Sex first, then sell my flat: Women property agents fend off indecent proposals, harassment

Property agent Susan Mariam was in a Jurong West Housing Board flat speaking to the owner about selling his home 13 years ago, when he suddenly locked the door and tried to force her to have sex.

- BNB Diviyadhaarshini

She ran into the master bedroom, locked the door and screamed for help from the window of the second-floor unit.

Her husband, who was waiting for her at the carpark, heard her screams and ran up to the unit.

He yelled at the home owner and told him to let his wife go before the police arrived.

Ms Mariam, who is now divorced, got away unscathed and the man was taken away by the police.

The 44-year-old senior associate branch director at OrangeTee is among several property agents who spoke to The Straits Times about encountering instances of sexual harassment or indecent proposals in the course of their work.

ERA property agent Desiree Leung, for instance, received a handwritten letter that was mailed to her office on July 1, likely from a prospective home buyer.

In the letter — seen by The Straits Times — the writer said he would engage her services to buy a flat, but only if she agreed to have sex with him.

Ms Leung, 30, said: "When I read the first few lines, I thought it was a normal inquiry to meet and discuss a property sale but when I read the sentence 'I want to f*** you for an hour', I was shocked.

"I showed it to my colleagues in the office immediately and later made a police report."