Bigger. Better. Bolder. Inman Connect is heading to San Diego. Join thousands of real estate pros, connect with the power of the Inman Community, and gain insights from hundreds of leading minds shaping the industry. If you’re ready to grow your business and invest in yourself, this is where you need to be. Go BIG in San Diego!
Let’s get one thing straight — this market doesn’t care about your feelings, your track record or your carefully curated brand image. It rewards those who adapt, move fast and obsess over one thing: the client.
If you’re in real estate and still clinging to “what’s always worked,” consider this your wake-up call. This is a market driven by volatility. Costs shift, clients ghost and one bad review can tank a lead funnel you spent months building. The days of sitting back and waiting for referrals are dead. The new game? Radical client-centricity.
Here’s what that actually looks like — and why it’ll make or break your growth this year.
The market’s not slowing down, so stop acting like it will
Economic rollercoaster? That’s cute. For us in real estate, it’s more like a game of high-stakes poker with half the deck missing. You’ve got inflation, interest rate yo-yos, tech disruption and buyer psychology shifting faster than you can say “price reduction.”
Now imagine being a client trying to make sense of all that noise. They’re not looking for someone to show them square footage — they want someone who can decode chaos and make bold, strategic moves. You want to grow? Be that person.
You don’t need to predict the future — you need to read the now. Your value isn’t in having the answers; it’s in asking better questions and giving clients the confidence to move forward when everyone else is frozen.
Think like a partner, not a vendor
You’re not selling houses. You’re selling certainty. You’re selling the ability to turn complexity into clarity. That’s what real estate advisors do — we interpret macroeconomic noise and distill it into real-world decisions that make our clients money, protect their assets and secure their lifestyle goals.
When interest rates jump? You’re the one recalibrating the ROI on that rental portfolio in real time.
When zoning laws shift? You’re the one calling the client before they even know it matters.
The agents who win in this market are the ones who treat every deal like a business venture. Your job is to know your client’s long-term goals better than they do — and reverse-engineer every decision from that place.
Tech is a tool. You are the advantage
Let’s talk AI, data, automation — all the toys everyone’s pretending they understand. These are force multipliers, not replacements for you.
Don’t confuse data for wisdom. Your CRM isn’t closing the deal — you are. Your market report isn’t negotiating the price drop — you are. The most valuable thing you bring to the table isn’t access to information — it’s how you interpret it, frame it and move people to act on it.
Clients want precision, yes, but they also want emotional intelligence, discretion and someone who can see the blind spots they can’t. Use the tools. Just don’t hide behind them.
Move at the speed of relevance
Speed wins. Period. If you’re still operating on weekly “check-in” cycles while your client’s net worth is shifting daily, you’re already irrelevant.
Be the agent who spots trends before they hit TikTok. Be the one who’s already crafted three backup offers before the first deal shows cracks. Be so dialed into your client’s life and goals that your timing feels psychic.
When Malibu wildfires hit and clients panic about their homes, don’t wait. Show up with insurance options, short-term relocation plans and off-market replacement properties.
When market sentiment shifts, bring context, not clichés.
Your speed is your value. Your adaptability is your proof of relevance. And your timing? That’s your edge.
Client-centricity isn’t just service. It’s strategy
Let’s be clear: Client-centricity doesn’t mean being a yes-man or bending to unrealistic demands. It means knowing your client’s motivations better than they do. It means fighting for their best interest — even when it means pushing back.
Want to win repeat business? Deliver clarity in the fog. Show empathy in high-stakes moments. And don’t just track the market — translate it into action.
This is about going from agent to trusted advisor. From “thanks for the tour” to “you’re the first call before I buy anything.”
Build a culture that breathes client obsession
This isn’t a solo sport. If you’re building a team — or already have one — this mindset needs to bleed through your entire operation. Your assistant, your transaction coordinator, your marketing crew — everyone needs to be fluent in “client-first.”
Every system, every touchpoint, every piece of tech you deploy should be built around one question: Does this make the client’s life easier, clearer or faster?
If it doesn’t, scrap it.
The market will keep shifting. You should, too
You’re not paid for showing up. You’re paid for outcomes. And outcomes come from obsession — with clients, with precision, with being ahead of the damn curve.
So stop worrying about whether you’re doing things “the right way” and start focusing on doing the right thing — for the client, in this moment, with everything you’ve got.
That’s how you grow. That’s how you win. That’s how you make sure you’re not just another name on a listing site — but the first one that comes to mind when the stakes are highest.
Let the other agents chase commissions. You? You chase impact.
Chris Pollinger is the founder and managing partner of RE Luxe Leaders.
