To THOSE interested in the Estate Agent Examination by Self-Study, please go to WEBSITE:
ESTATEAGENTEXAM.COM
WHO IS AN ESTATE AGENT?
In Malaysia, Registered Estate Agents (REA) are professionals prescribed by the Law – Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers Act, 1981, to act and carry out Real Estate Agency Practice. The names are REA or PEA. A Probationary Estate Agent (PEA) is a person under training to become a REA.
There are many who call themselves “Brokers” out there dealing with properties. Unlike general public perception – these “brokers” are in fact, illegal agents! Danger of bogus agents here!
Amid many names are being called of an agent, they are not “Consultant”. In fact, it is prohibited to call themselves as “Estate Agent”, “House Agent”, “Property Agent”, “Land Agent”, “House Broker” or “Real Estate Agency Consultant” under S.22C(1) of the law – Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers Act 1981 (Act 242) unless one is a “Registered Estate Agent – REA”.
Then, there are big numbers of Real (NOT registered) Estate Negotiators (Juru-Runding) – sometimes also known as “Perunding”.
REN (Negotiators) are NOT REA. However, they are assistants employed or engaged by REA Firms in carrying out the daily activities of estate agency practice. This is specified in:
S. 22C (2) (d) a negotiator may assist the registered estate agent in the estate agency practice.
SO, WHAT IS “ESTATE AGENCY PRACTICE”?
S.22B Estate agency practice
(1A) A person undertakes estate agency practice if he acts as an agent, or holds himself out to the public or to any individual or firm as ready to act as an agent, for a commission, fee, reward or other consideration –
(a) in respect of any sale or other disposal of land and buildings and of any interest therein;
(b) in respect of any purchase or other acquisition of land and buildings and of any interest therein;
(c) in respect of any leasing or letting of land and buildings and of any interest therein;
(d) in making know of the availability of land, building, or any interest therein for such sale or disposal, purchase or acquisition, or leasing or letting referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c), as the case may be; and
(e) in respect of any tenancy administration including rental collection, payment of outgoings, arrangement for minor repairs and handing over and taking over the possession of a property of any land and buildings and of any interest therein.
Hence, to act in accordance to the law, an estate agent should have been registered with the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers, Malaysia (BOVEAP) and issued a “License”. This license is sometimes called “E License”. By law, this license number is to be written below the name of the Registered Estate Agent (REA), e.g. E.9876 when signing off official documents.
With this “E License”, this REA can then set up a firm of Real Estate Agency by applying to BOVAEP for an Authority to Practise (S.16 VAEP Act, 1981). This is a Firm Registration Number – sole proprietorship is given a E(3) number, e.g. E(3)9876.
SO, HOW TO BECOME A REA?
It is a long journey. Firstly the examinations, then the practical training and lastly the Test of Professional Competence (TPC) – Interview.
EXAMINATION:
You can basically do one of the three routes:
- University courses in a Degree – See recognized qualification in Board website HERE
- PMVS Examination – by Royal Institution of Surveyors, Malaysia – Property Management, Valuation and Estate Agency Surveying Division
- Board Estate Agents Examination (BOVAEP EA Exam) – Diploma of Estate Agency (I did this – I passed Part II in 2017 Exam)
* In the spirit of education the Board had given accreditation to some institutions to conduct internal courses for equivalent to BOVAEP EA Exam. This is a special route for those who are already involved in estate agency (as REN). They sign up for this internal courses and qualify for the same recognition. One of the examples is Certificate in Estate Agency by Institut Penilaian Negara (INSPEN).
TRAINING:
A Probationary Estate Agent (PEA) is to undergo a period of 2 years full-time practical training supervised by a Registered Estate Agent (REA). This is shortened to 1 year if the candidate possesses a degree equivalent to that of a Valuer, or a qualified practitioner from overseas who returned to Malaysia and only want to practice Estate Agency. Some of these degree holders might be required to do 1.5 years of probation if they have lapsed in practice (e.g. maternity leave for few years) depending on the decision by the Board (BOVAEP).
TEST OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE (TPC):
A PEA who has completed practical training, work diary, 2 tasks and having fulfilled all criteria for interview will be called for TPC. This is an INTERVIEW with a Panel of Interviewers from government and private sector, comprising of practitioners and persons of position in the profession.
Below are links to know more about TPC and its preparation.
033a My TPC Preparation Part 1
033b My TPC Preparation Part 2
147 TPC – my experience 08 Mar, 2023
160 TPC My Experience TASK-2
177 Zoom TPC 2024
Having passed the TPC, the candidate is registered under 4th Schedule – Register of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers – under Part III of the Register (Estate Agents).
Summary of my journey becoming Registered Estate Agent.
2014-2016 – Part 1 Examination (3 attempts)
2017 Part 2 Examination (1 attempt)
2018-2020 Probation training (no TPC due to MCO)
2020-2022 Waiting in queue for TPC
2023 TPC (2 attempts within 3 months)
2023-Jul Passed and Registered as REA
I was registered in July, 2023 (E3009) and I have set up my sole-proprietorship estate agency firm SINJUN PROPERTIES E(3)2077 in Nov, 2023. Total number of years taken = 9 years!
(Updated 01 April, 2024)
Over the years, I have developed a number of website – platforms to help agents. These website – platforms were hosted under Contract Index Services before the formation of Sinjun Properties. Now, they are listed under a newly incorporated company called “AgentMY Online (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd (1535524-W). Below are some of the completed website – platforms.
