Education
Real Estate Agents and Real Estate Salespeople:
Contrary to popular belief, the two are not the same.
A common misunderstanding in the real estate industry is that if you market your home with a real estate sales person – the house will get sold and you will move on with your life. A simple premise with the view that anyone can sell your home.
But seriously, do you want your home listed – or do you want your home sold? And, if you are serious about selling your home, don’t you want to be selling for the right price?
Selling your home and selling for the right price doesn’t happen by chance. Most people forget that there are different skill levels when it comes to hiring a real estate agent. Is your real estate salesperson an Agent or a Salesperson? And, does it matter? It does if you want to sell for the right price.
As a licensed real estate agent, you’ll discover I work from a different skill set and am more qualified than the average real estate salesperson. It costs no more to deal with an expert, so when you’re ready to sell, why not choose to engage the professional expertise of a licensed real estate agent – like me?
Only those of us with an agents license have the university qualification covering subject matter such as: property law; consumer law; building structures; property appraisal; valuation techniques; resource management; town planning; health and safety; management – and so much more.
When you combine this qualification with: Five years legal and real estate administration experience; Seven years sales and marketing experience; Eight years business development and management experience; Four years real estate sales and marketing experience… Who else would you trust?
Real Estate Agent [Diploma Level]
Less than five percent of real estate salespeople ever attain, or aspire to reach this license level. To become a Real Estate Agent, a minimum of three years part time university study, and a minimum of three years full time practical experience are required. An agent’s license means that a person, or company, can be in business as an agent in his or her own right. University diploma qualification includes: Property Law; Consumer Law; Valuation; Depreciation; Building and Structures; Health and Safety; Resource Management; Town Planning; Marketing; Management; Business Development and more.
Real Estate Branch Manager [Management Level]
To become a Real Estate Branch Manager, a minimum of two years part time university study, and a minimum of three years full time practical experience is required. A branch manager’s licence means that a person can carry out real estate agency work on behalf of an agent, and can supervise the work of a salesperson. A branch manager can not be in business in his or her own right.
Real Estate Sales Person [Entry Level]
More than 96% of real estate salespeople only hold this entry level sales persons license. Many people enter the real estate industry with very little prior sales, marketing or business experience. Yet [prior to July 2010] upon completion of a three week part time study course through the local polytechnic, are ‘qualified’ to sell your home. A salesperson can carry out real estate work on behalf of a real estate agency, but they must be properly supervised and managed by an agent or a branch manager. A salesperson cannot be in business on their own right.
Be warned that the phrase ‘Real Estate Agent’ is loosely thrown around in the market place. Some sales people can be misleading by referring to themselves as a real estate agent, when in legal reality they are only sales people. Real estate sales people will also rely on creative business titles to impress, such as ‘Marketing Consultant’ or ‘Senior Consultant’.
So, how do you know if you are working with a Real Estate Agent, and not a Real Estate Sales Person?
You can check on the licensing register that is maintained by the Real Estate Agents Authority at www.reaa.govt.nz. The register will tell you whether the person is licensed, what class of license they have and whether there has been any recent disciplinary action against the licensee. A licensee must by law also show you proof of his or her license – you can ask to see this at any time.
December 06 2010 11:44 am