SINGAPORE
-�Media OutReach�- February 21, 2019 -�ERA Realty
Network (ERA) looks set to raise its game as one of the Asia Pacific's largest
international real estate agent network with over 17,818 real estate agents.
Earlier today at the ERA 2019 Asia Pacific Business Conference (APBC) -- dubbed one
of the biggest industry conferences and the most celebrated award presentations
in the region -- it announced an array of ambitious expansion plans and
initiatives that will widen its position as a market leader.
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Themed "Rise to Lead", the 2019 edition of the ERA
Asia Pacific Business Conference was attended by regional country heads and
over 2,000 real estate agents from 10 countries. Minister of Trade and Industry
Mr Chan Chun Sing was the Guest-of-Honour, and he helmed a dialogue, as well as
presented some of the most prestigious awards to the top agents in the region: �
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1.����� Top APAC Achiever Awards -- multiple awards recognising the sales
performance of the region's best agents, member brokers/managers and division directors
across the ERA regional network;
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2.����� League of Honour Awards (Singapore) -- one of the highest recognition
bestowed upon ERA agents who have achieved at least three times Top 10 Achiever
of the Year; �
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3.����� League of Excellence Awards (Singapore) -- one of the highest recognition
bestowed upon ERA Division Directors who have achieved at least three times as
either Top Division Overall or Top Division Director in each category of the
Year; and,
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4.����� ERA Honorary Award (Singapore) - a
special award conferring the exemplary leader with outstanding achievements,
exceptional contributions and selfless service to the agency and its network of
agents.
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Prestigious Awards Recognising
Outstanding Performers
This year's conference saw the
introduction of the ERA Honorary Award,
presented to Chief Agency Director Mr Kevin Lim Y.M. of the Preeminent Group.
Mr Lim was the recipient and a record holder of the Top Division of the Year award
for the past four consecutive years.
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Mr Lim will be the first person in the
history of ERA to receive such an honour. This honorary conferment aims to
inspire other leaders in the network to embody the ERA Givers' Movement -- a
movement to inspire everyone in the culture of giving and sharing -- and serves
as a unifying symbol of the company.
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The Top Division of the Year Award went to Senior Group Division
Director Mr Chris Chen F.Y. of Catalyst Division, who also bagged the Top
Senior Group Division Director award and Top Recruiter for New Individual and
Team awards.
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History was made when the
iconic Top Achiever of the Year
(Singapore) Award went to Branch Division Director Mr Kavin Kuah K.P. of
Vigilant Division. Mr Kuah has been the undisputed ERA Top Achiever of the Year
for the past three years and this remarkable feat marks his fourth consecutive
year achieving the highest individual accolade, an unparalleled record in the
history of ERA.
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Mr Kuah's magnificent achievements
also propel him to become the very best in the region. He clinched the Top
APAC Achiever (Commission) Award
, which recognises agent who earned
the highest commission in region. ERA's 17,818 real estate brokers from 629
offices across 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific region --
Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam,
South Korea and China -- vied
for this coveted award.
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Other Awards won by Mr Kuah
include:
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Top
Record Sale -- Commission (Singapore) - Top
Record Sale -- Transactions (Singapore) - Top
Resale Achiever HDB -- Commission (Singapore) - Top
Resale Achiever HDB --Transactions (Singapore) - Top
Resale Achiever Condo -- Commission (Singapore) - Top
Resale Achiever Condo -- Transactions (Singapore) - Top
Resale Achiever Overall -- Commission (Singapore) - Top
Resale Achiever Overall -- Transactions (Singapore) - Asia
Pacific Elite Award - Top 2nd
Asia Pacific Achiever -- Transactions - League
of Honour Award (Singapore)
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Blazing the trail As The Region's Market Leader
During
the conference, ERA also shared more about its regional expansion plans for
2019. Earlier in February, it has acquired the ERA master
franchisor for Indonesia, and taken direct ownership of Thailand ERA master
franchise. These efforts will allow ERA to become more strategically involved
in matters concerning business development in these countries. Such operational
structure would engender cross-selling benefits, as agents in different
countries can work together to market and sell overseas properties to their own
customers.
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ERA Indonesia
has more than 6,900 ERA agents across 103 offices and has a market share of
about 10 per cent of the secondary property market. The company has recently
announced a partnership with current CEO of ERA Indonesia, Mr
Darmadi Darmawangsa and the management team to fund the purchase of the
Indonesian country master franchise operations from its current shareholders.
ERA Indonesia will become an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of APAC Realty
once the acquisition is successful.
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In Thailand,
the company has entered a strategic cooperation agreement with Mr Voradet
Sivatachanon, the current CEO and Managing Director of Thailand's master
franchise operations, to collaborate on the growth and development of the real
estate brokerage and franchise in Thailand.
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Plush by ERA Regional
Rollout: An Industry's First Initiative Targeting High-net-worth Clients
After the
successful launch of Plush by ERA in Singapore circa early January, ERA also rolled
out the initiative across its Asia-Pacific network at the business conference. An industry's first initiative, Plush
by ERA is aimed at empowering the organisation's real estate agents so that
they become more adept at catering to the increasing demands of their
high-net-worth (HNW) clients. �
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This rollout will enable the entire
ERA's agent network operating within the niche market segment to network and
explore co-broking opportunities across the region.
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The respective teams in each country
will undertake thorough market research studies to learn more about the
demographics of their HNW individuals, their needs, wants and demands.
Eventually, they will be able to build an exclusive information repository and offer
a bespoke one-stop service for distinguished clientele.
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Additional trainings will be offered to help ERA's
network of agents to increase their portfolios of advisory services to include
asset management and enhancement, trust and will creation, estate and
succession planning.
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Earlier this year, the Ultimate Wealth Seminar,
open to the entire ERA network, was introduced. The Ultimate Wealth Seminar
is a series of seminars to be conducted by either in-house or external
trainers, focusing on wealth creation, enhancement, distribution, protection
and transfer.
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NUS-ERA Student Foundation Bursary for Students from Low-Income Families
ERA has also donated S$150,000 to the National
University of Singapore (NUS) to set up a bursary for underprivileged students.
This initiative is aligned with one of Budget 2019's focuses on education.
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The cheque of S$150,000 was presented by Mr Chan
Chun Sing, Minister of Trade and Industry, and Mr Jack Chua, CEO of ERA, to Mr
Kevin Ong, Director of Development Office, National University of Singapore
during the conference.
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Each bursary is tenable for one academic year and
is open to Singapore citizens and permanent residents enrolled in any course of
study. The donation will also enable NUS to apply for a matching grant from the
government.
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The initiative is part of ERA's continuous
corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR is deeply rooted in ERA's culture
under ERA Loves, an annual campaign of company-wide CSR initiatives to empower
the underprivileged. Besides setting up the education bursary, ERA has also
been actively involved its staff and entire agent network in giving back to the
community.
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ERA has emerged as a winner of the Asia Responsible
Enterprise Awards 2018, under the Social Empowerment category, for its contributions
to raise awareness for Saving Our Street Dogs -- an organisation that rescues
and rehouses street dogs.
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ERA's the First Real Estate Agency in Singapore to Own a Building
ERA also unveiled its plans to launch the ERA APAC
Centre. The organisation will be carrying out addition and alteration works to
the exterior of the building by the second quarter. Renovation works are
currently being undertaken at the third and fourth floors, which will eventually
house ERA's agents from Zhong Shan and HDB Hub. Plans are in the pipeline to
lease out the second and third floors, which will generate income for the company.
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The first floor will house a lounge area that is
open to all of ERA's agents, where they can invite other co-broke agents for a
coffee or use the space as a conducive environment for recruitment. Agents
based at Mountbatten Square will move into the new building upon the expiry of
the current premise's lease.
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Setting Up for a Better
Agency
In tandem with the expansion plans and initiatives,
ERA will also focus on empowering its agents through a two-prong approach:
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Project Opportunities: More than 40 projects are in
the pipeline for 2019, with more to come. With up to 8 new launches targeted in
March alone, the plethora of project opportunities will allow ERA agents to set
higher targets, break personal records and achieve new career breakthroughs. -
A new Training Roadmap to raise the professional
standards of ERA agent network is also being presented during the conference.
More than 16 new training will be rolled out to equip its agents in various
hard and soft skills to succeed in the business. -
Smart Marketing Strategies and New Technology
Support: These tools will help the agents to be agile and to thrive in an
increasingly competitive market. -
At the APBC 2019, ERA has also invited motivational
speaker Mr Adam Khoo to deliver a keynote address -- such talks help to motivate
the agents, and impart them with the skills they need to close successful
transactions.
About ERA
Headquartered in Singapore, ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd
(ERA) is a leader in real estate. The company has been setting and redefining
industry standards through the pioneering of real estate concepts,
technologies, initiatives and services since its inception in 1982. ERA is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of SGX Mainboard Listed, APAC Realty Limited. The Group
has a vast network of offices throughout Asia Pacific with over 17,818 associates from Singapore, Cambodia,
China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam.
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In Singapore, we have
about 6,650 associates providing a diverse range of professional services and
solutions for: Private and HDB residential resale, residential leasing, project
marketing, commercial and industrial, property management, auction, valuation
and research. Through Ultimate Training Programme, a series of specially
curated training courses developed for ERA teammates, they are able to
revolutionise their skills, equip themselves with the latest trends and
insights of the property market, and stay ahead of the competition. With close
to four decades of experience, extensive network and innovative technological
tools, the company has secured innumerable dream homes for its customers in
Singapore and around the world.�
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Recent
accolades are testaments to the company's diligence - ERA was awarded Top
Property Agency by Influential Brands; Most Innovative Real Estate Agency by
SBR Listed Companies Awards; Favourite Real Estate Agent (Gold) Award by Expat
Living Readers' Choice Awards; and also Marketing Agency Excellence Award at
EdgeProp Singapore Excellence Awards in 2018. For more information, visit�https://www.era.com.sg.
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ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd
Estate Agent License No. L3002382K
Mountbatten Square
229 Mountbatten Road #03-01
Singapore
398007
