Finding the Right Internship in an Estate Agency

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Now that you have decided that real estate is something that you want to pursue, you will need to become qualified. Not only will you have to achieve certain qualifications to begin your education as a real estate agent, you will also be following online training as well as completing an internship.

Find the Right Internship in an Estate Agency

An internship is a process of learning while you are working. You will find a real estate agency that will take you on as an intern and then work under the mentorship of an agent with at least three years experience and recognized as an official mentor by the EAAB (Estate Agency Affairs Board).

Fidelity Fund Certificate

You will be licensed to operate as an intern with a Fidelity Fund Certificate.
The great thing about the intern programme in the real estate industry of South Africa is that it gives the aspirant immediate hands on experience. You get to jump right in feet first. Interns can get down to work immediately. You can begin to show clients property, create and execute marketing strategies, and as soon as you have the hang of it you can, through your mentor, even advise clients on legal matters, costing and price negotiation. Of course you will also be learning to keep up with all the administration that is expected of a real estate agent.

In total over the entire year the intern will probably log up to 1500 hours in formal training. The bulk of these hours can be clocked while at work, but interns will also be expected to study and do courses in conjunction to the practical side. Most interns will opt for the online training for estate agents. This allows you the flexibility to study at your leisure and fit your courses and classes into your schedule. After this internship period, you will complete your NQF level 4 portfolio of evidence and be found competent by Services SETA. Then you will be required to pass the EAAB’s examinations (the EAAB”S Professional Designation Examination), PDE level 4, and if you are aspiring to become a principal (to own your own business) the NQF level 5 and PDE level 5.

You can, however, also apply to earn credits for previous education and ‘prior learning’. This means that you can gain credit for diplomas or national certificates that hold in other fields sectors that could pertain to real estate. Inquiries about exemption status can be directed to PropAcademy who assist you in completing the required EAAB documentation.

One thing that you will need to be aware of as an intern is that you must always make the client or customer aware that you are in fact an intern. This must be transparent at all times. Failure to do so can result in disaster!

When asking the seasoned and successful agents in the field today how to go about finding the right internship, the answer is pretty much the same across the board. Find a mentor who embodies the ethical standards and code of conduct expected from a well qualified estate agent and then cultivate your own set of standards. You can’t go wrong.

How to Become a Real Estate Agent in South Africa

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In 2008 the EAAB (Estate Agency Affairs Board) tightened the requirements for entry into the field of Real Estate. This preceded a drop in the South African market following the devastation in the American mortgage market. The recession in South Africa saw approximately two thirds of estate agents who had registered in 2008 leave the sector to re-qualify. It is estimated that there are an estimated 40 000 estate agents in South Africa today. The transformation of the industry since the 2008 regulation change and the subsequent economic slump has seen a surge in job creation and especially a new generation of young black South Africans entering the real estate sector.

How to Become an Estate Agent in South Africa

Online Courses for Estate Agents in South Africa

Getting qualified as an estate agent today is relatively easy. Online courses can be completed in concert with the required internship. This is imperative in order to provide the young and aspiring estate agent with the correct training opportunities so that they are well equipped to earn a decent income working in an industry that is extremely fickle.
The basic requirements for starting a career as an estate agent are not that complicated. The first thing that an applicant needs to complete is the 12 month internship being mentored by a professional and experienced estate agent. The second is to complete the FETC (the Further Education and Training Certificate) in Real Estate at level NQF 4. Lastly candidates must also write and pass the Professional Designate Exam (PDE) after they have been found competent by Services SETA in their NQF Level 4 portfolio of evidence. If an agent wants to further extend his education in order to become a principal and run his own business he must be found competent in NQF level 5 and PDE level 5.

Study Online in Your Own Time While You Hold Down a Job

It is possible to combine the FETC NQF 4 qualification and the internship so that the candidate can work on these two aspects of the qualification at the same time during the first year of internship, as long as the estate agent has completed at least 8 months of his internship. Also if the aspirant holds any degrees or diplomas in certain areas, it is possible to apply for and be exempt from completing the FETC. Inquiries about exemption status can be directed to PropAcademy who assist you in completing the required EAAB documentation. We are also RPL agents and can assist applicants in applying for exemptions. Sign up for our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) EAAB Exemption Application Service here.

One of the advantages of studying (online for example) and getting qualified while working and gaining experience in the field in an internship is that of being able to learn and earn at the same time. It is also possible to study part-time and still be in a position to have practical experience and keep a job. Online learning also facilitates the ability to carry on working while getting qualified.

Explore our online real estate courses, and get started learning today!

The Real Estate industry is exciting and fast paced. Whether the market is booming or if it is in a slump, real estate is always something that will be in demand. In order to become the best real estate agent possible it is important to embody these characteristics.

  • good communication skills
  • honesty
  • integrity
  • good organizational skills
  • assertiveness
  • the ability to learn quickly and apply that knowledge

For further information the EAAB website offers a wide spectrum of material about the industry, the rules and regulations, and everything else that one needs to know to become an estate agent.