This week a London real estate agent was charged after an RCMP investigation. It’s alleged that she deliberately sold certain homes to certain people so they could set up marijuana grow-ops.
The agent worked for a reputable real estate firm in the city and the firm itself isn’t suspected to be involved. In fact, instead of hiding and panicking, the owner did what I believe to be the right thing. He managed the news about his company. He didn’t wait to react. He created the stories. There wasn’t time for anyone to form suspicions. He acted quickly and decisively. In fact, it was he who contacted police with his own suspicions about his agent. The investigation proved him right. He even donated his profits from all of the sales to charity. The agent was allegedly selling homes to Vietnamese-Canadians when they had electricity panels in certain places for powering grow lights and other growing equipment.
So often people in the eye of a shit-storm don’t say a word out of fear. There are times when that is appropriate but there are more times when it would be better to speak up for yourself and not wait for someone else to speak, or speculate, for you.
Apparently this London arrest was part of a bigger investigation that uncovered this scheme going on across the country. The London agent has lost her real estate license immediately and now faces the court process. And because the owner was proactive, it will be business as usual at her former company.
What’s that old saying? The best way to survive a storm, is to get out ahead of it. I applaud the broker for having the integrity and ethics to see beyond the profits to that of the best interest of his clients and company.