Special Feature
15-year veteran agent Bren Soon doubles down on his shophouse expertise
Bren Soon, associate group district director at Huttons Asia, is enhancing his existing speciality in the shophouse market to serve his clients.
Despite a cursory lull in the shophouse market in recent months, experienced insiders such as Bren Soon, associate group district director at Huttons Asia, know that the undercurrents of the shophouse market have not abated.
“Well-located shophouse assets are still at the top of the acquisition list among high-net-worth individuals and investors. Freehold shophouses are the most desirable trophy real estate assets in Singapore, and existing owners are typically reluctant to put them up for sale,” says Soon.
As one of the most experienced and successful real estate agents in Huttons Asia, with more than 15 years of experience behind him, Soon has amassed an extensive list of prominent clients that frequently return to him as their trusted intermediary.
His career as a real estate agent started from humble beginnings 15 years ago. As a novice, he made his first few sales connecting buyers and sellers in the HDB resale market.
In 2013, he significantly stepped up his game as a leader and director when he joined Huttons Asia, where he gradually accumulated experience and success leading teams of agents for numerous new project launches.
A veteran agent with more than 15 years of experience under his belt, Bren Soon has won multiple accolades and achievements as a top agent. (Picture: Bren Soon)
With consistent results, Soon became the Top #1 Champion Producer (Local Sales) in his agency out of 5,000 agents. Since then, he has consistently achieved multiple awards in his agency such as the Millionaire Award, Top Achievers Award, and Top Producers Award.
In the last decade, he has also grown to become one of the most capable senior leaders in Huttons Asia, frequently mentoring and leading sales teams at various new project launches.
His experience in the wider real estate market is a boon to his team of nearly 100 agents, who regularly call on him for advice on dealing with transactions across all sectors such as private residential properties including bungalows and landed houses, commercial properties, and industrial properties. He has a track record of converting leads into sales, aided by his extensive network of past clients.
Today, Soon has teamed up with another prominent agent at Huttons Asia — Jeremy Lim, group district director and also a 15-year veteran in the industry. Together, the duo plans to dominate the local shophouse market, bringing together their specialist knowledge to serve prospective investors keen on expanding their investment portfolio.
Well-located, freehold shophouses are prized among investors as wealth preservation trophy assets, says Soon. (Picture: Samuel Isaac Chua/The Edge Singapore)
In particular, Soon says that many of his regular clients, whom he has helped secure units in new launch projects and in the landed market, are looking to enhance their wealth preservation by investing in prime shophouse properties. And they are turning to him to connect them with existing shophouse owners and potential sellers.
For example, he is currently working with a long-time client who holds a real estate portfolio of close to $30 million. This investor has honed in on selected new launch projects as well as commercial properties, including shophouses, to add to his investments.
“Shophouses are among the most desirable commercial properties under the prevailing market conditions because the sale doesn’t incur additional buyer’s stamp duty [ABSD], and a shophouse is a trusted and reliable source of wealth preservation for high-net-worth individuals and family offices,” says Soon.
He adds that the recent increases in ABSD in the private residential market are prohibitive towards the significant capital gains that most investors chase.
In teaming up with Lim, Soon says that they hope to set a positive example for other agents and showcase the benefits of agent collaborations and co-broking.
As a prominent leader in Huttons Asia, Soon has had years of success in the new launch market, as well as closing transactions in the commercial market.
“The shophouse market is not easy to break into, especially for new agents who lack a network of buyers and sellers as well as specialist commercial market knowledge that most industry veterans have,” says Soon.
He is appreciative that Huttons Asia creates a positive sharing environment that encourages its agents to collaborate with and learn from mentors. “I am very appreciative of my team and the partnerships I have formed which have contributed to my long-term success as an agent,” says Soon.
“My partnership with Jeremy showcases our willingness to share and pool our resources and expertise to better serve our clients, especially those in the competitive shophouse market,” he adds.
For more information,
Contact Bren Soon | 90076086
Associate Group District Director (R024244Z)
HUTTONS ASIA PTE. LTD.
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