In the past five to 10 years, real estate has been something of a paradox. It rewarded agents not necessarily for talent, but for timing. If you could answer your phone, unlock a door and stay relatively organized, you could make a decent living. The market was fast, forgiving and often frenzied — and many agents built their careers in a world where planning and skill were optional.
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But since 2023, the game has changed.
We’re no longer in an action-based market. We’re in a skills-based market — and that changes everything.
What is a skills-based market?
At a coaches training, team leader Mike Coke shared his approach to a skills-based market framework, and it blew everyone away. In a skills-based market, effort alone doesn’t cut it. The agents who succeed are those who have developed — or are actively developing — the professional-level skills required to guide buyers and sellers through uncertainty.
This isn’t about hustle for hustle’s sake. It’s about competency. Knowing how to manage complex negotiations. Understanding market shifts in real time. Having the scripts, systems and confidence to lead conversations that keep clients calm, informed and moving forward.
In a skills-based market, experience matters. So does coaching, preparation and the willingness to learn. Those who don’t adapt? They’re sidelined. Some even leave the industry — not because there’s no opportunity, but because the bar has finally been raised.
The numbers don’t lie
Let’s look at the hard truth.
According to internal data from our private coaching clients, in 2019, it took 167 calls on average to close one transaction. By 2021, that number had dropped to 127 — a reflection of how easy it had become to make deals. But by the end of 2023, that figure jumped to 220-plus calls per closing. That’s almost double the effort for the same result.
Today, it takes over 267 calls to sell the same number of homes.
Translation: If you’re working the same way you did a year or two ago, you’re likely getting half the results.
The solution? Stop waiting for things to “go back to normal.” They won’t. This is the new normal — and for the right kind of agent, that’s a gift.
Why this market rewards the prepared
If you’ve ever wished the bar was higher, that the playing field were more fair, that skill would win out over social media smoke and mirrors — welcome to 2025 (and beyond).
This is your time.
Because here’s the truth: In slower markets, great agents thrive. When others retreat, the prepared advance. While some sit back in fear, frustration or confusion, skilled agents lean in — and they gain market share.
The gap between average and excellent is widening. And that’s not a threat — it’s a massive opportunity.
3 ways to win in 2025’s skills-based market
1. Master the tools that give you leverage
Technology is no longer optional. Use automation to handle what doesn’t require your personal touch. Get fluent in your CRM — not just for storing names, but for nurturing relationships. Adopt AI tools to streamline outreach, generate insights and scale your effectiveness.
Remember: Anything you do three or more times in your business should be systematized or automated.
2. Elevate the client experience
Referrals used to come from being “a friend in real estate.” That’s no longer enough. Clients need an expert. Someone who can interpret the market, guide them through tough decisions and protect them from making costly mistakes.
When you reach out to your database or top 50, try this language:
“Before you or anyone you know makes a move in real estate, call me. Things are changing fast, and I want to make sure your family is protected.”
That’s not a pitch. That’s leadership.
3. Have a plan — and work it daily
Today’s market requires a structured approach. Daily success habits. Clear metrics. Regular practice. Role-playing. Script mastery. Obsession with improvement.
And yes — harder work.
If you want last year’s income, you can’t rely on last year’s input. You’ll need to work more intentionally, more consistently and more skillfully.
Success in this new market isn’t random. It’s not reserved for the naturally charismatic or the digitally gifted. It’s predictable — for those who follow a strategy rooted in consistent habits, intentional skill-building and daily discipline.
That’s the heart of what I call “predictable greatness”: When you focus on the right actions, develop the right skills and execute them consistently, greatness isn’t a matter of luck — it becomes the logical outcome.
The time for greatness is now
The agents who make it through this shift — and come out stronger — are the ones willing to shed mediocrity and embrace mastery.
That means trading “just enough” for “what’s required.” It means no more waiting for the market to change. It’s time to change you.
In a skills-based market, the best rise. And the rest? They rethink.
If you’re ready to be great — not someday, but now — this is your moment.
It’s time to stop wallowing in mediocrity and get to work.
