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Journey Of My Real Estate Agent Career
Updated: 2 days ago
Year 2020.
I have always envisioned this year to be a year of challenges, as I made the move from my previous real estate agency ERA, a place I called home for 18 years.
I had in mind what I wanted to do, albeit vaguely. But what was clear was that I wanted to leave my comfort zone.
Then came Covid-19, which threw everyone a curveball.
More than half of the world is in lockdown. Offices are shut. Schools are closed. The good thing is there are fewer cars on the road. Skyline becomes clearer. Air is purer. The earth is smiling again.
As the earth cleansed itself during this period, I sorted out my thoughts and my vision of what I want for the future becomes clearer too.
Who I Was Before A Real Estate Agent
I graduated with a Diploma in Business Studies from Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 1996 (Gosh, that was 24 years ago but it seemed like yesterday!).
The popular choice then was to quickly get a stable job. A banking job on Shenton Way sounds like a dream job for fresh graduates. A job in the government sector seems like a very stable job too! :)))
Honestly that did not appeal to me. Instead, I bucked the trend and tried my luck in the entertainment industry. I wrote to recording companies, selling myself as the perfect person for the marketing job which I don't even know if there was a vacancy for!
And by God's will, I was soon offered a job in Polygram Records and started an exciting 5 years journey in the Chinese music industry!
My job entails coming up with marketing plans to promote new music albums. These include planning advertisements in the media, writing news releases for newspapers, working with radio and TV stations for artiste interviews etc. When the artiste comes to Singapore to promote their album, we were also tasked with planning the itinerary. Going on radio and TV stations for interviews, press conferences, arranging mini-concerts showcase, autography sessions with fans etc. These were what we did then.
Gosh, I feel so old just typing these. Are these still what the artistes are doing nowadays? Or everything is on social media now?
After working in Polygram (subsequently bought over by Universal Music) for 3 years, I moved on to a local artiste management company, Ocean Butterflies Production. I worked closely with the artistes that the company managed, including liaising with various partners on artistes' engagements, handling media enquiries, and coordinating artistes' schedules etc.
I traveled occasionally to countries like Taiwan and Hongkong. The entertainment scene and the encounters with the journalists there was an eye-opener for me. It trained me to be a quick thinker, improves my inter-personal skill and problem-solving skill. This was the perfect job for me in my initial stage of working life.
There were many memorable moments during my 5 years in the entertainment industry. I organized many promotional concerts during my time there. The one which I remembered fondly was Kit Chan's album promotional concert. All eyes were on this concert as it was the first concert after regulations were relaxed to allow artiste to come off stage to interact with the audience. There was tremendous stress when organizing this concert but immense satisfaction as it was very well-received.
I loved my job. Besides the valuable experience and beautiful memories, I made many good friends with whom we are still in regular contact after more than 20 years.
Honestly, I don't feel I have worked for a day during the 5 years I was there. Every event that we organized, every meeting and every overseas trip feels more like a gathering with friends. I am really blessed.
Oh and how proud I am to say in the midst of all these, I finally got my Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) degree in 2001 through part-time study. Yay!
What I Did For The Past 18 Years
I had a short stint working in an events company after leaving the music industry. Thereafter I head into the real estate Industry.
What made me chose a career in real estate?
I bought my first home in 2002. That triggered my interest in property. But the most important factor which attracts me to the Real Estate Agent Career is time flexibility. I am not bounded by a 9 to 5 job. I had a dream to travel frequently, for holidays and voluntarism. Voluntarism has not materialized, but it is not far from my mind.
I started off in my real estate agent career doing HDB sales. I remembered during my very early days in real estate, I helped a seller to sell his 3rm HDB flat. On the eve of completion, we arranged to do a final inspection. I got the shock of my life when I reached, There was loanshark graffitis all over the wall along the staircase. It was then that I realized the seller borrowed from the loan sharks. The buyer's agent, who came on behalf of the buyer were equally in shock. We wondered how we were going to complete the case the next day.
After a sleepless night thinking of the 101 scenarios that could happen, I finally met the buyer the next day. I apologized to him, expecting a big scolding from him. Surprisingly he was quite cool about it. He asked the seller to let him know which groups of loan shark he had borrowed the money from. He is in the "moneylending business" and will talk to them to not harass him!
And we manage to complete the case successfully!
I am active in both HDB and private properties market. It is easy to find me in Marine Parade HDB estate, or along the East Coast from Bayshore to Tanjong Rhu. One of my goals this year is to learn in-depth how to do commercial properties, especially shophouse. I love the old charm of shophouses.
Having said that, closest to my heart will always be working with HDB owners. This is one segment I will continue as long as I am in the industry. HDB cases ground me as they often let me see the day-to-day struggles of the average Singaporeans. It also allows me to use my expertise to help those in need directly.
Few years ago, I helped an elderly man downgrade from a 5rm to a 3rm flat. He was in his 70s and has a daughter in the 40s. The daughter is wheelchair-bound. The father is the sole caregiver and will wheel her around whenever they go for meals or visit the doctors.
During our search for a 3rm flat, he told me specifically he needs a unit on a lift level. It was not difficult to find a unit on lift level as most flats in Singapore are upgraded with lift on every level. However, he said he needed a unit that has access to 2 lifts. The reason being he has experience with lift not working when he needs to bring his daughter for her doctor's appointment. He is totally stuck when this happened as there is no way he can carry his daughter down the staircase at his age.
This is a perfectly logical reason for someone whose daily lives rely on the lift. But it struck me hard. A lift is a standard fixture in almost any buildings, and we have often taken it for granted. We complain when the lift breaks down, as it means having to climb the many flights of stairs. But to someone else, their lives are disrupted.
This brings me to another case. I had a client who stayed on level 17 of an HDB block. Her unit had the perfect unblocked sea view. However, she decided to sell it. As we were chatting about the reasons for that, she shared with me one of her encounters
Many years back, there was an earthquake in Indonesia. Some parts of Singapore felt the tremors and she was one of them (I was one of those who felt and run down my staircase too!). She took flight by running down the staircase. On the way down, she passed by a neighbor who could not run as she was in a wheelchair. That was when she decided she has to give up her unit with the million-dollar view. Age was catching up and she might have difficulty walking soon, let alone climbing down 17 flights of the staircase!
I helped her in the search for a new home, and we managed to get a perfect unit on level 2! I attended her 70th birthday party a few years back and it was great to see her in the pink of health.
The past 18 years had been a remarkable journey. There were hiccups along the way, like dealing with unreasonable demands from clients, undercutting from fellow agents and times when you just find it hard to close that deal. But I am blessed with a bunch of amazing teammates. They form a big part of my beautiful real estate journey thus far.
From Now On...
I enjoy deep conversations and learning about life through experience. Doing sales give me the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. Their life experiences often enrich me.
Having done residential sales for so many years, I would like to learn in-depth about shophouses. And that is one of the goals I set for myself this year. I have gotten myself a great sifu, James Yeow. I hope I don't disappoint him! :)
For many who know me or read my blog regularly, you will know I have a vision to mentor women who will like to build a career in real estate.
Why women? Some might ask.
During the past 18 years when I was a real estate agent, I was blessed with 2 beautiful boys. I was able to spend a lot of time with them during their growing-up days due to the nature of my work. For that, I am really thankful.
It was also during this time when I see many of my peers sucked into the long hours of a salaried job. A number of them are mothers who have young children. They often feel guilty about not spending enough time with their kids but yet can't do much about it.
I also have friends who are single or have grown-up kids. Many of them are super career women who feel so burned out from the long hours of a salaried job. They will like to spend more time pursuing what they want in life.
I always believed there is a reason why God places us where we are. It felt my calling now to use my experience to help women who will like to get out of that rut, and I know real estate is a good career that can achieve that.
If you will like to take the leap of faith, contact me and let me clear whatever doubts you may have.
(Update) I have written a second part of this article, updating my progress 3 years later :)
Check this out: Journey Of My Real Estate Team Building Career
See you soon!
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About The Author
Vivian joined the real estate industry in 2002. Having been in the real estate business for almost 2 decades, she knows the rewards and challenges that a real estate agent face.
While the real estate career offers lucrative income and flexible work hours, it also presents many challenges - financial insecurity as we do not have basic pay, time management as we juggle work, children and family all at one time.
Only those who have walked the same journey will understand.
Vivian would now like to pay it forward by mentoring fellow agents, especially women who want to build a real estate career.
It is her vision to see women achieving their dreams, and live their lives with purpose and passion through a successful real estate career.
Connect with Vivian at 98577714 to embark on this journey.