30/07/2026
The article reports that the authorities are introducing and considering stricter measures for property agents, including:
* Minimum transaction requirements — agents will generally need to complete at least three transactions over three years, or pass a refresher examination, to keep their registration.
* Longer licence/registration validity — the validity period is being extended from one to three years to reduce administrative work.
* More transparency over commissions and the relationship between agents and clients.
* Potential public ratings of property agents on the CEA Public Register.
* Greater use of the Estate Agency Agreement to clarify the responsibilities of agents and clients.
* Possible enhancements to the HDB Flat Portal as the default listing platform.
* Studying whether property owners should be able to list their own properties directly on property portals.
The overall objective is understandable: reduce fake or unauthorised listings, improve professionalism, protect consumers and make the industry more transparent.
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But I have some thoughts that pointing to an important underlying issue:
“ If regulation is intended to protect consumers, it should also ensure that the professional salesperson is treated fairly and that the value of professional agency work is not gradually undermined. “
1️⃣ Public ratings of property agents
I have some reservations about this.
A rating system sounds attractive because consumers naturally like the idea of being able to see whether an agent is “good” or “bad”. But ratings are inherently subjective.
A consumer may give a salesperson a poor rating simply because:
* the salesperson refused an unrealistic offer;
* the salesperson advised against a decision the client wanted to make;
* the transaction did not proceed;
* the salesperson insisted on complying with CEA rules;
* the client disagreed with the salesperson’s advice;
* the client had unrealistic expectations about price or commission.
In other words, a poor rating does not necessarily mean poor professional conduct.
There is also a potential psychological problem. Once ratings become publicly visible, salespersons may become excessively concerned about maintaining their rating and may feel pressured to please clients rather than give honest professional advice.
That could ironically work against the very professionalism that CEA wants to promote.
A better system, in my opinion, would distinguish between:
professional misconduct / service failure
versus
subjective customer dissatisfaction.
A salesperson should not be professionally “punished” simply because a client did not like the outcome.
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2️⃣ Mandatory Estate Agency Agreement
I agree with your view that this is generally a good practice.
An Estate Agency Agreement helps establish clearly:
* who represents whom;
* what the salesperson is expected to do;
* what the client is expected to do;
* the commission arrangement;
* the duration of the appointment;
* the circumstances under which commission becomes payable;
* the respective responsibilities of both parties.
In fact, responsible salespersons are already encouraged to explain and obtain the relevant agreement.
The difficult question is whether it should become mandatory in every situation.
Some clients may simply refuse to sign because they do not want to be formally committed to an agent.
So the real question is not merely:
“Should agents be required to use an agreement ? ”
but:
“ How should the industry deal with a client who refuses to enter into one, while still expecting the salesperson to provide professional services ? ”
If it becomes mandatory, there needs to be a practical mechanism that protects both sides, rather than simply creating another compliance burden for the salesperson.
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3️⃣ Transparency of commission
This is perhaps the most interesting point.
On the surface, commission transparency sounds entirely reasonable. A client should know what an agent is going to be paid before the agent starts working.
But transparency should not be confused with commission control.
Singapore’s estate agency industry operates in an open market. The commission is negotiable rather than being a government-prescribed fixed fee.
That creates an important balance:
The consumer should know what the salesperson is being paid, but the consumer should also understand what they are paying for.
The problem is that consumers sometimes focus almost entirely on:
“ How much commission can I save ? ”
rather than:
“ What professional service am I actually receiving ? ”
A salesperson may spend weeks or months:
* analysing the market;
* sourcing suitable properties;
* arranging viewings;
* negotiating;
* preparing offers;
* coordinating lawyers, bankers and other parties;
* handling documentation;
* resolving issues;
* following up after the transaction.
Yet the commission discussion can eventually become reduced to:
“ Can you lower your commission ? ”
Therefore, I would argue that transparency should work both ways.
Consumers should know the commission.
But consumers should also be given clearer information about the scope and value of the services being provided in exchange for that commission.
Otherwise, “commission transparency” can unintentionally become nothing more than a mechanism for lowballing the salesperson’s remuneration.
And that leads to an important question:
“ Does transparency only protect the consumer, or should it also protect the salesperson’s right to fair remuneration for professional work performed ? “
I think the latter deserves equal consideration.
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4️⃣ HDB resale portal as a default listing platform
On this point, I think there is a potentially significant benefit to salespersons.
If the HDB resale portal becomes a free or reasonably priced central listing platform, it could help address one of the industry’s major cost pressures.
Property portals have become increasingly expensive for salespersons, while the cost of doing business continues to rise.
So if HDB can provide a credible, authoritative and easily accessible platform for HDB resale properties, I would welcome it.
But there is an important distinction:
A free listing platform does not necessarily mean a free real estate service.
The platform can make property information more accessible without eliminating the need for a professional salesperson.
A salesperson still provides:
market analysis + pricing advice + marketing strategy + buyer qualification + negotiation + transaction management + compliance + coordination.
That is the actual professional service.
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5️⃣ Allowing owners to list directly on property portals
This is the proposal I would question most strongly.
I understand the argument from the consumer perspective: give property owners more choice and allow them to sell without an agent if they wish.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that.
But the policy needs to recognise the consequences for the profession.
If owners can freely list properties directly on all major platforms, it potentially creates another layer of disintermediation — removing the professional salesperson from the transaction.
And that raises a fair question:
“ What exactly is the purpose of requiring a salesperson to undergo professional training, pass the required examination, obtain a CEA registration and continue attending CPD and other courses to maintain and improve professional knowledge, if an unlicensed property owner can perform a significant portion of the marketing function without equivalent professional requirements ? “
Of course, an owner is entitled to sell his or her own property. That is fundamentally different from conducting estate agency work for others.
But if direct-owner listing becomes increasingly sophisticated, the industry should not underestimate its potential impact on professional salespersons.
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The bigger issue: consumer protection vs professional protection
I think this is actually the most important point behind the observations.
The measures in the article are largely framed around:
“ How do we better protect consumers ? ”
That is obviously important.
But there should be another question:
“ How do we simultaneously protect consumers AND maintain a sustainable, professional and fairly remunerated estate agency industry ? ”
Those two objectives are not mutually exclusive.
In fact, they should complement each other.
A professional salesperson who is:
* properly trained,
* properly regulated,
* accountable,
* fairly compensated,
* continuously educated,
* and given a sustainable business environment
is ultimately better for consumers too.
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My overall view:
I welcome measures that improve professionalism, transparency and consumer protection. However, regulation should not unintentionally create a one-sided system where the consumer receives greater protection while the salesperson bears increasing compliance obligations, rising operating costs and downward pressure on remuneration.
If CEA wants to raise the standard of the profession, then the industry should also recognise and protect the value of professional estate agency services. Transparency should not simply mean telling consumers how much an agent earns; it should also help consumers understand what they are paying for.
Likewise, giving consumers greater choice is positive, but we should be careful not to undermine the very professional industry that the authorities are simultaneously trying to raise standards for.
And I think there is one particularly interesting contradiction in the article:
On one hand, the authorities want to professionalise and raise the standards of property salespersons.
On the other hand, they are considering giving consumers more direct ways to bypass those same professionals.
That is not necessarily wrong — but the policy needs to reconcile those two directions carefully. Otherwise, the industry could end up with higher professional requirements, higher compliance costs and greater responsibility for salespersons, while simultaneously making it easier for consumers to avoid engaging them.
That is the part I would be watching most closely as a property salesperson.
