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llustration by Lanette Behiry / Real Estate News
In this episode of the Playmakers podcast, coaching guru Tom Ferry discusses how agents can revamp their business for 2026. The conversation, hosted by Andrew Flachner, co‑founder of RealScout, highlights the major shifts reshaping real estate—from AI breakthroughs to evolving buyer habits—and stresses that agents cannot rely on the same tactics that worked last year.
**Key takeaways**
- **Time is the new currency.** Ferry urges agents to eliminate habits that no longer add value, even if they feel comfortable. “You must let go of the old playbook,” he says, to free up time for high‑impact activities.
- **Master market data.** He recommends dedicating 30 minutes daily to the MLS, hunting for pricing patterns. “The smartest agents understand both macro trends—global forces—and micro trends—local market nuances,” he explains.
- **Re‑ignite open houses.** Despite being overlooked, open houses can generate low‑cost leads and serve as marketing signage. “It’s common sense,” Ferry notes.
- **Leverage AI for operations.** While AI can boost marketing and branding, the biggest profit gains come from streamlining operations and systems. “That’s where conversion rates improve the most,” he says.
- **Strategic video content.** Video is versatile—usable for blogs, audio, and marketing—but must target the audience, not the agent. “Create content that entertains, informs, or delivers data,” Ferry advises. He suggests using client surveys to spark topic ideas.
- **Maximize coaching.** Successful agents “lean in” and involve their team—assistants, marketing leads, ops managers—in coaching sessions. Coaches provide tweaks and assign substantial projects to the team, yielding significant growth.
- **Year‑long CMA challenge.** Ferry sets a 12‑month goal: every contact in your database should receive a comparative market analysis twice a year. For a typical 1,000‑contact database, that’s four to five CMAs per day, five days a week, followed by a call to gauge any homeowner readiness to move.
The Playmakers podcast explores the biggest industry shifts with leaders shaping real estate’s future. The views expressed belong solely to the creators and guests.
