I’m a big believer in data-driven strategies, and when Zillow publishes new insights, I pay close attention. After all, they’re one of the most reputable data sources in the industry.
Insights from the 2025 Zillow Consumer Trends Report aren’t just numbers; they reveal what today’s buyers and sellers truly want from real estate professionals, providing a roadmap for agents ready to elevate their client experience and set themselves apart.
So today, I’m sharing three powerful takeaways from the report that you can implement in your business to drive more sales.
3 Takeaways on Consumer Trends for 2025
#1: What Home Sellers Want in a Real Estate Agent
Let’s start off with what home sellers want in an agent. The report gave a long list of things home sellers look for in their agent, including:
- Positive reputation
- Online reviews
- Being part of a team
But the number one priority was actually a tie: 80% of home sellers look for an agent or broker who is responsive and trustworthy.
So, how do you implement that into your business? For starters, call people back in a timely fashion. Let them know when they can expect to hear from you, because certainty will build trust. Then keep that promise by reaching out when you said you would.Not responding to people and slacking on communication are problems for real estate agents, so make it a priority to be responsive.
The second half of that is building trust. One way to do that is through accolades, reviews, and educational content. For every listing appointment I go on, 100% of the time, I send out a video email with a link to our resume, our reviews, and our YouTube channel, which has a lot of educational content.
When you’re putting that kind of information out there, people pay attention and see you as someone they can trust.
#2: What Homebuyers Want from a Real Estate Agent
More than half of homebuyers (58%) say one of the most important things they want from a real estate agent is guidance on crafting the right offer. Close behind, 46% of buyers prioritize help in finding homes that fit their needs. Buyers want their agent to help them find the right home for them—and to help them negotiate the details.
Are you clearly communicating all the different ways to win an offer?
Our team follows a 10-point plan to win offers, which goes beyond just focusing on price and terms. We use a range of strategies to help our buyers succeed in a competitive market. During our initial meetings, we make sure to clearly communicate what sets us apart, explaining exactly how our approach—like strategies X, Y, and Z—gives our buyers an edge in winning their ideal home.
Do you have something similar you’re communicating? If not, you’re not standing out from the crowd. You may not even be identifying homes for your buyers to consider.
Here’s what I know: if you’re relying on a drip and MLS feeds to communicate everything, you’re missing the mark. According to the report, that’s not what buyers are looking for. They want to know you’re genuinely committed to helping them find and secure the perfect home.
We’re following the data here. And the data doesn’t lie. When you go deeper into this report, you see that—even if you’ve already sent a property to them in a drip, a quick email to make yourself present and available to them for questions and concerns shows you’re being proactive and that you’re invested in guiding them every step of the way.
You can start that email with “Hey, I’m not sure if this home’s going to be for you…” before sharing a property and suggesting some times you could meet for a home tour.
Think about how you can be proactive on behalf of your buyers. How can you be in front of them, and how can you differentiate yourself with strategies that win offers?
#3: Buyers and Sellers Interviewing Agents
My third takeaway focuses on how buyers and sellers decide which agents to hire. Zillow’s report shows that while buyers and sellers do interview agents, many still choose the first one they speak with—though this trend has slightly declined.
For homebuyers, 49% ended up hiring the first agent they contacted. Breaking it down, 40% of first-time buyers and 52% of repeat buyers went with the first agent they reached out to. On the seller side, 59% chose the first agent they interviewed.
This is why the sooner you get in front of people, the better off you’re going to be.
As long as you know how to deliver the appointment, and you know what to say, you’re building that trust before you go out.
The other thing you want to think about here is these numbers used to be over 70%. So what’s clear is agents are being interviewed more and getting compared to other agents. I just came from an appointment where they told me that’s exactly what was going to happen.
All the more reason you want to have a great appointment where you’re differentiating yourself—starting off with that pre-appointment email and talking about all the things you do differently.
Just like the buyer takeaways, you want to position yourself with “Here’s what we do differently. Here’s how we can help you….” And this is different from what the average agent does.
Our team has scripts designed all around this. I would encourage you to develop the same.
Bonus: Don’t be a secret agent
Those are my three main takeaways from the Zillow report. But I’ve got a bonus one for my friends in the Northeast, and this one is really interesting.
They did this study, which showed what people want from all the different regions in the country. In the Northeast, prospective buyers are more likely to hire an agent who’s active on social media.
So, don’t be a secret agent. Take a look at your social media strategy:
- Are you putting out great content on a consistent basis?
- Are you taking advantage of BAMx in a Box templates?
- Are you putting out videos?
- Do you have a YouTube channel?
- Do you have a presence on Facebook?
- Are you reaching out to your social media leads via DM or email?
Put yourself out there so people in your market know you’re a real estate agent. I was a little surprised by this, living in the Northeast, but I’m going to follow the data.
Fortunately, we believe in social media, as you can see from what we’re putting out here. Sellers are least likely to discover their agent on a real estate website or app, which means that you also want to lean into your sphere.
There’s a lot of interesting data in this report—your job is to implement it. So, take everything I just shared, and figure out what you can do to position yourself as your expert in your market so you can go out and sell more houses.
