Agents Immobiliers

Demarcheur, Agents Immobiliers, Real Estate Agents and Land Developers

In most developing countries, bright entrepreneurial individuals have seized opportunities to earn a living. It is in these conditions that most real estate and land development transactions occur. Here is a quick high-level tutorial.
A Demarcheur is an untrained individual with or without experience and serves as a broker between two parties in a transaction, regardless of the type of transaction. Real Estate, Car Sales, Building Supplies etc. They are not governed by any rules other than what they choose or define for themselves. A Demarcheur can be experienced or have none, they could be professionally trained or not at all. Your uncle, cousin, sister, friend, neighbor or anyone can be a Demarcheur. Scary right May be, but approximately 75% – 80% of real estate transactions are handled in this manner. It is as simple as an individual you know contacting you about an ‘amazing’ deal, opportunity to purchase land, buy a house or anything… They can truly be very resourceful…

Agent Immobilier

An Agent Immobilier is the French translation of the formal profession of being a real estate agent, apparently ‘skilled’ in the business of negotiating the sale, lease or purchase of real estate. They may represent either side of the transaction, the seller, the buyer or they may represent both. Real estate agents around the world earn a good living in economies where there is structure and regulation. The end result is usually a transaction that serves all of the parties in a fair and equitable manner. Agents Immobiliers in Cameroon are predominantly located in the urban areas with businesses in urban and rural alike. A ‘Promoteurs Immobilier’ is the cream of the crop and are considered Land developers skilled in the art of developing huge parcels of lands into lots for sale, bringing water, power and developing roads. To date in the country of Cameroon there is no formal training program in place for this profession and as such the only thing that distinguishes an Agent Immobilier from a Demarcheur is the fact that the former is affiliated with a Real Estate company or Agency and they are supposed to follow the pre-defined set laws governing, landlord tenant agency agreements, commissions, land sales and developments regulations. http://www.minhdu.gov.cm/

Real estate transactions in the rural areas are primarily done through Demarcheurs and a single transaction, unfortunately, may consist of up to 6 intermediaries (known and unknown)! yes, I say unfortunately, because each individual wants a share in the pie. This cost is usually burdened on the purchaser or landlord alike and skews market values disproportionately. In the Urban areas, real estate companies or Agents Immobiliers service companies are listed everywhere you turn and are the ‘go to’ entities for real estate needs. They advertise and formally solicit and list listings, however, they are not regulated and pricing varies. (It’s best to check out a few or so prior to settling for any one). Keep in mind however that the few Agents Immobiliers set ups that do function do so hand in hand with… yup, you guessed it… Demarcheurs.

So here is the real scoop are you ready? the main impediment to the growth and success of the real estate profession in Cameroon is 1) the cost of services and 2) Consumer buy in.  Costs, as mentioned earlier varies substantially dependent on the number of intermediaries, scope of the project, market estimations, myths, and at the end of the day as I have been educated, is subject to a whim. It is not uncommon to hear of a 100% markup on a transaction. However, keep in mind, if you are the consumer, you don’t know that, because these commission mark ups are not transparent. If you are willing to do some research, you may find that the pricing on that land or rental is substantially higher than necessary.

The second constraint, Consumer buy-in is crucial. Most consumers of Agents Immobilier services are Expats, foreign companies, institutions. Cameroon government and authorities have implemented its own Real Estate Agency that is responsible for administering real estate projects. http://www.sic.cm/index.php/fr/ . It is clear, however, that educating consumers on the reasons for contracting with agents is vital to growth of the real estate market overall. Often villagers and local owners of huge vast lots of lands contract with a specific individual to sell their land. They do not trust any formal establishment. A son of the soil, someone who speaks their language and can buy them certain amenities for village living, e.g . stove, a/c unit, can become the ‘owner’ and distributor of vast parcels. What these intermediaries make off of their land is unknown to the owner. They are not involved in the process. In addition, folks accustomed to the traditional trajectory of purchasing and developing land in with relatives in one’s ethnic area of origin serves as a huge impediment to rising Agents Immobiliers services. Folks just want to handle their own business lol.

SECPE takes the Real Estate Agent profession, very seriously. We do not only assist in the transaction, we negotiate, we educate, make recommendations and put your mind at ease. We go the extra mile because we value your business and know that our success can be defined by our ability to exceed your investment expectations. Visit our website and like us on Facebook, twitter, Instagram and Linked in. SECPE is the number 1 authority for all of your real estate needs in Cameroon. www.secpeinvestments.com