After rule change, consider plight of estate agents

Aug 15, 2008
After rule change, consider plight of estate agents

THE announcement on removal of estate agent's commission has left
agents to the mercy of the public. It encouraged the public to view
agents' services as a commodity to be bargained over and not see
agents as human beings performing an uncertain job with no fixed pay,
no CPF and no Medisave.

The statement has resulted in ridiculous requests by owners who
deliberately ignore the hard work and costs put in by agents. For
example, I now have a case where I am marketing a property with
construction sites right, left and centre for a month. Costs are high
because lag time is longer with market slowdown and after a long
time, there is only one offer. Despite this, the owner wants to offer
50 per cent discount because I had a direct buyer.

Does anyone stop to think agents we have no CPF and no Medisave? And
if I don't do any deals in the seventh month, I need to use my
savings to pay my expenses. No, they don't. Agents and buyers are two
parts of one equation. If only one side is protected, the other side
will be victimised. A few hundred thousand ricebowls are at stake. We
have families too. Please consider us too.

Lynette Choy