Each month we interview ONE of our members to discover their story and have them share their experience with us, and ask the question; why choose One Agency?
Under the spotlight this month is Tina Lee from One Agency Tina Lee in Chatswood, Sydney.Tina has worked in real estate sales for the past 10 years and she joined One Agency in October 2009 when she became one of our first members.
What do you love about your work in real estate? What drives you?
I’m lucky that the nature of real estate sales runs in line with my career mission: ‘To be a People Helper’. I’m driven by meeting and working with people from different walks of life and offer my professional advice and service to assist my clients in achieving their goals.
What attracted you to the One Agency business model?
I loved the industry but was not happy with the system of the previous company that I worked with in 2009. So I needed to make a decision to either join another company or start my own. At that time, I saw Paul’s advertisement in the North Shore Times. I contacted him, we had a few meetings to understand his vision and the business model of the One Agency brand. The business model is very simple, flexible and cost effective and Paul is a very supportive leader. So I made my decision to join the group and haven’t looked back.
How is the brand working for you?
The brand provides a prestige and high-class image with all the materials that we use for marketing. Our clients love it as it really stands out from the crowd. It also gives my company an image that we are part of the whole national group not just another independent brand.
Would you recommend One Agency to others?
Definitely! I would highly recommend our group to those who want to serve the industry in a more innovative business model. The support from Paul, head office and members of the group are great. Other members are very helpful and always willing to share their experience and ideas.
We build our business on creating and maintaining a great customer experience and good relationships.
What do you think keeps your prospective vendors awake at night when they are considering listing their property?
Who is the right agent to choose from among all the agents that they have interviewed? Are they able to generate the best possible outcome for their biggest asset? Or, will their property be selling at a discount? Will the agent that they selected deliver the promises and services that they claimed?
Do you think they worry that they can’t trust real estate agents in general?
Yes, in general real estate agents are considered as not trustworthy because there are so many bad apples in the industry. This industry is easy for a newcomer to join. However, it is not easy to sustain and perform at a high level of professional standard unless the agent puts his or her heart in the industry and continuously improve themselves with ongoing professional training to upgrade their knowledge and skills.
What do you do to build their trust?
We are always well prepared for all our meetings with our clients whether they are a seller or a buyer. We build our business on creating and maintaining a great customer experience and good relationships. The majority of our business comes via referral and repeat business. For our vendors, they are fully informed with every step of the selling process. We provide them continual feedback and reassure them that we are always working in their best interests. Past clients comment that we deliver on our promises and constantly exceed their expectations. For buyers, we are upfront and provide information that they may need to assist them on making their buying decision.
What makes you the ‘go to’ agent in your local area? What sets you apart?
Our results and performance demonstrates that we are the best value agent in the area. We speak both English & Chinese (Cantonese & Mandarin), which enables us to effectively serve customers of different backgrounds. Our in-depth knowledge of the area, sincere and friendly approach also sets us apart. We have both commitment and dedication to providing a high level professional service and our persistence, attention to detail, strong marketing and negotiation skills all add to what makes us different.
What attributes do you think are most important in an agent?
Integrity, attention to detail, sincerity, willingness to serve, hardworking, strong market knowledge and good negotiation skills.
How’s the current state of the market?
The market in our area is still very active. However, buyers are quite price conscious and don’t want to be paying too much. Properties below the $1,500,000 sell quickly. There are plenty of buyers in the market looking to purchase, but not enough stock available.
What’s great about living in your local area and community?
We have been living on the North Shore since 1995. We love the leafy environment, enjoy the fresh air and the convenience of the train service to the City. People in our community are well educated and it’s a really friendly neighborhood. We are also close to many renowned private schools in our area.
What do you do outside work?
I enjoy spending time with my family and catching up with my friends by organising house parties for us to gather together to share and support each other. I love swimming, reading, watching movies and listening to music in my free time.
Contact Tina Lee
T 13 0085 6712
E [email protected]