Special Feature

Stefanie Wong: More than a trusted name in luxury real estate

September 20, 2024 5:30 PM SGT

Stefanie Wong, SRI Realty, receiving the award from Jeremy Tan, Tiger Brokers Singapore (Picture: Samuel Isaac Chua/The Edge Singapore)

"Your realtor, the only best odyssey." — Stefanie Wong

With 16 years of experience in the property market, SRI’s Stefanie Wong has successfully closed numerous deals totalling an impressive $700 million, primarily in the landed and high-end condo sectors. Despite her extensive achievements, one of her most memorable experiences was a situation that did not involve closing a deal.

The engagement was with a prospective client who was a business owner. At the time, he faced liquidity issues and believed selling his landed house was the best avenue to raise funds to keep his business afloat. Seeking an agent to list the property, he was referred to Wong by a friend.

While the potential sale was attractive, Wong could tell that the decision to sell weighed heavily on the client as it was a treasured family home. “I could sense the client and his wife’s emotional struggle during our discussion,” she recounts. Seeing how much this house meant to them, she wondered: Could another way exist?

Wong asked the client for more details about his financial situation. With a background in computational finance from the National University of Singapore and experience in finance, she is skilled at analysing portfolios. After reviewing the numbers, she proposed alternative solutions; the client considered the suggestions and then decided against selling the house.

Today, the family still enjoys living in their beloved home. The client has also since hired Wong to assist with liquidating other properties as part of his wealth and retirement planning.

Wong’s dedication to achieving the best outcomes for everyone who seeks her help — whether they are current clients or not — sets her apart. (Picture: Stefanie Wong)

For Wong, the decision to pursue a different solution instead of just closing a deal was clear. The client always comes first. It is always about them. Clients engage her to feel confident and comfortable.

Wong’s dedication to achieving the best outcomes for everyone who seeks her help — whether they are current clients or not — sets her apart. Client testimonials consistently praise her genuine empathy, deep market knowledge and professionalism. Unsurprisingly, despite her relatively low profile, Wong has remained a highly sought-after realtor in the luxury property market for years.

Wong has remained a highly sought-after realtor in the luxury property market for years. (Picture: Stefanie Wong)

All-rounded expertise, value-added services

Many of Wong’s clients are landed homeowners. When she first started her real estate career, Wong focused on landed properties in District 19 as she is well-versed in the area, having lived in a landed home off Lorong Chuan in the Serangoon area.

In her early, challenging days, she would walk the streets of various estates, enhancing her on-the-ground knowledge of the local property market and allowing her to meet with owners, tenants, business owners and others.

That tenacity laid the foundation of her expertise. Today, Wong maintains an impeccable understanding of every neighbourhood under her coverage, which spans landed properties and luxury condos in Districts 9,10,11,15 and 19. That knowledge is backed by an expansive network of clients and professional collaborators that afford Wong’s listings a ready audience of buyers.

Wong maintains an impeccable understanding of every neighbourhood under her coverage, which spans landed properties and luxury condos in Districts 9,10,11,15 and 19. (Picture: Stefanie Wong)

Wong’s skills have evolved alongside her real estate investment journey. She bought her first property in her 20s and has since expanded and refined her portfolio. Her blend of knowledge and hands-on experience makes Wong exceptionally qualified to meet the real estate needs of a diverse clientele. This includes working professionals seeking to upgrade their homes, ultra-high-net-worth individuals looking for investment advice and retirees planning their wealth for the next generation.

Drawing on her impressive database of listings and contacts, Wong efficiently identifies and ranks opportunities that best fit each client’s specific goals. Whether tasked with finding the perfect family home or seeking out properties that can provide targeted returns, she can quickly pinpoint the best options, saving clients time while minimising uncertainty.

Her blend of knowledge and hands-on experience makes Wong exceptionally qualified to meet the real estate needs of a diverse clientele. (Picture: Stefanie Wong)

Above and beyond

Many of Wong’s clients have worked with her repeatedly, pointing to an established sense of trust and mutual respect. While her sharp business acumen and analytical skills play a major role in drawing clients, her integrity and dedication often seal their decision to establish a long-term professional relationship with her.

She takes pride in every facet of her work and manifests keen attention to detail. For example, when marketing a home, she understands the importance of investing time and effort to showcase the house thoroughly. “My marketing materials should match what each property deserves,” Wong says.

Transparency is another fundamental quality of Wong’s work. She communicates constantly with her clients through regular updates and check-ins, ensuring they are informed at every step.

Wong collaborates with education providers regularly to facilitate programs at Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home that instil purposeful, lifelong skills that help improve the children’s future. (Picture: Stefanie Wong)

For Wong, it is important to do the best that she can for each of her clients. “For many, buying and selling real estate is not just a transaction, but often entails an emotional journey,” she adds. Consequently, Wong puts her whole heart into that process, seeking to make it a seamless experience for her clients.

She attributes her strong sense of responsibility and commitment to doing her best for others to the values instilled in her by her family. “Both my parents are orphans and they taught my siblings and me compassion and the importance of treating others with care and respect,” Wong says. Her upbringing has also profoundly influenced her approach to work and philanthropy.

Her upbringing has also profoundly influenced her approach to work and philanthropy. (Picture: Stefanie Wong)

Volunteering has been a part of her lifestyle since university. Back then, Wong volunteered with the Children’s Cancer Society, sponsored one of World Vision’s programmes and participated in Rotary Club activities. Today, she collaborates with education providers regularly to facilitate programs at Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home that instil purposeful, lifelong skills that help improve the children’s future.

Ultimately, her greatest achievement is making a meaningful impact on clients who truly appreciate her efforts. Recently, an elderly client wrote Wong a poem to show appreciation for her empathy while selling and buying their new home. Wong adds: “It’s things like this that keep me going.”