Get to know your agent | Michael Molloy, @realty

I was offered a real estate career in 1989, coming out of a customer service/sales background in newspaper and radio.

I worked in real estate until 1999, then left to raise my two boys full time.

These certainly were tough times in the real estate market - as well as the community in general - with mortgage rates getting as high as 19 per cent.

It was a time where selling and maintaining relationships was the key and you had to draw on your vast customer service skills, people skills and especially negotiating skills to just survive.

Nowadays in my local market, the common complaint is getting an agent to call them back and you feel like they are working for the buyer, not the seller.

As the market toughens, we are spending more time in front of our clients so customer service, backed with great results, is an imperative combination in establishing a real estate career.

I love the day to day challenges of real estate and am just as passionate about it as I am about life itself, understanding that it's not about me getting paid, but providing my clients with a quality service that goes beyond one's expectations, making sure they will always come back in the future.

I have been lucky enough to win numerous awards for property sales in Victoria and South Australia, and will continue to strive to be the best in my market and clients will always come first.