First, it needs to be said that while some of the following tips are common sense, others are opinion-based. We’ll identify which is which and, when possible, link to an opposing viewpoint. 

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are five things agents need to stop doing or saying. 

#1—Reading property descriptions on listing videos

First up is a peeve shared by many agents who are content creators. Your listing video is not an opportunity to read off the property description (which potential buyers can easily find and read themselves) and then throw a bunch of images in your viewer’s face.  

Your viewers will swipe on past, shaking their heads and thinking, “That’s two seconds I’ll never get back.” Or, if they stick around to watch the whole thing, all they’ll remember is how useless your video was. I know it sounds harsh, but it needs to be said.  

What to do instead— 

  • Tell your viewer something they don’t already know—and can’t read on an MLS sheet. 
  • Put yourself in your viewer’s place. What would you want to know about this property?
  • Like any Reel, you need a strong hook. And you need to keep your audience engaged all the way to the end. 

#2—Creating content your audience isn’t interested in

If you know your audience, you know what they like—and also, to some extent, what they don’t like or what they’re more likely to swipe past after hearing the first few seconds. Pay attention to the posts that get the most engagement and give your audience more of that. 

If some of them respond well to educational posts, make room for that in your content strategy. If all you get is crickets, find another way to add more value to the content your audience loves. 

Monica Church, who appeared on the Over Ask Podcast, argued against posting educational videos at all, and clearly that strategy has been working for her. But to counter that, Byron Lazine and Nicole White responded to a clip of Monica explaining her position on The Real Word. 

Ultimately, whether you post educational, authority-building videos or not depends on your audience and what they expect from you. If you know your audience has questions about things like escrow, property taxes, etc., don’t be afraid to answer them. 

Just make sure your hook is strong and your Reel is value-packed and engaging. 

#3—Interviewing restaurant owners

This is a hot-button issue, as was evidenced by the strong reaction to an Over Ask Podcast clip where The Broke Agent and Matt Lionetti advise agents against interviewing restaurant owners and explain why. 

After the tidal wave of controversy over that post, Dan Oneil reacted to it on The Walk Thru, while Tom Storey (and many of the commenters) agreed with it. 

What to do instead: 

  • Create a green screen video highlighting the restaurant and what you love about it
  • Create a neighborhood guide featuring local restaurants and the best of what they offer
  • Create an IG Story about your experience at a local restaurant, with images or video clips to show your viewer some of your best moments there. 

If you are going to do a restaurant review, consider using a listicle approach like Jason Cassity:

#4—Doing these annoying things (as described by children)

A recent episode of The Walk Thru featured a marketing video by @baraksky that spelled out a number of frustrating things agents do—with kids playing the role of the client: 

  • Dropping the ball with communication
  • Not bothering to educate themselves on the local market
  • Making real estate their side gig 
  • Losing the client’s deposit 
  • Sending their clients houses that are out of their budget
  • Making the client nervous with shaky negotiations 
  • Not bothering to check for details important to the client

It should be common sense not to do any of the things these kids are calling out, but…they’re still happening. And agents who do these things give the industry a bad name. 

Every one of these frustrating experiences can be chalked up to agents doing less than the bare minimum and (obviously) not being committed to giving each client the best possible experience. 

If you want to be in real estate, do your job as an agent and meet your client’s needs. Then go above and beyond that. Sharran Srivatsaa explains how in a brief clip he posted to Twitter: “Why you don’t deserve referrals.” 

#5—Referring to clients as “past clients.” 

Andrew Undem ranted on this in an episode of The Walk Thru where moderators discussed mistakes agents must avoid. 

There are no “past clients,” because describing them that way implies you don’t expect to ever communicate with them again. The most recent BAM cold calling event—with Byron Lazine, Tom Toole, Emily White, and Stacey Mitchell—focused on reconnecting with clients they’d served some time ago. 

Those relationships still matter. And the best agents find ways to continue delivering value and keeping those connections strong.

What to do instead: 

  • Keep your clients informed of any developments in their neighborhood that could be of interest to them—like the sale price of a home nearby that recently sold. 
  • Keep your clients educated on national and local market conditions, especially those that could impact them. 
  • Send one-on-one video updates with useful information for your clients to keep them in the loop and let them know they still matter to you. 

Takeaways for real estate agents

You can probably think of others you’d like to add to this list. Or maybe you disagree with some of it. 

As a professional, it’s up to you to take time to reflect and determine what works best for you and your business. And once you figure out what’s holding you back, it’s time to nix it, for good.