🪓 From Old Habits to Smart Strategies

That photo of me (made by nano banana on gemini) in caveman gear, clutching an axe and a tablet, is funny at first glance. But it also captures a serious truth. Too many real estate agents are still swinging their “axes”- the old, familiar methods- while others have started tapping into modern tools that free them up, expand their reach, and help them win clients faster.

This blog isn’t about mocking tradition. It’s about asking an honest question: what’s costing you more- staying comfortable, or trying something new?

The Old Way:Agents used to spend entire mornings cold calling, working through scripts, and bracing themselves for rejection. Even if you made 100 calls, you might land two conversations worth pursuing. The numbers game worked better 20 years ago, when homeowners expected sales calls.

The Problem Today:Most people don’t answer unknown numbers. Call display, spam filters, and simple impatience mean you’re often wasting time. And when people do pick up, they’re annoyed.

The New Way:Inbound funnels- like Facebook or Instagram ads offering a “Free Market Report” or “Guide to Buying in London, ON”- flip the script. Instead of you interrupting strangers, you attract prospects who already want information.

Practical Example:One agent in Hamilton swapped her weekly cold calling block for a $50 Facebook ad offering a “Top 5 Mistakes First-Time Buyers Make” PDF. In one week, she collected 14 email addresses. Instead of chasing, she now nurtures those leads through automated follow-ups.

The Old Way:Door knocking has been a staple forever. Walk a neighborhood, introduce yourself, drop off a card. It works—but it’s time-consuming and not always welcome.

The Problem Today:Many homeowners view unexpected knocks as an intrusion. Safety concerns also make people less receptive. You might spend three hours knocking doors and get one real conversation.

The New Way:Geo-targeted social campaigns let you “knock” digitally. Instead of bothering people at dinner, you put your face and message in front of them while they scroll on their phone. You can target by postal code, age, interests, even behaviors (like browsing Realtor.ca or HouseSigma.ca).

Practical Example:An Oakville agent set up a campaign targeting homeowners within 2 km of a new listing. Instead of knocking doors for three hours, his ad reached 1,800 people in three days. The cost? Less than printing 500 flyers.

The Old Way:Print materials- postcards, newsletters, flyers- were the standard. They still have a place, especially for older demographics. But they’re static: once you’ve printed and dropped them, that’s it.

The Problem Today:Response rates are low, costs are high, and tracking effectiveness is nearly impossible. Did that $400 on postcards actually bring in a lead? Who knows.

The New Way:Retargeting ads keep your face in front of prospects who’ve already shown interest. If someone visits your website, they start seeing your ads on Facebook, Instagram, even Google. It’s like postcards that follow them around- but smarter and cheaper.

Practical Example:In Mississauga, an agent tested both. 1,000 printed postcards cost $700 and brought in 2 calls. A retargeting campaign at $5/day generated 40+ clicks to her site in a week and 5 new lead registrations.

The Old Way:Sit down with a blank screen, sweat over adjectives, try not to sound cliché. You might spend an hour writing one listing description.

The Problem Today:It’s a time drain, and after a while, all descriptions start sounding the same.

The New Way:AI tools like ChatGPT can draft descriptions in seconds. You still personalize and polish, but you start with something solid.

Practical Example:For a semi in London, ON, you could type: “Write a warm, family-friendly description for a 3-bedroom semi-detached in London, 28x105 lot, 1.5 baths, near schools and parks.” In less than 20 seconds, you have a draft. You edit for voice and compliance, but you’ve saved 40+ minutes.

The Old Way:Agents pulled comps manually from MLS, dropped them into Excel, then wrote explanations. It worked- but it was tedious.

The Problem Today:Buyers and sellers want data visualized clearly and quickly. A messy spreadsheet won’t impress them.

The New Way:AI-enhanced CMAs create clean, client-friendly reports with charts, maps, and clear insights. Instead of spending hours formatting, you can focus on explaining the story the data tells.

Practical Example:An agent in Brampton used an AI CMA generator that produced a polished, branded report in minutes. She went into the listing appointment with visuals her competitor didn’t have- and won the client.

The Old Way:Print, sign, scan, email, repeat. Agents used to drive across town just to get initials on one page.

The Problem Today:Clients expect speed. Younger buyers especially hate paper. And the more manual steps, the more room for mistakes.

The New Way:E-signature platforms (DocuSign, Authentisign) make it easy. Secure, trackable, and instant.

Practical Example:A Toronto agent closed a deal while traveling because all signatures were handled digitally. Ten years ago, that deal might have fallen apart because of delays.

The Old Way:Industry mixers, golf tournaments, open houses- valuable but limited by geography and time.

The Problem Today:If you’re not visible online, you’re invisible to many buyers and sellers.

The New Way:LinkedIn posts, Instagram reels, Facebook groups, even TikTok clips let you network at scale. You can build authority without leaving your office.

Practical Example:Posting weekly on LinkedIn about local market updates has landed me direct buyer inquiries. A decade ago, I’d have needed a monthly networking breakfast to do the same.

Let’s be honest. Moving from old to new methods feels like stepping into unfamiliar territory. It’s uncomfortable. It requires learning. And for many senior agents, it feels like starting over.

But here’s the truth: you don’t need to master everything overnight. You only need to adopt one small shift at a time.

Each small change buys you time and keeps you competitive.

That caveman image is funny, but it’s also serious. Too many agents are still stuck in the cave, holding on to tools that make them work harder, not smarter.

But this isn’t about throwing away tradition. Relationships, personal touches, and hustle will always matter. The difference is that modern tools let you protect your time and focus more on the parts of the job clients actually value.

The agents who thrive in the next decade won’t be the ones clinging to old methods or the ones chasing every shiny app. They’ll be the ones who learn to blend- keeping the best of tradition while embracing just enough innovation to stay relevant.

Because in the end, clients don’t care whether you knocked on their door or targeted them on Instagram. They care that you showed up when they needed you, with answers, solutions, and trust.