At just 18 years old, Gavin was working day and night as an assistant supervisor at a computer shop here in Kota Kinabalu. With the little education he had, he wasn’t sure how far his path would lead.

He then took it into his own hands and started researching his options. He learned that property value and demand will only increase and so, real estate called out to him.

After setting down this new path of real estate, he learned that being a real estate negotiator was more than just the paycheck. It was about teamwork and determination.

“Our team's goal is to build leaders. It’s not about how many million dollar sales we make, it’s about how many agents we can build to become successful in their career. It requires a lot of focus and an aggressive mindset.”

The team at Jesselton Property has grown now to about 85 members with 4 project leaders including Micheal Kiu, Steve Ho, Jessy Goh and Voca Kun and 3 subsale leaders including Wah Gor, Kelvin Chang and Micheal Hiew, all of whom Gavin speaks highly of. One of their newest agents, Johnny Wong, earned a six-figure income in less than a year and he boils it down to their inspiring team culture.

“Even after a hard day's work, we always make it a point to have fun together. Entertainment is important to us because we work better when we are happy and it also builds long term relationships.”

“We focus on growing quality leaders first. From there, then we can surely meet our sales target. My goal is to learn more skills as an agent and provide unique services for our clients.”

After 10 years in the industry, he’s always been encouraged by the demand for homes in Kota Kinabalu.

“I know that the salary here is low but I've seen people still striving to own property. Everyone needs a home so it’s just a matter of when and with the right documents and guidance, you surely can get your own property.”

“Even during MCO, we sold a lot of residential homes, especially for their own stay. I also bought a residential and commercial unit for my own investment during MCO. We always say to invest in yourself and turn your property into an asset, not a liability and then you will reap the rewards.”

Gavin has residential and commercial properties in Kota Kinabalu for sale and for rent. You can view his listings here.