BCBusiness

p r o m o t e d c o n t e n t W ith so many agents in the industry, becoming successful in the real estate business can be a challenge. Not only does it require commitment, and motivation, it requires a certain X factor to set you apart from the rest. One such example is Steven Oei, whose constant focus on building a nurturing relationship with his clients has led him to become a successful real estate agent with over 21 years of experience. Why did you want to become a realtor? When I was younger, my parents had a really good real estate agent. He helped my family make a really good decision in terms of buying and selling, so that was very inspiring for me. What's your education background and how did you gain insight into industry? I took post-secondary education and profes- sional education in real estate appraisal, and then studied marketing at SFU. Everything I had always done was catered towards real estate. I would also go out and talk to very successful realtors, when I was a student, to get their insight on the profession. What is your approach with clients? I'm very honest and straightforward. A lot of clients say I am really patient and good at listening. They feel I have a very good con- nection with them and have a good sense of what their needs are. What separates you from other realtors? I'm very detail-oriented, and with real estate, when you narrow it down, it's re- ally about helping people. The process of buying and selling are sort of standardized action steps, but helping a particular client is very personal. What we do is not to just optimize their sale, but for them to have a really great experience—it's a big decision in people's lives. Also, I believe we are the best at making ourˆclients' properties stand out from the competition. We do this byˆbringing out a property's best salient features, and then showcasing these to a target market through stunning photos, descriptions and market- ing. The results are added value to the prop- erty's presentation and resulting sale price. How have you evolved your business to keep up with the changing market? I think it's important to have continued edu- cation. There are certain things in terms of technolo‰y and tools that we have now that help facilitate better service. But we also want to be innovative and be progressive in the way that we do things; whether that's in marketing or keeping in touch with a client. Are you someone who sets goals, and if so what are some you hope to achieve in the next few years? Yes, constantly. I deŽnitely aspire to be the top agent in the market areas that I service, which are primarily Burnaby and Vancou- ver. I'm always working towards building a relationship with the clients I have, and working for referrals. What do you love most about your work? For me, it's helping people. Especially in a market like Vancouver, there's a lot of stress out there because housing is so expensive now. So when I'm able to help facilitate a sale or a move for somebody, it's really rewarding and quite inspiring when I see how happy people are. I take my work very personally, and I really care about what hap- pens to the clients afterwards. What advice would you give to aspiring realtors? I would say, it's always good to look at your work as a long-term business. Right now, the market is really active and I believe it's important to not think that this is a normal market environment. It's constantly chang- ing. And again, I think education is very important, along with good ethics. V INCENT LEE Inspired at a young age by his family's realtor, Steven Oei is now bringing a new level of client service to his industry Making His Mark S T E V E N O E I realtor Steven oei has over two decades of experience selling real estate, primarily in Burnaby and Vancouver

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