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Real estate brokerage is a regulated activity in Belgium that is subject to a deontology.
Anyone who intervenes for someone else to realize the sale, exchange, transfer or rental of a property or commercial fund is a real estate broker (see the Law of February 11, 2013 organizing the profession of real estate broker).
Real estate mediation vs. other real estate activities
In Belgium, you can exercise the profession as a professional real estate broker-broker only if you have personal accreditation from the Professional Institute for Real Estate Agents (BIV). As an accredited real estate broker, you will be assigned an IPI number.
Real estate brokerage should be distinguished from:
– Real estate trading: this is the sale or rental of one’s own property;
– Construction promotion and contracting;
– Online websites where the buyer and seller can find each other. Here there is also basically no mediation, but only a (software) service.
Can I work as a freelancer at a real estate agency?
Sure. Only you may not perform activities of real estate mediation (i.e. the typical activities of a real estate agent). Indeed, any self-employed person who carries out real estate mediation activities must be recognized by the IPI, regardless of whether this is done as a main or secondary occupation. You can therefore provide other services as a freelancer, such as software or accounting, for example. You can also perform construction promotion or real estate trading activities as a freelancer.
If you are not accredited and still wish to engage in real estate brokerage, you can only work as an employee of an accredited real estate broker. You work under the supervision and responsibility of a licensed real estate broker and cannot perform real estate mediation activities independently. You may also not represent yourself as a real estate broker in this case.
How to obtain recognition as a real estate agent?
Without personal BIV recognition, you cannot practice the profession independently.
You obtain this recognition by completing the following steps:
- You have the required diploma
- You submit an application to the IPI
- You take a competency test
- You are included in the list of trainees
- You begin the internship with an approved internship master
- You take an aptitude test at the end of the traineeship
- You are registered on the Tableau
You have other questions about being a freelancer at a real estate agency? Then be sure to contact our corporate law specialists so that we can provide you with tailored advice.
