Yahoo Finance Jen Tan: Grooming new realtor talents while helping mature agents “unretire”
Jen Tan: One of the ways I learn is by exploring not just information about real-estate but all other areas (Photo: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
Jen Tan has been a remarkable presence in the Singaporean real estate industry for over three decades since she began in 1992 - despite maintaining a low profile and preferring to invest in her team and her family.
This mother of two has an inspiring journey in this profession, one that encapsulates the essence of adaptability, resilience, and a deep passion for her profession. As someone whose career in real estate began after a stint in nursing and sales, Jen has experienced the ups and downs of the industry. She now stands as a beacon of stability and success, ready to contribute to the next generation of realtors.
How real estate offered a mother flexibility and fulfilment
Looking back on her own journey, Tan says she cannot understate how the nature of a job in real-estate sales offered both flexibility and fulfilment to a busy working Mum.
“I was going through my old photos, and I realised that I managed to spend a lot of time with my kids when they were young, doing various activities with them almost daily even though I still worked long hours (in the evenings and on weekends),” she observed, adding that she only attained financial stability after venturing into this line of work.
Tan’s personal life is deeply intertwined with her professional journey. Her husband, who has a background in IT, is her rock. Their serendipitous meeting in the jungles of Malaysia in '92 set the foundation for their strong partnership. His unwavering support has allowed Jen to be the risk-taker she is today.
With a career that has allowed her to balance her professional life with raising her children and being there for them when they need her during the day, she has come to appreciate the value of time and flexibility more than ever.
As such, she invites mothers who are considering a career change or transitioning from being a homemaker to going back to work to join her on a path that really allows them to have the best of both worlds: time with family and a fulfilling career that has the potential of bringing in a high income.
Jen Tan: Mental health is a huge concern with today’s job-seekers. Now, what I recommend to my recruits is not just to aim to always be a top producer but rather a consistent producer (Photo: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)
A mentor for a new generation of realtors
In her quest to enhance the real estate industry, Tan believes that it's essential to invest in people. Whether they are newcomers to the field or experienced agents looking for a fresh start, Tan’s commitment to training and mentoring knows no bounds.
Her real estate team is a testament to diversity and inclusivity, comprising both men and women, many of whom are parents. Jen serves as a motherly figure, sharing her wealth of experience to help her team members navigate the industry. The real estate career she offers provides flexibility, allowing her team to balance their professional and personal lives - a combination that is deeply satisfying.
“We have training activities on a daily basis,” she says of her programme. “But I also spend a lot of time on a one-to-one basis with my agents to find out how they’re doing and how I can help them individually.”
One of the key concerns she addresses is the high dropout rate among young professionals in the real estate industry. While there are around 30,000 listed agents, only some 20% choose to be full-time, indicating the urgent need for a mentor that resonates with aspiring realtors, in what is at most times, a highly competitive and stressful environment.
“I remember back then when I, too, was chasing sales; it can be exhausting and lead to burnout,” Tan remarks. “Mental health is a huge concern with today’s job-seekers. Now, what I recommend to my recruits is not just to aim to always be a top producer but rather a consistent producer.”
From being a highly successful realtor and group leader, Tan has transitioned into spending more quality time with her agents. Her schedule, while not as packed as before, is now more relaxed, which has enabled her to actively recruit and groom new talent.
Her leadership style is defined by her willingness to spend more time on company training and one-on-one interactions. She acknowledges that while mass training sessions exist, many participants struggle to grasp the content.
Jen understands that many aspiring agents have the knowledge but fear rejection and hesitate to invest time and money in their careers. Thus, she believes in recruiting based on synergy rather than just numbers, valuing the connection between individuals.
Her leadership style is defined by her willingness to spend more time on company training and one-on-one interactions (Photo: Jen Tan)
Helping agents out of premature retirement
While many people yearn for financial independence, Tan notes that many agents end up retiring too early because of the hectic way they led their careers.
“They say that 40 is the new 30, 50 is the new 40,” she quips. “This means that age 50 is way too early to retire, right?”
Tan also points out the impact of inflation on retirement savings. She notes that retirement savings can be reduced by as much as 20% due to inflation, making it crucial for some agents to come out of retirement in order to maintain their standard of living.
But staying active in a professional setting is equally important. Beyond financial concerns, Tan advocates for the fight against dementia through active engagement with people, especially younger generations who can provide inspiration and fresh perspectives.
Embrace change, invest time
What sets Tan apart is perhaps her innovative spirit and willingness to spend time to learn about anything new. While traditional methods like advertisements may work for some businesses, Tan had always been eager to embrace new ideas. For example, she is the usually the first to try something out or troubleshoot new approaches, such as embracing digital platforms like YouTube and optimising website landing pages.
“I started at a time when everyone looked for home ads in newspapers,” she reminisced. “Then eventually things changed: real-estate used info tools, PropertyGuru, YouTube and all kinds of digital marketing.”
In an age where the real-estate industry is rapidly evolving due to digital transformation and platforms like social media and YouTube, Jen understands the importance of adapting to change. She encourages everyone to embrace trying new ways of doing business, as she has personally done through her YouTube channel, Jen Tan Property which she created during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite not having any experience in the area of digital marketing or content creation, her beginning efforts were recognised and featured in our local broadsheet, The Straits Times, which cemented her belief that to succeed, one must constantly upskill and never stop learning.
Even outside of work, Tan is an avid learner with a keen interest in politics, history (especially Chinese history), and culture. She enjoys visiting museums and values her time spent gaining knowledge and insights in various fields. Recently, she took a three-week sojourn in Scotland's Edinburgh to hike and trek while visiting her son who is there for five years, pursuing a master's degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceuticals.
“One of the ways I learn is by exploring not just information about real estate but all other areas,” she explained, sharing with us a habit she has of taking any promotional flyers or pamphlets distributed on the street.
“My children would chide me, asking me why I bother taking those materials,” she laughs. “But that is how I learn about what’s new in town; from pizza promos to how much locksmiths charge these days.”
By knowing more and sharing new-found knowledge generously with the people she mentors, Tan is able to make herself more prominent. In the past, she would recruit only via referrals or her personal connections but now she is opening herself up to attract those who might want to join her team and do business the way she does.
Tan intends to inspire them to be similarly entrepreneurial by pointing potential recruits in the direction of the right vendors who won't overburden them financially.
“Salespeople often try to do many things themselves in order to save money; that takes up a lot of time and effort and might not even turn out well,” Tan cautioned. “It’s better to leave some things to the professionals so you don’t lose focus on your business.”
Tan's experiences in real estate, her passion for learning, and her commitment to nurturing the next generation of professionals make her a true icon in her industry. Her story is a shining example of how having a balanced personal and professional life can lead to a fulfilling career in real estate. Those who wish to follow in her footsteps of embracing change and staying active should seek to join her team. At the same time, those who are aspiring to lead a purposeful, stable career would definitely benefit from having her as a mentor and coach.
For more information:
Contact Jen Tan | 90662926
Senior Associate Group District Director (R020846B)
PropNex Realty Pte Ltd
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