This ‘new kid on the block’ agency got its first break from a bulk sale in Holland Village
Young and vibrant is how Singapore Realtors Inc (SRI) describes itself, as it continues to look for ways to stand out in the crowd.
Spotting an opportunity in Singapore’s mature property market, Mr. Tony Koe, 50, along with Mr. Bruce Lye and Mr. Benson Koh, both 39, established SRI in 2016.
They didn’t want SRI to be just another traditional agency. As Managing Director Koe says, “In SRI, we strongly believe in a culture of open feedback, challenging ourselves to innovate and implement the many ideas presented. »
These ideas include developing its hybrid business model that offers advisory and brokerage services under one roof, eschewing traditional office layouts to encourage a collaborative work environment, and developing its own apps for property search and understanding of data.
A steady expansion
Explaining the beginnings of SRI, Mr. Koe says: “International real estate advisory firms in Singapore used to have an associated arm (agency). Over the past decade, all but one of these companies have exited the agency business. »
He and his managing partners, Mr. Lye and Mr. Koh, who all come from a real estate background, decided to fill this gap with SRI’s hybrid business model.
Its main focus in 2016 was the residential resale sector. Mr. Koe adds: “With a much higher absolute quantum, residential still accounts for the largest proportion of our annual revenue.”
SRI launched its commercial space service in 2017 and project marketing in October 2018. It now markets more than 70 projects, such as the 1,862-unit Normanton Park near Kent Ridge Park.