What it takes to become a real estate agent

Phoebe Tan posing with her awards at the recently held 2017 MIEA Gala Dinner

By: AISYAH SUWARDI aisyahs@thestar.com.my

INFLUENCED by her father since the young age, Property Hub senior division leader (luxury home) Phoebe Tan has always been interested in the property industry.

“My father brought me around to visit the sales gallery ever since I was a little kid. I have known about the property market for quite some time and eventually develop a passion for it,” said Tan.

Starting off as a full-time real estate negotiator after graduating, Tan has about 16 accolades from various organisations such as Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA), Electronic Realty Associates (ERA) and more to her name.

“When I first joined in 2011, I never expected to win the Top Achiever Award and Top Rookie Award. I was more focused on my foundation and not so much on closing a deal. The efforts paid off as I was being selected as the winner,” said Tan.

Tan recently completed the examinations part for her pursuit of her real estate agent license.

“If you enrol in a real estate management course for your degree, you can skip two years’ worth of education and go into practice for a few years before starting your logbook," she added.

Sharing her passion towards the industry, Tan, who is also an investor, thinks that property is one of the best investment tools in the market.

“I have always believed in the industry. I believe I can do the job well because of my passion. If you asked me to sell a different product, I don’t think I would do as well because I have no interest in it.

“Being a real estate agent also helps me become a better investor, as I have a better understanding regarding property and I can also rent and buy my property at the same time,” explained Tan.

“One of the essential qualities to be successful  in the industry is to have the right mindset as you will encounter difficulties such as deals being aborted or the clients being dissatisfied, which can make some RENs frustrated and demotivated and might give up. If they cave in to these pressures, the chances of them quitting this career is high, it is the perseverance and stress management strategies that have helped me become a better leader" she said.

Tan said her perseverance has helped her become a better agent.

“You need to learn the art of communication, the psychology of selling, and understand the client’s needs and how to convince them to buy the property.

“Also, I read books on how to negotiate, the right way to communicate, the psychology of understanding clients etc. If you don’t understand all this, you can’t serve your clients well,” she added.

Going forward, Tan is confident that the real estate industry will continue to improve and become more professionalised.

“The real estate agents nowadays are much better and more professional in how they handle their clients. The real estate industry in Malaysia is doing a good job by trying to learn from other countries such as the United States.

“I am glad the industry is making an effort to make the industry more competitive,” she said.