Welcome to -IMMOBILIENVERBAND DEUTSCHLAND (IVD)
The German real estate professional association, IVD Bundesverband, is a professional organization that represents the interests of service providers in the real estate sector. The approximately 6.000 member firms in IVD comprise commercial and residential property agents, real estate managers, property valuers, financing and loan service providers, assessment experts, property developers and representatives of many other real estate-related occupations. The IVD was established in 2004 as the result of a merger between the two formerly autonomous traditional associations Ring Deutscher Makler (RDM) and Verband Deutscher Makler (VDM).
In Germany there are approximatly 14.000 full time real estate agencies. About 6.000 of these are members of the IVD Bundesverband, whose member firms employ an average of 5 staff members. Many of the 6.000 or so members of the IVD are real estate all-rounders, but quite a few have also chosen primary service areas. Some 75 percent are working as real estate brokers, while 40 percent are placing their entrepreneurial focus on real estate management. The professional group of real estate valuers for properties makes up about 20 percent of IVD´s membership, while the number of financing companies holds an equal share.
In private real estate sales, agents are involved in an estimated 50 percent of all closings, while they participate in every fifth residential lease. The lease of commercial real estate is handled by real estate agents in four of five cases. An annual transaction volume of 50 to 60 billion Euros is being handled by IVD-agents. Overall, real estate revenues in Germany totaled 150 billion Euros on average every year.
IVD offers consumers a checklist of 10 characteristics buyers should consider to help identify a competent broker. The checklist includes points ranging from general market knowledge to customer care issues to professional affiliations.
Read or download the full list from the IVD site.