Heart and hustle: Eileen Lim on balancing family, business, and self-care

I did not expect to find a kindred spirit in Eileen Lim, nor did either of us expect to end the interview moved to tears (in a good way).

“Talking to you is like talking to a close friend,” she said, just before we parted ways. But it is hardly surprising for one to quickly experience a sense of closeness with Lim.

The popular realtor is no stranger to publicity; she’s already had quite a bit of media exposure covering her remarkable journey in Singapore’s real estate market. So, what other stories does she have to tell in 2025?

“I’ve got a new title — Popo!” Lim announces gleefully,  taking out her smartphone to show off pictures of Luna, her granddaughter. “She’s the spinach to my Popeye! I’d do anything for her,” she continued, laughing.

Jokes aside, Lim feels like she has a new mission. “With Luna on board in my life now, I have more fuel to keep me going!”

Lim’s source of joy: her team. (Picture: Eileen Lim)

A philosophy of self-care and balance

Becoming a grandmother at 46 has shifted Lim’s perspective on self-care and balance, especially for women juggling multiple roles in their lives. “You have to make sure that your own love tank, or energy tank, is full,” she says. “Only then will you have the ability to go out and nourish others.”

She says a lot of her friends tend to prioritise other things and put themselves last. “My girlfriends train themselves to give and give until they’re running on empty,” Lim observes. “As women, we cannot continue like this [indefinitely]. We’ll burn out.”

She believes that needing self-care is not selfish, but necessary — especially in her new role as grandmother, and busy award-winning realtor adept at handling six or more property launches concurrently. “Making sure that I’m full of energy after taking care of myself means I can do things better in a shorter period of time — with more precision and a clearer mind.”

Lim’s Mission (Picture: Eileen Lim)

A new role in commercial real estate

Known for her keen insights and dedication, Lim is set to play a pivotal role in The Golden Mile Singapore project that launched on Feb 22.

“I’m honoured to be selected as part of the ERA Leadership Team managing the launch of the rejuvenated Golden Mile,” Lim says. “It’s the conservation of an iconic landmark that preserves the heritage of Singapore’s first large-scale conserved strata-titled building. It’s a visionary home for life’s cherished moments. Unchartered waters for us!”

With Perennial Holdings and Far East Organization collaborating on Aurea, the residential aspect of the restoration project, Lim sees tremendous potential in the development and a sound investment for property hunters.

“There will be totally unblocked views of the bay area and city skylines from the level 18 sky garden,” she says. “And a massive 24,994 sq ft URA architecture centre on level 3, which will be open to everyone to study the brutalist architecture and enjoy the restoration!”

Renowned for her sharp insights and commitment, Lim is poised to take on a key role in ERA’s The Golden Mile Singapore project, which launched on February 22 (Picture: Samuel Isaac Chua/The Edge Singapore)

Investment insights: is real estate affordable today?

Contrary to popular belief, Lim argues that real estate is more affordable today than in the past when measured against income levels. “People tend to just see bigger costs, but they don’t compare the ratios,” she notes, before demonstrating with her calculator the proportion of income to real estate market prices today versus 50 years ago.

Lim also highlights the changing relationship younger generations have with money. “A lot of people accuse the younger generation of being entitled, but I feel that because they have more information and are a lot more well-read, [they learn to invest] at a much earlier age.”

She sees this as a positive shift to accumulate wealth faster — be it through stocks, shares, crypto and property — as compared to previous generations.

Lim paying it forward as a mentor at ERA Academy’s Next Level class, guiding ERA agents towards achieving their goals. (Picture: Eileen Lim)

Giving back and staying grounded

Lim has always been open about her personal journey, which was not an easy one. Growing up poor and orphaned, the Raffles Girls’ School and Raffles Junior College alumnus started her working life as a mobile phone seller while caring for her daughter as a single mum.

She credits her success to her sister, Amy, who took on a motherly role towards her despite being younger.

“Amy withdrew from polytechnic when our mum passed away, because she said I was the academic one,” Lim recalls. “She started working and I continued studying; unfortunately I didn’t get the best grades for my A-Levels.”

This experience shaped Lim’s approach to life, family, and business.

“Life was very different when I was raising my daughter at age 21. I was just surviving, trying to make things work,” she says. “I figured as long as my kid is fed, she’s not crying, she’s not dying, I could focus on work.”

Lim admits to having some regrets and beating herself up mentally. “I’d think, what if I’d done better in school?” she reflects. “But there’s no point doing this to myself. I still have a lifetime with my daughter and granddaughter.”

It has been a long route towards her success. Lim is deeply committed to giving back, inspired by her past hardships and need for frugality.

“My sister and daughter are still careful with cash,” says Lim. “It makes me sad sometimes that even with all of our success, [our actions are still influenced by the past] when we once worried about money. We’d use candles because the electricity was cut off and we wouldn’t open our letter box to avoid the piles of bills.”

Happy wearing just a Casio watch, Lim prefers to help needy families, putting together care boxes for households during festive seasons like Chinese New Year and Hari Raya.

She says: “This is what keeps me going: contributing to people who need it the most.”

This International Women’s Day, she has a loving message for her sister: “Thank you, Amy for always being there, from all those years ago until just yesterday when I having a bad day … She came down to me [at the carpark] to walk me home. I’m 46 years old and she still cares that way for me!”

Lim’s family: a constant source of love and motivation, always supporting and inspiring her to reach new heights. (Picture: Eileen Lim)

Looking ahead

Lim remains excited about the future, embracing new projects with enthusiasm and always improving herself.

Maintaining a balance between her personal and professional life remains her core value, as Lim strives to make an impact in the real estate sector, contribute to her growing family and serve the community at large — especially those in need. “I still got a good 40 years,” she says confidently. “And that means I have plenty of time to keep making a difference.”

For more information,

Contact Eileen Lim | 98909399

Team Director (R006329D)

ERA REALTY NETWORK PTE LTD