Guess who?

Last September 20, 2018, the Real Estate Brokers Association of the Philippines held its 3rd National General Membership Meeting at the Tejeros Hall, AFP Commissioned Officers Club, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. The event, which featured renowned keynote speakers – DOT Director Danilo B. Intong, with his insightful talk about the Impact of Tourism in the Growth of Philippine Real Estate Industry, and NEDA Usec. Rolando G. Tungpalan, who generously shared updates and addressed questions on the Philippine Economy, respectively – was attended by over 400 brokers from 27 chapters (North Luzon to Mindanao).

How did I end up here? 

To clear things up, I am not a licensed broker (I don’t want to be a feelingera). I am currently affiliated with an independent brokerage group as a Real Estate Salesperson (registered with PRC and HLURB), but I attended the event as one of the hosts. And I must say, it’s a nice feeling to be surrounded by successful and inspiring professionals in this industry.

How did I meet the Property Guru? 

Carl Dy is a property investor, Director for Sales at one of the Philippines leading developers, and the President of property portfolio management company, Spectrum Investments. He has 10 years of experience in the property business, and is continually building up his property portfolio with an ultimate goal of living on passive income from property.

FLASHBACK >> I was on the side of the stage, tasked to give the introductions for Sponsor’s Presentations, and yet I was still trying to get hold of the next presenter’s name AAANDD! the previous one just finished! (Wew) Luckily, I saw the next presenter and recognized him instantly. It just so happened that the representative of the next major sponsor was none other than Carl Dy! Good thing I’m a fan, so I properly introduced him just in time.

After the event, some sponsors were still around to accommodate the brokers in the hall and I just grabbed the opportunity to approach Carl Dy and introduce myself to him. Let’s say I was very hesitant (and shy) at first so I had to circle the lobby to muster up enough confidence to talk to him. #IntrovertsCanRelate When I walked up to him, he asked why I circled the lobby LOLOL observant. As I offered a handshake, I just found myself saying, “Hey, I’m a fan! Let’s take a selfie!” He was very cool and friendly about it. He held up his new book, Creating Wealth Through Property, as he flashed a cheeky smile. We had a small chat about work and real estate, and that’s it!

What about the Property Guru? 

Carl Dy is a very inspiring man, not just because he’s successful in the real estate field, but also because he has a great mindset in life. In one of Marvin Germo’s vlogs, the Property Guru shared his story (he wasn’t born with a silver spoon), and how he worked hard to live a better life – one that he has now. Working for Ayala, he sure was surrounded by wealthy people everyday. He came to the realization that life gives everyone the “same set of cards,” and it’s up to us how we use it to either progress or remain stagnant. He set up a small business, and he used the earnings to buy a condo unit (it’s still giving him passive income up to this day), and from that point on, he slowly built his property portfolio.

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++++ Investment learnings:

• Investment puts money in your pocket. Its enemy is liability, because it takes money away. Just because something is of value doesn’t mean it’s automatically an investment. A good example of this? A car or a smartphone.
• You should invest in properties. Maybe not now. But make it a goal in the future.
• Compared to other businesses, property is definitely easier to compute and manage.
• Investment is not always about money. Intangible investments, like relationships, are also very important for success.