“A good agent must become an advisor, ensuring a good investment for both the clients and the builder.”.
SANTO DOMINGO.- Although there are no exact statistics revealing the figures for the increase in home sales since the beginning of COVID-19, the facts establish that the sector not only survived the pandemic, but exceeded the planning that the actors in the industry had set.
Alberto Bogaert, president of the AEI, the Association of Real Estate Companies and Agencies, reveals that 50% of the projects launched during the lockdown were sold in just two months, while 80% were sold in six months, highlighting the strength of the market.
“During the pandemic, we worked extremely hard because the market shifted towards buying properties and planning to move, as the lockdown made people realize what they needed. Some wanted more space, while others wanted to put their savings to work,” the executive stated.
He said that sales of all projects, both off-plan and under construction, surged during the COVID lockdown and continue to rise. “The good thing is that there are many orders, and the offers being launched are carefully considered, based on what the public wants and is demanding,” he noted.
A good advisor
The advantage of the market having true advisors, he said, is that as intermediaries, they convey the needs of the population to the developers, so that the construction companies build the required works at the time, which generates guaranteed sales.
“A good agent should become an advisor, ensuring a sound investment for both clients and the builder. If, when buying, you are advised by someone who lacks experience and knowledge, then your investment will be at risk,” Bogaert stated.
That's why the AEI continues its fight to achieve a law that formalizes the sector. "Our profession is recognized worldwide; there are agents in every market. Here, we're not formalized, and improvisation damages the market. That's why we want the sector to be formalized.".
As part of that institutional responsibility, from February to date the entity has certified more than 500 new and aspiring real estate brokers, in order to contribute to more agents receiving proper training every day.
