Beyond Certification: Why Channel Partners Still Struggle for Respect in Real Estate
- Swaraj D
- Sep 29
- 4 min read
Respect isn’t stamped on a certificate—it’s earned in the trenches of trust and process.
A young couple in Wakad, both IT professionals, walk into a project site with a Channel Partner. The CP has already spent hours explaining the floor plan, the RERA-approved documents, and how payment schedules actually work.
But as they walk around the sample flat, a thought nags them:“Are we losing lakhs because a CP is involved? Won’t the builder give us more if we go direct?”
This doubt doesn’t come from facts. It comes from whispers. Some developers and mandate sales teams nudge buyers with “backdoor deals,” making it sound like the CP’s presence costs them extra.
Here’s the truth no one says aloud: buyers don’t pay the CP in new property deals. The developer already has that cost factored into the system. In fact, when CPs do the heavy lifting of marketing, follow-ups, and site visits, the developer actually saves huge sums they’d otherwise burn on ads, call centers, and staffing. It’s no secret in the market anymore—CPs are a cost-saving engine, not an expense.
Cut to another story in Kothrud. A family exploring a resale flat looks at the CP and bluntly asks:“Why should we pay you commission? You only showed us the property.”
What they don’t see is the invisible scaffolding: title checks, background verification, negotiation on their behalf, aligning the registration, and sometimes even safeguarding them from hidden liabilities. Without that work, a “dream home” can quickly turn into a nightmare.
Different stories, same wound: the respect that CPs deserve is quietly stripped away—by misconceptions, half-truths, and sometimes by the very industry they support.
Pune’s real estate market is evolving at breakneck speed. Areas like Hinjewadi Phase 2, Wakad, Tathawade, and Keshav Nagar are buzzing with new launches. Buyers are spoilt for choice. Developers are racing to capture attention.
And in this race, CPs should be the bridge of trust. Yet too often they’re reduced to being seen as “just lead generators.” Developers save marketing budgets because CPs invest their own time and money, but that recognition rarely comes.
Even worse, CPs themselves aren’t always united. Some bypass the process, some undercut each other, some fuel buyer doubts instead of clearing them. The result? An industry that could have grown stronger together stays fragmented.
Certification is a step forward. But here’s a question worth asking, not just for buyers and developers, but for the industry itself:
MahaRERA has made Channel Partner certification mandatory, ensuring CPs understand compliance, RERA rules, and proper documentation. So why is there no provision ensuring that certified CPs are actually respected in the market?
Why isn’t it mandatory, for example, that:
Buyers visiting new, resale, or rental properties must go through certified CPs, ensuring they get proper guidance?
Developers or mandate companies cannot bypass the CP, even if they’re certified?
In many countries, professional intermediaries—agents, brokers, or consultants—are legally recognized as the primary point of contact. It’s not just a suggestion; it’s a system that protects buyers, ensures transparency, and elevates the status of intermediaries.
If such a provision were implemented in India, it could:
Protect buyers from misinformation and “backdoor” deals.
Give developers a structured way to leverage CP expertise.
Most importantly, give certified CPs the respect they’ve earned through training and compliance.
It’s not just about legality. It’s about restoring dignity and professionalism in real estate—the very thing the market desperately needs.
Respect for CPs cannot be legislated by certification alone. Certification was a step forward, yes. But respect is not in the paperwork. Respect lives in:
Process → When every buyer interaction is professional, transparent, and consistent.
Unity → When CPs stop competing in the shadows and start growing the industry together.
Recognition → When developers treat CPs as consultants and partners, not just “lead machines.”
Education → When buyers understand that working with CPs protects their investment, not erodes it.
At SHP Realty, we’ve seen both sides of the story. We work as a Channel Partner firm ourselves, and we’ve lived the doubts, the dismissals, and the occasional disrespect. But we’ve also seen how one honest consultation can change a buyer’s life, and how one committed CP can drive sales worth crores for a developer.
Respect isn’t charity. It is earned when the process is honored—when buyers see commission as value, developers treat CPs as partners, and CPs unite as professionals.
When a buyer bypasses a CP, they may think they’re saving lakhs, but often they’re risking much more. When a developer sidelines CPs, they may think they’re gaining control, but they’re actually weakening the ecosystem that sustains their sales. And when CPs undercut each other instead of standing united, they rob their own profession of dignity.
The way forward is simple but profound: follow the process, because process is dignity.
Explore more such stories on our blog page.
FAQs
1. Do buyers have to pay extra when they go through a Channel Partner for new projects?No. CP charges are already factored into the developer’s costing. Buyers don’t pay anything extra.
2. Why do developers need Channel Partners if they have their own sales teams?Because CPs bring market reach, client trust, and lower the developer’s marketing costs significantly.
3. In resale deals, why should buyers pay CP commission?Because CPs provide legal checks, negotiation, documentation, and safeguard the entire transaction—not just “show a flat.”
4. Why don’t Channel Partners get the respect they deserve?Because of misconceptions, developer backdoor tactics, and lack of unity among CPs themselves.
5. How can CPs change their perception in the market?By uniting, standardizing processes, and consistently educating buyers on the value they bring.
6. How can MahaRERA ensure certified CPs get the respect they deserve?By implementing provisions that make buyer interactions through certified CPs mandatory and developers accountable, similar to practices in other countries.
Written with honesty & insights by SHP RealtyWhere transparency meets trust in Pune’s real estate. Discover more verified projects, property insights, and transparent deals at www.shprealty.co. #HigherFormOfRealty
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