Behind Closed Doors: An Interview with Ribkah H. Ong, Team Leader of Centaline Singapore

Success doesn't happen overnight, and we often do not see the blood, sweat and tears every successful individual invested to get to where they are today. Ever wonder how did these successful people build their success behind those closed doors? It's our honour to have Ribkah H. Ong, one of our team leaders to share with us her journey in her real estate career.

1. How did you get started in the Real Estate Industry?

During the initial years, I started off as an investor by investing in several properties and I managed to make some profit from the investments. Eventually, it spurred my interest to join the real estate industry. It was clear in my mind that I was passionate and had the aptitude for a sales related position. The sky’s the limit when it comes to the amount of income one can make from real estate.

Fast forward to year 2010, I joined a real estate property agency and started topping the sales charts within my first couple of years! The journey to success was of course, not easy. But there’s a saying that goes, “I never dreamed about success, I work for it!” This gave me the motivation to work even harder as I felt that working in the real estate industry was my calling in life, as it constantly gave me the opportunity to be the best version of myself.

2. What do you think are some of the difficulties faced by new agents?

To be honest, many agents are attracted to the industry because of the big bucks they can earn. Real estate can be a very fulfilling career but you need to take into consideration the effort and sacrifices you have to make in order to achieve your goal.

3. Any tips and tricks to share with current agents looking to join the industry?

Most of the new agents join the real estate industry with zero leads. Hence, I would say that new launches are a stepping stone for real estate newbies. It is also important to build a long-term relationship with your clients and always prioritize clients’ interest first. When clients feel that you have their interests at heart, they will feel at ease and much more rest-assured. Treat your clients like your friends. Think about ways on how you can value-add to their lives and you will forge life-long relationships with them.

Achieving success is mostly dependent on what you are willing to do to get to where you want to be. Lose now and win later. The lessons you learn from losing against a competitor who is better than you are incomparably more valuable than the lessons you might learn from beating a competitor you have already beaten time and time again.

It is also important for real estate newbies to put themselves out in the field as well. Networking is essential for lead generation, be it in the form of seminars, workshops or even roadshows. Those are great ways to connect with like-minded agents and leaders who specialize in the same area as you. Clients and fellow agents can refer leads your way and create a network ripple effect with minimal effort on your part.

4. What qualities do you believe make an excellent real estate agent?

I believe the key qualities that make an excellent real estate agent are to never stop learning, even if age is catching up. It is important to upgrade our knowledge by attending classes/trainings etc. You will never know how much you can learn from a simple training workshop. It is also equally important to think like a business person – similar to opening a new shop, you need to have the discipline to be out there in the market and balance learning and taking action.

Successful agents are those who run their real estate business from the point of view of a business owner, this means that they take responsibility of all aspects of the process from marketing to sales, and even the administrative side of running your own business. Of course, you will need to work hard towards your goal, persevere and remain disciplined even when you sometimes encounter setbacks.

5． What are you focusing on in your career right now?

I am mainly focusing on wealth management and bulk purchase of various properties. I also specialize in commercial properties, enbloc as well as overseas market.

6. What can your clients expect from working with you?

For every client whom I have worked with, I will always put their interest first. I provide my clients with unbiased opinions of my own by understanding their needs and thereafter, advising them the next steps. Through the years, I have grown to really enjoy meeting and working with people from all walks of life. Beyond the professional relationship, I have formed meaningful friendships with my clients.

7. What are you most grateful for in this journey?

I am thankful to have a very supportive family throughout this journey, without their support and motivation; I wouldn’t have made it till where I am standing now.

I also want to express my gratitude to Centaline (Singapore). Not forgetting my co-colleagues, bosses and clients. I was thankful that I have learned so much and made this possible. Lastly, I want to thank God for guiding me and blessing me with so many things in life.