You are fired

It didn't take long for Donald Trump to get into his firing mood again. Only this time as the President of the US of A, not in a reality TV series. For disobeying his presidential order, the acting Attorney General was promptly fired. Its for real this time. His banning of people from seven countries has managed to create confusion worldwide. People are caught off guard. Some are about to board a plane. Some are in transit at airports. Some are just coming down from planes and about to enter USA. Many others are not sure of their status despite some having US citizenship or green card. Its a terrible state of affairs at the moment. 

Gone haywire

Ever since I retired, my going to the surau has not been consistent. Perhaps it is because my time now is also not consistent. I don't have a 9 to 5 working hours. My place of work is also not consistent. I can be anywhere around KL. Today I might be in Cyberjaya, tomorrow in Ampang, the next day in Sha Alam etc. Then, there are days when I am at home. As such, the inconsistencies are giving haywire to my routine or I can say I have no routine at all now. It is also affecting my going to the surau. The past few weeks, I can count on my fingers the number of time I went to the surau. I need to get used to my new lifestyle. Then I can have some sort of routine. Then it will be back to normal again although not 100%.

Three months and counting

Three months into the business, I learned a few things already. First is of course its tough going. Very different from what I am used to, salary at the end of the month. Now, nothing unless I make a sale. Second, 80% of the agents make less than 50k a year. That's the majority of them. At the moment, I am one of the statistics. Third, there are agents who make make more than a million a year. These agent are few and far between but there are. In my group, there's an agent, only twenty seven years old but he makes almost a million last year!   Fourth, the real estate industry has been in the doldrums for quite some time already. Rentals are going at half the previous rates. For example, around KLCC  area, some places are going for 7k when it was 14k before. Fifth, its cheap sale now. Developers are giving fantastic discounts, gifts to attract customers. The secondary market is much the same. Houses are going at below market value. As for me, I am still struggling but clinging on to hope. Winning is the name of the game. I will not win if I don't try!

Dinner time

One for the oldies

The Australian open that just ended was very interesting. It was definitely one for the veterans as the likes of Federer and Nadal plus the William sisters prove that being a has been doesn't mean you can't make the finals of a major. All the favourites except for maybe Serena fell by the wayside. The top two men seed who were expected to make the finals were shown the door early on. It was then left to Federer and Nadal, both coming back from injuries, to put it back in order by reaching the finals. They both overcame great setback and challenge to reach it. Their performances gave me much encouragement at sixty. I can still perform and be a success if I can put my heart in it.

On duty

Been busy Saturday and Sunday at a House Sales Gallery in Cyberjaya. Stationed there from 10am till 5pm. My first thought was how am I going to spend about 8 hrs at the gallery waiting for people. Its Public Holiday time, people are on holiday. Nobody would want to buy a house at this moment. Fortunately, I was wrong. Quite a few people came. Kept me busy explaining and showing the houses such that I had no problem with boredom. Only on the Saturday, it rained just as I was about to leave for home. Had to wait till almost seven before it stopped.

Cooling

Yesterday the weather was really cooling, a result of non stop rain the previous day. In the morning felt like I was in Cameron Highland. I had to wear two shirts in order to keep warm. If only everyday is like that. The rain has been consistent over the past week. Floods have occurred all over the country, some getting it for a second time within a month. I pity them. Its not a nice thing to have water enter your house, bringing mud as well as dirt. After the water receded, the cleaning up is a chore. To have to do it twice within a month is terrible.

Tough times don't last

It's been sixth months now since I retired. It was in early July last year that I finally had to hang my boots or in my case, take my leave from the office. Since then, I have spent the time looking for opportunities either working again with some other company or trying my luck in business related ventures. So far, nothing has been successful. I was driving Uber for a while. Then I got into the real estate business by becoming an agent. In the beginning I was trying to make my mark in the secondary market but later on discovered there are better opportunities in the primary market. So now I am fully in the primary market but after a few weeks, I am finding out that it is not as easy as I think. Yes, there is a colleague who is making almost a million in commission yearly but there are also others who are struggling, just like in the secondary market. Its a tough world out there. However, tough times don't last but tough people do.

Growing up

Cheap sale

In good times, developers never need to engage estate agents to sell their properties. Those were the days when new properties were selling like hot cakes. In some places balloting had to be carried out because there were too many buyers but so few houses. Developers had the luxury of turning down buyers who came with cash in hand. Those times are gone now. Times are bad at these moment. That's why developers are giving fantastic rebates, free gifts and engaging agents like me to help them sell their properties. Otherwise, there's not enough sales. Now is the time to buy houses, if you have the money or can get loan. Its sales time. Cheap sale.

Give my best

I am focusing solely on the primary market now. The secondary market is put on the back burner for the moment although every now and then, I still have to do a bit as I have to entertain previous contacts. However, for the next one year at least, its going to be the primary market. I will see how it goes before deciding on my next move. At the moment, I think I will be in the property market to stay. Its an exciting market with plenty of opportunities plus tremendous potential. All I need to do is to find a way to tap them. Its not going to be an easy ride for sure. There will be bumps, roadblocks and winding roads but its worth a try. That's what I intend to do. Give my best.  

Yesterday

Went to Seremban yesterday in the morning to settle a few things regarding the house in Senawang. Alhamdulillah, everything went well. All the things that I wanted to do was done very quickly and without any hassle. In less than an hour, I have completed my tasks. By 2pm I was back in the house in Gombak. Rested a while before going out again at 5pm for a team meeting in Damansara Perdana. It was raining heavily but I had to go no matter what. There's no choice. Alhamdulillah, I made it to the meeting on time. There were about thirty of us. I am the oldest at sixty. The rest of the team members are much younger than me. Anyway, its good to be working with young people. It gives me the energy. By the time everything was over, it was almost 11pm. I was so tired I all I wanted to do was sleep.  

First break

I have been to the Iskandar region a few times. Mostly on holiday with the family. This time, however, its work but with a difference, at least for me. I am selling houses now so the focus is to look at the developments that are happening there. No more power stations or work related to the power industry. Its purely houses now. Its a big change for me. I need to get use to it. In a way, its quite enjoyable but I need to start selling soon. To close a deal. That will bring more joy as the commission that comes along will be handy especially in a time when I need it most. When will I have my first break?

Houses in the thousand

Before, when I go on working trips, I stay in hotels. This time, my trip to Johor comes with a difference. There were nine of us. We all stayed in a terrace house with four rooms. As it happened, I stayed in one room all by myself because nobody wanted to sleep in the downstairs room with no air condition. Most of the time, we were in the Iskandar region, looking at the developments going on in the area. Thousands of houses being built by so many developers selling different concept of living. Garden, sea front, lake front, high rise, nature, modern, English etc. Most of the houses are in the million and above range. It surprised me but most of the houses ares sold, at least the first phase. I wonder who bought them? 

Forest in the City

Its damn big. To be developed on four man made island, the development will be among the biggest ever in the country. At the moment, the development is centered around phase 1 only. Even then its huge already. I was told 16,000 units sold already. Who are the buyers? Mainly the Chinese from China plus a few others like from Singapore, Indonesia etc. The developer is also from China, with deep pockets. The price is the main attraction. About 1000psf compared to Singapore/China 4000/8000 psf for the same units/facilities. The Chinese see it as the new Shenzen. In twenty years time, the place is going to be unrecognised, just like Shenzen twenty years ago as against Shenzen now.

Hmm......

I'm in JB, not in some village in the middle of nowhere but why is the internet so damn slow? Worse still, I'm in the Iskandar region, where the Southern Corridor is, where all the happenings are! Massive developments, with constructions going on everywhere. New housing estates at every corner of the streets with fancy names and offering modern out of the world facilities but why is the internet so slow? Hmm...... 

These days

Last week was a trying time. All the children were sick at one time or another. Started with Akid, then Maisarah and finally the little baby, Munirah. We had to take them to the clinic. Alhamdulillah, they are now okay after taking the medicine. Otherwise, it will be difficult for me to leave them and go to JB today. As it is, I can be rest assured that they are now okay. Akid and Maisarah are coping well with the new preschool activities. They get up early in the morning these days to go to school. The house becomes a bit quiet without them in the morning. At least there's some peaceful moments but once they are back from school, everything is back to the normal.

Lost in properties

So many developments all over KL. Yet there are still buyers. That is the surprising thing. No doubt developers are giving attractive rebates plus plenty of free gifts to sell their properties. For Bumiputra buyers, the total rebates can be as much as 30%. That's a lot of rebates. If only I have the money, I will definitely buy one of them. Anyway, I hope to make a lot of commission selling these properties. There's one agent within our group who makes almost a million in commission last year. He is only twenty seven years old. Wow! If I can make just a fraction of what he makes, I will be extremely happy.

Learning the ropes

Been busy with the introduction program for new salesperson arranged by the company. Its mostly visiting sale galleries, looking at properties, learning the products, the places etc. Today we are going to Johor Baru to visit Iskandar Puteri. Yes, we are selling houses there as well. The past one week I have looked at so many houses I don't know if I can remember them all. Mostly selling in the millions but the surprising thing is that there are still buyers. Most of the condos are fully sold or booked. Transactions are still going on, only a bit less now I guess.

MRT ride

We decided to try the MRT which recently went into service. Its still a free ride till Sunday. Quite a pleasant ride, not too crowded while the train was quite spacious. Heard the buses going to and fro the stations are also on for every fifteen minutes.Very good service, going to places that the normal buses don't go.

A day out

Enjoying the free MRT ride from Sg Buloh to Semantan and back.

Among colleagues

My new colleagues.

A challenge alright

After almost a year of monthly 'talk' at the surau, I feel I have completed what I wanted to say about the Quran already. To say more would be going into detail, meaning very academic. As we are all aware, that would not be a good thing to do. In universities, yes but in a surau, definitely not. At the same time, I also don't have enough knowledge to do that. Thus, I thought it would be a good time to stop but it seems I have been slotted again middle of this month for another talk. As usual, between Maghrib and Isya'. Now the challenge is what to talk about about? Been cracking my head trying to think of a topic appropriate for the occasion. Something light and easy. Something everybody can relate to, something good to know yet not so heavy such that everybody falls asleep. More important, must be a subject I know very well. Yes, its a challenge alright!

Will try my best

Its a new exciting Monday for me as well this week. Its the start of the orientation week for new recruits. I am one of them, with the added distinction of being the oldest at sixty. I have no idea how it is going to be. Whether it is going to lead me to something fruitful financially or it will end up in the scrapyard, I don't know. It is something I never expected to be involved in, even when I signed up to be a real estate negotiator late last year. I knew nothing about it but somehow, events lead me to this new venture. I was apprehensive at first, knowing my age and my background but I was accepted into the program all the same. So now, its all system go. I will try my best in sha Allah. 

Morning

The weekend was spent mainly at home, resting. For Akid and Maisarah, its their first weekend after schooling the week before. Finally they can sleep without having to wake up early in the morning to go to school. For us, its a bit of a relief as well. At least the morning is not so busy. Otherwise, the day starts very early, everyday of the week. Waking then up, getting them ready for school, sending them to school. So far, they have taken it all in their stride. No problem at all. I guess kids, they adapt very fast.

Growing up

Hope for the best

Its a totally new thing for me. Instead of turbines, compressors, pumps, diesel engines, spillway, boilers etc it is now bungalow, semi d, terrace, build up, land area, price per square feet, rebates, vacant possession, lawyers fees etc. What a complete change of profession! I have to know all these things if I want to be successful in selling them. There are so many projects I wonder how I am going to memorise all of them. Next week the orientation will start. I don't know how it will be for me cause its totally new for me. I will give it a year. Hope I can be as successful as a few of my seniors in the group. Some of them make a healthy amount in commission yearly. More than I ever did in my years of being a salaried worker. 

Yesterday once more

Now that they are in school in the morning from 8am till 12 noon, the house is quiet for a change. Only little Munirah is with us but she is still very much a baby. For Akid and Maisarah, its  a new adventure for them. For me, I have gone through all these before. Now, almost thirty years later, I'm going through it again. Before, it was Hakimi, then Fatihah, then Hanafi and finally Hafizi. After Hafizi, by all intent and purposes, I thought that is the last and it was, for a long long time. But then, little did I knew what the future has in store for me. I planned but Allah also planned and Allah is the best planner. That's how it is and that's how it will be. So, for me, its yesterday once more.

Its schooldays

First day of school for Akid and Maisarah. Although its only pre school, both were excited and eager. Its a new experience for both of them. Usually at this time of the morning, they would still be sleeping. Now, they have to wake up and go to school. Alhamdulillah, they are taking it well. Maisarah sometime gets  into a tantrum not wanting to get out of bed but once at the school gate, she is okay. For a three years old, that is expected. As for Akid,he is a good boy all the way. After all, he is the big brother, older and wiser.

Three in slumberland

Its early in the morning. All three are still sleeping. Very soon this scenario will change as Akid and Maisarah will have to get up early for schooling. Then only Munirah will be left. For me, its back to almost thirty years ago when Hakimi first started schooling.

Eagerly waiting

The holiday period is almost over. Come tomorrow, it will be back to normal. Schools are reopening, people will be back to work in full force and KL will be back to what we know, in a gridlock. As for me, I have not been doing much this last week. For one thing, I am waiting for my new work to start. Therefore, I thought I will take it easy in the meantime. No use trying to make business arrangement when I may not be able to fulfill them once I start my new work routine. For twenty days in a month, I will be occupied. Where I will be, when is the time schedule, what I will do, I am still in the dark at the moment. I wait eagerly for training to start in the second week of January.

Not an easy ride

The first day of the new year was spent lazing around the house. Stayed at home the whole day, watching TV, read the newspaper, surfing the internet, play with the children, go to the surau. Didn't feel like going anywhere. 2017 is the year where I will embark on a new career in an environment that is foreign to me. I have no idea what is in store for me but for sure, it will be a totally new experience. Do I look forward to it? Maybe yes, maybe no but what choice do I have? I have to do something in order to generate some income. At the moment, it looks the most promising. I have to give it a try, no matter what. A few times in my life I wondered what it would like to be doing business instead of being a salaried worker. Well now, I am doing business. First thing that strike me is that it is not going to be an easy ride.