People often see the highlights of real estate.
The sold signs. The happy key collections. The smooth handovers and smiling photos.
What many don’t see… are the moments in between — the messy, emotional, exhausting parts where agents are barely keeping it together.
Recently, I went through one of the most tiring handovers I’ve experienced.
I’ve been thinking about whether to share this story — not to complain, or to point fingers — but to give a little more perspective on what happens behind the scenes in our industry.
Because real estate isn’t always just about keys, photos, and smooth handovers.
Recently, I represented a tenant in a rental case, co-broking with another agent who represented the landlord. It was a standard end-of-tenancy handover, with a new tenant scheduled to move in the very next day.
It shouldn’t be that difficult right? Right?! That’s what I thought.
Reality hit hard.
On handover, the landlord flagged out the some issues like:
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Walls peeling and scratched
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Curtains, windows, and toilets left dirty — no professional cleaning, no invoice (as per contract) — tenants says “as long as got clean can already, why need professional cleaning?” I’m dead
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Mold forming along the sink silicone
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Aircon servicing revealed there was no gas inside
This wasn’t a case of debating whether it’s fair wear and tear.
At that point, the landlord could have easily taken over and fixed everything immediately to avoid delays. But out of goodwill — and honestly, kindness — they allowed the tenant to rectify the issues themselves to save costs.
Looking back, that decision came from a good place. But it also opened the door to a series of challenges that reminded me how complex human dynamics can be.
The repainting became a patchwork attempt instead of a proper fix. Anyone familiar with peeling paint knows you usually can’t just cover a small section — it needs proper preparation and repainting. Instead of improving the situation, it made things worse. *cries*
Cleaning was another hurdle. The tenant refused to engage professional cleaners. At one point, I was asked if we could borrow cleaning supplies from the incoming tenant.
Yes… you read that right. I honestly wish I was joking.
Eventually, my really kind and awesome teammates stepped in to bring supplies down just so we could keep things moving. Not because it was our responsibility — but because sometimes, agents do what’s necessary to prevent situations from escalating further.
Then came the aircon servicing.
Gas had to be topped up because it was empty — something that could potentially damage the system if left unresolved. Instead of seeing it as maintenance, accusations started surfacing about being “scammed”. 🙁 *send help*
And the mold situation?
The landlord’s agent — who, by the way, was incredibly patient – kudos to her — even tried cleaning it personally first. When it still couldn’t be resolved, a vendor had to come in. Because the vendor offered a cheaper solution and (didn’t issue a formal invoice), suddenly the conversation shifted to fairness.
Somewhere in the middle of all this, I realised something that people outside the industry rarely understand.
Realtors don’t just sell houses.
We absorb emotions. We bridge misunderstandings. We hold tension between two sides who may never fully see each other’s perspective.
Many people think real estate is just about opening doors and signing papers. But what they don’t see is how often agents become mediators, problem-solvers, emotional buffers, and sometimes even the ones absorbing frustrations that don’t belong to us.
And sometimes… we become the most convenient candidates to take frustrations out on.
And sometimes… we get taken for granted.
Or worse, placed in positions where goodwill is mistaken for obligation.
A friend shared an analogy with me that stuck:
Imagine you book a hotel room for two nights. On the first night, you spill cup noodles all over the bed and floor. The next day, you return to a cleaned room — but the stains are still there. How would you feel?
That’s how many landlords feel when a home isn’t cared for. And that’s how agents feel when we are left to manage the aftermath.
This isn’t about blaming anyone. It’s about perspective.
As tenants, treating a home as if it were your own isn’t just contractual — it’s basic respect and courtesy. Every scratch, every stain, every unresolved issue becomes someone else’s stress later.
People often see our job as flexible, glamorous, or easy.
What they don’t see are the late-night calls, the uncomfortable conversations, the moments where we go beyond our scope just to keep things fair and calm.
We do our best for our clients. Truly.
At least I do.
But sometimes, it feels like that effort is invisible. Or worse — expected without understanding the emotional weight behind it.
I’m proud to be in this industry. I love helping people find homes, move chapters, and make big life decisions.
But I also want to say this honestly:
We’re professionals, yes. But we’re also human.
We get tired. We get stretched thin. And sometimes, we just hope for a little more understanding from the people we’re trying so hard to help.
To my fellow agents who quietly carry these challenges every day, I see you.
And to clients reading this, And to clients — whether tenants, landlords, buyers or sellers — know that most of us truly care. We show up, we try to make things right, and we do our best even when the situation isn’t perfect. At the same time, thank you if you’ve ever trusted us, respected us, and treated the process with kindness.
Behind every smooth handover… there’s usually a story you’ll never hear.
Until today.
