Century 21 is to officially announce the soft launch of its Cambodia operations on the morning of July 24 at the Sofitel Phnom Penh hotel. Century 21 Cambodia will also take the occasion to announce that it has elected Kuy Vat to be acting chairman on the company’s board of directors.

“We’ve invited representation from the US Embassy, the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), the International Business Chamber (IBC),” says Kevin Goos, chief executive of Century 21 Cambodia.

According to Goos, Century 21 Cambodia is to integrate as seamlessly as possible into the local property market and the best sign of that is the company’s decision to elect Kuy Vat as its chairman.

“We elected Kuy Vat because of his transparency, his integrity and the trust he has built in the local market,” says Goos.

Century 21 was founded in California in 1971 and is today the biggest franchised real estate operation in the world, with some 7,100 affiliated offices in 75 countries, including Cambodia when the company officially announces its first business partnership in the Kingdom.

“What we’re doing in Cambodia is entering the market and increasing the level of professionalism and trust with the agent,” says Goos.

According to newly appointed chairman Kuy Vat, Century 21 will bring previously unseen levels of professionalism to the Cambodian property market.

“Century 21 approaches the market in a different manner, looks at things differently, and they’re bringing in tools and systems that have never been seen here before,” says Vat.

Goos explains that when Century 21 talks about tools, the company is referring to its training programmes.

“Our agents all go through a one-year training programme,” says Goos. “We have some of the most refined courses in terms of sales strategies that are available in the world.”

He adds that local property agencies that affiliate themselves with Century 21, above all, get the support of the brand.

“That’s No 1,” says Goos. “If you join the Century 21 team, you want to use the Century 21 name. It’s about building a brand for the agent.”

According to Goos, Century 21’s ideal office affiliation is a real estate company that’s looking to take its business to the next level. “We want people who are 100 per cent committed to real estate and 100 per cent committed to professionalism,” he says, adding that Century 21 agents work to the same plan, not just with one transaction but with every transaction.

“My parents bought their first home through Century 21, so grew up with Century 21 branding,” says Goos.

“Buying a property is probably the most important event in a young couple’s life, and that makes having an agent you trust, who can take you through the entire process extremely important, and our agents are able to do that because we’ve trained them on every aspect of a real estate transaction.”