Singapore-based property tech startup Ohmyhome is all set to kick off operations in the Klang Valley by the end of June.
The firm’s foray into Malaysia marks an ambitious push to expand its footprint in the region. It is, in a way, homecoming for founders Rhonda and Race Wong; the siblings were originally from Dungun, Terengganu.
“Being born here and having so many relatives around, we’ve always wanted to be in Malaysia,” says Rhonda. “Of course, it is also a much bigger market for us.”
“But starting in Singapore allowed us to establish very high service standards. We have learnt from our mistakes, which otherwise would have been more costly if we had started our business in Malaysia - and we are now ready to serve the market here.”
Launched in September 2016, Ohmyhome, a licensed real estate agency, seeks to simplify property transactions by making the experience fast, affordable and hassle-free.
The platform offers do-it-yourself transactions (no charge to both buyers/tenants and sellers/landlords). They also provide in-house agents to hire for a fee.
But unlike online marketplaces, only homeowners and in-house agents can advertise on Ohmyhome, making it free from fake and duplicate listings that often permeates classified-like property portals.
And by removing the clutter, Ohmyhome is able to promise speedier transactions - and it has the numbers to back its pledge.
Out of 2,500 transactions (through agents) completed in Singapore, Rhonda says they are two times as fast compared to other agencies. “The average time it takes to sell a property in the market is 140 days. We sell it under 70 days.”
With over 50,000 monthly active users, the platform has become Singapore’s top application for HDB property transactions.
Total transaction value, meanwhile, has surpassed one billion Singapore dollar - a feat that Rhonda is very proud of, and credits her small team of staff and sales agents.
“We only have 23 property agents but we rank fifth in total volume sales (in Singapore),” says Rhonda. “Most of the agencies have over 3000 agents.”
“We have a very lean sales team because our technology takes care about 80 to 90 percent of the work.”
Singapore Proptech Ohmyhome Expanding Into Malaysia
‘Lean and mean’ is how Rhonda aims to run the team in Malaysia, and hopefully replicate its success, too.
“There is a huge oversupply situation. It is sluggish,” she says of the property market in the Klang Valley and Johor, its next target location for expansion.
“We love to be here (Malaysia) because when a market is not performing as well, our solutions will be more readily picked up. People like options that will help them save money,” she adds.
“And we hope to help solve the biggest pain point here - which is the lack of trust.”
We all have heard the horror stories; landlords left in a lurch from non-paying tenants, units turned into a mess, or worse, used for dubious activities. Illegal agents, meanwhile, remain a persistent problem in Malaysia.
“We have full-time professional agents. They only work for Ohmyhome and go through very rigorous training.” Rhonda adds that agents are evaluated based on customers’ rating to encourage high level of service.
(While agents in its Singapore office charge a fixed rate, Malaysian agents will charge a two to three percent commission, in line with market rate)
Ohmyhome also prides itself as a one-stop solution agency, offering client-agent matching, advertising, mortgage broking and lawyer conveyancing services - all these with additional fee, of course. “We provide renovation services too,” says Rhonda.
“We want to make sure that we are able to cover all your needs from the time you search for a home to signing the paperwork.”
Ohmyhome To Allow Cross Border Property Transactions
Quality service and good customer experience are crucial aspects to setting a real estate property apart from the rest; key traits that Rhonda - already a respected entrepreneur and who also used to be a treasury bonds trader in Chicago - cultivated from her first property venture, Anthill Realtors.
Started in June 2014, the consultancy serves investors who are largely high net-worth individuals.
“We only served about a hundred customers. All of them have property ranging from 20 to 100 million Singapore dollars.”
But Rhonda, who has always been into volunteerism, wanted to pursue something more meaningful - to help more people make better decisions when purchasing or selling a home - and to enjoy good service at an affordable cost.
That’s when she teamed up with equally well-known sister Race (who was formerly part of the Hong Kong Cantopop duo 2R) to start Ohmyhome.
“We wanted to build a powerful company - not just from a business perspective but in terms of reach and social impact contribution too.”
According to Rhonda, she started Ohmyhome with her co-founder and sister, Race because they wanted to help people overcome the challenges of their home transactions.
“Ohmyhome was inspired by the people around us who came to us with their HDB transaction problems in Singapore. We heard stories of how people were struggling due to divorce, loan sharks chasing after them, financial difficulties, lack of knowledge, lack of time, being misled by agents,” says Rhonda.
When the sisters gathered sufficient personal funds to create an app, this group of people was the first that they wanted to help, she adds.
“It was actually my mom and dad who said, ‘Rhonda, you like to do charity and volunteer work. How is it you are not investing all your time into a company that does more than making money?’”
Ohmyhome's Rhonda Wong On Dealing With Rejection, Challenges
The mother-of-one credits her success to her parents, who ‘worked really, really hard’ to give the sisters a comfortable life in Singapore.
“Race and I are very fortunate. We have supportive parents and husbands,” says the mother-of-one. “Their support allows us to focus on our work. Otherwise, it would have been quite impossible for us to spend so much time building the company.”
When asked about her leadership style, Rhonda says she and Race make it a point to hire people smarter than them.
“If we hire someone at marketing, he or she has to be better at marketing than us. The person will then be able to share expertise and advice for the company.”
“We also believe in having levelled conversations and healthy debates in the company instead of just commanding.”
“We always look for honesty and hardworking personality traits - that is our number one rule. So, always character over skill sets.”
Cynthia Ng
Thu May 30 2019
![Singapore's Ohmyhome to help simplify housing transactions in Malaysia Singapore's Ohmyhome to help simplify housing transactions in Malaysia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2019-05/61559201255_ohmyhome.jpg)
Sisters Race (L) and Rhonda Wong (R) started Ohmyhome in 2016. - AstroAWANIpic
![Polis mohon bantuan kesan Raisya Rasyiqah Polis mohon bantuan kesan Raisya Rasyiqah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723705839_TBHilang.jpg)
Polis mohon bantuan kesan Raisya Rasyiqah
Polis memohon bantuan orang ramai mengesan seorang remaja perempuan berusia 15 tahun yang dilaporkan hilang di Beranang, Selangor.
![Simbah cat merah, orang suruhan ah long didenda RM3,000 Simbah cat merah, orang suruhan ah long didenda RM3,000](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723705134_TBAhLong.jpg)
Simbah cat merah, orang suruhan ah long didenda RM3,000
Seorang orang suruhan ah long mengaku bersalah atas pertuduhan menyimbah cat merah di rumah keluarga peminjam, Januari lalu.
![Latihan berstruktur sektor ekonomi digital berjaya stabilkan pendapatan, perniagaan asnaf Latihan berstruktur sektor ekonomi digital berjaya stabilkan pendapatan, perniagaan asnaf](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/51723705177_TBMyREF.jpg)
Latihan berstruktur sektor ekonomi digital berjaya stabilkan pendapatan, perniagaan asnaf
Lebih daripada 30 asnaf bersama ahli keluarga mereka telah diraikan di Majlis Graduasi MyREF Hijrahpreneur Skills Program (MyREF HSP) di Auditorium High Impact Research, Universiti Malaya.
![Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723704577_RusdiMohdIsa.jpg)
Polis sahkan pemain bola sepak bawa kerambit sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol
Polis telah mengenal pasti seorang pemain bola sepak yang ditahan kerana membawa kerambit ke padang bola, sebagai suspek kes baling bom petrol di sebuah pusat hiburan di ibu negara.
![Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723703465_TBperkeso.jpg)
Bernama, Perkeso meterai MoU, manfaat 493 pengamal media sambilan
Bernama dan Perkeso menandatangani MoU bagi memperluas perlindungan sosial kepada pengamal media sambilan (stringers) melalui Skim Keselamatan Sosial Pekerjaan Sendiri (SKSPS).
![RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723701143_TBastro.jpg)
RADIO 360: Integrasi teknologi kumpul maklumat, data lebih komprehensif
RADIO 360 merentasi 11 stesen radio Astro yang boleh diakses di aplikasi SYOK termasuk Era, Sinar, Gegar, Hitz, Mix, My dan Raaga.
AWANI Ringkas: Pemain bola bawa kerambit juga suspek baling bom petrol
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
![Enam mengaku tidak bersalah culik warga China Enam mengaku tidak bersalah culik warga China](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/81723702959_TBMahkamahSesyen.jpg)
Enam mengaku tidak bersalah culik warga China
Sepasang suami isteri dan empat individu didakwa menculik seorang lelaki warga China untuk mendapatkan wang tebusan berbentuk mata wang kripto.
![Bursa gantung jualan singkat SP Setia Bursa gantung jualan singkat SP Setia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61722341186_BursaMalaysia.jpg)
Bursa gantung jualan singkat SP Setia
Bursa Malaysia menggantung jualan singkat SP Setia Bhd bagi baki tempoh hari ini selepas penyusutan harga yang ketara.
![MITI mula siasat duti antilambakan import gulungan rata besi disadur timah MITI mula siasat duti antilambakan import gulungan rata besi disadur timah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723697210_TBMiti.jpg)
MITI mula siasat duti antilambakan import gulungan rata besi disadur timah
MITI menjelaskan tindakan itu diputuskan selepas menerima petisyen daripada pengeluar tempatan, Perusahaan Sadur Timah Malaysia (Perstima) Bhd.
![Seleweng dana: SPRM tahan CEO syarikat bergelar Profesor Seleweng dana: SPRM tahan CEO syarikat bergelar Profesor](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721813711_SPRMkesseleweng.jpg)
Seleweng dana: SPRM tahan CEO syarikat bergelar Profesor
SPRM menahan reman individu bergelar Profesor yang juga Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) syarikat perkhidmatan pendidikan tinggi kerana dipercayai menyeleweng kira-kira RM270,000 dana syarikat
![KDNFC nafi peletakan jawatan Timbalan Presiden, CEO kerana isu gaji pemain KDNFC nafi peletakan jawatan Timbalan Presiden, CEO kerana isu gaji pemain](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/71716263557_tbKelantanDarulNai.jpg)
KDNFC nafi peletakan jawatan Timbalan Presiden, CEO kerana isu gaji pemain
Kelantan Darul Naim FC (KDNFC) menafikan peletakan jawatan Timbalan Presiden KDNFC Datuk Zamri Ismail dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Wan Mohd Zul Ikman adalah disebabkan isu pembayaran gaji pemain.
![Sabah FC berdepan tunggakan sebulan gaji pemain - Pengarah Sabah FC berdepan tunggakan sebulan gaji pemain - Pengarah](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/71714130818_tbMohdJohWid.jpg)
Sabah FC berdepan tunggakan sebulan gaji pemain - Pengarah
Sabah FC kini hanya berdepan tunggakan gaji pemain untuk satu bulan setelah usaha dilakukan secara tuntas untuk menyelesaikan masalah pembayaran tunggakan sejak tahun lepas.
![Tony Fernandes lanjut kontrak 5 tahun sebagai CEO Capital A Tony Fernandes lanjut kontrak 5 tahun sebagai CEO Capital A](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-04/71713953324_TonyFernandes.jpg)
Tony Fernandes lanjut kontrak 5 tahun sebagai CEO Capital A
CEO Capital A Bhd Tony Fernandes telah menandatangani kontrak perkhidmatan baharu untuk tempoh lima tahun akan datang.
![Standard Chartered Saadiq Malaysia lantik Bilal Parvaiz sebagai CEO Standard Chartered Saadiq Malaysia lantik Bilal Parvaiz sebagai CEO](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/61709099038_bilalparvaiz.jpg)
Standard Chartered Saadiq Malaysia lantik Bilal Parvaiz sebagai CEO
Standard Chartered Saadiq Malaysia melantik Bilal Parvaiz sebagai Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) berkuat kuasa 15 Mac 2024.
!['Bagaimana nak jual, KL Rovers bukan milik KLFA' 'Bagaimana nak jual, KL Rovers bukan milik KLFA'](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/61709007620_TBKLRoversjpg.jpg)
'Bagaimana nak jual, KL Rovers bukan milik KLFA'
Kuala Lumpur (KL) Rovers FC mempersoalkan hak Persatuan Bola Sepak Kuala Lumpur (KLFA) untuk menjual kelab itu sedangkan ia adalah ahli gabungan sejak tahun 2021.
![Bukan untuk djual, KL Rovers hanya sedia runding jual pegangan saham Bukan untuk djual, KL Rovers hanya sedia runding jual pegangan saham](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/61708919272_TBKLRoversjpg.jpg)
Bukan untuk djual, KL Rovers hanya sedia runding jual pegangan saham
Kenyataan Presiden Persatuan Bola Sepak Kuala Lumpur (KLFA), Khalid Samad, mengenai penjualan kelab Kuala Lumpur (KL) Rovers, semata-mata demi menampung masalah kewangan adalah tidak tepat.
![Intel tawar perkhidmatan pengeluaran cip kepada AMD, NVIDIA, Qualcomm Intel tawar perkhidmatan pengeluaran cip kepada AMD, NVIDIA, Qualcomm](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-02/51613127911_IntelLogo.jpg)
Intel tawar perkhidmatan pengeluaran cip kepada AMD, NVIDIA, Qualcomm
Apabila Intel Foundry Services beroperasi secara sepenuhnya, Intel akan mempunyai kemampuan untuk membangunkan cip intel tersuai yang hadir dengan teknologi terbina.
![Pengerusi, CEO Aman Palestin didakwa lebih 100 tuduhan pecah amanah, tipu, pengubahan wang haram Pengerusi, CEO Aman Palestin didakwa lebih 100 tuduhan pecah amanah, tipu, pengubahan wang haram](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/51707973538_TBCEOAmanPalesti.jpg)
Pengerusi, CEO Aman Palestin didakwa lebih 100 tuduhan pecah amanah, tipu, pengubahan wang haram
Dua pegawai pengurusan tertinggi Aman Palestin Bhd (Aman Palestin), mengaku tidak bersalah pecah amanah di Mahkamah Sesyen Shah Alam, hari ini.
![KDA FC umum Shahrul Samsudin pangku tugas CEO KDA FC umum Shahrul Samsudin pangku tugas CEO](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-02/51706868455_TBShahrulSamsudin.jpg)
KDA FC umum Shahrul Samsudin pangku tugas CEO
Keputusan itu bertujuan melancarkan pentadbiran dan urusan semasa kelab selepas Khamal Idris Ali meletakkan jawatan tersebut.