When life changes require you to sell or move, your best bet is to have real conversations and really listen, writes Chris Dreyer.
I’m a bit of a data geek. Maps, charts, and other things that help you understand what’s happening in the market (and in some cases even predict market trends). So, like many of you, I spent some time reading this recent Inman Market View article to dig into where sellers are listing despite higher interest rates.
My conclusion is clear. The market feels unpredictable. The number of listings remains below pre-pandemic levels nationally, but has improved in many regions. Some markets are gaining momentum, while others remain subdued. Despite dealing with rising interest rates and worsening affordability, days on market remain low.
It is uneven and fragmented, making understanding the future more difficult than ever.
The question, then, is how to actually stockpile pre-listed products in a market like this.
Start by thinking about your last three or four listings. Why did those homeowners actually move? The real reason.
For most agents, the answer is consistent: change jobs. moving. It’s a divorce. A growing family. A windfall.
It’s not the mortgage interest rate. It’s not the price of gas. It’s not a global conflict.
life.
That has always been true. Even in the early 1980s, when mortgage rates were above 18%, people were still buying and selling homes. Although transaction volume was down, there was still an average of about 2.5 million homes sold each year, which was about one-third less than today, when the U.S. population was about 230 million people.
The market has slowed down. But it didn’t stop. Life didn’t stop.
Changes in interest rates do not cause people to move. That’s when they act.
If prices go down, the number of people willing to immigrate will increase. Higher prices may result in longer waiting times. But the same dynamics are still underlying that timing decision, and something in their lives has already changed. And therein lies the opportunity.
If you want to stock up on stock before going public, you need to get closer to that moment before it becomes obvious.
focus on relationships
It starts simple. It’s about talking to your employees.
It’s not a superficial check-in, it’s an actual conversation. Listen to the changes in someone’s life. What is working? What it isn’t. Even if they don’t plan on moving right away, what are they starting to think about?
Barry Jenkins of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate in Virginia Beach gave me another version of this question. “If you were going to live in this house for many more years, what would you change?”
On the surface, it looks casual. But if you listen carefully, much becomes clear.
“I’d probably need another bedroom…the kids still share one.” “I’d like a bigger kitchen…I’ve outgrown this one.” “I wish I had a home office…I’m working from home more now.”
It sounds like small talk, but that’s the intent.
Agents who read between the lines can actually hear what is being said.
A growing family that needs more space A change in how we use our home A gap between where we are now and where we are going
These are early signs of movement long before it goes public. And this is where agents, with or without technology, can create real value.
Write down those conversations, remember them, and follow up when the timing starts to align with reality. In this way, a pre-listing inventory is built.
Not by chasing expensive hot leads, but by being close to the people who are going to move anyway.
focus on what matters most
In a fragmented market, that edge matters more than ever. Some homes are still selling quickly. Some markets are improving. Others are stuck.
But the fundamental truth hasn’t changed. The market does not create movement. That’s how life is.
Agents who focus on that – agents who sit with their reps, listen carefully, and track what’s changing – don’t have to guess where the market is going. They already know where the next list will come from.
This is how pre-listing is built, even in a market that feels unpredictable.
Chris Drayer is the co-founder of Revaluate, which helps marketers segment consumers based on their travel habits.
