Louise Phillips Forbes made just $8,400 in her first year of real estate. More than three decades later, she has closed over $6 billion in real estate, and she credits much of that success to a philosophy that has very little to do with chasing transactions.
In this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson talk with Phillips Forbes about why relationships over transactions isn’t simply a nice philosophy. It’s been the foundation of her entire career.
Phillips Forbes shares how she built her sphere organically, why other agents should be viewed as colleagues instead of competitors and why treating every relationship like an opportunity for a commission can actually work against you.
They also explore how New York real estate has changed throughout Phillips Forbes’s 35-year career, the growing battle over private listings, balancing service with being a strong negotiator, and why even a $6 billion producer is still willing to rethink how she runs her business.
Highlights
They discuss:
- How she went from $8,400 her first year to more than $6 billion in sales
- Why agents should view other agents as colleagues, not competitors
- How generosity creates opportunity without constantly asking for business
- Why relationships and experience matter even more as real estate becomes more transparent
- The simple relationship-building habit agents can start using today
Phillips Forbes also explains why she doesn’t approach her sphere as a database of potential transactions. Her clients have become friends, introduced her to her husband and even made her a godmother 15 times. Her business became part of her life because she focused first on being useful to the people around her.
If you’re tired of chasing leads and transactions, this conversation is a reminder that the most powerful real estate strategy may still be the simplest: Build relationships first, and let the business follow.
Connect with Louise Phillips Forbes on LinkedIn, Instagram (team), Instagram (self) and Facebook and online at louisephillipsforbes.com.
Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered is now exclusively on Inman. Tune in for agent- and team-focused content on Mondays and leadership interviews on Wednesdays each week. Listen on Apple or Spotify.
James Dwiggins is the president of NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
Keith Robinson is the president of strategy at NextHome, Inc. and co-host of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered.
Follow Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered Podcast on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook or TikTok, and subscribe to their YouTube Channel.
The views and opinions expressed on Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered are those of the hosts and guests in their personal capacities and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of AGNT, Inc., eXp Realty, LLC, NextHome, Inc., or any of their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, or directors.
