Growing a real estate business always requires momentum. Winning agents don’t just work hard. They are working in tandem with what is already going in their favor.
Looking back on my 32 years in the real estate industry, I can see a defining moment when the business pivoted. A trend has emerged that would have produced more explosive growth if I had leaned into it sooner or more intentionally. It’s not a regret. It’s a perspective. And we need perspective to make better decisions for the future.
5 trends smart agents will leverage in 2026
Looking ahead to 2025-2026 As I work with agents across the country today, I see several recurring trends. These are not theoretical ideas. They are patterns. And if you can recognize them and align your business with them, you will have a huge advantage in the year ahead.
1. Your business is already trending. you just haven’t studied yet
Whether you realize it or not, your business is trending. Either it’s trending up or down, or it’s stuck in a pattern that repeats itself year after year. The key to growth in 2026 starts with clarity on what’s actually working in your business today.
One of the most effective exercises I’ve seen agents do recently is a simple but honest review of the past three years. Go back and look at 2023, 2024, 2025. Identify exactly how many deals are closed each year and where those deals come from. Think about where they actually come from, not where you think they come from.
Are they yours?
If we analyze this year by year, we can see a pattern. You may notice that there are certain lead sources that are generating the majority of your transactions. Or maybe that one marketing effort you dismissed actually outweighs all the others.
Winning agents in 2026 won’t pursue every new idea. They will be building on what is already working and improving it with purpose. If you take the time to go through this exercise, you’ll discover successful trends to leverage in your business.
2. Don’t stand in the spotlight, be a lighthouse
One of the biggest changes we’re seeing in top production agents today is how they show up in their marketing. The old model was spotlight marketing. look at me. Look at my sales. Look at my success.
The new model is Lighthouse Marketing.
Lighthouses don’t seek attention. It provides direction. We help people get where they want to go safely. Today’s best agents don’t make themselves heroes. They are centered around the client, process, or solution.
This shift is evident in how talented agents are rethinking direct mail. Instead of “just sold” postcards, they tell a story. They show how homes sold, what challenges were overcome, and what steps were taken to achieve results in a changing market.
The focus is not on the ego. It’s about making it clear that you can help them achieve their desired results.
The same applies to the purchaser. Characters that emphasize the actual buyer looking for a specific area make the buyer the protagonist. They serve sellers by providing potential solutions, while also creating opportunities for future listings.
When you guide rather than brag, people listen. When people listen, trust increases. And trust always leads to business.
3. Do more with fewer people
Another clear trend among top agents is to move away from trying to be everything to everyone. Instead, they focus deeply on fewer relationships and reap greater benefits.
Every powerful company has an MVP list. These are people who have done business with you, will do business with you again, or who continually refer others to you. They are not casual contacts. They are your defenders.
The mistake many agents make is treating these people like any other person. The opportunity lies in doing the opposite. There aren’t many people. More intention.
This could mean a thoughtful quarterly touch rather than automation. That might mean a small private event rather than a large customer party. That might mean buying more lunch instead of generating more leads.
One of the most powerful shifts agents can make is to reallocate their time and money from chasing strangers to deepening relationships. People refer business to people they know, like, and trust. These qualities are built through conversations, not campaigns.
4. Encourage progress, not just content.
AI is not a trend. It’s an inflection point. And, as with any major change in our industry, those who learn how to use it early and intentionally will reap the benefits.
The agents who make the most money don’t just use AI to write listing descriptions or post ideas on social media. They use it to think better. To plan better. To be better prepared.
Structured prompts make a big difference. Defining the role you want the AI to play, the inputs it needs, the steps you want it to take, and the results you want it to perform will yield dramatically better results. This approach turns AI into a strategic partner rather than a novelty.
Voice activation is another underutilized opportunity. By practicing your presentation list while driving, role-playing objections, and planning your daily priorities, you can free up wasted time to prepare. The more familiar you are with this technology, the more you will be able to utilize it.
If you’re looking for prompts you can copy and paste for success, check out this article: 7 AI Prompts to Help Realtors Reach Big Success in 2026.
5. Consistency has not yet been defeated.
Trends change. It’s never consistent.
The difference between a good agent and a great agent is always simple. Great agents do what great agents do every now and then.
Consistency within the database is non-negotiable. New contacts must be added weekly. Regular communications that provide value, such as this week’s sale email, are predictable touchpoints that build familiarity and trust over time.
Consistency on social media is equally important. This algorithm evaluates reliability rather than spikes in activity. The key is to find a pace you can maintain without burning out. Two high-quality posts per week for a year will be more effective than posting every day for a month and then being silent.
Finally, conversational consistency is the foundation for everything else. Track the number of real estate-related conversations daily and weekly. Because what we’re tracking is constantly improving. Conversations lead to promises. Appointments lead to contracts, and contracts lead to closings.
If you take the conversation seriously, the results will come naturally.
Opportunity for the future
None of these trends require reinvention. Adjustment required. If you understand what’s already working, position yourself as a guide, deepen the right relationships, use technology thoughtfully, and remain consistent, momentum is inevitable.
You don’t have to do everything. Real momentum comes from focus. Choose a few key actions, execute them properly, and allow time for the combined effect to take hold. That’s how business grows. This is how 2026 becomes your best year.
Jimmy Burgess is Chief Coaching Officer of HomeServices of America and President of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.
