The people skills nobody puts in the feasibili

Good morning Bob, and why the intro never chan

Why this episode: a student who loses momentum

The procrastinator, the diver-in, the overthin

Competence creates confidence, but action is s

Skill 1: communication and listening

Twelve people in a duplex, and dealing with eg

Imposter syndrome and speaking up to consultan

Listening: isolate the real issue, no tangents

The rubbish bag: deal with small things as the

Skill 2: negotiation, and where it actually ha

Do you negotiate consultant fees?

Land plus build is 82 percent of your costs

Assertive, not a bully

A builder's market, and 4 percent off a contra

Skill 3: relationships, trust and networking

Agents: say why it doesn't stack up, and stay

Helping a student write a brief for agents

Trust, and why a good buyer's agent gets recom

The builder: the longest relationship in a bui

The October workshop

Networking: be inquisitive, and say what you w

Skill 4: emotional intelligence and hard conve

Agents who stonewall

Cost blowouts, delays and liquidated damages

Detailed plans and documentation prevent argum

Recap: which skill do you need to work on?

Confidence with people is the game changer

Property development is a people game. Negotiation, conflict, getting people on site, keeping a builder onside. None of it appears in the feasibility, and Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton argue it decides outcomes just as often as the numbers do.

Prompted by a new mentoring student who gets excited by the podcast and then loses momentum, Hilary and Bob work through the skills that turn knowledge into action: communication and listening, negotiation, relationships and trust, networking, and emotional intelligence in difficult conversations.

Bob explains how he isolates the real issue when a consultant or builder dumps everything at once, why the two numbers worth negotiating hard are the land and the build, what to say to an agent when a site doesn't stack up so they keep sending you deals, and why a detailed set of plans and a proper building contract prevent most arguments before they start.

The takeaway: competence creates confidence, but confidence with people is what gets a development finished. Pick the one skill you need to work on and start there.

The Property Development and Joint Ventures Workshop kicks off online on Thursday 1 October, then runs live on the Gold Coast 9 to 11 October 2026: https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/property-development-and-joint-ventures-workshop/

 Hosted by Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton of Property Mastermind.

Property development is a people game. Negotiation, conflict, getting people on site, keeping a builder onside. None of it appears in the feasibility, and Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton argue it decides outcomes just as often as the numbers do.
Prompted by a new mentoring student who gets excited by the podcast and then loses momentum, Hilary and Bob work through the skills that turn knowledge into action: communication and listening, negotiation, relationships and trust, networking, and emotional intelligence in difficult conversations.
Bob explains how he isolates the real issue when a consultant or builder dumps everything at once, why the two numbers worth negotiating hard are the land and the build, what to say to an agent when a site doesn't stack up so they keep sending you deals, and why a detailed set of plans and a proper building contract prevent most arguments before they start.
The takeaway: competence creates confidence, but confidence with people is what gets a development finished. Pick the one skill you need to work on and start there.
The Property Development and Joint Ventures Workshop kicks off online on Thursday 1 October, then runs live on the Gold Coast 9 to 11 October 2026: <a href="https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/property-development-and-joint-ventures-workshop/">https://www.propertymastermind.com.au/events/property-development-and-joint-ventures-workshop/</a>
&nbsp;Hosted by Bob Andersen and Hilary Saxton of Property Mastermind.

Want to sky-rocket your property development career? Bob Andersen & Hilary Saxton are here to add value to your property journey, whether it be through high-quality education, guidance, and accountability. Stay tuned for weekly episodes!

Want to sky-rocket your property development career? Bob Andersen &amp; Hilary Saxton are here to add value to your property journey, whether it be through high-quality education, guidance, and accountability. Stay tuned for weekly episodes!

Property Mastermind - All Things Property Development

Property Mastermind Podcast with Bob Andersen & Hilary Saxton

The Best People Skills In Property Development | Ep: 272