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Real Estate

88% of buyers say they would use their agent again; 12% actually do, because 91% of agents go silent after closing. These articles cover the retention gap, referral economics, sphere-of-influence marketing, and the post-closing touchpoints that compound into a repeat-business practice.

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Real Estate Closing Gifts: What the $25 IRS Cap Allows
Real Estate

Real Estate Closing Gifts: What the $25 IRS Cap Allows

Agents can deduct $25 per client per year on closing gifts, and RESPA limits what else you can give. See what the rules allow and what they do not.

Matt Michaux · Sep 9, 2026 · 8 min read
Realtor Thank You Notes: What to Write After Closing
Real Estate

Realtor Thank You Notes: What to Write After Closing

What to write in a realtor thank you note after closing, with wording for buyers and sellers. The median seller waits 11 years to move again.

Matt Michaux · Sep 7, 2026 · 7 min read
FSBO Sellers Ignore Emails. Here's What They Open Instead.
Real Estate

FSBO Sellers Ignore Emails. Here's What They Open Instead.

Why FSBO sellers ignore agent emails and respond to handwritten letters. A multi-touch outreach playbook backed by NAR and direct mail data.

Matt Michaux · Jul 25, 2026 · 7 min read
Expired Listings Are Not Dead Leads
Real Estate

Expired Listings Are Not Dead Leads

Expired listings are frustrated sellers, not dead leads. The agents who win this segment lead with handwritten value, not another scripted postcard.

Matt Michaux · Jul 23, 2026 · 7 min read
The Closing Gift Is the Start of Five Referrals
Real Estate

The Closing Gift Is the Start of Five Referrals

40% of buyers find their agent through referrals. Most closing gifts trigger none. Reframe the gift as the opening move of a five-year referral system.

Matt Michaux · Jul 5, 2026 · 8 min read
The Open House Follow-Up That Actually Closes
Real Estate

The Open House Follow-Up That Actually Closes

Most open house follow-ups look identical because every CRM uses the same drip. Hot leads need a different touch: segment the sign-in sheet, then send a note.

Matt Michaux · Jun 25, 2026 · 7 min read
Why Your CRM Drip Campaign Isn't Driving Referrals
Real Estate

Why Your CRM Drip Campaign Isn't Driving Referrals

Drip campaigns optimize for sends, not for the moment a past client remembers you. Here is what to layer on top of your CRM to actually drive referrals.

Matt Michaux · Jun 15, 2026 · 5 min read
Listing Presentation Follow-Up: The 24-Hour Window
Real Estate

Listing Presentation Follow-Up: The 24-Hour Window

81% of sellers contact only one agent before signing. Here is what to send in the 24 hours after a listing presentation, and when to send it.

Matt Michaux · Jun 3, 2026 · 7 min read
The Housiversary Strategy: Five Years of Referrals
Real Estate

The Housiversary Strategy: Five Years of Referrals

88% of buyers say they would refer their agent. Only 12% do. The annual home anniversary card closes that gap with a system most agents never build.

Matt Michaux · May 22, 2026 · 7 min read
Real Estate Marketing ROI 2026: Direct Mail vs. Digital
Real Estate

Real Estate Marketing ROI 2026: Direct Mail vs. Digital

Direct mail and digital return very different ROI per dollar, and most real estate agents still fund the wrong channels. See the 2026 data.

Matt Michaux · May 10, 2026 · 9 min read
SOI Marketing in 2026: The Case for Physical Mail
Real Estate

SOI Marketing in 2026: The Case for Physical Mail

Top agents are rediscovering direct mail for SOI marketing. Here's the data on why physical outreach outperforms digital for sphere cultivation in 2026.

Matt Michaux · Apr 20, 2026 · 11 min read
The CRM Automation Trap in Real Estate
Real Estate

The CRM Automation Trap in Real Estate

72.5% of agents have a CRM. 88% of clients would use their agent again. Only 12% do. The gap isn't technology. It's what happens between touchpoints.

Matt Michaux · Apr 10, 2026 · 7 min read
Real Estate Referrals: Top Agents Get 5 Per Deal
Real Estate

Real Estate Referrals: Top Agents Get 5 Per Deal

88% of buyers would refer their agent but most never do. See the five-touchpoint system top producers use to turn one close into five referrals.

Matt Michaux · Mar 24, 2026 · 7 min read
Real Estate Customer Retention Rate: 88% Say Yes, 12% Do
Real Estate

Real Estate Customer Retention Rate: 88% Say Yes, 12% Do

The real estate industry average customer retention rate is 12%, while 88% of buyers say they would rehire their agent. The gap is silence, not service.

Matt Michaux · Feb 25, 2026 · 7 min read
In-House Mortgage Referrals: Only 33% of Agents Use Them
Real Estate

In-House Mortgage Referrals: Only 33% of Agents Use Them

Only 33% of agents refer buyers to their brokerage's in-house lender. The issue is not rates. It is invisibility. See what actually works.

Matt Michaux · Feb 13, 2026 · 6 min read
Loan Officer Agent Referrals: Top 1% Work With 45+
Real Estate

Loan Officer Agent Referrals: Top 1% Work With 45+

Top 1% of loan officers work with 45+ agents; the bottom 30% have 3 or fewer. See what top LOs do to build real agent referral pipelines.

Matt Michaux · Feb 9, 2026 · 5 min read
The $4 Note That Drives $4,000 in Mortgage Referrals
Real Estate

The $4 Note That Drives $4,000 in Mortgage Referrals

The ROI math on handwritten outreach for mortgage referrals is lopsided. A $4 note that generates one referral per quarter pays for itself 1,000x over.

Matt Michaux · Feb 4, 2026 · 4 min read

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