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<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: \u3010\uff2a\u3011\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n A BC website has started publishing local home-sales data, including previous sale prices, in a move one industry expert describes as likely \u201crogue.\u201d<\/p>\n Zealty.ca<\/a> is working with BC-based brokerage Holywell Properties<\/a> to publish transaction data scraped from the proprietary MLS systems of real estate boards in Greater Vancouver, Fraser Valley, and Chilliwack.<\/p>\n The data launch, which Holywell promoted in a news release sent to Livabl today, comes after last month\u2019s Supreme Court of Canada decision not to hear the Toronto Real Estate Board\u2019s appeal to keep home sales data private<\/a>.<\/p>\n The decision was the latest in a series of legal blows to Canada\u2019s largest real estate board, which has been battling to keep a lid on sales data since 2011, arguing releasing sold pricing data and other information is a violation of privacy.<\/p>\n From August 23rd, TREB was given 60 days to make the Greater Toronto Area data available, upholding a previous Competition Tribunal decision.<\/p>\n That inspired Adam Major, Holywell Property\u2019s managing broker and CEO of Zealty, to work to publish the same information in BC.<\/p>\n\n \u201cThe Supreme Court of Canada has basically said we can do this, so we\u2019re taking a position that we should do it,\u201d he tells Livabl.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be able to see what homes are actually selling for is key if you\u2019re looking to buy or looking to sell,\u201d he says, noting buyers in Nova Scotia and the US already have access to previous selling prices.<\/p>\n Since May, consumers have been able to access the selling history of Vancouver homes by using the Property Insights feature on REW.ca<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, unlike Zealty, which uses MLS numbers, REW has a partnership to get data from BC Assessment, a spokesperson confirmed.<\/p>\n The difference, notes Major, is that an MLS transaction is recorded when a realtor inputs it while BC Assessment transactions are recorded when the property title is entered.<\/p>\n