Special Feature

Jay Peck: Not just your average realtor

May 10, 2024 5:15 PM SGT

“My ultimate goal one day would be to build a good-sized team of real estate professionals,” says Peck.

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"It’s a top priority for me that my clients make purchases with sound guidance and all the right information they need." — Jay Peck

When asked to describe himself as a real estate agent, Jay Peck self-deprecates and declares that he is “nothing special.”

He adds with a laugh: “Any agent can do what I do.”

Still, the results say more than he admits about his sales skills, likability and expertise in dealing with current and potential clients. Despite his modesty, his natural flair for creatively and effectively marketing homes shines through.

His venture into the real estate industry started with a significant moment: buying his first home at 22. Despite being inexperienced and unaware of property intricacies, he followed his parents’ investment advice. In 2013, he acquired a modest one-bedroom unit at J Gateway in Jurong.

“It wasn’t the smartest purchase,” he remembers. “I bought it quickly, mostly based on hype and without real knowledge of what I was getting myself into.”

Despite the excitement surrounding the purchase at that time, Peck now acknowledges that he could have made a better investment with the right information about market conditions and guidance from a good realtor.

“It was during the cooling measures that the government had introduced at the time and prices were sky high,” he says. “I could have made the most of the situation, perhaps by opting for a larger unit rather than the one I chose.”

That decision would have put him in a better position when it came to selling. However, the entire experience sparked his desire to delve deeper into the real estate market and understand its complexities.

Peck was presented with the Rising Millionaire award at the Huttons Convention 2024. (Picture: Jay Peck)

Empowering clients and elevating customer service

Four years later, he courageously chose to become a realtor. His motivation was to navigate the complex world of real estate confidently and knowledgeably. Stemming from his own less-than-positive experience as a buyer, Peck’s approach to his work is marked by his dedication to educating himself and transferring new knowledge to consumers.

He says: “I don’t want others to have the same experience I did, so it’s a top priority for me that my clients make purchases with sound guidance and all the right information they need.”

To reinforce this, Peck regularly gets invited to speak at consumer seminars, which empower individuals new to property acquisition to gain the knowledge and skills to enter the property market with confidence and clarity.

Peck conducting a consumer seminar at the Pinetree Hill Showflat. (Picture: Jay Peck)

Peck’s previous experience as a flight attendant with Singapore Airlines also gave him valuable skills and qualities that proved instrumental in his interactions with real estate clients, offering a distinctive perspective.

“Being a cabin crew member of a premium carrier gave me a lot of exposure,” he says. “I’ve had the pleasure of serving diverse clients, each with unique needs and preferences.”

This knowledge and awareness have given him the edge in recommending properties. “For example, I now know that certain nationalities are more receptive to properties with a west-facing orientation, a stark contrast to what many Singaporeans prefer.”

He can communicate well and offer superior options to his clients. His understanding and appreciation of luxury and quality items also mean he is more aware of premium home finishings. This enables him to alert buyers and assist sellers in marketing their homes more efficiently.

Peck adds: “My clients looking for luxury homes don’t have much time to view many properties and so it helps them when I’m able to shortlist and curate suitable options so that their time is not wasted.”

Peck leading training sessions for Huttons agents. (Picture: Jay Peck)

Special Projects: The Keppel Bay Collection

Such insights have inspired Peck to devise a unique business method, such as grouping homes into collections. One of his initiatives, “The Keppel Bay Collection”, a set of resale homes in the Harbourfront area, is among the special offerings he selects for clients as a one-stop shop. Peck believes that being an agent with in-depth knowledge of not just one but multiple units within a property or neighbouring properties means he can better add value to keen buyers.

As someone with a portfolio of units under his purview, I see many sellers in the area seeing profitable returns under Peck’s guidance. He has successfully matched their units to savvy buyers looking for underrated gems to invest in.

“The key is to choose a unit that not only meets your current needs but also has the potential to withstand the test of time,” Peck adds. “It is easier for buyers to find such a unit if they have a range of options, which is why I curated this collection.”

Peck and his team at the Huttons Convention 2024. (Picture: Jay Peck)

What being a Top Producer means

While accolades are always nice, they are important to Peck, not merely as a measure of his success but also as a means of establishing credibility and attracting new talent to his team.

In particular, he believes that achievements make it easier for potential candidates to identify successful individuals within the industry with whom they might like to work.

“My ultimate goal one day would be to build a good-sized team of real estate professionals,” says Peck. Although he is aware that he is not near where his ambitions lie, achieving such lofty heights begins with key relationships, thus emphasising the importance of having a culture of partnerships within his team.

“Many real estate leaders might focus solely on a ‘hands-off’ mentorship,” he adds. This means that they only wait for their agents to approach them when they have problems.

Instead, Peck encourages his team members to collaborate with him, sharing leads and collaborating on client engagements. He shows his downlines that he has “skin in the game” and is generous and willing to commit significant resources to their collective marketing efforts.

Mid Year Team Celebration 2023 (Picture: Jay Peck)

As someone savvy with the latest marketing methods, Peck identifies each of his agents’ strengths to craft a customised business strategy and marketing plan for them. He also happily takes feedback from his downlines to improve his leadership style.

For example, based on their pain points at work, he improvised and created more useful functions within their existing financial calculator, enabling his agents to perform specific functions they previously had difficulties with.

“By being on the ground with them, they don’t see me as a distant leader,” he offers. “I also get a better sense of how they do things, what skills they have and what they may be lacking so that I can better guide them as a mentor.”