From 3 August to 9 September 2010 and in 13 different centres, the Institute of Estate Agents South Africa (IEASA) hosted its annual National Road Show, which was very well received by a broad representation of estate agents in each region around the country.
With the theme of ''Challenging Real Estate Agents Mentally ", a series of outstanding speakers addressed estate agents and exposed them to a deeper understanding of what makes a real estate agent a professional and successful business person.
The speakers included Trevor Gaw who addressed agents on ‘The Miracle Magic Formula’ and whose zeal for the real estate industry is fuelled by the desire to make a difference, while motivational consultant Elsabe Aldrich, who is sought after for her humorous and vibrant presentations and who understands the challenges of the highly competitive field of real estate, dealt with the topic ‘Developing a positive mindset is one of the most powerful life strategies there is’. Her presentation addressed mind power and the mental challenge of staying positive, incorporating attitude, thinking skills, visualisation, affirmation and monitoring one’s ‘inner speak’.
Adrie Stimie, who has a terminal degenerative disease, shared her struggles and determination to continue and have a meaningful life with a thought-provoking talk and training update. Her inspiring presentation provided clarity and enlightenment regarding education and training matters. A local representative from Absa in each region shared with agents information regarding the latest mortgage trends and the company’s association with the IEASA.
The Institute’s recently appointed National Chief Operating Officer, Pam Snyman, shared some exciting plans for the future and spoke on ‘Professionalising Estate Agents. There is a strong move to replace the term, real estate industry with the more apposite, real estate profession.
Furthermore, key emotional intelligence factors for any professional real estate agent, such as self-awareness, self-management, self-regulation – in order to create an environment of trust and integrity, self-motivation, social skills, empathy with others and interpersonal sensitivity were discussed.
Finally, those attending were made aware of the Institute’s plans for a marketing campaign to inform the public regarding the benefits of appointing agents who are members of the IEASA. the intention of this is not just ''lip-service", as members will be put through a stringent course and reassessment regarding ethics and professionalism (which will count towards CPD points) in order to be able to renew their membership annually. These initiatives are all part of the new business operational model for the Institute nationally, and is also part of reshaping the landscape in which all estate agents operate.
The existing benefits of being a member of the IEASA bear noting. These include amongst others:
· Access to training courses, seminars, workshops and, from 2011, a world class National Convention
· A dispute resolution service to solve professional problems between IEASA members
· A Memorandum of Understanding with SAPTG, providing members discounted subscription rates
· Affiliation to the NAR in the USA and the International Consortium of Real Estate Agencies (ICREA), which gives members access to international business opportunities and conventions.
In addition, IEASA is a critical voice of the industry regarding new legislation, the EAAB, the SSETA and other authorities and as an example, is currently supporting the National Association of Managing Agents’ application to the government to exempt estate agents from compliance with the Debt Collectors Act.
The EAAB/SSETA, in the form of the Property Forum, have indicated their willingness to recognise the IEASA as the professional endorsement body of the industry. The Institute is represented on seven boards and committees that deal with qualifications, education and training – current projects include developing an NQF 7 qualification (Chartered Practitioner in Real Estate or CPRE) for estate agents who are well experienced and contribute to the industry. The first initial group of 25 potential candidates has been identified and now needs to be approved by the SSETA.
The Institute is also in the process of creating the Real Estate Academy of Excellence and Professionalism that will offer preparation courses for the PDE exam and CPD courses as well as a mentorship and coaching qualification for estate agents and business owners.
There are many more benefits envisaged for IEASA members, possibly including medical insurance, pension fund, life and short term insurance, access to a property data service and special bank rates for businesses and individuals, to name a few.
The regional road shows were a resounding success in that they provided an outstanding platform to inform existing and prospective members of the benefits of belonging to IEASA as well as laying out the vision for the future of the organisation in the short to medium term.
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