Above, left to right, top row: Ennis Antoine, Robby Brady, Carol Bulman, Jim Fite, Bess Freedman; left to right, bottom row: Michele Harrington, Lisa Nguyen, Chris Trapani, Keith Robinson, Mor Zucker
Perspective. It’s one of the greatest gifts a long career in residential real estate has to offer. No matter how bad things get, you’ve usually been through some version of it before. And when the unprecedented happens, muscle memory kicks in and allows you to assess, pivot and proceed in the face of the unknown.
As another difficult year for the industry comes to a close, the indicators for the year ahead are largely positive, and real estate leaders are more than ready for renewed growth. In this special roundtable discussion, some of the industry’s sharpest minds share strategies and inspiration (and potential red flags to watch for) as they set out to make 2026 a turnaround year.
Participants (in alphabetical order):
Ennis Antoine, Broker/Owner, EA Real Estate
Robby Brady, Team Lead, Robby Brady Team, Howard Hanna | Allen Tate Real Estate
Carol Bulman, CEO, Jack Conway
Jim Fite, CEO, CENTURY 21 Judge Fite Company
Bess Freedman, CEO, Brown Harris Stevens
Michele Harrington, CEO, First Team Real Estate
Lisa Nguyen, Team Leader, REMAX Professionals; 2025/2026 President, Denver Metro Assn. of Realtors®
Keith Robinson, Co-CEO, NextHome
Chris Trapani, CEO & Co-Founder, Christie’s International Real Estate Sereno
Mor Zucker, Team Lead & Investment Specialist, Team Denver Homes | LIV Sotheby’s International Realt
In terms of your approach to business, what is the biggest change you will make next year?
Michele Harrington: Next year, I’m shifting even more toward developing entrepreneurship at the agent level. Whether someone wants to stay solo, grow a team or eventually open an office, I want them thinking and operating like true business owners. In this market, sales skills aren’t enough. They need to master strategy, operations and leadership. My biggest change is doubling down on helping agents become incredible business people, not just real estate agents.
Jim Fite: Several items: further implementation of AI; quarterly production-centric contests and activity-based initiatives; expansion of our core businesses; additional mergers; grass-roots recruiting initiatives; recognition and incentives for real estate professionals and staff; sales training for all Judge Fite companies’ staff…and more!
Robby Brady: We plan to integrate AI into our follow-up systems for online leads. The goal is to increase speed and consistency in our initial outreach while keeping the personal connection on the agent side.
Ennis Antoine: The biggest change in 2026 will be a heightened focus on broker-led oversight and consistency in how brokerage relationships are explained and executed under Georgia law. As the industry continues to evolve, it is essential that agents clearly understand the duties owed to clients versus customers, properly utilize agency disclosures, and operate within clearly defined roles. My focus along with the leadership team will be on strengthening compliance, professionalism and clarity from the first consumer conversation through closing.
Chris Trapani: 2026 marks Sereno’s 20th anniversary. It’s been a challenging, enlightening and rewarding journey. The biggest adjustment will be doubling down on our intention and purpose as an organization. One thing we have discovered and proven is that being intentional about a purposeful, collective consciousness leads to results that may have been unimaginable from the outset. We intend to apply this approach to individual and collective agent productivity in 2026 and have some unique programs in mind to do so.
Keith Robinson: Growth. We’ve always been growth focused, but taking the NextHome offering to a whole new category to create explosive growth. We can’t share all the details yet, but stay tuned in Q1…there will be some serious announcements coming out of our company all in an aligned vision around keeping the core of what makes us special and adding people to our ecosystem at scale.
Bess Freedman: The industry has become cluttered with noise, tools and distractions, so I feel like we need to return to what matters. I want our agents and our company focused on what truly drives results, exceptional client care, disciplined execution and smart, data-driven decisions. We’re streamlining processes, eliminating inefficiencies and ensuring every initiative actually supports the people doing the work.
Lisa Nguyen: The biggest change I will make next year is to rehumanize the business because that is something AI cannot take away from agents. The face-to-face meetings during some of the hardest times of our clients lives. The grassroots efforts of marketing that are not pushed out online, such as traditional open houses and pushing out listings to social groups that my team is a part of. With that said, we will also learn AI tools that can help eliminate time spent on certain tasks as well as errors to become more efficient to free up our time for tasks that we cannot eliminate.
Mor Zucker: Next year, I am intentionally expanding my relationships with brokers outside of my market. Referral-based business has always been strong for me, but I am taking a much more proactive approach through personal outreach, curated events and targeted marketing to build meaningful national partnerships. The goal is to create a consistent, high-quality referral ecosystem built on trust, not transactions.
Carol Bulman: As we look ahead to 2026, we are being very intentional about clarity, especially around growth and where our focus truly belongs. This year we made a meaningful investment in Tom Ferry Coaching, and the feedback has been clear: our agents want direction, priorities and leadership they can trust. There is no shortage of tools or information in this industry. What people are really looking for is steady leadership that helps them cut through the noise. That will continue to be our focus, making sure our agents feel supported, confident and clear about the path ahead.
What current strategies will you double down on?
Keith Robinson: Our culture and our offering. Real estate is starting to get better, but it doesn’t exactly feel like it. We find the industry to be searching for something. The industry is tired, worn out and a little beat up. We feel like there will be a few companies that can be a lighthouse as the market starts to shift in our favor. NextHome will be one of those companies.
Bess Freedman: We’re doubling down on agent support and education, including more hands-on training, more mentorship and more resources that help agents cut through uncertainty. I also believe deeply in the value of ethical, relationship-driven business, so we will continue to lead with transparency and trust because that’s what clients expect and deserve.
Mor Zucker: I am doubling down on my existing clients and sphere. That means more thoughtful touch points, elevated gifting and in-person events that strengthen community and long-term loyalty. In a crowded industry, relationships are still the greatest differentiator, and I want every client to feel remembered, valued and connected well beyond the closing table.
Lisa Nguyen: Right now, more than ever, a home is harder to sell than it’s been over the course of the last decade. I will double down on going back to the basics and not counting on technology alone to sell our listings. I will double down on making sure that our Realtor® groups continue to advocate for our rights to be agents and legislation that allows our builders to continue to build homes that are greatly needed in an economy that is short on affordable housing.
Chris Trapani: One component of our doubling down will be to launch an organic, more authentically structured program called, “What It Really Takes.” What we are focusing on is something I have observed over my 35 years in real estate, 25 of those in leadership: Why is it that despite some of the very same life and personal challenges, some people find their way to success while others are perpetually struggling? What are the thoughts, emotions and factors which allow some to cross the chasm of life’s challenges on their way to breakout success? I will personally moderate this series, but also invite some of our agents to share their insights. It isn’t about tactics or best practices; it’s about what actually goes on inside people who succeed and the fears they carried, the stories they told themselves, the decisions they made when motivation was gone, and how they rebuilt momentum.
Michele Harrington: Teams, teams, teams. I’ve seen firsthand that the fastest path for a solo agent to scale—to duplicate themselves, build community and step into true leadership—is by building a team. It allows them to go from salesperson to CEO. I’ve helped many agents successfully make that shift already, and next year I’ll be doubling down on supporting more of them in building high-performance teams.
Ennis Antoine: We will double down on education, risk management and agent accountability. This includes continuous training on Georgia License Law, GAR contracts, agency relationships and real-world application. We will also continue reinforcing strong daily business habits—prospecting, follow-up and consistent client communication—while ensuring agents can confidently articulate the value they bring to each transaction.
What has the potential to make or break your business next year?
Bess Freedman: Execution. The market will be unpredictable in terms of interest rates, inventory, legislation, all of it. But what will matter most is how well we adapt in real time. If we stay nimble, focused and aligned on our mission, we’ll grow. Firms that get complacent or reactive will have a tough time.
Carol Bulman: Losing sight of who we are. The industry continues to move quickly, and it can be tempting to focus on short-term decisions. When culture and communication slip, people feel it immediately. I have seen firsthand how powerful it is when people feel supported and understand why they belong. Continuing to share our story, and to celebrate the success of our agents, is essential.
Chris Trapani: Ourselves. If we have learned anything, it’s that despite the external challenges, how we receive, process and adapt is what matters most over the long run. We dealt with the 2008 financial crisis two years after we first founded the company. Early in that cycle there was a natural response to have self pity. That matured into a resolve that we were in it with a group of people who would die trying and that if we could not succeed, nobody would and then it wouldn’t matter.
Jim Fite: Make: Interest rates that start with the number 5 (below 6%); Break: Interest rates that start with 8%.
Michele Harrington: The market won’t make or break our business, we will. If we double down on the things that are already working, we’ll grow no matter what. If we stop executing, stop innovating or stop leading…that’s when the business breaks. The biggest threat is us not showing up.
Ennis Antoine: Focus and adaptability. The market will continue to be influenced by regulatory changes, consumer expectations and media narratives. Businesses that become distracted by negative headlines or fail to adjust their practices will struggle. Those that remain disciplined, compliant and intentional while staying focused on serving consumers will remain strong.
Keith Robinson: Getting our strategy right. This is, without hyperbole, probably the most important year in real estate in my career. From NAR changes, private listing networks, AI, lawsuits and more, all coming to a head at the same time.
Robby Brady: Interest rates and the broader U.S. economy will be the biggest drivers. Buyers and sellers are still sensitive to shifts in affordability and general confidence.
What stands to most change the industry as a whole in 2026?
Jim Fite: Widespread litigation; lack of professional defense in class-action litigation; Department of Justice intervention; continued buyer apathy; affordability of home values coupled with high interest rates; inflation.
Robby Brady: It will be important to see how NAR and local associations adjust to ongoing changes. A major question is whether local MLS systems will maintain their current role or if we move toward a more national structure or consolidation. That could reshape how agents and consumers access information.
Michele Harrington: Consolidation is the biggest force reshaping our industry, and it’s only accelerating. But I see that as a massive opportunity. When everything starts to look the same, the agents who think outside the box, build independently and differentiate themselves will stand out more than ever. The future belongs to the bold.
Chris Trapani: Consolidation and how listings are marketed. Consolidation in the residential brokerage industry is not new. It turns out each agent has a different philosophical value system, and this drives what speaks to them in terms of a brokerage firm. There has always been room for strong, purposeful and inspiring independents, and we are confident of the position Christie’s Sereno enjoys in our markets. As for how the listings are marketed, that’s going to continue to evolve as well. Progress is not a straight line, so we are prepared for any scenarios here and will put our agents and the clients and communities we are privileged to serve first always.
Bess Freedman: Consumer expectations. Buyers and sellers are demanding more insight, more sophistication and more value from their agents than ever before. Technology will evolve, but the real shift is in how clients choose who they trust. Those who lead with professionalism and truth open themselves up to a lot more success and long-term client relationships.
Lisa Nguyen: AI will most likely change the industry as a whole in 2026, along with new legislation as it is adapted.
Mor Zucker: The continued shift toward transparency and professionalism. Technology and AI will absolutely play a role, but they will not replace trust, experience or judgment. Consumers will gravitate toward advisors who can interpret data, structure creative solutions and guide them through complex decisions. The gap between true advisors and transactional agents will widen.
Carol Bulman: Artificial intelligence will absolutely play a role. Used thoughtfully, AI can help agents work more efficiently and better serve their clients. The real opportunity is in helping people understand how to use these tools in a way that enhances relationships, not replaces them.
Keith Robinson: Everyone will say AI, and I agree with that, but I’ll add a second: listing inventory. Listings have always been important, but as the market transitions in 2026, being a company with a high listing count and listing framework will be critical. Listings are always, to some degree, the fuel of the industry. With all these changes, it will be paramount.
What’s your best advice to real estate professionals for succeeding in 2026?
Ennis Antoine: Tune out the negative noise and stay focused on what you can control. Show up consistently, stay engaged and set aside dedicated time every day for prospecting and lead generation. Master Georgia License Law, understand your role in each transaction and clearly communicate the value you bring to the consumer. Agents who succeed in 2026 will be disciplined, educated, confident in their worth and aligned with brokers who prioritize accountability and compliance.
Lisa Nguyen: The best real estate advice I can give in 2026 is consistency, continuing to learn and educate yourself everyday, and preparation for the times when you are met with opportunity. Those days of putting in minimal work are over. Only the most professional and top of the industry will survive this new state of the market.
Bess Freedman: I think 2026 is going to be a reset of sorts, so sharpen your skills. Study your market every day. Communicate clearly and continue to build a seamless web of deserved trust. Invest in your own resources, and never underestimate the power of simply being present. In a complex environment, the agents who succeed will be the ones who combine deep knowledge with human connection. When the market comes roaring back—and it will, eventually—you’ll be ready.
Carol Bulman: Do not try to do it alone. Whether through coaching, mentorship or being part of a supportive company, structure and accountability matter. The agents who do best are the ones who stay consistent, step back when needed, and work on their business with intention, even when the market feels uncertain.
Michele Harrington. Be different. Be bold. Be yourself, unapologetically. Then build the discipline and habits to back that up. That’s the winning formula in 2026.
Robby Brady: Success will come from consistency. Follow up with your leads, take care of your past clients and build real relationships. The agents who stay disciplined in these basics will do well no matter what the market does.
Keith Robinson: Stay adaptable, invest in your team and keep learning; grow fast and focus on listing count.
Mor Zucker: Know your numbers, build real relationships and treat this like a business, not a hustle. Invest in systems, protect your reputation and be honest with clients even when it is uncomfortable. The agents who win long term are the ones who think like owners, stay curious and keep integrity at the center of every decision.
Jim Fite: Get up in the morning and go to work. Do the things you must do to be successful. Fill your mind with good, positive stuff. If you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right either way.
