reveals that a star broker of the docu-reality Numbers 1, Christine Girouard, artificially raised the bids during the sale of at least two properties using bogus offers.
The specialized channel CASA, owned by Groupe TVA, is suspending broadcasting of the show.
Two other star brokers of the television event, David Tardif and Mathieu Arsenault, also have problems with the OACIQ. They do not appear in the credits of new episodes.
After a turbulent second season, the show Numbers 1 returned to the air on the 1ster February on CASA, with a revamped cast. Sphere Media, which produces the show in collaboration with Quebecor Content, claims to have deployed the necessary means to prevent a new controversy from breaking out. However, sources have drawn our attention to two brokers who participate in the new episodes of the show, François Mackay and Amy Assaad.
A disciplinary offense with a fine of $3,000 dating from 2012 appears in the former’s file, reveals the OACIQ website. At the time, François Mackay had served as a front for a broker whose license had been suspended. The organization now criticizes Mackay for offering performance guarantees (“Your house sold GUARANTEED or I buy it”), a prohibited practice.
As for Amy Assaad, she was ordered to pay $10,000 in fines in 2021 for four counts.
While she was director of an agency, Amy Assaad allowed a client to sign a sales brokerage contract even if he was not the owner of the building, according to a decision of the OACIQ disciplinary committee . Furthermore, after inspecting a property following a promise to purchase, Amy Assaad did not make sure to add, in the seller’s declaration, unfavorable factors that appeared in the report, such as foundation cracks, signs of water infiltration on the second floor ceiling or even signs of mold in the basement.
A real estate broker since 2002, Amy Assaad also shared her access codes with her team, which is forbidden. The broker promised the disciplinary committee to correct her ways of doing things.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY GROUPE TVA
Real estate broker Amy Assaad
Faced with these examples, the production company behind the show, Sphère Média, reiterates that it has “always carried out the necessary research with the OACIQ” before enlisting a broker. “We have no further comment,” the company added by email.
Is it a good idea, for the image of the real estate broker profession, to promote these agents who have not respected the rules to the letter? “No,” says Marc Lacasse, real estate broker and president of the board of directors of the Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers of Quebec.
File closed
Reached by telephone, François Mackay claims to have withdrawn all his performance guarantees in 2022 to comply with OACIQ recommendations. “I no longer offer any guarantees. Today, we have satisfaction programs,” he explains.
For Mackay, the case is closed. According to him, this affair is not a valid reason to denounce his presence on the show. “Absolutely not,” replies the broker with 27 years of experience. Since we are very successful, people tend to criticize us. They’re looking for something we’re doing wrong. »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY GROUPE TVA
Real estate broker François Mackay
For her part, Amy Assaad responded by text message to The Press. “I decided to participate in the show to share my 23 years of experience in the real estate field and bring value. »
Grinding of teeth
When he returns to the air Thursday evening, Numbers 1 was quick to bring up the controversy last spring. At the start of the show, star broker Georges Bardagi, one of the only two protagonists to have survived the big clean-up of the off-season, deplored the misconduct of certain agents, without however naming them directly.
The seller of prestigious homes, who operates in Mount Royal and Westmount, admitted to having cringed when reading certain newspaper articles.
“It’s certain that every time a broker is caught by our regulator, the trustee, for having engaged in bad real estate practice that we are trying to stop, it always does a little something, because I have spent my whole life trying to do the opposite, and leave my profession in better shape,” he said on camera.
Caution recommended
Marc Lacasse always recommends “tremendous caution” to brokers who are members of the Professional Association of Real Estate Brokers of Quebec when approached to participate in shows like Numbers 1.
“We could have an impeccable record, but a few bad words spoken somewhere could give the impression that we are ignoring a rule of ethics on television,” comments the president of the board of directors of the association.
Mr. Lacasse says that before the entry on the air of Numbers 1, in 2021, a broker who had been approached to participate had called the association to ask for advice. “We explained the issues to her, and she decided for herself not to participate,” says Marc Lacasse. “I met this broker again and she thanked us for having encouraged her to be very careful,” he adds.