property woes

As many of you know, I have been in search of a flat for a while now.

I do not have to bitch about the sky-high prices because everyone else in Singapore is doing that.

I just wanna share (read=bitch), about the attitudes of property agents that I encounter.

It may seem funny at first, but on hindsight, I was shocked that people pay them so much for their services, no wonder any Tom, Dick & Harry wants to be an agent.

Incident 1:

I saw an ad in the website, propertyguru.com and send an enquiry thru the website. This was on Jun 3rd

The message was, "Hi Im interested in viewing the property, but currently Im overseas now and would be back this weekend. Could you help arrange a viewing? Thks"

The agent sent me an sms, "Hi, Im also overseas for holiday. Pls call me after Jun 14.."

2 puzzling thoughts: 1) Property agents earn so much that they can go for 2 wks plus holiday, without entertaining any clients or doing any sales. (since they on 100% commission)

2) No one in the sales line, who was interested in doing business, EVER told a customer to call them back. It has always be the sales person getting back to the customers.

Conclusion: Agents are getting so much business that they can choose their customers.

Btw, it is now June 17, and the above-mentioned agent has not call, text or email me back.

Incident 2:

I sms another agent with roughly the same message.

Unfortunately, I was told that the property in the ad has been sold. Thus, I ask if he has a similar property on hand.

He replied with an sms, asking me for a long list of my requirements, preferred level, direction of house, flat type, size, budget, bedrooms, toilets, furnishings, amenties, etc.

Since he had an email account, I wrote to him with my specifications. A sms reply would be too lengthy.

He did not reply my email, and for the next few days that I was in Singapore, I waited.

I did not get to view any flats during my off days, and was flying off again.

This agent smsed me when I was abroad, asking when I would be back and to contact him.

At first, I thought, this is much better, even though the reply was slow.

When I finally got back home, I called him.

The background was a bit noisy, and the conversation went like this.

"Hi, is that B? Im Donald and Im returning your call," I said.

"Oh hi Donald, sorry Im at the PC show now, and it's a bit noisy. Can I call you back?" He asked.

I said ok and ended the call. It was Sunday evening. I waited for his call.

Monday morning came and still I waited.

Tuesday morning came and I went off for flight.

When I reached Melbourne on Tuesday evening, I switched on my phone and I got an sms from that agent.

"Hi Donald, I tried to call you but without success. I have some viewings today, would you like to join?"

I was surprised by his sms. 1) when you tell a customer that you would call back because the background is too noisy, the customer would expect you to call back in an hour or more. NOT FUCKING 2 DAYS!

2) The customer, who is paying you the 1% commission (maybe come up to $3000 or more),
is not as important as A FUCKING COMPUTER SHOW?!!!

3) When a customer wants to arrange a timing to his convenience, the agent is expected to compromise or make concessions. WE DUN FUCKING FOLLOW YOUR SCHEDULE! 'WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN IN'-MY ARSE! This is not a joyride...

Conclusion: He is not fucking interested, earning too much, no EQ, IQ whatever Q. Treats customers casually, unprofessional and unreliable.

I decided not to contact him anymore.


I am a home-seeker. It's bad enough that we get poor service from government bodies like HDB, endure debt-ridden lives and sky-high prices that we cannot control.

Then we have to pay people so much cash over valuation for an old flat on leasehold...

Now we get shit from such agents, who are enjoying a good time, due to the low supply and high demand market.

This sucks. These people who collects a high amount of fees but gives shoddy services is what we don't need in our service industry.

It's frustrating. But remember this agents. Good times don't last forever. I choose who I wanna pay!