Happy Agent Co. — Real Estate Podcast for Women hosted by Lindsay Dreyer, Real Estate Coach

3 Keys to Real Estate Success in 2025

• Lindsay Dreyer • Season 1 • Episode 4

Share episode

Welcome to 2025! This episode starts the new year with a focus on the 3 keys to real estate success in 2025: lead nurture, listing prep & pricing, and staying consistent. We're diving deep into not letting any opportunity fall through the cracks, pipeline management, why prepping and pricing your listings are crucial in today's market, and how staying consistent will lead to success this year. By embracing imperfection and nurturing your skills and mindset, you can make 2025 an awesome year. Plus, hear about our Broker BFF Coaching Program, designed to provide personalized support and accountability because one size doesn't fit all in real estate!

Rainbow Timer (Amazon):
https://www.amazon.com/Ainowes-Protective-Countdown-Management-Excercise/dp/B0CQRHC4X8

Let's stay connected!

💼 Coaching with Lindsay – Get personalized strategy, support, and mindset shifts to scale your real estate business without sacrificing your joy.

🎓 Happy Agent Academy – Your go-to resource for freebies, on-demand courses, templates, and tools to help you grow a thriving real estate business.

📩 Join the Happy Hustle Newsletter – Weekly insights, strategies, and real talk to help you build wealth, lead boldly, and create a business you love.

📲 Let's Connect on Instagram or Facebook – Daily tips, inspiration, and behind-the-scenes of what it really takes to create success with joy.

Speaker 1:

It's our first episode of 2025. Welcome. I hope you all had a restful and peaceful close to 2024. And I am so excited to dive in to how you will win in 2025. I have three areas of focus for you and we are going to get into them.

Speaker 1:

The nitty gritty, I don't know about you, but I am pretty excited for 2025. I really think that professional full-time real estate agents have a unique opportunity this year, and there are three areas of focus that I think, if you focus on for this year, you are just absolutely going to do well. You might even crush it, so to speak. So the three areas that I am talking about today number one is lead nurture. Second is listing, prep and pricing. And the third is the ever-present staying consistent. Now, I always find it helpful to have clear areas of focus that are going to shape my success, and when I thought about what 2024 was all about the agents that I saw doing really well it really came down to these three things, and my feeling is that the 2025 market is not going to be that much different than 2024. We're going to face the same challenges. We're going to have the same types of client problems, market problems, all of those things, I still think there is tremendous opportunity for us, though let's dive into the first one, and that is lead nurture.

Speaker 1:

I don't know about you, but clients are really falling into one or two buckets. They're either ready to transact ready to do it now they're pulling the trigger or they are nine, 12 months from now, maybe even it's uncertain. They just know at some point in the future they are interested in purchasing or selling their home. I think this has to do with just the amount of uncertainty interest rate volatility, people's lives. It just feels like a lot of things are kind of up in the air right now, but the opportunity for 2025 is to not let anything fall through the cracks. I do not want you to miss out on any opportunity. So, because of this longer time frame and longer time horizon, we are having to get really good at making sure that nothing falls through the cracks. And the really great thing about being awesome at lead nurture it means that your pipeline is usually full at a consistent pace and it ensures that your business is growing at a steady pace and that you have a steady stream of income, which is every real estate agent's goal right. So here are some strategies to nurturing leads for the long term.

Speaker 1:

I recommend and this is the most important thing, if you get anything out of this section, please do this Track every single opportunity that comes across your phone, in-person conversation, email box. Wherever you are getting opportunities from, make sure that you are tracking every single one that is coming through. I know some agents use a notebook. That is totally fine. Some people use a CRM software, some people use a Google Sheet, some people use tags in their inbox. I really don't mind what you use. What you have to make sure of, though, is that it is consistent, so, no matter what or where this person comes from, who they are, you have one source of truth of your pipeline, one source of truth where you can go back and see everybody that you could potentially do a deal with.

Speaker 1:

I also like having a way to segment these people into different categories. This could be time frame, this could be the traditional hot, warm or cold, but having them in different buckets can be really helpful. I personally like to have it in a pipeline bucket. Now I use follow-up boss as our CRM, and they have a deals tab that allows you to basically have different silos for the different categories in your pipeline. So, for example, we have, for a buyer, the first bucket is your inquiry, then we have the first meeting, then we have pre-approval buyer agency agreement signed, then we have touring, then under contract, then closing, and what's really nice is we're able to basically drag the person from whichever stage they're at. Now most CRMs have the ability to do this. I don't think that this is like particularly special to follow up, boss, although I do love it and I've been using it for over eight years.

Speaker 1:

The key is that it's something that you're going to not only use and stay consistent with, but that allows you to review it at least daily. Now, I know a lot of you are like Lindsay I'm not reviewing anything daily. Okay, I will give you a little bit of a pass. I do think that at the very least, review this list weekly, and I think this is so crucial because you want to make sure that you are focusing on the logical next step for every single person that is in your pipeline. For example, if you have somebody that you had a first meeting with but they have not gotten pre-approved yet, how are we going to work with that person to get them pre-approved? That is the logical next step for that person. If we have a seller that we've done a listing appointment with and we need to get them to sign the listing agreement, that is the logical next step. How are we going to get them to sign that listing agreement? So, being able to look at your pipeline at a glance super important, so, whether you're analog or digital, that's a really crucial key piece and then being able to figure out what the logical next step is for each of those people.

Speaker 1:

I also am a big fan of technology, so potentially you could put some people on an automated drip campaign, as long as it doesn't seem too impersonal. I like to do a combination of maybe automated and personal touches. Put some people on an automated drip campaign, as long as it doesn't seem too impersonal, I like to do a combination of maybe automated and personal touches. And then for people who are interested in properties in particular, you could do an MLS property alerts. We personally at my brokerage, use RealScout so we could do property alerts, home value alerts for market updates. So you can rely on some automation. But you also have to be able to take that one-to-one be able to manage the pipeline, because technology is never, ever, ever going to manage the pipeline for you. That is your job Now. You don't have to be a creepy stalker. I do not want you to be like gross and push people stalker. I do not want you to be like gross and push people, but I do think it is important that you understand where everyone is at in the pipeline and what needs to happen to get them to the next step.

Speaker 1:

Moving on to number two, which is listing, prep and pricing, I don't know about your market, but I think most of us are in the same boat, which is inventory is moving upward and if a property is not priced or prepped appropriately, it is sitting on the market, and there is nothing worse as a listing agent than having a property sit on the market. It is literally the worst. I can't actually think of a worse thing, because it's like a daily reminder that you are a failure and you are not doing a good job. So I am going to assume and maybe I should never assume because you know what they say, but I am going to assume that you all out there in the real estate world are doing what I consider the bare minimum of professional photos, floor plan, a really nice MLS listing with a description Like your MLS listing is good. I'm going to just assume that, and then we'll dive into prep and pricing. I'm not including marketing, because I do feel like if you prep and price and then do really great photos and a floor plan, your listing will probably sell.

Speaker 1:

So let's talk about your best practices for listing prep. If you do not have a listing checklist, so this would be your pre-listing checklist to ensure that your house is market ready. You absolutely need to have one, and this includes all of the piddly stuff that we all know every single house has, which is re-caulking the bathroom, cleaning the windows and the window screens, the HVAC filters. You know what I'm talking about. They are the little things that they don't necessarily bump the price of the home per se, but they do show that the home was taken care of and that it is in good condition. These little things add up in a buyer's mind. So making sure that the paint is not chipped and flaking like all of these aesthetics they absolutely matter. There are some things where you're on the bubble about doing it and I have a listing, actually right now that we are kind of back and forth on a light fixture in the bathroom and I'm fighting for it because I really think that if you have a janky, rusted light fixture, it just does not present well and right now the market is such that this property is probably going to sit for a little bit just based on market stats, and I need it to be in the top one to two listings in its price point and home type. That is what we're going for. So making sure that your listings are prepped is crucial. Make sure that there is no piddly stuff just hanging out there, because it is important and it does matter.

Speaker 1:

The next piece is staging and I know we are getting back to the world of staging is a must. I get it. Staging is expensive and a lot of people may not have that in the budget. Some sellers may not have it in the budget, but I do think staging is really important. If you are absolutely in a situation where the seller cannot stage the property or there is no money for staging, I think virtual staging is the second best. It's absolutely better than having it be photographic. So use your discretion, but I do think that in 2025, in order for listings to sell if they are vacant or if they are occupied and they are not the most beautiful, staging is so crucial, so make sure that you have a plan to get your listing staged in 2025. I also think this is an opportunity for you to make some more money on your listings, because if you are offering concierge services, like coordinating contractors, if you are offering concierge services like coordinating contractors, getting handymen or women in to fix the property, if you are including staging, these are all value-add services. So this can be an opportunity for you to earn more commission because you are doing a better job, going above and beyond to make sure your listing is ready for the market.

Speaker 1:

Let's dive into pricing. Oh boy, pricing is a moving target right now. Oftentimes, I know that we are three, maybe even six months out from listing. When we go on a listing appointment and we're bringing our comparative market analysis with us, we're like, okay, here's the CMA, here's what we're expecting. And it is more important than ever to set clients expectations that the market is in constant motion, that this is not a pricing recommendation for when we get listed. This is a pricing recommendation for today. If we listed today, now, if you can get away with it, you may not even have a pricing recommendation for today because things could be so different in three months. We could have a totally different economy. Interest rates could be different, comparables could be different, and I think it's really important to let your clients know that that pricing is a moving target right now and it fully depends on the market that we are in when we hit go live.

Speaker 1:

Use your data. If you are not good at running comps, find someone who is and have them help you and learn. Just learn how to do it, because comps are your best friend, and do not and I mean do not forget about what's active, what is under contract and what has expired or withdrawn. I have a listing right now where all of the comparables just dropped their price $25,000 to $50,000. At the same time, we have not gone live yet. Our go live date is in a month and this is completely changing the conversation that I'm having with the seller. I would rather have these conversations now than to have them when I am listed at an inflated price and I have already sunk so much time and energy into staging a property, marketing a property, getting it ready, all of that.

Speaker 1:

So really make sure that you are pulling the stats until you list the day that you list, the day before you list and make sure that you are keeping your client up to date and setting those expectations. That the market is ever-changing Price is really important, without a doubt, and I also should say this goes without saying that you should be evaluating the market even after you go live. I personally do a weekly update for every listing client on Mondays, and that includes any new activities, so that's new actives, new under contracts, anything that would be relevant to the sale of their property. It is crucial to keep your client informed and do your job, and our job is to make sure that our client's property is as attractive as it can be in comparison to the competition, is as attractive as it can be in comparison to the competition. If you need to get a second set of eyes on your pricing strategy, definitely do it. I highly recommend leaning on your broker, your colleagues we are not pricing in a bubble. Use your resources, use your real estate community and, above all this is my last but not least do not be scared to walk away from a listing that you cannot prep properly or that you cannot price properly, because you are going to spend so much time, energy and potentially money and it could all be wasted because you don't sell this property. So that's my spiel, that's my soapbox on listing, prep and pricing this property. So that's my spiel, that's my soapbox on listing, prep and pricing.

Speaker 1:

Number three tip for 2025 success is staying consistent, and a lot of people, me included, feel like it's about perfection. And it is not perfection, people. It is about showing up regularly. Regularly does not mean perfectly. Regularly means regularly on a consistent basis. Now, things get in the way, and that is okay. Life happens, but it comes down to really executing, when you can, on a consistent basis. This would include things like your hot, warm and cold lists, moving your pipeline along, reviewing it regularly. Whatever that is for you. It could be daily, could be weekly no less than that, though, please. It could be executing your marketing plan. Maybe you have a postcard that goes out monthly. Maybe you have a twice yearly client event, making sure you're executing the marketing plan consistently.

Speaker 1:

I am not a total noob. I understand that real estate schedules are bananas and I understand that we get busy, and I know that time blocking is basically impossible, especially when you lay your parenting on top of that, or the holidays or whatever. So I personally like to plan my goals for the week. I basically put in all of my personal things. I have to do all of my professional appointments and then I figure out how much free time I have for that week and what can I get done in the time that I have available for work that week. Sometimes I have 10 hours, sometimes I have three, and I find that planning my work week based on my availability in terms of time has really helped me not get overwhelmed. I also plan for when shit hits the fan time. So I'm blocking or making sure I have a day or time in one of my days where I don't book anything, I'm not booking anything, and this usually will fall on a Monday or a Friday. For me I don't book any appointments, I don't book anything Like nothing goes in there. So I'm leaving that in case shit hits the fan, in case a kid is homesick, in case I'm homesick, in case there's an emergency real estate something that happens like a basement floods in one of my listings, god forbid. But you have to build in that emergency time or your weeks are going to go to shit, I promise.

Speaker 1:

The other tip for staying consistent is accountability. I know it's like everyone's least favorite A word, but it does work and I think there are so many ways that you can be accountable. Getting a coach is a great one. There's also these great accountability apps like Flown or Deep Work now, where you can get on a Zoom and like have somebody basically sit there and work with you. It says I know that if there's an appointment, I'm going to that appointment.

Speaker 1:

I also got this really cute rainbow timer just so cute. I wish you guys could see it. I'll put it in the show notes. But I like to do Pomodoros, or focused work time. So I'll set the timer for 30 minutes and I will basically bang out what I can do in 30 minutes. And honestly, I am so productive when I do this, like for this podcast episode, writing this outline. I actually set a timer for 20 minutes and I was able to bang out this outline. So highly recommend doing Pomodoros. It can be for however long you have available to you, but it is a really good way to just like get motivated and kind of challenge yourself.

Speaker 1:

And last but not least, do not beat yourself up when you fall off the wagon. I can assure you you will fall off the wagon because we are all human. And getting back on it is the most important thing. So we're ditching perfectionism in 2025, just FYI, I've decided right now we're ditching it and we are going to do our best. We are just going to do our best in 2025. Okay, and your best is pretty damn good. I have to say like I already know it because you're listening to this you are pretty amazing.

Speaker 1:

So those are my three keys to 2025 success, lead, nurture. Make sure nothing falls through the cracks. So get yourself a system to make sure you're keeping on track of your pipeline listing, prep and pricing. Don't be afraid to get in there, get your hands dirty and make sure you're pricing things appropriately and staying up to date on what's going on. And then staying consistent in your execution. So, whether you need a coach or an accountability partner or doing some Pomodoros or whatever, ceo dates also work whatever you need to stay consistent, I definitely recommend implementing it.

Speaker 1:

So take a look at those. What are you currently doing? Really well, I have a feeling you're doing some stuff pretty amazingly. Where could you improve on those three things? And I have a feeling 2025 is going to be an incredible year for you.

Speaker 1:

If you need some help staying on track in 2025, that is exactly what my broker BFF program is all about, and I love these sessions because they are tailored exactly to you and your unique life goals, business goals. It is not a one size fits all. Your first session, we basically go over what your challenges are, what you want to work on, what you need to be, what you want to be held accountable to, and you can choose from one session, six sessions or 12 sessions, and I absolutely would love to be your broker BFF in 2025. So, if you're interested, you can learn more at happyagentco. I love this quote. What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year, and I really, truly believe that this year is going to be a year of opportunity for those who grab the real estate bull by the horns and just ride.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Lindsay Dreyer

Host