Over 100 agents to leave KW Singapore after fallout from PropertyLimBrothers saga
Joyce Lim
The Straits Times
Feb 5, 2026
More than 100 property agents are set to leave boutique agency KW Singapore following leadership changes linked to the PropertyLimBrothers (PLB) saga, The Straits Times has learnt.
These departures come after KW Singapore founder Melvin Lim, who is also PLB's co-founder and chief executive, stepped down from leadership roles at both agencies in the last week of January following a widely publicised controversy involving personal conduct.
KW Singapore is a franchise of US-based real estate agency Keller Williams.
According to the Council for Estate Agencies public register, KW Singapore had 157 registered agents as at Feb 5, 2026.
Sources said close to 100 agents are set to leave, in addition to 38 salespersons who have sought to join PropNex since January.
Mr Lim has stepped back from his duties as KW Singapore's operating principal, the firm said in a statement on Jan 29. Mr Jonathan Lee, KW Worldwide Asia Pacific Hub growth consultant, has been appointed to lead the firm on an interim basis.
The company added that Ms Grayce Tan, formerly the company's director of growth, "is no longer part of the KW Singapore leadership team, with immediate effect".
Following these moves, two senior property agents have moved to PropNex with their teams, said PropNex co-founder and executive chairman Ismail Gafoor.
Among these teams are "two millionaire producer agents, as well as multiple rising millionaire achievers and experienced team managers", he added.
Mr Gafoor said that since January, more than 38 salespersons from KW Singapore have sought to move to PropNex.
Another high-profile departure is KW Singapore's top agent. Ms Rayne Chua, who is also the agency's new launch director and brand ambassador, will be joining ERA Singapore. It is not known how many of the agents leaving KW Singapore will also move to ERA.
Industry watchers said the imminent departures will thus greatly impact the boutique agency's sales force.
"If you have 100 agents and more than 50 leave, it will definitely have an impact, whether it's (on) the bottom line or psychologically," said Huttons Asia chief executive Mark Yip.
He added that when close to 100 agents move as a team, it is likely that they would choose one of the top three agencies, as these have the resources to provide training and tech support.
Mr Gafoor added: "In the real estate industry, reputation, stability and credible opportunities are fundamental. While salespeople may explore different platforms in pursuit of growth, they ultimately gravitate towards organisations that offer long-term sustainability, strong leadership, and the ability to grow both individuals and teams with confidence."
As at Feb 5, 2026, PropNex was the largest agency with more than 14,000 registered agents. ERA is the second biggest with 8,504 agents, followed by Huttons Asia with 5,793 agents.
When contacted, Ms Chua said she was "looking for an organisation that genuinely invests in people".
"ERA stood out as the right fit with values aligned to my own and a strong emphasis on structured training and robust tech platforms that support advisers at every stage," she added.
On the timing of her move, Ms Chua said: "It was driven by where I felt I could best position my business for the long term."
While PLB and KW Singapore are separate entities, there were close leadership links between both firms, which industry sources said contributed to the scale and speed of the exits.
As at Feb 5, PLB had 79 registered agents. It is not known if any of them have also left following the leadership changes.
Commenting on broader industry trends, ERA Singapore chief executive Marcus Chu said he has observed "more agents becoming more deliberate in their choice of agency, particularly in a market where operating costs, compliance requirements and client expectations have risen".
"Many are reassessing which platforms can best support them with scale, technology and training," added Mr Chu.
ST has reached out to Keller Williams Worldwide for comment.
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