Number of real estate agents in Belgium hits record high
The number of real estate agents in Belgium has reached a record high, surpassing the 11,000 mark for the first time. There are currently 11,004 licensed real estate agents, the Professional Institute of Estate Agents (IPI/BIV), the sector’s supervisory and disciplinary body, announced on Wednesday.
Of the total, 8,550 real estate agents are exclusively active as intermediaries in the sale and rental of real estate, an annual increase of 3 per cent. By contrast, the number combining brokerage activities with property management has fallen by 12 per cent to 1,782.
The strongest growth is seen among property managers, real estate agents who focus exclusively on the management and representation of co-ownership properties. Their number rose by 10 per cent over the past year. Despite that increase, the profession remains a bottleneck, with only 672 real estate agents working solely as property managers.
According to BIV chairman Patrick Boterbergh, the figures show a trend towards greater specialisation within the sector. They also indicate that recent efforts to improve the image of the property manager profession are beginning to pay off. The IPI/BIV hopes to further boost inflows through additional awareness campaigns, Boterbergh said.
Bad reputation
Jan Alleman, vice-chairman of the IPI/BIV and himself a property manager, acknowledged that the profession suffers from a poor reputation. "It is not just about managing a building, you also have to deal with people and conflict situations," he said. "At the same time, it is a very broad profession, requiring knowledge of construction and responsibility for financial management."
"It is not just about managing a building, you also have to deal with people and conflict situations"
He added that general meetings of co-owners are often held in the evenings or at weekends, which can make the job less attractive. According to Alleman, there is a growing tendency to schedule such meetings during weekdays instead.
The main advantage of the profession, he said, is job security. There is already a shortage of property managers, and demand is set to rise further as more high-rise buildings are developed to meet housing needs.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO BENOIT DOPPAGNE
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