A 26-year-old property agent has become an overnight millionaire after closing a $51 million ($38 million) deal for a penthouse at the Le Nouvel Ardmore in Singapore last month.
The agent, Shirley Seng, joined the Singapore-based PropNex real estate agency in January and has since made an estimated $1.7 million ($1.2 million) in commission on 53 different deals, according to
The Strait Times.
Seng, a graduate of Nanyang Polytechnic, decided to pursue a career in real estate against the wishes of her family five years ago. Her family told her she was too young, too inexperienced and didn’t have enough contacts to base a career in real estate on. However, Seng wasn’t deterred. She told The Strait Times:
“They told me how their friends didn’t make it and advised me to get a job with a stable income. But I was determined to give it a try. I thought, if I couldn’t make it in a year, then I will go for a degree.”
Seng has since proven herself more than capable of succeeding in the business. Her latest transaction netted her a commission of $1.5 million ($1.1 million) last month when she sold the penthouse which was listed on
houses for sale near fort lauderdale, to Sun Tongyu, co-founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba.
Her secret to landing deals with wealthy clients? According to Seng:
“Speed is crucial. I always try to get back to them within one to two hours. I want to let them know that they are my priority.”
Despite her newfound wealth, which she said was like “hitting the jackpot,” the newly minted millionaire remains humble and still lives a modest lifestyle. She said:
“I still sleep in the living room of a terraced house in Serangoon where I live with my parents, grandparents, two sisters, four other relatives and one maid. I bought a seven-seater Volkswagen MPV so that my grandparents can travel in comfort. They have been supporting my family all these years as my dad has been sick and unable to work. My mum is a housewife.”
Seng added:
“I often get people asking me if it is money that drives me. I would tell them that many people are motivated by money, especially when they come from a poor family background.
“I work hard to give my family a good life.”
