I REFER to the article, ‘Plans for new group to raise standards of housing agents’ by Ms Tan Hui Yee (ST, Feb 4).
Being the founding member and council member of the former Association of Singapore Realtor (ASR), now known as IEA (Institute of Estate Agents), I am surprised to see my former council member of ASR and past president of the IEA wanting to set up another association with the reasons of raising standards or covering more grounds.
If this new group has the interest of the realtors and the real estate industry at heart, then it would make more sense to work with the IEA. Why waste resources, time and personal commitment which, I doubt, many can give to form this new association. And would the new association be more effective or is it a clash of personalities?
From my understanding from the realtors, I believe the present IEA has done a fairly good job for realtors in Singapore. They have the Central Register Scheme (CRS) which is already well supported by the majority of the larger agencies. Be it raising standards, sharing of information or conducting courses, I believe these are being done by the IEA. As reported in the newspaper, the IEA has captured more than 354 licensed agencies and about 21,000 agents’ names. The bulk of the industry’s players have been supporting it since 2006. Why confuse people with another register or association now?
More importantly, now, for the IEA is to work harder for the day when we can see the association governing realtors in Singapore, like the Singapore Institute of Architect or the Singapore Medical Council.
As the saying goes: Rivalry will surface when there is more than one tiger in the hills. Work together in unity for the betterment of the industry and not oneself.
Khoo See Pheng
Source : Straits Times - 14 Feb 2008
