IEASA National - News

Institute membership growing steadily   Article Date :13 Sep 2006 8% net growth in membership across the country Membership of the Institute of Estate Agents of South Africa (IEASA) continues to grow steadily, says outgoing IEASA president Bill Rawson. The past seven months have seen an 8 percent net growth in membership across the country, despite the challenge presented by the emergence of a new industry association at the end of last year, and the fact that the number of registered estate agents has remained fairly constant over the past year. Rawson says that membership will increase further in the short-term, because the IEASA's Free State region is being re-activated after being dormant for several years. "Our membership is growing at an average rate of eighteen new members a week," says Rawson, "which is very encouraging. It shows that the Institute is doing its job well, and that members need and appreciate the benefits which we offer. Our KwaZulu-Natal Coastal region, based in Durban, has achieved the best net growth, with 180 new members over the past seven months. The Western Cape has added 115 new members, and I believe that thirty more have just signed up in its West Coast area." The IEASA, which was founded in 1937 by amalgamating three provincial estate agency associations, is primarily a training provider. It is decentralised into regional institutes. Membership is voluntary, and levels vary from one region to another. At one end of the scale, the Cape Town-based Western Cape has nearly 2700 members, while at the other end, the Benoni-based Eastern Gauteng/Mpumalanga region currently has fewer than 200. Will the steady growth continue? Rawson believes it may tail off in 2007, when compulsory qualifications are introduced, for both new entrants to the industry and those who are already in practice. "A compulsory entrance course and exam will reduce the number of new entrants," says Rawson, "and the additional requirement for established agents and principals to pass exams, and participate in continuing professional development programmes in order to stay in the industry, will no doubt cause some departures over the coming few years. This will help to bring the industry down from its present 60 000-plus members to a more realistic level, and IEASA membership may slow down as a result." Rawson will step down in September, after serving for four and a half years as the IEASA's national president. The new president will be elected at the IEASA's national annual general meeting CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE MAIN NEWS PAGE