The following is based on a conversation recorded on The Leads Are Sh*t podcast. Click here to watch the full interview.

When the real estate world crashed in 2007, Ray Ellen was just getting started. Six months in, listings dried up overnight. He remembers driving past empty fields that already had streets and curbs poured, ghost subdivisions that never made it past the blueprint.

Sellers were showing up to closings in tears. Buyers were grinning ear to ear. Title companies started splitting closings so no one had to sit across from each other.

Most agents working today have never lived through that kind of freeze. Ellen has. And the lessons he learned back then are exactly what agents need now.

‘Balance’ on paper still feels like a downturn; price to win early

A balanced market doesn’t feel balanced when you are coming off the highs of 2021.

Ellen breaks pricing into three simple pieces:

• Comparables: Figure out a realistic range, not a dream number.
• Absorption rate: Are sales speeding up or slowing down month to month? If they are slowing, you can’t price like it is still 2022.
• Competitive set: Look at what is active right now. If there are seven similar homes and five likely buyers, do you want to be the one who sells first, or the one who cuts the price in 60 days?

“If there are four buyers for seven homes, my question to the seller is simple,” Ellen says. “Do you want to be in the top two that sell, or the five that chase the market?”

Do the pricing work with sellers, not for them

Instead of showing up with a printed CMA, Ellen builds it live at the kitchen table.

He pulls up comps, adjusts features and lets the seller call out differences. By the end, they land on a number together.

“Almost every seller says, ‘No one has ever done this with me,’” he says. “That is the point. It is their decision, not my opinion.”

It turns pricing into a collaboration instead of a debate, and it sticks.

Think 90-day campaigns, not weekend launches

When homes sold in a week, agents could throw everything out in the first few days and move on. That does not work anymore.

Ellen plans for a 90 to 120-day arc on every listing:

• Weeks 1–2: make the property look and feel like a premium product with photos, video and strong copy.
• Weeks 3–4: widen the audience, rotate creative and reach new eyeballs.
• Weeks 5–8: change up the hooks, refresh visuals and adjust the price only when paired with a new marketing push. 

That is how he has been able to relist expired homes at the same price and get them sold. The issue usually isn’t price. It is momentum.

Win with questions, not speeches

In softer markets, hard sells fall flat. Ellen has learned to replace statements with questions that help clients talk themselves into the right move.

• “What would it mean to be in your next home sooner?” 
• “If prices are higher in three years, would waiting still make sense?” 
• “When you divide the equity you are giving up by ten years in the right home, is that trade-off worth it?”

He laughs and says, “People trust decisions more when they hear them in their own voice.”

Go after the listings no one else wants

A lot of agents say they don’t want inventory right now. Ellen’s response is, “Great. I’ll take it.”

Hard listings are where the real wins live. Fewer competitors, bigger stories, stronger referrals.

Recently, he took an expired listing, priced it the same, marketed it properly, and sold it in days.

“That client is now telling everyone about it,” he says. “Those testimonials are gold.”

Answer the phone – seriously

Ellen tells a story about a couple moving from Germany. They messaged ten agents. He was the only one who replied.

“It wasn’t my brand or my videos that won them. It was that I answered first,” he says.

Responsiveness is the simplest differentiator in real estate, and most still miss it. Second-ring pick-up. Five-minute text response. Same-day appointment offers. That is the baseline.

Build Q4 momentum to own Q1

Ellen’s big focus this year is finishing strong. His team is running contests, chasing every lead and preparing for a Q4 that could outpace spring.

“Every great first quarter I have ever had came from a busy fourth quarter,” he says. “Momentum compounds.”

The takeaway

The agents who make it through slow markets are the ones who can show their work, sustain demand and help families make confident decisions even when things feel uncertain.

That is what Ellen took from 2007, and it is why he is still here to tell the story.

REM Bot

Content by REM Bot has been created with the assistance of AI. Audio and video interviews, conducted by our team with real people, are transcribed and repurposed into text for those who prefer reading. REM Bot articles are reviewed by staff before publication to ensure factual accuracy and maintain editorial standards.

The post What the 2007 financial crisis taught one team leader about weathering future downturns appeared first on REM.

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REM Bot

Content by REM Bot has been created with the assistance of AI. Audio and video interviews, conducted by our team with real people, are transcribed and repurposed into text for those who prefer reading. REM Bot articles are reviewed by staff before publication to ensure factual accuracy and maintain editorial standards.

The post What separates agents who close from those who complain appeared first on REM.

Each Wednesday, Real Estate Magazine shares insights, experiences and advice from top-performing agents across Canada. If you’d like to contribute, or nominate a colleague or team, send us an email.

Editor’s note: The following interview was originally published in a REM special edition print magazine released Oct. 7 at the Re/Max Activate conference.

Known for their powerhouse presence in Kelowna, B.C. and beyond, sisters Tamara and Shannon Stone have built one of Canada’s top-producing teams. With over $210M in 2024 sales volume and nearly $240M year-to-date in 2025, the Stone Sisters are redefining what team leadership looks like in Canadian real estate.

REM: How did you first get into real estate?

Tamara: Our parents were in the business, so we grew up learning how to negotiate. I was drawn to the freedom and the fact that there’s no cap on earnings.

Shannon: Tamara asked me for years to join her, but I pursued a business degree and worked in marketing first. Ironically, when she stopped asking, I finally decided to join. We planned to train together for six months — and never stopped.

Q: When did you decide to build a team — and why?

Tamara: I sold real estate for 10 years before Shannon joined me. With her marketing acumen, we quickly scaled, but soon we were dropping balls. We hired an admin after her first year and then our first licensed agent in 2010.

Shannon: From the beginning, I wanted us to run real estate like a business, not just as agents. Building a team was always the vision.

Q: What roles do each of you play today?

Tamara: I coach our agents and focus on skill development. I also still attend CMA presentations with our agents.

Shannon: I lead marketing and operations while also co-leading recruiting and vision. We both coach and train through weekly meetings and one-on-ones.

Q: Give us a snapshot of your business today.

• Agents: 12 (including Tamara and Shannon)
• Staff: Five (three in-office: office manager, listing coordinator, marketing assistant; two virtual staff for showings, feedback, and reports)
• Markets served in B.C.: Kelowna, Peachland, Big White, Lake Country, West Kelowna
• 2024 production: 222 sales | $210,828,222 GSV
• 2025 YTD: 187 firm sales | $240,199,600 GSV
• Staff-to-agent ratio: One staff member for every three agents

Q: What were your first key hires that changed the business?

Tamara: Hiring a rockstar office manager, then a marketing director — Shannon had the ideas, but we needed someone to implement. Adding listing coordinators was also a game-changer.

Shannon: Our first admin and two agents were critical. Later, hiring virtual staff for phones and showings, and a listing coordinator, streamlined operations dramatically.

Q: What advice would you give a team leader making their first hire?

Tamara: Make sure you have enough business to support — agents join teams for leads.

Shannon: Hire slow, fire fast if needed. Identify the tasks you shouldn’t be doing and delegate. Create systems so new hires can take 80 per cent of the work while you focus on the 20 per cent that requires your touch.

Q: What are your top lead sources?

Tamara: Agent referrals, past client referrals, and leads from listings.

Shannon: Repeat and referral, brand awareness (mail-outs, bus benches), and social media. Our marketing budget is about 40 per cent past client, 25 per cent referral, 25 per cent marketing, and 10 per cent miscellaneous.

Q: How are leads routed and followed up?

Shannon: Leads go into our CRM and are assigned by our director of leads (round-robin for generics, best-fit for others). If it’s a referral or listing, Tamara or I handle the first call. Leads then move into drip campaigns based on category. After the transaction closes, we personally follow up and thank clients.

Q: What’s in your tech stack?

• Website: StoneSisters.com
• Automation: No dialer/text automation
• AI: Website bot for instant replies
• Finance: Excel + Hubdoc
• Other tools: ChatGPT

Q: How do you invest back into the business?

• Marketing: 6.2 per cent of revenue
• Staff/operations: 8.1 per cent of revenue
• Profit goal: Maintain 40 per cent profit, 30 per cent COGS, 30 per cent expenses

Q: What kind of agents thrive on your team?

Shannon: Hungry, smart, and a team player. New agents usually get their first deal in two to three months. Follow-up and exceptional customer service are rewarded. No follow-up? No leads.

Q: Advice for smaller teams?

Shannon: Your next hire depends on your bottleneck. If you don’t have lots of leads, an ISA doesn’t make sense — start with a transaction coordinator. Invest in social media ads and client engagement.

Lightning Round

• Favourite Canadian market truth: Referrals and repeat clients always outperform ads in ROI.
• One tech you’d fight to keep: Our CRM
• One marketing hill you’ll die on: Be in front of people.
• Agents fail because… they hide behind screens instead of connecting.
• Teams win because… of efficiency, processes, and marketing reach.

The post Agent spotlight: Q&A with Kelowna’s Stone Sisters appeared first on REM.

While his parents urged him toward a conventional path, he veered toward studies in anthropology, psychology and geology — not the typical origin story of a corporate leader.

Yet decades later, Kottick stands at the helm of Re/Max Canada, guiding the nation’s most recognized real estate brand at a high-stakes moment when the industry demands steady leadership.

Born to parents in academia and engineering, Kottick graduated from the University of Toronto during an oil industry downturn, which forced a change in direction. After briefly working as a computer programmer and systems analyst, he discovered his true calling in real estate while employed as a business analyst, setting the foundation for a career in the industry.

Kottick’s professional path includes several tenures at Royal LePage. He also served as VP of technology and business development at the Toronto Real Estate Board at the turn of the millennium. He worked with the real estate division of a Paris, France-based company, Trader Classifieds, and later became CEO of a company specializing in virtual tours, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In 2014, his career evolved to the executive level of Peerage Realty Partners, where he spent five years, during a time when the company was acquiring firms across North America. One major acquisition, Sotheby’s International Realty Canada, led to his appointment as president and CEO, a role he held for six years.

New beginnings at Re/Max

While at Sotheby’s, Kottick was approached by a headhunter with an unexpected opportunity: to lead Re/Max Canada as its president. 

“At the time, I really wasn’t overly interested,” Kottick said in an interview with Real Estate Magazine.

What sold him on the opportunity, he said, was hearing about the vision Erik Carlson, CEO of Re/max Holdings, Inc., had for the company. 

“They were working on building the real estate brokerage of the future,” said Kottick. “So all of a sudden, I started to get very interested in it, and then, I started to say, ‘Yeah, this is the place I want to be.’”

Kottick was announced as the new Re/Max president at the end of April.

‘Brokerage of the future’

For Kottick, keeping Re/Max on the leading edge begins with acknowledging that the real estate industry is undergoing profound change. 

Traditional models are unlikely to survive much longer, so the company must rethink its role and the value it delivers. This means ensuring that Re/Max offers products and services that not only strengthen its franchises, said Kottick, but also empower its agents to succeed in a competitive, evolving marketplace.

A central part of this transformation is technology. Kottick recognizes the disruptive influence of artificial intelligence, not only in society but in real estate, specifically. To remain ahead, Re/Max must anticipate how AI will reshape business practices and embrace it.

Equally important to Kottick is the leadership team driving this vision. He credits Denver-based Carlson, who joined Re/Max two years earlier, with assembling a forward-thinking group of business titans at the helm, including leaders such as Travis Saxton, who joined Re/Max Holdings in January as executive vice-president of strategy, and Chris Lim, also new to the company in 2025 as its chief growth officer.

Reckoning for the industry

For decades, Canada’s real estate industry has sold itself on trust, with agents cast as the guides through some of life’s largest financial decisions. But two serious events that came to light this year disrupted that carefully maintained reputation.

In Ontario, the iPro Realty Ltd. scandal revealed a multi-million-dollar shortfall in the brokerage’s trust account, leading to its accounts being frozen by the Real Estate Council of Ontario, and its branches being closed entirely, displacing more than 2,400 agents across the province in August. 

Earlier this year, Calgary’s Re/Max Central caught the media’s attention with a Ponzi scheme controversy, with its former agent Eric Drinkwater at the center of both criminal and civil court challenges. (Kottick, only months into the job, decided in May to cut ties with Re/Max Central). 

Together, these crises expose not only the vulnerabilities in how the industry is regulated, according to critics, but also the fragility of public faith in those charged with safeguarding one of the country’s most important markets.

Negative headlines have amplified concerns about professionalism and agent behaviour, putting pressure on agents to prove their credibility in an increasingly skeptical market. Kottick acknowledges the challenge, calling it a defining moment for the industry.

In this climate, Re/Max holds a distinct advantage, he says. As one of the most prominent real estate brands in Canada, it enters the conversation with credibility. But reputation alone, Kottick argues, isn’t enough. Agents need tools, resources and professional standards that actively reinforce that trust.

At the same time, the industry is undergoing what Kottick describes as a “flight to quality.” According to him, the market is polarizing between discount brokerages and full-service firms, with top producers gravitating toward environments where excellence is the norm. Re/Max thrives in this space, he explains, offering agents a supportive brand and innovative technology, which allows them to elevate their businesses.

He said recent events have also shifted marketing tactics, describing an emerging trend of agents leaning into the brokerage name for recognition, rather than building a brand based on their individuality.

“We went through this phase where agents were always about their own personal brand,” Kottick said. “But because of all the media attention on the bad actors out there, I think consumers are looking again for a brand they can trust. Brand has become important again.”

Restoring public trust

For Kottick, rebuilding public trust in real estate requires stronger collaboration between industry leaders, associations, and regulators. He stresses that regulation, while important, must be informed by those who actually understand the business.

Too often, decisions are made without input from practitioners, resulting in rules that may not reflect the realities of the industry, he said. As he put it, “You wouldn’t build a medical board without doctors at the table,” and real estate should be no different. Ensuring that experienced professionals are part of the policy-making process is critical to creating fair, effective oversight, he said.

At the same time, Kottick acknowledges that no system can eliminate every issue. “Things happen,” he said. “You’re always going to have unavoidable events that you can’t predict. You just make sure you have mechanisms so they don’t repeat themselves.”

Market outlook 

Kottick remains optimistic about Canada’s housing market, even amid softening conditions in some of Canada’s biggest cities, like Toronto and Vancouver.

He emphasizes that the country has long struggled with a chronic housing shortage that’s relative to population growth. This imbalance has only deepened in recent years with historic levels of immigration, creating sustained pressure on both the ownership and rental markets.

Borrowing conditions further support demand, he said. With interest rates at relatively low levels — and the possibility of further reductions ahead — capital remains accessible. 

At the same time, Kottick said there is a significant pool of pent-up buyers waiting to re-enter the market. 

While uncertainty around tariffs has slowed momentum in 2025, Kottick views this as a temporary hurdle. He believes the Canada-U.S. trade dispute will ultimately be resolved, clearing the way for a rebound. 

“Once this is fixed, the floodgates will open,” he said.

Kottick also argues that Canada’s foreign buyer ban has unintentionally worsened supply constraints. He said that many people don’t realize that new condominium projects require 70 per cent of units to be presold before construction can begin, and foreign investors have historically provided essential funding. By cutting off that capital, the government has stalled the new housing supply. 

He said while the policy may seem appealing politically, “optically, people don’t understand that it actually has an adverse effect.”

Advice for thriving in a challenging market

For Kottick, difficult markets separate the best agents from the rest. He said that when conditions turn tough, top performers don’t slow down — they ramp up.

Instead of retreating, they return to fundamentals: connecting with their networks, reaching out consistently, and staying visible.

“The best agents never take their foot off the gas,” he said.

He recalls the early days of the pandemic as a prime example. Many agents treated the disruption as a break, only to struggle restarting their businesses later. Meanwhile, those who stayed active — calling clients, farming their markets, and maintaining relationships — were ready when demand surged.

Kottick advises agents to focus on “the little things” — regular client touches, consistent follow-ups and nurturing relationships.

A modern brand 

From a Mississauga kid curious about people, to a C-suite executive focused on standards and cutting-edge tools, Kottick’s through line is simple: credibility first. As the market finds its footing, he’s betting Re/Max’s future on the quiet work of better advice, steadier leadership and results you can measure.

Courtney Zwicker

Courtney Zwicker is a digital reporter and associate editor for REM. Based in Atlantic Canada, she has over a decade of experience covering daily business news.

The post The next chapter for Re/Max Canada: Back to fundamentals, forward with AI appeared first on REM.

Suze Cumming, founder of The Nature of Real Estate and Canada’s Real Estate Negotiation guru, answers Realtors’ questions on the first Friday of the month about negotiation tactics and working through tricky situations. Have a question for Suze? Send her an email.

The overwhelming majority of letters I received this month were about pricing listings. So, let’s dig in on how you and your sellers can get the advantage in this market.

Over 79.5 per cent of Canadian homes listed for sale today aren’t selling, according to an estimation based on Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) data. Sellers can’t understand why their homes aren’t moving, and agents are struggling to tell the truth. This isn’t a small issue – it’s the defining challenge of our market.

Why we keep getting it wrong

The bidding war for listings

Too many agents set their suggested list price higher than they know is reasonable because they fear losing the listing to a competitor who promises more. In some cases, this is fully conscious. They know the market won’t support the number, but they also know another agent will come in and tell the seller exactly what they want to hear.

Other times it’s unconscious bias. Because we want the listing and don’t want to disappoint the seller, we start seeing evidence that supports a higher number, even when the data doesn’t. The pressure of competition makes it easy to round up without realizing it.

The skills gap

I’ve seen several CMAs recently where agents used the MLS tools in ways that don’t establish accurate market value. They’re not choosing comparables effectively, they’re not making accurate adjustments, and they’re using average asking price data. This leads to recommended prices that can be significantly higher than market value.

Wishful thinking isn’t a strategy

I’ve watched agents give higher prices because they’re sad the seller will lose money. I get it, but contributing to unreasonable expectations doesn’t help a seller who needs to sell.

Many agents simply don’t believe real estate prices have dropped as much as they have, or they assume recovery is around the corner. We don’t want the market reality to be true, so we replace it with positivity.

I’ve started using a new term: practical optimism. Be realistic about market conditions and positive about a potential sale. “While the price won’t be what it was in the COVID bubble, there are buyers out there, and with the right strategy and positioning, we should be able to get your home sold.”

Why sellers overvalue

They love what’s theirs

People overvalue their own assets. Research shows that someone’s maximum willingness to pay for an object is typically lower than the least amount they’re willing to accept to sell it. That gap is huge in real estate.

The waiting game

Most sellers have accepted recent market depreciation, but many feel if they wait they’ll get a higher price. Interestingly, if you ask them directly whether the market will improve soon, most admit it’s unlikely. They just don’t want to accept it applies to them.

The old playbook

Many sellers stick to the belief that if they ask more, they’ll get more. They imagine perfect buyers are waiting who will pay above market, or that overpricing leaves room for negotiation. It almost always costs them.

Contributing to this mindset:

• The trust gap: The trust deficit in real estate creates skepticism when an agent gives them a lower but more accurate number. They think you just want a quick commission.

• The “I have time” myth: Some sellers feel that if they’re willing to wait, they’ll get a higher price. Agents reinforce this by suggesting a time/price relationship. That’s true in a rising market—not in a flat or falling one.

• Industry conditioning: Listing presentations have long been about promising high prices and flashy marketing, not the harder, more valuable skills of strategy and negotiation.

The strategic edge of pricing right

Here’s the opportunity: there are a finite number of buyers in the market, and they will offer on and purchase the properties that are most attractive, typically a combination of the home’s attributes and the asking price. With most homes overpriced, you and your seller have a chance to price realistically, attract quality buyers, and secure a market value offer.

Think about this: if every listing got reduced to the current market value tomorrow, and the number of buyers remained fixed, the market value would fall quickly and significantly. So use those overpriced properties as the lever to get your client’s home sold.

In a balanced market, it’s not about the highest asking price. It’s about the highest probability of a successful sale.

Communicating the truth

Truth – Empathy – Clarity – Courage

Truth: Assess market value accurately without bias. This isn’t what you want it to be worth; it’s what a buyer would be willing to pay.

Empathy: The truth is hard for some sellers to hear, but supporting unrealistic expectations is unprofessional and could be damaging. Let them know you understand how difficult this might be.

Clarity: Communicate directly. Avoid long-winded hedging that leaves sellers with false hope.

Courage: Deliver the truth. Most people need it.

And when they say another agent gave them a higher price? Respond truthfully: “I have no doubt. There are lots of agents who will tell you what you want to hear to get the business. What data did they show you, and do you believe it?”

The bottom line

The agents who master the skill and gather the courage required for accurate pricing are the ones who will thrive in this market. Not the ones with the highest promises.

Suze Cumming

Suze Cumming is the founder of The Nature of Real Estate and Canada’s Real Estate Negotiation guru. Suze and her team have run over 5000 real estate professionals through negotiation designation courses since 2013 and have guided many top agents and teams to their success.  

Her courses, the Accredited Real Estate Negotiator (AREN) and the Professional Real Estate Negotiator (PREN), are Canada’s newest and fastest-growing designation.   These courses are offered live online in small interactive groups or in person for brokerages and boards.   

Suze is passionate about two things. Helping REALTORS get massively successful results for their clients and for themselves.   And Sailboat racing.   When Suze isn’t on a stage or in a zoom room, you’ll find her racing her sailing yachts in various locations around the world.    

For 40 years, Suze has been passionate about real estate and the lifestyle that it makes possible for each of us.  She knows for sure that the only way to the top is to be remarkably good at what you do.  

thenatureofrealestate.com/

The post Negotiation Intelligence: Mastering the art of pricing in a stalled market appeared first on REM.

That piece drew plenty of opinions—some folks thought I was off my rocker, others nodded along and even added fuel to the fire about what the next five to 10 years might look like for organized real estate.

This isn’t part two of that article. I’m not here to make more predictions today. Instead, I want to show you how you can start using AI right now so you don’t get left behind.

Because let’s be real: it’s not about robots taking over. It’s about buyers and sellers expecting you, their agent, to already be fluent in AI.

So, where do we start?

Prompt engineering

AI is only as good as the instructions you give it. If your prompt is short, vague, or lacking context, you’ll get an answer that reflects exactly that: short, vague, and not very useful.

Let me give you an example.

A few weeks ago, I jumped into my first NFL Fantasy Football draft. Now, I’ve been watching football for over 40 years, but outside of my team, the Green Bay Packers, I didn’t know much about other players from other teams.

Five years ago, I’d have been buried in magazines and Google searches. But this year, I had Carl, my AI assistant.

I gave Carl a detailed prompt: Who he was, the context of the draft, where to pull player data from, what my goals were, and how I wanted the info delivered. 

The result? A detailed breakdown of first and second choices, draft timing, and a winning game plan.

Meanwhile, a buddy of mine tried ChatGPT with no strategy. He got frustrated, he wound up with the wrong info, bad picks, and suggestions he’d never consider. 

Why? 

Because he didn’t give the AI a proper prompt.

Here’s the 5-step framework I use every time:

1. Assign the role – Tell the AI who it is.
2. Context – Explain why you’re doing this.
3. Direct command – Spell out what you want.
4. Format the output – Define how you want the info back.
5. Clarity – Let the AI ask follow-ups if needed.

Stick to this framework and your AI results will change overnight.

Marketing on steroids

Years ago, Gary Vaynerchuk released an eBook on how to create 64 pieces of content from one idea or piece of pillar content.

At the time, Vaynerchuk was building a media company and had many videographers, video editors, and social media specialists on the payroll. 

So, of course, it was easy to take one piece of content and turn it into 64 pieces when you have a team working for you.

With the speed of AI today, you could be deploying the same content model that Vaynerchuk still does to this day.

You can use your AI assistant to help you build the pillar content. You want to shoot a video, but not sure what to say?

Use the prompt framework to get your AI assistant to write the video script for you. 

Shoot the video. Then ask your assistant to help you break it down into 30 different pieces or ideas you can post to multiple platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Reddit, etc.

You don’t need a media army anymore. With AI moving as fast as it is today, you can pull off the same strategy solo.

Here’s the play:

1. Create a piece of pillar content—a blog post, podcast, or long-form video.
2. Use AI to break it down into 20–30 smaller pieces across multiple platforms.

For example:

• Use Opus Clips to spin out five to 10 short videos for IG, TikTok, and YouTube.
• Create memes that drive traffic back to your Reel.
• Write a blog post embedding your video.
• Have AI write captions for each platform.
• Draft LinkedIn, Facebook, and X posts from the same source.

Boom—right there, you could have upwards of 20 pieces of content that you could produce off of one video. 

Systems, systems and more systems

In my coaching business, when I ask an agent what they want to get out of the experience, one of the most common answers is: learning systems. 

Let’s be clear, though, a system can be an automation, but it isn’t an absolute. What I mean by that is a checklist can be a system. You are not automating the checklist; you or someone else is still required to do the work.

Automating tasks and using AI to help build the content for those automations are where a lot of my clients are crushing it.

For example, do you have a seller drip campaign set up to stay in contact with your clients over the course of 60, 90, or even 120 days?

Well, you could have one if you had the right software. Look to the CRM you are using and see if it has that capability; that’s step one.

Step two is working with your AI assistant to understand the seller’s journey and then setting out to build the email content around that journey. Once you have the content created, you put it into the software and space it out accordingly.

Another system that AI can help you with is marketing. Your AI assistant can build out a content calendar for you based on the ideas that you have for marketing and branding yourself online.

Keep in mind, though, that you will still have to do some of the work; if you are leveraging a program like HeyGen it will be easier for you than others who aren’t.

Put a content calendar together that includes your video scripts. Take the scripts and upload them to HeyGen, and create your own realistic-looking avatar-style videos.

If you use that program right, you could wind up producing more video content than all of your competition combined, similar to what @jaxwithjosh has done on Instagram for his city of Jacksonville. He has essentially branded himself as the digital mayor of that city.

How can I get started right now

So here’s the takeaway:

• Use the five-step prompt framework every time you talk to AI.
• Leverage AI to multiply your marketing output without multiplying your workload.
• Build systems—big or small—that keep your business organized and scalable.

AI isn’t replacing you (yet). 

But the agents who adopt it will replace the ones who don’t.

Kelley Skar

I am a second generation REALTOR®, SUCCESS Certified real estate coach, a real estate trainer with a proven track record as well as an international speaker (which means I’ve spoken all over Canada and the US).
I knew early on in life that I was going to be an educator; I started with University thinking I was going to be a high school teacher. Life took me in another direction. However, my passion for learning and educating has never left. I am a student of history, business and of life. My passion lies in high-level discussions around business strategies and helping agents & brokers build a bigger, better, and highly profitable real estate business.
I have been married to my beautiful wife for over 16 years, and we have smart, athletic and articulate 14-year-old twins. We enjoy hiking through the Okanagan together, spending time at the beach and on the lake as well as traveling the continent and hopefully at some point, the globe. I love to play golf, work out in the gym, hang out with my friends, and am a huge Green Bay Packers football fan.

The post How agents can start making AI work for their business – today appeared first on REM.

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With more than $670 million in sales volume in 2024 and nearly $423 million year-to-date in 2025, the Golfi Team dominates markets across southern Ontario.

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The Price Change Playbook: How top agents stay in control when listings stall

Nov 5, 2025

Unlock the secrets of top agents who navigate price changes with confidence and strategy. Learn how to keep control when listings stall and maintain client trust.

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REM Bot

Content by REM Bot has been created with the assistance of AI. Audio and video interviews, conducted by our team with real people, are transcribed and repurposed into text for those who prefer reading. REM Bot articles are reviewed by staff before publication to ensure factual accuracy and maintain editorial standards.

The post AI is everywhere, but are you using it the right way? appeared first on REM.

It gave me a list of names. Only one of them I recognized and I’ve been around long enough to know the serious players where I live.

That moment stuck with me.

Not because the results were wrong, but because I started asking:

• Why those agents?
• What signals is AI actually using to recommend people?
• And could those signals be influenced?

So I started testing. I ran prompt variations across different cities. I researched how AI language models pull answers. I studied which reviews, platforms, and patterns they trust.

And what I discovered was this: It rewards consistency, credibility, and structured visibility.

That insight became the foundation of what I’m calling:

The AI trust agent framework

It’s a clear, tactical playbook for real estate agents who want to become the kind of local professional AI tools trust enough to recommend.

This isn’t SEO or “hacking” ChatGPT.

It’s about becoming verifiably credible across the right platforms, with the right signals so that you’re impossible to ignore by AI.

Phase 1: Anchor your authority

AI tools don’t rely on just one platform. They cross-reference your digital presence across the web.

That means if your information is scattered, inconsistent, or missing altogether, AI won’t recommend you.

What to do:

Pick one version of your name and stick with it.  If you’re “Sarah Taylor, Realtor®” on one site, don’t be “The Taylor Group” or “Sarah T. Homes” on another.

Keep your business info consistent everywhere:

• • Name
  • Brokerage
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Website
  • Service area

Update your presence on these key platforms:

• • Google Business Profile
  • RateMyAgent
  • LinkedIn
  • Realtor.ca
  • Facebook & Instagram (business profiles)
  • Your personal website

Build your Digital Identity Kit. A one-pager with:

• • Name, title, brokerage, license
  • Top give public links
  • Short bio
  • High-resolution headshot
  • Brand colors or design notes
  • Review links

Pro tip: Use this as the single source of truth for you, your team, VA, or any other person creating content on your behalf.

Phase 2: Influence AI signals

AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini reference third-party proof. Especially reviews, rankings, and local credibility markers. If your clients love you, but no one is saying so in places AI trusts, you’re not visible.

What to do:

Focus your reviews where AI looks first:

• • Google Business: aim for 50+
  • RateMyAgent: aim for 30+
  • Bonus: Facebook Business, Yelp, Trustpilot

Coach your clients on how to leave smart reviews:

• • Ask them to mention your city, neighbourhood, or role
  • Example: “Sarah helped us buy our first home in Port Credit. She’s hands down the best realtor in Mississauga.”

Repetition of phrases like “top realtor in [City]” matters. AI notices patterns.

Get included in local roundups and directories:

• • “Top Realtors in [City]” blog posts
  • Chamber of commerce lists
  • Local business directories
  • Neighbourhood newsletters

Outreach script you can use:

“Hi, I saw your article on top agents in [City]. I’ve helped over [X] families buy or sell locally, with [Y] five-star reviews. Happy to contribute market insights if you ever update the piece.”

Create a repeatable Review Capture System:

• • Pre-written email + text templates
  • Direct review links
  • Follow-up reminder three to five days later

Phase 3: Replicate and rank content

AI tools prioritize content that answers real-world questions, especially if it’s:

• Location-specific
• Structured clearly
• Published consistently
• Backed by readable, crawlable data

But let’s be clear: AI doesn’t watch your videos. It reads what surrounds them. The titles, transcripts, blog posts, and metadata. That’s why you want to start with a fast, human approach to content… then turn it into a format AI actually uses.

What to do:

Begin with a one to three-minute video answering a local question. Don’t overthink it. Pick a topic like:

• “Is now a good time to sell in [City]?”
• “Top three family-friendly neighborhoods in [City]”
• “What $800K buys you in [City] in 2025”

Talk naturally. You’re not recording for AI, you’re recording for people. Then turn that video into structured, AI-friendly content. Use the transcript to create a short blog post. Break it into clear H2s and bullet points. Include FAQs with geo-specific phrasing. Publish it on your site and on social.

Use a three-layer content flywheel:

1. Video → record your insight (one to three minutes)
2. Blog or article → publish a written version with structure
3. Social post → create a short text or clip for visibility

Don’t forget the metadata. AI tools index page titles, alt-text on images, file names of uploaded content, and transcripts/captions embedded.

AI can’t “watch” your content, but it can read everything surrounding it. So create once, repurpose with structure, and publish where AI listens.

Phase 4: Engage and automate

Once AI starts surfacing your name, the question is are you ready to capture that traffic and convert it?

Turn your website into a lead magnet:

• “Download the 2025 market report for [your city]”
• “Seven mistakes first-time sellers make in [your city]”
• “Get my weekly list of off-market listings”

Use a three to five-email follow-up sequence:

• Email 1: Quick intro + what to expect
• Email 2: Client story or testimonial
• Email 3: Free resource or CTA to book a consultation

Automate your review requests:

• Use Zapier, Mailchimp, Follow Up Boss, etc…
• Trigger email/SMS after a deal closes
• Schedule follow-ups automatically

Track your AI visibility monthly:

• # of new reviews
• Local media mentions
• RateMyAgent ranking
• Run prompt in temporary chats with no memory “Who is the best real estate agent in [City]?

Trust is the new SEO

The AI Trust Agent framework isn’t about chasing hacks. It’s about building real digital authority. AI tools don’t guess. They recognize structured credibility. They recommend the agent who looks aligned, reviewed, respected, and consistent across the web.

So if that’s not you yet, this is how you fix it. Become the name AI recommends… and the agent people remember.

Andrew Fogliato

Andrew Fogliato – The G is silent –  is the owner of Real Estate Magazine and Just Sell Homes. He mostly talks about marketing but sometimes ventures into other topics in the real estate world. Sometimes he also writes bios in the 3rd person.

The post Build to be found: The AI trust agent framework appeared first on REM.

The recently launched Max Engage program rewards agents with points for completing brand-aligned activities, from social media challenges and listing best practices to training tool engagement.

“The tool is designed to help agents invest in their business alongside the brand and reward them for doing so,” says Melissa Clemance, VP of marketing and communications for Re/Max Canada. “Similar to a Marriott Bonvoy or Starbucks rewards program, the more you engage in certain activities, the more points you gain.”

She explains how it comes full circle: Agents perform certain activities, get points for them and, using campaigns within the brand’s portals and tools, spend those points instead of money on things to advance their listings, like one-on-one training, photo shoots, discounts on events and education and soon, marketing services.

A twofold approach

The program’s goal, Clemance says, is business building, with the driver being both engagement and education.

“(It’s about) encouraging the business-building activities we know agents need to be doing and to help continue to champion the professionalism (they) exemplify,” she explains, first and foremost by encouraging them to “get louder” on social, since consumer behavior is leaning more towards it. 

“They’re looking up agents’ profiles … Gen Z especially is going more to TikTok than Google.”

Then, the brand is seeking ways to educate its agents about doing the “right” things across social, as she says not everyone is in the online world.

Clemence explains, “We want to encourage more agents we know are doing business in the markets to put themselves out there more for the consumer — to champion more professionalism across the industry.”

The gamification of real estate

The move uses gamification and perks to retain top talent and boost agent performance, strategies typically relied on by consumer brands that Clemance admits are relatively new territory in the real estate space. To her team’s knowledge, Re/Max is the first franchisor to launch something of this nature.

She believes the psychology behind the program — shown through reward for effort, bragging rights and leaderboards — applies to both consumers and business owners alike.

“Agents are competitive and they love accolades … leaderboards, badges and ‘bragability’ create a culture within Re/Max we want to continue to foster.” 

The flip side

While some agents are intrigued, others remain unconvinced.

Coldwell Banker Canada agent Stephanie Mols questions the effectiveness of loyalty programs in a business built on relationships, training and real-world experience.

While she’s not against engagement tools in principle and recognizes their potential business-building value and access to marketing benefit, Mols questions whether they address the real needs of new or struggling agents.

Essentially, she doesn’t feel they effectively teach agents what they need to know about client care. “I would never consider (them) a priority to be a successful Realtor is really what it comes down to,” she explains.

Mols recalls, more than once, watching colleagues leave for brands offering perks-based programs, only to return months later. “Literally, 90% of them came back,” she says.

For her, meaningful retention and business growth prioritize the people, not a tool, to gain presence, starting with support, not structure.

“When we come out of school, we don’t know how to write an APS. We don’t know how to close a deal. We don’t know anything, really! If I hadn’t had mentorship and support at all times (when) I started out, I would’ve been totally lost,” she admits.

Mols says brokerages need to free up agents’ time so they can do what they’re meant to: buy and sell real estate, without distraction. And doing that, she stresses, requires a lot of education.

“Everything is about support, mentorship and one-on-one training, help whenever you need it. I see with a lot of other brokerages that it’s just not there,” she explains, adding that she gets many calls from agents who have nobody else to turn to.

Mols also sees most digital rewards platforms as too impersonal. “I value non-structured acknowledgement directly from my brokerage,” she says. “We have regular personal contact with our broker of record. We go for lunches. I appreciate that personal support over anything else.”

A tool, not a replacement

Clemance acknowledges the concern but stresses that Max Engage is structured to reward, not replace, core agent development, mentorship and traditional brokerage support.

She says it rewards activities in a way that will eventually become more seamless. In other words, “As agents conduct certain transaction counts or reach certain award levels, they’ll naturally get points rather than taking time out of their day to earn them.”

And, aside from the social media focus, she notes different reasons the tool may pull people in, with things like awards, accolades and training being other motivators to engage. 

With plans to evolve Max Engage into a customizable tool that brokerages can tailor to their offices based on things like local market or team needs, Clemance feels the future of agent engagement is hybrid: digital support systems that reinforce and scale personalized brokerage culture.

“That’s really where the engagement comes from,” she notes, “As different markets, different brokers embrace the tools and technology. That’s where we’ll see the uptick.”

The consensus so far

Early signals show growing interest in the app. Clemance says Re/Max Trailblazers — a select group of agents testing the program — have contributed ideas that shaped the rollout. Future updates will add multilingual support, local brokerage incentives and integration with upcoming tools like marketing-as-a-service.

Differences aside, both Clemance and Mols agree on one point: the best tools are those that actually help agents do better work. Whether that’s lunch with a broker or an app leaderboard, the message is clear: brokerages need to meet agents where they are. And for some, a reward for showing up can’t hurt.

Emma Caplan-Fisher

Emma Caplan-Fisher is an editor and writer for REM. She has over a decade of experience in various content types and topics, including real estate, housing, business, tech, and home & design. Emma’s work has also been featured in Cottage Life, the Vancouver Real Estate Podcast, the Chicago Tribune, Narcity Media, Healthline, and others. She holds a Certificate in Editing from Simon Fraser University.

The post Is engagement the new retention strategy? Re/Max bets on loyalty program to keep agents invested appeared first on REM.

I didn’t have a master plan. I had just been fired from a job, and bills were due. I was in talks with another company that was more “industry-adjacent” than in the industry. 

I had bills to pay in the meantime, and so I figured I’d help agents with their marketing. I thought it might just be temporary until the new job happened. Then, in a couple of weeks, I had already started making more than I did at the job I had been at. I never looked back.

The company, Just Sell Homes, took on a life of its own. It grew fast and had a lot of stumbles along the way. Over the years, it became a test lab for real estate marketing. Serving agents, teams, and vendors across the country. It taught me the patterns. The pain points. The stuff no one talks about on stages.

Then it led me to a new chapter: taking the reins at Real Estate Magazine. I still think about marketing every day, we still serve clients at Just Sell Homes, but now I get to zoom out and look at how we move the whole industry forward, too.

I sat down to write “10 Lessons from 10 Years,” but I couldn’t stop at 10. These are the ideas that Just Sell Homes has been built on and now shape what we’re doing at REM.

Marketing Truths

Attention ≠ Authority

Getting a lot of views doesn’t mean you’re building a business. I’ve had videos with six-figure views and bring in zero business. I’ve also had videos with 500 views bring in six figures in revenue. Building trust with the right people is the goal, not the biggest number of people. 

Clear beats clever

People get too cute with their ads and copy. Most of the time, clarity wins. Show people who you help, what you do, and how they can work with you. No riddles. 

Simplify the idea

If your ad/email/post makes people think too hard, it won’t convert. Simple scales. 

Help people (without expecting a return)

Some of the biggest opportunities have come from helping someone when it didn’t make sense on paper. The five minutes that helped someone five years ago might turn into a big chunk of business today.

A lot of people quit too soon

Run one Facebook ad and didn’t get a client? Facebook ads don’t work. One run of postcards to a farm area? Farming doesn’t work. I’ve seen this trend over and over. People quit too soon. Just Sell Homes had a good first two years, and year three was great. That’s when people saw I was sticking around. The time in the business mattered to people. Consistency and showing up over time are powerful business tools.

Mindset Shifts

There’s no silver bullet

There’s no single tactic that fixes everything. You already know most of what you need to do; you just need to do it consistently and improve each time.

Let things go

People will treat you poorly when it’s really about something in their own life. They’ll assign intent that doesn’t exist. They’ll assume the worst, then build a narrative to match. It’s not worth the effort to worry about. Just let it go and focus on you and the people that matter.

Ideas won’t work out. Things you try, you’ll fail at. People get worried about how they’re perceived because of that. I’ve tried and killed lots of things, multiple things every year since I started Just Sell Homes. 

How many of them do you remember? People forget faster than most people realize.

That being said, that fear still exists. I was excited to buy REM. I was also scared. I knew the legacy it had, the attention it would get, and what it would mean if I failed. Do things that scare you. It’s worth it.

And don’t think that just because someone looks successful online, it means everything’s amazing behind the scenes. Years ago, someone told me, “Man, you must be rolling in it.” And I remember thinking, “I don’t even know how I’m going to pay my bills this month”. 

We all carry things no one sees. Stay focused on the work and don’t confuse what you see in your feed for the full story. Social media success is the ultimate house of cards.

Have fun (or walk away)

Early on, it’s hard to say no to money. But I’ve made a rule: If someone calls or a name pops up in my notifications, and I roll my eyes just seeing their name? They shouldn’t be a client or partner anymore. You should enjoy what you do and who you work with. There’s more than enough business to be done with people you enjoy.

Nothing is mandatory

You don’t have to do video. You don’t have to be on social. They can absolutely help. You can also do 100+ deals a year with neither. All you need is a clear strategy, consistent execution, and a commitment to getting better over time. That’s it.

Not all experience is created equal

Ten years in business doesn’t mean 10 years of business experience. It could mean one year of experience repeated ten times. Learn from what you’re doing, don’t just live through it.

Execution Lessons

Remove the roadblocks

Most things don’t fail because they can’t work. They fail because there’s a roadblock in the way. Identify the roadblock, decide if it’s worth clearing. If it is, clear it. If it isn’t, find another route. 

Skin in the game

If someone wants to work with you, learn from you, or collaborate but won’t put up any money, effort, or risk…they’re not serious. This applies to clients, partners, and projects. 

“That’s how it’s always been done” = Red flag

That phrase almost always hides an inefficiency. The industry is full of people clinging to habits just because they think they have to. Question the default settings. 

Don’t just learn from real estate

Only listening to people who’ve “been in the trenches” keeps you stuck in the same patterns. As someone who’s used “I’ve been a Realtor” as a differentiator, I’ll say this: it’s overrated. Some of my best ideas, the ones that helped clients the most, came from outside the industry. Great ideas are everywhere. Your job is to find them and apply them. 

These lessons shaped how I think about growth, leadership, and longevity. They built Just Sell Homes and now they’re shaping Real Estate Magazine.

A decade in, the tools have changed. But the mission hasn’t: Help serious professionals do meaningful work.

If I had to sum up 10 years into one line?

Be helpful. Be consistent. Be clear.

Thank you to every client, contributor, critic, and collaborator who’s crossed paths with me these past ten years.

I’m more excited than ever about what we’re building next at REM, and across this industry.

Here’s to the next 10.

– Andrew Fogliato

Publisher, Real Estate Magazine

1. One extra lesson because, why not? Ask for what you want. Reach out to people you think are “too big” to say yes. Ask for partnerships, introductions, feedback, and chances.  I’ve been told “no” more than I’ve been told “yes”. Most won’t go anywhere. The ones that do might change your life.

Andrew Fogliato

Andrew Fogliato – The G is silent –  is the owner of Real Estate Magazine and Just Sell Homes. He mostly talks about marketing but sometimes ventures into other topics in the real estate world. Sometimes he also writes bios in the 3rd person.

The post Ten years, no shortcuts: Lessons in earning trust in a transactional industry appeared first on REM.