The Real Estate Agent is a widely recognized professional figure, yet, in some respects, still not thoroughly understood on a global level.

Essentially, it is an operator in the real estate market who, on behalf of an agency or independently, provides services related to the buying and selling and leasing of various types of properties. The professional’s task is also to offer proper valuation, advertise the property, mediate and follow (possibly completing) the contractual agreement in every phase.

We have seen what risks one may face when deciding to take a do-it-yourself approach to such a delicate and complex task as selling or renting one’s property: the chances of encountering fraud, bureaucratic loopholes, and overvaluations or undervaluations are very high. That’s why a real estate agency invests a lot of resources, time, and energy in choosing the ideal collaborator. Since this figure identifies and satisfies the company while simultaneously representing the client’s interests, it cannot do without:

1. A good connection with the company’s message.
2. An excellent propensity for dialectics and a healthy approach to dialogue.
3. An updated knowledge of the real estate market.

The best feedback is customer satisfaction.

As we mentioned earlier, the success of an agency, and its collaborators, necessarily depends on the degree of customer satisfaction. This means interpreting the individual’s needs, understanding bureaucracy to circumvent any problems or the accumulation of paperwork to sign, selling or leasing at the right market price, and simultaneously aligning with the client’s proposal.

But that’s not all.

Regulations

The Real Estate Agent’s role is currently regulated by legislation that defines its role in every aspect. Uni (Italian University) and Fiaip (Italian Federation of Professional Real Estate Agents) have recently forged, probably, the first real technical regulation in the sector, adding to the regulations regarding services provided by agencies, regulated since 2011 but often overlooked not only by customers (who probably aren’t even aware of its existence) but also by the professionals themselves.

Just in recent months, the publication of a new Reference Practice on the “Requirements of knowledge, skills, and competence of real estate agents” has clarified the issue and encouraged adherence. In summary, this type of professional should not appear as a simple “salesperson,” a figure almost to be avoided, in many cases, by the public (because seen as the antithesis of their desires) but rather as a qualified seller and consultant, capable of ensuring the most appropriate privacy for transactions, as well as the comprehensive security of purchases (or leases), covering everything from anti-money laundering, bureaucracy, urban planning, cadastral surveys, planning in the technical-systemic sector of structures, to obligations of site inspections, checks, etc.

In short, a mapping of important skills that should never be lacking in those who operate in the real estate sector with awareness, professionalism, and competence.

“This way, it will also be possible to overcome the fear of real estate disintermediation that scares the category (…) The results of those who have already adapted to this new model show that it is not just a way to survive, but also to grow their business. The idea is not only to assert principles but to highlight the commercial advantages that can arise from a regulatory practice,” Fiaip reported regarding the new Reference Practice.