Knowing Jerey Han Sin – Some Thoughts & Questions About Me

Most property websites talk about achievements, awards and transactions.

I thought it might be more meaningful to let people understand who I am and how I think instead.

After all, choosing a real estate agent is not just about experience or track record. It’s also about finding someone whose values, personality and approach you feel comfortable with.

Here are some questions people have asked me over the years, along with a few I thought might help you get to know me a little better.

1. The Man Behind the Name

Why is my name spelled ‘Jerey’ instead of ‘Jerry’?

👉 “Jerry” was originally the correct spelling. But after hearing “Jerry the mouse” enough times in life, I decided to change it to something that felt a little less playful. 

Why am I not married?

👉 Haven’t met the right one. Until then, still hope to find someone.

Why do I eat so much rice? Everyone is cutting down on it.

👉 I usually get asked this when eating with someone new. My answer is simple — rice is probably the most value-for-money part of the meal, and it keeps me full for longer. 😄

I’ve always believed in spending wisely and getting good value for what I pay for. Whether it’s a meal or a property, some habits never change!

What is one word that I define myself?

👉 Genuine. No tricks, no gimmicks, just keeping it real. My feet are firmly on the ground, even when property prices aren’t. 😄

Am I a very optimistic person?

👉 Not exactly. I think I’m more realistic than optimistic.

But realism does not always mean negativity. Sometimes seeing things clearly is its own form of peace.

What’s my Real Estate experience?

👉 I started my real estate journey with Huttons in 2007, specialising in new launches and successfully closing numerous new launch sales. Over the years, I expanded into private residential resale and HDB properties, gaining extensive experience across different segments of Singapore’s property market.

Today, with over 19 years of experience, I bring a well-rounded perspective to helping homeowners and buyers make informed property decisions.

2. The Human Side of Me.

Someone tell me I look unapproachable and sometimes fierce. Why?

👉 If you’re looking for a smooth-talking agent who smiles, nods and agrees with everything you say, that’s probably not me. I’m straightforward, and I don’t sugar-coat the market just to make things sound better.

But once you get to know me, you’ll realise I’m actually quite easy-going. I just take my work and my clients’ interests seriously.

When it comes to negotiations, I can hold my ground and fight for what’s best for you. Perhaps that’s why some clients appreciate this side of me.

After all, you don’t need an agent who always tells you what you want to hear. You need one who tells you what you need to know.

What’s one thing I’m still working on?

👉 I’m probably not the small-talk type. Building close relationships with people doesn’t always come naturally to me. I’m better at being real than being a smooth talker.

I can be a little awkward at times, but I’m still learning. Once you get to know me, I’m actually quite easy-going.

What is one obstacle I have?

👉 My English has never been the polished corporate type. I tend to speak and write quite directly, sometimes exactly the way I think. So occasionally, my words may come across a little rougher than I intended.

But I’ve always believed that being genuine matters more than sounding impressive. My English may not be perfect, but what I say comes from the heart. And if you get to know me, you’ll probably realise I’m much friendlier than my words sometimes make me sound. 😄

3. How I View Real Estate

What do I think the real estate industry is?

👉 I believe real estate is a people business built on trust. It’s not an industry where shortcuts stay hidden forever. You might get away with doing things the wrong way for a while, but eventually, your reputation catches up with you.

I’ve always believed that how you treat people matters more than how many deals you close. Maybe it’s not just the real estate industry — maybe that’s just how life works.

What do I believe is the biggest mistake sellers make?

👉 Believing in oversold promises, chasing unrealistic prices and getting distracted by marketing gimmicks instead of understanding the real market.

I believe selling a property starts with understanding what your property is worth, what buyers are willing to pay, and having a realistic strategy to achieve the best possible price.

There’s nothing wrong with aiming high. But there’s a difference between aiming high with a solid strategy and chasing a price the market simply isn’t willing to pay.

What is one thing I disagree with in property buying?

👉 Buying something people already know may become a resale problem later — things like facing a wall, rubbish collection points, heavy traffic noise or poor layouts.

This happens especially often during new launches, where hype, showflat presentation and fear of missing out can very often cloud logical judgement.

Which segment in real estate do I dislike most?

👉 Rentals. Managing the expectations of landlords and tenants while trying to keep things fair is harder than most people think. Sometimes, even when you try your best to do the right thing, you still end up being the bad guy. 😅

Over the years, I’ve realised that my strengths and passion lie more in helping homeowners sell their properties and guiding buyers through their property journey.

What gives me the most satisfaction as a real estate agent?

👉 It’s when I help a client achieve something they initially thought might not be possible.

Sometimes it’s helping a homeowner sell a difficult property. Sometimes it’s negotiating a better price, or helping someone understand their options when they feel stuck.

Of course, earning a commission matters. But there’s a different kind of satisfaction when you know you’ve genuinely made a difference in someone’s property journey.

That’s probably one of the reasons I’m still in real estate after all these years.

4. My Principles

Someone ask: “Why don’t you communicate through email? It’s more professional?”

👉 I believe professionalism is measured by how well you do your job, not by how formal your emails sound.

I’m more of a hands-on, street-smart person who prefers getting things done. Real estate moves fast, and sometimes a quick phone call or WhatsApp message can achieve more than several rounds of emails.

Over the years, WhatsApp has proven to be more than sufficient for most real estate matters — from sharing documents and discussing offers to keeping written records of conversations. Why complicate things when something simpler works just as well?

In real estate, speed, judgement and execution matter. By the time the emails finish going back and forth, the buyer may already have bought another property. 😄

At the end of the day, I believe my clients would rather have an agent who gets things done than one who simply sounds professional.

As an agent, what does “standing on my client’s side” mean to me?

👉 I believe truly standing on your client’s side doesn’t mean agreeing with everything they say. It means genuinely looking after their best interests.

As your agent, my responsibility is to protect your interests, negotiate the best possible outcome for you and provide honest, objective advice.

But sometimes, doing what’s best for you means telling you something you may not want to hear.

For example, when there’s an opportunity to achieve a better price for your property, I’ll fight for it. But if the market doesn’t support your expectations, I’ll be honest with you rather than make unrealistic promises just to keep you happy.

I believe protecting my client’s interests and standing for what’s fair and right are not mutually exclusive.

To me, a trustworthy agent isn’t someone who simply says yes because you’re paying the commission. It’s someone who genuinely looks after your long-term interests, even when it means having a difficult conversation.

What is one thing I dislike in people?

👉 I dislike it when people knowingly take advantage of others for their own benefit, whether they’re clients, agents or anyone else.

There’s nothing wrong with looking after your own interests. But I believe there’s a difference between getting a good deal and taking advantage of someone.

Under what circumstances would I turn down a listing?

👉 When I genuinely believe that selling the property may not be in the owner’s best interests.

I once met an uncle in his 60s who wanted to sell his fully paid home to cash out. He had little to no savings and was thinking of either renting a place or buying a smaller 3-room HDB flat after selling.

The problem was that he didn’t have a clear plan for what he was going to do after the sale.

His property wasn’t difficult to sell. I could have taken up the listing, sold it, collected my commission and moved on. But I chose not to.

At his age, having a fully paid roof over his head was something valuable. Selling it without a proper plan for his future housing and financial needs could leave him in a much more difficult situation.

I felt that taking up the listing just because I could earn a commission would be irresponsible.

Eventually, he sold his property through another agent. I still think about him occasionally, and I genuinely hope he is doing well today.

To me, not every property that can be sold should be sold. Sometimes, the best advice an agent can give a homeowner is not to sell — even if it means walking away from a commission.

Why don’t I believe in taking shortcuts or doing funny things in real estate?

👉 Because I believe in karma.

I believe that how we treat others will eventually come back to us in one way or another. You may get away with doing something wrong today, but that doesn’t mean it will never catch up with you.

Real estate involves people’s homes, savings and sometimes their entire life’s financial security. I don’t think any commission is worth knowingly doing something that could harm another person.

I’d rather earn a little less and sleep peacefully at night than earn more and have something weighing on my conscience.

Maybe it’s an old-fashioned way of thinking, but that’s just how I choose to live my life.

Who is one person in this industry I respect most?

👉 Kelvin Fong, CEO Propnex Realty. I don’t know him personally as a friend, but I think he is one leader that really knows the market and real estate deeply. No Bullshit, no Sugar coating in what he says. Many people can repeat or make up market information, but very few can explain it with the same level of clarity and depth.

Lastly

I’m not the smoothest speaker, the most polished person or the loudest agent in the industry.

But I try to stay grounded, realistic and fair in the way I deal with people and property. I believe money matters, but conscience should matter more.

I may not always tell you what you want to hear, but I’ll always try to tell you what you need to know.

I don’t aim to be everyone’s favourite agent. I just want to be someone my clients can trust, someone who does his job well, and someone who can sleep peacefully at night knowing he has done right by others.

Maybe that’s enough for me.