This aligns with Reyna Echenique's proposal that the Referral fee should only be paid to those who practice the profession of real estate agents.
SANTO DOMINGO.- For Berenice Zapata, president of AEI Mujeres, the Referral system represents one of the great challenges that real estate advisors have to face daily due to the informality of the sector, because they are not affiliated with the agents' guild and there is no law that protects the profession.
“The issue of referring third parties not involved in the sector is a great challenge, especially in these times when everyone wants to be a salesperson without having the proper preparation and knowledge,” responded the Top Producer of Elite House.
He explained that, in the real estate business, the bright minds of third parties are very open and everyone wants to earn, sometimes even more than the advisor who does the hard work and follow-up to make that deal happen and take it to the end, which is not just selling, Zapata assured.
The real estate agent, with accumulated experience in the real estate business, understands that brokers must value and uphold their rights at all times and under all circumstances.
Berenice Zapata. (External source).
Zapata believes that the aforementioned figure should not be included in the proposed law currently before the Chamber of Deputies to regulate real estate intermediation in the country.
“I believe that the referral system should be radically eliminated and reserved solely for real estate agents who are 100% dedicated to the sector, since this business demands preparation, professionalism, and a great deal of dedication to offer good service and remain competitive in a market as demanding as ours,” he emphasized.
He considered that if the referring person does not belong to the sector, a commission percentage should not be charged.
“But if the advisor decides to do it as a thank you and a reward, that should be done by mutual agreement, establishing it in writing and setting the guidelines from the beginning, but I don't agree with setting a defined percentage,” the real estate advisor concluded.
