by Angela Yungk | Jul 2, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
Leads follow leaders, Angela Yungk writes. Lead with purpose, clarity and consistency, and you won’t have to chase business — it finds you.
Real estate is changing fast, and so must you. Inman Connect San Diego is where you turn uncertainty into strategy — with real talk, real tools and the connections that matter. If you’re serious about staying ahead of the game, this is where you need to be. Register now!
In today’s crowded real estate market, with over 1.5 million real estate agents in the United States, being visible is important, but is it enough? Let’s face it, every agent has a social media presence, a few email templates and access to the same market reports.
Agents who consistently attract quality leads — and retain long-term relevance — aren’t just present. They’re positioned. They’re trusted. They’re seen as leaders.
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This is the power of thought leadership. And in an industry built on trust and connection, it might just be your most underutilized advantage.
Visibility vs. credibility: Why agents need both
Let’s start with a distinction most agents overlook. Visibility is about being seen. Credibility is about being believed. You can show up in feeds all day long, but if what you’re saying doesn’t resonate — or worse, feels generic — you won’t convert attention into trust.
Today, with the automation of social media posts, it’s easy to “show up,” but it doesn’t mean anyone is listening.
If visibility gets you discovered, then credibility gets you chosen. When paired together, these two qualities become the foundation for true influence in your market. And that’s where thought leadership begins.
Why thought leadership builds both pipeline and reputation
The agents who win over time aren’t just chasing transactions — they’re building trust at scale. Thought leadership allows you to do that. Whether it’s through educational content, local market insights or positioning yourself as a voice of calm during uncertain times, you create a magnetic brand that draws people in long before they’re ready to buy or sell.
Great agents don’t just have a CRM full of names. They have a reputation that works even when they’re not in the room. That’s the silent engine of thought leadership — it compounds.
How to become a local authority (without being ‘everywhere’)
You don’t need to be an influencer. You just need to be intentional. Here’s how:
1. Create consistent, value-driven content
Commit to educating your audience. Weekly videos, LinkedIn posts (especially if you don’t want to be on camera) or monthly market updates that humanize data — these build trust over time. Talk to the why behind the numbers. Speak directly to your niche, not the masses.
Now more than ever, you don’t need to worry about how many followers you have.
For example, suppose someone is scrolling on Instagram and likes to watch content about beaches, condos and living on a lake. In that case, chances are that if you are an agent who creates that specific type of content (living on a lake, life in a beach town), that person will start liking and watching your videos without even needing to follow you!
2. Leverage social proof
Client testimonials are more than kind words — they’re credibility in motion. Showcase your process, not just your results. Highlight client wins, behind-the-scenes moments and case studies that show how you think, not just what you close.
3. Get in the room (and on the mic)
Local speaking engagements, podcasts or hosting educational events — even virtually — can instantly elevate your perceived authority. Being seen as the teacher or guide sets you apart in a sea of “salespeople.”
You’re already a brand — time to lead like one
Your voice is your value. And in a trust-based business like real estate, becoming a thought leader isn’t about ego — it’s about impact.
Because in the end, leads follow leaders. And the ones who lead with purpose, clarity and consistency? They don’t have to chase business — it finds them.
Angela Yungk is a managing broker and lead mentor with Arterra Realty Florida. You can connect with Angela on Instagram and LinkedIn.
by Inman | Jul 2, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
Real estate is changing fast, and so must you. Inman Connect San Diego is where you turn uncertainty into strategy — with real talk, real tools and the connections that matter. If you’re serious about staying ahead of the game, this is where you need to be. Register now!
Pulse is a recurring column where we ask for readers’ takes on varying topics in a weekly survey and report back with our findings.
The private listing debate is heating up, with both Compass and Zillow firing shots across the bow as they prepare to take their battle to court. Meanwhile, Mauricio Umansky just rebooted his lawsuit against NAR and its rules’ impact on ThePLS.com, his erstwhile private listing network.
As we continue to follow the drama, we’re most interested in how it impacts you. Tell us: How do you think the private listings battle will play out? Do you think Compass will prevail? Do you side with Zillow? Or are you taking a wait-and-see approach and preparing to adjust your business strategy as needed? Let us know below:
We’ll compile a list of the top responses and post them on Inman next Tuesday.
by Matt Carter | Jul 2, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
Housing trade groups — including NAR, MBA and NAHB — like tax breaks for homebuyers and businesses, and urge lawmakers to put the bill on Trump’s desk
Real estate is changing fast, and so must you. Inman Connect San Diego is where you turn uncertainty into strategy — with real talk, real tools and the connections that matter. If you’re serious about staying ahead of the game, this is where you need to be. Register now!
It might not be a big hit with most Americans, but the “big, beautiful bill” that squeaked through the Senate Tuesday includes a number of perks the real estate industry has lobbied hard for.
The budget reconciliation bill — which would extend tax cuts enacted in 2017 and cut spending on programs like Medicaid, among other things — is headed back to the House for final approval after a 51-50 Senate vote.
With Republicans Susan Collins, Rand Paul and Thom Tillis voting against the bill, it was up to Vice President J.D. Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate.
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Key provisions for the real estate industry include protections for the mortgage interest deduction — which makes interest payments on mortgage debt up to $750,000 tax deductible — and a quadrupling of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction cap.
Lobbyists for the National Association of Realtors have been working to persuade lawmakers for months of the value of those and other perks, the trade group said Tuesday, boasting that NAR secured its top five objectives in the Senate bill.
Shannon McGahn
“We were invited to the White House on Friday — just days before the final vote — to continue advocating for our members and consumers as the Senate version took shape,” NAR Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn said in a statement. “The administration and Congress respect the voice of our members and the roles they play as leaders in their communities. We are an army of advocates living and working in every ZIP code in America with a unique insight into the state of the economy.”
In addition to the mortgage interest deduction and SALT deduction cap, NAR’s top priorities included a permanent extension of lower individual tax rates, an enhanced and permanent qualified business income deduction, and protection for business SALT deductions and 1031 like-kind exchanges.
The Mortgage Bankers Association also had praise for the bill, including a provision that would raise the federal debt ceiling by $5 trillion and avert a government shutdown that could send mortgage rates soaring.
Bob Broeksmit
MBA President and CEO Bob Broeksmit said the bill builds on the version previously passed by the house by allowing continued tax breaks for investment in Opportunity Zones, and improvements to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program that will facilitate more housing production.
“MBA will work with congressional leaders in the coming days to ensure that these beneficial tax policies remain intact in any final package signed into law by President Trump,” Broeksmit said in a statement.
David Dworkin
National Housing Conference President and CEO David Dworkin has called the LIHTC “the most effective tool to build and preserve affordable rental housing,” and estimated that plans to lower the bond financing threshold could produce or preserve more than 1 million affordable rental homes over the next decade.
In more general terms, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) urged House passage of the bill, saying it will spur economic growth and allow builders to invest more in multifamily rental construction, land development for single-family homes, and new equipment.
Buddy Hughes
“This will create a better business climate that allows builders to increase the nation’s housing supply, which is crucial to help ease America’s housing affordability crisis,” Lexington-based homebuilder and 2025 NAHB Chairman Buddy Hughes said in a statement.
Outside of real estate industry trade groups, the bill has been polarizing. Many Americans are specifically anxious about the “big, beautiful bill’s” cuts to federal programs including Medicaid, and some Republicans share those concerns, Axios noted. But some fiscally conservative Republicans who are concerned the bill’s tax breaks will add to budget deficits had advocated for even deeper spending cuts.
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by Melanie Klein | Jul 2, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
Real estate is changing fast, and so must you. Inman Connect San Diego is where you turn uncertainty into strategy — with real talk, real tools and the connections that matter. If you’re serious about staying ahead of the game, this is where you need to be. Register now!
This series highlights inspiring stories of women who have created successful and sustainable careers in real estate and/or invested in real estate to achieve financial independence, gain lifestyle flexibility and create lives built on their own terms.
For much of U.S. history, women’s ability to build independent wealth was not only discouraged — it was denied. Women couldn’t open credit cards in their own names until 1974, when the Equal Credit Opportunity Act made it illegal to require a male co-signer. Before that, financial autonomy was a luxury reserved largely for men.
That legacy still ripples today. After divorce, women’s household income drops by an average of 41 percent, compared to just 23 percent for men. Compounding the challenge, women — especially single mothers — often face limited access to financial resources, networks, and upward mobility.
Jennifer Leahy’s story is a masterclass in rewriting that narrative
Now the leader of one of Connecticut and New York’s most respected real estate teams, Leahy has closed over $1 billion in sales, including the $85 million transaction of Connecticut’s Great Island estate — one of the largest residential sales in the country in 2023.
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But her ascent to the top of the industry wasn’t inevitable. It began at rock bottom.
“I was pregnant with my second child when I knew my marriage wouldn’t last,” she recalls. “By the time we divorced, my kids were two and four. I was newly licensed, and I was broke.”
What she had was a relentless vision. Every morning, she visualized her goals, down to the exact dollar she wanted to earn, what she would save and where she’d take her children on vacation. “I wouldn’t sleep until I completed my daily checklist. That’s how determined I was to change our lives.”
And she did.
Raised in the world of real estate development by her mother’s partner, Leahy was exposed early to the value of vision, craftsmanship and collaboration. “Long before ‘starchitects’ were a trend, I saw him assemble visionary teams to build timeless homes. That shaped my understanding of what’s possible when people are treated with care and respect.”
Yet entering the industry as a young woman brought its own set of challenges. “I had never experienced bullying until real estate,” she says. “Women I looked up to judged me, doubted me and even spread rumors that my success was due to inappropriate relationships.”
This phenomenon — women judging other women — is not uncommon. Research published in Psychology of Women Quarterly shows that women can be more critical of each other in male-dominated environments due to internalized gender norms and a scarcity mindset around opportunities.
These behaviors ultimately uphold the very systems that marginalize women. As more women enter leadership roles, building cultures of solidarity is essential.
Rather than retreat, she doubled down. “I decided to succeed on my own terms — with integrity, service and relentless drive.”
Now, as a leader in the field, Leahy is deeply committed to helping other women claim their power. “We can’t afford to tear each other down,” she emphasizes. “When another woman seeks your guidance, take the time to offer it. That one conversation could change her entire trajectory.”
She continues with a call to action: “If you’ve made it, reach back and pull someone up. Mentor. Speak. Share your story. Not everyone has the courage to be a guide, but those who do can change the industry.”
Build real freedom for ourselves and for the women coming next
Leahy’s professional path began in the mortgage industry, where she closed nearly half a billion dollars in loans. When she transitioned into brokerage, she quickly earned a reputation for unmatched client service, an expansive network and a results-driven approach.
In addition to her real estate success, Leahy is deeply devoted to service. She sits on the board of the Domestic Violence Crisis Center, has taught meditation to real estate professionals since the pandemic and is a certified yoga instructor.
She also holds a Master’s degree in Special and General Education from Bank Street College of Education, and a B.A. in Theater and Religious Studies from Fordham University — a reminder that success is rarely linear, but often rooted in passion, presence and adaptability.
Real estate, she says, is a powerful vehicle for financial freedom, but it’s not for the faint of heart. “You’ll deal with uncertainty, emotional ups and downs, and clients who will test your limits. You need a thick skin and an unshakable ‘why.’ But if you have that, this industry can change your life.”
It certainly changed hers.
For women looking to reclaim their independence — after divorce, a career shift or personal upheaval — real estate can offer more than just income. It offers agency. It offers legacy.
Today, Leahy lives in Fairfield County with her husband, four children, and two dogs, proof that it’s possible to build a thriving business and a beautiful life on your own terms.
And to the woman standing at the beginning of her own real estate journey, Leahy offers this:
“Be bold. Be relentless. Visualize the life you want, and then go build it. You’re far more powerful than you think.”
Melanie C. Klein, M.A., is an empowerment and mindset coach.
by Andrea V. Brambila | Jul 1, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
Real estate is changing fast, and so must you. Inman Connect San Diego is where you turn uncertainty into strategy — with real talk, real tools and the connections that matter. If you’re serious about staying ahead of the game, this is where you need to be. Register now!
Real estate brokerages may have thought commission-related class-action lawsuits were on their way out in the real estate industry after nationwide settlements with homesellers, but they’re getting a rude awakening. Some homebuyers have a message for them: You can’t get away that easily.
On June 28, Illinois resident Kevin Cwynar became the latest buyer to file a class-action antitrust lawsuit against several brokerages: The Real Brokerage, Realty One Group, Vanguard, and The Agency, alleging they have caused potentially hundreds of thousands of homebuyers to pay up to thousands of dollars in excess commissions.
“Defendants and their co-conspirators adopted and implemented anticompetitive practices that harmed consumers and homebuyers by, among other things, increasing and artificially sustaining the commissions paid to real estate brokers as part of residential real estate transactions,” the complaint says.
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“Because brokers’ commissions are incorporated into the price of a home, Defendants’ anticompetitive practices have burdened homebuyers nationwide with increased home prices and unnecessarily high costs in residential real estate transactions.”
Real declined to comment for this story. Inman has reached out to the other defendants for comment and will update this story if and when responses are received.
The suit is similar to other commission-related class-action suits filed by homebuyers, which are known as Batton 1, Batton 2, Lutz and Davis, and claims the same National Association of Realtors rules at issue in homeseller cases nationwide have resulted in inflated prices paid by buyers.
This includes NAR’s now-defunct cooperative compensation rule, also known as the Participation Rule, which required listing brokers to make an offer of compensation to buyer brokers in order to submit a listing to a Realtor-affiliated MLS.
“[T]his rule eliminated competition between buyer-agents with respect to their commission rate and the quality of their services,” the complaint says.
“This lack of competition led to homebuyers paying inflated commission rates and receiving lower quality services.”
The suit also took aim at Realtor-affiliated MLSs allowing agents to filter listing searches by commission amount — a practice NAR’s 2024 settlement with homesellers eliminated.
“Naturally, this conflict of interest led to buyer-agents promoting properties that would maximize their commission, which lowered demand for properties that offered lower commissions and thus eliminated competition from discount brokers,” the complaint says.
“This harmed homebuyers, who received diminished, biased services from buyer-agents who steered homebuyers toward purchasing homes that offered high commissions.”
Just because NAR has gotten rid of the policies at issue, doesn’t mean the damage they allegedly caused to homebuyers has been addressed, according to the complaint.
“[The harms caused to American homebuyers for decades have not been remedied, nor have the billions in ill-gotten commissions been disgorged,” the filing says.
The Cwynar suit was filed in the same court as the Batton suits — Chicago’s U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division — but is not suing the same defendants. Notably, NAR is named as a co-conspirator, but not as a defendant in the Cwynar suit.
The suit stresses the broker defendants’ involvement with NAR, including that broker leaders “attend NAR meetings, provide input on NAR’s operations, and review, lobby for, and vote on NAR rules,” “assist in NAR’s enforcement of the rules,” and ”required their brokers and agents to comply with NAR rules.”
“Defendants’ market power means that their involvement was crucial to the success of the conspiracy with NAR and other brokers,” the complaint says.
“To this end, Defendants consented to engage in, facilitate, and execute the conspiracy, playing a significant role within NAR and mandating that their affiliates comply with NAR’s anticompetitive rules and policies as a prerequisite for accessing the benefits of Defendants’ brands and infrastructure, including access to MLSs.”
“Defendants are jointly and severally liable for the acts of their co-conspirators, whether named or not named as party defendants in this action,” the complaint adds.
The complaint seeks to represent two classes:
- A nationwide class made up of “[a]ll persons who, during the applicable limitations period, purchased residential real estate listed on a NAR MLS in the United States.”
- An Illinois subclass made up of “[a]ll persons who, during the applicable limitations period, purchased residential real estate listed on a NAR MLS in the state of Illinois.”
The suit does not define “the applicable limitations period.” The complaint alleges violation of the federal Sherman Antitrust Act and unjust enrichment on behalf of all class members, and violation of the Illinois Antitrust Act and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act on behalf of the Illinois subclass members.
Whether the federal claims, at least, won’t be swiftly dismissed is an open question. As indirect purchasers of buyer brokerage services, buyers are not allowed to sue under federal antitrust laws, but may sue under state antitrust laws, which has limited the claims that still stand in the other buyer commission suits.
In addition, the seller-side litigation settlements have limited the size of any potential homebuyer class in that they prevent sellers who also bought homes from suing as buyers over the same challenged rules. This would drastically cut down the number of class members should any of the buyer commission suits receive class-action status.
Read the complaint (re-load page if document is not visible):
Email Andrea V. Brambila.
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by Taylor Anderson | Jul 1, 2025 | Industry, News Feed
The 32,000-member Northwest Multiple Listing Service wrote in a new legal filing that Compass “cannot have it both ways” by receiving listings via the MLS while holding half of its own listings privately
Real estate is changing fast, and so must you. Inman Connect San Diego is where you turn uncertainty into strategy — with real talk, real tools and the connections that matter. If you’re serious about staying ahead of the game, this is where you need to be. Register now!
The Northwest Regional Multiple Listing Service said that Compass is trying to have it “both ways” when it comes to receiving access to listings in the MLS while building its own private network of listings, according to a new legal filing.
Compass filed the lawsuit against Washington-based Northwest MLS in April, calling the multiple listing service a “monopolist.” The suit was one of several escalations made by Compass — others included criticism on social media — in its quest to pursue a marketing strategy that includes holding listings within its own Private Exclusives network before potentially adding them to the MLS at a later date.
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However, such listings violate NWMLS rules that are in place to ensure transparent access to the broadest pool of listings, the MLS wrote in response to Compass’ complaint. NWMLS also asked a judge to dismiss Compass’ suit.
“NWMLS has no antitrust or common-law obligation to promote Compass’ exclusionary, free-rider strategy,” the MLS wrote. “NWMLS’ rules were designed to prohibit conduct like Compass’, which destroys competition in the real estate market, harms consumers, and contravenes NWMLS’ founding purpose.”
Among those rules is a requirement that the MLS’ 32,000 member brokers who get access to competitors’ listings also submit their own.
“That requirement ensures that all members have fair access to each other’s listings and eliminates the possibility that one member may extract value from others without a corresponding contribution for that value,” NWMLS wrote.
The MLS specifically pointed to Compass’ 3-Phased Marketing Strategy, an approach that involves testing a listing off-MLS to gain insights on pricing, the home itself and buyer interest. If homes don’t sell while in the private status, the listing enters “coming soon” status, followed by broader public marketing on the MLS as an active listing.
Nearly half of the brokerage’s listings outside of Washington in the first quarter started as Private Exclusives, while most (94 percent) eventually went onto the open market, the company said in its complaint.
NWMLS wrote that the strategy was designed “to steer those listings to a Compass-represented buyer.”
“Compass, however, cannot have it both ways,” NWMLS wrote.
In footnotes within the legal filing, NWMLS called into question the private nature of Compass’ Private Exclusives.
“The only thing ‘private’ about the Private Exclusive phase is that Compass disseminates the listing to its 34,000 ‘nationwide’ agents and their ‘millions of buyers,’ but not to non-Compass agents, thus contradicting the Complaint’s conclusory assertions about owner security and privacy,” NWMLS wrote. “Compass wants its agents’ ‘millions of buyers’ to know about the listing, but not competing NWMLS member firms, and their potential buyers.”
After a behind-the-scenes back-and-forth between NWMLS and Compass, the MLS cut off Compass’ license to the MLS’ IDX data feed for two days in April.
“The suspension of the IDX data feed merely meant that, for two days, Compass could not transfer other members’ listings from NWMLS’ database to Compass’ public facing website,” NWMLS wrote.
The MLS asked the court to dismiss the case with prejudice, meaning that, if the judge agrees, Compass couldn’t refile the lawsuit.
Compass is now fighting a multi-front battle against organizations and companies that are enforcing rules that would undermine the company’s private listings strategy.
Last week, it filed suit against Zillow, the largest real estate portal, seeking to block the company’s policy banning private listings that have been marketed publicly.
Read NWMLS full filing here:
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