TRUE VIEW: Rebuilding Real Estate Community—It’s Time to Rethink What We Offer Our Agents
There’s a shift happening—and it’s long overdue.
After years of remote showings, by-appointment-only open houses, and Slack threads replacing hallway conversations, real estate agents are craving something deeper than convenience: community.
The solo hustle will always be part of this business, but more and more agents are expressing a desire to reconnect—with each other, with leadership, and with the collaborative energy that drew them into the industry in the first place. And if we're listening closely, this isn't just a passing phase. It's a wake-up call.
The Office Isn't Dead—It Just Needs a New Purpose
Offices aren't just about desks and Wi-Fi. They're about connection, energy, shared experience, and inspiration. When done right, an office becomes a place where agents recharge, learn, collaborate, and most importantly—belong.
Leadership needs to lead the way back to this. That means reimagining what "coming into the office" looks and feels like. It’s not about mandates or measuring seat time—it’s about creating value in the time spent together.
Let’s Bring Back the Basics—But Better
It’s time to stop treating open houses like exclusive VIP appointments and start reintroducing the organic exposure and camaraderie that made them great tools to begin with. Regular broker tours and open house events—where agents can actually drop in, walk through properties, talk shop, and swap insights—are more than just old-school. They’re effective, energizing, and communal.
These aren’t nostalgic throwbacks. They’re proven tools of engagement. When we strip everything down, this business is still about people. Real conversations. Real connection. Real collaboration.
Leadership Must Get Creative—Because “Tried and True” Isn’t Enough Anymore
Let’s be honest: we’ve relied too long on the same programming. The lawyer lunch-and-learns, the occasional training on new listings or compliance—they're fine, but they’re not development. They're not inspiration. And they're definitely not what today’s agents need to grow.
It’s time to think bigger.
Personalized development plans
Collaboration with performance coaches
Peer panels with real transparency
Workshops on branding, negotiation, and business planning
Strategic networking experiences that actually spark connection
We need to stop checking boxes and start building value. Because agents are not just employees. They're partners. Without them, we don’t have an industry—just empty offices and websites.
Reconnection Is the New Recruitment
If we want to retain and attract great talent, we need to offer more than logos and split structures. We need to offer culture, energy, purpose, and community. Because the agents who are going to thrive in this next era are the ones who feel seen, supported, and part of something bigger.
So here’s the challenge to leadership:
What are you doing this fall to re-engage your agents?
How are you evolving your offerings—not just to manage them, but to truly develop them?
Let’s get honest, get creative, and get back to building something real. Because community isn't a luxury in this business—it’s the foundation.
And the time to rebuild it is now.