Unscrupulous practices affect housing brokerage<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Unscrupulous housing brokerage practices, which
\nlure buyers with elite images of property on sale, have hampered
\nthe growth of the housing business.<\/p>\n
"Such practices have even tainted the image of all people
\ninvolved in real estate," Ciputra, a member of the board of
\npatrons of the Association of the Indonesian Real Estate Brokers,
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He was speaking during a discussion between the association's
\nnew board and State Minister of Public Housing Akbar Tandjung
\nhere on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Ciputra, who is also chairman of the giant property developer,
\nPembangunan Jaya Group, cited an example of shady property
\nbrokerage practices taking place on Batam Island in Riau, which
\nhe said tainted the image of Indonesian housing developers in the
\neyes of Singaporean buyers.<\/p>\n
"I am of the strong opinion that a number of brokers on the
\nisland have been giving unrealistic descriptions of the houses to
\nbe built in the Batam housing complex, consequently making their
\npotential buyers reluctant to continue negotiations, or even
\ncausing them to call off plans for transactions," he said.<\/p>\n
Early this year, housing developers on Batam Island reportedly
\nwent bankrupt and reneged on loans because most of their houses
\nwere unsold.<\/p>\n
Regulation<\/p>\n
To anticipate the impact of illegal practices in the housing
\nbrokerage, the association yesterday urged the government to
\nregulate the housing brokerage business.<\/p>\n
"For the purpose, we ask the government to support our planned
\nrequirement in the business to make housing brokers hold licenses
\nfor their operation," association chairperson, Cynthia G.
\nSonneville, said.<\/p>\n
She was optimistic that licensing will help organize
\npracticers in the brokerage business.<\/p>\n
"If the government approves such a licensing scheme, housing
\nbrokers will be identified with certificates," she added.<\/p>\n
"The licensing requirements will be based on professionalism,"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
She also said the organization is now preparing training for
\nbrokers in cooperation with the Real Estate Institute of Western
\nAustralia. "We will very soon make comparison studies in
\nMalaysia, Singapore, the United States and Australia," she
\npointed out.<\/p>\n
Both Akbar and Ciputra proposed that the organization set up
\nan institute for housing brokers.<\/p>\n
The association, set up in November 1992, has 59 corporate
\nmembers in Jakarta and East Java. (fhp)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unscrupulous-practices-affect-housing-brokerage-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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