When Stella Thio joined the real estate industry as an agent, her husband warned her that it was an industry filled with dishonesty. Unethical practices and shady tactics were the norm among agents who would do anything to close a deal.

But Stella was set on her decision. 

“I told him, I don’t have to enter their fight. I don’t have to stoop down to what they do. I just have to bring to this industry a higher standard of practice: To do what is right, to be the salt and light in the marketplace.” 

Sixteen years later, Stella – now a Senior Group District Director at PropNex Realty – is a leader known as much for her integrity as for her accolades, including being a multiple-time millionaire achiever.

At the Salt&Light Christian Real Estate Professionals Gathering last month, Stella shared five key anchors that has kept her steady in her career.

Some 180 real estate professionals met at Salt&Light’s Christian Real Estate Professionals gathering, where Stella was the keynote speaker.

1. Remember that God has placed you here

“You are not a Christian who happens to sell property,” Stella told the audience of about 180 real estate professionals. “You are a property agent placed by God for such a time as this.”

She pointed to the book of Esther, where Mordecai urged Esther to use her position of power to speak up in a time of crisis (Esther 4:12-14). 

“Mordecai tells Esther three things, and these three things are relevant for us today: Do not think that your position will protect you (Esther 4:13). God does not need you to accomplish His work. But God has placed you here, so you are accountable to Him (Esther 4:14).”

One way we can be accountable to God for where He has placed us is to pray for the industry, Stella added.

Referencing Jeremiah 29:7, she said: “You are placed here in this industry, so pray to God for it, for in its peace, you will have peace. But if you join in the unscrupulous activities around you, you will not have peace.”

2. Prioritise integrity

In ancient times, dishonest merchants would manipulate scales in their favour using a hidden thumb, noted Stella. However, the Bible is clear: “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight (Proverbs 11:1).”

This sort of deception can be found in the property market today when inflated projections are provided to clients. “How many of us tell our clients that they can earn this much, or get this rental yield per square foot, just to close a deal?” asked Stella.

Such overly aggressive projections are a practice of deception and the work of the devil, she said plainly, adding that the daily test of integrity is committing to using “honest weights”.

Using “honest weights” means walking away from conflict rather than retaliating by refusing to co-broke deals, ghosting or playing games over commission. It also means being willing to walk a client away from a bad deal even if it costs you a generous commission, said Stella.

“There will be developers who give you up to a 10% commission because of poor layouts and not because of additional buyer’s stamp duty (ABSD). But if getting into that deal will compromise your client, can you sleep well at night?” she asked.

The same question applies to resale commissions: If you wrestle a 5% fee out of your client when the standard market rate sits at 1% to 2%, will you have peace?

Stella believes that all agents should protect both their license and their fees. Agents are called to act with integrity – never shortchanging their clients nor shortchanging themselves. 

3. Be a witness under fire

Stealing listings, poaching clients from teammates, refusing to co-broke and pocketing the full commission – these are not uncommon occurrences in the industry.

However, it can be particularly hurtful when a fellow Christian in the industry betrays our trust, acknowledged Stella. She shared three practical ways we can respond:

• Stop repeating the complaint, as it only feeds the wound of injustice
• Let your best work, done in excellence, be your rebuttal 
• Extend forgiveness, even if the other party does not deserve it

On the point of extending forgiveness, Stella said that doing so will not only help to heal our own wound but also serve as a testimony of Christ’s presence in our lives.

We are enabled to do all this by the knowledge that God is the One who will repay all wrongdoings (Romans 12:19), she added.

“Forgive not because they deserve it, but because your testimony requires it,” said Stella, who has 16 years of real estate experience.

“Your witness under fire is not about winning the argument,” she said. “It is about arriving at the end of your career with your testimony intact. That is what God is building through the fire – not your comfort, but your witness.”

4. Cling to Christ in dry seasons

Stella acknowledged that all agents inevitably walk through dry seasons when business is poor.

In particular, she cautioned those new to the industry that their time of testing can be most severe in the starting years. However, she reassured them that they will emerge stronger from it.

“The antidote (to getting through dry seasons) is not a shortcut or a method. The antidote is having the right being,” she said, adding that we can do so by receiving two things from God.

The first is His peace (Philippians 4:7), which is not dependent on circumstances and prevents us from making fear-driven decisions such as unethical practices.

The second is His grace (2 Corinthians 12:9), which allows us to admit our weaknesses and inadequacies, and invite Him to work through our shortcomings.

5. Be rooted in who we are in Christ

The world’s order is often: Have → Do → Be. 

Essentially, get the million dollars first. Then do big things. And, eventually, become who you want to be. 

But God’s order is completely backwards, Stella said.

We must first be rooted in who we are in Christ – recipients of His peace and grace.

From that place of being, the doing follows naturally: We would do the right things even when no one is watching.

And ultimately, we can release the outcomes entirely to God. As Stella puts it: “The outcome is God’s to give – in His time, in His measure, and according to His will.”

Stella Thio (fourth from right, front row) with fellow real estate agents and organisers at the Salt&Light Christian Real Estate Professionals gathering.

An agent who builds their identity on their accolades will find that every dry season triggers an identity crisis. Stripped of results, they may be tempted to compromise.

But an agent whose being is settled in Christ is equipped to do the right thing even when it costs them, trusting that God is faithful with the harvest.

“Our business is not a sprint. It’s a marathon,” Stella said. “Only the right being gets us through the marathon. Not the right doing, not the right having.”

RELATED STORIES:

“Gaining success while losing God’s delight is never worth the price”: Veteran OrangeTee leader Steven Tan on choosing integrity in the real estate industry

Kickbacks? Working on Sundays? Flaunting wealth? Christian real estate agents tackle tough questions at first Salt&Light industry gathering

How intimacy with God brings power and anointing to my work: Property analyst Christine Sun