Success in real estate is determined as much by the things we avoid as the things we do. The best agents know how to steer clear of bad real estate agent habits while focusing on the actions that actually drive results. Here are six habits to avoid — and the smarter alternatives top producers embrace.
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Bad real estate agent habit No. 1: Trying to do everything
Confucius once famously said, “The man who chases two rabbits catches neither.” Meaning a lack of focus rarely leads to success. Most new agents have a season at the beginning of their careers where they do everything. They handle rentals. They show houses or condos. They drive an hour outside their main market to show a home. But the great agents eventually realize the riches truly are in the niches.
They understand that referring business to experts in other areas or specialty types of business is a better use of their time and is ultimately better for the prospect. Great agents find an area of specialty and become the absolute best in that area. This may be a geographical farm or a specific type of clientele.
The key is that they realize that to be their best, they must specialize. This knowledge leads them to avoid the trap of trying to do everything. This is one of the most common bad real estate agent habits, because chasing every opportunity usually means catching none.
Agent habit No. 2: Being reactive instead of proactive
The average agent starts their day without a plan. They react to what happens during the day instead of being proactive. Their lack of a daily plan is a telltale sign of a business that is destined for failure.
The best agents control their schedules and have specific tasks written on their calendars in pen instead of pencil. They time block for prospecting. They block time to call people in their sphere of influence. They take the guesswork out of their schedule, developing a plan of action they trust will lead to their success.
John Maxwell speaks of his rule of five. This rule is based on an analogy he used about having a tree in his backyard that he would like to cut down. He states the best way to know that he will cut the tree down is to pick up an ax and strike the tree five times a day. He goes on to say that if he strikes that tree five times each day, it is not a matter of if, but when the tree will fall.
He suggests our businesses are the same way. If we will simply find 5 things to do daily that we know get us closer to our desired goal, then we will reach that goal. I created my 5-4-3-2-1 daily plan of action based on his rule of five. Every business is different, but developing a daily plan of action for your business will lead to more success.
This is an example of a 5-4-3-2-1 plan for an agent:
- Have 5 real estate-related conversations
- Make 4 sphere of influence calls
- Send 3 thank you notes
- Schedule 2 coffee or lunch meetings per week
- Share 1 unsolicited video CMA
These are common bad real estate agent habits, but the best agents replace them with proactive routines and focused strategies.
Common real estate habit No. 3: Never changing
Change can be hard, and never adjusting or changing anything in your business is a trap many agents fall into. Many agents just keep doing the same things they’ve always done, even if it is no longer productive. They often have a strategy that has done well for them in the past, and they just won’t let it go, hoping the results it gave them in the past will return.
The best agents are constantly evaluating whether the things they are doing are still producing or diminishing in value. They adjust to change quickly, and it positions them to take advantage of trends moving forward and allows them to avoid getting stuck in the past.
These agents are the ones leaning into AI right now. These are the agents that are shooting the most video content right now. These are the agents that are diligently building their personal brand while others are still doing the things that used to work.
Refusing to adapt is another of the bad real estate agent habits that holds professionals back, especially when technology and consumer expectations are shifting fast. How long has it been since you changed something in your business? Become resistant to being stagnant. Find ways to consistently reinvent yourself and your business.
Bad habit No. 4: Scrolling without a purpose
According to a study done by The University of Maine, the average person spends two hours and 24 minutes every day on social media. Many agents fall prey to mindlessly scrolling on social media for hours upon hours every single day. Yes, almost everyone is going to spend time on social media, but the best agents spend this time purposefully.
Great agents turn what is negative for most into a positive for them and their business. They understand that social media is a tool for their business, but tools are only effective if used properly. Based on this understanding, the best agents utilize their time on social media for three main purposes.
The first way they use it is to connect with their sphere of influence and prospects. It is called social media because it is built to be a place for social connection. Understanding this, the best agents use their time on the platforms to comment on prospects’ posts. They DM personalized messages to people in their sphere of influence. They use it to connect with the people that are important to their business and to build better relationships.
They also use it to research what is working for agents in other markets. The second word in social media is media. The media side, or posting, is just as important to successful agents as the social side. They study the types of posts agents in other markets are making. They identify what is working for those agents, and they model them on their pages. This leads to more engagement with their audience and more effective results.
Lastly, they use it to evaluate what content their followers are responding to. They evaluate the posts they’ve made and how their followers responded to them. They are constantly refining the posts they make based on their highest-performing content. This leads to better posts, a more engaged following, and deeper connections.
Real estate agent pitfall No. 5: Learning but not taking action
We don’t lack ideas. We lack agents that execute on ideas. Most agents attend training classes or watch videos on how to grow their business, but very few follow through and act on the knowledge they gain. Failing to execute on new knowledge may be the most costly of all bad real estate agent habits, since it wastes time, training and potential opportunities.
The best agents are systematic about taking action. They understand they can’t do everything, so they choose one or two ideas to implement in their businesses every month. These could be systems to create efficiencies or a new lead generation strategy. The main difference between average agents and great agents is in their execution.
Habit No. 6 agents should avoid: Blind optimism
Optimism is great, but blind optimism usually ends badly. Blind optimism is based on hope and emotion and typically involves waiting. Great agents may hope things are going to get better, but they don’t wait for them to get better.
If they see their sales in their business down from the same time last year, they don’t hope things get better; they evaluate why their results are different. They question whether their strategies are still effective and search for ways to get back on track. Instead of waiting for things to get better, they take massive action to turn the tide of the results they are receiving.
Please be optimistic about the future of your business, but base it on the actions you are taking and not blind optimism that things will just naturally improve for you.
What are the habits or negative patterns that you’ve fallen victim to? The good news is that you can change. You can recalibrate your business for success. You may not be able to change the results you’ve been getting, but you can change the things you are doing today, which will change the results you receive in the future. By breaking free from bad real estate agent habits, you open the door to more sustainable growth and consistent success. Make the necessary changes, and the best is yet to come.
This post was updated Dec. 11, 2025.
