We have a lot more listings nationally on the market than we’ve had in many years. That means we’re going to see a lot more expired listings, especially since pending sales are also dropping.

Pending sales are soft—we're on track for about 3.94 million sales this year, very similar to last year. This is all driven by interest rates. As they hover around 6.5% to 6.75%, the sales pace will likely persist. When interest rates drop, we’ll see a big surge back into the market. But for now, expect more expired listings.

If you're an agent looking for more listings, it's time to focus on expireds—especially as we move from summer into the fall and winter market.

So what can you do to engage these potential sellers?

The #1 strategy: Work with an active buyer.

We all have buyers. Use that active buyer to farm three key categories:

1. The Neighborhood – Target the neighborhood your buyer wants. Use that buyer as a conversation starter with homeowners there. One in 20—at least 5%—will have ...

Okay, guys, here’s some great language to use with buyers who are on the fence. When you’re following up—because we should all be following up—you can say something like this:

“Hey, I just wanted to touch base with you and let you know I’ve been thinking about you. Now that we’re in a new year, I wanted to talk to you about all the new listings starting to hit the market. February, March, April, and May are when we see the most listings, which means the most opportunities. In fact, we have 10% more inventory on the market this year compared to last year. So, I wanted to reconnect and see if we could start looking at some properties together.

“Now, I know you might have some concerns about pricing and finding the right value. Here’s the key message: When you work with me, we’re not buying the market—we’re buying a specific home. My job is to ensure you get the absolute best pricing and value on the home that fits your needs.”

You can also add a personal story to connect with them, li...

As a real estate professional, I often get asked about the biggest demographic group that's currently buying homes.

Well, the answer might surprise you:

It's millennials!

In fact, they make up the vast majority of buyers on the market. So, if I want to get these potential buyers off the fence and into homeownership, I need to focus on their motivations, not just on getting more business.

Here are the top three reasons why millennials are buying homes.

1. Millennials want to build equity in their own home instead of building someone else's equity through rent payments.

This is a powerful message that needs to be a part of our marketing campaigns. Have you ever stopped to think that every time you make a rent payment, you're helping someone else build their wealth? What if you could start building wealth for yourself and your family by owning your own home? Homeownership is within everyone's capability, and I can help you get there. Even if you can't do it today, let...