Real estate agent success habits aren’t built on hacks or shortcuts. They’re built on the right mentor, the right strategy and an environment designed to help you win.
On this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Joshua Smith, who started in real estate to raise money for a gym and went on to lead a team that sold more than 7,000 homes. Now with eXp Realty, he works with roughly 800 agent partners. Smith explains why he ignored splits as a new agent, chased the best mentor in his market instead and closed 40 deals in his first year.
He also shares how working on a hospice floor in his early 20s changed the way he views time and regret and how he “rigs his environment” to win without relying on willpower. That approach helped him lose 100 pounds and stay sober for six years. They also discuss his 3 a.m. routine, why there’s no such thing as a good or bad market, and why AI only amplifies the strategy you already have.
Most importantly, Smith makes the case that consistency is the only magic pill. Get the right strategy, put in the reps, and stop chasing shortcuts.
Highlights
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why new agents should choose mentorship over splits
- How to “rig your environment” instead of relying on willpower
- Why success is about elimination, not addition
- How to find opportunity in any market
- Why AI amplifies your strategy but can’t replace it
Smith shares a lesson he got from Grant Cardone years ago: Success is almost never an addition. Instead of looking for the missing ingredient, focus on removing whatever stops you from doing the work. That mindset shaped everything from his 3 a.m. wake-up routine to his 100-pound weight loss and six years of sobriety.
On the market, Smith says there’s no such thing as a good or bad market, only a market that’s good for someone. Agents who master traditional buyers and sellers, distressed situations, and investors will always have business, as long as they track the data and adjust.
His one piece of advice for agents right now: Before chasing the latest tool, make sure you have the right strategy plan. Without the fundamentals, nothing else matters.
Connect with Joshua Smith on Instagram and Facebook.
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.
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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.
