| Time for Agency Cooperation | ||
| Perhaps the time has come for the various Real Estate Agents and Brokers in and around Kyiv to start an organization that will protect everyone's rights. If you are an agent or a broker, you have definitely run across the situation where your efforts on an owner's or a client's behalf, have been stolen right from under you. In the past many agencies have made a game of it in trying to outdo each other or to show just how rapacious they are. However; in these hard times where every sale counts, we think the time has come to put aside all our differences and come to terms with the realities. No one can afford to lose a sale. Not the person who only shows the property once, nor the agent who works for months wining and dining a client just to see him go | 
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| with a competitor. But in
these times when the average occupancy rate is hitting 20 - 25% this
problem is more acute than ever. In the West, this is hardly ever a problem. The rules are well established and everyone plays by the rules. In Ukraine, where rules are made to be broken or circumvented, this has become a serious issue. Let's look at what we risk by not establishing a fair and ethical playing field: " Lost commissions - Lost clients - Lost properties - Distrust among agencies and brokers. - Reduced commission levels. - No Commissions from property owners. - Unwillingness to advertise properly - Unnecessary secrecy. - Distrust of staff On the other hand let's look at what we can gain: - Commission for the fisting agent and an equal commission for the client's agent. The two commissions should equal 2-1/2% to 3% each, or a total of 5 to 6%, for sales; and 5% each, or a total of 10%/ for leases or rentals. - Ability to establish a "multiple listings" system on the web or in publications. Everyone would then have access to this system. - Control over renewed leases. - Ability of listing agents to advertise freely knowing that their commissions are protected. - Ability of client's agents to divulge information or to send unsupervised clients to a listed property. What is needed in order to do this: - An agreement among all the major real estate brokers to follow the rules and to act in accordance with a "multiple listing" agreement. - Pooling of information for the Multiple Listings. - Standard agreements with Property owners that would be enforceable in Ukrainian Courts (but preferably by our own Arbitration Association/ in order to reduce court costs). - Standard agreement with clients which would be similarly enforceable. - Full disclosure of who is the Listing Broker. The Client's broker would be the one who executes the sale or tease agreement. If you are interested in the establishment of such procedures and such an organization/ please contact (in writing with full contact details): Walter Prochorenko Pro-W (Ukraine) Bankivska 2, Suite 7&8 Kyiv, 252024, Ukraine Fax: (044) 253-S201 E-mail: pro-w@Ukraine-Today.com | ||
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