Level Up - From Agent To Entrepreneur

When most agents think about negotiations, they picture being pushy, holding firm, and “winning” the deal.  But the problem is, being so focused on winning can actually create the ultimate loss for the client and you.  The majority of deals aren’t lost because of price. They’re lost because of poor communication between agents, between clients, and in how we present offers in the first place. Negotiation isn’t about arm-wrestling the other side into submission. It’s about finding common ground, keeping emotions in check, and making sure every party feels heard.  Sometimes the best deal isn’t the highest offer or the lowest price, it’s the one that saves your client from bigger losses down the road. What subtle language shifts prevent client resistance? Can delaying a decision lead to better outcomes? In this episode of Level Up, we pull back the curtain on what kills negotiations, and the counterintuitive strategies that save deals most agents fumble.    Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  The “best deal” i

When most people seek instant success in real estate, they look for a new tool, system, or magic script.  That’s not the answer.  There are only 3 things that drive your speed, your trajectory, and ultimately, your results, and every agent has access to them.  Most agents aren’t failing because they’re lazy or unmotivated. They’re failing because they’re putting their energy in the wrong places or doing the right things inconsistently.  They confuse motion with progress, stay busy instead of productive, and spend their days reacting instead of building something predictable. In this episode, we break down the 3 non-negotiables for building a profitable real estate business fast.  We share what really moves the needle in this market, how the industry has failed agents when it comes to training, and what to focus on instead of flashy tools or the next trendy tactic.    Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  Conversations are your product If you’re not selling homes, what are you selling, and how does that mental

When the market shifts in real estate, you can go from the high of your best year ever to the low of wondering if you’ll ever sell a home again. You’re showing up, doing the work, and checking all the boxes. But during a downturn, the quick wins of a hot market disappear, and suddenly, effort doesn't equal results. This is where most agents spiral. They panic, pause, or start changing everything. But the real danger isn’t the market. It’s how you respond to the silence. Because when things slow down, the most tempting (and most costly) mistake is to stop doing the very activities that used to work, just because they’re not giving you immediate ROI. So, how do you push through a slump? How do you keep showing up when it feels like nothing is working? In this episode, agent Lauren Buckler shares how she went from a $10M year to a brutal 8-transaction stretch, and how she rebuilt her business without changing strategies.    Your objections will always transform because that market’s always changing. You have to

If you’re failing at lead conversion, it might not be because they are unmotivated. It might not even be that the market is slow.  Your clients might be locked up because of what’s coming out of your mouth. Many agents struggle to get sellers to adjust their price or buyers to make a decision, Chances are, you’re accidentally framing conversations in a way that creates uncertainty and resistance.  And in this market, uncertainty kills deals. The top-producing agents aren’t talking more, they’re talking better. They start by diffusing resistance, acknowledging where clients really are, and creating calm before making their case. They use proven language patterns to build trust, clarity, and forward momentum so clients say “yes” more often. In a market with more agents than ever, one thing separates the agents doing more business than everyone else. Communication. In this episode, veteran sales coach and NLP expert Matthew Ferry joins us to break down how the words you use shape your results and how to start tu

Five years ago, Anthwon Thomas had a small, scrappy real estate team of just 2 or 3 people. No leverage, just hustle, heart, and a belief that more was possible.  Fast forward to today, and that same small operation has grown into a thriving team of 20 to 25 agents. They’re not just holding steady in a tough market. They’re outpacing it.  While many agents and teams have seen production shrink by 10 to 15%, Anthwon’s team has increased its production by 47%.  So, how does that kind of transformation happen? What does it take to go from solo hustler to true team leader?  In Anthwon’s journey, there are lessons every agent and aspiring team leader can learn about what it means to level up. Because it’s not just about adding agents, it’s about building a culture where people can thrive.  It’s about systems, standards, and structure. It’s about showing up not just as a top producer, but as a coach, a guide, and an example.  In this episode, Anthwon opens up about the mindset shifts, leadership challenges, and per

Every real estate agent operates under two different markets: the market and your market.  The problem is, most agents are focused on the market and allow their results to be dictated by external factors.  The market is interest rates, inventory levels, total homes sold, inflation, and tariffs.Your market is your listings, your pendings, your days on market, your client pipeline, your lead conversions. Here’s the good news: You control your market no matter how bad the market is.  It’s important to stay informed about what’s happening out there, but the agents who consistently perform don’t let the market determine their success.  They focus on creating a market within the market, a market of sellable homes, well-positioned listings, and daily actions that drive results.  You don’t have to be a victim of the market. You can control your results, by controlling your actions.  It doesn’t matter how many homes sell in your zip code this month. What matters is how many of your homes sell. And that comes down to t

Ask most real estate agents what roadblocks are keeping buyers from moving forward, they’ll say interest rates, inventory and a lack of true motivation. If you ask the buyers what’s holding them back, you’ll hear a completely different story.  It has less to do with what’s actually going on in the market, and more to do with what the agent isn’t doing. Many buyers are just moving through the funnel, and they just need an agent to guide them towards actually getting into a home.  Agents aren’t asking the right questions, getting past the smoke screens, building rapport and being strategic about next steps. We’re not truly listening to the lead so we can find out what they need to move forward.  The result? A low buyer lead conversion rate and less revenue. How do we fix this? How do we see past objections about interest rates? In this episode, we talk about what you need to do to increase your buyer lead conversion.  About Your Hosts Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century

Selling isn’t telling - it’s asking questions….We’ve all heard this before.  But how do you deliver really good questions without creating more resistance in the lead? Because let’s be honest: asking a lot of questions has its downsides if we’re not strategic about it.  What’s meant to be a productive conversation can easily turn into an interrogation that puts the prospect off. Rapport defeats sales resistance, so if we want to get better results, we have to change how we’re asking questions.  Why do we have to stop peppering people with non-stop questions? How do we shift from interrogations into conversations?  In today's episode, I share the exact framework we use to have conversations that are conducive to building rapport, and how to overcome the natural sales resistance every consumer has.    About Your Hosts Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 30 years and has been professionally trained by

In real estate, 80% of newly licensed agents fail out in the first 2-4 years - but this doesn’t need to be the case.  The first 2 years in real estate can be tough, but that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. In fact, plenty of brand new agents are able to start selling homes in their first 90 days in the business. The high failure rate often has nothing to do with the agent themselves, and more to do with the environments they choose.  How do you choose a brokerage that sets you up for success? What tools does an agent need to start closing deals quickly?  In this episode, I share 3 main reasons why agents fail out in 2 years and how to prevent this.  About Your Host Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 30 years and has been professionally trained by coaches like Mike, Matthew, Tom Ferry, Chet Holmes and Tony Robbins. He is in the top 1% of all Realtors nationwide. His goal is to empower his clients

Starting out in real estate can feel overwhelming and daunting. There’s so much you need to know. Taking the classes, passing the test, choosing the right brokerage and getting your first listing. These are all things you need to do to start earning money in this business.  But with the right steps you can jumpstart a successful career, and even get your first commission quickly. If you get the right support and mentorship and become more familiar with the market, success isn’t just possible, it can be inevitable.  How do you set yourself up for success from day one? In this episode, I talk about how to start your real estate career the right way.   About Your Host Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 20 years and has been professionally trained by coaches like Mike, Matthew, Tom Ferry, Chet Holmes and Tony Robbins. He is in the top 1% of all Realtors nationwide. His goal is to empower his clients wi

Whether you’re brand new to real estate or you’re an experienced agent looking to do more deals, there’s only one way to grow your listing business.  Even the most successful mega listing agents had to follow the same formula in order to increase their transactions. If we commit to doing the right things consistently, the results we want will show up.  Most agents don’t work the process or they don’t follow the process long enough, so when they don’t get the results, they think something is wrong with the process.  If we want a booming listing business, we have to get really comfortable with making calls, having conversations, and getting enough reps in to become experts. That also requires us to deal with the rejection, failure and frustration that comes with getting good at this job.  What do we need to do everyday to become a mega listing agent? How do we increase our conversion? In this episode, we talk about the process of becoming a top producing agent.    If you haven’t connected the dots between what

Want To Level Up Your Production? (and live anywhere in the Carolinas) Check out www.gregharrelsoncareers.com   Learn more about Infusionsoft for real estate: http://www.realestatesalessolutions.com/   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   If you've been using the same old scripts and they haven’t been converting, it might be time to throw them out.  Because here’s the truth: scripts have never been the answer to productive conversations in the real estate industry. The answer has always been conversations.  Actors have to follow a script to create a scene, but that doesn’t work for real estate agents.  If you’re more focused on getting the exact script right, you can easily miss out on a conversation that actually leads to a close.  A canned script doesn’t prepare us for the real conversations we’ll have with consumers. Instead, we have to internalize the script so it becomes a natural part of how we communicate, and that will make us more effective.  Ho

There are two kinds of real estate agents.  The average ones who thrive when the market’s good, and the ultimate agents who dominate no matter what’s going on the market.  While other agents complain about high interest rates and low inventory, the best agents maintain market share - in fact, they can even increase it in the toughest times.  These ultimate agents are defined by 13 non-negotiable skills that lead to sustainable and duplicatable results. In this market, there’s no winning without having the best listing presentation possible, curating our online presence carefully, exceptional negotiation, and rapid response to leads.  How do you perfect your presentation skill? How do you become a better negotiator? In this episode, we’re continuing with our list of essential skills an agent needs to have to succeed regardless of market conditions.    Most listings are lost before you even walk in the door. You have to know up front what you’re walking into - no surprises. -Abe Safa    Things You’ll Learn In

There are two kinds of real estate agents.  The average ones who thrive when the market’s good, and the ultimate agents who dominate no matter what’s going on the market.  While other agents complain about high interest rates and low inventory, the best agents maintain market share - in fact, they can even increase it in the toughest times.  These ultimate agents are defined by 13 non-negotiable skills that lead to sustainable and duplicatable results. They are faithful to strategies and tactics they deploy daily - like clockwork.  What skills separate an average agent from the market-proof real estate rockstars? How do you build a business that stays consistent, no matter what? In this episode, we’re sharing the essential skills an agent needs to have to succeed regardless of market conditions.    An ultimate agent has a business that’s predictable, duplicatable and sustainable. -Greg Harrelson     Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  Routine by design vs. routine by default Not having a routine is a routi

When it comes to building a solid listing-based business, most agents want to quickly get into expired and canceled listings. Here’s the problem: they go after these leads before they’ve built up the confidence and skills they need. This leads to mediocre results, a loss of confidence, and less income.  Instead of taking this approach, we coach our agents on a step-by-step process to build up to expired and canceled listings by starting with other lead types first. The conversational skills needed to convert expired listings can’t be built up overnight. The best agents got really good at the foundational skills before they went after the most competitive and challenging leads. If you want to be a successful listing agent, you can’t skip this vital step.  What lead pillars should we start with in order to gain the skills we need? In part two of our listings webinar, Abe Safa and I talk about how to build up to the highest quality listing leads.  Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  Don’t overlook FRBOs  Th

Any real estate agent can become a listing machine in a very short space of time. Even if you’re new to the business, if you’ve been working with buyers your whole career, or you just want to multiply your listing inventory.  If you put the right pieces in place, you can build a solid listing-based business that can withstand all market conditions. The challenge is: a lot of what agents are taught to get more listings actually works against that goal.  We’ve coached hundreds of agents on a different strategy, and it works every single time.  Why do we have to master the listing presentation before we generate a single lead? Are lead gen companies actually making it harder to build a successful listing-based business? In this episode, Abe Safa joins me for the first of a two-part webinar where we share a step-by-step process for building a strong listing-based business.  Things You’ll Learn In This Episode  Why seasoned agents struggle more than newbies  Experienced agents often plateau because they get co

In today’s real estate market, many agents are asking the same question: how do I get more leads, listings and increase my production?  Well, there are a lot of different ways to generate more listings right now. But before you dive into a strategy, you have to make sure it works for you, and that it’s a method you can do day in and day out.  Because here’s the thing: most activities, done consistently will work and even the best strategies done inconsistently won’t yield a result.  There are 3 conditions that need to be present if you want to build up your listing inventory. How do we set ourselves up for success? What is the difference between an active strategy and a passive one? In this episode, I talk about the 3 “magic pills”  that will get you more listings right now.   About Your Host Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 20 years and has been professionally trained by coaches like Mike, Matth

Every day in real estate is a battle against distractions, shiny objects and unproductive activities. Accountability is one of the most powerful ways to combat these things and stay on the path of activities that lead to success.  The problem is: a lot of people don’t understand what accountability is. They think it’s a form of micromanaging or policing your activities. Accountability is really just about providing the support that keeps you consistent so you achieve what you set out to do.  How do I help my agents with accountability? How does accountability make achieving our goals easier? In this episode, I talk about the point most people miss when it comes to accountability.    About Your Host Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 20 years and has been professionally trained by coaches like Mike, Matthew, Tom Ferry, Chet Holmes and Tony Robbins. He is in the top 1% of all Realtors nationwide. His

When interest rates rise, inventory wanes and working with buyers gets harder, real estate agents flock to listings. There are so many ways to generate seller leads, from direct mail to calling expireds, but those methods aren’t for everyone.  The most effective way for any agent to get leads would have to be online - ads in particular. But in order for this to work, there are some things we have to avoid. For ages, we’ve been told that speed to lead is the way to go, but when it comes to online lead ads, this might actually put off potential clients. What’s the best way to contact these leads? What should we say to them? In this episode, I share how to increase the conversion of your online seller leads.    About Your Host   Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 20 years and has been professionally trained by coaches like Mike, Matthew, Tom Ferry, Chet Holmes and Tony Robbins. He is in the top 1% of

When it comes to online buyer leads, generating a list of potential clients is the easy part. There is no shortage of lead sources and platforms that collect names. The hard part is converting those leads.  Between bad or incomplete information and low response rates, there are many factors that can tank the success of our efforts.  Now we might not be able to control everything, but plenty of agents are doing very well with online leads by making a few simple tweaks to their process. Can making more contact attempts lead to higher ROI? Why is speed-to-lead so critical? In this episode, I share simple hacks to get more out of your online leads.    About Your Host Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 20 years and has been professionally trained by coaches like Mike, Matthew, Tom Ferry, Chet Holmes and Tony Robbins. He is in the top 1% of all Realtors nationwide. His goal is to empower his clients with