Asia USA Realty (Singapore) asiahomes.com Pte Ltd
Blk 1002, Toa Payoh Lorong 8, #01-1477, Republic of Singapore 319074

For Rent: Harbourlights Condo 2-bedroom only one recommended
4-star recommendation for single expats by Asia USA.
Mar 14, 98. Ref: 803062. 2+1 bedroom 900 sq. ft $3,000 f/f

7th floor. Picturesque view of Sentosa/ sea view and green hills. Interior designed and decorated
at over S$20,000 with romantic dimmer lighting and upscale light coloured sofa and plants.
Highly recommended by Asia USA to single expats who work near Raffles Place and want a
real nice home with top of the range furnishing. Value for money. Rental below market rate.

Call Asia USA 9668 6468 now. Please call Asia USA tel: 9668 6468, 254 3326, 254 2728 for details.

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HIGHLY EMOTIONAL AND SENSITIVE CASE FOR ALL
"You have to co-broke with my Company realtor" said Tenant, Mrs D, contacting me
direct from my advertisement. No problem with me as half a loaf is better than no bread.
She wanted a particular unit in Pebble Bay and had just been rejected by the Owner who
disagreed with installation of grilles.

Many multinational companies employing expatriates have retained realtors and the powerful
"controller of expatriates" usually insist on using only company retained realtors. As long as
the housing agency is licensed, there is no reason to be restricted.

1. Advice to newcomer expatriates. It is not obligatory for newcomer expats to insist on
co-broking. If the realtor can't produce what you want, but the human resource manageress
(usually female) insists on you going with the company retainers, there is a high probability
of the manageress being corrupted by retainers. Some have great powers but see the
Managing Director if you have problems with the accommodation.

"Unit available but I don't co-broke with a 3rd realtor" said Co-broking housing agent,
Mr P from another agency when I told lhim that we need to share agency commission with
the company-retained realtor of Mrs X. The retained realtor didn't phone me to discuss further
as to whether she would split the commission with me in this case. . When we went to view
the unit, Mr P apologised it was leased. I referred to him because the unit Mrs X wanted had
rejected her as she demanded balcony grilles. That was the unit AsiaUSA advertised as the
Owner had contacted several agents.

2. Advice to new housing agent: Check with co-owner as in this case, the co-owner has
rented the place although the agent has the keys. Most owners give keys to several agents.
In this case, AsiaUSA would co-broke with 3 agents because it might give us some bread
crumbs on the table and looking after the interest of the Owners usually led to more referrals
and confidence in your company.

"Forget about it" said Mr X, an Owner when I told him that the prospective Tenant disagreed
with his proposal (given to all agents) of allotment of $4,000 for balcony grilles, $8,000 for
furniture and appliances, totalling $12,000 for furnishing the apartment. He had earlier said he
would not accept any Tenant who demanded grilles because the condo had such a panaromic
view of the crystal clear Kallang River and why grilles would damage the balcony. Look for
another Tenant but if only it was that easy.

3. Advice to new housing agent: AsiaUSA advertised the unit in the Straits Times from
February 1 - March 10, 98 three times a week. No response and this is common experience
of realtors. Reasons are given in Surfers' Girl Tips for new Housing Agents.

We also advertised 80% commission to realtors and there were 2 responses and 2 viewing
but no closing. Look at other forms of promotion. In this case, Mrs X called AsiaUSA from
an advertisement NOT in the Straits Times. We take cases and keys to units which are
"rentable" and this Pebble Bay Condo is rentable but few expatriates have the $8,000 budget
compared to those with <$4,000 budget. We don't ask for exclusive marketing rights because
we know chances of closing are very slim. More money down the drain. More Owners are
now advertising themselves and this should level the playing field for small realtors with
Tenant-clients but will also fatten the Company retained realtors more.

"What do you mean OK? You don't understand the main issue that commencement date
had to be later" queried Ms L, the Human Resource Manageress, a stern-looking attractive
slim Chinese lady of this US aerospace company as she issue further sets of demands for
the Owner. I replied it was OK with me but I had to clear with the Owner who wanted an earlier
commencement date. Tenant had more demands which I would not publish but any insensitive
remarks would be disastrous.

Ms L had more cost-cutting demands (is that why she would not smile?) which would have led
to no closing if the realtor did not handle the case well and did not get to know the Owner.
AsiaUSA realtor had earlier been invited to view the unit and was given the key and had
established a rapport with the Owner. >6 weeks is a long time for a unit to be vacant but the
realtor has to handle the sentiments of the Owner who really did not want the apartment's
balcony to be defaced by grilles. .

There is still the $4,000 to be set aside to supply, install and remove the grilles at the
expiry of tenancy. This is the only barrier to closing. There is one risky solution: The
realtor pays for the grilles to close the case from the agency commission of $8,000 for
a 2-year lease.

The Tenant contacted AsiaUSA directly - there was no direct or indirect efforts made by the
retainer and no justification to split the agency commission 50:50 with the company-retained
agent. The co-broking commission could cover the cost of grilles. This is where the integrity
of the Human Resource Manageress is important. If she is honest, she will not mind the
newcomer expatriate use an "outside" realty. In this case, she did not object and the case
was closed. We encountered cases where the Human Resource Manageress forced the sitting
Tenant to shift even though there was no dispute with the renewal of the lease; this would
probably meant she had some interest in relocating to her choice unit.

4. Advice to new housing agent: There is a great risk that the "diplomatic clause" (see article
on this topic) may be exercised after 12 months' occupancy and the realtor makes a loss as the
agency commission of around $4,000 might be used up for the grilles. If the lease expires after
24 months, there would be a positive income. If the rental is $3,000, it may too risky to resolve
this case.

5. Advice to company-retained agents: From this case, it might be better to contact realtors
who advertised specific properties. It is time saving to co-broke with "we have 500 units in Pebble
Bay" type of realty firms but since your client wanted a specific type of unit, it might be better to
contact those like AsiaUSA "with one unit" advertised as specifications of unit would be there.
At least, it increased your chances of closing. After viewing 50 units or more, AsiaUSA does lose
client because we didn't have the one unit liked by our client too. Company retained agents have
an easier life though.

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