ELEVATEGUEST INTERVIEWSTHE ELEVATE PODCAST

Addressing the complex issues in real estate: Douglas Driscoll

"When was the last time you saw a bad review on Rate My Agent? You know, it's unicorn tears. It doesn't happen. However, Google recognises Google, but one of the challenges offices or agents face is that if the vendor hasn't got a Google account, then obviously they can't establish a Google review." - Doug Driscoll

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Douglas Driscoll is CEO and owner of the Starr Partners real estate group. With more than 30 offices across NSW, the group is one of Australia’s most trusted and recognised brands.

Douglas has been continuously recognised for his dynamic and pioneering thought leadership in the industry for as long as we’ve known him.

And he is not afraid to speak up about what he believes is true, including some of the more contentious issues in the industry that have cropped up in the last 12 months.

In this podcast, we going to unpack some of those, including #metoo, lead generators, the future of property management, ‘off-market’ and humans technology. 



“It doesn’t matter whether you’re this person or Mother Teresa, you just cannot get away with saying those kinds of things. If there’s one salient point that I’d like to make today, it’s not how it was intended, it was how it’s perceived. It’s as simple as that. And if you’re not sure, just don’t say it.”

Some topics I discussed with Doug include:

  • How Doug comes up with the inspiration to write about the things that get traction among people
  • Proptech and the great debate of machine versus human
  • Why Doug sees “off-market” as not particularly helpful what it really means and his thoughts on a better term for it
  • Sexual harassment in the workplace and what needs to happen in the real estate industry to stamp it out – why there needs to be a culture of no excuses
  • The rise of lead generators/interceptors and why Doug says to upskill in digital now…and for leaders how Doug believes commission splits should work when a lead generator needs to be paid
  • A better way of thinking about your marketing budget/expenditure which will build your own brand and profile
  • The problem with review platforms and which platforms agents should focus on
  • Why Doug believes the job title ‘Property Manager’ is outdated and what the ‘new world’ requires
  • Back to basics, the importance of being hyper-local and being a content provider to your neighbourhood; leaning on others to cover your areas of weakness
  • Some advice for eliminating distractions
  • Why Doug doesn’t read books – what he does instead for self-improvement…

Plus much much more…

Resources:

Connect with Doug Driscoll:

Connect with The Elite Agent Team:

For access to Doug Driscoll’s Action Guide click here

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Samantha McLean

Samantha McLean is the Co-founder and Managing Editor of Elite Agent, Australia's trusted platform for real estate news, insights, and community connection. With over 20 years in sales and marketing across respected global companies, Samantha brings practical expertise and thoughtful leadership to the industry. Since founding Elite Agent, Samantha has grown the brand from a magazine into a dynamic media hub that includes the Elevate podcast, daily newsletters, and engaging industry events. Her approachable style and genuine curiosity have earned Elite Agent recognition, including multiple Mumbrella awards for excellence. Samantha is passionate about exploring how technology, especially artificial intelligence, can improve productivity and client relationships without losing the essential human touch. She regularly discusses these topics with industry experts on the Elevate podcast. She holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology Sydney. Connect with Samantha at Elite Agent or aipoweredagents.com or visit her personal website samanthamclean.com.