Chan (front, on stage, second from right), Yeow (front, on stage, right), Wang (back row, seventh from right) and Ng (back row, seventh from left) posing with the award winners at the gala dinner. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star

StarProperty Awards Realtor Edition 2023 brings recognition to unsung heroes

By Yip Wai Fong

The StarProperty Award Realtor Edition returned glamorously for the sixth year on the night of Nov 21, 2023 to the delight of real estate practitioners who were crowned at this very stage for their outstanding achievements as well as serving as an inspiring hallmark for the industry. 

Organised under the aegis of the Star Media Group (SMG), StarProperty Award 2023 Realtor Edition not only recognises realtors’ achievements but provides a lens through which the public can be informed about the latest developments in the real estate sector and its highest current standards. 

With an attendance of over 400 real estate agents and negotiators as well as guests, the night was also a gathering to celebrate friendship, network and unwind from the year’s unrelenting grind. Under the dazzling stage lights, passionate music and sumptuous dinner, the agents, negotiators and other esteemed guests witnessed and celebrated the awarding of achievers amongst them in 27 categories and 33 sub-categories. 

Divided into awards for individual agents and negotiators and agency establishments, this year’s prestigious award went to a total of 47 agents and negotiators and 11 agencies. As with last year’s edition, categories that recognise both agencies and individuals were the All-Stars Award for overall excellence, Thriving Award for remarkable growth, Rising Star Award for remarkable newcomers under three years, Developer Preferred Award and its sister award Developer Preferred Award (Bumiputera Lots) for excellence in developer-related projects, and last but not least the Subsale Award that recognised outstanding achievement in secondary market transactions. 

At a more refined level, the agencies were also recognised under the Best Technology Award and Best Digital Marketing Award. For the individual agents and negotiators, the creme-de-la-creme among them received awards under categories such as Deal of the Year, Most Exceptional Leader, as well as the unique Key Personality Award, which was also conferred to an outstanding probationary estate agent as a kudos for newcomers. 

Aligning with StarProperty’s dedication to elevating industry benchmarks, this year marked the introduction of three new awards, namely the Chief Executive Of The Year Award, the StarProperty Millionaire Masters Award and the Real Estate Negotiator Of The Year Award, which has three sub-categories for Residential, Commercial and Industrial properties. 

The Awards would not be possible without a panel of professional and impartial judges who were tireless in upholding the industry’s integrity. They were Sime Darby Property Bhd group managing director Datuk Azmir Merican, Messrs Gan and Zul, Advocates and Solicitors group managing partner Datuk Simon Lim Seng Chai, Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association (Rehda) Youth president Lee Han Rick, RHB Bank homeowners consumer finance and group community banking head Christine Wong and Gamuda Land executive director Lam Sew Chee. 

At the gala dinner held at M Resort and Hotel Kuala Lumpur, SMG group chief executive officer Alex Yeow said property agencies and negotiators were the society’s unsung heroes who deserve recognition for playing an essential role in the industry. 

“They act as vital bridges, connecting property developers, owners and buyers, facilitating transactions and ensuring the fulfilment of all parties’ interests. They empower homeowners and investors, helping them make informed choices by understanding marketing dynamics as well as sharing relevant information, laws and regulations, including those that have an impact on the seller and buyer. In certain cases, they also help investors identify lucrative investment opportunities and provide valuable advice,” Yeow said. 

He said that the growth witnessed in the industry this year has also been matched by the scaling up of capabilities by the negotiators to deliver added value to their clients and remain relevant to market trends. 

“For this 2023 edition, not only have the number of entries for this year increased but also the quality of the submissions, a testament to the robustness of the industry. Towards this end, we would like to thank our esteemed panel of judges for your commitment, dedication and support in conducting the necessary assessments for these submissions,” he added.

Also present were SMG independent non-executive director Chan Seng Fatt, chief business officer Lydia Wang and chief content officer Esther Ng, who participated in the presentation of the trophies to the winners.

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