A new qualification will add to the professional service of estate agents
Big changes await the property industry in South Africa during 2008. It is said that all estate agents will have to earn the new designation: Further Education and Training (FET): Certificate Real Estate (level 4) and the National Certificate: Real Estate (level 5). The property industry now also needs to comply with the training and education requirements introduced by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Act 58 of 1995 and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) that is envisaged by the Act. All agents in SA will have to get this new qualification by the year 2011 in order to remain an active agent.
At the back stands Niel Mc Claggan (Port Elizabeth), Victor Scherman (Pretoria),
Ed Hatch ( CRS America), Peter Venter (Gordons Bay)
In front: Jo-Anne Strydom (Pretoria), Juanita du Plessis ( Pretoria), Tony Sherman ( CRS America)
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For more than 30 years, the Council of Residential Specialists (CRS) has offered premier educational opportunities to real estate agents. For almost 15 years the CRS courses were presented in South Africa by one of the top trainers, Ed Hatch. It soon became clear that to fly top trainers all over the world would not be cost effective. A course has been developed by the Council of Residential Specialists in response to the requests by international real estate professionals for a comprehensive summary course based on United States residential real estate practices. The instructors are all experts in the real estate industry and speak from experience.
During December 2007, 15 trainers from all over the world attended a training session called REAP – acronym for Real Estate Advanced Practices. Five delegates from SA were fortunate to be part of this elected group of trainers. They are Peter Venter, Niel Mc Claggan, Jualita du Plessis, Victor Scherman and Jo-Anne Strydom. The REAP course represents the full CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) designation based on International criteria that compromises the 4 core REAP modules with additional electives.
This course will be presented to new and established agents and will form part of the new training dispensation. A few administrative tasks must still be completed where after the five new trainers will be able to start offering the REAP designation. An agent who has completed the REAP course will also earn certain credits towards the new qualification.
The FET: Certificate Real Estate entails earning 157 credits, choosing from core, fundamental and elective unit standards. Once an agent receives his qualification, it will also have to be maintained with a certain amount of credits per year.
Free seminars and road shows will be organised through EAAB and the Institute of Estate Agents to help implement the new qualification More information will follow in media articles in due course, after the new qualification was promulgated. For more information send an e-mail to training@ieasanorth.co.za |
