3 Strong Traits for the Strongest Partnership

Brothers from different mothers

Collaborations between team mates are common in our business. For the matter of fact, it’s likely more common than ever in any trades but this article is meant for realtor’s collaborations and advice on how to find yourself the strongest possible partnership that you could leverage on one another forever.

Ok maybe not forever, but for the longest time you will be able to find the satisfaction from working together. As part of leadership, for team mates to have collaboration, you have to be mature to let everyone know that partnerships would take time to mature and if it does not work out to be as envisioned, observe again the following traits and end things off in an amicable manner so that there is less damage to your friendship, and even your name should partnership turn sour.

Amazing results with synergy
Amazing results with synergy

These are the top 3 traits for a Partnership to work in my words

Friendship

Look ma! Same watch even on holiday!
Look ma! Same watch even on holiday!

How many of you would defend your friend in adversity? How many of you would stand up and defend when your friend is being dissed in a private conversation or even walk away and not participate in baseless conversation? Friendship takes time to build and invest. Mutual liking for one another would be how genuine you are in order to show the other being how much of a friend you are to them. There’s not even any description I could attest to friendship as it’s a strong feeling that binds two or more beings together in comrade. It’s like knowing what the other person might do and you do things to compliment your friend instead of doubling the effort required for a task.

Group trip to Hokkaido, 4 years and counting. Everyone is still working together!
Group trip to Hokkaido, 4 years and counting. Everyone is still working together!

The more time you spend together, whether its for work, play or even family time. The more the following few traits which I have described below will be more apparent.

Trust

Spartan Beast in Brisbane - You have my back, we have yours!
Spartan Beast in Brisbane – You have my back, we have yours!

Integrity is part of having this trait. To trust would be knowing that when you’re doing one thing for a cause, your partner will be supporting you without taking advantage of you as all of us are on the same side. It simply means that even with bickering and differences in opinions to support your goal, you know that your partner has your back so that you could dedicate your time wholeheartedly instead of being suspicious.

A situation where I move then you move, I don’t because you don’t makes complete different sense away from trust.

Generous

I would think in Chinese it would be labeled more of “non calculative” (不计较). As two parties or more work together, the requirements of scope to achieve a vision requires some sacrifices, whether its time or money. Money is also a byproduct of time, as you exchange time for it, whether its measurable. So efforts wise cannot be equated or measured properly.

A partnership is formed because you find synergy in another being and even strategic plus traits that the other party has. Whether it is something that you can see, or can’t (as with synergy), as long as both parties are working towards the same goal with trust, there will be long and short ends but as long as both finishes together.

Partnership definitely isn’t for everyone. All people are born differently and have their own reaction to people around them. We always seem excited when we started to talk about a grand vision, but when its time to get things going, the above 3 traits one or another is usually being compromised. That’s why partnerships usually breaks up, and more often the sad thing is that friendship could have a permanent dent.

Bruce and Benson

Yearly affair in 1000m hut, Hirafu. 8 years and counting.
Yearly affair in 1000m hut, Hirafu. 8 years and counting.

My working partner in business, Bruce and I have came a long way with the above 3 traits of a strong partnership that has enabled us to create a community of realtors friends which shares most of the same good values as us when it comes to work and play. Without pun intended, I would say this as the most ultimate partnership that many are longing for. It will be many years to come when we semi-retire in glee and still spending time as old stubborn men in our silver hair age laughing at the most ridiculous events and doing the most stupidest things, yet still giving back to the community where we can contribute as much as we have received. We have come onto a consensus too that we love what we do and will not retire even when we are old and disabled.

Like the saying, brothers from different mother. Have someone like this and you can build a long outstanding working relationship, otherwise work on the traits above. They won’t just yield you just good partnerships to have, but definitely good businesses and loads of loyal friends that will safeguard your interests along the way.

Best of luck in building ultimate partnerships and bonds that will never break!

Brothers from different mothers
Brothers from different mothers

Thoughts on Propnex and DWG merger

Recently, the two homegrown agencies Propnex and DWG has joined force to become the biggest real estate agency to overtake ERA in terms of number of realtors in Singapore. This news has caused ruckus in mockery for both of them, at least in my opinion.

My father in law asked me over dinner. Friends from different industries talked about it during coffee. I rolled eyes.

The media focused, invited Propnex to Channel 8 news and Mr Lim was commenting on changes that could improve consumer’s habits. The papers coverage, the online authoritarian news channels.

I rolled eyes again. Continue reading “Thoughts on Propnex and DWG merger”

Review of The Lumiere Hotel Phnom Penh – Cambodia

I was privileged to be invited to the launch of Lumiere Hotel and had the chance to stay a night in the swanky new business hotel which seem to have garner quite a fair bit of attention from local Khmers of Cambodia. Its not hard to see why.

The Welcome

Excellent staffs, attentive and friendly

As I approach from the airport from a distance, one could spot Lumiere Hotel from afar with its modern and chic’ facade. Standing on Street 228, Lumiere Hotel is one of the tallest building in the vicinity, with impressive presence to boot. Right on arrival, the cheerful lights through the high ceiling glass walls greets me. Oh the coffee smell from their cafe too.  Continue reading “Review of The Lumiere Hotel Phnom Penh – Cambodia”

In Response to SRI5000 splitting away from SLP International

We are happy to be featured in The Edge on being the next upcoming realty agency, with mainly people whom have been with us for the past 6 years. As the article mentioned, our office is at Tiong Bahru, the quaint place which is full of old charm and great food.

You can read more about the article here at The Edge.

I’d like to touch on the headline since it could spin off as something which might carry some negative thoughts to either SRI5000 or SLP International. Reading the article might shed better light as the full article is very neutral in standing.

It was an amicable split that we do things our way to the best of our abilities to give and bring the best to our realtors. We have no affiliation with SLP Realty, SLP International or ZACD with our new setup. Citing our differences, we still wish them the best in their future endeavours.

A New Start with Singapore Realtors Inc

Winning together is important isn't it?

It’s coming close to 10 years embarking this journey.

Remembering the time when things were simpler, the consistent struggle as an individual; the happiness and disappointments when I first started out in team building. The adrenaline rush when closing the first deal, the satisfaction of seeing my clients happily settling down with their homes and garnering property returns in the long haul still excites me till this day.

With the formation of SRI5000 from the blessings of my former team in Knight Frank and a stroke of fate in a penthouse sale, Bruce Lye and I thereafter came together in SLP Empire (now known as SLP Realty) where we then had the chance to work with many great people. We are still counting our blessings.

People always ask us how did we maintain the bond so tightly for such a long time. It’s really an open secret. With the hard and the good times that a team stays together, forging a bond that could withstand the test of time. You have people that’s willing to give, you would receive in aplenty. You take care of the circle around you and the circle takes care of the ones that’s around them. It’s just plain karma at work.

Singapore Realtors Inc (SRI) embeds the spirit of the group’s vigor and tight friendship, with the willingness to share and assist one another be it in good or bad times. The pivotal reason to have make the decision with Bruce was to ensure that everyone that we cared for have a place where we can continue to grow and learn together. Veteran Tony Koe whom I’ve known for a decade who knows exactly how to run an excellent agency with his experience and with our combined vision of achieving a good ratio of quality versus quantity for our elites in the industry, there’s a high level of confidence that this is another milestone that has yet to cast.

Also not forgetting a strong support from Legalworks that the elites enjoy a peace of mind when assisting their clients and Nick Tan, our current KEO who has been actively participating in growing. Last but not the least, the strong iron fist administrative support from Angeline Quek and Rose Khoo, whom has already forged their bonds with the team years back.

Moving ahead, our people would be seeing more and more initiatives as we have already etched them to SRI’s work plan. As of current, it’s already very encouraging to see our elites embracing new changes quickly such as using new tech work chat, and enrolling in crash courses for foreign language like Bahasa Indonesia. With blessings with all my friends, clients and colleagues, I’m already on the sunny side and it’s time to win together :) After all, it’s all about the experience…

ps. Like our Facebook page if you pop by!

Mindset of a Successful Realtor

What is stopping your success story in real estate sales? Bruce Lye and I had a deep discussion on this when we were enroute to Myanmar to check out their real estate scene earlier a week back. Some of what we shared among each other were facscinating since they were all common when we were aligning them.

Ps. This applies more to self employed environment to most real estate salesperson in Singapore. If you can relate to it in your market, we do hope this is useful to you.

pioneersappreciation

1) The Ones that has ideas

They have the best planned routes, with back ups and the best text book answers for their real estate sales path. They consulted all the best people in the world for ideas. The ideas eventually… remain as ideas. We have the highest attrition rate here when it comes to this category who joins the industry.

The main problem is with the motivation of this group is not strong enough for them to overcome their physical and mental barrier to act on what was being advised, even if the advice could be sound. They did not act on their own belief or advices that was given.

They think they tried.  Continue reading “Mindset of a Successful Realtor”

5 Crucial Reasons why New Realtors Fail

ps. this is a rerun from 2011, but I suppose it deserves some love since its the time when Realtors decide to join the industry or make the switch.

There are many reasons the joining and dropping rate for joining the Real Estate family as a full-time professional Realtor is high.

Correct me if I am wrong team leaders, but the true and the hard facts of helping every team mates to the best of your extent does not always help and sometimes it might even backfire on you.

Before any individuals who decided to join the industry, these are thoughts which should be useful to form some opinions of our industry before you plough your money and time into joining us (yes, before you even take your RES course please),

Continue reading “5 Crucial Reasons why New Realtors Fail”

A Friend’s Take on Singapore Property Cooling Measures

I thought this is too true and unforgivable if I don’t share this. This is an opinion by a good friend who prefers to be anonymous. And like how he ends it, you do your numbers.

Good Morning,

If you have the time, here’s something to think about over the weekend. This was first written in 2010. I have updated some details and numbers. Nevertheless, the principles are still relevant. Here’s my take on the these measures.

These new measure are targeted at the Speculators & Speculative Investors (“Specuinvestor”) i.e. those who are in the game for the short term, generally not very financially savvy and most of all, not very cash-rich but wants to make a quick buck. What happens is that they tend to over-leverage and have a “punting’ mentality. It will not really affect those with deeper pockets. Another 10% to 20% cash downpayment……… so what? These people will be thinking “Hey, it is just like paying down my loan resulting in lower monthly payments, lower interest payments and higher principle payments ………….…….. no skin off my nose”. Continue reading “A Friend’s Take on Singapore Property Cooling Measures”

Getting Ready for URA Masterplan 2013

I‘m surprised. Everyone that I’ve talked to seem to have forgotten that our priceless URA Master Plan is due for a new gazette this year; From the last update it was done in November 2008, and I hope it should be around the same time that this is happening for this year as well.

Singapore’s Master Plan is updated every 5 year, and with each update comes very important updates that determines the land usage of the country. During 2003, a lot of emphasis was on enhancement on plot ratio around the public transportation stations and for our current 2008 revision, the core was strengthened and determined to decentralize and even out the business hubs around the whole region. The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA) is the statutory board which is in charge of gazetting this important plan. You can read more about Master Plan 2008 here.

Should the timeline be similar, you would be expecting URA to be having a Draft soon for public comments and gazette to happen towards the end of the year.

What Should We Expect from Master Plan 2013?

All these are based on assumptions of what has happened for the past years after 2008. Ministry of National Development has already penned down a very lovely eBook on their focus with each individual sectors (basically everywhere. Central, North, South, East and West) and the concentration of improving existing mature townships. Concentration was done especially on the commercial nodes in the country so as to have people working closer to where they are living around the island. Continue reading “Getting Ready for URA Masterplan 2013”

What to Expect for Singapore Real Estate after QE3

If you haven’t read about the news about the US Federal Reserves releasing QE3, announced on the 13th of September a week ago, here’s a short summary coming from Wikipedia,

QE3 was announced on September 13, 2012. In an 11-to-1 vote, the Federal Reserve decided to launch a new $40 billion a month, open-ended, bond purchasing program of agency mortgage-backed securities; to continue until at least mid-2015.[62] According to NASDAQ.com, this is effectively a stimulus program which allows the Federal Reserve to print $40 billion dollars a month for an unlimited amount of time.[63] Ratings firm Egan-Jones said it believes the Fed’s decision “will hurt the U.S. economy and, by extension, credit quality.” As a result the firm once again slashed the U.S. bond rating bringing it down to AA-. Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke acknowledged concerns about inflation.[64]

Read more about Quantitative Easing, Wikipedia

With QE3, the Feds are going to inject another $40 billion (printed of course) to buy back mortgage securities in the States, to allow Americans to have an improved lives by improving the job data and consumerism from the possible enhanced property market. They are guaranteed on the low-interest rate as well till mid of 2015 (I wonder whether Bernanke will still be chairman by then) Continue reading “What to Expect for Singapore Real Estate after QE3”