TACLOBAN CITY- The Tacloban, Leyte-Samar-Biliran Chapter of the Real Estate Brokers of the Philippines (REBAP) urges the real estate owners planning to sell their properties to transact with legal and licensed brokers for their safety as well as the buyers.
Legal and licensed brokers are recognized and issued with licensed by the Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC).
According to Joy Valledor, president of Tac-Ley-Sam-Bil REBAP chapter, several reports have reached them that double sales of property happened, and reports on larger sales commission compared to the actual sales of the real property were agents were reportedly unlicensed.
Their group is doubling their efforts to make the public aware of their services since it came to their attention that the so called ‘coluroms’ are being aggressive in their efforts to collect bigger commissions.
Valledor added that when selling and buying real estate property, owners should only transact with licensed real estate brokers and accredited salespersons.
“They should always ask for the agents or brokers PRC ID registration number” she said.
Al Marzol, the chapter’s immediate past president, said that what makes them different from their unlicensed counter part is that they conduct due diligence before they offer a buyer a property for sale and that their commission is at the reasonable percent and are regulated, compare to those unlicensed whose purpose is really to gain, to the point of short changing the owner of the property.
He added that sometimes these unregistered agents earn more than the owner of the property.
Jhumer Operio, vice president of the chapter, emphasized that instead of competing with them, they are hopeful that these unlicensed agents can work with them instead.
“We were once like them. However, upon the passage of RA 9646or the Real Estate Service Act of the Philippines, they were compelled to take the necessary exam passed it and have their license from PRC” Opeña added.
To date, a private school in Palo, Leyte is offering the course Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Brokerage.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in a memorandum circular numbered 2019-86 addressed to all local government units mandated to strictly implement RA 9646.
The law was enacted to further the policy of the state to develop and nurture a corps of technically competent, responsible and respected professional real estate service practitioners through proper and effective regulation and supervision.
Valledor said that they are not threatened by the unregistered agents as they are more serious in making people aware that there are licensed agents, and that what these unregistered agents are doing is detrimental to their group, because they are more profit-oriented, they want that the future estate brokers are protected as well.
Valledor added that the registered agents goes beyond after the commissions were given as they are for the protection of the property owners as well as the buyer.
Ultimately their group wanted the people to be aware of the existence of licensed real estate brokers and the advantage of dealing with them compared to unlicensed agents.
Their chapter is in existence since 2016 with 54 members and 27 active members.
(LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)
