In the fast-paced world of real estate, team leaders face a harsh reality: your top producer is going to leave. It might not happen today or tomorrow, but it’s coming. This inevitability can send shockwaves through a team, exposing the cracks in a poorly designed recruiting strategy. I recently jumped off a podcast with a client in Denver whose story lit a fire under me—and it’s a wake-up call every real estate leader needs to hear.
He said, “Yeah, I figured if I just got more leads, my team would naturally sell more. Like… who doesn’t want more money?” Oof. I’ve been there. It’s a common mindset: pour leads into the funnel, watch the commissions roll in. But then his top producer bounced, and everything went to hell. Why? Because the brutal truth about recruiting in real estate is this: not everyone wants to “crush it.” Some agents are content with their 8-12 deals a year. Others don’t want more responsibility. And your top producers? They’re just one smooth-talking recruiter away from jumping ship.
Most team leaders treat recruiting like a side hustle—something to dabble in when they’re not swamped with closings or client drama. They hand off calls to a random person reading scripts pulled from Google, dump the task on an already-overwhelmed admin, pray for agent referrals, or throw higher splits at the problem without offering real value. Then they’re stunned when their team crumbles. The reality is, recruiting isn’t a hobby; it’s the lifeblood of a sustainable real estate team. If you’re not prioritizing it, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
A Case Study in Recruiting Done Right
Let me share a quick story. One of the teams we’ve worked with grew from 5 to 85 agents. How? They didn’t treat recruiting as an afterthought. It was their #1 priority—not their “when we get around to it” priority. When their top producer walked out the door, they didn’t flinch. Why? Because they were already interviewing three quality agents that week. Their recruiting machine never stopped running. They’d built a system so robust that losing a star player didn’t derail their momentum.
This isn’t luck. It’s strategy. And in 2024, with competition fiercer than ever, a haphazard approach to recruiting won’t cut it. The teams that thrive are the ones who treat recruiting like a science—data-driven, intentional, and relentless. So, what does a winning recruiting strategy look like in today’s real estate market? Let’s break it down.
The 2024 Playbook for Recruiting in Real Estate
1. Marketing That Creates Handraisers
Great recruiting starts with marketing that doesn’t just sit there—it grabs attention and inspires action. Think of your job ad headline as the hook: it’s 80% of the game. A generic “Join Our Team!” won’t cut it. Agents—especially the good ones—aren’t scouring job boards for opportunities. They’re waiting for something that speaks to their pain points and ambitions. Write something agents actually want, like: “Tired of Chasing Leads? Join a Team That Delivers Them” or “Ready to Double Your Closings Without Doubling Your Hours?”
The goal is to create handraisers—agents who see your ad and think, “I need to talk to these people.” Pair that headline with targeted campaigns on platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed, optimized with keywords like “real estate agent jobs” or “real estate team opportunities.” It’s not about casting a wide net; it’s about fishing with the right bait.
2. Leverage Organic Social Daily
Social media isn’t just for selfies and cat videos—it’s a recruiting goldmine. The agents you want are watching, scrolling, and sizing up opportunities. Take a page from my own playbook: I posted about recruiting on Instagram two days ago, and here we are dissecting it. Organic social works because it’s authentic. Share your team’s wins, highlight your culture, and talk directly to the pain points agents face—like inconsistent leads or lack of support.
Post daily on social media, using hashtags like #RealEstateRecruiting, #RealEstateCareers, or #AgentLife to boost visibility. Drop a mix of content: a behind-the-scenes look at a team training, a testimonial from a happy agent, or a quick tip on closing more deals. Consistency is key—stay top-of-mind so when an agent’s ready to move, your team’s the first they think of.
3. Calls Made by Someone Trained
Here’s where most teams drop the ball: they hand recruiting calls to an untrained admin or a virtual assistant who’s never sold a house. Big mistake. Recruiting isn’t just dialing numbers and reading a script—it’s a sales conversation with a human who’s weighing their career options. You need someone who knows real estate inside out, who can speak the language of commissions, lead gen, and market trends.
Invest in training your recruiter or hire someone with industry experience. Equip them with a CRM like Follow Up Boss to track prospects and automate follow-ups. The difference between a trained caller and a random VA? One closes quality agents; the other wastes everyone’s time.
Building a Recruiting Machine
Here’s what I learned building Best Sac Homes: recruiting isn’t about “getting more agents.” It’s about building a machine that attracts quality. It’s a system that runs whether you’re closing deals, on vacation, or dealing with a market crash. When that “irreplaceable” top producer leaves—and trust me, they will—your team doesn’t skip a beat. You’ve got a pipeline of talent ready to step in.
Think of it like this: every agent on your team is a rental, not a purchase. They’re with you until a better offer comes along. Your job isn’t to lock them in forever—it’s to keep the conveyor belt moving with fresh, high-caliber recruits. That’s how you weather the storm of turnover.
The Hard Truth: Grow or Die
There’s no middle ground in real estate teams. You’re either growing or dying. Stagnation is a slow death—your best agents get poached, your production dips, and your culture erodes. The only way to stay ahead is to keep recruiting, relentlessly and strategically. A team that’s always adding talent doesn’t just survive losing a top producer; it thrives through it.
Look at the data: according to the National Association of Realtors, agent turnover is a constant challenge, with many citing lack of support or better opportunities elsewhere as reasons for leaving. Teams that prioritize recruiting—like the one that went from 5 to 85—don’t just replace bodies; they upgrade their roster. They’re playing chess while everyone else is scrambling over checkers.
How to Start Today
Ready to build your own recruiting machine? Here’s your action plan:
- Audit Your Current Process: Where are you dropping the ball? Be honest. If it’s a mess, scrap it and start fresh.
- Craft a Killer Job Ad: Test headlines on Facebook Ads to see what gets clicks. Use keywords like “real estate agent opportunities 2025” for SEO juice.
- Go Social: Commit to one post a day for 30 days. Track engagement and tweak as you go.
- Train Your Caller: If you don’t have a real estate pro making calls, find one. Give them a script that sells your team’s value, not just the split.
- Systemize It: Use tools like Trello or Asana to manage your pipeline. Automate follow-ups with email drips via Mailchimp.
The Bottom Line
The day your top producer leaves doesn’t have to be a crisis—it can be a non-event. But that only happens if you’ve built a recruiting engine that runs 24/7. In 2025, the real estate teams that dominate won’t be the ones with the most leads or the flashiest branding—they’ll be the ones who master recruiting. So stop treating it like a side gig. Make it your obsession. Keep. Friggin. Recruiting.