Traditional real estate brokers, who charge full commissions, have accused discount brokers of flooding MLS with inaccurate property listings. The full-service brokers said discount brokers, who conduct most of their business online, are not conducting thorough assessments of the properties.

Discount brokers scoffed at the proposed stricter regulations, saying that traditional realtors were merely trying to protect their business.

However Alan Tennant, president of CREA, said in a release that proposals were not intended to regulate competition but were intended to protect the association’s trademark.

CREA’s board of directors is expected to release a report to its members at the association’s annual meeting in March 2007.

Edwina Baniqued