I’m always amazed at the skill of surgeons, particularly neurosurgeons. Now you may ask what that’s got to do with real estate.

I was sent a survey recently that said that 17 per cent of home owners can remember the name of the agent from which they bought their home. This survey underpins my belief that as an industry we are not focussing on relationships.

When relationships are not the focus of your business then an over-reliance on skill becomes the only option. The agents who rely solely on skill need to develop the skill of a surgeon in order to survive.

I’ll leave you with one thought: if skill focus is working for real estate agents then why are commission rates declining across the country?