Zack Ng makes his own luck

YOU’LL never know whom you’ll meet when, and where. Ask Zack Ng (pictured). “I was actually Sarkunan’s personal gym trainer. He was the one who introduced me into the real estate industry.” Ng refers to Knight Frank Malaysia managing director, Sarkunan Subramaniam, who’s now no longer his client, but his boss.

Ng studied accounting in Melbourne and had his first taste of doing sales while he was there.

“I was doing door-to-door sales, promoting internet and phone plans during my summer breaks. It was extra income and the commission helped with my living expenses,” he says.

After he was done with the boring accounting stuff, he worked as a construction worker for about half a year at Victoria Hotel, which was then being renovated. His original plan? Apply for permanent residency status in Australia.

“I had to do my IELTS (International English Language Testing System) several times to obtain my PR status, so the extra income was helpful.” His construction gig lasted a few months, and after casting around for a new job for a few months, he decided to seek his fortune back home and returned to Malaysia in 2012.

That’s when he became a fitness trainer for seven months, and met Sarkunan.

Every house tells a story

Sales is a field where the rewards can be proportionate to one’s efforts, says Ng.

“If I am willing to put in more effort, such as making a few extra calls to my clients or pursue more listings, I am able to earn more. It all comes down to whether one is willing to put in the hard work.”

He believes the real estate industry is unique in that buyers and tenants will need the expertise of negotiators and agents in order to make informed decisions.

“If you invest in stocks, Bursa Malaysia will provide all relevant information on a company you’re interested in. However, you can’t find the same for real estate. That’s why you need a negotiator who knows and specialises in an area to guide you on market value, rental rates and yields of a particular property,” says Ng.

He’s been working as a real estate negotiator for two years and three months, and is currently working towards being be a licensed real estate agent. The list of his done deals this year amount to RM10 million, mostly from the high-end residential market.

Ng recently closed the deal on a RM7.8 million bungalow at Tropicana Indah. Despite higher commissions on the commercial market, he still prefers selling residential property.

“One thing I enjoy about working on the residential market is that I get to see different kinds of property. I feel that every property has a story to tell. Why was a door taken down? Why is every part of the house painted in different colours? They all tell a story, one that reflects the owner. A property has its own character, and it is our job to understand what that character is.

“Yes, every real estate agent wants to close a deal. But the satisfaction that comes from being able to help a buyer get the house they want, and at the price they are happy with, is true satisfaction,” says Ng.

Despite the recent slowdown of the property market, Ng believes that negotiators still need to work consistently; there is always someone or something they meet and can do even if they aren’t closing a sale.

“Call your clients, catch up with them. Let them know you’re still active in the market. Cold call companies who may be looking for a place to rent for their employees. Even if they don’t need your services now, when the market recovers, they will remember you because you made that extra effort to remind them you are available to service them,” says Ng.

He hopes to take a managerial position at Knight Frank in five years, and to lead his own sales team. Being fluent in Mandarin, Ng plans to venture into the China property market one day.

“For now, I’m willing to learn from seniors or a mentor to improve myself. The market is so competitive, there are so many agents and negotiators everywhere. It is just so important to consistently self-improve and that is what I am looking to do”.

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This story first appeared in The Edge Property pullout on Dec 18, 2015, which comes with The Edge Financial Daily every Friday. Download The Edge Property here for free.