Annual Survey of Service Industries: Real Estate Agents, Brokers, Appraisers and Other Real Estate Activities

Detailed information for 2001

These data are aggregated with information from other sources to produce official estimates of national and provincial economic production in Canada. The estimates are used by government for national and regional programs and policy planning and by the private sector for industry performance measurement and market development.

Data release - June 26, 2003

• Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s)
• Description
• Data sources and methodology
• Data accuracy

Description

These data are aggregated with information from other sources to produce official estimates of national and provincial economic production in Canada. The estimates are used by government for national and regional programs and policy planning and by the private sector for industry performance measurement and market development.

Statistical activity

The survey is administered as part of the Unified Enterprise Survey program (UES). The UES program has been designed to integrate, gradually over time, the approximately 200 separate business surveys into a single master survey program. The UES aims at collecting more industry and product detail at the provincial level than was previously possible while avoiding overlap between different survey questionnaires. The redesigned business survey questionnaires have a consistent look, structure and content. The unified approach makes reporting easier for firms operating in different industries because they can provide similar information for each branch operation. This way they avoid having to respond to questionnaires that differ for each industry in terms of format, wording and even concepts.

This survey is part of the Service Industries Program. The survey data gathered are used to compile aggregate statistics for over thirty service industry groupings. Financial data, including revenue, expense and profit statistics are available for all of the surveys in the program. In addition, many compile and disseminate industry-specific information.

Reference period: Calendar year

Collection period: From March to August

Subjects

• Business, consumer and property services
• Business performance and ownership
• Financial statements and performance
• Rental and leasing and real estate

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The target population consists of all statistical establishments (sometimes referred to as firms or units) classified as Real Estate Agents, Brokers, Appraisers and Other Real Estate Activities according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) during the reference year.

• Additional documentation

Instrument design

The survey questionnaires comprise generic modules that have been designed to cover several service industries. These modules include revenues, expenses, and employment, as well as an industry-specific module designed to ask for financial and non-financial characteristics that pertain specifically to this industry.

Sampling

This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design.

The target population consists of all statistical establishments (sometimes referred to as firms or units) classified as Real Estate Agents, Brokers, Appraisers and Other Real Estate Activities according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) during the reference year observed.

The basic objective of the survey is to produce estimates for the whole industry, incorporated and unincorporated businesses. The data come from two different sources: a sample of all businesses with revenue above or equal to a certain threshold (Note: the threshold varies between surveys and sometimes between provinces in the same survey) and administrative data for businesses with revenue below the specified threshold. It should be noted that only financial information is obtained from administrative sources e.g. revenue, expenses, depreciation and salaries, wages and benefits. Characteristics such as revenue by type of service are collected only for surveyed establishments.

The frame is the list of establishments from which the portion eligible for sampling is determined and the sample is taken. The frame provides basic information about each firm, including: address, industry classification, and information from administrative data sources. The frame is maintained by Statistics Canada's Business Register and is updated using administrative data.

Prior to the selection of a random sample, establishments are classified into homogeneous groups (i.e., groups with the same NAICS codes, same geography (province/territory). Quality requirements are targeted, and then each group is divided into sub-groups called strata: take-all, must-take, and take-some.

The take-all stratum represents the largest firms in terms of performance, based on revenue, in an industry. The must-take stratum comprises units selected on the basis of complex structure characteristics e.g. multi-establishment, multi-legal, multi-NAICS, or multi-province enterprises. All units in the take-all and the must-take stratum are selected to the sample. Units in the take-some strata are subject to simple random sampling. The sample size for the survey on Real Estate Agents, Brokers, Appraisers and Other Real Estate Activities was 1,675 units.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: March 1, 2002 to August 16, 2002

Responding to this survey is mandatory.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents and extracted from administrative files.

Data are collected through a mail-out/mail-back process, while providing respondents with the option of telephone or electronic filing methods.

Follow-up procedures are applied when a questionnaire has not been received after a pre-specified period of time.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) .

Error detection

Data are examined for inconsistencies and errors using automated edits coupled with analytical review. Where possible, data will be verified using alternate sources.

Imputation

Partial records are imputed to make them complete. Data for non-respondents are imputed using donor imputation, administrative data, or historical data.

Estimation

As part of the estimation process, survey data are weighted and combined with administrative data to produce final industry estimates.

The estimates for NAICS 53132 and 53139 are generated entirely from administrative data sources.

Quality evaluation

Prior to dissemination, combined survey results are analyzed for overall quality; in general, this includes a detailed review of individual responses (especially for the largest companies), an assessment of the general economic conditions portrayed by the data, historic trends, and comparisons with other data sources.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

Data accuracy

The response rates for the 1,675 units receiving a questionnaire were:
- Completed: 60%
- Other (inactive, out of business, change of ownership, amalgamation, incorrect classification): 40%.

The sample of the survey represented 70% of the estimated industry revenues. The remainder of the estimate was derived from administrative data sources.

Since this survey was based on probability sampling, the potential for error caused by sampling can be measured. A standard measure of sampling error is the coefficient of variation (CV). The qualities of CVs are rated as follows:

- Excellent: 0.01% to 4.99%
- Very good: 5.00% to 9.99%
- Good : 10.00% to 14.99%
- Acceptable : 15.00% to 24.99%
- Use with caution : 25.00% to 34.99%
- Unreliable : 35.00% or higher

The CV for this survey for reference year 2001 has ranged from « Acceptable » to « Excellent » for Revenue, Expenses, Wages & Salaries and Profit Margin variables at the Canada and provinces level.