I had a conversation with a gentleman recently.
He asked what I do. I said I’m a realtor and a barista.
He paused. Then he asked, “Oh! So… like those top producers on instagram la?”
I laughed and said no. He was confused.
Not because I don’t want to do well. Not because I don’t want to earn. Of course I do. I’m human.
But “top producer” has never been the term I wake up chasing.
And that question made me think.
Why do people always assume that being a realtor is all and ONLY about sales?
When people hear “realtor”, they imagine:
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Commission.
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Closing deals.
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Hard selling.
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Monthly targets.
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Rankings.
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Awards.
They imagine someone constantly pushing.
But I’ve never been from a sales background. Hard selling isn’t my cup of tea.
If I have to choose between:
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Making a sale or
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Keeping a friendship
I will choose the friendship.
Every single time.
I didn’t enter this industry because I wanted to “sell houses.”
I entered because I saw how confusing property decisions can be in Singapore.
Between HDB regulations, ABSD, TDSR, valuation gaps, resale timelines, new launch structures… it’s overwhelming. One wrong move can cost years of savings. One wrong planning can lead to weeks, or sometimes months and years of stress.
People don’t need another salesperson.
They need someone who can sit down, explain slowly, draw diagrams, answer the “paiseh” questions, and say:
“It’s okay if you’re not ready.”
That’s the part I care about.
Some of my best conversations don’t even end in transactions.
I’ve sat with leads who eventually decided not to upgrade. I’ve told buyers to wait instead of rushing into a launch. I’ve told sellers not to sell because the numbers didn’t make sense.
Do I lose commission? Yes.
Do I sleep well? Also yes.
Being a “top producer” is not wrong.
But it’s not the only measure of success.
For me, success looks like:
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A client texting me two years later asking for advice.
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A referral that starts with, “My friend says you won’t push.”
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Someone telling me, “I felt very safe talking to you.”
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Leads sharing with me, “I’m glad I found you.”
That matters to me.
Maybe it’s because I’m also a barista.
In a café, you can’t rush connection.
You talk. You listen. You remember how someone takes their kopi.
Real estate, to me, is the same.
It’s not just about property. It’s about people making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.
If they choose to walk the journey with me, I’m grateful. If they don’t, that’s okay too.
Life is too short to make everything about transactions.
I’d rather build trust than chase trophies.
And if that means I’m not the loudest or fastest in the room —
I’m okay with that.
