An underrated progress in Singapore’s property agency industry over the past decade or so is the licensing of property agents. When the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA), the government watchdog for the industry, was established in 2010, it began as a registry of property agents in Singapore. Other than a way to check whether a realtor was licensed, the watchdog didn’t have as many enforcement and disciplinary tools at its disposal. For example, there was no way to know if a licensed agent had ever closed a single deal in Marine Parade, even while he was telling you: “East Coast people don’t care about MRT, most of the residents are rich and can drive.” As for disciplinary records, these were not publicly visible at the start. An agent who received warnings, letters of censure, or other enforcement action could still hold a valid licence. So, unless you knew exactly where to look, you might never know about the issues behind your still-licensed realtor.  ...