Mid-career switch success: Former civil servant makes a mark in Real Estate
Singapore
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September 14, 2022 11:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time
When Lucas Chiew first told his friends and family of his plan to move into real estate back in 2018, most of his confidantes reacted with concern, and perhaps rightfully so. Then 35, it was a risky move as Lucas was his family’s sole breadwinner, with 2 children aged 4 and 6. Having been in the local Arts and Culture sector since graduating from university, he had 10 years of experience under his belt and was giving up a respectable position that he had worked hard for.
However, Lucas realised that a full-time career could not provide the life he wanted for his family, despite the long hours and sacrifices. “I haven’t had a holiday in 10 years. My children are already Primary 2 and 4, but the furthest they’ve ever gone is Sentosa. It wasn’t even a staycation!” Finances were tight. With little to no savings, Lucas often relied on his year-end bonus to pay off the family’s accumulated expenses.
This endless cycle of hand-to-mouth eventually took a toll on Lucas’ mental health. “On days when I felt particularly depressed, I would tell my wife that she and the kids would be better off if I were gone. With my life insurance money, they could live the life they deserved… I can only imagine the amount of worry I put my wife through.”
Lucas got the unexpected inspiration to join real estate like a bolt out of the blue. “I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I can’t explain why I did it, but the first thing I did was to sign up for the Real Estate Salesperson course and get a Grab drivers’ license.”. Between his full-time job and studying for the real estate licence exam, he picked passengers every night from 10pm to 2am to build his savings, working single-mindedly on his goal.
His determination paid off, and he closed his first deal within the first week of getting his license. To-date, six months since leaving his job, he has already achieved his past annual salary. “Leveraging on my experience from my previous industry, every deal I've closed so far has been a record-breaking sale. By not compromising on marketing quality, service, and the buyer experience, I've been able to deliver results to my clients who have put their trust in me.”
Lucas credits the key to his success in such a short amount of time to creative marketing and mindful selling. “Through creatively marketing homes and not passively posting on property portals, I ensure homes get sold at the highest price possible. After joining the team at JNA Real Estate, I learnt the importance of operational excellence when selling homes, providing clients objectivity in investments, and doing whatever it takes to get clients the deal they deserve.”
Lucas recently joined his mentor, Jervis, in a specialised salesforce within JNA, called NARK. Like Jervis and the rest of the team at NARK, Lucas hopes to effect righteous and specialised selling in the marketplace.
“I’m on a mission to change the perception of real estate agents and create a new generation of service providers who serve clients righteously and achieve results by providing actual value. The team at NARK has set the groundwork for this movement, and I am honoured to be a part of it.”
One of his most recent deals proves Lucas’s work ethic. Selling an investment home that was poorly maintained by tenants for the past 10 years, was proving to be a challenge. Lucas collaborated with the owners to identify the repairs required to spruce things up, and implemented digital staging to level up the marketing collaterals. By focusing on the buyers' viewing experience, he eventually managed to get it sold above valuation when the owners had nearly given up on getting it sold at all.
“At the end of the day, the key to business success is the customer. Focusing on the customer's experience and being truly concerned about their needs should be the priority in every endeavor,” says Lucas. To learn more about Lucas Chiew and how to work with him, visit https://chiew.co/
Address: 60 Kaki Bukit Place, Singapore 415979.
Website Links:
https://chiew.co/
https://jnarealestate.sg/
Social Media Links:
https://www.instagram.com/luc.hiew
https://www.facebook.com/lucaschiew
Contact Details
JNA Real Estate
Lucas Chiew
+65 8322 6642
