With changes to fee litigation, rapidly evolving AI, and constantly changing algorithms, there is no doubt that 2025 was a year of adjustment for real estate agents. If you’ve felt like you’ve been playing catch-up all year, you’re not alone.
As the director of Inman’s Contributor Program, I have the privilege of reading all the smart, practical strategies our contributors see, use, and share with our readers.
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At Inman, we want to start the new year off on a positive note with a strategy to improve your bottom line in 2026. That’s why we’ve handpicked some of the best advice we’ve published over the past year, including many of our top 10 advice articles for 2025, and organized them into categories for easy reference.
26 how-tos to future-proof your business in 2026
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Kamba
1. 7 proven ways to revive your listing without lowering prices
When markets are depressed or listings become obsolete, lower prices are not the only option. Darryl Davis suggests a strategy to reboot and restart that property.
2. 6 Low-Cost Listing Strategies That Actually Work in Today’s Market
Jimmy Burgess and Listing Leads co-founder Jimmy Mackin offer budget-friendly strategies to get listing leads today.
3. 6 Tech Tools to Improve Your Listing Presentation on a Budget
Want to get on the list? Marketing expert Alyssa Stalker offers technology tools designed to make a big impression on potential customers.
4. I lost my listing to AI. Here’s how to prevent it from happening again
Learn how broker Josh Reese renewed his commitment to personal communication after a painful conversation with a potential seller.
A.I.
5. Want AI to recommend you in your online searches? Do these 7 things
SEO is not dead, but optimization of generation engines is changing the rules of engagement. Jimmy Burgess shares strategies for standing out online.
6. 7 AI prompts that will help real estate agents earn big profits in 2026
Agents that embrace artificial intelligence, build local authority, and deepen their values will dominate the next market cycle, writes Jimmy Burgess.
7. ChatGPT Prompts Every Agent Needs (But 99% Never Use)
What if the fastest way to break through your biggest blocks was to have the AI do the talking for you? Real’s Drew Thompson explains how.
lead discovery
8. Text to build momentum: 5 messages every agent should send
To build momentum in your business, don’t wait, start, writes Jimmy Burgess. Here, he provides five texts to send and see the results.
9. 7 ways to get interested leads (without paying a dime)
You don’t have to feed the machine to be successful, writes coach Darryl Davis. All you need is a smart lead generation strategy, a service-first mindset, and a little effort.
10. 5 copy-and-paste emails to start your database (and fill your list pipeline)
These five emails will start the right conversations with the right people, and you’ll be ready and able to get to work in no time, writes Jimmy Burgess.
11. 9 Real Estate Lead Generation Mistakes That Will Kill Your ROI
For real estate agents to generate profitable leads, it’s important to understand timelines, systems, communication, and conversion, writes Josh Ries.
12. Breaking the “Phone Phobia”: 5 Practical Shifts to Boost Conversions
A combination of accountability, goal-based training, warm-up strategies, value-first outreach, and real conversion metrics can cure phone phobia, writes Josh Reese.
marketing
13. How to spy on your real estate competitors (to improve your advertising)
Josh Reese writes that it’s fine to spy on your real estate competitors, but you need to understand how to differentiate your message rather than copying what your competitors are doing.
14. Why your real estate email campaign isn’t converting (yet)
If your database feels cold or your emails aren’t converting, try one or more of Josh Ries’ five strategic changes. The results may surprise you.
15. Here’s the real secret to increasing your lead conversion rate
If you want to improve your lead conversion rate in your real estate business, stop chasing volume and start delivering true relevance, writes Josh Ries.
16. Your city has been ranked. Use it for your business now
Buyers are paying attention to “best of” rankings. you? Troy Palmquist teaches you how to add this leverage to enhance your real estate business.
17. 5 ways to reduce marketing costs (without losing leads)
Josh Ries provides strategies to help you build a leaner, more efficient real estate business without hindering your lead generation or hindering your growth.
social media
18. 5 types of social posts currently filling agent pipelines (with examples you can copy)
Jimmy Burgess writes that model your social media content marketing after real estate lead generation examples that are informative, local, and human.
19. How to use AI to quickly script, edit, and caption real estate videos
By building structure into your processes with the help of AI, you can focus on storytelling, not logistics, writes Josh Ries.
20. Instagram Manager: If you don’t do these 5 things, you’ll miss out on your reach
Instagram rewards people who adapt, experiment, and continue to participate, writes Jimmy Burgess. Use it to build momentum for 2026.
habit
Andrea Izzotti / Shutterstock.com
21. 6 Bad Habits Great Real Estate Agents Avoid (And What You Should Do)
Are you ready to change your life and business? Jimmy Burgess writes that it starts with changing the negative patterns you’re stuck in.
22. 7 real estate strategies that have disappeared (but agents are still using them)
Now is the perfect time to take a hard look at your daily activities and see if there are any modifications that could lead to more success, writes Jimmy Burgess.
23. 9 Podcasts Every Agent Should Listen to Now
A good podcast will give you better ideas and consistent inspiration, two things every real estate agent needs going into 2026, writes Jimmy Burgess.
true story
Kamba
24. 7 No-BS Steps to Grow Your Real Estate Business in 2025
Are you ready to grow in the new year? Jimmy Burgess shares practical, actionable strategies to help you reach your goals.
25. 13 Negotiation Questions Every Agent Must Learn to Ask
Rather than telling her clients what she thinks they want to hear, Bernice Ross writes, asks the right questions, and gets her clients to talk about what matters most to them.
26. 10 Ways to Prepare an Offer You Can Actually Win
Team leader Carl Medford writes that writing a winning offer isn’t rocket science, but it does require attention to detail, an understanding of best practices, and a willingness to communicate.
Interested in becoming an Inman contributor? Contact Dani Vanderborg.
