For the Sarkis team and their team leader George Sarkis, finding humanity in the real estate industry is a key ingredient to success. “Every client receives a highly personalized experience supported by scalable systems and processes,” says Serkis. “This balance allows us to provide boutique-level service with the efficiency and consistency of a top-performing team.”
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Serkis’ team serves “every market in Massachusetts,” offering “the depth, network, and expertise to deliver at every price point.” A weekly review of data and market trends keeps you ahead of prices, inventory, and buyer behavior. “We don’t just know what’s going on,” Serkis said. “We understand why it’s happening and use that insight to guide our clients strategically.”
See how this team breaks records year after year and sets new standards of excellence across the state.
Name: George Serkis
Title: CEO and Co-Founder of the Serkis Team at Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Experience: 8 years in real estate industry
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Team Name: The Serkis Team at Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Ranking:
Douglas Elliman No. 2 team in the United States No. 1 Douglas Elliman team in Massachusetts 2025 Real Trend Verification: The Thousand (No. 1 team in Massachusetts, No. 1 large team in Massachusetts, No. 17 team in the United States) Top 10 in sales for 3 consecutive years Top 5 in sales in Massachusetts history
Team size: 20 people team including 6 management team members and 17 agents
Transaction side: 1,671 transactions
Revenue: Approximately $2 billion since 2018
Awards: Pinnacle Award and New Development Award, Douglas Elliman
What do you wish more people knew about working in real estate?
Most people see success stories, closings, lavish listings, and celebrations. What they don’t see is the human side of real estate, the conversations, relationships, and trust that take years to build.
Real estate is more than just selling houses. It’s about connecting with people. Truly successful agents understand that this business is personal. It’s important to show up, listen, provide guidance, and add value, even if the deal doesn’t close right away.
The focus is often on the deal and the next sale. But the real magic happens when you prioritize relationships over commissions. Pick up the phone. Let’s have real conversations. Check in, share advice, or just be there for someone. This is how trust is built, and trust is what supports the longevity of business.
Social media is a powerful tool, but it can’t replace real human relationships. The foundation of real estate has always been, and will continue to be, “people.” After all, your client won’t remember what you posted. They remember how you made them feel.
What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started?
If there’s one thing I wish I had known when I started in real estate, it’s to not get too caught up in immediate results. Early in my career, I was focused on the next deal and the next yes. If someone said, “I’m not ready to sell,” I would just move on to the next step without realizing how important it is to take the time to nurture that relationship.
Looking back, initially working with other agents, developers, builders, and clients, was an opportunity that I sometimes overlooked. Instead of staying put and showing genuine interest, I thought there was no way forward. What I’ve learned is that things change. Agents move on and deals fall through, but people remember who always showed up for them.
Real estate is a long-term game. Success comes from nurturing relationships, providing value, following up, and being consistent. You can’t force results. They grow over time through trust, persistence, and genuine connection.
It’s like boiling water. I don’t know what happens the moment I turn on the fire. It requires patience, consistency, and attentiveness. The same applies if you want to build a lasting career in this business. If you focus on relationships, not just immediate results, success will follow.
Tell me about an epic failure you experienced as a team leader.
I don’t really consider it a failure, but one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned since starting the team was hiring the wrong people and not doing enough due diligence early on.
When you’re building something, it’s easy to think that growth means adding more people, but that’s not the case. We don’t need an army to grow. The right people should be in the right seats on the bus.
Early on, I hired an agent who, while a strong producer, did not align with our vision, values, or culture. They could be sold, but they weren’t suitable for what we were trying to build. This experience taught me that skills alone are not enough.
Mindset, personality, and alignment with the team’s mission are even more important.
After all, a team is only as strong as its people. Hiring the wrong person was painful at the time, but it ended up being one of the most important lessons I learned as a leader. So I had to slow down, be intentional, and focus on building a culture and not just a roster.
What is your top tip for newly formed teams?
If I could give one piece of advice to a new or growing real estate team, it would be this: “Don’t grow too fast.”
Take the time to hire the right people, not just those with licenses. Have a clear vision, business plan, and identity before expanding. Understand what your brand stands for, what your mission is, and where you want your team to go. Build systems and processes early. This will allow you to expand successfully later.
Too many teams try to grow before they’re ready. True growth does not come from increasing the number of people. It comes from building the right foundation.
Another important tip is to not start a team if you are not ready to lead. When you build a team, you become more than just an agent. You are a coach, a mentor, and a culture setter. It means having the patience to grow and guide others and help them find their footing.
That means building slowly, building smart, and building with purpose. Lasting teams are built on vision, structure, and leadership, not speed.
What makes a good leader?
A great leader is someone who is not afraid to be vulnerable, who is honest, and who leads with heart and trust. Just talking is not enough. I have to walk the path. In real estate, this means backing up what you teach with real experience. Too many people try to become leaders without ever having done the work themselves. True leadership comes from experience, not ego.
Great leaders gain buy-in by being honest, patient, and recognizing that everyone is different. Each person has their own strengths, weaknesses, and motivations. Great leaders take the time to identify those strengths and help people reach their potential.
Leadership is not about control. It’s about creating opportunities. Great leaders create opportunities for people. They give them room to learn, fail, and evolve. They invest their time and energy into mentoring and educating those around them.
Most importantly, great leaders never stop learning. They understand that perfection does not exist, but improvement does. The best leaders remain students and are always looking for ways to become better. That mindset helps them hone their own skills and inspires those around them to continue growing.
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