When I was a child I used to watch my mother bake. My mum is a wonderful baker, hence why I’m the size that I am. Whenever I would ask mum what her secret ingredient was, she would simply smile. Whatever it was, it always worked.

In real estate I believe it’s important you play the process, not the time. So often an owner will tell you they plan to sell in September only for you to find the house on the market through another agent in May. So often a buyer says their limit is $500,000 only for you to discover they ended up spending $700,000.

You see, the secret ingredient of real estate is life. Shit happens. An owner wasn’t intending to sell until September, but they found a new house they loved. A buyer only intended to spend $500,000 but they discovered a home they fell in love with for $700,000.

Real estate is all about real people living their lives.

What we can do is tap into this process. Don’t wait for an owner to put their house on the market – play the process, not the time. Remember, life is the secret ingredient.