From Jumping Parachutes to Co‑Living Pitches: Eugene Lim’s Wild Ride
Picture a 23‑year‑old guy who had never paid a nickel for tuition. When a buddy told him a broker could rake in $10,000 selling one house, Eugene thought, “Why not?” That was the spark that turned a public‑housing teenager into a 15‑year realtor.
Reality Checks & Rookie Mistakes
- He had zero condo knowledge – the whole real‑estate world was brand‑new to him.
- He imagined a quick commission, a school fee covered, and then a jump into military or civil service. In reality, he had to pay almost $600 for licensing, insurance, and business cards.
- That first weekend in a showflat felt like a live‑action lesson: a potential buyer asked, “When does this project top?” Eugene’s response – “What do you mean ‘top’?” – earned a laugh, a polite apology, and a boost of humility.
From Part‑Time Hustle to Full‑Time Drip
Despite the hiccup, Eugene learned fast. While still attending school three days a week, he turned a $300 bank balance into a $130,000 paycheck in his first year. Friends started pitching in, and within a few years he managed a team of 300 eager agents.
The Corporate Leap That Shocked Him
With the dust settling, a gig at Knight Frank beckoned. Reluctant at first, he eventually accepted; the payoff was a guaranteed $4,000 a month – a huge cut from his agent commissions. Still, at 27, he became one of the youngest heads of project marketing in the firm’s history, and ran 35 projects.
Bridging Developer Gaps
His career then zigged into the developer side. Working with Wing Tai Holdings and later Oxley Holdings, Eugene spent five and a half years championing projects from Singapore to London, Malaysia, and Cambodia.
Why Co‑Living Now?
After years in the grind of real estate, Eugene saw the way young people’s lives were shifting. “Before COVID, the era of marrying in the 30s for public housing was fading,” he notes. “The sharing economy feels electric,” he says, and in 2024 he’s steering The Assembly Place, a co‑living startup that taps this new rhythm.
From parachutes to property, Eugene’s journey is a reminder that the best detours often become the most exciting destinations.
How Millennials & Gen Z Are Re‐Writing the Real Estate Playbook
Meet Eugene, the co‑living catalyst who thinks Gen X and Boomers are still stuck in the “old‑school” style of investing. According to him, the younger crowds are living on crypto, coding apps & even earning a living from gaming – all while giving those stale blue‑chip stocks a polite cut‑throat side‑walk.
Why Co‑Living? A New Rule for Modern Life
Want to shake up how people rent? Think of co‑living as the real‑estate equivalent of the coworking boom that flipped the office world. Eugene said:
- “Property buyers are looser, but landlords are dazzled when we boost their rental income by 50 % after we take a tiny fee.”
- “Singapore’s sky‑high pricings and lousy yields mean landlords are begging for smarter play.”
- “We’re not juggling assets ourselves – only the 5‑plus‑5 years management contracts that save us time.
- “We’re powering 550 rooms across 16 custom co‑living sites, to a $250 million value. The next milestone: 1,000 rooms by early next year.
The Big Win: Why “I Don’t Want to Be in Real Estate” Still Makes Sense
It isn’t actually an article about dreaming. It’s about 550 rooms at an $250 million valuation and a 1,000‑room future, which proves real estate can be working smart, not hard. Eugene’s company holds 95 % of its properties on that virtually asset‑light model.
Remember: The Story Is Yours
This isn’t just a rundown of numbers – it’s a narrative. It shows that Gen Z & Millennials are building a house, a career and a future all at once, and Eugene’s co‑living scheme is the hot ticket you’ve been waiting for.
