Kampala — THE policy that will streamline the operations of real estates agents in the country is in offing, a top official said over the weekend.

Michael Werikhe, the housing state minister, explained that because real estate business had been an informal business, lacking a policy governing real estate agents, the agents had misbehaved by selling properties more than once.

"You should always be transparent, trustworthy and time conscious. A policy to streamline your operations is coming," the minister warned the agents.

He was passing out 50 students who graduated in brokerage management and sales training at the Uganda Management Institute (UMI) in Kampala.

He said the ministry was designing a national registration board that to monitor and regulate all works of real estate developers and agents. Werikhe also commended the work of the Association of Real Estates Agents (AREA) for trying to professionalise real estate business in Uganda.

AREA-Uganda is an umbrella institution of real estate agency/brokerage companies, and real estate agency/brokerage professionals.

It stimulates cooperation in real estate business, strengthens professional qualifications and establishes code of conduct and business standards within the industry.

Vincent Agaba, the AREA president, said the association came into existence after realising negative trends of events that were taking place in the real estate agency market place.

He said the market had been circulated by uneducated practitioners thus branding it an unscrupulous venture by the media.

"They said we were inflating prices of property and we were unreliably delivering services," said Agaba.

He asked the Government to support AREA by increasing capacity building as well as assisting in professionalising the industry.

The real estate industry in Uganda is on its way to the peak. The search for homes and apartments is the big business today.