Old Habits That Won’t Close Deals Anymore
As transactions get tougher to win, agents relying on old habits may fall behind. New data shows a growing gap between average and prepared.
NEW YORK — After years of fast-paced, forgiving conditions, real estate has shifted from what some describe as an “action-based” market to a “skills-based” one. During the boom years, agents could succeed largely on timing and availability.
“If you could answer your phone, unlock a door and stay relatively organized, you could make a decent living,” Verl Workman, founder and CEO of Workman Success Systems, said in Inman. But since 2023, that dynamic has changed.
Data collected from the author’s coaching clients shows the effort needed to close a deal has more than doubled, from 127 calls per transaction in 2021 to more than 267 in 2025. In other words, agents using the same approach as a few years ago may be seeing significantly fewer results for the same effort.
Today’s agents must develop advanced negotiation abilities, understand shifting market conditions and confidently guide buyers and sellers through uncertainty. The era of easy transactions is over, replaced by one where competency and preparation determine results.
Referrals are earned through expertise, not just personal connections. Customers are looking for trusted advisors who can protect them from costly mistakes. To meet these expectations, agents are encouraged to systematize routine tasks, use customer relationship management (CRM) systems and artificial intelligence (AI) tools effectively and commit to ongoing coaching and practice. Agents who put these habits into practice are the ones gaining ground, and the divide between average and excellent agents is becoming clearer.
Source: Inman (08/22/25) Workman, Verl
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