Push to certify agents

Source : Straits Times – 17 Jul 2009

THE real estate industry is stepping up the fight to get all the 30,000 or so property agents in Singapore properly trained and certified as soon as possible, in the aftermath of several highly-publicised ‘rogue agent’ cases.

The SAEA, one of the bodies that regulates property agents, is pushing for at least all “active” agents – about half the total number – to take an examination by the end of the year. –PHOTO: ERA REALTY NETWORK

The Singapore Accredited Estate Agencies (SAEA), one of the bodies that regulates property agents, is pushing for at least all ‘active’ agents – about half the total number – to take an examination by the end of the year.

There are two examinations: the Common Examination for Housing Agents (Ceha), which costs about $320, or the lower-level Common Examination for Salespersons (CES), which costs $200. The latter, introduced last year, is the basic exam for agents, while the former is for agents who ‘have ambitions to become agency bosses’, said SAEA’s chief executive Dr Tan Tee Khoon.

As an incentive, SAEA has managed to get the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) to fund part of the course fees for the CES, which amount to about $350. WDA will pay about 80 or 90 per cent of the course fee, said Dr Tan in a press conference on Friday.

But the nine property agencies that are accredited by SAEA – which include big employers such as PropNex, ERA, HSR and Dennis Wee – have said they will try to get at least all their active agents to take the exams. Some, such as HSR, will subsidise the remaining course fees not paid by WDA.

For agents who want to go a step further, SAEA is also tying up with Ngee Ann Polytechnic to introduce a new Certificate in Real Estate Marketing. The six-month course is targeted to start in November this year.

SAEA’s actions come after the Government expressed concern earlier this year about the unethical and ignorant practices of some housing agents in Singapore.

In March, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan said the current situation of self-regulation is ‘not tenable’. Each property agency controls their own agents, and there is nothing preventing unaccredited agents from doing business.

The Government has also said it is considering tightening the rules governing property agents, including compulsory licensing of all individual real estate agents.