I was VERY excited this week to be back in the swing of things with a Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) Zone event on here in Cairns for the first time since late 2019.
Traditionally held here 3 times a year for the benefit of both members and guests, COVID put the kibosh on the event for 2020 and our local Cairns members have been Zooming with the leadership and training teams ever since. Now while REIQ Chairman Peter Brewer remains larger than life on-screen, its good to see him live and in the flesh once again.
What is an REIQ Zone event you might ask? Well first of all, the REIQ is the peak body for real estate agents, property managers and auctioneers in QLD and, independent of government bodies, provides an umbrella of support for members of the real estate industry, whether that be in training in the essential qualifications of the industry (they are a registered training organisation), best practice or performance coaching.
Beyond those traditional training roles, the REIQ also acts as one of the most active bodies when it comes to lobbying for legislative changes across different levels of government – touching a wide range of issues that fall both inside and outside of the profession itself. Key campaigns have pushed for greater training requirements for agents (beyond the current 3 day course minimum), changes to stamp duty as well as the introduction of the Property Occupations Act, which brought in a host of changes back in 2014 to reshape how we do business. When called for, the REIQ can also act as an arbitrator for conduct, both between member agents and between customers and agents – helping keep everyone on the right track.
With the REIQ based in Brisbane, the Zone event series brings the training and team from the south out to the rest of the State, including very importantly, our regions like Cairns. With expert speakers, as well as representatives from the Office of Fair Trading and other organisations, agents also get the opportunity to ask questions in an open environment, improving the local industry as a whole.
Attracting agents from Port Douglas, Innisfail, the Tablelands and even Weipa, not only do these events educate, but they also foster better cooperation between offices, brands and operators in a positive, supportive environment. Its because of events like this that I joined the REIQ first as a member, and later as Zone Chair. To find out more, check out REIQ.com or give me a call.