The Conscience of a Property Agent
For most Malaysians, buying a property is a once-in-a-lifetime decision. This single purchase sets the course for their next 30 years, determining whether they build wealth or drown in debt.
When an agent sells without integrity, it's more than a bad transaction—it's a potential life sentence for the buyer.
The Cost of a "Quick Win"
Unethical selling is simple: tell people what they want to hear, not what they need to know. Agents promise high rental returns, guaranteed capital gains, or assure buyers that a loan is "sure to be approved."
The deal closes, the agent collects a commission, and moves on.
But the buyer moves in—into a home that might be impossible to rent or sell, and a loan that consumes every paycheck. The resulting stress and regret can last for decades. When the buyer struggles, they won't blame the developer or the bank. They'll remember you—the smiling agent who promised everything would be fine.
Sales Tricks That Destroy Lives
We need to stop calling these "sales tactics." They are, plain and simple, fraud.
1. Compress Loans: Borrowing Beyond Limits
A compress loan involves submitting multiple unit applications to different banks simultaneously. Each bank, unaware of the others, approves a full loan based on the buyer's assumed sole purchase. The buyer accepts all the loans, often exceeding their true affordability.
This is a time bomb. When instalments begin, the buyer defaults, leading to blacklists, repossessions, and ruin. The agent walks away richer; the buyer walks away devastated.
2. Cash-Out Schemes: Selling Debt, Not Value
A cash-out deal artificially inflates the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) price above the actual property value to secure a larger loan. For example: the SPA is set at RM600,000, but the real price is RM500,000. Post-completion, the developer or agent secretly refunds the RM100,000 difference to the buyer.
While it appears to be "free money," the buyer is now repaying interest for 30 years on a loan amount they never actually used. The "cash-out" becomes a trap, forcing them to pay back RM100,000 more for nothing.
3. Fake Documents: A Criminal Chain
The most egregious crime is when agents recommend "helpful" bankers who use fake documents—edited payslips, forged bank statements, or manipulated EPF records—to push unqualified loan approvals through.
This isn't clever; it's criminal. When authorities investigate, they follow the chain: the banker, the developer who knew, and the agent who made the referral. Careers are ended, licenses are revoked, and the buyer spends a lifetime paying for a loan they should never have qualified for.
The Real Cost: Beyond the Financials
These practices aren't just financial mistakes. They shatter lives—breaking marriages, ruining credit scores, and destroying futures. A 25-year-old fresh graduate can spend their 30s and 40s trapped in a debt they didn't understand, simply because an agent prioritized a faster commission. Every lie compounds into a lifetime of pressure.
Conscious Selling Is Sustainable
A professional agent sells with awareness, not manipulation.
- They honestly explain the risks.
- They help clients check true affordability.
- They provide guidance, even if the truth costs them a deal.
This is the foundation of a sustainable, respected career. Shortcuts may fill your pocket today, but integrity builds your career tomorrow. A client who trusts you will refer you again and again. That is real wealth.
The commission you earn today will fade. Your conscience will compound.
Every property you sell is a person's life story. Ensure you are remembered as the person who protected a buyer's dream, not the one who destroyed it.
Earn your commission with consciousness. Because one wrong sale can haunt a buyer forever, and one right agent can redeem an entire industry.
