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Confidence in humility

After almost two decades in the property industry, ERAs Marcus Chu has seen plenty of ups and downs, and lived to tell the tale. We speak to him and gain an insight to his many experiences, and why he makes it a point to stay humble despite his success.

Cheryl Marie Tay

First impressions are important. Its something many of us have heard from our parents, teachers, and bosses and for good reason, too. A person who carries himself with confidence is far more likely to inspire confidence in others than someone who is perpetually unsure of himself.

The former is exactly the impression I upon meeting Marcus Chu, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of ERA Realty Network. Dressed in a suit and tie, he exudes the confidence of an experienced professional with specific goals in life, and who has seen his fair share of ups and downs.

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What is not immediately obvious, however, is his humility. When asked about his achievements, he tends to downplay his part in his own success by acknowledging the help of his colleagues.

Strategic start

With nearly 20 years experience in the property industry, Marcus has a wealth of stories and anecdotes to share. He entered the property business in April 1996, after having bought his first home, a new condo, in 1992. Originally meant to be a matrimonial home, he decided to go for his first pot of gold by selling it after the price shot up within three years of purchase.

He bought a resale condo afterwards, and somewhere along the way, discovered his passion for property.

The agent for his second property missed out on the opportunity to get him the unit he had originally wanted, but he stuck with Marcus and managed to get him another unit (at the same development).

He recalls: He could have moved on to another customer instead of serving me; it was so troublesome. But he left a very good impression on me. This inspired me to become an agent and help others.

When asked to elaborate, he says: There are different milestones that require different properties: the first matrimonial home, upgrading, investmentsproperty agents play a part in adding value to buyers.

Something has to happen before you make the decision to buy a house: some are good new baby, promotions and bonuses, marriage. Some are bad I have served terminally ill clients who had to plan for the next generation by liquidating their assets. There are also financial problems and divorces; people in these situations require the help of a professional who can help tide them over.

A real team player

With 6,300 salespeople at the moment, ERA is Singapores largest real estate agency in Singapore. This is not lost on Marcus, who, when quizzed about his achievements, prefers to credit his success largely to the support of his ERA team.

I would attribute my success to the companys management team. Its a very strong team with very capable staff, and we have many dedicated departments that help us to function. They form the backbone of any corporate success.

To drive his point home, he states plainly that he can be replaced easily. Theres no one person who is so unique and indispensable that the company will stop if he is gone. My success would not exist if ERA was not successful."

Experience and expertise

Humility aside, there is another reason Marcus readily recognizes his many talented management staff, and considers it a privilege to be here.

In a word, its empathy. He has been there, done that, and has no shortage of respect for those doing what he used to do.

He has been a top salesperson and sales leader in ERA, an achievement that did not come about easily. He says: I cannot tell you how to climb a mountain if I have not done it before. (Likewise) if Ive not experienced challenging situations with customers and salespeople, I would not know the hardship many agents go through.

Against the tides

Speaking about todays property market, he acknowledges the overall downward sentiment and the challenges it poses to agents. His advice? To stay strong-minded and not to be unduly stressed, as well as to never doubt yourself in any situation.

Recalling major events that affected the market, such the governments anti-speculation curbs in 1996, SARS in 2003, the financial crisis in 2008, 9/11 in 2011, and the current cooling measures, he points out that the property market is constantly undergoing cycles.

He says, Business is never smooth-sailing. There are good and bad times, and there are good and bad agents, adding that good agents are not afraid to get their feet wet and look for opportunities even in bad times.

A unique perspective

Unlike many businesses that claim to be innovative, ERA has, according to Marcus, a truly unique modus operandi. He says: We dont (simply) do what is expected of us, but there is also no need to always do different things. Instead, we prefer to do things differently (from others).

For instance, ERA comes up with new products and services every three months. Its Extra Mile programme lets agents earn points for every rental, as well as bonuses and project incentives. Its like a mileage programme, where agents can travel to our overseas events and offices or go for training without spending money.

Proper(ty) lessons

Although Marcus has been with ERA for almost 20 years, there was a time during that period when he left to pursue other positions.

In November 2000, he undertook team-building at another agency, and four years later, became a real estate consultant at yet another company. He even helped the latter triple its turnover, and increased its headcount by five times.

He has no doubt learnt a lot in his career, especially since he is no stranger to starting from scratch. He says, "Starting from zero is not necessarily a bad thing. No one followed me when I left ERA and returned to ERA; I had to start from scratch and build up the business within a year, and I managed to do it.

Crossing the hurdles

Marcus admits that starting from scratch has taken a lot of determination. I started in the business with no knowledge, but I persevered. The key is never to doubt yourself after you have made a decision.

And while success does not happen without sacrifice, for Marcus, that sacrifice was once greater than it was worth: My health has been affected because I spent too much time working, and I lost time with loved ones.

These days, he is in a far better place, both professionally and personally. His parting words to me are simple and straightforward: Work hard, but remember there are others who need your time.

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The PropertyGuru News & Views

This article was first published in the print version The PropertyGuru News & Views. Download PDF of full print issues or read more stories now!

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