When the property market slows or becomes unpredictable, real estate agents can feel the pinch. Fewer listings, hesitant buyers, and economic twists (one day a rate cut, the next day tighter lending) create whiplash for those in the industry. As one expert observed, “Uncertainty is the only thing to be certain of”. Yet, within this uncertainty lie opportunities. The top performers aren’t standing idle – they’re doubling down on productive activities. Agents who stay organised, focused on essential tasks, and diligent will “prosper in this challenging market”. Here’s how elite Australian agents are staying ahead during low-transaction periods, and how you can do the same.
Nurture Leads and Optimise Your Database
A quieter market is the perfect time to mine the gold in your existing contacts. In boom times, you likely amassed a trove of buyer and seller details without fully following up. Now is your chance to nurture those leads. Reach out to past clients, old appraisals, and prospects in your CRM to rekindle relationships. In a hot market, clients might come to you; in a slower one, “you have to pick up the phone and generate appraisal leads yourself”.
Start by updating and organising your database. Ensure you have current phone numbers, email addresses, and notes on each contact’s situation. Segment your list – for example, recent buyers (who may become sellers), long-term owners, investors, and active prospects – so your messaging can be tailored. Industry coaches recommend dedicating consistent time to this: for instance, one top trainer suggests setting aside “a minimum of two hours a day” just to call people not currently active in your listings – past buyers, past sellers, old leads, everyone in your pipeline. These check-in calls aren’t about hard selling; they’re about offering value (market updates, tips, a friendly catch-up) and staying on your contacts’ radar. Every conversation plants a seed for a future listing or referral.
Think of all the potential business sitting in your records. That couple who attended an open home two years ago might now be ready to upsize. That investor you helped last year could be pondering their next move. As one prospecting article noted, the data you already have contains “some really good opportunities” – you just need processes to “mine for gold” in your CRM. By nurturing these relationships through personal calls, emails or even coffee catch-ups, you’ll strengthen your pipeline for when the market rebounds. The agents who excel in slow periods methodically work their databases so that no opportunity slips through the cracks.
Stay Proactive and Innovative in Prospecting
When walk-ins and inbound enquiries dry up, proactive prospecting becomes non-negotiable. Elite agents treat prospecting like daily hygiene – a disciplined, daily activity. Real estate coach Robert Villanueva bluntly puts it, “Real estate is a contact sport,” emphasising that consistent outreach is the cornerstone of success. Even if you’re getting half the leads you did in a boom, doubling your outreach efforts can compensate. That means making calls, knocking on doors, and starting conversations, every single day. As agent Loida Velasquez advises, sometimes you simply have to “pick up the phone and start conversations” – developing a steady rhythm of prospecting that creates long-term opportunities.
Staying proactive also means trying new tactics and channels. If traditional methods aren’t yielding the same results, consider some innovations that top agents are using. One approach is leveraging technology to work smarter. For example, AI-driven assistants can help qualify leads at scale. Rather than manually calling through 1,000 old contacts blindly, some agents deploy AI tools that engage these contacts via text or email, gauge their interest, and identify who’s warming up. That way, when you pick up the phone, it’s to call someone who’s already signalled they might need your expertise. In fact, agents report that an AI assistant can pare down a huge call list by filtering for the genuinely interested – so “when you need to make a call, you know it’s a phone call that matters because the person on the other end has asked for your expertise”. Embracing such prospecting innovations can multiply your efficiency during lean times.
Don’t overlook the power of personalisation in your prospecting. In slower markets, generic mass-emails or bland flyers won’t cut through the noise. It may sound old-fashioned, but personal touches make a difference – and there are numbers to prove it. Handwritten notes, personal video messages, or door-knocking with a helpful market insight can far outperform generic marketing. Industry data shows that a personalised approach (like a friendly door knock or a local business drop-in) can yield conversion rates of 10–15%, compared to just 1–3% for impersonal form letters or flyers. Those are huge differences. So, get creative: send a quick CMA update to a past client with a note, or drop off a brochure about preparing for spring selling season with your business card attached. By innovating in your outreach – whether through cutting-edge tech or old-school hospitality – you’ll generate leads that less proactive competitors are missing.
Build Your Personal Brand and Community Presence
When the market is slow, your personal brand and community visibility become even more critical. The goal is to be the agent people think of first – the moment they do decide to act. Elite agents know that trust and visibility in the community directly translate to listings. As @realty managing director JJ Taylor points out, “the most successful real estate agents don’t just sell in a community, they’re part of it”. In other words, you need to be more than a name on a billboard; you need to be a familiar, trusted face in your area.
Start with your online and social presence, which is a big part of your brand today. Use the downtime to create valuable, hyper-local content. This might include market update videos for your suburb, neighbourhood spotlight articles, or helpful tips for homeowners. Avoid generic fluff – focus on local insights (e.g. “What the recent school zone changes mean for [Your Town]” or “How the new café on Main Street is boosting property appeal”). Specific local content not only showcases your expertise, it also drives engagement. In fact, posts about community news and events get 3 times more engagement than broad real estate content. People respond to agents who demonstrate they understand the neighbourhood deeply. Consider starting a weekly email or Facebook Live where you share “What’s On in [Your Area]” – over time, this positions you as the go-to connector for community info, and by extension, real estate needs.
Beyond the screen, get out and be seen. Use slower periods to increase your community involvement, which builds your brand organically. Sponsor a local sports team or school fete (and attend the events, don’t just write a cheque). Volunteer at community fundraisers or join the local business networking groups. These grassroots efforts pay off. Research shows agents who support local events are twice as likely to be remembered by name by locals, a huge advantage when those locals decide to transact. Being omnipresent in the community, at the café, the weekend markets, the town Facebook group – fosters a reputation that no amount of online ads can buy. Over time, you’ll find more folks approaching you for advice, even off-market opportunities, because they see you as a trusted community insider. As one article noted, when you consistently show up and add value locally, listings don’t just come your way – “they chase you down”. Every relationship is a potential listing in disguise, so focus on building relationships now that yield business when the market turns.
Invest in Skill Development and Industry Knowledge
A slow market offers the gift of time – time that can be reallocated to sharpening your skills and knowledge. Rather than seeing a lull as a setback, view it as a chance to become an even better agent. Professional development often takes a backseat when you’re flat out with back-to-back opens and negotiations. Now you can catch up: enrol in training courses, attend workshops, or dive into real estate podcasts and books. Enhancing your skill set will not only boost your confidence, but also prepare you to hit the ground running when activity picks up.
One high-impact area to work on is your sales and communication skills – the bread and butter of real estate success. Use this time to refine your listing presentation, practice objection handling, and polish your negotiation tactics. Role-play with a colleague or mentor; rehearse scripts until they roll off your tongue naturally. It might feel tedious, but the best agents swear by it. For example, coach Adrian Bo advises agents to “take two weeks off if you need to, and become an 11 out of 10 listing agent”. He recommends practising relentlessly – on your phone, with a peer, your partner, “whatever it takes” to absolutely nail your listing pitch and strategy. That level of preparation can be a game-changer. When you get in front of a seller, you’ll be able to convey your value with confidence and clarity, standing out even in a crowded contest.
Don’t forget to keep industry knowledge up to date as well. Market conditions may be uncertain, but information is power. Devote time to studying market trends, auction clearance rates, inventory levels, and economic forecasts. Become the local economist for your patch. This might include analysing recent sales to understand price shifts or learning about new developments and infrastructure that could affect property values. The more informed you are, the more valuable your advice to clients. Some agents are even using tech tools for this; with modern AI resources, “overnight, you actually can become an area expert” by quickly gathering suburb-specific data and insights. However you do it, expanding your expertise means you can advise buyers and sellers more intelligently – a key differentiator when clients are cautious and looking for guidance through the fog of uncertainty.
Lastly, ensure you fulfill any formal professional development requirements (like CPD training modules in your state) during this period. It’s one less thing to worry about when you get busy again, and it keeps your qualifications in top shape. By investing in yourself when the market is quiet, you’re effectively future-proofing your career. You’ll emerge from the slowdown not rusty, but razor-sharp and ready to seize the next wave of opportunity.
Diversify and Expand Your Referral Pipelines
In tougher markets, referrals and partnerships can become a lifeline for new business. When there are fewer easy deals to go around, broadening where and how you get leads is a smart move. Top agents use quiet times to cultivate referral networks that will pay dividends now and into the future.
Start by looking at your past clients and sphere. These are people who already trust your professionalism – don’t be shy about asking for referrals. A simple check-in call or a note to a happy former client can remind them that you’re never too busy for their referrals. Often, your past buyers and sellers can refer friends or family who are considering a move. Since you’ve delivered for them before, they can become your unofficial ambassadors. Consistently staying in touch (as part of your lead nurturing) keeps you “top of mind” so they think of you the moment someone mentions real estate. Many agencies even set up formal referral reward programs or client appreciation events to encourage word-of-mouth business.
Beyond past clients, think laterally about referral sources. Who else intersects with potential property sellers or buyers? Build relationships with local professionals like mortgage brokers, financial planners, attorneys, or accountants – people who hear about life changes (new job, inheritance, family additions) that often precede real estate decisions. If you can become the go-to agent for a few key referrers (in exchange, you refer clients to them – a win-win), you’ll create a steady stream of introductions that bypass the usual marketing hustle. Another savvy move is networking with agents in adjacent or complementary markets – for instance, an agent who handles the next suburb or a different property type. They might pass you a lead that suits you better, and vice versa, ensuring clients get specialised care while you both win business.
Importantly, embed yourself in the wider community as discussed earlier, because community engagement and referrals go hand in hand. Collaboration with local businesses is a proven tactic. Whether it’s a café owner, a popular gym instructor, or a school principal, local influencers can funnel clients your way if you’ve built goodwill with them. According to recent data, 85% of agents who team up with local businesses report stronger community ties and more referral opportunities. That’s a compelling figure. How can you collaborate? Perhaps host a home-buying workshop with a local mortgage broker, or run a joint promotion with a moving company or interior designer. Even featuring a “Local Business of the Month” on your social media can lay the groundwork for reciprocal referrals – you shine a light on them, and they’ll remember you when someone mentions needing an agent.
The key is to diversify your lead channels so you’re not reliant on just walk-ins or portal inquiries (which dry up in a slow market). By broadening your referral pipeline, you create multiple streams of potential clients – some may trickle in steadily even when the broader market is down. This not only helps you continue doing deals, but also builds a resilient business that’s less vulnerable to market swings. In short, nurture every relationship and angle you can; as the saying goes, your network is your net worth, especially in real estate.
By employing these strategies – from intensifying lead nurture and prospecting, to boosting your personal brand, upskilling, and widening your referral network – you can turn a challenging market into a period of growth and momentum. The common thread among agents who thrive in uncertainty is that they take control of what they can (their actions, skills, relationships) rather than lament what they can’t. By staying active and forward-thinking now, you’re positioning yourself to reap the rewards when the market inevitably swings back.
And one final element to consider: staying ahead isn’t just about effort and strategy, but also about financial flexibility. Lean times can strain cash flow, which might tempt you to pull back on marketing or professional development precisely when you should push forward. This is where having some financial tools in your kit can help maintain your momentum. For example, utilising a commission advance service can bridge the gap between a sale and settlement, giving you access to your hard-earned income sooner. With improved cash flow, you won’t feel handcuffed by a slow month – you can confidently invest in that postcard drop or training course, knowing you have funds to cover expenses. Services like Express Commission Australia offer this flexibility, turning pending commissions into immediate working capital for your business. By easing cash flow pressures, they act as a safety net, so you can focus on prospecting and self-improvement rather than worrying about when the next settlement will come through.
In uncertain markets, this kind of financial agility, coupled with the right productivity tactics, is what keeps great agents not just surviving, but thriving. Stay proactive, stay engaged, and remember that every challenge in the market is an opportunity to differentiate yourself as an exceptional agent. With the right mindset and tools in place, you’ll be well prepared to ride out the tough times and sprint ahead at the first sign of a turnaround.
Sources:
Eliteagent.com
- How real estate agents can thrive in 2025
- Execution over ego: Josh Phegan’s blueprint for thriving when every day brings something new
- Why Local Connections Are the Future of Real Estate Success
REB (Real Estate Business.com.au)