Are You on the Real Estate Naughty List This Year?

Tom Toole posted something on Instagram that’s getting a lot of attention. It’s one of those posts that immediately stops the scroll because viewers want to know, “Is he calling me out?”

It’s Tom’s “real estate naughty list.” 

This isn’t a reel set to the tune of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” It’s not a carousel, either. There’s no drama. No embellishment. No tongue-in-cheek audio. 

It’s a simple image post. With a simple list. 

And it’s getting agents talking. 

 

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A post shared by Tom Toole (@tomtoole3rd)

Are You on the Naughty List?

In case you haven’t peeked yet, here’s the full “real estate naughty list” from Tom’s post: 

1. Agents who don’t leave feedback.
2. No return communication
3. Incomplete fill-in-the-blanks paperwork
4. Brokerages that promise training but deliver pep talks
5. Sales inflators
6. Zero knowledge of the paperwork

From there, Tom invites viewers to share their own naughty lists in the comments. 

And that’s where the beauty of this list is on full display. Some agents took issue with the “feedback” comment (with varying degrees of seriousness). And many took Tom’s invitation to share their own biggest real estate peeves. 

Take a look at some of the responses below. I’m including Tom’s responses to show how he’s taking the time to acknowledge the feedback on his post, making every commenter feel heard. 

This is another key lesson from Tom’s post, as brand responsiveness has become a key differentiator this year, and will continue to be one in 2026. 

Let’s start with a few comments focused on Tom’s “no feedback” peeve: 

And here are some from agents sharing their own real estate grievances: 

If this gets you thinking of your own real estate naughty list, head on over to IG and add your thoughts in the comments. 

That said, we hope your “nice list” is longer this year.