Broker Catherine receives a confidential offer from her buyer client, David, for a house in Québec City. Before submitting the offer, Catherine overhears the listing broker mentioning to another colleague that the seller is facing financial difficulties and needs to sell urgently. What must Catherine do with this information?

Question: Broker Catherine receives a confidential offer from her buyer client, David, for a house in Québec City. Before submitting the offer, Catherine overhears the listing broker mentioning to another colleague that the seller is facing financial difficulties and needs to sell urgently. What must Catherine do with this information?

Answer options: ✅ Catherine must immediately communicate this information to David, as it affects his negotiation strategy.

• Catherine must keep this information confidential, as she overheard it inadvertently and it pertains to the seller's private affairs.
• Catherine should only disclose this information if David specifically asks about the seller's motivations.
• Catherine must ignore the information entirely and proceed with submitting the offer as initially prepared by David.

Correct answer: Catherine must immediately communicate this information to David, as it affects his negotiation strategy.

Explanation: Even if indirectly obtained, information that is relevant and beneficial to the client's interests must be communicated. Article 3.3 of the Rules of professional conduct of brokers requires the broker to act in the best interests of the represented party and inform them of any useful information.