In this series entitled Agent Success Stories, we sit down with agency leaders to find out their side of the story. From their humble beginnings to the challenges they have faced on the road to success, we learn that a career in the real estate industry is one filled with boundless opportunities – if you know where to look.
In this uncertain climate, we have seen the rise of spats and quarrels among couples. On the other hand, some relationships have emerged stronger and renewed. Robin and Vivian are one such couple. Having met when they joined ERA Realty Network circa 2008-2009, they kickstarted their real estate journey by closing S$90,000 of sales in their first year. Ever since then, they have been raking in 6-figures yearly.
Despite the pandemic and 2019’s Circuit Breaker, they managed to close more property deals. Covid-19 has brought them closer, pushing them to motivate and advise each other while avoiding conflicts that beset most couples. Their resilience and adaptability are seen in how they are both well versed in private housing.
Last May, they have closed two bungalow deals, each valued at over S$10 million. Clearly, no pandemic restrictions can deter this dynamic duo.
In fact, within the first 8 months of 2021, the couple achieved S$1m in commissions!
But how did they do it together? What qualities did they bring to their clients that helped them close these deals?
Former engineers with people-centric skills
Before joining real estate, Robin and Vivian worked as engineers and were trained to be systematic, logical, and methodological. At that point, they were open to new opportunities and looking for a change in career.
They happened to meet with an old classmate for a drink – he was in real estate and worked in ERA Singapore. After listening to his pitch on how a real estate job can earn them a good income as well as how rewarding it felt to help people find their dream home, they were intrigued. Being former engineers, they were also keen to pick up soft skills and insights an agent learns to be successful.
Robin and Vivian jumped at the chance to become full-time property agents in 2008. Initially, their main thought was to earn more money, but over time, found that their real estate journeys have been rewarding, not just for their clients but for themselves. While they were pushed out of their comfort zones, they also picked up negotiation skills and created rapport with clients.
At first, their mindset as agents was to go out in the morning to find leads. Digital marketing wasn’t as prolific back then as agents still relied on cold calls, physical flyers, print advertisements. But they persevered and managed to seal their first deal within 3 days after joining.
Being able to close a deal so soon was encouraging but that didn’t mean it has been an easy journey. Vivian and Robin continued to pour in time and hard work to achieve the goals that they set for themselves. Today, Robin Koh is the Senior Division Director, and Vivian Wang is the Branch Division Director at ERA Singapore.
Collaborating and problem-solving as a power couple
Through the years, working as a couple, Robin and Vivian know how tough it is sometimes to work together, especially when they both want their ideas to be heard or recognised. So, when they have different views, they will try to work out the best option that meets the interest of the whole family. They usually discuss problems when they are both calm and levelheaded.
Sometimes, when things didn’t work out well for them, they would go for a jog or a nice dinner to relax before they started brainstorming for ideas. For Robin and Vivian, it is important to find out what works for either of them to destress and revisit those challenges later. Till today, they find, that forcing themselves to confront an issue or an obstacle head-on may sometimes be detrimental. Setting time aside to relax allows them to think outside of the box and come up with new ideas.
Since the pandemic started, they knew they had to learn and utilise new technologies, like Zoom meetings and virtual tours to help clients to sell or purchase properties. They have also tapped onto ERA’s weekly webinars and prop-tech tools such as the ERApro app that has a huge database and project information featuring Drone Interactive, 3D Floor Plan Model, Advanced Google Map, etc.
Through various technologies, they were able to provide value-added services such as market analysis, comprehensive sales transaction services and mortgage tools to convince their clients when it comes to buying or selling their properties.
Insights from closing landed deals
Recently, Robin and Vivian closed two bungalow deals. While they aren’t able to give information regarding the property (the deal will not be exercised till mid-September 2021), Robin did share some insights, including the buyers’ profiles.
“Generally, bungalows are a superb investment as they have a huge potential for expansion and conversion, and buyers often make big returns in doing so. With the current high demand, the bungalows are the perfect conditions for their investment to occur.
“When it comes to looking for bungalows to purchase, my buyers are receptive, sharp, and attentive to available decent properties in good locations, although they are often thrifty and savvy too.”
Robin shared that the initial house-hunting process is like buying any property. However, for landed properties, the exterior and condition of the house are usually not the deciding factors as landed home buyers tend to want to build their homes from scratch.
“There are 3 different categories for landed properties – detached house, semi-detached and terrace house. So, it depends on which category the buyer is looking for. The size and the area of the house will affect the cost, so ultimately that boils down to one’s budget.
“There are few things to look out for when you intend to buy a landed property and re-building it, such as its soil type and whether it is suitable to build more storeys than the original building. Buyers are highly encouraged to engage a professional to ascertain the soil – whether they are loose or compact – and if additional structures are required to ensure excavation support and soil retention.
“If the buyer is not rebuilding a property he or she has recently bought, things to look out for would be the foundation of the house and the roofing. These are on top of the list because a weak foundation or an old, leaky roof would involve a huge cost in refurbishing/renovation.”
When it comes to the types of clientele for these types of properties, Robin has these insights to share: “Except for Sentosa Cove where PRs can purchase landed homes without any restrictions, most of my clients are Singaporeans, who later became our good friends. We always aim to serve them sincerely, providing them with professional and reliable property investment advice, and never pushing them to make a fast decision just because we wanted the sales.
“We also made the extra effort to help them with all rounded research and were always present for them when they have questions; even late at night. With our advice, many of our clients have also gained profits and they celebrated their successes with us. We are extremely lucky to have clients who put their full trust in us.”
What about prime districts like District 9 and 10, what are some of the buying behaviours or changing profiles they’ve seen over the years? Robin and Vivian provided some interesting insights: “The type of buyers purchasing in the prime district can comprise, but not limited to the following profiles: young millennials, buy-to-let, investors, move-down, move-up with varying age groups, backgrounds, and needs.
“What we have learnt is that when we treat our clients genuinely while prioritising their needs and goals, they will appreciate our sincerity. We believe that the human touch is important, and ultimately, it’s about building relationships.”
The post Power couple shares strengths and insights after closing bungalow deals | Robin and Vivian appeared first on 99.co.
