In his early 20s, Naresh R.L. (who prefers to be known as Nick R.L.) was already making plans to buy his first property. His farsightedness paid off when, at just 24, he purchased a four-room HDB resale flat with his wife, Rina.
The couple would go on to invest in more properties, including their current home, a freehold private condominium unit in District 15. Nick, who is now 46, shares that their home is currently valued at more than twice its original price, with a paper profit of $2 million at the moment.
But it’s not always about upgrading. Right-sizing or finding a home that suits your current lifestyle and financial position is just as important, as Nick, an associate division director at real estate agency ERA, often advises his clients. Rina is also an agent at ERA, working alongside Nick to provide tailored services to their clients.
They walk the talk. About 14 years ago, the couple had the opportunity to buy a landed home but opted for a condominium unit instead. This was because a single-level home without unwieldy stairs was more ideal for their young daughters at the time. Their home is also located near amenities like schools, eateries and the vibrant East Coast lifestyle.
Now, Nick applies the same practical approach to picking suitable property investments for his clients.
“My utmost interest is for them to be stress-free and to upgrade confidently while knowing all their options,” he says.
Building trust through practical advice
With more than 23 years of experience, Nick specialises in helping families build their retirement portfolio through real estate, and believes that everyone should have the opportunity to upgrade their lifestyles and own their dream home.
“But we can move up the ladder gradually,” he says. “Maybe start off with a BTO (Build-To-Order) flat first, then upgrade to an executive condominium, and later to a private home.”
It is this kind of level-headed advice that has earned Nick the trust and loyalty of his clients, many of whom have stuck with him throughout the different stages of their lives.
The award-winning property agent attributes his success in the industry and his popularity with clients to his persuasiveness, a trait he developed and brought from his experience as a top salesperson at a hotel restaurant selling high-end wines.
He also regularly keeps in touch with each client to understand their evolving needs and goals, and he has progressed with many of his clients as they upgrade to different stages of their lives.
Nick knows the Singapore Dream well. The Shatec graduate grew up in a humble environment and worked two jobs in his younger days for extra income.
“It was a tough period, and I felt like giving up,” he recalls, “But Rina encouraged me to continue pursuing my goals, as the focus was to buy our own private property – our lifelong dream.”
His approach to sales is rooted in sincerity, honesty and selling from the heart. Rather than pushing for a sale, he focuses on building connections with his clients. “I may be in sales, but I don’t make them buy something they will regret,” he says. “I will say, let’s meet for a coffee. If a sale happens, it happens.”
As a property agent, he feels responsible for reminding clients that circumstances and needs may change over time. He also advises them on how long they should hold onto a property if they experience challenging times in their lives.
For example, he once had a client who was married with two young children and whose wife was not earning a stable income. While many agents had encouraged the client to upgrade from an HDB to a condo, Nick did a thorough stress test on his monthly mortgage repayment and advised him to upgrade to a larger HDB flat instead.
“This would give his family a more sustainable financial future,” says Nick. “He is happy now because he is stress-free, and they’ve also welcomed a third child!”
However, the case was different with another client who wanted to upgrade to a second HDB unit. After Nick did some financial calculations for them, he realised that the couple’s combined incomes would allow them to comfortably invest in a condominium unit and enjoy the opportunity for “asset progression”.
Helping HDB upgraders invest in private homes to build their wealth for their retirement
By providing tailored advice for each client’s situation, Nick ensures that they make informed decisions about their property investments. Using the Risk Assessment Framework feature on the Sales+ by ERA: Real Estate App – which lets property agents calculate their clients’ financial health – he creates a long-term road map for home buyers.
His commitment to his clients and his ability to guide them through the property market have earned him recognition within the industry. He was named one of ERA's top 1 per cent of agents out of more than 9,000 agents in 2023. He also achieved Rising Millionaire status at ERA in 2022 and 2023.
Seeing him as their trusted agent, many clients have left glowing testimonials for him on YouTube. For instance, a client who wanted to upgrade says: “Nick puts aside the stereotype that agents are just there to make a commission, but he always has the client’s best interests, in terms of what they want and need. Nick made us feel special as the client he is focusing on and putting all of his efforts into.”
Even home owners with smaller HDB flats who are afraid to approach property agents for upgrading advice are comfortable asking him to assess their property.
Nick says that property is one of the best assets in Singapore for generating wealth and could contribute to securing a comfortable retirement. This is why, although his daughters are only 13 and 16, he has already been encouraging them to start planning for their first property purchase by the time they enter the workforce.
“We believe in living prudently while making wise, responsible financial decisions that will align with our long-term financial goals for retirement,” he says.
Find out how Nick can help you upgrade to your dream home comfortably here. For enquiries, call 9859 9857.
CEA Registration No. R002622D/ L3002382K
