Don't Tar All With Same Brush

Source : The Straits Times, May 2, 2008

I ENJOYED the Saturday Special package of features on the real estate sales industry (April 19).

But I was disappointed and dismayed by the statement by Dr Yu Shi Ming, head of the real estate department of the National University of Singapore (NUS), when he was quoted as saying: 'Every time people think of real estate agents, they think 'unscrupulous', 'untrained', 'unprofessional' and 'unethical'.

My mother was upset and embarrassed after reading Dr Yu's hurtful remark and asked if I, a real estate agent, was also unscrupulous, untrained, unprofessional and unethical.

I assured my mother I belong to the vast majority of real estate agents who abide by the core value of sales, including always trying to achieve the greatest savings for my customers and always ensuring that my customers will need to 'move house' only once when they relocate from one place to another.

Such deals are often complicated and require agents to have good people skills, good coordination skills, an eye for the nitty-gritty, patience and a cool head.

Most real estate agents, though poorly educated, will not say things without first thinking how the words we use will hurt the feelings of others, especially their parents.

I may not be as highly educated, but I have learnt the virtue of not making sweeping generalisations against others from my primary school teacher - who, like me, was not as well educated.

Doreen Chan (Ms)