W
hen the housing market slows down, top-producing agents across the country say they adapt and focus on the basics to stay ahead. "You've got to be ready for it," says Kim Erwin, a broker associate with Keller Williams Coastal Bend in Corpus Christi, Texas. "When the market slows, I think it's always important to go back to the fundamentals."
In Erwin's market, pending home sales have dropped significantly since 2023, and the Altos Market Action Index score is down from a high of 58 in June 2021 to 29 as of July 31, 2025. To succeed, Erwin emphasizes the importance of targeting the right segment of buyers and understanding their needs.
Proper pricing is key to driving buyer interest, according to top agents. "If the home is priced right, it still moves quickly," says Lauren Huffman, an EXIT Realty agent in Louisiana. Huffman considers factors like location, quality, and condition when working with sellers to price a property. She also stresses the importance of presenting properties well online and in person.
Huffman pays close attention to photography, using professional photos, videos, drone footage, 3D tours, and interactive floor plans to showcase homes. After two major hurricanes hit her area, she noticed that buyers are no longer looking for projects, so she encourages sellers to do updates to appeal to more buyers.
In San Angelo, Texas, Janet Ridgway, an ERA Newlin & Company agent, takes a similar approach with her sellers. When a seller is unable or unwilling to undertake major renovations, she leans into the property's quirky aspects and stages it accordingly. Ridgway owns a moving van and has a warehouse full of furniture to help clients stage their properties for sale.
In today's market, creative marketing, good photography, and an attractive price can significantly shorten the time it takes for homes to sell. By focusing on the basics and adapting to changing buyer needs, top agents are able to keep inventory moving despite hesitant buyers and a weaker overall housing market environment.
