Equivalence: What is happening to Schools and how you should act.

- Because this information is pertinent to your successful licencing or enrolment at IMOPPI, as the exam pass certificate only is valid for 1 year.

THE PRESENT SITUATION

What is happening within the Ministry of Education and its relationship with the schools - in regards to issuing equivalence certificates - has obliged me to write this down so all can read, understand, and take the right course of action.

Schools are being "bombarded" with requests for foreign equivalence and are now having to face the consequence of accepting lightly the orders come from Lisbon through DL 227 and its Portarias.

Like everything else in Portugal, these have proven insufficient to respond in full to such requests of equivalence and so there is in motion a change in the whole process (of adaptation) so as to make 2 things possible:

A) The schools clerks and administration are trying to get to grips with the equivalence of things which the simple tables in the portarias do not have in them; Hence all foreign equivalences are going up to Lisbon;
B) The consulates and translators are in need of understanding themselves what is at stake (which I explain early on in my courses), and so people can come to terms with the requirements and make sure whoever translates and authenticates your documents knows what they are doing.

What I have been trying to do is the following:

- I have established a line of action through the Faro School of João de Deus, which enables some broadmindedness and the possibility to have a say in favour of such requests;
- At the same time, I have re-established ties with the "Sector de Equivalência" in the Ministry of Education in Lisbon

These 2 actions combined allow for a working line of communication to smoothen acceptance of your qualifications; It will also allow to act in combined force with translators and consulates/embassies in the near future - To inform and educate them on what is required.

This does not mean that the whole process can be magically made by some sort of prince to fall upon a timeframe which does not respect the reality entailed.

It means that the procedure will be far more realistic and adapted to the different credentials presented form all the different nationalities, especially in the light of IMOPPI requirements.

New Complaint Book - From 1st January, 2006

Licensed real estate companies must have a "livro de reclamações", exclusively for each office open to the public.

imobiliária têm um novo modelo.

Since 1st January, 2006, new copies can be bought through the shopes of Imprensa Nacional Casa da Moeda, S.A.
If you have one prior to 31/12/2005, it will not be necessary to buy a new one. Only when it ceases its function.

Sic IMOPPI

The credit system has arrived!

When we said good-bye to 2005 and joyfully faced the incoming year, not many of us had the mind or heart to dwell on IMOPPI's system of credits as defined by the now famous portaria 1326.

Brokers and listers alike have been drawn into the vast framework of the training world - seeded in the Bologne process: A period of 3 years where some sort of insurance must be ascertained by IMOPPI that those in the real estate business undergo training and retraining to better their professional abilities.

In essence, the real estate professionals have now become officially obliged to attain six "training" credits every three years - which is the lifespan of a licence or enrolment, depending on whether you are a broker or a lister.

What IMOPPI doesn't realise, among many others, is that this in turn takes us into the sphere of re-interpretating such activities and their training, understood until now as merely intuitive and - as the Portuguese have said in the past, "para inglês ver" (For the English to see).

Training has been cast under the rug over the last 20 years, since Portugal joined the EU, and like so many other countries has treated professional training as some sort of escape goat.

It's time real estate training be taken seriously and looked in the eyes.

The pertinence of IMOPPI's credit system is in augmenting the need for training solutions not yet fully developed which can permit all that has been said herein happen.

It is up to trainers, training schools, associations and the universities to offer the professionals credible, reliable solutions that can incorporate the spirit of real estate practice in Portugal.

Is selling not life?!?

It is often thought that certain people are "born salespersons". We forget that it rarely is the case.

Even taking into consideration that such a factor X can exist, whether of genetical value or simply a gift, if we look closely we find that everyone has this salesperson's quality.

It may be deep inside, but sure enough, one finds that selling is to know how to live: It may be just trying to survive, but more often than not it's all about discovering the quality life has and that is at our arms reach. If only we learn to sell...

So when one talks about training in sales and other relevant subjects, that envelop the real estate activities, one should not take it lightly: Selling or buying real estate demands understanding the full scope of the responsabilities they entail; The right approach should be made in training to allow the professional to follow the most appropriate knowledge and skills that can really elevate him or her into true "salepersonship", and thus become the "good salesperson" the market wants.

One should keep in perspective that real estate activities are by and large dependent on one thing and one thing alone: The human factor

The past 20 years of real estate in Portugal

Over recent years, public concern has grown in Portugal on how real estate transactions are handled by brokers. In tune with Europe, Portuguese legislation has made an effort, not only to make such transactions more transparent, but also to develop human resources in these companies.
By coupling the commercial and managerial side of the business with training courses, "Sociedades de Mediação Imobiliária" (real estate brokers in Portugal) ensure an overall better service and reinforce their position in the market.
Over the years, since the 80's, and despite initial efforts by CMOPPI, followed by IMOPPI, there has never been a real link between real estate practice, professional training and the subsequent laws.
IMOPPI's efforts do deserve credit, but fail to hit the target.
This can be seen in the way most training companies lack the capacity to overcome the difficulties of reaching out into the field and joining theory with practice.
Nevertheless, real estate brokers have begun to realise the necessity for adequate treatment in producing active curriculae.
This portal also allows certified real estate brokers and listers to use the "Multiple Listing System" (MLS), with specialised directories, placed all over Europe and North America.
Slowly, but surely, this reflects on the market...

It's time for Open Source

Real estate practice is closely connected to the way people interact with society, proving that no single model can be applied in a universe manner.

Not only does this apply stricktly to the Portuguese market, it also proves itself worldwide.

So the time has come for those you may read this blog to take upon themsleves the challenge to say how each and everyone one of you see it; How such a practice happens in your country, region or town.

Feel free to contribute with your thoughts.