Basic information: history, objectives

The Polish Federation of Real Estate Brokers (PFREB) is a professional organisation set up by six regional real estate brokers associations in January 1995. At present it incorporates 19 regional associations, whose members are over 1,000 representatives from renowned real estate agencies. PFREB fully respects the widest independence of federated associations, but at the same time creates a platform for expressing a common standpoint in matters exceeding the area of a single region.

The Federation strives to play a positive role in the economic development of the country by clearly defining the rules of activity of brokers as well as by participating in legislative processes facilitating real estate turnover and strengthening the right of ownership. Furthermore, it intends to stimulate international co-operation by participating in the Central European Real Estate Associations Network. The objectives for which the Association has been established are:

• to promote unity and understanding among real estate brokers;
• to encourage a high ethical standard of competitive practice combined with commercial experience;
• to work out, approve and propagate the observation of the rules of national 'Code of Ethics and Professional Standards';
• to provide an organisation for real estate brokers for the protection of their collective interests;
• to help towards raising (or sustaining, if necessary) the status of real estate brokers;
• to implement a licensing system for brokers;
• to create foundations for a real estate lobbying system in Poland;
• to take an active part in preparing drafts of new legal regulations;
• to create a positive image of the profession;
• to promote services of associated brokers;
• to increase qualifications of members;
• to develop a system of training courses for real estate brokers;
• to develop the study of the theory and practice of the profession of a real estate broker;
• to provide facilities for the holding of award of certificates and diplomas;
• to publish and circulate/sell papers, periodicals, books, reports related to the real estate market;
• to prepare and issue a journal for distribution among the members;
• to help towards developing real estate market in Poland;
• to promote real estate market research;
• to establish liaisons with foreign real estate associations and their members;
• to stimulate international co-operation.

Major achievements

• National Congresses of Real Estate Brokers were successfully organised in 1995, 1996 and 1997 and attended by hundreds of participants;
• the Code of Ethics was drafted and put into practice;
• the draft proposal 'Regulation of a real estate broker's profession' was drafted and passed to the Polish Government. Its articles regarding introducing licences for brokers were considered and became a part of a new real estate law (pending) which should be approved by Parliament early in the summer;
• educational programmes for brokers have been worked out and professional training courses are organised by regional associations in many cities;
• training courses for property managers leading to prestigious American Certified Property Manager designation are organised in Poland thanks to a bilateral agreement concluded with the Institute of Real Estate Management based in Chicago;
• the first national property management conference is to take place in early June 1997.

International co-operation

CEREAN: The Federation is member of Central European Real Estate Associations Network. The network links thousands of real estate professionals from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and the Slovak Republic. To be a CEREAN member an association must be registered in one of the Central European countries and operate in the area of real estate. CEREAN objectives are as follows:

• facilitate the development of regional real estate markets and provide a network for exchanging experience and information on real estate;
• encourage foreign real estate investment in the region;
• assist in the development of self-sustaining real estate associations which establish standards of professional practice; provide training programmes, libraries and information systems;
• monitor procedures of professions' licensing.

The main achievements of CEREAN have been international conferences organised annually in one of membership countries: Czech Republic, Prague '94; Poland, Krakow '95; Hungary, Budapest '96 and the forthcoming Prague '97.

FIABCI: The Federation has applied for FIABCI (International Real Estate Federation based in Paris) membership. At the FIABCI World Congress in Dublin at the end of May 1997 the proposed creation of a Polish Chapter will be publicly welcomed. This year the procedure of creating FIABCI Poland is due to commence.

A Bilateral Co-operation Agreement was signed in October 1996 between the National Association of Realtors (NAR) based in Chicago and the Federation. PFREB and NAR have become associated order to:

• facilitate business opportunities for their members;
• exchange current information on the real estate markets, procedures, taxes, foreign investment laws, licensing, etc;
• initiate and host trade missions and networking opportunities between members;
• send representatives to national annual conferences;
• promote private property rights around the world.

Future plans

The Federation seeks to represent not only the interests of real estate brokers but also other professionals. To facilitate such a process and encourage professionals interested in membership the Federation's name was changed in February 1997 into the Polish Real Estate Federation. The Federation's National Council decision must be approved by Polish court so the new name can shortly be officially introduced after final court approval.