REAL ESTATE MARKETING IN 2025: HOW TO STAND OUT IN AN EVER-CHANGING MARKET

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If you're a real estate agent, you've likely felt the shift in the 2025 market. Recent industry data reveals a challenging truth: approximately 70% of licensed agents haven't sold a single home this year. That's right – only 30% of agents have closed a transaction in what's become a high-inventory, low-demand landscape. With more listings and fewer buyers, the competition is intense.

 

The good news? You don’t need to work harder—you just need to market smarter. That’s where Adwerx can give you an edge.

 

Table of Contents

 

1. Challenges for Real Estate Agents in a Slow Market

2. Proven Strategies to Win Listings and Stay Competitive in the Current Market

   1. Set Yourself Apart in Listing Presentations with a Modern Marketing Approach

   2. Navigate Price Drops with a Smart, Client-Focused Approach

   3. Nurture Valuable Relationships by Leveraging Your Sphere Effectively

   4. Position Yourself as a Market Expert in Niche Markets

3. Conclusion: Market Smarter to Stand Out and Succeed in 2025

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Challenges for Real Estate Agents in a Slow Market

Today’s market is tough, and agents are feeling it from every direction. Inventory is sitting longer, sellers are slow to adjust their expectations and buyers are more cautious than ever. Plus, traditional outreach methods like cold calling, postcards and door-knocking are time-consuming and often yield low returns in today’s digital-first environment.

 

With fewer deals closing and more competition for every listing, working harder isn’t enough. Agents need smarter marketing, sharper strategy and a consistent digital presence that builds credibility, keeps them top-of-mind and drives urgency around their listings. The good news? There are proven ways to stand out, even in an uncertain market.

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Proven Strategies to Win Listings and Stay Competitive in the Current Market

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Set Yourself Apart in Listing Presentations with a Modern Marketing Approach

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Inventory is turning at lower rates, and sellers are looking for agents they can trust to market their listing effectively and sell their home quickly. To build confidence with leads and set yourself apart, showing sellers exactly how you plan to market their home is critical. Sellers want to know their agent has a clear plan to attract qualified buyers and generate interest in their property. Sharing how you plan to promote their home across channels like Facebook, Instagram and major websites helps them feel confident that their listing won’t get lost in the noise.

 

Today’s buyers are starting their search online and often showing clear digital signals like browsing Homes.com, scrolling through Zillow or using mortgage calculators. Using tools that respond to these behaviors and help connect the right buyers to your listings can make all the difference.

 

By leading with a thoughtful, modern approach to marketing, you’re not just checking a box, you’re helping sellers understand exactly how you’ll support them through a competitive market. And that kind of clarity goes a long way toward winning the listing.

 

If you're looking for an easy way to bring this strategy to life, Adwerx makes it simple. Our Listing Ads are designed to help you get properties in front of the right buyers, with no heavy lifting required. Just enter a few details, and your ad is automatically created and launched across all of the platforms where buyers spend their time.

 

You don’t need a marketing team or hours of setup time, just five minutes to get started. It’s a quick, professional way to add real polish to your listing strategy and give your sellers the digital exposure they expect in today’s market.

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Navigate Price Drops with a Smart, Client-Focused Approach

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In June of 2025, 20.7% of listings had to lower their price—the highest rate since at least 2016. With higher mortgage rates and growing inventory, the reality is that the market has shifted from favoring sellers to giving buyers more options and tighter budgets.  As a result, certain properties aren’t going to fetch the same price a similar home commanded just six months ago.

 

Many sellers are still clinging to peak market expectations, making it difficult for agents to set realistic prices upfront. Often, agents list higher than they’d prefer just to win the listing, and once the home sits on the market for too long, getting a seller to agree to a price drop can be just as challenging. That’s why easing the impact of price drops is essential. In this market, you have to go above and beyond to prove that a price adjustment reflects shifting conditions, not a lack of effort. A more robust marketing plan can help reignite interest, bring in fresh buyers and show your seller you’re still fully invested in getting results.

 

But taking on extra marketing expenses can be tough, especially when your commission is decreasing with a price cut. The good news is that impressive, high-impact marketing doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Using existing photos and video clips to create a video ad that highlights the home’s best features is a cost-effective way to renew buyer interest, bring in fresh prospects, and reassure your seller that you’re fully invested in getting results. Products like Adwerx Video Ads make launching these campaigns easy, with pre-built templates that mean you don’t need to spend extra money on new photos, videos or professional editing.

 

Want to take your property marketing to the next level? Go beyond the basics with Digital Out-of-Home Ads or Streaming TV Ads. Both are still affordable, high-impact options that can truly impress sellers. These formats help reach buyers in new ways, whether they’re watching connected TV or seeing your listing on a digital billboard during a shopping trip to the local mall. It’s a simple way to add serious polish to your listing strategy and show clients you’re going the extra mile.

 

Nurture Valuable Relationships by Leveraging Your Sphere Effectively

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Stay in front of the people most likely to buy or sell with you

Staying in front of your sphere is mission-critical in today’s competitive market. According to NAR, 66% of sellers choose an agent they already knew or had worked with before. That means your next deal likely won’t come from a cold lead, it’ll come from a friend, past client or referral.

 

In this market, you absolutely have to be top-of-mind with the people most likely to work with you again to truly be a top producer. Whether it’s a past client who’s ready to move again or a friend who is a first-time buyer, consistent engagement with your sphere ensures you’re the first agent they think of when it’s time to make a move.

 

Leveraging your CRM to regularly reach out to your database—whether it’s through texts, automated emails or reminders—is key to keeping relationships with your database active, but it can quickly become time-consuming. And realistically, it’s impossible to stay constantly in touch with everyone in your sphere. Agents need easy, automated tools to engage their sphere without adding to their workload. That’s where Adwerx Sphere Ads come in. They work quietly behind the scenes, following your sphere across the web and social platforms to keep your name front and center, effortlessly helping you stay top-of-mind even when you’re busy with other priorities. Simply add the contact information from your CRM to your campaign and we will find and target those contacts with your ad to keep you in front of them consistently.

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Leverage Your Lender Network to Help Buyers Find Their Best Loan Options

Mortgage rates might not be falling back to the lows we saw in 2020 and 2021, but they are gradually easing– and even a single point change can make a huge difference in your buyers’ purchasing power. That’s why encouraging buyers to shop around and explore different lenders is so important. It not only widens their options for the best rates and incentives, but it also strengthens their trust in your expertise, especially in a market where buyers are patient and you’ll be working closely with them as they search for the perfect home.

 

To make this easier, keep a list of trusted lenders and mortgage brokers you’ve worked with and share it with your buyers. You should subscribe to any newsletters for this list to stay in the loop on any special offers or incentives they have available. Consider adding these mortgage brokers to your Adwerx sphere campaigns’s audience so when new rate deals pop up, you’re the first agent they think of. Leveraging your lender network is a smart way to help buyers get the best loan possible while strengthening your referral connections.

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Position Yourself as a Market Expert in Niche Markets

Local expertise isn’t just important — it’s expected. Yet you’d be surprised how many agents stumble when a seller asks the most basic question: “So, how’s the market?” You need to have a clear, confident answer. Why else would someone hire you in such a tough market? Whether it’s a particular neighborhood, a school district or a certain type of property (think historic homes, condos or investment properties), the more hyper-local your knowledge, the more valuable you become.

 

When mortgage rates are holding steady, buyers are more cautious. They’re not just shopping for any home; they’re shopping for the right one. That means buyers and sellers are more selective about who they trust to guide them. Being the agent who knows the story behind every street, what’s coming to the area next and where the value lies gives clients a reason to move forward with confidence. It’s what helps sellers feel confident in your pricing strategy and gives buyers the reassurance they need to move forward with an offer.

 

To build that local expertise, start by diving deep into your market. Track recent sales, monitor neighborhood trends and stay informed about upcoming developments. This can be achieved by connecting regularly with lenders, inspectors and other local professionals who will have the insights that matter to your clients. Attend local networking events, subscribe to community newsletters and engage with neighborhood social groups to stay connected and up-to-date. The more you immerse yourself in the local scene, the better equipped you’ll be to provide timely, relevant advice that sets you apart as the trusted market expert.

 

Once you’ve made the effort to carve out your area of expertise, make the most of that hard-work by amplifying it. One way to accomplish this is with Adwerx Zip Code Ads. These campaigns help keep your name top-of-mind by targeting the exact neighborhoods where you’re the expert, so when someone’s ready to make a move, you’re already the obvious choice. Think of it like a digital postcard or mailer, but at a much more affordable price point.

 

Becoming a true local expert takes time and effort, but it pays off by building trust and confidence with both buyers and sellers. Amplifying your expertise with targeted, hyper-local marketing maximizes your efforts and keeps your name top-of-mind exactly where it matters most, making you the obvious choice when it’s time to buy or sell. In a competitive market, that trusted authority is what sets you apart and drives your success.

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Market Smarter to Stand Out and Succeed in 2025

The 2025 real estate market may be tougher than many agents expected, but success isn’t about working harder—it’s about marketing smarter. With inventory lingering longer, shifting buyer expectations and increased competition, agents who lean into modern, data-driven strategies will be the ones who rise above the noise.

 

By clearly communicating your marketing plan, embracing digital strategies and approaching price adjustments with care, you will be able to build trust and keep buyers engaged. Combining consistent personal outreach with automated ways to stay visible ensures you remain top-of-mind without added stress.

 

Leveraging lender relationships and deepening your local expertise will help you stand out as a trusted advisor, giving clients the confidence to choose you in a competitive market. When you focus on these proven strategies, you position yourself to thrive—no matter how the market shifts. And with Adwerx by your side, you have the tools to market smarter, build lasting relationships and keep your business growing.