Real estate is hyper-competitive. According to the 2012 Economic Census, there are 86,004 real estate brokerage firms operating in the United States. This means you have competitors around every corner vying to overtake your market and your business. However, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is focussing on your competition. Successful brokers focus on determining their own strengths and figuring out how to build a solid foundation for their agents and clients. Here are some key facts that are moving forward-thinking brokerages in the right direction.