HIRE A LICENSED REALTOR IN MEXICO

After years of discussion it is now a reality. You can get representation from a licensed real estate professional in Mexico. Mexican officials are watching closely as the state of Sonora works towards total accountability from its real estate professionals. Sonora’s push towards licensing is led by Sonora’s Governor Eduardo Bours Castelo, and overseen by Secretary of Economy of the State of Sonora, Internal Trade Department, Lic. Rodolfo Elias Calles Dingfelder.

About a year ago Mexico’s National Association of Realtors, called AMPI started requiring its members to be certified at the state level. This certification included criminal background checks, (For foreigners this means background checks in their country of origin, as well as Mexico.), fingerprinting, as well as continuing education classes to insure the highest level of trust and security.

Because of AMPI’s quest for accountability from its members, the now international association of realtors, NAR, includes AMPI members as equals. With this accreditation made official in Washington in October of 2006, AMPI members are allowed to call themselves Realtors, which is a protected brand that is not thrown around loosely.

The latest in a long series of events leading towards the actual licensing is a course sponsored by the state that is 109 hours of intense real estate studies. The topics included in this month long crash course were intended to provide actual and current technical and administrative skills to participants allowing them to improve their performance in Real Estate activities. So as, analyzing the legislation of both the federal and state judicial dispositions regarding Real Estate property, as well as talking over issues pertaining to taxation, city development, appraisals, trusts, sales strategies, and ethics in the real estate field. The instructors were all national leaders in their respective professions, and came from all over Mexico. This real estate diplomado course was held at Puerto Peñasco’s university Instituto Tecnologico Superior de Puerto Peñasco.

The first graduating class in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora finished with 26 students in attendance. It was an intense month of long days, but the content was extremely viable information that anyone calling themselves a real estate professional in Mexico should understand. Rocky Point currently has about 200 people practicing as real estate agents.

With licensing a reality, the security of future investments in Mexico will continue to grow exponentially. The resort communities have been discovered by investment pioneers and speculators for a number of years, and every year as the comfort level of ownership becomes more and more understood the number of property owners grows as well. However, for years there have been people without any accountability representing properties that have less than positive status. There are several projects in Rocky Point right now, some with good intentions that will probably have problems succeeding. It is the responsibility of Real Estate professional to educate would be buyers with full and integral disclosure of the securities that are in place to protect them, as well as any underlying facts that may surface. With the credentials available, and now law, any investor should make sure that the person asking for their money can show them a license. It will be one of the responsibilities of Mexico’s National Association of Realtors, AMPI, to oversee and report violations to   local and state officials regarding non licensed individuals involved in Real Estate transactions. The actual penalties; Fines, deportations, and other severe consequences will be levied by local authorities, AMPI has been asked to report directly to those officials.