Top 7 Money Leaks That Cost You Commissions and Sales

You can have all the talent, all the hustle, and all the leads in the world. But if your business has holes in the bucket, you’re going to keep losing sales, commissions, and long-term clients.

Over the past few years, I’ve coached and worked with hundreds of agents. I’ve seen the same seven mistakes over and over again. 

They’re simple, they’re avoidable, and they’re quietly draining your bottom line.

Fix these seven money leaks now, and you’ll set yourself up to sell 20 to 30% more homes in the next 6 to 12 months. Let’s break them down.

1. You’re Ghosting Your ‘Past Clients’

Here’s the truth: your past clients are forgetting about you.

More than 80% of buyers and sellers say they’d use their agent again. But barely 20% actually do. Why? Because agents don’t follow up.

Most agents close the deal, maybe send a thank you, and move on. But that client is gold for your business, if you stay in touch. And it starts with removing the term ‘past client’ from your vocabulary. 

If you’re not doing these things, you’re leaking money:

• Calling or texting those ‘forever clients’ (or ‘lifetime clients’) consistently
• Sending birthday or home anniversary messages
• Inviting them to client appreciation events
• Delivering value-driven updates like market changes or neighborhood trends

If all that sounds awkward or you’re unsure what to say, start with something simple like the FORD script (Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams). Just check in. Be human. Build the relationship.

2. You’re Buying Leads, and Letting Them Die

Let me guess: you’re spending hundreds or even thousands a month on leads from Realtor.com, Zillow, or similar platforms. But you’re only calling once (or maybe twice) before giving up.

That’s a complete waste of money. 

The data doesn’t lie:

• Most real estate conversions happen after six or more attempts
• The average agent stops at 2.7 follow-ups

If you don’t have a solid follow-up process, either hire an inside salesperson or block two hours a day to do the work yourself. Don’t just dip your toe in. Dive in, or stop buying leads altogether.

3. You’re Waiting for the Phone to Ring

Posting on social and waiting for inbound leads is not a business strategy. It’s wishful thinking.

If you’re not proactively making calls, your pipeline will dry up. And once it does, no amount of Instagram posts will bring it back to life.

Here’s what I recommend:

• Time block at least one hour a day for outreach (two if you can, four if you’re serious)
• Talk to people about real estate trends, inventory, and pricing in your area
• Create white space in your calendar and use it to generate new convos

Your job is to fill the pipeline. Every day. Not just when things are slow.

4. You Don’t Have a Game Plan

Look at your calendar right now. If it’s mostly blank—or worse, filled with tasks you’re ignoring—you’ve got a major leak.

Top-performing agents don’t just wing it. They know exactly how many connections they need to make each day, how many appointments they need to set, and where their next few deals are coming from.

Ask yourself:

• Do you know your KPIs for daily conversations, appointments, and follow-ups?
• Are you revisiting your business plan regularly?
• Are you actually doing what you committed to at the beginning of the year?

If not, you’re flying blind. And that’s dangerous.

5. You’re Half-Doing Open Houses

A lot of agents treat open houses like an afterthought. They toss out a couple signs, show up five minutes before, and hope for the best.

That’s not how you get results.

Here’s how you work an open house the right way:

• Use 10–20 signs, not two
• Door knock the neighborhood in advance
• Promote it to your database and social channels
• Follow up with everyone who attends, ideally with a video text
• Leverage it as content before, during, and after

You’re already investing time to be there. Make it count.

6. You’re Not Leveraging Your Listings

Getting a listing in this market is like finding a winning lottery ticket. And most agents just cash it in and move on. 

Big mistake.

Every listing is a marketing opportunity. Are you:

• Telling the neighbors you listed or sold the home?
• Calling or door-knocking the surrounding streets?
• Using it as a reason to connect with your sphere and database?
• Sharing updates on social and in email newsletters?

If not, you’re missing out on future listings, referrals, and buyers who are just starting their search.

7. You’re Not Using Property Drips

This one’s simple. If your CRM isn’t sending buyers and sellers relevant property updates, they’re going to go elsewhere.

Buyers want to see what’s on the market. Sellers want to know what’s selling nearby. If you’re not keeping them informed, they’ll go to Redfin, Zillow, or the next agent who does.

Every contact in your database should be on some kind of property alert or drip campaign. No exceptions.

Plug the Leaks and Watch Your Business Grow

You don’t need a brand-new lead gen strategy or fancy tech tool. You just need to stop wasting the opportunities you already have.

Fix these seven money leaks:

1. Follow up with past clients
2. Follow through on paid leads
3. Be proactive, not reactive
4. Stick to a daily plan
5. Work your open houses
6. Leverage every listing
7. Set up property drips for everyone

Do that, and I guarantee you’ll close more deals, earn more referrals, and run a much more profitable business.