Racism in Real Estate?

halimah · Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Posts: 57 on *09 Oct 07 8:44 pm*

I know this is going to be a throny issue but I feel that I need to say my two cents worth.

I have a client who is looking for a rental unit in a condo. So yesterday, I called up an agent marketing a particular unit in a particular condo. She wanted to know the profile of my client, so I said he's from the US and he's an Indian. The next thing she asked was "Black or White?".

I was stumped! So I asked her what do you mean by "Black or White?' So she went on to clarify herself by asking if the client is fair or dark. So, I asked her does it make a difference?Then she went on to say that the landlord is very particular about who he rents the unit out to. I wasn't sure how to react, so I thanked her for her time and hung up.

Of course, my husband suggested that I should have been equally offensive towards her but what is the point?

This is not the first time I am encountering racism in real estate, and it is not only targeted at a certain race. I have agents turning me down as the owners do not want China nationals / Bangladeshis. This despite that them being on employment pass and not work permit.

Honestly, I think it is disappointing that coming from a country like Singapore, which emphasizes so much on harmony, there are people out there who are so insensitive in the way they communicate. A lot of Singaporeans take it that they are much better than foreigners but it is only when they become a minority in another country do they truly understand racism and discrimination.

Of course, someone can argue is the landlord's house and he has the right to choose who he wants as tenants but really, do you think anyone else will take care of the house the way the owner does, however professional or cultured they are?

This is just my opinion, and it is not targetted at anyone. I just need an opportunity to vent my frustration.

Warmest Regards,

Halimah

93886759 / halimah.i@gmail.com

BA Economics (NUS)
B.Soc.Sci Political Sci. (Hons) (NUS)
PGDE (NTU/NIE)

Guest · on *09 Oct 07 9:13 pm*

some china national are lazy to clean the hse, especially toilet. so the owner don't want the tenant to spoilt their hse loh. and this is the real fact..

Guest · on *09 Oct 07 9:49 pm*

u might still new in this field... still alot u will be facing sis..

Guest · on *10 Oct 07 11:47 am*

Indians staying in Condo?

Guest · on *10 Oct 07 1:29 pm*

Guest · on *10 Oct 07 2:29 pm*

Halimah,
Don't take it too hard lar.

I'm Chinese. My experience as landlord so far:

1) China nationals (young women) very messy. They have a duty roster but ended up each to her own. Even when the roof had minor leak they didn't inform me until I did a house check.

2) Indian family really made my kitchen oily and dirty. Very hard to clean at end of tenancy.

3) A German tenant: Very clean and neat. He even got painters to repaint the interior after 2 years because he couldn't stand the markings.

If you ever visited different flats in Singapore, you find that Malays are the most houseproud - they keep their house neat and clean.
For Chinese and Indian families, it is usually case by case, so harder to generalize.

I think it is less about racism than about stereotypes.

halimah · Joined: 14 Sep 2007 Posts: 57 on *10 Oct 07 3:07 pm*

I understand where you are coming from. But what I was upset about is the way the agent communicated this point across... It is no way to talk about people based on colour...

This is not the first time I have come across 'colourist'. Even when I was a teacher, time and time again students like to call their indian friends or teachers 'black', do the head 'shaking' motion, speak in a funny slang.

I just think it is sad that society is the way it is despite efforts to eradicate discrimination and stereotypes based on nationality/race/religion.

Of course, this is not only limited to Singapore. Everywhere in the world, the minorites get marginalised. My Asian friends in America sometimes get ice cream and ketchup thrown at them from passing cars.

Well, I guess that is the way the society is. It is up to us to make the difference.

Thank you all for the encouragement you have given me Smile

Guest · on *14 Oct 07 12:41 am*

I agree with the remarks given above for China National.

I am a Singaporean chinese landlord, yet I found that China's chinese are totally different from Singaporean chinese. I have been renting 2 bedrooms to China's nationals, they are very unhygenic, with -censored- living in the wardrobes that I provide in their bedrooms.

If you tell them something nicely, they dont buck up, when you raise your voice, then they will clean-up but a few days later back to square one and not only that, you will find other problems coming up in your house like this broken, that damaged.

I think it's basically because they are not religious, and hence vengeful, without the need to fear for God's punishment.

So, taking in Malaysian chinese as tenants are better, they are religious, more like us Singaporean chinese.

sara_realtor · Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 622 on *24 Nov 07 2:16 am*

Hai Halimah, get used to it . Itz the culture here. Matter of time it will happen to you as well. Eventually I got over it. I believe you will also. Take care.

Guest · on *24 Nov 07 8:04 am*

yeah i'm trying not to generalize, but as a foreign student here, i find a large number of singaporeans I met show signs of racism.

singaporean can be proud of their economic development, but culturally they are still a third world country.

Guest · on *26 Nov 07 1:14 pm*

there is racism in the blood of 80% of Chinese Singaporeans. what a shame.

Guest · on *24 Dec 07 10:24 pm*

pls be more patient with humans we are all fallable

Guest · on *23 Feb 08 6:56 pm*

Guest · on *23 Feb 08 6:57 pm*

Guest · on *23 Feb 08 7:01 pm*

Hello, we need an agent/advice. My mom lies in Kembangan 5 room, me and my wife in A 4 room flat in simei. Since my household income exceeds the minimum for HDB we were looking for alternatives. So that my mom and me we could all live together. We are prepared to sell to combine to get a home.

Landed property possibble?

I wont be here again, so my email taufiq2@hotmail.com.

Whoever interested mail me.

Guest · on *14 Mar 08 7:46 pm*

Guest · on *11 Apr 08 1:48 pm*

I am Chinese and my ex-agent that help me sell the house was a Malay with two wives. No problem, we got along well and he sold the house for me.

In my mind, many Chinese and Malay that I know of are not racist. My best friend is an indian.

Guest · on *18 Apr 08 1:20 am*

If you say singapore chinese are racist, i dun feel so. Even indian also dun want indian and malay dun want malay. So does it makes any different. It all depend on the person itself. Tenants note, your are the one who spoilt the market n your own race. Which cause people to hv that kind of impression on your. So dun blame others. Put it in the landlords shoes and think, i beleive u yourself when u hv a house. U will do that too. So no different. So wat's the argument. Just do your part and get a life.

Guest · on *08 May 08 11:53 am*

Racism is institutionalised in Singapore. that is a fact. When we look around we don't see Singaporeans, we see Chinese Singaporean, Malay Singaporean, Indian Singaporean etc.

Somebody above said "it's not racism it's stereotype" - when the stereotype you perceive make you biased in your actions that is racism.

How many times have we seen job adverts; Chinese only, must speak malay, etc etc. you can even see preference to age and sex - another form of discrimination.

resumes have a picture and date or birth!!!! why? (if you can answer this question in defence of it it means you are an institutionalised racist)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the situation - just telling it as it is.

If some of you knew about the anti-discrimination laws in some other countries youwould be shocked. I'm not saying it's a bettersituation in other countries, but at least there is protection for the victimised.

Guest · on *08 May 08 1:12 pm*

Different races/nationalities have different living habits/cultures. It is normal to choose the ones that you feel comfortable with.

Racism in Real Estate?

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Racism in Real Estate?