Yahoo Finance Dream big, live large
Lim joined the industry in 2010 and ERA in 2015 where she did everything from residential resales and rentals for homes, offices and industrial locations. (Picture: Albert Chua/The Edge Singapore)
Eileen Lim’s life is an open book. Being unapologetically transparent is who she is and how she likes to conduct business. Although Lim has never been to university, she is extremely book-smart. A Raffles Junior College alum and former national youth basketballer, she founded her own mobile phone business at only 21. Today, she is an associate division director with ERA and a Rhodium-status tagger who closed 130 units just last year alone.
Lim is a living testament that hard work and a supportive network of colleagues and loved ones will get you very far in life. “A wise man once said: If you fall in love with your work, you never really have to work a day in your life. And this is the current stage I’m at,” beams the 43-year-old.
Standing 1.77m tall, she has an imposing larger-than-life presence. When she speaks, there’s never a dull moment. “I like to tell clients if the condo gives you a fridge my size, it’s a damn good size. Or if I can fit in this bathroom, all of you can!” she laughs.
Empathy for the underdog
A tagger for the last four years, Lim is extremely knowledgeable about the real estate landscape, especially where new condominium launches are concerned. Not only will she deliver a complete and objective presentation of the property, but she will also be the voice of reason if she feels buyers may be over-leveraging on their financial commitments. Sometimes she may not even hesitate to recommend more suitable projects that will better fit their needs.
“What makes me a little different from other taggers is that I can tag virtually anything in the market. I’m able to recommend other projects that I find more suitable for the customer. I always advise young couples, this is not your last home, so please buy something more comfortable now, so you can scale up in future,” she advises.
Lim (centre) receiving Rhodium Award from ERA Singapore deputy CEO Doris Ong (right) and ERA Singapore CEO Marcus Chu (left). (Picture: Eileen Lim)
This display of empathy comes from her personal experience when she bought her first home in 2006, at a time when public housing was sold way below valuation. She was serviced by a friend’s husband who did not do his due diligence on the paperwork. Only after she paid him a $15,000 deposit to help the seller with his diabetic amputation surgery, did she realise this was illegal and against HDB protocol. Lim was also not advised of the HDB rules and regulations.
“Back then, agents didn’t have to sit for any exams to get certified. This agent didn’t tell me I wasn’t qualified for a loan, nor did he tell me I had to pay for stamp duty, or that I could appeal for a valuation, and he didn’t help me get a bank loan either. He ghosted me and left me to do everything on my own. The best part is, after the deal was closed, I still got an invoice from his company to release his commission to him,” she grimaces.
Although Lim managed to sell her flat for a handsome profit 10 years later, this experience made her determined to enter the real estate industry to “be a better agent” and champion the underdog.
She joined the industry in 2010 and ERA in 2015 where she did everything from residential resales and rentals for homes, offices and industrial locations. “I also like to take on challenging cases that other people won’t take, such as court orders, notices of death, and divorce cases. Why? Because no one will help them. And if I can solve the case, it will make me an even better agent,” she affirms.
Lim: It is said: If you fall in love with your work, you never really have to work a day in your life. And this is the current stage I’m at.
The biggest sense of accomplishment for her is the referrals she gets from clients. “The fact that you trust my judgement, my knowledge and my recommendations, and trust me enough to refer me to your friend, family member or colleague — that’s the biggest compliment. It means a lot and I will try not to fail that trust.”
Star tagger in the making
In 2018, eight years into the job, Lim branched into new launches, starting with the post-sales of Stirling Residences, a 1,259-unit condominium in the Queenstown area. From the fast paced-environment of show flat viewings to the adrenalin of closing deals, Lim loved every minute of it. Under the guidance of many project leaders, she found her passion in tagging. Lim is grateful to Alex Yap who kick-started her project marketing path with his mentorship, and to the founders of Le Culture Clan and Hexa Team for their love and continued support of her career in ERA.
Today you will find her shuttling between high-profile projects like Lentor Modern, Leedon Green and Penrose, all of which she is in charge of, on top of other post-sale launches.
As a bookworm, she enjoys the thrill of doing comparative market analysis, keeping up-to-date with market trends, interest rate fluctuations, rental yields and capital growth. “My hobby is finding good deals in terms of value proposition. The homework that I give myself is always asking: If today, my customer has $1.5 million, what do I recommend? If a customer has $2 million, what will I recommend, and so on.”
She likens herself to a sniper, who has a bird’s eye view of the property landscape. “I’ve spent enough time up there to tell you which path has a better outcome based on your risk appetite. Do you mind getting your feet wet and taking a shorter path to your destination but enjoy faster capital appreciation? Or would you prefer a longer more scenic path where it’s a safer, more comfortable journey? I’ll present you multiple options and you choose where you want to take it,” she expounds.
Lim was awarded ERA’s Star Tagger Rhodium Award in 2022. (Picture: Eileen Lim)
Buying a property for her is a process, almost like a card game. “My role is to teach you how to arrange your cards in sequence so you have a good hand, based on your income, age, funds, and the kind of commitment you want to make. Then you decide if you want to go big, go small, or just stay put. There’s no right or wrong answer.”
Feeling grateful
Where awards are concerned, Lim’s proudest achievement is becoming ERA’s Rhodium-status tagger, which means she has the liberty to tag anything in the market. This title celebrates people who have managed to achieve more than $1 million in tagging commission.
“To put things in perspective, a tagger will receive about 10% or less in terms of commission, compared to the agent who closes the deal. For example, if the closing agent gets 2% of commission, then the tagger will get 0.2%. What this basically means is I have to do a lot of volume work in order to reach my target,” explains Lim.
Of the 130 units closed last year, Lim reveals that last September was her best month with 19 units tagged and closed, making a total sales commission of $250,000. “I want to take this opportunity to thank all the people that have helped me become who I am today, especially my teammates who have chosen me for all their tagging jobs.
“I also want to make a promise that I will work towards becoming a better version of myself and continue to bring value to the people around me. Every deal is very precious to me. if I’m able to help the customer achieve his or her goal, it’s a win for me, no matter how big or small the deal.”
“If you’re looking for a professional who you can trust to carve out the right path for you to attain financial freedom, come look for me. Let’s progress to different stages in our lives together!”
Top Transactor is a Sponsored Series in recognition of Real Estate Salespersons who have achieved the highest number of transactions, based on information from CEA’s Public Register and data.gov.sg between July 2021 and June 2022 that was extracted on 10 August 2022.
See Also:
Singapore Property for Sale & Rent, Latest Property News, Advanced Analytics Tools
New Launch Condo & Landed Property in Singapore (COMPLETE list & updates)
En Bloc Calculator, Find Out If Your Condo Will Be The Next en-bloc
